National Conference president Farooq Abdullah has convened a meeting at his residence on Thursday for chalking out the future course of action on 'Gupkar Declaration' with regard to the special status of Jammu and Kashmir which was revoked by the Centre last year.
Authorities had allowed regular prayers inside the mosque on Wednesday for the first time after it was sealed on August 5. After eruption of militancy in the valley, this was for the first time in recent memory that no congregational prayers were offered at the mosque for 19 consecutive Fridays because of curbs by authorities.
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.
The army said on Friday it has completed the Summary of Evidence against two of its men involved in July's Amshipura encounter in Shopian district.
Singh also interacted with delegations representing different communities, including Kashmiri Pandits, Sikhs, Shias, Gujjars, Bakarwals and Paharis.
Preliminary estimates have revealed that the gunmen managed to take away nearly Rs 10 lakh.
The change in weather normally brings cheers to the faces of the people associated with tourism but they have their fingers crossed in view of the prevailing situation in the valley in the wake of abrogation of Article 370.
A young man was killed and two others injured in firing by the Central Reserve Police Force on Saturday during protests in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir where a strike has been called by the hardline Hurriyat faction against the killing of two youths in Tral earlier this week.
What used to be confined to homes as a winter garment has become a political and cultural symbol, with most leaders and many citizens donning the long cloak at offices and their places of work, observes Athar Parvaiz.
The COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020 and the subsequent restrictions due to the virus spread had cast a grim shadow on the festive mood of all the festivals across the country for the past two years.
The Jammu and Kashmir authorities have already snapped mobile internet services across the valley as a precautionary measure, in anticipation of a possible a law and order problem, police said, adding that there are strict restrictions on the movement of people.
'His (the Pakistani terrorist's) aim was to enter the mosque, engage with the security forces, stir religious sentiments of the people and create a law and order problem. But we will not let them to succeed in that.'
The manifesto claims that while the BJP has unified the country by abrogating provisions of Article 370 and Article 35A that provided special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration -- an amalgam of several mainstream political parties, including the Ntional Conference and the People's Democratic Party -- was working against the national interest for vote bank politics.
Mehbooba said the parliamentary board of the party, which met earlier on Saturday, decided not to field any candidates from the two Lok Sabha seats in Jammu region.
This spell is most likely to give good snow/rain in the Pirpanjal area Gulmarg, Ramban-Banihal, Shopian, Poonch-Rajouri and Zojila especially during November 24-25 and decrease thereafter significantly.
The slain armymen are Sepoy Ilayaraja P, from TN, and Sepoy Gawai Sumedh Waman, from Maha.
Aurangzeb was abducted and later killed by terrorists in Pulwama in June last year while he was on his way to home in Poonch for celebrating Eid.
Separatist-sponsored strike and restrictions imposed by authorities ensured disruption in normal life in Kashmir valley for the 69th day on Thursday even as one more youth injured in clashes last week succumbed, raising the toll during the ongoing unrest to 79.
The result means that India Blue and India Red will meet in the final.
A large number of civilians rushed towards the encounter site at Kundullan and started pelting stones at security personnel.
Concerned over the development, the security agencies reworked their strategy, especially keeping in mind the Amarnath Yatra beginning June 30.
Cold wave tightened its grip on Kashmir Valley ahead of the onset of 'Chillai-Kalan' -- the 40-day harshest winter period -- with the summer capital Srinagar and Leh town recording the coldest night of the season.
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.
Stunning moments from across India as it celebrates its 69th Independence Day
Normal life remained disrupted across the Kashmir Valley for the 26th consecutive day, with markets closed and public transport off the roads.
SPO Ahmad succumbed to injuries while SI Parihar has been admitted to the army hospital.
'India will always remain indebted for their supreme sacrifice. Entire nation and Modi government stands firmly with their families in this hour of grief. Praying for the speedy recovery of those injured,' he said.
The separatist camp have called for an 'Aazadi march' to district headquarters on Saturday as part of their protest schedule.
A Swiss skier was killed and two others wounded by an avalanche in the north Kashmir's ski resort Gulmarg on Friday afternoon.
At least eight persons were injured in a grenade explosion triggered by suspected militants at the busy Lal Chowk in the heart of the city on Saturday afternoon.
Nine people, including two government school teachers, were arrested on Tuesday in Reasi district in connection with an alleged attack on a police party which had arrested a criminal wanted in a rape case, police said.
Many Kashmiris termed the removing of that state flag as a "saddest moment for the J&K's history." Umar Ganie/Rediff.com reports from Srinagar.
The detentions come ahead of a crucial hearing on Article 35-A in Supreme Court which is likely to take place on Monday. The article, incorporated into the Indian Constitution in 1954, grants special rights and privileges to the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Omicron variant of COVID-19 is in the community transmission stage in India and it has also become dominant in multiple metros, where new cases have been rising exponentially, said Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium.
A pall of gloom descended on the Harmain area of Shopian as people bid final adieu to Lieutenant Umer Fayaz, the army soldier who found killed on Wednesday. Fayaz was abducted by five to six terrorists from his relative's house in south Kashmir's Shopian on Tuesday night. His bullet riddled body was found on Wednesday morning, a police official said. The officer, who was commissioned in the army in December last year, had come to Kulgam district on leave for attending a wedding in his family.
A huge cache of incriminating material and explosive substances, including gelatin sticks, explosives, detonators, arms, explosive body vests, batteries and nitric acid, were recovered following searches based on their disclosures.
The area has been cordoned off and a hunt launched to nab the attackers.
The people behind the killing of a police sub-inspector in Khanyar locality in Srinagar have been identified and will be brought to justice soon, Jammu and Kashmir Police chief Dilbag Singh said on Sunday.
An almost complete communications blackout has been imposed in Kashmir since August 5 after the Narendra Modi-led government moved to scrap the region's special status. Kashmiris outside the state are most affected by the inability to contact their families back home and not knowing what's happened to them. Umar Ganie listens to some voices of anguish, even anger.
Refuting rumours allegedly being floated from across the border, the Jammu and Kashmir Police also released four videos through its Twitter handle to show that 91-year-old Geelani was laid to rest as per the rituals in the intervening night of September 1 and 2.
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