National
Unattended Kashmiri Pandit temple/shrine property be protected by state, orders J&K HC
Srinagar, July 10 (IANS) In a judgement of far-reaching consequences, the J&K and Ladakh High Court has ordered that Kashmiri Hindu temples/shrines left unattended and vulnerable to encroachments and land mafia be protected by the state.
Renowned advocate, Mohsin Qadri, senior additional advocate general of J&K represented the state in this case. Senior advocate C.M. Koul represented the petitioners through virtual mode.
Delivering a landmark judgement, Justice Sanjeev Kumar has allowed a petition by the members of the Kashmiri Pandit community and directed the district magistrate of north Kashmir Ganderbal district to preserve, protect and maintain two Hindu religious shrines namely ‘Asthapan Devraj Bharav’ situated in Nuner village of the district and ‘Vidhushe’ shrine and to take requisite steps under the J&K Migrant Immovable Property (Preservation, Protection and Restraint on Distress Sales) Act 1997.
The petitioners had also raised a grievance against unscrupulous elements over the encroachment at the only cremation ground in Ganderbal district for the local Hindu community.
The petitioners held that after the migration of the Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley, including the Ganderbal district in 1990, respondents number 5 and 6, who had themselves also migrated out of the Valley, had nothing to do with the management of these shrines, but had encumbered upon these by leasing them out to respondents number 7 and 8.
The petitioners held that respondents 5 and 6 in connivance with respondents 7 and 8 have destroyed, encroached upon and encumbered the shrine properties.
The high court order said, “Without going into the rival claims of the petitioners as well as respondents 5 and 6 to manage the shrines and its properties, suffice it to say that the District Magistrate, Ganderbal, in whom the migrant properties stand vested after the commencement of the Act of 1997, shall immediately take over and protect, preserve and manage both shrines and properties attached thereto.”
“He shall also initiate appropriate steps to ensure that all or any kind of encroachment made on the temple properties including the cremation ground is removed within a period of eight weeks from the date copy of this order is served upon him,” the order said.
“So far as the temple property under lease with the respondents 7 and 8 is concerned, admittedly the lease period has expired. There shall be no further extension of the lease and the property shall be taken over by the District Magistrate, Ganderbal. Any party feeling aggrieved of any encroachment on the aforesaid property by any person including the petitioners and respondents 5 to 8, shall be free to bring it to the notice of the District Magistrate, Ganderbal, for appropriate action,” the order said.
This judgement is likely to protect and determine the fate of scores of such Hindu religious properties in Kashmir that have remained in disuse and thereby became vulnerable to encroachments by greedy encroachers and influential land mafia.
–IANS
sq/dpb
National
Defence Ministry: Year 2025 will be year of reforms
On Wednesday, the Defence Ministry announced that 2025 will be designated as the “Year of Reforms,” with a primary focus on establishing integrated theatre commands to enhance collaboration among the three branches of the military.
These reforms are aimed at transforming the armed forces into a technologically advanced, combat-ready force capable of executing multi-domain integrated operations, the ministry stated.
The initiative will emphasize emerging domains such as cyber and space, alongside cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, hypersonics, and robotics.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described the “Year of Reforms” as a pivotal milestone in the modernization of the armed forces.
“It will set the stage for significant advancements in the nation’s defense capabilities, ensuring the security and sovereignty of India in the face of 21st-century challenges,” he said.
National
A 3.2 magnitude tremor struck Gujarat’s Kutch district on Wednesday morning
A 3.2 magnitude tremor struck Gujarat’s Kutch district on Wednesday morning, according to the Institute of Seismological Research (ISR).
The district administration reported no casualties or property damage following the quake.
The tremor occurred at 10:24 am, with its epicenter located 23 kilometers north-northeast (NNE) of Bhachau, as per the Gandhinagar-based ISR.
Last month, the region experienced four seismic events exceeding a magnitude of 3, including a 3.2 magnitude tremor just three days ago, with its epicenter also near Bhachau.
Earlier tremors in the area included a 3.7 magnitude earthquake on December 23 and a 3.2 magnitude event on December 7, according to ISR reports.
Kutch was also jolted by a 4.0 magnitude earthquake on November 18, 2024. On November 15, a 4.2 magnitude quake hit Patan in north Gujarat, based on ISR data.
Gujarat is considered a high-risk earthquake zone, having experienced nine major earthquakes over the past 200 years, according to the Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (GSDMA). The 2001 earthquake in Kutch, which occurred on January 26, was the third-largest and second-most destructive in India in the last two centuries, according to the GSDMA.
National
Diljit Dosanjh faces legal action over concert songs
Singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh’s much-anticipated New Year’s Eve concert in Ludhiana faced legal hurdles after a complaint was filed by Punditrao Dharenavar, an assistant professor from Chandigarh.
Following the complaint, the Deputy Director of the Women and Child Department, Government of Punjab, issued a formal notice to Ludhiana’s District Commissioner, urging them to prohibit Dosanjh from performing specific songs during his live show on December 31, 2024.
The notice specifically targets songs accused of promoting alcohol, including Patiala Peg, 5 Tara Theke, and Case (Jeeb Vicho Feem Labbiya), even if the lyrics are slightly modified. The complaint points to previous warnings issued to Dosanjh by various commissions advising against performing these controversial tracks.
Despite these warnings, the singer allegedly continues to perform the songs with minor alterations. Dharenavar raised serious concerns about the influence of such music on young audiences, especially when minors are present at live events.
Adding to the controversy, Dharenavar referenced a 2019 Punjab and Haryana High Court ruling, which directed law enforcement to ensure that songs promoting alcohol, drugs, or violence are not played at public events, including concerts. This ruling underscores the legal basis for the complaint and has further intensified the scrutiny surrounding the event.
National
UP Minister’s convoy overturns, 5 person injured
Five people sustained injuries when a vehicle in the convoy of Uttar Pradesh Minister and Nishad Party chief Sanjay Nishad overturned into a ditch near Januan village in the Khejuri Police Station area of Ballia district late last night.
Sanjay Nishad shared details of the incident, stating that the accident injured five party workers, including four women.
“I was traveling with the convoy to participate in the Constitutional Rights Yatra organized by the party on Tuesday night. Near Januan village in the Khejuri area, one of the vehicles following the convoy lost control while trying to avoid an animal and overturned into a ditch,” Nishad explained.
The injured individuals have been identified as Rakesh Nishad, Ramrati, Usha, Geeta, and Iravati Nishad.
Senior police and administrative officials quickly arrived at the scene following the incident to oversee the situation.
National
Suchir Balaji’s mother alleges Murder
The mother of Suchir Balaji, a 26-year-old former OpenAI researcher found dead after accusing the company of copyright violations, has alleged that her son was “murdered” and called for a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) probe.
Poornima Rao, Suchir’s mother, claimed her son’s death was a “cold-blooded murder” that authorities wrongly ruled as suicide. She further disclosed that a private autopsy report conflicted with the findings of the initial police investigation.
Rao alleged that her son’s apartment had been “ransacked” and cited evidence of a struggle in the bathroom, including bloodstains that suggested he had been assaulted.
“We hired a private investigator and conducted a second autopsy to uncover the truth. The private autopsy does not confirm the cause of death stated by the police. Suchir’s apartment was ransacked, there were signs of a struggle in the bathroom, and it appears he was hit based on blood spots. This is a cold-blooded murder being misclassified as a suicide. Lobbying in San Francisco won’t deter us from seeking justice. We demand an FBI investigation,” Rao wrote on X.
Elon Musk reacted to Rao’s post, commenting, “This doesn’t seem like a suicide.”
Balaji was discovered dead in his San Francisco apartment months after accusing OpenAI of violating copyright laws during the development of ChatGPT, as reported by Fox News. Despite these claims, the San Francisco Police Department found no evidence of foul play and ruled the death a suicide.
On October 24, shortly before his death, Balaji voiced doubts about the “fair use” defense in generative artificial intelligence. “I recently participated in a NYT story about fair use and generative AI, and why I’m skeptical ‘fair use’ would be a plausible defense for a lot of generative AI products,” he wrote on X.
-
Video2 years ago
PM Modi Attacks Congress in Karnataka with “Kerala Story”
-
Politics2 years ago
Siddaramaiah & DK Shivakumar sworn in as Chief Minister & Deputy CM respectively
-
Cricket2 years ago
CSK players rejoice 5th IPL title with their families (Pics)
-
Entertainment2 years ago
Karan Deol weds his longtime Girlfriend Drisha Acharya (Pics)
-
Sports7 years ago
History Of Official FIFA WORLD CUP Match balls
-
Entertainment2 years ago
Urvashi Rautela dazzles on Cannes 2023 red carpet (Pics)
-
India2 years ago
Ashwini Vaishnaw: Railway Board recommends CBI probe in the Odisha railway disaster
-
Entertainment2 years ago
Sunny Leone gets ready for Kennedy premiere in Cannes (Pics)