The cold conditions intensified across Kashmir as the minimum temperature dropped further below the freezing point, and a thick layer of fog engulfed most parts of the valley, officials said on Wednesday.
Srinagar recorded a low of minus 4.4 degrees Celsius on Tuesday night, down from minus 2.5 degrees Celsius the previous night, they said.
A thick blanket of fog wrapped Srinagar and other places in the valley, especially around water bodies.
NEW DELHI: (Dec 3) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a petition seeking a court-monitored committee to supervise all stages of trial in the Red Fort blast case.
The high court said the trial in the case has not started yet and the issue raised in the petition was only on apprehension and it cannot be assumed that there will be a delay in the trial.
Petitioner Dr Pankaj Pushkar sought a day-to-day trial in the case and a direction to the probe agency to file monthly status reports before the court-appointed oversight committee.
LEH: (Dec 3) As many as 193 well trained Agniveer recruits were inducted into the Ladakh Scouts regiment of the army at a passing out parade here on Wednesday, a defence spokesperson said.
The passing out parade was held at the Ladakh Scouts Regimental Centre, Leh and was attended by distinguished military officers, civil dignitaries and the parents of Agniveers, the spokesperson said.
The reviewing officer congratulated the young soldiers for the impressive parade and urged them to devote their life in service to the Nation as proud soldiers of the Army, the spokesperson said.
Jammu & Kashmir edged closer to a knockout berth in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Elite Group B after a commanding 29-run victory over Chandigarh at the Jadavpur University Campus Ground in Kolkata. The win marked J&K’s third triumph in four matches, solidifying their strong position in the group standings.
Put in to bat, J&K produced a dominant batting display, posting 192 all out in 20 overs. Yawer Hassan starred with a scintillating 57 off 36 balls, studded with four boundaries and four sixes. Senior opener Shubham Khajuria set the tone early with a brisk 43 off 30 deliveries, hammering three fours and three sixes.
Useful contributions from Abdul Samad (23) and Kanhaiya Wadhawan (21) kept the run rate soaring throughout the innings. Chandigarh’s bowling effort was led by Nikhil Sharma, Bhagmender Lather, and Jagjit Singh Sandhu, all of whom claimed two wickets each.
Chasing a steep target of 193, Chandigarh managed 163/7 in 20 overs. Despite an impressive start from the top order, the rising required run rate proved too much. Gaurav Puri top-scored with a fiery 39 off 23 balls, hitting four towering sixes. Arjun Azad (38) and Manan Vohra (32) offered solid support, but J&K’s disciplined bowling sealed the contest.
For J&K, Yudhvir Singh picked up two wickets, while Aquib Nabi, Murugan Ashwin, and Lone Nasir Muzzaffar struck once each to ensure a comfortable victory.
The Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) congratulated the team and extended special appreciation to Administrators Brig Anil Gupta and Vidhya Bhaskar, CAC Members Abdul Qayoom, Vijay Sharma, Meenu Singh Slathia, and Selectors Sarabjeet Singh, Dhruv Mahajan, and Arshid Bhat for their role in shaping the team’s impressive campaign.
With momentum firmly in their favour, J&K now appear well poised for a strong push into the knockout stages.
Jammu and Kashmir’s pride, Anekha Devi of Bani, Kathua, was given a grand reception by the Yuva Rajput Sabha (YRS) and the Amar Singh Sports and Youth Initiative J&K for her outstanding performance in the Women’s T20 Blind World Cup, where Team India clinched the title.
A special felicitation ceremony was held at the Maharaja Hari Singh Statue, Tawi Bridge, where YRS members, supporters, and local residents gathered to honour Anekha Devi for bringing global recognition to the region.
Prominent YRS leaders present included Mandeep Singh Rimpy, Vikram Singh Vicky, Rajesh Singh, Pushvinder Singh, Mohan Singh Bittu, Babir Singh Kaku, Vishav Singh, Raghav Singh, Bhanu Pratap Singh, Sanju Singh, Daljit Singh, Vishal Singh, Ritik Singh, and Avtar Singh Kullu.
MLA Bani Rameshwar Singh and Ajay Thakur, Secretary of the Blind Cricket Association and Anekha’s uncle, also attended the event.
Anekha was felicitated with a memento and garlands as YRS leaders and MLA Rameshwar Singh applauded her determination and called for greater support for young athletes from remote and rural areas.
The emotional ceremony concluded with enthusiastic applause and slogans celebrating Anekha Devi’s historic achievement, which has inspired thousands of young girls across Jammu & Kashmir to pursue their sporting dreams.
Later, at another ceremony held at Amar Mahal (Jammu), Martand Singh, Director of the Amar Singh Sports and Youth Initiative J&K, honoured Anekha, who was accompanied by her family members and MLA Dr Rameshwar.
Martand Singh announced that the Initiative would support Anekha by providing cricket gear and equipment for her future training and competitions.
Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday firmly rejected concerns over surveillance linked to the Sanchar Saathi safety app, stating that snooping is “neither possible nor will it happen”. The remarks come amid a row over the Ministry of Communications’ recent directive requiring smartphone manufacturers to preload the government-run cybersecurity app on all new devices.
Responding during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, Scindia said the app is designed solely for citizens’ protection. “Sanchar Saathi app se na snooping sambhav hai, na snooping hoga,” he emphasised.
The minister said the government’s intention is to empower users with tools to safeguard themselves against misuse of mobile connections, fraud, and cyber threats.
A ministry order issued on November 28 mandates that all mobile manufacturers must pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on every handset sold in India. It also requires that the app be pushed to existing devices through a software update.
According to the order, the app must be easily visible and accessible to users at the time of first device setup, and its functions must not be disabled or restricted.
On Tuesday, Scindia clarified that users who do not wish to use the app are free to delete it after purchase.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday sharply questioned the legal status of Rohingyas living in India, asking whether “intruders” who enter the country illegally should be given a “red carpet welcome” while Indian citizens continue to struggle with poverty.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi made strong observations while hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by rights activist Rita Manchanda, alleging that several Rohingyas detained by authorities in Delhi had gone missing.
The court adjourned the hearing to December 16.
The petitioner claimed that some Rohingyas were picked up by Delhi Police in May and their whereabouts remain unknown. Responding sharply, the CJI asked, “If they do not have legal status to stay in India and they are intruders, what is the problem in sending them back?” He added that India has a large population of poor citizens who must be prioritised in allocation of resources.
“First you cross the border illegally, then you say you are entitled to food, shelter, and education. Do we want to stretch the law like this?” the CJI observed.
The petitioner cited a 2020 Supreme Court order which stated that Rohingyas could be deported only through due procedure. The bench replied that even as illegal entrants must not be subjected to harsh treatment, the rights of Indian citizens could not be ignored.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, argued that the plea lacked locus standi as it was not filed by any affected person.
Earlier, on July 31, the top court had noted that the primary question in all Rohingya-related matters was whether they should be considered refugees or illegal entrants. The bench reiterated that once this classification is settled, other issues would follow.
Among the questions framed by the court were:
The court segregated all related petitions into three categories and said they would be heard on consecutive Wednesdays.
In earlier hearings this year, the apex court had declined to stay the deportation of Rohingyas and criticised petitioners for presenting unverified claims, including allegations that refugees were abandoned in the Andaman Sea.
The Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah met here this morning and cleared a series of departmental proposals, including promotions in the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department and the establishment of the Animal Protection Board, officials said.
The meeting, held at the Chief Minister’s Jammu residence at 9 am, discussed multiple administrative matters linked to governance and development,
Issues concerning electricity, reservation and winter preparedness also came up during the deliberations, they added.
A proposal regarding the promotion and service-related matters of officer cadres in the R&B Department received approval after detailed discussion, while financial allocations were sanctioned to strengthen cooperative societies operating in the livestock and fisheries sectors.
Cabinet Minister Javed Rana told reporters after the meeting that several agenda items were cleared, with the focus on timely redressal of pending administrative matters.
“There were some minor issues that were discussed. But I would say the main agenda involved the promotion and proposal of officers of the R&B Department. Their seniority confirmation has now been agreed,” Rana said.
“Similarly, our pawns and anglers community — I made a recommendation for them. Cooperative societies play an important role in supporting them and funds have been allocated to strengthen these societies,” he added.
He said the Cabinet also approved the establishment of the Animal Protection Board to streamline livestock-related regulations and welfare mechanisms.
Rana noted that the issue of daily wagers across departments was also discussed.
“The Chief Secretary has been directed to submit a report as soon as possible because there is a major issue concerning daily wagers of various categories. The government has a responsibility toward them and we want justice to be done,” he said.
The meeting concluded with instructions to expedite the submission of pending departmental reports and to ensure all decisions adopted today are implemented without delay, sources said.
Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday claimed that since coming to power, the Modi government has displayed a particularly “venal streak of cynicism” in relation to environmental protection, while alleging that it has now “nearly signed a death warrant” for Aravalli hills.
She demanded that the government must withdraw the amendments it “bulldozed” through Parliament in the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 as well as the Forest Conservation Rules (2022).
Gandhi said the government’s declaration that any hills in the Aravalli range with an elevation of less than 100 metres are not subject to the strictures against mining is an open invitation for illegal miners and mafias to finish off 90% of the range which falls below the height limit set.
Two persons were killed and three others sustained injuries in a road accident on the Chingus stretch of the Rajouri highway on Wednesday morning, officials said.
Officials said that the accident occurred early in the day when a vehicle skidded off the road, resulting in the fatalities. Two individuals died on the spot, while three others were injured.
The injured were immediately shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment, they added.
Further investigation into the incident is underway.—(KNC)