Risking his own life, a Kashmiri tourist guide saved the lives of children from a group of tourists from Chhattisgarh when terrorists struck in Pahalgam on Tuesday.
A tale of terror, courage, and humanity -- one father's desperate escape, a mother's sacrifice, and Kashmiris who saved lives.
At about 7.50 pm, terrorists fired at two outside labourers, identified as Najamul-Islam and Anikul-Islam, both residents of West Bengal, in the Suthsoo Kalan area of Nowgam, a police spokesman said.
Late Jammu and Kashmir Police deputy superintendent Humayun Bhat, who died in a 2023 encounter with terrorists, was posthumously awarded the President's Police Medal for Gallantry for his courageous actions during a 2021 gunfight. Bhat was earlier honored with the Kirti Chakra, the nation's second-highest peacetime gallantry award, for his role in neutralizing a top local commander of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and a Pakistani terrorist.
The terrorist killed in Srinagar was a relative of one of the accused in the February 2019 suicide attack in Pulwama's Lethpora, in which 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel lost their lives.
The match has been relocated from its original venue in Srinagar due to 'potential weather concerns' raised by the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association.
'It brings precarious peace because the red lines have shifted. 'The next Pahalgam attack would mean a full scale war.'
'Had Haji Pir and/or Skardu been taken, the message would have gone out not just to General Asim Munir and his cohort in the Pakistan army but to the Pakistani people that every terrorist incident in India would lead to substantial loss of territory in PoK.'
It is important for India to pay close attention to both the tone and substance of authoritative remarks coming out of Pakistan, explains former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
'Surgical strikes or air strikes, or both, are likely on the table.'
'...without massive amounts of force.'
Despite playing with a man less for virtually the entire match, Real Kashmir's defence stood resilient, managing to hold off Sreenidi Deccan's late surges to ensure the points were shared.
'We are too important to want to be paired with Pakistan but too intensely connected to it to successfully detach ourselves,' asserts Aakar Patel.
Syed Adil Hussain Shah, a 29-year-old Kashmiri pony ride operator, was killed by terrorists in Pahalgam while trying to save tourists from an attack. Shah was the only Kashmiri and Muslim victim of the attack, which saw terrorists demand tourists recite Islamic prayers before shooting them. His brother, Syed Naushad Shah, described Adil as a "righteous" man who ran towards the terrorists to stop them from killing more people. The attack has left a pall of fear over Pahalgam, with tourists fleeing the area and businesses shuttered.
Modi also met the construction workers who worked meticulously amid harsh conditions to complete the tunnel.
Hours after, however, firing from the Pakistani side was reported in Akhnoor sector in Jammu and Kashmir. Drones were also seen in the Pir Panjal area.
Three Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists were killed and four security forces personnel injured during an encounter in the Pantha Chowk area in Srinagar on Friday, December 31, 2021.
'Omar Abdullah presented Delhi as a villain in front of the people of Jammu Kashmir before elections and now is shaking hands with them.'
Kashmiri Pandits offer special prayers during the Navreh festival at the Mata Chakreshwari temple in Srinagar, April, 2, 2022.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said that India and Pakistan came closer to resolving the Kashmir issue during the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government. He added that he does not expect a return to that situation in his lifetime. Abdullah lauded Singh's efforts on Kashmir, including the setting up of working groups on the issue, and said he practically initiated measures for the return of displaced Kashmiri Pandits. The chief minister also praised Singh's contribution to India's economic development.
'You can be sure that the Pakistanis knew when the Indian Air Force aircraft took off, which type these were, and what their likely targets were.' 'The question was: How would they determine that the IAF wanted to fire, and when to bounce them?', notes Shekhar Gupta.
It provides all-weather access to Sonamarg, replacing the avalanche-prone Z-turn road.
'Whatever we do, the purpose will be to re-establish deterrence.'
'There is no independently verified imagery or battlefield evidence to support Pakistan's claim.'
India on Thursday night swiftly foiled Pakistan's attempts to hit various key Indian installations including military stations at Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur with drones and missiles, the defence ministry said.
The pani puri vendor is drawing attention with exclusive deals, including a lifetime unlimited pani puri offer for Rs 99,000 and a Rs 21,000 reward for anyone who can eat 151 pani puris in one sitting.
The grenade exploded by the roadside without causing any damage.
Jammu and Kashmir is facing a severe water crisis this year due to a massive rainfall deficit. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed concern about the situation and called for a proactive approach towards water management and conservation. The state has witnessed an 80% deficit in rainfall this year, raising the possibility of drought in the valley this summer. Several water bodies are flowing below the zero level mark, and some springs in south Kashmir have dried up completely. The water level in Jhelum and other major streams is alarmingly low.
Umar Ganie captures glimpses from Narendra D Modi's election rally in Srinagar on Thursday.
Umar Ganie captures images of security personnel cordoning off the area and defusing an improvised explosive device, IED, on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway at Palhallan in the Pattan area of Baramulla district on Monday, December 9, 2024.
The launch of the first-ever direct train service from Delhi to Kashmir would be a big turning point in the Valley's mood and its integration with India. He had to thwart it at any cost, asserts Shekhar Gupta.
'If they aim to remain aligned with the public sentiment, as any democratic government should, then they must respond. Why else would the prime minister have cut short his visit to Saudi Arabia? And why would he have instructed the home minister himself to travel to Srinagar to assess the situation firsthand? This suggests that something is indeed being planned. I am quite certain of that, although the exact form it will take remains to be seen.'
Security forces launched a cordon and search operation at Kadder in the Behibagh area of the district on Wednesday night following information about the presence of suspected terrorists there, an official said.
A terror attack on tourists in the Pahalgam area of south Kashmir's Anantnag district has left several injured. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha condemned the attack and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also condemned the attack, calling it an abomination. Several political leaders from the region have denounced the attack and called for a thorough investigation. The attack has raised serious questions about the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, with the incident being described as the most unfortunate and shameful act by the JKPCC.
The body of Territorial Army jawan Hilal Ahmad Bhat, who was reported missing on Tuesday from Shah, was recovered from Sanglan forest area in Utrasoo area of Anantnag, the officials said.
Pakistan has warned the international community that any military moves by India shall be 'responded to assuredly and decisively... onus of any escalatory spiral and its consequences shall squarely lie with India.' Implicit in the statement is a veiled threat that even a nuclear threshold may be reached if push comes to shove, warns Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The Pahalgam massacre highlights the evolution of terrorism into a multi-domain challenge. India's response must similarly evolve -- from tactical retaliation to comprehensive strategic deterrence. To establish a credible and sustained deterrent, India must also carry out continuous kinetic operations, both overt and covert, suggest Sakshit Raina and Rahul Mishra. To establish a credible and sustained deterrent, India must also carry out continuous kinetic operations, both overt and covert, suggest Sakshit Raina & Rahul Mishra.
Two government school teachers, including a woman, were shot dead by terrorists in the Eidgah area of Srinagar on Thursday.
Around 300 athletes were expected to compete in four snow sports -- ski mountaineering, alpine skiing, snowboard, and Nordic skiing -- in the games, which had been due to be held from February 22 to 25.
