Kashmir observes bandh to mourn Pahalgam massacre
Srinagar: Kashmir is observing a shutdown on Wednesday as a mark of grief and protest against the brutal incident in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam where at least 26 people, including tourists, were killed in a terror attack.
Spearheading the protest, the Chamber of Commerce and Industries Kashmir (CCIK), Jammu and Kashmir Hoteliers Club (JKHC), key travel associations, transporters, restaurant owners, and civil society groups called for the Kashmir bandh, urging the public to pause routine activities for a day in solidarity with the victims, as reported by Deccan Herald.
Officials stated that in Srinagar, most shops, fuel stations, and businesses remained shut, with the exception of outlets dealing in essential commodities.
A shutdown is being observed in Kashmir following the killings of tourists in Pahalgam. Political parties, sociopolitical groups and civil society have called for a bandh to protest the innocent killings. pic.twitter.com/Gh9TicA7zl
— Basit Zargar (باسط) (@basiitzargar) April 23, 2025
Tariq Rashid Ghani, President of CCIK, condemned the attack as a “barbaric act of violence” and stressed the need for a collective response to such atrocities.
“This is not just a tragedy — it’s a wake-up call. An attack on tourists is unprecedented and deeply disturbing. We must speak with one voice to condemn this violence and show that Kashmiris reject terror in all forms,” DH quoted Iqbal Tramboo, a Srinagar-based hotelier as saying.
Former Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti expressed deep anguish over the incident and extended her support to the bandh. “A united stand against violence is the need of the hour,” she said.
Peaceful demonstrations were held at several locations in the Valley, where protestors condemned the deadly attack and called for an end to the killing of innocent civilians.
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Karnataka: Over 15,000 ASHA workers to get monthly incentive of Rs 1,000
Bengaluru: In a significant move to support healthcare at the grassroots level, the Karnataka government has announced a Rs 1,000 monthly incentive for over 15,000 Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) across the state.
The decision follows a government order releasing funds to increase the honorarium paid to ASHA workers operating in health sub-centres and urban areas not yet upgraded to Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.
To implement this initiative, the state has sanctioned an additional grant of Rs 1,800.48 lakh.
Under the scheme, primary health officers and health inspectors will receive an incentive of Rs 1,500 per month while ASHA workers will get Rs 1,000 per month as incentives.
Karnataka currently has around 41,000 active ASHA workers, out of a total of 42,524 sanctioned posts. Each ASHA worker is responsible for healthcare outreach to approximately 1,000 people in rural areas and 2,500 in urban areas.
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