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SRINAGAR: A Hindu family from Jammu has gifted a five marla plot of land to a Muslim journalist whose house was demolished a day earlier by the Jammu Development Authority. The land was donated by Kuldeep Sharma, who handed over the ownership documents to the victim through his daughter. A video of the moment has []

SRINAGAR: Srinagar Police have attached a double storey residential house along with four marlas of land worth approximately Rs 75 lakh under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act as part of its intensified drive against drug trafficking in the district. The property, located at Usmania Colony in the Badamwari Lal Bazar []

SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday lashed out at Raj Bhawan over the ongoing demolition drive in parts of Jammu and Kashmir, alleging that officers deployed under its authority were deliberately acting without the consent of the elected government to malign his administration. Speaking to reporters, Abdullah said that field staff and revenue officials []

SRINAGAR: Authorities on Friday ordered the closure of Chadoora bridge in central Kashmirs Budgam district for traffic movement after experts declared it unsafe due to damage by recent floods. The bridge is a crucial link connecting Chadoora with Charar-i-Sharif, Yousmarg and Pulwama, and also provides vital access to three sub-district hospitals Chadoora, Nagam and []

SRINAGAR: PDP leader Waheed Parra on Friday said that the PDPs Land Bill titled The Regularisation and Recognition of Property Rights Bill was drafted to protect the dignity of the poorest families in Jammu and Kashmir and to recognise that those who have lived on State, Kahcharai, Common and Shamilat lands for over twenty years []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has granted bail to Khalid Hussain alias Munna, who has spent more than seven years in custody as the sole surviving accused in the 2018 Karwanda Talab murder case. The Court held that continued incarceration would amount to persecution, especially when the prosecutions entire case rests on circumstantial []

SRINAGAR: The Wildlife Protection Department, South Division Bijbehara, captured two black bears alive in separate swift operations carried out in Anantnag district on Friday, officials said. The first bear was captured by the Control Room Achabal from Soyan Sagram, Kokernag, following repeated sightings that had created panic among residents. In a separate operation, officials from []

SRINAGAR: As reported exclusively by Jammu-based newspaper Daily Excelsior, the Home Affairs Ministry has withdrawn major delegated financial powers from the Lt Governor of Ladakh, Administrative Secretaries, Deputy Commissioners and senior engineering officials, placing the approval of projects squarely under the Ministrys direct control. An order issued by Lt Governor Kavinder Gupta, based on instructions []

SRINAGAR: Srinagar Police along with personnel of 132 Battalion of Central Reserve Police Force and the Mahila Company of 213 Battalion CRPF on Friday early morning carried out a joint cordon and search operation and conducted surprise verification drives in the Lalchowk area of the city. Officials said that the operation focused on hotels, guest []

SRINAGAR: Pulwama Police launched a major operation against illegal mining activities in the district and seized a large number of heavy machines and vehicles from two locations, SIDCO Lassipora and Gund Achan Panjran. Police officials said special teams conducted targeted late-night checking based on credible inputs about unauthorised extraction and transportation of minerals in the []

SRINAGAR: As the school education department conducts enrolment drives in Kashmir to attract more students to government schools, several institutions in Tral sub-division of south Kashmirs Pulwama district are grappling with staff shortages and poor infrastructure. Many government schools in Tral continue to reel under severe infrastructure deficiencies and acute staff shortages, leaving hundreds of []

SRINAGAR: Kashmir witnessed its harshest end-November cold spell in nearly 18 years on Friday as minimum temperatures plummeted across the Valley, breaking records last seen in 2007 and signalling an early onset of severe winter conditions. Srinagar city recorded a minimum of minus 4.5C, while the airport reported an even more severe minus 6.4C. Pampore []

SRINAGAR: The Economic Offences Wing of Crime Branch Kashmir has filed a chargesheet before the Court of the Special Judge Anti-Corruption, Anantnag, against two individuals accused of fraudulently mutating disputed land and preparing forged documents in violation of a court order. The chargesheet names Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat of Babapora Qazigund, a former Patwari of Halqa []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered a major Disproportionate Assets (DA) case against Malik Tahir Gani, Director State Motor Garages, following a secret verification that reportedly uncovered massive properties, bank holdings, and commercial assets allegedly far exceeding his known sources of income. The official said that based on a specific input, a []

SRINAGAR: A series of shallow earthquakes struck the Indian Ocean on Thursday, the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) reported, raising concerns of potential aftershocks due to the low-depth seismic activity. According to the NCS, the strongest of the quakesmeasuring magnitude 6.4occurred at 10.26 am IST at a depth of 10 km, with its epicentre located []

SRINAGAR: Jammu Kashmir Police on Thursday conducted a series of coordinated searches across the Valley at multiple residential and commercial premises linked to individuals and institutions allegedly associated with Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), as part of an ongoing security exercise to maintain public order. Officials informed that the searches formed part of a continuing effort to identify []

SRINAGAR: A Delhi court on Thursday permitted Baramulla Member Parliament (MP), Abdul Rashid Sheikh, also known as Engineer Rashid, to attend the sixth session of the 18th Lok Sabha while remaining in custody. The court said that the permission is subject to conditions imposed previously. Additional Sessions Judge Prashant Sharma clarified that the cost of []

SRINAGAR: Days after the Kashmir Wholesale Mutton Dealers Association warned of a fresh price hike over alleged extortion and harassment at Punjab checkpoints, the Jammu and Kashmir Government on Thursday assured swift action with a joint high-level committee scheduled to take up the matter with Punjab authorities after the December 2. Mehraj-ud-Din Ganai, General Secretary []

SRINAGAR:The Jammu Kashmir Pavilion at the 44th India International Trade Fair 2025 concluded on a highly successful note, registering on-the-spot sales of approximately Rs 13.50 crore and generating more than 6000 business leads for participating exhibitors. The impressive turnover has reinforced the strong market response to the Union Territorys diverse product range and the growing []

SRINAGAR: Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) has announced a series of scheduled power shutdowns across multiple parts of the Valley in the coming days, citing maintenance and upgradation works on various 33 KV lines. According to the Chief Engineer, Distribution, the 33 KV ShariefabadNarbal line will remain shut on December 06 from 09.30 AM []

SRINAGAR: A massive forest fire broke out in Forest Compartment No. 89 of Chontihall Chattergul area of Uttersoo in South Kashmir Anantnag district on Thursday, officials said. Officials said that flames were first spotted by locals, following which information was passed to the Forest Department and Fire and Emergency Services. Forest teams, assisted by locals, []

SRINAGAR: Three JKAS officers were transferred on Thursday, with Syed Qamar Sajad posted as Director Tourism, Kashmir. The order issued by the General Administration Department stated that Pankaj Magotra, JKAS, who was awaiting adjustment in the General Administration Department, has been posted as Director, Command Area Development, Jammu, against an available vacancy. The government has []

SRINAGAR: The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has placed the ongoing selection process for the Jammu and Kashmir Commission for Protection of Child Rights (JKSPCR) under judicial scrutiny, directing that appointments to the posts of Chairperson and Members will remain subject to the outcome of a writ petition filed by Dr Shahid []

SRINAGAR: Police in Shopian on Thursday seized 1.2 kilograms of cannabis from a residential house in Zainapora as part of an ongoing crackdown on narcotics in the district. Police said a case under FIR No. 117/2025 of the NDPS Act was registered at Police Station Zainapora after specific information was received. A search warrant was []

SRINAGAR: Incarcerated Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid has announced a one-day symbolic hunger strike inside Tihar Jail on November 28, alleging that the constitutional rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been bulldozed since August 2019. The declaration was made in a handwritten letter addressed to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and released []

SRINAGAR: Srinagar MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi on Thursday dismissed Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudharys recent suggestion that he should raise his voice in Parliament instead of seeking the limelight, saying his politics is rooted in principles rather than a pursuit of power. Speaking with reporters, Ruhullah said that those who lack discipline, honesty, loyalty, and []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Finance Department has extended the deadline for submission of Life Certificates or Digital Life Certificates by pensioners and family pensioners till December 15, 25, calling it the final opportunity to meet the annual requirement. Under the Treasury Code, all pensioners drawing benefits through banks and treasuries must submit their Life []

SRINAGAR: Srinagar MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Thursday said that this was the first time since 2002 that he had not been invited to the National Conferences Central Working Committee meeting, indicating a fresh escalation in tensions between him and the party leadership. Speaking with reporters in Ganderbal, Ruhullah said he had no information []

SRINAGAR: Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) Naseer Ahmad Wani on Thursday said that schools currently functioning from rented accommodations will be shifted to government buildings in a phased manner. During a visit to Sopore to review the ongoing board examinations, Wani said the department has begun resolving land-related issues that have delayed the process. He []

byDr Nawab John Dar Incubation centres in Kashmir risk undermining young founders by interrupting pitches, triggering stress that impairs performance, discouraging innovation, and weakening the ecosystem. Respectful listening and domain-relevant evaluation are essential for nurturing early talent A worrying pattern has emerged across incubation centres in Kashmir. Young founders who want to pitch their ideas []

Ladakhs two major bodies have submitted a comprehensive demand for Statehood, Sixth Schedule protections and general amnesty after the September violence, insisting these measures are essential for restoring trust and resuming meaningful talks, reports Babra Wani If consistency and conviction have an address in erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir, it is the Ladakh region. After initially []

SRINAGAR: Police in Srinagar have dismantled an alleged narcotics module operating across Nowhatta and Rainawari with the seizure of more than five kilograms of charas-like substance and the arrest of three persons linked to FIR No. 57/2025. Officials said a naka was established at Malkha Chowk by Police Station Nowhatta at about 5:30 pm on []

SRINAGAR: Traffic Police Srinagar on Thursday launched a special drive outside SMHS Hospital to clear the stretch leading to the OPD, which remains routinely congested due to wrong parking despite a designated parking facility in the vicinity. The drive was led by SSP Traffic City Srinagar Ajaz Ahmad Bhat, who told Kashmir News Observer that []

SRINAGAR: Police in south Kashmirs Shopian district on Thursday morning launched coordinated searches at multiple locations, targeting individuals and premises suspected of links to the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), which remains proscribed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). An official said that the searches are being carried out simultaneously at several sites based on actionable []

SRINAGAR: At least 44 people have died and nearly 300 others remain unaccounted for after a massive fire tore through a cluster of high-rise residential buildings in Hong Kong, marking the citys worst blaze in almost three decades, the BBC reported. The fire broke out on Wednesday afternoon on the exterior of a 32-storey tower []

SRINAGAR: Kashmir experienced a severe cold wave as minimum temperatures dropped sharply across the region, with Srinagar recording its coldest night of the season at 4.4C. Several districts, including Shopian, Pulwama, Baramulla and Anantnag, also witnessed intense sub-zero conditions. According to data compiled by Kashmir Weather, Shopian remained the coldest in the Valley at 6.5C, []

SRINAGAR: The controversy over admissions at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) continued on Wednesday, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah again questioning the use of religion in colleges, while the BJP maintained that the educational institution belongs to the Hindu community. The controversy erupted after the first MBBS batch admissions allocated []

SRINAGAR: Police Station Karan Nagar has sought assistance from the general public to help ascertain the identity of an unidentified woman, whose body was recovered this morning from the premises of SMHS Hospital in Srinagar, here. According to police, the deceased is approximately 50 years of age, around 5 feet 4 inches tall and of []

SRINAGAR: The ruling National Conference (NC) is set to hold a crucial two-day meeting of its Central Working Committee (CWC) in Srinagar from Thursday. The meeting will be chaired by NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah at the party headquarters, Nawa-i-Subah. The meeting is also expected to be attended by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is []

POONCH: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday used the Golden Jubilee celebration of Jamia Zia-ul-Uloom to defend the role of religious educational institutions in Jammu and Kashmir and to challenge what he said were unfounded allegations routinely levelled against them. Participating in the institutions 50-year celebration, Abdullah said the milestone itself was testimony to the []

SRINAGAR: A driver was injured on Wednesday late evening when a truck skidded off the Sonamarg Gumri road near Cherwan Kangan and collided with the roadside wall. Officials identified the injured driver as Krishan Kumar Yadav, son of Suraj Bhan, a native of Jaipur, Rajasthan. He was shifted to SDH Kangan for initial treatment and []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday cautioned that replacing merit with religion in academic institutions would undermine the core values of the Constitution, asserting that constitutional principles must be upheld every day, not merely observed symbolically on Constitution Day. Addressing the golden jubilee celebration of Jamia Zia-ul-Uloom in Poonch, the Chief []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference President and MLA Handwara Sajad Gani Lone on Wednesday sharply criticised the demolition of a house in Kangan, questioning the legality, fairness, and intent behind the operation. Visuals of the structure being torn down, despite furniture and curtains still inside, triggered public discomfort and prompted Lone to demand transparency []

SRINAGAR: Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) Naseer Ahmad Wani on Wednesday said the government is actively exploring measures to address the long-pending issue of frozen RET (Rehbar-e-Taleem) posts, indicating that a transition policy for these teachers is under consideration. Wani made the remarks while participating in Constitution Day celebrations at a local school, where he []

SRINAGAR: Two women artisans from Bhaderwah have brought major recognition to Doda district after securing top honours at the UT Level Handicrafts Artisans Awards 202425. Their achievements underscore the cultural depth and skilled craftsmanship rooted in the region. Officials said Ramna Devi won the first prize for her work in Kora Dabka, an indigenous and []

NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has expressed that Delhis toxic air made him feel unwell after a morning walk and said he is actively considering shifting Supreme Court hearings to a fully virtual mode if needed. He raised the issue in court after senior advocates sought relief from physical appearances due to []

SRINAGAR: Police Station Lal Bazar on Wednesday attached a double-storey residential house along with four marlas of land in Usmania Colony, Badamwari, after authorities concluded that the property had been acquired through proceeds generated from drug trafficking. Officials said the seized asset is valued at around seventy five lakh rupees. As per revenue documents, the []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Wednesday issued a fresh order announcing the transfer and posting of several ARTOs and I/C ARTOs across the Union Territory. The reshuffle will take effect immediately. As per the order, Kapil Deol, Jr Scale JKAS, who had been awaiting adjustment, has now been posted as ARTO Doda. Similarly, []

SRINAGAR: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has deactivated more than 2 crore Aadhaar numbers belonging to deceased individuals as part of a nationwide effort to enhance the accuracy and integrity of its database. The authority said the large-scale clean-up exercise aims to curb identity fraud and prevent unauthorised use of Aadhaar-linked benefits. UIDAI []

SRINAGAR: A 10-year-old boy was found dead in paddy fields in KP Payeen area of North Kashmirs Baramulla district on Wednesday, officials said. Officials said that the body of the minor, identified as Ayan Ali, a resident of KP Payeen, was spotted lying in the fields by locals, who immediately informed the police. A police []