India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Thursday that the choice of de-escalation is with Pakistan, as India only responded to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people. He added that Pakistan has been escalating the situation with cross-border terrorism against India for decades.
The political parties have been given time slots for the meeting with the Election Commission.
The real heroes of Operation Sindoor were not the armed forces or political leadership, but the ordinary citizens of India who refused to fall into the trap of communal provocation, asserts Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
To support tourists affected by the attack or in need of information, Jammu and Kashmir police set up a dedicated help desk at the Police Control Room.
Vinubhai Dabhi and his wife Lilaben, residents of Bhavnagar, Gujarat, recounted their harrowing experience during the Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir. Dabhi was injured by bullets while his wife witnessed the shooting of a young man, Smit Parmar. They both highlight the lack of security presence during the incident.
A senior government official confirmed that after a meeting with other stakeholders, the decision has been taken and airlines and airport authorities have been informed about it.
However, scores of displaced Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu were unable to vote on Monday due to their names missing from the electoral rolls.
Pakistani drones were intercepted by Indian air defence in Jaisalmer. Explosions were heard and flashes seen in the sky.
The jawan was last posted with the 41st battalion of paramilitary CRPF, the lead internal security force of the country.
The usual rush of devotees was missing this year, presumably due to the Pahalgam terror attack and the military action between India and Pakistan following it.
'Tourism will get hit. Thousands of lives will suffer. Businesses will shut down.'
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a comprehensive review of the national security scenario with top military leadership in India. The meeting comes after Pakistan's recent attempts to target Indian military installations using drones and missiles were thwarted. The meeting discussed the evolving security situation and the Indian military's response to the Pakistani attacks.
'Diplomatic and economic responses are first announced and then implemented. A military response is announced only after it is done.'
Nearly 50 public parks and gardens in vulnerable areas of Kashmir Valley have been closed as a precautionary measure following the Pahalgam terror attack, officials said. The decision comes a week after terrorists shot dead 26 people, mostly tourists, at Baisaran meadows in Pahalgam resort. The security review is ongoing, and more locations may be added to the list in the coming days.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has started interviewing eyewitnesses, including tourists, in connection with the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, south Kashmir. The attack, carried out by terrorists from the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed the lives of 26 people on April 22. Initial investigations suggest that five to seven terrorists were involved, aided by local militants trained in Pakistan. Security forces are conducting massive operations to hunt down the terrorists in the dense jungles of the Pir Panjal range.
'Pakistan is economically very weak and will not be able to sustain a war for long.'
Re-entry into the list could have far-reaching consequences for Pakistan, including diminished foreign investment, increased borrowing costs, and tighter scrutiny from global financial institutions.
This was the first general election in the valley after the abrogation of Article 370 and the enactment of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the EC said in a statement.
Churchill Brothers finished above Inter Kashi FC, who are second with 39 points, but the the latter could still win the title on April 28, depending on outcome of AIFF appeal.
Indian Air Force S-400 Sudarshan Chakra air defence missile systems were fired last night against targets moving towards India. The targets were successfully neutralised in the operation multiple domain experts told ANI.
Hurriyat Conference chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq condemned the Pahalgam attack, calling it an "act beyond belief" and "totally unacceptable." He also called for unity and condemned the communal narrative surrounding the incident, urging the government to allow him to visit the injured and offer condolences to the families affected.
India successfully intercepted or neutralized all Pakistani missiles and drones that targeted 15 Indian cities on Wednesday night, according to official sources. The attack, which was launched in response to India's Operation Sindoor, involved the deployment of Barak-8 missiles, S-400 Triumph air defense systems, Akash surface-to-air missiles, and indigenously developed anti-drone equipment. India retaliated with precision strikes on Pakistani territory, destroying an HQ-9 air defense unit in Lahore and damaging key radar infrastructure. The incident highlights the strength of India's air defense capabilities and its ability to project power with surgical precision.
Chawdhary announced this after laying a wreath at the Amar Prahari memorial at the BS Headquarters in Jammu in remembrance of the fallen soldiers.
Heavy security has been deployed at vital installations in Delhi, including government buildings and areas with high footfalls, following Pakistan's drone attacks on Indian military sites. Police have strengthened vigil in areas with high footfalls and have canceled leaves for all Delhi Police personnel. The developments come after India swiftly thwarted Pakistan's attempts to strike military sites with drones and missiles.
A cold wave has gripped many parts of north and east India, with Srinagar recording a minimum temperature of minus 5.3 degrees Celsius. Other areas experiencing below-freezing temperatures include Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Konibal, Qazigund, Kupwara, and Kokernag in Kashmir. Himachal Pradesh has issued an orange warning for severe cold wave conditions in several districts. Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 5.9 degrees Celsius, while Faridkot in Punjab was the coldest in the region at 0 degrees Celsius. Extreme cold conditions also continued in parts of Rajasthan and Jharkhand. The Met office has forecast mainly dry weather until December 26, with the possibility of light snowfall in the higher reaches of Kashmir on the intervening night of December 21-22.
Three Army personnel, including a junior commissioned officer, were killed when their vehicle skidded off the road and plunged into a 500-metre deep gorge in Jammu and Kashmir's Ramban district on Sunday. The Army truck was part of a convoy moving from Jammu to Srinagar along national highway-44. The accident occurred near Battery Chashma at around 11.30 am. A joint rescue operation was launched immediately by Army, police, State Disaster Response Force and local volunteers. The deceased were identified as Naib-Subedar Sujeet Kumar, driver Amit Kumar and sepoy Man Bahadur. The crash has reduced the vehicle into a mangled heap of metal. Preliminary investigation suggested that the accident was caused by a technical glitch in the vehicle.
On Wednesday, Surat airport remained operational for an extra one hour waiting for the landing of an Air India Express flight that took off more than an hour late from the national capital.
Authorities in Kashmir have launched a massive crackdown on terrorists and their sympathisers in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, razing homes of the ultras, raiding their safe havens and detaining hundreds of overground workers for questioning, officials said on Saturday.
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.
Sushil Nathaniel, an LIC manager from Indore, was shot dead by terrorists in Pahalgam, Kashmir, after being forced to recite the 'Kalma'. His family has demanded the harshest punishment for the assailants. Nathaniel, who was on a family trip to celebrate Easter, was among 26 people killed in the attack. His daughter was injured in the attack, while his wife and son survived.
"More than 85,000 domiciles have been issued to non-locals, creating a pathway for demographic change in Jammu & Kashmir. These non-locals arrive posing as tourists, obtain domiciles, and then begin to act as if they own the land. Consequently, violence will be directed toward those attempting to settle illegally," TRF said in a statement which could not be independently verified by Rediff.
Srinagar recorded the maximum temperature of 35.6 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, the highest temperature in the month of July in 25 years since 1999 when the mercury had settled at 37 degrees Celsius, the officials said.
Days after the Pahalgam terror attack, Jammu and Kashmir authorities have deported 59 Pakistani nationals, including the mother of Shaurya Chakra awardee Constable Mudasir Ahmad Sheikh. The Pakistani nationals were living in the valley for decades and were transported to Punjab for repatriation. However, the mother of the deceased soldier was later allowed to stay back. The deportation comes after the Indian government announced a slew of measures against Pakistan in the wake of the Pahalgam attack, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and the downgrading of diplomatic relations.
The Chandigarh administration on Friday sounded a fresh air raid siren, appealing to people to remain indoors. The development came amid escalating tension between India and Pakistan.
A month after a deadly terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam, locals in the south Kashmir resort town are facing mounting livelihood losses. Despite a massive crackdown by security forces, the perpetrators of the attack have evaded capture. Tourists have stopped visiting Pahalgam, leaving businesses struggling to survive. Local residents say the situation is becoming desperate and call for government intervention to help revive the tourism industry.
The Kashmir valley observed a shutdown on Wednesday in protest against a terror attack that killed at least 26 people, mostly tourists, in Pahalgam. This was the first time in 35 years that the valley observed a shutdown for a terror attack. Organisations from all walks of life supported the bandh call, including political parties, socio-religious organisations, trade bodies, and civil society groups. Security has been beefed up across the valley, especially at vital tourist spots.
'We in Kashmir will ensure that this kind of incident does not happen again.'
The US has issued a 'Do Not Travel' advisory for Jammu and Kashmir citing potential for terrorist attacks and violent civil unrest. The advisory, issued on Wednesday, comes a day after a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, mostly tourists. The advisory also warns against traveling within 10 kilometers of the India-Pakistan border.
However, minutes after filing this report, news of ceasefire violations in Srinagar have been reported.
Pakistani military targets at Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Chunian were engaged using air-launched precision weapons from Indian fighter jets and the retaliation largely focused on command and control centres, radar sites and weapon storage areas, Qureshi said.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances