Srinagar, June 20: After remaining closed for more than a year, the Lieutenant Governor administration has decided to reopen historic famous Naranag temple for visitors following a thorough security review. The Naranag place was closed since April last year.

Taking to micro-blogging site X, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha wrote, “After thorough security review, decision has been taken to open the Naranag Temple at Ganderbal for devotees and tourists.”

The ancient temple, located in the upper reaches of Ganderbal, had remained closed due to security concerns. The reopening is expected to boost religious tourism in the area.

MLA Kangan Mian Mehar Ali on several occasions had raised the issue of closure of Naranag as it had hit livelihood of many people here. Ali recently met the LG Manoj Sinha and raised the issue of closure and sought its reopening. The demand for its reopening had come from other stakeholders and political leaders as well.

The reopening is expected to facilitate pilgrimage and tourism activities in the beautiful Naranag area, known for its ancient temple complex and scenic surroundings. 

Meanwhile, officials said necessary security arrangements have been put in place to ensure the safety of visitors.

Baramulla, June 20: Chairperson of J&K Waqf Board, Dr Syed Darakhshan Andrabi today visited the Sufi spiritual Shrine of Hazrat Janbaaz Wali (RA) at Khanpora, Baramulla and conducted an on-the-spot inspection of the ongoing Heritage Restoration and Conservation Project being executed through the Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museums, J&K.

As per the Waqf Board officials, the visit followed repeated representations from local residents and devotees who had expressed serious concerns regarding certain important components that had been left out of the restoration project. “The matter had been consistently brought to the notice of the Chairperson, seeking her personal intervention for an amicable resolution”, said Waqf Board communique.

Today after a detailed assessment of the site and due consideration of public sentiments, Dr Andrabi announced on the spot that the reconstruction of the Shrine Sanctum & all other left-out components of the project, along with other essential developmental and conservation works, would be taken up immediately by the J&K Waqf Board. She assured that the works would be executed in a manner that preserves the shrine’s sanctity, heritage value and religious significance while addressing the aspirations of all stakeholders.

The announcement was received with overwhelming appreciation from devotees and local residents, who expressed gratitude for the Chairperson’s prompt and decisive intervention. People described the decision as a reflection of Dr Andrabi’s unwavering commitment to the preservation of religious heritage and the protection of invaluable spiritual assets. They hailed the initiative as a sensitive, people-centric and visionary step that balances conservation requirements with public expectations.

Earlier Waqf Chairperson chaired a detailed review meeting at DC Office Baramulla in connection with the project. The meeting was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, Syed Altaf Hussain Musvi; Executive Magistrate, J&K Waqf Board, Ishtiyaq Mohiuddin; Executive Engineer, R&B Division Baramulla, Mohammad Younis Shah; Assistant Executive Engineer Mohammad Ather; Assistant Engineer Asif Khaliq; Executive Engineer, J&K Waqf Board, Er Qazi Mushtaq; and Junior Engineer Er Rehmat Ullah Bhat, among other officials.

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Kashmir, of Crime Branch J&K has filed a chargesheet in FIR No. 44/2023 under Section 420 of the IPC before the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Sopore, against Harkeet Singh, son of Guru Mohan Singh, resident of Kali Mata Mandir, Lal Bangla, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.

The case stems from a written complaint alleging that the accused induced the complainant to part with money on the pretext of providing an AT&T inbound sales call project of a US-based telecom company.

During the course of the investigation, it was established that the accused had dishonestly deceived the complainant and fraudulently obtained money under false assurances.

Based on the evidence collected during the investigation, the allegations were found to be substantiated, and the chargesheet was accordingly filed before the competent court for judicial determination.

The general public is advised to remain vigilant against economic fraud and report any such incidents to the Senior Superintendent of Police, Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Kashmir, Crime Branch J&K. Victims of economic fraud may also submit their complaints through the official email address: [email protected].

The Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha today delivered the keynote address at Srinagar-Nalanda Dialogue. The event was organised by the Ministry of Tourism, Department of Culture, J&K, Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA), National School of Drama and Nava Nalanda Mahavihara University.

Speaking on the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor said that our goal is to revive our great inheritances of knowledge and spirituality, strengthen India’s civilizational traditions, and shape a future-oriented education that connects our youth to both the past and modern tech.

The Lieutenant Governor said that good governance promotes cultural dialogue and together they shape the moral, cultural, and human character of a society, and formulate inclusive policies.

“Together, the scholars of Jammu Kashmir and Nalanda shaped one of the world’s oldest living civilizations. This heritage is our guiding light. The Srinagar–Nalanda Dialogue is our opportunity to carry that light forward with wisdom, courage, and a new vision for Viksit Bharat,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

The Lieutenant Governor called for strengthening India’s soft power and promotion of cultural diplomacy.

“Centuries ago, India’s knowledge unified the globe. Today, we can be the bridge the world needs. The world is watching. Let us lead with confidence and compassion,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

The Lieutenant Governor said that youth have inherited a rich legacy of languages, beliefs, artistic traditions, philosophical schools, and varied ways of life. He said this diversity is our greatest strength.

“From Bihar to Jammu Kashmir, from the temples of Tamil Nadu to the monasteries of Ladakh, from the ghats of Kashi to the valleys of Kashmir, each region preserves its distinct cultural identity and rhythm of life. Our shared aim should be to weave these diversities into a harmonious unity that enriches the nation’s collective consciousness,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

He observed that Indian civilization has always been defined by its centers of knowledge. Nalanda, Takshashila, Vikramashila, and many others were hubs of global intellectual exchange, attracting travelers from China, Korea, Java, Persia, and West Asia.  

“Nalanda is a living intellectual cosmos of its time. It is a seat of critical thinking and curiosity where thousands of scholars in the past engaged deeply with logic, grammar, medicine, mathematics, philosophy, religion, and the arts. Likewise, Jammu Kashmir was the unique Sharda Peeth of learning, drawing people from afar for instruction across disciplines from mathematics to music.

The young generation needs to understand India’s knowledge traditions, whose roots strengthened in Bihar region during Emperor Ashoka’s era around the third century BCE. European scholars once overlooked this legacy but I am happy to note that the host city of this event, Srinagar, was also established by Emperor Ashoka. The Srinagar–Nalanda Dialogue reminds us that the moment has come to renew this tradition as a modern, relevant intellectual project. Just as scholars in ancient times travelled from Nalanda to Jammu Kashmir carrying manuscripts, philosophies, and scientific ideas, we must revive open exchange and deep engagement of ideas,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

He said that our ancient towns are living learning centres and cities such as Nalanda, Srinagar, Jammu, Purmandal, Varanasi, Hampi, Sanchi, Madurai, Puri, and Thanjavur carry centuries of experience and knowledge.

“We must strengthen the role of these towns. That requires infrastructure development, heritage conservation, and platforms like the Srinagar–Nalanda Dialogue for cultural exchange. We should continuously promote festivals, exhibitions, and discussions that bring together these towns and artists, scholars, and citizens from across the world,” he said.

Padma Shri Prof Shafi Shauq; Shri Suman Billa, Director General Ministry of Tourism, Government of India; Prof. Siddharth Singh, Vice Chancellor Nava Nalanda Mahavihara University; Shri Chittaranjan Tripathy, Director National School of Drama New Delhi;  Ms D Aaliya, Festival Chairperson, Nalanda Literature Festival; Shri Ganga Kumar, Festival Director Nalanda Literature Festival; Prof. A. Ravinder Nath, Vice Chancellor, Central University of Kashmir; Prof. Nilofer Khan Vice Chancellor, University of Kashmir; Dr. GV Sundeep Chakravarthy, SSP Srinagar; Shri Akshay Labroo, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar; senior officials, literary personalities, prominent citizens and youth in large were present.

Srinagar, June 20: An undertrial prisoner, lodged in the district Jail in Anantnag, died at a hospital after complaining of illness, officials said on Saturday.

He was identified as Suneel Kumar, a resident of Jalandhar’ Gandhi Camp, who was an accused in an NDPS case. He complained of illness during the night, officials said.

They said Kumar was taken to the Government Medical College, Anantnag, where he passed away.

Proceedings under Section 194 of BNSS have been initiated, they said, adding that further details were awaited.