Srinagar, Dec 25: Sonamarg, a major tourist destination in Kashmir, recorded a total of 417,091 tourists from January to November 2025, showing steady growth and consistent interest across seasons, official data reveals.

According to figures from the Tourist Police Post Sonamarg, accessed by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the resort experienced a continuous influx of domestic, foreign, and local tourists throughout the year.

In January, around 55,934 tourists visited, including 53,676 domestic visitors, 1,114 foreigners, and 1,144 locals. February saw a slight increase with a total of 57,186 tourists—55,114 domestic, 2,019 foreigners, and 1,565 local visitors. March’s footfall reached nearly 63,000 with 59,084 domestic tourists, 1,120 foreigners, and 2,749 locals.

April experienced the highest footfall of the year, with over 72,722 visitors—67,229 domestic, 1,434 foreigners, and 4,059 locals. May, however, saw a decline, with just over 21,573 tourists—17,083 domestic, 486 foreigners, and 4,004 locals.

June’s figures rose again to nearly 48,139, with 33,692 domestic, 281 foreigners, and 14,166 locals. July recorded close to 39,605 visitors—25,281 domestic, 159 foreigners, and 14,165 locals. August saw a decrease to roughly 32,139, including 12,124 domestic, 304 foreigners, and 19,711 locals.

September’s numbers fell further to approximately 25,264, with nearly 6,945 domestic, 422 foreigners, and 17,897 locals. October recorded around 14,536 visitors—8,389 domestic, 391 foreigners, and 5,756 locals. November’s footfall was just over 18,070, including 13,527 domestic, 459 foreigners, and 4,084 locals.

Officials told KNO that April marked the peak of tourist visits, coinciding with the spring tourism rush, while summer months remained busy due to local and domestic travellers. Despite the seasonal slowdown in autumn, tourist arrivals remained steady into November.

Speaking to KNO, President of the Beopar Mandal Association Sonamarg, Furkan Ahmad, said, “Tourism plays a vital role in Sonamarg’s economy. The rising number of visitors has positively impacted hotels, transporters, and local traders, strengthening the overall market.”

The recent snowfall has led to a noticeable increase in tourist arrivals. To promote winter tourism, the Department of Tourism has organised comprehensive arrangements, including adventure activities such as skiing and ice skating.

“Special programmes and winter sports events are scheduled for December 31 to provide visitors with a memorable experience,” Basharat Hussain, a tourist officer, said.

Srinagar, Dec 25: Recently appointed Prosecuting Officer of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Advocate Aadil Nabi, a resident of Bijbehara in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, met with a serious road accident today near Banihal.

Sources told Kashmir Dot Com (KDC) that Aadil was injured in the accident while he was returning home from Delhi.

He was immediately shifted to a nearby medical facility for urgent treatment. His condition is stated to be critical, sources said.

Aadil, a well-known legal practitioner from Bijbehara, was recently appointed as a Prosecuting Officer in the CBI, a major professional milestone in his legal career.

Meanwhile, police have taken cognizance of the accident.

Srinagar, Dec 25: National Conference leader and Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Thursday said he has neither forgotten nor abandoned the students agitating over their unresolved issues, and urged the government to immediately engage with them.

Ruhullah said the government must initiate dialogue with the students and clearly apprise them of the measures and decisions taken to resolve the matter. He said if government fails to engage with students by Saturday (December 27, 2025), he will sit with them on coming Sunday (December 28, 2025) at the same venue he joined protest on December 23, 2024.

Taking to micro-blogging site X (formerly Twitter), Ruhullah said: “I have neither forgotten nor left the students alone. I urge the government once again to talk to the students and uprise them of the measures and decisions taken to resolve this issue”.

“If that does not happen till Saturday, I will not leave our youth and students helpless. I will walk with them and sit with them on this coming Sunday at the same place as we did the last year on 23rd December to make them heard,” Ruhullah added on X.

Srinagar, Dec 25: Awami Itihaad Party Chief Spokesperson Inam Un Nabi on Thursday said that Baramulla Member of Parliament Engineer Rashid has written two detailed and strongly worded letters to the Chief Ministers of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, seeking immediate and exemplary action against those involved in the assaults and humiliation of Kashmiri shawl sellers in their respective states.

Inam Un Nabi said the letters have reached the party through the legal counsel of the jailed MP. He said Er Rashid has expressed deep anguish over television visuals showing Kashmiri shawl sellers being assaulted and humiliated by fringe elements, terming the incidents deeply disturbing and unacceptable in a democratic country.

Referring to the letter addressed to the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Inam Un Nabi said Er Rashid reminded the state of its long standing reputation for tolerance and secular values, and warned that such incidents severely tarnish that image. Er Rashid questioned whether similar acts against non Kashmiris in Jammu and Kashmir would have been met with silence, stating that in Kashmir, perpetrators would have been booked under stringent laws and branded extremists. He cautioned that repeated inaction raises serious questions about claims of inclusiveness and hurts the self respect of the victims as well as the people of Jammu and Kashmir as a whole.

Speaking about the letter sent to the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Inam Un Nabi said Er Rashid described the assault on a Kashmiri shawl seller from his parliamentary constituency as painful and deeply distressing. In the letter, Er Rashid asked whether being Kashmiri has effectively become a crime in the country. He reminded the Uttarakhand government that Kashmiris have historically treated tourists and outsiders with dignity and honour, and questioned why similar values were not being upheld elsewhere.

In both letters, Er Rashid demanded strict and exemplary action against the culprits to ensure that no one takes the law into their own hands in the name of ultra nationalism. He also urged the state governments to ensure the safety, dignity and livelihood of Kashmiri traders working outside Jammu and Kashmir.

Copies of the letters have also been marked to the Union Home Secretary, seeking immediate intervention to safeguard Kashmiris studying or earning their livelihood in different parts of the country. [KNT]