Srinagar, May 31: J&K Chief Minister and National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah Sunday dismissed speculation surrounding a meeting he has convened with party legislators, saying that those making the most comments about the gathering are the ones who know the least about it.

​In a post on social media platform X, Omar Abdullah took an apparent swipe at political opponents and commentators who have been speculating about the purpose and outcome of the meeting with National Conference MLAs.

“I love how the people who know the least about the meeting I’ve called with my MLAs are talking the most. Remember one thing – those who know don’t speak and those who speak sit in the opposition,” Abdullah wrote.

The Chief Minister’s remarks come amid growing political discussions and speculation over the significance of the meeting, with various opposition leaders and political observers offering differing interpretations regarding its agenda.

Srinagar, May 31: Chairman-cum-Managing Director of NHPC, Bhupender Gupta, on Sunday successfully carried out the first blast for the construction of the 240-MW Uri-I Stage-II Hydro Electric Project in the Uri area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

A major milestone for Jammu and Kashmir’s power sector was achieved with the successful execution of the first blast for the 240 MW Uri-I Stage-II Hydro Electric Project by NHPC Chairman-cum-Managing Director Bhupender Gupta on Sunday, marking the formal commencement of key construction activities.

The development is being viewed as significant for the region’s energy infrastructure, with the project expected to strengthen power generation capacity and contribute towards long-term energy security.

Officials associated with the project said the successful first blast signals the beginning of major construction work under the Uri-I Stage-II Hydro Electric Project.

The hydroelectric project is expected to augment electricity generation and improve energy availability, particularly as Jammu and Kashmir continues to pursue the expansion of its power infrastructure.

The project forms part of broader efforts aimed at harnessing hydropower potential and reducing dependence on external power supply sources.

Officials said the commencement of construction activities marked an important stage in the implementation of the project. The 240 MW project is expected to play a key role in enhancing generation capacity and supporting future power requirements in the region.

NHPC already operates six major hydroelectric projects in Jammu and Kashmir with a combined installed capacity of 2,250 MW. These include Salal HEP (690 MW) in Reasi district, Uri-I HEP (480 MW) in Baramulla district, Uri-II HEP (240 MW) in Baramulla district, Dulhasti HEP (390 MW) in Kishtwar district, Kishanganga HEP (330 MW) in Bandipora district and Sewa-II HEP (120 MW) in Kathua district.

NHPC is also executing multiple large-scale projects in Jammu and Kashmir, largely through joint ventures such as Chenab Valley Power Projects Limited (CVPPL) and Ratle Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (RHPCL). These include the Pakal Dul project (1,000 MW) on the Marusudar River in Kishtwar district, the Ratle project (850 MW) on the Chenab River in Kishtwar district, the Kiru project (624 MW) on the Chenab River in Kishtwar district and the Kwar project (540 MW) on the Chenab River in Kishtwar district.

For the Dulhasti Stage-II and Uri-I Stage-II projects, NHPC has approved a major investment programme for capacity expansion, with the two projects together targeted to add another 500 MW of generation capacity.

Srinagar, May 31: Three persons were apprehended on Sunday while they were trying to cross the Line of Control (LoC) into Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) in the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir.

Officials said the Army nabbed the three persons as they tried to cross the LoC in Kashmir.

All three persons are hailing from the Sopore area of Baramulla district. They were trying to exfiltrate into PoK from the Hathlanga-Nambla axis during the intervening night of Saturday-Sunday, the officials said.

The trio arrested have been identified as Adil Hussain Dar, resident of Sopore; Ishfaq Ahmad, a resident of Sopore and Jaffar Ahmad, a resident of Sopore. Of these, Dar is a suspended TA (Territorial Army)-161 personnel, said officials.

Sources said the trio was in contact with some handlers based in Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

All three are currently in custody and are being questioned by security agencies.

More details are awaited.

In another incident, the Army unit apprehended a PoK resident who had crossed the LoC into Kashmir in the Silikote area of the Uri sector.

The apprehended person, Zeeshan Mir, a resident of Muzaffarabad, claimed he had crossed the LoC to meet his girlfriend who lives in Tileai in the sector.

Both Mir and the girl are being questioned by security forces, the officials said, adding further details were awaited.

Jammu and Kashmir has a 740-km-long LoC situated in Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora districts of the Valley and in Poonch, Rajouri and partly in Jammu district of Jammu division.

The Army is guarding the LoC in J&K against infiltration, exfiltration, drug smuggling and drone activity initiated from across the border.

Drones are used by terrorist outfits in PoK to drop payloads of arms, ammunition, cash and drugs into the Indian side of the border. These payloads are picked up by the overground workers (OGWs) of terrorist outfits and passed on to the terrorists to sustain terrorism in the union territory.

High-tech anti-drone equipment is being used by the Army to check the menace of drones.

Srinagar, May 31: The Cable car project, commonly called the Gulmarg Gandola, will resume normal operation on Tuesday, officials said on Sunday.

Officials said that the services will be resumed after an expert trial run of the project is completed on Monday.

The news about the resumption of the Gandola services has been received by tourists as welcome news since the cable car project is a major tourist attraction at the ski resort.

“Experts will conduct the test trial of the Gondola system on Monday to assess operational safety and technical performance before allowing public services to resume from Tuesday. The Gondola had remained closed for tourists till June 1 following a technical malfunction that led authorities to suspend operations and undertake maintenance work.

“During the closure period, all tickets for visit dates between May 25 and June 1 were ordered to be refunded in full,” officials said.

After a technical snag, the Cable car project had stopped completely, with 320 people stranded mid-air in cabins on May 25.

All 320 tourists stranded mid-air were safely evacuated after a technical malfunction halted operations on both phases of the cable car system.

The massive six-hour rescue mission was successfully executed by the Indian Army, J&K Police, SDRF, and local authorities.

The passengers were stranded in 65 cabins across the mountainous terrain, with some cabins suspended as high as 500 feet above the ground.

Emergency response teams reached the affected areas using snowmobiles and ATVs, launching a high-risk manual evacuation process in poor weather conditions to bring all visitors to safety.

All passengers were rescued without any major injuries.

The Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, ordered an official investigation into the cause of the malfunction.

Despite restoration efforts and preparations for reopening, the Jammu and Kashmir Cable Car Corporation has yet to determine responsibility for the incident that led to the suspension of services.

The closure is understood to have caused substantial financial losses to the corporation and affected tourism-linked activity in Gulmarg during the peak tourist season.

Srinagar, May 31: Weather conditions in Ladakh are likely to witness gradual improvement, while parts of Jammu and Kashmir may continue to experience cloudy conditions and rainfall at isolated locations over the coming days, according to the Meteorological Centre Leh-Ladakh.

The forecast comes amid fluctuating weather conditions across the region, with rainfall and cloud cover affecting several areas and contributing to an unsettled weather pattern.

According to the Meteorological Centre, light rainfall was reported at some places in Leh, Nubra and Changthang districts, accompanied by snowfall over higher peaks and mountain passes.

The weather office said conditions in Ladakh were expected to improve gradually from Saturday afternoon.

For the period from June 1 to June 3, the forecast indicates mainly dry weather across Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir.

However, from June 4 to June 6, cloudy conditions with chances of rainfall are expected at isolated places in Ladakh and at many locations across Jammu and Kashmir.

The latest advisory suggests continued monitoring of changing weather conditions, particularly in higher reaches and areas vulnerable to sudden rainfall or snowfall.

Authorities and travelers have been advised to remain updated with official weather bulletins. [KNT]

Kulgam, May 31: Traffic Police Rural Kashmir have announced traffic restrictions and diversions in Kulgam town on June 1 in view of a mega rally scheduled as part of the ongoing anti-drug campaign.

The advisory assumes significance as major routes in Kulgam town will remain closed for several hours, prompting authorities to issue alternate travel plans to minimize inconvenience and ensure smooth traffic management.

According to the advisory issued by Traffic Police Rural Kashmir, vehicular movement from Khudwani Crossing up to Chawalgam Chowk via Laroo Bus Stand and Ganta Ghar, as well as from Sangus Crossing up to Laroo Bypass Crossing via Circle Road Kulgam, shall remain completely suspended from 4:00 am to 3:00 pm on June 1.

Motorists have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel within Kulgam town during the event and follow notified diversions.

As per the advisory, Anantnag and Srinagar-bound traffic from DH Pora area shall be diverted via Chawalgam Bypass, Pahloo, Kilam and Mirbazar before joining NH-44 toward Anantnag or Srinagar.

Similarly, Kulgam-bound traffic from Srinagar and Anantnag shall be diverted at Wanpoh and Khudwani crossings through Alstop, Mirbazar, Kilam, Pahloo and Chawalgam Bypass up to the cut-off point near Chawalgam Chowk.

Traffic originating from Khudwani and Qaimoh areas and bound for Kulgam shall move through Kaddar Crossing and Bachroo up to the cut-off point near Neel Kamal Laroo, the advisory said.

Traffic Police urged commuters to comply with the restrictions and diversion plans to ensure smooth movement and avoid congestion during the scheduled rally. [KNT]

Srinagar: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav on Sunday expressed optimism over the prevailing situation in Kashmir and satisfaction with preparations for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, saying extensive efforts were being made to ensure a safe and secure pilgrimage.

The remarks came amid preparations for the annual pilgrimage, with authorities focusing on security and logistical arrangements following last year’s Pahalgam attack.

Talking to reporters during his visit to Lal Chowk in Srinagar, Yadav said he met Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and discussed various issues related to the forthcoming Amarnath Yatra.

Referring to the security situation, the Chief Minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken several steps to restore normalcy following last year’s tragedy in Pahalgam.

He said Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha was also actively working to ensure that the pilgrimage remained safe and secure for devotees.

“The way arrangements are being made are quite satisfying,” Yadav told reporters.

The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister also expressed hope regarding peace and normalcy in Kashmir while emphasizing the importance of smooth conduct of the annual pilgrimage.

Yadav visited Lal Chowk during his Srinagar tour and interacted with media persons on issues relating to Kashmir and the Amarnath Yatra. [KNT]

Srinagar, May 31: In its continued efforts to eradicate the menace of narcotics and achieve the vision of a Drug-Free Jammu and Kashmir under the ongoing “Nasha-Mukt Jammu and Kashmir Abhiyan,” J&K Police detected and destroyed an illicit poppy cultivation during routine patrolling in the jurisdiction of Police Station Kangan.

During the patrolling operation, police personnel noticed a patch of land cultivated with poppy plants. Acting promptly, the police team destroyed the illicit cultivation on the spot and the said land was found to be in possession of Jameel Ahmad Sheikh son of Jaleel Ahmad Sheikh resident of New Colony Arigoripora. Accordingly, Case FIR No. 46/2026 under the relevant provisions of the NDPS Act has been registered at Police Station Kangan, and further investigation has been taken up.

J&K Police remains committed to take stringent action against drug trafficking, cultivation of narcotic substances, and all activities associated with the drug trade. The public is urged to cooperate with the police and share any information regarding drug-related activities so that collective efforts can help build a safer, healthier, and drug-free society.

Srinagar, May 31: Under the ongoing Nasha Mukt Jammu & Kashmir Abhiyan, J&K police continued their sustained efforts against drug abuse and narcotics related activities by conducting raids and searches at suspected drug hotspots in villages including Darganie Gund, Aripal and other areas of Police District Awantipora.

The raids were carried out as part of the intensified anti narcotics campaign aimed at identifying individuals involved in drug-related activities, dismantling narcotics networks and preventing the spread of substance abuse among youth.

Police reiterated their commitment towards making society drug free and urged the general public to cooperate with law enforcement agencies by sharing any information related to drug peddling or substance abuse. The campaign combines enforcement measures with public awareness initiatives to curb the menace of drugs across the region.

Srinagar, May 31: A Class 12 student died and two men were swept away in separate drowning incidents in north and south Kashmir on Saturday, with one of them feared dead after rescuing his son from the fast-flowing Lidder River in Pahalgam.

In Bandipora, 18-year-old Obaid Shabir, a Class 12 student from Nadihal, lost his life after he and his father, Shabir Ahmad Wani, a Head Constable posted at District Police Lines (DPL) Bandipora, drowned while bathing in Nala Sorindar.

According to officials, the father-son duo was caught in a sudden surge in water levels and swept away by the overflowing stream. Locals and teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) launched a rescue operation and retrieved both from the water.

Obaid succumbed to the incident, while his father sustained serious injuries and was initially admitted to District Hospital Bandipora before being referred to Srinagar for specialised treatment. Police have taken cognisance of the incident and initiated legal formalities.

In a separate incident in Pahalgam, a Srinagar man was feared dead after reportedly jumping into the Lidder River near Langanbal to save his son from drowning.

The man, identified as Muhammad Ashraf Mir of Jawahar Nagar, Srinagar, was visiting the tourist resort with family members when the incident occurred. According to reports, the family had halted near the river after being delayed by traffic congestion when his son, Fahad Mir, allegedly slipped into the water.

Witnesses said Ashraf immediately jumped into the river and successfully rescued the child. However, after bringing his son to safety, he was swept away by the strong currents and went missing.

Police, SDRF personnel and local residents launched a search operation, which was continuing till the filing of this report. (KNT)