jammu and kashmir

Jammu: The central government has refused to grant Sixth Schedule status or statehood to Ladakh, declining demands from the region’s political organizations, including the Leh Apex Body (LAB), Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), and Ladakh Buddhist Association. Instead, the government proposed the creation of an autonomous territorial council, which the Ladakhi groups have rejected, raising objections to the reasoning of the Home Ministry’s high-powered committee. The Proposal and Its Rejection Following a meeting with the high-powered committee led by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, KDA Co-Chairman Asgar Ali Karbali stated that the government offered a territorial council model. The proposal included giving the Chief Executive Councillor of the Ladakh Autonomou...

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government, led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, is preparing a new policy framework aimed at regulating online news portals, social media platforms, and print media across the Union Territory. The government disclosed this during the ongoing Jammu and Kashmir Assembly session while responding to a query raised by BJP विधायक R.S. Pathania. The administration also informed the House that between April 2025 and January 2026, it had issued a total of 28 official rebuttals against fake news and misinformation. Policy Still at Consultation Stage According to the government, the proposed policy has been drafted in response to the rapid growth of digital and social media. The draft, titled New Media Policy–2026, is currently under inter-departmental consul...

Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly witnessed a major uproar on Wednesday over a controversial remark made by Chief Minister Umar Abdullah during a session on Tuesday. BJP legislators accused the Chief Minister of using unparliamentary language, including references akin to “throwing shoes.” BJP Stages Protest in AssemblyBJP members created a commotion in the Assembly, gathering near the Speaker’s podium to demand an apology from the Chief Minister for his remarks. The protest began after most opposition members, except Sunil Sharma, returned to the House following the question hour, having temporarily walked out earlier over the same issue. The BJP legislators continued chanting slogans against the government and pressed for a formal apology from CM Umar Abdullah. However, the Spe...

Shabana Mahmood is emerging as a potential contender to become Britain’s first Muslim Prime Minister, following mounting pressure on current Prime Minister Keir Starmer amid the Jeffrey Epstein files controversy. Calls for Starmer’s resignation, internal party disagreements, and declining popularity ratings have sparked intense debate within the Labour Party about a possible leadership change. Mahmood, currently Britain’s Home Secretary and a senior figure in the Labour Party, is now in the spotlight as a possible successor. If she ascends to the top position, she would make history as the United Kingdom’s first Muslim woman Prime Minister. Roots in Kashmir Shabana Mahmood has personal ties to India’s Jammu and Kashmir region. Her parents hail from Mirpur, an area that falls under...

Srinagar: In a landmark achievement, Indian Railways has transported live animals for the first time in its history. Twenty-three exotic breed bulls were safely moved from Bengaluru to Kashmir via a freight train, marking a historic milestone for the nation’s railway logistics. Until now, Indian Railways had only transported goods such as parcels, meat, poultry, fruits, steel, cement, and cars, but never live livestock over such a long distance. The bulls were transported in specially designed freight coaches to ensure their safety and well-being throughout the journey. Six bulls were unloaded at the Bari Brahmana goods depot in Jammu, while the remaining 17 reached the Budgam depot in central Kashmir. Officials stated that this initiative is part of the Agricultural and Animal Husbandr...

Srinagar:Security agencies in Jammu and Kashmir were placed on high alert after two suspicious individuals wearing army-style uniforms were spotted near a Military Engineering Services (MES) building in the Samba district, prompting an immediate cordon-and-search operation. According to officials, the incident occurred near the MES premises in the Bari Brahmana area, where local residents noticed the suspicious movement and promptly alerted the authorities. Acting on the tip-off, Army personnel swiftly sealed the area and launched a thorough search operation to rule out any security threat. Movement Restricted, Search Operation Underway Security forces restricted civilian movement in and around the MES complex as a precautionary measure. Additional forces were deployed, and a deta...

Jammu: The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on Saturday restored road connectivity along the 112-kilometre Kishtwar-Sansari stretch, linking Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda-Kishtwar region with Himachal Pradesh. The reopening follows intensive snow clearance operations carried out under extreme weather conditions last week. The Kishtwar-Sansari road serves as a crucial link between the Union Territory and Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul-Spiti region, ensuring smoother movement of people and goods. In addition, BRO is conducting rapid snow-clearance operations on the Mughal Road, which connects the Kashmir and Jammu regions, with officials aiming to reopen the highway at the earliest.

Srinagar:An intense encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists in the Doolgam area of Kishtwar district in Jammu and Kashmir early Saturday morning, with heavy firing reported from both sides. The terrorists were cornered during the ongoing joint anti-terror operation “Trashi-I”, which has now entered its 14th consecutive day. According to the Army, troops from the White Knight Corps, along with personnel from the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the CRPF, re-established contact with the terrorists during a renewed search operation on January 31, 2026, following fresh intelligence inputs from multiple sources. The entire area has been cordoned off, and the operation is currently underway. Security agencies believe that three terrorists affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammed (Je...

SRINAGAR | Jan 30, 2026 Moderate separatist leader and valley’s chief cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, on Friday voiced concern over recent attacks on Kashmiris and called on authorities to ensure their safety outside Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing the Friday congregation at Jamia Masjid, Mirwaiz expressed deep anguish over the brutal assault on 18-year-old Kashmiri shawl vendor Tabish and his brother Danish in Uttarakhand’s Vikas Nagar area, where they were reportedly beaten with iron rods, sustaining grievous injuries. “This incident highlights a disturbing pattern of communal profiling and hostility faced by ordinary Kashmiris living or traveling outside the valley,” he said, urging immediate action to protect Kashmiris and prevent further violence. Mirwaiz’s remarks come amid gr...

Jammu, January 30, 2026: Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district have launched a comprehensive search operation following intelligence reports of suspicious activity. Local residents in Khumla village reported seeing two individuals carrying bags on their backs, prompting immediate action by the army under senior officers’ supervision. Operation Expands Across Jammu & KashmirThe search operation in Billwar, Kathua, is part of a broader counter-terrorism drive spanning upper regions of Kishtwar, including Doda and Udhampur, as security forces intensify efforts to track militants. Despite heavy snowfall, the operation has continued without interruption, with the army, paramilitary forces, police, and Special Operations Group (SOG) jointly scouring hilly and forested ter...