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Rajasthan Chief Minister and Congress leader Ashok Gehlot has dared Home Minister Amit Shah to name the officers of a central agency who the BJP leader alleged had put pressure on him to frame his party colleague and the then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in a fake encounter case. Mr Gehlot said if the Delhi Police can ask Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to give details of women in Jammu and Kashmir who have alleged sexual harassment, the same cops can surely ask Mr Shah to give the names of the officers who wanted him to frame Narendra Modi before he became Prime Minister in 2014. During the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Mr Gandhi had alleged  "women were still being sexually assaulted" in the Union Territory. After the yatra ended and 45 days later, a Delhi Police team knocked on Mr Gandhi's doors thrice in five days, which the Congress termed unprecedented harassment. The Congress alleged the cops won't do any such thing if BJP leaders gave controversial comments at pub...

Slamming the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi over its allegedly insulting attitude towards Other Backward Classes and for allegedly using undignified words against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president J P Nadda on Friday said the OBC community would never forgive the party and would teach them a lesson. Speaking after inaugurating BJP's district unit offices in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh virtually, he alleged that Congress had become desperate after losses in successive elections. The party is faced with "mental bankruptcy", he claimed. The ruling party chief accused the Congress of forgetting the dignity of words while attacking PM Modi. "Today, they forgot the dignity of words also. They are not even bothered about the words to be used. They are saying 'Modi teri kabar khudegi' (Modi, your grave will be dug). See the language of a party which had a national character," he said. "They say 'Modi teri kabar khudegi' at a time when...

The Lieutenant Governor-led administration in Jammu and Kashmir has nearly completed the process of appointing around 10,000 young and educated people from different villages to grassroots-level posts of lambardars and chowkidars, officials said Thursday. The information was revealed in a meeting chaired by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta, who noted that these appointees would also act as a link between people and the administration to raise their genuine grievances before the authorities for the timely redressal of such grievances. There are a total of 7,056 sanctioned posts of lambardars (village heads) and 2,718 posts of chowkidars in the Union Territory, the officials said. Out of these, 2,220 previously appointed lambardars and 1,165 chowkidars were found eligible to continue doing their work after verification of their character and antecedents, they said. It was further revealed that 4,832 lambardars and 1,553 chowkidars were found worth replaceable and pr...

Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives, including a Pakistan-based handler, have been chargesheeted in connection with the blasts in two buses in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district in September last year, an official said on Thursday. The chargesheet against Mohammad Amin Bhat alias 'Abu Khubaib', a resident of Doda district, who is currently operating from Pakistan and trying to revive terror activities in the Jammu region, and Mohd Aslam Sheikh alias 'Adil' was filed in a special court on Tuesday, a National Investigation Agency (NIA) spokesperson said. Bhat and Sheikh were charged under the Indian Penal Code, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act following thorough investigation into the explosions inside two parked buses in Udhampur district on September 28 and 29, the official said. The spokesperson said the two LeT operatives have also been charged for their efforts towards revival of terrorist activities in Jammu by car...

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) said out of 374 identified project sites with power generation capacity of 1,725.53 MegaWatts, only 10 projects with 79.75 MW capacity had been commissioned with time overrun ranging between four months and seven years. The hydro power potential of Jammu and Kashmir has been estimated at 20,000 MW which includes 1,500 MW in respect of small hydro projects. As of October 2021, only 2,813.46 MW (16 per cent) of this potential had been harnessed, which included 79.75 MW of small hydro projects. "The main objective of hydro policy for small hydro project/mini hydro projects for expeditious development of available hydro power of Jammu and Kashmir was not achieved. Out of 374 identified project sites with power generation capacity of 1,725.53 MWs, only 10 projects with capacity of 79.75 MWs (five per cent) had been commissioned with time overrun ranging between four months and over seven years," the CAG said in its report tabled in the p...

Childhood interest in drawing and painting led Mahira Shah to the world of 'mandala' art and today she holds the world record for making the smallest mandala shikara. Mandala is an ancient Indian art pattern which involves drawing of circles in intricate designs. The art form was popularised by Indian artist SH Raza, who created several paintings of the mandala art and became world famous for them. Mahira Shah entered the Indian Books of Records for making the world's smallest shikara in mandala art. The artwork is more or less the size of an A3 sheet. "During my free time, I would try my hand at mandala (art). My husband and father-in-law noticed that I had some talent and they encouraged me to take it up," Ms Shah told PTI from her Pahalgam home. Born and brought up in Tral township of Pulwama district, Mahira Shah got married to Inamul Haq who hails from Pahalgam. Mr Haq is a proud husband and an unabashed admirer of his wife's work. "She worked w...

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today said India's borders are "fully secure" and asserted that surgical strikes conducted by India have broken the back of terrorists. Addressing a conclave here, he also said that whether it was the "standoff with China or any ill intentions from Pakistan", Indian armed forces have been giving a "befitting reply". He further said that India has led the world on issues like terrorism and has been successful in garnering support to eliminate the menace. "Our borders are fully secure. Whether it was the standoff with China or ill intentions from Pakistan, our armed forces have been giving a befitting reply, whenever required. "The surgical strikes against terrorism have broken the back of terrorists. A strong and clear message has gone to the world that India has the strength and it can strike (against terrorism) on its own soil, and if need be, on their (foreign) soil as well," he said. This is the res...

Jammu and Kashmir police have filed a case under the Arms Act against a close aide of fugitive Amritpal Singh for illegally procuring a gun licence. Varinder Singh had managed a gun licence from Kishtwar district in 2013 and renewed it every year from four different districts across Jammu and Kashmir. Police said an FIR was filed at Kishtwar and investigations are underway. So far two of Amritpal Singh's supporters, Varinder Singh and Talwinder Singh, have been found to have procured gun licences from Jammu and Kashmir. While both gun licences were cancelled after Punjab Police wrote to the district magistrates of Kishtwar and Ramban, a major gun licence racket has emerged in Jammu and Kashmir. Between 2012 and 2018, over 2.78 lakh illegal gun licences were issued by district magistrates, making it arguably India's biggest arms licence scam. The case was handed over to the CBI by then Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra. According to CBI investigations, district magistrate...

The Congress on Wednesday skipped a breakfast meeting hosted by President Droupadi Murmu for MPs from various states where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also present. President Murmu hosted MPs from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and some northeastern states. Sources told PTI the President had invited MPs from states of Uttar Pradesh (only Lok Sabha), Rajasthan (both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha), Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim, but Congress MPs, including Sonia Gandhi, from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan were not present. Senior party leaders KC Venugopal and Pramod Tiwari skipped the breakfast meeting and attended the meeting of opposition leaders instead. While Sonia Gandhi is the lone Lok Sabha MP from the Congress from Uttar Pradesh, the opposition party has six Rajya Sabha MPs but none were present this morning at Rashtrapati Bhawan, the sources said. "President Droupadi Murmu hosted Members of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim...

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Wednesday said the fresh revision of electoral rolls in Jammu and Kashmir does not disturb 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. Mr Kumar said in J&K, the special summary revision took place taking October 1 as the qualifying date, whereas in the rest of the country, January 1 is the qualifying or cut-off date. "We went for October 1 as the qualifying date there (J-K) as we wanted to complete the process as fast as possible. This process (fresh special summary revision) is to bring them (J-K) at par as far as the voters' list is concerned," he told reporters at a press conference convened to announce schedule for the Karnataka assembly polls. Mr Kumar was responding to a question on the fresh special summary revision of electoral rolls in the Union territory. "But nonetheless, it does not disturb the scheduled ...

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday alleged that the Union Home Ministry orders filing of cases against the leaders of opposition parties and then monitors these cases. The home ministry has put in place a system to monitor the cases against opposition parties, Mr Gehlot also claimed while raising the issue of Delhi police going to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's doorstep earlier this month over his remark made in Srinagar during his Bharat Jodo Yatra. The Congress veteran was here to address the media after Mr Gandhi was disqualified as a Lok Sabha member last week following Surat court's conviction in a criminal defamation case and sentencing him to two years jail term. On March 19, a Delhi Police team queried Mr Gandhi at his residence over his "women are still being sexually assaulted" remark and asked him to provide information about the "victims" to take up their complaints. "They sent police at Rahul Gandhi's doorsteps...The...

Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from Lok Sabha has increased his popularity and stature, making him a symbol of freedom for the country's people, and the party would do whatever it takes to protect and defend that symbol, senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid said here on Wednesday. Mr Khurshid, a noted lawyer, said the party will move the higher courts over Mr Gandhi's conviction in a 2019 criminal defamation case by a Surat court and is hopeful of getting relief as the maximum sentence given in such a case "is unheard of". "Never has the maximum sentence been given in a criminal defamation case. The maximum two-year sentence for criminal defamation is unheard of. We can hardly find cases where it was given, especially to an elected representative," he said, addressing a press conference at the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee office. He said there is proportionality in the law and the maximum punishment is not given. "We will also...

Seeking dismissal of the writ petition filed by PDP president Mehbooba Mufti's daughter for issuance of a passport, the criminal investigation department wing of police has informed the High Court here that her final verification report was forwarded to the concerned department last month. Iltija,35, sought the intervention of the High Court in February, wherein she stated that her passport was due to expire on January 2 and therefore she had applied for a fresh one in advance on June 8, last year. "The Passport as per the instruction manual is expected to be dispatched within approximately 30 days…the inaction is discriminatory in nature and unconstitutional," she said in her writ petition before the court. She said the passport is required immediately by her as she intends to apply for obtaining a master's degree in sustainable development from outside the country. In his response through the counsel, the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), headquarters, CID ...

The wife of alleged conman Kiran Patel, who was held in Jammu and Kashmir for posing as a top official of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), was arrested on Tuesday for trying to usurp a senior citizen's bungalow here, officials said. Malini Patel was on the run ever since a first information report (FIR) in this regard was registered against the couple on March 22, weeks after her husband was arrested in J&K. She was arrested from a relative's house in Jambusar town of Bharuch district and brought here, said a release by the Ahmedabad city crime branch. While Ms Malini was arrested in 2017 in a case of cheating and criminal conspiracy registered against her at Naroda police station of the city, Mr Kiran also faces at least four such cases in Gujarat and was also arrested in the past, said the release. Earlier this month, Kiran Patel, a resident of the Ghodasar area of the city, was arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police from a five-star hotel in Srinagar after th...

Delhi Police have arrested six members of a multi-state gang which was allegedly involved in stealing high-end cars like Fortuner SUV in the national capital at gun point and selling them for as low as Rs 3 lakh in Jammu and Kashmir and Gujarat, officials said on Tuesday. The gang was busted when police officials were investigating an incident of carjacking in Dwarka earlier this month. Officials said Vikram (40) led the gang and Arjun (26), Rohit (29) and Vicky (30) were his associates. Two others arrested in the case - Ashraf (68) and Ramesh (36) - supplied arms and ammunition to the gang. These two would also take the delivery of stolen cars and sold them either in Jammu and Kashmir or delivered the vehicles to another associate named Illiyas in Gujarat, officials added. Police have recovered four pistols, eight live cartridges and a Hyundai i20 from them. While investigating the carjacking incident in Dwarka, police noticed the gang was using the i20 car in the commission of th...

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said Jammu and Kashmir's policies and law and order situation are worthy of making investment and asked industrialists to pay attention to it. Addressing an event organised by industry-body Assocham here, he said right policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi have taken the country forward on the path of progress. "You should choose an area considering your market or profitability. I cannot have any suggestion or priority on that. You can invest anywhere in the country.... But I would at least say that both policies and law and order in Jammu and Kashmir are worthy of investment. You must pay attention to this," he said in response to a question asked by an industrialist. Mr Shah said the government's "all-embracing" and "all-inclusive" schemes have led to the multi-faceted development of India. He said the world is dazzled by the country's achievements. "Our ideology has made the country safe,...

Seventy per cent of distress calls seeking mental health care in Jammu and Kashmir are women, according to TeleManas center, a digital platform for mental health. Patients evaluated by the centre, which was launched by the central government, reveals that women are more vulnerable to stress than men, and are facing a mental health crisis. Due to a prolonged conflict, women in Kashmir have silently suffered, and their mental health crisis has only worsened over the years. Seerat, who is one of 18 counselors, counsels a young woman facing mental health problems which she fears will impact her marriage prospects. Seerat's immediate brief as a counselor involves assuring the caller that her identity will remain confidential and that things will be sorted soon. At the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences in Srinagar, it's an all women TeleManas centre which makes it more convenient for women to share their mental illness problems. The center in Srinagar was set up five m...

One more alleged close associate of fugitive separatist Amritpal Singh was flown to Assam's Dibrugarh and taken to the Central jail on Monday. The accused has been identified as Varindar Singh alias Fauji from Punjab's Tarn Taran district, and the police have invoked the stringent National Security Act (NSA), which allows detention up to a year without any charge, against him. Eight close aides of Amritpal Singh have so far been shifted to the Dibrugarh Central Jail, and all of them have been booked under the NSA. According to reports, Fauji, a retired army constable, was the bodyguard of "Waris Punjab De" chief Amritpal. He had his arms licence issued from Jammu and Kashmir, which was cancelled following the Ajnala clash on February 23. Varindar Singh was among the 10 gunmen who accompanied Amritpal at all times, police said. Four Khalistan supporters -- Daljeet Kalsi, Basant Singh, Gurmeet Singh Bhukhanwala, and Bhagwant Singh 'Pradhan Mantri', were broug...

Upset by Rahul Gandhi's "My name is not Savarkar, won't apologise" comment after his disqualification as an MP, ally Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday warned of "fissures in the Maharashtra opposition alliance" if the Congress leader didn't stop "insulting our God". "I want to tell Rahul Gandhi that we have come together, that's right, we have come together to save democracy and constitution in this country. But do not make any statements that will create fissures. They (BJP) are trying to provoke you, if we miss this timing, then our country will surely go towards autocracy," Uddhav Thackeray said. The Congress and Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena, along with the NCP, have been in an alliance since they formed a coalition government in Maharashtra in 2019. They stayed in the alliance even after a coup in the Shiv Sena brought down Uddhav Thackeray's government and rebel Eknath Shinde took power in an alliance with the BJP. Rahul ...

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accused the BJP of insulting Rahul Gandhi and members of the Nehru-Gandhi family every day as Congress workers held a day-long "Sankalp Satyagraha" outside Delhi's Rajghat. The Congress put up a stage outside Mahatma Gandhi's memorial for its day-long protest after being denied permission by the police to protest at the memorial. "You call my brother, the son of a martyr, a traitor and Mir Jafar. You insult his mother. Your Chief Minister says Rahul Gandhi doesn't know who his mother is. You insult my family every day. But no cases are filed," Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said. Opposition MPs are planning to wear black clothes to the House in protest today in what will be the first sitting of the Lok Sabha since Rahul Gandhi's disqualification on Friday. Party leaders P Chidambaram, Jairam Ramesh, Salman Khursheed, Pramod Tiwari, Ajay Maken, Mukul Wasnik and Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary, were also seen at the protest outside Rajghat. T...

The full team of the Election Commission's leadership body is in Assam to check the ground reality and expectations of stakeholders, including political parties and civil society groups, on the ongoing delimitation exercise. The exercise had been stuck for 14 years. The last delimitation in Assam was done in 1976. The Election Commission (EC) team will meet the stakeholders tomorrow. Unlike in other states where delimitation of assembly and parliamentary constituencies are done by the Delimitation Commission, the EC is entrusted with the responsibility in Assam. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, and commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel are in Assam till March 28. The EC in December last year announced the delimitation exercise of assembly and parliamentary constituencies in Assam using the 2001 census data. Under the Delimitation Act, 1972, the last delimitation of constituencies in Assam was done by the Delimitation Commission in 1976, based on the census da...

The Congress put up a stage outside Mahatma Gandhi's memorial for its day-long protest programme after permission was denied to enter the area. In her address, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi said a martyred Prime Minister's son, who walked thousands of kilometres for national unity, can never insult the country, referring to her brother Rahul Gandhi and her father Rajiv Gandhi, who was assassinated in 1991. Congress workers in Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat took part in the protests. In Gujarat, the police detained state Congress chief Jagdish Tahor, Leader of Opposition in the assembly Amit Chavda and party leader Bharatsinh Solanki, along with Congress workers when they came to Lal Darwaza in Ahmedabad to protest. The Gujarat Congress leaders and workers were taken to a police stadium, where they continued to shout slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party, BJP. Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Sing...

From 'Elephant Whisperers' to the first woman minister in Nagaland, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pointed out several examples in his monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat', to showcase the role of India's 'Nari Shakti' in realising India's true potential. In his 99th Mann Ki Baat address, PM Modi said, "Recently, I met those brave daughters who had gone to Turkiye in the rescue mission after the disastrous earthquake there. They were a part of the NDRF unit. Their courage and efficiency is being talked about in the whole world". He said that today, India's women are showcasing their valour in all three defence forces. "Group Captain Shalija Dhami became the first woman air force officer to receive Command Appointment in the Combat Unit. She has a flying experience of close to three thousand hours. Similarly, Captain Shiva Chauhan became the first woman officer to get posted at Siachen. In a region where the temperature falls to minu...

Chhindwara: Union Minister Amit Shah on Saturday slammed the Congress for its treatment of tribals and the downtrodden and said only the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) can provide security and prosperity to the country and also ensure the welfare of the poor.  Speaking at a gathering in Chhindwara, a bastion of Madhya Pradesh Congress Chief Kamal Nath for almost 50 years now, Shah asked people to vote overwhelmingly for the BJP in the Assembly polls to be held in the state later this year. Training his guns on Mr Nath, the Union Minister said the former did nothing for the people of the state when he was Chief Minister between December 2018 and March 2020. "Previous Congress governments did not care for the tribals, the poor and those from the Other Backward Classes. Only the BJP can provide security, prosperity and ensure welfare of the poor. Prime Minister Narendra Modi cares for the respect of tribals, whom the Congress has neglected for years," Mr Shah said. A woman fro...

The government will install some 500 mobile towers in Ladakh to boost communication and 5G internet service in the region. It will help counter China's massive infrastructure move including installation of mobile towers near the Line of Actual Control, or LAC. Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said all area in Ladakh will get 4G and 5G service after the towers are installed. "About 500 towers have been sanctioned for Ladakh. All areas in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will get 4G and 5G service," the Union Minister said. Besides infrastructure challenges in border areas, several areas in Ladakh are facing communication problems. Locals alleged that while China has installed multiple mobile towers close to the LAC, they are facing mobile and internet connectivity issues. Since 2020, the army has made a massive troop induction in Ladakh region to match the number of Chinese soldiers deployed along the LAC. A protracted stand-off continues along LAC since May 2020 ...

The railway line connecting the Kashmir Valley with the rest of the country will be completed this year, and the special 'Vande Bharat' trains will chug in the Union Territory next year, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said today. Addressing a press conference at Nowgam railway station here, he said the Udhampur-Banihal track, connecting Jammu with Srinagar, will be completed by December this year, or early next year. With this, the Udhampur-Baramulla railway line in J&K will be completed. "There is a good progress on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail line. The work on the Chenab and Anji bridges, and major tunnels is also going and there is a good progress. By the grace of God, the train will chug on this route in December this year or January-February next year," Mr Vaishnaw said. He said a specially designed 'Vande Bharat' train is being developed for this line. "Everything like temperature, snow, has been kept in mind while manufac...

Union road, transport and highway minister Nitin Gadkari has said that if India can use recently discovered reserve of lithium in Jammu and Kashmir, it will become number one automobile manufacturing country in the world. Addressing an event organised by industry body CII, Mr Gadkari said there is a need to encourage public transport, and electric buses are the future. "Every year, we import 1,200 tonnes of lithium. Now, in Jammu and Kashmir, we got lithium. (If) we can use this lithium ion, we will be the number one automobile manufacturing country in the world," he said. India has beaten Japan to become the third largest vehicle market in 2022 after China and the USA. According to Mr Gadkari, presently India's automobile industry is worth Rs 7.5 lakh crore, and the sector's contribution to the overall GST revenue is maximum. The estimated 5.9-million tonne reserve of lithium, a crucial mineral for the manufacturing of electric vehicles and solar panels, had bee...

Mahatma Gandhi's great-grandson Tushar Gandhi has rubbished Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha's claim that the Father of the Nation did not have a single university degree. "MK Gandhi passed 2 Matrics 1 from Alfred High School Rajkot, 2nd it's equivalent in London, British Matriculation. He acquired, by studying & passing exams, a Law Degree from Inner Temple, a law College affiliated to London University & simultaneously got two diplomas one in Latin the other in French. Issued to educate the Deputy Governor of J&K," Tushar Gandhi tweeted. Mr Sinha had spoken about MK Gandhi's educational qualifications while delivering a keynote address for Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Memorial Lecture at ITM Gwalior on Thursday. "Did you know that he did not have a single university degree or qualification. There are many of us who think that Mahatma Gandhi had a law degree. No, he did not. His only qualification was a high school diploma. He ...

Hitesh Pandya, a senior official in the Gujarat Chief Minister's office, has resigned following a massive controversy over his son being part of a fake 'official' team of "Prime Minister's Office" which tricked the Jammu and Kashmir administration and security apparatus to secure a Z-plus security cover, official accommodation at a five-star hotel, and a lot more. Amit Hitesh Pandya, son of Mr Pandya, was part of a fake 'official team' led by conman Kiran Bhai Patel who made headlines after pictures of him enjoying the snow, surrounded by security forces, surfaced. Mr Pandya, who was serving as the Gujarat Chief Minister's Public Relations Officer (PRO) since 2001, tendered his resignation to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel late yesterday evening. In his resignation letter, Mr Pandya has reportedly said that he doesn't want the image of the Prime Minister's Office and the Gujarat Chief Minister's Office to be tarnished, even as his so...

Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha has said that Mahatma Gandhi had no university degree and that he had a law degree is a "misconception". Mr Sinha claimed Gandhi ji's only qualification was a high school diploma. "Perhaps a few people may know about it. But a lot of people, even educated people think Gandhi ji had a Law degree. Gandhi ji had no degree. Some people on the stage may also have contrary view but I speak based on facts," said Mr Sinha, without offering any evidence. Mr Sinha made these remarks during his keynote speech at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Memorial Lecture at Gwalior. Underlying that people should strive for more than just degrees, Mr Sinha said that Gandhi ji's only qualification was a High school diploma but no one can say that Gandhi was not educated. "Can anyone say say Gandhiji was not educated. I don't think anyone has a courage to say so," said Mr Sinha. But did you know he didn't have single university de...

Jammu and Kashmir Police in a joint operation with security forces on Thursday arrested a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist from Sopore and recovered arms and ammunition from his possession. Acting on specific information regarding the movement of terrorists, Jammu and Kashmir Police alongwith the Indian Army (52RR) and Central Reserve Police Force (177 BN) launched a joint cordon and search operation near Peth Seer railway station. During the search, J-K Police said one suspected person was intercepted who tried to flee from the spot but was arrested tactfully by the joint party. According to police, the man was identified as Umer Bashir Bhat, a resident of Manz Seer linked with the proscribed terror outfit LeT. During the search, a hand grenade, pistol, pistol magazine, 15 pistol live rounds and a mobile phone alongwith SIM card were recovered from his possession. Accordingly, a case under relevant sections of law was registered at Tarzoo police station. Further investigation is un...

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and NC chief Dr Farooq Abdullah on Thursday hit out at the BJP saying that the party only uses Ram's name to stay in power, but Ram is not Hindus' god alone. "Bhagwan Ram is not the god of Hindus only. Please remove this notion from your mind. Bhagwan Ram is god of everyone - be it a Muslim or Christian or American or Russian, who has faith in him," he told a rally organised by the Panthers party here. "Those who come to you saying we are only disciples of Ram - they are fools. They want to sell in the name of Ram. They do not have a love for Ram but for power," he said. "I think when elections are announced in J&K they will inaugurate Ram temple to divert the attention of the common man," he said. On unity among non-BJP parties, he said, "There will be no hurdle in our unity. Whether it is Congress, NC, or Panthers. We will fight and die for people. But we all will remain united." He raised...

Alleged conman from Gujarat Kiran Patel, held in Jammu and Kashmir for posing as a top official of the Prime Minister Office (PMO), has been booked by the Ahmedabad cops on cheating and criminal conspiracy charges for trying to usurp a senior citizen's bungalow in Ahmedabad using the same tactic, said an official on Thursday. Patel, a resident of the Ghodasar area of the city, was arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police earlier this month from a five-star hotel in Srinagar after the authorities grew suspicious about his activities. On Wednesday, the Ahmedabad city crime branch lodged a case of cheating (Indian Penal Code section 420), criminal breach of trust (406), criminal conspiracy (120-b) and personating a public servant (170) against the alleged conman, said Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime, Chaitanya Mandlik. Patel's wife Malini Patel has been shown as a co-accused in the FIR (first information report), he said. "As per our information, four FIRs related to...