The AFSPA, often criticised as a draconian law, gives armed forces operating in disturbed areas sweeping powers to search, arrest and open fire if they deem it necessary.
In the India-Pakistan situations, off-ramps have come either through foreign mediation (after months of kinetic warfare over Kargil, and a long stand-off with Op Parakram) or when a situation made it possible for both sides to claim a win, explains Shekhar Gupta.
Cold wave tightened its grip on Kashmir Valley ahead of the onset of 'Chillai-Kalan' -- the 40-day harshest winter period -- with the summer capital Srinagar and Leh town recording the coldest night of the season.
Stray incidents of stone pelting in some parts of the Kashmir Valley was reported during the day.
The Army and police immediately launched a search operation in the area to nab the militants.
Sixteen army personnel, including five officers, were killed and nine others injured in two avalanches in Ganderbal and Bandipora districts of Kashmir Valley.
The band women are drawn from different parts of India and have been practicing along with their male counterpart in New Delhi for the past few days.
India fully utilised its military modernisation budget in 2024-2025 -- the first time in five years -- and signed a record Rs 2 trillion defence contracts.
'Who are Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti to issue certificates?'
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah congratulated Khan on qualifying for the winter sports showpiece.
Four terrorists and a soldier were killed in an overnight encounter in the Handwara area of north Kashmir's Kupwara district, police said on Thursday.
Ahead of a crucial meeting on Jammu and Kashmir, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Thursday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and is believed to have discussed the security situation in the Union territory which has witnessed a spate of targeted killings since May 12.
In a series of tweets, Faisal spoke about his idealism letting him down in 2019 when he resigned from government service to join politics.
Security deployment remained in vulnerable areas and mobile and internet services were yet to be restored in most parts of the Valley 48 days after the Centre abrogated Article 370 provisions of the Constitution.
Dense to very dense fog engulfed the Indo-Gangetic plains, including Delhi, for the second morning on the trot on Tuesday, lowering visibility to 50 metres in the city and affecting road traffic and train movement.
The Highlanders were the more organised side from the moment the referee blew his whistle and their upper hand in the game finally paid dividends in the 26th minute of the first half.
The 36-year-old havildar displayed raw courage, unflinching grit during his encounter with the terrorists in which he was fatally injured.
While acknowledging that they needed strong allies for a chance in the assembly polls, AIADMK cadres seemingly prefer actor-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam to the BJP, owing to the latter's 'communal agenda' and consequent hardline Hindutva image, explains N Sathiya Moorthy.
Security forces on Saturday morning killed a top commander of Pakistan based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad in north Kashmir's Baramulla district.
Cold wave tightened its grip in Kashmir Valley on Saturday as the night temperature plummeted to the season's lowest in many places, resulting in the freezing of fringes of the famous Dal Lake for the first time this winter.
A defence spokesman said that a group of terrorists tried to infiltrate from across the LoC in Keran.
Three youth were injured, one of them critically in security force firing in north Kashmir Sopore town Friday even as the Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel staged a flag march in parts of summer capital Srinagar this afternoon.
The road, the alternative link between Kashmir and rest of the country, was closed after the season's first heavy snowfall in the Jammu region.
Curfew remained clamped in parts of Srinagar, Kupwara and Kralpora towns and restrictions were imposed on the movement of people in Hyderpora and Budgam towns on Monday in view of a shutdown call by separatists across Kashmir Valley.In Srinagar, curfew was imposed in seven police station areas of Nowhatta, Khanyar, Rainawari, Safakadal, M R Gunj, Bemina and Qammerwari, said the police.They said curfew will remain in force in Kupwara and Kralpora towns of north Kashmir.
The incident took place on the intervening night of April 8-9 near Dorangla village in Gurdaspur district. The Border Security Force (BSF) has issued an "alert" all along the 553 km of this front in Punjab and suspension of farming around the blast area.
Just as Kashmir valley was ready and waiting for a pleasant spring after a long and harsh winter, it seems to have been struck with heavy snowfall, throwing life completely out of gear.
'...or go to jail.' 'The government is getting them silenced.'
'No matter how much you get paid or how successful you get, nothing can match the fauj.'
The National Conference on Sunday ruled out joining the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance and dismissed as baseless a media report in this regard.
A police official said the curbs have been imposed to maintain law and order in view of the separatists call for a march to the three districts of Baramulla, Pulwama and Srinagar.
This time army killed 1 terrorists along the Line of Control in Gurez sector.
Two persons were killed and one critically injured in a shoot out at Tujjar in north Kashmir's Barahmulla district on Saturday. Witnesses claimed that troops of Rashtriya Rifles allegedly opened fire on a group of devotees who were returning after attending a local festival at the shrine of a Sufi saint in Tujjar. When queried about the incident, Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Masood Samoon told rediff.com, "We are ascertaining the details of the incident."
A Lashker-e-Tayiba operative, who was allegedly managing finances for the Pakistan-based militant outfit in north Kashmir's Baramulla district was arrested Sunday, police said in Srinagar.
>The Indian Army still uses old British-era names and recruits soldiers based on caste or region, which hurts national unity, argues Colonel K Thammayya Udupa (retd).
The exhumations have shocked the people who are repeatedly venting their anger at the sites.
Officials said the polling went off peacefully in all segments including special polling stations along the International Border and Line of Control (LoC) with no untoward incident reported from anywhere.
Police on Wednesday gunned down two militants, one of whom was the longest surviving militant in Kashmir valley.
A sarpanch was gunned down by unidentified militants in north Kashmir's Baramulla district on Sunday evening. Today's killing is yet another in a series of relentless attacks against the panches and sarpanches in the valley who have been clamouring for security by the administration.
Curfew was on Sunday lifted from many parts of Kashmir Valley while authorities announced relaxation of curfew in Srinagar city, where curbs had been re-imposed in the wee hours of Sunday, following incidents of stone pelting. Curfew has been lifted from Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Awantipora towns in south Kashmir and Handwara town in north Kashmir, a police spokesman said. While curfew has been lifted from Budgam district in central Kashmir.
22 Assam Rifles women personnel are in the Republic Day marching band contingent. Dressed in crisp uniforms, playing bagpipes, drums and side drums, the year-old band has already built an admirable reputation.
