REGIONAL

In a major crackdown on drug peddling, District Police Anantnag arrested four individuals in separate operations and seized heroin-like substances from their possession. In the first incident, Khushbu Jan, a resident of Bangidar, was apprehended near Bangidar Bridge with seven grams of a heroin-like substance. Police have registered FIR No. 100/2025 under Section 8/21 of the NDPS Act at Police Station Anantnag. In another case, two individuals identified as Nargis, a resident of Bawana JJ Colony in Delhi, and Mohammad Irfan from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, were arrested with three grams and six grams of heroin-like substances, respectively. FIR No. 104/2025 has been lodged at Police Station Anantnag. In a third operation, police arrested Ishfaq Ahmad Hajam of Saidwara, Dooru Shahaba...

Three terrorists of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) were killed on Thursday in a gunfight with the security forces in Nader village of Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. Officials said the three terrorists were later identified as Asif Ahmed Sheikh, Amir Nazir Wani and Yawar Ahmad Bhat, all residents of Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. This is the second encounter in the union territory within 48 hours. Earlier today, Srinagar headquartered 15 Corps of the Army said on X, "On May 15, 2025, based on specific Intelligence input from Int agency, a Cordon & Search Operation was launched by Indian Army, J&K Police and Srinagar Sector CRPF at Nader, Tral, Awantipora. Suspicious activity was observed by vigilant troops and on being challenged, terrorists opened heavy fire, and...

Thousands of commuters from across Kashmir are grappling with daily inconvenience following the discontinuation of direct Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) bus services to Lal Chowk, Srinagar’s central hub. Instead of terminating at the city centre, RTC buses from districts and towns such as Anantnag, Bandipora, Kupwara, Sopore, Budgam, and Ganderbal now halt at peripheral points like Pantha Chowk, Bemina, and Sakedafar. Passengers are left with little choice but to find alternate transport to complete their journey, an added burden that has not gone down well with the public. “I used to board a single bus from Safapora straight to Lal Chowk. Now I have to change at Bemina and again in the city. It’s time-consuming and exhausting,” said Irhad Ahmed, a student. F...

A dead body was found in the Ranbiara river in the Bohrihalan area of south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Thursday morning, triggering an investigation by local authorities. According to officials, residents of Bohrihalan spotted the body in the water and quickly alerted the police. A team reached the site shortly afterward and retrieved the remains. The deceased, whose identity is yet to be established, has been taken to a nearby hospital for medico-legal procedures. Police have initiated an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the death.

Ome militant has been killed during the ongoing encounter in Nadar Lorgam area of Tral in South Kashmir's Pulwama district. Earlier Police officials had said that on Thursday morning, a team of Police and security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Tral on a very specific input. As the joint team approached towards the suspected area, the hiding terrorists fired upon the joint party, leading to an encounter, officer added. During the exchange of gunfire, one militant has been killed so far, sources said, adding that the slain is yet to be identified. Pertinently, on Tuesday operational Commander of LeT Shahid Kuttay along with two other terrorists were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Shopian.

The sustained ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) has opened up previously inaccessible stretches of the border in Jammu and Kashmir to political outreach. Leaders across the political spectrum are now visiting villages long battered by cross-border shelling and drone strikes, meeting affected families, and demanding relief, adequate compensation, and improved security infrastructure for civilians living in these vulnerable areas. In the Surankote sector of Jammu’s Poonch district, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Sat Sharma led a delegation to meet families mourning the deaths of twin children, Zoya and Ayan, who were killed in the Chaktru sector. “After the Pahalgam massacre, Prime Minister Modi promised retribution. That promise has been fulfilled. Now, we must ensure...

A tragic road accident claimed the lives of two young men from Kupwara during the night hours on Tuesday near the Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) in Srinagar. According to official sources, a motorcycle bearing registration number JK04C 5524 collided with an electric pole near TRC. The impact left both riders critically injured. They said a police party from Kothibagh promptly reached the spot and shifted the injured to SMHS Hospital for treatment. However, doctors declared them dead on arrival. The deceased have been identified as Gh Mohammad Lone (25), son of Ali Mohammad, and Reyaz Ahmad Tantray (23), son of Mohammad Yousuf Tantray, both residents of Machil, Kupwara. Meanwhile, police have taken cognizance of the incident.

A video featuring Rifleman Dilshair Mushtaq of the Indian Army, in which he accuses the Central Government of being responsible for the terror attack in Pahalagam, has gone viral on social media. However, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) has issued a clarification regarding the authenticity of the video, revealing that the soldier has been missing since March 2025. "A video of a fugitive Indian Army soldier blaming the Central Government for a terror attack is going viral on social media," PIB said in their statement. According to PIB, Rifleman Mushtaq has not been on duty since March 2025 and has had no contact with his family since his disappearance. The soldier went on leave and was reported missing, as per sources. A formal case regarding his disappearance had been fil...

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday said the Narendra Modi-led government should not be “politically penalised” for exploring peaceful means and the opposition must rise above politics to support genuine efforts for peace and stability. “I appeal all the opposition parties to resist the urge for knee-jerk criticism or political point-scoring. Just as the Pahalgam incident united voices from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, there is need to build a national consensus around a peace process that safeguards national interests,” Mufti said in a post on X. She said leaders like former Prime Ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh proved that cross-border engagement is possible even in tense times, without compromising security or sovereignty. “The Modi governm...

Jammu Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan is the will of the people living along the border, and not a demand driven by TV anchors in far-off cities. Speaking with reporters, during his visit to shelling-affected Karnah, CM Omar, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that locals have suffered financial losses, but thankfully there has been no loss of life. He said that the district administration is currently assessing the damage and compensation will be provided once the assessment is completed. “We will complete the damage assessment today or tomorrow. Whatever compensation needs to be given, we will do that,” he said. He said the community bunkers had been built earlier but were not used for a lon...