Kulgam police conducting drug abuse test on Srinagar Jammu National Highway. -Excelsior/Sajad Dar
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 29: Police in Kulgam today conducted rapid urine drug abuse tests on drivers plying along the National Highway within district limits as part of a focused drive to ensure road safety and curb substance abuse.
The checking drive, officials said, was aimed at identifying drivers operating vehicles under the influence of narcotic or psychotropic substances, which officials said pose a serious threat to public safety and can lead to fatal road accidents.
Several drivers were screened during the operation using rapid testing kits, officials said.
Police said the drive forms part of a zero-tolerance policy against drug abuse and added that such operations will continue in the future to ensure safer roads for commuters.
Senior Superintendent of Police Kulgam Anayat Ali Chowdhary appealed to transporters and drivers to stay away from drugs, follow traffic regulations and cooperate with law enforcement agencies in the larger interest of public safety.
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 29: The Armed Police Headquarters J&K, Jammu today ordered the promotion of 1006 police personnel.
Among the promotees are 413 Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs), who have promoted to the rank of Sub-Inspectors and 593 Head Constables, who have been promoted to the rank of Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs).
An official statement said the promotion orders were issued by Armed Police Headquarters J&K, Jammu on the recommendation of the Departmental Promotion Committee.
RAJOURI Apr 29: Senior BJP leader, Ravinder Raina today met the grieving family members of the victims who tragically lost their lives in a road accident in Kuwait, where six youth from Rajouri and Poonch districts were killed.
The family members urged Ravinder Raina to intervene and facilitate the early return of the mortal remains of the deceased to their native places. Expressing deep sorrow over the tragic loss, Raina extended his heartfelt condolences and assured the bereaved families that all possible efforts are being made to ensure the timely repatriation of the bodies. He emphasized that the Government and concerned authorities are being approached at all levels to expedite the process and provide necessary assistance.
Raina further assured that the families will receive full support during this difficult time and that every step will be taken to stand with them in their hour of grief.
Excelsior Correspondent
DODA, Apr 29: Police here today detained two habitual offenders under the stringent provisions of Public Safety Act (PSA).
The first detained person, Mohd Rafiq, son of Mohd Sabir, resident of Sekwan Beoli, Tehsil and District Doda, is a notorious criminal and has a consistent history of involvement in theft and snatching related offences. He has been repeatedly booked in multiple cases registered at Police Station Doda.
Despite previous legal action, he continued to engage in unlawful activities, posing a significant threat to public peace and safety.
The second detained person, Din Mohd, son of Munawer Wani, resident of Dhar Dashnan, is also a known offender with involvement in multiple criminal cases registered against him.
Upon due consideration and careful examination, detention orders under the PSA were issued against these two persons and cops from Police Station Doda took them into custody and lodged them in District Jail Udhampur to maintain public order.
JAMMU, Apr 29: The Special Crime Wing (SCW), Jammu has registered a cheating case against Ashok Kumar Kachroo for allegedly duping a complainant of Rs 15 lakh in a fraudulent land deal at Swarn Vihar.
According to the complaint, the accused entered into an agreement for sale of a plot at Swarn Vihar, claiming to be the attorney holder of the owner. The complainant paid Rs 20 lakh to the owner through bank transfer and Rs 15 lakh in cash to the accused, besides depositing transfer charges and GST with the Corporation.
However, the accused failed to complete the transfer process, and the owner later withdrew consent, citing non-receipt of Rs 15 lakh from the accused. Subsequently, the plot was processed for transfer to a third party without informing the complainant.
A cheque of Rs 15 lakh issued by the accused was repeatedly dishonoured. Preliminary verification revealed that the accused had no valid power of attorney and allegedly followed a pattern of duping buyers.
While the owner refunded Rs 20 lakh, the Rs 15 lakh paid in cash remains unpaid. A case under Section 318(4) BNS has been registered, and investigation is underway.
K K Gandhi receiving a memento during a function in Gulmarg.
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 29: K K Gandhi, one of India’s most prominent master artists, today attended a prestigious five-day national art camp organized at the scenic Gulmarg, in Srinagar.
The camp was organized by the North Zone Cultural Centre in collaboration with the JKAACL and was inaugurated by MLA Gulmarg P F Ahmed Shah, along with Brij Mohan Sharma, Principal Secretary JKAACL and Tariq Hussain Naik, CEO of the Gulmarg Development authority, who ensured smooth organization and coordination of the event.
Throughout the camp, Gandhi earned widespread appreciation for his soulful and evocative artworks, particularly his artistic interpretation of Gulmarg’s serene and majestic landscapes.
His creations stood out for their emotional depth and technical brilliance, captivating art lovers and fellow participants alike.
A major highlight of the event was Gandhi’s live painting session on a large canvas, performed in the presence of artists, officials, tourists and visitors.
His creative process, unfolding in real time, left the audience mesmerized, with many describing it as “live magic.”
The performance drew significant attention from both local and national media.
Impressed by Gandhi’s exceptional talent, Tariq Hussain Naik extended a special invitation to the artist to conduct a live painting workshop at Government Degree College Tangmarg.
During the session, Gandhi showcased his artistic mastery by completing a painting within just 60 minutes, offering students a rare and inspiring insight into fine art techniques.
The students and faculty expressed heartfelt gratitude and honored Gandhi with a memento, recognizing not only his artistic excellence but also his contribution to inspiring and nurturing young creative minds.
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 29: High Court directed the authorities to apprise the court about the progress of Wular lake with regard to removal of encroachments and its allied issues by next date of hearing.
The authorities have failed to submit a detailed affidavit in this regard despite various directions passed by the court and the court reprimanded the Wular Conservation Management Authority (WUCMA) to remain silent with regard to compliance of court orders.
After hearing the Sr. AAG Mohsin Qadri in the matter, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal deferred the hearing of the case and granted liberty to Government counsel to submit a detailed affidavit in this regard.
The bench was hearing a PIL titled Kashmir Environmental Protection Coordination Organisation, Bandipora through its chairman for the protection of the Wular lake and for the removal of all hutments and encroachment within the catchment area in and around the said lake.
The earlier order of the court enumerates the issues to be taken up in this petition vis-à-vis De-weeding in Wular-Mansbal lakes, removal of encroachment on the banks of lakes, Conservation and development of Wular-Mansbal lakes, Creation and deputation of staff under land management wing, Formulation of Integrated Development Plan, Master Plan and determination of jurisdiction of Wular-Mansbal Authority; and Conservation and development of Wular-Mansbal lakes.
Apart from the Chief Executive Director, Wular Conservation and Management Authority, the Union of India through Ministry of Finance, New Delhi and Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, New Delhi have also been made parties in the PIL.
As per the report it has been stated that 640 kanals of Wular lake have been encroached upon illegally. At the same time it has also been reported that Rs. 200 crore have been provided for the conservation and management of Wular lake.
The court earlier called upon the authorities at the helm of affairs to submit an action-taken-report as to how 640 kanals of land have been encroached upon and as to what action the authorities have taken against such encroachments.
The authorities were also directed to inform the manner in which this Rs 200 crore provided is sought to be spent for the conservation and management of the Wular lake.
“…no garbage from any village situated on the banks of the Wular lake is dumped into the lake area. Further it is made clear that henceforth this PIL will remain confined to the conservation, management and development of the Wular lake”, reads the earlier direction passed by the bench.
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 29: A Special Anti-Corruption Court in Anantnag has sentenced five former employees of the Food and Supplies Department after convicting them in a decades-old case involving embezzlement of food grains and empty bags worth Rs 3.64 lakh.
The court awarded 2 years’ simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1 lakh each under provisions of the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act.
In default of payment of fine, each convict will undergo an additional 6 months’ imprisonment.
The court also sentenced them to 3 years’ simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs 2 lakh each under Section 409 RPC, with an additional 1 year’s imprisonment in case of default.
The convicts were identified as Abdul Khaliq Shah, Ghulam Nabi Mir, Mohammad Shafi Rather, Ghulam Hassan Hajam and Muzaffar Ahmad Bichoo, all posted as storekeepers at different Food Supplies Sale Centres in Pahalgam, Laripora, Dawatoo, Aru and Kathsoo at the relevant time.
The case was registered by the then Vigilance Organisation Kashmir (now Anti-Corruption Bureau) on June 7, 1990 following a complaint by then Deputy Director, Food and Supplies Department, Srinagar alleging embezzlement of Government stock and empty bags.
Following investigation, the chargesheet in the case was presented before the Court of Special Judge, Anti-Corruption Court Anantnag, on September 9, 2003. Accordingly, the court convicted the accused on Apr 20, 2026 and pronounced the quantum of sentence today.
IRCTC Chairman Sanjay Jain delivering leadership talk at IIM Jammu.
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 29: The Indian Institute of Management Jammu hosted an insightful and inspiring guest lecture by Sanjay Jain, Chairman & Managing Director, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), here today.
The distinguished session brought together students, faculty members, officers, and eminent guests for a transformative interaction with one of India’s foremost public sector leaders.
In his highly engaging address, Sanjay Jain inspired students to emerge as visionary, responsible, and transformative leaders who will play a pivotal role in realizing India’s aspiration of becoming a developed nation by 2047. He eloquently chronicled IRCTC’s extraordinary 25-year journey as a trailblazer in digital transformation, demonstrating how the organization has redefined customer experiences while managing operations at an unprecedented scale. He underscored how IRCTC has emerged as one of India’s most admired and best-performing public sector enterprises, setting new benchmarks in service excellence, innovation, and value creation.
Further strengthening the bond between academia and industry, he extended an invitation to IIM Jammu for collaborative initiatives and encouraged students to visit IRCTC to gain firsthand exposure to its real-time operations, cutting-edge technologies, and innovative management practices.
Prof B S Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu, highlighted the Institute’s illustrious journey since 2016, its emergence as one of the world’s fastest-growing management institutions, and its diverse portfolio of academic programmes. He also underscored IIM Jammu’s strategic collaborations with premier institutions such as IIT Jammu, AIIMS Jammu, and leading international universities, alongside its prestigious global accreditations.
The session culminated in an engaging and intellectually stimulating question-and-answer session. The formal vote of thanks was proposed by Arup Bhattacharya, Chief Program Officer, IIM Jammu.
Rakesh Wazir, Chairman, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Jammu Region, and President, Hotel & Restaurant Association, Katra; Arup Bhattacharya, Chief Program Officer, IIM Jammu; Prof (Dr ) Shakti Gupta, Honorary Distinguished Professor, IIM Jammu along with Prof Jabir Ali, Dean Faculty and Research; Prof Nitin Upadhyay, Dean Academics, were also present on the occasion.
CUJ Vice-Chancellor and others during inauguration of workshop.
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 29: The Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering (Centre for Molecular Biology), Central University of Jammu, today inaugurated three days hands on training workshop on Molecular Biology and Microbiological tools and techniques along with the newly established laboratory for molecular and microbiological work.
Vice-Chancellor CUJ, Prof Sanjeev Jain formally inaugurated the workshop and laboratory. He emphasized that students and scholars should be well-versed in handling laboratory equipment and make full use of available facilities. He also informed that the laboratory will remain open till late hours to support research work and encouraged students to work hard and remain open to new learning.
Earlier, Director of CMB, and convenor of the workshop, Dr Narendra K Bairwa highlighted the importance of hands-on training in experimental biology training. He also shared with the audience about the events which will take place in the three-day workshop.
Dean, School of Life Sciences, Prof Sunil Dhar interacted with the participants and encouraged students to develop scientific curiosity and remain dedicated towards their studies.
Prof Yashwant Singh, Registrar CUJ, also graced the occasion and appreciated the department efforts in strengthening academic and research infrastructure.
Prof Mushtaq Ahmed, Centre for Molecular Biology, motivated students to do well in their respective fields and actively take part in academic and research activities.
A major highlight of the event was the formal inauguration of the Molecular and Microbiological laboratory at CMB that is aimed to enhance the research facilities for students and research scholars. On this occasion, Prof Jain and other dignitaries also unveiled the departmental monthly magazine, “Biotech Gazette”.
The programme concluded with a formal vote of thanks proposed by Dr Shelly Sehgal, Co-Convener of the workshop.
