Jammu, June 2: A youth has been arrested from Jammu’s Makwal village, near the International Border, for allegedly spying for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) after falling prey to a honeytrap.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Jammu, Joginder Singh, said that whether it is the Pakistan Army, ISI or the entire ecosystem, “their efforts have always been to disrupt peace in Jammu and Kashmir.”

“They use social media and other tools to push our youths towards drugs; honey-trap and radicalise them,” he said.

He pointed out that boundaries between nations do not matter in the world of social media. “Therefore, the online platforms are an easy access (to influence the youth),” he said.

Singh added that some of the youth, even if their number is as low as 0.01 per cent, fall prey to such antics.

However, he said that security agencies are constantly monitoring such activities. “We are identifying them and keeping an eye on them. We trace them (influenced youths) and try to counsel them to mend their ways.”

He added that further investigation is underway to identify the other people in the network.

The accused’s mother said that though her son spent a lot of time on mobile phones, she did not know how he came under Pakistan’s influence or how he allegedly passed sensitive information to them.

In a similar case, Punjab Police had arrested a man from Pathankot town on charges of spying for Pakistan-based handlers, officials said on May 22.

During questioning, the accused, Baljit Singh, revealed that the entire operation was being directed by a handler operating from Dubai. For espionage, he was given Rs 40,000.

This was the third trans-border espionage module busted by the police in less than a month.

Baljit Singh, a resident of Chakk Dhariwal village, had installed a CCTV camera at a shop located along the National Highway 44 to keep tabs on the movement of the army and paramilitary forces, and was transmitting the live feed to Pakistan-based handlers, a police official said.

During questioning, the accused confessed to the crime and said he installed an internet-based CCTV camera in January.

Srinagar, June 2: Due to crucial runway maintenance and repair works, the Srinagar International Airport in Jammu and Kashmir will remain closed for flight operations for 15 days beginning October 1, officials said on Tuesday.

Since the suspension of flight operations from October 1 will coincide with the Durga Puja holidays, local tourism could suffer huge losses due to the closure of the international airport.

The Valley traditionally witnesses a massive influx of tourists from West Bengal during this period, and travel operators fear the closure will lead to widespread cancellations and heavy financial losses.

According to airport officials, a phased maintenance schedule will begin ahead of the total shutdown. Starting in July, airport operations will be closed for two days (Monday and Tuesday) every week.

This will culminate in the full 15-day closure from October 1 to October 15. The runway repairs are essential for operational safety, the officials said, adding that flight restrictions have already been in place since April 6 following a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by the Indian Air Force.

The ongoing engineering work has already drastically shrunk the airport’s operational window, and flights currently operate only between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., a significant reduction from the previous schedule of 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

With the October closure looming, hospitality and travel stakeholders are urging authorities to reconsider the timeline, saying that cutting off air connectivity during one of the busiest domestic tourism seasons of the year could devastate the local economy.

The Srinagar International Airport carries an average passenger traffic load of nearly 4,000 per day.

The majority of tourist arrivals presently take place through flight operations and through the Jammu-Srinagar national highway. Although train services are presently operational from the rest of the country to Jammu railway station and from Jammu railway station to the Valley, tourists are still not taking the railways to reach the Valley and prefer the air route.

New Delhi, June 2: Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Tuesday administered the oath of office to five new judges of the Supreme Court. Justices Sheel Nagu, Shree Chandrashekhar, Sanjeev Sachdeva and Arun Palli, along with senior advocate V. Mohana, took oath as judges of the apex court after the Centre cleared their appointments on the recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium.

Acting on the Collegium’s recommendations made in its meetings held on May 22 and May 27, the Centre on Monday approved the elevation of the four High Court Chief Justices and senior advocate Mohana to the Supreme Court.

In a post on the social media platform X, Union Minister for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal had announced that the President, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India (CJI), had appointed Justices Sheel Nagu, Shree Chandrashekhar, Sanjeev Sachdeva and Arun Palli, along with senior advocate V. Mohana, as judges of the apex court.

“The Supreme Court Collegium, in its meetings held on 22nd & 27th May, 2026, has recommended elevation of the following persons as Judges in the Supreme Court,” the Collegium had said in a statement uploaded on the website of the apex court.

Justice Nagu was appointed as a judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in May 2011 and took over as the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in July 2024.

Justice Chandrashekhar was elevated as a judge of the Jharkhand High Court in January 2013 and assumed office as the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court in January 2025.

Justice Sachdeva was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Delhi High Court in April 2013 and became a permanent judge in March 2015. He became the Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in July 2025.

Justice Palli was elevated as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in December 2013 and was appointed the Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court in April 2025.

Senior advocate Mohana has been practising before the Supreme Court and has handled several constitutional, civil and service law matters before the apex court.

The oath ceremony comes weeks after President Droupadi Murmu promulgated the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026, increasing the sanctioned strength of judges in the apex court from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India (CJI).

Leh, June 2: Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Vinai Kumar Saxena on Tuesday inaugurated and dedicated 15 Common Facility Centres (CFCs) across Ladakh, describing the initiative as a significant step toward strengthening village-based livelihoods, entrepreneurship and rural self-reliance.

The centres are aimed at transforming traditional handloom and craft activities into organized rural enterprises while creating new livelihood opportunities for women, artisans and youth.

According to the Lieutenant Governor, the newly inaugurated CFCs are located at Skurbuchan, Wanla, Saspol, Chuchot, Kharu, Anlay, Koyul, Korzok, Chushul, Phobrang, Sato, Panamik, Diskit, Turtuk and Digger.

Officials said the facilities would function as shared workspaces catering to weavers, spinners, tailors, artisans and women self-help groups.

The centres have been equipped with modern infrastructure intended to improve quality production and support local manufacturing activities.

The initiative is expected to encourage handloom-based economic activity, promote skill development and support local entrepreneurship within rural areas.

Authorities said the centres were designed not merely as production spaces but as broader hubs of rural development and community participation.

The administration expects the facilities to help generate self-employment, nurture micro-enterprises and create livelihood opportunities for women and young people within their native villages, thereby reducing outward migration and strengthening local economies.

Officials further said the centres would support preservation of Ladakh’s traditional handloom and craft heritage while enabling local products to access wider national and international markets.

The development forms part of wider efforts aimed at promoting decentralized economic growth and strengthening village-level production systems across Ladakh. [KNT]

New Delhi, June 2: In a major administrative reshuffle amid mounting controversy over the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) On-Screen Marking (OSM) system, the Central government on Tuesday appointed senior IAS officer Lokhande Prashant Sitaram as the new CBSE Chairperson and named Varun Bhardwaj as the board’s new Secretary.

The appointments came just hours after the Centre ordered a high-level inquiry into the procurement and implementation of the digital evaluation system.

According to an order approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, Lokhande Prashant Sitaram, a 2001-batch AGMUT cadre IAS officer currently serving as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, will take charge as CBSE Chairperson in the rank of Additional Secretary. He replaces Rahul Singh, a 1996-batch Bihar cadre IAS officer, who has been transferred as Additional Secretary in the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

The government has also appointed Varun Bhardwaj, a 2008-batch Indian Information Service officer and Director in the Department of Higher Education, as the new Secretary of CBSE. Bhardwaj succeeds Himanshu Gupta, an AGMUT cadre IAS officer of the 2012 batch. He will serve in the position until September 19, 2027, under the Central Staffing Scheme.

The leadership overhaul comes amid growing criticism of the OSM system introduced this year for Class 12 board examinations. Under the digital evaluation framework, examiners assessed scanned copies of answer sheets instead of physical answer books. However, students and parents have raised concerns regarding technical glitches, payment issues, delays in re-evaluation processes, and alleged irregularities in the implementation of the system.

In response to the controversy, the Centre has constituted a one-member inquiry committee headed by S. Radha Chauhan, Chairperson of the Capacity Building Commission. The committee has been tasked with examining the procurement of OSM services and investigating allegations that procurement norms may have been relaxed to favour a particular vendor. The panel has been directed to submit its findings to the Department of Personnel and Training within one month.

Meanwhile, CBSE has opened its re-evaluation portal from June 2 to June 6, allowing eligible students who have obtained scanned copies of their evaluated answer sheets to seek verification of marks and request re-evaluation of specific answers.

By: Riyaz Bhat

Srinagar, Jun 02: Authorities on Tuesday said that Government Degree Colleges in Jammu and Kashmir have recorded an increase of more than seven percent in student enrolment in the first round of admissions compared to previous year.

The government also said that it was expecting a 20% increase in student enrolment by the completion of the admission process.

Taking to the microblogging site X, Education Minister Sakina Itoo said, “This year, due to the decisions taken to ease and simplify the admission process in Govt. Degree Colleges across J&K, we have witnessed a significant increase in student enrolment, reversing the declining trend in college admissions seen in recent years.”

She said, “In the very first round itself, admissions have reached 49,155 compared to 45,920 last year reflecting an increase of over 7%.”

The minister further said, “By the completion of the admission process, we expect total admissions to cross 55,000 by the end of June, representing nearly a 20% increase over previous year.”

“This encouraging response reflects the success of our efforts to make higher education more accessible, transparent and student-friendly across Jammu & Kashmir. We remain committed to ensuring that every aspiring student gets an opportunity to pursue quality higher education,” Itoo posted on social media.

As already reported, the government degree colleges in Jammu and Kashmir were facing a dismal student enrolment.

At that time, Government Degree College Baghi Dilawar Khan and Government Degree College Chattisinghpora had no active student enrolment.

GDC Chattisinghpora and GDC Baghi Dilawar Khan were placed under the charge of Government Degree College, Anantnag and S.P College, Srinagar, respectively, for administrative oversight.

The concerned minister had informed that less than 30 students were enrolled in each of the 13 colleges of Jammu and Kashmir.

The government figures had revealed that at least five colleges of Jammu and Kashmir were functioning with an enrolment of less than twenty students in 2025 and eight colleges were functioning with less than 30 students respectively.

The figures further reveal that in 14 colleges in Jammu and Kashmir, fewer than 50 students were enrolled in each college.

Furthermore, 24 government colleges were having less than 100 students enrolled in each college.

The government figures also reveal that in 13 colleges of Jammu and Kashmir, only 100-300 students were enrolled in each college.

Pertinently, the Higher Education Department earlier this year had decided to discontinue Common University Entrance Test (CUET) based admission for Undergraduate (UG) admissions for the academic session 2026–27 in all Government Degree Colleges (GDCs) of J&K.

The department had further decided to revert to a merit-based system on Class 12 scores.

In the previous academic session, the department had exempted 64 Government Degree Colleges from making admissions through CUET score for academic session 2024-25 in wake of low CUET based admissions in many degree colleges of Jammu and Kashmir. (KNO)

Jammu, Jun 02: General Officer Commanding (GOC), White Knight Corps, Lt Gen P K Mishra on Tuesday visited the general area of Gambhir Mughlan to review the progress of ongoing hinterland operations and assess the prevailing security situation on the ground.

According to the details available, the Corps Commander was accompanied by the GOC Counter Insurgency Force (CIF) Romeo.

The Army Commander was briefed on the operational design, current actions being undertaken, and sustainment measures in place as part of ‘Operation Sheruwali.’

During the visit, senior field commanders apprised him of the evolving tactical scenario and the challenges associated with operations in the difficult terrain.

The GOC also reviewed the logistics framework supporting troops deployed in the area, ensuring seamless operational readiness and efficiency.

Commending the troops for their resilience, professionalism and meticulous execution of assigned tasks, Lt Gen Mishra lauded their unwavering commitment to achieving operational objectives. He noted that high morale, sustained focus and firm resolve continue to drive the operation forward.

Reaffirming its commitment to maintaining peace and stability, the White Knight Corps stated that it remains mission-ready to address emerging security challenges through sustained operational excellence. (KNO)

 Srinagar, Jun 02: Srinagar recorded hottest night of the season on Monday as the minimum temperature settled at 19.2 degrees Celsius, several notches above normal for this time of the year.

According to the details, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir witnessed unusually warm night-time conditions.

Weather office stated that Qazigund recorded a minimum temperature of 17.6 degrees Celsius, while Kupwara settled at 15.2 degrees Celsius. Kokernag recorded 16.5 degrees Celsius and Pahalgam 12.4 degrees Celsius.

Gulmarg, the famous ski resort in North Kashmir, recorded a low of 10.5 degrees Celsius, while Sonamarg registered 11.8 Degrees Celsius.

Among other stations, Konibal Pampore recorded 17.2 degrees Celsius, Srinagar Airport 17.4 degrees Celsius, Awantipora 17 degrees Celsius, Bandipora 17.6 degrees Celsius, Shopian 13.2 degrees Celsius, Kulgam 17.6 degrees Celsius, Pulwama 16.5 degrees Celsius and Anantnag 17.5 degrees Celsius.

MeT office said both day and night temperatures have remained above normal in several parts of Kashmir in recent days. (KNO)

Bandipora, Jun 02: A court in North Kashmir’s Bandipora District has convicted a man in a cheque bounce case and sentenced him to one year of simple imprisonment besides directing him to pay Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the complainant.

According to the details, Judicial Magistrate First Class, Sumbal, Rahila Rashid convicted Abdul Ahad Lone, of Zangum Pattan in Baramulla district, under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act.

As per the complaint filed by Haji Asadullah Dar of Shahgund, Hajin, the accused owed him ₹7 lakh arising out of fruit business transactions and had issued two cheques of ₹4 lakh and ₹3 lakh towards repayment of the liability.

The cheques were later dishonoured by the bank due to insufficient funds.

During the trial, the complainant produced documentary evidence and examined witnesses, including bank officials, to establish the liability.

The accused admitted his signatures on the cheques but contended that the signed cheques had been lost and were subsequently misused.

After examining the evidence, the court held that the accused had failed to rebut the statutory presumption in favour of the complainant and could not substantiate his claim regarding the alleged loss or misuse of the cheques.

In its judgment, the court observed that the complainant had successfully established the existence of a legally enforceable debt and proved that the cheques were issued towards discharge of the liability.

The court sentenced the accused to one year of simple imprisonment and directed him to pay ₹10 lakh as compensation to the complainant. (KNO)