Mendhar, Jan 05: A rusted mortar shell was found in a forward village near the Line of Control (LoC) on Monday in Poonch district and was subsequently destroyed in a controlled explosion, officials said.

The mortar shell was noticed lying in an open field by villagers of Upper Ghani in Balnoi area of Mankote sector around 11.15 am, officials said.

They said a police team immediately secured the area and Army experts later destroyed the shell in a controlled explosion without causing any damage.

Poonch, Jan 05: A woman was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Tehsil Mandi, Poonch, on Monday morning.

Official sources said the deceased has been identified as 25-year-old Asia Kousar, wife of Mohd Jahangir, resident of Jandrola. The circumstances of her death are considered suspicious.

Authorities have registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident.

Police are conducting inquiries to determine the cause and circumstances surrounding the death, as the investigation progresses. (KNC)

Jammu, Jan 05: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo today highlighted the transformative impact of the PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation) platform in expediting major developmental projects across J&K, stating that it has emerged as a powerful instrument for resolving long-pending issues and ensuring timely execution of big-ticket initiatives.

Addressing a press briefing, the Chief Secretary underscored the significance of PRAGATI@50, noting that the technology-driven governance mechanism has successfully unlocked several projects that had remained stalled for decades due to inter-departmental bottlenecks and procedural delays.

The press conference was attended by Commissioner Secretary, Information, M. Raju; Director Information, Nitish Rajora; Director, PIB Jammu, Neha Jalali; Joint Director Information Headquarters, Zahoor Ahmad Raina; Joint Director Information Jammu, Deepak Dubey, and other senior officers of the Directorate of Information & Public Relations (DIPR).

Citing the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project as a prime example, the Chief Secretary said that despite being initiated in 1995, the project witnessed minimal progress for nearly 25 years. However, after being taken up under PRAGATI for close monitoring, the project gained substantial momentum due to enhanced inter-departmental coordination and direct intervention at the highest level by the Prime Minister himself.

He informed that all projects with an outlay of more than ₹500 Cr are monitored by the Prime Minister’s Group (PMG) headed by the Cabinet Secretary, while the most critical among them are directly reviewed by the Prime Minister through PRAGATI meetings.

Elaborating further, the Chief Secretary stated that the PMG is currently monitoring 61 projects in Jammu & Kashmir, with a cumulative investment of over ₹4.12 lakh crore, spanning key sectors such as connectivity, energy, and social infrastructure. Out of these, 15 projects with an outlay of ₹69,000 Cr have already been completed, while the remaining projects are at various stages of execution.

He specifically pointed out that 15 major projects in J&K are under direct monitoring of the Prime Minister through the PRAGATI platform, enabling swift resolution of issues related to land acquisition, financial and physical constraints, and ensuring timely and fair compensation to affected families.

Highlighting the high effectiveness of the mechanism, the Chief Secretary revealed that out of 59 issues pertaining to J&K taken up in earlier PRAGATI meetings, 57 have already been resolved on merit, placing the Union Territory among the top performers nationally, supplemented by robust district-level follow-up by the administration.

On the tangible outcomes achieved, he said that six high-impact projects worth approximately ₹53,000 Cr have been completed in Jammu & Kashmir under PRAGATI monitoring. These include the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link, Kishanganga Hydroelectric Project along with its transmission line, AIIMS Jammu, the challenging Banihal stretch of NH-44, and the Alsteng–Kargil–Khaltse–Leh transmission line.

He further informed that nine additional projects being monitored under PRAGATI are progressing at a satisfactory pace. These include the Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway Corridor, AIIMS Awantipora, Pakul Dul Hydroelectric Project, 4G mobile connectivity under USOF, and several other energy and connectivity projects across different parts of the UT.

Concluding the briefing, the Chief Secretary reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fully implement the directions issued through the PRAGATI mechanism at the Union Territory level. He emphasized that by leveraging this platform, J&K is poised to sustain the current momentum, ensuring that all developmental initiatives are outcome-oriented and completed within approved deadlines for each of them.

Jammu, Jan 05: In view of the forthcoming Republic Day celebrations and heightened security arrangements, Jammu Police, South Zone, have initiated strict action against violators of District Magistrate Jammu’s orders, registering two cases against house owners for keeping tenants without mandatory police verification.

In a statement issued here, Police said that in view of the forthcoming Republic Day celebrations and the heightened security arrangements, Police Station Bahu Fort, Jammu have registered two cases under Section 223 of BNS against house owners for violating the orders of the District Magistrate, Jammu, by keeping tenants in their residential premises without mandatory police verification, it reads.

The details of the cases registered are as under, FIR No. 09/2026 U/s 223 BNS against Shakeela W/o Pritam Chand R/o Rajiv Nagar, Narwal. FIR No. 11/2026 U/s 223 BNS against Rohit Kumar S/o Lt Dharampal R/o Narwal, it reads.

The enforcement drive was carried out by IC PP Narwal, SHO Police Station Bahu Fort, under the close supervision of SDPO City East, SP City South, Jammu and overall supervision of SSP Jammu, it reads.

These cases have been registered as part of a routine verification and enforcement drive to ensure strict compliance with tenant verification norms, particularly in view of the Republic Day celebrations and the associated security measures, it reads.

Jammu Police once again appeal to all house owners to strictly adhere to the tenant verification guidelines and cooperate with the police. Citizens are urged to remain vigilant and extend full cooperation to maintain peace and law & order, and to ensure a safe and secure environment during the upcoming Republic Day celebrations, reads the statement. (KNC)