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Crime Branch Kashmir booked four people in land fraud case

Kashmir Leader Desk
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Srinagar: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Crime Branch Kashmir has registered a case against four individuals in connection with an alleged land fraud amounting to Rupees 53 lakh.

A statement issued to KNO said the FIR was registered after a written complaint alleged that the accused, acting as land brokers, fraudulently took money from the complainant on the pretext of facilitating a property deal.

The accused have been identified as Tariq Ahmad Hajam, son of Mohammad Ramzan Hajam, resident of Barthana Qamarwari; Ghulam Hassan Mir, son of Ghulam Rasool Mir, resident of Barthana Srinagar; Sonaullah Mir, son of Khaliq Mir, resident of Barthana Srinagar and Razzak Mir, son of Khaliq Mir, resident of Barthana Srinagar.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused, in connivance with certain revenue officers and officials, manipulated documents and procedures to illegally grab both money and land from the complainant,” the statement said.

It also said that the actions of the accused prima facie disclose the commission of offences punishable under Sections 420 (cheating) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

Accordingly, a formal case has been registered at Police Station Economic Offences Wing, Crime Branch Kashmir.

Further investigation is underway to ascertain the larger conspiracy and determine the role of public servants in the case, the statement added. (KNO)

Jhelum flows below normal point, says I&FC

Kashmir Leader Desk
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Srinagar: While fresh rainfall was experienced in Kashmir parts, the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) department on Monday said that the department has been put on high alert for the next 15 days.

At present the situation was under control as the water level in river Jhelum has remained low and ‘fully normal’.

Chief Engineer, I&FC Kashmir, Er Showkat Hussain told KNO that at Sangam, the water level is 5.29 ft and at Ram Munshi Bagh 8.84 ft, both far below warning and danger marks.

He said, “Our embankments are strong, and all 14 Flood Zonal Committees (FZCs) are closely monitoring the situation. The department will remain on alert for over fifteen days.”

He added, “There is no need for panic. Our teams are fully alert and ready to respond if required.”

Meanwhile, Er Hussain shared that the department is maintaining strict vigilance to ensure public safety. The Meteorological Department has forecast spells of rain and thundershowers across north, central, and south Kashmir, along with parts of Jammu, during the next few hours.

“People are advised to stay away from streams, nallas, and vulnerable spots prone to flash floods and landslides,” officials said, adding that generally cloudy skies with intermittent rain and thundershowers are expected in several parts of J&K, with isolated moderate to heavy rain in Kupwara, Baramulla, Anantnag, Banihal-Ramban, Rajouri, Reasi, and Udhampur districts. (KNO)

Kashmir’s power grid faces data gaps, cyber threat risks due to unavailable telemetry data

Kashmir Leader Desk
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Srinagar: In Jammu and Kashmir, real-time telemetry data continues to remain unavailable at both J&K-SLDC and Northern Regional Load Despatch Centre (NRLDC), raising concerns about increased risks of data breaches and other cyber threats.

According to official documents obtained by KNO, the NRLDC representative highlighted that “real-time telemetry data from Jammu and Kashmir remains unavailable at both J&K-SLDC and NRLDC.”

The documents state that a POWERGRID representative informed that, previously, there were some fund issues at the state level, but recently an amount of Rs 25 crore (approx.) out of Rs 34 crore (approx.) has been received by POWERGRID through a central scheme fund.

They mention that the pending work of OPGW (35 out of 76) is scheduled to commence in August 2025, with TCIL and other associated vendors engaged by POWERGRID. “RTU deliveries have also started under the ULDC Phase-III project, with the first lot dispatched and the second under inspection.”

According to the documents, MS-NRPC called for real-time telemetry from the J&K region and suggested that POWERGRID hold a bilateral meeting with J&K to ensure better coordination, plan and expedite fund utilisation, synchronise OPGW and RTU integration activities, and resolve pending issues in a time-bound manner. “No representative from J&K was present at the meeting.”

The forum’s decision states that POWERGRID shall coordinate with J&K to expedite the installation of OPGW.

Regarding redundant RTU communication for the Main and Backup RLDC, the documents mention that during the meeting, a POWERGRID representative informed the forum that several RTUs and SAS installed at substations lack sufficient free ports to accommodate additional communication channels, necessitating the upgradation of these RTUs and SAS.

It was also discussed that interoperability issues, such as SDH, MPLS, etc., need to be addressed gradually and will require time to achieve stability.

IndiGrid expressed concerns about the compatibility of legacy equipment with Next Generation Firewalls (NGFWs) and the potential need for hardware upgrades, as well as the necessity to define a cost recovery mechanism for TBCB substations. (KNO)

HM Shah praises security forces for smooth conduct of successful Amarnath Yatra 

Kashmir Leader Desk
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Srinagar: Praising security agencies for the smooth conduct of the annual Amarnath Yatra, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday called for eliminating terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

Chairing a high-level security review meeting at Raj Bhavan Jammu, Shah, according to  KNO, appreciated the efforts of the UT administration and security agencies for the smooth conduct of the annual Amarnath Yatra. More than 4,00,000 pilgrims participated in the pilgrimage and paid obeisance at the holy cave shrine, nestled in Himalayas.

During the meeting the Home Minister reiterated Centre’s zero-tolerance policy against terrorism.

“All security agencies should remain alert and operate in a coordinated manner to eliminate terrorism in the Union Territory,” Shah said.

The meeting was attended by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Union Home Secretary, Director IB, Chief Secretary and DGP of Jammu and Kashmir, heads of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and other senior officers.

The Home Minister also appreciated the role played by the security forces in relief and rescue work following the recent flash floods in the UT and assured full support of the CAPFs in managing natural calamities.

Pertinently, Shah had reached Jammu on Sunday evening to assess the situation in the aftermath of the heavy rain and flash floods in Jammu and Kashmir.

Besides reviewing the damage caused by the floods in Jammu region, the Home Minister also chaired a security review meeting, an official said. (KNO)

Afghanistan earthquake kills 800, injures 2,800, Taliban asks world for help

Kashmir Leader Desk
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Kabul: One of Afghanistan’s worst earthquakes killed more than 800 people and injured at least 2,800, authorities said on Monday, as rescuers struggled to reach remote areas due to rough mountainous terrain and inclement weather.

The disaster will further stretch the resources of the war-torn nation’s Taliban administration, already grappling with crises ranging from a sharp drop in foreign aid to deportations of hundreds of thousands of Afghans by neighbouring countries.

Sharafat Zaman, spokesperson for the health ministry in Kabul, called for international aid to tackle the devastation wrought by the quake of magnitude 6 that struck around midnight local time, at a depth of 10 km (6 miles).

“We need it because here lots of people lost their lives and houses,” he told Reuters.

The quake killed 812 people in the eastern provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar, administration spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.

Ziaul Haq Mohammadi, a student at Al-Falah University in the eastern city of Jalalabad, was studying in his room at home when the quake struck. He said he tried to stand up but was knocked over by the power of the tremor.

“We spent the whole night in fear and anxiety because at any moment another earthquake could happen,” Mohammadi said.

Rescuers were battling to reach remote mountainous areas cut off from mobile networks along the Pakistani border, where mudbrick homes dotting the slopes collapsed in the quake.

“The area of the earthquake was affected by heavy rain in the last 24-48 hours as well, so the risk of landslides and rock slides is also quite significant – that is why many of the roads are impassable,” Kate Carey, an officer at the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), told Reuters.

Rescue teams and authorities are trying to dispose of animal carcasses quickly so as to minimise the risk of contamination to water resources, Carey said.

Casualties could rise as rescue teams access more isolated locations, authorities said.

“All our … teams have been mobilised to accelerate assistance, so that comprehensive and full support can be provided,” said health ministry spokesperson Abdul Maten Qanee, citing efforts in areas from security to food and health.

Reuters Television images showed helicopters ferrying out the affected, while residents helped security forces and medics carry the wounded to ambulances in an area with a long history of earthquakes and floods.

Military rescue teams fanned out across the region, the defence ministry said in a statement, with 40 flights carrying away 420 wounded and dead.

The quake razed three villages in Kunar, with substantial damage in many others, authorities said. At least 610 people were killed in Kunar with 12 dead in Nangarhar, they added.

It was Afghanistan’s third major deadly quake since the Taliban took over in 2021 as foreign forces withdrew, triggering a cut to the international funding that formed the bulk of government finances.

Diplomats and aid officials say crises elsewhere in the world, along with donor frustration over the Taliban’s policies towards women, including curbs on those who are aid workers, have spurred the cuts in funding.

Even humanitarian aid, aimed at bypassing political institutions to serve urgent needs, has shrunk to $767 million this year, down from $3.8 billion in 2022.

APPEALS FOR FUNDING

Humanitarian agencies say they are fighting a forgotten crisis in Afghanistan, where the United Nations estimates more than half the population is in urgent need of humanitarian aid.

“So far, no foreign governments have reached out to provide support for rescue or relief work,” a spokesperson of Afghanistan’s foreign office said on Monday.

Later, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry said it was ready to provide disaster relief assistance “according to Afghanistan’s needs and within its capacity”.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar of India said it had delivered 1,000 family tents to Kabul and was moving 15 tonnes of food material to Kunar, with more relief material to be sent from India starting Tuesday.

U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said its mission in Afghanistan was preparing to help those in areas devastated by the quake. Pope Leo also sent condolences for the dead.

A 6.1-magnitude earthquake that killed 1,000 people in the eastern region in 2022 was the first major natural disaster faced by the Taliban government.

Humanitarian officials and locals say almost two years after a powerful tremor hit the western city of Herat, many villages are still recovering and living in temporary structures.

Afghanistan is prone to deadly earthquakes, particularly in the Hindu Kush mountain range, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.

Quakes in Afghanistan tend to be so deadly because of building construction that is often vulnerable to shaking, and the number of people living in the Hindu Kush, said Richard Walker, professor of tectonics at the University of Oxford. (Reuters)

Expired medicine administered to newborn in Shopian; Authorities seal chemist shop

Kashmir Leader Desk
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Srinagar: A disturbing case has emerged from south Kashmir’s Shopian district where a 12-day-old newborn was allegedly given expired medicine, triggering panic in the family and sparking strong public anger over lax monitoring in the healthcare and drug distribution system.

According to the infant’s family, the medicine had been prescribed by a doctor for a minor eye infection. Trusting the local chemist, they purchased the drug without checking the expiry date. After administering the dose, the baby’s condition deteriorated, and the irritation in the eyes worsened instead of improving.

The parents told KNO their shock deepened when they returned to the same pharmacy the following day to buy a fresh pack of the medicine. “To our horror, the new pack also turned out to be past its expiry date. This shows how recklessly expired stock is being sold in the market,” the family said, holding both the chemist and the Drug Control Department responsible for negligence.

Local residents voiced outrage, accusing the authorities of turning a blind eye to such grave violations.

“There is virtually no accountability. Drug inspectors rarely visit the ground, and this negligence is putting innocent lives at stake. Had the parents not noticed the date, the consequences could have been even worse,” a resident said.

Following the uproar, the concerned authorities swung into action and sealed the chemist shop where the expired medicines were being sold.

Officials also assured that investigation has been taken up and strict legal action would be taken against those involved. (KNO)

Mutton supply hit in Kashmir as NH closure triggers ‘shortage fears’

Kashmir Leader Desk
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Srinagar: The Kashmir Mutton Dealers Association on Monday expressed concern over the disrupted supply of mutton in the Valley following frequent closures of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, warning of a severe shortage in the coming days.

Mehraj-ud-din Ganaie, General Secretary of the Association told KNO that the highway had remained shut for nearly a week and was only partially restored for traffic, badly affecting livestock movement.

“These months, late August, September and October, are the peak marriage season in Kashmir. Many vehicles failed to reach on time and the Valley may face an acute shortage of mutton if the situation continues,” Mehraj said.

He said dealers have been managing supplies “partially” but the disruption means people could face sudden problems at any time. “Authorities allow livestock vehicles for one hour, and then change it to two hours. There is total mismanagement and sometimes trucks are stopped at Poonch, Nowshera and other places,” he alleged.

Mehraj also urged the government to allow unhindered passage of fruit-laden and livestock trucks, terming them essential supplies. “On normal days in September, nearly 50–70 livestock vehicles enter the Valley daily. With Eid-e-Milad (Mehraj-un-Nabi SAW) also approaching, authorities must consider using the Mughal Road as an alternative route,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, the Valley’s only road link, was partially reopened yesterday evening after remaining closed for six consecutive days. Authorities said stranded vehicles were being cleared in a phased manner. (KNO)

Rains damp Kashmir parts, cloudburst injures minor in Kupwara

Kashmir Leader Desk
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Srinagar: Amid the forecast of inclement weather conditions for the next 30 hours, parts of Kashmir experienced heavy rainfall on Monday evening, while a minor boy was injured and several livestock perished in a cloudburst incident in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.

According to KNO, the districts falling in central and northern Kashmir witnessed heavy rainfall this evening, inundating lanes and bi-lanes.

The heavy rainfall was observed amidst the forecast of inclement weather conditions until September 02.

While parts of Kashmir experienced rainfall, a cloudburst incident in Jumagund area of Kupwara district left a 15-year-old boy, identified as Shahid Ahmad Raina from Banwali Jumagund, injured.

The injured boy was stable and undergoing treatment in the hospital.

The incident also claimed the lives of several livestock, including a horse, exacerbating the suffering of the affected families.

Director Meteorological Department (MeT), Dr Mukhtar Ahmad, said that a brief spell of light rain and intense showers towards late afternoon at a few places were expected today, while a fresh spell of heavy rain is anticipated over some districts of Jammu division towards late night or early morning tomorrow.

He added that for the next two days, it will be generally cloudy with one or two spells of light to moderate rain and thunder at many places, with the possibility of heavy to very heavy rain over Kathua, Jammu, Udhampur, and Reasi, and moderate to heavy rainfall over Doda, Samba, Rajouri, Poonch, Ramban, Kishtwar, Anantnag, and Kulgam, mainly towards late night of September 2 or early morning of September 3, lasting till late afternoon.

Ahmad further said that from September 04 to 07, a brief spell of rain and thunder is expected at a few places.

Meanwhile, the MeT has issued an advisory, stating there is a possibility of heavy to very heavy rain in some districts, along with the potential for cloudbursts, flash floods, landslides, mudslides, and shooting stones at many vulnerable locations.

It said that rising water levels in rivers are expected, and people should stay away from water bodies, nallas, river embankments, and loose structures.

In a separate advisory, the MeT late evening said that a system is approaching Srinagar, with heavy or intense showers, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds expected over many parts of Srinagar, Ganderbal, and Budgam.

People were advised to stay away from electric poles, cables, old trees, and loose structures. The MeT recommended suspending shikara riding and boating in all water bodies, including Dal Lake.

Moreover, the district administration issued an advisory in light of the forecast of inclement weather, advising people to refrain from venturing into slopes and water bodies.

The advisory states that, due to heavy/intense showers and gusty winds forecasted over parts of Kashmir from August 31 to September 1, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) Srinagar Station, residents of the district, especially those in Fakir Gujri, adjacent areas, and Khonmouh, should avoid slopes and water bodies until the weather improves.

Tourists and local shikara operators are advised to suspend activities at Dal and Nigeen lakes. Sand miners at the River Jhelum and other water bodies should verify conditions before crossing.

The general public can contact the District Emergency Operation Centre Srinagar, Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) Srinagar, and Police Control Room Srinagar for any information. (KNO)

Highway closure leaves Kashmir’s fruit economy staring at ‘Rs 200 crore’ loss

Kashmir Leader Desk
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Srinagar: With the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway blocked for nearly a week, Kashmir’s fruit industry is staring at massive financial losses, with growers warning of losses running into hundreds of crores as truckloads of Bagogoshapears and Gala apples rot on the road.

Though the highway was partially opened on Monday to clear stranded vehicles, the damage to the valley’s perishable fruit consignments, according to the association, is already extensive, leaving growers and traders deeply worried.

Asia’s second-largest Fruit Mandi at Sopore wore a gloomy look on Monday, as growers and traders expressed deep concern over the crisis. Although the mandi remained open, trade has come to a virtual standstill, with only a few six-tyre vehicles being loaded compared to the usual 100-plus trucks.

“We are in a situation where the industry may face losses of around Rs 200 crore if the movement of trucks does not go smoothly,” president of Sopore Fruit Mandi, Fayaz Ahmed Malik @ Kaka Ji, told KNO. He added that the situation mirrors the crisis of 2022, when prolonged highway disruptions had devastated the sector.

Meanwhile, growers lamented the steep decline in rates, citing the example of the American apple variety, which earlier fetched Rs 600 per box but is now being sold for only Rs 400–450. “If a truck worth Rs 15 lakh reaches the market, we would barely recover a lakh or two because of the damage,” a group of anxious growers told KNO.

It is noteworthy that the authorities, however, allowed partial movement of traffic on Monday, clearing stranded vehicles from Qazigund towards Jammu in a phased manner.

Chairman of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers and Dealers Union, Bashir Ahmad Basheer, confirmed the development but admitted that, by the time clearance was given, significant damage had already occurred. “The Bagogosha and Gala apples have suffered extensive losses,” he said, though refraining from giving an exact figure.

While the government recently permitted six-tyre fruit trucks to ply via the Mughal Road, merchants said this is insufficient. “The scale of transportation needed cannot be met with limited movement. Priority should be given to all fruit trucks so that losses can be minimised,” the mandi affiliates demanded.

It is pertinent to mention that the Sopore mandi president has urged growers not to rush harvesting, advising them to wait until the highway is fully restored or to store produce in Controlled Atmosphere (CA) stores.

“We are continuously in touch with the authorities. Our appeal to growers is not to panic. Once the route reopens, markets will stabilise gradually,” the association stated.

Meanwhile, growers reiterated their call for urgent intervention from the government to safeguard Kashmir’s vital fruit economy, warning that continued inaction could devastate thousands of families dependent on the sector. (KNO)

‘Chaos from the Clouds’, Deadliest month: Over 100 dead as August sees 30+ extreme weather events

Kashmir Leader Desk
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Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir has endured the deadliest month, August, as the back-to-back natural calamities have led to the loss of over 100 lives across the region, experiencing over 30 extreme weather events during the last 31 days.

According to the details available KNO, the region has experienced its sixth wettest August since 1901, with the region recording 319.3 mm of rainfall against the normal of 184.9 mm, marking an excess of 73% precipitation.

The month of August witnessed an alarming surge in extreme weather events across Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in over 100 deaths and damage to several properties.

Director Meteorological department (meT), Dr Mukhtar Ahmad, confirmed that more than 30 incidents of flash floods, cloudbursts, landslides, gusty winds, heavy rains and thunderstorms were recorded in the month of August, with at least 14 events leading to fatalities.

Among the deadliest events were Kishtwar cloudburst, claiming 65 lives and several others are still missing and Reasi landslide along the Vaishno Devi route, claiming 35 lives. Both incidents have claimed 100 lives.

Several other people lost their lives in different events, including in Katra, Ramban and other places, taking the toll up to over 100 in August.

The first major incident occurred on August 14, when a cloudburst struck Chesoti village in Kishtwar district. The bodies of 65 victims were recovered, while several others are still missing.

On August 17, a cloudburst hit Jodh Ghati and Janglote villages in Kathua district, killing seven people and injuring many.

On August 26, a massive landslide at Adhkwari cave temple, on the route to the Vaishno Devi shrine, claimed 35 lives and over 20 were injured.

Seven members of a family were among 12 people killed in Ramban and Reasi districts during the early hours of last Saturday due to a landslide and cloudburst on August 30.

The spate of extreme weather events has raised serious concerns over disaster preparedness and the impact of changing weather patterns in the region.

Experts attribute the surge in flash floods, cloudbursts, and landslides to increasingly erratic rainfall patterns linked to climate change.

Furthermore, J&K has experienced its sixth wettest August since 1901, with the region recording 319.3 mm of rainfall against the normal of 184.9 mm, marking an excess of 73% precipitation.

The highest-ever August rainfall was recorded in 1996 at 481.3 mm, followed by 345.8 mm in 1908, 343.0 mm in 2013, 336.5 mm in 1994, and 331.0 mm in 1955, an Independent Weather Forecaster, Faizan Arif Keng, said.

This year, several districts in the Jammu region witnessed extreme rainfall departures. Doda topped the chart with 290% excess rainfall, receiving 488.2 mm against the normal 125.1 mm. It was followed by Udhampur (159% surplus, 897.9 mm), Ramban (133% surplus, 286.2 mm), and Samba (126% surplus, 720.5 mm).

Other major gains, according to him, were reported in Reasi (64%), Jammu (53%), Kathua (45%), Rajouri (42%), Kishtwar (21%), and Poonch (17%).

In Kashmir, rainfall patterns remained mixed. “Anantnag (35%), Pulwama (18%), Kulgam (13%), and Srinagar (15%) recorded above-normal rainfall, while other districts like Kupwara (-23%), Bandipora (-20%), Budgam (-1%), Baramulla (-2%), Ganderbal (-17%), and Shopian (-69% – data probably incorrect) experienced deficits,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ladakh recorded exceptional departures from normal. Kargil received 32.6 mm of rainfall against the normal 2 mm, a 1,530% surplus, while Leh registered 54.7 mm against the normal 5.6 mm, an 877% surplus. Overall, Ladakh UT recorded 49.5 mm of rainfall compared to the normal 4.8 mm, a massive 930% departure.

Pertinently, the Meteorological department (MeT) has issued a fresh weather advisory for Jammu and Kashmir, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall in several districts till September 03, raising the risk of flash floods, cloudbursts and landslides in vulnerable areas. (KNO)

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