Jammu Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was denied access to the inner sanctum of the revered Hazratbal shrine last week, reportedly due to restrictions imposed by the waqf board, Daily Telegraph reported. According to eyewitnesses, quoted by the newspaper, Omar had to content himself with peering through a glass panel at the “under-construction” prayer hall during his visit to review Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi arrangements. Hazratbal, which houses the Prophet Mohammad’s relic, is undergoing major renovations. The incident comes weeks after Omar faced similar hurdles at Srinagar’s Mazar-e-Shuhada, where he had to climb a fence after police locked the gates. Both Hazratbal and Mazar-e-Shuhada were historically considered power bases of the National Conference before the 2019 abrogation of...

Authorities in south Kashmir’s Shopian district have sealed a medical shop after a 12-day-old baby was allegedly administered expired medicine, triggering outrage among locals and raising concerns over the drug monitoring system in Jammu Kashmir. According to the infant’s parents, the medicine was purchased on a doctor’s prescription from a nearby pharmacy. Unaware that the drug had expired, they gave it to their newborn, which worsened the baby’s eye ailment. When they returned to the same chemist the following day to buy another pack, that too was found to be expired. “This is nothing but the sheer failure of the Drug Control Department,” the distressed parents said, accusing some chemists of valuing profits over human lives. “Our baby had only a minor problem, but expired medicine...

At least 90 residential houses were damaged in the devastating cloudburst that struck Warwan Valley of Kishtwar district on August 26, leaving scores of families homeless and triggering widespread concern over the slow pace of official relief. Officials said the cloudburst, accompanied by heavy rains, unleashed flashfloods in several hamlets of the remote valley. Mud and debris swept into homes, damaging walls, roofs, and household property. While no loss of life was reported, villagers described the destruction as the worst in recent years. Local residents alleged that despite the magnitude of the disaster, immediate relief and rehabilitation support have been inadequate. They said many families are still forced to live in makeshift shelters and are dependent on neighbours for food an...

Severe drinking water shortage has crippled normal life in Pushkeri and Vidai villages of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, with locals accusing the administration of failing to provide even basic facilities. The crisis, which has persisted for three days, forced many households to walk long distances to fetch potable water. In a move that has drawn wide appreciation, the Sirhama Company of 3 Rashtriya Rifles stepped in after receiving appeals from village elders and arranged an emergency water supply to meet the immediate needs of the residents. Locals said the administration’s silence during the crisis reflected deep neglect. “We were left on our own. It was only after the intervention that our families could breathe easy,” a villager remarked. Officials maintained that the Army’...

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday toured several flood-affected areas of Jammu to assess the damage and review ongoing relief measures, officials said. Accompanied by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Shah stopped at the Tawi bridge near Bikram Chowk to inspect damage along the riverbanks. He also visited Manguchak, the worst-hit village in the district. The home minister had arrived in Jammu late Sunday. Later today, he is expected to conduct an aerial survey of affected areas and chair two high-level meetings at Raj Bhawan,  one on flood relief operations and another on the impact of flash floods on the border security grid. Since August 14, over 130 people have died and 33 remain missing following a series of cloudbursts, landslides, and fl...

Police in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district have uncovered a conspiracy hatched by a lawyer and her husband to falsely implicate her former husband in a fabricated explosives case. On July 31, police received information about the presence of an improvised explosive device (IED) at the residence of Manzoor Ahmed Khan, a resident of Mahayan Ferozpora. According to officials, a cordon and search operation was launched, during which a suspicious package was recovered near the main gate of the house. The Bomb Disposal Squad inspected the package and confirmed it to be a plastic box designed to resemble an IED, but carrying no explosive substance. A case was registered at Tangmarg police station, and investigations revealed that the fake device had been planted by Sajad Ahmed Ganie...

Weather experts have sounded a high alert for Jammu region as heavy rainfall is expected to continue over the next 2–3 days, raising the risk of flash floods, cloudbursts, and landslides. According to independent weather forecasters, rain showers are likely across most areas of Jammu on Saturday, with some pockets predicted to receive intense spells. The alert has urged residents to remain cautious and prioritize safety amid the possibility of extreme weather events. In Kashmir, showers may occur in scattered areas during the afternoon, evening, or night, though no significant rainfall activity is expected. However, forecasters cautioned that the risk of cloudbursts, flash floods, and landslides remains in both regions due to prevailing weather conditions. Weather experts ha...

Security forces have dealt a major blow to the infiltration network by eliminating Bagu Khan alias ‘Samandar Chacha’ a top terrorist facilitator, by foiling a infiltration bid along the Line of Control in North Kashmir’s Gurez sector. Official sources told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) Khan had been active from across the border for over two decades. “On 28 August, the Army and J&K Police, acting on infiltration intelligence, carried out a joint operation in the Gurez sector, killing two terrorists, one of whom has been identified as Bagu Khan,” sources said, adding, “Among two infiltrators killed in a joint operation by the Indian Army and Jammu & Kashmir Police was Bagu Khan, infamously known as ‘Samandar Chacha’, a top terrorist facilitator active for over tw...