Jammu, Aug 22: Security forces on Friday launched a search operation after reports of movement of two suspected persons in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district, officials said.
The search operation was launched in Juthalba area of Rajbagh after locals reported movement of two suspected persons in Jakhol area late Thursday night, they said.
The operation is underway to trace the suspected persons, they added.
Srinagar, Aug 22: The mortal remains of Kashmiri MBBS student Sabha Rasool, who recently passed away in Iran, will be brought back to Srinagar tomorrow morning.
Vice President All India Medical Students Assoicaiton, Dr Mohammad Momin Khan informed that her body is being flown to New Delhi today by Mahan Air Flight W5 071, scheduled to land at 5:00 PM. From there, arrangements have been made to transport her remains to the Valley.
Sabha Rasool’s residence in Safakadal, Srinagar, will receive her mortal remains tomorrow morning, where her last rites will be performed. The news of her untimely demise has cast a pall of gloom over her locality, with relatives, friends and neighbours expected to gather to pay their last respects.
Sabha, a medical student pursuing MBBS had died in a hospital in Iran after which her family, students body and different political leaders from Kashmir had requested the government of India to facilitate the return of her body from Iran to Kashmir valley. [KNT]
Deir Al-Balah, Aug 22: Israel’s defence minister warned on Friday that Gaza City could be destroyed unless Hamas accepts Israel’s terms, as the country prepares for an expanded offensive in the area.
A day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would authorise the military to mount a major operation to seize Gaza City, Defence Minister Israel Katz warned that the enclave’s largest city could “turn into Rafah and Beit Hanoun,” areas reduced to rubble earlier in the war.
“The gates of hell will soon open on the heads of Hamas’ murderers and rapists in Gaza — until they agree to Israel’s conditions for ending the war,” Katz wrote in a post on X.
He restated Israel’s cease-fire demands: the release of all hostages and Hamas’ complete disarmament. Hamas has said it would release captives in exchange for ending the war, but rejects disarmament without the creation of a Palestinian state.
The wide-scale operation in Gaza City could start within days.
Gaza City is Hamas’ military and governing stronghold, atop of what Israel believes is an extensive tunnel network. It is also sheltering hundreds of thousands of civilians and still houses some of the strip’s critical infrastructure and health facilities.
Hamas said earlier this week that it had agreed to a ceasefire proposal from Arab mediators, which — if accepted by Israel — could forestall the offensive.
The parties do not negotiate directly and similar announcements have been made in the past that did not lead to ceasefires.
The proposal outlines a phased deal involving hostage and prisoner exchanges and a pullback of Israeli troops, while talks continue on a longer-term cease-fire. Israeli leaders have resisted such terms since abandoning a similar agreement earlier this year amid divisions within Netanyahu’s coalition and strong opposition from his right.
Many Israelis fear an assault could doom the roughly 20 hostages still alive after Hamas-led militants’ October 7, 2023 attack. Aid groups and international leaders warn it would worsen Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.
The logistics of evacuating civilians are expected to be daunting. Many residents say repeated displacement is pointless since nowhere in Gaza is safe, while medical groups warn Israel’s calls to move patients south is unworkable, with no facilities to receive them.
But Netanyahu has argued the offensive is the surest way to free captives and crush Hamas.
“These two things — defeating Hamas and releasing all our hostages — go hand in hand,” Netanyahu said on Thursday while touring a command centre near in southern Israel.
Srinagar, Aug 22: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi and his wife, Mrs. Sunita Dwivedi, President of the Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA), have pledged to donate their organs, giving a major boost to the Armed Forces Organ Retrieval and Transplantation Authority (AORTA).
The initiative, led by Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, seeks to raise awareness about organ donation and encourage the Armed Forces community to lead by example.
According to officials, more than 26,000 Army personnel have already pledged their organs as part of the campaign, setting a national record.
The pledge was made on August 20 at Army Hospital (Research & Referral), New Delhi
Calling organ donation a “service to humanity” and an extension of the Armed Forces’ spirit of sacrifice, General Dwivedi urged service members and their families to come forward in support of the cause. He also praised AORTA for its efforts in spreading awareness and motivating personnel to participate in the initiative.
During the event, the Army Chief presented Chief’s Recommendation Cards to three frontline staff working in organ transplant care, including a housekeeper, in recognition of their contribution to patient well-being. Donor families were also honoured in a ceremony for their compassion in extending “the gift of life” through organ donation.
Jammu, Aug 22: Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma has complimented troops for the disaster relief efforts undertaken by them during the Chisoti cloudburst.
The Army commander visited Kishtwar and Rajouri districts on Thursday.
“Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, Army Commander Northern Command, visited hinterland formations and units at Rajouri and Kishtwar to compliment troops for their resilient action, as also swift and successful execution of HADR efforts during Chishoti cloudburst,” the Northern Command said on X.
A cloudburst struck Chisoti, the last motorable village en route to the Machail Mata temple, on August 14, leaving 65 people dead and 33 missing.
The Army inducted over 300 troops with machines for the search, rescue and relief operation in Chisoti.
Army engineers on Sunday built a Bailey bridge over the Chisoti nullah, restoring much-needed connectivity to the village and the Machail Mata shrine. The Army has also inducted a couple of all-terrain vehicles as part of efforts to intensify the rescue and relief operation.
The flash floods triggered by the cloudburst left a trail of destruction, flattening a makeshift market and a langar site for the annual Machail Mata yatra, damaging 16 houses and government buildings, three temples, four water mills, a 30-metre-long bridge, besides over a dozen vehicles.
Srinagar, Aug 22: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday ordered the termination of two government employees from north Kashmir’s Kupwara district over their alleged involvement with the proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.
The employees have been identified as Khurshid Ahmed Rather, a teacher posted in Karnah, and Siyad Ahmad Khan, serving as Assistant Stockman in the Sheep Husbandry Department, Keran.
According to officials, the action was taken after law enforcement and intelligence agencies gathered “incriminating material evidence” establishing their direct links with Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives.
A senior government functionary confirmed that the terminations were carried out under Article 311(2)(c) of the Constitution of India, which empowers the government to dismiss employees without an inquiry if deemed necessary in the interest of the security of the state.
The administration has in recent years intensified its crackdown on government employees suspected of links with militant groups, with dozens terminated since 2021 under similar provisions.
An official said Khurshid Ahmad Rather (KAR) was appointed in government service as Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) in School Education Department in 2003 and got confirmed as Teacher in 2008. He is posted at Government Primary School Maindpora Nawa Gabra Kupwara. Presently, he is under suspension since his arrest on 26.01.2024 and is lodged at District Jail, Kupwara.
“KAR is listed in police records as a terrorist associate/Over Ground Worker (OGW) of the proscribed terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT),” said the official.
“Despite being employed and paid by the government to serve in the education department, KAR violated this trust and chose to secretly associate himself with LeT. Rather then fulfilling his duties of imparting education to the children of remote district of Jammu and Kashmir, he became actively involved in subversive activities aimed at harming the state and became an active conduit for terrorist activities sponsored by LeT. His actions were not merely passive or incidental; rather, he played a deliberate and dangerous role in furthering the objectives of a terrorist network that is committed to destabilizing the region and attacking the sovereignty of Indian state,” he added.
“On 25.01.2024, Police Kupwara received a credible information that two POJK based terrorists of LeT outfit Manzoor Ahmad Sheikh @ Shakoor (Kashmiri Native Operative from Pakistan) and Qazi Mohammad Khushal (Kashmiri Native Operative from Pakistan) were involved in smuggling arms, ammunition and explosive from across the border into Indian territory. This operation was being facilitated through their local associates, Khurshid Ahmad Rather (KAR), Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, Ghulam Sarwar Rather and Qazi Fazal of Karnah, Kupwara with the objective of promoting terrorism in the J&K and other parts of the country,” said the official.
“Upon this, a case FIR No. 07/2024 under section 120-B IPC, 13, 18, 20, 23,38, 39 UA(P) Act was registered in Police Station Karnah Kupwara. During course of investigation, Zahoor Ahmad Bhat was arrested on 25.01.2024 and it was established that he played a key role in transporting the arms/ammunition and was in direct and regular contact with LeT handlers across the border. He had received consignments of arms and ammunition from across the border, one of which he had concealed at Kachwayian Karanu Nalla Karnah and said consignment of arms/ammunition was recovered from the said location.”
“The recovery of following arms and ammunition in the instant case clearly reflects the depth of KAR’s engagement in unlawful activities;
i. AK Type Rifle (Short) MP5= 05
ii. AK (Short) MP5 Magazine= 05
iii. AK (Short) MP5 Rounds= 16
iv. AK-47 Rifle = 01
v. AK-47 Magazine = 01
vi. AK-47 Rounds = 20
vii. Pistol = 02
viii. Pistol Magazine = 02
Out of the seized arms and ammunition, 03 AK Type Rifle (Short) MP5, 03 Magazines and 16 rounds were recovered based on the disclosure of KAR. These arms and ammunition had been concealed by KAR and Mudasir Shafeeq Rather.”
The official further said that SAK has been conducting his activities in a very secret and veiled manner to avoid the suspicion of security forces.
“Pursuant to his subversive anti-national activities, SAK on 12.01.2024, while he was on one such mission to supply arms and ammunition to the terrorists of LeT was intercepted at Peer Baba Shrine Keran by a naka party of police and army. On search, 01 AK-47 was recovered from his possession and 01 Pistol, 01 Pistol Magazine and 05 Pistol rounds were recovered from his associate Rafaqat Ahmad Khan. The recovery of these arms and ammunition in the instant case clearly reflects the depth of SAK’s engagement in unlawful activities. Upon this, case FIR No. 02/2024 under sections of 7/25 Arms Act, 13 UA(P) Act was registered at Police Station Keran, Kupwara,” he added.
New Delhi, Aug 22: The Supreme Court on Friday restrained Assam Police from taking any coercive action against senior journalist Siddharth Varadarajan and other journalists, including consulting editor, working with web portal “The Wire” in connection with an FIR lodged against them over a news article.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi passed the order after senior advocate Nitya Ramakrishnan, appearing for the journalists, said that Assam police was circumventing the earlier orders passed by the court.
She said Vardarajan and other journalists, including a consulting, editor have been summoned Friday for recording statements in an old FIR lodged in May and there is apprehension that they may be arrested.
The bench, while protecting the journalists, said everyone is expected to follow the law and asked the journalists to join the investigation and file a status report on the next date of hearing.
On August 12, the top court had protected Vardarajan and restrained the Assam police from taking any coercive action against him in connection with an FIR lodged against him over an article on Operation Sindoor.
Jammu, Aug 22: The Enforcement Directorate on Friday conducted multiple searches in Jammu region against some revenue department officials as part of a money laundering probe linked to alleged grabbing of custodian land, official sources said.
At least nine locations in Jammu and one in Udhampur have been raided under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said.
Locations linked to Patwari rank officials named Pranav Dev Singh and Rahul Kai and Naib Tehsildar Akeel Ahmed apart from some others are being covered in a case related to land grabbing and corruption related to Custodian land (belonging to evacuees from Pakistan occupied Kashmir) in Jammu since 2022, they said.
The money laundering case stems from an FIR registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (Central) of Jammu and Kashmir Police.
Srinagar, Aug 22: Once known as the “land of almonds”, Kashmir is witnessing a sharp decline in almond orchards, with farmers cutting down trees to make way for high-density apple plantations and construction activities.
Growers said that without urgent intervention, the region’s centuries-old almond heritage could be lost forever.
“This year, the crop has been good, but the tragedy is that orchards are shrinking faster than ever,” said Muneer Ahmad, an orchardist from Pulwama. “Wherever you look, land is either being used for apples or buildings. If this continues, almonds will soon vanish from Kashmir’s landscape.”
Figures from the horticulture department highlight the alarming trend. In 2006–07, almonds were grown on 16,374 hectares of land across Kashmir, but by 2019–20, that number had dropped to just 4,177 hectares. Production too dipped—from 15,183 tonnes to 9,898 tonnes in the same period. Despite still contributing over 90 per cent of India’s almond output, growers warn the industry is in free fall.
For many farmers, the economics no longer add up. “Apples bring us better returns, while almonds hardly cover our expenses,” said Nisar Ahmad Mir, a grower from Budgam. “We love almond trees, but love alone cannot feed our families.”
Growers also point to the absence of marketing infrastructure as a major setback. “We have been demanding a proper dry fruit mandi for years, but no one listens,” said Abdul Rasheed Reshie, another farmer. “Without an organised market and support prices, how can almond cultivation survive?”
Farmers fear that if the government does not regulate land conversion and provide incentives, Kashmir’s almond tradition—once celebrated in poetry, art, and culture—will be reduced to memory. (KNO)
Moscow, Aug 22: Concluding a significant three-day visit to Russia, External Affairs Minister (EAM), Dr S. Jaishankar, reaffirmed the strength and depth of the India-Russia strategic partnership, co-chairing the 26th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) and holding high-level meetings with the Russian leadership.
From August 19 to 21, EAM Jaishankar met Russian President Vladimir Putin, First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and also engaged with Russian scholars and think tanks.
During his meeting with President Putin, Dr. Jaishankar “conveyed personal greetings of the Prime Minister and discussed key issues of the bilateral agenda and contemporary global issues of mutual interest, including the developments related to Ukraine,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a Press release issued on Friday.
Earlier on August 20, the EAM co-chaired the 26th IRIGC-TEC session with Deputy PM Manturov, where both sides stressed the need to “address tariff and non-tariff trade barriers, remove bottlenecks in logistics, promote connectivity, effect payment mechanisms smoothly, and finalise the Programme of Economic Cooperation till 2030.”
The early conclusion of the India-Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement and regular engagements between Indian and Russian businesses were emphasised as critical to achieving the revised bilateral trade target of $100 billion by 2030.
Energy cooperation and mobility of Indian skilled professionals, especially in IT, construction, and engineering, were also discussed. The session concluded with the signing of the Protocol for the 26th IRIGC-TEC.
Both leaders later addressed the India-Russia Business Forum, which “saw participation from a wide range of stakeholders” and emphasised coordination between the Forum and Working Groups under the IRIGC.
On August 21, EAM Jaishankar held talks with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, undertaking a “comprehensive review of the entire gamut of India–Russia bilateral relations, including in trade, connectivity, Defence, military-technical cooperation, and the fast-tracking of new Indian Consulates in Kazan and Yekaterinburg.”
The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to global multilateralism, including collaboration in G20, BRICS, and SCO, and jointly stressed the need for UN Security Council reforms.
“EAM underlined the imperative to expand and energize the UN Security Council to reflect contemporary realities,” the release said.
Regional issues such as Ukraine, the Middle East, West Asia, and Afghanistan were also discussed.
EAM Jaishankar reiterated India’s firm stance on dialogue and diplomacy and also raised concerns over Indians serving in the Russian Army, calling for swift resolution of pending cases.
On counter-terrorism, both nations “resolved to fight jointly against all forms and manifestations of terrorism.” EAM conveyed India’s strong stance, reiterating its “zero‑tolerance policy against terrorism and its sovereign right to defend Indian citizens against cross-border terrorism,” MEA stated.
The visit concluded with discussions on preparations for the upcoming Annual Summit between the Indian and Russian leadership, and EAM Jaishankar extended an invitation to Foreign Minister Lavrov to visit India at a mutually convenient time.
–IANS
rs/rad
