Budgam, Nov 27: In its efforts to dismantle the terror ecosystem and separatist propaganda, Budgam Police on Thursday launched a crackdown on the proscribed organisation Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), carrying out searches at residences and institutions linked to the group, officials said.

A police spokesperson said in a statement that the searches were conducted based on credible intelligence suggesting that some JeI members were involved in anti-national activities.

He said multiple searches were carried out in Chadoora, Soibugh, and Beerwah areas following due legal procedures.

The search teams comprised police officers, lady police personnel, and local numberdars. Various electronic devices and documents were seized from the residences of JeI-linked individuals and associated institutions.

The operation aimed to dismantle the terror ecosystem and separatist propaganda of the proscribed Jamaat-e-Islami. Through such actions, Budgam Police reaffirmed its commitment to establishing and ensuring a peaceful and terror-free environment in the district.

Srinagar, Nov 26: As the cold wave further strengthens its hold over the weather in J&K and Ladakh, both minimum and maximum temperatures across the Valley have further fallen, with Srinagar, the capital city, recording the coldest night of this winter season, shivering at minus 4.4°C, as per data released by Kashmir Weather.

According to the data, Shopian district in south Kashmir witnessed the lowest minimum temperature at minus 6.5°C in Kashmir, followed by the neighbouring district of Pulwama and north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, which recorded minus 5.8°C and minus 5.5°C, respectively.

Anantnag and Kulgam, the other two districts in south Kashmir, recorded low temperatures of minus 5.7°C and minus 2.4°C, respectively.

The twin districts of Bandipora and Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded low temperatures of minus 4.5°C each.

In central Kashmir, the mercury settled at minus 4.6°C in Budgam, while in Ganderbal the minimum temperature fell to minus 3.3°C.

Zojila Pass recorded the coldest temperature in Jammu and Kashmir at minus 16.0°C.

The Jammu region experienced a significant dip in temperatures, with several areas recording near-freezing or sub-zero conditions. Jammu city settled at 8.7°C, while Katra and Kathua recorded minimum temperatures of 8.5°C and 8.2°C, respectively. Higher-altitude areas such as Banihal plummeted to -1.5°C, and Bhaderwah touched 0.4°C, indicating an intensifying cold wave. Udhampur at 4.6°C, Ramban at 4.1°C, and Rajouri at 2.0°C also reported sharp declines.

In Ladakh, the cold was even more severe, with temperatures dipping well below freezing. Kargil recorded the lowest minimum temperature at -9.5°C, closely followed by Leh at -8.6°C and Nubra at -7.7°C.

The extreme chill in Ladakh’s high-altitude desert terrain is typical during this time of the year, but the current readings highlight an early intensification of winter conditions. The widespread drop in temperatures across both Jammu and Ladakh indicates a prolonged cold spell, with residents likely to face even harsher conditions in the coming days.

Srinagar, Nov 26: Trembling teens battling withdrawal, mood swings, and irreversible physical and mental health damage have become more common with every passing year.

Tapentadol, Tramadol, Pregabalin, Vermor, Codeine, all having their own Gen-Z lingo names, are reaching schools and homes safely; all this, while parents, schools and society remain in denial or a self-enforced oblivion.

The records at Drug De-Addiction Center (DTDC) at SMHS Hospital show over 1900 adolescents, between the ages of 10 years to 18 years, are on treatment for “other substances”.

Around 100 of these are new cases from 2024 onwards.

In-charge DTDC, Prof Yasir Hussain Rather, said, the “other substances” include prescription drugs like Tramadol, Pregabalin, and Tapentadol.

It also includes Cannabis, the “joint” or “jay” that adolescents flaunt to be perceived as “dope” and “fire”.

“The kids start the tablets with the notion that they are not taking drugs, but medicines, just not in the quantities advised. And soon, they realise, it is but a trap,” he says.

Prof Rather said many of these kids are seen by de-addiction clinics soon after they start, but most remain inaccessible, untraceable, till these and “harder drugs” take control of them, landing them in lanes and bylanes of crime, social deviations, and personal devastation.

The prescription drugs have ample suppliers.

From the mohalla pharmacy to the peddler who makes rounds of “spots”, from couriers to the “bhayya” in school, access is mostly “easy-peasy”.

The prices are also in reach of adolescents, manageable with a “little enterprise”.

“Some teenagers finish their resources, and then decide to become couriers themselves, to transport, consume, and earn,” says Aafaq Wani, Cluster Coordinator, South Asia Center for Peace and People’s Empowerment.

He, along with his team, has worked extensively in the community to help adolescents battle addiction successfully.

“What struck me most was that most families and mohallas deny they have a problem at hand. Parents don’t want to talk about a teenager who they know is addicted, and neighbors don’t want to acknowledge their society has a person who is abusing substances,” he says.

The taboo around substance abuse prevents treatment-seeking.

“Most of these children, who get into substance abuse, have a history of childhood trauma, sometimes physical, sometimes mental, sometimes even sexual,” says Prof Rather.

Many have underlying, untreated disorders.

Nevertheless, he believes, the easy access and the diminishing stress coping among teenagers are a driving force.

It begins as a “stress buster” and “pain reliever”, and explodes into a full-blown crisis.

Prescription drugs like tapentadol, pregabalin, tramadol, codeine, and even opioid substitution therapy (OST) Vernor are finding their way into school backpacks.

A doctor said, Vernor is solely available in drug de-addiction centers; however, many substance abusers, who procure it as treatment, sell it outside for a hefty price.

Recently, Anantnag district officials imposed a ban on courier companies transporting narcotic and psychotropic substances without authorization.

Street names like “Pandas” for tapentadol or “Signatures” for pregabalin capsules show acceptability and the extent these drugs have entered a generation.

These are sold in full strips, consumed in strips, and each strip, “one card” is a “dose”.

Empty codeine bottles are strewn in isolated spots and less frequented lanes, mostly in the vicinity of a school.

The pharmacists who supply these prescription drugs keep on inventing means to evade detection and the law.

Srinagar, Nov 26: National Conference (NC) President and three-time chief minister Farooq Abdullah would preside over a two-day Working Committee meeting of the party at its Nawa-e-Subh headquarters here on Thursday, with the discussions likely to focus on the party’s defeat in the Budgam and Nagrota bypolls, demands of estranged party leader Aga Syed Ruhullah to resolve the reservation issue, and the return of statehood.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 11 am and will continue for two days, with the NC leaders likely to dissect the twin bypoll losses, debate strategy for restoration of statehood, and confront the quota storm and Ruhullah’s ultimatum.

NC General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar said that the deliberations during the meeting will be aimed at strengthening the party’s outreach, reviewing current developments, and charting the future course of action.

The party’s Working Committee meeting will, in addition to senior NC leaders, be attended by special invitees, including all NC MLAs and some independent MLAs.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, NC MLA Amira Kadal, Sheikh Ahsan Ahmad, said the meeting would discuss organisational issues threadbare.

He said that the governance part will also be discussed as developmental issues involve the functioning of the government.

“The essence of the meeting is to discuss the changes that are required to make the party strong and the strategy needed to be adopted to make these changes,” Ahsan said.

NC state spokesman Imran Nabi Dar told Greater Kashmir that the party’s Working Committee meeting is held every two to three months, and senior party leaders participate in the discussion on making the party strong.

“This time, all NC MLAs and some independent MLAs will attend the meeting as special invitees,” Imran said.

He said that the current political situation in J&K, the reservation issue, and the reasons for the party’s defeat in both Budgam and Nagrota assembly constituencies in the recently held bypolls will all be discussed during the meeting.

NC lost the Budgam assembly seat for the first time, ending its uninterrupted dominance over the constituency for decades, with People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Aga Syed Muntazir, defeating NC’s Aga Syed Mehmood by a margin of 4478 votes.

In Nagrota, the NC ended up third behind the winner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Devyani Rana and runners-up Harsh Dev Singh of the Panthers Party India.

Devyani polled 42,350 votes and Harsh Dev 17,703 votes, while NC’s Shamima Begum secured 10,872 votes.

Imran said that while the meeting would be presided over by NC President Farooq Abdullah, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is the NC Vice President, is also expected to attend the meeting.

He said that the MLAs are expected to provide their feedback on different issues and party matters to make the organisation strong.

According to sources in the party, an important issue that would be discussed during the meeting includes the strategy the party should devise regarding the return of statehood.

The Supreme Court, on October 10, 2025, gave four weeks to the Government of India (GoI) to respond on pleas seeking restoration of statehood to J&K.

The sources said that the NC Working Committee meeting will also discuss the issue raised by its estranged Member of Parliament, Aga Syed Ruhullah, who has asked the NC-led government to resolve the reservation issue before the winter session of the Parliament ends, saying he will join the quota protests if no action is taken.

The Parliament’s winter session is scheduled to be held from December 1 to 19.

Ruhullah has accused the J&K administration of ignoring the concerns of educated youth and backed the demand of the general category candidates for reviewing the existing reservation policy. He had joined student protests outside Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s residence in December last year, seeking rationalisation of quota.

CM Omar had later set up a Cabinet Sub-committee to look into the grievances raised by aspirants against the existing reservation policy in J&K, and submit a report within six months.

A year has passed since.

On October 18, CM Omar said the reservation report would be announced only after the Lieutenant Governor approves it. The sources said that the NC Working Committee meeting will condemn the Delhi car blast but also highlight the subsequent rounding up of civilians across Kashmir and harassment of Kashmiris in various states and union territories across India. The last NC Working Committee meeting was held on May 21, 2025, following which the party passed a seven-point resolution calling for the restoration of J&K’s special status and full statehood.