Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 12: A group of contractual lecturers working in various campuses and departments of the University of Jammu has alleged continuous harassment, non-compliance of judicial orders and prolonged victimisation despite securing favourable judgments from the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, and finally the Supreme Court of India.
The petitioners had approached the CAT after the University issued Advertisement Notification dated 01.04.2025 for fresh contractual engagements against the very posts on which they had already been serving continuously for years. According to the petitioners, many of them had been serving since 2019 in various departments across different campuses of JU.
The CAT Jammu Bench pronounced judgment on 01.09.2025 in favour of the contractual lecturers and observed that one set of contractual employees cannot legally be replaced by another similar arrangement. The Tribunal clearly held that the University’s action of replacing experienced contractual teachers through another temporary arrangement was arbitrary and against settled law.
JU challenged the CAT judgment before the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh through multiple writ petitions. However, the High Court upheld the legal protection available to contractual faculty and categorically observed that contractual or academic arrangement appointees cannot be replaced by another similar arrangement every academic session. The Court further directed that if temporary faculty is required, preference should first be given to those teachers who have already gained valuable teaching experience through earlier service.
The University subsequently approached the Supreme Court of India by filing Special Leave Petitions. The Supreme Court, while hearing SLP (Civil) Diary No. 19774/2026, dismissed that SPL filled by the petitioner (i.e. University of Jammu) on 08.05.2026 and refused to interfere with the High Court judgment.
However, despite repeated victories before constitutional courts, the petitioners allege that they continue to face uncertainty, humiliation and severe financial distress due to non-implementation of court directions. Many lecturers have children, elderly parents and families dependent upon their modest contractual salaries.
The lecturers said that whatever savings they had secured for the future of their children and families have now been exhausted on court fees, legal expenses and repeated travel for hearings before different courts.
The aggrieved lecturers have appealed to the Lt Governor’s administration and the present Government to intervene immediately and ensure implementation of the judicial orders in letter and spirit for restoration of their services.
Contractual lecturers allege harassment despite victories in CAT, HC & SC
PSO electrocuted in Srinagar
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, May 12: A Personal Security Officer of a social activist was electrocuted this evening in a temple in Srinagar.
An official said that one police personal, Veerji Koul posted with social activist Ranjeet Gorkha as PSO from DPL Srinagar, got electric shot at Purshyad Mandir at Habakadal in Srinagar today.
The cop was brought to SMHS Hospital Srinagar for treatment where doctors declared him brought dead.
Police have registered a case and are investigating the matter.
Teenage boy dies in fire in seminary at Anantnag
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 12: A 12-year-old boy died and three others sustained burn injuries in a fire in a seminary in Anantnag district on Tuesday, officials said.
“A fire broke out in Faizan Baba Hyder Rishi Darul Aloom at Court Road in Anantnag in which four boys sustained burn injuries,” they said.
One of the injured boys, Bilal Ahmad, succumbed at a hospital.
The blaze was put out by the fire brigade and its cause is being ascertained.
JKTF seeks exemption of female staff from door-to-door survey duty
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 12: A delegation of the Jammu and Kashmir Teachers Forum (JKTF) today called on Naresh Kumar, Additional Commissioner in the office of the Divisional Commissioner Jammu, and raised several issues concerning the large-scale deputation of teaching staff for Census 2027 duties across Jammu Division.
The delegation, headed by JKTF Chief Patron Ganesh Khajuria and JKTF President Bharat Bhushan, submitted a detailed memorandum highlighting the practical difficulties being faced by teachers due to repeated engagement in non-academic assignments and urged the administration to take corrective measures in the interest of both teachers and students.
The delegation particularly stressed upon the difficulties faced by female teaching staff in performing door-to-door census survey duties. The representatives informed the Additional Commissioner that the women employees across Jammu Division are already balancing professional responsibilities with family obligations and are finding it extremely difficult to undertake extensive field work in far-flung and remote areas. They said that safety concerns, long-distance travel, lack of transport facilities and household responsibilities make such assignments highly stressful for female staff members.
The delegation also expressed serious concern over the large-scale deputation of teachers from schools for Census 2027 work. They informed the authorities that in several cases five to six staff members are being deputed from a single institution, severely affecting the normal functioning of schools.
In its memorandum, the JKTF urged the administration to exempt female staff of the Education Department from door-to-door census survey duty and instead assign them indoor or table work related to census operations. The Forum also requested the authorities to issue clear directions to all DCs, CEOs and ZEOs that not more than one staff member should be deputed from a single school for census work. The delegation further suggested that existing BLOs may be considered for census-related assignments so that additional burden on schools can be minimised.
Addl Commissioner Naresh Kumar gave a patient hearing to the delegation and assured the members that the genuine concerns projected by JKTF would be taken up with the concerned authorities for appropriate consideration and necessary action.
Other members of the JKTF delegation included Ashwani Sharma, Surinder Kumar, Rashpal Dass and Bachan Lal.
Court grants bail to teacher in alleged sexual harassment case
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, May 12: Principal District and Sessions Judge, Baramulla today granted bail to a teacher who had recently been arrested in widely publicized sexual harassment case.
The counsel of the accused teacher, Ghulam Hassan Mir, submitted before the court that the allegations were unsupported by the material collected during investigation.
Police had registered a case (FIR No. 90/2026) under Section 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 9/10 of the POCSO Act.
The counsel vociferously argued that the recorded statements collected during investigation failed to prove any incriminating role of the accused and that continued incarceration in absence of substantive material was wholly unjustified.
After hearing detailed arguments from both sides and considering the material placed on record, the court grant bail to the accused.
The defence counsel maintained in this regard that criminal jurisprudence rests upon the settled principle that no individual can be declared guilty merely on the basis of public sentiment, controversy or media trial, and that liberty cannot be curtailed in absence of credible incriminating material.
Police destroys cannabis over 10 Kanals of land
Excelsior Correspondent
SAMBA, May 12: Continuing its sustained crackdown against narcotics and drug abuse under the ongoing “Nasha Mukt Jammu and Kashmir Abhiyaan,” Samba police under the supervision of SSP Samba, Anuj Kumar- today carried out a major operation for the destruction of wild Cannabis (Bhang) spread over approximately 10 Kanals of Government land in village Rattwana, falling under the jurisdiction of Police Station (PS) Ghagwal.
The drive has been carried out by Samba Police led by Additional SP Samba accompanied by DySP Headquarters Samba and SHO PS Ghagwal along with Executive Magistrate Surara. People of the area appreciated the Samba Police for such efforts to curb the drug menace.
Samba police has urged the general public to extend their cooperation in its fight against drugs by sharing any information related to drug trafficking or substance abuse. Informants’ identities will be kept strictly confidential.
Drug peddler detained under PIT-NDPS Act
Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, May 12: Continuing its sustained drive against drug trafficking and substance abuse under the Nasha Mukt Jammu & Kashmir Abhiyan, Udhampur Police has detained one more drug peddler under the provisions of the PIT-NDPS Act.
The detainee has been identified as Chiman Lal, son of Shubash Chander, resident of Sail, Tehsil Majalta, District Udhampur. He was allegedly involved in a number of cases related to drug smuggling.
The detention order was issued by the competent authority and was executed today. The accused has been lodged at Central Jail Kot Bhalwal, Jammu.
Wanted criminal held with heroin, pistol in Jammu
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 12: Police here at Bahu Fort area today claimed to have arrested a wanted criminal and recovered 266.35 grams of heroin-like substance along with a Glock pistol and live ammunition from his possession.
Officials said a team from Bahu Fort Police Station intercepted a suspicious person near Railway Bridge Narwal on the Narwal-Panama Chowk Road at around 12:30 AM on May 12 after he tried to evade the naka.
During search, they said police recovered a Glock pistol loaded with 3 live rounds and around 266.35 grams of heroin-like substance, commonly known as “Chitta”, from his possession.
The accused was identified as Avneet Singh alias Nagi, a resident of Sundarpur, RS Pura.
Officials said the accused failed to produce any valid license or satisfactory explanation regarding the recovered contraband and weapon.
As such, he was arrested and booked in case FIR number 111/2026 under sections 8/21/22/27-A of the NDPS Act and 3/25 Arms Act registered at Police Station Bahu Fort and further investigation taken up, they said.
According to police, the accused is a notorious criminal, who is facing 17 criminal cases related to NDPS Act, Arms Act, and other serious offences registered at Police Stations RS Pura, Gharota, Miran Sahib, Satwari, Ramgarh, and Dinanagar in Pathankot.
Police added that one of his associates, identified as Jaanu, was earlier injured while attempting to escape during a special naka laid by police in Miran Sahib Area.
He (Jaanu) later passed away at the hospital, prompting authorities to order an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
DAJ delegation meets DHS Jammu; raises promotion, transfer issues
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 12: A delegation of the Doctors’ Association Jammu (DAJ) led by its president Dr Balvinder Singh today met Dr Poonam Sethi and discussed several issues concerning doctors and healthcare professionals in the Jammu division.
During the meeting, the delegation raised the issue of time-bound promotions for doctors, stating that delays in promotions were affecting the morale of medical officers and specialists. It also highlighted problems related to the generation and clearance of Annual Performance Reports (APR) and Periodic Appraisal Reports (PAR), saying that timely completion of these formalities was essential for career progression and administrative efficiency.
Another major issue discussed was the transfer policy in the Health Department. Representatives of the association urged the authorities to frame a transparent and time-bound transfer mechanism to ensure fairness and smooth functioning of healthcare institutions. They pointed out that transfers of consultants in the department had not taken place for the last more than five years despite the designated transfer window in April.
The Association further said that many consultants had been posted at the same place for over ten years and were awaiting transfers.
Dr Sethi assured the delegation that genuine concerns of doctors would be examined sympathetically and proactive steps would be taken to streamline procedures and improve the working environment in the department.
Police intensify anti-drug crackdown across Kashmir
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 12: Police intensified its anti-drug campaign across multiple districts of Kashmir under the ongoing “Nasha Mukt Abhiyan,” attaching properties allegedly acquired through drug proceeds, demolishing illegal structures, and destroying narcotics cultivation and conducting awareness programmes in schools and villages today.
A police spokesperson said properties linked to drug trafficking were attached in Shopian, Srinagar and Handwara.
In Srinagar, police attached a double-storeyed residential house along with land worth nearly Rs.1.2 crore at Gasoo Hazratbal in connection with NDPS cases registered at Police Stations Nigeen and Ganderbal.
In Shopian, the spokesperson said a 14-marla property worth more than Rs 10 lakh belonging to an accused in an NDPS case was attached after it was identified as having been acquired through proceeds of narcotics trade.
Police in Handwara also attached a residential property allegedly renovated using money generated through drug trafficking, the spokesperson said.
As part of the crackdown on illegal infrastructure linked to narcotics networks, the spokesperson said, police and civil authorities demolished structures allegedly raised on encroached state land by accused drug peddlers in Baramulla and Kulgam districts. In Handwara, police and the district administration retrieved five kanals of government land allegedly encroached upon by an accused involved in an NDPS case.
They also destroyed illegally cultivated poppy crops during separate operations in Baramulla, Anantnag and Handwara districts. Cases under relevant sections of the NDPS Act were registered and investigations taken up, the spokesperson said.
“In another operation, police destroyed wild bhang plants along the Chichlora-Goigam-Pinjoora roadside area in Baramulla in coordination with local village committees, Numberdars and Chowkidars,” he said.