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Increasing matrimonial disputes in the Valley reveal gaps in counselling, family support, and legal awareness In recent years, the Kashmir Valley has witnessed a disturbing and sustained rise in matrimonial disputes, reflected in crowded court corridors and a growing number of young couples living in separation. What was once whispered about within neighbourhoods has now become a visible social crisis, altering the Valleys family landscape. Data from the J&K judiciary over recent years has shown a steady increase in petitions related to divorce, maintenance, domestic violence, and custody. Lawyers across Srinagar, Baramulla, Anantnag and other districts consistently report that disputes involving young couples now form a significant share of their daily caseload. Multiple studies on Kashmiri society point to overlapping causes. First is the rapid transformation of social expectations. Educated young women in the Valley participate more in higher education and aspire to financial independence and emotional respect within marriage. Men, too, face rising pressure to meet consumerist standards of success despite a stagnant job market. When these newer expectations collide with entrenched patriarchal norms, the result is frequent conflict over decision-making, mobility, and familial control. Economic fragility compounds these tensions. J&K has for years recorded unemployment rates higher than the national average, with youth unemployment particularly acute. Sociologists and counsellors in Srinagar and south Kashmir note a clear pattern: disputes often begin with seemingly small issues, such as delayed salaries, loans, rent, or unmet dowry and gift demands, but quickly snowball into serious allegations and prolonged estrangement. The culture of lavish weddings, expensive Wazwan feasts, and status-driven demands, documented repeatedly in local media and civil society reports, further deepens financial stress on families. Another dimension is the growing use of legal and quasi-legal forums. Womens rights groups in the Valley report more women approaching police, protection officers, and courts under domestic violence and maintenance provisions. While this reflects a healthier awareness of rights, it also reveals the failure of early, credible mediation. Many couples bypass structured counselling because it is either unavailable, mistrusted, or dominated by elders who prioritise family honour over justice, particularly in rural belts and conservative neighbourhoods. Mental health professionals in Kashmir warn that chronic conflict at home is fuelling anxiety, depression, and substance abuse among both spouses and children. Yet psychological support remains scarce, especially outside urban centres. A research-oriented response is essential. The government, universities, and civil society need systematic data on the nature, frequency, and regional patterns of matrimonial disputes in the Valley. Based on such evidence, pre-marital counselling modules, trained mediators attached to mosques and mohallas, and specialised family-court counsellors should be instituted. Simultaneously, campaigns led by religious scholars and opinion leaders must re-emphasise Islamic principles of mehar, mutual respect, and prohibition of exploitative dowry practices. If rising matrimonial disputes are allowed to corrode inner bonds, the Valley risks a profound crisis. Building marriages on equity, empathy, and accountability is no longer a moral luxury; it is a social imperative for Kashmirs future stability. Safeguarding the institution of marriage does not mean preserving hollow shells of unhappy unions. It means building families on dignity, dialogue, and justice. Only then can the Valleys homes become places of refuge, not arenas of quiet conflict.
When Number Plates Turn into a Security Risk
Srinagars fake HSRP racket shows how cosmetic aesthetics can compromise law enforcement and public safety The busting of an alleged fake High Security Registration Plate (HSRP) racket in Srinagar is not just another crime story; it is a stark reminder of how easily a critical security measure can be reduced to a cosmetic accessory. What began as a complaint from an authorised HSRP vendor has revealed a parallel black market that openly uses social media to undermine a system introduced in the wake of the 2002 Parliament attack to strengthen vehicle identification and deter terror-related misuse. According to the FIR lodged at Saddar Police Station, the complainant, representing Rosmerta Technologies Limited the authorised HSRP vendor for most vehicle manufacturers in J&K has alleged that counterfeit plates closely mimicking genuine HSRPs are being manufactured and affixed with impunity. One such operation is reported to have been run through Instagram pages like Turbo Shine Customs and Nishant Elite Plates, where plates were sold as lifestyle products rather than critical security hardware. The inquiry so far has exposed a troubling blend of ignorance, greed, and lax enforcement. Two youths from Bandipora and Srinagar have admitted to ordering these plates initially for aesthetic purposes and social media reels, before turning middlemen and charging a profit per plate. Their claim that they believed the plates were legal because they were widely advertised on Instagram points to a dangerous casualness towards regulatory norms and a near-total absence of digital policing. This is not a mere case of petty cheating. HSRPs carry laser-etched unique identification codes linked to government databases. The allegation that counterfeiters duplicated the AA laser code series reserved for Rosmerta, while omitting mandatory security features and violating Rule 50 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, strikes at the integrity of the entire vehicle identification regime. If fake plates can be freely procured and swapped, the states ability to track vehicles involved in crime, militancy, or hit-and-run incidents is severely compromised. The registration of an FIR under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the notices issued to the accused are welcome first steps. But the larger challenge lies in dismantling the network behind such rackets, including the alleged main accused based in Delhi, and in tightening oversight over both physical workshops and online marketplaces. Enforcement agencies must coordinate with central authorities, transport departments, and social media platforms to identify, block, and prosecute those who commercialise counterfeit security devices. For their part, vehicle owners must recognise that tampering with HSRPs is not a harmless style choice but a punishable offence with grave implications. A society that treats security infrastructure as a canvas for vanity projects only weakens its own defences. Srinagars fake HSRP case should serve as a wake-up call: security measures are only as strong as our collective willingness to respect and enforce them.
Sayyid Ali Hamadanis Concept of Dhikr
Dhikr is to remember God in different ways and in multiple forms DR AREEF JAMAEI The Remembrance of God, dhikr literally means to remember, to recollect, to remind or to make a reference (of something). Both in Arabic and Urdu dhikr means to make a mention of something. However, technically dhikr means to remember God and to make repetition of his attributes. Thus, dhikr is the elaboration and explanation of monotheism (tauhid) in the form of tahlil (elaboration of the oneness of God), takbir (explanation of the greatness of God), tasbih (uttering the majesty of God), taqdis (veneration of God), tahmid (stating the magnificence of God) and tamjid (glorification of God). As such, dhikr is to remember God in different ways and in multiple forms. It is interesting to note that the most popular Sufi-saint vis--vis Kashmir, Mir Sayyid Hamadani (RA), as a profound scholar and a prolific writer has penned down different pamphlets/booklets on dhikr for the benefit of Muslims in general and for the guidance of his disciples in particular. These book(let)s include: Aurad-i Fathiyyah (Arabic), Aurad-i Asriyyah (Arabic), Risalah-i Auradiyyah (Arabic), Risalah-i Dhikriyyah Sagir (Arabic) and Risalah-i Dhikriyyah (Persian). So far as the case of the mosques and khnaqahs of Kashmir is concerned, Aurad-i Fathiyyah of the Sayyid (RA) has echoed here from the very outset. It is very interesting to note that Aurad-i Fathiyyah has been always recited in the Grand Mosque of Kashmir (Jama Masjid Srinagar) with enthusiasm. Same has been the case of the mosques of Kashmirs periphery where traditionally this Aurad has always been read in chorus especially after the dawn prayers. However, the dhikr that we are concerned with here is Risalah-i Dhikriyyah, written by the Sayyid (RA) in Persian. It is worth noting that this booklet is not a collection of dhikr as such. The booklet actually throws light on the significance of the remembrance of God. It also highlights the fact that why a believer should make dhikr? Moreover, the pamphlet puts forth the etiquettes of dhikr. Actually, dhikr is such a practice that inscribes different dimensions of tauhid (monotheism) on the mind and heart of the believer who makes dhikr. Sayyid Hamadani (RA) has made this aspect of dhikr very much clear. It is very interesting to note that the pamphlet begins with a grand and sublime literary style which includes, naturally, the glorification of Gods name and praising of the Prophet (SAAS). The hymn for God reads: Praise be to God Who took to culmination the pious souls through the gardens of the trees of human bodies; Who by His grace and mercy made to bloom the Being of Human by dint of the Tree of Being! (p. 39) It is clear that the Sayyid (RA) begins his discourse on dhikr with the fact that God always showers His mercy on His sincere slaves. Vis--vis the Prophet (SAAS), the Sayyid (RA) says that Muhammad (SAAS) is the fruition of the Tree of Being and the River of generosity and mercy! (p. 39) This statement of the Sayyid (RA) highlights that he declares the Prophet (SAAS) as the Leader of the Prophets (AS) on the pattern set forth by the Quran itself. (See, al-Anbiya: 107; al-Qalam: 4) Before dividing human beings into three groups, Sayyid Ali Hamadani (RA) highlights three aspects or dimensions of the human personality. He says: The personnel/agents/guards of destiny clothed everyone with the cloak of Being; put the crown of reason on everyones head; girdled everyone with the girdle of comprehension; put everyone on the sledge of Self and sent them in groups and bands to the market of the world one after another! (p. 40) Here stems out Sayyid Hamadanis (RA) three layered division of human beings. The reason is obvious that it is because of humans blind following of the Self (wishes/whims/desires) that First Group gets depicted as: Those who are chaotic transgressors, misguided and ignorant. They are not serious vis--vis the lofty goal/purpose of life. They stick to the transitory world and like animals they drown themselves in the gorges of beastly life. (p. 41) Clearly, it is the blind following of the Self that renders humans as useless entities, about which the Quran says: And if We had willed, We could have elevated him thereby, but he adhered to the earth and followed his own desires. So his example is like that of a dog: if you chase him, he pants, or if you leave him, he (still) pants. That is the example of the people who denied Our Signs. So relate the stories (to them) that perhaps they will give thought. (al-Araf: 176) However, when a person decides to behave rationally, s/he gets the path of golden mean. About this Secomd Group of people the Sayyid (RA) says: Second Group is those of the Companions of the Right Hand who follow the Middle Path. They remained away from the Valley of Sin by dint of their will power and resolve. For the sake of a righteous and blissful life, . they abandoned the life of sinful luxury and remained patient on misfortune and hardships of life. (p. 41) These people, as such, control the dictates of the Inordinate Appetite (lust, al-Nafs al-Ammarah) through the bridle of the Self-Reproaching Soul (conscience, al-Nafs al-Lawwamah). It is this control that creates the Third Group of people which has been described by the Sayyid (RA) as: The Third Group is of those people who are in the first row of the Friends of God. It is they . who traveled to the world of spirit from the world of matter. (p. 42) Thus, according to the Sayyid (RA), the grace and mercy of the Beatific Vision (Didar-i Ilahi) which God has promised His righteous servants with is not meant for those who dont elevate themselves to the lofty truths of life here and the wisdom related to the life hereafter. This is certainly as per the Quranic verse: [Some] faces, that Day, will
Educated Yet Unaware: The Paradox of Modern Learning
Education without awareness is like a lamp without light. It may possess structure and form, but it cannot illuminate the darkness within human existence SANJAY PANDITA The modern world proudly celebrates education as the highest marker of civilization. Degrees are displayed like medals of intellectual achievement, universities are glorified as gateways to success, and academic qualifications have become the currency through which individuals seek identity, status, and social mobility. Never before in human history have so many institutions existed to educate people, and never before has knowledge appeared so widely accessible. Yet beneath this apparent triumph of learning lies a profound paradox that silently defines our age: humanity is becoming increasingly educated, yet increasingly unaware. This unawareness is not the absence of information. On the contrary, modern individuals are surrounded by information every moment of their lives. They can access libraries through a mobile screen, earn degrees through virtual classrooms, and master technical skills with astonishing speed. The tragedy lies elsewhere. The tragedy is that while knowledge expands outwardly, consciousness often shrinks inwardly. People may possess academic excellence yet remain disconnected from society, indifferent to suffering, alienated from nature, and unfamiliar with their own inner selves. Education, which was once meant to illuminate the human spirit, now frequently produces efficient minds trapped within emotional and moral darkness. The essence of true learning has historically never been confined merely to literacy or professional competence. Ancient civilizations viewed education as a process of self-cultivation. It was meant to shape character, deepen wisdom, and refine the moral imagination. A learned individual was expected not merely to know, but to understand; not merely to succeed, but to serve humanity with humility and insight. Knowledge carried ethical responsibility. Wisdom was inseparable from compassion. In contemporary society, however, education has increasingly become transactional. Students pursue degrees not to understand life but to secure employment, prestige, and financial stability. Institutions measure intelligence through marks, rankings, and standardized assessments while neglecting emotional maturity, ethical reflection, and social awareness. Learning becomes reduced to competition, and the individual gradually transforms into a product designed for economic machinery rather than a conscious human being capable of reflection and empathy. One of the greatest ironies of the modern age is that many highly educated individuals remain emotionally impoverished. They may master complex technologies yet fail to understand human pain. They may discuss global economies while remaining indifferent to hunger outside their own neighborhoods. They may speak eloquently about progress while participating silently in systems that perpetuate inequality and injustice. Education often sharpens intellect without awakening conscience. This contradiction becomes visible in everyday life. One encounters individuals with prestigious qualifications who treat workers with contempt, dismiss the struggles of the poor, or remain indifferent to environmental destruction. Their education has refined their professional abilities but has failed to deepen their humanity. Such people may possess information, but information alone does not create awareness. Awareness emerges only when knowledge touches the heart and transforms perception. Modern education also suffers from dangerous fragmentation. Students are trained to specialize narrowly within particular disciplines while remaining disconnected from broader human realities. A person may become an expert in engineering yet remain ignorant of philosophy, literature, ethics, or social suffering. Another may excel in medicine while lacking emotional sensitivity toward patients as human beings rather than clinical cases. Specialization increases technical proficiency but often weakens holistic understanding. This fragmentation reflects a deeper crisis within civilization itself. Human beings are increasingly encouraged to value productivity over reflection, achievement over wisdom, and ambition over inner balance. Educational institutions mirror these priorities. Students are trained to compete relentlessly in markets rather than to question the meaning and consequences of the systems they enter. They learn how to earn a living but rarely how to live meaningfully. The decline of literature and the humanities within educational spaces has further intensified this crisis. Literature has always served as one of humanitys most powerful instruments of self-awareness. Through stories, poetry, and philosophy, individuals encounter lives beyond their own experiences. They learn empathy by inhabiting the emotions of others. They confront moral complexity, existential suffering, and the fragile beauty of human existence. Yet in the age of utilitarian education, such disciplines are increasingly marginalized because they do not immediately generate economic profit. The consequences are deeply visible. Students graduate with technical competence yet struggle to understand loneliness, grief, identity, or moral conflict. Their minds become filled with data, but their inner worlds remain underdeveloped. Many experience emotional emptiness despite material success because they were never taught to cultivate self-awareness or emotional intelligence. The soul remains neglected while the rsum expands. Technology has amplified this paradox even further. Information today flows endlessly through digital networks, creating the illusion of knowledge. People consume headlines, opinions, and fragmented facts at astonishing speed without engaging in deep reflection. Social media encourages immediate reactions rather than thoughtful understanding. In such an atmosphere, superficial familiarity with subjects is mistaken for wisdom. Individuals begin believing themselves informed simply because they are constantly exposed to content. Yet awareness demands silence, contemplation, and intellectual humilityqualities increasingly endangered in the digital age. True learning requires the courage to question oneself, to confront uncertainty, and to recognize the limitations of ones own understanding. Modern culture, however, often rewards confidence more than wisdom, visibility more than depth. People become eager to express opinions while remaining reluctant to examine themselves critically. This inner disconnection has profound social consequences. Educated societies continue witnessing violence, discrimination, exploitation, and moral indifference. Scientific advancement coexists with emotional cruelty. Economic development progresses alongside spiritual emptiness. The existence of highly educated individuals within corrupt systems reveals that education alone cannot guarantee ethical consciousness. A person may possess advanced degrees and still contribute to injustice if learning remains disconnected from moral reflection. The paradox becomes particularly painful when one observes how education sometimes distances individuals from their own cultural roots and communities. Many people emerge from modern institutions intellectually alienated from local traditions, languages, and collective histories. In the pursuit of modernization, they begin
Reviving India-Canada Ties in Fractured World
After years of diplomatic strain, New Delhi and Ottawa are rediscovering the value of pragmatism, economic cooperation and people-to-people engagement in an increasingly uncertain global order ASHOK BHAN The gradual revival of relations between India and Canada marks an important diplomatic shift in an increasingly fragmented and polarised world order. After years of tension, mistrust and political acrimony, New Delhi and Ottawa now appear willing to restore communication channels and rebuild a relationship that serves important strategic, economic and human interests on both sides. The thaw may still be cautious and measured, but it reflects political maturity and recognition that major bilateral relationships cannot remain hostage indefinitely to episodic confrontations and domestic political calculations. India and Canada are not merely two Commonwealth democracies linked by historical association. They are important partners in trade, education, technology, agriculture, energy and innovation. More importantly, they are connected through one of the worlds most successful and influential Indian-origin diasporas. Millions of families, students, professionals and entrepreneurs form a living bridge between the two countries. It is this human dimension that made the deterioration in relations particularly damaging and emotionally unsettling for ordinary citizens across both nations. The diplomatic crisis that followed allegations made by former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau regarding the killing of a Khalistani separatist on Canadian soil pushed bilateral ties to an unprecedented low. India rejected the allegations strongly and accused Canada of permitting extremist and separatist elements to function freely under the cover of democratic freedoms. Diplomatic expulsions, suspension of negotiations, disruption in visa services and sharp public rhetoric deepened mistrust and affected multiple sectors. Yet diplomacy rarely functions in absolutes. Nations ultimately return to dialogue because strategic realities compel engagement. Geography may separate India and Canada, but economics, security concerns, educational linkages and geopolitical developments create a strong basis for cooperation. The recent signs of re-engagement suggest that both countries increasingly recognise the costs of prolonged estrangement. For India, Canada remains an important strategic partner in the Western hemisphere. Canada possesses enormous reserves of critical minerals, vast energy resources, advanced agricultural expertise and globally respected educational institutions. India, on the other hand, is one of the fastest-growing major economies, a technological hub and a key geopolitical actor in the Indo-Pacific region. In a world increasingly shaped by supply-chain disruptions, energy insecurity and strategic competition, pragmatic cooperation between the two countries carries significant value. Economic considerations alone make reconciliation essential. Bilateral trade has continued to expand despite political tensions. Canadian pension funds and institutional investors hold substantial stakes in Indias infrastructure, renewable energy and real estate sectors. At the same time, Indian professionals contribute significantly to Canadas healthcare, technology, transportation and academic sectors. Indian students constitute one of the largest international student communities in Canadian universities and colleges, contributing enormously to the Canadian economy and multicultural social fabric. The disruption in normal relations adversely affected these constituencies. Visa delays, uncertainty in educational mobility and concerns among investors created avoidable anxiety. Businesses and institutions on both sides require stability, predictability and policy continuity. Restoration of confidence, therefore, becomes essential not merely diplomatically, but economically and socially as well. The timing of this revival is also significant. The global geopolitical landscape is undergoing rapid transformation. Strategic rivalries are intensifying, economic uncertainty is growing, and multilateral institutions are increasingly under strain. In such a climate, middle powers like India and Canada must cooperate on issues such as climate change, clean energy transition, technological regulation, food security and maritime stability. Despite political disagreements, both countries broadly share democratic values, commitment to pluralism and support for a rules-based international order. Beyond political tensions At the same time, normalization will not be easy. The issue that strained ties most deeply the political space available to separatist extremism in Canada remains sensitive and unresolved. India has consistently maintained that freedom of expression cannot become a shield for advocacy of violence, glorification of terrorism or threats to another countrys sovereignty and territorial integrity. Canada, shaped by its constitutional traditions and domestic political dynamics, has often approached such questions through the prism of civil liberties and multicultural politics. Bridging this gap requires seriousness, discretion and sustained institutional dialogue. Public posturing and televised accusations only inflame public sentiment and complicate diplomacy. Mature democracies resolve difficult questions through legal cooperation, intelligence-sharing and evidence-based engagement rather than emotional rhetoric. A particularly important factor in rebuilding ties is the role of the Indian diaspora in Canada. Indo-Canadians have emerged as one of the countrys most successful and respected communities, contributing immensely to public life, politics, business, science and culture. Their achievements symbolize the strength of India-Canada relations. It is important that the larger diaspora is not viewed through the narrow lens of fringe radical groups whose politics do not represent the overwhelming majority of peaceful and law-abiding citizens of Indian origin. Indeed, the diaspora can become the strongest constituency for reconciliation. Families, students, entrepreneurs and professionals seek smoother mobility, stronger connectivity and deeper cooperation between the two countries. Their aspirations can serve as a stabilizing force against attempts to promote division and polarization. The future trajectory of India-Canada relations will also depend substantially on political leadership. Statesmanship lies not in denying differences but in preventing them from overwhelming larger strategic interests. India has increasingly pursued a foreign policy rooted in realism, strategic autonomy and multi-alignment. Canada, too, appears to recognise that engagement with India is not optional but strategically necessary in the context of Indo-Pacific geopolitics and economic diversification. Recent high-level engagements indicate movement in that direction. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Mark Carney have reportedly agreed to fast-track negotiations toward a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, with an ambitious target of expanding bilateral trade substantially by 2030. Canadian company Cameco has also signed a long-term uranium supply agreement with India, while discussions on critical minerals, clean energy and artificial intelligence cooperation have gained momentum. Education has similarly emerged as a key area of renewed engagement. Both governments have expressed interest in expanding academic partnerships, facilitating exchanges for students
Uri Village Without Electricity for Three Months, Locals Suffer
Idrees Bukhtiyar Srinagar, May 22: Residents of Muree Doba area of Sukhdar village in north Kashmirs Uri town on Friday accused the Power Development Department (PDD) of failing to restore electricity in the area, alleging that a damaged transformer has remained defunct for nearly three months, causing severe inconvenience to consumers. Locals said the 25 KV transformer supplying electricity to the locality developed a fault before the commencement of Ramadan. Although the transformer was reportedly repaired and reinstalled during the holy month, it broke down again within a few hours, leaving the area without a stable power supply once again. They said the damaged transformer was later shifted to a workshop for repairs, but despite repeated requests and follow-ups by residents, it has not been reinstalled so far. The residents further alleged that officials had assured them that the faulty 25 KV transformer would be replaced with a higher-capacity 63 KV transformer to improve electricity supply in the locality. However, they claimed the assurance has remained confined to verbal promises, with officials repeatedly delaying the installation. The prolonged power crisis has disrupted normal life in the border locality. Residents said students preparing for examinations are unable to study properly, while elderly persons and patients dependent on oxygen support are facing immense difficulties due to the erratic power supply. Locals have urged senior PDD officials and the district administration to intervene immediately and ensure restoration of electricity in the area without further delay. However, Executive Engineer KPDCL Baramulla, Farooq Ahmad Ganai, said that a new 63 KVA transformer has been approved for the village. I will try my best to ensure that it is sent and installed by tomorrow or the day after to restore smooth electricity supply, he said.
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Students Forced to Pay Full Bus Fare Despite Concession
Arif Rashid Srinagar, May 22: Students from various parts of Kashmir have alleged that transport operators are not implementing the government-approved 50 percent fare concession for students in buses and minibuses across the Valley. Several students claimed that despite showing valid identity cards, conductors continue to charge full fare during daily travel to schools, colleges, universities, and other educational institutions. Zahid Ahmad, a student said that students are facing difficulties while travelling in buses and minibuses as conductors refuse to provide the concession announced by the government. When we ask for half fare and show our identity cards, the conductors ask us either to pay the full amount or leave the vehicle and use other transport services, he said. Farooq Ahmad Ganie, a student from Budgam district, said students studying in colleges, medical institutions, and universities are being forced to pay full fare despite the official concession. In smart city buses also, conductors issue receipts without providing any discount to students, he said. Ganie further said that while the government has introduced free bus services for women passengers in Jammu and Kashmir, students from economically weaker families continue to struggle with rising transportation expenses. Many students from rural areas belong to poor families. Conductors are not accepting the 50 percent fare concession anywhere in the Valley, he added. Parents have also voiced concern over the issue. Ghazala Jan, a resident of Srinagar, said her three sons, who study at Universities spend a significant amount on daily transportation. If the government has announced a 50 percent concession for students, why is it not being implemented on the ground? she questioned. She also urged the Jammu and Kashmir Government to consider free transport facilities for students, saying it would help them pursue education without financial stress. Regional Transport Officer (RTO) Kashmir, could not be contacted for comments despite repeated attempts when this report was filed by this reporter.
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Soaring Airfares Push Patients, Students into Distress
Travel bodies urge government to regulate fares Idrees Bukhtiyar Srinagar, May 22: Patients and students travelling to Kashmir from different parts of the country are facing immense hardship due to a sharp spike in airfares, with ticket prices on several routes soaring beyond the reach of common travellers. Passengers said the sudden increase in fares has particularly affected students returning home for vacations and patients travelling for medical treatment, many of whom are unable to afford the exorbitant prices. According to online travel portal MakeMyTrip, the lowest airfare from Delhi to Srinagar is currently around Rs 12,000 and goes up to nearly Rs 21,000 depending on the timing and airline availability. Similarly, fares from Mumbai to Srinagar are ranging between Rs 18,000 and Rs 27,000, while ticket prices from Chandigarh to Srinagar have also touched Rs 13,000. Tickets from Jammu to Srinagar used to cost Rs 2000 but have increased to Rs 13,000. Several passengers expressed concern over the situation, saying the steep fares have made air travel almost impossible for middle-class families. It has become extremely difficult for students and patients to travel. Many people have urgent requirements to return home, but such high-ticket prices are unaffordable, said a Srinagar-bound student currently studying in Delhi. Another passenger Tahir Ahmad said patients travelling for specialised treatment outside Jammu and Kashmir are the worst affected. People who travel for medical emergencies cannot wait for fares to drop. The government must intervene and regulate prices, he said. Ahmad, who works in a private firm in Delhi and was scheduled to return home for Eid, said he could not afford the airfare this time. I have now booked a train ticket instead, he told Rising Kashmir. President of the Travel Agents Association of Kashmir (TAAK), Farooq Kuthoo, said the soaring fares were putting additional financial burden on passengers, especially students and patients. The prices have gone very high and it is badly affecting patients and students who frequently travel outside the valley. The government should keep a cap on airfares and monitor the situation because many families cannot afford such huge ticket prices, Kuthoo told Rising Kashmir. He said the association has repeatedly taken up the issue with the concerned authorities. We have written to the authorities many times and urged them to intervene so that passengers are not exploited during peak travel seasons, he added. Kuthoo attributed the rise in fares to the heavy tourist influx into Kashmir, increased fuel prices and prevailing heatwave conditions in several parts of the country. Travelers have appealed to the Civil Aviation Ministry and airline operators to introduce special concessions or additional flights to Kashmir during the peak season to ease the burden on passengers.
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Debt and distress: youth caught in cricket betting trap
The rise of social media and easily accessible money-making applications has significantly altered the dynamics of betting and gambling in the State. Recent police crackdowns have uncovered syndicates linked to international networks, involving hundreds of mule bank accounts and transactions worth hundreds of crores of rupees. Officials warn that many individualsparticularly unemployed youth and studentsare falling into severe debt, addiction, and psychological distress. This highlights the urgent need for awareness campaigns, counselling initiatives, and stronger digital regulations, writes Harish Gilai.
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Rain gives residents respite from heat, however commuters troubled
Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon kill 10, including paramedics, child
Opposition to Bengalurus new international cricket stadium grows
Police stations were directed to immediately register FIRs, incorporating offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, relating to kidnapping and trafficking, the moment information regarding a missing person is received
Ministers, leaders, industrialists call on Chief Minister Vijay
GST fraud unearthed in Karimnagar
Induction of IUML, VCK in Vijay-led Cabinet is historic: Aadhav Arjuna
Two die in separate casualties
U.S. releases second batch of government declassified UFO files
One of the 222 files released on Friday (May 22, 2026) contains 116 pages of documentation relating to a series of reported sightings and investigations in a top-secret facility in Sandia, New Mexico, from 1948 to 1950
Reconstituted PAC meets; BJP objects to panel taking up issuessuomotu
The panel expressed concern over pending Action Taken Notes and a heavy backlog in the Audit Para Monitoring System, which tracks Ministries follow-up on audit observations related to irregularities, procedural violations, financial lapses, and inefficient use of public funds
Despite West Asia conflict, Dubai remains key international destination from Bengaluru
Mangaluru marks 16th anniversary of air crash by paying tribute to victims
Jharkhand High Court seeks report on alleged sexual assault of woman inmate in Ranchi jail
Leader of Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, Babulal Marandi, had written a letter to Chief Minister Hemant Soren raising the issue of alleged sexual exploitation by Jail Superintendent resulting in pregnancy
Muslim cleric wants West Bengal formula of skipping slaughter of cattle for Bakrid
We do not believe that revenue to madrassas or other religious institutions on account of animal hide donation and sale will be a problem. The hide market already collapsed a few years ago, Maulana Husamuddin Sani Jafar Pasha said
Poultry farmers in Tiruppur see positive signs in foray into retail space
Karnataka notifies final draft of minimum wages with average increase of 60%
The final draft of minimum wages ranges from 19,300 for an unskilled worker in Zone 3 to 31,100 for the highly skilled worker in Zone 1. The average increase of minimum wages is about 60 % from the current wages.
Frequent power cuts in SL Mandapam Rehabilitation centre, complain refugees
War impact: production costs spiral for textile units in Tamil Nadu
Samyukt Kisan Morcha warns against natural farming, asks Centre to ensure adequate fertilisers
The SKM leaders asked farmer unions, peasant organisations and agricultural workers to burn copies of the recent Government order on MSP for the kharif crops in every village
Repco Home Finance Q4 net rises 3.2% to 129 crore
VCKruns into severe criticism fromDMKleaders for joiningTVK-led government
As matters threatened to turn ugly,DMKpresidentM.K. Stalin intervened and appealedto the party leaders to calm down, arguing that every party can determine its own political course
Mumbai needs 10,000 buses, only 3,000 ply today: Bhide
Ashwini Bhide, Commissioner of Brihanmumbai Municipal, says projects face opposition, but people experience the ease of travel after work gets completed
Scoot to shift Visakhapatnam operations to Bhogapuram airport from July 8
TENNIS | Ivashka loses his cool but not his semifinal against Stewart
Kalyanpur and Sasikumar take out Barry and Charlton while Poonacha and Myneni fall to Biryukov and Lomakin
Usilampatti GH gets four dialysis units through SBI Mutual Fund on Rotarys initiative
Education must focus on practical exposure, skill development, says Higher Education Minister
I-T department holds outreach programme on SFT filing
Watch: Is the TVKs cabinet expansion, DMKs loss? | Above the Fold | 22.05.2026
In todays episode: TVK inducts VCK and IUML leaders into its Cabinet, raising questions about the DMKs strength; the Delhi High Court questions the WFI over Vinesh Phogats eligibility and more.
Behind the viral Dhurandhar veena hook: Meet Carnatic musician Ramana Balachandran
Loved Dhurandhars Phir Se track? This 24-year-old classical vainika is in the spotlight for his part in the song
No permission for human chain protest called by Cockroach Janta Party: Bengaluru police
The poster circulating online carried the tagline: Not just online, its time to show power in the streets
Forest Recipes of Goa | What Assavri Kulkarni leant from tribal foragers
From mushrooms cooked under the arm to wood ash pancakes, a new book by photographer Assavri Kulkarni documents Goas vanishing tribal food traditions
Uttam Kumar Reddy rebuts KTRs lies on paddy procurement
Minister says Congress Govt. is carrying out the Telanganas largest-ever procurement exercise
Two women construction workers buried alive as soil caves in near Madurai
Telangana Cabinet meet on May 23 to draw up checklist and plans for future
The meeting today is likely to reflect upon concerns over the evolving West Asia crisis and its possible impact on Telanganas economy and revenue generation
8th anniversary of anti-Sterlite protest police firing observed in Thoothukudi
Thunderstorms bring partial relief, but heatwave persists in Andhra Pradesh
CUK announces PG admissions; registration begins
CSIRIICT technology powers Indias compressed biogas scale-up
From rotting market waste to farm residue, Indias twin waste crisis is finding a sustainable solution in compressed biogas. Backed by CSIR-IICT innovations, the technology transforms organic waste into clean fuel, boosting farmer incomes, reducing pollution, and advancing the countrys circular economy goals
Nine wild elephants driven back into forest under Operation Gajamukthi
Supreme Court refers UAPA bail curbs to larger Bench for authoritative ruling
Amid perceived conflict among Benches, top court refuses to examine correctness of observations made in a recent ruling; it grants interim bail to two Delhi riots accused; Additional Solicitor General says courts must strike balance between interests of society and rights of accused
