Srinagar, Feb 15: The decrease in student enrollment in government at the elementary level has thrown up a major challenge for the School Education Department (SED), which has failed to improve enrollment in schools despite several interventions.

The government schools at the elementary and secondary levels have seen a dip in student enrollment, contradicting the tall claims of the department for increasing the student population in the schools every year.

The official figures have revealed that the drives carried out in schools during 2023-24 and 2024-25 did not improve the overall student enrollment in schools.

As per the official statistics, the student enrollment in government schools at the primary level (classes 1st to 5th) was 529708 in 2023-24, which, however, decreased to 503628 in 2024-25. The student enrollment has decreased by 26080 students, even when the government claimed to have improved the student enrollment in schools.

Similarly, the student enrollment at Upper Primary School level was 287167 in 2023-24, which, however, decreased to 283735 in 2024-25.

In one year, the schools across J&K witnessed a decrease of 3432 students, exposing the government’s hollow claims. The enrollment of students decreased in schools when the government shifted the academic session of Kashmir schools from November to March, to sync it with the national academic calendar.

Also, the student enrollment has decreased at the secondary level as pointed out in the official figures.

The student enrollment at the secondary level was 200355 in 2023-24, which, however, decreased to 196095 in 2024-25. In one year, there was a decrease by 4260 students at secondary level.

The department has, however, claimed that several initiatives were taken to bring the children to the school and to ensure 100 enrollment at primary level.

Contrary to the actual position. The official document claims that enrollment drives were conducted across J&K every year to boost enrollment in schools.

“Identification of out-of-school children is done through door-to-door survey and their mainstreaming is done through direct enrolment,” the official document reads.

Srinagar, Feb 15: Continuing its drive against drug trafficking, Police in Budgam have arrested a drug peddler and recovered contraband substance from his possession.

As per the statement, a police team from Police Station Budgam at a checkpoint established at Bathar crossing near the Railway Footbridge, intercepted a suspicious individual. He has been identified as Rayees Ahmad Mir, of Mohanpora Ompora, Budgam. During search, 31.93 grams of charas-like substance, wrapped in corn husk, was recovered from his possession.

Accordingly, a case vide FIR No. 35/2026 under relevant sections of law has been registered at Police Station Budgam, and investigation has been initiated.

J&K Police reaffirmed their commitment to curbing drug menace and appealed to the public to share information to help build a drug-free society.

Anantnag, Feb 15: An 11-year-old boy died in a road accident in the Rain Chowgund locality of Verinag in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Sunday, officials said.

According to officials, the minor was struck by a Tata Mobile vehicle bearing registration number JK03N-3472. The victim has been identified as Numan Khursheed Itoo, son of Khursheed Ahmad Itoo, an inhabitant of Chowgund Verinag.

Soon after the accident, the injured boy was rushed to Primary Health Centre Verinag for medical treatment. However, doctors declared him brought dead on arrival.

Police have registered a case and initiated investigation into the incident. [KNT]

Srinagar, Feb 15: Mahashivratri or Herath as it is known here in Kashmir was celebrated with religious fervour across the valley on Sunday as Kashmiri Pandits visited temples to offer prayers.

The largest gathering took place at Shankaracharya Temple, which overlooks the Dal Lake. Multi-coloured lights illuminated the temple, and the air resonated with chants from the devotees.

A large number of people, including tourists, paid their respects, offering flowers and fruits to the deity and seeking his blessings.

The occasion was also observed at other temples throughout the Kashmir valley.

Herath, which means the “night of Hara” (Lord Shiva), is an important festival for the Kashmiri Pandit community. It is observed on the 13th day of the dark fortnight of the lunar month of Phalguna, and marks the divine wedding of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

An essential ritual of Herath involves soaking walnuts in clay vessels, symbolising fertility, prosperity, and divine blessings.

“This festival is celebrated with fervour in Bihar and other places. We feel blessed to be here on the occasion,” Pooja said, a tourist from Bihar.

Another tourist, Upesh, said they had planned their trip to Kashmir specifically for the festival. “We feel blessed to have darshan here today,” he added.

Srinagar, Feb 15: Security agencies have busted an ever-growing ecosystem of “mule accounts” in Jammu and Kashmir that serves as the financial backbone of global scam networks, with officials fearing that the funds routed through these accounts could be used for separatist and anti-national activities.

The officials said more than 8,000 mule accounts operating in the region have been identified and frozen over a period of three years, exposing a sophisticated network of money laundering.

They described these accounts as the “weakest yet most crucial link” in the cybercrime chain, as without them, the conversion of stolen money into untraceable cryptocurrency would be impossible.

Central security agencies have asked the Jammu and Kashmir Police and other law enforcement agencies to hold consultations with banks to curb the mushrooming of ‘mule accounts’ and identify middlemen, commonly referred to as “mulers”, who facilitate such financial frauds, they said.

Officials suspect that after the National Investigation Agency’s 2017 crackdown on the flow of illicit money into Jammu and Kashmir, anti-national elements may have shifted to a newer model of “digital hawala”, wherein commissions earned by mule account holders or mulers may be used for activities against the country.

A muler is typically not the person who contacts victims or sends fake links. Instead, their role is covert but critical — arranging and maintaining a steady supply of mule accounts that scammers use to receive and transfer stolen money without revealing their own identities.

These mule accounts often belong to ordinary people lured with promises of “easy commission” and assured minimal risk. They are persuaded to hand over full control of their bank accounts, including net banking credentials, under the pretext that the accounts will be used briefly as “parking accounts”.

A single scammer is often supplied with 10 to 30 mule accounts at a time, and in many cases, bank accounts are opened in the name of fictitious companies, enabling large transactions of up to Rs 40 lakh in a single day without immediately raising alarms.

Officials said the money trail is deliberately messy, with the scammed money rapidly shifted through several accounts and broken into smaller transactions to avoid detection.

Central security agencies and other law enforcement organisations have emphasised that while mule account holders may not design the scams or speak to the victims, they are active facilitators of money laundering. By sharing credentials and accepting commissions, they knowingly provide the “financial infrastructure” for transnational crime.

“The entire scam ecosystem depends on these accounts. Without a destination for the money, the scam fails at the first step. Those renting out their accounts are not just victims of circumstance; they are the engines of the crime,” a senior official said.

A detailed study done by the central security agencies has identified people in countries like China, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Cambodia directing people in the union territory to create private crypto wallets, which are often set up using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to avoid detection and require no Know Your Customer (KYC) or identity verification.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police has already suspended the use of VPNs in the valley as it is a handy tool for the terrorists as well as separatists to avoid detection.