Baramulla, June 30: Baramulla Police on Tuesday conducted a comprehensive multi-agency mock drill at Railway Station Hamray in close coordination with the 29 RR, 2nd Battalion SSB, GRP Hamray, RPF Hamray, and the Fire & Emergency Services to assess operational preparedness, response capability, inter-agency coordination, and overall security arrangements ahead of the Amarnath Yatra.

“As part of the security preparedness for the forthcoming Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra, Baramulla Police today conducted a comprehensive multi-agency mock drill at Railway Station Hamray in close coordination with 29 RR, 2nd Battalion SSB, GRP Hamray, RPF Hamray, and Fire & Emergency Services,” officials said in a press statement.

The exercise was aimed at assessing the operational preparedness, response capability, inter-agency coordination, and overall security arrangements at the railway station in view of the upcoming pilgrimage.

“Various emergency scenarios were simulated to evaluate the effectiveness of joint response mechanisms, communication, evacuation procedures, and crisis management,” the officials said.

The participating agencies demonstrated seamless coordination and swift response during the exercise, reaffirming their commitment to ensuring a safe and secure environment for pilgrims and the general public.

“Baramulla Police remains fully committed to maintaining a robust security grid and will continue to conduct such preparedness exercises in coordination with sister agencies to ensure the peaceful and smooth conduct of the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra,” the officals said.

Srinagar, Jun 30: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday claimed several leaders and workers of her party were placed under house arrest to prevent them from protesting against the government over the issue of “backdoor” appointments.

“The NC government repeatedly hides behind the excuse that the police department is beyond its control whenever questions of accountability arise. Yet, whenever young people peacefully raise their voices for justice be it the rationalisation of reservations or opposing backdoor appointments the same government functions in complete coordination with the police to crush every democratic expression of dissent,” she charged in a post on X.

The former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir said the National Conference (NC) government’s “hypocrisy” stands “fully exposed” as PDP leaders and workers across the valley were placed under house arrest to prevent a peaceful protest against the outsourcing of government jobs.

“This selective helplessness exposes their duplicity Their duplicity is further exposed when departments such as Housing, Revenue and Forest readily enlist police assistance to demolish the homes of poor and vulnerable families in the name of anti encroachment drives,” she said.

The PDP has alleged that the NC government has made backdoor appointments in several departments by using price outsourcing agencies.

However, on Sunday, Chief Minister’s Advisor, Nasir Aslam Wani, accompanied by ministers Sakina Ittoo and Javed Dar, addressed a press conference to counter the allegations levelled by the opposition.

Police here foiled the PDP’s protest march against the alleged backdoor recruitment at the Press Enclave here.

Several PDP leaders and activists reached the Press Enclave to protest as part of the party’s plans to protest across the valley.

However, police stopped the PDP workers and foiled their protest.

Srinagar, June 30: Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Vidhi Kumar Birdi, on Tuesday said a robust, multi-tier security grid has been put in place for the annual Amarnath Yatra, complemented by extensive mock drills to ensure seamless coordination among security agencies and effective response to any emergency.

IGP Birdi, while interacting with media, said extensive mock drills have been conducted to clearly define their respective roles and responsibilities in case of any emergency or contingency.

He said the objective of these mock drills is to ensure that every stakeholder understands their responsibility and responds in a coordinated manner during any unforeseen situation.

Birdi said monitoring and supervision are also being carried out from elevated locations to maintain a watch over the Yatra route and surrounding areas.

The IGP kashmir also said that several stretches along the pilgrimage route remain vulnerable to natural calamities, including landslides, avalanches and glacial movement. “To address these risks, tabletop exercises have been conducted by the agencies concerned,” he added.

He further said Medical Response Teams (MRTs) and other emergency rescue units have been strategically deployed at sensitive locations to provide immediate assistance in case of any weather-related emergency or other incident.

While J&K government is yet to officially declare a heatwave or announce any relaxations for schools and offices, the Regional Transport Office (RTO), Kashmir, has become perhaps the first government department to advise the public against unnecessary visits.  

The order, which is being widely circulated on social media, advises people not to come to the office “unless it is absolutely necessary.” The citizens have been directed to send their grievances and service requests through WhatsApp, with a promise that these will be resolved within 48 hours wherever possible.

The move has been widely hailed on social media as a welcome initiative, with many users expressing hope that the department will be able to deliver on its promise.

The order has been issued right at the onset of the intense spell of heat hitting Kashmir. However, no heatwave has been declared officially yet. Consequently, no closure or change in working hours for schools or most government offices has been announced.

Meanwhile, thousands of children, a majority under 10 years of age, continue to commute daily in buses and vans to schools. There are growing calls for a summer break from parents and doctors to protect children from prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures.

 Moreover, many schools lack fans and adequate drinking water facilities, exposing students to discomfort and potential health risks One parent lamented that his two children take nearly 90 minutes to get to school by bus from school. “They travel at 3 pm, which is the hottest hour of the day,” he said, not wishing to identify himself.