Month: January 2025

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has intensified its investigation into alleged financial irregularities and disproportionate assets under the Srinagar Smart City Project (SSCP), conducting extensive raids across multiple locations in Srinagar and its outskirts. Reliable sources told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that the ACB recently raided multiple locations, targeting senior officials of Srinagar Smart City Limited. Sources added that searches were conducted as part of the probe into allegations of corruption and the accumulation of assets beyond known sources of income. Insiders in ACB revealed that the raids are part of an ongoing inquiry into financial mismanagement within the SSCL, which has been under scrutiny for months. Investigators are focusing on whether funds...

Passengers traveling between Kashmir and New Delhi will need to change trains at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi (SMVD) Railway Station in Katra, according to railway officials citing security concerns. Trains arriving from or heading to Srinagar will terminate at Katra, requiring passengers to transfer to another train for the onward journey. Officials explained that all passengers will disembark at platform number 1 in Katra, exit the station, and have their luggage re-scanned before boarding a new train to continue their journey. "The same train will not proceed further. Passengers must wait for the next scheduled service to complete their travel," they stated. Northern Railways has already announced the schedule for train services between SMVD Katra and Srinagar, effective December ...

Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu Kashmir, recorded a minimum temperature of -4.3°C on Friday night, slightly warmer than the -4.4°C recorded the previous night. However, the icy winds and persistent frost continue to dominate the city and the surrounding valley, intensifying the winter chill. The coldest spot in Kashmir on Friday was Larnoo, which plunged to a freezing -11.3°C, compared to -11.6°C on Thursday night. Other parts of the valley also experienced sub-zero temperatures, with Pahalgam at -10.0°C, Gulmarg at -8.1°C, and Shopian at -9.3°C. Qazigund and Sonamarg both registered -7.6°C, while Anantnag and Kulgam recorded -8.0°C and -7.8°C, respectively. In the Jammu region, Jammu city recorded 4.9°C, slightly down from 5.5°C the previous night. Bhaderwah touched free...

Three persons accused of being militant associates have been arrested in the Kulgam district of south Kashmir, Police said. In a press release, Police said that Jammu Kashmir police, along with the Army's 1 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), 1 Para (SF), and the 18th Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), arrested three individuals accused of being terrorist associates linked to the proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)/The Resistance Front (TRF). "The arrests were made during the investigation of an ongoing case registered under FIR No. 02/2025 at Qaimoh Police Station under sections 13, 18, and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA)," a Police spokesperson added. The arrested individuals have been identified as Ubaid Khursheed Khanday, son of Khursheed Ahmad Khanday...

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Thursday transferred Additional Director General of Police Vijay Kumar to the Delhi AGMUT cadre. As per an order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, with the approval of the Competent Authority, Vijay Kumar, IPS 1997, is hereby transferred from Jammu and Kashmir to the Delhi segment of the AGMUT cadre with immediate effect and until further orders. During his tenure as IGP and ADGP Kashmir, the fight against terrorism remained one of his main focuses. Hailing from Saharsa district of Bihar, Kumar has an MA from JNU, New Delhi. He has served in some of the most troubled areas of the Kashmir region, including Pulwama, Awantipora, Kulgam, and Anantnag.

The Meteorological Department has forecasted no major weather activity across Jammu Kashmir until January 16. An official from the Meteorological Centre in Srinagar stated that the weather is expected to remain dry with cloudiness through January 10 (evening/night). On January 11, the region may experience generally cloudy weather, with light rain likely in the Jammu plains and isolated snowfall at higher altitudes in Jammu and Kashmir. From January 12 to 14, dry weather is expected to prevail, while January 15 and 16 may see cloudy skies with light snowfall at isolated to scattered locations across the region. The department also noted that cold wave conditions would persist in isolated areas and advised tourists, travelers, and transporters to follow guidelines issued by the ...

Jammu Kashmir chief minister, Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that the INDIA bloc should wind up if the alliance was for the Lok Sabha polls only. Speaking to reporters, Omar, as per the news agency Kashmir News Observer, said that it is unfortunate that not a single meeting of INDIA bloc was held for a long time now. "There is no clarity of leadership and agenda in INDIA bloc. The alliance was not forged for a specific period," he said. He added that after Delhi elections, a meeting should be convened to come clear over the agenda and leadership. "The INDIA bloc should wind up if it was formed for Lok Sabha elections only," he said—(KNO)

The skyrocketing prices of meat and eggs in Kashmir have placed these essential food items out of reach for many, particularly the poor. Amid the biting winter, when protein-rich foods are most needed, people are finding it increasingly difficult to afford basic dietary staples. Currently, a tray of eggs is being sold at Rs 220, while meat—often of substandard or "C-grade" quality—is priced as high as Rs 700 per kilogram. The steep prices have led to widespread frustration among consumers, who accuse butchers and shopkeepers of arbitrarily fixing rates due to the lack of regulatory oversight. Locals have voiced concerns over the absence of effective price controls by authorities, leaving vendors free to exploit the situation. "We can't afford these prices. Meat and eggs are bec...