Opinion

J&K: Drifting Without Direction

Jammu and Kashmir today stands at a precipice. The widening chasm between its two regions is not the result of geographical or cultural inevitability, but of decades of political myopia and administrative neglect. What began as a manageable disparity has now morphed into a structural divide one that threatens to redraw the social and economic map of the state permanently. If current trends persist, the psychological and developmental rift between Jammu and Kashmir may become irreversible within a decade. This is not alarmism; it is the logical conclusion of years of mutual alienation, policy paralysis, and a failure to address the asymmetric needs of the two regions. A Growing Regional Disconnect The political leadership in Kashmir has long been accused of prioritizing Valley-centric policies, often at the expense of Jammus development. Conversely, the narrative from Jammu accuses Srinagar of monopolizing resources and attention. This mutual distrust has been exacerbated by the Centres approach, which, despite its intentions, has often been perceived in the Valley as heavy-handed and insensitive to local aspirations. The result is a vicious cycle: alienation in Kashmir fuels demands for greater autonomy, while Jammus sense of neglect feeds into a growing resentment towards the Valleys dominance in political discourse. It is crucial to recognize that the problem is not one-sided. Both regions are grappling with serious internal challenges that have been allowed to fester. The divide is not just political or economic; it is psychological, with each region feeling increasingly disconnected from the other. This growing alienation is not merely a matter of perception, it is reflected in the stark disparities in development, opportunity, and representation. The absence of a unified vision for the state has allowed these disparities to deepen, with little effort to bridge the gap between the two regions. Jammus Silent Decline Jammu, often portrayed as the more stable and prosperous of the two regions, is in reality a city and a division battling silent crises. Infrastructure deficits are glaring. In many residential areas, water supply is still dependent on tankers, a stark contrast to the image of a modern city. Electricity, a basic necessity, is a luxury in many parts, with supply rarely exceeding 12-15 hours a day. These are not mere inconveniences; they are symptoms of systemic neglect. Economically, Jammu is a paradox. It hosts prestigious institutions like IIT, IIM, and AIIMS, yet these islands of excellence exist in isolation, contributing little to the local economy. The private sector is virtually non-existent; there is not a single major corporate entity or listed company based in the region. Agriculture, once the backbone of the rural economy, has seen a steep decline, particularly in the Kandi belt, where productivity has plummeted due to lack of investment and modern farming techniques. Perhaps the most worrying trend is the demographic shift. The Dogra community, which has historically been the cultural and political bedrock of Jammu, is steadily migrating out. Educated youth, seeing little opportunity at home, are leaving for greener pastures. Those who stay often find themselves unskilled for the few available jobs, leading to a peculiar situation where Jammu is both a net exporter of human capital and a net importer of migrant labor. This dual dynamic is slowly but surely altering the socio-economic fabric of the region. Tourism, which could have been a game-changer, remains underdeveloped. Apart from the pilgrimage to Katra, which itself has seen reduced economic spin-offs due to improved rail connectivity shortening pilgrim stays, there is little to attract sustained tourist inflows. The potential of places like Patnitop, Sanasar, or the heritage sites of the Dogra era remains largely untapped. The claim that Jammu is an educational hub is more rhetorical than real. While institutions of national importance exist, their integration with the local economy is minimal. They neither significantly employ locals nor contribute to the regional economic ecosystem. Kashmir: Growth Without Stability Kashmir presents a different set of challenges, but ones that are no less daunting. The Valley is grappling with intense population pressure. Since the last census, the population has grown significantly, putting immense strain on land and resources. Urban expansion, driven by a cultural preference for large, independent homes, is devouring agricultural land at an alarming rate. Paddy fields, once the lifeblood of the Valleys economy, are being converted into residential colonies. Wetlands, critical for the regions ecology, have shrunk dramatically. Wular Lake, one of Asias largest freshwater lakes, has lost nearly 50% of its area over the past century due to encroachment and siltation. Horticulture, the backbone of Kashmirs economy, is under threat from climate change. Erratic weather patterns, untimely snowfall, and prolonged dry spells are beginning to affect yields, raising questions about the long-term sustainability of this sector. Meanwhile, the regions employment structure is a ticking time bomb. Decades of excessive government hiring have created an unsustainable model, where a large portion of the workforce is on the public payroll. With new government jobs becoming scarce, the coming decade could see a sharp rise in unemployment, particularly among the youth. The education sector, often cited as a success story, is riddled with inefficiencies. While the Valley boasts a large number of colleges, many of these institutions, particularly those outside the major towns, suffer from abysmally low enrolment. The system is churning out graduates by the thousands, but with little focus on skill development or employability. The result is a growing army of educated but unemployed youth, a recipe for social unrest. Kashmirs economy has long been retail-driven, but even this is under pressure from the rise of e-commerce. Traditional sectors like meat, bakery, and handicrafts continue to provide livelihoods, but they lack scale, modernization, and access to broader markets. The famed Kashmiri handicrafts, for instance, are struggling to compete with machine-made alternatives from other parts of the country and abroad. Tourism, though a significant contributor to the economy, remains vulnerable to political instability and security concerns. A Shared Crisis of Opportunity But perhaps the most alarming reality is the shared crisis that binds Jammu and Kashmir in a vicious cycle of underdevelopment. Neither region has managed to cultivate a robust private sector. There is not a single major corporate house or listed company that calls Jammu and Kashmir home. Economic activity remains fragmented, heavily dependent on government spending, and lacking in innovation or diversification. Unemployment is a scourge that afflicts both regions equally. In Kashmir, it is estimated that there are thousands of unemployed doctors, a staggering statistic that speaks volumes about the mismatch between education and employment opportunities. In Jammu, the situation is no better. The lack of industrial or service-sector growth means that even those with professional degrees often find themselves without viable career options. This brain drain is not just an economic loss; it is a demographic time bomb, with long-term implications for the regions stability and growth. The absence of a vibrant private sector has also stifled entrepreneurship and innovation. Young people with ideas and ambition find little support in terms of funding, mentorship, or market access. The result is a region that is increasingly dependent on external inputs, whether in the form of central government funds or remittances from those who have migrated out in search of livelihoods. The Way Forward Jammu and Kashmir today stands at a crossroads. The widening divide between its two regions is not just a matter of economic disparity or political representation; it is a crisis of identity and direction. Left unaddressed, this divide risks becoming permanent, with consequences that could reverberate far beyond the borders of the state. What is needed is a holistic and inclusive approach to development, one that recognizes the unique needs and aspirations of both Jammu and Kashmir. This requires more than just financial allocations; it demands a genuine commitment to building trust, fostering economic diversification, and creating opportunities that retain the regions human capital. The Centre must play a proactive role, not just as an administrator, but as a facilitator of dialogue and development. Policies must be designed to address the specific challenges of each region while also fostering greater integration and cooperation between them. Infrastructure development, for instance, should not be limited to roads and bridges but should also include digital connectivity, which can help bridge the gap between urban and rural areas, as well as between Jammu and Kashmir. Investment in education and skill development is critical. The regions educational institutions must be aligned with the needs of the job market, both within and outside Jammu and Kashmir. Vocational training and entrepreneurship development should be prioritized to create a workforce that can drive economic growth. Efforts must also be made to revive and modernize traditional industries. In Kashmir, this could mean providing support to horticulturists to adapt to climate change, or helping artisans market their products more effectively. In Jammu, it could involve promoting agro-based industries or developing tourism beyond the pilgrimage circuit. Most importantly, there must be a concerted effort to rebuild trust between the regions, between the people and their leaders, and between the state and the Centre. This will require transparency, accountability, and a willingness to listen to and address the concerns of all stakeholders. The clock is ticking. The next decade will be critical in determining whether Jammu and Kashmir can come together as a unified, prosperous entity or whether it will continue to drift apart, a house divided against itself. The choice is ours to make but time, as they say, is of the essence. Lt Gen R. S. Reen is a former DGQA

The Smartphone Revolution

The image lasted only a few seconds, but it captured an entire movement. A young woman stood alone on a busy Mumbai rainy street, confronting a police bus carrying detained student protesters. She neither shouted slogans nor carried a party flag. She simply stood her ground. Within moments, hundreds of smartphones were pointed towards her. The clip raced across Instagram, X and Facebook before journalists or television crews had even heard about it. By evening, millions had watched the scene. By night, it had become the latest symbol of Indias changing protest culture. Whether that particular moment becomes a historic image or disappears in the endless flow of viral videos is not the real issue. What matters is what it represents. The ongoing youth protests, led largely by supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), have shown that politics in India has entered a completely new age of communication. The movement has changed the very nature of street protests. What happens on the road and what appears on social media now happen at the same time. Earlier generations marched with banners and placards. Todays protesters march with smartphones, power banks and internet connections. For decades, governments knew how to deal with protests. They could put up barricades, arrest leaders, impose restrictions, control access to protest sites and shape the next days news through mainstream media. Those methods belonged to a time when information travelled slowly and newspapers and television channels decided what the nation would see. Generation Z has changed that completely. Every protester is now a reporter. Every smartphone has become a television channel. Every Instagram reel or X post can sometimes reach more people than a prime-time television debate. A walk through Jantar Mantar today feels like walking into a huge live newsroom. One student is recording police movements on a mobile phone. Another is sitting on the roadside editing videos. Someone else is uploading wide-angle shots from nearby buildings. Within minutes of a government statement, memes begin appearing on social media. Others are checking facts, coordinating volunteers through WhatsApp and other platforms, translating speeches into different languages or sharing legal advice. Every protester seems to be doing two jobs at the same time, protesting on the streets and reporting the movement online. The internet is no longer just reporting the protest. In many ways, it has become the protest itself. Perhaps the most remarkable feature of this movement is its language. Earlier protests were dominated by speeches, slogans and political resolutions. The Cockroach movement speaks through memes, satire, humour and one-liners. Protesters laugh even while facing tear gas. Videos of lathi-charges are edited with popular music. Ministers and officers are mocked through memes. Cartoons often replace lengthy political statements. Many experienced and elderly people of our generation or parents of Gen Z think this makes the movement look less serious. But the opposite is true. For Gen Z, humour is a powerful political tool. It is the language they understand best. A meme can explain a complicated issue within seconds and reach millions of people. A sarcastic one-liner often questions authority more effectively than a long speech. Entertainment, theatre, acting, singing has become a new form of protest. That is why many young protesters proudly call themselves Ziddi. Their determination is visible not only in sit-ins and marches but also in their nonstop activity on social media. Every arrest leads to dozens of new videos. Every official denial is challenged with fresh footage recorded from different angles. Every attempt to suppress information only creates greater curiosity and brings even more attention to the movement online. Unlike previous student movements, this one operates without a conventional organisational structure. There is no elaborate hierarchy, district committees or cadre network. Beyond the public visibility of Abhijeet Dipke, and a couple of spokespersons, the CJP appears quite decentralised. Thousands of participants function independently while remaining connected through digital platforms. This presents both strength and vulnerability. Leaderless movements are difficult to crush because there is no single command centre to dismantle. At the same time, they can struggle to negotiate, define long-term goals or maintain discipline. The protests often resemble an open-source software project, millions contributing without central ownership. The administration, however, appears to have been preparing for yesterdays protests rather than todays. The familiar toolkit, detentions, barricades, internet restrictions, tear gas and lathi charges has yielded diminishing returns against an audience that documents everything instantly. A baton raised by a police officer is no longer witnessed by twenty people standing nearby. It is potentially viewed by twenty million people before sunset. Videos and photographs shared on social media have created a huge public record of the protests. Every small incident, every clash, every argument and every emotional moment is being captured from different angles by hundreds of mobile phones. As a result, the governments version of events is no longer the only one people see. It now has to compete with thousands of videos uploaded instantly by ordinary citizens from the ground zero. Mainstream television has struggled to keep pace. Whether because of editorial choices, logistical limitations or political caution, television channels increasingly find themselves reacting to content first produced on social media. The information hierarchy has inverted. Instead of social media amplifying television coverage, television often amplifies what ordinary citizens have already recorded. This represents perhaps the biggest communication shift in Indian politics since the arrival of satellite television. The ruling establishment itself played a pioneering role in recognising the political power of digital platforms over the past decade. Social media became an essential instrument of political messaging, electoral mobilisation and direct communication with voters. Today, those very platforms have become contested spaces where the younger generation is deploying the same technologies against established political authority. Technology is only the tool. The real story goes much deeper. The immediate trigger for the protests may have been the repeated examination paper leaks, but the anger among young people is much bigger than that. Across the country, many youngsters are frustrated over unemployment, lack of opportunities, uncertainty about the future and what they see as the failure of institutions to protect their interests. For years, competitive examinations represented hard work, merit and hope. But repeated paper leaks and controversies have shaken their faith in the system. That is why this movement is no longer only about examinations. It is about trust. Young people feel that the system has failed them. Another remarkable feature of the protests has surprised many people. Thousands of students have been sitting at protest sites for weeks. Who is feeding them? Who is arranging drinking water, medicines, providing toiletries, bedsheets and protection from rain? The answer again lies in technology. Thousands of people who have never visited the protest site are supporting the movement online. Through food delivery apps, many are anonymously sending meals and water to the protesters. Doctors are reaching the site after learning about injured students through social media. Lawyers are sharing legal helpline numbers. Ordinary citizens are making online donations. Volunteers are coordinating supplies through WhatsApp and Telegram groups. Often, more food reaches the protest site than is actually needed because complete strangers decide to help. In many ways, solidarity itself has gone digital. At the same time, this digital revolution also has its dangers. Social media gives everyone a voice, but it also spreads rumours and misinformation very quickly. A short viral clip may not show the full picture. Edited videos can create a false impression. With artificial intelligence becoming more powerful, it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between real and fake videos. Deepfakes and manipulated content are becoming a serious challenge for democracy. The challenge before governments, media organisations and citizens is therefore much bigger than technology. The real challenge is how to protect truth and credibility in an age when millions of videos and messages are uploaded every day. The protest also sends a clear message to Indias political parties. Traditional politics still depends on speeches, rallies and election campaigns. But Generation Z lives online every day. Their political discussions continue on Instagram, X, WhatsApp, Reddit and other social media platforms. Their language, humour and style of communication are very different from those of earlier generations. Ignoring this change would be a mistake. Every generation has found its own way of participating in politics. Indias freedom movement used handwritten pamphlets and underground newspapers. Jayaprakash Narayans movement depended on student networks. Anna Hazares anti-corruption campaign used television and Facebook to mobilise people. Generation Z has taken the next step. It has combined smartphones, artificial intelligence, memes, live videos, digital payments and social media into a completely new style of public mobilisation. No one can say today how much political change this movement will finally bring. Leaderless movements often find it difficult to convert public anger into long-term political change. Governments also have enormous administrative power, and public attention can shift over time. Yet one thing has already changed forever. The language of protest has changed. Power no longer belongs only to those who control television channels, newspaper headlines or official press conferences. Increasingly, it belongs to the person who captures the most powerful image of the day and shares it with millions. That perhaps explains why the image of a young woman standing alone before a police bus became more powerful than many carefully prepared political speeches. It was not just an act of courage. It symbolised a new relationship between citizens and the State, between technology and democracy, and between authority and accountability. For Generation Z, the protest does not end when they leave the streets. In many ways, it begins the moment they press the Upload button. Surinder Singh Oberoi, National Editor Greater Kashmir

Post 2014 flood mitigation funds looted?

The few hour rainfall on July 20th 2026 flooded Srinagar city once again. It has been raining since last many days and lots of people have been killed and property worth crores damaged especially in Pir Panjal region of J&K. Poonch and Rajouri districts have been the worst hit. There was devastation in Budgam district as well after flash-flood in Sukhnag river destroyed a shopping complex in Beerwah town. The entire two storied complex was washed away in floods recently. Our link roads and residential colonies are already waterlogged in many areas as drains have been choked in the Srinagar Smart City. Prior to 2014 floods it would take about a week to see our roads and residential colonies getting flooded but now things are different. Most of the low lying areas and even wetlands have been choked; and imagine what would be the scene after 10 years in Srinagar ? Earth Filling post 2014 Floods Post 2014 floods a lot of earth filling has been done in low lying areas of Bemina, Hokersar Zainakote, Narbal, Soibugh, Hyderpora interiors, Rawalpora Pir Bagh and even in Dal Lake and downtown areas. The construction of NH 44 via Gallander Pampore and construction of the Srinagar Semi Ring Road project with large scale earth filling around Gallander- Khadernmoh- Khanda wetland / paddy land has led to choking of our flood buffer zones. This has choked the natural water channels, zamindar khols and irrigation canals as well and increased the threat of floods. This was the reason we saw massive water logging in Pampore to Nowgam area last year during rains. Has our Government thought about these changes that took place in the last 10 to 12 years around Srinagar ? Is our Government prepared to counter a possible flood threat in the coming days or months ? World Bank Assistance post 2014 Floods We still remember the devastating floods of 2014 when Srinagar city remained flooded for almost a month. As part of the restoration programme the Government of India requested assistance from the World Bank. An emergency project Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project was launched in J&K which was focussed on restoring critical infrastructure using international best practice on resilient infrastructure. As J&K is prone to natural disasters like floods and earthquakes, the infrastructure under this project was supposed to be designed with upgraded resilient features and included contingency planning for future disaster events. The projects were also supposed to support the recovery and were supposed to increase disaster resilience in project areas. Additionally, they were to increase the capacity of the project implementing entities to respond promptly and effectively to an eligible crisis or emergency. However, after almost 12 years of the devastating floods and funding having been allocated by the World Bank, it seems things are not moving in the right direction. With the recurrent flooding of our roads and blocking of drainage channels with rain water, it seems things are not moving in a good direction vis a vis implementing these twin projects in Srinagar and Jammu. Urban Flood Management Under its mitigation programme the World Bank provided around Rs 300 Crores (50 Million USD) to the J&K Govt through the Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project. To execute the works, an amount of Rs 103 Crores were provided to Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) for the construction of 49 storm water pumping stations in Srinagar to prevent water-logging and flooding in low lying areas. Out of the 49 pumping stations, four pump stations were upgraded by the city drainage division of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) at Natipora, Barzulla, Bul Bul Bagh and Magray Pora. The work here has already been completed. But are these water pumping stations really pumping out storm water? No. These pump stations are flushing liquid waste including human excreta into Doodh Ganga. This is an open violation of the Water (prevention & control of pollution) Act 1974 and the same was brought into the notice of National Green Tribunal (NGT) a few years back by this author and the NGT imposed a hefty penalty on J&K Govt. Initially Rs 3 crores were imposed out of which SMC has paid Rs 1 crore penalty in 2022. After that Rs 32 crore penalty was imposed on Govt. By wrongfully using the World Bank money, the authorities at helm have not only caused environmental pollution but have also cheated and misled the World Bank and flood threat around Doodh Ganga continues to remain unaddressed. STP in Flood Prone area ? On NGTs intervention Rs 140 crore project was sanctioned by J&K Govt to set up sewerage treatment plants -STPs around Doodh Ganga stream in Chadoora downstream and Srinagar area. One STP is being set up at Kralpora Chadoora near Doodh Ganga banks and the work started a few months back. The other sewerage treatment plant -STP with 22 MGD capacity is being set up at Friends Colony Alouchi Bagh which is a low lying flood prone area with congested population from its northern end. This will be a disaster in the long run and authorities must take this very seriously and try to find some alternate place for setting this up. There are some technical and environmental angles involved which are being violated and I will soon come up with a detailed piece on this issue. The J&K Pollution Control Committee-JKPCC has already identified 13 drainage stations from Chanapora to Tengpora via Barzulla as the main sources of water pollution in Doodh Ganga, which on paper, showed that these stations were set up to mitigate the flood water in these areas. In June 2020, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation started implementing the World Bank funded scheme for the upgradation of 49 drainage stations located in Srinagar city. Out of these,13 pump stations are located on Doodh Ganga which have been upgraded at an estimated cost of Rs 4 crores each. More than 52 crore rupees have been spent on these so called water pumping stations but they actually pump filth and waste into the Doodh Ganga in violation of Water Act 1974. Even after spending so much of tax-payers money on Urban Flood Management programme the flood water continues to choke even the uptown areas of Srinagar for which these pump stations were set up. Conclusion Flood threat is looming over Jammu & Kashmir. There have been so many cloudbursts in the last 10 to 15 days. We have witnessed more than two dozen deaths in Poonch Rajouri alone and property worth crores was destroyed in Beerwah Budgam as well. Sukhnag and many rivers have been devastated in the last 6 years by the illegal mining mafia. NGT constituted team that visited Beerwah early this year said that 15 lakh tons of riverbed material has been excavated from Sukhnag in Sail and Kangripora villages alone ? Its embankments are loose and flood water is washing its banks. The boulders that were excavated from sukhang used to act as a barrier against gushing flood water. Funds provided to J&K post 2014 floods have been syphoned off and we see things getting more complicated now. Our urban drainage mechanism is absurd and we see water logging soon after a few hours of rainfall in Srinagar. Same is the situation in other districts of J&K. I request the Comptroller and Auditor General-CAG & Accountant General J&K to hold a special audit / green audit for the funds provided to J&K under flood mitigation post 2014 floods. Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat is Founder J&K RTI Movement and Chairman J&K Climate Action Group

Why India's uncles and aunties have no patience for young protesters

The disparity between generations becomes evident as older individuals express contempt towards present-day youth protests, recalling their own struggles, which lacked vocal demonstrations. Critics argue that today's protesters exemplify disruption and entitlement. This article draws parallels with significant past protests, such as those concerning farmers and the Nirbhaya incident, illustrating how understanding and societal expectations differ between the ages.

S Janaki's legacy rekindles debate on India's North-South cultural divide

Singer S Janaki's recent passing highlighted her vast musical contributions. Her career spanned decades and thousands of songs in multiple languages. Janaki's national awards and recognition lagged behind her South Indian counterparts. This disparity reflects a broader North-South cultural divide in India. Her legacy deserves wider appreciation across the entire nation.

Does an actor really need to resemble the public figure he or she's playing?

Casting famous people for biopics sparks debate about likeness versus performance. Rajkummar Rao's portrayal of Sourav Ganguly raises questions about physical resemblance. While some argue for looking like the person, others prioritize acting skill. Avantika Akerkar emphasized performance over resemblance when playing Indira Gandhi. The discussion highlights how actors inhabit characters through their craft.

Dust, Dysthymia, and Dawn

All options are exhausted by lazing around. Years have passed as though they never existed. The past feels like another life lived on a different planet. Dim memories of bygone events flash through my mind, sending chills down my spine. It feels as if I have been born afresh, and my former self has been buried beyond the point of no return. A tightening sensation grips the ventricles of my heart. My lungs let out a silent howl, the vibrations of which reveal the passage of time. My sweater hangs on a nail. More than two years have passed. It has faded into a dull colour. Dust particles besiege it. It can no longer be worn. It looks at me, and I look at it. Between us is an exchange of gossip: it abuses me, and I abuse it. It gives me shivers to think that I neither washed it, nor used it, nor discarded it. Summers and springs have worn on. Winters have elapsed. It lies there, taking pity on my desolated self. It is a witness to my anxious patterns, cigarettes, sleep, digital indulgence, studying, and writing. It has seen me exhaust my mental faculties on stuff undeserving of my time and energy. It has witnessed my occasional bouts of frustration and stillness, and my frequent swings between opposing states of behaviour. It seems my constant dysthymia is eating away at my psyche, leaving me emotionally crippled. Time has done what it always does: slipped away quietly, unnoticed and unannounced. Its a serious situation where one feels crucified between whats gone and what lies ahead. What has expired outweighs whats in store. At least, it feels so. The only succour now seems to lie in the coming of death, with its tentacles squeezing the soul out of my body, leaving nothing behind but a lump of flesh to be buried and never visited. Time does me no good. I have been its ruthless slaughterer, passively and slowly slaying each passing hour. I survive it the way a swimmer lifts their head above the raging sea for a desperate breath. I utilise a slew of options to escape the slings and arrows of time. In the process, I damage myself. I have been too lazy even to extinguish an earthen lamp. My physique curses my mental faculties and wishes to drag my emotional centre to the guillotine; no mercy shown. I have a sensitive heart, and I dont wish to inflict any pain on people, just as I wish people would not inflict mental agony upon me. I am a prostitute of expectations. I hope. I am optimistic. I analyse. I over-analyse. Ifs and buts grope my mind. Whens and hows almost imprison it. And I suffer. I am a fool. I carry one persona into every situation. I am neither formal nor informal. I harbour no resentment unless someone nudges my unconscious. What I feel afterwards is too weak to have any substance. I am what I am unless someone triggers the irrational in me. The irrational that never stays long. It fades as though it never existed. The loop forms. I reside in it. I suffer. That has been my crime. Personal histories matter. You matter. Your behaviour is shaped by how you have lived your life, from childhood until now. The phases of your life never truly die. They merely appear to have. But they remain there, to haunt you in adulthood, to make you helpless enough to doubt everything about you, and the world around you. Time will come when you will wish to die, but you cant, because death, too, is not in your fate. And you are too wise to harm yourself. Its not easy to meditate on life. Its not a bed of roses from which we cherry-pick. More often than not, the worst moments of the past (the ones we imagine we have forgotten) surface without warning. You will be amazed, provided you reflect and connect the dots. Know thyself. Know thyself. Know thyself. Imagine those words playing repeatedly on a radio at full volume. Then imbibe them. They are words of wisdom passed down through collective human intelligence. They possess an almost mythical significance, transcending cultures and generations. Human beings are far too complicated to live simple lives built upon fixed ideas and rigid behaviours. In this chaos of swiping left and right at whatever does not suit our taste, we have forgotten to focus on ourselves. We have failed to zoom in on our behaviours, deeds, expectations, fears, doubts, strengths, and flaws. Instead, we have subscribed to a robotic existence, acting upon our whims without recognising where those whims originate or where they lead. The dance between what appears and what lies hidden becomes too intense to confront in time. Time becomes a tragedy. Its significance, regardless of how much trouble youre in, is torn to pieces. You sink into inertia. You do everything and nothing merely to get through the day. Then you sleep like the dead, until the following dawn. This is the life we should have long dreaded. But we have not. Thats the real tragedy. Full stop.

Change versus Clicks

Our generation grew up in times when we watched television, asking as to what will people think after watching it rather than finding out who will watch it. That difference may explain much of what has happened to the media since then. During our school days around 1984, Hum Log entered our homes. On the surface, it was an ordinary story about an ordinary lower-middle-class family. There were parents, children, aspirations, frustrations, quarrels and compromises. However, beneath that simplicity was something remarkable. India was learning to talk to itself. The serial brought uncomfortable subjects into the living room. Dowry. Alcoholism. Unemployment. Family planning. Gender discrimination. Domestic conflict. Womens aspirations. Not through lectures but through people and through stories. And through characters, whereby viewers began to recognise them as their neighbours, relatives, and sometimes themselves. That was its genius. A storyline about eye donation, for instance, did not remain confined to the television screen. It reportedly stimulated public interest in eye donation and was followed by campaigns and camps. Entertainment had crossed an invisible boundary. The audience did not merely consume the story. Many acted upon it. The character of Badki became particularly significant. Seema Bhargava, who played Badki, received thousands of letters from young women seeking advice about problems in their own lives. They were not simply writing fan mail. They were asking how to confront oppression and negotiate choices. Imagine this. A fictional character had become a confidante for real women. Hum Log was not alone. Udaan, another popular TV serial, gave Indian television a young woman who challenged restrictive gender expectations and pursued a career in the police service. Rajani transformed everyday frustrations into questions of civic responsibility. Nukkad found dignity, humour and humanity among people living at societys margins. Sometime later, Balika Vadhu took child marriage from the category of social problem and placed it inside a human story. These programmes were not absolutely perfect. Nonetheless, they understood something fundamental about communication: A social issue becomes powerful when it acquires a human face! So what actually changed? Technology certainly did. The shift took place from one national broadcaster to hundreds of channels. Then from television to websites. From websites to social media. From social media to reels, shorts, podcasts and streaming platforms. The screen became smaller. The technology became smarter. The picture became sharper. The attention span became shorter. And somewhere along this extraordinary journey, the central question changed. Earlier, success could mean that a programme started a conversation. Today, success is increasingly measured by whether content trends. Clicks. Views. Likes. Shares. Watch time. Engagement. Subscribers. TRPs. None of these measures is inherently wrong. Media does need audiences. Commercial media needs revenue. The problem begins when the measurement becomes the purpose. We now know, almost instantly, how many people clicked on something. We know far less about how many people were changed by it. That is a strange paradox. Media has never possessed greater technological power, yet meaningful public-interest communication often struggles for attention. A sensational argument can travel across the regions before a thoughtful documentary has found its audience. Algorithms also favour what keeps us looking. Anger keeps us looking. Surprise keeps us looking. Conflict keeps us looking. Outrage keeps us looking. Nuance usually does not. Perhaps, technology is not the villain. The problem is what we have asked technology to optimise. We have built extraordinarily sophisticated systems to measure attention, but remarkably weak systems to measure meaning. That is the conversation media needs today. Not whether we should return to 1984. We cannot, and should not. The question is whether we can take the social imagination of that era and combine it with the technological brilliance of this one. Imagine a Hum Log for the smartphone generation. A dementia story that helps families spot early signs. A reel that turns cyberbullying awareness into action. A story that makes someone knock on a lonely elders door. That is digital impact. the finest media does more than capture attention. It leaves something behind after the screen goes dark. Perhaps the question for todays media should no longer be How many people watched?, rather it should be What changed because they watched?

Actors and writers, getting under skins: Both share a predilection for empathy and the urge to step into someone else's shoes

Actors and writers often share a unique bond as natural storytellers and vigilant observers of the human condition. Notably, several actors have seamlessly transitioned into impactful novelists and memoirists. Indian luminaries such as Meena Kumari and Balraj Sahni carved their niche in literature, while playwrights like Girish Karnad and Harold Pinter showcased their talent in front of the camera.

Pralhad Joshi appointed as Education Minister after Pradhan resigns from post

New Delhi, Jul 25: Union Minister Prahlad Joshi has been appointed as Education Minister following Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation from the post on Saturday. Joshi has been given additional charge of the Education Ministry besides his role as Consumer Affairs Minister. A Rashtrapati Bhavan communique said the President, as advised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has accepted the resignation of Pradhan with immediate effect. It said that on the advice of the Prime Minister, the President has directed that Joshi, Cabinet Minister, be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Education, in addition to his own duties. Earlier in the day, Pradhan resigned from his post following the Cockroach Janta Party-led student protests across the country, demanding his ouster over the NEET paper leak controversy. Pradhan said it is not a matter of individual prestige for him and he is disturbed to see the series of events that have unfolded in the last 10 days.

Lieutenant Governor reviews repair, restoration work along Amarnath Yatra tracks

Srinagar, July 25: The Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha chaired a high-level meeting today with Camp Directors and senior officials to review the ongoing repair and restoration work along the Shri Amarnathji Yatra tracks in the wake of recent heavy rainfall. The meeting was attended by Anshul Garg, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir; Rahul Singh, Additional CEO Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board; Amod Nagpure Ashok, SSP Anantnag; Dr. GV Sundeep Chakravarthy, SSP Srinagar; Dr. Bilal Mohiuddin Bhat, Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag; Akshay Labroo, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar; Jatin Kishore, Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal; Sudhanshu Dhama, SSP Ganderbal; Camp Directors; senior officials of civil administration, Police, Army, Security forces, Shrine Board, BRO, Health, Meteorological and other line departments. The Lieutenant Governor assessed the damage on tracks, safety railings, and essential infrastructure and directed the executing agencies and officials to prioritize vulnerable zones prone to mudslides and shooting stones. To ensure safety of pilgrims, the Lieutenant Governor directed the deployment of additional Mountain Rescue Teams (MRTs) and stressed the importance of sharing real-time weather updates with the Yatris proactively. The Lieutenant Governor also instructed officials to ensure that essential services, including power, water supply, communication, and healthcare, remain fully operational.

Swim N Survival Society Kashmir marks World Drowning Prevention Day with rescue demonstrations at Nigeen

Srinagar, Jul 25: The Swim N Survival Society Kashmir (SSSK) on Saturday observed World Drowning Prevention Day 2026 at the Water Sports Centre, Nigeen, with over 100 swimmers, volunteers, coaches and water sports experts participating in an awareness programme focused on water safety and rescue preparedness. The event aimed to promote awareness about drowning prevention, safe rescue practices and emergency response techniques. A major highlight of the programme was a live drowning rescue demonstration in Nigeen Lake, where water sports experts showcased safe methods of rescuing a drowning person without endangering the rescuer. Participants were also given practical demonstrations on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), first aid and other life-saving techniques, helping them understand the importance of timely intervention during water-related emergencies. As part of the initiative, volunteers were identified and selected by experts to form a dedicated team that can support rescue agencies during floods and other water-related disasters in the future. Speaking on the occasion, SSSK President Shakeel Ahmad Shah lauded the efforts of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), swimming clubs, educational institutions and schools with swimming pools for strengthening water safety and rescue preparedness. He stressed that promoting swimming skills and water safety education is crucial to reducing drowning incidents and building a safer community. The programme also featured swimming and rescue skill demonstrations by Mohsin Fayaz, Ferooz Khan, Riyaz Wani, Yasir Makdoomi, Muzamil, Mehraj and Zahid Iqbal, who displayed advanced swimming techniques, rescue methods and emergency response skills before the participants. The event concluded with all participants taking a pledge to promote water safety awareness, encourage swimming education and work collectively to prevent drowning incidents across Jammu and Kashmir.

Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation a victory for protesting youth, says Mehbooba Mufti

Srinagar police search public transport networks to prevent misuse by anti-national elements

Srinagar, July 25: In continuation of its sustained efforts to dismantle terrorist infrastructure and disrupt support networksSrinagar Polic, e today conducted extensive search and checking operations across the city's public transport system. Police officials said the operations were carried out at multiple locations covering buses, minibuses, taxis, private cabs, and other passenger vehicles. During the drive, police teams conducted systematic searches of vehicles, verified the identity of passengers and drivers, and checked relevant documents in accordance with established legal procedures. The exercise forms part of the ongoing preventive and intelligence-led counter-terrorism measures aimed at preventing the misuse of public transport by anti-national elements. It was also intended to strengthen the security grid, enhance public confidence, and ensure a safe and secure environment for residents and visitors, police officials said. Senior Police officers supervised the operations to ensure their effective execution. The searches were carried out in a professional and courteous manner, with every effort made to minimise inconvenience to the public. The public extended full cooperation during the exercise, reflecting a shared commitment towards maintaining peace, security, and public order. Srinagar Police remain firmly committed to taking decisive action against terrorist ecosystems and all individuals involved in supporting, facilitating, or promoting terrorism in any form. Such preventive and intelligence-based operations will continue across the district as part of the ongoing efforts to safeguard public safety and maintain law and order, they said. Police requested citizens to remain vigilant and immediately report any suspicious person, vehicle, object, or activity to the nearest Police Station or by dialing 112.

Pahalgam axis closed for maintenance; Amarnath Yatra to continue via Baltal route, says Div Com Kashmir

Srinagar, July 25: In view of the repair and maintenance works necessitated by recent rainfall, the Shri Amarnathji Yatra will continue through the Baltal axis, while the Pahalgam axis will remain temporarily closed for pilgrimage. Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Anshul Garg, said that the recent rains have caused conditions requiring urgent repair and restoration works along the Pahalgam route. To ensure the uninterrupted continuation of the Yatra, comprehensive arrangements have been made on the Baltal axis for the safe and smooth movement of pilgrims. Due to the recent rains, urgent repair and maintenance works are required to be carried out on the Pahalgam Axis of Shri Amarnathji Yatra. The Yatra shall continue through the Baltal Axis, for which adequate arrangements have been put in place to ensure a smooth and safe pilgrimage, the Divisional Commissioner said. As of today, more than 3.95 lakh pilgrims have undertaken darshan at the Holy Amarnath Cave Shrine during this year's Yatra, reflecting the successful and peaceful conduct of the pilgrimage.

Two killed, 4 injured as tempo crashes in Doda

Doda, July 25: Two persons were killed and four others injured after a tempo met with an accident in the Jatheli Mohalla area of Doda district on Saturday afternoon, officials said. An official told the news agencyKashmir News Observer (KNO) that the accident occurred at around 2:30 pm when a tempo, bearing registration number JK06B-8096, met with an accident in Jatheli Mohalla, under the jurisdiction of Police Station Doda. He said two persons died on the spot, while four others sustained injuries. The injured were immediately shifted to Government Medical College (GMC) Doda for treatment. The identities of the deceased and the injured are yet to be ascertained. The exact cause of the accident is also being investigated. Police have taken cognisance of the incident and initiated further investigation.

Police attach residential house under NDPS Act in Srinagar

Srinagar, July 25: Continuing its sustained crackdown on drug trafficking under the Nasha Mukti Jammu & Kashmir Abhiyana 100-day campaign aimed at eradicating the drug menaceSrinagar Police today attached an immovable property worth approximately Rs 2.74 crore under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Officials said the attached property comprises a double-storeyed residential house along with 12 marlas of land beneath and appurtenant to the house, belonging to the accused Mubashir Ahmad Hakeem, S/o Abdul Hamid Hakeem, R/o Awanta Bhawan, Soura, Srinagar. They said the attachment has been carried out in connection with FIR No. 142/2025 registered under Sections 8/22 of the NDPS Act at Police Station Safakadal. The market value of the attached property has been assessed at approximately Rs 2.74 crore. This action reflects the unwavering commitment of Srinagar Police to dismantle the financial infrastructure of drug trafficking networks by targeting assets acquired through illicit proceeds. Such measures are intended to deter individuals involved in narcotics-related activities and reinforce the rule of law, officials said. Srinagar Police reiterated its resolve to continue stringent action against drug peddlers and appealed to the public to actively support the fight against drugs by sharing any information related to narcotics trafficking with the nearest police station or through official helpline numbers. The police maintained that the identity of informants will be kept strictly confidential.

Students' voices have been heard; this is their victory: Tanvir Sadiq

People are disillusioned with false promises, seeking a credible alternative: Altaf Bukhari

NCs Jantar Mantar protest was historic fight for J&Ks rights: Tanvir Sadiq

Social media influencer Mateena Jeelani joins Apni party

Govt likely to introduce bill to amend paper leak law in Parliament on Monday

The Bill states that those involved in paper leaks or cheating in exams will face 5 to 10 years in prison and fines up to 50 lakh

NIA Court in Jammu rejects interim bail of ex-DySP Devinder Singh; grants parole

Jammu, Jul 25: While granting custody parole on humanitarian ground to former J&K Police Deputy SP Devinder Singh following his father's death, the Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) Court in Jammu has rejected the terror-accused ex-DySP's interim bail plea, epressing concern that regular bail could influence witnesses. Devinder Singh, in his bail plea, had sought 20 days of interim bail after his father, Deedar Singh, died on July 17, stating that he needed to perform the last rites and participate in the Akhand Paath scheduled from July 27 to July 30. NIA said that DySP Singh faces trial for grave offences related to national security under the IPC, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Arms Act and Explosive Substances Act, and his regular bail appeal is pending before the High Court. The NIA stated that it had no objection to custody parole on humanitarian grounds with a proper police escort but expressed concern that regular bail could influence witnesses. Court said that it partly allows the application of the applicant purely on humanitarian grounds for allowing him to participate in the religious rituals, i.e. Akhand Paath to be performed from 27.07.2026 to 30.07.2026 at Imran Gali, Mehjoor Nagar, near Salam Cement Store, Srinagar. Court ordered that Ex-DySP Singh shall be taken to Srinagar by road or train under proper police escort for five days and shall return to Kot Bhalwal Jail, Jammu by 31 July evening. Court has directed the police escort party to keep Ex-DySP at the nearest Police Station while in Srinagar in proper custody and shall be taken to the residence of the deceased from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm, and during the visit, sufficient police personnel shall remain with the Ex-DySP for his protection and guard under rules. Pertinantly, DySP Singh was arrested on January 11, 2020, along with Naveed Babu, Rather and Mir, an advocate, when police intercepted their car near Qazigund on the national highway.

AAP protests in Srinagar, seeks Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over recurring paper leaks

PDP defers foundation day celebrations amid devastation caused by rain in JK

Srinagar, Jul 25: Opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday postponed its foundation day celebrations in Jammu and Kashmir in view of the devastation caused by incessant rains, which have claimed lives and caused widespread damage to property across the Union Territory. The party said the decision to defer the July 28 event was taken on the directions of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti. In view of the prevailing situation caused by incessant rains, which have resulted in the tragic loss of precious lives and widespread damage to property across JK, the PDP has decided to defer its foundation day celebrations on July 28, the party said in a statement. Expressing solidarity with those affected, the PDP said it stood with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly the bereaved families in Rajouri and Poonch who lost their loved ones in the recent cloudburst incidents. The party said a fresh date for the foundation day celebrations would be announced later.

Rajnath Singh arrives in Srinagar to take part in Kargil Vijay Diwas event in Ladakh

Srinagar, Jul 25: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday arrived in Srinagar to take part in the 27th Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations in Ladakh, officials said. Singh arrived at the Srinagar International Airport on Saturday morning and was received here by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, the officials said. They said the Defence minister is on a two-day visit to Ladakh to take part in the Vijay Diwas celebrations at Drass. Singh was scheduled to reach Drass by air, but the chopper could not operate due to inclement weather, the officials said, adding, the Defence minister then proceeded to Drass via road. The two-day Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations begin in Drass on Saturday.

Wangchuk rejects 'deal' with Centre charge, says ended fast fearing crackdown like Ladakh

New Delhi, Jul 25: Activist Sonam Wangchuk rejected allegations of striking a deal with the Centre and said he ended his 26-day hunger strike only after securing a written assurance as he feared an imminent crackdown on protesters in Delhi, recalling the 2025 firing on youths in Ladakh, and wanted to prevent any violence against students. In a YouTube video posted late Friday night, Wangchuk said he agreed to end his indefinite fast only after the Centre gave a written assurance that no legal action would be taken against peaceful protesters. He explained that he did not demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan during negotiations because his priority was to prevent any legal actions against protesters. He also rejected allegations that he had compromised with the government. Last night around midnight, I was told the ministers had agreed to give the assurance in writing. I was in a hurry because the situation in Delhi was such; there was apprehension that a major crackdown could happen. I was watching reports and was reminded of September 24, 2025, when police and CRPF personnel mercilessly fired at the youth of Ladakh. I was afraid something similar could happen here. I felt that if I ended my fast and appealed for peace, perhaps the situation could be diffused, he said. Responding to criticism over ending his fast in the presence of Union ministers, Wangchuk said those questioning his decision were unaware of the circumstances he faced after being shifted from the protest site. If I had to make a deal, would I have remained hungry for 26 days? Could I not have struck a deal sitting in an air-conditioned room instead of fasting in Delhi's heat? he asked. He alleged that after being taken to Safdarjung Hospital on July 18, he was treated like a prisoner, claiming he was denied free movement, prevented from meeting visitors and not allowed to keep a mobile phone or laptop. It was like being in North Korea, he said, adding that even after the Delhi High Court allowed him to shift to Medanta Hospital, he was allegedly prevented from leaving Safdarjung Hospital for several hours. Wangchuk said his foremost concern throughout the negotiations wit the Union ministers was to ensure that students participating in the agitation did not face violence or legal action. He said this was also why he did not insist on Pradhan's resignation during the talks, expressing confidence that the demand would eventually be realised through the movement. My focus was that students should not suffer. My main concern was legal action and FIRs. I did not think it was necessary for me personally to secure the minister's resignation, he said. According to Wangchuk, Union ministers J P Nadda and Jitendra Singh met him at Medanta Hospital and agreed to positively consider compensation for families of students who died by suicide following the alleged NEET paper leak, besides holding a discussion in Parliament on accountability and reforms in the examination system. However, he said the ministers were initially unwilling to provide a written assurance that no cases would be filed against peaceful protesters. They initially agreed to compensation and discussion in Parliament but were not ready to assure that no cases would be filed against protesting students. They offered only a verbal assurance. I insisted on a written assurance and did not relent until they agreed, he said. Wangchuk also said he had hoped to end his fast in the presence of MPs, members of the Cockroach Janta Party and representatives from Ladakh, but claimed many of them were not allowed to meet him before the ministers arrived late at night. The biggest sorrow in my heart is that my colleagues, the students and the MPs who had come to support me could not be present when I ended my fast, he said. Wangchuk ended his hunger strike shortly after midnight on Thursday after the Centre gave a written assurance that it was positive about not registering cases against peaceful protesters, would hold a detailed discussion in Parliament on examination reforms and paper leaks, and was positively considering compensation for families of students who died by suicide following the alleged NEET paper leak. He had been on an indefinite fast since June 28 after joining the Cockroach Janta Party-led agitation demanding accountability over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, reforms in the education system and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

EOW busts job fraud scam; accused chargesheeted

Srinagar, Jul 25: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Kashmir, of the Crime Branch J&K has filed a chargesheet in a job fraud case against an accused who allegedly lured a man with the promise of a 90,000-per-month computer operator job in Cambodia, only for the victim to be forced into online scamming upon reaching the Southeast Asian country, officials said on Saturday The EOW Kashmir submitted a chargesheet in FIR No. 19/2026 under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against Mohd Yaseen Rather, son of Nisar Ahmad Rather, resident of Kripalpora Payeen, Pattan, before the Court of Judicial Magistrate 1st Class, the officials said. In a press statement, an official spokesperson sad that the investigation was initiated on a complaint alleging that the accused fraudulently promised the complainant a job as a Computer Operator in Cambodia with a monthly salary of Rs. 90,000. Believing the promise, he said, the complainant transferred lakhs of rupees into the bank account of the accused and also spent substantial amounts on visa processing, travel and other related expenses. However, upon reaching Cambodia, he was forced to engage in online scamming activities instead of being provided the promised employment. The investigation established the allegations as proved, and the chargesheet has accordingly been filed before the competent court, the statement said. The general public has been advised to remain vigilant against such economic frauds and report any such incidents to the SSP, EOW Kashmir (Crime Branch J&K). Victims of economic fraud may also submit their complaints via email at sspeow-kmr@jkpolice.gov.in

J&K LG Manoj Sinha flags off 'reading marathon' organised under Chinar Book Festival

Say no to drugs, yes to books: LG Sinha urges youth to embrace reading

Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday flagged off a five-kilometre Reading Marathon at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) here, urging the youth to reject drugs, cultivate a lifelong reading habit and contribute towards building a greener and healthier society. Addressing students, teachers, academicians and participants, Sinha, described the Reading Marathon as a unique []

RSS leader cautions youth against disruptive forces behind CJP protests

Jammu, Jul 25: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) national executive member Indresh Kumar on Friday cautioned the youth participating in the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest against disruptive forces within and outside the country working behind it (protest) and see through their vicious designs. Generally, the people, organisations and political parties are named after the individuals who manifest virtues or named in a manner that imbue positivity. But I failed to comprehend the Cockroaches intention behind (opting for such a name). But the name, itself, depicts that they are not going to work for progress, education, harmony or peace but will only sow seeds of hatred and destruction in the country. The name, itself, suggests that neither they intend to do any good to the country nor will they allow anyone else. This is very unfortunate for the country, RSS leader said, while responding to media queries on the sidelines of an event organised at Balidan Stambh, ahead of Kargil Vijay Diwas wherein he paid tributes to the armed forces, Police personnel and the civilians who lost their lives in Kargil war. I caution the country and its people against such individuals and organisations, which are betraying the nations interests, he said, responding to a question about CJPs call for country-wide agitation on July 24. Indresh Kumar also accused the political parties in the opposition of vitiating a positive atmosphere in the country by using the NEET issue to serve their political ends. I hope that the youth participating in the protests would have understood that behind the faade of the protests were the forces working within the country and outside it, which never wanted India to be developed, progressive, self-reliant and their aim was to destroy it only, he maintained. The RSS leader also appealed to the climate activist from Ladakh Sonam Wangchuk, who called off his hunger strike, to keep his agitation clear of foreign influence. In response to a question about the recent killing of a police cop in Anantnag, he alleged that Pakistan had not stopped its policy to sponsor terrorism in India.

Amarnath Yatra resumes after six-day suspension; 6269 pilgrims leave Jammu for Baltal

Banihal, Jul 25: The Shri Amarnath Yatra resumed on Saturday after remaining suspended for six days due to inclement weather and the closure of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway following heavy rain, landslides and shooting stones. The decision to resume the pilgrimage was taken after weather conditions improved and the authorities reviewed the safety of the route. According to the Joint Police Control Room, Bhagwati Nagar, Jammu, a fresh convoy of 6,269 pilgrims left the base camp at 2:42 a.m. for the Baltal route in 223 vehicles, comprising 118 buses, 60 mini-buses and 45 light motor vehicles. The convoy included 4,720 men, 1,458 women, 25 children, 54 sadhus and 12 sadhvis. With the latest batch, the total number of pilgrims who have departed from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu this year has reached 119,029, according to official figures. The pilgrimage had been suspended since July 19 after persistent rainfall triggered landslides, mudslides and shooting stones at multiple locations along NH-44, posing risks to pilgrims and other commuters. The Yatra resumed after weather conditions improved and restoration work on the highway made travel feasible. Deputy Commissioner Ramban Mohammad Alyas Khan and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ramban Arun Gupta accompanied the Yatra convoy up to the Lambar Ground Langar site in Banihal to oversee arrangements and ensure the smooth and safe movement of the pilgrims.

Iran targets American strongholds around the Gulf while US hits more Iranian military sites

Irbil, Jul 25: Iran targeted American strongholds around the Persian Gulf on Friday, while the US bombarded Iranian military sites as the rivals showed no sign of backing away from their conflict after a 13th straight night of strikes. With fighting flaring again and diplomacy uncertain, both sides made moves suggesting an escalation was possible. US embassies in the Middle East began alerting Americans in the region that options to leave could become more limited, while Iran's Revolutionary Guard advised residents of neighbouring countries to stay away from bases with US troops. Vowing that Iran will not bow to US bullying, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi noted ongoing discussions with two global powers often at odds with Americans China and Russia and warned in an interview with the semiofficial news outlet Tasnim that the Islamic Republic is neither intimidated by threats nor will we yield to pressure. US President Donald Trump described current negotiations with Iran as by far the most serious that we've seen, even as the US has launched daily strikes. We're locked and loaded and ready to go, but we're talking to them, Trump told reporters Friday, adding that he's not in a hurry to end the war. At the center of the fight is the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial passage for world energy supplies that has been effectively shut down by Iranian attacks, sending fuel prices soaring and causing widespread economic turmoil. US strikes sites across Iran and countries in the region are targeted In the northern Iraqi city of Irbil, which is home to a contingent of American military advisers, security officials said Friday that US-led forces had shot down five explosive-laden drones. Repeated blasts echoed in Irbil, the capital of Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdish region, and plumes of black smoke were seen near its airport, where US forces are based. US military officials did not respond to a request for comment on the apparent attacks. Meanwhile, Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it had targeted the US base in Udairi, Kuwait, setting ablaze and destroying three ammunition and storage sheds. It also claimed to have struck a watchtower for the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain, which it said was damaged. US Central Command did not respond to inquiries about the claims. Both Bahrain and Jordan said they had intercepted aerial attacks by Iran on Friday. As a barrage of assaults was aimed at bases of the United States and its allies, the US hit a Revolutionary Guard naval base in northern Iran, according to the semiofficial news outlets Fars and ISNA. Blasts from US bombardment were also reported on Iran's Qeshm Island, a base for naval assets including drone boats that Iran can use to attack vessels in the strait, as well as in Isfahan province, home to a major Iranian air base and one of Iran's nuclear sites. Additional strikes reportedly hit Iran's southwest Khuzestan province and southern Fars province. Central Command said the latest barrage was designed to further degrade Iran's ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters as the Americans push to reopen the strait, through which one-fifth of the world's oil and gas transited in peacetime. Houthi attacks give Iran more leverage in potential negotiations A diplomatic delegation from Oman, which has been involved in mediation efforts between the US and Iran, was in Tehran on Friday to discuss managing shipping traffic in the strait, according to Iran's state news agency. Iran's ability to effectively close the strait and cause economic chaos far beyond the Middle East gives it tremendous leverage in negotiations. Its Houthi allies increased that leverage when they targeted two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea on Thursday increasing the risks of shipping through another vital route for Middle Eastern oil. The attacks made good on the Houthis' threat to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to Saudi-linked shipping. The strait at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, and around 12 per cent of the world's trade, including one-fourth of global container traffic, passes through there. The passage has become more crucial for Saudi Arabia, which has been forced to divert millions of barrels of oil a day to bypass the strait. Trump has threatened major military punishment against the Houthis if their attacks on ships continue. The price of Brent crude oil, the international standard, dipped slightly Friday to about USD 96, but it is still up substantially from before the start of the war, when it was trading around USD 72 a barrel. Motorists in the US saw gas prices tick up to an average of USD 4.11 a gallon, AAA said. No signs of diplomatic breakthrough as war's human toll expands Beyond the economic impact, the human toll was also apparent, with the Iranian Health Ministry reporting that 3,434 people have been killed since the war began. In other developments, the International Maritime Organization said at least 6,000 mariners were stranded on about 400 vessels around the Strait of Hormuz. UN human rights chief Volker Turk called for urgent action to help them. His office said the seafarers are exposed to the fighting and some have been abandoned by their ships' owners, leaving them to fend for themselves without food, water, fuel, medical care, electricity or means to communicate with their families. There have been no public signs of progress in any negotiation efforts. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar of Pakistan, which has played a significant role in previous negotiations, met his Iranian counterpart, Araghchi, on Friday. But before the meeting, Araghchi appeared to brush off any attempts at mediation, saying he did not think the conflict needed more mediators, instead insisting the US must change its position. The US and Israel attacked Iran on Feb 28 and have offered shifting goals for the war, including toppling Tehran's government and eliminating its nuclear programme. Israel signalled its willingness to rejoin the conflict in recent days. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he would travel to the US next week and meet with Trump.

CJI Surya Kant objects to false reporting over remarks on CJP protest plea

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Friday objected to what he described as false reporting by sections of the media over his recent remarks concerning a mention related to the ongoing Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led student protests in Delhi, Bar & Bench reported. According to Bar & Bench, the CJI clarified in open court that no petition had been filed before the Supreme Court regarding the alleged police excesses on student protesters and that only a representation had been made before him. Some person mentioned it. Media has falsely reported that I refused to list the matter. It was only a representation and people started recklessly reporting it. I checked with the registry and not a paper was filed, the CJI said. The clarification came after reports suggested that the CJI had, on July 22, declined to list a petition alleging police brutality against students protesting at Jantar Mantar. Bar & Bench reported that during the July 22 proceedings, a lawyer had mentioned before the Chief Justice that police and other security forces were using excessive force against student protesters in the national capital and sought urgent listing of the matter, claiming there was video evidence of police brutality. Student protest is going at Jantar Mantar. Police is taking brutal actions... the lawyer had submitted. Responding to the mention, the CJI said, Please dont waste our time and dont waste yours. Your time is more valuable than ours. The lawyer then said he also wanted directions to ensure that the NEET examination was conducted fairly and sought the dissolution of the National Testing Agency (NTA) in view of repeated examination paper leaks. When the counsel again referred to videos allegedly showing police excesses, the CJI remarked that the Court was not interested in watching videos, Bar & Bench reported. The Chief Justice on Friday maintained that the matter had never reached the stage of a formally filed petition and criticised the media for reporting that the Supreme Court.

CJP sets 24-hour deadline for Pradhans resignation after talks with Centre

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Friday said it has given the Centre 24 hours for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign, warning that it would launch nationwide protests if the demand is not met, according to CPJ delegation that met for the second time with Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh. The announcement came after a nearly two-hour meeting between Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh and a CJP delegation at neutral venue, Constitutional Club in New Delhi to resolve the deadlock over the ongoing student protests against alleged irregularities in competitive examinations. CJP chief spokesperson Saurav Das and national spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka represented the organisation at the talks. Security personnel formed a human chain to escort the two leaders out after the meeting, television channels reported. According to national media, the government and the CJP agreed to hold a third round of talks on Saturday afternoon. Speaking after the meeting, Ranka said the delegation had made it clear that the resignation or removal of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan remained the movements primary and non-negotiable demand. He said the government had been given 24 hours to respond, failing which the CJP would intensify its agitation with nationwide protests. Media reported that the CJP submitted three key demands and five suggestions for reforms in the examination system. Union Minister J.P. Nadda said the government would examine the proposals internally before giving its response during the next round of talks. The CJP also raised concerns over the alleged detention of protesters by Delhi Police. According to the party, students, volunteers, lawyers and even food delivery personnel travelling to or from the protest site had been detained on their way. Government representatives reportedly told the delegation they were not aware of such incidents but assured them that, if such detentions had taken place, appropriate instructions would be issued to ensure they did not continue.

JKTPO takes Brand J&K global at Indus Food Ahmedabad 2026

The Jammu and Kashmir Trade Promotion Organisation (JKTPO) is showcasing the Union Territorys premium food, agriculture and horticulture products at Indus Food Ahmedabad 2026, aiming to expand global market access for local producers and strengthen export opportunities. The three-day business-to-business (B2B) exhibition, being held from July 24 to 26 at the Helipad Exhibition Centre in Gandhinagar, is organised by the Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI) under the Ministry of MSMEs Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) programme. The event brings together stakeholders from the food processing, packaging, retail, exports and agri-food sectors, with more than 300 exhibitors, over 40 retail chains and an estimated 15,000 trade visitors expected to participate. The Jammu and Kashmir Pavilion, located in Hall No. 2, provides a platform for MSMEs, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and women entrepreneurs to showcase the regions premium products to domestic and international buyers. Among the products on display are GI-tagged Kashmiri saffron, Rajmah, Sulai (Acacia) honey and multifloral honey, besides organic honey, essential oils, medicinal herbs, ground spices, pulses, dry fruits, and dehydrated fruits and vegetables. According to JKTPO, the exhibition offers entrepreneurs from Jammu and Kashmir an opportunity to interact with global buyers, retail chains, importers, distributors and institutional procurement agencies, helping them explore new markets and forge long-term business partnerships. Speaking on the occasion, the Managing Director, JKTPO, said the pavilion reflects Jammu and Kashmirs growing strength in agri-based value chains, quality production and export readiness. The JKTPO remains committed to enabling MSMEs, FPOs and women entrepreneurs to integrate with global markets and build a strong brand identity for J&K products worldwide, the Managing Director said. The organisers have invited buyers, trade delegates and visitors to the J&K Pavilion to explore the regions premium food, agriculture and horticulture products and engage with local entrepreneurs.

TCI MAX Cement signs MoU with ITI Pampore to support 100 students with scholarships, financial aid

Trumboo Industries Pvt. Ltd. (TCI MAX Cement) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Government Industrial Training Institute (ITI), Pampore, to provide scholarships and financial assistance to meritorious and economically weaker students from areas adjoining the TCI MAX Cement Plant. The MoU was signed by the Director of Trumboo Industries Pvt. Ltd. and the Superintendent of Government ITI Pampore at a function held at Hotel Four Points by Sheraton, Sonwar, Srinagar. The agreement has initially been signed for two years, under which 100 students will receive financial assistance towards admission fees, books, uniforms, travel expenses, and other educational requirements while pursuing skill-based vocational training at Government ITI Pampore. Subject to the successful outcome of the programme and mutual consent of both parties, the collaboration may be extended for a further period of up to five years, enabling more deserving students to benefit from the initiative. MLA Pampore and former High Court judge, Justice (Retd.) Hasnain Masoodi, attended the ceremony as the chief guest. Officers of Government ITI Pampore, representatives of Trumboo Industries Pvt. Ltd. and other distinguished guests were also present. Speaking on the occasion, Justice (Retd.) Hasnain Masoodi appreciated the initiative and emphasised the importance of industry-academia collaboration in creating meaningful opportunities for young people. He said such partnerships play a vital role in equipping youth with practical skills and preparing them for gainful employment. The Superintendent of Government ITI Pampore highlighted the wide range of vocational courses offered by the institute and expressed confidence that the collaboration with Trumboo Industries Pvt. Ltd. would encourage more students from nearby areas to acquire technical skills and become self-reliant. Earlier, the Director of Trumboo Industries reiterated the companys commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and said sustainable industrial growth must go hand in hand with the development of the local community. The company said the initiative aims to ensure that deserving students are not deprived of quality vocational education because of financial constraints. Under the MoU, eligible students residing in areas adjoining the TCI MAX Cement Plant will receive financial assistance to pursue skill-based vocational courses at Government ITI Pampore. The initiative is expected to enhance employability among local youth, encourage technical education, and contribute to the socio-economic development of the region. The event concluded with the formal exchange of the signed MoU and a vote of thanks, marking the beginning of a collaborative effort to strengthen skill development and support the aspirations of local youth through education and vocational training.

SKUAST-K trains all Kashmir KVKs on Kisan Sarathi 2.0

Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), through its Directorate of Extension in collaboration with KVK Ganderbal, on Thursday organised a one-day capacity-building workshop on Kisan Sarathi 2.0 to strengthen digital agricultural extension and enhance technology-driven advisory services for farmers. Around 60 extension professionals, including Programme Coordinators, Subject Matter Specialists, faculty members and representatives from all ten Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) of Kashmir, were trained in creating, disseminating and managing digital advisory content through the Kisan Sarathi 2.0 portal. Director Extension and Dean, Faculty of Horticulture, Prof. Raihana Habib Kanth, called for greater adoption of digital tools in agricultural extension and urged scientists to contribute high-quality technical content to the portal for wider dissemination of scientific recommendations among farmers. Addressing the valedictory session, Dr Parvender Sheron, Director, ICAR-ATARI, Zone-I, Ludhiana, said digital platforms such as Kisan Sarathi 2.0 can significantly strengthen last-mile delivery of scientific advisories by providing authentic, location-specific and farmer-centric information, thereby bridging the gap between research and farming communities. The technical session was led by Dr Ashish Santosh Murai, Senior Scientist and Nodal Officer, Kisan Sarathi 2.0, who demonstrated the portals features, including content creation, multimedia dissemination, farmer query management and expert advisory services. He encouraged participants to actively use the platform to enhance farmer-scientist interaction and improve digital extension services across the region. The workshop concluded with interactive discussions on digital communication strategies and preparation of quality extension content, with participants expressing confidence that the training would strengthen digital advisory delivery across Kashmir.

ASCEND J&K 2026 ends with Rs 1 Cr investment commitments for 2 startups

The two-day ASCEND J&K 2026 startup summit concluded on Friday with two startups securing investment commitments of up to 1 crore and seven others shortlisted for further evaluation, marking a significant boost for Jammu and Kashmirs startup ecosystem. Organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) under the Industries and Commerce Department, the summit brought together startups, investors, venture capital firms, accelerators, mentors and policymakers at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC). A total of 20 startups from across Jammu and Kashmir presented their business ideas before 14 investors and investment networks. Following the pitching sessions and one-on-one interactions, seven startups were shortlisted for due diligence and further discussions, opening avenues for investment, mentorship and strategic partnerships. Among the major outcomes, Srinagar-based startup EcoBuddy secured an investment commitment ranging from 75 lakh to 1 crore from LetsVenture, an early-stage investment platform. Founded by Muhammad Farukh Usman, the startup provides technology-driven waste management solutions and eco-friendly packaging products. Another Srinagar-based startup, Curve Electric, received funding support from Build3 Accelerator and angel investor Komal Nailwal. The summit featured panel discussions, startup pitching sessions, investor meetings, networking events and masterclasses aimed at strengthening the innovation ecosystem in J&K. A panel discussion on the role of incubators focused on the need for greater collaboration among academia, industry, government and incubation centres to help startups scale sustainably. Another session, From Mountains to Momentum: Building the Next Generation of Startup Ecosystems, brought together entrepreneurs from Jammu and Kashmir who shared their journeys and encouraged aspiring founders to build resilient businesses by leveraging innovation, technology and mentorship. The summit concluded with a masterclass on How to Be Investment-Ready by investor and entrepreneur Shanti Mohan, who guided participants on fundraising strategies, investor expectations and building scalable businesses. Throughout the event, startup founders interacted directly with venture capital firms, angel investors and accelerators to discuss business models, market opportunities, scalability and funding requirements. The summit was inaugurated on Thursday by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who called for a new era of innovation and entrepreneurship in J&K. Held under the J&K Startup Policy, ASCEND J&K 2026 brought together startups, investors, policymakers, industry leaders and academicians, reinforcing the governments focus on promoting innovation, attracting private investment and generating employment opportunities.

Govt committed to making J&K a preferred location for film production: CM Omar Abdullah

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today presided over the curtain raiser for the 1st International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK) at the Royal Springs Golf Course here, describing the forthcoming festival as a landmark initiative to revive Jammu and Kashmirs historic association with cinema and establish J&K as a preferred destination for filmmaking. The launch event was attended by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, eminent filmmaker and Padma Shri awardee Muzaffar Ali, renowned filmmaker and writer Imtiaz Ali, filmmaker Sajid Ali, Director Information Shreya Singhal, Secretary in Information Department, Munir ul Islam, Secretary Royal Springs Golf Course Haris Ahmad Handoo, Joint Director Information Shahnawaz Bukhari, senior government officers and members of the film fraternity. Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said the festival marks the beginning of a renewed partnership between Jammu and Kashmir and the film industry, recalling a time when Kashmir was an integral part of Indian cinema. There was a time when filmmaking in Bollywood and Kashmir was synonymous. No film was considered complete unless it had at least one sequence shot in the Valley. Even if an entire film was not shot here, at least one memorable song was, he said. Highlighting the vision behind IFFJK, Omar Abdullah said the festival seeks to rebuild that historic bond while creating new opportunities for local talent, strengthening the creative economy and showcasing J&K to audiences across the world. Our loss has been many other countries gain. Had Kashmir remained consistently open for filmmaking, many productions that went elsewhere would have continued to come here. Today, we stand at the cusp of rebuilding that relationship, he said. The Chief Minister stressed that the Government is working to create a filmmaker-friendly ecosystem by simplifying procedures, reducing production costs and developing a skilled local workforce to support film production. We need to make it easier for filmmakers to come here, cheaper for them to shoot here, and ensure that our young people are equipped with the skills required to support filmmaking activities, he said, adding that the necessary groundwork has already begun. Referring to filmmaker Muzaffar Alis long-awaited project Zooni, Omar Abdullah expressed happiness that the unfinished work had now been completed by Muzaffar Alis son. Originally conceived in the late 1980s with Vinod Khanna and Dimple Kapadia in lead roles, he said the film would present Kashmir in a way not seen over the past four decades. If what has been completed carries even a fraction of the vision with which it was originally conceived, it will showcase Kashmir in a way it has not been presented for decades. Screening it at a Film Festival in Kashmir would elevate the festival to an entirely different level, he said. Expressing confidence that IFFJK would become a permanent fixture on the global film calendar, the Chief Minister said the Government envisions it evolving into an internationally recognised film festival with parallel screening in Jammu and Gulmarg. This is the first, but certainly not the last. Great film festivals acquire an identity and brand of their own. We hope that, in the years ahead, the International Film Festival of J&K will stand alongside the finest festivals in the country and eventually earn recognition among the best in the world, he said. The Chief Minister also welcomed the decision to keep Srinagar Airport operational during the festival period, saying it had removed a major logistical concern and would ensure smooth participation by filmmakers, artists and guests from across the country and abroad. He thanked Muzaffar Ali, Imtiaz Ali and Sajid Ali for supporting the initiative and for their longstanding association with J&K. Your presence here is encouraging not merely because of your words but because your actions over the years have demonstrated your deep association with Jammu and Kashmir. Your support gives this initiative tremendous strength, and we look forward to welcoming you all back for the festival in September, he said. Addressing the gathering, Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo said that this curtain raiser ceremony is a historic occasion which reminds the great partnership of J&K with Bollywood. He added that this platform is a great occasion to establish the bond with Bollywood. The Chief Secretary also said that J&K has a goldmine of talent and potential and we need to give platform like this to our budding filmmakers to showcase their talent. Padma Shri awardee and noted film maker, Muzaffar Ali, while speaking on the occasion highlighted that Kashmir has special place in the Bollywood from the very beginning. He also remembered his association with the Kashmir while shooting for various remarkable films here. In his address, renowned filmmaker and writer Imtiaz Ali said that Kashmiri youth are brightest as far as talent is concerned. He also remembered his association with Kashmir while shooting for various Bollywood blockbusters in the valley. Earlier, in her welcome address, Director Information, Shreya Singhal said that this curtain raiser ceremony will set the centre stage for homecoming of cinema to Jammu and Kashmir. The Director Information highlighted that this film festival aims to establish J&K as a prime film shooting destination in the country. She added that till date around 400 entries from over 25 countries in different formats have been received for screening during the festival and the entry for film submissions will close on 30th July, 2026. During the event, the Chief Minister also unveiled the merchandise of the Film Festival.

Shopian still wakes up to pandemic messages

More than two years after the World Health Organisation declared COVID-19 was no longer a global health emergency, the Municipal Council Shopian (MCS) continues to broadcast COVID-19 safety advisories through loudspeakers mounted on its garbage collection vehicles every morning. The vehicles, which travel through residential areas to collect waste, play recorded COVID-19 awareness jingles to announce their arrival. The messages urge people to maintain physical distancing, wear masks and follow other COVID-19-appropriate behaviouradvisories that date back to the height of the pandemic. Residents say the announcements have outlived their purpose and are now causing inconvenience because of their high volume. The loudspeakers are played at a very high volume every morning. It is disturbing, especially for elderly people, students and those working from home, said Abid Hussain, a resident of Hergam in Shopian. The sound is so loud that it becomes irritating. The municipal council should either stop these outdated announcements or replace them with messages that are relevant today, he said. Another resident said the announcements frequently interrupted his work. I attend online meetings from home in the morning. Whenever the garbage vehicle passes through our locality, I have to pause my meeting because the announcement is too loud, he said. Several residents said they were not opposed to public awareness campaigns but questioned the continued use of COVID-19 messages years after the global health emergency ended. The vehicles can simply announce that garbage is being collected or educate people about waste segregation and cleanliness. There is no need to keep repeating COVID-19 messages, said another resident. The World Health Organisation declared in May 2023 that COVID-19 no longer constituted a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, marking the end of the highest level of global health alert after more than three years of the pandemic. Residents urged the Municipal Council Shopian to review the public announcement system and replace the outdated recordings with messages promoting sanitation, proper waste disposal and civic awareness. Officials of the Municipal Council Shopian could not be reached for comment.

Upgraded on paper, Budnamal NTPHC still lacks basic facilities

Six years after Budnamal health facility was upgraded to a New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC), it continues to function from a dilapidated school building, with residents alleging that poor infrastructure and the absence of an ambulance are affecting healthcare services in the area. Locals said the upgradation had raised hopes of better infrastructure, modern equipment and improved medical facilities, but little has changed on the ground. At the time of the upgradation, we were told that adequate staff and equipment would be provided. However, even after six years, the health centre continues to operate from a deteriorating building that could collapse at any time, said Mohammad Maqbool, a resident. Residents said the lack of an ambulance has compounded their problems, particularly during medical emergencies. In emergencies, we have to hire private cabs and spend more than 2,000 to shift patients to Sub-District Hospital Kupwara or Government Medical College Handwara, another resident said. They said the situation worsens during winter, when the area remains cut off from the district headquarters for weeks. During emergencies in winter, we are forced to carry patients on makeshift stretchers for nearly 10 kilometres to Baby Top before they can be transported in a vehicle, the residents said. A senior Health Department official acknowledged the infrastructure constraints and the absence of an ambulance at the facility. He said NTPHC Budnamal does not have a sanctioned drivers post, and an ambulance can be provided only after the post is created. The official also said a proposal for the construction of a permanent building for the health centre has already been submitted and is expected to be taken up in the coming period.

Baramulla gets Rs 42 crore connectivity boost with2 bridge projects

The Jammu and Kashmir government has approved two key bridge projects worth Rs 42 crore to strengthen connectivity in Baramulla, including the long-awaited Drangbal-Khanpora bridge and the completion of the stalled Jetty Bridge. The projects, estimated to cost Rs 13 crore and Rs 29 crore respectively, are expected to improve intra-town connectivity, ease traffic congestion and address long-pending public demands. The proposed Drangbal-Khanpora bridge, a decades-old demand of residents, will provide a direct road link between Drangbal village and the civil lines area via Khanpora. The bridge is expected to reduce travel time and improve access to educational institutions, healthcare facilities and markets. The government has also sanctioned Rs 29 crore for the completion of the Jetty Bridge, a project that remained unfinished for over a decade after construction was halted due to a shortage of funds. Once completed, the bridge is expected to serve as an alternate crossing over the Jhelum, easing pressure on existing bridges and improving the movement of commuters, emergency services and commercial traffic across Baramulla town. Officials said work on both projects is expected to begin this year after completion of the required codal formalities. Residents have welcomed the approvals, expressing hope that the projects will now be executed without further delays. MLA Baramulla Javed Hassan Beig said several other infrastructure projects had also been approved and expressed confidence that their execution would significantly transform the towns urban landscape.

Northern Army Commander reviews hinterland security grid in Kashmir

Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Northern Command, carried out a comprehensive two-day review of the security framework and operational readiness of hinterland formations across the Kashmir Valley. The Army Commander, accompanied by GOC 15 Corps, Lt Gen Balbir Singh visited multiple sectors in the hinterland and received detailed briefings on the integrated intelligence architecture, revised operational procedures and the strengthened joint-response mechanisms that form the backbone of the current security grid. A key component of the review was a close examination of the multi-layered security architecture put in place for the ongoing Amarnath Yatra 2026, which began on July 3 and is scheduled to conclude on August 28. After completing the ground-level assessment, Lt Gen Sharma chaired an Apex Level Security Coordination Meeting in Srinagar. The high-level meeting brought together key stakeholders from the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, Central Armed Police Forces and various intelligence agencies. Detailed discussions were held to evaluate the evolving security environment in the region and to further refine coordinated operational responses. Reiterating the paramount importance of synergised and coordinated joint operational mechanisms along with real-time intelligence sharing, the Army Commander appreciated the professionalism and collective efforts of all ranks of the Army and personnel from sister agencies working towards the common goal of peace and stability in the Valley. The review comes at a time when security forces continue to maintain a robust multi-agency grid both along the yatra routes and in the hinterland areas to ensure uninterrupted pilgrimage and overall stability. Earlier this year, Lt Gen Sharma had also reviewed operational preparedness under Operation SHIVA along the Baltal and Pahalgam axes, underscoring the Northern Commands sustained focus on seamless inter-agency coordination for the annual yatra. Northern Command shared details of the latest review on its official X handle, highlighting the continued emphasis on joint efforts to safeguard peace in the region.

Mehbooba has no moral right to join students protest: Altaf Bukhari

Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Friday said Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti had o moral right to join the ongoing student protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, alleging that her government's record in dealing with protesters in Jammu and Kashmir contradicted her expression of solidarity with the agitating youth. Bukhari made the remarks while responding to a question from reporters seeking his reaction to Mehbooba Mufti's decision to join the student protest at Jantar Mantar and extend support to the agitating students. She had no right to join the protest and express sympathy with the protesters because, back home, she has a track record of dealing with protesters ruthlessly. When she was in power, she used pellet guns against our protesting children, Bukhari said. Bukhari distinguished between his criticism of Mehbooba Mufti and his stand on the student movement, asserting that the protesters were justified in their agitation. But as far as the student agitation is concerned, those students are justified. The injustice done to them is undeniable. As I said in my earlier speech, perhaps today the whole of India has witnessed what police brutality looks like and what the brutality of the security forces looks like, he said. Drawing parallels with Kashmir's past, Bukhari said such scenes were familiar to the people of the region. We have been witnessing this since 1990. Our bodies have borne these blows, our children have suffered them, and our daughters have lost their eyesight, he said. He said it was particularly unfortunate that many of those now expressing solidarity with protesters had remained in power when similar incidents occurred in Jammu and Kashmir. What is especially regrettable is that our own rulers were in power here at the time when all this happened, and those same shameless people were present there yesterday, he said. In a religious reference, Bukhari said the present circumstances called for self-reflection. If we had not sinned, we would not have been given such rulers. And if we had not been given such rulers, these things would not have happened. This is the consequence of our own actions. We should turn to God in repentance, he said. He urged political parties to rise above their differences and unite on issues directly affecting the people. At least, if they cannot come together on any other issue, they should come together on this platform, he said. Bukhari cited the detention of youth and demolition of residential houses as issues that demanded a collective political response. Our young people are being taken to jails. The homes of people are being demolished because someone from their family has come out. At least, to stop this, they should come to one platform, he said. He cautioned that unless political parties spoke in one voice on such matters, the situation would continue to deteriorate. As long as they do not come to one platform, if they speak on behalf of different groups, then this will continue. That is their own personal decision, he said. Bukhari also urged people to remain vigilant about their rights and hold the government accountable, saying it was the people who had voted the ruling party into power with the expectation of good governance.

Beyond the usual circuit, Uri makes its mark on Kashmir tourism

For decades, Kashmirs tourism narrative has revolved around destinations such as Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Srinagar. But a growing number of travellers are now venturing off the beaten track, discovering the untouched landscapes and village life of Uri in north Kashmir. Among them is Rohini, a Bengaluru native currently based in London, who spent four days exploring the border town and has emerged as an unlikely ambassador for the regions tourism potential. In a video shared on social media, Rohini described her visit to Uri as one of the most memorable travel experiences she has had and encouraged tourists to look beyond the Valleys traditional destinations. Having discovered her accommodation online with little prior knowledge of the area, she decided to take a chance on Uri a decision she said exceeded all expectations. What left the strongest impression, she said, was not only the regions breathtaking scenery but also the warmth and generosity of its people. During her stay, Rohini visited Doodran village, where residents welcomed her into their home and served homemade yogurt. The hospitality of the people of Doodran was one of the most memorable parts of my trip, she said. She also explored Kamman Post and trekked through the surrounding hills with the assistance of a local guide recommended by her hosts. According to Rohini, Uri offers a unique blend of experiences, from village tourism and nature walks to trekking routes suited for both beginners and seasoned hikers. She also praised the local cuisine and accommodation, saying her hosts ensured that visitors felt at home. Calling Uri a safe destination for travellers, she appealed to tourists to experience the area for themselves rather than limiting their itineraries to Kashmirs established resorts. Her endorsement has drawn attention to lesser-known villages such as Bijhama and Doodran, highlighting their potential as emerging destinations for rural, adventure and eco-tourism. The growing interest in Uri reflects a broader shift in Kashmirs tourism landscape. As Greater Kashmir has reported earlier, an increasing number of visitors are moving away from crowded destinations in search of pristine forests, hidden waterfalls and authentic village experiences across north Kashmir. The transformation is also being supported through official efforts to promote border tourism. The civil administration and the Indian Army have launched initiatives to showcase the tourism potential of remote regions, including Keran, Machhal, Gurez, Karnah, Tangdhar and Bangus. As part of these efforts, the Indian Army has launched the Shumali Kashmir online tourism portal and released a comprehensive North Kashmir Tourism Magazine, aimed at promoting border destinations and generating livelihood opportunities for local communities. The publication features detailed destination profiles, travel guides and visual narratives, presenting north Kashmir as a region where adventure, culture, history and nature come together, while encouraging travellers to explore some of the Valleys least-explored landscapes.

Srinagar residents have always been neglected by successive governments: Altaf Bukhari

Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Thursday said that the people of Srinagar city have consistently been neglected by those who have remained at the helm of affairs over the decades. He said that the residents of Srinagar continue to grapple with a host of challenges, including rising unemployment, inadequate housing, and a lack of essential public infrastructure. No government has made sincere efforts to create employment opportunities or undertaken meaningful initiatives to address the city's housing needs and infrastructure deficit, Bukhari said. Bukhari further said that Srinagar has been left behind in terms of development and that, even today, no concrete measures are being taken to improve the condition of the city or the quality of life of its residents. Bukhari said that the biggest challenge for Jammu and Kashmir is to guide our youth and ensure employment opportunities for them. He said, Over the past several decades, our youth were pushed to the wall. They were misled and steered towards the path of violence and bloodshed. Instead of being shown the way to growth, development, and prosperity, they were led down a path that ultimately left many of them either behind bars or in graveyards. He added, today, our biggest challenge is to support and guide our younger generation by showing them the path that leads to progress, prosperity, and a dignified future. Equally important is the need to create meaningful employment opportunities for them. Our youth are our greatest asset, and it is our collective responsibility to protect, nurture, and guide them in the right direction. Reiterating his demand for dialogue between the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the Central Government, Bukhari said, I once again urge the Government of India to initiate a meaningful dialogue with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially the youth, so that the existing trust deficit between the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of the country can be bridged, and their genuine issues and grievances are addressed in a sincere and effective manner. Hon'ble Prime Minister and Hon'ble Home Minister have themselves assured that they would engage with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly the youth. I believe this is the right time for the Government of India to fulfil that commitment by initiating a meaningful dialogue with the people, he added. Bukhari also raised the public issues being faced by the people of the Hazratbal constituency. He said, I am fully aware of the issues and grievances that you are grappling with. Unfortunately, the government has completely failed to address these genuine concerns, despite the fact that you exercised your democratic right by voting and electing your MLA in the hope of receiving effective governance. Regrettably, they have failed to deliver on that expectation. Appealing to the people to support the Apni Party, he described it as a platform for the common people rather than any individual or family. He said, This party belongs to the people, not to any individual or any family. Let us strengthen this organisation so that we can effectively address public issues and grievances. Speaking on the occasion, the party's Provincial President Mohammed Ashraf Mir criticised the NC government over governance and public issues. Mir expressed concern over what he described as the ruling National Conference's failure to provide effective governance in Jammu and Kashmir. He urged people to remain vigilant about their rights and hold the government accountable, saying it was the people who had voted the ruling party into power with the expectation of good governance. Mir also expressed concern over the mass arrests following Wednesday's terror attack in Anantnag, in which a policeman was martyred. He further raised the issue of delays in passport issuance, alleging that many young people were being denied passports because the mandatory police verification process had been made unnecessarily difficult and time-consuming. He said the elected government was expected to ensure the resolution of such public issues but had failed to address these pressing concerns. On this occasion, a number of political leaders and activists from partys like NC and PDP formally joined Apni Party. The new entrants included Manzoor Ahmad Dar Bock President , Farooq Ahmad Reshi Danihama, Bilal Ahmad Mir Danihama ,Ghulam Mohammad BeighDanihama, Mohammad Anas Chinga, Tahir Ahmad, Zeeshan Ahmad, Ghulam AhmadDono, Ghulam Rashool Mir, Abdul Hameed Bhat, Tariq Ahmad, Mohammad Qazam Shalimar, and others. Besides Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari and Mohammad Ashraf Mir, the prominent party leaders who were present on the occasion included Organiser Central Kashmir Mohammad Shafi Mir, District President Srinagar Zaffar Habib, Provincial Coordinator Kashmir Shabir Ahmad Reshi, Provincial Secretary Kashmir Mohammad Saleem Lone, Provincial Youth President Kashmir Jibran Dar, Youth District President Srinagar Ishtiyaq Khan, Youth District Vice President Srinagar Mudasir Ah Bhat, Youth Jt Secretary Srinagar Mudasir Wali, Tanveer Hussain Pathan, Sameer Iqbal, and others.

JKEEGA hails promotion of Junior Engineersas Assistant Engineers

The Jammu & Kashmir Electrical Engineering Graduates Association (JKEEGA) has welcomed the government order regarding the placement of Junior Engineers (Electrical) as In-charge Assistant Engineers (Electrical), describing it as another major milestone in streamlining the Human Resource Management of the Power Development Department. In a statement, Er. Pirzada Hidayatullah, General Secretary, JKEEGA, expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, and Additional Chief Secretary, Power Development Department, Ashwani Kumar, for their continued commitment towards resolving long-pending career progression issues of power engineers. He stated that the promotion of Junior Engineers to the rank of Assistant Engineers will significantly boost the morale of engineers who have been awaiting career advancement for years. He also appreciated the efforts of Advisor to the Chief Minister, Nasir Aslam Wani, and Additional Secretary (HRM), JKPDD, Zakir Hussain Wani, for expediting the promotion process and ensuring timely issuance of the orders. The promotion of Junior Engineers as Assistant Engineers comes at a crucial time when the power sector is witnessing major infrastructure expansion and reforms. Filling these key field-level engineering positions will strengthen technical supervision, improve execution of CAPEX and maintenance works, enhance reliability of the power network, and ensure better consumer service delivery across Jammu and Kashmir, said Er. Pirzada. He further observed that Assistant Engineers constitute the backbone of the Power Development Department, being directly responsible for operation and maintenance of electrical infrastructure, implementation of development works, and ensuring uninterrupted power supply. Their timely placement will improve administrative efficiency and accelerate ongoing reforms in the sector. JKEEGA reaffirmed its commitment to working constructively with the Government for addressing all pending Human Resource issues of power engineers while ensuring reliable, quality, and round-the-clock power supply to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The Association once again conveyed its sincere appreciation to the Government, particularly the Additional Chief Secretary, Power Development Department, for prioritising merit-based career progression and strengthening the engineering cadre of the department.

Jammu & Kashmir Judicial Academy organises capacity-building programme

Under the guidance of Justice Sindhu Sharma, Judge, High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and Chairperson, Committee under the Juvenile Justice Act, the Jammu & Kashmir Judicial Academy organised a Capacity-Building Programme on Juvenile Justice for the Principal Magistrates of the Juvenile Justice Boards. The programme was conducted in hybrid mode, with the Principal Magistrates from the Kashmir Division participating physically at the Academy's Mominabad Campus, Srinagar, while those from the Jammu Division joined virtually. The programme was also attended by the Newly Selected Civil Judges (Junior Division), Batch-2026, presently undergoing the Pre-Appointment Induction Training Programme, said a press release. The programme was organized pursuant to the approval of the Juvenile Justice Committee, High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, based on a comprehensive Training Needs Assessment undertaken by the Office of the Member Secretary, Juvenile Justice Committee. It was also aimed at facilitating the implementation of the directions issued by the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in Juvenile Delinquent v. State of U.P. & Others (Criminal Appeal No. 2010 of 2026), along with the Standard Operating Procedure and the communication issued by the Registrar General, High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. The programme commenced with a welcome address by Naseer Ahmad Dar, Director, Jammu & Kashmir Judicial Academy, who welcomed the participants and highlighted the significance of the programme in strengthening the implementation of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. He emphasized the need for a child-centric and reformative approach, while underscoring the importance of continuous judicial education in enhancing the capacity of judicial officers. The inaugural session was jointly conducted by Tabasum Wani, Joint Registrar Inspection, High Court Wing, Srinagar, and Dr. Khair-ul-Nisa, Chairperson, Child Welfare Committee. The resource persons discussed the key provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, including the powers and functions of Juvenile Justice Boards, child-friendly inquiry procedures, preliminary assessment under Section 15, Social Investigation Reports, the role of experts, and important judicial precedents. The session featured interactive discussions and case studies emphasizing a child-centric and reformative approach. The second session, conducted by Tabasum Wani, focused on non-custodial measures, diversion and rehabilitation of children in conflict with law. Through practical case studies and discussions, participants deliberated on bail under Section 12, preliminary assessment under Section 15, claims of juvenility, the distinction between children in conflict with law and children in need of care and protection, and the importance of safeguarding the identity and confidentiality of children. The post-lunch sessions were jointly conducted by Tabassum Qadir, Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, Srinagar, and Dr. Khair-ul-Nisa, who deliberated on restorative justice in juvenile justice administration. They highlighted victim-offender mediation, family group conferencing, accountability, rehabilitation and social reintegration, while emphasizing trauma-informed judicial approaches, community participation and coordinated institutional support for the welfare and long-term rehabilitation of children in conflict with law. The programme witnessed active participation from the Principal Magistrates of Juvenile Justice Boards and the newly inducted Civil Judges (Junior Division), who engaged enthusiastically in the discussions and interactive sessions throughout the day. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks, reaffirming the commitment of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, the Juvenile Justice Committee and the J&K Judicial Academy towards continuous judicial education and capacity building for ensuring a sensitive, rights-based and effective juvenile justice delivery system in the Union Territory.

53 held, drug assetsworth Rs 79.88 lakh attached in Baramulla

The Baramulla Police has made significant stride under the Nasha Mukt jammu and Kashmir Abiyan and under the first 100 days of this campaign, registered 42 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, arrested 53 accused and intensifying enforcement as well as public outreach to curb drug abuse across the district. A spokesperson of Baramulla Police while giving details of its achievement said that at least six properties linked to drug trafficking, worth around Rs 79.88 lakh, were attached during the period, while five encroached properties of alleged drug smugglers valued at Rs 56 lakh were demolished. Authorities also destroyed illegal poppy and cannabis cultivation spread over 37.5 kanals of land. The spokesperson said that as part of preventive measures, 616 narco accused and suspects were bound down during this period, while 57 cordon-and-search operations were conducted at identified hotspots. Police included 608 persons in the rogue gallery and submitted eight dossiers under the PIT-NDPS Act, resulting in seven detention orders. To strengthen surveillance around vulnerable areas, police carried out 532 searches near schools, hospitals and coaching centres, inspected 474 chemist shops, identified 20 drug hotspots and installed 47 CCTV cameras. While in order to tighten administrative action against offenders, recommendations were made for the suspension or cancellation of 41 driving licences, 44 vehicle registration certificates, 173 Aadhaar cards and two passports. So far, 35 driving licences and 17 vehicle registration certificates have been suspended. Police also initiated ame and shame proceedings against 53 offenders, including one woman alleged to be involved in drug peddling. Besides enforcement, Baramulla Police conducted 185 awareness programmes across the district, trained 63 personnel through capacity-building initiatives and held 11 weekly review meetings to monitor progress. Baramulla police has landed the role of general public for their continued support. Police said the campaign would continue with sustained efforts to dismantle the narcotics network, protect youth and build a drug-free society.

Handwara residents allege discrepancies in water tariff bills

Several consumers in Handwara have alleged discrepancies in water tariff bills issued by the Jal Shakti Department, saying that despite having cleared their previous dues, the latest bills continue to show outstanding arrears, much to their disappointment. The consumers said the errors have created confusion and compelled many people to visit Jal Shakti Department Division Handwara to seek clarification but nothing is being done to rectify the errors. I was shocked to see the outstanding arrears when I have already paid the bill last year. The most astonishing thing is that almost 5 months have passed when we were handed over the bills but nothing has been done so far to rectify the error. I along with other consumers have been visiting the office of Jal Shakti Department Division Handwara for the last five months but to no avail, Feroz Ahmad Banday from Banday Mohalla told Greater Kashmir . We have receipts of the bills already paid but the new bills again show outstanding arrears. This is unfair and needs immediate correction, he added. The issue has caused unnecessary inconvenience to the public. The department should verify its records before issuing bills, said Mohammad Naseeb, another local. The aggrieved consumers urged the authorities to conduct a thorough verification of payment records and rectify the discrepancies without delay. We appeal to the higher officials of the Jal Shakti Department to intervene and ensure that corrected bills are issued to all affected consumers, they added. The residents expressed hope that the department would treat the matter as a priority and resolve the issue at the earliest to prevent further inconvenience to the public. Meanwhile, Assistant Executive Engineer Jal Shakti Department Division Handwara. Adnan Ashraf told Greater Kashmir that aggrieved consumers should meet him in person so that the grievance is redressed.

Authorities in Pulwama take up task to transform garbage mound into green space

Residents of south Kashmir's Pulwama district have begun to breathe easier after authorities launched the removal of a decades-old garbage dumping site that had long filled the area with a persistent foul smell. The humongous waste mound near Circular Road, which had become a source of hardship for residents, traders and commuters, is now being scientifically cleared and will eventually be transformed into a public park. The garbage mountain had for years caused immense inconvenience as an overpowering stench engulfed nearby residential areas, markets and educational institutions throughout the day. An official said the dumping site was being permanently closed and the process of shifting thousands of tonnes of waste had already begun. Large heaps of garbage have already been removed and the clearance work is progressing steadily, the official said. Residents welcomed the move, saying it had brought long-awaited relief. Mohammad Shuja, a resident, said the decision to remove the garbage dump had eased the daily hardships faced by people living in the area. We were unable to sit inside our homes as an overpowering smell would spread across the locality, he said. Shuja said the dumping site had also affected businesses in the area. Customers often avoided coming here because of the unbearable stench, which hurt shopkeepers' earnings, he added. College students also welcomed the move, saying the foul smell frequently entered their classrooms, making it difficult to attend lectures. Chief Executive Officer of the Municipal Council Pulwama, Tafveez Mir, told Greater Kashmir that the decades-old dumping site would be reclaimed and converted into a public park after the removal of the legacy waste. The lifted garbage is being taken up for scientific remediation. Instead of simply shifting waste from one place to another, we are processing it scientifically in accordance with environmental norms, Mir said. He said reclaiming the site would not only eliminate a major source of pollution but also improve the town's environment and public health. Such initiatives help restore the beauty of the place. Once the removal process is completed, this place will be developed into a green public park where people can spend time with their families, Mir said. He added that the Municipal Council was committed to adopting scientific waste management practices to ensure Pulwama remained cleaner and more environmentally sustainable in the years ahead.

Youth electrocuted to death in Lolab

A 22 year old youth was electrocuted to death after he came in contact with a live electricity wire in Dardpora, Lolab area of north Kashmirs Kupwara district. The incident was reported on Friday afternoon when the deceased sustained critical injuries after coming in contact with the live electric wire. He was immediately rushed to Sub-District District Hospital (SDH) Sogam for treatment but doctors present there declared him dead on arrival. The deceased has been identified as Arif Ahmad Ganie, son of Mohammad Hamza Ganie, resident of Haji Mohalla, Dardpora, Lolab area of Kupwara. Meanwhile, police have registered a case in this regard and further investigations have been set into motion.

HC upholds restoration of mutation after over 6 decades

The High Court of J&K and Ladakh has dismissed a plea challenging J&K Revenue Financial Commissioners decision of restoring a Mutation attested more than six decades ago. Dismissing the plea being devoid of merit, a bench of Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal held that the Financial Commissioner (Revenue) had acted within the bounds of revisional jurisdiction in setting aside the 1991 order of the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), Jammu, and restoring the 1959 mutation. The dispute related to the land measuring 48 kanals and 3 marlas in Estate Channi Kamala, Tehsil Bahu, District Jammu. In his plea, one Muhammad Yaqoob, claimed the property had vested in his predecessor after the abolition of big landed estates and had called in question the Mutation No 39 dated March 10, 1959, alleging legal and factual irregularities in its attestation. The court noted that the Yaqoobs father had successfully challenged the mutation before the ADC in 1991. However, the Financial Commissioner, in 2023, set aside that order after finding that the appeal had been entertained more than three decades after the mutation without first deciding the issue of limitation and without hearing purchasers who had acquired rights through registered sale deeds. Framing five questions for determination, the Court held that the ADC committed a jurisdictional error by deciding the appeal on merits without first addressing limitation. The court further ruled that the Financial Commissioner was justified in condoning the delay in the revision petition filed by the residents of Channi Kamala, as they had satisfactorily explained that they became aware of the 1991 order only after revenue authorities declined to issue extracts based on it. The court also held that purchasers claiming rights through registered sale deeds were necessary parties to the proceedings before the ADC and that deciding the matter without hearing them amounted to a violation of the principles of natural justice. Rejecting Yaqoobs challenge, the court concluded that the Financial Commissioner had lawfully exercised revisional jurisdiction to correct material irregularities committed by the ADC and that no jurisdictional error, perversity, or manifest illegality existed to warrant interference under Article 227 of the Constitution. On the contrary, the learned Financial Commissioner has rightly exercised the revisional jurisdiction vested in him by correcting the material irregularities committed by the learned Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jammu.

Tanvir Sadiq reviews arrangements for Urs of Hazrat Makhdoom Sahib (RA)

Srinagar, Jul 24:National Conference Chief Spokesperson and MLA Zadibal Tanvir Sadiq Friday visited the revered shrine of Sultan-ul-Arifeen Hazrat Sheikh Hamza Makhdoom Sahib (RA) to take stock of the arrangements for the forthcoming Annual Urs. During the visit, he paid obeisance at the shrine and prayed for lasting peace, harmony, and prosperity. Accompanied by officers from the Civil Administration, Power Development Department (PDD), Health Department, Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), Traffic Police, and other concerned departments, Tanvir Sadiq inspected the preparations on the ground and reviewed the measures being taken to ensure the smooth and hassle-free conduct of the Urs. He directed the concerned departments to work in close coordination with the civil administration, shrine management, security agencies, and local representatives to ensure that all essential facilities, including uninterrupted electricity, safe drinking water, sanitation, healthcare, traffic regulation, and other public services, are put in place well before the commencement of the Urs. Lauding the people of the area for their unwavering support, Tanvir Sadiq said the local residents have always set an example of generosity and hospitality by extending every possible assistance to the thousands of devotees who visit the shrine from across J&K and other parts of the country. He expressed confidence that, with the continued cooperation of all stakeholders, this year's Urs would be observed in a peaceful, well-organised, and spiritually uplifting atmosphere.

Mirwaiz concerned over mass detentions following killing of policeman

Srinagar, Jul 24: Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday expressed concern over mass detentions in the valley in the wake of the killing of a policeman by a lone terrorist in Anantnag, and demanded an investigation into the attack. Addressing the Friday congregation at the Jamia Masjid here, Farooq expressed serious concern and anguish over large-scale detentions, questioning and harassment of youth across Kashmir during the past few days. Over 3,500 suspected over-ground workers have been detained across the valley since the attack, police had said. He said the killing of the policeman came after the government's claim that militancy has ended in Kashmir. Taking of every human life is wrong and unacceptable, but an act of violence by one cannot justify collective punishment for all. The killing should be investigated and those responsible be dealt with according to law. But innocent youth and their families should not be made scapegoats and made to suffer, he said. Referring to the demolition of the houses of terrorists in Anantnag following the cop's killing, the valley's chief preacher said it is another extrajudicial and unjust measure. Such measures deepen resentment and are ultimately counterproductive, he added. Referring to the Cockroach Janta Party protests in Delhi, Farooq said young people raising their genuine concerns should be heard and engaged with, not subjected to policing and force.

PDP delegation visits flood-affected areas of Chanapora constituency

Srinagar, Jul 24:A delegation of the Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Friday visited several flood-affected areas of the Chanapora Constituency, including Padshah Bagh, Nadru, Nowgam, Peer Bagh and Rajbagh, to assess the situation firsthand and interact with residents facing hardships due to waterlogging and flooding. The delegation was led by PDP Spokesperson and In-charge Chanapora Constituency, Mohammad Iqbal Tramboo, and accompanied by Party Spokesperson Shokia Qureshi, District Secretary Srinagar Mohammad Altaf, Organising Secretary Omar Dar, Coordinator Chanapora Constituency Fayaz Ahmad Reshi, Abdul Qayoom, Maqsood Ahmad and other party workers. During the visit, the delegation took stock of the situation on the ground and listened to the grievances of affected residents. The people highlighted the lack of an effective drainage system, waterlogging, delayed response by the authorities and inadequate relief measures. The PDP leaders assured the affected families that the party stands firmly with them during this difficult time and will continue to raise their genuine concerns at every appropriate forum. Speaking on the occasion, Mohammad Iqbal Tramboo urged the administration to immediately intensify dewatering operations, restore essential services and provide prompt relief and compensation to the affected families. He stressed that the recurring flooding in Chanapora reflects the urgent need for a comprehensive drainage system and long-term infrastructure planning to prevent such situations in the future. The PDP delegation called for swift government intervention and immediate measures to address the hardships being faced by residents. It reiterated the partys commitment to standing with the people of Chanapora and ensuring that their genuine concerns are effectively addressed.

Omar government's swift response to weather crisis commendable: Dr Farooq

Srinagar, Jul 24: National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah Friday commended the Omar Abdullah-led government for its prompt, compassionate and hands-on response in tackling the challenges arising from the recent weather fury across Jammu and Kashmir. He said the elected government's swift intervention and continuous monitoring of the situation have provided timely relief to the affected people and reflected its commitment to public welfare. Dr Farooq appreciated Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for personally overseeing relief and restoration efforts, undertaking field visits, reviewing the situation with the civil administration and ensuring that rescue, rehabilitation and essential services are restored at the earliest. He urged all National Conference legislators, party functionaries and workers to remain on the ground, stay in close touch with the people, and extend every possible assistance to those affected. This is the time to stand shoulder to shoulder with our people. Public service is the essence of our politics, and every party representative must ensure that the grievances of the affected families are promptly brought to the notice of the administration and addressed without delay, he said. Dr Farooq also reiterated the party's longstanding demand for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood, urging the Union Government to honour its repeated commitments by introducing and passing the Statehood Restoration Bill during the ongoing session of Parliament. The people of Jammu and Kashmir have waited long enough. The restoration of statehood is not merely a political demand but a constitutional and democratic imperative. Parliament must seize this opportunity to fulfil the solemn assurances repeatedly given to the people and restore their democratic rights and dignity without any further delay, he said.

Hundreds of litres wasted as drinking water pipeline leaks in Nagrota

Jammu, Jul 24:Hundreds of litres of drinking water are being wasted every hour due to a major leak in a primary supply pipeline near NH-44 in Jammu's Nagrota area, with residents demanding urgent intervention by the Jal Shakti Department to avert potential water shortages. The continuous leakage has raised concerns among local residents, who fear that if the issue is not addressed immediately, it could lead to water shortages in the coming days. With water being one of the most essential resources for daily life, such large-scale wastage is a matter of serious concern. Residents have urged the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department, now functioning under the Jal Shakti Department, to take immediate notice of the leakage and carry out urgent repairs to prevent further loss of drinking water. They stressed that every drop of water is precious, especially during the summer and monsoon seasons when demand remains high. Locals have appealed to the concerned authorities to repair the damaged pipeline at the earliest and ensure that the precious drinking water meant for the people of Jammu is not wasted. Prompt action, they said, will help prevent unnecessary water loss and avoid any disruption in the citys water supply.

Drug-free society collective responsibility of all stakeholders: Div Commissioner Jammu

Jammu, Jul 24: Divisional Commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar on Friday launched the Jammu division leg of Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat, a nationwide campaign of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports run through Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat). The Divisional Commissioner, as per an official statement, said a drug-free society is the collective responsibility of all stakeholders and appreciated the efforts of MY Bharat in engaging youth through creative activities. The active participation of young people, he said, is essential to realising the vision of a Nasha Mukt Bharat and a Viksit Bharat. He assured support for the campaign and its district-level events, which will see the participation of educational institutions, youth organisations and the general public and called upon the youth to register on the MY Bharat portal to take part in the proposed programmes. The campaign, organised by MY Bharat under the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India, aims to mobilise youth against substance abuse through awareness, creative expression and community participation. Debates, declamation, painting, slogan writing, quiz, folk song, folk dance and reel-making competitions will be held across the districts of the Union Territory. As part of the campaign, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the participants and administer the Nasha Mukt pledge. The Union Home Minister will grace the Nasha Mukt Youth Conclave on August 14. State Director MY Bharat Jammu and Kashmir Nitin Hangloo thanked the Divisional Commissioner for launching the campaign poster and reaffirmed MY Bharat's commitment to mobilising youth across the Union Territory towards building a drug-free and developed India. Among those present were Dean Students Welfare Jammu University Prof Prakash Anthal, Sports Administrator and MY Bharat Ambassador for J&K Ranjeet Kalra, State Director MY Bharat J&K Nitin Hangloo, besides other officials and volunteers of MY Bharat.

Anger grows over delay in opening Sungal Tunnel

Rajouri, Jul 24:Public resentment is growing over the continued delay in opening the strategically important Sungal Tunnel on the Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch National Highway (NH-144A), with residents of Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi and Jammu accusing the authorities of keeping the completed tunnel inaccessible to the general public while permitting VIP movement through it. The prolonged delay has triggered widespread anger among commuters and several civil society organisations, many of which have sought permission from the administration to stage a peaceful protest at the tunnel site demanding its immediate opening. Adding to the public outrage, locals have begun referring to the tunnel as the VIP Tunnel, alleging that it is being used only for the movement of politicians, ministers and senior officials while common commuters continue to face the hazardous existing highway stretch. The term has gained significant traction on social media, reflecting the growing frustration among the public. The 2.7-kilometre-long Sungal Tunnel, located between Bhambla in Rajouri side and Chowki Choura in Jammu, is the longest among the four tunnels being constructed under the upgraded Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch National Highway project. While the Nowshera Tunnel and Kandi Tunnel have already been opened for traffic and excavation work on the Bhata Dhurian Tunnel is still underway, the Sungal Tunnel remains closed despite claims that construction has largely been completed. Residents have questioned the rationale behind allowing VIP convoys through the tunnel while denying access to the general public. If the tunnel is incomplete, how are politicians, ministers and senior officers being allowed to use it? And if it is safe enough for them, why is it still closed for ordinary commuters,? locals questioned. People have also expressed disappointment over the absence of any official communication from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the nodal agency for the project, or the executing company regarding the expected date of commissioning, saying the uncertainty has only intensified public dissatisfaction. Socio-political leader Tazeem Dar said the delay has become a major concern for lakhs of commuters who regularly travel on the highway. He said the road stretch near the tunnel remains in a poor and accident-prone condition, and the opening of the tunnel is eagerly awaited as it is expected to provide safer and smoother connectivity between Jammu and the twin border districts as well as Reasi district. Dar said that after receiving no response from either the BRO or the project execution agency, several civil and social organisations have decided to organise a peaceful protest at the tunnel site to press for its early opening. He further informed that permission to hold the protest has been sought from the office of the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, and that the organisations are awaiting approval before announcing the programme.

Schools in flood-affected areas to reopen only after structural safety checks: DSEJ

Jammu, Jul 24:The Directorate of School Education (DSE), Jammu has directed that no government or private educational institution, including coaching institutes and centres, in the flood-affected areas of Jammu division will resume physical classes unless their premises are declared structurally safe by the competent authority. In view of the recent spell of heavy rainfall and the consequent flooding across various parts of the Jammu division, it has been reported to DESJ by several Chief Education Officers that a number of educational institution buildings have sustained structural damage, rendering them unsafe for occupation by students and staff. In these prevailing circumstances, the safety, security and well-being of students, teachers and all personnel will remain the paramount consideration in the resumption of academic activities, DSEJ has pointed out. Accordingly, no government or private educational institutions including coaching institutes or centres will resume physical classes unless the structural integrity and overall safety of its premises have been thoroughly assessed and found satisfactory. Any institute that has been inundated sustained structural damage or exhibits signs of structural distress or any other potential safety hazard will remain closed and will not be occupied until it has been inspected and declared fit for use by the competent authority, Director School Education, Jammu instructed. He stated that under no circumstances, the safety of students, teachers or staff will be compromised and every possible precaution will be taken to ensure that school premises are structurally safe, secure, hygienic and fully prepared before reopening for academic activities. In order to ensure the safe resumption of academic activities, he also directed all Chief Education Officers of the Jammu division to ensure strict implementation of a set of instructions with immediate effect. As per the stipulated set of instructions, aII Heads of Institutions (Hols) will conduct a comprehensive inspection of their respective institutions before resumption of physical classes. The inspection will include the school building, classrooms, boundary walls, furniture, electrical installations, drinking water facilities, sanitation blocks, playgrounds, and any other infrastructure essential for the safe functioning of the institution. They have been asked to pay particular attention to damage caused by flooding, water seepage, cracks, weakened structures or any other visible safety concerns. All Heads of Institutions (Hols) have been instructed to also assess the condition of approach roads and routes used by students and staff to ensure that they are safe and free from waterlogging, landslides, fallen trees, damaged electric poles, debris or any other hazards that may endanger movement to and from the institution. Before reopening, the Hols will consult the local administration, including the Revenue authorities, Panchayati Raj Institutions, Municipal Bodies, District Disaster Management Authority and other concerned agencies, wherever necessary, to obtain an assessment of the overall safety situation in the area. Wherever any structural damage, cracks, excessive seepage, weakening of buildings or boundary walls or any other safety concern is noticed, the matter will immediately be referred to the concerned competent authority for structural assessment. Such buildings will not be used for academic activities until formal safety clearance is obtained. No building declared unsafe by the competent authority or appearing structurally unsafe or undergoing repairs, will be used for conducting academic or administrative activities under any circumstance, it has been directed. As per stipulated instructions, before reopening, it will be ensured that classrooms, toilets, drinking water facilities and other essential services are thoroughly cleaned, disinfected and made fully functional. Electrical systems will be inspected for safety and the campus will be free from debris, hazardous materials, fallen trees, damaged electric poles or any other potential risk. Where educational institution buildings are found unsafe or unavailable for use, the concerned Chief Education officer will, in coordination with the District Administration and local authorities, make suitable alternative arrangements to ensure continuity of academic activities. Such arrangements may include community halls, Panchayat Ghars, government buildings or other appropriate public facilities, including voluntary use of religious institutions wherever feasible and with the consent of the concerned management, DSEJ has directed. Private schools will also ensure that any alternative arrangements made at their ends should be in consonance and strict compliance to the instructions issued by the Directorate. Before any alternative learning centre is made operational, it will be ensured that the venue provides safe drinking water, adequate sanitation, proper seating, ventilation and a secure learning environment for students and staff, it has been specified. Each Hol has been asked to submit a school readiness report to the concerned Zonal Education Officer or Chief Education Officer certifying that the institution has been inspected and all safety requirements have been complied with prior to reopening. The Chief Education Officer will compile these reports and submit a consolidated compliance report to this Directorate, through the concerned Joint Directors in the prescribed format. All the JDs, Chief Education Officers have been directed to ensure that all Heads of Institutions, Principals, teachers and other staff are fully apprised of the DSEJ instructions and remain vigilant in ensuring strict adherence to all prescribed safety measures. They have been asked to personally monitor implementation of the directions within their respective jurisdictions and inform the Directorate regarding the status of damaged buildings, arrangements for alternative learning spaces and any issues requiring intervention. The Joint Directors, School Education, Jammu Division, have been instructed to exercise overall supervision to ensure effective compliance of instructions, in letter and spirit.

Ministers roster for Civil Sectt Jammu in August issued

Jammu, Jul 24:J&K Government has issued a roster of the ministers, who will remain available in the Civil Secretariat, Jammu during the month of August, 2026. As per an order issued by General Administration Department (GAD), Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, from August 3 to 7, 2026, will remain available in the Civil Secretariat, Jammu. Minister for Health and Medical Education Sakeena Masood (Itoo) from August 10 to 14; Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology and Environment Javed Ahmed Rana from August 17 to 21 and the Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Cooperative and Election Department Javid Ahmad Dar from August 24 to 28, 2026 will remain station in the Civil Secretariat, Jammu. Through a separate order, a similar roster of Administrative Secretaries for the month of August, 2026, to ensure their availability at the Civil Secretariat, Jammu, has been issued. As per the order, Anil Kumar Singh, Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Public Works (R&B) Department and Sheetal Nanda, Commissioner Secretary Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment from August 3 to 7; Brij Mohan Sharma, Principal Secretary, Culture Department and Mandeep Kaur. Commissioner Secretary Housing and Urban Development Department from August 10 to 14; Yasha Mudgal, Commissioner Secretary Cooperatives Department and Zubair Ahmad, Commissioner Secretary, Department of Floriculture Parks and Gardens from August 17 to 21 and Sarmad Hafeez, Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare Department and Babila Rakwal, Commissioner Secretary, Science and Technology Department from August 24 to 28, 2026 will be available at the Civil Secretariat, Jammu.

Govt approves Rs 15.22 crore augmentation of Kathua Grid Station

Srinagar, Jul 24:The Government of Jammu & Kashmir has approved the augmentation of the Grid Station at Kathua by enhancing its capacity from 350 MVA to 450 MVA, along with the execution of allied infrastructure works, at an estimated cost of Rs 15.22 crore. The project, as per an official statement, is aimed at strengthening the power transmission network in the region to meet the growing electricity demand and ensure a more robust and reliable power infrastructure. The augmentation will significantly improve the reliability and stability of the transmission system, reduce overloading, and enhance the overall quality of electricity supply to consumers in Kathua and adjoining areas. The initiative forms part of the Governments sustained efforts to modernise and expand Jammu & Kashmirs power infrastructure, ensuring dependable, efficient, and quality electricity supply while supporting the regions economic growth and development.

CWG: Srihari Nataraj qualifies for 50m backstroke semifinals

Glasgow, Jul 24:Indian swimmer Srihari Nataraj qualified for the men's 50m backstroke semifinals, finishing joint 14th in heats here on Friday. Nataraj, a two-time Olympian who holds multiple national records, clocked 25.52 seconds alongside Bermuda's Jack Harvey, just about making the semifinal start list, which comprises the top 16 from heats. The Indian was fifth in his eight-man heat. In para-swimming, India's R V V B K Budigina and Imam Ali made the finals of 100m freestyle S13 event after all the eight swimmers who competed in the heats got through. While Budigina was third in the heats with a timing of 57.10sec, Ali was bottom of the heap with 1:05.32sec. The S13 classification is for athletes with visual impairments.

J&K UT Shooting Championship draws over 200 participants

Jammu, Jul 24: The J&K Rifle Shooting Association, in collaboration with the Directorate of Youth Services & Sports, J&K UT, is organising the 15th J&K UT Shooting Championship from 23rd July to 27th July 2026 at the Shooting Range, Directorate of Youth Services & Sports, Gandhi Nagar, Jammu. The championship, as per a DYSS statement, has attracted more than 200 participants from across the Union Territory, making it one of the largest shooting events in Jammu & Kashmir. The championship features competitions in various rifle and pistol events across different age categories, providing an excellent platform for shooters to demonstrate their precision, discipline, and competitive spirit. The event aims to identify and nurture talented shooters, promote the sport of shooting among the youth, and encourage greater participation in competitive shooting. It also serves as an opportunity for emerging athletes to gain valuable competitive experience and qualify for higher-level championships. Officials of the J&K Rifle Shooting Association and the Directorate of Youth Services & Sports, J&K UT appreciated the overwhelming response from participants, coaches, technical officials, and parents. They reiterated their commitment to promoting shooting sports by providing quality infrastructure, technical expertise, and regular competitive opportunities for aspiring athletes. The championship will continue until 27th July 2026, with winners in various categories being honoured for their outstanding performances and becoming eligible for participation in forthcoming national-level shooting competitions.

PM Modi conveys best wishes to Indian contingent participating in Commonwealth Games in Glasgow

New Delhi, Jul 24: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday conveyed his best wishes to the Indian contingent participating in the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow and said that he was confident that the athletes would participate with passion, determination and a spirit of excellence. The 23rd Commonwealth Games 2026 are being held in Glasgow from July 23 to August 2. Medals will be available in 215 events, spread across 10 sports. As the Commonwealth #Glasgow2026 Games begin, my best wishes to the Indian contingent. I am confident that our athletes will participate in the Games with passion, determination and a spirit of excellence. The skills and dedication of our athletes always inspire countless Indians, Modi said in a post on X.

Union Cabinet clears tougher anti-paper leak bill

New Delhi, Jul 24:The Union Cabinet on Friday approved amendments to the Prevention of Paper Leak Act, proposing significantly tougher punishments for those involved in examination paper leaks. The proposed amendments provide for a maximum prison term of 10 years and a fine of up to Rs 10 crore. The Bill also seeks to raise the minimum jail term from three years to five years for those convicted in paper leak cases. The move comes amid nationwide protests over irregularities in the NEET examination and mounting demands for stronger legal safeguards to protect the integrity of competitive examinations. Parliamentary Affairs Minister KirenRijiju said the government would introduce the amendment Bill in Parliament shortly, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had directed that there should be no delay. We are preparing to present the Bill... The Prime Minister has said that there should be no delay in the Bill we are bringing regarding students, Rijiju said. He accused the Congress of disrupting Parliament and warned that any attempt to block discussion on the legislation would invite the anger of the country's youth.

DGP reviews security situation

Srinagar, Jul 24:Director General of Police (DGP) NalinPrabhat on Friday reviewed security operations along critical faultlines in central Kashmir before chairing a high-level security review meeting at the Police Control Room (PCR) Kashmir, directing officers to intensify area domination, intelligence-led operations and inter-agency coordination in the wake of the recent terror attack in Anantnag. Prabhat first visited Magam in Budgam district, where he reviewed operational preparedness along sensitive faultlines. The meeting, held at the office of the SDPO Magam, was attended by IGP Kashmir V K Birdi, DIG Central Kashmir Range Rajiv Pandey, SSP Budgam and commanders of the Special Operations Group (SOG). Officials said the review focused on operational preparedness, intelligence coordination and measures to strengthen security along vulnerable stretches following Wednesdays terrorist attack in Anantnag. The review came hours after the DGP, along with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and other senior police officers, visited the residence of Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi in Budgam to pay tributes and express solidarity with the bereaved family. Confirming the field review, Budgam Police posted on X that DGP NalinPrabhat, accompanied by IGP Kashmir V K Birdi and DIG Central Kashmir Rajiv Pandey, reviewed security operations on the faultlines with the SSP Budgam and SOG commanders. Later in the day, the DGP chaired a comprehensive security review meeting at Police Control Room, Kashmir, to assess the prevailing security scenario and emerging challenges across J&K. The meeting was attended by Special DG Coordination, ADGP Headquarters, ADGP CID, IGPs of Kashmir, Jammu, Security, Railways, Traffic, Crime and CID, all Range DIGs, district SSPs, Commandants of JKAP and IRP battalions, besides senior intelligence, communication, and police headquarters officers. At the outset, officers presented a detailed assessment of the prevailing security situation, threat perception and operational preparedness across J&K. Reviewing the security grid, Prabhat directed officers to intensify area domination and night domination, particularly in vulnerable and urban areas, to deter anti-national elements and maintain a strong police presence. He also instructed officers to strengthen security around critical infrastructure while enhancing intelligence gathering and coordination among all security and intelligence agencies. The DGP further called for intensified intelligence-led operations to identify, track and neutralise residual terror networks, stressing the need for seamless coordination among all stakeholders to ensure swift operational responses to any attempt aimed at disturbing public order or the prevailing security environment. Highlighting the importance of communication during security operations, Prabhat directed officers to ensure uninterrupted telecommunication connectivity and resilient communication networks across all police formations. He also emphasised the need for heightened situational awareness and directed officers to maintain continuous monitoring of weather-related preparedness. Communication systems and field-level coordination, he said, should remain fully operational to effectively respond to emergencies arising from adverse weather conditions. Concluding the meeting, the DGP urged officers to remain mission-focused, vigilant and responsive, stating that sustained preparedness, coordinated action and proactive policing remain essential for safeguarding peace and maintaining public confidence across J&K.

Amit Shah speaks to slain cop's family

Srinagar Jul 24:Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday spoke to the son of Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi, who was killed in the Anantnag terror attack, offering sincere condolences and assuring the bereaved family that the nation stands firmly with them. During the telephonic conversation, Shah told the family that their sacrifices would never be forgotten and would always be remembered. He acknowledged that this was the second sacrifice the family had made for the nation, stating that while such losses could never be compensated, the government would take ultimate care of them. The Home Minister also informed the family that he would be visiting Kashmir and would personally meet them.The phone call was facilitated by Leader of the Opposition in the J&K Legislative Assembly, Sunil Sharma. Sharma had gone to offer condolences to family.Speaking to Greater Kashmir, Sharma said Shah had asked him to take care of the family and had assured all possible help. He will meet the family during his Kashmir visit, LOP Sharma said adding ultimate care of family will be taken in all respects. Sharma was accompanied by BJP General Secretary Muhammad Anwar Khan, BJP Monitory Morcha General Secretary Imtiyaz Ahmad Bhat, and others. The conversation was held three hours after Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, accompanied by Director General of Police NalinPrabhat, and other senior police officers, visited the residence of the slain head constable in Budgam to express solidarity with the family. Qureshi, a resident of Budgam serving with the 3rd Battalion of the Indian Reserve Police and attached to the Special Operations Group, was shot dead at close range by terrorists in Anantnags Lal Chowk market area on Wednesday while on AmarnathYatra duty. He is survived by his mother, wife, and three children. He had joined the police force in place of his father, a constable who died in an accident on the Srinagar-Jammu highway nearly three decades ago. Following the attack, security forces launched an extensive crackdown across Jammu and Kashmir. The residential houses of two active Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists Adil Thokar of Guri in Anantnag and Haroon Rashid Ganaie of Bijbehara were demolished overnight. Nearly 2800 persons were detained for questioning, with intensified joint frisking, extra checkpoints, and enhanced surveillance continuing across the Valley.

Bodies of 2 missing women recovered in Poonch

Rajouri, Jul 24:Rescue teams recovered the bodies of two women who had gone missing during the recent devastating floods in Poonch district, even as search operations continue for seven other missing persons across the Pir Panjal region. While electricity has largely been restored through the revival of all major transmission feeders, drinking water supply remains severely disrupted in several flood-hit areas, adding to the hardships of affected residents. Officials said eight people had gone missing in separate flood-related incidents in Poonch district and during the last 24 hours, the bodies of two women were recovered, reducing the number of missing persons in the district to six. The body of KhalidaKouser, 25, wife of Yasir Iqbal of Murrah village was recovered on Thursday evening after an extensive search. On Friday, rescue teams found the mutilated body of another missing woman, later identified as Sharifa Begum, wife of Abdul Hamid of Sangla. Authorities said large-scale search operations are continuing to trace the remaining six missing persons. In Rajouri district, Jal Shakti Department employee Abdul Ghani continues to remain untraceable after being swept away in floodwaters with rescue teams carrying out an intensive search operation along the entire stream stretch from Thanamandi to Rajouri throughout the day. Weather conditions remained comparatively stable on Friday, with Rajouri town and adjoining areas witnessing fair weather, while upper reaches, including Thanamandi, receiving moderate rainfall for a few hours. Officials said no fresh rise in river water levels was reported, allowing rescue and assessment teams to expand their operations. As water levels receded, several vehicles washed away during the floods have started surfacing. Locals said one vehicle was found buried under sand near Bela Bridge in Rajouri town, while parts of another vehicle were spotted in the river near Muradpur. Meanwhile, the Power Development Department (PDD) has restored all major electricity transmission feeders in Rajouri and Poonch districts, bringing relief after days of widespread power outages. PDD officials said the focus had now shifted to restoring damaged Distribution Transformers (DTs), with nearly 200 DTs reported damaged in Rajouri district alone. Despite improvements in power supply, drinking water remains a major concern in many flood-affected areas. Several water supply schemes have suffered extensive damage after machinery, pipelines and other infrastructure were washed away by flash floods. Residents urged the administration to accord priority to restoring potable water supply, saying access to safe drinking water had now become one of the most pressing challenges for flood-affected communities.

Reasi gets highest rainfall in J&K during 6-day wet spell

Srinagar, Jul 24:Reasi received the highest rainfall in Jammu and Kashmir during the six-day wet spell, which lasted from Saturday midnight to Friday afternoon, while Kulgam topped the charts in Kashmir. According to Meteorological Department data, Reasi received 473.2 mm, followed by Udhampur (417.2 mm), Rajouri (349.9 mm), Ramban (293.4 mm), Poonch (290 mm), Kathua (270.4 mm), Jammu (262.6 mm), Samba (213 mm), Doda (120 mm), and Kishtwar (77 mm). Kulgam received 201.1 mm, ahead of Shopian (145.2 mm), Srinagar (144.7 mm), Pulwama (136.8 mm), Anantnag (130.8 mm), Baramulla (119.7 mm), Kupwara and Ganderbal (115.9 mm each), Bandipora (63.7 mm), and Budgam (37.3 mm). South Kashmir continued to receive the heaviest precipitation over the past 36 hours, with Kokernag getting 53.3 mm, Qazigund 52.9 mm and Pahalgam 34.2 mm. Elsewhere in Kashmir, Gulmarg received 12.6 mm, Srinagar 2.4 mm, and Kupwara 0.5 mm. In Jammu, Batote received 117.2 mm over the past 36 hours, followed by Bhaderwah (77.3 mm), Katra (63.7 mm), Banihal (57.2 mm), and Jammu city (30.7 mm). The weather improved across the Union Territory on Friday afternoon. The MeT Department has forecast generally dry weather from July 25 to 27, with brief rain or thundershowers at isolated places, mainly in Jammu. A fresh wet spell is expected from July 28 to 31, with heavy showers likely at isolated places in Jammu division, a MeT official said. The spell left widespread damage across J&K. Rajouri and Poonch were the worst affected, where floods, cloudbursts, and landslides have claimed more than 22 lives and left seven people missing. Similar incidents damaged houses, roads, crops, and public infrastructure in Reasi, Samba, Udhampur and the Chenab Valley districts of Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar. In Kashmir, floodwaters washed away a shopping complex in Beerwah after the SukhnagNallah overflowed on Tuesday, while flash floods and landslides damaged homes, roads, agricultural land and apple orchards across several parts of the Valley.

Heavy rainfall batters parts of Rajouri, Reasi, Akhnoor

Rajouri, Jul 24:While Rajouri town and its adjoining areas witnessed comparatively fair weather with only light rainfall during the morning hours, several upper reaches of the district experienced moderate to heavy showers for a couple of hours on Friday. The worst-affected areas included Sunderbani sub-division of Rajouri district, parts of Reasi district, and Akhnoor sub-division of Jammu district, where heavy rainfall from morning till afternoon disrupted normal life and affected day-to-day activities. The incessant rain also impacted vehicular movement on the Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch National Highway. Minor landslides occurred at several locations between Bhambla and Chowki Choura, leading to brief suspension of traffic during the day as debris blocked portions of the highway. Officials said road clearance teams were immediately pressed into service, and traffic was restored after the accumulated debris was removed.

Tawi, Chenab continue to be in spate

Jammu, Jul 24: Swollen Tawi and Chenab rivers in wake of heavy rains that lashed Udhampur, Jammu and Reasi districts on Friday kept authorities on toes, amid apprehensions of sudden rise in water level. Meanwhile, two persons were rescued from Bhiniriver in Billawar in Kathua district where they were stranded, following sudden increase in water level. Fresh spell of heavy rains in Udhampur triggered flash floods, mudslides also at two places i.e., Barkuanda and Kadwah-Basantgarh causing some damage to houses and agricultural fields. However, no casualties were reported as the authorities immediately evacuated three families, affected by flash flood-induced mud slides, from the Bupp area to Government Middle School, Barkuanda. In a similar incident of rain-triggered flash floods, some houses and fields were damaged in Kadwah village yet diversion of floodwater to an alternative channel eased the situation, preventing further damage. In Jammu district, following continuous rainfall, the water level in Chenab river was near danger mark. Anticipating sudden surge, the district authorities, while maintaining 24X7 surveillance, have deployed SDRF team at standby mode all along vulnerable stretches to monitor the situation. Reasi too witnessed a swollen Chenab. Consequently, safety advisories issued by the Police and district authorities asking the people to stay away from flooded water bodies, continue to be in place. Tawiriver in Jammu witnessed fluctuating trends as the river was in full spate in Udhampur. After the rain stopped, the situation eased to a considerable extent yet the authorities continued to maintain a high-alert level particularly in low-lying areas of Gujjar Nagar, Nikki Tawi, BeliCharana. During the last 24 hours in Jammu region, Udhampur recorded the highest rainfall of 96.5 mm, followed by Batote with 84.2 mm; Ramban with 69.5 mm; Bhaderwah 65.7 mm; Katra with 45.1 mm; Kathua with 44.8 mm; Banihal 38.3 mm; Doda with 35 mm; Reasi with 27.5 mm; Kishtwar with 27 mm; Jammu airport with 26 mm; Jammu with 25.2 mm. In Kathua district, in a swift and well-coordinated rescue operation, J&K Police along with the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) rescued two persons, who were stranded in river Bhini following a sudden rise in the water level. Both persons, according to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kathua, Mohita Sharma, had gone near the river in the morning when the water level suddenly rose, leaving them trapped in the middle of the river. On receiving the information, a team from Police Station Billawar, led by SHO Inspector ZaheerMushtaq, along with the SDRF team, immediately rushed to the spot. After sustained and meticulous efforts, both individuals were rescued safely without any injuries and were subsequently handed over to their family members, SSP Kathua said, reiterating the appeal to the public to remain cautious and avoid venturing near rivers and nullahs during inclement weather.

Flood scare eases

Srinagar, Jul 24: Flood fears eased across Kashmir on Friday as the Jhelum, the lifeline of Kashmir, and its tributaries receded despite moderate to heavy overnight rain, particularly in south Kashmir. Water levels, which had touched or neared flood declaration or warning levels late Thursday night, declined steadily through Friday morning. Fresh rain in the upper catchments and south Kashmir briefly slowed the recession around noon, but after showers ceased and the weather improved by afternoon, the rivers resumed receding as the evening progressed. Flood control authorities ruled out any immediate flood threat, saying water levels at all major flood monitoring stations had dropped below flood declaration levels and were expected to decline further overnight. The water level at all flood monitoring stations on the Jhelum, its tributaries, Wular Lake and Sind Nallah is now below the flood declaration level after touching or nearing it last night, a Flood Control Department official said. At 11 am, the Jhelum was flowing at 18.87 feet at Sangam, below the alert or warning level of 21 feet and the danger mark of 25 feet. At Pampore, the river had touched the 5-feet danger mark overnight before beginning to recede. The flood declaration level there is 4.5 feet. At Ram MunshiBagh, the river stood at 19.04 feet, above the flood declaration level of 18 feet but below the 21-feet danger mark. Further downstream, Asham recorded 12.42 feet against the flood declaration level of 14 feet and the danger mark of 16.5 feet, while Wular Lake stood at 1,575.93 metres, below its flood declaration level of 1,578 metres. Fresh rain until around 2 pm caused a marginal rise across the basin. By 11 pm however, the receding trend had resumed. At 9 pm, the Jhelum was flowing at 19.77 feet at Sangam, 5.09 metres at Pampore, 18.89 feet at Ram MunshiBagh, 12.74 feet at Asham, and 1,576.10 metres at Wular. All remained below their respective danger levels. A similar pattern was recorded in the Vaishaw at Khudwani, Rambiara at Wachi, Lidder at Batkoot, Doodhganga at Barzulla and Sind at Doderhama. Their levels also rose marginally following fresh rain before receding again by evening, remaining below their respective flood declaration and danger levels. Moderate to heavy rainfall in the southern catchment of the Jhelum basin caused a marginal rise in tributaries, slowing the recession at Sangam and Ram MunshiBagh for a few hours. However, water levels started falling again by late evening and are expected to decline further by morning, a Flood Control Department official said. The department said the situation was being monitored round the clock and advised people not to panic or pay heed to rumours circulating on social media or other unofficial sources. People are advised to rely only on official updates, remain vigilant and cooperate with the administration, it said. Weather improved across J&K on Friday afternoon. The Meteorological Department forecast generally dry weather from July 25 to 27, with brief spells of rain or thundershowers at isolated places, mainly over Jammu. A fresh wet spell is expected from July 28 to 31, with isolated heavy showers likely in parts of the Jammu division. The five-day wet spell left widespread damage across J&K. Rajouri and Poonch were the worst affected, where floods, cloudbursts, and landslides claimed about 28 lives. Similar weather-related incidents damaged houses, roads, crops, and public infrastructure in Reasi, Samba, Udhampur, and the Chenab Valley districts of Ramban, Doda, and Kishtwar. In Kashmir, floodwaters washed away a shopping complex in Beerwah after the SukhnagNallah overflowed on Tuesday. Flash floods and landslides also damaged houses, roads, agricultural land, and apple orchards in several parts of the Valley.

They deserve presence

There comes a moment in every persons life that no calendar announces and no celebration marks. It arrives quietly. The father who once lifted you onto his shoulders now pauses before climbing a flight of stairs. The mother whose hands could cook for an entire family begins to struggle opening a medicine bottle. Their voices grow softer. Their steps slower. Their memories less certain. And if we are fortunate, we will be there to witness it. Because growing old is not everyones privilege. The greatest tragedy is not that our parents age. The tragedy is that many children forget the sacrifices that made their own lives possible. As children, we never questioned our parents love. We cried in the middle of the night, and they woke without complaint. We fell sick, and they stayed awake for nights that seemed endless. They skipped meals so we could eat. They wore old clothes so we could wear new ones. They buried their dreams so ours could breathe. Their happiness became our success. Their identity became our future. No parent ever sends an invoice for these sacrifices. Love never does. Yet somewhere along the journey to success, many of us begin measuring our parents in terms of inconvenience. We become impatient when they repeat stories. We look at our phones while they speak. We postpone visiting them because meetings are important. We tell ourselves there will always be another weekend. Another Eid. Another birthday. Another opportunity. Life, however, keeps a different calendar. One day the chair they always occupied remains empty. The phone that always rang falls silent forever. The hands you ignored become the hands you desperately wish you could hold one last time. By then, regret becomes the heaviest burden a human heart can carry. The Holy Quran gives one of the most powerful commands immediately after worshipping Allah: Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you show kindness to your parents. (Surah Al-Isra, 17:23) Then comes a command so profound that it defines the very language of compassion: Do not even say to them uff. Not a shout. Not an insult. Not even a sigh of irritation. Our elders are not becoming weak. They are returning to the vulnerability through which they first cared for us. Life has completed its circle. The child has become the caretaker. The protector has become the protected. The teacher now needs guidance. The provider now waits for someone to bring home groceries. This is not a burden. This is lifes greatest honour. Because very few people receive the opportunity to repay even a fraction of what they have received. Modern life has made us connected to everyone except the people waiting for our call. We know what strangers are eating through social media. Yet we do not know whether our parents took their medicine today. We congratulate acquaintances on birthdays while forgetting that our ageing mother has been waiting all week just to hear our voice. Technology has shortened distances. It should never widen hearts. In Kashmir, we have always prided ourselves on our culture of respect. Our elders have been our storytellers, our historians, our moral compass and our silent strength. They carried this society through conflict, uncertainty and unimaginable hardship. They planted orchards whose fruit they never fully enjoyed. They educated children while denying themselves comfort. They protected family honour when circumstances tested every household. Today they deserve more than admiration. They deserve presence. No expensive gift can replace an hour spent sitting beside an ageing father. No bouquet can replace holding your mothers hand while she speaks about memories you have heard a hundred times before. Listen again. One day you will search your memory for those very stories. As a society, we must ask ourselves uncomfortable questions. Why are old-age homes increasing when homes themselves have become larger? Why do some elderly parents eat meals alone while their children dine in luxury elsewhere? Why do we celebrate Mothers Day and Fathers Day with photographs but forget them for the remaining 363 days? Respect cannot be seasonal. Love cannot be ceremonial. Care cannot be outsourced. If your parents are alive today, you possess a wealth greater than anything money can buy. Visit them. Sit without looking at your watch. Ask about their health. Take them to the doctor before illness forces them there. Read with them. Laugh with them. Pray with them. Tell them you love them while they can still hear it. And if distance separates you, let no day end without hearing their voice. One phone call may mean more to them than you will ever know. And for those whose parents have already departed this world Do not let grief become helplessness. Pray for them. Give charity in their name. Continue the values they taught you. Honour their friends. Strengthen family ties they cherished. The greatest tribute to departed parents is to live a life that would have made them proud. One day, if life grants us old age, our children will learn how to treat us by watching how we treated our own parents. Before you finish reading this article, pause for a moment. If your parents are alive, call them. Not tomorrow. Not after work. Now. Author works in J&K Police.

Empowerment, not complexity

Dr. Haseeb Drabus article Kashmir: Emerging Complexities appeared in Greater Kashmir on 16th of July 2026. It offers an analysis of the changing political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir after the constitutional and governance reforms of 2019. It acknowledges that Gujjars and Bakarwals have gained greater political visibility through reservations and affirmative action. However, the overall narrative presents their empowerment as a source of political complexity and instability rather than as a long-overdue correction of historical exclusion. This interpretation deserves a balanced response. The political reservation, govt jobs and admission to educational institutions available to Gujjars and Bakarwals under ST quota should never be viewed as a favour or a concession. Reservation is a constitutional mechanism designed to ensure equitable representation of communities that remained excluded from power and public institutions for generations. It is not charity extended by the State, it is their rightful share based on constitutional principles. Any discussion on reservations must therefore begin with the recognition that social justice is meant to correct historical imbalance, not to create privilege. The article of Dr. Drabu discussed political reservation issue. The Scheduled Tribes, Gujjars in Jammu and Kashmir received constitutional recognition as ST in 1991 that entitled the community to get Political Reservation as well. Yet, they were denied political reservation in the Legislative Assembly and other political institutions for more than thirty years by banning delimitation process in J&K till 2028. The bill in this regard was passed by J&K Assembly in 1998 and denied implementation of this constitutional safeguard. Political reservation for Scheduled Tribes was finally introduced only after the post-2019 constitutional changes therefore reserving 9 seats in Assembly for STs, enabling Gujjars and Bakarwals to participate in legislative decision-making on a more equal footing. What is portrayed today as a new political complexity is, in reality, the delayed implementation of a constitutional promise. The article repeatedly associates Gujjar political participation with words such as fragmentation, fault lines, and complexity. Such language unintentionally suggests that the entry of historically marginalized communities into positions of influence is itself a problem. Every democracy becomes more representative when excluded communities begin participating in governance. Greater diversity in political institutions naturally produces new negotiations and competing interests, but these are signs of democratic maturity rather than democratic decline. The emergence of Gujjar leadership reflects the widening of democracy, not its weakening. The article further discussed extension of Forest Right Act to J&K as well. Another significant example of historical neglect is the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. While tribal communities across India began receiving legal recognition of their traditional forest rights from 2006 onwards, Gujjars and Bakarwals of Jammu and Kashmir remained excluded because the Act was not extended to the erstwhile State. Only after 2019 did these communities become entitled to the same legal protections enjoyed by Scheduled Tribes elsewhere in the country. Describing this as a political gain without acknowledging the years of denial presents an incomplete picture. Any meaningful assessment of Gujjar empowerment must first acknowledge the scale of their historical exclusion. For decades, Gujjars remained one of the least represented communities in higher administration, academia, professional institutions and policy-making despite constituting one of the largest ethnic groups in Jammu and Kashmir. Without this historical context, readers may mistakenly conclude that Gujjars have received excessive benefits instead of understanding that they are only beginning to receive opportunities that should have been available long ago. If Gujjars are truly the primary beneficiaries of reservations and affirmative action policies, this claim should be reflected in their representation within major public institutions. The reality, however, tells a very different story. Kashmir University, with nearly 600 sanctioned faculty positions across its campuses, and the two campuses of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST Kashmir and SKUAST Jammu), together having around 700 sanctioned faculty posts, provide a revealing example. Despite the availability of 10% reservation for Scheduled Tribes since 1991, these premier institutions have virtually no faculty member from the Gujjar Bakarwal community serving as Assistant Professor or above. This stark underrepresentation exposes the gap between the perception that Gujjars have disproportionately benefited from reservation and the actual outcomes. The situation is equally concerning at the University of Jammu. Despite having around 500 sanctioned faculty positions across campuses and implementing the 10 percent Scheduled Tribe reservation policy since 1991, the university has witnessed only three faculty members from the Gujjar-Bakarwal community being appointed over the past three and a half decades. This is particularly striking given that Gujjars constitute nearly 1720 percent of the population of the Jammu division. Such figures demonstrate that the constitutional guarantee of reservation has not translated into meaningful representation in higher education. Since 1947, the Gujjar community has experienced a unique form of double marginalisation in Jammu and Kashmir. In the Kashmir Valley, they are often viewed primarily as a distinct ethnic group rather than as an integral part of the broader Kashmiri society. Describing them as a sub-ethnic group, as the writer does, implicitly reinforces the perception that Gujjars are somehow not Kashmiri despite having lived in the region for centuries and contributing significantly to its economy, culture, and history. This framing distances them from the mainstream political and social discourse of Kashmir and weakens recognition of their legitimate stake in the regions future. In the Jammu region, however, the Gujjars are viewed through a different lens. Here, they are often perceived primarily as a Muslim community rather than as a Scheduled Tribe with distinct historical, social, and economic disadvantages. Their tribal identity, constitutional safeguards, and developmental challenges are frequently overshadowed by religious identity, making them vulnerable to communal narratives rather than being understood within the framework of social justice and affirmative action. As a result, the Gujjars find themselves disadvantaged in both regions. In Kashmir, they are treated as outsiders to the dominant regional identity, while in Jammu, they are often reduced to a religious category. This dual perception has historically limited their political representation, educational advancement, and participation in public institutions. What is particularly concerning is that whenever the Gujjar community secures a constitutional rightwhether through Scheduled Tribe reservation, political representation, or welfare measuresthese gains are frequently portrayed as excessive benefits or special favours. Their progress is measured not against the backdrop of decades of exclusion, but as though they have received disproportionate advantages. Such narratives ignore the reality that these measures are intended to correct historical inequalities and provide equal opportunities, not confer privileges. The real question, therefore, is not why Gujjar-Bakarwls have become more visible in public life. The real question is why constitutional rights guaranteed decades ago were withheld for so long. The empowerment of Gujjars and Bakarwals should be understood not as a source of political instability but as a milestone in Indias democratic journey. Reservation is not charity. It is not a favour bestowed by governments. It is a constitutional guarantee intended to ensure that communities historically excluded from power receive their rightful share in governance, education and public employment.javed

Best Quarterly Performance in Five Years

Every quarter, a familiar debate plays out the moment GST figures for Jammu and Kashmir are published: is the Union Territorys tax revenue rising or falling? The confusion is understandable, because the number most commonly reported the gross monthly collection figure is not actually the amount that lands in the Union Territorys account. To understand why this quarters performance is genuinely a strong one, it helps to first understand how a states real GST revenue is decided in the first place. How a states real GST revenue is actually decided GST was designed as a destination-based tax the idea being that tax revenue on consumption should ultimately go to the state where the goods or services are consumed, not the state where the seller happens to be registered. This is precisely the problem the Integrated GST (IGST) was built to solve. Under Article 269A of the Constitution, tax on inter-State supply is levied and collected by the Union but apportioned between the Centre and the states as Parliament prescribes, on the GST Councils recommendation. The Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 particularly the apportionment machinery in Sections 17 and 18 works out the mechanics: the Centre effectively acts as a clearing house. When IGST is paid, the portion equivalent to the CGST rate stays with the Centre, and the portion equivalent to the SGST rate is transferred to the state where the place of supply lies the destination state. This transfer is called IGST settlement, and it happens continuously as credit is utilised and cash is paid against inter-State supplies. This is exactly why a states true GST revenue is never the gross, pre-settlement collection figure. The number that actually matters the one that reflects what a consumer genuinely contributed to the Union Territorys own account is the post-settlement figure: SGST cash collected within J&K, plus its due share of IGST settled in on account of goods and services actually consumed here. A trader in Srinagar or Jammu who buys stock from a supplier in Punjab or Delhi pays IGST on that inter-State purchase; when that trader sells the goods to a consumer in Srinagar, the tax on that final consumption is meant to belong to Jammu and Kashmir, and the settlement mechanism is what actually delivers it here. A single months pre-settlement number, taken in isolation, therefore tells only part of the story; it is the settled, destination-based figure that reflects the Union Territorys actual revenue position. The quarter, in figures Measured on this proper, destination-based criterion, Quarter-1 of the current financial year April to June 2026 has been the strongest opening quarter Jammu and Kashmir has recorded in the last five years. Month Q1 2022-23 ( ` Cr) Q1 2023-24 ( ` Cr) Q1 2024-25 ( ` Cr) Q1 2025-26 ( ` Cr) Q1 2026-27 ( ` Cr) Growth 2026-27 over 2025-26 April 702.08 916.38 951.02 712.13 1,075.86 +51.1% May 506.47 562.17 660.48 697.72 762.48 +9.3% June 683.88 674.25 641.14 609.40 667.45 +9.5% Total (Q1) 1,892.43 2,152.88 2,252.64 2,019.25 2,505.79 +24.1% Put simply: Jammu and Kashmir collected 2,505.79 crore in the first quarter of 2026-27, against 2,019.25 crore in the same quarter last year a jump of nearly 486.5 crore, or 24.1 per cent. To put that in perspective against the recent past: the year-on-year growth for the same April-June quarter was 13.8 per cent in 2023-24, a modest 4.6 per cent in 2024-25, and had actually turned into a decline of 10.4 per cent in 2025-26. This quarters 24.1 per cent growth is, by a considerable margin, the best opening-quarter performance the Union Territory has posted in half a decade. Junes own destination-based numbers tell the same story from a different angle. Jammu and Kashmirs post-settlement SGST for the month rose from 611 crore a year ago to 667 crore this June a growth of roughly 9 per cent even as national commentary around the same period focused on the pre-settlement, pan-India collection comparison. Looked at through the proper, destination-based lens, June was not a month of decline for the Union Territory; it was another month of continued, steady growth, consistent with the trend running through the whole quarter. Growth that has held up through a major rate reset What makes this quarters numbers particularly noteworthy is the backdrop against which they have been achieved. Over the last several months, the GST Councils rate rationalisation exercise has reworked Indias tax slabs cutting rates on a wide range of everyday goods, simplifying the older multi-slab structure into a leaner one, and easing the tax burden on the common consumer. A rate cut, by definition, reduces the tax collected on every rupee of consumption; for revenue to still climb by double digits in the quarter immediately following such a reset is a meaningful signal. It suggests that the reduction in rates is being offset and then some by higher consumption volumes, better compliance, and a genuine widening of the tax base, rather than revenue growth depending on rate increases. For a Union Territory whose economy leans heavily on trade, tourism-linked consumption and small and medium business activity, a broad-based volume-and-compliance-driven recovery is a far healthier sign than one built on rate hikes alone. The takeaway None of this is to say every months numbers will always look this favourable, or that gross collection figures are meaningless they matter for other purposes, including tracking local formal-sector activity. But when the question being asked is how much GST revenue did J&K actually receive, the answer lies in the settlement-based figures, not the gross collection figures. On that measure, Quarter-1 of 2026-27 was a quarter of genuine, broad-based growth for Jammu and Kashmir up roughly 9 per cent for June alone, and 24.1 per cent for the quarter as a whole, its strongest opening-quarter showing in five years. Aijaz Hussain Malik, JKAS, State Taxes Officer, Circle-C, Srinagar.

Reflections on Governance in India

The recent scenes around Jantar Mantar have been disturbing. Every May, lakhs of young Indians queue outside examination centres carrying the anxieties of entire families on their backs. In May 2026, nearly 2.8 million of them were told to queue again. A leaked question paper had forced the National Testing Agency to order the largest re-test in the history of Indian competitive examinations. It was not the first such collapse, and it will not be the last. What failed that week was not a question paper. It was the states basic ability to keep a secret, guard a process, and deliver what it had promised on a specific date to a specific citizen. This is the argument I want to place before readers, and one I am now developing into a full-length book: Indias deepest crisis is not, at its root, a crisis of democracy. It is a crisis of capacity. We have built one of the more elaborate constitutional architectures in the world an independent judiciary, statutory regulators, a federal structure, a vast schema of rights and welfare schemes. What we have not built, in equal measure, is the administrative muscle to execute any of it reliably. And it is in the widening gap between promise and delivery that our disillusionment, our communal anger, and our creeping tolerance for authoritarian shortcuts all find room to grow. Form without function B.R. Ambedkars warning to the Constituent Assembly in 1949 deserves to be read again, not as history but as a live diagnosis. He cautioned that political democracy in India could remain a thin, ornamental layer sitting atop a society that stayed fundamentally undemocratic beneath it. Substitute capacity for democracy in that sentence and it reads like a description of the republic today: elaborate constitutional form, resting on administrative soil that has never been properly tilled. Political scientists usually break state capacity into three kinds: the capacity to enforce rules, the capacity to design and deliver policy through a competent bureaucracy, and the capacity to raise and spend public money wisely. Indias peculiar tragedy is that it holds wildly uneven amounts of each in different corners of the same state. Our capital markets regulator functions with genuine credibility. Our telecom regulator manages one of the most complex spectrum environments anywhere. Meanwhile, rural public health, monitored under mission-mode programmes for two decades now, remains defined by vacant posts, broken supply chains, and clinics nobody has staffed. Building a digital payments network or a biometric identity platform is not the same achievement as building the human and institutional capacity to actually deliver a service at the other end of it. Infrastructure is not delivery. We have confused the two for years. Fifty-five million and counting Nowhere is the gap starker than in our courts. By March 2026, the backlog across Indian courts had crossed 55.8 million cases, a number rising faster than judges can be recruited or appointed. India has roughly 21 judges per million citizens, against a recommendation made decades ago of 50. In a bitter irony, government itself is the single largest litigant, responsible for roughly half the cases clogging the system it is supposed to be administering. When justice takes a generation to arrive, it has not been delayed. It has been functionally denied. A citizen who has waited twenty years for a land dispute to be resolved does not experience this as an abstract capacity deficit. He experiences it as a republic that has quietly walked away from him. Consider, too, water and disaster. Every monsoon we relearn the same lesson. In June 2026, a flash flood tore through a hydropower site in Arunachal Pradesh; neither the meteorological department nor the water commission appears to have anticipated it. Across the country, our cities generate far more sewage than they can treat, and citizens quietly plug the gap with private borewells and water tankers mistaking the failure of a public system for a private lifestyle choice. We do not lack engineers, rainfall data, or river-basin science. We lack the institutional habit of preparing before a crisis rather than performing heroism during one, and of building regulatory frameworks for floodplains, for river space, for early warning with the same energy we reserve for the rescue operation afterward. Even the architecture of the Union itself often reads more like an instrument of control than of governance. Presidents Rule has been invoked well over a hundred times since Independence, disproportionately as a tool of political convenience rather than genuine constitutional necessity. A republic that reaches for the suspension of elected government as its preferred instrument of efficiency has confused control with competence, and it should not surprise us that the confusion has outlasted the individual governments that indulged it. Closer home Nowhere does this argument land closer to home than here in Jammu and Kashmir. We have lived for decades inside the gap between announcement and delivery recruitment examinations cancelled and re-cancelled, flood warnings arriving after the water, an elected government whose administrative writ is narrower than its electoral mandate. When New Delhi speaks of good governance for this Union Territory, the fair question is not whether the intention is sincere. It is whether the institutional muscle exists to carry that intention through a functioning bureaucracy answerable to the elected government, a judiciary that can clear its own backlog, a disaster-preparedness system that does not wait for the next flood to discover its own gaps. Capacity, not intention, is the honest measure of governance here as much as anywhere else in this Republic. The authoritarian trap There is a temptation, once this diagnosis is accepted, to reach for a dangerous shortcut to conclude that democracy itself is the obstacle, and that a more centralised, less accountable state would simply function better. This is a trap, and a familiar one. Efficient authoritarianism is not the cure for a flailing democracy; it is what a flailing democracy becomes once its citizens stop believing that reform is possible through consent. The honest answer to weak capacity is not less democracy. It is a state professional and insulated enough in its regulators, its judiciary, its civil service recruitment to make democratic consent worth giving in the first place. Rebuilding the Indian republics capacity professionalising bureaucratic recruitment, insulating regulators from political capture, funding the judiciary as though justice mattered, devolving real fiscal power to states rather than symbolic power alone is not a technical footnote to the larger project of Indian democracy. It is the project itself. Until we take institutional capacity as seriously as we take our elections, we will keep mistaking the ceremony of governance for governance itself and calling the difference between the two somebody elses problem to solve. The writer is a retired Indian Army officer and strategic analyst. This essay is drawn from his forthcoming book, The Republic Without Capacity: Reflections on Governance.

'Teaching' AI isn't theft, yet

Delhi High Court refused to halt OpenAI's use of ANI content for ChatGPT training, ruling it qualifies as fair dealing for research under copyright law and finding no evidence the AI reproduced ANI's reports.

Look at them look at you: For a low-privacy, low-consent society like India, AI glasses pose risks that outweigh benefits

AI glasses are emerging as a new computing platform for companies like Meta. These devices continuously capture audio and images, raising privacy concerns for wearers and bystanders. Indians' pragmatic approach to privacy makes the market especially attractive for these intrusive technologies. While offering benefits, AI glasses could lead to widespread decentralized surveillance across society. Strong safeguards and user consent are essential to mitigate these significant privacy risks.

Why US' Russia act need not worry India

The proposed US Sanctioning Russia Act, which could impose tariffs on major buyers of Russian oil and gas, may have limited chances of becoming law. The bill could impact India and China, but political hurdles, waiver provisions and opposition within the Trump administration may slow its progress. India is advised to diversify energy sources and accelerate renewable energy adoption.

Images from the ground

In Shakespeares Merchant of Venice, the great bard, through the character of Portia, gives the attributes of the quality of mercy. Among them he says Tis the mightiest in the mightiest. The same can be said about generosity and magnanimity which are qualities entirely different from patronising others. Of these qualities it can also be said that they are the mightiest in the mightiest. And, how wonderfully these qualities were captured in a short video after Spain defeated Argentina in the Football World Cup final in New York on July 19. There on the football ground with all the clamour and din was one of the greatest football players, if not the greatest player, of his generation the 39 year old Argentine captain Lionel Messi. He was reclining on the ground wrapped in his own silence amidst the tumult and the shouting. No one knows what thoughts were enveloping him. And, then the video captured the 19 year old Lamine Yamal of Spain who has already established himself as one of the worlds great football players walking up to him. Messi gets up. They hugged. Yamal told the media that Messi told me to keep going my way and that the future belongs to our generation. Those words mean as much to me as the gold medal around my neck. He also said that he is the best in history. And, that he had walked up to him to show him his respect. On his part Messi is reported to have said that Yamal thanked him for everything. There was some excitement among lovers of the game at a photograph taken when Yamal was an infant in which Messi is shown bathing him. The photograph was taken as part of a UNICEF endeavour to raise funds for charity for children. Messi was then a rising global football star. The photograph is interesting but it can hardly be the bond which unites the two men. What does, is the respect that they have for each other because of their highest professional skills. But there is something more. It is obviously a quality in their character of showing respect even to rivals. This does not mean that those who show such respect are disloyal to their groups, nations or religious persuasions. But it shows that they acknowledge their common humanity. Today, as the world stands on the fold of ever quickening fundamental scientific and technological change, the need for leaders of nations to recognise that all homo sapiens are united in their humanity and by an increasingly common destiny is all the greater. That is why they need to emulate Yamal and Messi. This is particularly so for the leaders of the worlds most powerful country America. Yet, that is what it is not willing to do especially under its current leadership at whose apex is President Donald Trump. One aspect of this lies in his rejection of scientific evidence for the causes of the devastation that has already begun to hit the planet because of climate change brought about by the emission of greenhouse gases which have led to the warming of the planet. Trumps attitude is reminiscent of the rejection for decades of accumulating medical evidence that the use of tobacco caused cancer. Trump believes that his mission is to Make America Great Again and one of the paths to do so is through the use of US hydrocarbons in greater measure. What is escaping him is that America is part of the planet and cannot escape the consequences of anthropogenic climate change. Behind this lies a disdain and a lack of respect for those who do not agree with his views. That is reflected in the invective he hurls all the time at political leaders both foreign and domestic. Apart from technological change which should compel global political leaders to respect the proposition that there is a need for genuine generosity and a consideration of the oneness of humanity; there is another reason which requires this thinking to prevail. This is the challenge that is underway to world order established after the Second World War. This is most dramatically witnessed through the rise of China which is only following those international conventions which suit its national interest. Many countries are getting caught within the web of a still number one US and a rising China. At a time when there is need for the US and China and other great powers to show flexibility and understanding and follow the way shown by science and technology and also to devise common ways of ensuring that developments in Artificial Intelligence will remain within the control of human beings and not assume dangerous dimensions the rivalries of the great powers is making this impossible. This writer has, because of his professional background, always believed that ultimately countries act to protect their national interest. This is, however, an era where the national interest of countries will be served through cooperation on the basis of scientific evidence. Faith is important for human beings both individually and socially and politically. However, founders of religions did not show a disdain for knowledge though in many cases those who thought that they protected the founders messages did so. Now, global leaders should learn from the respect shown by Yamal and Messi, who come from such different backgrounds, for each other. They showed a path to the world by their conduct. Respect for humanity and the planet is necessary. Without it the future will be difficult and uncertain.

CM Omar Abdullah presides over curtain raiser for J&K International Film Festival

Srinagar, July 24: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today presided over the curtain raiser for the Ist International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK) at the Royal Springs Golf Course here, describing the forthcoming festival as a landmark initiative to revive Jammu and Kashmirs historic association with cinema and establish J&K as a preferred destination for filmmaking. The launch event was attended by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, eminent filmmaker and Padma Shri awardee Muzaffar Ali, renowned filmmaker and writer Imtiaz Ali, filmmaker Sajid Ali, Director Information Shreya Singhal, Secretary in Information Department, Munir ul Islam, Secretary Royal Springs Golf Course Haris Ahmad Handoo, Joint Director Information Shahnawaz Bukhari, senior government officers and members of the film fraternity. Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said the festival marks the beginning of a renewed partnership between Jammu and Kashmir and the film industry, recalling a time when Kashmir was an integral part of Indian cinema. There was a time when filmmaking in Bollywood and Kashmir was synonymous. No film was considered complete unless it had at least one sequence shot in the Valley. Even if an entire film was not shot here, at least one memorable song was, he said. Highlighting the vision behind IFFJK, Omar Abdullah said the festival seeks to rebuild that historic bond while creating new opportunities for local talent, strengthening the creative economy and showcasing Jammu and Kashmir to audiences across the world. Our loss has been many other countries gain. Had Kashmir remained consistently open for filmmaking, many productions that went elsewhere would have continued to come here. Today, we stand at the cusp of rebuilding that relationship, he said. The Chief Minister stressed that the Government is working to create a filmmaker-friendly ecosystem by simplifying procedures, reducing production costs and developing a skilled local workforce to support film production. We need to make it easier for filmmakers to come here, cheaper for them to shoot here, and ensure that our young people are equipped with the skills required to support filmmaking activities, he said, adding that the necessary groundwork has already begun. Referring to filmmaker Muzaffar Alis long-awaited project Zooni, Omar Abdullah expressed happiness that the unfinished work had now been completed by Muzaffar Alis son. Originally conceived in the late 1980s with Vinod Khanna and Dimple Kapadia in lead roles, he said the film would present Kashmir in a way not seen over the past four decades. If what has been completed carries even a fraction of the vision with which it was originally conceived, it will showcase Kashmir in a way it has not been presented for decades. Screening it at a Film Festival in Kashmir would elevate the festival to an entirely different level, he said. Expressing confidence that IFFJK would become a permanent fixture on the global film calendar, the Chief Minister said the Government envisions it evolving into an internationally recognised film festival with parallel screening in Jammu and Gulmarg. This is the first, but certainly not the last. Great film festivals acquire an identity and brand of their own. We hope that, in the years ahead, the International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir will stand alongside the finest festivals in the country and eventually earn recognition among the best in the world, he said. The Chief Minister also welcomed the decision to keep Srinagar Airport operational during the festival period, saying it had removed a major logistical concern and would ensure smooth participation by filmmakers, artists and guests from across the country and abroad. He thanked Muzaffar Ali, Imtiaz Ali and Sajid Ali for supporting the initiative and for their longstanding association with Jammu and Kashmir. Your presence here is encouraging not merely because of your words but because your actions over the years have demonstrated your deep association with Jammu and Kashmir. Your support gives this initiative tremendous strength, and we look forward to welcoming you all back for the festival in September, he said. Addressing the gathering, Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo said that this curtain raiser ceremony is a historic occasion which reminds the great partnership of J&K with Bollywood. He added that this platform is a great occasion to establish the bond with Bollywood. The Chief Secretary also said that J&K has a goldmine of talent and potential and we need to give platform like this to our budding filmmakers to showcase their talent. Padma Shri awardee and noted film maker, Muzaffar Ali, while speaking on the occasion highlighted that Kashmir has special place in the Bollywood from the very beginning. He also remembered his association with the Kashmir while shooting for various remarkable films here. In his address, renowned filmmaker and writer Imtiaz Ali said that Kashmiri youth are brightest as far as talent is concerned. He also remembered his association with Kashmir while shooting for various Bollywood blockbusters in the valley. Earlier, in her welcome address, Director Information, Shreya Singhal said that this curtain raiser ceremony will set the centre stage for homecoming of cinema to Jammu and Kashmir. The Director Information highlighted that this film festival aims to establish J&K as a prime film shooting destination in the country. She added that till date around 400 entries from over 25 countries in different formats have been received for screening during the festival and the entry for film submissions will close on 30th July, 2026. During the event, the Chief Minister also unveiled the merchandise of the Film Festival. Pertinently, the first International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK), scheduled to be held from 7th to 10th September 2026, is envisioned as a premier platform celebrating cinema, culture and creativity while showcasing the regions breathtaking landscapes, artistic heritage and emerging filmmaking ecosystem. The festival is expected to bring together filmmakers, artists, industry leaders and cinema enthusiasts from India and around the world, reaffirming Jammu and Kashmirs place on the global cinematic map.

NEET paper leak: NTA terminates 47 officials, may pursue legal action

New Delhi, Jul 24: In a major crackdown in the NEET paper leak controversy, the National Testing Agency terminated 47 officials and is set to pursue legal and criminal action against some, officials said on Friday. The move comes a day after Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi was shunted out to the Panchayati Raj Ministry. The NTA is set to undergo an overhaul and more reformative actions will follow. At least 47 officials have been terminated, and legal and criminal action will be initiated against some of them, a senior official said. Outrage surrounding paper leaks and the CBSE digital evaluation glitches has triggered a series of shunting of top officials. Students' anger has spilt out in the form of a huge protest that is taking place at Jantar Mantar.

DGP calls for intensified intelligence-led ops to neutralise residual terror networks

Srinagar, July 24: Director General of Police (DGP) J&K Nalin Prabhat today chaired a security review meeting at PCR Kashmir to assess the prevailing security scenario and other emerging challenges across the Union Territory. At the outset of the meeting, the participating officers presented a comprehensive assessment of the prevailing security scenario across the Union Territory, including the current operational environment, threat perception and preparedness of field formations. DGP Prabhat directed the officers to intensify area domination and night domination, particularly in vulnerable and urban areas, to deter anti-national elements and maintain a strong police presence. The DGP emphasized strengthening the security grid around critical infrastructure while reinforcing intelligence collection and coordination among all security and intelligence agencies. Reviewing the counter-terrorism framework, the DGP instructed officers to intensify intelligence-led operations to identify, track and neutralize residual terror networks. He stressed the importance of close coordination among all stakeholders to facilitate swift operational responses and effectively counter any attempt to disturb public order or undermine the security environment. Highlighting the critical role of reliable communication in policing, DGP Prabhat stressed the need to ensure uninterrupted telecommunication connectivity and resilient communication networks across all police formations. Furthermore, the DGP called for heightened situational awareness across all formations and directed officers to maintain continuous oversight of weather-related preparedness. The DGP also emphasized that communication networks and field-level coordination must remain fully operational to address any emergencies arising out of inclement weather. The meeting concluded with the DGP urging all officers to remain mission-focused, vigilant and responsive, emphasizing that coordinated action and sustained preparedness are essential to safeguarding peace and public confidence across the Union Territory. The meeting was attended by Special DG Coord J&K, ADGP HQ J&K, ADGP CID J&K, IGP POS, IGP Kashmir Zone, IGP Jammu Zone, IGP Security J&K, IGP Railways J&K, IGP Traffic J&K, IGP CID J&K, IGP Crime J&K, DPT J&K, DIG CID Kashmir, all Range DIGs of J&K, DIGs Traffic Kashmir/Jammu, DIG Pers PHQ, DIG Hqr PHQ, DIG Crime J&K, DIG IR Jammu, DIG Security J&K, DIG Railways J&K, SSP PCR Kashmir, all District SSPs of J&K, all Commandants of JKAP/IRP Bns of J&K, AIG (CT. & Int.) PHQ J&K, SSPs APCR Jammu/Kashmir, SSPs Telecom Jammu/Kashmir, SSP Cargo Srinagar/Jammu and other officers.

Amarnath yatra to resume after six-day suspension tomorrow: Officials

Srinagar, July 24: The Amarnath Yatra, which remained suspended for six days due to inclement weather, will resume tomorrow (Saturday) following an improvement in weather conditions across Jammu and Kashmir. Officials said the pilgrims will be allowed from Bagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu to proceed via Baltal route only. They said no pilgrim will be allowed to move via Pahalgam route due to uncertain weather conditions. The Yatra was suspended after incessant rainfall across J&K rendered twin routes unsafe for pilgrims. The officials advised pilgrims to adhere to guidelines issued by the administration and security agencies, and undertake the Yatra only as per the scheduled arrangements.

New Delhi rejects Pakistan's claim of deliberately causing floods, says rise in Chenab flow due to heavy monsoon rains

New Delhi, Jul 24: New Delhi on Friday rejected Pakistan's allegations that it had deliberately caused flooding across the border, describing the claims as aseless and contrary to facts. Responding to a question during the weekly media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the recent rise in the flow of the Chenab river was a natural consequence of intense monsoon rainfall over Jammu and adjoining catchment areas between July 20 and 23. Pakistani media reports alleging that India is deliberately causing flooding are baseless and contrary to the facts, Jaiswal said. He noted that Pakistan's own Flood Forecasting Division in Lahore, in an advisory issued on July 22, had attributed the high water levels in the Chenab to heavy rainfall in the upper catchment and had forecast that the high flows at Marala would gradually recede as rainfall decreased. The rise in river flows is, therefore, a natural hydrological response to heavy monsoon rainfall and not the result of any deliberate action by India. Attempts to portray a weather-driven flood event as an upstream intervention are factually incorrect, technically untenable and contradicted by Pakistan's own official flood advisories, the MEA spokesperson said. Rejecting allegations that India had failed to issue flood warnings, Jaiswal said the river discharge during the period had not reached levels requiring any special flood alert. The observed flows were consistent with prevailing monsoon conditions over the upper catchments, as acknowledged by Pakistan's own flood forecasting authorities. Any suggestion that India deliberately withheld flood-related information is, therefore, without factual basis, he said. Jaiswal added that, as in the previous year, India would continue to share high-flood data with Pakistan on humanitarian grounds through diplomatic channels whenever such a situation arises.

Police rescue two persons from flash flood in Kathua

Kathua, July 24: In a swift and well-coordinated rescue operation, Kathua police under the overall supervision of SSP Kathua Mohita Sharma along with the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) successfully rescued two persons who were stranded in River Bhini following a sudden rise in the water level. Officials said that both persons had gone near the river in the morning when the water level suddenly rose, leaving them trapped in the middle of the river. On receiving the information, a police team from PS Billawar, led by SHO PS Billawar Inspector Zaheer Mushtaq, under the close supervision of SP Ops. Upper Kathua Prithpal Singh and SDPO Billawar Neeraj Padyar, along with the SDRF team, immediately rushed to the spot. After sustained and meticulous efforts, both individuals were rescued safely without any injuries and were subsequently handed over to their family members, officials said. Kathua police commended the prompt response and coordinated efforts of all teams involved, which ensured the safe rescue of the stranded persons. The police appealed to the public to remain cautious and avoid venturing near rivers and nallahs during inclement weather.

Omar Abdullah: Jantar Mantar protesters unlikely to back down without their demands being met