POONCH
Five soldiers were killed, and two others injured in an ambush by militants at Dhatyar Morh near the border separating Rajouri and Poonch. The attackers strategically positioned themselves atop a hill, targeting Army vehicles at a blind curve and bumpy road, resulting in casualties. The ambush bore similarities to an earlier attack in April. Officials suspect the missing weapons of soldiers may have been taken by the militants. This marks the fourth major encounter in Rajouri and Poonch this year, totalling 20 soldiers lost, including two Captains. This year, Rajouri, Poonch and Reasi districts witnessed a series of encounters that left 55 persons, including 20 security personnel and 28 militants dead. While 27 persons, including 10 militants and 10 security personnel, were killed in Rajouri, 15 militants and 10 security personnel died in Poonch district. Three subversives were killed in the Reasi district.
India’s banking system has unclaimed deposits of Rs 42,270 crore as of March 2023.
LADAKH
Amidst a drinking water crisis exacerbated by receding mountain glaciers in Ladakh during the summer, the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, has imposed a ban on all trekking expeditions to the Stok Kangri mountain range. This ban, effective immediately, extends to travel agencies, the Army, Air Force, and paramilitary forces. The administration had intermittently banned expeditions to address these concerns. With major water shortages reported in Leh and Kargil during the tourist season, experts reveal a 25 per cent glacier recession in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh over the past 60 years, impacting nearly 5,000 glaciers in the region. Ongoing studies highlight glacier changes, including subglacial over-deepening leading to potential lake formation in the Parkachik glacier and characteristics of debris-free glaciers in the Stok range.
The government says that Jammu and Kashmir has got investment worth Rs 5319.35 crores after August 5, 2019.
GUPKAR
The Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) newly constituted parliamentary board, chaired by Mohammad Sartaj Madni, expressed support for a pre-poll alliance with the National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir. Emphasising the unity of the Peoples’ Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), Madni asserted that any rift could undermine their shared goals. Indications from top JKNC leadership suggest a pre-poll alliance between the two main Kashmir parties is impossible. Dr Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti have joined the INDIA alliance as two parties. Separately, Ghulam Ahmad Mir of the Congress Working Committee expressed optimism about the INDIA alliance’s smooth seat-sharing process for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, envisioning a joint opposition candidate against the BJP-led NDA on every seat, including in Jammu and Kashmir.
After retrieving nearly 9000 kanals falling under Ghair Mumkin Khad category and delineating it as falling outside water bodies, the government will now get more than 13000 kanals from other areas.
NYOMA
In Ladakh, 448 pashmina kid pens have been strategically installed in multiple villages of the Nyoma sub-division to address the winter mortality of high-value pashmina goat kids. These pens aim to create a more sustainable environment for herders during challenging winters. These well-designed pens, featuring double-layered polycarbonate sheets for heat retention and ventilation, contribute to safeguarding the well-being of pashmina goats, ultimately supporting the region’s pashmina production industry said to be 50 tons annually.
In 24 hours, Jammu Kashmir experienced 11 earthquakes and aftershocks, mostly in Chenab Valley and Ladakh.
KASHMIR
The Railways Ministry has approved the Final Location Survey for five rail lines exclusively in Kashmir. The approved lines include the doubling of the Baramulla-Banihal section (135.5 kilometres), Baramulla-Uri (50 kilometres), Sopore-Kupwara (33.7 kilometres), Awantipora-Shopian (27.6 kilometres), and Anantnag-Bijbehara-Pahalgam (77.5 kilometres). This development, part of the vibrant village programme, aims to bolster sustainability for livestock rearers during harsh winters. The absence of new lines in Jammu has sparked demands for an extension from Jammu to Poonch via Rajouri. The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link project, facing challenges due to geological surprises in the young Himalayas, is expected to be completed early next year, linking Kashmir to the national rail network. All tunnelling works on 111-km Banihal and Katra stretch have been completed.
In Ladakh, banks have Rs 8567.17 crore deposits in their vaults against an exposure of Rs 4136.60 crore as of September 2023.
JAMMU
In six Jammu districts, the police launched a crackdown on the support system of Rohingyas refugees, filing 14 FIRs and detaining nearly 50 individuals, including seven married couples. This marks the first simultaneous effort against those aiding Rohingyas in obtaining essential documents, housing, and utilities. The crackdown targeted facilitators across Jammu, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Rajouri, and Poonch. FIRs were lodged in seven locations in Jammu, with additional cases in other districts. The operation aimed at preserving the socio-economic fabric and security of the region, with the arrested individuals facing legal proceedings for violating national security and immigration laws. The police seized documents, including Aadhaar cards and ration cards, during searches. The arrests include a former BJP Corporator.
Central University of Kashmir has announced the launch of the Student Aid Fund (SAF) for variable tuition fee waivers for students which can go from 40 per cent to even 100 per cent.
SRINAGAR
A mobile app named Cough Against TB is revolutionising tuberculosis (TB) detection in Kashmir. Developed by the Wadhwani Institute for Artificial Intelligence, the app utilises artificial intelligence to screen for TB by comparing cough sounds with a dataset of nearly 15000 TB-positive and TB-negative cough sounds. Dr Adfar Yaseen, leading Kashmir’s IB treatment division, oversees the training of healthcare workers to use the app, emphasising its effectiveness in detecting the disease, especially in hard-to-reach places without access to X-rays.
Jammu and Kashmir will receive an additional 1036 MW of power until March 2024, following the allocation of 393 MW in December 2023. This brings the cumulative allocation to 3184 MW.
LUCKNOW
On December 17, an anti-encroachment drive in Lucknow (UP) led to the detention and assault of seven Kashmiri traders selling dry fruits. The police action, captured in viral videos, sparked accusations of excesses. The traders, booked under various sections of the CrPC, were later bailed out by lawyers. One trader, Rauf Nazir, emphasised their legal compliance and expressed fear, stating, “We are frightened. We may return to our hometowns earlier this season.” The police claimed the vendors misbehaved with municipal officials. The incident highlights tensions faced by Kashmiri vendors and raises concerns about discrimination and excessive measures during such drives. In UP, Kashmiri vendors have been facing such situations for many months now.
ODISHA
The Special Task Force (STF) of the Odisha Crime Branch has arrested a Kashmiri fraudster Sayed Ishaan Bukhari. Impersonating as a neurosurgeon, and PMO official, he has reportedly married six women using fake certificates. He was arrested from Neulpur village where he was living with Sainaz, a woman from Jajpur and her six-year-old daughter. The woman, a teacher, has been sacked. Bukhari, belonging to Handwara, reportedly married the woman in 2016 after they fell in love on social media. Police are working to see if there is anything that would link him to espionage with Pakistan. Police in Jammu and Kashmir have said they have a case against Bukhari as well.
BUDGAM
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has relieved Ghulam Nabi Shah from a five-year restraint preventing him from opening his home’s windows. In 2018, a local court issued the order based on a neighbour’s complaint that it would violate privacy. The High Court reportedly in an ex-party decision ruled that ensuring privacy is the defendant’s responsibility, suggesting solutions like using curtains or erecting a wall to maintain privacy. Shah, residing in Budgam, had faced restrictions despite complying with court directives on roof slope and drain pipes.
DUBAI
Jammu and Kashmir cricketers Rasikh Salam Dar and Abid Mushtaq are set to play in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL). Rasikh will represent Delhi Capitals, having been released by Kolkata Knight Riders, while Abid Mushtaq secured a spot in Rajasthan Royals at his base price of Rs 20 lakh. Rasikh, a pacer, is the third cricketer from Kashmir in the IPL after Abdul Samad and Umran Malik. Rasikh, who faced a ban in 2019, recently took six wickets in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match. The IPL 2024 auction took place in Dubai on December 19. Nine players from Jammu and Kashmir were shortlisted for the IPL auction, in 2024,
JAMMU
Tahir Khurshid Raina, a Special Judge Anti-corruption in Jammu sentenced a former Section Officer in the Planning Section of the DC office to three years imprisonment and imposed a Rs 50 lakh fine in a disproportionate assets case. The judge emphasised the severity of the sentence to deter corruption and stated that the fine, if not paid within two months, would be recovered from the convict’s assets. The court lamented the uncontrolled avarice of the convict and invoked legal provisions to address the failure to invoke certain sections during the investigation. The accused, in his seventies, received a reduced sentence due to age and trial duration.
JAMMU
47 former lawmakers of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly were accused of failing to repay housebuilding advances, depriving the government exchequer of Rs 570 lakh. The interest-free loans, granted under Housing Loan Rules, 1988, amounted to Rs 5 lakh, Rs 10 lakh (if car advance wasn’t availed), and Rs 20 lakh. Some members including Mehbooba Mufti stated that the RTI revelation is incorrect as she has paid the loan back.
MUMBAI
Bollywood actress Bhagyashree praises Kashmir’s tranquillity and beauty, questioning why people choose foreign destinations over such scenic wonders. Reminded of Amir Khusro’s couplet, she urges others not to miss visiting Kashmir, expressing admiration for the locals’ kindness and the delectable cuisine. Bhagyashree has been sharing her Himalayan Holiday in Pahalgam on social media, emphasising the region’s mesmerising beauty and her joy amidst the snow-capped Himalayan peaks. “People here say Kashmir is a mini-Switzerland but I say Switzerland is mini-Kashmir. You feel inner peace here. People are so good that you will never face a problem,” the 54-year-old actor said. Meanwhile, Hiten Tejwani, currently filming Pashminna – Dhaage Mohobbat Ke in Kashmir, shares a positive experience. Enjoying the picturesque beauty and pleasant weather, he commends the locals’ warmth and delicious cuisine, relishing kebabs and local dishes.
SRINAGAR
The Jammu and Kashmir Police successfully dismantled a militant module in Srinagar with the arrest of three individuals linked to the attack on a police constable in Bemina on December 9. The Director General of Police, RR Swain, revealed that Imtiyaz Ahmed Khanday, Mehnan Khan, and Danish Ahmed Mala were arrested for their involvement in the attack. The trio, he said are with banned Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit. Danish Malla, the mastermind, planned the attack on police constable Muhammad Hafiz Chak. The arrested individuals had prepared a list of policemen as potential targets. During the investigation, it was found that the weapons, including Canik TP09 pistols, were dropped from drones or smuggled into Jammu and Kashmir.
SRINAGAR
The Jammu and Kashmir administration banned a health supplement consisting of lysine and zinc with B-complex syrup after it failed the quality test twice. Manufactured in Samba, the Drugs and Food Control Organisation advised people to discontinue the usage of Corvit-M’s health supplement as it was declared as misbranded and unsafe.
