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Indian Express
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Balloons, drones prohibited as J-K declares all routes to Amarnath shrine a no-fly zone during yatra period
The Jammu and Kashmir government has declared all routes to the Amarnath cave shrine a 'no flying zone', banning 'any kind of aviation platforms' including drones and balloons for the duration of the yatra. The decision comes on the back of advice from the Union Home Ministry. 'With a view to ensure strengthened security during the Shri Amarnathji Yatra, 2025, all the routes of Shri Amarnathji Yatra are hereby declared as No Flying Zone, including both Pahalgam axis and Baltal axis,' an order issued by J&K's home department said. 'Thus, flying of any kind of aviation platforms and devices, including UAVs, drones, balloons, etc., is prohibited w.e.f. July 1, 2025 to August 10, 2025,' the order said. The annual Amarnath pilgrimage starts on July 3 this year and will end on August 8. Securing the yatra is considered one of the Valley's biggest security exercises. Every year, lakhs of pilgrims from across the country make the journey to the Himalayan cave shrine, which is accessible via the popular tourist destinations of Pahalgam and Sonmarg. The decision to declare the routes, Lakhanpur-Jammu-Qazigund-Pahalgam and Lakhanpur-Jammu-Qazigund-Srinagar-Sonamarg, no-fly zones has been taken because of the 'prevailing security scenario' in the Valley, especially after the Pahalgam terror attack in which 25 tourists and a local man were killed in April this year. 'Whereas, all the stakeholders have discussed the prevailing security scenario in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir and have proposed additional logistics provisions and whereas, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Gol, have also advised that the entire route of Shri Amarnathji Yatra, 2025, may be declared as 'No Flying Zone' w.e.f. July 1 to August 10, 2025,' the order read. The order, however, said the no-fly zone would not apply in case of emergencies. 'These restrictions will not be applicable in the cases of medical evacuation, disaster management and for surveillance by security forces,' the order read. 'A detailed SOP for such exceptions will be issued subsequently.' Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. ... Read More
Indian Express
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
NIA raids dozens of locations across Kashmir in terror conspiracy case
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Thursday carried out a series of raids across Jammu and Kashmir in connection with a case related to terror conspiracy. According to officials, the agency executed searches at 32 locations across the Valley, including Shopian, Kulgam, Pulwama, Sopore and Kupwara. The case (RC-05/2022/NIA/JMU) was registered in 2022 in Jammu and pertains to a network of 'terrorist organizations and overground workers' operating in the region. Officials said the raids were carried out by teams of NIA officers, accompanied by personnel from the Jammu and Kashmir Police and central paramilitary forces. In South Kashmir, NIA teams focused on the Shopian district, where they searched areas in Reban Nildoora and Check-e-Choland villages, and in Kulgam, where locations in Devsar, Bugam, Sonigam, and Manzgam were raided. Additional raids also took place in the Pulwama district. In North Kashmir, officials confirmed that multiple sites were targeted in Sopore and Kupwara. A senior official said the raids are connected to a case registered by the agency three years ago. Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. ... Read More
Indian Express
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Militant killed in encounter in South Kashmir's Tral
An unidentified militant was killed in a gunfight in South Kashmir's Tral Thursday morning. The operation that was launched early Thursday morning following inputs about the presence of militant is under progress. Officials said a joint team of forces cordoned off Nader village of Tral in South Kashmir's Pulwama district. As the joint team of forces were zeroing in on the target, the militants hiding in the area opened fire and tried to break the security cordon. The joint team of forces returned the fire leading to a gunfight. An unidentified militant was killed in the gunfight, but his body is yet to be recovered, officials said, adding that the operation is under progress and a joint team of forces are searching for other possible militants hiding in the area. The encounter comes two days after security forces killed three Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists in South Kashmir's Shopian district. Officials say before the Tuesday encounter, only 14 local militants were listed in Valley. Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. ... Read More
Indian Express
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Sharing info about security forces, installations': SIA raids 20 places in Kashmir
The State Investigation Agency (SIA) Sunday conducted raids at multiple locations in South Kashmir in a case related to sharing of 'sensitive and strategic information about security forces and vital installations' through messaging apps, the agency has said. The investigating agency that is an equivalent of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Jammu and Kashmir has detained several persons and claimed to have seized incriminating material. 'J&K police are keeping a surveillance on the terror associates and over ground workers (OGW) working in Kashmir,' SIA said in an official release. 'Technical intelligence indicated that a host of sleeper cells in Kashmir were in direct contact with their handlers based in Pakistan and were involved in conveying sensitive and strategic information about security forces and vital installations via messaging apps including but not limited to WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal and so on.' The SIA was set up in 2021 as the nodal agency for 'coordinating with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other central agencies and shall take such other measures as may be necessary for speedy and effective investigation and prosecution of terrorism related cases'. On Sunday morning, the investigating agency raided 20 different locations in four districts of south Kashmir — Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag — and conducted searches in a case registered under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967. 'These terror associates were also involved in online radical propaganda on the behest of terrorist commanders of Lashkar-e- Taiba and Jaish-e- Muhammad, impinging upon the national security and integrity,' the SIA said. 'Preliminary investigation has clearly brought out that these entities are actively engaged in terrorist conspiracy, propagating and furthering anti-India narratives aimed not only at challenging the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India but also at inciting disaffection, public disorder, and communal hatred'. The investigating agency said that it has recovered 'substantial incriminating materials' during the raids and detained several persons for further questioning. Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. ... Read More
