KASHMIR LIFE
At noon on May 11, 2025, the official Twitter (X) handle of Kashmir Life was withheld in India. A standard platform message greeted visitors to the account: “@KashmirLife has been withheld in India in response to a legal demand.” As of now, Twitter (X) has not disclosed the specific legal grounds for the action. The Information and Broadcasting Ministry, which has recommended the blockade, has also not issued any notice or information to the publication, so far. This development comes shortly after the platform revealed it had received legal requests from the Government of India earlier this month, seeking to restrict access to over 8,000 accounts. Kashmir Life, now in its 17th year of uninterrupted publication, expressed deep regret over the move, calling it “an assault on free speech and constitutional guarantees.” The platform has close to 300,000 followers on X, many of whom depend on it for regular news and updates from the region. The decision sparked sharp criticism across the political spectrum in Jammu and Kashmir, with leaders condemning it as a “blow to democracy.”
ANANTNAG
A court has sentenced five individuals, including a husband, wife, and their son, to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each for trafficking a commercial quantity of charas. The convicts, Muhammad Rafiq Bhat, his wife Mubeena Banoo, their son Anayatullah Bhat, Ajaz Ahmad Bhat, and Sajad Ahmad Ganie, were arrested in April 2022 with 5 kilograms of charas in a forest area of Kokernag. The case was registered under Sections 8/20(c) and 29 of the NDPS Act. Special Judge Manzoor Ahmad Khan, designated under the NDPS Act, delivered the sentence on May 16, 2025, after convicting the accused on May 7. The judgment was pronounced in open court via video conferencing. The court acknowledged the accused’s clean criminal records and good conduct during custody but upheld the mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, stating that the nature and quantity of contraband required firm action. The convicts are currently lodged in the District Jail Bhaderwah and the Central Jail Srinagar. Their time spent in detention during the investigation and trial will be set off against the total sentence. In case of failure to pay the fine, they will serve an additional year of rigorous imprisonment.
KASHMIR
In a historic milestone, around 800 Army soldiers completed the first full rail journey from Delhi to Srinagar via Katra, utilising the newly completed Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL). The soldiers, stranded due to flight cancellations, travelled from Delhi to Katra, then boarded another train to Srinagar, completing the final leg in four hours. The strategically vital Katra-Qazigund section, including the Chenab Bridge, is the final link connecting Kashmir to the rest of India by rail. The 272-km USBRL project, initiated in 1997, faced delays due to challenging terrain. With only a 17-km stretch between Reasi and Katra pending until December 2024, the entire line is now operational. The successful trial run, amidst the ongoing Operation Sindoor, highlights the line’s strategic importance. This development promises improved mobility for personnel and supplies, offering an all-weather alternative to the often-disrupted road route connecting Jammu and Kashmir.
SRINAGAR
The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has revoked the enrolment certificate of Advocate Sajad Ahmad Shah after discovering he had practised law for nearly sixteen years using a “fake and forged” LLB degree. Shah, a resident of Khanyar in Srinagar, had been enrolled with the Bar Council since 2009, but an investigation by the Admission and Enrollment Committee revealed that the degree he submitted was fraudulent. As a result, his name has been struck off the Bar Council’s rolls. Legal experts say Shah’s long, undetected tenure as a practising lawyer reflects systemic flaws. The High Court’s action is part of a broader effort to ensure accountability within the legal profession, though it remains unclear whether criminal proceedings will follow. The validity of Shah’s past legal work is also under scrutiny.
BUDGAM
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notices to the National Highways Authority of India, NKC Projects Pvt Ltd, and the Jammu and Kashmir Government over alleged negligence that damaged a high-density apple orchard in Budgam district. The petition, filed by farmer Ghulam Nabi Bhat through Advocate Saurabh Sharma, claims that 6.5 kanals of land were flooded for over a month due to blocked drainage during highway construction, destroying around 500 apple trees. The NGT accepted Bhat’s plea to include the Horticulture Department and directed all respondents to submit replies before the next hearing on September 15, 2025.
SRINAGAR
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced a comprehensive revival plan for Jammu and Kashmir’s tourism sector, promising to seek a relief package from the Centre that includes loan deferments and financial aid for small-scale operators. The plan will be finalised after the Amarnath Yatra and aims to restore tourist confidence and ease industry distress. Key outcomes include proposals for shopping festivals, cultural events, and national promotional campaigns. These decisions followed a high-level meeting with tourism stakeholders, where concerns were raised over declining tourist flow, rising debt, and high airfares. Senior officials and industry leaders attended the session.
SRINAGAR
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Srinagar to review the security situation following Operation Sindoor, India’s military response to the April 22 Pahalgam massacre. He lauded the armed forces’ valour and paid tribute to fallen soldiers and civilians. Singh called Pakistan irresponsible for its “nuclear blackmail” and urged international supervision of its nuclear arsenal. He affirmed India’s zero-tolerance policy on terrorism and warned Pakistan against harbouring terrorists. Accompanied by JK LG Manoj Sinha, Singh also inspected Pakistani shelling sites. His visit followed a high-level Cabinet Committee meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to assess security preparedness.
