Jammu is symbol of India’s national unity, unbroken cultural stream: Lt Gov Sinha

31/12/2025
JAMMU, Dec 30: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday hoisted the Tricolour and inaugurated the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Flag Point at JDA Park, Ram Vihar Jammu to mark 82nd anniversary of the hoisting of Tricolour on Indian soil by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 1943. On December 30, 1943, Netaji declared Port Blair free from British rule, and gave all countrymen the resolve for Independence. Today's initiative aims to commemorate the glorious contribu...

Full Court Reference held to bid farewell to Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul

31/12/2025
JAMMU, Dec 30: A Full Court Reference was held in the Court Room of the Chief Justice at the Jammu Wing of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh to bid farewell to Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul, Judge of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, on demitting office upon attaining the age of superannuation. The Full Court Reference was convened in accordance with the long-standing conventions and institutional traditions of the High Court. The Reference was attended by Chief Just...

2025 focused on governance reforms to improve ease of living: Dr Jitendra

31/12/2025
NEW DELHI, Dec 30: Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh, said that 2025 was a year that focused on governance reforms aimed at improving ease of living for citizens, alongside creating a more enabling and work-friendly environment for government employees. Addressing a year-ender press conference here, the Minister highlighted the year-end achievements of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, covering the work of the Dep...

DB upholds acquittal in Kishtwar Woman’s murder case, dismisses state appeal

31/12/2025
JAMMU, Dec 30: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh at Jammu has dismissed the State's acquittal appeal in the murder case titled State vs. Mehboob Hussain and others, thereby upholding the 2012 judgment of the Principal Sessions Judge, Kishtwar, which had acquitted the accused of charges under Sections 302/34/109 RPC. The judgment was delivered by a Division Bench comprising Justice Sindhu Sharma and Justice Shahzad Azeem, which reiterated that in an appeal against acquittal, the ...

HC grants bail to J&K Bank Manager in crore-scale fake loan scam case

31/12/2025
JAMMU, Dec 30: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh at Jammu has granted bail to Jatinder Kumar, a J&K Bank official, in a case stemming from alleged fraudulent sanction of loans on the basis of forged documents and impersonation. The bail was granted by Justice Mohd. Yousuf Wani in Bail App No. 82/2025. Kumar is an accused in FIR No. 86/2023 dated 29.08.2023 registered at Police Station Crime Branch, EOW, Jammu, under Sections 419, 420, 467, 468, 471, 120-B IPC read with Sections ...

HC refuses to quash ACB FIR against ARTO, clears way for chargesheet in DA Case

31/12/2025
JAMMU, Dec 30: Justice Sanjay Parihar of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court had dismissed a petition filed by former Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO) Shopian Abdul Majid Bhat, refusing to quash FIR No. 25/ 2018 dated 14-07-2018 regist-ered for alleged disproportionate assets under Section 5(1)(e) read with Section 5(2) of the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act (Svt. 2006). The Court recorded that the case was initiated on the basis of a credible source report, followed by secre...

High spirits at Katra as devotees gather at Vaishno Devi for Year-End blessings

31/12/2025
KATRA, Dec 30: Ahead of the New Year, a significant influx of pilgrims has been observed at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine. Thousands of pilgrims have arrived in Katra to seek blessings as the year comes to an end. The entire hilltop is buzzing with energy as devotees from across the country gather to start their New Year on a spiritual note. A devotee said, "I am very excited, emotional and happy. I hope this year's end will be a good start to the new year. That's all we want. The weather...

Mercury settles below freezing point in Gulmarg, Pahalgam; Met forecasts rain, snow in Kashmir

31/12/2025
SRINAGAR, Dec 30: Gulmarg and Pahalgam recorded sub-zero temperatures on Monday night even as Kashmir continues to experience an unusually warm winter, the Meteorological Department officials said. The mercury has remained three to four degrees above the season's average across the valley, they said. The Met department has forecast rain or snowfall across the valley starting Tuesday. On Tuesday morning, overcast conditions were observed throughout the region. The valley is currently going th...

Unclaimed bag sparks bomb scare at bus stand; nothing suspicious found

31/12/2025
JAMMU, Dec 30: An unclaimed bag at a crowded bus stand here on Tuesday afternoon triggered a bomb scare, but it was later found that it contained clothes and had been apparently left behind by a passenger, officials said. A police team along with the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) cordoned off the bus stand immediately after getting information about an unclaimed bag lying near one of the concrete pillars, an official said. The BDS team inspected the bag and found nothing suspicious, the official ...

SC issues SOP for improving court management, early delivery of justice

31/12/2025
NEW DELHI, Dec 30: The Supreme Court has issued a standard operating procedure prescribing timelines for advancing arguments and written notes by lawyers appearing before it. The step is aimed at improving court managem-ent and expediting the delivery of justice. Chief Justice Surya Kant and the other apex court judges came out with a circular on Monday prescribing an SOP for adhering to timelines for submission of oral arguments in all cases. The SOP, which comes into force with immediate e...

BSF to launch ‘operation Sard Hawa’ along Jammu border

31/12/2025
NEW DELHI, Dec 30: The Border Security Force (BSF) will soon launch 'operation 'Sard Hawa' (cold wind) at its formidable terrains of the Kashmir frontier and the vital security posts of Jammu as well as vast desert stretches of Rajasthan along the challenging India-Pakistan border and the Line of Control (LC) aimed at foiling potenyial infiltration efforts by taking advantage of the reduced visibility caused by the dense winter fog. Officials in the BSF told ANI that the operation would be lau...

NIA court issues proclamation notice against ex-KCCI president, 2 others in 2020 UAPA case

31/12/2025
SRINAGAR, Dec 30: An NIA court here has issued a proclamation notice against former Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI) president Mubeen Shah and two others in a 2020 UAPA case, asking them to appear before it on January 31, 2026. The court has directed accused Shah, Azizul Hassan Ashai and Rifat Wani to present themselves before it on January 31 or face stringent action including attachment of property under CrPC Section 83. Officials said the case was registered under sections...

World sees India with hope and confidence, says PM Modi highlighting reform initiatives

31/12/2025
NEW DELHI, Dec 30: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said India is being appreciated by the world for the manner in which the pace of progress has been accelerated with next-generation reforms, which are cross-sectoral and amplify the nation's growth potential. In a post on business and employment-oriented social networking platform LinkedIn, Modi said India has emerged as the centre of global attention due to the innovative zeal of its people and the world now sees India with hope and c...

Bus falls into gorge in Uttarakhand's Almora; Elderly couple among 7 dead, 12 injured

31/12/2025
DEHRADUN, Dec 30: Seven people, including three women, were killed and 12 others injured when a bus fell into a gorge near Vinayak in the Bhikiyasain area of Uttarakhand's Almora district on Tuesday, a police official said. According to the police, the deceased include an elderly couple. Almora Senior Superintendent of Police Devendra Pincha said the accident occurred when the bus, carrying passengers from Dwarahat in Almora district to Ramnagar in Nainital district, went out of control and p...

Police arrest man for spraying chemical on minor girls in Budgam

31/12/2025
SRINAGAR, Dec 30: Police in Budgam district on Tuesday arrested a man for allegedly harassing minor girls by spraying a chemical substance into their eyes. The accused was arrested after parents of two victims lodged a complaint at Police Station Chadoora regarding the incident that occurred while the girls were returning home from tuition. Police said, the two parents said that their minor daughters were attacked by an unknown man while returning from tuition, who sprayed a chemical substanc...

PIL in SC seeking action against racial violence targeting northeastern citizens

31/12/2025
NEW DELHI, Dec 30: A PIL was filed in the Supreme Court seeking judicial intervention to address the "continuing constitutional failure" to prevent and respond to racial discrimination and violence against citizens from northeastern states and other frontier regions. The PIL was filed on December 28 in the backdrop of the brutal killing of Anjel Chakma, a 24-year-old MBA student from Tripura, who succumbed on December 26 to grievous injuries sustained in a racially motivated attack in Selaqui ...

AIIMS-Jammu proposes traumatology institute, centre for AI in healthcare

31/12/2025
SAMBA, Dec 30: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jammu has submitted a proposal to the Union health ministry for setting up a traumatology institute and a centre for artificial intelligence in healthcare in collaboration with premier institutions of Israel and the United Kingdom, officials said on Tuesday. AIIMS will move forward in the new year with renewed resolve and start several new facilities, including open heart surgery, they said. Executive Director and CEO of AIIMS-Jammu,...

LG stresses sustainable biodiversity management at J&K Wildlife board meet

30/12/2025
JAMMU, Dec 29: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday chaired the 6th meeting of Wildlife Board for the UT of J&K, at Lok Bhavan. The meeting was attended by Shri Javed Ahmed Rana, Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology & Environment and Tribal Affairs Departments; Dr. Devinder Kumar Manyal and Shri Mian Mehar Ali, Members of Legislative Assembly; Shri Atal Dulloo, Chief Secretary; Dr Mandeep K. Bhandari, Principal Secretary to Lieutenant Governor; Ms. Sheetal Nanda, Commissioner Secr...

Centre must push state govts to stop communal violence in their territories: Farooq

30/12/2025
SRINAGAR, Dec 29: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Monday said the Centre should impress upon state governments to stop incidents of communal violence when they take place in their respective territories. "It is the duty of the Centre to tell the states that such incidents should be stopped," Abdullah told reporters at the party headquarters in Srinagar. He was commenting on an incident of alleged stone-pelting on a mosque and madrassa in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir...

Amit Shah directs states to speedily implement uniform anti-terror structure

30/12/2025
NEW DELHI, Dec 29: Amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi's firm directive on zero tolerance to terrorism, the 5th Anti-Terror Conference of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) concluded on Saturday with a strong emphasis on enhancing India's anti-terror capacity, supported by a model ATS structure designed to enhance coordination and seamless real-time information exchange among the central and state security and investigative agencies. According to a release, the conference saw the Central Go...

Aravalli definition row: SC stays its own order, says further probe needed to resolve ‘critical ambiguities’

30/12/2025
NEW DELHI, Dec 29: The Supreme Court on Monday stayed its own order that accepted a new definition for the Aravalli hiils and ranges, and said a high-powered expert panel will be set up to resolve “critical ambiguities” and prevent any regulatory gaps that might undermine the ecological integrity of the world's oldest mountain system. As the uniform definition of Aravallis sparked an outcry among environmentalists, the court kept in abeyance its November 20 directions, saying there is a need t...

Ladakh sets National Benchmark in time-bound, transparent recruitment: LG Kavinder

30/12/2025
LEH, Dec 29: The Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Kavinder Gupta, on Monday highlighted the time-bound and transparent recruitment process conducted by the Union Territory Administration through the Ladakh Subordinate Services Staff Selection Board (LSSSSB), noting that the declaration of examination marks within 48 hours reflected administrative efficiency and strong instit-utional systems. He said the achievement sets a national benchmark and reflects that even remote and border regions lik...

Fresh spell of rain, snow likely in Kashmir; night temperatures stay above normal

30/12/2025
SRINAGAR, Dec 29: Kashmir is bracing for a fresh spell of rain and snow as the valley witnessed warmer- than-usual minimum temperatures on Sunday night, according to Meteorological Department officials. An official from the department said there is a possibility of moderate snowfall in Kashmir on Tuesday, with the main activity expected in the afternoon. The weather is likely to remain cloudy on Wednesday and Thursday, with rain or snow expected in the higher reaches, the official added. ...

Kupwara, Shopian bans VPN services

30/12/2025
SRINAGAR, Dec 29: Authorities in border district of Kupwara and Shopian on Monday banned the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) citing concerns related to national security. The district administration of Kupwara issued an order banning the use of all VPN services within the district. The move comes following reports from the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Kupwara and Handwara, highlighting a surge in VPN usage by suspicious internet users. Citing concerns over public safety, cyb...

Never forget mother tongue: President Murmu urges people at Ol Chiki script centenary celebrations

30/12/2025
JAMSHEDPUR, Dec 29: President Droupadi Murmu on Monday urged people to never forget their respective mother tongues, and called for collective efforts towards the betterment of society. She was addressing the 22nd Santali 'Parsi Maha' (language day) and centenary celebrations of the Ol Chiki script of the Santali language at Dishom Jaherthan courtyard in Karandih on the outskirts of Jamshedpur city in East Singhbhum district. The President started her speech by singing a prayer to 'Jaher Aayo...

India rejects Islamabad’s ‘finger-pointing’, calls out Pakistan for ‘horrific and systemic victimisation of minorities’

30/12/2025
NEW DELHI, Dec 29: India today slammed Islamabad for its comments on the situation of minorities in India, saying Pakistan's "horrific and systemic victimisation" of minorities is a well-established fact. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in a statement, said: "We reject the reported remarks from a country whose abysmal record on this front speaks for itself. "Pakistan's horrific and systemic victimisation of minorities of various faiths is a well established fact. ...

Justice Rahul Bharti Appointed Vacation Judge For Srinagar Wing

30/12/2025
JAMMU, Dec 29: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has revised its Winter Vacation 2026 roster, nominating Mr. Justice Rahul Bharti as the Vacation Judge for the Srinagar Wing of the High Court from January 19 to January 24, 2026. As per the order issued from the Office of the Registrar General at Jammu, the nomination has been made in partial modification of High Court Order No. 1891 of 2025/RG dated 18.12.2025, and Justice Bharti has been appointed in place of Hon'ble Mr. Justice Mo...

Abandoned drone recovered in Poonch

30/12/2025
JAMMU, Dec 29: Police on Monday seized an unidentified drone found abandoned in a field in a forward village in Poonch district, officials said. Special Operations Group (SOG) of J&K Police received an input about a drone abandoned in a field at village Gohled in Mendhar sector this afternoon, they said. A police party was immediately rushed to the spot and the drone was recovered, the officials said, adding an investigation is underway to identify the owner of the drone. Separately, a magaz...

MHA approves forensic institute in J&K after AIIMS proposal

30/12/2025
SAMBA, Dec 29: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has approved a proposal of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Jammu, for a state-of-the-art Forensic Institute in the Union Territory. The proposal had been sent to establish an institute to consolidate evidence collection, increase conviction rates and help in better investigation and diagnosis in the health sector, officials said. "A forensic institute is coming up in J&K. AIIMS has submitted a proposal (for setting up the ...