SRINAGAR
A high-level Iranian delegation of scientists and policy experts was in SKUAST-Kashmir to strengthen collaboration on saffron cultivation, production, traceability and market authenticity. Facilitated by ICRISAT, the initiative brings together two leading saffron-producing regions, Kashmir and Iran, for joint research and capacity building. The programme focuses on best practices, GI-tagging, authenticity testing and value addition. Experts highlighted climate risks to saffron and the need for advanced scientific interventions to protect Kashmir’s Red Gold. The delegation visited key saffron research facilities and the Pampore saffron trading centre.
SRINAGAR
The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court on December 23 dismissed a public interest litigation filed by PDP president Mehbooba Mufti seeking the repatriation of undertrial prisoners lodged in jails outside the Union Territory. The court held that the plea was based on vague averments, lacked material particulars and appeared driven by political considerations rather than genuine public interest. A Division Bench said Mufti had failed to name affected prisoners, challenge specific transfer orders or place verifiable material on record. It noted that undertrial transfers are case-specific security decisions, not a blanket practice. Citing Supreme Court rulings, the court underlined that PILs are meant to protect marginalised groups, not to serve as instruments of political mobilisation. The bench also pointed out that undertrials have individual legal remedies and access to legal aid to challenge transfers.
JAMMU
Families of three youth from Jammu district, allegedly misled into joining the Russian Army, have said they have lost contact with two of them since September 2025. The third youth sends occasional brief updates from near the Ukraine border but has no information about the others. The families said the men were lured by offer letters promising civilian construction jobs, high salaries and lump-sum payments, but were instead deployed in combat zones. Despite protests in Jammu and at Jantar Mantar and repeated appeals to local representatives, they said no clear information has been provided by the authorities. While several affected youths from other states have returned, the continued absence of those from Jammu has heightened the families’ distress.
KISHTWAR
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s Expert Appraisal Committee has recommended environmental clearance for the 260 MW Dulhasti Stage-II hydroelectric project in Kishtwar district, costing Rs 3277.45 crore. The project is an extension of the operational 390 MW Dulhasti Stage-I plant on the Chenab River. Approved at the EAC meeting on December 19, 2025, the project has been planned in line with the Indus Water Treaty provisions. NHPC will execute it on a BOOT basis, with land acquisition, environmental safeguards and post-commissioning impact studies mandated.
DEHRADUN
A Kashmiri shawl seller was allegedly assaulted, threatened and humiliated by a group of men in the Kashipur area of Uttarakhand’s Udham Singh Nagar district, triggering widespread concern and political reactions. The incident, which occurred on December 22, came to light after a video circulated on social media showing the victim, Bilal Ahmad Ganie, being beaten and coerced into chanting slogans. Police said the video surfaced on December 24, after which an FIR was registered under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and three youths, affiliated with Bajrang Dal, seen in the footage, were taken into custody. The district police said the video was removed to prevent disturbance to public order and that a fair investigation is underway. Ganie, a resident of Kupwara who has been selling shawls in Uttarakhand for nearly a decade, said he was assaulted while travelling with his stock and feared for his life.
KASHMIR
Christmas brought a rare burst of cheer to Kashmir’s bruised tourism economy, injecting warmth into a season otherwise marked by anxiety and loss. On December 25, hundreds of locals and domestic tourists streamed into Gulmarg and Pahalgam, reclaiming spaces that had fallen eerily silent after the April massacre and subsequent India-Pakistan military confrontation. The snow-draped Saint Mary’s Church in Gulmarg, built in 1902, emerged as the visual and emotional centrepiece, with bells, lights and snowfall combining into a postcard revival moment. Hoteliers reported occupancy jumping from about 20 per cent to nearly 70 per cent overnight. In Pahalgam, a six-year-old tourist inaugurated the winter festival, a gesture rich in symbolism for a town still recovering from trauma. Srinagar marked the day with a Christmas Kehwa Fest by Dal Lake, blending faith and culture. Church services across the Valley echoed prayers for peace, prosperity and humanity, as Kashmir searched, once again, for normalcy through celebration.
JAMMU KASHMIR
Jammu and Kashmir’s reservation policy has come under renewed fire after recent recruitment notifications left only about 40 per cent of posts open to Open Merit aspirants. Of 480 Medical Officer posts referred for direct recruitment, just 192 were earmarked for Open Merit, while in the recruitment of 1,815 police constables, only 728 posts were similarly allocated. The remaining seats were distributed among various reserved categories under the revised policy introduced ahead of the 2024 Assembly elections, which pushed overall reservations beyond 60 per cent. Aspirants, medical bodies and student groups argue that nearly 70 per cent of the population is now competing for a minority of jobs, raising concerns about fairness and service quality, particularly in healthcare. A Cabinet Sub-Committee has proposed increasing the Open Merit quota by 10 per cent, but final approval from the Lt Governor is still awaited.
KASHMIR
The India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has reshaped the debate around Kashmir’s apple economy by cutting import duty on a limited quantity of New Zealand apples from 50 per cent to 25 per cent under a tightly controlled tariff rate quota. The concession applies to 32500 tonnes in the first year, rising to 45,000 tonnes by year six, with a minimum import price of USD 1.25 per kg and access restricted to the counter-seasonal window from April to August. Imports beyond the quota will continue to attract the full 50 per cent duty and a higher price threshold. While the government has described the framework as calibrated and protective, growers in Kashmir, which accounts for nearly 75per cent of India’s apple output and supports lakhs of livelihoods, fear price pressure, especially on premium and cold-storage apples sold in the off-season. Farmers bodies have warned of repeating past shocks triggered by earlier duty cuts on imported apples.
BUDGAM
A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court has ordered the attachment of immovable property belonging to Ghulam Nabi Fai, a US-based Kashmiri lobbyist and convicted agent of Pakistan, after declaring him a proclaimed offender in a terror-funding and separatism case. The order, passed by Judge Yahaya Firdous under Section 83 of the Criminal Procedure Code (now Section 85 of the BNSS), followed Fai’s failure to respond to repeated notices to appear before investigators in FIR No 46/2020 registered under Sections 10, 13 and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Acting on the court’s directions, Budgam Police attached Fai’s land measuring one kanal and two marlas in Wadwan village and 11 marlas in Chattabugh village. The court noted that Fai had deliberately concealed himself despite sufficient opportunity to join the investigation.
JAMMU KASHMIR
Security agencies in Jammu and Kashmir have intensified action against ticket fraud after separate incidents involving forged air and train tickets. Srinagar Airport police arrested a man after he attempted to enter the terminal with a fake air ticket, leading to the registration of an FIR at Budgam police station. Preliminary investigation suggests he was duped by a travel agent. Meanwhile, Northern Railway’s Jammu Division detected multiple fake unreserved train tickets generated using Artificial Intelligence during a special enforcement drive. Railway authorities said enhanced checks and QR code verification are being used to curb technology-driven ticket fraud and penalise offenders.
SRINAGAR
The University of Kashmir has suspended Assistant Professor Dr Altaf Ahmad Ganie following a police probe that linked him to a defamatory WhatsApp message about a senior university employee. Using another professor’s phone and a VPN, Dr Ganie circulated the message alleging personal misconduct. An FIR (No 108/2025) was registered under sections of the BNS and the Information Technology Act. Vice Chancellor Prof Neelofar Khan ordered his suspension under University Statute 3.16(2) and Regulation 12(3)(IV), attaching him to the Dean of Research’s office. Both professors are under investigation, and a seven-member inquiry committee has been constituted to examine the academic and administrative aspects.
JAMMU
Jammu and Kashmir Police has launched an online tenant verification portal, Kirayedar, to plug long-standing gaps in mandatory tenant reporting and strengthen internal security amid rising population inflows and infrastructure activity. Launched in Jammu, the portal enables landlords to submit tenant details remotely, addressing compliance issues faced by elderly or busy property owners. The initiative complements stricter administrative measures, including a Samba district order mandating disclosure of all outsiders residing or working in rented, commercial or agricultural premises under the Jammu and Kashmir Tenancy Act, 2025. Authorities cited security concerns over the misuse of rented accommodations by anti-national elements, with violations attracting legal action and penalties.
