MUMBAI
Bhaderwah-born actress Sadia Khateeb has returned to Kashmir to shoot for an untitled project, calling the experience “absolutely blissful and amazing.” The 27-year-old, who made her debut with Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Shikara, said her priorities remain her family, hometown, and work, and that shooting in nature inspires her deeply. Warmly welcomed at Srinagar airport, she has been spotted filming at scenic Valley locations. With films like Shikara, Raksha Bandhan, and The Diplomat to her credit, Khateeb will next appear in Omung Kumar’s Silaa and Dadi Ki Shaadi. For her, shooting in Kashmir is a heartfelt homecoming.
Over 34700 minority women in Jammu and Kashmir have benefitted from self-employment, education and leadership schemes under the Minority Affairs Ministry in the past decade.
JAMMU
The Railway Board has approved a daily Joint Parcel Product–Rapid Cargo Service (JPP-RCS) train from Budgam to Delhi’s Adarsh Nagar, aimed at boosting trade of the region’s fruits, handicrafts, and traditional products. Operated by Northern Railways’ Jammu Division, the service will run with eight parcel vans and a Seating-cum-Luggage Rake, with loading and unloading at Bari Brahmana. Officials said the 23-hour journey will be faster and cheaper than road transport, benefitting apple growers, dry fruit traders, and artisans. Security will be provided during the pilot phase, with the service expected to strengthen Jammu and Kashmir’s economy and market reach.
Over 34700 minority women in Jammu and Kashmir have benefitted from self-employment, education and leadership schemes under the Minority Affairs Ministry in the past decade.
KUPWARA
Federal investigator, CBI has arrested eight Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel, including DSP Aijaz Ahmad Naiko and SI Riyaz Ahmad, in connection with the alleged custodial torture of Constable Khursheed Ahmad Chohan, which the Supreme Court termed “one of the most barbaric instances of police atrocity.” Chohan was summoned to Kupwara in February 2023 and allegedly tortured for six days at the Joint Interrogation Centre, sustaining mutilation and severe injuries. The apex court dismissed the suicide theory advanced by the police, ordered a CBI probe, directed Rs 50 lakh compensation, and sought systemic reforms, with a status report due November 2025.
Jammu and Kashmir government has revealed that 91 official websites remain non-functional, disrupting public access to key services.
KASHMIR
Two recent verdicts in Jammu and Kashmir have underscored how justice, though delayed, is still pursued decades later. In Bandipora, a court sentenced Hizbul Mujahideen militant Abdul Wahid Mir to life imprisonment for the 1993 murder of a carpet weaver, Mohammad Shafi Hajam. The case, initially closed as “untraced,” was reopened in 2004 after the victim’s family pressed for justice, culminating in a conviction 32 years after the killing. In Srinagar, the Anti-Corruption Bureau Court sentenced retired IAS officer Habibul Hassan Beigh to one year’s imprisonment and a Rs 15 lakh fine in a disproportionate assets case registered in 1997, where investigations proved he had amassed wealth far beyond his income. Both cases highlight how justice in militancy-related crimes and corruption alike is slowed by years of procedural delays, but persistence by victims and agencies can eventually bring accountability, even if the verdicts come after decades.
Since June, the four Vande Bharat trains serving the Kashmir valley have recorded monthly occupancy exceeding 100 per cent.
DAL LAKE
Dal Lake, Srinagar’s iconic water body, took on a new role on the evening of August 21 as it opened the first-ever Khelo India Water Sports Festival, a three-day national event blending heritage with competition. The festival, running till August 23, has brought together over 400 athletes from 36 states and union territories to compete in rowing, canoeing and kayaking, alongside demonstrations of dragon boat racing, water skiing and a unique shikara sprint. Organised by the Sports Authority of India and the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council, the event is part of the government’s Khelo Bharat initiative, aimed at grassroots sports development, livelihoods and tourism promotion.
In the past three years, 11789 dogs were sterilised in Srinagar, but none since November 2024 after the agency’s contract lapsed without renewal.
GANDERBAL
Police in Ganderbal district have arrested a teenage girl for allegedly murdering her 14-year-old sister in Sehpora, cracking the case within 48 hours. The victim, a class 7 student, was found dead near her home on August 17, sparking outrage and protests. Initially suspected to be an abduction, investigations soon revealed the involvement of the elder sibling, a class 11 student. SSP Ganderbal, Khalil Poswal, said the sisters argued and exchanged blows before the accused struck her sibling with a wooden stick, fatally injuring her. The accused confessed during questioning, and the weapon, recovered in the presence of a magistrate and forensic team, was found stained with blood. Police dismissed the abduction theory after CCTV footage and tower location data disproved her misleading claims. Clothes worn by the accused, carrying bloodstains, were also seized. A case under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita has been registered, and the accused will be produced before the court.
A 2024 IMD study recorded 2,863 extreme weather events causing 552 deaths in Jammu and Kashmir between 2010 and 2022.
KISHTWAR
A three-year scientific study has confirmed that snow leopards are permanent residents and active breeders in the Kishtwar Himalayas of Jammu and Kashmir, overturning earlier assumptions of seasonal presence. Conducted by the Nature Conservation Foundation and the Jammu and Kashmir Wildlife Department under the Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI), the study deployed over 3,000 camera trap nights between 2022–2025 across Kishtwar High Altitude National Park, Paddar, Warwan, Dachhan, and Zojila. Using SECR methodology, researchers confirmed at least 12 individuals, with estimates of up to 20 adults, and documented a mother with cubs, proof of breeding populations. Winter detections from Paddar and Zojila further confirmed year-round habitation. Camera traps also recorded 16 other mammal species, including ibex, wolf, and common leopard, raising ecological questions about niche overlaps. Threat mapping revealed livestock loss as a major concern, while climate change posed long-term risks. Conservation outreach involved over 1,200 locals and students.
Centre sanctions Rs 563.58 crore for mobile services, lays 20,441 km OFC in Jammu and Kashmir under Digital Bharat initiative.
JAMMU KASHMIR
Open merit students in Jammu and Kashmir have launched a digital signature campaign demanding an urgent review of the reservation policy, citing reduced opportunities after 10 per cent reservation was granted to the Pahari community in 2024. They argue the prolonged delay in acting on the Cabinet Sub-Committee’s report, pending with the Law Department for over two months, is harming their prospects. The campaign has already gathered 6,500 signatures, with a target of 50,000. Students seek two main outcomes: a speedy decision on the reservation review and public release of the committee’s report.
DELHI
The NCERT has released a special module on the Partition Horrors Remembrance Day, holding Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Congress, and Lord Mountbatten responsible for India’s Partition. It highlights Kashmir as a post-Partition challenge and notes continued international pressure on India over the issue. The text criticises Mountbatten for hastily advancing the transfer of power, causing chaos. While Jinnah demanded Partition, the Congress accepted it, and Mountbatten implemented it, the module says. It also cites Patel’s “bitter medicine” remark, Nehru’s description of Partition as “unavoidable,” and Gandhi’s opposition without violence. Published as supplementary resources, the modules aim to spark discussions among students.
BANDIPORA
A government doctor in Bandipora, Dr Sabia Salam, has been suspended for failing to report for duty on August 14 and for skipping the Independence Day celebrations despite instructions. Authorities said her absence affected patient care and showed disregard for a national event. She has been suspended under service rules, attached to the Ophthalmology Department, and will receive subsistence allowance pending inquiry.
DELHI
Jammu and Kashmir has been identified as highly vulnerable to landslides, with 12 per cent of its hilly terrain in the “high susceptibility” zone, according to the Geological Survey of India’s National Landslide Susceptibility Mapping programme. About 19,000 sq km fall in low-risk, 7,000 sq km in moderate-risk and 3,000 sq km in high-risk categories, underscoring the fragile Himalayan ecosystem. The data, accessible via GSI’s portals and apps, will aid land-use planning and disaster management. The Centre is also implementing high-resolution mapping, forecasting systems and disaster mitigation programmes to strengthen resilience in Jammu and Kashmir’s landslide-prone regions.
LADAKH
The Government informed Parliament that several ISRO projects are underway in Ladakh to strengthen satellite communication, remote sensing and disaster management. An advanced optical telescope is being installed at Hanle under ISRO’s NETRA initiative to track geostationary objects and space debris. Data from existing satellites, including Cartosat, RISAT and Oceansat, is already available for the region, while 12 communication satellites and foreign services cover Ladakh. Upcoming missions like Resourcesat-3, HRSAT and TRISHNA will further enhance observations. Dedicated projects such as LAMA, Geo-Ladakh and AMRUT support natural resource management, energy planning and urban development. ISRO’s DMSP also aids disaster preparedness.
SAMBA
Samba police have arrested a Central University of Jammu student and another accused in an arms-trafficking racket supplying country-made weapons to criminals. SSP Samba, Virinder Manhas, said the case under FIR No. 71/2025 marks a major breakthrough against illegal firearms. On July 11, police arrested Kaif Ahmed of Bihar with a pistol. Later, Balwinder Singh of Samba district was arrested on August 8, leading to the recovery of more weapons on August 17 and August 20. Police said the investigation is ongoing to uncover wider networks involved in the trafficking and to prevent further smuggling in the region.
LADAKH
A couple’s Instagram reel of travelling with their pet dog Murphy across Ladakh and Kashmir has gone viral, amassing over 4 million views. The clip shows Murphy choosing destinations, enjoying scenic drives, trails, sand, swimming, and playful moments. Viewers flooded the comments with praise, envy, and humour, calling him lucky and his owners admirable. The heart-warming video charmed both pet lovers and travel enthusiasts, celebrating companionship and adventure.
