In the last three years, the Union Territory administration has invoked 311 (2)(c) of the Constitution to sack more than 50 employees, who were allegedly operating in shadows within the government and drawing a salary from the public exchequer, however, they were helping Pakistani terror outfits, providing logistics to terrorists, propagating terrorists' ideology, raising terror finances and furthering secessionist agenda, officials said.
A cold wave has gripped many parts of north and east India, with Srinagar recording a minimum temperature of minus 5.3 degrees Celsius. Other areas experiencing below-freezing temperatures include Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Konibal, Qazigund, Kupwara, and Kokernag in Kashmir. Himachal Pradesh has issued an orange warning for severe cold wave conditions in several districts. Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 5.9 degrees Celsius, while Faridkot in Punjab was the coldest in the region at 0 degrees Celsius. Extreme cold conditions also continued in parts of Rajasthan and Jharkhand. The Met office has forecast mainly dry weather until December 26, with the possibility of light snowfall in the higher reaches of Kashmir on the intervening night of December 21-22.
The slain terrorist has been identified as Shafat Hussain Wani, a resident of Wagoora area of north Kashmir's Baramulla district.
'INDIA will easily cross 50 seats out of 90 in Jammu and Kashmir.'
An army colonel was killed and two soldiers injured in a gunbattle with militants in Pattan area of Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.
Director general of police Swain commended the security forces for their efforts in monitoring potential threats from external elements particularly "proxies of Pakistan" who intended to disrupt the democratic process.
The grenade was aimed at a paramilitary patrol party, but missed the target.
Three militants were killed in a fierce gunbattle with security forces in a village at Sopore in north Kashmir's Baramulla district on Monday.
The minister assured the families that the people would be airlifted as soon as possible.
The Congress and the National Conference on Monday announced they will fight the Lok Sabha polls in Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, in alliance, with both parties contesting three seats each.
Chidambaram, who arrived in the north Kashmir town of Baramulla from Kargil in Ladakh region, took stock of the situation in Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara -- the three districts along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Valley which witnessed violent protests during the past four months.
For the first time in nearly two years, tourism has been on the rise in Kashmir. But what does that mean for the average Kashmiri, ponders Abhishek Mande Bhot after a recent visit to the Valley.
Of the 272-km Udhampur-Baramulla rail line, nearly 111-km stretch between Katra and Banihal is incomplete.
The incident took place when the terrorists launched a 'fidayeen' (suicide) attack on 46 Rashtriya Rifles army camp in Baramulla district of north Kashmir. The camp is located on the outskirts of Baramulla city, 54 kilometre from Srinagar.
With two phases of voting already completed, political parties are busy with filing nominations, addressing roadshows and undertaking hectic campaigns for the constituencies that will vote this month.
Singh, 31, and Rashid, 56, won the recent Lok Sabha elections from Khadoor Sahib in Punjab and Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir, respectively, as Independents while being incarcerated.
Officials said more than five inches of snow has accumulated in the main Gulmarg bowl so far.
A 22-year-old civilian was killed allegedly in firing by security forces in a remote village of Baramulla district in north Kashmir, leading to protests in the area, official sources said on Friday night.
A top Lashkar-e-Tayiba militant was killed in a six-hour-long gun-battle with security forces in Sopore town of north Kashmir Baramulla district, the police said.
'Dr Abdullah is fine and in good spirits,' says National Conference Lok Sabha MP Mohammad Akbar Lone.
Ghulam Nabi Azad remarked that the figures are not high enough to know whether the people are happy or angry with the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories, Mehbooba Mufti said it is a message that the people have not accepted the Centre's decisions.
The terrorists were nabbed in a joint search operation launched Friday night by the 52 Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operation Group, Baramulla.
"At about 9.15 pm, a police party at Mirgund in Pattan signalled a cab to stop but two militants inside the vehicle started firing, which was retaliated," a police official said.
'With all outlets of public expression virtually choked for the last five years, suppressed anger and frustration is looking for an opening via the ballot box.' 'There is no escape from the inevitability of the 'Engineer Rashid' factor surfacing in a big enough way to upset everyone's applecart,' alerts Mohammad Sayeed Malik, the veteran commentator on Kashmir affairs.
'There is a huge wait in Kashmir for compassion from the prime minister of India.'
Operations at the Delhi airport remained normal. However, three flights were returned or diverted to the Delhi airport due to bad weather in Chandigarh, Varanasi and Lucknow on Tuesday night.
Abdul Rehman, a resident of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, had infiltrated in January and was engaged in recruiting local youth for "suicide" attacks, the army said.
Three terrorists were killed as security forces foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, officials said.
2 other jawans were injured in Pakistani shelling in Naushera sector of Rajouri district.
Major Shikhar Thapa was fired upon by a jawan in a fit of rage following an altercation.
Train services in Kashmir resumed on Thursday after remaining suspended for over five months in the wake of the deadly summer unrest that had hit the Valley.Train service was partially restored between south Kashmir's Qazigund town and central Kashmir's Budgam town today. The train service remained suspended due to the tense atmosphere and non-availability of railway staffers. Violence erupted across the valley in June this year, in the wake of the death of a 17-year old boy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said his government has made a "solemn promise" for restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood and will stand by it, adding the Centre was working very hard to create the right conditions.
Heavy snowfall has blanketed Kashmir, bringing relief to the residents from dry weather. The snowfall, which began in the late afternoon on Friday, has continued in most parts of the valley, said officials, adding it is one of the heaviest snowfalls in the recent years in the plains of Kashmir.
Four of gunned down terrorists belonged to JeM.
With 19 border polling stations along the Line of Control in Rajouri and Poonch, a contingency plan has been worked out to deal with cross-border shelling though chances are negligible given the ongoing ceasefire between India and Pakistan that came into effect in February 2021, officials said.
