Pahalgam terror attack victim among 56 awarded by J-K govt
Jammu (PTI): The Jammu and Kashmir government has awarded 56 individuals, including Adil Hussain Shah who lost his life while trying to save tourists during the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025, officials said on Sunday.
The recipients come from various backgrounds and have been honoured for their significant contributions in different fields, as stated in an order issued by M Raju, Commissioner Secretary of the General Administrative Department.
Shah, a resident of Hapatnar village in Pahalgam, bravely confronted Pakistani terrorists during an attack on tourists in Baisaran Valley on April 22, resulting in his death along with 25 tourists.
He was posthumously awarded for his bravery, which includes a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh and a citation. Additionally, Police Sub-Inspector Nikhil Kumar from Gangyal Police Station was recognised in this category and will receive a cash reward of Rs 51,000 along with a citation.
Among the 12 media personnel awarded are the PTI Srinagar Bureau Chief, Inayat Jehangir and PTI video journalist, Jammu Somil Abrol. Other awardees in this category include Avtar Krishan Bhat, Vivek Suri, Sunil Ji Bhat, Dinesh Manhotra, Bilal Ahmad Bhat, Razia Noor, Ishfaq Gowhar Zargar, Syed Khalid Hussain, Sarosh Kafeel, and Neeta Sharma.
Former IAS officer Mohammad Shafi Pandit was awarded the lifetime achievement award posthumously.
Recipients recognised for Meritorious Public Service include Chief Conservator of Forests, Jammu, V S Senthil Kumar; Managing Director of J-K Medical Supplies Corporation, Tariq Ganai; Additional Secretary to the Government in the General Administration Department, Rohit Sharma; Superintending Engineer of the Public Works (R-B) Department, Pooja Wazir; and Dr (Prof) Majid Jahangir, Principal of Government Medical College, Baramulla.
Those awarded for achievements in the field of literature include Yashpaul Nirmal (Dogri litterateur), Choudhary Hassan Parwaz (Gojri), Parwaiz Manoos (Pahari), Fayaz Dilbar (Poet, posthumously), Kewal Krishan Sharma (writer/poet) and Rattan Lal Sharma (writer, translator).
In the category of outstanding sports persons, awards were given to cricketers Aquib Nabi Dar and Brijesh Sharma, Rakesh Singh (judo), Vishal Khajuria (judo), Saleem Kumar (wushu), Ravees Ahmad (athlete), Sudipti Khanna (gymnastics), Mohammad Iqbal (athlete) and Aiyza Naz Chib (skating).
The performing arts category recognised Tanya Dev Gupta (singer), Anil Tickoo (actor), Ayash Arif (actor/irdector), Abdul Hamid Bhat (Rabab artist), Raman Singh Slathia (Dogri folk singer), Sunil Sharma (singer/music director), Ajay Kumar Sharma (theatre), Sudesh K Verma (producer/director), and Neeraj Verma (tabla artist).
The award for excellence in arts and crafts was given to Sajjad Husain Bhat (Sozni artisan), Bhushan Kesar (artist/art educator), Mohammad Shafi Bhat (Kani artisan), Razia Mushtaq (artisan) and Ishfar Ali (senior craft instructor, Paper Pulp).
The awards for social reforms and empowerment went to Arhan Bagati, Founder of KYARI (Kashmir’s Yumberzal Applied Research Institute); Mehjabeen Nabi, President/Founder of the Care Foundation and Charitable Trust in Srinagar; and Saadat Nasir Wani Sogami, Chairman of Team Red NGO, Kashmir.
In the category of Outstanding Industrial Entrepreneurship, the awardees are Mohammad Niyaz-ul-Kabir (GR8 Sports), Sheikh Yameen (Heaventure Adventures Private Limited) and Sunil Singh (Walnut Grower, Kishtwar Gold Walnut Farm).
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Tweets by journalist Rana Ayyub derogatory, communal: Delhi HC
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New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court on Wednesday termed certain tweets by journalist Rana Ayyub "highly derogatory, inflammatory and communal" as it sought her stand on a petition seeking removal of the allegedly objectionable content from social media.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, who was hearing a lawyer's petition alleging that Ayyub's tweets insulted Hindu Deities and "revered historical figures", observed that even an FIR was also directed to be registered against her in relation to the tweets and called upon the Centre, Delhi Police and X to "work in tandem" and "do the needful in 24 hours".
"Let the matter be called day after. Action is necessary in view of the highly derogatory, inflammatory and communal tweets by respondent no. 4 (Ayyub), pursuant to which FIR has also been directed against respondent no. 4 by a court of competent jurisdiction," the court ordered.
Observing that the "matter requires consideration", the court issued notice to the Centre, Ayyub as well as X on the petition seeking the immediate removal of the "highly derogatory, inflammatory, and communal tweets" by Ayyub.
The court also made Delhi Police a party to the case.
Petitioner Amita Sachdeva said she is a devout follower of the Sanatan Dharm, and on her complaint, a magisterial court had already directed the registration of an FIR while holding that the journalist's tweets prima facie disclose cognisable offences under the Indian Penal Code.
The plea said the petitioner approached X's resident grievance officer as well as the Grievance Appellate Committee for the removal of the content.
However, the committee declined to grant relief, stating the matter was sub-judice, it added.
The petitioner said the continued public availability of the tweets has caused continuing and direct injury to her religious sentiments and violated her fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 21 (Right to life and liberty) and 25 (Freedom of religion) of the Constitution.
In January 2025, a magisterial court directed Delhi Police to register an FIR against Ayyub for allegedly making derogatory posts in 2016-17 that included "insults to Hindu deities, spreading of anti-India sentiment and incitement of religious disharmony."
In an order dated January 25, 2025, it said, "From the facts of the case, prima facie cognisable offences are made out under sections 153 A (punishment for promoting enmity between different groups on the ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc), 295 A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 505 (statements conducing public mischief) of the IPC."
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