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Second Batch of 3,865 Pilgrims Departs for Amarnath Shrine

Holy Cave Shri Amarnath Ji

Srinagar Jul 3 (NVI): The annual Shri Amarnath Yatra commenced on Friday as the first batch of pilgrims began their journey from the Baltal and Pahalgam base camps towards the holy cave shrine in south Kashmir, while another 3,865 pilgrims left Jammu for the Valley under tight security.

Officials said the pilgrimage started early in the morning from both the traditional 48-km Pahalgam route and the shorter 14-km Baltal route despite intermittent rain.

Pilgrims, including men, women and sadhus, were flagged off from the Nunwan and Baltal base camps by the respective Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police amid chants of “Bum Bum Bhole”.

Meanwhile, the second batch of pilgrims departed from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu in two escorted convoys.

According to officials, 1,735 pilgrims travelling via the Baltal route left at 3:13 am, while 2,130 pilgrims bound for the Pahalgam route departed at 3:38 am, taking the strength of the second batch to 3,865.

The batch comprises 2,965 men, 618 women, 230 sadhus, 48 sadhvis and four children, officials said.

The pilgrims are travelling in 201 vehicles, including 83 buses, 14 medium motor vehicles and 104 light motor vehicles. Of these, 115 vehicles are heading to Baltal and 86 to Pahalgam, they added.

Authorities have deployed multi-layered security arrangements involving the Jammu and Kashmir Police, CRPF and other security agencies to ensure the smooth and safe conduct of the 57-day pilgrimage, which will conclude on August 28.

With the departure of the second batch, a total of 8,687 pilgrims have left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu for the Kashmir Valley over the past two days, officials said.(NVI)

SC-Mandated Daily Cap in Place, Amarnath Pilgrims Urged to Travel Only on Registered Date

File Photo

Srinagar, July 03 (NVI): The Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra administration on Thursday urged pilgrims to undertake the annual pilgrimage only after completing advance registration, saying the daily number of pilgrims allowed on the route has been capped in compliance with directions of the Supreme Court.

In an advisory, the administration said advance registration had been opened well before the commencement of the Yatra through designated bank branches across the country and online platforms, with most pilgrims already completing the process.

It said the availability of Tatkal (on-the-spot) registration is extremely limited and appealed to devotees not to travel to Jammu and Kashmir without securing advance registration.

The administration said it would not be possible to accommodate the large number of unregistered pilgrims arriving in the Union Territory under the Tatkal facility and requested them to wait for their allotted turn and travel only on the date assigned by the authorities.

The advisory also noted that several registered pilgrims were reaching Jammu and Kashmir ahead of their scheduled travel date. It clarified that no pilgrim would be permitted to undertake the Yatra before the date mentioned on their registration and urged devotees to adhere strictly to their allotted schedule.

Reiterating that every registered pilgrim would get an opportunity to undertake the pilgrimage, the administration appealed to devotees to maintain order and cooperate with officials for the safe and smooth conduct of the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra.(NVI)

J&K Police Chargesheets Man for Duping people with Fake Bahrain Job Offers

Srinagar, July 3 (NVI): The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch Kashmir has filed a chargesheet against a Srinagar man for allegedly cheating several job aspirants of lakhs of rupees by promising them employment in Bahrain using forged documents, officials said on Friday.

The chargesheet in FIR No. 67/2021, registered under Sections 420, 468 and 471 of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC), was filed before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Srinagar, against Fayaz Ahmad Zarger, a resident of Qutub Din Pora, Aali Kadal in Srinagar.

According to officials, the case was registered following a written complaint alleging that the accused, operating under the name M/s HR Choice International Education Consultancy at Karanagar, lured job seekers with false promises of overseas employment in Bahrain.

During the investigation, the EOW found that the accused had allegedly duped several victims by collecting lakhs of rupees and providing forged job offer letters, visas, air tickets and other fabricated documents. To make the process appear genuine, the victims were allegedly made to undergo online interviews, medical examinations and execute agreements.

However, no jobs were arranged and the money collected from the victims was neither refunded nor returned, officials said.

The investigation substantiated the allegations, following which the chargesheet was filed before the competent court for judicial determination.

The EOW has advised the public to remain vigilant against fraudulent job rackets and urged victims of economic fraud to report such cases to the Senior Superintendent of Police, EOW Kashmir, Crime Branch J&K.(NVI)

Six CRPF Personnel Injured as Vehicle Skids Off Road Near Gagangir Tunnel in J&K

Srinagar, July 3 (NVI): Six personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were injured after their vehicle skidded off the road near the Gagangir tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Friday, officials said.

The CRPF vehicle reportedly lost control and veered off the road near the Gagangir tunnel, resulting in injuries to six personnel, the officials said.

The injured personnel were administered first aid at the spot and later shifted to the CRPF camp at Gund for further treatment.

Officials said the condition of the injured personnel is being assessed. The cause of the accident is being ascertained.(NVI)

TTP: Killed 354 Pakistani securitymen, injured 414 in June

Cadres of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). (File Pic)
Cadres of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). (File Pic)

Peshawar (Pakistan), July 3: Continuing to inflict massive damage upon Pakistani forces, Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) has claimed to have killed 354 and injured 414 security personnel in 336 operations, mostly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan, during the month of June.

At least 51 personnel of the Pakistani forces were captured during this period by TTP, according to its spokesman Muhammad Khorasani who shared the monthly details of the actions conducted under the ongoing ‘Operation Khyber’.

Regarding the casualties, the Pakistan Army and its Special Services Group (SSG) were hit the most, as 465 of their personnel were killed or injured.

The paramilitary force Frontier Corps (FC) suffered 173 casualties, Police/Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) had 129 casualties and Intelligence/Peace Committee 52.

The Types of Operations were:

Sniper/Laser Attacks: 83
Guerrilla Attacks: 73
Grenade/Bomb Explosions: 57
Frontal Attacks: 34
Targeted Attacks: 26
Missile Attacks: 25
Ambushes: 20
Retaliatory Attacks: 18

During these operations, the assets of the Pakistani forces destroyed by TTP included:

Trucks, Vehicles, Heavy Machinery: 61
Security Cameras: 54
Water, Energy and Communication Systems: 25
Military and Police Structures: 21
Motorcycles: 5
Quadcopter Drones: 3
Tanks/Armored Vehicles: 1
Signal Jammer: 1

TTP also seized equipment from the “enemy”, which included:

Various Rifles: 53
Kalashnikov Magazines: 116
Ammunition Belts: 41
Rocket Launcher Rounds: 30
Hand Grenades: 12
Belts: 5
Rocket Launchers: 4
DShK Heavy Machine Gun: 1
Various Vehicles: 3
Night Vision Lasers: 3
Sniper Rifle: 1
Motorcycle: 1

The Areas of Operations included (District-wise):

South Waziristan: 92
North Waziristan: 51

Bajaur Province: 26

Peshawar Province: 23

Bannu Province: 21

Dera Ismail Khan Province: 20

Tank Province: 17

Khurram Province: 15

Lakki Marwat Province: 15

Karak Province: 11

Khyber Province: 11

Orakzai Province: 7

Kohat Province: 5

Quetta & Harnai Province: 4

Quetta District: 2
Harnai District: 2

Chitral Province: 3

Pishin Province: 3

Mohmand Province: 2

South Punjab Province: 2

Makran Province: 2

Diamer–Gilgit-Baltistan Province: 2

Karachi Province: 2

Swat Province: 1

Lower Dir Province: 1

(NVI)

Rain, Thunderstorms Likely Across J&K Tonight; Heavy Showers May Lash Jammu: Weather Forecast

(File/Representational image)

 

Srinagar, July 2 (NVI): Rain showers are likely to affect several parts of Jammu and Kashmir during the late-night and early morning hours on Friday, with a few places expected to witness moderate to heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, according to a weather forecast.

The forecast indicates that weather activity is expected to remain more intense over the Jammu region, where heavy showers, hailstorms, flash floods and landslides are possible in vulnerable areas.

Residents have been advised to remain alert, particularly in areas prone to flooding and landslides, and to follow official weather advisories as conditions may change.—(NVI)

Congress Suspends Two J&K Leaders Over Alleged Anti-Party Activities

Srinagar, July 2 (NVI): The Indian National Congress has suspended two senior leaders from Jammu and Kashmir from the party’s primary membership with immediate effect over alleged anti-party activities, according to an official communication.

The action, approved by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, was taken against All India Congress Committee (AICC) members Mohd. Anwar Bhatt and Bashir Ahmed Khan.

In a communication issued by the All India Congress Committee (AICC), the party said the suspension was ordered due to their alleged involvement in anti-party activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The Hon’ble Congress President has approved the suspension of the AICC Members from Jammu & Kashmir from the primary membership of the Indian National Congress, with immediate effect, on account of their anti-party activities,” the communication stated.

The Congress did not specify the nature of the alleged anti-party activities that led to the disciplinary action.(NVI)

DGP Reviews Security, Pilgrim Arrangements at Nunwan Base Camp for Amarnath Yatra

Srinagar, July 2 (NVI): Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat on Thursday visited the Nunwan Base Camp in Pahalgam to review security and logistical arrangements for the ongoing Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra.

During the visit, the DGP inspected facilities at the base camp and assessed security measures, access control, deployment of police personnel, traffic management, emergency response systems and other arrangements made for the convenience and safety of pilgrims.

He also interacted with police personnel deployed at the camp and appreciated their efforts in ensuring the smooth conduct of the annual pilgrimage. Prabhat asked the personnel to remain vigilant while maintaining a pilgrim-friendly approach during their duties.

Later, the DGP chaired a security review meeting with senior police officers, where the overall security situation, operational preparedness, deployment strategy, intelligence coordination and contingency planning along the Yatra route were discussed.

He directed officers to maintain round-the-clock alertness, strengthen coordination among field units and ensure prompt response to any emergency, while taking all necessary measures to provide a safe, secure and hassle-free pilgrimage for devotees.(NVI)

Army JCO Injured in Accidental Mine Blast Along LoC in J&K

A representative pic of the areas near the Line of Control (LoC) J&K

Shivam Bakshi

Jammu, July 2 (NVI): An Army Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) was injured in an accidental mine blast during a routine patrol along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir today, officials said.

The incident occurred at around 11:30 am near Loc  in the Nowshera Sector of Rajouri district, they said.

The injured soldier was identified as Naib Subedar Hiteshwar Gogoi.

He was immediately evacuated by helicopter to the Command Hospital in Udhampur for advanced medical treatment.

Officials said further details regarding the incident are awaited.(NVI)

J&K to Get 275 AI-Enabled Handheld X-Ray Machines, 9 MRI Units Under PM Fund

Srinagar, Jul 2 (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir is set to receive 275 AI-enabled portable handheld X-ray machines, nine MRI (1.5 Tesla) units and four digital mammography units under the Prime Minister’s Fund, significantly strengthening the Union Territory’s diagnostic healthcare infrastructure, officials said on Thursday.

An official spokesperson said a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Jammu and Kashmir government for implementation of the project.

The equipment will be installed in identified government health institutions across the Union Territory to improve diagnostic services, support AI-enabled tuberculosis screening, facilitate early disease detection and enhance breast cancer screening, the spokesperson said.

According to officials, the procurement, installation and commissioning of the equipment will be carried out by the Government of India through its designated agencies, with supplies expected to begin in the coming months.

The Health and Medical Education Department will ensure timely site readiness, deployment of the required manpower and early operationalisation of the equipment to make the facilities available to the public at the earliest, they said.

Officials said the allocation follows sustained efforts by the Health and Medical Education Department to strengthen healthcare infrastructure and expand access to advanced diagnostic facilities across Jammu and Kashmir.

They added that Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo has been closely monitoring health sector reforms, focusing on modernising healthcare infrastructure, improving diagnostic capabilities and ensuring equitable access to quality healthcare services across the Union Territory.

The initiative is expected to enhance diagnostic capacity in government hospitals, reduce patient referrals, enable early diagnosis and treatment, and improve overall healthcare outcomes, officials said.—(NVI)

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