SRINAGAR
Vice President C P Radhakrishnan addressed the 21st convocation of the University of Kashmir, emphasising democratic values, mutual respect and national integration. Recalling his tenure as Governor of Jharkhand, he cited the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat initiative and said he ensured Kashmiri students visiting Raj Bhawan were served food of their choice, underscoring respect for diverse sentiments. Urging students to say Hamara Kashmir, he highlighted the university’s 78-year legacy, its A++ NAAC accreditation, top public university ranking and over 10,700 research publications since 2019. Of 239 gold medals awarded, 186 went to women. He encouraged innovation, swadeshi thinking and avoidance of drugs and digital overuse. Lt Governor Manoj Sinha called for industry-academia collaboration, AI integration, interdisciplinary research and a youth-driven commitment to building a developed India by 2047.
The Union Cabinet cleared a Rs 1,677 crore proposal to expand the civil enclave at Srinagar International Airport.
JAMMU KASHMIR
The five-year term of all 20 District Development Councils (DDCs) in Jammu and Kashmir has ended, bringing an end to all three tiers of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). Panchayats, Municipalities and Block Development Councils had already completed their terms earlier. Fresh elections appear unlikely in the near future as the report of the OBC Commission, recommending reservation percentages, remains pending with the government. Uncertainty also surrounds the flow of Central grants meant for PRIs and the utilisation of nearly Rs 2,000 crore earlier routed through DDCs. The DDCs, first constituted in 2021, comprised 280 elected members across 20 districts.
Jammu and Kashmir has over 27.36 lakh registered vehicles, but its road network remains about 41,141 km, showing minimal expansion despite a steady annual rise in vehicle numbers.
ODHISA
In an emotional reunion at Rourkela railway station, Purushottam Goud returned home after spending 18 years in alleged captivity in Samba district. A native of Suidihi Sonaparbat in Odisha’s Sundargarh district, he was allegedly taken away at age 13 by a truck driver who promised him a job and transported him to Jammu and Kashmir. He was reportedly confined at a businessman’s residence and allegedly forced to work as bonded labour. Purushottam, now speaking only Hindi and the local dialect, broke down on seeing his mother, Ullasi, who had searched for him for years after filing police complaints yielded no results. In January 2026, she received a phone call revealing his whereabouts. With support from local representatives and police officials, coordinated efforts led to his release and return.
LUDHIANA
The Vice-Chancellor of CT University, Nitin Tandon, has been removed from service following allegations of misbehaviour and threats against Kashmiri Muslim students who had sought special Sehri and Iftar arrangements during Ramzan, the Muslim month of fasting. The action came after protests on campus and intervention by district authorities. Students alleged that despite requesting pre-dawn and fast-breaking meals in the university mess, they were denied adequate arrangements. When the issue was raised, they claimed the VC used abusive language and warned them of eviction from hostels and cancellation of admissions. A section of students staged a protest and briefly locked the mess designated for Iftar. The controversy gained public attention after Iltija Mufti raised the matter and sought action from Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Following a dialogue facilitated by Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain, along with police and community leaders, the university terminated the VC’s services. An internal probe and a separate magisterial inquiry have been initiated. Students subsequently withdrew their agitation in writing, and officials said normalcy has been restored on campus, with further action subject to inquiry findings.
BANGLADESH
In a coordinated operation across Delhi, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, Delhi Police said it dismantled a Lashkar-e-Taiba module comprising eight operatives, including seven Bangladeshi nationals who had illegally entered India and obtained forged documents. Additional CP (Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwah stated the module was handled from Bangladesh by Shabir Ahmad Lone alias Raja, a former LeT operative arrested in 2007, who allegedly sought to revive sleeper cells. The probe began on February 8 after pro-Pakistan and pro-terror posters surfaced at Delhi Metro stations. Raids led to arrests in Kolkata and Tiruppur, seizure of posters, digital evidence, bank cards and passports. Police said the accused conducted reconnaissance of vital installations, arranged hideouts and attempted to source weapons. Investigators are examining financial and hawala links, adding that timely arrests potentially averted terror strikes.
SALAL
The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation has launched an intensive desilting drive at the Salal Hydroelectric Project after the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty in April 2025. Reservoir capacity has plunged from 284 MCM to about 14 MCM, roughly 5 per cent of design storage, due to decades of sediment accumulation after under-sluices and silt excluders were rendered inoperative. Executive Director Anish Gouraha said dredging, flushing and possible restoration of under-sluices are being pursued to restore capacity and optimise generation. The 690 MW project recently achieved its design energy of 3,082 MU. Kolkata-based Reach Dredging Limited is executing operations, with additional agencies being onboarded. Officials said restored storage would enhance turbine efficiency, winter output and long-term operational flexibility on the Chenab.
JAMMU KASHMIR
Jammu and Kashmir Police have constituted a specialised high-altitude unit, Snow Leopards, amid a shift in militancy from the Valley to mountainous and forested regions. Drawn from the Special Operations Group, the personnel have undergone months of training, including at specialised academies outside the Union Territory, to operate in higher reaches and dense forests. A team has been deployed in the Gulmarg sector near the Line of Control during the Khelo Winter India Games. The move follows increased militant reliance on jungle warfare since 2021, prompting intensified coordination and joint security reviews among forces.
JAMMU
The Anti-Corruption Bureau conducted raids at multiple premises linked to Vijay Singh Choudhary, a serving police inspector and brother of Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, in connection with a disproportionate assets case. Searches were carried out at his residence in Santokh Vihar, Jammu, his ancestral home in Nowshera, and business establishments in Bajalta. The ACB said a verification found that the officer had allegedly acquired assets worth several crores, including over 10 properties and around 100 kanals of land, disproportionate to his known sources of income. A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered, and an investigation is underway. Surinder Choudhary termed the action “unfortunate” and alleged it was aimed at maligning and intimidating his family, while stating that if wrongdoing is established, his brother should face punishment.
BENGALURU
Chaotic scenes were reported at Azim Premji University in Bengaluru after 15–20 members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) allegedly forced their way onto campus to protest a student discussion on the 1991 Kunan-Poshpora incident in Kashmir. The event, organised by Spark APU Reading Circle, reportedly did not have prior university approval. ABVP activists raised slogans, vandalised property and allegedly assaulted a student. Police later entered the campus, detained the activists and registered an FIR against them for unlawful entry and damage; they were subsequently granted bail. The university also filed an FIR against the Instagram handle “Spark Reading Circle, APU”, alleging misuse of its name and circulation of content that could incite hostility. Students issued a statement calling the incident an attack on academic freedom and questioning the police response. The Student Council termed the criminal action against students disproportionate, urging the administration to address procedural violations internally.
GULMARG
The sixth edition of the Khelo India Winter Games opened in Gulmarg amid unusually warm weather, prompting Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to advocate artificial snow generation to secure the future of winter sports. Inaugurated by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, the four-day event features around 800 participants, including over 340 athletes. Gulmarg recently recorded its highest February maximum temperature of 11.5°C, raising sustainability concerns. Abdullah urged flexible scheduling based on snowfall and reiterated plans to develop Gulmarg as an international ski destination. The BJP criticised the artificial snow proposal, warning of ecological harm and blaming past regimes for environmental degradation. Officials acknowledged climate challenges but maintained that preparations remain strong and athlete enthusiasm is high.
PEERBAGH
The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir set aside a District Magistrate’s order sealing a Srinagar residence in a migrant property dispute, directing restoration of possession after preparing an inventory of household items. A Division Bench of Justice Sindhu Sharma and Justice Shahzad Azeem allowed an appeal by Noor Illahi Fakhtoo, who challenged an action under the J&K Migrant Immovable Property Act, 1997. The court found prima facie non-application of mind, observing that the District Magistrate relied on a vague field report and failed to independently assess material as persona designata. The order termed the eviction, carried out by locking the house with belongings and children’s school books inside, was shocking and violative of Article 21. The May 22, 2025, order and eviction notice were kept in abeyance, with status quo ante to continue pending final adjudication of the writ petition.
JAMMU
Manjinder Singh, 24, from Gowana village in the RS Pura (Jammu), travelled to Russia in December 2024 on a student visa seeking affordable higher education and better prospects for his family. After studying and working part-time for several months, he allegedly came into contact with agents who promised high salaries, reportedly up to Rs 1 crore, and non-combat roles in the Russian Army. In August 2025, he joined the force and underwent 15 days of basic weapons training at a facility far from Moscow. Contact ceased after August 20. The family later learned through the Indian Embassy that he had been deployed to eastern Ukraine and died on January 28, reportedly in shelling. His body, recovered weeks later and preserved, was repatriated in February 2026. Relatives and local leaders alleged systematic recruitment of Indian youths under false assurances, urging diplomatic intervention, accountability, and safeguards to prevent further exploitation.
