Ganderbal, Aug 23: A young boy is feared drowned in the Nallah Sindh  in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Sunday.

Locals said that a young boy from Bamloora area of Ganderbal is feared drowned in nallah Sindh opposite to Qamaria park after he reportedly was taking a bath.

Soon after the Police received the information a search and rescue operation has been launched by Police, SDRF and locals.

Meanwhile, police has initiated an investigation to know actual, circumstances leading to the incident . This is the second such incident in less than three days in district.

Earlier on Friday a teenager from Srinagar drowned to death in nallah Sindh near Kijpora area of Kangan here. His body was retrieved from waters after two days.

Srinagar, Aug 23: Union minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday said there has been a paradigm shift in the mindset of people in Jammu and Kashmir after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power at the Centre.

“The mindset in Jammu and Kashmir has changed completely just like in the Northeast. This happened after the Narendra Modi government was formed in 2014,” Singh told reporters on the sidelines of BJP’s organisational meeting here.

“Since Prime Minister Modi’s tenure began, the atmosphere here has changed. There is peace, and normalcy is returning. Development works are going at a good pace,” he asserted.

The Union minister said after losing generations to persistent violence over the past three decades, the youth of Jammu and Kashmir has now become aspirational. “You can see it in their performance in competitive examinations like UPSC and engineering entrance exams over the past few years,” he said.

Singh said while many saffron party workers were lost to the violence in Jammu and Kashmir, he is lucky to have survived to witness the change in the mindset of people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Sopore, Aug 23: Panic and concern have gripped residents of Upper Ashpir in Sopore following reported sightings of a leopard in the vicinity of the Open Air Gym Park. According to a public notice issued by the Municipal Council Sopore, residents have reported observing leopard movement around the park since yesterday.

Taking the reports seriously, the Wildlife Department has initiated an investigation to ascertain the presence and movement of the wild animal in the area. Authorities are monitoring the situation and are expected to take further necessary measures based on the findings of the investigation.

As a precautionary measure, the Open Air Gym Park has been kept closed until the presence of the leopard is fully confirmed or ruled out. The Municipal Council has also urged residents to cooperate with the authorities and avoid unnecessary movement towards the park.

The general public, particularly parents, have been advised not to bring children to the park until further notice in view of the potential risk. Residents have also been urged to remain alert and immediately inform the concerned authorities in case of any further leopard sighting.

The precaution comes amid heightened concern over leopard activity in parts of Sopore and neighbouring areas. Earlier this year, leopard-related incidents in the Sopore area had also raised safety concerns among residents.

The Municipal Council Sopore said that public safety remains the priority and appealed to residents to cooperate with the administration and Wildlife Department until the situation is brought under control.

Authorities have advised residents to remain vigilant and avoid spreading unverified information regarding the animal’s presence.

Srinagar, Aug 23: Senior National Conference leader and Member of Parliament, Mian Altaf Ahmed, has expressed deep anguish and outrage over the tragic death of a minor school girl in the Chatroo area of Kishtwar district. Demanding immediate intervention from the administration, Mian Altaf called for a comprehensive, time-bound investigation and a fast-track trial to ensure swift justice for the victim’s family.

Terming the incident horrifying and an unpardonable violation of human trust, Mian Altaf stated.

In a statement issued, Mian Altaf said the heinous nature of this crime has shocked the conscience of our entire society, urging the establishment of a dedicated fast-track court to conduct day-to-day hearings, ensuring the trial concludes and justice is delivered without procedural delays.

Mian Altaf maintained that the investigation must be conducted with complete transparency and that the guilty, if established through due process, should face the strictest punishment permissible under law.

Baramulla, Aug 23: National Conference MP for the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency, Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, on Sunday said Jammu and Kashmir had continued to lose its powers over the years, while its political leadership had failed to regain them.

Speaking to reporters during an interaction in Baramulla, Ruhullah said that his criticism is not directed at any individual or political party but reflected the broader political situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

“J&K has always lost things and not gained, from statehood to Article 370. Politically, J&K has not gained anything right from the outset,” he said.

Questioning the National Conference’s approach after it came to power, Ruhullah alleged that the party had changed its position on the rights lost after 2019.

He said people had placed their trust in the NC during the 2024 Assembly elections based on commitments made regarding the restoration of those rights.

“I ask only for the rights which we told people during election campaigning. It is the party’s words too and not mine alone. Kashmiris put trust in NC on the rights lost after 2019,” he said.

Ruhullah further questioned why elected representatives and party members could not raise concerns if they believed the party leadership had deviated from its commitments. “Why can’t I raise issues against the party? We are not slaves of the party. We can raise genuine questions if the party is not on the track,” he said.

The MP questioned the growing focus on restoration of statehood, saying it is not the only issue that had formed part of the NC’s political agenda.

He recalled that NC vice president and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had earlier criticised those who focused only on statehood, adding that the political agenda extended beyond restoration of statehood.

MP Ruhullah said political parties are accountable to the people and should remain open to questions from those who had supported them.

“Parties are accountable to people, not above questions,” he said, asserting that raising concerns over unfulfilled commitments should not be treated as opposition to the party.

He added that his position is aimed at ensuring that the issues and rights promised to people during the election campaign remained part of the political discourse in Jammu and Kashmir.—(KNO)

Srinagar, Aug 23: Jammu and Kashmir Students Association National Convenor Nasir Khuehami on Sunday said that the issue of harassment of two Kashmiri students pursuing pharmacy studies in Bhopal have been adressed following the timely intervention Madhya Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Kailash Makwana.

DGP Makwana took cognisance of the concerns such as harassment and threats raised by the students and resolved them.

“The police also questioned individuals allegedly involved in threatening, intimidating or pressuring the students and called them to the police station for further inquiry.” Khuehami said

Residents of the concerned society were counselled and cautioned against any conduct that could create fear or a sense of insecurity among the students. Action is also being initiated against other fringe elements involved in such activities.

Khuehami said Makwana reassured that they can live peacefully, attend college, move around freely and carry out their day-to-day activities without fear or intimidation