NAGROTA: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for the upcoming by-elections to the Nagrota Assembly Constituency, Ms. Devyani Rana, today met the grieving family of Shubham Manhas, a daily wager with the Power Development Department (PDD), who tragically lost his life while performing his duty.

Ms Rana met the grieving family, other mourners and people from the area at the National Highway where they were staging protests over the incident, seeking accountability for negligence. She also joined the mourners at the cremation ground where the mortal remains of the deceased were consigned to flames amid mantras.

 At his residence, Ms Devyani Rana expressed her profound sorrow over the tragic death, offered condolences and expressed solidaritry. She said the loss of Shri Manhas is a huge tragedy for the family and no words can truly ease their pain. She prayed for peace to the departed soul and strength to the family to bear this irreparable loss.

 Interacting with the mourners, Ms. Devyani Rana expressed deep concern over the growing occurrences of such tragic mishaps involving power department field staff. She said that these repeated incidents point to serious gaps in safety protocols and must be examined at the highest level to evolve a robust and foolproof system that ensures the protection of workers performing high-risk duties.

 Ms. Rana emphasized that the safety of maintenance and technical staff cannot be compromised under any circumstances, and called for immediate corrective and preventive measures to minimize such accidents in the future. She reiterated that those working tirelessly to maintain essential services deserve a safe and secure work environment, equipped with proper gear, training, and supervision.

She further urged the concerned authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to this unfortunate incident, to determine accountability and prevent recurrence. Ms. Rana also sought immediate and adequate compensation for the bereaved family, along with all possible institutional support to help them rebuild their lives in this hour of immense loss.

In loving memory of Dr. Priya Ranjan: A mentor who treated me like family
A Profound Loss: JK Monitor Mourns the Passing of Founding Chairman Dr. Priya Ranjan

We at JK Monitor are profoundly saddened by the sudden demise of our Founding Chairman, Dr. Priya Ranjan.IN LOVING MEMORY Dr Priya Ranjan

A brilliant mind who studied at Netarhat Residential School and graduated in Electrical Engineering from IIT Kharagpur before earning his PhD from the University of Maryland, Dr. Ranjan chose to return to India and dedicate his life to teaching, research and social good.

His pioneering work in networked systems, AI, robotics and biomedical applications—especially computer-vision tools for early detection of cancer and heart disease—reflected his deep belief that advanced technology must serve humanity.

For more than 15 years at JK Monitor, he remained a loyal friend, mentor and collaborator, marked by rare humility, intellectual integrity and quiet generosity. His passing leaves a void that cannot be filled. Priya, you will be deeply missed. Your life continues to remind us that knowledge finds its highest purpose in the service of others.

— Team JK Monitor

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Your voice can reach the world: At JK Monitor, we firmly believe that every well-researched idea has the power to inspire change beyond geographical boundaries. We are delighted to share an encouraging message from one of our esteemed contributors, Dr. Rakesh Verma (J&K Forest Services). “His article, ‘When Trees Become Rights-Bearing Citizens: A Lesson from Canada for India’s Ecological Future,’ published on JK Monitor, received appreciation from La Compagnie des Papillons Bleus, the French non-profit organisation that founded and promotes the Universal Declaration of Tree Rights.”.  Read the message here