It's a different Srinagar from what Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf encountered 24 years ago. Tourists throng the Kashmir Valley post-Article 370, azaadi appears dead, and everyone says one man is responsible for this change, so what if his poster is nowhere to be seen.
A devastating flashflood in the Kheer Ganga river on August 5 demolished nearly half of Dharali -- the key stopover en route to Gangotri with many hotels and homestays, and neighbouring Harsil, where an Army camp bore the brunt of the flood fury, barely giving time to the victims to run to safety.
After the tragic Pahalgam attack on April 22, which claimed 26 lives, foreign tourists have begun returning to Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir.
Two Army soldiers were killed and two others injured in a gunfight with terrorists in Kulgam district. The anti-terror operation has entered its ninth day.
New Delhi looks to be testing Omar's endurance with unconcealed glee, never feeling shy to bite whenever a moment comes its way. After all, ruling the country's only Muslim-majority UT/state has been the BJP's burning desire, points out Mohammad Sayeed Malik, the distinguished commentator on Kashmir affairs.
On June 5, 2025, the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry Regiment Centre in Srinagar held the Passing Out Parade of its fifth batch of Agniveers.
Visuals of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah scaling the gate of the Naqshband Sahib graveyard and jostling with securitymen deployed there have gone viral.
Ancient Hindu idols and 'Shivlings' were discovered during excavation work for the renovation of a spring in Anantnag district, Jammu and Kashmir. The site is significant for Kashmiri Pandits and is associated with the Karkoota dynasty.
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a fresh plea challenging constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.
On Monday, December 18, 2023, freestyle football champion Agnieszka 'Aguka' Mnich from Poland and German footballer Patrick Bauer performed football tricks in the presence of a huge crowd at the historic Ghanta Ghar at Lal Chowk in Srinagar.
Army jawan Kapil Panwar, who was brutally assaulted by toll plaza staff in Meerut, expresses his distress over the incident, while authorities take action against the toll operator and arrest suspects.
The opposition Peoples' Democratic Party and Peoples' Conference targeted the ruling National Conference over the meeting, and accused it of surrendering to the Bharatiya Janata Party without even a pretence over the passage of the Waqf act.
Students had protested at the NIT in the Nigeen locality of Srinagar alleging the social media post hurt their religious sentiments.
By 10 am, Rakshit N Jagdale is already deep into the rhythm of the day, which promises to be a carousel of meetings, calls, and strategic decisions. As managing director of Amrut Distilleries, he balances ritual and ambition, tradition and transformation, like many other legacy players in India's alcoholic beverages sector who are staring at a rosy future.
Umar Ganie captures Sabah Rasool, an MBBS student, being welcomed by her family after arriving home in Srinagar.
'We were told that we would be taken care of when we reached Delhi. But we did not find a single Kashmiri government official who could guide us.'
Two suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists were killed when army troops scuttled an infiltration attempt along the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Wednesday.
On the occasion of the 26th Kargil Vijay Diwas, the Indian cricket fraternity has come together to pay tributes to the heroes of the Kargil War.
With this decision, the government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sought to draw a red line against terror incidents and makes clear that it will follow a similar military response as it has after the Pahalgam incident if terrorists linked to Pakistan target India again.
A massive controversy is raging in Jammu and Kashmir after a plaque with the Ashoka emblem was vandalised in the Hazratbal shrine as parties on Saturday accused Waqf Board chief Darakshan Andrabi of hurting religious sentiments by using the national emblem in the mosque and demanded registration of a criminal case and her immediate removal.
The empty cartridges found at Pahalgam and those after test firing by the recovered guns were matched by the forensic lab, Shah said. The ballistic report is with him, he added.
On Shankara Jayanti, Friday, May 2, 2025, Mahamandaleshwar Swami Sri Sri Vishwatamanand Saraswati and other sadhus conducted a special puja at the Shankaracharya temple in Srinagar for victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. They also prayed for peace and the long life of India's soldiers.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday said that the 'unelected nominees of New Delhi locked up the elected representatives' of the people of Jammu and Kashmir after prominent leaders from ruling and opposition parties were not allowed to leave their houses to prevent them from visiting the graveyard of 1931 martyrs in Srinagar.
'The lakes up there were already at the brink due to accumulated rainwater, and then snowmelt occurred.' 'When one lake breached, it triggered a cascading effect -- other lakes breached subsequently.'
Police conduct raids at bookshops in Kashmir to seize banned books promoting false narratives and glorifying terrorism, following a government order. The ban and subsequent raids have drawn criticism from authors and political leaders.
Jammu and Kashmir leaders, including Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah, found creative ways to protest restrictions on accessing a martyrs' graveyard, with Omar vaulting a gate, Farooq taking an auto, and a minister riding a scooty.
Bookstore owners were cautioned against keeping or distributing the books. Police personnel briefed the bookstore owners about the legal consequences of violating the ban.
Strong demand for cultural and spiritual hubs is expected for destinations like Varanasi, Kolkata during Durga Puja, and Pushkar for the camel fair, besides leisure destinations like Goa, Udaipur, Jaipur and Coorg.
Very sensitive items -- such as apples, which carry political weight and are closely tied to farmer interests in states like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand -- may face restricted concessions.
A multi-layer security grid has been enforced in and around Srinagar, aerial surveillance, bomb disposal squads, drones and sharpshooters guarding the Bakshi Stadium are in place for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Srinagar visit on Thursday, March 7, 2024.
An IndiGo flight from Delhi to Srinagar encountered severe turbulence after a sudden hailstorm. The pilot requested permission from Lahore Air Traffic Control to use Pakistani airspace to avoid the turbulence, but the request was rejected. The flight, carrying over 220 passengers, including Trinamool Congress MPs, landed safely at Srinagar Airport. The incident is being investigated by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
'What we are witnessing is not a freak incidence or a freak occurrence, but a new climate reality where warming oceans, monsoon variability and local geography are combining to produce extreme events.'
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's April 19 visit to Jammu and Kashmir, security has been significantly tightened across the region, especially along the Jammu-Srinagar highway and key infrastructure sites.
At least 36 Amarnath pilgrims sustained minor injuries when five buses collided in the Ramban district along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. The accident occurred due to brake failure, and the injured were treated and continued their journey.
An IndiGo flight from Delhi to Srinagar encountered severe turbulence near Pathankot on Wednesday, prompting the crew to request permission to enter Pakistani airspace to avoid the weather. However, their request was denied. The aircraft, an A321 neo operating flight 6E 2142, experienced hailstorm and turbulence, triggering various warnings and forcing the autopilot to trip. The crew managed to safely land the aircraft in Srinagar after a harrowing experience. The incident is under investigation by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which confirmed there were no injuries to passengers but noted damage to the aircraft's nose radome.
In the aftermath of the horrific Pahalgam attack, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists and injured many others, many travelers have canceled plans to visit Kashmir, depriving tour operators in the Valley of business during the otherwise proftable tourist season.
Women outnumber men in six of the eight assembly constituencies with Central Shalteng and Eidgah segments being the exceptions.
More than 300 flights have been cancelled and at least 25 airports, including Srinagar, have been temporarily shut for operations amid restrictions in the wake of the armed forces launching missile attacks on terror targets in Pakistan on Wednesday morning.
"We did not bathe or shave for three months and on several occasions quenched our thirst by eating ice," recalled braveheart Naik Praveen on the 26th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas Saturday.
Heavy rains across India have led to widespread flooding, causing damage to infrastructure, displacement of residents, and disruption of normal life. Rescue efforts are underway in affected areas.
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