Kulgam, Jul 4: Minister for Education, Health, and Social Welfare Sakeena Itoo on Saturday ordered a time-bound inquiry into the controversy surrounding books published under Samagra Shiksha, asserting that those responsible for the objectionable content “will not be spared.”

Describing the issue as “intolerable and unacceptable,” Itoo said she has already directed the Secretary, School Education Department, to initiate a probe into the matter.

“The issue is ‘intolerable and unacceptable,'” the minister said, adding that the government has ordered a “time-bound inquiry” to establish responsibility for the controversial content.

Itoo said that those found guilty would face strict action.

“The inquiry has been initiated, and the culprits will be dealt with as per law,” Itoo said, reaffirming the government’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of the education system.

The minister reiterated that “those responsible for the controversial content in books published under Samagra Shiksha will not be spared,” emphasising that accountability would be fixed once the inquiry is completed.

The controversy over the content of the Samagra Shiksha books has triggered widespread criticism, prompting the government to order an official investigation into how the material found its way into educational publications.

Srinagar, July 4: The Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) on Saturday announced power shutdown in several parts of Kashmir division in coming days.

In a statement issued, Chief Engineer, Distribution, KPDCL informed that the Shutdown of 33 KV Potushai Gurez line will be observed due to which power supply to Wanpora, Dawar, NHPC, Tragbal, Peerbaba, Kanzalwan, Razdantop and adjoining areas will be affected from 08 AM to 02 PM on 07 & 09 July 2026.

Similarly, shutdown of 33 KV Bugoo Tapline of Nowpora line will be observed due to which power supply to Bugoo, Gulabad, Hyder Colony, ADC Sopore’s office and adjoining areas will be affected from 08 AM to 02 PM on 09 July 2026.

Likewise, shutdown of 33 KV Tujjar Tapline of Amargarh-Bandipora line will be observed due to which power supply to Tujjar, Harwan, Shrine and adjoining areas will be affected from 08 AM to 02 PM on 07, 11 & 18 July 2026.

Further, shutdown of 33 KV Panzipora and Shair Colony line will be observed due to which power supply to Panzipora, Tarzoo, Hygam, Haritar, Shair Colony, Maharajpora and adjoining areas will be affected from 08 AM to 02 PM on 14 July 2026.

Similarly, shutdown of 33 KV Wanpoh-Ashajipora/ Malaknag Double Circuit line will be observed due to which power supply to Ashajipora, Dialgam, Rohu, Mirbazar, Schichen, Brinty, Malaknag, Reshi Bazar, Janglatmandi, Shirpora, BB Nowgam, Thajiwara, Brakpora and adjoining areas will be affected from 08 AM to 02 PM on 06 & 09 July 2026.

Likewise, shutdown of 33 KV Wanganpora Safal Kadal line will be observed due to which power supply to Noorbagh, Safakadal, Eidgah, Rathpora, Saidapora, Baghwanpora, Ganderpora, De-addiction & Rehabilitation Centre will be affected from 08 AM to 12 Noon on 06 July 2026.

Jammu, Jul 4: Jammu and Kashmir Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra on Saturday wrote to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, demanding a thorough probe over the alleged assault on party MLA Nizam-ud-din Bhat by some National Conference workers.

He called for a thorough investigation into the incident and expressed hope that the chief minister would intervene promptly to restore confidence among alliance partners and uphold the principles of “alliance dharma”.

Bhat, the Congress MLA from Bandipora, had alleged that a National Conference MLA’s brother and supporters attempted to assault him during an official meeting on Friday.

According to the MLA, Jalal Akbar Lone, brother of Sonawari MLA Hilal Akbar Lone, and his aides disrupted the meeting held to review development works and use of funds in Bandipora, resorted to hooliganism, vandalised the hall and threatened officials.

Terming the incident as “unfortunate”, the JK Congress chief condemned the alleged manhandling of the party MLA by NC workers and said “it is a serious departure from democratic norms and against the very spirit of ‘alliance dharma’”.

Karra said while political differences are a natural part of democracy, there can never be any justification for intimidation or physical confrontation with anyone.

“The fact that such an incident involved constituents of the ruling alliance makes it even more unfortunate and raises serious concerns about mutual respect among alliance partners,” he said.

In his letter to Chief Minister Abdullah, the Congress leader sought his personal intervention and an impartial probe to ensure strict action against those responsible.

Karra said the elected representatives in the Union Territory are already functioning under a challenging “dual-control” administrative mechanism, making it all the more necessary for all democratic forces to work together in safeguarding the dignity of elected institutions.

He expressed hope that the chief minister’s timely intervention would help restore confidence among alliance partners and uphold the principles of Alliance Dharma.

“Any recurrence of such incidents, or any attempt to justify them, would only weaken the trust and goodwill that are indispensable for the smooth functioning of the coalition and the larger democratic mandate entrusted by the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he cautioned.

Srinagar, July 4: A 22-year-old youth from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir who had intruded into Indian territory in Uri was repatriated to Pakistan on Saturday.

Officials told GNS that Zeshan Ahmad Mir, resident of Painkadi village in PoK, was detained by the Indian Army in the Hajipeer sector of Uri on May 30 evening. He was subsequently handed over to police for questioning.  

After necessary formalities were completed, authorities established contact with their Pakistani counterparts and the youth was handed over at the Kaman Post border crossing in Uri of Baramulla district, officials said.

Srinagar, July 4: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today chaired a high-level review meeting to assess the overall management and ground situation of the ongoing Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra 2026.

The meeting was attended by  Atal Dulloo, Chief Secretary; Nalin Prabhat, DGP J&K; S.J.M.Gillani, Special DG Coordination PHQ; Chandraker Bharti, Principal Secretary, Home Department; Pankaj Thakur, Joint Director, Intelligence Bureau (IB); Dr. Mandeep K Bhandari, Principal Secretary to Lieutenant Governor and CEO Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board; senior officers of the Civil Administration, Police, Security Forces, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, and other concerned departments.

The Lieutenant Governor reviewed the movement of pilgrims, traffic management, security arrangements, accommodation, registration status, and other logistical aspects to ensure the smooth and safe conduct of the Yatra.

During the meeting, it was observed that an unusually large number of pilgrims have been arriving without valid registration, which is causing long waiting time for pilgrims to conduct Yatra.

The Lieutenant Governor emphasized that the Yatra is being conducted in accordance with the prescribed ceiling of pilgrim movement on the Yatra tracks, in pursuance of Hon’ble Supreme Court’s orders. Therefore, adherence to the registration schedule is imperative for ensuring the safety, security, and convenience of all pilgrims.

It was reiterated that only pilgrims possessing valid registration for the designated date shall be permitted to proceed on the Tracks leading to the Holy Cave Shrine.

The Lieutenant Governor appealed to the intending unregistered pilgrims to defer their travel for next few days in order to avoid any inconvenience upon reaching Jammu Kashmir.

The administration has, therefore, asked all intending pilgrims to complete the mandatory registration process and obtain a valid Yatra Registration Permit for their allotted date before commencing their journey to Jammu Kashmir. Pilgrims are requested not to travel without confirmed registration, as they shall not be permitted to proceed on the Yatra.

The Lieutenant Governor further reviewed the security and logistic arrangements for the Yatra. He directed all departments and security agencies to keep working in close coordination and to maintain continuous liaison with all stakeholders, including Langar organizations, service providers and other NGOs for a safe, seamless, spiritually enriching and fulfilling Yatra.

Srinagar, Jul 04: Personnel of the Security Wing of the Jammu and Kashmir Police recovered a lost bag containing cash, jewellery, an Apple iPhone and important documents and returned it to an Amarnath pilgrim after a swift search operation at the Baltal base camp.

According to police, the incident occurred on July 3 at around 8 pm when heavy congestion was witnessed at the X-ray screening point in Baltal due to a large influx of pilgrims undertaking the annual Amarnath Yatra.

Amid the rush, Ravi Pangwani and his wife, residents of Chhattisgarh, reported that one of their bags had gone missing. The couple informed security personnel that the bag contained an Apple iPhone, cash, jewellery and important documents and requested immediate assistance, saying they would remain at the site until it was traced.

Taking the matter seriously, the Security Wing of the J&K Police launched a search operation and sought assistance from the CCTV monitoring team. Footage from surveillance cameras helped identify a person carrying the missing bag away from the frisking point.

Police said local tent operators identified the individual as Ghulam Rasool, who runs a tent at the Baltal base camp. Security personnel traced him within about 30 minutes and recovered the bag from his tent, where a group of eight pilgrims led by Arun Pladha from Madhya Pradesh was staying.

During the inquiry, it emerged that Rasool had inadvertently picked up the bag along with the luggage of the pilgrims staying in his tent. The missing bag had been placed with the other pilgrims’ belongings and there was no indication of any deliberate attempt to misappropriate it.

The recovered bag was returned to the couple after they verified that all the cash, jewellery, mobile phone and documents were intact.

The couple expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Jammu and Kashmir Police, particularly the Security Wing personnel, for their prompt response and professionalism in recovering their belongings, police said.

Srinagar, Jul 04: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal urging Amarnath pilgrims to spend at least 10 per cent of their travel budget on local products, saying the initiative could significantly benefit Kashmir’s economy if devotees are allowed to freely visit local markets.

Speaking to reporters, Abdullah described the Prime Minister’s call as “a very good suggestion” but said its success depended on giving pilgrims the freedom to step out of their buses and interact with local businesses.

“It is a very good statement. But they should be allowed to leave their buses and move around. Otherwise, how will they spend? They are being kept inside buses like prisoners and are not allowed to go anywhere. Let them explore a little so they can spend that 10 per cent of their budget here. That will benefit our people,” he said.

The Chief Minister said allowing pilgrims to visit markets would help local shopkeepers, artisans, pony operators, porters and other small businesses that depend on the annual Amarnath Yatra for their livelihood.

Prime Minister Modi, in his message to pilgrims, had urged devotees to adopt the “Vocal for Local” initiative by spending at least 10 per cent of their travel expenses on locally made products to strengthen the livelihoods of families and youth in Jammu and Kashmir.

Abdullah also welcomed the Centre’s decision to withdraw the proposed Monday-Tuesday closure of Srinagar Airport, calling it a major relief for Kashmir’s tourism sector.

“The proposed shutdown was proving very costly for us. Just yesterday, I spoke to people associated with the tourism industry, and many tour groups had already started cancelling their bookings,” he said.

He said he had raised the issue with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“As a result, there will be no closure of the airport on Mondays and Tuesdays. This is a big relief for us,” Abdullah said, adding that the government would now seek flight operations from Awantipora during the airport’s scheduled closure in October.

The Chief Minister also welcomed the removal of Punjab’s mandi tax on horticultural produce from Jammu and Kashmir, calling the earlier levy “an injustice.”

“Our produce was neither coming from Punjab nor being sold there. It was coming from Rajasthan. Imposing mandi tax on it was unfair to our people. We had consistently taken up this issue with the Punjab government,” he said.

Srinagar, Jul 04: The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has strongly denied allegations that it was sitting over the vigilance clearance file of a government school teacher whose leave application to travel to the United Kingdom allegedly remained pending for months.

The clarification comes after a social media post by a Kashmiri doctor based in Bristol, England, claimed that her mother, a government teacher, was unable to visit her during pregnancy and childbirth because her station/country leave application was not processed in time.

Rejecting the allegations, ACB Director Shakti Pathak said the matter had never reached the bureau.“Matter never came to ACB. Please have it enquired from the Education Department,” Pathak told Greater Kashmir. “We clear such types of files in a maximum of four days.”

The controversy erupted after Dr. Salfiya, a Kashmiri doctor settled in England, alleged on X (formerly Twitter) that her mother had applied for station/country leave in December 2025 for the period from June to August 2026, but the application remained pending despite the commencement of the sanctioned leave period.

She further alleged that an earlier leave application submitted during her pregnancy had also lapsed because the department failed to process it on time.

“Because of this administrative apathy, my mother couldn’t be with me during my pregnancy, my C-section or my postpartum recovery in the UK. This is not just a delayed file, it is a family that has suffered because of bureaucratic negligence,” Dr. Salfiya wrote on X while tagging Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Education Minister Sakina Itoo, seeking their intervention.

Responding to the issue, Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) Naseer Ahmad Wani said the department follows a prescribed procedure before granting station or country leave.

“Granting permission requires vigilance clearance, following which the approval is accorded by the administrative department,” Wani said.

He acknowledged having seen the social media post and said the department would verify the status of the case.

“I read the tweet, but why didn’t anyone follow the case in the department? I will check the status of the issue today,” the DSEK said.

With the ACB categorically stating that the file was never referred to it for vigilance clearance, the focus is now likely to shift to the School Education Department to ascertain where the application remained pending and what caused the delay.