REGIONAL

The Meteorological Centre Srinagar on Thursday forecast a brief spell of rain and light snowfall over the higher reaches of Jammu Kashmir between November 4 and 5. According to an official from the MeT department, the weather across the Union Territory will remain largely dry until November 3. “From the evening or night of November 4 till the morning of November 5, the weather is expected to turn generally cloudy, with light rain and snowfall likely over higher reaches at scattered places in Kashmir and isolated areas in Jammu,” the official said. The official added that a noticeable drop in both day and night temperatures is expected from November 5 onwards in most parts of Jammu Kashmir. As temperatures continue to dip across the Valley, people have already started preparing ...

CPI(M) legislator from Kulgam, M.Y. Tarigami, on Thursday called on the Jammu Kashmir government to uphold press freedom and ensure the safety and dignity of journalists working in the region. Speaking during a special session of the Legislative Assembly dedicated to public issues, Tarigami urged the administration to adopt a comprehensive and transparent media policy that protects journalists from intimidation and arbitrary restrictions. “The government must take serious note of these issues,” Tarigami said on the floor of the House. “Freedom of the press is fundamental to democracy, and the safety of reporters must be guaranteed.” The special session was convened after the conclusion of the Zero Hour, providing MLAs from various parties an opportunity to raise matters of public ...

Two women from central Kashmir’s Budgam district were injured on Monday after being stabbed with a sharp-edged weapon during a domestic altercation, officials said. The victims, (names withheld) both residents of Ganie Mohalla, Budgam, were initially taken to District Hospital Budgam before being referred to SMHS Hospital Srinagar for specialised treatment. According to attendants, the duo sustained injuries after being attacked by a known woman inside their home. One suffered an injury to the left side of her upper abdomen, while another sustained a stab wound to her face. Doctors at SMHS confirmed that both victims are out of danger. “They are stable and under observation. Necessary medical care has been provided,” they told the news agency Kashmir News Trust. Police have tak...

Meer Irfan A complete shutdown is being observed in Shopian town today, with shops closed and roads nearly deserted, in response to a bandh call issued by political parties, civil society groups, and trade bodies protesting the government’s decision to shift the Deputy Chief Education Officer (Dy CEO) office from Shopian to Chitragam. Locals told The Kashmiriyat that markets remain shuttered and vehicular movement is minimal since early morning. The bandh, announced last week, followed an all-party meeting that saw rare political unity across the spectrum, from the PDP and Apni Party to the BJP and Congress, all opposing the relocation order. The leaders termed the decision as "politically motivated" and “against administrative logic,” arguing that the move would cause unnecess...

Jammu Kashmir received over 9.2 million tourists since 2019, including more than 1.4 lakh foreign nationals, according to data obtained via a Right to Information (RTI) query filed by activist MM Shuja. However, government earnings from outsourced tourist assets during the same period amounted to only Rs 619.26 lakh (Rs 6.19 crore). The data shows tourist footfall rebounded after the pandemic lull — rising from 5.65 lakh visitors in 2019 to nearly 30 lakh in 2024, marking a 432% increase. In contrast, revenue from 60 outsourced tourist assets rose 173.4%, from Rs 70.57 lakh in 2019–20 to Rs 192.96 lakh in 2023–24. The disproportionate growth suggests that per-tourist revenue generation has declined, with earnings in 2023–24 averaging just around Rs 6.43 per tourist — a figure that do...

Prominent Shia scholar Agha Syed Hadi on Thursday termed the Waqf Amendment Bill a gross interference in religious matters of Muslims, maintaining the actual stakeholders are being relegated back and irrelevant people preferred to take up the matters of religious importance. "On one side, the government with the introduction of bill, apparently seems to work for the welfare of people and improve functioning of Waqf Board, but on the other we see it as is gross religious interference as Waqf is being handed over to people who aren't stakeholders, and the actual stakeholders being relegated back," Hadi said while talking to media persons, as per news agency Kashmir Bulletin. Maintaining that the amendments brought about are devoid of any scholarly opinion, Hadi said the government has ...

A gang of robbers impersonating Special Police Commandos has been arrested by Srinagar Police on Wednesday. The gang was involved in looting trucks during the night by posing as security personnel. Acting on specific inputs, the police apprehended the suspects and recovered dummy guns, black uniforms, a vehicle, and other incriminating materials used in the crimes. An FIR has been registered under No. 15/2025 at Police Station Shalteng under sections 307, 126(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The arrested individuals are currently in police custody as further investigations are underway.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah emphasized that uplifting marginalized communities, including the Gujjar-Bakerwal population, is a governmental responsibility, not a gesture of charity. Speaking at an event organized by the Gurjar Desh Charitable Trust (GDCT), he reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensuring representation and welfare for the Gujjar community. Omar Abdullah highlighted the challenge of limited cabinet positions after last year’s elections but noted his effort to include community representation by appointing Javed Ahmed Rana as a minister. “Despite constraints, I requested Javed Rana to join the cabinet to be your voice and address your issues,” he stated. During the event, Javed Ahmed Rana, Minister Satish Sharma, Advisor Nasir Aslam Wani, GDCT Patron Chief Ab...

A fresh Western Disturbance is expected to impact Jammu Kashmir on February 20, bringing widespread rain and snow across the region, according to a report by Kashmir Weather. The weather system is likely to develop over Afghanistan on February 19 before swiftly moving towards Jammu Kashmir. The first signs of the disturbance are expected to appear in the higher reaches late on February 19, with precipitation intensifying as it spreads across the region. Moderate rain and snow are anticipated in most parts of Jammu and Kashmir, with the possibility of heavy precipitation in some areas. The Jammu region is likely to receive more precipitation compared to the Kashmir Valley, with the Chenab Valley districts—Ramban, Kishtwar, and Doda—expected to experience moderate to heavy rainfall....

Srinagar Police attached a residential property worth ₹18 lakh in Hazratbal under the NDPS Act, targeting the financial assets of a notorious drug peddler. Police spokesperson in a statement issued here to news agency JKNS reads, In yet another significant measure towards combating drug abuse and dismantling illicit drug networks, Srinagar Police has attached a residential property valuing about Rs 18 lakhs. Property belonging to a notorious drug peddler Javid Ahmad Wani son of Ali Mohammad resident of Gasoo Tehsil Hazratbal under the provisions of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act 1985, it reads. The accused person stands implicated in several drug related cases including case FIR No. 136/2022 u/s 8/20 NDPS Act of Police Station Nigeen and Case FIR No. 27/2024...