Security personnel killed four top militants of Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Tayiba but lost one army jawan in a day-long fierce gunbattle in the border district of Kupwara in north Kashmir on Friday.
Security forces launched the operation in Macchil sector in north Kashmir's Kupwara district following information about presence of terrorists in the area.
A top terrorist commander of Lashkar-e-Tayiba outfit was killed in a fierce gunfight in north Kashmir frontier Kupwara district on Sunday morning.
The families of the porters had received letters purportedly written by a soldier saying that they had been killed in a "staged encounter only for gallantary recognition."
National Conference president Omar Abdullah escaped unhurt in powerful hand grenade explosion at an NC rally at Kralgund in the northern border district on Kupwara late on Monday afternoon.
Mercury plummeted in Kashmir Valley on Thursdayafter a slight respite for few days, dropping further below the freezing point with Kargil recording a new low of minus 15.8 degrees Celsius this season.
No major clash was reported on Thursday from anywhere in Kashmir.
The bodies of the three persons killed in an alleged fake encounter on April 30 on the Line of Control (LoC) by the army were exhumed on Friday afternoon and were identified by the relatives.
The army on Monday said it had busted a militant hideout and recovered huge quantity of arms and ammunition in the continuing operation 'Thunder Strike' launched by it against militants in the north Kashmir forests on May 5.
The militants-Army gunfights in the north Kashmir Shamsbhari mountain range in the frontier Kupwara district claimed six more militants on Tuesday taking the toll to 25.
The authorities also sealed the Lal Chowk city centre - the commercial hub of the city - by placing barricades and concertina wires on all entry and exit points leading to the area.
The Jammu and Kashmir high court on Friday ordered that the body of a civilian dubbed a terrorist and killed by the police during an encounter in Hyderpora last November be exhumed and handed to his family for last rites.
A police spokesman said that troops of 2 Para-regiment of the Army and the police surrounded the Batnor Kooligam forest area of the frontier Kupwara district early on Thursday morning. "As the troops were scanning the forest, they came under heavy gunfire from a group of militants, triggering a fierce gunfight. The gunfight ended today afternoon, resulting in the death of the three Jaish militants, whose identities are still being established," the spokesman said.
A flood alert was sounded on Thursday in Srinagar city as River Jhelum was flowing four feet above the danger mark after incessant rain, while 23 villages have been inundated by floods in south Kashmir districts of Anantnag and Kulgam.
There has been a steady rise in the number of youth taking up arms in the Valley since 2014 onwards as compared to 2011, 2012, and 2013.
On sustained questioning, the SSP said, the trio admitted they are working for Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist outfit and were luring young boys into militancy.
"This Diwali, we thought of his comrades in arms, who suffer harsh climes and the enemy from across the border, as well as some within. We thought this would be a nice gesture for soldiers, who spend Diwali away from their families," said one of Santosh Mahadik's friends.
Dozens of students from the government higher secondary school in Newa area of Pulwama district staged a protest against the alleged high-handedness of security forces.
A high alert has been sounded along the Line of Control in Kashmir Valley as infiltration from across the border has seen a sudden spurt with terror groups including banned LeT and JeM believed to have sent nearly 20-25 cadres in the last 10 weeks.
Fresh clashes broke out between protesters and security forces in Kashmir, even as Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is set to visit the Valley on Saturday.
Srinagar, the summer capital of the state, recorded a low of -4.2C, slightly up from the previous night's -4.9C.
One soldier was killed and another wounded in the encounter. The injured trooper was evacuated to hospital for treatment.
Nineteen candidates saw an extremely close contest in the maiden District Development Council (DDC) polls in Jammu and Kashmir where the margin of victory was less than 100.
Mehbooba Mufti said that incidents like the ones at Handwara and Nathnusa are "unacceptable" and come as a major setback to the efforts of the state government in consolidating peace dividends in the state.
A high polling percentage of about 71 percent was recorded in the 18 constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir that went to polls on Tuesday in the second phase of the 5 phase assembly elections.
Curfew continued to cripple the Valley for the tenth day.
For the fourth consecutive day, Monday, the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remained closed for traffic in the wake of landslides at some places, even as higher reaches in Kashmir received fresh snowfall overnight.
Singh, who was accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and Army Chief Gen MM Naravane, visited the North Hill post and was apprised about the situation at the border by senior officials.
The lowest temperature ever recorded in Srinagar was minus 14.4 degrees Celsius in 1893.
Families of two civilians killed in the Hyderpora encounter in Srinagar held a protest here on Wednesday, demanding justice for the victims and the return of their bodies.
The all-time low recorded in the month of December in Srinagar is minus 12.8 degrees Celsius on December 13, 1934.
Security forces have been deployed in strength in sensitive and vulnerable areas to maintain law and order.
A 67-year-old resident, Mangat Ram and a BSF jawan was injured in the firing.
The slain policemen were identified as Ghulam Hassan and Ghulam Rasool. The injured personnel was taken to a hospital for treatment and his condition is stated to be stable, the official said.
'The more harder India pushes its nationalism on to its population, the further away we send Kashmiris.' 'We should understand that the unrest in that state cannot be solved by demonetisation. There are much deeper causes,' says Aakar Patel.
Traveller and trekker Amit Tyagi writes about the hidden gems of Kashmir. You won't regret including them in your next itinerary.
On December 7, 1990, Srinagar had recorded a low of minus 8.8 degrees Celsius.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances