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Police attach properties worth Rs 2 crore under NDPS Act in Srinagar

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Police attach properties worth Rs 2 crore under NDPS Act in Srinagar

Srinagar, May 30: As part of the ongoing ‘Nasha Mukt Jammu & Kashmir Abhiyan’, Srinagar Police has attached multiple immovable properties worth approximately 2 crores rupees belonging to individuals involved in narcotics-related activities.

According to officials, “Srinagar Police attaches properties worth approximately ₹2 crore under NDPS Act,” adding that “crackdown on drug trafficking intensifies under Nasha Mukt Jammu & Kashmir Abhiyan.”

In a statement, a police spokesperson said, that Police Station Bemina attached immovable property worth approximately ₹1.5 crores belonging to accused drug peddler Mudasir Ahmad Pir alias Sahil alias Doge, son of Shareef-U-Din, resident of Firdous Colony, Bemina, Srinagar. The attachment proceedings were carried out under Section 68F(1) of the NDPS Act after obtaining confirmation from the Competent Authority SAFEMA, Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue, New Delhi.

The attached property comprises a double-storey residential house along with approximately 04 marlas of land situated at Firdous Colony, Bemina, Srinagar. Investigations revealed that the said property was acquired through proceeds generated from illicit narcotics trafficking, the statement said.

In another action, Srinagar Police attached a residential house along with land worth approximately ₹50 lakhs belonging to notorious drug peddler Shafiq Ahmad Khawaja, son of Fateh Joo, resident of Dildar Karnah, District Kupwara. The property was attached under Section 68-F of the NDPS Act, 1985 in connection with Case FIR No. 10/2024 registered under Sections 8/21-29 of the NDPS Act at Police Station M.R. Gunj, police said.

The attachment proceedings in both cases were carried out after following due legal procedures and establishing that the properties were acquired through proceeds generated from illicit narcotics trafficking, the statement said.

These actions reflect the firm resolve of Srinagar Police to dismantle the financial infrastructure of drug trafficking networks and to ensure that illegally acquired assets of drug peddlers are identified and attached under the provisions of law, police said.

Srinagar Police remains committed towards eradicating the menace of drugs from society and appeals to the general public to continue supporting law enforcement agencies by sharing information related to drug peddling and narcotics activities in their areas.

Greater Kashmir

Live shell recovered in J&K’s Poonch

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Live shell recovered in J&K’s Poonch

Poonch, May 30: Police on Saturday recovered a live shell near Jagar Park in Poonch town after a local resident spotted it and informed the authorities, officials said.

According to officials, a citizen taking a morning walk near Jagar Park noticed the live shell and immediately alerted the police.

Police personnel subsequently reached the spot and recovered the shell. The shell will now be defused and rendered harmless, the officials added.

Greater Kashmir

LG Sinha at Kashmir Lit Fest

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LG Sinha at Kashmir Lit Fest

Srinagar, May 30: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday asserted that writers, poets and scholars play a greater role in shaping civilisations than institutions, as he called for breaking the colonial mindset and reclaiming India’s “real history”.

Inaugurating the two-day Kashmir Literature Festival-2026 at the SKICC here, LG Sinha said a single novel can create an impact that crores of rupees spent by institutions often fail to achieve.

“Great poets, writers and creative minds become immortal through their knowledge and work. The human body is mortal, but creation becomes the symbol of immortality,” Sinha said, addressing a gathering of writers, researchers, historians and academicians.

The Lieutenant Governor welcomed guests who had arrived from outside the Union Territory, expressing confidence that they would “feel and witness” the cultural, intellectual and literary depth of Kashmir during the festival being held on May 30 and 31.

Drawing an analogy from Indian mythology, Sinha said India’s literary world was still like “Hanuman Ji before realising his own strength” and needed to recognise the depth of the country’s civilisational knowledge.

Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech from the Red Fort, Sinha said the time had come to completely erase the colonial mindset. “We must ensure that our history is not presented in a distorted manner,” he said.

The LG said one of the greatest failures of modern India was that it forgot to write and preserve its own history correctly, allowing narratives to emerge that credited Persia or the Mughals for India’s scientific and intellectual contributions.

“India gave the world the foundations of mathematics, science and astronomy. Several civilisations learned from India’s knowledge systems,” he said, adding that references in Persian and Arab texts from the eighth century clearly acknowledged India’s contributions.

LG Sinha also rejected the notion that reading culture was declining, noting that research in 2025 suggested over 40 lakh books were published globally. “The doors have opened. We must use these platforms and mediums to build strong and positive narratives,” he said.

The two-day Kashmir Literature Festival at SKICC features literary discussions, poetry sessions, historical debates and interactions involving writers, historians, researchers and academicians from across the country. (KNS).

Greater Kashmir

Op Sindoor defined India’s response to provocation: Army chief

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Op Sindoor defined India’s response to provocation: Army chief

Pune, May 30: Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi on Saturday said Operation Sindoor had set a benchmark for when national will was expressed with precision and resolve, defining India’s response to provocation.

Reviewing the passing-out parade of the 150th course at NDA, Khadakwasla, General Dwivedi said the world cadets were stepping into “does not pause for introductions” and threats today “do not always arrive in uniform or on a declared front”.

“From contested grey zones to high-velocity hybrid warfare, today’s security environment demands that those who serve must think sharply as they act,” he said while addressing the parade.

“Operation Sindoor demonstrated that and set the benchmark when national will was expressed with precision and resolve, defining how Bharat responds to provocation. That standard now belongs to you to uphold,” the Army Chief said.

He said that the integrated response seen in Operation Sindoor, India’s military exercise against terror infrastructure in Pakistan in May 2025, was built on the kind of jointness the NDA instils from day one.

“As our defence services deepen their integrated structures, remember, irrespective of the uniform we wear next, you will serve shoulder to shoulder again — both men and women,” he said.

Calling the occasion “a poignant and a particularly personal moment”, General Dwivedi recalled passing out from the same quarterdeck over 42 years ago.

“Today, as I stand before you at the far end of a life in uniform, preparing to doff mine as you prepare to don yours, I can tell you with certainty: what you begin here endures forever,” he said.

He complimented the parade commander and cadets for an “impressive standard of drill” and extended special compliments to Cheetah Squadron for winning the banner.

He also acknowledged 24 cadets from 12 friendly foreign countries passing out with the course, saying, “You came from different soils, but you leave shaped by the same ground and the same values.”

Greater Kashmir

Two killed as truck plunges into gorge, catches fire near Gangroo in Ramsoo on NH 44

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Two killed as truck plunges into gorge, catches fire near Gangroo in Ramsoo on NH 44

Banihal, May 30: Two persons were killed after a truck carrying limestone plunged into a deep gorge and caught fire near Gangroo in the Ramsoo area of Ramban district on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway during the early hours of Saturday, officials said.

According to police, the truck bearing registration number JK16A/ 0693 was on its way from Jammu to Srinagar when the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle near Gangroo. The truck veered off the road, plunged into a deep gorge and immediately caught fire.

Soon after receiving information about the incident, police personnel from police station Ramsoo, volunteers of the Himalayan Quick Response Team (QRT) Ramsoo, CRPF personnel and Fire and Emergency Services rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation.

Officials said the truck was engulfed in flames when rescuers reached the scene. During the search and rescue operation, the bodies of the driver and conductor were recovered from the burnt cabin of the vehicle. Both had died in the incident, and their bodies were found in a partially charred condition.

The truck was completely destroyed in the fire, officials added.

The identities of the deceased were not immediately known, and efforts were underway to establish their identity. Police have taken cognizance of the incident, and further investigation is in progress.

Greater Kashmir

India is ‘powerful’ and ‘modernising’ its military, says Hegseth

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India is ‘powerful’ and ‘modernising’ its military, says Hegseth

Singapore, May 30: India is “powerful” and “modernising” its military with heavy industrial and logistics capacity to sustain “high-end military operations”, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said on Saturday.

Hegseth made these remarks while talking to the delegates at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Saturday in Singapore.

“India is powerful and modernising its military,” he said and also highlighted that it is maintaining a balance of power, particularly in the Indian Ocean.

Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, he noted that India was also “building a heavy industrial and logistics capacity to sustain high-end military operations.”

“We’ve also committed to pursuing co-production with India to advance capabilities,” said Hegseth, adding that America was undergoing a national manufacturing globalisation of its defence.

He also assessed defence-related relations with Japan, South Korea, ASEAN and Australia.

Hegseth highlighted several points on the US’ defence strategy in the region, noting that the Asia-Pacific was the most consequential region in the world, that the security of the region rested “disproportionately” on the US military power and called on nations to invest seriously in their own defence.

He pointed out that the US and China relations are better than they have been in many years under President Donald Trump, but also that “no state, including China, can impose hegemony and hold the security of our nation and allies in question”.

Hegseth expressed Washington’s stand amidst global tension and the ongoing conflicts in West Asia and Europe, as well as growing uncertainty over the United States’ long-term strategic priorities in the Indo-Pacific.

The Shangri-La Dialogue, into its second day, brings together top officials from 44 nations this year.

Greater Kashmir

Dr Jitendra to inaugurate ‘Lavender festival’ at Bhaderwah on June 6: Director CSIR-IIIM Jammu

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Dr Jitendra to inaugurate ‘Lavender festival’ at Bhaderwah on June 6: Director CSIR-IIIM Jammu

Union Minister of State in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh will inaugurate the 4th Lavender festival to be organised by the CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Jammu at the Government Degree College (GDC), Bhaderwah, Doda, on June 6 and 7, 2026.

Director CSIR-IIIM Jammu Dr Zabeer Ahmed, while announcing it in a curtain raiser press conference at Institute complex, stated that the festival would be organised under the theme, “Lavender goes global”, celebrating the “continued success of the purple revolution and lavender-based rural entrepreneurship in J&K.”

Dr Ahmed said that through CSIR-Aroma Mission, a flagship programme of Union Ministry of Science and Technology, under the mentorship of Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister and Vice President CSIR, and guidance of Dr N Kalaiselvi, Director General CSIR and Secretary DSIR, Government of India, the CSIR-IIIM implemented Aroma Mission in J&K thus empowered the rural communities through lavender cultivation by engaging over 5,000 farmers and young entrepreneurs in remote areas, providing free Quality Planting Material (QPM), support in cultivation, processing, value addition, and marketing.

During the three phases of this mission completed, more than 50 fixed and mobile distillation units across J&K were installed to support local-level processing of lavender produce.

During the curtain raiser event, the web portal of “Lavender festival 2026” was launched and the Lavender festival brochure was also released.

The festival is being organised under the patronage of Dr N Kalaiselvi and overall supervision of Dr Zabeer Ahmed, assisted by his team of HoDs and scientists including Abdul Rahim, Dr Asha Chaubey, Dr Dhiraj Vyas, Dr Shashank Singh, Dr Sumit Gandhi, Dr Naveed Qazi, Dr Suphla Gupta, Dr Saurabh Saran, Kaushal Kumar, Dr Raj Kishore, Zahoor Wani, Rajesh Gupta and Ashok Kumar.

Dr Ahmed said that the “Lavender festival” emerged as a national platform showcasing the transformation brought by the CSIR-Aroma Mission in remote Himalayan regions, especially Bhaderwah, which had become a major lavender cultivation hub under the “Purple Revolution” initiative.

He said the 2026 festival would witness enthusiastic participation of scientists, startups, aroma industries, entrepreneurs, policymakers, agri-business stakeholders, students, progressive farmers and representatives of fragrance and wellness companies from across the country.

The Director said the event would feature startup exhibitions, live demonstrations, buyer-seller interactions, technical sessions, farmer-industry networking and displays of value-added lavender and aromatic products developed by local entrepreneurs and startups.

Highlighting the growing impact of the aroma sector, Dr Ahmed said CSIR-IIIM played a pioneering role in expanding lavender cultivation in Jammu and Kashmir Uttarakhand, north eastern states and Himachal Pradesh through scientific interventions, free quality planting material, distillation technologies, training and entrepreneurship support.

He said thousands of farmers and young entrepreneurs benefitted from lavender cultivation, while women-led enterprises and startups also emerged under the mission.

Dr Ahmed said, “The upcoming festival follows a series of precursor events organised to strengthen the aroma ecosystem and market linkages in the region.”

He referred to the recent aroma buyer-seller meet organised at the CSIR Innovation Complex, Mumbai, where leading aroma and perfumery companies interacted directly with lavender farmers, startups and entrepreneurs from J&K.

Earlier, another buyer–seller meet jointly organised by the Directorate of Ayush, J&K Medicinal Plants Board and CSIR-IIIM at Bhaderwah focused on strengthening the medicinal and aromatic plants sector through direct farmer-industry partnerships and contract farming initiatives.

He said those interactions laid the foundation for a stronger aroma-based economy in Jammu and Kashmir by connecting farmers with industries, startups and national markets.

Dr Ahmed said the Lavender festival 2026 aimed to further promote agri-based entrepreneurship, sustainable livelihoods and innovation in the aromatic crops sector.

He said several startups, farmer producer organisations, self-help groups and research institutions would showcase products related to essential oils, herbal wellness, floriculture, cosmetics, organic products and aroma technologies during the festival.

The event, according to him, will also include technical discussions on lavender cultivation, post-harvest management, essential oil extraction, branding, marketing and export opportunities.

Seeking wholehearted participation of people from different walks of life, Dr Ahmed said, “The festival is not only a celebration of lavender cultivation but also a movement towards transforming the rural economy of the Himalayan region through science-driven agriculture and entrepreneurship.”

He appealed to farmers, students, startups, researchers, industry representatives, media persons and members of civil society from J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and across the country to attend the festival and witness the success story of the “Purple revolution in Bhaderwah.”

He also extended a special invitation to national and regional media organisations, journalists, digital content creators and documentary filmmakers to extensively cover the festival and highlight the transformation of the Himalayan rural economy through lavender cultivation and aroma-based entrepreneurship.

Greater Kashmir

BSF to get stronger security grid along borders: Amit Shah

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BSF to get stronger security grid along borders: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised the Border Security Force (BSF) for safeguarding some of the country’s most difficult borders over the last 60 years and said the government is working to further strengthen border security through advanced technology and improved infrastructure.

Addressing a programme, Amit Shah said BSF personnel serve in extremely harsh conditions ranging from minus 45 degrees to over 45 degrees Celsius, from the icy regions of Kashmir to the deserts of Rajasthan and the marshlands of Sir Creek and Harami Nala.

He said more than 2,000 BSF personnel have sacrificed their lives in service of the nation and described the force as the country’s “First Line of Defence”.

The Home Minister said a centre has been established in Banaskantha to help citizens understand the difficult duties performed by BSF personnel. According to him, over 2.5 lakh people have visited the centre in the last month.

Amit Shah said the government has undertaken major efforts to strengthen security infrastructure in the Sir Creek and Harami Nala regions, including construction of watchtowers, roads, fencing, accommodation and drinking water facilities.

He added that the government aims to establish a “quadrangular security grid” and move towards a new concept of “territorial security” involving cooperation between the public, civil administration, police, military and the BSF.

Under the Smart Border Security Project, the government is deploying drones, radars, watchtowers and other advanced technologies to strengthen border security, he said.

Greater Kashmir

No ‘double standards’ in fight against terrorism: NSA Doval in Russia

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No ‘double standards’ in fight against terrorism: NSA Doval in Russia

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval called for decisive action against terrorism and said there cannot be “double standards” in the fight against it, while addressing an international security forum in Russia on Thursday, according to the Indian Embassy in Moscow. 

Doval participated in the first International Security Forum and the 14th Meeting of High Representatives for Security Matters in Moscow.

“The meeting was hosted by Mr. Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation,” the embassy said in a post on X, adding that the forum deliberated on the “Challenges and Threats to International Security in the context of the Emergence of the Multipolar World”.

“(The) NSA stated that there cannot be double standards in the fight against terrorism. Responsible nations have to evaluate their choices and decide whether they support sponsors of terrorism or counter them with decisive action,” the embassy said.

Doval also “highlighted the urgent need for reforms in the structures and institutions set up after the end of the Second World War in 1945 to make them effective in dealing with contemporary international security threats”.

“The reforms must give greater representation to and factor in the views of the Global South,” it said. Referring to the situation in West Asia, Doval was quoted as saying it was essential to ensure “the safe and uninterrupted movement of trade through international waterways including the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea”.

On the sidelines of the forum, Doval held a meeting with his Russian counterpart Shoigu, the Indian Embassy said in another post. “During the meeting, the parties reviewed the current state of cooperation in the areas of defence, security, energy, and trade-economic ties,” it said.

The two officials also exchanged views on preparations for the upcoming meeting of BRICS national security advisers to be held in New Delhi, the mission said. The specific dates for the BRICS national security advisers’ meeting have not yet been officially announced.

Doval’s visit to Russia comes amid a fragile geopolitical situation marked by continuing conflict in West Asia, concerns over maritime security in key global trade routes, and sharpening competition among major powers over the emerging multipolar world order.

The Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively blocked for three months now, because of the conflict, and the Red Sea are among the world’s most critical shipping corridors. They carry a substantial share of global energy supplies and commercial trade. Any disruption in these waterways has implications for energy prices, supply chains and economic stability across Asia and beyond.

The visit also comes as the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to weigh on global security and economic stability, with Moscow’s ties with the West remaining strained more than four years after the war began.

The conflict has reshaped geopolitical alignments, disrupted energy and food supply chains, and intensified debates over the future global security architecture.

On Wednesday, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha in Cyprus and discussed the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, battlefield developments and efforts to achieve a “comprehensive and lasting peace”.

“As Europe steps up its responsibility, we would welcome India’s strong voice and input,” Sybiha said in a social media post after the meeting. India has consistently called for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the Ukraine conflict while maintaining close relations with both Russia and Ukraine.

Greater Kashmir

43 tonnes of cherries from Kashmir transported through SLR, parcel vans

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43 tonnes of cherries from Kashmir transported through SLR, parcel vans

Around 43 tonnes of fresh luscious cherries of Kashmir have been transported to major markets across the country through special VPs (parcel vans) and the SLR (Seating cum Luggage Rake) coach facility from the Jammu Railway Division till date during the current season.

According to railway officials, so far cherry consignments have been sent as railway parcels through SLR and parcel vans in train numbers 12472, 12474, 12476, 12920, 19028 to major stations, including Surat (Gujarat), Bandra (Maharashtra), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh, Chhayapuri- Vadodara (Gujarat) etc.

Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (DCM), Jammu Railway Division, Uchit Singhal stated that the dispatch of 43 tonnes of cherries through SLR and VP was proof of the growing trust of J&K fruit growers and traders in rail services.

“Indian Railways is committed to providing efficient and economical logistics solutions to the farming community. Our teams are ensuring priority loading, safe handling, and timely delivery so that perishable produce reaches consumers fresh. Similar facilities will continue for apples and other fruits as well,” he shared.

Singhal said that Indian Railways was once again proving to be a fast and reliable mode of transport for fruit growers and traders of Jammu and Kashmir.

He pointed out that cherries were reaching destinations in less time through rail service without loss of quality, enabling farmers to get better prices.

Delineating key features of the service being provided by the Jammu Railway Division, Raghvender Singh, Public Relations Inspector, Jammu Railway Division said, “With SLR and VP facilities, all traders, small or big, are able to book cherries as per their demand. Growers of the Jammu region are now bypassing the uncertainties of road transport and sending their produce directly to major mandis (markets).” 

Utilisation of parcel space in passenger trains, Singh said, was generating additional revenue for Railways besides boosting the marketing of agricultural produce.

The railway administration has appealed to all stakeholders to make maximum use of the rail parcel service and cooperate in taking the premium fruits of Jammu and Kashmir to markets across the nation.

On May 25, 2026, the season’s first special parcel van, carrying Kashmir valley’s luscious cherries weighing around 12 tonnes, departed for Mumbai from Jammu Railway Station.

Prior to that, 18 tonnes of cherries were already sent to Mumbai.

Till May 25, 2026, 28 VP indents were already received from Jammu and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Railway stations for cherry transportation.

According to Singhal, apart from 28 special VPs (parcel vans), the SLR (Seating cum Luggage Rake) coach facility available in regular trains on the route will also continue. “Small and medium traders will also be able to send their low-volume consignments safely and affordably,” he said.

Greater Kashmir

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