Jammu, Dec 25: A junior commissioned officer (JCO) of the Army, who was killed in a firing incident in Samba district, was cremated with full military honours at his native village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district on Thursday, officials said.

JCO Subedar Surjeet Singh died in a firing incident inside a military camp in Samba late Tuesday night.

A pall of gloom descended on Sarla village as the mortal remains of the JCO were brought to his home, where senior Army, police and civil officers laid wreaths on his coffin, the officials said.

Thousands of people from various parts of the district thronged the village, joined the funeral procession and raised slogans in praise of the officer, the Army and the country.

Amid slogans of “shaheed amar rahe” (long live the martyr) renting the air, hundreds of people, including family members and relatives, paid their last respects to Singh with tearful eyes.

He was later cremated with full military honours after a gun salute and the sounding of the last bugle.

The Rising Star Corps of the Indian Army paid a solemn tribute to braveheart Subedar Surjeet Singh.

“The Indian Army stands firmly with the bereaved family in this hour of grief and assures unwavering support,” it said in a post on X.

On Wednesday, a defence spokesperson said the incident is under investigation and further details will be shared as facts are established

“A JCO of an Army unit in Samba sustained a gunshot wound while on duty in Jammu and unfortunately succumbed to his injuries in the line of duty. At this stage, the terror angle has been ruled out”, the spokesperson had said.

Jammu, Dec 25: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday paid tributes to Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the occasion of their birth anniversary.

The Lieutenant Governor said the ideals and vision of Mahamana and Atal Ji for Developed India and their message of social harmony, equality and justice will always inspire the people. They are the visionary architects of Modern India, he said.

He was speaking at a commemorative event at Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya Inter College in Ghazipur.  This year marks the 164th birth anniversary of Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya and the 101st birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

The Lieutenant Governor highlighted Mahamana Malaviya’s unparalleled contribution to India’s educational, cultural and industrial advancement.

The Lieutenant Governor stated that Mahamana transformed modern education into a powerful driver of development.

“Mahamana established Banaras Hindu University (BHU) through public mobilization donations. Following his ideals, we have utilized Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to develop infrastructure, and in Jammu and Kashmir, we have laid the foundation for over 1,800 houses for families affected due to Pakistani Shelling during Operation Sindoor and recent natural disasters,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

Paying tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Lieutenant Governor said Atal Ji awakened India’s inner strength and instilled a sense of self-esteem among fellow Indians on the global stage.

“Atal Ji prioritised good governance and economic development.  His impact was universal. His administrative reforms and focus on transparency, accountability, and efficient, citizen-centric service delivery ensured inclusive and rapid development,” he said.

The Lieutenant Governor said, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, dreams of Mahamana and Atal Ji are now being realized. He said, India’s emergence as the world’s fastest-growing economy, is the testament to this transformation.

“For the first time in history, we see a strong and decisive government fulfilling the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. With the revival of ancient culture, upliftment of the poorest of the poor and transformation of villages into centers of dynamism, the Hon’ble Prime Minister is bringing the ideals of these great men to life,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

Jammu, Dec 25: Two wanted criminals were arrested under the Public Safety Act (PSA) on the outskirts of Jammu and shifted to a jail in Poonch district, police said on Thursday.

The accused have been identified as Paramjeet Kumar alias Jungi, a resident of R S Pura and Shubam Saini alias Mundi, of Arnia area.

According to the police, Paramjeet was booked under the PSA following formal detention orders issued by the District Magistrate of Jammu. He was subsequently moved to the district jail in Poonch.

Shubham Saini, a repeated offender involved in multiple criminal cases in recent months, was also been booked under the PSA and lodged in the same facility.

The police said the action was taken because the duo had repeated managed to secure bail from the courts. The detention under the PSA is meant to prevent them from continuing their criminal activities, they added.

Srinagar, Dec 25: J&K Allied and Healthcare Council (SAHC-J&K) has issued a public notice directing qualified allied and healthcare professionals across the Union Territory to submit their details for inclusion in a new consolidated database. The details need to be submitted by 31 December on the official email addess of the Council.

The communication issued on 24 December 2025 has sought details of professionals in the ten approved categories outlined under the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021. The council has sought information from those holding a Master’s or Postgraduate degree in one of the 57 recognized professions, along with at least 15 years of academic or practice experience, including a minimum of 7 years in a leadership role. Applicants must provide supporting documents, qualification certificates, experience proofs, and evidence of demonstrated leadership in academic or professional practice.

The submissions must be emailed to sahcjandk@gmail.com by the deadline of December 31, 2025.

The council has stated that the collected data will be used “solely” to develop a comprehensive database of highly experienced allied and healthcare professionals in J&K.

The SAHC-J&K was constituted in November 2024 vide Government Order No. 777-JK (HME) dated 19.11.2024, in line with the NCAHP Act aimed at regulating and standardizing allied healthcare education and practice across India.