Excelsior Correspondent
SAMBA, Apr 27: Samba police has apprehended a Child in Conflict with Law (CCL) in a case registered under relevant sections of NDPS Act at Police Station (PS) Bari Brahmana and recovered approximately 6.165 Kgs Ganja like substance from his possession.
A team of Police Station, Bari Brahmana during patrolling near Pahalwan shop, Bari Brahmana, recovered approximately 6.165 Kgs Ganja like substance from the possession of a Child in Conflict with Law (CCL).
A case FIR No 109/2026 U/S 8/20 NDPS Act has been registered at PS Bari Brahmana and investigation started.
The CCL has been produced before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) Samba and sent to Observation Home RS Pura.
Samba police apprehends child in conflict with CCL
Drug-peddler with heroin
Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, Apr 27: The police nabbed a drug- peddler and recovered heroin from his possession at Darhal today.
Reports said Darhal police party, led by SHO, Inspector Manpreet Singh, under the supervision of SDPO Thanamandi Parupkar Singh during naka at Iqbal Gate, Darhal noticed one person coming from Darhal towards Rakiban. He tried to flee on seeing the police party.
The alert naka party chased and apprehended him. During questioning the accused disclosed his identity as Mehraj-ud-Din, son of Mohd Shakoor, resident of Thanamang. On his personal search 3.20 grams of heroin was recovered from him. He was arrested on the spot. In this regard, a Case FIR No. 27/2026 was registered against him.
One held with 601 gram charas
Excelsior Correspondent
DODA, Apr 27: Police here today arrested a drug peddler and recovered 601 gram narcotic substance from him.
A reliable input was received at Police Post Kahara that one Amreek Singh alias Sonu, son of Kashmir Lal, resident of Gallu, Tehsil Kahara, District Doda, was actively involved in illegal sale of Charas targeting the youth of Gullu area.
On getting this information, a special Police team was constituted which arrested the accused and recovered about 601 gram of Charas-like substance from him.
In this regard, a case in FIR No. 41/2026 U/S 8/20 NDPS Act was registered at Police Station Gandoh and investigation started.
Yuva Jatt Sabha forms Kathua team
Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Apr 27: Amandeep Singh Boparai, founder chairman of Yuva Jatt Sabha (YJS), announced the formation of the Kathua team at a function here, today.
This significant event marks a pivotal moment for the organization as it strengthens its commitment to the Jatt community in Jammu and Kashmir.
The newly appointed team members included
Choudhary Ankit Nathyal – district president,
Nitish Singh, district vice president, Choudhary Ranjit Randhawa , vice president, Choudhary Vishal – district general secretary.
The Sabha is advocating for essential initiatives, including the establishment of a Jatt Youth Hostel to support students from rural and underprivileged backgrounds within the Jatt community. Additionally, they are calling for the installation of a statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Sandhwalia in the Main Chowk of Jammu, honoring his legacy for liberating Jammu by defeating the Afghans in the Battle of Nowshera.
Illicit timber seized
Excelsior Correspondent
BHADERWAH, Apr 27: In the continued drive against illegal forest activities, a joint team of the Forest Department and Forest Protection Force (FPF) here today successfully seized six dry Deodar scants.
The timber was seized during a coordinated operation carried out in Compartment No. 11/N under Sarol Bagh Beat of Duggi I Block.
Range Officer, Neeru and Sameer Rishu along with the joint team were present during the operation and ensured timely action.
A case has been registered in this regard and further investigation has been initiated to identify and apprehend the persons involved in the illegal activity.
The operation was conducted under the overall supervision of DFO Bhaderwah and Deputy Director, FPF Doda.
Acting on the specific inputs, the joint team reached the spot and seized the illicit timber from the forest area.
In a handout, the Forest Department and FPF stated that they will continue to take strict action against any violations of forest laws.
Congregation
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 27: The bi-annual congregation of Mahajan Jandyal (Sansah) Biradri will be held on May 1 (Friday) at Baba Sehaj Nath Ji Dev Asthan, Sohal Tanda, tehsil Akhnoor.
The programme will commence with Hawan at 8 AM, and will be followed by Bhandara at 11 AM.
I don’t know what happened, says baffled Axar
NEW DELHI, Apr 27 : Axar Patel didn’t have much to answer when Delhi Capitals failed to defend 264 against Punjab Kings on Saturday and looked even more perplexed after his team crumbled to 75 versus Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their second straight IPL surrender within a space of 48 hours.
Delhi Capitals were reduced to 9 for 6 inside Powerplay overs with Bhuveneshwar Kumar getting appreciable swing and Josh Hazlewood executing short ball tactic to perfection.
The result was season’s lowest score and RCB cantered to a nine-wicket win.
“Even I don’t know what happened. That’s why they say you have to be on your toes in cricket. We have to move on from this match,” Axar said at post match presentation ceremony.
The single that David Miller refused in a one-run defeat against Gujarat Titans did affect the tournament momentum for DC and Karun Nair dropping dollies against Punjab Kings only made matters worse.
“From today’s point of view, you can say it did effect, but you can look back, if the catches were taken (Nair) or had we taken the single against GT, then momentum would have been with us. The game is such that there is no room for ifs and buts. You have to be positive, you had a bad day and take the positives from the last 5-6 games,” Axar added.
However the DC skipper refused the notion that there was exaggerated swing on offer which one felt after Bhuveneshwar Kumar’s banana inswing cleaned up a clueless former India U-19 Sahil Parakh.
“I wasn’t surprised, they are world class bowlers, they swing it every ground, but if our openers or top order had played them out then the result might have been different.”
Hazlewood, who dismissed KL Rahul and Nitish Rana with short balls said that he wasn’t sure what kind of track would be on offer after close to 530 runs were scored in the previous game.
“Probably turning up here after 500-plus runs in the last game, was not sure what was going to happen,” Hazlewood said, adding that he followed pace bowling colleague Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s advice.
“Was just following his (Bhuvneshwar) lead. There was a bit there in the first six overs – enough there to work with, and it was skidding on quickly from a short of a length. Once the ball got soft, it got more even,” Hazlewood said.
He also spoke about how he set up Rana, who looked in a tangle and out of depth while facing a short ball.
“In general, you wanted the batter to hit it down the wicket and in the V. The short ball was nice as well, just about the accuracy. When that ball was nice and hard, it was tough to bat. Would have been nice to bowl four and get off the field,” said Hazlewood.
His skipper Rajat Patidar was also surprised at how things panned out.
“Even I am surprised the way wicket played,” RCB skipper said.
“All credit goes to the bowlers, Bhuvi and Hazlewood. They hit the right areas. The swing was normal but the good thing was we got early wickets and that kept us in the driving seat. The way Suyash bowled, stump to stump, it was really good to see,” he concluded. (PTI)
Lee Jae-Myung visits India Turns Slogan to Supply Chain”
By Prof. D.K. Giri
When South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung landed in New Delhi on April 19, 2026, it wasn’t just another photo-op at Rashtrapati Bhavan. It was the third time he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi met in 12 months, but the first time as the head of state on Indian soil. The timing is significant.
This is the first South Korean state visit to India in eight years, and the quickest by any Seoul President after taking office. That urgency tells us one thing: the India-Korea “Special Strategic Partnership,” announced in 2015, is finally getting a deadline. The Middle East is burning, the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed, and both democracies have decided they can’t afford to keep their ties stuck in the CEPA (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement)-2010 – era.
In geopolitics both democracies face one chokepoint problem. President Lee was blunt on X before boarding the plane: “Amidst ongoing supply chain instability and a global economic crisis stemming from the aftermath of the Middle East conflict, the Republic of Korea and India are emerging as increasingly vital strategic partners.”
The inference of the above statement is that Iran lost its Supreme Leader to U.S.-Israeli strikes on Feb 28, Tehran is fractured, and Korean tankers can’t get through Hormuz. Korea imports 70 per cent of its crude through that strait. India, meanwhile, needs to de-risk Chinese inputs and find trusted partners for critical tech. Both need each other’s geography.
So the summit wasn’t about culture. It was about chokepoints. National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said it plainly: the leaders would “maintain close coordination on energy supply chains amid rapidly shifting global dynamics”. One expects India to leverage its Iranian Chabahar port and East African routes, while Korea brings maritime insurance, LNG ship tech, and its Hyundai/Hanwha shipyards.
In economic terms Shipbuilding, Chips, and the ‘Make in India’ approach converged during this visit. The MEA brief for the talks reads like an industrial policy wishlist: “shipbuilding, trade, investments, AI, semiconductors, critical and emerging technologies”. Four of those are where Korea is top-3 globally and India is most hungry.
In Shipbuilding, this was “at the top of India’s industrial agenda”. India has 7,500 km of coastline but only 1 per cent of global shipbuilding. Korea has 30 per cent. With Hormuz risky, India wants LNG carriers and warships built locally. Korea wants orders to keep its yards running as Chinese competition bites. These concerns resulted in an MOU signed on Monday. Now, let us watch for a Hyundai Heavy Industries JV in Gujarat or Odisha.
In semiconductors and AI, Samsung and SK Hynix need a China+1 fab base. India needs their IP to make its $10-billion Semicon India mission real. Lee’s team signalled that AI and chips were core deliverables. For India, this is the bridge from “assembly” to “design.” For Korea, it’s market access to 1.4 billion digital consumers.
In trade, bilateral trade hit $25.1 billion in 2024 and was $21.5 billion for Jan–Oct 2025. That’s stagnant. CEPA needs an upgrade. Business forums in Delhi saw both sides push for “new opportunities”. We can expect services, digital trade, and defence exports to enter CEPA 2.0 talks.
The defence angle was quiet, but real. No BrahMos-style headlines, but Wi Sung-lac listed “defence” as a strategic sector for “a new chapter”. Korea is now a top-10 arms exporter. India wants K9 Vajra artillery tech, ship engines, and submarine collaboration. Korea wants India’s Russian legacy market and Indo-Pacific naval access.
But the subtext here is, both countries are hedging. Trump’s America is unpredictable, China is assertive, and the Middle East is volatile. A Seoul-Delhi defence industrial corridor — from Vizag to Busan — gives both the strategic autonomy. Various bilateral mechanisms already exist for “defence industrial cooperation”. This visit funds them.
On the people track, CEOs, students, and the ‘Kimchi-Curry’ soft power are on top priority. Lee didn’t just meet Modi. He laid a wreath at Gandhi’s memorial, attended a business conclave, and met the Korean diaspora. First Lady Kim Hea Kyung was alongside. President Murmu hosted the state dinner.
Why it matters! India-Korea ties have always been elite-driven — Hyundai, LG, Samsung. But the next phase needs SMEs, students, and startups. Korea’s population is aging; India’s is young. Education visas, joint R&D in AI, and cultural familiarity will decide if this is transactional or transformational. Lee calling the summit a “turning point” only makes sense if 25-year-olds in Pune and Pohang start building together.
The Vietnam link shows Lee’s ‘Global South’ play and India’s role in it. Lee flew straight to Hanoi after Delhi. That’s not accidental. Wi called this trip part of Lee’s “global South strategy” to “diversify supply chains and markets”. India is the anchor of that strategy. If Korea can plug into India’s manufacturing and Vietnam’s critical minerals, it creates a non-China supply web for chips, batteries, and ships.
For Delhi, that’s a win. It positions India not just as Korea’s market, but as Korea’s gateway to the Global South and ASEAN. The India-Korea-Vietnam triangle mirrors the Quad’s economic logic, minus the military baggage.
What this visit actually changes? There could be three takeaways for Indo-Korean ties. Takeaway 1: From Trade to Trust. For 15 years, India-Korea was about Hyundai cars and CEPA tariffs. After Hormuz and the Middle East war, it’s about energy security and war-proofing supply chains. That’s a strategic shift. You don’t share shipbuilding IP unless you trust the partner for 30 years.
Takeaway 2: From Bilateral to Networked. Lee’s India visit was leg-1 of an India-Vietnam tour focused on “critical minerals” and “energy supply chains”. India isn’t the destination; it’s the hub. We can expect Seoul to route more of its Indo-Pacific policy through Delhi.
Takeaway 3: From Intent to Investment. The test of this visit is the MOU signing ceremony and the business forum. If Hyundai Heavy, Samsung, and SK announce India capex by July, Lee’s “turning point” claim holds. If not, we’re back to 2018 communiqués.
In conclusion, the ‘special’ in strategic should be noted. “Special Strategic Partnership” has been diplomatic boilerplate since 2015. Lee Jae-Myung’s three-day visit in April 2026 finally put machinery behind the metaphor. Hormuz forced the issue; economics will sustain it.
For India, Korea is the rare partner that brings capital, technology, and no border dispute. For Korea, India is the rare democracy with scale, youth, and a navy that can sail from Hormuz to Malacca. The two leaders have now met thrice. The next meeting should be at a shipyard opening, not a summit. That’s when we’ll know the Korean kimchi (a foundational staple in Korean cuisine) has really met the Indian curry.—INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)
New Delhi
22 April 2026
Senior Army officers, Paras Hospital delegation call on CM
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 27: Lieutenant General Prashant Srivastava, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 15 Corps, and Lieutenant General Balbir Singh, GOC (Designate), called on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today.
During the meeting, they discussed issues of mutual interest, with particular focus on the security scenario and developmental priorities in the region.
Separately, a deputation of Paras Healthcare Limited met the Chief Minister and apprised him of various healthcare-related matters.
DC Rajouri reviews Action Plans for Vibrant Villages
Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, APRIL 27: Deputy Commissioner Rajouri Abhishek Sharma today chaired a meeting of District Level Committee and Village Nodal Officers to review and approve the Village Action Plans under the Vibrant Villages Programme.
The Deputy Commissioner conducted a comprehensive review of the proposed plans and emphasized the need for inclusion of high-impact and need-based works for holistic development of the border villages.
He laid special focus on strengthening basic infrastructure and according priority to development of playgrounds, construction of toilets in schools, establishment of smart classrooms and provision of drinking water facilities, installation of transformers and poles, high mast and solar lights and improvement of road connectivity to tourist destinations. He further stressed on development of essential amenities like signages and parking facilities, besides exploring the feasibility of establishing sports stadiums in the identified villages.
Highlighting the tourism potential of the border areas, the Deputy Commissioner emphasized inclusion of projects like Vibrant Village Tourist Reception Centres and Tribal Theme Parks/Adventure Parks in the action plans to promote eco and border tourism.
Seeking focus on livelihood generation, particularly in villages located near the Line of Control, he directed the stakeholder departments to incorporate sustainable income-generating activities based on local needs and resources. He stressed on branding, processing and marketing of milk-based products such as kaladi, barfi, khoya and milk cake. He also called for the establishment of meat processing units and strengthening of cooperative societies to enhance the local economy.
The Deputy Commissioner further emphasized saturation of all social security schemes in these villages to ensure that no eligible beneficiary is left out. He directed the district and sectoral officers to undertake regular field visits to the Vibrant Villages for effective monitoring and timely implementation of the approved plans.
The meeting was attended by ADDC Malikzada Sheraz-ul-Haq; ADC Sunderbani Ramkesh Sharma; ADC Nowshera Pritam Lal Thapa; PO ICDS Harpal Singh; CPO Maqsood Ahmed; ACD Auqil Naveed; AD Tourism Mumtaz Ahmed; BDO Nowshera Gokul Kumar; BDO Seri Hemant Vaid; SE JPDCL, Principal ITI Ujwal and other district and sectoral officers attended the meeting.