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Srinagar- The President of India on Tuesday appointed Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The president also ordered the transfer of incumbent Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal to High Court of Rajasthan.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of Article 217 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Justice Ali Mohd Magrey, Judge of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh to be Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office,” reads a notification issued by Rajinder Kashyap, Additional Secretary to the Government of India.

Similarly, in exercise of the power conferred by clause (1) of Article 222 of the Constitution of India, the President, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India, ordered transfer of Justice Pankaj Mithal as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Rajasthan. Justice Mithal has been directed to assume charge of the office of the Chief Justice of the High Court of Rajasthan, a separate notification reads.

Srinagar- The fatal circle of deaths and injuries through accidents have shown a decrease after eight years in Jammu and Kashmir even as 548 lives have been lost due accidents in the current year so far.

According to official figures, most of the horrific accidents have taken place in the Pir Panjal Range and the Chenab Valley.

Figures reveal that 5836 accidents took place in 2015, 5501 in 2016, the 5626 in 2017, 5978 in 2018, 5796 in 2019, while during the period of Covid-19 (2020 and 2021) 10,312 accident have taken place in the Union Territory.

“This year till August end, 4125 accidents have taken place in J&K so far,” the data shows.

As per the data 917 were killed and 8142 were injured in 2015, 958 people were killed and 7692 injured in 2016.

“In 2017, a total of 926 persons were killed, and 7423 were injured, 984 people were killed and 7845 were injured in 2018, 996 people were killed 7532 were injured in 2019, while in 2020, 728 people were killed and 5894 injured and 774 people were killed and 6972 were injured in 2021,” it shows.

The data further reveals that this year till August 548 people have been killed and 5638 have been injured in fatal road accidents across Jammu and Kashmir.

Meanwhile, Inspector General of Traffic Police (J&K), Vikramjit Singh said that it has always been the endeavour of J&K traffic police to ensure efficient traffic management by way of Education, enforcement and technological intervention in implementation of traffic laws. (KNO)

Srinagar- Two suspected cases of Monkeypox have been detected in Uri area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district, officials said on Monday.

They said the both the suspected patients are from Dazna Lachipora area of Uri and as a precautionary measure they have been isolated. The duo has developed a fever and lesions resembling monkeypox or chickenpox on their skin, they said. “Their samples have been sent to the SKIMS microbiology department,” Block Medical Officer Boniyar Dr Pervaiz Masoodi, said, as per news agency GNS.

He said the duo has “Maculopapular rash” over the body, mostly on the face and abdomen.

“So far we cannot say whether these suspected people have Monkeypox or chickenpox but at the same time cannot rule out either,” he said.

“We have taken the samples and in the coming days and the reports are expected soon to find out what kind of disease is this,” he said.

Dr Masoodi said that an awareness drive had been launched to raise awareness among the people regarding the disease.

“Awareness among population was immediately imparted by medical team. School teachers, PRIs, and locals Imams were sensitized and made fully aware about disease,” he said.

He said on getting information on 6 October regarding the suspected case of chickenpox or Monkeypox in the area, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Baramulla and Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) team district Baramulla were informed.

Immediately, he said, IDSP Team of Medical Block Boniyar visited Dazna Lachipora and examined all villagers and isolated infected people.

On 8 October, he said, state epidemiology team along with (IDSP) team Baramulla visited the spot and took samples of infected people. Actually, sources said, samples of eight people have been taken but due to severity of symptoms, samples of two persons have been sent to SKIMS microbiology department for testing to confirm or rule out possibility of Monkeypox.

Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease with symptoms similar to smallpox, although with less clinical severity. With cases being reported from large number of countries, the World Health Organisation has termed the outbreak a global health emergency.

Jammu- Five persons were apprehended and booked under sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the recent recovery of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district, police said on Friday.The IED was smuggled in from across the Line of Control (LoC) and recovered from a woman at Parade Park in Poonch town on September 28.

“The woman revealed that her husband Mohd Azad provided the IED to her and, accordingly, he was picked up and subjected to sustained questioning, leading to the busting of the whole module,” Senior Superintendent of Police (Poonch) Rohit Baskotra told reporters.

He said Azad’s maternal uncle Tika Khan, who is in Pakistan, arranged the IED. It was subsequently smuggled into India and handed over to him by Qamardin and Wajahat, both of whom have been taken into custody.

The name of another person, suspected cross-border smuggler Kamaldin, also emerged during the questioning of the accused and he, along with his associate Sajad, were nabbed in a chance operation, Baskotra said.

During routine patrolling, the police noticed two persons acting suspiciously upon seeing them and tried to flee. However, they were overpowered after a brief chase. It later turned out that the duo was Kamaldin and Sajad.

Over 6 kg of heroin were seized from them, the police official said, and called the recovery a major breakthrough in the war against drugs.

Kamaldin’s two brothers — Nazar and Ateef — are also in Pakistan and working against Indian interests, he said, adding that a pistol, two magazines and 42 rounds were recovered from him.

The five have been booked under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the official added.

Responding to a question on the target of the IED, the senior official said the “enemy nation” always tried to disturb peace in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The police and security agencies are fully alert to the threat and our alertness is not allowing them to succeed,” he said.

News agency GNS quoting official sources reported that SIA are carrying raids at three districts of South Kashmir, they include Anantnag, Shopian and Kulgam.

The raids are being carried out in these districts related to the militancy case, they said.

Till this story was being filed, no arrest or any recovery of incriminate material or document was reported.