Pattan, Dec 13: A road accident occurred this morning at Hanjiwera Payeen near Salabani Road in Pattan area of Baramulla district when a Maruti Suzuki 800 skidded off the road and plunged into a roadside drain, resulting in critical injuries to a woman and minor injuries to two men.

The vehicle was being driven by Mohd Abdul Dar, son of Wali Mohd Dar, a resident of Kupwara. During the incident, Meema Bano, wife of Ashaq Ahmed Peer and a resident of Halmatpora, Kupwara, sustained serious injuries. She was immediately shifted to Trauma Hospital, Pattan, from where she was referred to a Srinagar hospital for specialized treatment. Her condition is reported to be critical.

The two male occupants of the vehicle suffered minor injuries and were provided first aid at a nearby health facility.

Police reached the spot promptly, carried out rescue operations, and initiated necessary legal formalities. A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway to ascertain the cause of the accident.

Srinagar: The Food Safety Department, Jammu and Kashmir, has imposed an immediate ban on the sale, storage, and distribution of the packaged drinking water brand Ajwa after laboratory tests confirmed bacterial contamination in samples collected from Srinagar.

Officials said the water sample tested positive for E. coli and Coliform bacteria, indicating possible fecal contamination. The prohibition order, issued on December 10, 2025, follows analysis conducted at the National Food Testing Laboratory in Ghaziabad, which flagged the product as unsafe for human consumption.

Health authorities warned that consumption of contaminated water can lead to serious illnesses, including diarrhea, vomiting, gastrointestinal infections, and in severe cases, kidney failure or hemolytic uremic syndrome.

All wholesalers, retailers, and food business operators have been directed to immediately stop selling the product and report their existing stock to the department within 48 hours. The ban has been enforced under relevant provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and will remain in force until further notice.

Officials noted that such contamination may occur due to sewage mixing, animal or human waste, or seepage from polluted water channels. The public has been strongly advised not to purchase or consume Ajwa packaged drinking water.

The department said it is continuing strict surveillance of drinking water quality and reiterated that safeguarding public health remains its top priority.

Kashmir ,Dec 13 : The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Crime Branch Kashmir has filed a Chargesheet before the Hon’ble Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Srinagar, in case FIR No. 23/2025, against four accused individuals for their alleged involvement in a major land-sale fraud. The accused Tariq Ahmad Hajam (son of Mohd Ramzan Hajam), Ghulam Hassan Mir (son of Ghulam Rasool Mir), Mohd Sultan Mir alias Sulla (son of Abdul Khaliq Mir), and Abdul Razaq Mir (son of Abdul Khaliq Mir), all residents of Barthana Qamarwari, Srinagar, have been charged for offences punishable under Sections 420 and 120-B of the Ranbir Penal Code.

The case originated from a complaint alleging that the accused persons deceitfully obtained a sum of ₹53 lakh from the complainant and his father under the pretext of selling land. Preliminary inquiry and subsequent investigation by the Economic Offences Wing revealed that the accused, acting in connivance, received the full payment but fraudulently sold the same parcel of land to other parties and even transferred portions of it to their own family members.

Through meticulous examination of both oral and documentary evidence, investigators established that the accused had orchestrated a deliberate criminal conspiracy to cheat the complainant and unlawfully grabbed the amount paid for land measuring 2.09 kanals at Estate Barthana, Srinagar. With filing of the Chargesheet, the matter is ready for judicial adjudication.

The EOW of Crime Branch Kashmir reiterates its unwavering commitment to safeguarding citizens from economic offences and ensuring justice through transparent, professional, and comprehensive investigations.

Anantnag, Dec 12:In yet another alarming development on the food safety front, authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have cracked down on a widely consumed biscuit brand after laboratory tests confirmed that it contains harmful levels of sulphites. Days after the controversy over adulterated eggs, the Food Safety Department in Anantnag has now prohibited the sale of PRIYAGOLD Butter Delite biscuits in the district, citing serious health concerns.

The action follows a detailed investigation by the Food Safety Officer of Anantnag, who procured a sample of the biscuit being sold locally under the brand name PRIYAGOLD Butter Delite (Batch No. E25KP02FB). The product, manufactured by M/s Surya Food & Agro Ltd., Noida, and marketed by the same company, was sent for testing to the National Food Laboratory, Ghaziabad.

According to the lab’s report (No. JK-665/DEC/25/786), dated December 5, 2025, the biscuit was found to contain sulphite content beyond the maximum permitted limit under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) 2006. The presence of sulphites in excess quantities categorizes the product as unsafe for human consumption. Sulphites, commonly used as preservatives in processed foods, can trigger severe allergic reactions, respiratory issues, and other health complications, especially in sensitive individuals.

The findings prompted immediate regulatory action. Invoking the powers under Section 36(3)(b) of the FSSA, Designated Officer (Food Safety) Anantnag Sheikh Zameer Ahmad issued an order banning the sale, distribution, and storage of the said biscuit across the district until further notice. The official order clearly states that consumption of food containing sulphites above the permissible limit “may pose a threat to the health of consumers,” and therefore its sale stands strictly prohibited.

This development comes at a time when public confidence in food safety standards is already shaken due to recent reports about adulterated eggs circulating in parts of Jammu and Kashmir. The consecutive actions involving eggs and now biscuits have raised serious concerns about the quality of packaged and processed foods available in local markets.

The Food Safety Department has urged traders, wholesalers, and retailers to comply with the order and immediately withdraw the product from their shelves to avoid penal action. Consumers have also been advised to remain vigilant and report any suspicious food items to the authorities.

Officials say intensified market inspections will continue in the coming days as part of a broader crackdown on unsafe food products in the region.

Urges Elected Govt to intervene, calls for transfer of Kashmiri detainees back to Jammu & Kashmir

Srinagar, December 12, 2025 : Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir, Dr Molvi Mohammad Umar Farooq, while speaking at the Friday congregation at Jama Masjid Srinagar, said that there is deep concern among people over the developments taking place in which individuals are being arrested in connection with decades-old cases. This has created a lot of anxiety and uncertainty, especially among those persons and their families who have long since disengaged from past paths. Mirwaiz said already thousands of Kashmiri prisoners are languishing in jails in and outside J&K, some for decades, causing immense suffering to their families, arresting more and more people only adds to the woes and pain of Kashmiris.

Drawing attention to the serious humanitarian and legal concerns arising from the continued detention of Kashmiris in prisons outside the Union Territory, Mirwaiz said that such practices often result in delays in trial proceedings and severely limit family access, running contrary to basic principles of humane treatment and natural justice.

Urging the State Government to intervene, Mirwaiz called for a review of the handling of such old cases and appealed for the transfer of detainees back to Jammu & Kashmir to ensure a fairer, faster, and more compassionate process of justice. He also appealed to them to intervene and stop the continuing process of arrests and detention of individuals who have moved on and are not associated with any form of violence in decades.