Minimum temperatures have plummeted below the freezing point across the Kashmir Valley, but pilgrims from all over India can be seen taking a dip at Shadipora located at the confluence of the Jhelum river and Sindh stream in the Ganderbal district of central Kashmir these days.
'Kashmir Police established Minority distress #helpline at PCR Kashmir. In case of #emergency, one may call for #assistance on 0194-2482626,' IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar tweeted.
The deceased policeman was identified as assistant sub-inspector Mushtaq Ahmad.
Shah visited the family of Jammu and Kashmir Police officer who was killed by terrorists.
India has not only been decked in tricolour hues in the lead up to the 76th Independence Day celebrations, but also put under a heavy security blanket, right from Delhi, the epicentre of the mega celebrations, to Jammu and Kashmir.
Junaid Ashraf Khan 'Sehrai' whose father is chairman of the separatist conglomerate Tehrek-e-Hurriyat, was killed in the encounter.
A government employee belonging to the Kashmir Pandit community was shot dead by suspected militants at his office in the Chadoora area of Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, officials said in Srinagar.
Kashmir remained cut off from rest of the country for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday as the arterial Jammu-Srinagar national highway and the Mughal road remained closed, while air traffic was suspended due to heavy snowfall across the valley.
The snowfall started during the night at most places and early in the morning at few places, the officials said. They said while some areas in north Kashmir received light snowfall, most areas in central and south Kashmir experienced moderate snowfall.
Cold wave conditions intensified across Kashmir as the mercury slipped further below the freezing point, resulting in frozen water bodies. The weatherman said Srinagar city recorded a low of minus 3.2 degree Celsius on Monday night. He added that Gulmarg, in north Kashmir's Baramulla district, was the coldest recorded place in the valley.
This was the lowest minimum temperature recorded in the city since 1991, when the mercury had fallen to minus 11.4 degree Celsius.
The protesters have been demanding their relocation to safe environments in the wake of a spurt in the attacks on the minority community members in the valley.
Saifullah, the Pakistani terrorist who masterminded at least three attacks on security forces during the past month, was killed in the encounter with security forces, a police official said.
With the sacking of the grandson, Anees-ul-Islam, and the teacher, Farooq Ahmed Butt, the total number of employees dismissed in the last six months has gone up to 27.
With each team working on a dedicated task, the SOG is moving full steam ahead with its efforts to hit out at terrorists trying to make Srinagar their base, said senior officials anxious to recast the image of the force.
Officials said the government has made necessary arrangements for opening of 190 primary schools in Srinagar city as security forces remained deployed in most of the Valley.
Trouble started on Thursday night in Central Jail as the inmates resisted the prison authorities' move to shift them from two barracks so that these could be renovated.
Terrorists fired indiscriminately on a police party near Nowgam bypass Friday morning, a police official said, adding three policemen were injured in the attack, two of them later succumbed. They said the terrorists have been identified and will be neutralised soon.
Mobile services and internet remained suspended for the 16th consecutive day, while landline telephone services in many areas also remained affected.
People, who have been virtually been kept indoors because of heavy security deployment in the wake of removal of special status for Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcation of the state, were allowed to go to mosques in their localities without being asked any questions by security personnel.
Christmas was celebrated across the country on Saturday, but the festivities were low-key for the second year in a row due to Covid, with churches and other events witnessing lower footfalls, people avoiding large get-togethers and the administration in some areas imposing certain curbs.
Authorities on Friday imposed strict restricts on the movement of people in old Srinagar city and Anantnag town in south Kashmir, fearing law and order problems over the anti-Islam video made in the US.
'I had emphasised this during our meeting with the PM.' 'Given our location, I had warned that there is a sensitivity involved as this is a frontier state.' 'The atmosphere around us is not conducive. But who listens?'
Security personnel deployed at Jehangir Chowk were the apparent target of the grenade attack.
The Chinese sub-contractor had been removed following the directives of the ministry of power regarding vulnerabilities in the power supply system and network.
Protests broke out in some states on Friday, including Delhi's Jama Masjid and stone-petling at policemen in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj and Saharanpur, over the controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammad by two now-suspended Bharatiya Janata Party functionaries with demonstrators in Jharkhand injuring a few policemen while authorities in Jammu imposed a curfew in few areas and parts of Kashmir observed a shutdown.
A flood alert was sounded in Srinagar city on Thursday as river Jhelum was flowing four feet above the danger mark after incessant rain, while 23 villages have been inundated by floods in south Kashmir districts of Anantnag and Kulgam.
Curfew continued in Srinagar city for the second day on Wednesday while it was extended to two towns in Anantnag district following violent clashes between protestors and security forces in these areas.
Banks, ATMs and quite a few markets were kept open on Sunday while 2.5 lakh sacrificial goats have been made available in the Kashmir valley to help citizens celebrate Eid-ul-Azha with traditional fervour.
Curfew was lifted on Thursday from all parts of the Kashmir Valley on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr.
Opposing a dialogue with Pakistan till it stops 'exporting' terror into Jammu and Kashmir, a Bharatiya Janata Party delegation led by Jammu and Kashmir president Ravinder Raina at an all-party meet in New Delhi on Thursday said those seeking engagement with the neighbouring country should meet the victims of violence to understand their pain.
Curfew remained in force in seven police station areas of the city as a precautionary measure for maintaining law and order.
Security forces launched a cordon and search operation following information about presence of militants in the area
Despite Army Chief Bipin Rawat's stern message, Kashmiri youths on Friday waved Pakistani and Islamic State flags and pelted stones at security forces in old Srinagar city.
But the service can only be used to access 301 websites approved by the administration. The approved sites include search engines and those associated with banking, education, news, travel, utilities and employment.
The officials said restrictions have been lifted from most areas of the valley, but security forces continued to be deployed to maintain law and order.
After the deluge, the fear of epidemic is lurking in the minds of doctors here who are facing an "acute" shortage of medicines.
He had a breakfast meeting with Tarigami at his government accommodation located at the secured Gupkar road in the civil lines area of Srinagar city where he has been under detention since August 5 after the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was withdrawn.
The weatherman has forecast widespread downpour in the Valley on Saturday and scattered precipitation on Sunday.
The incident comes two days after Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists attacked an army camp in Sunjuwan area of Jammu, killing six people including five soldiers.
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