SRINAGAR
The Centre has rescued around two dozen Kashmiri youth, including 28-year-old Faizan Ahmad of Srinagar, who were trafficked to Myanmar under the false pretext of overseas job opportunities. These youth, lured through social media job advertisements, especially on Facebook, underwent online interviews and were promised data entry jobs in Thailand. Upon arrival, they were trafficked into Myanmar’s Myawaddy region and held captive under distressing conditions. Traffickers demanded hefty ransoms from families, with Faizan’s captors asking for Rs 4.5 lakh. The Indian Embassy in Yangon took up the matter with Myanmar authorities, and following coordinated efforts by the Centre and intelligence agencies, the trapped youth were eventually rescued. In total, 2,500 Indian nationals, including 13 from Kashmir, were repatriated.
Jammu and Kashmir’s fish production reached 28,000 metric tonnes in 2023–24, and 19,530 metric tonnes were recorded by November 2024.
KARNAH
In a joint initiative by the Indian Army’s Vajr Division and the Aseem Foundation under Chinar Corps, the border village of Simari in Karnah has been fully electrified and provided LPG facilities. Located along the Line of Control, Simari is of strategic and democratic importance as India’s Polling Booth No 1. The project transformed 53 households through solar microgrids and LPG kits, greatly enhancing living conditions.
Honey production in the region has more than doubled, rising from 13,062 quintals in 2019 to 27,092 quintals in 2024–25 as beekeeping expands across Kashmir and Jammu.
JAMMU KASHMIR
The imposition of high tariffs under recent US trade policies has dealt a severe blow to Kashmir’s traditional carpet industry, raising concerns over its sustainability. These duties, although targeted at global exporters like China, have inadvertently affected artisanal exports from smaller regions. Kashmiri carpets, renowned for their intricate hand-knotting and use of pure silk or wool, face a daunting 28 per cent import tariff in the United States—one of their key markets. While the retail prices have surged, the increased costs do not benefit the weavers, whose earnings remain stagnant. Instead, international buyers are cancelling orders, and artisans are grappling with falling demand and rising uncertainty. The situation mirrors the crisis facing Kashmir’s walnut growers. Despite being organic and oil-rich, local walnuts are unable to compete with cheaper Chinese imports that dominate due to low production costs and large-scale processing. Kashmiri walnuts fetch Rs 700–800 per kilogram compared to Rs 350–400 for Chinese ones, but limited post-harvest processing, lack of grading, and absence of organic certification have eroded their market share.
As of March 2024, Rs 851.65 crore in CAMPA funds were available, with Rs 276.27 crore approved for FY 2024–25, Rs 153.67 crore spent, and Rs 727.66 crore remaining.
GUPKAR
The Supreme Court has directed Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his estranged wife, Payal Nath, to sit together and make another attempt to resolve their marital dispute, despite a previous failed mediation. The directive came during a hearing of Omar’s divorce plea, previously dismissed by the Delhi High Court in December 2023 for lacking merit. The top court bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and K Vinod Chandran has given the couple three weeks to try reconciliation, with the next hearing scheduled for May 7. Earlier, the court had also sought Payal’s response to Omar’s plea. The couple has been separated for more than 15 years.
Officials are hopeful that this year’s Hangul count will surpass 300 for the first time in decades, following a 10.72 per cent rise from 261 in 2021 to 289 in 2023.
JAMMU
A powerful windstorm accompanied by hail and heavy rain wreaked havoc across the Jammu region on April 16 and 17, causing extensive damage to life and property. In Udhampur, a member of a marriage party was killed and two others injured when a tree fell on their car. In Kathua, a labourer died after his hut collapsed. Three people, including two brothers, were killed in Ramban. Two persons were killed in Reasi. A bridge under construction in Nowshera was also damaged. Dozens of homes were destroyed or suffered severe damage across Udhampur, Reasi, Samba, Jammu and Kathua. The storm caused widespread traffic disruption, uprooted trees and electric poles, and led to total power outages across all ten districts of the Jammu division. The storm also resulted in a landslide on the Jammu-Poonch highway, lightning-induced fire in a Rajouri factory, and loss of livestock due to lightning and cloudbursts in Ramban and Mahore. In Kashmir, heavy rains and strong winds disrupted normal life, and a boat capsized in Dal Lake, prompting a rescue. The Meteorological Department has forecast more rough weather, including gusty winds and possible snowfall in the higher reaches from April 18 to 20, with alerts in place.
JAMMU
Justice Arun Palli was sworn in as the 38th Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh at a formal ceremony held at the Convention Centre in Jammu. Justice Palli’s appointment followed the retirement of Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan on April 9, with Justice Sanjeev Kumar serving as acting Chief Justice in the interim. A seasoned legal professional, Justice Palli began his career at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, later serving as Additional Advocate General for Punjab and being elevated to the Bench in 2013. He has also held key roles in legal service authorities. The ceremony was attended by senior officials, legal luminaries, and members of Justice Palli’s family. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court Collegium has approved the elevation of two senior judicial officers, Sanjay Parihar and Shahzad Azeem, as judges of the J&K and Ladakh High Court, which currently functions below its sanctioned strength. Parihar and Azeem, known for their significant judicial contributions, are expected to bolster the court’s capacity. Their appointments will raise the current strength from 13 to 15 judges.
JAMMU
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah launched the e-SEHAT App, a comprehensive digital healthcare platform for Jammu and Kashmir, designed to serve citizens, doctors, and medical professionals. The app offers telemedicine, appointment bookings, health tracking, AI-powered symptom checks, and multilingual support. It also integrates emergency services, health insurance schemes, and a referral mechanism across hospitals. For professionals, it provides EHR access, secure messaging, and academic resources. Abdullah called for making the app more user-friendly, integrating private hospital appointment systems, and training staff through workshops. Regular reviews were mandated to monitor implementation, and public awareness campaigns are planned to promote app adoption.
BISHNAH
Jammu Kashmir Police last week demolished the house of absconding drug and bovine smuggler Lahu Gujar in Jammu’s Bishnah area, claiming it was built using drug money. Gujar, also known as Gulzar Ahmed, is wanted in multiple cases. Meanwhile, nine people, including three women, were detained in Samba’s Bari Brahmana area during raids related to an April 9 attack on a police team conducting an anti-narcotics operation. The officers were seriously injured after being attacked with stones and bricks. The detainees face charges of attempted murder and assault on public servants. Searches to arrest Gujar are ongoing.
LADAKH
In a groundbreaking feat of engineering, Simpliforge Creations and IIT Hyderabad, in collaboration with the Indian Army, have completed the world’s highest on-site 3d-printed military structure in Leh under Project PRABAL. Built at 11,000 feet in extreme high-altitude and low-oxygen conditions, the protective bunker was printed in just 14 hours using locally sourced materials. The project showcased the development of specialised concrete mixes and robotic printing systems adapted for harsh environments. Led by Prof K V L Subramaniam, the team addressed challenges ranging from low humidity and high UV exposure to power fluctuations. The success demonstrates the potential of indigenous technology for rapid, on-site defence infrastructure and offers promising prospects for remote and extraterrestrial construction.
DELHI
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will raise a new unit of its elite CoBRA commandos for deployment in Jammu and Kashmir, marking the first time these jungle warfare specialists will operate in the region. Announced by CRPF Director General Gyanendra Pratap Singh during the force’s 86th Raising Day, the move follows Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s directive. The new CoBRA unit will focus on forested areas in Jammu, which have seen a rise in terror activity. Though CoBRA units were previously sent for training in Kashmir, they were not deployed due to internal objections. Originally formed in 2008 to combat Maoist insurgents, CoBRA commandos are highly trained in guerrilla tactics and equipped with advanced weaponry and surveillance tools. Their induction into Jammu and Kashmir represents a strategic expansion of their role, signalling the government’s intent to strengthen counter-terror operations in the region’s difficult terrain.
MUMBAI
Bollywood’s enduring interest in Kashmir receives a significant boost with the premiere of Ground Zero in Srinagar, marking the valley’s first red-carpet film event in 38 years. Starring Emraan Hashmi and produced by Excel Entertainment, the action thriller recounts the real-life operation by BSF Commandant Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey against Ghazi Baba, the mastermind behind the 2001 Indian Parliament attack. Entirely shot in Kashmir, the film celebrates military courage and sacrifice, blending patriotic storytelling with cinematic flair. Its return to the Valley reflects the industry’s revived confidence in Kashmir as both subject and setting. Meanwhile, actress Hina Khan’s recent visit and social media tributes to her homeland—including nods to local cuisine and scenic drives—add a personal celebrity spotlight to the region’s growing cultural visibility.
JAMMU
As the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly’s House Committee begins probing the alleged multi-crore Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scam, whistleblower and former IAS officer Ashok Kumar Parmar has written to the Anti-Corruption Bureau seeking prosecution of former Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta and three retired Jal Shakti engineers. Parmar alleges criminal conspiracy, fund misappropriation, and large-scale irregularities in Rs 6,000 crore pipe procurements without required approvals. He claims substandard HDPE pipes were used, duplicate payments were made, and contractors were favoured. Parmar says his transfer was retaliatory, and he has sought a full audit. The ACB has not yet responded publicly.
BHADERWAH
Launched in 2022 with much promise, Ghulam Nabi Azad’s Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) has now dissolved all its organisational units following its poor performance in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. Once seen as a major breakaway force from the Congress, the party failed to win a single seat, slipping into near-oblivion as Azad reduced public engagements and internal rifts deepened. Most senior leaders who initially joined returned to Congress, leaving the party adrift. Despite claims of future reorganisation, insiders view the dissolution as the party’s effective end, marking a major setback in Azad’s attempt to revive his political fortunes.
