Jammu, Nov 03: National Conference president and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah on Monday accused Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha of sitting on government files and obstructing the implementation of business rules.

He also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure swift restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

“He (L-G) is sitting on the files. How many times will I tell him? Scores of files are with him and they are not moving. I told him one day that you have demoted Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences. He said, ‘No, no, it has got its autonomy.’ It was a complete lie,” Abdullah told reporters here.

Responding to a question from reporters about the chief minister and the L-G criticising each other, he said, “I hope those who are sitting on the files will send them back. Business rules must be implemented, shouldn’t they?”

The former chief minister said this is the people’s government. “The people have voted for this government. The rules must be fully implemented,” he added.

Asked if the L-G was preventing the elected government from performing its duties, Abdullah said it was not about stopping work but about interfering.

“It is the way he is dealing with things. He is delaying them, that is all he does. He must stop doing it. He should be a friend of the people and the government. That’s what he is sitting there for,” the senior leader said.

On statehood restoration, Abdullah expressed optimism and appealed to the Prime Minister to pay attention to Jammu and Kashmir’s problems.

“God willing, that too will happen. It will happen soon,” he said. “I request the Prime Minister to be benevolent on Jammu and Kashmir so that its difficulties are removed.”

“We request him to give special attention to the statehood matter and ensure that it is restored as soon as possible,” he said.

Abdullah added that the Secretariat’s arrival would benefit Jammu and urged people to unite for the region’s development. “I hope Jammu will get the greatest benefit from it,” he added.

Banihal, Nov 03: The government has initiated “strict action” against medical staff, including three MBBS doctors posted at the Primary Health Centre (PHC) Khari in Ramban’s Banihal, for their alleged unauthorized absence from duty on Monday.

The matter came to light after five persons sustained injuries when a Tempo Traveller met with an accident on the Mangit road in the remote Khari area of Banihal on Monday morning. The injured were initially taken to PHC Khari for first aid; however, due to the alleged absence of medical officers and limited facilities, they were later shifted to the Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Banihal for specialized treatment.

Locals of Khari Aarpinchla alleged that at the time of the incident, only one BUMS doctor was present at PHC Khari, while three MBBS doctors posted there were absent from duty. The alleged negligence sparked public outrage, with residents demanding immediate administrative action.

Taking serious note of the matter, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Banihal Mohammad Naseeb direct Tehsildar Khari to inquire into the allegations of staff absenteeism at PHC Khari.

“An explanation has been sought from the concerned medical officers, and strict action will follow based on the inquiry findings. Public health services in remote areas cannot be compromised,” SDM Banihal said.

Following the directions of the SDM, the Block Medical Officer (BMO) Ukheral issued an explanation notice to three doctors — Dr. Waseem Raja, Dr. Showkat Ahmed, and Dr. Sameer Ahmed — for their alleged absence from duty. The doctors have been asked to report immediately and explain their position within two days.

The order further mentions that their salaries for the month of October 2025 will remain withheld pending inquiry.

Meanwhile, officials at SDH Banihal confirmed that two of the five injured persons are in critical condition and have been further referred to GMC Anantnag for further treatment and CT SCANs.

Banihal, Nov 03: Five persons including a woman and two kids were injured when a Tempo Traveller met with an accident in the far-flung Mangit village of Banihal area in district Ramban on Monday.
The accident occurred on Bawa – Mangit link road in tehsil Khari of district Ramban.

The injured were initially taken to the Primary Health Centre (PHC) Khari for first aid but were later shifted to the Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Banihal for specialized treatment.

Locals from the Khari, Aarpinchla area alleged that only one BUMS doctor was present at PHC Khari at the time of the incident, while all three MBBS doctors posted there were absent. They said that due to the lack of qualified medical staff, all five injured had to be referred to SDH Banihal.

Hospital officials at SDH Banihal confirmed that two of the minor injured are in critical condition and are undergoing treatment.

Police post Khari have taken cognizance of the incident.

Jammu, Nov 03: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Monday said that the restoration of the historic Darbar Move tradition after four years will significantly boost Jammu’s economy and reinforce unity between Jammu and Srinagar.

Speaking to reporters in Jammu, CM Omar said that the discontinuation of the Darbar Move had delivered a major setback to Jammu. “We had promised people that we would restore the Darbar Move. Today, the Darbar Move has been restored. I hope this will give a significant boost to the economy of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

The Chief Minister said the decision to stop the practice earlier was taken purely on financial grounds, ignoring its emotional and symbolic value. “Not everything should be measured in monetary terms. Some things hold emotional significance. The Darbar Move connected Srinagar and Jammu. By ending it, a blow was dealt to the unity of Jammu and Kashmir, which we have now tried to rectify,” he said.

Omar added that the enthusiastic welcome the government received in Jammu today was proof of the public sentiment attached to the decision. “You must have seen today — the love, affection and welcome we received. It took us an hour to reach because of the overwhelming response. Jammu had suffered when the Darbar Move was discontinued, and traders had repeatedly raised concerns,” he said.

He asserted that the move will not only help the business community but also strengthen emotional and cultural ties between both regions. “Sometimes some people create a distance between Jammu and Srinagar for political gains. We want to bridge that distance,” he added.

Omar said special arrangements have been made to ensure smooth resumption of the biannual office shift and that it may take a few days for all departments to settle fully—(KNO)