KashmirLife

SRINAGAR: The cultivation of imported cherry varieties from Italy and Bulgaria is emerging as a profitable venture for growers in Kashmir, with farmers reporting encouraging market prices and improved resistance to erratic weather conditions compared to traditional cultivars. While the Valleys conventional cherry varieties are yet to arrive in markets, the early-ripening imported cultivars have []

SRINAGAR: Police in Shaheed Gunj area of Srinagar have arrested two auto-rickshaw drivers after a video surfaced on social media in which the duo was heard making derogatory and indecent remarks about the modesty of women. An official said that acting swiftly on the viral video, Police Station Shaheed Gunj took suo-moto cognizance of the []

SRINAGAR: In a touching example of communal harmony and brotherhood, residents of Midora village in Tral sub-division of Pulwama district came together to perform the last rites of an elderly Kashmiri Pandit woman, reaffirming the Valleys centuries-old tradition of coexistence and mutual respect among communities. The woman, identified as Jigar Devi, passed away on Tuesday. []

SRINAGAR: Concerns over the future of Ladakhs famed Pashmina industry and the livelihoods of nomadic communities dominated discussions during an interactive session chaired by Chief Secretary of the Union Territory of Ladakh, Ashish Kundra, with entrepreneurs from across the region on Tuesday. The meeting, held as part of the Administrations ongoing efforts to strengthen Ladakhs []

SRINAGAR: Heatwave continued to sweep parts of Jammu division on Wednesday as the Meteorological Department forecast thunderstorms, gusty winds and hailstorms across Jammu and Kashmir over the next two days. According to the Meteorological Centre Srinagar, scattered to many places in both Kashmir and Jammu divisions are likely to witness light rain, thundershowers and gusty []

SRINAGAR: The Chief Engineer, Distribution, Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL), has announced scheduled shutdowns of two 33 kV power lines, affecting electricity supply to several areas of south Kashmir on May 21 and 23. According to the department, the shutdown of the 33 kV Shamshipora Tap Line will be observed due to maintenance works, []

SRINAGAR: Secretary, Rural Development Department and Panchayati Raj, Mohammad Aijaz Asad, on Wednesday reviewed the progress of MGNREGA, PMAY-G and ongoing Union Territory Capex works for the financial year 202627, directing officials to accelerate employment generation and execution of development projects across Jammu and Kashmir. During the review meeting, officials informed that more than 18.11 []

SRINAGAR: A seven-year-old boy drowned in the Sukhnag stream in the Wachoo Gund area of Arizal in central Kashmirs Budgam district on Wednesday evening, officials said. The deceased was identified as Muheed, son of Zahoor Ahmad Lone. According to local reports, the child allegedly slipped into the Sukhnag stream and disappeared in the waters, triggering []

SRINAGAR: The District Administration in central kashmirs Budgam district on Wednesday demolished an illegal brick kiln in the Mulshulla area of Tehsil Beerwah for allegedly operating without authorisation and in violation of environmental and land-use regulations. The demolition was carried out under relevant legal provisions under the supervision of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Beerwah. Tehsildar []

SRINAGAR: Security forces on Wednesday recovered a cache of arms and ammunition during a search operation in the Sahgund forest area of north Kashmirs Bandipora district. Official sources said the operation was launched following specific inputs by a joint team comprising 45 Battalion CRPF, QAT-45, SOG Hajin, SOG Sumbal and 13 Rashtriya Rifles. During the []

SRINAGAR: The Ladakh administration has ordered that hotels and guest houses registered with the Tourism Department will be classified as industry from June 1, 2026, a move aimed at extending incentives, concessions and infrastructure support to the hospitality sector in the Union Territory. Another historic day for the Tourism Sector in Ladakh. Have ordered to []

SRINAGAR: Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has alleged that a large-scale demolition drive in Jammus Sidra area has led to the displacement of members of the Gujjar-Bakerwal tribal community, leaving several families homeless. Very disturbing news of large scale demolition and displacement of the tribal Gujjar Bakerwal community in Jammus Sidra area by the authorities, rendering them []

SRINAGAR: BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar has clarified the decision to leave out Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Auqib Nabi from Indias squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan, following the announcement of the team. Nabi was omitted despite an impressive Ranji Trophy season in which he claimed 60 wickets and played a key role []

SRINAGAR: The High Court of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh has issued a series of administrative directions, including encouraging virtual hearings, suspending Leave Travel Concession (LTC) facilities and shifting official activities online, in view of the nationwide call for Economic Self-Defence and concerns over rising crude oil prices and energy security. According to a circular issued []

SRINAGAR: Renowned surgical oncologist and robotic cancer specialist Dr Asim Rizvi, a native of Nabdipora Hawal in Srinagar, passed away in Noida following a suspected cardiac arrest, reports said on Wednesday. The sudden demise of Dr Rizvi has sent shockwaves across the medical community, with colleagues, patients and admirers mourning the loss of a distinguished []

SRINAGAR: The Government of Jammu and Kashmirs Department of Tribal Affairs on Wednesday ordered the constitution of a fact-finding committee to inquire into alleged violations of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, in connection with the recent demolition of houses belonging to tribal families in Raika Bandi (Sidhra), Jammu. As per Government Order No. 18-JK (TAD) []

SRINAGAR: A major demolition drive carried out in the Sidhra area on the outskirts of Jammu on Tuesday snowballed into a political controversy, with Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment Javed Ahmed Rana terming the operation illegal and unjust, ordering an inquiry into the incident and seeking action against officials involved in the exercise. The []

SRINAGAR: Police in Srinagar district of central Kashmir on Wednesday demolished an illegally constructed property, estimated to be worth around Rs 1.5 crore, which was allegedly linked to a wanted drug peddler in the Lal Bazar area. Officials said personnel from Police Station Lal Bazar carried out the demolition of a two-storey unauthorised structure, along []

SRINAGAR: A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck eastern Trkiye on Wednesday morning, hitting the Battalgazi district of Malatya province, according to emergency services. A magnitude 5.6 earthquake has been recorded in Trkiyes eastern Malatya province, with the epicentre at a depth of more than 7 kilometres, according to the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority []

SRINAGAR: A 15-year-old girl was found dead in the Mubarak Colony area of Noorbagh in central Kashmirs Srinagar district on Tuesday, officials said. Official sources said that the girl was immediately taken to hospital after the incident, where doctors declared her brought dead on arrival. The deceased, a resident of Mubarak Colony, Noorbagh, was found []

As drowning deaths continue to claim young lives across Kashmir, questions grow louder about whose responsibility it is to make the waters edge safer, reports Asrar Syeed From Ramban to Shopian, the distance is measurable. The grief is not. Two families, one in the mountains of Ramban and another from the Pulwama plains, spent many []

SRINAGAR: Government Medical College Anantnag has summoned two MBBS students after they publicly raised the long-pending demand for enhancement of stipends for MBBS and BDS interns, triggering criticism from medical student bodies across Jammu and Kashmir. According to an official notice issued by the college administration on May 18, the students were directed to appear []

SRINAGAR: Dialysis centres across Jammu and Kashmir are staring at a major healthcare crisis as mounting unpaid dues under the Ayushman BharatSehat Scheme have pushed several private units to the brink of collapse The Jammu and Kashmir Private Hospitals and Dialysis Centres Association (JKPHDCA), warned that if the government fails to release pending payments, thousands []

SRINAGAR: The administration of the Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag has issued a circular regulating the use of social media by employees, officials, outsourced staff, and students associated with the institution and its affiliated hospitals, warning that platforms including Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Telegram, and YouTube are increasingly being used in a manner []

SRINAGAR: Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu has issued a detailed public advisory on dengue management, urging people to remain vigilant against the mosquito-borne disease and seek immediate medical attention in case of worsening symptoms. The hospital has warned that reinfection with another strain of the virus can significantly increase the risk of severe complications, including []

SRINAGAR: Baramulla Member Parliament (MP) Engineer Rashid on Tuesday hinted at stepping away from electoral politics while delivering an emotional address during the last rites of his father Khazir Mohammad, saying his struggle was far beyond Article 370 and statehood and centred on the dignity and freedom of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Rashid, []

SRINAGAR: In a significant development, Jammu Kashmir has been witnessing frequent visits by parliamentary panels as part of their study tours. Details available reveal that four Department-relatedStanding Committees have visited Kashmir Valley to discuss various issues at both the national level and those specific to JK in the past 50 days. The Department-related Standing Committee []

SRINAGAR: Police in Jammu and Kashmirs Kathua district have solved a blind murder case within four days of the incident, arresting the accused from Himachal Pradesh and recovering the weapon of offence, officials said on Tuesday. The case relates to the shooting death of Roop Singh, a resident of Dhanna village and a contractor by []

SRINAGAR: Public sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have said that the supply and dispensing of petrol, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) continue uninterrupted across Jammu and Kashmir despite prevailing global uncertainties affecting the oil and gas sector. State Level Coordinator for the Oil Industry, Himanshu Sharma, said Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Bharat Petroleum Corporation []

SRINAGAR: The Chief Engineer, Distribution, Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL), has announced a series of scheduled power shutdowns across several transmission lines in Kashmir for maintenance works, resulting in temporary disruption of electricity supply in multiple areas on different dates in May and June 2026. According to officials, the shutdown of the 33 KV []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Forest Minister Javed Ahmed Rana on Tuesday ordered a probe into an anti-encroachment drive conducted by the Forest Department in the Raika Bandi forest belt on the outskirts of Jammu, alleging excesses during the operation. Officials said police and Forest Department teams demolished over 30 structures and reclaimed nearly 60 kanals []

SRINAGAR: More than 1.50 lakh households across Jammu and Kashmir have completed their self-enumeration within the first three days of the launch of the Census 2027 digital exercise, officials said on Tuesday, describing the response as encouraging across urban, rural and remote areas of the Union Territory. Chief Principal Census Officer and Director Census Operations, []

SRINAGAR: The District Magistrate of Jammu, Rakesh Minhas, has imposed a ban on the transportation of bovine animals from Jammu district to other districts without prior permission from the District Magistrate or the Additional District Magistrate, officials said on Tuesday. The order, issued under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, covers cattle including []

SRINAGAR: Residents of Pampore have raised concerns over delays and alleged irregularities in the ongoing footpath construction project in the town, claiming that work remains incomplete nearly a year after it began. Locals said the pace of work has been slow and that construction is being carried out in areas with limited pedestrian movement, including []

SRINAGAR: A blood donation camp was organised at Ganj Bakhsh Park, Nowhatta in Srinagar on Tuesday in connection with the 36th martyrdom anniversary of Shaheed-e-Millat Mirwaiz Moulvi Muhammad Farooq (RA), with more than 225 units of blood collected, organisers said. The camp was held under the aegis of the Mirwaiz Foundation in collaboration with Ujala []

SRINAGAR: The National Health Mission (NHM), Jammu and Kashmir, has sanctioned and released grants-in-aid amounting to Rs 150.84 crore under the Flexible Pool for Reproductive and Child Health (RCH), Health System Strengthening, the National Health Programme and the Urban Health Mission for the financial year 202627. According to an official order issued by the Mission []

SRINAGAR: The High Court of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh has quashed an FIR registered by Budgam Police against a Delhi-based businessman accused of orchestrating a defamatory social media campaign against a World Trade Centre-linked company, holding that the criminal proceedings amounted to a misuse of the judicial process through forum shopping and parallel litigation. Delivering []

SRINAGAR: In a major anti-encroachment operation on the outskirts of Jammu, authorities on Tuesday demolished around 20 to 30 illegal structures and reclaimed nearly 60 kanals of prime forest land in the Mahamaya forest belt, officials claimed. The joint operation was carried out by officials of the forest department, Forest Protection Force, revenue department and []

SRINAGAR: In a major development for Kashmirs horticulture sector and Indias temperate fruit industry, Qul Fruits and Italy-based Consorzio Italiano Vivaisti (CIV Italia) on Tuesday announced the launch of IVAR, Indias first dedicated institutional platform for protected fruit varieties and genetics management. Formally named Ivar Variety Management and Genetics Private Limited, the new venture has []

SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday attended a public mobilisation programme against drug abuse in Pulwama, urging citizens to intensify efforts to dismantle what he described as a narco-terror ecosystem and protect youth from addiction. Addressing the gathering, the Lieutenant Governor said the ongoing public outreach against drugs across Jammu and Kashmir had gained []

by Asad Mirza Rising US-Iran tensions over the Strait of Hormuz have revived fears of conflict, even as diplomacy, nuclear negotiations and maritime security proposals continue simultaneously The United States and Iran appear locked between diplomacy and military escalation as tensions over the Strait of Hormuz intensify. While President Donald Trump has temporarily postponed military []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Police have registered a case to investigate the alleged religious conversion of an 18-year-old barber to Islam in north Kashmirs Kupwara district, officials said on Tuesday. The teenager has been identified as Vishal, a resident of Bijnor district in Uttar Pradesh. Officials said police have taken cognisance of the matter and []

SRINAGAR: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday ordered a reshuffle in the civil administration, issuing transfers and postings of IAS and JKAS officers with immediate effect in the interest of administration. According to Government Order No. 938-JK(GAD) of 2026 issued by the General Administration Department, Anil Banka, IAS (AGMUT: 2015), Special Secretary, Finance []

When Indias most competitive medical entrance exam collapses for the first time in history, Kashmirs students, already navigating a maze of reservations, competing exams, and post-2019 uncertainty, pay the heaviest price,Humaira Nabireports Amir had already done the math. Sitting across from his parents on the evening of May 3, he walked them through his rough []

SRINAGAR: US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States had planned a military strike on Iran for Tuesday but that the operation was halted following appeals from Gulf leaders as negotiations with Tehran continue. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that the planned attack had been scheduled for Tuesday but []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has said that the Centre remains committed to restoring statehood to the Union Territory and urged people to place trust in the assurances given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament. In an interview with a national television channel, Sinha described []

SRINAGAR:A massive fire broke out on Monday evening at BK Traders godown, which stores paint and paint-related goods, in the Kanli Bagh area of north Kashmirs Baramulla district, officials said. An official said that the fire spread rapidly through the premises, triggering panic in the area as thick plumes of smoke engulfed the locality. He []

SRINAGAR: Hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure, is rapidly emerging as one of the biggest public health concerns in Kashmir, with doctors warning that the condition is silently affecting a significant portion of the population, including young adults and even school-going children. Medical experts described hypertension as a silent killer because it often develops []

SRINAGAR: Hypertension is emerging as a major public health concern in Jammu and Kashmir, with official figures revealing that only 36 per cent of women and 31 per cent of men in the Union Territory have normal blood pressure levels, according to the National Family Health Survey-5. The data from the National Family Health Survey-5 []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said the administration has intensified its crackdown on drug trafficking networks in the Union Territory, asserting that narcotics money ultimately reaches terror groups and fuels militancy. In an interview with a national news channel, Sinha said the Omar Abdullah-led government was functioning properly and reiterated []