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Srinagar: Police in Sopore have attached bank credits amounting to ₹18,93,426, identified as “proceeds of terrorism”, in connection with FIR No. 105/2024 registered at Police Station Sopore.

According to a police spokesperson, the case is being investigated under Sections 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 38, 39, 40 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Section 7/25 of the Arms Act.

The attachment was carried out following due approval from the competent authority under the UA(P) Act, police said.

Separately, police in Bandipora also attached immovable property worth over ₹3.59 crores belonging to Hashir Rafiq Parray, son of Mohammad Rafiq Parray of Patushay Bandipora.

The action was carried out under the provisions of law in connection with FIR No. 168/2022 registered at Police Station Bandipora under sections 18, 20, 23, 38, and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 4(B) of the Explosive Substances Act, and 2/3 of the E&IMCO Act, police said.

The attached property includes agricultural land measuring one Kanal and 18.5 Marlas, recorded under survey numbers 234(17M), 235(2M), 234(1M), 235(5M), 789(1.5M), 778(1M), 779(8.5M), 783 (204 sq ft), 784 (1.204 sq ft), and 236 (68 sq ft as tenant) and a residential house located in village Patushay, Bandipora.

The property has been identified as “proceeds of terrorism, linked to Parray’s alleged involvement in facilitating and promoting terrorist activities in the district on the instructions of his handlers based in Pakistan”, police spokesperson said.

Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today chaired the Board meetings of Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) and Jammu & Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation (JKTDC).

Having taken over as chairman of both the Boards after they were recently reconstituted, the Chief Minister presided over back-to-back board meetings here at SKICC Srinagar.

Chairing the 19th board meeting of SKICC, which was attended by Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Administrative Secretaries of Finance, Tourism, DG Planning, Director Tourism, MD JKTDC and Director SKICC, the Chief Minister emphasized the need for SKICC to emerge as a prominent place for conferences and other events so that the SKICC is utilized to its optimal level and it is able to earn sufficient revenue to bear its own expenses.

He called upon the SKICC management to employ strategic marketing tools to acquaint corporates and private organisations about this facility, which has the potential to be a hub of activities all year round.

CM expressed concern over the under-utilisation of SKICC and asked the Tourism department to build a distinct MICE brand identity for the SKICC so as to utilise this facility. “It is essential to target corporates, event planners, and government agencies to ensure higher bookings for SKICC and minimise unutilized days. This would help SKICC to augment its revenue,” CM said during the meeting.

CM also called upon making recoveries of outstanding dues pending with departments, private entities and individuals, and called for assigning clear roles to the staff and better supervision to get the best out of the available human resource.

This was the first board meeting of SKICC after it was recently reconstituted with Chief Minister as its chairman. The last board meeting of the SKICC was held in November 2020.

The agenda delved on action taken on decisions of previous board meetings, audit reports, reconciliation of accounts with AG’s office, status of segregation of utilities between SKICC and Centaur Hotel which has been outsourced to Leela Palace & JSW Realty by the UT administration last year, HR matters and absorption of Centaur Hotel staff in other organizations of the Tourism department.

In another meeting, the Chief Minister chaired the 95th Board of Directors meeting of the J&K Tourism Development Corporation and stressed on the need to increase the visibility of JKTDC assets so that tourists and people in general seek accommodation in JKTDC hotels and guest houses earnestly.

He called upon improving the services and facilities in JKTDC properties to enhance the experience of guests so that they prefer to take JKTDC accommodation every time they visit J&K.

CM expressed concern over misuse of JKTDC properties and revenue leakages. “Every single JKTDC asset be installed with an independent smart meter,” CM asserted, underlining the need to improve monitoring of JKTDC huts and hotels and to check misuse of assets.

He called upon improving the overnight-stay potential of huts in remote tourist areas. CM gave directions to make the maximum number of rooms including premium ones available for better marketability through Online Travel Aggregators so that JKTDC hotels and huts are used to optimum capacity. He called for developing the JKTDC App for efficient marketing and better accessibility to its services.

CM called for an audit of assets to evaluate the lacunae and how to improve deficiencies. The JKTDC management was directed to adopt best practices being followed in the private sector to improve its functioning.

Among various agenda points discussed in JKTDC board meeting, the onboarding of online travel aggregators for marketing and sale of hotel rooms and accomodations, reimbursement of outstanding dues from other departments, revision of rentals of JKTDC accommodation allotted to various departments & organizations, financial statements, unpaid dues of retired officials and action taken on previous board decisions figured prominently.

JKTDC Board meeting was also attended by Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secy to Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, Administrative Secretaries of Finance, Tourism, Industries, DG Planning, Director of Tourism & Managing Director JKTDC.

 

Srinagar: The High Court of J&K and Ladakh on Wednesday held a J&K Police officer of committing disrespect of the Supreme Court of India by arresting a Jammu resident and not exercising his powers judiciously as laid out by the apex court.

Pronouncing his judgment in the Iqbal Singh V/s Pankaj Sharma {Station House Officer (SHO) Police Station, Gandhi Nagar Jammu}, Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul recorded “the respondent (SHO) is held guilty of noncompliance of the directions contained in Arnesh Kumar vs. State of Bihar and others, and, therefore, has committed the contempt of the court”.

The 2014 order is a landmark judgement about the powers of arrest enunciated by the top court of India. It lays down the guidelines for police to exercise its arrest powers more judiciously, particularly in cases where the punishment is less than seven years of imprisonment.

Iqbal Singh, a chowkidar, son of Kundan Singh of Jammu, was implicated in an allegedly false FIR No. 202/2021 dated 17.05.2021 for commission of offences under Section 447 (criminal trespass) /323 (voluntarily causing hurt) 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) 506 (criminal intimidation) 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) IPC.

The FIR was registered against him with police station Gandhi Nagar, Jammu, at the behest of one Dr Shveta Mahajan.

The other accused in the FIR included Surinder Nath, Sunil Kumar, and Naveen Chander, who had sold their house to the doctor at Gandhi Nagar Jammu.

The lady doctor along with her husband had gone for possession of the house but the chowkidar Singh did not allow them to enter into the premises. She accordingly decided to initiate action against Singh and ensured his arrest.

Singh was later released on bail.

Represented by senior advocate P N Raina, with advocate J A Hamal he in a nutshell said that the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court in Arnesh Kumar’s case (supra) have not been followed by the concerned police officer in his case.

Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul while referring to the Arnesh Kumar vs. State of Bihar noted that the apex court has explicitly said “ police officers (ought) not to automatically arrest when a case under Section 498-A IPC is registered but to satisfy themselves about the necessity for arrest under the parameters laid down above flowing from Section 41 CrPC”.

The police officers shall forward the check-list duly filled and furnish the reasons and materials which necessitated the arrest, while forwarding/producing the accused before the Magistrate for further detention. The Magistrate while authorizing detention of the accused shall peruse the report furnished by the police officer in terms aforesaid and only after recording its satisfaction, the Magistrate will authorize detention, the court said.

Citing the Supreme Court guidelines the bench of Justice Koul recorded “no arrest can be made in a routine manner on a mere allegation of commission of an offence made against a person….”

He said “the police department is no exception to that, is under legal, constitutional and statutory obligation and duty to comply with all the orders of the courts inasmuch as judicial orders are binding on the executive to uphold the rule of law”.

The bench said “in the present case the respondent police officer has not done so. Respondent has teeth to say that if the judgment of the Hon’ble court is to be followed in strict sense, then almost all the officers of the State would be held liable under clause 11.5 of the judgment”.

The bench noted “the above words of respondent do not need rocket science to understand as it shows and reflects that he is least bothered about the court orders. He should have been ashamed to say such words. If those words are taken as the official stand of the department in which he is working, then it reflects and suggests the approach of the department towards the courts and the orders of the courts”.

It added “the reply/objections of respondent show and reflect that the respondent has been made to believe that he is not required to comply with the court orders but to follow his whims and caprices”.

The bench lamented that instead of initiating proceedings against the respondent, the police department has permitted him to do whatever he would like to do.

It further said “the respondent is under legal, constitutional and statutory obligation and duty bound to implement the orders of the courts. If he was/is not inclined to respect the court’s orders, then he has to face the consequences, which include contempt of the court, initiation of disciplinary proceedings and payment of compensation to the petitioner”.

The respondent police officer was held guilty of noncompliance with the directions contained in Arnesh Kumar vs. State of Bihar and others, 2014 (8) SCC 273, and declared to have committed contempt of the court.

The court directed him to cause his appearance on the next date of hearing, on 14 if this month and explain as to why he should not be punished for contempt of the court.

Apart from this the J&K Police department which it was otherwise required to do, “shall initiate departmental action against respondent for violation of the Supreme Court directions”, directed the court.

The officer has also been made liable to pay compensation to Singh, the victim. The amount of compensation to be paid by respondent to petitioner shall be decided and directed on the next date of hearing.

Srinagar: Schools in Kashmir reopened on Tuesday after two weeks of summer vacation as heavy rains on Monday ended the prolonged heatwave in the valley.

The schools opened amidst criticism of the government’s decision to advance the school timing to 7.30 am.

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday decided against extending the summer vacations despite no signs of heatwave abating in the valley.

However, within a couple of hours of the announcement, heavy rains lashed the valley and the temperature came down to normal levels across Kashmir.

Some parents were critical of the new schedule announced by Minister for Education Sakina Masood Ittoo.

Several videos were posted online in which parents showed the difficulties faced by kids to wake up at 5.30 am in order to catch their school bus between 6.30 am and 7.00 am.

The education minister said on X that institutions within the municipal limits in the valley will function from 7.30 am to 11.30 am, while in other areas, the timings will be from 8 am to 12 noon.

“We are reopening schools from tomorrow (Tuesday) in Kashmir Division & Winter Zones of Jammu Division,” Ittoo said.

The minister said the students will attend two online classes from home after a one-hour break.

“After a 1-hour break, 2 online classes will follow. Teachers to remain available till 2 PM. All HoIs must ensure online classes are conducted without exception,” she said.

It is not yet clear how long the hybrid model of education — invented to counter the heatwave — will remain in place.

Authorities in Kashmir had on June 21 announced a 15-day summer break — from June 23 to July 7 — for all schools across the valley due to the soaring temperatures.

Srinagar: Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, on Tuesday termed the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack as an “Amavas ki kali raat” (a dark night of no moon), stating that while the tragedy was painful, the nation must look ahead and move forward with resilience and unity.

Addressing a Tourism Secretaries’ Meet of Union Territories here, Shekhawat) said, “We must not let one dark night define the future. We have to forget the Pahalgam terror attack as ‘Amavas ki kali raat’ and focus on building a brighter tomorrow.”

Referring to the ongoing tourism secretaries’ Meet of Union Territories” he said, “It’s for the first time, such an event is being held to collectively discuss and promote tourism in the UTs.”

The Union Minister emphasized that Jammu and Kashmir has undergone a transformative journey since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. “J&K has witnessed unprecedented development in recent years,” he said.

He said that the global outlook towards India is changing rapidly, with tourism playing a significant role in driving economic growth and improving India’s international image. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always maintained that the Union Territories, must emerge as tourism powerhouses,” Shekhawat said.

Highlighting the diversification of religious tourism in J&K, the Minister said that earlier the region was known only for select pilgrimage sites. “Now, multiple new locations have been integrated into the religious tourism circuit,” he added.

He also stressed the potential of adventure, water, and nature-based tourism in the UT. “Lavender tourism, for instance, has drawn lakhs of tourists to Jammu and Kashmir and become an emerging attraction,” he said.

Underscoring the importance of accessibility, Shekhawat noted that “the first prerequisite to develop any tourist destination is ease of access—via road, rail, or air.”

He called for significant infrastructural efforts to transform lesser-known locations into global tourist hubs.

The Minister proposed a forward-looking, structured approach to tourism promotion. “To make any destination globally recognized, we need to put in sustained effort. Events and festivals should be calendarized and repeated annually to create a lasting identity,” he said. “Monthly exhibitions, fixed-date festivals, and curated cultural experiences can become the foundation for off-season tourism.” (With KNO Inputs)

Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Tuesday that ordinary citizens were taking a stand against Pakistan-backed terrorism through street protests which was a good sign for establishing peace in the Valley.

Stressing that the development of the tourism sector is possible only in a peaceful and secure environment, he said the people of Jammu and Kashmir should ensure that terrorists’ attempts to draw sustenance from society are foiled.

Sinha was addressing a two-day tourism conference at SKICC that is also being attended by Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

“Ordinary citizens are taking a stand against terrorism. Street protests against Pakistan-backed terrorists is a good sign to establish permanent peace in the valley.

“Entire Jammu Kashmir must rise and make sure terrorists have no place in this beautiful Union Territory,” Sinha posted on his official X handle.

“This conference is a befitting reply to terrorism and reflects J&K’s march towards peace, progress and prosperity. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, J&K is an unstoppable force and it will continue to flourish,” the LG said.

According to an official press release, Sinha said J&K’s tourism sector has undergone a phenomenal transformation in the last few years.

“We’ve strengthened traditional tourism circuits and expanded tourism’s horizon. We have ensured that the benefits of tourism reach every corner of J&K and transform lives,” he said.

“The development of the tourism sector is possible only in a peaceful and secure environment. In J&K, security forces have a huge role in ending terrorism, but the role of society is also no less.

“Terrorists’ attempt to draw their sustenance from society should be foiled,” he added.

The LG also observed that the “G20 Tourism Working Group meeting was a defining moment in J&K’s history and helped in building the brand J&K in the global tourism sector. This was followed by major international and national events which not only showcased our organizational capabilities but presented J&K as a destination for luxury, film, entertainment, and global engagement.”

The LG also reiterated the administration’s commitment to promote sustainable tourism, under the SPREAD (Strategic Promotion and Revamping of Emerging Alternate Destinations in J&K). This strategy aims to mitigate environmental pressure by diversifying tourist activities to lesser-known and emerging destinations.

“Our aim is to bring nine emerging destinations on the national-international tourism map and provide direct employment to at least five lakh people in the first year and these destinations will be able to attract high value tourists,” he added.

“We are also exploring ways to develop a two phase ropeway for Amarnath shrine to facilitate the old-aged and divyangjan,” the LG further said.

1. Vidyavathi, Union Secretary, Tourism; Suman Billa, Additional Secretary & Director General, Tourism; Gyan Bhushan, Senior Economic Advisor, Tourism, Praveen Kumar Rai, Joint Secretary, MHA; Tourism Secretaries, officials from Government of India and UT administration, panellists and experts were present.

Srinagar: The High Court of J&K and Ladakh has upheld the government’s decision to withdraw a notification in 2015 about filling up Class IV vacancies in the School Education Department in Budgam district.

A division bench of Justice Sanjeev Kumar and Justice Sanjay Parihar, while setting aside a Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) judgement of August 17, 2023, observed that the decision by the authorities to rescind the selection process was bona fide and aimed at ensuring a fair and legally tenable selection process.

The Chief Education Officer, Budgam Vide notification on February 5, 2014 had invited applications to fill up Class IV vacancies in the School Education Department in the central district of Kashmir. As per the eligibility criteria, minimum qualification of 10th Pass and maximum of 10+2 was provided and that no additional weightage was given to any candidate for any higher qualification in terms of SRO 99 of 2008.

Nonetheless, it came to the notice of the government that the Selection Committee did not conduct the selection process as per the conditions notified in the advertisement notification and altered the criteria. Subsequently, an inquiry committee was set up and based on its report, the government announced that it withdrew the entire selection process.

The aggrieved candidates who had found a place in the select list filed several writ petitions before the High Court which were later transferred to the CAT.

“From the reading of the report of the enquiry Committee, pointing out various irregularities in the selection process, it is abundantly clear that it is not a case where the petitioners (authorities) could have separated the tainted candidates from untainted ones,” the Division bench of the High Court observed.

It also said “the irregularities and illegalities committed by the Selection Committee by altering the selection criteria and raising the points for interview from 20% to 40%, that too, for Class IV recruitment, goes to the root of the selection process.”

Any selection process made on the basis of such selection criteria is stillborn and cannot sustain in law, the court said.

It remarked, “without going into the legal question as to whether the selection criteria, once notified, can be changed midway without prejudice to the candidates aggrieved, suffice it to say that in the instant case there was sufficient material with the petitioners (authorities) to arrive at a satisfaction that the selection process conducted was neither fair nor transparent.”

While setting aside the CAT judgement, the court said that the authorities are free to initiate fresh selection process for making the selection for Class IV/MTS vacancies.

“We, however, clarify that in case fresh selection process is undertaken by the petitioners and fresh applications are invited, the candidates who had participated in the selection process scrapped by the government and who were within age, shall not be treated as over-aged for the fresh selection process,” the division bench said.

Srinagar/Poonch: Heavy rain lashed many parts of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, triggering flash floods in the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch that left one person dead, officials said.

Srinagar and other areas in Kashmir were also pounded by torrential rains, ending a prolonged heatwave during which the Valley had experienced the hottest July day in more than 70 years.

A cloudburst occurred in Khori Wala Bela Bala of Loran tehsil in Poonch, where a person identified as Gulam Mohammed lost his life, the officials said.

The intense rainfall triggered a surge in water levels, landslide-like conditions and flash floods in the area this evening, they said, adding that the Loran road was blocked.

Local authorities and rescue teams rushed to the site to assess the situation and carry out relief operations. Gulam Mohammad’s body was recovered about 400 metres away and handed over to his family after necessary legal formalities, they said.

The officials have urged residents in the higher reaches of Poonch to remain alert, as weather conditions continue to remain unpredictable.

Heavy rainfall caused inundation of main roads in parts of Rajouri town. Shopkeepers suffered losses as overflowing water entered shops and other business establishments, they said.

In the Darhal area, landslides were triggered by heavy rainfall, damaging several acres of land. A multi-storey house also appears on the verge of collapse due to a landslide.

Several areas in Srinagar, including Downtown, were inundated. The heavy rains flooded roads, leading to massive traffic snarls across the city, the officials said.

Electricity was snapped due to high-speed winds that preceded the rains, they said, adding there were reports of trees and electric poles getting uprooted in many areas of the Valley.

Properties were damaged due to the falling of trees, but there were no reports of any casualties, they said.

“Moderate to heavy rain was reported from most parts of Kashmir, with Srinagar city getting torrential showers,” an official said

The rains have ended a prolonged heat wave in Kashmir. Srinagar city witnessed the third hottest day ever as mercury soared to 37.4 degrees Celsius on Saturday. This was the hottest day recorded in the Valley since July 5, 1953, when the city had recorded a high of 37.7 degrees.

Srinagar: Thousands of Shia mourners on Sunday took out an Ashura procession in the city here to mark the martyrdom anniversary of Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) grandson Imam Hussain on the 10th day of Muharram.

The chest-beating and wailing mourners passed through the city roads, eulogising Hussain’s sacrifice in the fight between good and evil.

Authorities had made adequate arrangements for ensuring an incident-free Muharram procession, the officials said.

Security forces were deployed all along the route while police and volunteers had set up stalls to distribute water among the mourners, they said.

The officials said doctors and paramedical staff were also deployed along the route to attend to any emergency.

For the third consecutive year, the authorities allowed the eighth day procession from Guru Bazar locality to Dalgate on Friday.

Meanwhile, elsewhere also in Shia areas, Ashura processions were taken out with senior police and civil officials participating.

Pertinently, for Shia Muslims, Ashura is a day of mourning as they annually commemorate the death of Hussain ibn Ali (Imam Hussain – AS), grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and the third Shia Imam.

Hussain refused on moral grounds to pledge his allegiance to the Umayyad caliph Yazid ibn Mu’awiya and was subsequently killed, alongside most of his male relatives and his small retinue, by the Umayyad army in the Battle of Karbala on Ashura 61 AH (680 CE).

Among the Shia, mourning for Hussain is viewed as an act of protest against oppression, a struggle for God, and a means of securing the intercession of Hussain in the afterlife. Ashura is observed through mourning gatherings, processions, and dramatic reenactments. In such ceremonies, Shia mourners strike their chests to share in the pain of Husayn.

Extreme self-flagellation, often involving self-inflicted bloodshed, remains controversial among the Shia, condemned by many Shia clerics, and outlawed in some Shia communities.

 

SRINAGAR: On the solemn occasion of Youm-e-Ashura, the 10th day of Muharram, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today joined the Zuljinah procession at Botakadal, Downtown area in Srinagar.

“I pay my tributes to Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) and his companions. Their sacrifice for peace, love, and compassion, guiding us to build a society based on equality and harmony.

Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) gave the message of selfless service and guided the humanity to care for those who are less fortunate. Young generation must learn from the life and virtues of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) and walk on the righteous path shown by him,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

The Lieutenant Governor also served refreshments among the mourners.