Curfew remained in force in entire Srinagar district and Anantnag town on Saturday to thwart the separatists' plan to stage a two-day sit-in in the city centre even as the death toll in the ongoing unrest climbed to 56 in the Valley with the death of a youth injured in firing.
Two officers -- Lt Colonel Mukesh Jha and Major Amardeep Singh -- are among the five injured army personnel.
The earthquake epicentred in the Hindukush mountain range in Afghanistan struck at around 2.40 pm, sending ripples across several states like Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi- National Capital Region, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan.
The deceased have been identified as Major K P Rane, hawaldars Jamie Singh and Vikramjeet and rifleman Mandeep.
There were no restrictions on the movement or assembly of people anywhere in the Valley.
Weapons and other incriminating material were recovered from the spot.
An exchange of fire between terrorists and security forces was also reported from Keran sector.
Security forces have been deployed in strength in sensitive and vulnerable areas to maintain law and order.
The matter was expected to be discussed in the Security Council Consultations Room under "other matters" during closed consultations Tuesday afternoon.
Eleven more people died in Uttar Pradesh as the intense cold wave sweeping north India maintained its firm grip over the region with Kargil town in Jammu and Kashmir freezing at minus 16.4 degrees Celsius.
Curfew continued to cripple the Valley for the tenth day.
The bench said the statements made by Bhim Singh may not be 'relevant judicially' but they may be 'relevant politically'.
National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah said notifying the rules for the CAA days before the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections shows the Bharatiya Janata Party is not confident about winning 400 seats in the ensuing polls.
The JCO was injured in the firing at around 1.30 pm and was taken to a military hospital, where he succumbed to the injuries, they said. The civilian, Mohmmad Rashid has been shifted to GMC hospital in Jammu for specialised treatment, the officials said.
The minimum temperature in Srinagar was recorded at a low of minus 0.5 degrees Celsius.
He said the identity and group affiliation of the slain ultras is being ascertained.
The encounters took place in Pulwama, Ganderbal and Kupwara districts of the Kashmir valley, a police official said.
'Assam is not a dumping ground for Bangladeshi Hindu refugees,' says Assamese actor Ravi Sharma who joined the BJP in August and quit the party on December 10 in protest against the Citizenship Act.
The annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath began on Saturday with over 7,000 pilgrims trekking the 17-km northern Baltel route.
Search operations were on in the area.
Ghulam Nabi Azad, in his first public meeting in Jammu after quitting Congress, announced to launch his own political outfit that will focus on the restoration of full statehood.
The Tridents squadron which is now also known as the "Defender of the North" has replaced the MiG-21 squadron at the Srinagar air base which has traditionally been responsible for taking care of the threat from Pakistan.
In a major arms haul, alert Indian army troops recovered 40 weapons from near the Line of Control in the Farkian Gali area of north Kashmir's Kupwara district on Saturday.
Police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in strength across the Valley for strict implementation of the prohibitory orders.
Indian Army chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag on Saturday said the attack on Uri camp in north Kashmir's Baramulla district was a desperate attempt by militants to disrupt the democratic process in the state.
'Jawans are not rich and their families need succour in their time of loss.'
The cold wave intensified in most parts of the valley and Ladakh division with Kargil town the coldest recorded place in the state. Kashmir has been going through extremely dry and cold weather conditions this winter, leading to health related problems among the children and elderly. Here's a glimpse of the snowfall.
The authorities also sealed the Lal Chowk city centre - the commercial hub of the city - by placing barricades and concertina wires on all entry and exit points leading to the area.
Three unidentified terrorists were killed in a fierce encounter in north Kashmir Baramulla district on Thursday.
'More members of the Indian Armed Forces have died in Kashmir, North East and Naxal areas than in the 1962 and 1971 wars against Pakistan combined. These deaths are the result of political failure and not war.'
A top commander of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayiba was on Thursday arrested and his close aide was killed in an encounter with security forces in Sopore township of north Kashmir, police said.
Such a course would require a Constitutional Amendment, requiring a two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament. Even assuming that the INDIA combine comes to power at the Centre next year, a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha could way off the mark for them, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
Will BJP campaigners start using the term 'Ram Rajya' to refer to the nation under Modi's rule, asks N Sathiya Moorthy.
