IBTimes

The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board is set to replace manual counting of devotees' cash offerings with cash recycler machines at the shrine in Katra. Two machines have already been installed, with six more being added, and manual counting is expected to end within 15 days to improve transparency, security and efficiency.

More than 5.35 lakh children were reported missing across India between 2021 and 2024, of whom 3.46 lakh were traced while nearly 1.89 lakh remained untraced, according to NCRB data tabled by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in the Rajya Sabha.

Government data tabled in the Rajya Sabha reveals that the number of people treated for drug addiction in Jammu and Kashmir surged nearly ninefold in five years from 5,382 in 2021-22 to 46,491 in 2025-26 with Jammu, Srinagar, Bandipore and Kulgam emerging as the worst-hit districts.

Army assault dog Tyson, a German Shepherd attached to 2 Para Special Forces, has been honoured with a Mention-in-Dispatches for displaying exceptional courage during an anti-terror operation in Kishtwar, where he was injured while helping security forces locate terrorists.

At least five people were killed after a Mahindra Scorpio skidded off the road and plunged into a deep ravine in the Dachhan area of Kishtwar district on Saturday. Rescue teams recovered five bodies, while authorities continued efforts to ascertain the exact number of people travelling in the vehicle and the cause of the accident.

Nearly 3,000 Kashmiri Pandit and other migrant employees working in the Kashmir Valley have reportedly been informally advised to work from home until August 20 following a fresh terror threat against Hindu employees. The administration has also reportedly exempted them from Independence Day stadium duties amid heightened security ahead of August 15 celebrations.

For Jammu's Valmiki community, August 5 is a day of celebration as the abrogation of Article 35-A in 2019 ended decades of discrimination, restoring constitutional rights, domicile status, government job opportunities, land ownership, education, and equal citizenship after a 63-year struggle.

Marking the seventh anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said the terror ecosystem has been dismantled to a large extent, discriminatory laws have been removed, and equal rights restored. He handed over appointment letters to 37 next of kin of civilians killed by terrorists, reaffirming the government's commitment to justice, peace, and inclusive development in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Centre has informed Parliament that 32 institutions have been identified as fake universities, while some EdTech platforms are misleading students through advertisements promising 100 per cent placements and high-paying jobs. The UGC has warned against unauthorised franchise arrangements, advised students to verify institutions before admission, and initiated action against defaulting EdTech companies and fake educational institutions.

Over Rs 62,683 crore remains unclaimed in Public Sector Banks across India as of June 30, 2026, according to the Union Government. To help depositors, nominees and legal heirs recover their money, the Centre and the RBI have introduced a series of measures, including simplified claim procedures, special outreach drives, the UDGAM portal, and the nationwide Your Money, Your Right campaign.

The J&K Police on Tuesday dismissed a selection grade constable from service for his alleged involvement in a narcotics smuggling case in the Kathua district. The latest dismissal comes amid an intensified crackdown in which more than a dozen police personnel have been removed from service over the past two years for alleged links to drug trafficking and narco-terror networks.

The Union Territory of Ladakh will host India's first-ever Global Black-necked Crane Festival from August 10 to 14 across Leh, Tso Kar and Hanle to promote wildlife conservation, sustainable tourism and community participation. Dedicated to the Black-necked Crane, Ladakh's state bird and the world's only alpine crane, the festival aims to showcase the ecological and cultural significance of the Changthang wetlands.

Jammu and Kashmir Police has executed a court proclamation against Pakistan-based designated terrorist Mohammad Qasim alias Sulliman, directing him to appear before a designated court in Jammu by August 21. Qasim, who carries a Rs 10 lakh reward, is accused of involvement in the Katra and Narwal blasts and of operating a terror network in Rajouri and Poonch.

A Kashmiri youth was allegedly lured to Cambodia with a promise of a lucrative computer operator job but was instead forced into online scamming activities. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Kashmir, has filed a chargesheet against the accused in the overseas job fraud case registered in April.

The Shri Amarnath and Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimages resumed on Saturday after a nearly week-long suspension caused by adverse weather and security concerns. Over 6,200 Amarnath pilgrims left Jammu's Bhagwati Nagar base camp for Kashmir, while around 2,000 devotees registered for the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage in Katra as authorities closely monitored weather and safety conditions.

The sleuths of the ED conducted raids at nine locations in J&K and Punjab as part of a money laundering investigation into an alleged Pakistan-linked narco-terror funding network. The probe revealed a cross-border heroin smuggling racket with suspected links to Hizbul Mujahideen, leading to the seizure of incriminating documents and the freezing of bank accounts containing approximately 49.9 lakh.

The Shri Amarnath and Mata Vaishno Devi yatras remained suspended for the sixth consecutive day due to adverse weather conditions, leaving more than 15,000 pilgrims stranded at various locations across Jammu and Kashmir. The Shiv Khori and Machail Mata pilgrimages also remained suspended as authorities continued to monitor the weather and assess the safety of the routes before allowing the yatras to resume. So far, over 3.9 lakh devotees have paid obeisance at the Holy Cave Shrine during the ong

The Principal Sessions Court in Jammu has rejected the bail application of Kamal Singh, the accused in the attempted assassination of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Dr. Farooq Abdullah. The court cited the gravity of the offence, public safety concerns, and the possibility of the accused repeating the crime if released.

The Jammu and Kashmir Congress has announced its participation in the National Conference's July 20 Jantar Mantar protest demanding restoration of statehood, while organising its own march in Jammu on July 19. JKPCC chief Tariq Hameed Karra said Congress has been leading the statehood movement since October 2024 and will intensify its agitation if the Centre delays restoring full statehood.

Three migrant children from Rajasthan drowned in a pond in Jammu's Akhnoor area, while a pony porter was killed after a boulder struck his tent along the Shri Amarnath Yatra route at Chandanwari. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning of widespread rain, thunderstorms, flash floods, landslides, and shooting stones across Jammu and Kashmir, urging residents, pilgrims, and tourists to remain cautious.

The counter-intelligence wing of the Jammu and Kashmir Police has arrested three publishers in connection with the controversial textbook case involving alleged glorification of terrorists and separatist leaders in government school libraries. While investigations continue, authorities are intensifying efforts to trace co-author Hilal Ahmed, whose identity itself has come under scrutiny, with officials probing whether he is a real person or a fictitious name.

The State Investigation Agency (SIA) Kashmir has secured an Interpol Red Corner Notice against designated Hizbul Mujahideen commander Imtiyaz Ahmad Kandoo, the alleged mastermind of the 2013 Hygam terror attack in Sopore that claimed the lives of four Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel. Believed to be hiding in Pakistan, Kandoo is also wanted in multiple terror-related cases involving targeted killings, arms trafficking, and narco-terror financing.

National Conference MP Syed Aga Ruhullah Mehdi has distanced himself from the party's July 20 Jantar Mantar protest for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood, saying he was neither invited nor needed at the party meeting.

The NIA has filed a chargesheet against six senior Hurriyat Conference leaders in connection with the 1996 funeral procession violence in Srinagar, alleging criminal conspiracy, rioting, and attacks on police personnel. The agency claims the violence was part of a pre-planned attempt to promote separatist ideology and has said further investigation into the case is underway.