Srinagar, Jan 26: The 76th Republic Day was celebrated on Sunday in the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, Srinagar Wing, with immense enthusiasm and full patriotic fervour.
The event commenced with unfurling of the National flag by Justice Atul Sreedharan, Judge, High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, who took salute at the March Past followed by playing of the National Anthem/ patriotic tunes by the Band.
The event was also graced by Justice Mohammad Yousuf Wani, Judge, High Court of J&K and Ladakh.
Besides, Mir Syed Latif, Member, CAT Srinagar Bench, Jaffer Hussain Beg, Principal District and Sessions Judge, Srinagar, Tasleem Arief, Registrar Vigilance, Farooq Ahmad Bhat, Registrar Judicial Srinagar Wing, Tahir Majeed Shamsi, DSGI, Waseem Gul, President, Kashmir Advocates' Association, officers of police and civil administration, law officers besides officers and officials of Srinagar Wing of High Court.
The event concluded with distribution of sweets among the police and CRPF officials.
'Results likely to get delayed in absence of Chairman' Jammu, Jan 7: The Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) on Wednesday said the result of the class 10th examinations will be declared soon after the appointment of the Chairman of the Board. The statement comes amid the uncertainty about the declaration of the results by JKBOSE. In an official handout issued here, JKBOSE has advised students not to pay heed to fake links and websites announcing declaration of class 10 results. "Result of class 10th will be declared within few days soon after the appointment of new Chairman," the statement reads. The JKBOSE has stated that the results of annual examination of class 10 of Kashmir valley and winter zone areas of Jammu Division are almost ready. "But its approval by Result Declaration Committee headed by BOSE Chairman is a pre- requisite before its declaration. In absence of the Chairman the results are likely to get a little delayed," it reads. The JKBOSE officials have advised the students to wait for the formal declaration on the official website of the Board- www.jkbose.nic.in. "Students should not get misled by scamesters and fake narratives circulated by some mischievous elements, whose sole aim is to create confusion in the innocent student community," the statement reads.
Suhail Khan Baramulla, Jan 6: A young aerospace engineer from Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district is proving that dedication and ambition can propel one to global heights. Munaf-ul-Raquib who holds a B.Tech in Aerospace Engineering, has gained international recognition for his research on black holes and cosmology. Munaf-ul-Raquib revealed that his paper on the thermodynamics of black holes was recently published in the International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR). “About a year ago, I conducted research on the gravity of black holes and cosmology, which has now been published in IJSR,” he said. He said that since his research was published in the international journal, he has been receiving opportunities from various countries to participate in research dialogues. Raquib added that in the coming months he is scheduled to participate in international conferences in Paris on April 16 and later in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The Sopore aerospace engineer noted that he is also participating in various conferences across different countries. Speaking about his research, Munaf-ul-Raquib addressed a fundamental paradox in astrophysics: how black holes can appear to violate thermodynamic laws, particularly concerning entropy.“If we observe a black hole, it seems to contradict thermodynamic principles,” he said. Using the frameworks of Anti-de Sitter space (AdS) and Conformal Field Theory (CFT), Raqeeb’s research proposes a theoretical model that reconciles black hole mechanics with thermodynamics. “In this paper, I have explained how a black hole can function without violating thermodynamic laws,” he said. He described the achievement as both personal and symbolic. “It is a proud moment for me to represent my state, especially Sopore, on an international platform,” he said. Raqeeb shared that Astrophysics was his childhood dream, and his grandfather encouraged me immensely. "After my grandfather passed away during the Covid-19 pandemic, my parents continued to champion my aspirations. My parents left no stone unturned in helping me pursue my dreams,” he said. He said that his academic path included taking the JEE and later the AME CET entrance exams, through which he secured a seat in aerospace engineering at the Nasik Research Centre. “My parents not only supported me morally but also created an environment where I could pursue my dreams freely,” he said. He emphasized the role of family in nurturing talent. “Just as my parents supported me, it is the responsibility of all parents to help their children follow their dreams.” “Young people should avoid wrong practices. They must dream of a beautiful tomorrow but work hard today to make their parents proud,” he further added.
Srinagar, Jan 8: The University of Kashmir (KU) has made the biometric attendance mandatory for the students of its affiliated colleges from Academic session 2026-27. The development comes in wake of the complaints about the thin attendance of the students in various private B.Ed colleges affiliated with the Kashmir University. A circular in this regard has been issued by the Assistant Registrar Dean Colleges Development Council (DCDC) of the University. "All the Chairpersons and Principals of private affiliated colleges of the University of Kashmir are hereby informed that biometric attendance for all the enrolled students and staff has been made mandatory from the year 2026-27," the KU circular reads. The Principals of all the affiliated colleges have been directed to install biometric attendance machines in their respective institutions on or before the commencement of the Academic year 2026-27 under intimation to the Dean College Development Council of the University. "The college shall also ensure proper upkeep, maintenance, and systematic preservation of all biometric attendance records for future reference and verification," it reads. The Colleges have been directed to comply with this directive "without fail." The move comes in wake of the inspections conducted last year by the DCDC of KU in various B.Ed colleges where most of the students were found absent. An official said that there were complaints about the poor attendance of the students in B.Ed colleges. "The students do not attend their B.Ed classes regularly which defeats the purpose of the course," the official said. Earlier, DCDC of KU earlier barred the B.Ed students to appear in teh semester exams for falling short of attendance. The decision was taken in wake of the surprise inspection conducted by Dean College Development Council (DCDC) in various B.Ed colleges of Kashmir in June-July month of 2025 and several students were found absent from the classes. Following this, the students were directed to attend supplementary classes to complete the recommended attendance for appearing in their exams. Also, the exam of these students was deferred by few months.
Baramulla, Jan 9: Deputy Commissioner Baramulla on Thursday said that the situation caused by the landslides on Ur-Baramulla was temporary and would be resolved once the excavation process of the road is completed. The statement comes amid the concerns over recurring landslides on the Uri–Baramulla road due to ongoing road widening project being executed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Talking to Kashmir Square, Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Minga Sherpa said that such issues are common during the construction of hill roads and should not be viewed as an unusual development. “There is no major issue. Whenever a hill road is constructed or widened, such problems are recurrent,” he said. He further said that the slopes usually take time to stabilise after excavation. "The excavation process affects the natural stability of the hillside and it generally takes one to two years for slopes to fully stabilise," he said. Minga Sherpa said several slope stabilisation measures are already in place to minimise risks. “Grouting has been done and protective walling has also been constructed at several points,” DC Baramulla told Kashmir Square. He further said that around 200 metres of excavation work is still pending on the stretch and the remaining cutting work is expected to be completed within a month. “Once the excavation is finished, the BRO and concerned agencies will carry out full-fledged slope stabilisation measures. After that, such incidents will not occur again,” he said. Over the past few weeks, the Uri–Baramulla road, a vital link connecting the border town of Uri with Baramulla district witnessed intermittent traffic disruptions due to landslides triggered by excavation work, raising safety concerns among commuters. The Baramulla–Uri National Highway remained closed on Thursday after another landslide struck the stretch - the third such incident reported in the last 20 days, causing severe inconvenience to commuters. A fresh landslide hit the highway on Thursday afternoon, forcing authorities to immediately halt traffic movement on the route as a precautionary measure. It was the third such incident in just 20 days on the Baramulla–Uri National Highway, following two earlier slides that also triggered full traffic halts and diversions through alternate routes. Only emergency vehicles were allowed to pass, while all routine traffic was stopped to avoid any untoward incident. An official said the road clearance operations were launched soon after the incident, with personnel and machinery mobilised to remove debris and stabilise the affected area. "The highway was made motorable again from the evening hours," he said. The closure of the main Baramulla–Uri National Highway compelled authorities to divert vehicles through the dilapidated Khadniyar–Gantamulla road.
Srinagar, Jan 9: Chairman J&K Civil Society Forum (JKCSF) Abdul Qayoom Wani on Friday came down heavily on the Jammu and Kashmir government over its failure in appointing a permanent chairman of the J&K Board of School Education (JKBOSE). Wani condemned the continued failure of the government to appoint a permanent Chairman of JKBOSE. He termed the delay as a blatant act of administrative apathy and political callousness, ruining the careers of lacs of students. "Keeping JKBOSE headless at a crucial time has paralysed the institution and delayed the declaration of results. The situation has pushed the students and their families into unbearable stress and uncertainty," Wani said. Notably, the two-year tenure of the former chairman of the JKBOSE expired on January 25 of last year following which the key institution has been rendered without a permanent head. Amid the delay by the government in appointing a permanent chairman for the Board, the post was manned by the former Financial Commissioner of J&K Higher Education Department (HED) for around one year, as an interim arrangement, till he attained superannuation on December 31 of 2025. For the last 10 days, the JKBOSE is without a permanent head while no arrangement was made by the government to give additional charge of the post to any officer. The delay has led to the deferment in the announcement of the class 10th results by the JKBOSE which was otherwise scheduled to be announced in the first week of January. Qayoom Wani said the students who completed their examinations months ago are waiting for results that will decide their academic future. "Unfortunately the government continues to dither over appointments. This is not a procedural lapse but a serious injustice to the youth of J&K," Qayoom Wani said. He said playing politics over the appointment of the JKBOSE Chairman and keeping such a vital institution headless is nothing short of playing with the future of our children. "Unfortunately, putting students’ careers at risk has become a norm in Kashmir, and this culture of irresponsibility must end immediately,” Wani said. He said the delay has disrupted academic schedules, admissions, and career planning besides causing immense mental pressure on students. "Education cannot be held hostage to bureaucratic delays or political interests. Every day of inaction steals time, confidence, and opportunity from our youth," he said. He appealed to the J&K Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Minister to rise above politics and appoint a competent full-time Chairman of JKBOSE. "The government must ensure the prompt announcement of pending results so that students can finally breathe a sigh of relief," he said. He said the government must understand that silence and delay are also decisions. "And in this case, the decisions are against students. Accountability must be fixed, and such negligence must never be repeated,” Wani added.
Bandipora, Jan 12: A Border Security Force (BSF) constable died after a fire broke out in a barrack of the 62nd Battalion camp in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district late last night, officials said. An official said that the incident occurred in the Madar area of Bandipora, where a fire engulfed the barrack, completely gutting the structure. The constable, who was inside at the time, could not be rescued and was charred to death. The body was later shifted to the District Hospital Bandipora for medico-legal formalities, after which it will be sent to his native place. The deceased has been identified as Ramesh Kumar, a resident of Jalandhar, Punjab. Authorities have taken cognizance of the incident. (KNO)
Sopore, Jan 11: Sopore Police have apprehended four drug peddlers in three separate NDPS cases across Police District Sopore, leading to the seizure of contraband substances and registration of multiple FIRs. The action has been taken as part of its its sustained drive against drug trafficking. In the first incident, Police Station Bomai established a naka on the Nathipora–Tujjer link road. During checking, a suspicious person attempted to flee but was apprehended by the alert naka party. Upon search, charas-like substance was recovered from his possession. Police have identified the accused as Umar Mohammad son of Ghulam Mohammad Sheikh of Sheikhpora Tujjer. "Accordingly, FIR No. 03/2026 under Sections 8/20 NDPS Act was registered at PS Bomai, and investigation was initiated," the handout reads. In another case, Police Post Warpora established a naka at Poultry Crossing, Dangerpora Road, where two suspicious persons attempted to evade checking but were tactfully apprehended. During the search, capsules of Spasmo-Proxyvon Plus were recovered from their possession. The accused have been identified as Majid Ashraf Khan son of Mohammad Ashraf Khan, from Pethseer Sopore, and Musadiq Mehraj, son of Mehraj-ud-Din Dar, of Muslimpeer Sopore. "In this regard, FIR No. 08/2026 under Section 8/22 NDPS Act was registered at Police Station Sopore, and investigation is underway," it reads. In a third incident the police party of Police Post Bus Stand Sopore apprehended one person who attempted to flee during routine patrolling at Neharpora Crossing. "Upon personal search, heroin-like substance and tablets of Alprazolam were recovered from his possession," the handout reads. The accused has been identified as Nasir Yousuf Shah son of Mohammad Yousuf Shah from Neharpora. Accordingly, FIR No. 09/2026 under Sections 8/21 and 22 NDPS Act was registered at Police Station Sopore. "Further investigation in all the cases is in progress to trace the source and wider network involved," the Police handout reads. Sopore Police reiteratedtheir zero-tolerance policy against drug trafficking and reaffirm their commitment to protecting youth and society from the menace of drugs through "sustained enforcement and preventive measures."
Baramulla, Jan 9: Deputy Commissioner Baramulla on Thursday said that the situation caused by the landslides on Ur-Baramulla was temporary and would be resolved once the excavation process of the road is completed. The statement comes amid the concerns over recurring landslides on the Uri–Baramulla road due to ongoing road widening project being executed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Talking to Kashmir Square, Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Minga Sherpa said that such issues are common during the construction of hill roads and should not be viewed as an unusual development. “There is no major issue. Whenever a hill road is constructed or widened, such problems are recurrent,” he said. He further said that the slopes usually take time to stabilise after excavation. "The excavation process affects the natural stability of the hillside and it generally takes one to two years for slopes to fully stabilise," he said. Minga Sherpa said several slope stabilisation measures are already in place to minimise risks. “Grouting has been done and protective walling has also been constructed at several points,” DC Baramulla told Kashmir Square. He further said that around 200 metres of excavation work is still pending on the stretch and the remaining cutting work is expected to be completed within a month. “Once the excavation is finished, the BRO and concerned agencies will carry out full-fledged slope stabilisation measures. After that, such incidents will not occur again,” he said. Over the past few weeks, the Uri–Baramulla road, a vital link connecting the border town of Uri with Baramulla district witnessed intermittent traffic disruptions due to landslides triggered by excavation work, raising safety concerns among commuters. The Baramulla–Uri National Highway remained closed on Thursday after another landslide struck the stretch - the third such incident reported in the last 20 days, causing severe inconvenience to commuters. A fresh landslide hit the highway on Thursday afternoon, forcing authorities to immediately halt traffic movement on the route as a precautionary measure. It was the third such incident in just 20 days on the Baramulla–Uri National Highway, following two earlier slides that also triggered full traffic halts and diversions through alternate routes. Only emergency vehicles were allowed to pass, while all routine traffic was stopped to avoid any untoward incident. An official said the road clearance operations were launched soon after the incident, with personnel and machinery mobilised to remove debris and stabilise the affected area. "The highway was made motorable again from the evening hours," he said. The closure of the main Baramulla–Uri National Highway compelled authorities to divert vehicles through the dilapidated Khadniyar–Gantamulla road.