Srinagar, Aug 8: The Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) on Saturday conducted searches at five locations across four districts of the Kashmir Valley in connection with an ongoing investigation into a case registered at Police Station CIK, Srinagar.

According to officials, the searches were carried out in Baramulla, Anantnag, Shopian and Bandipora in connection with FIR No. 03/2023, registered under Sections 505 and 153-A of the IPC and Sections 13 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The searches were conducted on the basis of warrants issued by the competent court as part of the ongoing investigation, officials said.

During the searches, investigators recovered and seized electronic devices, digital storage media and other material suspected to be relevant to the case. The seizures were made in the presence of independent witnesses and in accordance with prescribed legal procedures.

Officials said the seized material would be subjected to detailed forensic examination to establish its relevance and assist investigators in taking the probe forward.

The searches form part of the CIK’s ongoing investigation into the 2023 case. Further action will follow based on the findings of the forensic examination and other evidence gathered during the investigation.

The High Court of J&K and Ladakh Friday quashed the detention of a man from Shopian under the Public Safety Act (PSA), saying that he had nearly undergone the period he was booked for.

A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Kumar and Justice Muhammad Yousuf Wani quashed the detention of Ubaid Yousuf Kuttay while allowing his appeal against Single Judge’s decision dated November 8, 2025, which had dismissed his plea.

Kuttay had been detained in terms of a detention order dated September 12, 2024, issued by the District Magistrate, Shopian, under PSA on the ground of security of the State.

After examining the facts and legal circumstances of the case, the division bench allowed Kuttay’s appeal that he had filed through his counsel advocate B A Tak. In response to the appeal, the court set aside the single bench’s judgment.

“We are also of the opinion that it is not the number of acts that are determined for detention of an individual but it is the impact of the act which is material and determinative,” the division bench said.

It observed that the impugned detention order appeared to have been passed on vague, unverifiable and bald allegations unsupported with any evidence or material. “It is unsafe to consider such vague allegations as constituting a past act for deriving any inference about the future course of probable conduct on the part of detenue”. Quashing the detention order, the court directed that Kuttay, a resident of Chotipora, Shopian, be released from preventive detention provided he was not involved in any other case.

Ganderbal, Aug  7: Across the sprawling plains and gentle slopes of Ganderbal district, a quiet horticulture revolution is reshaping the landscape.

The traditional agricultural landscape of the Ganderbal district is witnessing a shift towards modern horticulture, with an increasing number of farmers adopting high-density apple cultivation to improve their livelihoods.

For generations, apple farming here meant sprawling traditional trees requiring seven to eight years to bear fruit, massive canopy maintenance, and labor-intensive harvesting.

Today, neatly aligned, trellised rows of dwarf apple trees are taking over, promising higher yields, quicker returns, and a modernised future for local horticulture.

Locals said that in certain Ganderbal areas, orchards are now home to advanced high-density apple varieties, reflecting a gradual transition from conventional farming to commercial fruit cultivation.

The change has been supported by government initiatives and technical assistance from the Department of Horticulture.

“For generations, local growers relied on traditional apple varieties such as Delicious, Kulu Delicious, and Maharaji, which typically require 5-7 years to bear commercial fruit. In contrast, high-density dwarf and semi-dwarf rootstocks begin bearing fruit in their second year and reach full yield capacity by the fourth or fifth year,” Adil Ahmad, a fruit grower said. 

Growers say beyond sheer volume, the modern farming technique delivers superior quality fruit.

Uniform exposure to sunlight, controlled drip fertigation, and anti-hail nets result in high-grade apples characterised by consistent colour, crisp texture, and larger size.

Varieties like Gala Red, Red Velox, and King Roat are fetching premium prices in major fruit markets across different parts of the country.

“With traditional trees, pesticide sprays, and pruning required intensive manual labour, and half the crop was prone to damage during unpredictable weather,” said Ghulam Hassan, a grower in Wakura, Ganderbal. “The high-density trees are manageable from the ground, use significantly less water, and yield Grade-A fruit that sells almost immediately.” The Jammu and Kashmir Horticulture Department, alongside initiatives like the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), has played a vital role in accelerating adoption.

Horticulture Department officials note that Ganderbal’sfavourable soil conditions and well-connected river network make it ideally suited for high-density farming.

As cold-storage facilities and sorting-grading units will expand across the district, Ganderbal is positioning itself as a central hub for high-yield, modern fruit production in Kashmir.