Moderate to heavy snowfall in Kashmir
Srinagar, Jan 30 (PTI) The seven-week dry spell ended in Kashmir today with higher reaches of the Valley getting fresh snowfall while rains lashed the plains even as the minimum temperatures rose across the region to breach the freezing point for first time this year.
Moderate to heavy snowfall is going on in higher reaches in north Kashmir, that led to closure of roads leading to Macchil, Keran and Karnah, a police official said.
He said Gulmarg skiing resort also received fresh snowfall and three inches of fresh snow had accumulated there till 10.00 AM.
The plains across the valley received light rainfall since early morning, the official said.
The downpour has ended seven weeks of dry weather in Kashmir, which had resulted in problems for elderly and children, while the minimum temperature also appreciated by several degrees at most places.
Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of 2.2 degrees Celsius, up from minus 1.6 degrees Celsius the previous night, an official of the MET department said here.
The night temperature in Qazigund town in south Kashmir was 0.2 degrees Celsius compared to minus 3.8 degrees Celsius previous night while nearby Kokernag town registered a low of minus 0.6 degrees Celsius last night, up by nearly two degrees, the official said.
Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded a low of 0.4 degrees Celsius against minus 3.4 degrees Celsius the previous night.
The official said the night temperature in Pahalgam, the famous health resort which also serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath Yatra, settled at a low of 1.2 degrees Celsius against minus 2.3 degrees Celsius previous night.
Gulmarg, the famous skiing resort in north Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 4.6 degrees Celsius against minus 5.6 degrees Celsius previous night.
It was the coldest recorded place in the valley last night.
The mercury in Kargil town, in Ladakh region, remained unchanged at minus 15.0 degrees Celsius, the official said.
He said Kargil continued to be the coldest recorded place in the state.
The nearby Leh town was the second coldest as the mercury there settled at a low of minus 11.9 degrees Celsius up two degrees from previous night.
Kashmir is currently under the grip of Chillai-Kalan, a 40-day harshest period of winter when the chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum and the temperature drops considerably.
It ends on January 31, but the cold wave continues even after that in the valley.
The 40-day period is followed by a 20-day long Chillai-Khurd (small cold) and a 10-day long Chillai-Bachha (baby cold).
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Gurugram CA held for slitting pregnant wife's throat with scissors
Jhajjar (PTI): A chartered accountant has been arrested for allegedly killing his pregnant wife by slitting her throat with a pair of scissors and trying to pass it off as a robbery attempt, police said on Wednesday.
According to police, Anshul Dhawan (31) got married to Mehak (27) in September last year. Both worked in Gurugram.
Police received a call on Sunday night reporting that some unidentified people tried to rob Anshul, took his car and kidnapped his wife, SHO Badli, Inspector Suresh said.
When police reached the spot, they found the woman's body near a dry canal with injury marks on her neck, he said.
Suspecting inconsistencies in Anshul's version of events, police took him into custody for interrogation. He confessed that he had killed Mehak with a pair of scissors, wearing gloves, over suspicions about her character, SHO said.
"During his questioning, it came to light that he had pre-planned the murder. His wife worked in a private bank in Gurugram. He had doubts that she talked to her friends, and he did not like it," SHO added. Following the confession, Anshul was arrested on Monday.
Further investigation into the matter is underway, police said.
Mehak's sister, Shruti, told the reporters that the family had doubts that Anshul was involved in the murder. She said, "We want justice; the killer should be hanged. He did not even think that his wife was two months pregnant."
She said on February 15, Anshul came to their house and stayed only for ten minutes and left with Mehal for Gurugram.
Shruti alleged that Anshul had pre-planned the murder.
