Author: Agencies
JAMMU: Around 150 Village Defence Group (VDG) members, including women volunteers, from 17 remote villages along the Doda–Chamba border are undergoing intensive training in handling automatic rifles, minor tactics, self-defence, bunker construction and repelling enemy attacks, officials said. The villages are located in forested and mountainous areas where security forces are currently carrying out extensive search operations following suspected terrorist movement. The training programme is being conducted at Shingini panchayat in Bhalessa, about 90 kilometres from the Doda district headquarters, with the objective of equipping volunteers to safeguard their villages and serve as the first line of defence in vulnerable…
JAMMU: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday unveiled the Wall and Table Calendars of Jammu & Kashmir Bank for the year 2026 at Lok Bhavan. The Wall Calendar 2026 is themed “Rivers of J&K and Ladakh”, while the Table Calendar showcases “Historic Places” of the region, reflecting the rich natural heritage and human legacy of the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. The Lieutenant Governor appreciated J&K Bank for choosing distinctive and meaningful themes, saying they would help raise public awareness about the preservation of ancient monuments, archaeological sites and cultural traditions for future generations. He stressed that…
NEW DELHI: The Indian Army on Tuesday outlined ten major milestones achieved in 2025, underscoring a decisive shift towards future-ready warfare driven by precision, technology absorption, jointness and indigenisation. In a detailed statement, the Army said the year’s most significant military development was Operation Sindoor, launched in May 2025 following the Pahalgam terror attack carried out by “Pakistan Army-backed terrorists”. The Army said the entire operational planning for Operation Sindoor was undertaken by the Military Operations Branch, while execution was monitored from the Directorate General of Military Operations (DGMO) Ops Room, with the Chief of Defence Staff and all three…
JAMMU: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday hoisted the Tricolour and inaugurated the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Flag Point at JDA Park, Ram Vihar, Jammu, to mark the 82nd anniversary of the historic hoisting of the national flag on Indian soil by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 1943. Recalling December 30, 1943, when Netaji declared Port Blair free from British rule, the Lieutenant Governor said the initiative was aimed at commemorating Netaji’s unparalleled contribution to India’s freedom struggle and his enduring legacy. Paying tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, the Lieutenant Governor said the…
NEW DELHI, December 30 : Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh, said that 2025 was a year that focused on governance reforms aimed at improving ease of living for citizens, alongside creating a more enabling and work-friendly environment for government employees. Addressing a year-ender press conference here, the Minister highlighted the year-end achievements of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, covering the work of the Department of Personnel and Training, the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, and the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare. Dr Jitendra Singh said the reforms…
JAMMU: Shiva Gupta of Class VIII C has brought laurels to Heritage School by representing the Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory at the 69th National School Games in the Under-14 Boys Football Championship. The prestigious national-level championship was held at Umaria, Madhya Pradesh, from December 1 to December 10, 2025, and was organised by the School National Games Federation of India. The event witnessed participation from talented young footballers from across the country. The Heritage School family congratulated Shiva Gupta on his commendable achievement and extended best wishes for his continued success in future sporting endeavours.
SRINAGAR: All roads in the higher reaches of Kashmir were closed on Tuesday following a forecast of rain and snowfall across Jammu and Kashmir over the next two days, beginning Tuesday afternoon, according to the Meteorological (MeT) Department. The MeT has predicted snowfall in higher elevations and rain in the plains. Travellers and transporters have been advised to strictly adhere to advisories issued by the Traffic Department and district administrations. As a precautionary measure, authorities have suspended traffic on the Srinagar–Leh highway, Sinthan Pass in Anantnag district, Margan Pass linking the Valley with Kishtwar district of Jammu, and the Mughal…
KATRA: District Police Reasi on Monday rescued four minor children found begging on the sacred Shri Mata Vaishno Devi (SMVD) Ban Ganga Track in Katra during routine checking. On noticing the minors engaged in begging, police personnel immediately intervened to ensure their safety and welfare. The children were promptly rescued, and all necessary legal and welfare procedures were initiated in accordance with established norms. The matter was reported to the concerned Child Welfare Authorities, and the rescued minors were handed over to PRAYAS Juvenile Aid Centre, Katra, for further care, protection, and rehabilitation. The rescue operation was carried out by…
NEW DELHI: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Monday successfully conducted the maiden flight test of the Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket (LRGR-120) at the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur. Tested for its maximum range of 120 kilometres, the rocket performed all in-flight manoeuvres as planned and struck the designated target with pinpoint accuracy. All range instruments deployed during the trial tracked the rocket throughout its entire trajectory, officials said. The LRGR-120 has been developed by the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) in collaboration with the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), with support from the Defence…
JAMMU: Police on Monday seized an unidentified drone found abandoned in an agricultural field in a forward village of Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district, officials said. According to officials, the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir Police received specific information about a drone lying abandoned in a field at Gohled village in the Mendhar sector. Acting swiftly, a police team rushed to the spot and recovered the drone. An investigation has been launched to ascertain the ownership and purpose of the drone, the officials added. In a separate incident, security forces recovered a magazine of an AK assault…