Jammu and Kashmir Police have booked the wife of an Army officer for allegedly “collecting and sharing” sensitive information with foreign intelligence operatives, including individuals linked to China, official sources said on Sunday (October 18, 2026).

According to the sources, she was pursuing certain research-related activities, which are being examined.

The police are also examining the nature of her activities and whether any information or material was “communicated” to foreign intelligence operatives, they said.

The case was registered at Gandhi Nagar Police Station on Friday (October 16, 2026) under the Official Secrets Act and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), they said.

The accused, who hails from Telangana and currently resides in Jammu with her husband, was questioned by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)-rank officer as part of the investigation following the registration of the FIR, they said.

The accused has not been arrested so far, and the preliminary inquiry has “not established” that any “sensitive information” was shared by her, the sources said.

The sources said investigators are also looking into the circumstances that led to the registration of the FIR and the allegations concerning possible links with foreign entities.

The investigation is ongoing and further details are awaited.

Auqib Nabi had an off day, but Jammu and Kashmir found its heroes in Rohit Sharma and Sunil Kumar. Rohit claimed the second five-wicket haul of his First-Class career, while Sunil picked up four wickets to bowl Madhya Pradesh out for 196 on the opening day of its Ranji Trophy Group A fixture on Sunday.

In reply, J&K ended the day at three for one, with Avesh Khan trapping Shubham Khajuria leg before wicket off the penultimate ball of the day.

For Rohit (five for 36) it was a satisfying return to First-Class cricket after two years. Sharing his name with India’s erstwhile captain, the tall pacer showed little sign of rust, keeping an inexperienced MP batting line-up on its toes at the Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium.

J&K’s Sunil Kumar bowls on the first day of the Ranji Trophy fixture against Madhya Pradesh at the Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar on Sunday., October 11, 2026.
| Photo Credit:
IMRAN NISSAR

J&K’s decision to bowl first after winning the toss paid off early as Sunil (four for 69) troubled the openers before dismissing Yash Dubey. Rohit then joined the act, hitting the right areas and ensuring MP could not settle into a rhythm.

With three debutants in its ranks, MP needed its senior batters to step up. Captain Shubham Sharma (79, 174b, 8×4) took responsibility, adding 65 runs for the fourth wicket with debutant Chanchal Rathore before stitching together a 51-run stand for the seventh wicket with Aryan Pandey.

Shubham brought up a gritty half-century, showing patience as he tried to steady the innings. Sunil had a chance to claim a five-wicket haul of his own but put down a sharp return catch offered by the MP captain. He made amends by dismissing Pandey in the final session and removing Avesh Khan off the next delivery.

Madhya Pradesh fast bowler Avesh Khan celebrates the dismissal of J&K’s Shubham Khajuria during their Ranji Trophy match at the Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026.
| Photo Credit:
IMRAN NISSAR

Nabi, who struggled to find his rhythm for much of the day, eventually picked up a wicket as MP’s lower order folded, losing its last four wickets for just 34 runs.

The scores: Madhya Pradesh — 1st innings: Harsh Gawli c Samad b Rohit 12, Yash Dubey lbw b Sunil 4, Himanshu Mantri c Samad b Rohit 17, Shubham Sharma c Dogra b Rohit 79, Chanchal Rathore c Wadhawan b Rohit 33, Atharva Mahajan b Rohit 0, Saransh Jain lbw b Sunil 0, Aryan Pandey c Wadhawan b Sunil 35, Avesh Khan c Wadhawan b Sunil 0, Ravi Kiran lbw b Nabi 1, Akshay Sharma (not out) 0; Extras (b-4, lb-6, nb-5): 15; Total (in 74.2 overs): 196.

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-33, 3-41, 4-106, 5-108, 6-111, 7-162, 8-162, 9-179.

J&K bowling: Nabi 20-3-42-1, Sunil 23-3-69-4, Rohit 21.2-8-36-5, Lone 6-0-33-0, Vanshaj 4-0-6-0.

J&K — 1st innings: Qamran Iqbal (batting) 3, Shubham Khajuria lbw b Avesh Khan 0, Vanshaj Sharma (batting) 0; Total (for one wkt. in three overs): 3.

Fall of wicket: 1-3.

MP bowling: Ravi Kiran 1-0-1-0, Aryan 1-0-1-0, Avesh 1-0-1-1.

Toss: J&K.

When Mithun Manhas rang the bell to signal the start of play in the Irani Cup in Srinagar on Thursday (October 1, 2026), the significance of it was not just confined to his current position as BCCI president. The 49-year-old enjoys an intimacy with this region on multiple fronts: he was born in Jammu, concluded his long playing career by representing J&K for two seasons, and took his first steps as administrator in the Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA).

It was during Manhas’ time in the JKCA subcommittee that Auqib Nabi began grabbing attention as a pace bowler of promise. If Manhas has been elevated to the BCCI top brass since then, Nabi’s ascent has seen him become the third cricketer from J&K to play for India.

After the opening day’s play in the Irani Cup, Manhas praised Nabi for his entry into the Indian set-up. “This definitely proves that you could be from anywhere. He is from Baramulla. If you look at his story, it is very inspiring. There are some other players who have not yet come to the forefront, but they have similar stories. If you are talented, hardworking and have passion, you can definitely play for the country,” Manhas told the media on Thursday.

Manhas did acknowledge the need for better infrastructure in the districts of J&K as well.

“When I was part of the subcommittee, we used to organise talent hunt programmes. Now, the need of the hour is to go further than that. We need to have grounds there. We used to get the talent to Srinagar or Jammu and then organise camps. It will take some time, but I think it’s on the right track. Hopefully, the JKCA has chalked out plans on how to make stadiums in Jammu, Kashmir and other adjoining districts as well. You’ll hopefully see that in a year or so,” he said.

A little after 1 p.m., at the Barsapara in Guwahati, Auqib Nabi received his India cap from K.L. Rahul. 

Less than an hour earlier, in Srinagar, Nabi was a recurring theme of the press conferences building up to the Irani Cup fixture. It wasn’t yet known that he would become just the third cricketer from Jammu & Kashmir to play for India, but such had been the pacer’s impact on his team’s Ranji Trophy-winning exploits in 2025-26 that the two captains were asked repeatedly about Nabi’s absence for J&K against Rest of India.

For Paras Dogra, the query was at the core of J&K’s chances of not only winning the Irani Cup but also defending its Ranji title. “Obviously, he took 60 wickets last year. But we have [other] good bowlers. This is a good sign for J&K that cricket is growing and other boys will get a chance,” the 41-year-old said. 

“Sunil Kumar took 31 wickets, but it was overshadowed. Umar Nazir is ready and hungry. There are a couple of other pacers too.”

Even as the J&K administration on Friday (August 14, 2026) refuted any work-from-home orders for Kashmiri Pandits working in Kashmir, the community has approached the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) to “probe how personal data of Prime Minister Package Employees in Kashmir was leaked” and made it to a purported terror threat letter online. J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said “a credible threat cannot be taken lightly”.

Rakesh Handu, a Pandit social activist, said he was in touch with the six Pandit employees whose names and mobile numbers figured in the threat letter online and “were shifted to Jammu”.

Mr. Handu, on behalf of Kashmiri Pandit PM Package employees, has submitted a representation to the NHRC and NCM. “For the last few days, threat letters and lists are again circulating. These lists contain name, department, place of posting, and personal mobile numbers of PM Package employees. This is not isolated. Similar lists were published by Kashmir Fight / TRF (The Resistance Front) blog in 2022 (56 employees) and 2023 (57 PM Package teachers),” said Mr. Handu, in the letter.

He pointed out that after the targeted killings of Rahul Bhat, Rajni Bala post-2019, “many of Pandit employees had submitted en mass resignations citing threat to life”.

“When a religious minority serving the Government is openly threatened, named, and told not to hoist the national flag, it is a test of human rights and minority rights in a democracy,” reads the letter.

The letter demanded a FIR and probe by the police’s Cyber Cell and the National Investigation Agency. “There should be an immediate security audit of all PM Package employees and transit camps, especially before 15th August celebrations. Till threat assessment is complete, allow work from home or attachment to Jammu,” it added.

Meanwhile, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Anshul Garg on Friday (August 14, 2026) said no order has been issued asking Pandit employees to work from home. “The administration has made necessary security arrangements for employees, residents and the general public ahead of the Independence Day celebrations in Srinagar. We should rely on the authentic information channels that are provided by the government and the administration,” said Mr. Garg.

Reacting to Mr. Garg’s statement, Mr. Handu sought clarification from the J&K administration and said, “Why are these contradictory statements coming from Honourable Divisional Commissioner Kashmir?”

Meanwhile, J&K CM Abdullah said militancy may be declared “finished.” “But a credible threat cannot be taken lightly. Those responsible for security must act decisively, identify those behind it, and ensure foolproof protection,” said Mr. Abdullah.

J&K Minister Satish Sharma has flagged the issue of “defiance and disrespect towards the authority of the Ministry”, allegedly displayed by a senior bureaucrat, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

Mr. Sharma, who holds several portfolios including Transport, in a letter to the Chief Minister sought the transfer of J&K Transport Commissioner Vishesh Paul Mahajan, who was posted at the position by the Lieutenant-Governor in December 2024.

“Mr. Mahajan’s continued defiance of and disrespect towards the authority of this Ministry has reached a point where the orderly administration of the Transport Department is being seriously compromised. I regret that I am compelled to raise this matter formally, having exhausted other means of resolving it,” reads the letter of Mr. Sharma.

He said Mr. Mahajan’s conduct has “given rise to open defiance to written or verbal directives, bypassing, discourteous conduct and communication towards the Minister”.

The J&K Minister, in the letter, highlighted that the Transport Commissioner functions as the principal executive officer of the Department under the policy direction and overall supervision of the Minister-in-charge, who in turn remains answerable to the House and to the public for the functioning of the Department.

“Persistent insubordination by a senior officer not only undermines the authority and dignity of the elected office but also disrupts the chain of administrative accountability, adversely affects the morale of the Department, and ultimately impedes the delivery of public services to the citizens,” said the Minister.

The Minister asked the CM to intervene and “requested that Mr Mahajan be immediately moved out of the post of Transport Commissioner and a suitable officer of appropriate seniority be posted in his place”.

The J&K government and the L-G administration have been constantly on a collision course when it comes to transfers of officials in J&K, ever since the elected government took over in October 2024. The elected government and the Centre are yet to finalise the Transaction of Business Rules, which defines the domain of the Chief Minister, Council of Ministers and the L-G in the seven-year-old UT.

Mr. Mahajan earlier served as the Deputy Commissioner, Reasi, and was transferred and appointed as the Director, Tourism, Jammu, by the L-G. However, the Omar Abdullah government had objected to his transfer in 2024 too.

J&K Cabinet Minister Javed Ahmed Rana, who holds the Forest, Ecology and Environment and Tribal Affairs portfolio, on Saturday (August 1, 2026) announced that the Tribal Affairs department would be the nodal agency to implement the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006, and warned against the issuance of eviction notices to forest dwellers without following the set procedure.  

“No notices will be served by the J&K Forest Department to any member of forest dwellers, whether a Schedule Tribe or any other traditional forest dwellers living for decades. These dwellers will not be disturbed or evicted from the forest under occupation till the process of recognition and verification is complete,” said Mr. Rana.

The announcement comes months after the Lok Bhavan and the elected government were at loggerheads over the eviction drive in Jammu’s Sunjwan, Bathindi, Raika, and Sidhra areas in Jammu. The drive had triggered protests by BJP legislators, with the elected government accusing the Forest department of functioning under the directions of the Lok Bhavan.  

Mr. Rana said the Tribal department, and not the Forest department will be the nodal department for implementing the FRA in J&K.

“A three-member Project Monitoring Units has been established. No one will be evicted till a set procedure is followed. All the deputy commissioners will speed up the pending cases under the FRA,” he said. 

According to the 2011 Census, Jammu and Kashmir has a Scheduled Tribe population of 12.75 lakh, including 8.10 lakh in the Jammu division and 4.64 lakh in the Kashmir division.

The Government is pushing hard to implement the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (FRA) and has expedited the process of receiving, verifying and settling claims through the statutory three-tier mechanism.

An official circular said the Gram Sabha is the statutory authority responsible for initiating the process of determining the nature and extent of individual and community forest rights under the provisions of Section 6 of the Act.

“The Gram Sabha is mandated to receive, scrutinize and verify claims, prepare maps of the recommended claims and forward its recommendations to the Sub-Divisional Level Committee (SDLC) for further examination and decision,” an official spokesman said.

Separately, J&K Legislative Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather held a public outreach camp at Kanidajan in the Charar-i-Sharief Constituency. An official spokesman said a major concern was raised by the villagers pertaining to the alleged harassment caused by the eviction notices issued by the Forest Department and the obstruction of agricultural activities on lands, “which have been under their possession and cultivation for generations”.

“No one would be allowed to act in violation of the provisions of the FRA. The rights of all eligible beneficiaries under the Act would be protected in letter and spirit adding that no undue harassment of villagers would be tolerated,” said Mr. Rather.

The Speaker cautioned that no individual should attempt to misuse the Act as a pretext for fresh encroachments on forest land or government property. “The law must be implemented fairly and transparently while safeguarding the rights of genuine beneficiaries,” he added.

Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) unit of police on Wednesday (June 3, 2026) carried out searches in several districts of the valley in a case related to terror activities, officials said.

The officials said based on recent intelligence inputs, technical analysis and sustained investigation, they had identified eight locations in six districts where searches were conducted in the early hours of Wednesday.

The searches were conducted at two places each in Srinagar and Bandipora districts; and one each in Kupwara, Anantnag, Kulgam and Baramulla districts.

The case registered in 2015 pertains to Pakistan-sponsored terrorist outfits, their sleeper-cell networks and activities related to recruitment, radicalisation and facilitating terrorism in J-K.

The officials said the suspects are alleged to be in contact with Pakistan-based terrorist handlers through encrypted communication platforms and are suspected to be involved in dissemination of extremist propaganda and radicalisation activities.