Srinagar, May 7: As Kashmir moves through late spring and approaches summer, Himalayan black bears are increasingly entering villages and orchards across the Valley.

Three people were injured in separate bear attacks in Ganderbal, Kupwara and Baramulla districts over the past four days, officials said.

Wildlife officials said bears move closer to habitations during late spring and early summer in search of food and cover.

Villagers in parts of north Kashmir said fear has spread after repeated bear sightings and attacks near orchards and residential areas.

“We are living in fear now. People avoid going to orchards alone, especially in the morning and evening,” said Ghulam Muhammad, a resident of Kupwara district. “Children and the elderly are the most scared.”

The latest incident took place on May 6. Zahida Begum, 32, was attacked by a bear in the Gund Aku forest area of Ganderbal district, officials said.

She was shifted to Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar, where she is undergoing treatment.

A day earlier, Hameeda Begum, 32, was injured in a bear attack in the Puthwari Nowgam forest area of Lawoosa in Kupwara district. She is being treated at Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar.

On May 3, Mudasir Ahmad Chanieja was injured in a bear attack in the Gulistan Bala area of Sheeri Narvaw in Baramulla district.

Officials said Chanieja had gone to the Gawas Budun area with livestock when a bear attacked him around 9 a.m. He is undergoing treatment at GMC Baramulla.

Several bear attacks were also reported in April. Wildlife officials also trapped dozens of bears using cages in vulnerable areas.

On April 20, Jalil Ahmad Khan was injured in a bear attack in the Hakapathri area of Pahlipora-Boniyar in Baramulla district.

On April 8, two persons were injured in a bear attack in the Madian area of Kamalkote in Uri.

Wildlife officials said the beginning of the fruiting season draws bears closer to orchards and villages.

Khurshid Ahmad Shah, head of the Wildlife Protection Department at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology-Kashmir (SKUAST-K), said such incidents increase during this period.

“Yes, of course they are on the rise. But as far as the pattern of incidents is concerned, it is marginally very low in summers except in some areas,” Shah said.

Suhail Intesar, wildlife warden for north Kashmir, said apricots had started ripening while thick vegetation gives bears cover while moving through orchards.

“This season marks the beginning of fruiting,” Intesar said. “As grasses and foliage become denser, bears get better cover to move around orchards.”

Intesar said climate change was also affecting bear movement.

“The delayed snowfall in lower areas during winters means they can postpone or even skip hibernation altogether,” he said. “They may stay active throughout the winter in residential areas.”

He also said poor waste management and stray dogs attract bears to populated areas.

“In autumn, leftover apples in orchards feed these bears. So, these bears can now be seen roaming in habitations in all seasons -autumn, winter, spring and even summer,” Intesar said.

Another wildlife official blamed unattended household and kitchen waste for drawing bears into residential areas.

“We can see waste scattered across wastelands and private land in areas where bears are roaming,” the official said. “If they get shelter and food here, why would they return to the forests?”

The official said the department had increased surveillance and was using cameras and drones to monitor bear movement.

Budgam, May 07: Authorities in central Kashmir’s Budgam district have ordered diversion and restriction of vehicular traffic on the Narbal-Wadwan road after damage to the approach slab of a bridge near the playground at Narbal, officials said.

According to an order issued by Tehsildar and Executive Magistrate 1st Class Narbal, Umer Bashir, the damaged portion of the bridge was found unsafe for smooth vehicular movement and posed a threat to public safety. 

The order, according  to  Kashmir Dot Com, said the Assistant Executive Engineer, R&B Sub Division Beerwah, had informed the administration that the deteriorated condition of the approach slab could lead to untoward incidents if immediate preventive measures were not taken. 

“In the interest of public safety and convenience, movement of vehicular traffic over the bridge near Playground Narbal shall remain restricted/diverted via Yarigund–Kawoosa NTR with immediate effect for a period of 15 days,” the order reads. 

The restriction will remain in force till May 23, 2026, or until restoration work is completed and the bridge is declared safe by the concerned engineering authorities. 

Officials said the R&B department has been directed to install barricades, warning signboards and other safety measures at the site, while police and traffic authorities have been asked to regulate traffic and ensure smooth diversion in the area. (KDC)

Srinagar, May 07: Deputy Inspector General of Police, Railways, Zahid Naseem Manhas conducted a comprehensive security review during an official visit to the Railway Police Kashmir Zonal Headquarters today.

Upon his arrival, the DIG was received with a formal Guard of Honour by a contingent of the Kashmir Railway Police, followed by a high-level security review meeting to evaluate the operational readiness and safety protocols across the regional railway network.

During the session, Manhas emphasized the critical importance of maintaining a foolproof security blanket over the Kashmir Railway corridor, particularly in light of the anticipated increase in activity during the upcoming season. He took the opportunity to formally congratulate the rank and file of the Kashmir Railway Police for their exemplary performance in securing the Vande Bharat project, noting that the successful and incident-free operation of the prestigious train service remains a significant achievement for the force.

To further strengthen the security grid, the DIG advised on enhancing the frequency of multi-agency mock drills and strictly adhering to established security and contingency plans.

Earlier, SSP Railways Kashmir, Wasim Qadri, briefed the officer regarding the current train traffic and footfall, the management of parcel and freight trains, and the specific challenges and shortcomings faced by the force. The visit concluded with a commitment to proactive vigilance to ensure the continued safety of the region’s vital transport infrastructure.

Srinagar, May 07: National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Thursday expressed hope that the Supreme Court will deliver justice if the controversy surrounding alleged malpractices in the West Bengal polls reaches the apex court of the country.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the party’s provincial committee, Abdullah said everyone is raising questions over the poll results.

“Mamata (Banerjee) is raising questions, Akhilesh (Yadav) is raising questions, everyone is raising questions (on the poll results). I hope they will take this to the Supreme Court and that the Supreme Court will deliver justice on it,” the NC chief said.

To a question over the unity in the opposition’s India bloc, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said, “India bloc is always operative, it will continue to operate.”

On the party’s meeting, he said several issues, including how to strengthen the party, were discussed.

Meanwhile, NC’s chief spokesman Tanvir Sadiq said the meeting of the provincial committee of the party takes place every month and discusses party affairs.

“Discussions took place over party affairs, developmental works and the situation in Jammu and Kashmir,” Sadiq told reporters.

Asked if the cabinet expansion was discussed in the meeting, he said it was not the proper forum as cabinet expansion is the prerogative of the chief minister.

“The CM will take a call on it when he deems fit. The meeting discussed party affairs, what MLAs think and what the situation is,” Sadiq added.

Simari, May 07:  A river runs through it, cleaving the village between India on side of the gushing waters and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir on the other. If Operation Sindoor has a ground zero, it is Simari where the sound of artillery fire still echoes for villagers trying to shake off memories from that night one year ago.

It is from this frontier village surrounded by high mountains that the Army fired shells across the Krishan Ganga river to signal the start of Operation Sindoor on the intervening night of May 6-7, 2025, India’s response to the terror attack in Pahalgam to dismantle terror outlets in Pakistan.

One year on, silence seems to have settled over the picturesque hamlet on the foothills of the Shamshabari mountains in Tangdhar sector, about 180 km from Srinagar. Life has resumed its everyday routine but outsiders are met with quiet and a certain distrust. Many walk away, saying they only understand Pahari.

Simari, at the literal edge of the country, has a population of 500 and just about 80 houses. There are a dozen odd modern concrete structures alongside traditional mud and timber dwellings. If it were not for the roaring river waters, people from one side to the other could literally shout out to be heard.

The river is also a constant reminder that this is a divided land – both literally and metaphorically.

And Operation Sindoor was felt not as a news report about what is happening to others but as a storm of fire passing overhead.

Ghulam Qadir is amongst the few who talks, albeit reluctantly.

“We didn’t just hear the about the war… we felt it as shells lit the skies,” Qadir told PTI. Community bunkers were home for the few days after that first night of shelling.

He is proud of his village. Simari’s local middle school has been designated Polling Booth Number One. A hand-painted slogan greets visitors with the declaration: ‘Democracy starts from here’.

“Now you should understand we are the first village in the country and the torch bearers of democracy in the country,” he snapped back when asked how it felt to be the resident of the country’s last village.

The school is sign of Simari’s resilience. Despite being physically separated from the rest of the country by a security fence, people here view themselves as the primary guardians of the country’s democracy. The village is mainly dependent on army troops deployed in the area and many work as labourers for them.

As commemorative events are held across the country to mark the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor, life in Simari is a delicate balance between everyday mundaneness and the fear that their village’s very remoteness could make them the centre of conflict.

For Iqbal, the drones from across the border were more difficult to deal with than the shelling. The Army opened fire several times to thwart their advances. “Some of the intruding objects (drones) fell in our area. These were successfully removed by the Army,” he said, lauding the Army for providing all kinds of relief during those turbulent days.

Located eight kilometres from Teetwal area, which was developed under the border tourism plan, accessing the village is not easy. Tarred roads give way to landslides and fast flowing waters from the slopes around.

The language spoken is Pahari and the culture and customs differ from the Kashmiri heartland or Kupwara district in North Kashmir.

India carried out airstrikes on nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. About 100 terrorists were killed.