REGIONAL

The prolonged dry spell has significantly impacted the tourism industry, with a noticeable decline in bookings and a rise in cancellations, particularly in Gulmarg, a top winter destination. Aqib Chaya, a prominent hotelier and President of the Hoteliers Club Gulmarg, highlighted that the severe shortage of snowfall this season has affected business across the valley. Speaking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Chaya said that the postponement of the 2025 Khelo India Winter Games has further dented the tourism sector, leading to substantial cancellations. He added that beyond the Khelo India event, the lack of snow has resulted in a 20–30% decline in business in Gulmarg and a 50% dip in other destinations like Pahalgam and Srinagar. “The industry, which usually thrive...

Mohan Lal’s home in Kanthan-A once overlooked rolling hills, the winding Chenab River, and fields that had sustained his family for generations. Today, the world’s highest railway bridge dominates that view, a towering structure of steel and concrete. Instead of bringing prosperity, the bridge has left his village cut off, his fields dry, and his future uncertain. "They took our land, blocked our water, and now we watch the trains pass by, knowing we will never be part of this progress," he says. The villages of Bakkal and Kauri, nestled on either side of the Chenab River, are now etched into history because of the bridge that connects them. This bridge, standing 359 meters above the riverbed and stretching 1,315 meters in total, is a critical part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramul...

At least 128 incidents of human-animal conflict have been reported in the Rajwar residential areas of Handwara Sub-District since 2017-18, resulting in four human fatalities and nine injuries. This information was revealed through official data obtained by RTI activist and lawyer Rasikh Rasool Bhat from the office of the Wildlife Warden, North Kashmir. Locals in the Rajwar area have expressed concerns, attributing the surge in conflict incidents to the clearance of forests for the construction of the Handwara-Bangus road, which was granted in 2017. "The construction of this road, which cuts through the dense, unlogged forests of Rajwar, has greatly affected the wildlife habitat," said a local resident. "As a result, animals are often forced to encroach upon human settlements, leading to...

Police on Monday said that it has registered twelve FIRs against house/landowners for not providing details of tenants to Police in a drive launched for the verification of tenants/outsiders across district Samba. In a handout to GNS, the police saie that the verification process was initiated by the Samba Police for the outsiders staying as tenants and domestic helpers. During the drive, four cases were registered at Police Station Samba, three cases each were registered at Police Bari Brahmana & Police Station Ramgarh and one case each registered at Police Station Vijaypur & Police Station Ghagwal under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The police spokesman further stated that twelve FIRs registered under section 223 BNS includes FIR Nos. 48/2025, 49/2...

Shabir Khan After nearly a decade-long legal battle marred by delays, Aijaz Sheikh, a former Imam, school teacher, and faith healer who sexually abused thousands of young boys in north Kashmir, has finally been convicted under Section 377 of the Ranbir Penal Code. Delivering the verdict, the Chief Judicial Magistrate noted, “The survivors, who have been registered as witnesses in this case, have the liberty to file separate FIRs against the accused.” Section 377 prescribes life imprisonment or a term up to 10 years for acts of “unnatural sex,” along with a fine. The case began with an FIR on March 2, 2016, and charges were filed in October 2017. However, the trial saw frequent disruptions with multiple judges and public prosecutors being replaced. The defence, lead by Advocate ...

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday said that the resolution submitted by Peoples Conference president Sajad Gani Lone on restoration of the Article 370 and Article 35A is against the Constitution. “It is against the constitution as decisions taken by the Parliament cannot be reopened in the Assembly,” BJP spokesperson Sunil Sethi told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) It is pertinent to mention that Lone has submitted a resolution in the Assembly secretariat, condemning abrogation of Article 370, Art. 35A. He has also sought restoration of the pre-August 5 constitutional position of J&K—(KNO)

  In a move to address water scarcity and ensure access to clean drinking water in city, the Jammu and Kashmir government on Sunday announced free water tanker service to the water deficit areas. This was revealed during a high-level review meeting chaired by Minister for Jal Shakti, Javed Ahmed Rana here at Civil Secretariat. Besides the Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, the meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary, School Education Department, Additional Chief Secretary, Jal Shakti, Department, Commissioner Jammu Municipal Corporation, Vice Chairman Jammu Development Authority, Director Tribal Affairs, Chief Engineer, Jal Shakti, Jammu and other senior officers. "We will provide free-of-cost water tankers to those areas which are facing water shortage. The leftover ...

A Jammu court granted bail to Kashmiri scholar Aala Fazili, nearly three years after his arrest by the Jammu Kashmir Police for allegedly writing a 'seditious' article in 2011. The court of the additional sessions judge observed that the evidence linking Fazili to the article titled “The Shackles of Slavery will Break” was weak. It noted that out of 44 witnesses, only 10 had been examined, and none confirmed his authorship. “There is very weak evidence which connects the applicant with the authorship of the article and if the applicant due to weak evidence is acquitted at the end of the trial, his period of incarceration would not be compensable by any means,” the court stated. The court highlighted that no government action was taken from the time the article was published in The Ka...

The termination of three government employees by the Jammu and Kashmir administration over alleged militant links has sparked sharp reactions from political leaders, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah calling for due process and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti criticizing the move as arbitrary. Reacting to the dismissals, Omar Abdullah stressed the importance of giving the accused employees a fair hearing before taking action against them. “As per the law of the land, everyone is innocent until proven guilty. If there is evidence against them and they fail to justify themselves when given a chance, then the action is justified,” he told reporters. However, he cautioned that any decision made without allowing them to defend themselves would be unfair. On the other hand, Mehbooba Mufti str...