Monday, December 22Latest news and updates from Kashmir

8 dead, scores injured as landslides hit Mata Vaishno Devi route, Doda in Jammu Kashmir

8 dead, scores injured as landslides hit Mata Vaishno Devi route, Doda in Jammu Kashmir

REGIONAL
Heavy rain caused a landslide on the way to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine on Trikuta hill this afternoon, killing at least five people and injuring fourteen, officials said. In Doda, at least three people have died in Gandoh Bhalessa as continuous rainfall over the past three days has caused widespread damage, particularly in the Chenab river region. In Doda, cloudbursts at two locations triggered flash floods that swept away portions of National Highway 244, said officials. Traffic on the 250-km Jammu–Srinagar national highway was stopped after landslides and loose stones were reported from Chanderkote, Kela Morh, and Battery Cheshma in Ramban district. Vehicle movement was also blocked at Udhampur in Jammu and at Qazigund in Kashmir as heavy rain continued along the route. Rescue...
Panic across as Jammu Kashmir goes offline

Panic across as Jammu Kashmir goes offline

REGIONAL
Mobile internet, broadband, and phone services have been disrupted across Jammu Kashmir since around 4 PM. Officials attribute the outage to extensive damage to optical fibre lines at multiple locations, triggered by continuous rainfall. This is not the first instance of internet suspension in Kashmir. While some users report a complete loss of connectivity, others complain of severely reduced internet speed and persistent disruptions. The official sources told The Kashmiriyat that the situation is being closely monitored and that there is no need to panic. Technical teams are on the ground to restore services, but for now, calls are failing and internet access is completely suspended across all networks. About the outage, the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on his X account said, h...
‘Waxworm inside chowmin at Taste of Tibet, Spider in food at 14th Avenue’: Citizens demand action against elite eateries in Kashmir

‘Waxworm inside chowmin at Taste of Tibet, Spider in food at 14th Avenue’: Citizens demand action against elite eateries in Kashmir

REGIONAL
Suhail Dar For the last few weeks, the Food Safety Department Kashmir has been on its toes, carrying out one of the largest crackdowns in recent years to ensure food safety across Kashmir. Several godowns and food manufacturers have been raided, and licenses of multiple dealers suspended. However, many citizens allege that some high-end eateries continue to escape scrutiny. On social media, demands are growing for the authorities to act against “elite” outlets as well. “The rich have started this culture of dishonest profiteering. They need to be dealt with strictly and must face scrutiny. We must not make the safety of food look like a classist campaign against the poor,” one user wrote. A series of viral incidents has further amplified the outrage. Cyclist Adil Teeli shared a...
Domino’s outlet among eateries face licence suspension in Kashmir, here is the full list

Domino’s outlet among eateries face licence suspension in Kashmir, here is the full list

REGIONAL
In a major crackdown against unhygienic food practices, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Jammu Kashmir, has suspended the licenses of nine establishments dealing in meat, meat products, and sweets. The action was taken during a special drive conducted across Srinagar and Anantnag districts. According to an official communication issued by the office of the Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration, the establishments found violating safety norms include M/S Al-Taqwa Foods (Lasjan, Srinagar), M/S Aarif Enterprises (Tengpora, Srinagar), M/S Sunshine Foods (Zakura, Srinagar), and M/S Anmol Foods (Qamarwari, Srinagar). In South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, licenses of M/S Jubilant Food Works Ltd. (Domino’s Pizza, KP Road), M/S Shanu Shahi Biryani (KP Road), M/S Shan Fish Fry (...
Tawi river crosses evacuation level at Udhampur, Rising threat in Jammu

Tawi river crosses evacuation level at Udhampur, Rising threat in Jammu

REGIONAL
Authorities sounded an alert on Tuesday morning after the Tawi river in Udhampur surged past the evacuation mark, posing a severe flood risk to low-lying areas. At 9:15 a.m., the water level at Udhampur was recorded at 24.975 feet, significantly above the evacuation level of 23.4 feet. Officials said the situation turned alarming as the river had already breached the danger mark of 20 feet and continued to rise rapidly beyond safe limits. The alert level is 15 feet, indicating that the current flow has crossed all thresholds. In Jammu, the Tawi is currently flowing below the alert level, but authorities cautioned that a sharp rise is expected in the coming hours. Forecasts suggest that the river may soon cross the flood alarm and danger levels, potentially triggering evacuation me...
‘3-5 cases a day’: Marriages in Kashmir collapsing faster than ever before

‘3-5 cases a day’: Marriages in Kashmir collapsing faster than ever before

WRITE-UPS
Danishwar Hameed It is 9:10 a.m. in Srinagar’s lower court. A few sweepers move about the corridors as a young woman waits near a lawyer’s chamber on a cloudy morning. Among them sits 20-year-old Asiya Jan, who married only in March this year. She waits nervously outside the family court chamber, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Her voice is quiet yet firm: “I thought marriage meant companionship, but I found myself lonelier inside my home than before. I can’t spend the rest of my life like this." Asiya’s story is not an exception. Data from the Jammu Kashmir judiciary shows that the number of divorce petitions has steadily increased over the past decade. In 2019 alone, official figures recorded nearly 3,500 petitions, with more than 60% of them filed by women under the age of 30. P...
3 persons injured in Beerwah scuffle shifted to SMHS Srinagar

3 persons injured in Beerwah scuffle shifted to SMHS Srinagar

REGIONAL
Three persons were injured in a scuffle between two groups in Chairaharan village of Beerwa in central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Monday. Official sources said that the injured were initially rushed to Sub District Hospital (SDH) Beerwa, where doctors referred them to SMHS Hospital Srinagar for specialized treatment. The injured have been identified as Showkat Ahmad Bhat, aged about 30 years, son of Abdul Gani; Farooq Ahmad Bhat, aged about 38 years, son of Abdul Gani; and Zahid Ahmad Bhat, aged about 23 years, son of Muhammad Maqbool, all residents of Chairaharan Beerwa. Police have taken note of the incident, and further investigation into the circumstances that led to the scuffle is underway. (CNS)
No talks with U.S., says Khamenei, ‘West must first end support for Israel’s war in Gaza’

No talks with U.S., says Khamenei, ‘West must first end support for Israel’s war in Gaza’

INTERNATIONAL
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reaffirmed on Sunday that the Islamic Republic will never surrender to U.S. demands, stressing that Washington’s hostility stems from its desire to see Iran “obedient”,  an expectation he called “insulting and unacceptable.” Speaking in Tehran, Khamenei dismissed the idea of direct negotiations with the United States, noting that American aggression against Iran has been unrelenting since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. He underlined that Iran’s independence and resilience have repeatedly frustrated U.S. and Israeli attempts to weaken the nation. Referring to the June 13 Israeli and U.S. attacks on Iranian facilities, Khamenei revealed that Washington’s proxies even met in Europe to draft plans for a “post-Islamic Republic” order, including p...
‘Paid ₹10,000 per year’: Cooks in Education Department stage protest in Budgam

‘Paid ₹10,000 per year’: Cooks in Education Department stage protest in Budgam

REGIONAL
The Cook Union of the Education Department on Monday staged a strong protest in Magam area of Budgam district, demanding the implementation of the Minimum Wages Act and a clear policy for their regularization. The agitating cooks expressed serious resentment, alleging that they have been subjected to “gross injustice” for years. Despite serving schools diligently, they said they continue to receive only ₹900 per month as wages, an amount they described as inhuman and far below the standards required to sustain a family. “This is sheer exploitation. We are working tirelessly, yet our wages are not even enough to meet the most basic household expenses,” one of the protestors said. The union appealed to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to step in and a...
‘Delhi calls the shots on J-K statehood and security’: CM Omar Abdullah

‘Delhi calls the shots on J-K statehood and security’: CM Omar Abdullah

REGIONAL
Jammu Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said that all key decisions regarding the Union Territory’s statehood and security are being taken in New Delhi, not Srinagar. Speaking to reporters, Omar Abdullah said his government had passed a resolution for restoration of statehood in its very first cabinet meeting and submitted it to the Prime Minister, but no progress has been made since then. “Decisions about our security and statehood can only be taken by the Home Ministry in Delhi, not by us sitting here in Srinagar,” Omar said. He expressed disappointment over the Supreme Court’s decision to defer the hearing on the statehood petition to October 10, stating that the people of Jammu Kashmir have already waited too long. “The wait has brought no results. We can only ...