Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah will contest election from the Baramulla constituency in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the party announced on Friday.

National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah, while speaking to reporters, said that Omar Abdullah is the party’s candidate from north Kashmir’s Baramulla Lok Sabha seat.

The National Conference president also informed that the firebrand Shia leader Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi would contest from central Kashmir’s Srinagar constituency, which has been an NC bastion.

On contesting the General election from Baramulla, Omar said that it’s a challenge, every election is a challenge but it’s a challenge that he is looking forward to. As he said earlier, his fight is not against an individual, it is against the skullduggery, treachery, the political machinations of the BJP, he asserted.

The former Chief Minister said the way in which BJP is trying to create alternatives to parties like the National Conference, the way in which they are conspiring to try and bring their associate parties together on one stage and therefore he sees this as an opportunity to take the fight directly to the BJP and to the Centre, he added.

Speaking to a reporter, he said that this time, his fight is not against any individual. In North Kashmir, his fight is not against any candidate instead his fight is with those powers which are behind that candidate. It has been decided that he will be contesting from North Kashmir because BJP is focusing a lot on North Kashmir, Omar added. He said he wants that these powers should be defeated in North Kashmir.

Regarding the BJP, the NC leader wondered if what PM Modi is saying is correct then why are his candidates not in the field? Why is the BJP not contesting South, Central and North Kashmir, he asked.

On being asked if he would leave politics if the BJP wins a single seat, he said to let the BJP announce their candidates. He will also see if they are able to get a single seat in J&K or not, he said while speaking to a reporter.

According to the Election Commission of India, polling in Baramulla will be held on May 20.

Ghulam Hassan Bhat, a retired Inspector General of Police with Jammu and Kashmir paid last tribute to his son Humayun Muzamil Bhat, a deputy superintendent who was killed in an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Wednesday.   

The retired Police Officer walked towards Himayun’s body and laid a wreath on it, which was a heartwrenching moment. This is the toughest time for a father to pay the last tribute to his son. Bhat’s composure and his heavy steps for the last time at his departed son have shattered hearts.

Himayun Bhat, a deputy superintendent with Jammu and Kashmir Police along with Colonel Manpreet Singh and Major Ashish Dhonack were killed in a gunfight with terrorists in Anantnag, a southern sector of Jehlum Valley in Kashmir.

According to reports, Himayun lost his life due to heavy injuries that led to heavy blood loss in a fight with terrorists.

The last rites were held in Budgam where Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Police Chief Dilbag Singh paid tribute to the police officer. A large number of people also gathered at the rites spot.

On behalf of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, DGP J&K Sh Dilbag Singh has condoled the martyrdom of the braveheart officers of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and Army in an encounter at Gadool, Kokernag, Anantnag.

The DGP has said in his message that he is deeply saddened by the terrible loss of three young bravehearts Col. Manpreet Singh, Major Ashish Dhonack of 19 RR and Deputy SP Humayun Muzamil Bhat son of retired IG of Jammu and Kashmir Police Ghulam Hassan Bhat.

The DGP has said that every loss of life is unfortunate adding that, perpetrators of the criminal act would be brought to justice soon. The DGP extended his sympathies with the bereaved families and said the whole of J&K Police Force is at the beck and call of the next of keen of martyrs.

Insha Mushtaq who lost her eyesight to pellet guns in the 2016 summer agitation in the wake of killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, has passed the class 12^th board examination recently.

The 22-year-old student secured 319 marks out of 500 in the Jammu & Kashmir Board of School Education. The Jammu & Kashmir Board of School Education declared Class 12 results on Friday.

Earlier, Insha had cleared the class 10 examination, two years after losing her vision. According to reports, Insha who belongs to a Sedow area of Shopian in South Kashmir, always got support from her family. Meanwhile, she never lost hope when everything around her seemed dark. Her determination led her to achieve success despite all odds.

In an interview with PTI, Insha said that she joined Delhi Public School, Srinagar after class 10. She qualified class 11 in 2021 and 12th this year. Furthermore, she also joined three-year course in Computer and English speaking. Speaking about her family, she said that her family wanted her to complete her education and always extended their support. Her parents encouraged her to study and become independent.

Insha also expressed her gratitude towards Jammu & Kashmir Centre for Peace and Justice, a non-government organisation for their support. She said the director of the NGO, Nadir Ali helped her in providing education and rehabilitation from 2018.

She has a great ambition to become an IAS officer. At present, she wants to complete her graduation and then join a coaching for UPSC preparation. She remarked that she wants to become an example for all the visually impaired persons and she wants each one of them to become independent and move ahead in life. She has emphasized on the need for a school especially for the visually impaired persons in different parts of the country. The lack of awareness in the Kashmir valley on the subject is the major reason due to which the visually impaired are falling behind, she continued.

Insha was hit by pellets on July 11, 2016, three days after Wani, the commander of a militant outfit was gunned down in an encounter with the security forces. She was at her home and had opened a window to look outside when the tragedy happened. The incident reportedly affected many other people.