Existing unlock guidelines to continue till Nov 30
*14-day home quarantine restrictions lifted

Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Oct 30: Giving few relaxations in guidelines on lockdown to the general public in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the J&K administration today said that 15,000 pilgrims will be allowed every day to pay obeisance at the cave shrine of Mata Vaishnodevi from November 1, while there will be no requirement for travellers to undergo 14-day home quarantine, whereas, all other unlock guidelines shall continue to remain in force till November 30, 2020.
Earlier, only 7,000 pilgrims were allowed to visit Mata Vaishnodevi shrine due to Covid-19 restrictions.
In a Fresh Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), the administration said, ” in exercise of powers conferred under the Disaster Management Act, the State Executive Committee today ordered that the guidelines and instructions issued vide Order No. 84-JK-(DMRRR) of 2020 dated 08-10-2020, shall continue to remain valid till 30.11.2020, subject to some modifications that instead of a ceiling of 7000, the upper limit for permissible number of pilgrims to Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine, Katra, shall be 15000, with effect from November Ist, 2020. ”

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It is pertinent to mention here that Mata Vaishnodevi shrine located in Trikuta hills was reopened on August 16, 2020 after a gap of nearly five months due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Initially, the administration imposed a cap of 2,000 pilgrims daily, including 100 from outside Jammu and Kashmir.
The Shrine Board officials said that the registration of pilgrims will continue to be done online to avoid people’s gathering at the yatra registration counters.
They said accommodation facilities of the board at the Bhawan, Adhkuwari, Katra and Jammu are open for the pilgrims, following all prescribed SOPs.
All other additional facilities arranged by the Shrine Board such as battery-operated vehicles, passenger ropeway and helicopter services are also operating smoothly by strictly following social distancing norms and other precautionary measures, the officials said.
Free community kitchen facilities at Tarakote Marg and the Prasad Kendra at Sanjichhat, besides Bhojanalayas along the track and in the Bhawan, have also been operationalised for the pilgrims, they added.
A senior official said that the Union Home Secretary in his capacity as Chairperson, National Executive Committee (NEC), has issued guidelines for implementation of the extended lockdown in Containment Zones (Red Zones) till November 30 and continuation of unlock guidelines outside Containment Zones ( Red Zones). He said except two modifications, all other protocol/ instructions shall continue to remain same.
Regarding, relaxation to the travellers whether they enter J&K by road from Lakhanpur, by train or by air, they will have to undergo Covid-19 test or produce the test report they are carrying with them from their place of origin with negative result.
Earlier, as per existing SOPs, there were instructions for every traveller, irrespective of their test reports to go for home isolation for 14 days. But now from November Ist onwards, this restriction of 14 days home quarantine has been lifted. However, those entering J&K and detected Corona positive by the official teams, shall have to go for mandatory isolation for 14 days as per existing guidelines, the official maintained.

Gupkar Declaration Alliance leaders visit Kargil

Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Oct 30: To solicit the support of people of Kargil district in newly created Union Territory of Ladakh, the senior leaders of Peoples Alliance from Kashmir led by former Chief Minister and working president, National Confer-ence (NC), Omar Abdullah today visited Kargil and held talks with leaders of Democratic Alliance of Kargil besides addressing public meetings at Drass and Kargil in support of the struggle launched by them for restoration of special status to J&K.
Other leaders of the Alliance who accompanied Omar, included People’s Democratic Party(PDP) general secretary and former Minister, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura, Awami National Conference, vice president Muzaffar Shah National Conference provincial president, Kashmir Nasir Aslam Wani and PDP youth president Wahid Parra.
Addressing a public meetings’ at Drass and Kargil, Omar made it clear that the Alliance will not rest till it gets the decisions of August 5 and October 31 last year revoked and special status to J&K restored. He said there is not only anger and resentment against the BJP led Central Government’s decision in Kashmir but even people in Jammu region as well as Kargil are opposed to it. Even a section of people in Leh too is not happy with the decisions, he added.

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He complimented the leaders of Democratic Alliance of Kargil for raising their voice against the decision and said they (Alliance leaders) had visited Kargil on the directives of Peoples Alliance, chairman, Dr Farooq Abdullah and its vice chairperson, Mehbooba Mufti. Omar said that the Alliance will knock every door including court of law and it will not rest till the decisions of August 5 and October 31 last year are revoked.
He said that to ascertain the ground situation in Kargil district they were directed by the senior leadership to visit there to seek the views of the leadership and people of the area. He said earlier the decisions were taken in Kashmir but this time they decided to visit Kargil and see the people’s mind there too.
“We did not want to convey the Delhi Government that people of Kargil are also against the decision of Central Government without your consultation and after reaching here we came to know that the people of Kargil too oppose the decision and want its immediate revocation”, Omar added.
Making a scathing attack on BJP, he accused the party of hatching a conspiracy against all of them. “They tried to give our narrative a Muslim colour and call it a Pak agenda, Muslim agenda and anti national agenda which is not true”, he added.
“The people who are talking of their rights are being dubbed as anti national and pro-Pak” he said.
Omar made it clear that their fight is not against the nation but against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) “and neither BJP is India nor India is BJP”. Refuting the allegations of BJP, he said Peoples Alliance has not any religious or regional agenda but it is the agenda of the people of erstwhile J&K State belonging to all three regions. “It is the agenda of the people of erstwhile State of J&K”, he asserted.
While referring to recent land laws decision, he said even a section of people in Jammu region also oppose it and they too are not happy with the August 5, 2019 decisions.
Expressing his satisfaction over the support extended by the Democratic Alliance and people of Kargil, he said that such understanding is needed in future too.
While terming the decisions of August 5 and October 31 last year under which Articles 370 and 35 A were abrogated and the J&K was divided into two UTs by the then Governor, he termed it unlawful. He said this decision was not taken by the State Assembly or the elected Government but the Governor without obtaining the people’s view.
Omar said in past while dividing other States of country like Punjab which was divided in three States of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, Bihar which was bifucated in Bihar and Jharkhand, MP which was divided into two parts by carving out separate State of Chhattisgarh from it and also the Andhra from which Telangana State was carved out, the people of these States were taken into confidence first. “But no such decision was taken in case of J&K and the decision was thrust on the people of the erstwhile State without their wishes”, he added.
The former Chief Minister said that they are within their right to launch the struggle for their rights as they are fighting under the Constitution of India.
Earlier to string an emotional chord with the people Drass during the public meeting there enroute to Kargil, he said. “It was for the first time while crossing the Zojila mountain we did not see the board of J&K anywhere except the name of Ladakh”. “It looked strange to us for the first time that we are not going to meet our own people but are visiting a strange place”.
He, while stressing on unity among all parties, said “Earlier we and PDP leaders were fighting with each other but now it is the time that we should forget this all. Today we all are on one platform whether it is NC, PDP, Peoples Conference , CPI , CPI (M) and Awami National Conference (ANC). We are not contesting elections but our fight is that the decisions of August 5 last year be revoked and J&K Special Status be restored”.
He asked the people of Kargil and leaders of Democratic Alliance not to think themselves alone in their fight but Peoples Alliance is also at their back.
Addressing the gathering, PDP leader Ghulam Nabi Lone appealed to the people of all three regions of J&K to maintain the unity at this crucial juncture as J&K is passing through a critical phase.
Senior Congress leader of Kargil and ex MLA Asgar Ali Karbalai, Qamar Ali Akhoon senior NC leader, Haji Hanifa Jan, president NC Kargil, Nasir, Municipal president Congress Committee Kargil and sitting councilor, LAHDC, Kargil, Sheikh Bashir , Sajad Kargili, representative Islamia School Kargil, Syed Mohammed Shah, president Anjuman-e-Sofia Noorbakshia Kargil and sitting councilor, LAHDC Kargil, Shanawaz War, representatives of Ahle Sunanr Wal Jamat Kargil, Agha Sayed Ahmad Anjumana Saphibazaman and Murtaza Ali vice president, SEMOK Ladakh.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 30: All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Jammu is going to start its first academic session with 50 MBBS seats from the academic session 2020-21.
This was announced today by Union Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh. He took to twitter to announce the news. “Congratulations #Jammu! Centre has decided to start the first academic session of MBBS at #AIIMS, Vijaypur Jammu, from this year with 50 students. Appointment orders of the first Director of AIIMS Jammu are in the process of being issued,” he tweeted this morning.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation of AIIMS Jammu in Vijaypur area of Samba district, on February 3, 2019. The construction work of the project is scheduled to be completed in 2023.
According to the Seat Matrix uploaded on website of Directorate General of Health Services, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the AIIMS Jammu has been allotted 50 seats out of which 13 will be reserved for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) including one for OBC Priority Household (PH) and five seats will be reserved for the Economically Weaker (EW) section. The General Category will have 22 seats and this would include one Priority Household seat. Also, seven seats have been reserved for the Scheduled Caste category and three for the Scheduled Tribes category.
As per official sources, the hospital will have an Emergency Block, a Blood Bank and other important units. The South block will have quarters for faculty and other staff, besides housing a bio-medical waste plant, a water plant and other requirements. The hospital is scheduled to have departments of Surgery, Dermatology, Paediatrics, Medicine and General Units. The super-specialty division will have Cardiology, Neurology, Endocrinology, Neuro-Surgery and Nephrology units along with ICUs.

Night restrictions in Jammu Distt

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 30: Two Corona fatalities, one of them a woman, were reported from Jammu region and 219 persons tested positive while 277 others recovered from the virus today.
A 66-year-old man from Pura Bhana in RS Pura tehsil of Jammu district died of COVID-19 in the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu today while a 60-year-old Corona positive woman from village Dona in Doda district breathed her last in the GMC Doda.
Two family members each from Roop Nagar, Shakti Nagar, Simbal Morh and Greater Kailash, couple from Channi Himmat and a doctor from Surinsar tested positive for the virus in Jammu district.
Forty one persons tested positive for the virus during Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) in Jammu district. Two of them belonged to Bishnah.
Among 219 COVID positive cases in Jammu region, 109 alone were reported from Jammu district, 96 of whom were locals and rest travelers.
All 30 Corona positive persons in Udhampur district, 19 Kishtwar, 14 each Doda and Kathua, eight Poonch, seven each in Ramban and Reasi districts and five in Rajouri were locals while four of six cases in Samba were locals and rest two travelers.
Of 277 Corona patients who recovered from the virus today, 122 belonged to Jammu district, 66 Kishtwar, 35 Reasi, 16 Poonch, 14 Doda, nine Rajouri, eight Kathua and seven in Udhampur district.
Jammu region now has 37628 Corona cases. Of them, 1988 are active positives while 35147 have recovered from the virus. There were 493 Corona casualties in the Jammu region.
Jammu district has maximum 255 Corona casualties followed by 47 in Rajouri, 46 Doda, 32 Udhampur, 31 Kathua, 25 Samba, 22 Poonch, 14 Kishtwar, 13 Poonch and eight in Reasi district.
The Union Territory of Ladakh today reported 55 new Corona including 42 in Leh and 13 in Kargil district.
The new cases have taken Corona tally of Ladakh to 6194. Of them, 627 are active as 5493 have been treated from the virus.
There were 74 Corona casualties in Ladakh including 36 in Leh and 38 in Kargil district.
Meanwhile, District Magistrate, Jammu Sushma Chauhan vide powers conferred upon under Section 144 of CrPC under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and the Disaster Management Act, has restricted the movement of individuals for all non-essential activities between 10 pm to 5 am in the territorial limits of District Jammu from October 30 to November 30.
Any violation of this order shall invite punitive action under section 188 of Indian Penal Code and other relevant sections of Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

Farooq stopped from offering prayers: NC

Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 30: Eid-e-Milad was today observed with religious fervour across Kashmir Valley with one of the largest congregation on the day being held at Dargah Hazratbal.
Small gatherings were also held all across the Valley, but thousands offered congregational prayers at Hazratbal where the holy relic of the Prophet (SAW) was also displayed after every prayer of the day.
People including elderly as well as children from across the Valley had thronged Dargah on the day which is celebrated as the day of birth of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
Notably, National Conference chairman Dr Farooq Abdullah, as per the party, was not allowed to offer congregational prayers at Dargah Hazratbal.
“J&K administration had blocked the residence of Party President Dr Farooq Abdullah and stopped him from offering prayers at Dargah Hazratbal. JKNC condemns this infringement of fundamental right to pray, especially on the auspicious occasion of Eid-Milad Un Nabi SAW,” the party said.

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The faithful were happy and joyous and prayed for the peace and prosperity of J&K. They also expressed satisfaction over the arrangements that were put in place by the District Administration.
Emotional scenes were witnessed when the Holy relic of the Prophet (SAW) was displayed from the minaret of Dargah Hazratbal. Those who attended the congregational prayers adhered to the SOPs issued in the wake of COVID-19.
“We are happy that since the outbreak of COVID-19, we are finally able to attend such a big congregation. We maintained social distancing and made use of masks,” said Abdul Rahim a resident of Budgam.
However, several others said that there were mediocre arrangements made by the administration this time. They rue the absence of adequate transport facility on the day.
The management of Dargah Hazratbal said that they had strict directions from the administration to make sure that the SOPs are followed and there is no breach in the protocol.
The District Administration Srinagar said that transport facilities with around 200 buses including a fleet of 20 buses of SRTC and an equal number of sumos were put in place.
“Proper parking facilities for the public as well as private vehicles in the University campus in addition to a basic medical camp and ambulances, infrared thermometers were put in place on all the 10 entrance gates,” Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal told Excelsior.
He also said that in addition to this camp with COVID-19 RAT Camp was also setup. “Masks were distributed to the devotees. The entire premise of the shrine was fumigated twice after Isha and before Fajr prayers every day for the last three days,” he said.
He also said that Friday prayers were offered in the open with proper social distancing in between the prayer mats given the COVID-19 protocols.
On the other side of it, scores of processions were taken out from various localities of the Valley on the eve of Eid-e-Milad. Elders as well as children from these localities took out the processions and raised slogans describing the glory of the Prophet (SAW).
“This is a small gathering in comparison to what it used to be. We have kept in mind the SOPs in the wake of COVID-19 and that’s why carried out a smaller procession,” said Rafiq Ahmad who was a part of
a Milad procession that was carried out in Srinagar.
The participants of Milad processions also raised slogans against the creators of the blasphemous sketches in France and elsewhere.
Meanwhile, few protests were also witnessed in Srinagar against these blasphemous sketches. The traders in Batamaloo protested against the move which they said has hurt religious sentiments of millions of Muslims across the globe.

3 militant associates arrested

Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Oct 30: Inspector General of Police Kashmir range, Vijay Kumar, today said that Lashkar-e-Toiba and The Resistance Front (TRF) militants are involved in the killing of three BJP men in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district last night.
Speaking to reporters at the site of the incident, the IGP said that last night, militants from the LeT and TRF came in a vehicle and resorted to indiscriminate firing at the BJP youth leader Fida Hussain and his two colleagues.
“Then the militants fled in the same vehicle. We seized the vehicle near Achabal area of Anantnag. With the help of our technical and human intelligence, two militants who carried out the act have been identified as Nisar Ahmed Khanday and Abbas Shiekh, who was earlier with Hizbul Mujahideen and later joined LeT. The third one may be a foreigner,” he said.
The IGP said police had provided protection to BJP youth leader and Fida Hussain and he was lodged at Hotel Dolphin, Pahalgam.

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“Recently, he gave undertaking that he can roam around without security. Now we are investigating what they were doing in Kulgam area,” he said.
Kumar said that at least 1690 BJP workers, leaders and activists were lodged in various hotels while 157 were provided with security cover on the basis of threat perception.
“We urge BJP leaders, workers and activists not to venture out without their security guards and don’t go to areas that are quite far,” he said.
Kumar while replying to a query said that operations are on at seven to eight places across South Kashmir against the militants responsible for the killings. “We will get the militants involved in the act soon,” he said.
Meanwhile, hundreds of people joined the last rites of three Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers who were killed by militants.
Large number of women had also gathered at the residence of BJP Yuva Morcha District General Secretary for Kulgam Fida Hussain Itoo at Y K Pora.
Hundreds of people joined the “Nimaz Jinazah” of Fida before he was buried in his native village at Y K Pora.
People from the locality described him very helpful. “Fida was always ready to help anyone who approach him,” they said, condemning his killing.
Meanwhile, security forces arrested two LeT militants associate in North Kashmir’s Handwara and one of Hizbul Mujahideen from Awantipora area of Pulwama district today.
Police said that on the basis of specific information regarding the movement of suspicious persons, Handwara Police along with 21RR and 92 battalion of CRPF established nakas at different locations in Handwara areas and started searching of vehicles and pedestrians.
“During checking at Chinar Park Handwara two persons riding on a bike bearing registration number JK09B/1827 found in suspicious condition, who on seeing the search party tried to escape from the spot but were chased and apprehended by the search party”, police said.
Police said that the apprehended persons on preliminary questioning disclosed their identity as Liyakat Ahmad Mir son of Abdul Ahad Mir and Aqib Rashid Mir son of Abdul Rashid Mir both residents of Hyen Trehgam Kupwara.
On their personnel search arms and ammunition were recovered. “During questioning it came to surface that the duo are working with LeT militant outfit as associates and were about to distribute the arms and ammunition among militants in South Kashmir”, Police said.
“In this regard Case FIR No. 363/2020 U/s 7/25 I.A.Act.,13,18,20 and 38 UA(P) Act has been registered in Police Station Handwara. Further investigation into the matter is under process”, read the statement”.
And in South Kashmir’s Awantipora area a Hizbul-Mujahideen militant associate was arrested by police today.
Police said that one militant associate outfit Hizbul- Mujahideen was arrested who was involved in providing shelter, logistics and other support to the HM militants as well as in transporting of arms and ammunition of the militants in Awantipora and Tral areas of Pulwama district.
He has been identified as Firdous Ahmad Dar resident of Dangerpora Noorpora Awantipora. “Incriminating material has been recovered from him which has been seized for the record purpose. Case FIR number 153/2020 stands already registered against the said person in Police Station Awantipora under relevant sections of law”, police said.

Excelsior Correspondent
REASI, Oct 30: Two persons were killed and two others injured when a Mahindra mini-load carrier rolled down into a gorge in Arnas area of Reasi district during morning hours today.
A police official said that the mishap took place when the ill-fated vehicle bearing registration No. JK20A/ 7503 was on way to Dhanour from Reasi during early morning. When it reached at Darote village near Police Post, Dansal, in Arnas area, the driver lost control over the vehicle and it rolled down into deep gorge, resulting into the death of two persons on the spot and injuries to the two others including driver.
Immediately after the incident, the people from the area and cops from nearby Police Post rushed to the spot. They evacuated the injured first and shifted them to District Hospital, Reasi. The dead bodies of the deceased were later removed to Primary Health Centre, Arnas for postmortem and performing legal formalities by police.
The deceased were identified as Mohd Abbas (28), son of Noor Hussain and Mohd Latief (40), son of Mohd Qasim, both residents of Dhanour village in Arnas.
The injured undergoing treatment at District Hospital Reasi have been identified as Mohd Shabir (22), son of Mohd Farid and driver Mohd Salim (25), son of Jalal Din, both residents of Dhanour in Arnas. The police has registered a case in this connection.

NEW DELHI, Oct 30:
Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar today said 27 per cent seats in Sainik Schools will be reserved for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) from the academic session of 2021-22.
The Sainik Schools Society, which works under the Ministry of Defence, manages 33 such residential schools in the country.
“OBC reservation to be introduced in Sainik Schools from the year 2021-22,” Kumar said on Twitter and posted images of an October 13 circular that was sent to principals of all Sainik Schools across the country.
The circular said 67 per cent of the seats in a Sainik School are reserved for candidates from the state or the Union Territory in which the school is located and the remaining 33 per cent is reserved for those who come from outside that State or UT. These two lists will be termed List A and List B.
The circular said within each list, 15 per cent seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes, 7.5 per cent seats are for Scheduled Tribes and 27 per cent seats are for non-creamy layer OBCs.
It stated this reservation policy will come into effect from the academic session of 2021-22. (PTI)

Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, Oct 30: The Army and Police in a joint operation today busted a hide-out of militants in Gambhir Muglan area of district Rajouri and recovered some arms, ammunition and explosive material.
SSP Rajouri, Chandan Kohli said that on the basis of specific information, a joint team of 38 RR and police led by DySP Operations Rajouri, Imtiaz Ahmed and SDPO Manjakote Nissar Khoja during search operation in dense forest area of Gambhir Muglan today busted a hideout of the militants.
During search the team recovered some arms and ammunition, which included two AK-47 rifles, two AK maganzies, 270 bullets, two Chinese pistols, two magazines, 75 rounds, 12 blank rounds, 10 detonators and 6 kg of explosive material. The team conducted extensive searches in the area but the ultras were believed to have escaped before the arrival of security forces team.