Police in Baramulla and Shopian districts of Kashmir have arrested three alleged drug peddlers and seized contraband substances, including brown sugar, cannabis, and charas.
The security forces are on high alert after Tuesday's terror attack in Pahalgam left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead.
Umar Ganie captures glimpses of how the first snowfall of the season has turned the picturesque Kashmir valley into a dreamy white wonderland.
A soldier of the special forces of the army was killed in an encounter between security forces and terrorists following a search operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district on Thursday, officials said. The firing took place in the Dudu-Basantgarh area during a cordon and search operation that was launched based on information about the presence of terrorists. The deceased soldier has been identified as Havaldar Jhantu Ali Sheikh of 6 Para of the Special Forces. The operation was still underway when the last reports came in from the spot, they added. Four suspects were also picked up for the area for questioning. This is the third encounter between terrorists and security forces in Jammu in the past over 24 hours.
Umar Ganie captures glimpses of tourists savouring the frozen waterfall valley in Drung in Tangmarg in North Kashmir.
Security personnel atop a vehicle on the Tangmarg-Gulmarg Botapathri road during search operations to locate the terrorists.
Many travellers are now opting for domestic destinations like Goa, Kerala, Rajasthan, Lakshadweep, Himachal Pradesh, and the North East.
Tourists amaze at the frozen waterfall of Drung near Baramulla. The waterfall has completely frozen due to freezing temperatures.
The officials said helicopters and drones were pressed into the service to help the forces, who are also using human and technical intelligence inputs to aid the search operation which has been launched to trace and neutralise the terrorists behind the attack.
On February 19, 2024, many parts of the Kashmir valley, including the Gulmarg ski resort, were covered with fresh snow.
Glimpses from Drung in Tangmarg near Srinagar
>After 30 years, Kashmiri Pandits held special prayers at the Shiv temple at Dhobiwan village in the Tangmarg area of north Kashmir's Baramulla district.
This is the third such terrorist attack in as many days in Kashmir valley.
A Russian skier died while six others, including a local guide, were rescued as an avalanche struck the ski slopes of Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, officials said.
Jammu and Kashmir-based alpine skier Arif Mohammed Khan has become the first Indian athlete to qualify for two different events of the 2022 Winter Olympics, to be held in Beijing in February.
A gazette notification was issued after the panel, headed by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai, signed the final order giving Jammu six additional seats and one more to Kashmir.
The issue of 'snooping' using Pegasus spyware snowballed into a massive political row in Parliament and outside as various parties demanded a thorough investigation and sacking of Home Minister Amit Shah, while the government maintained it had nothing to do with it.
The all-party delegation led by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram will on Tuesday visit Tangmarg, which witnessed incidents of arson recently, hospitals in Srinagar to meet those injured during clashes, and the Hazratbal shrine.
In the second encounter within two days in south Kashmir, one terrorist was killed and three security men injured in an ongoing gun battle in the Tangmarg village of south Kashmir's Kulgam district on Wednesday evening.
No militant group has so far claimed responsibility for the explosion.
A teacher and a student were among three persons killed while 50 others injured when a school bus carrying students on a picnic trip plunged into a gorge near Gulmarg tourist resort in Kashmir's Baramulla district on Wednesday.
A gunbattle broke out between militants and security forces in Tangmarg area of north Kashmir' Baramulla district on Thursday.
At least two security personnel, including a Special Police Officer, were injured on Wednesday evening when terrorists opened fire on security forces, triggering a gunbattle, at a village in Kulgam district of south Kashmir, official sources said.
At least 45 persons were injured on Friday as fresh clashes broke out between stone pelting mobs and security personnel in the Valley where curfew was lifted from all places except Kupwara district following a break in the strike by separatists.
The cold wave intensified in most parts of the valley and Ladakh division with Kargil town the coldest recorded place in the state. Kashmir has been going through extremely dry and cold weather conditions this winter, leading to health related problems among the children and elderly. Here's a glimpse of the snowfall.
Protests rocked the south Kashmir's Shopian town where the separatists had called for a march on Monday, resulting in injuries to ten persons.
Former Union minister of state for external affairs and president of National Conference, Omar Abdullah has said India and Pakistan needed to rise above mutual mistrust and work together against terrorism.
In the stone-pelting, SSP Doda, one SHO, one sub-inspector and two other police personnel were injured.
Receiving his body at Palam technical area in New Delhi, his father veteran Subedar Major (Hon captain) S Krishnamurthy said "In spite of losing my son, I would still advise my grandchild who is yet to be born, to join the Army and serve the nation".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the valour and professionalism of the Chinar Corps personnel.
A defence spokesman said the incident happened when 34 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) started a jungle operation in Rangwar near the famous health resort of Tangmarg.
Normal life was affected in Kashmir Valley on Sunday following a strike called by hardline Hurriyat Conference to protest the killing of a three-year-old boy by unidentified gunmen in Sopore.
The militants, hiding in Watlipora-Tangmarg area, put up a brief resistance before being shot down by a crack team.
Heavy snowfall has blanketed Kashmir, bringing relief to the residents from dry weather. The snowfall, which began in the late afternoon on Friday, has continued in most parts of the valley, said officials, adding it is one of the heaviest snowfalls in the recent years in the plains of Kashmir.
Some stunning glimpses of Kashmir's first snowfall
'To represent one's country at the biggest stage is what drives us.' 'My goal is to reach the Olympics. So, Beijing 2022 it is!'
Journalists working in the Kashmir valley sometimes face the worst attacks from protesters, mourners and many a time from the security forces, says Photographer Umar Ganie.
Landslides have occurred near Ramban and Battery Cheshma which have forced the closure of the highway.
Out of the seven, four belonged to one family from Delhi.
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