National

Raucous Moments in J-K Assembly as Police Officer Kicks Woman Protester

Published

1 year ago

March 17, 2025

The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly was filled with heated exchanges on Monday as members voiced their outrage over a police officer allegedly “kicking” a tribal woman protester following the discovery of two missing youths’ bodies in Kulgam district of south Kashmir.

As the session commenced, legislators brought attention to the demise of Showkat Ahmad from Rajouri, whose body was found in the Vaishow Nallah in Kulgam on Sunday. Ahmad had gone missing with two others approximately a month prior.

Choudhary Muhammad Akram condemned the assault on the woman protester during demonstrations in Qazigund and insisted on serious consequences for the officer involved.

Tensions escalated when National Conference (NC) members Javed Choudhary, Mian Mehar Ali, Javaid Mirchal, and Zaffar Ali Khatan attempted to rush into the well of the House but were quickly restrained by Marshals and fellow party members amid rising frustrations.

Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather intervened, assuring legislators that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was aware of the situation and would address their concerns, stating, “The House must be assured that justice will be served.”

NC’s Nazir Ahmad Gurezi and PDP legislators Waheed Parra and Mehar Ali lent their voices to calls for accountability, demanding a timely investigation into the police’s alleged misconduct and the mysterious disappearances. Parra expressed concern about the increasing number of missing persons, particularly within the Gujjar community, emphasizing the need for transparency. “This isn’t an isolated incident. We require answers, and we need them immediately,” he asserted.

Peoples Conference President and MLA Sajad Lone also denounced the incident, stating, “The images of a police officer kicking the female relatives of the deceased youths are utterly appalling.” He added, “Such actions reflect a blatant disregard by those tasked with protecting the community.”

The families of the deceased held a protest in Qazigund along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, demanding a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances of the deaths. Showkat Ahmad and his brother Riyaz Ahmad’s bodies were recovered within days of each other from the same stream. The brothers, along with a third individual, Mukhtar Ahmad, had left Qazigund for Ashmuji in Kulgam on February 13 to attend a family event but failed to arrive at their destination.

Meanwhile, PDP leader Iltija Mufti claimed on social media that authorities had effectively barred her from entering Kulgam by “locking the gates” of her residence. “What are the authorities trying to conceal?” she questioned in a post on X.

A video clip showcasing the police officer’s behavior during the protests has further ignited public anger. In response to the backlash, Kashmir Police Zone issued a statement on X confirming that an investigation is underway. “We are aware of the video surfacing on social media regarding a police officer’s interaction with the public in Kulgam. We have taken note of yesterday’s incident and the allegations concerning the officer’s conduct. DIG SKR will conduct an inquiry and provide his findings within 10 days,” the statement read.

National

Delhi Techie Found Dead During Honeymoon Trip

Published

1 day ago

June 17, 2026

Namma Kudla

National: A 27-year-old IT professional from Delhi was found dead at a homestay in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand. The woman, P Radha Gayatri, had gone on a honeymoon trip with her husband.

According to police, the couple checked into a homestay on June 14. Her husband said they had consumed alcohol and went to sleep late at night.

The next morning, he found Gayatri unconscious on the floor. Police said she was lying in a pool of urine, and blood was coming from her nose. She was declared dead at the scene.

The body has been sent for a post-mortem examination. Police are investigating the case and waiting for the autopsy report to determine the cause of death.

National

Pakistan Ranked World’s Most Polluted Country in 2025

Published

5 days ago

June 13, 2026

Namma Kudla

Islamabad: Pakistan has been ranked as the most polluted country in the world in 2025, according to a new report released by Swiss air quality monitoring company IQ Air.

The report found that Pakistan’s average PM2.5 pollution level was 13 times higher than the safe limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). PM2.5 refers to tiny harmful particles in the air that can enter the lungs and cause serious health problems.

IQ Air said that only 13 countries and territories met the WHO air quality guideline of less than 5 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter of air in 2025. This was an improvement from seven countries in 2024.

The report also revealed that 130 out of 143 monitored countries and territories failed to meet the WHO standard.

Bangladesh was ranked as the second most polluted country, while Tajikistan secured the third position. Chad, which was the most polluted country in 2024, ranked fourth in 2025.

Experts said that Chad’s lower ranking may be linked to missing pollution data. In March 2025, the United States ended a global air quality monitoring program due to budget cuts. The program had collected pollution data from US embassies and consulates around the world.

Christi Chester Schroeder, the lead author of the report, said that the loss of data makes it difficult to know the true pollution levels in some countries.

Because of data shortages, Burundi, Turkmenistan and Togo were not included in the 2025 report.

The report also identified Loni in India as the world’s most polluted city. The city recorded an average PM2.5 level of 112.5 micrograms per cubic meter. Hotan in China ranked second with 109.6 micrograms.

According to the report, the 25 most polluted cities in the world were all located in India, Pakistan and China.

Only 14 percent of cities worldwide met the WHO air quality standard in 2025. This was lower than the 17 percent recorded in the previous year.

The report noted that large wildfires in Canada increased air pollution levels across the United States and even affected parts of Europe.

Countries that met the WHO air quality guideline in 2025 included Australia, Iceland, Estonia and Panama.

Meanwhile, Laos, Cambodia and Indonesia reported significant improvements in air quality. Experts said wetter and windier La Niña weather conditions helped reduce pollution levels in these countries.

Mongolia also recorded a 31 percent drop in average PM2.5 levels during the year.

Overall, 75 countries reported lower pollution levels in 2025, while 54 countries experienced an increase in air pollution, according to the IQ Air report

National

Indian Air Force AN-32 Transport Aircraft Crashes

Published

5 days ago

June 13, 2026

Namma Kudla

Dispur: An Indian Air Force (IAF) AN-32 transport aircraft crashed at the Air Force Station in Jorhat, Assam, on Saturday. The aircraft caught fire after the crash.

According to reports, the AN-32 aircraft went down within the premises of the air base. A fire broke out immediately after the accident.

Rescue and firefighting teams rushed to the spot and launched an operation to control the flames. The fire was brought under control after their prompt response.

The exact cause of the crash is not known yet. Authorities are investigating the incident.

So far, there have been no reports of any deaths or injuries. The Indian Air Force has confirmed the accident and said that more details will be shared after a complete assessment of the situation.

Further information is awaited.