J&K

Jammu, Aug 23 (PTI) Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district on Friday imposed a fine of nearly Rs 5 crore on three stone crusher units for illegal storage and consumption of raw material, an official spokesperson said.

The fines were imposed by the District Mining Department to ensure strict enforcement of the Jammu and Kashmir Minor Minerals Concession, Storage, Transportation of Minerals and Prevention of Illegal Mining Rules, he said.

Srinagar, Aug 24 (PTI) Restrictions were lifted in most areas of Kashmir on Saturday, a day after strict curbs on the movement of people were imposed in the valley in view of the Friday prayers and the proposed march of separatists to the local United Nations military observer group office.

Officials said people were allowed to move freely even as deployment of security forces continued on the ground.

Srinagar, Aug 23; GANASHAKTI: Restrictions were imposed in Srinagar city on Friday after posters issued by the separatists called on people to march to the local United Nations military observer group office, officials said.

Restrictions were eased in most areas of Kashmir this week, with barricades being lifted and the movement of people and traffic increasing gradually, but markets remained shut and mobile and Internet services suspended for the 18th day on Thursday.

New Delhi, Aug 22 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir's political leaders, including former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, are likely to be in custody for some more time with no clarity on their release as the Valley continues to be on edge.

A senior government official also made it clear that any decision on the release of the people under detention in Jammu and Kashmir will be taken by the local administration depending on the ground situation.

Srinagar, Aug 21 (PTI) As many as 774 middle schools out of 3,000 reopened on Wednesday in Kashmir for the first time since August 5 when the restrictions were imposed in the valley in the wake of Centre's decision to revoke the special status to Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

Primary schools across the valley were reopened from Monday. However, the attendance remained thin as parents were still apprehensive about sending their children to schools.

Srinagar, Aug 21: A Kashmiri and a policeman were killed while a sub-inspector was injured in an alleged gunfight between Indian security forces and Kashmiri separatists in Baramulla district of Indian administered Kashmir, an Indian official said.

The Indian security forces' spokesperson alleged that a cordon and search operation was underway in the area following information about presence of Kashmiri separatist.

Srinagar, Aug 20; GANASHAKTI:  Barricades around the Clock Tower in Srinagar's city centre Lal Chowk were removed after 15 days on Tuesday, allowing the movement of people and traffic in the commercial hub, as restrictions eased in several localities while continuing in others.

No students showed up in most primary schools that reopened on Monday but attendance in government offices has improved, officials said.

Jammu/New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad was stopped at the Jammu airport on Tuesday and sent back to Delhi, a party leader said, the second time in a month the former chief minister was not allowed to visit Jammu and Kashmir.

"Azad sahib had arrived from Delhi at around 2.45 pm and was not allowed to move out from the airport and forcibly sent back in a return flight to Delhi at 4.10 pm," state Congress chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma told PTI.

Jammu, Aug 20 (PTI) The Pakistan Army on Tuesday targeted forward posts and villages along the LoC in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir with mortars and firing from small arms, a defence spokesman said.

The firing from across the border in Krishna Ghati sector started around 1100 hours, drawing response from the Indian Army, the spokesman said.

He said the cross-border firing between the two sides was going on when last reports came in.

Jammu, Aug 19 (PTI) A 40-year-old man was arrested on Monday for allegedly spreading rumours that created panic among people here, a senior police officer said.

Yashbir Singh alias "Badshah" alias "Don", a resident of Khour, was arrested on the basis of investigation into the widespread rumours in the city on Sunday which led to "panic buying and heavy rush outside fuel stations", Senior Superintendent of Police of Jammu Tejinder Singh told reporters here.