Ramban, Jul 8: The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remained open for the scheduled AmarnathYatra convoy and Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) on Wednesday despite heavy monsoon rainfall in Ramban and other places on Tuesday night and Wednesday afternoon.

Traffic authorities said vehicular movement remained slow due to single-lane road conditions between Marog and KishtwariPather.

Traffic was further disrupted following the breakdown of three vehicles at Digdol and Nachlana.

Authorities said that after the notified cut-off timings, inter-district movement of local commuters within Jammu and Kashmir would be facilitated till 11:30 pm from Nagrota and Qazigund after verification of valid photo identity cards, which commuters must carry during the AmarnathYatra period.

Private vehicle users travelling towards Srinagar have been advised to use the old Jawahar Tunnel road to avoid security screening at Lamber in Banihal.

Commuters travelling from Jammu to Batote, Doda, Bhaderwah, Kishtwar, and adjoining areas have been advised to take the old Patnitop road to avoid screening at Nashri.

The Traffic Department advised passengers and LMV operators to travel during the daytime and avoid night journeys because of the risk of landslides, shooting stones, ongoing construction work between Ramban and Banihal, and increased traffic due to the annual yatra.

Goods carriers transporting fresh perishables and livestock have been asked to adhere to loading schedules and movement advisories, as heavy vehicles are being allowed to ply on alternate days.

Fruit growers and transporters carrying fresh produce from Kashmir towards Jammu have been advised to park their vehicles before 9 am at designated locations between Navyug Tunnel and Levadura to facilitate smooth movement.

Heavy vehicle operators have also been asked to avoid overloading, ensure the roadworthiness of their vehicles, carry adequate fuel and avoid unnecessary halts, particularly in landslide-prone stretches between Ramban and Banihal.

Meanwhile, the Traffic Department issued an advisory for Thursday, stating that subject to fair weather and improved road conditions, the AmarnathYatra convoy, passenger vehicles, and private cars would be allowed to ply from both Jammu to Srinagar and vice versa on the highway.

Heavy vehicles carrying goods will continue to operate on alternate days.

According to the advisory, LMVs would be allowed from Nagrota towards Srinagar between 7 am and noon, from Jakheni between 8 am and 1 pm, and from Qazigund towards Jammu between 11:30 am and 5:30 pm.

No vehicle would be allowed to move before or after the prescribed cut-off timings.

Subject to weather and road conditions, heavy vehicles would be permitted to move from Qazigund towards Jammu, but no heavy vehicle would be allowed after 7 pm.

The administration has also directed all empty petrol, diesel, and LPG tankers, trucks carrying empty LPG cylinders and empty Food Corporation of India vehicles to return to Jammu via the Mughal Road.

Vehicles with up to 10 tyres carrying perishable commodities have also been advised to use the Mughal Road on days when the up-convoy of heavy vehicles is scheduled on the highway.

Traffic authorities advised AmarnathYatris and other commuters to confirm the latest highway status with the Traffic Control Units in Jammu and Srinagar before undertaking their journey.

Rajouri, Jul 8: Heavy to very heavy rainfall lashed several parts of Rajouri district of PirPanjal region on Wednesday evening, severely disrupting normal life and causing waterlogging in many areas.

According to reports, the downpour began at around 4 pm and continued across most parts of the district till the last reports were received.

The incessant rainfall affected daily activities, forcing people to remain indoors as the heavy showers continued unabated.

Several roads and streets were submerged due to the accumulation of rainwater, creating difficulties for both pedestrians and motorists.

Traffic movement slowed considerably on several stretches, while commuters struggled to negotiate waterlogged roads.

Residents said the continuous rainfall caused inconvenience in urban as well as rural areas, with low-lying localities witnessing significant water accumulation. Authorities have advised people to remain cautious and avoid unnecessary travel until the weather improves.

No reports of any major casualty or damage had been received till the filing of this report, though the persistent rainfall continued to impact normal life across the district.

Jammu, Jul 8: Security forces busted a terrorist hideout in Kathua district on Wednesday and recovered two hand grenades, officials said.

The hideout was unearthed in the upper reaches of Billawar on the disclosure of an overground worker, Haji Latief, they said.

Latief, a resident of Rabagh who was arrested on July 2, is facing charges of facilitating infiltration of over a dozen terrorists from across the border over the years and is being jointly interrogated by police and other security agencies, the officials said.

On his questioning, it was revealed that he had remained in constant touch with terror handlers across the border, they said.

Meanwhile, the border security forces on Wednesday picked up a suspicious person from the border village of Bobiya in the Hiranagar sector.

The man, who identified himself as Prem (45), was handed over to the police for questioning, the officials said.

Jammu, July 8: Northern Railway has strengthened security and passenger amenities at the Jammu railway station to facilitate the smooth movement of pilgrims during the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, officials said on Wednesday.

Officials of the Jammu division said that elaborate arrangements have been put in place to ensure the safety, convenience and comfort of pilgrims reaching the base city from different parts of the country.

Senior railway officers and supervisors are monitoring the arrangements round the clock, while personnel from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police (GRP) have been deployed across the station premises, they said.

The Jammu railway station is under 24-hour CCTV surveillance through a central control room, while ticket-checking staff are conducting regular patrols along with the RPF and GRP personnel to prevent any untoward incident.

Railway authorities have also established help desks and information centres to assist pilgrims with travel-related queries. Additional drinking water facilities, sanitation staff and a round-the-clock first aid centre have been put in place, while regular public announcements are being made regarding train operations and the yatra.

Passengers are also being informed about any train delays through the public announcement system and SMS alerts, the officials said.

Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Jammu, Uchit Singhal has been personally reviewing the arrangements and issuing directions to ensure better passenger services.

“Amarnath Yatra is a symbol of faith and devotion. It is our commitment to ensure that every pilgrim completes the journey safely and with dignity. Our officers, supervisors, RPF and GRP teams are working round the clock, and additional arrangements will be made whenever required,” Singhal said.

The Jammu division appealed to the passengers to follow railway announcements and contact the Rail Madad helpline (139) or the station help centre for any assistance.

The 57-day Amarnath Yatra, which began on July 3, will conclude on August 28, coinciding with the festival of Raksha Bandhan.

Jammu, July 8: Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau has achieved a major success in extracting one of the major land scams in Jammu and Kashmir, wherein custodian land in Bhalwal and Amb area of Jammu district has been found usurped by the land mafia in connivance with Form Alf Holders and the officers/officials of custodian /revenue department.

In a statement issued, a spokesperson said that inputs were received that custodian land in thousands of kanal situated at Asarwan, Mishriwala, Bhalwal and R.S. Pura Jammu, has been fraudulently grabbed by the land grabbers/gangsters in connivance with the Revenue officers/officials. The revenue records have been tempered and land has been sold to various persons.

On the basis of the inputs received by ACB a verification was initiated and on the basis of the verification conducted earlier it was found that more than 1000 kanals of Custodian land was shown allotted to the displaced persons on the basis of fake orders, who were otherwise not entitled for the allotment of additional land through fraudulent means by the land grabbers / Form Alaf holders in connivance with the officers / officials of Revenue department and others. Accordingly, 27 case FIRs were registered by the ACB in which the investigation is still in progress.

Again, during the course of verification it has been found that displaced persons of Pakistan (PAK / POK Refugees) were already allotted land in their favour but even then kith and kin of these families although not entitled being Form Alaf holders in connivance with the concerned Patwaries / Girdawars / Naib Tehsildars / Tehsildars of Revenue Department got mutations of additional land at Bhalwal area of District Jammu attested in their favour either without any Govt. / Provisional Rehabilitation Office (PRO) order or on fake Govt. /PRO order. During verification it has also been found that no such orders of allotment of land were issued by the office of the PRO. These persons after getting mutation of lands in their favour alienated the said land directly or through their attorney holders / conduits to various persons by resorting to fraudulent means, thereby causing a huge loss to the Govt. Exchequer.

Owing to the establishment of, prima facie, nexus of the criminal elements/land grabbers/ Form Alaf holders and the Revenue officers/officials in alienation of about 12 kanals 03 Marlas of Custodian land through fraudulent means, ACB has now registered formal case FIR No. 09/2026 U/S 7, 13(1)(a) & 13(2) of PC Act, 1988 (amended in 2018) and section 120-B, 420, 467, 468, 471 of IPC in P/S ACB Central J&K for in-depth investigation under the provisions of J&K Prevention of Corruption Act, criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and fraud against the accused persons namely (1) Altaf Hussain S/o Said Hussain Shah R/o Village Gursai Tehsil Mendher Poonch A/P Gura Brahmana, Jammu, then Patwari,  (2) Amjid Malik  S/o Gulab Din R/o Rajinder Pura Rahya Samba then Girdawar, (3) Aqeel Ahmad S/o Shri Mohd Hafiz R/o Buffliaz (Chamrar), Tehsil Suronkote District Poonch A/p Friends Enclave Chowadhi, Jammu, the then Naib Tehsildar Balwal, (4) Mohan Singh S/o Bhagwan Singh R/o Batala A/p Nanak Nagar Jammu, (5) Rabina Kouser D/o Sakinder Hussain W/o Rayaz Ahmed R/o W.No. 7, Surhoti, Mendhar District Poonch, (6) Nazir Hussain S/o Mirza R/o Bagani Talab Raipur Domana Jammu.

Moreover, one more FIR has been registered by the ACB after conducting verification on the basis of a complaint lodged by one Kuldeep Singh S/o Baldev Singh R/o Marjali Kangrail alleging therein that fraudulent mutations and illegal conferment of ownership rights over land situated at Village Amb, Tehsil Bhalwal, District Jammu etc, spokesperson said.

During the course of verification, it has been found that the revenue officials by abuse of their official position and in criminal conspiracy hatched with beneficiaries Rashpal Singh and others fraudulently attested the mutations in favour of the illegal beneficiaries thereby illegal conferring ownership rights of land measuring 15 kanal 08 marlas (approx.) upon illegal beneficiaries thereby causing corresponding wrongful loss to the Government exchequer. Accordingly, ACB has registered another formal case FIR No. 10/2026 U/S 5(1) (c ) (d) r/w section 5(2) J&K PC Act Svt. 2006 and section 120-B RPC in P/S ACB Central J&K for in-depth investigation under the provisions of J&K Prevention of Corruption Act, criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and fraud against the accused persons namely (1) Baldev Raj, then Patwari Halqa, Village Amb, (2) Pawan Kumar Kohli, then Naib Tehsildar (3) Rashpal Singh (beneficiary) S/o Rama Jatt R/o Marjali Kangrail and others.

Further, investigation in both the cases has been taken up, spokesperson added.