GANDERBAL

Buoyed by the improvement in the security situation, a record number of displaced Kashmiri Pandits converged on the Kheer Bhawani temple in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal on Monday (June 22, 2026). They were welcomed by local Muslims and regional parties, including the ruling National Conference (NC) and Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The Pandits have pledged to return every year and continue the tradition.

Over 214 buses ferried the displaced Kashmiri Pandits to the temple over the past few days. Most devotees said the security situation had changed for the better: Kashmir was “free of fear” and “it was possible to travel even at night”. The Mata Kheer Bhawani Ji Yatra Welfare Society served over 10,000 devotees at its langar a day before the festival on Sunday. “A record number of devotees participated in this year’s pilgrimage,” said M.K. Yogi, general secretary of the society.

A special puja was held at the tree lined temple on the occasion of Jyeshtha Ashtam. “It’s Mata’s birthday today. Tulmullah is her seat. She grants all wishes,” said Beenu Zutshi, who migrated from Budgam to Jammu after militancy broke out in the Kashmir Valley in the 1990s.

For once many of the visiting Pandits were young and travelling to the Valley for the first time. “It’s my first visit to Kashmir. I got to meet many relatives whom I have never met before. It felt like home. We are eager to return to Kashmir and settle here,” said 17-year-old Anuja Kaul, who currently lives in Delhi.

Other temples

The Pandits also visited temples at Anantnag, Kulgam and Kupwara, which were out-of-bounds during the militancy. The upturn in the number of devotees came after the Pahalgam attack in April last year cast its shadow on the annual mela last year.

Displaced Pandits also uploaded videos of their visits to their abandoned homes in the Valley. One such video, of an aged Pandit lady visiting her home at Danew village in Bogund, Kulgam after 36 years, has gone viral. The elderly woman, hands trembling, touched the trees she once played under. “Do you still remember me?” she said.

An NC legislator from Devsar, Peerzada Feroze Ahmad, joined the devotees in reciting verses by local poets. Meanwhile, local Muslims, keeping with tradition, set up stalls of puja paraphernalia at Tulmulla in Ganderbal.

“The wait is over. For the first time, thousands of Pandits have turned up for the festival. Muslims opened their arms. Kashmir remains incomplete without Pandits. I urge the Lieutenant Governor to take concrete measures for the return of Kashmiri Pandits,” said Bilal Bhat, a local.

Varsity welcome wagon

Several Kashmir-based varsities had also set up stalls for the Pandits. The Department of Students’ Welfare, University of Kashmir, served refreshments, drinking water, juice and sherbet to devotees. 

“The warmth shown by local communities inspires hope that past wounds will be healed through understanding, compassion and reconciliation. There is a need to ensure the dignified return, rehabilitation and reintegration of displaced Kashmiri Pandits in their ancestral homeland,” said Ashok Bhan, convenor of the Kashmir Policy & Strategy Group (KPSG).

PDP’s Mehbooba Mufti, who also joined Pandit devotees at the temple, said, “”It is time we stop being prisoners of the past and invest in a shared future. Countless Kashmiris seeking treatment outside the Valley are welcomed and cared for by Kashmiri Pandit doctors. Their work is not just healing bodies; it is helping heal old wounds and rebuilding bonds between communities. More young doctors should take inspiration from them, reconnect with their roots, and visit Kashmir.”

NC president Dr. Farooq Abdullah, while pressing for “the dignified return of Kashmiri Pandits”, said, “The annual mela is a symbol of Kashmir’s age-old tradition of communal harmony and brotherhood. I pray for the restoration of coexistence and strengthening of social bonds among all the communities.”

Mirwaiz’s message

The chief cleric of Kashmir, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, also welcomed the Pandits. “May this day renew the spirit of mutual respect, brotherhood and the shared heritage of Kashmir that we inherited,” the Mirwaiz said.

BJP J&K general secretary Ashok Koul, however, blamed the NC and the PDP for the migration of Pandits in the 1990s. “They are responsible for the genocide and exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in the 1990s. The pain and struggle of the Kashmiri Pandit community cannot be ignored and accountability must be ensured,” said Mr. Koul. 

Meanwhile, J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also greeted the Pandits on the occasion.

Published – June 23, 2026 02:29 am IST

Six construction workers and a doctor were killed in a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district last night. The terrorists opened fire on a camp housing workers of a private company, who were building a tunnel.

The area has been cordoned off by the army and police and a hunt is on to find the terrorists.

Both locals and non-locals were present at the campsite and at least two terrorists opened gunfire.

The victims were identified as Dr Shahnawaz, a resident of Nayidgam Kashmir’s Budgam, Gurmeet Singh from Punjab’s Gurdaspur, Mohammad Haneef, Faheem Nasir, a safety manager, and Kaleem, were from Bihar, Anil Kumar Shukla, a mechanical manager from Madhya Pradesh, and Shashi Abrol, a designer from Jammu.

The attackers left behind an INSAS rifle. Also, two vehicles of the company were burnt in the incident. Police have stopped media from reaching the site of the attack. Journalists were not allowed to move beyond Manigam, 50 km from the attack site because of the ongoing search operation, the police said.

Newly-elected Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah called it a “dastardly and cowardly attack on non-local labourers”. Mr Abdullah said, “These people were working on a key infrastructure project in the area. 2 have been killed and 2-3 more have been injured in this militant attack. I strongly condemn this attack on unarmed innocent people and send my condolences to their loved ones.”

Very sad news of a dastardly & cowardly attack on non-local labourers at Gagangir in Sonamarg region. These people were working on a key infrastructure project in the area. 2 have been killed & 2-3 more have been injured in this militant attack. I strongly condemn this attack on…

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) October 20, 2024

Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha, said “Full freedom has been given to the police, army, and security forces” and he “assured the people that those behind this despicable act will not go unpunished.”

I strongly condemn the heinous terrorist attack on civilians in Gagangeer. I assure the people that those behind this despicable act will not go unpunished. We have given full freedom to J&K Police, Army and Security forces.

— Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) October 20, 2024

Union minister Nitin Gadkari has condemned the “horrific” terror attack. In a post on X, the minister said the “innocent labourers” were engaged in a vital infrastructure project. 

“I strongly condemn the horrific terror attack on innocent labourers in Gagangir, Sonamarg, Jammu & Kashmir, who were engaged in a vital infrastructure project,” Mr Gadkari’s post read.

“Acts like killing innocent civilians and spreading violence and terror among the general public are crimes against humanity. The whole country is united against this,” Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi said.

On Friday last week, the body of a labourer from Bihar was found in the Union Territory’s Shopian district with bullet injuries.

“He got a phone call while we were harvesting corn. He told us that he was going somewhere. When he did not return for some time, we went to look for him. We called his number which kept ringing, but there was no answer. Then we found his body,” a man who worked with him said.

The targeted killing from yesterday is one of the deadliest in recent times. The attack took place a few days after a government was sworn-in in the Union Territory. Omar Abdullah’s National Conference, which allied with Congress, won a majority and formed a government. Elections were held for the first time since 2014 and were significant after the removal of Article 370. 

Srinagar:

A doctor and five construction workers were killed when terrorists opened fire at a construction site at Gagangir in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, official sources said Sunday. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah called the attack on non-local labourers “dastardly and cowardly”.

“Praying that the injured make a full recovery as the more seriously injured are being referred to SKIMS, Srinagar,” Mr Abdullah posted on X.

The terrorists had opened fire on a camp housing workers of a private company, who were  working on an under-construction tunnel in Gund area. The police and army have cordoned off the area to track the attackers.

A post from the X handle of Jammu and Kashmir Police read, “Terror incident in Gagangeer, Ganderbal. Area cordoned off by security forces. Further details shall follow”.

Union minister NItin Gadkari has condemned the “horrific” terror attack. In a post on X, the minister said the “innocent labourers” were engaged in a vital infrastructure project. 

“I strongly condemn the horrific terror attack on innocent labourers in Gagangir, Sonamarg, Jammu & Kashmir, who were engaged in a vital infrastructure project,” Mr Gadkari’s post read.

“I offer my humble tribute to the martyred labourers and extend my deepest condolences to their families during this difficult time. My thoughts and prayers are with the injured for a swift and full recovery,” he added.

Srinagar:

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and vice president of National Conference (NC), Omar Abdullah will contest the upcoming Assembly elections from the Ganderbal constituency.

This announcement was made by Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, a Lok Sabha member, and Nasir Aslam Wani, NC provincial president on Sunday in the presence of Omar Abdullah and Mian Altaf Ahmad, senior NC leader and MP from the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency.

Omar Abdullah had come to Nuner village of Ganderbal district where Sayim Mustafa, a political activist joined the party.

Sayim Mustafa had unsuccessfully fought the Lok Sabha election for the Srinagar seat when Syed Ruhullah Mehdi defeated Sayim among other candidates.

Sunday’s announcement about Omar Abdullah deciding to fight the Assembly elections has negated his earlier statement that he would not stand for the elections as long as J&K remained a union territory.

Omar Abdullah served as the Chief Minister of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state from 2009 to 2015 and was also the president of his party. He is a three-time Lok Sabha MP and has represented the Assembly constituencies of Ganderbal (2008-2014) and Beerwah (2014-2019). He lost the 2002 Assembly elections to Qazi Mohammad Afzal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Ganderbal.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has already issued notice for the first phase of the 3-phased Assembly polls in J&K.

In the first phase, 24 Assembly segments spread in the Valley and the Jammu division will go to vote on September 18.

Voting for the second phase will take place on September 25 and for the last phase on October 1. Counting of votes will be held on October 4 and the entire poll process will be concluded by October 6.

J&K has been without an elected government since June 2018 when the BJP pulled out of the Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP-BJP coalition government.

The state came under the Governor’s rule and the then-governor Satya Pal Malik dissolved the Assembly.

On August 5, 2019, Article 370 was abrogated and J&K was bifurcated into two union territories of J&K and Ladakh.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)