Umar Ganie captures glimpses of tourists savouring the frozen waterfall valley in Drung in Tangmarg in North Kashmir.
The Border Security Force (BSF) remains on high alert along the International Border (IB) and has not let its guard down, BSF Inspector General, Jammu Frontier, Shashank Anand said on Tuesday. Operation Sindoor, aimed at preventing infiltration attempts, continues as Pakistan cannot be trusted, he added. Anand highlighted the BSF's robust response after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, including destroying multiple terror launch pads and thwarting infiltration attempts.
This spell is most likely to give good snow/rain in the Pirpanjal area Gulmarg, Ramban-Banihal, Shopian, Poonch-Rajouri and Zojila especially during November 24-25 and decrease thereafter significantly.
Arathi Menon, a native of Kochi, recounts the terror attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam that killed her father, N Ramachandran, and 25 others. Menon, her father, and her six-year-old twin sons were walking through a fenced grassland in Baisaran when the attack happened. The family crawled under the fence to escape, but a man emerged from the woods and opened fire. Menon's father collapsed, and she fled with her sons into the forest. Despite the trauma, Menon found compassion from strangers who helped her, including her driver Musafir and another man, Sameer. Menon concealed the tragedy from her mother, pretending that Ramachandran was injured and receiving treatment. She only told her mother the truth after they landed in Kochi. The mortal remains of Ramachandran were brought to Kochi airport on Wednesday, and his final rites will be held at the Edappally public crematorium on Friday.
A moderate intensity earthquake hit Kashmir Valley on Monday evening as people were home celebrating Eid.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that two more constituents of the Jammu and Kashmir-based Hurriyat Conference, J&K Tahreeqi Isteqlal and J&K Tahreek-I-Istiqamat, have abandoned separatism and pledged allegiance to the new India envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This development follows similar declarations from the Jammu and Kashmir People's Movement (JKPM) and the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Political Movement (JKDPM) on Tuesday. Shah stated that under Modi's leadership, separatism is on the decline and the unity of India is growing stronger in Kashmir.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has stated that Naxalism, currently confined to just four districts in India, will be completely eradicated by March 31, 2026. He emphasized the crucial role of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), particularly its CoBRA battalion, in achieving this goal. Shah lauded the CRPF's contributions to national security, highlighting their efforts in combating terrorism in Kashmir, maintaining peace in the Northeast, and significantly reducing Naxal violence. He also paid tribute to the CRPF's sacrifices, acknowledging the loss of 2,264 personnel in the line of duty.
The 270-km Jammu-Srinagar highway reopened on Sunday after a day-long closure due to heavy snowfall, allowing stranded vehicles to proceed to their destinations. However, several other important inter-district routes, including the Mughal Road, Sinthan Pass, Sonamarg-Kargil inter-UT road, and Bhaderwah-Chamba inter-state road, remained closed for vehicular traffic due to heavy snowfall.
Villagers living near the International Border and Line of Control in Jammu are on high alert following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, preparing underground bunkers and accelerating crop harvesting. The incident has heightened security concerns despite a renewed ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan in 2021. Residents are demanding swift action against the perpetrators and their handlers.
Umar Ganie captures Gulmarg as the tourist destination and other higher reaches in the Kashmir Valley receive fresh snowfall.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar upon his arrival from Saudi Arabia to take stock of the situation following the terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir. The meeting also included Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. The attack, which killed at least 26 people, including tourists from the UAE and Nepal, has sparked nationwide shock and outrage.
The former India captain, who is also an honorary Lt Colonel in the Territorial Army, will be joining the 106 TA Battalion (Para) on July 31 and will continue until August 15.
Javed Munshi, suspected to be a member of the outlawed 'Tehreek e Mujahideen' outfit in Kashmir Valley, was picked up from near Canning Hospital by a joint team of Jammu and Kashmir Police and West Bengal Police's Special Task Force, the officer said.
Lavender cultivation employs around 5,000 farmers and young entrepreneurs in geographically remote areas of Kashmir.
The two women -- Seema Koul and Vishalni Koul -- had moved the high court in 2018 after their provisional selection to the post of legal assistant in the department of disaster management relief, rehabilitation and re-construction under the PM package for Kashmiri migrants in December 1, 2017 forfeited on the ground that they have lost their migrant status having married non-migrant persons.
The 2003 BSF operation that eliminated terrorist Gazi Baba in Jammu and Kashmir, the subject of an upcoming action film, "Ground Zero," crippled the Jaish-e-Mohammed. The mission, which earned the BSF a dozen gallantry awards, is being portrayed in the film releasing on April 25. The operation, described in the BSF's 50th anniversary book, involved a daring raid on a house in Srinagar where Gazi Baba was hiding. The BSF faced heavy gunfire and grenades, with officers sustaining injuries and one constable, Balbir Singh, being killed while protecting his superior officer, Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey. Dubey, who led the operation, received the Kirti Chakra, India's third highest peacetime gallantry award.
Fresh snowfall brought respite from intense cold to the residents of Kashmir Valley as night temperatures rose considerably, even as it led to the closure of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway on Saturday.
'Fears in Washington began to intensify when it was realised that subsequent Pakistani and Indian attacks on major military facilities -- which were significant in terms of geographic scope and intensity -- could rapidly take both sides to where neither actually wanted to go.' 'The US objective was to stop the fighting as soon as possible. Everything else was secondary.'
The Valley is under darkness due to damage to four power transmission towers near the Jawahar tunnel.
There were no restrictions on the movement or assembly of people anywhere in the Valley.
'India today feels enough is enough and we need to teach Pakistan a lesson.' 'Unless compelled, Mr Modi will think 10 times before taking the extreme step.'
Pakistan military spokesperson Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry told a hurriedly called press conference in Islamabad at around 4 am that th Pakistan air force's Nur Khan (Chaklala, Rawalpindi), Murid (Chakwal) and Rafiqui (Shorkot in Jhang district) airbases were targeted.
A deadly terror attack targeting tourists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on Tuesday drew strong condemnation and outrage. 26 people, including two foreigners and two locals, were killed in the attack, which is the deadliest in the Valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019. Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that the perpetrators will not be spared and their evil agenda will never succeed. Opposition leaders demanded accountability, claiming the government's claims of normalcy in Kashmir have fallen flat.
Zahoor Ahmad Mir, an army porter, was murdered by terrorists.
The dastardly dimensions of the attack are gradually sinking in even as the Government of India announced its immediate diplomatic and other retaliatory measures. It is generally expected to be followed up with punitive military action across the LoC, sooner than later, observes Mohammad Sayeed Malik, the distinguished commentator on Kashmir affairs.
Authorities on Monday night imposed curfew across Kashmir Valley to foil the proposed march to Hyderpora called by hard line faction of Hurriyat Conference on Tuesday, officials said in Srinagar.
Srinagar recorded its third lowest December temperature in 133 years on Saturday.
Terrorists opened fire at a popular tourist spot near Kashmir's Pahalgam town on Tuesday afternoon, killing 26 people, mostly holidayers from other states, in what is the deadliest attack in the Valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019.
Indefinite curfew was clamped on Sunday in Srinagar and six other towns of Kashmir Valley in view of several incidents of arson and violence on Saturday, official sources said.
The local recruitment of terrorists in the Pakistan-sponsored terror groups is also very low as only four locals have joined these groups this year, Army officials told ANI.
A medium-intensity earthquake shook the Kashmir valley on Sunday evening, leading to panic among residents.
A British MP has tabled a parliamentary motion in the House of Commons to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the "genocide of Kashmiri Pandit Hindus from Jammu and Kashmir in India." The motion, which calls for recognition and justice for the events of January 1990, has been met with support from other MPs. The motion condemns the attacks on the Hindu population of Kashmir Valley and calls for the Indian government to enact a bill to punish the perpetrators.
Although investments have been few and far between in the valley, which has had to live under the shadow of attacks by militants from across the border since 1989, the economist said there was a risk that even those who had invested could wind up operations.
People living in areas like Nowgam, Chowkibal, Budnambal, Karnah, Keran, Jumagand, Kenthawali, Machil and Lashdat along the Line of Control in north Kashmir have been advised not to venture into steep avalanche-prone slopes
Life in Srinagar and other major towns of Kashmir valley remained crippled on Wednesday due to a spontaneous strike against the alleged use of force by police. The police personnel allegedly used force against those protesting the transfer of forest land to Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board.One person was killed and nearly 100 others, including 22 policemen, have been injured in police firing and clashes between stone pelting demonstrators and law enforcing agencies.
'It was inspired by the Hamas attack and was like their attack -- well planned and well executed.'
State government offices, banks, educational institutions and business establishments also re-opened on Tuesday morning, as authorities withdrew the curfew restrictions. However, normal activity started petering out early in response to the call given by the co-ordination committee, which had asked shopkeepers to down their shutters at 1600 hours IST.
Kashmir is placed in seismic zone five, making it highly vulnerable to earthquakes.
'In today's political spectrum, it is the Bharatiya Janata Party that always says, nation first.'
Modi also met the construction workers who worked meticulously amid harsh conditions to complete the tunnel.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances