HYDERABAD
In a major success against financial fraud, Jammu Kashmir Police have recovered and returned Rs 62 lakh to a Hyderabad-based businessman duped of Rs 3 crore in a fake Kashmir Blue Sapphire deal. The victim was lured into purchasing counterfeit gemstones by a gang posing as high-end sapphire dealers. A swift investigation uncovered a broader conspiracy involving fraudsters from Jammu, Rajouri, and Poonch, who had planned to sell fake stones worth Rs 25 crore. Forged sapphire necklaces and large sums of cash were seized. Authorities have invoked Section 107 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita to target properties bought with illicit funds, marking one of its early uses to safeguard victims’ financial rights. Police have also approached the court to begin forfeiture proceedings.
At the SKUAST-K convocation, of 150 gold medals awarded, 115 were bagged by women. Similarly, out of 445 Certificates of Merit, 334 were conferred upon female students. Overall, of the 5250 degrees awarded across undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes, women received 2661.
LADAKH
The recent 36-hour shutdown in Leh over Mir Sales Corporation’s discount retailing has highlighted the shifting dynamics of market competition in remote economies. As new players offer ultra-affordable goods, traditional traders feel threatened by thin-margin models that favour scale over locality. While consumers welcome lower prices, small businesses fear collapse. The stan doff signals an urgent need for retail regulation balancing affordability, fairness, and market sustainability in emerging retail geographies.
Amid renewed shelling along the LoC and IB after the Pahalgam massacre, residents in Jammu and Kashmir have revived demands for more bunkers. The government clarified that 84 per cent of the Rs 415.73 crore sanctioned since 2017 for bunker construction has already been spent.
GANDERBAL
A viral video showing a sweeper administering an injection to a female patient at a PHC in Shuhama (Ganderbal) has sparked outrage and raised alarm over healthcare safety in Kashmir. Authorities have launched an inquiry, while experts blame systemic neglect, staff shortages, and poor oversight for the breach, calling it a dangerous, unethical lapse in medical protocol.
WULAR LAKE
Three decades after a devastating flood wiped out lotus growth in Kashmir’s Wular Lake, the iconic flower has returned, thanks to sustained de-silting efforts by conservation authorities. The revival of lotuses, long buried under silt, has reignited economic hopes in the region, restoring a traditional livelihood, lotus stem harvesting. Locals call the return a miracle, symbolising both ecological renewal and cultural resurgence around Asia’s largest freshwater lake, a Ramsar site.
PULWAMA
A 24-year-old woman from Armullah Litter died shortly after delivering her first child at the District Hospital Pulwama, prompting allegations of medical negligence from her family. They claim she was declared stable for normal delivery but collapsed post-delivery, and critical care was delayed until it was too late. She was eventually referred to Srinagar’s LD Hospital, where she was declared brought dead. Her husband alleged the accompanying hospital staff fled after being informed of her death. Following public outrage, the Deputy Commissioner of Pulwama ordered a magisterial inquiry to examine any breach of medical protocol. A six-member committee, headed by the Assistant Commissioner of Revenue, includes medical and administrative officers and has 15 days to submit its report. The hospital maintains it followed protocol, but the incident has raised serious questions about patient care.
SRINAGAR
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal announced a series of interventions to revitalise Jammu and Kashmir’s economy, focusing on apple growers, artisans, and entrepreneurs. At the FTII Traders’ Conclave 2025 in Srinagar, he promised to review import safeguards on apples, proposed a GST cut on handicrafts from 12 per cent to 5 per cent, and revealed plans for Centres of Excellence in packaging, cold storage, and startup incubation. He also committed to green energy adoption at Lassipora Industrial Estate and supported export infrastructure upgrades, including warehousing in Dubai and a Pashmina testing lab in Srinagar. Goyal assured that Kashmir would see enhanced participation in global trade fairs and reiterated the government’s resolve to promote peace and progress. Citing tourism growth, new rail and road projects, and increased industrial investment under the Rs 28,000 crore incentive scheme, he called on local entrepreneurs to go global with Kashmiri products. The measures aim to build a sustainable, inclusive, and export-oriented economy.
LADAKH
In a major political shift just ahead of fresh talks with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), two senior leaders, Thupstan Chhewang and Nawang Rigzin Jora, resigned from the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the High Powered Committee (HPC), citing personal reasons and a desire to avoid partisan agendas. Their exit has triggered uncertainty within the LAB, which, along with the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), has been leading Ladakh’s demand for Statehood and Sixth Schedule status. Despite progress on job and women’s reservation, and language policy, the core demands remain unresolved. Meanwhile, the MHA has proposed the next round of talks on July 28, but LAB leaders want an earlier date to align with climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s planned hunger strike. LAB has inducted Wangchuk into the HPC as a representative and urged both resigning leaders to reconsider. As talks resume, focus has shifted back to constitutional guarantees. New interventions, such as five additional districts and expanded official language recognition, reflect the Centre’s developmental push, but the political leadership vacuum may impact the trajectory of Ladakh’s negotiations with the Union Government. The outcome will shape the region’s future political autonomy and cultural safeguards.
JAMMU
A Jammu and Kashmir police sub-inspector, Mohammad Bashir Malik, evaded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) trap at the R S Pura police station in connection with an alleged bribery case. Malik was under investigation for demanding money to remove names from a death case involving former sarpanch Gurdyal Singh. Although post-mortem and forensic reports had ruled out foul play in the death of Pooja Devi, Malik allegedly framed Singh and arrested him to extort money. After the victim’s family alerted the CBI, a trap was laid, and Malik allegedly accepted Rs 50,000. However, he escaped during a sudden blackout. Malik, previously arrested in March on charges including cheating, robbery, and criminal conspiracy, was out on bail and recently posted to R S Pura. Jammu SSP Joginder Singh confirmed that both the police and the CBI are currently searching for him. The incident has raised serious concerns about corruption within the police force.
MUMBAI
Bollywood star Salman Khan has announced Battle of Galwan, a patriotic war drama based on the 2020 Galwan Valley clash between Indian and Chinese troops. Directed by Apoorva Lakhia and inspired by India’s Most Fearless 3, the film portrays Colonel B Santosh Babu, played by Khan, who led the 16 Bihar Regiment in the brutal hand-to-hand conflict fought without firearms at over 15,000 feet. The motion poster, featuring Khan in a rugged, bloodied look, has generated massive online buzz. Filming begins in Ladakh in August 2025, with a release expected by early 2026. The project revisits one of modern India’s most intense military confrontations, highlighting raw courage, sacrifice, and national pride. With a storyline rooted in real events and emotional depth, Battle of Galwan aims to honour fallen soldiers and restore Khan’s cinematic dominance after recent lukewarm releases. The film also reflects the renewed strategic importance of Galwan post-Article 370 abrogation and is positioned as both a tribute and a cinematic movement.
BATAMALOO
Jamia Masjid chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has strongly opposed the proposed opening of a liquor shop in Srinagar’s Batamaloo area, calling it a grave assault on the region’s religious, cultural, and societal values. Addressing worshippers at Jamia Masjid, he condemned the move as a deliberate attempt to erode Kashmir’s Muslim-majority identity and worsen existing issues like drug addiction. Mirwaiz criticised the government for promoting liquor in Jammu and Kashmir while states like Gujarat remain officially dry, questioning the justification that alcohol is necessary for tourism. He urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to intervene and stop the proposal immediately, warning of public protests if action is not taken. Supporting the cleric’s stance, traders in Batamaloo announced a three-day shutdown of shops to protest the wine shop’s opening and appealed to authorities to act swiftly. The issue has triggered strong reactions across civil society and religious circles.
LUCKNOW
A groundbreaking study by scientists at the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP), Lucknow, has revealed that the Kashmir Valley, now known for its cool, temperate climate, was once a warm and humid subtropical region. Using fossilised leaves preserved from the Karewa sediments, part of a historic collection by Prof Birbal Sahni and Dr GS Puri, researchers identified plant species no longer native to the region. This mismatch between past and present vegetation prompted a detailed palaeobotanical investigation. The study attributes this dramatic climatic shift to the tectonic uplift of the Pir Panjal Range, a sub-Himalayan mountain chain that gradually blocked the Indian summer monsoon from reaching the valley, leading to its long-term drying and cooling. Scientists employed CLAMP (Climate Leaf Analysis Multivariate Program) and the Coexistence Approach to reconstruct temperature and rainfall patterns from the fossil record.
Published in Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, the findings provide critical insights into how geological processes can alter climate systems. The research underscores the vulnerability of Himalayan ecosystems and the importance of understanding past climate shifts to model future environmental changes in the face of global warming. The study is both a window into Earth’s dynamic past and a guide for climate resilience planning.
KOLKATA
In a significant gesture of inter-regional solidarity, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah met in Kolkata following the April 22 Pahalgam massacre that left 26 dead, including three from Bengal. The leaders jointly appealed to the Central government to enhance security in Jammu and Kashmir and revive the region’s vital tourism sector. Banerjee, accepting Abdullah’s invitation to visit Kashmir after Durga Puja, urged Bengalis to travel without fear, calling Kashmir a place to be “embraced, not feared.” Abdullah expressed gratitude for Bengal’s support, especially Banerjee’s outreach during past crises. The two discussed a potential MoU for cultural, tourism, and film cooperation, with Banerjee encouraging Tollywood filmmakers to explore Kashmir and inviting Kashmiri artists to Bengal’s festivals. At the Travel and Tourism Fair in Kolkata, Abdullah promoted Kashmir as a year-round destination and outlined plans for expanded tourism circuits, better connectivity, and enhanced visitor safety. He emphasised tourism’s symbolic and economic value amid challenges post-Pahalgam. However, Banerjee’s appeal triggered political backlash from BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who controversially advised Bengalis against visiting Muslim-majority Kashmir.
