Jammu and Kashmir is facing a severe water crisis this year due to a massive rainfall deficit. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed concern about the situation and called for a proactive approach towards water management and conservation. The state has witnessed an 80% deficit in rainfall this year, raising the possibility of drought in the valley this summer. Several water bodies are flowing below the zero level mark, and some springs in south Kashmir have dried up completely. The water level in Jhelum and other major streams is alarmingly low.
An encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists in Naidkhai area of Bandipora after security forces launched a search operation following specific intelligence inputs, an army official said.
Nargol beach is witnessing a surge in pre-wedding shoots.
Fierce gun battle is underway.
Officials said the polling went off peacefully in all segments including special polling stations along the International Border and Line of Control (LoC) with no untoward incident reported from anywhere.
Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Hajin area following information about presence of terrorists there, a police official said.
Voting for this crucial phase, covering 40 assembly segments across seven districts -- Jammu, Udhampur, Samba and Kathua in the Jammu region and Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara in north Kashmir -- is scheduled for October 1.
The Congress is fighting the elections in a pre-poll alliance with National Conference and has fielded 32 candidates, mostly in Jammu region, compared to 51 by the regional party. Additionally, the CPI(M) and the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) have each been allocated one seat while both the Congress and NC had a 'friendly contest' on five seats.
Head constable Bashir Ahmad laid down his life and two officers -- a DSP and an assistant sub-inspector -- were injured in the encounter, he said, adding both the officers are stable.
Acting on specific intelligence inputs about the presence of militants in Aragam village of Bandipora, security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation, an army official said.
The recoveries from their car included 10 hand grenades, two AK magazines and 27 AK rounds, a police official said.
Sari-clad women ride their Bullet bikes across the streets of Nagpur.
The previous highest voter turnout in the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency was witnessed in 1984 at 58.90 percent.
Haji Karam Din continues to play the game he loves and inspires new generations with his passion for cricket.
The Congress was fighting the elections in a pre-poll alliance with National Conference and had fielded 32 candidates, mostly in Jammu region, compared to 51 by the regional party.
Indian Army snipers on night patrol with the latest technology guard the Line of Control at Gurez in Bandipora in the Kashmir Valley.
BJP members, including the Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, opposed the resolution, saying it was not part of the listed business.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the decision to transform Jammu and Kashmir into a Union Territory is 'temporary' and the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government will restore the statehood to the region.
More than 40 per cent of the 908 candidates contesting the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are Independents, leading to claims that a large number of them have been propped up by the Bharatiya Janata Party to divide votes.
'PM Modi would have swept the elections in Kashmir after notebandi but then he scrapped Article 370 so all his good work went down the drain.'
Rifleman Waseem Ahmad Sarwar made the Supreme Sacrifice for the Motherland.
Kashmiri youth play cricket in snow-covered Gurez valley.
"Give up arms and come for talks or our forces will hunt you down," the home minister said in election rallies in Jammu and Kashmir.
Will Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who gets his orders from New Delhi, call the shots or allow a democratically elected government to independently govern, questions Ramesh Menon.
Two youngsters were killed allegedly in army firing in the wee hours on Sunday in Sumbal area of north Kashmir's Bandipora district, leading to protests by the local residents.
The junior Abdullah would be banking heavily on Shia support as the constituency has many Shia dominated areas that include Budgam, Beerwah, Pattan, Sonawari and Bandipora, among other pockets.
The setting up of STEAG is part of the Army's efforts to develop technologies considering the future battlefield, they said.
'Killed terrorist has been identified as Imtiyaz Ahmad Dar affiliated with proscribed terror outfit LeT'
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A migrant worker from Bihar was shot dead by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district, the latest in a series of targeted killings, officials said on Friday.
The duo came under the scanner of the security forces during tracking of a local LeT terrorist, named Lateef Rather alias Osama, who was involved in terror incidents in Srinagar and Budgam in the last two months, the police spokesman said.
It was also revealed that Bashir motivated two youngsters and made them to join the terrorist ranks.
The agency said it has found several digital devices containing large volumes of incriminating data during the searches.
At about 10:20 am, terrorists hurled a grenade upon the Army convoy near bus stand Sumbal.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Wednesday said the fresh revision of electoral rolls in Jammu and Kashmir does not disturb the schedule or conduct part of polls and the poll panel is aware that there is a "vacuum" in the Union territory which needs to be filled.
Continuing with his annual tradition of celebrating Diwali with soldiers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday arrived in Kargil.
Makki and other LeT/JUD operatives "have been involved in raising funds, recruiting and radicalising youth to violence and planning attacks in India, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K)," the sanctions committee said, providing a statement for the reasons of Makki's listing.
The gunfight in the Cheyan Devsar area of the south Kashmir district broke out after security forces launched a cordon and search operation there following inputs about the presence of terrorists, a police official said.
The last assembly elections were held in Jammu and Kashmir in 2014, five years before the erstwhile state was reorganised into two Union territories on August 5, 2019.
Mehraj Din Malla was abducted on Wednesday morning, following which, police had launched a search operation in the area.
