Tamil Nadu skipper Sai Kishore received a boost with India all-rounder Washington Sundar joining the squad on Friday ahead of the team’s Ranji Trophy opener against Rajasthan at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.
| Photo Credit: S. Prasanna Venkatesan

By the middle of the afternoon session on day two of the Irani Cup fixture at the Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium, the faces in the Jammu & Kashmir dugout appeared to have turned glum. The spectators, barring a few quips towards Rest of India skipper Rishabh Pant, had also fallen silent.

It reflected J&K’s plight, having been reduced to 166 for eight. It was still 71 runs adrift of RoI’s first-innings total of 237 with just two wickets in hand.

Barely an hour later, the mood swayed. The smiles in the J&K camp returned. So did the cheers of the sparse crowd. It was all thanks to a rearguard 64-run partnership between Paras Dogra (75, 143b, 6×4, 1×6) and Lone Nasir (64, 58b, 8×4, 3×6) for the ninth wicket, enabling J&K, which was 21 for two overnight, to finish its first innings on 278 and secure a 41-run lead.

Choudhary scalps five

The recovery ended up overshadowing left-arm pacer Mukesh Choudhary’s figures of 19-2-78-5 for the visitors. The day drew to a close with RoI reaching 24 for one in its second essay.

Dogra had been gritty until the fall of the host’s eighth wicket, accumulating his runs quietly and letting Abdul Samad (57, 88b, 5×4, 1×6) hog the limelight in a fifth-wicket stand of 101. But once the 41-year-old was confronted with the threat of running out of partners, he acted with greater intent.

As runs started to flow more frequently, Pant started feeling the pinch. He resorted to a barrage of short balls from his quicks, but Dogra and Nasir, aware of what was coming given the field set, rocked back and feasted with a flurry of boundaries.

Dogra eventually pulled Choudhary awkwardly to Mukesh Kumar at fine-leg. Even then, Nasir, who struck thrice on the opening day, maintained the onslaught with a 48-run partnership alongside Sunil Kumar for the last wicket. Nasir treated Mukesh with special disdain, smashing his half-trackers for three maximums.

The scores:

Rest of India — 1st innings: 237.

Jammu & Kashmir — 1st innings: Qamran Iqbal c Pant b Choudhary 24, Shubham Pundir c Pant b Choudhary 1, Umar Nazir c Pant b Akash 4, Shubham Khajuria b Choudhary 4, Paras Dogra c Mukesh b Choudhary 75, Abdul Samad c Sangwan b Mukesh 57, Kanhaiya Wadhawan c Smaran b Choudhary 12, Abid Mushtaq lbw b Mukesh 0, Sahil Lotra c Sangwan b Akash 2, Lone Nasir lbw b Akash 64, Sunil Kumar (not out) 2; Extras (b-12, lb-3, w-12, nb-6): 33; Total (in 64.2 overs): 278.

Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-21, 3-36, 4-37, 5-138, 6-156, 7-157, 8-166, 9-230.

RoI bowling: Mukesh 17-2-84-2, Choudhary 19-2-78-5, Akash 14.2-3-43-3, Manav 9-1-32-0, Saransh 5-0-26-0.

RoI — 2nd innings: Shikhar Mohan c Wadhawan b Sunil 2, Sanat Sangwan (batting) 10, Sudip Gharami (batting) 10; Extras (b-1, nb-1): 2; Total (for one wkt. in 15 overs): 24

Fall of wicket: 1-8.

J&K bowling: Umar 6-2-10-0, Sunil 7-3-9-1, Nasir 2-0-4-0.

Published – October 02, 2026 07:42 pm IST

Representational file image.

Jammu:

In a significant crackdown on terror networks, the Jammu and Kashmir Police conducted a series of searches and raids across the Jammu region, arresting several terror suspects and Over Ground Workers (OGWs) and seizing weapons, cash, electronic devices and documents.

The raids, intended to identify, track, and apprehend Over Ground Workers (OGWs) and other terror suspects involved in providing support to terrorist outfits, including managing the logistics, recruitment, and facilitating the movement of arms, ammunition, and funds, were conducted at multiple locations, including residential houses and hideouts, based on specific intelligence inputs, an official statement said.

In the Rajouri district, searches were conducted in nine locations in Thanamandi, Darhal, Kalakote, Manjakote, and Dharamsal areas, while 12 similar search raids were conducted in different locations of Poonch district, including Surankote, Mandi, Poonch, Mendhar, and Gursai.

These are part of investigations into two separate cases registered at Thanamandi Police Station in 2013 and Rajouri Police Station this year. The cases pertain to a terrorist network active in the border district linked to proscribed terrorist organisations like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) trying to activate OGWs to initiate, organise, and execute terror-related activities.

In the Udhampur, police conducted extensive searches at 25 locations in the Basantgarh area, including Rai Chak, Chaka, Kadwah, Morha, Kund, Khaned, Ponara, Loudhra, and Sang. Ten similar search raids were conducted in different locations of the Reasi district, including Puni, Gulabgarh, Arnas, Panassa, and Mahore-Chasana. These searches were carried out as part of an investigation linked to Case FIR No. 27/2024 registered at Police Station Basantgarh.

As per the statement, the action resulted in the arrest of several OGWs and terror suspects. Incriminating materials, including electronic devices, documents, unaccounted cash, weapons, and ammunition, were also recovered during the searches. The searches were carried out meticulously, with due care taken to avoid any collateral damage or inconvenience to innocent civilians.

“Investigations will continue based on the material and information gathered during the raids. Further operations are planned to target any remaining elements attempting to disrupt peace in the region,” a senior police official said, urging citizens to report any suspicious activity or individuals in their vicinity and help security forces strengthen collective efforts against terrorism.

Police will continue to conduct intelligence-based operations to dismantle terror modules, the official added.

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

At least three people were killed and six others injured when security forces opened fire on protesters during clashes with paramilitary Rangers in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir’s capital Muzaffarabad which has been rocked by protests against high prices of wheat flour and inflated electricity bills, a media report said on May 14

The paramilitary Rangers, which were called in to maintain law and order in the disputed region, came under attack while moving out of the region, the Dawn newspaper reported.

Instead of exiting via Brarkot, the village bordering Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the 19-vehicle convoy, including five trucks, chose to exit the region from Kohala, it said.

As the convoy reached Muzaffarabad in a “charged atmosphere”, it was pelted with rocks near Shorran da Nakka village, to which they responded with teargas and firing, the report said.

After entering the city through the Western Bypass, the Rangers were welcomed with rocks again, prompting them to use teargas and bullets. The shelling was so intense that the entire neighbourhood reeled from it, the report said.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on May 13 approved a Pakistani rupee 23 billion subsidy for immediate release to the region after the negotiations between the protesters and the regional Government ended in a deadlock.

However, the Government’s decision to dole out the subsidy failed to pacify the region, the report said.

The disputed region also witnessed clashes on May 11 between the police and activists of a rights movement, leaving at least one police officer dead and injuring over 100 people, mostly Policemen. A complete strike has also been observed in the territory since May 10, bringing life to a halt.

Shortly before the violence, Prime Minister Sharif and the disputed region’s ‘Prime Minister’ Anwarul Haq after a meeting had approved the release of Pakistani Rs 23 billion for the region on account of power and wheat subsidies.

The subsidised rate for 40kg flour will be Pakistani Rs 2,000, down from Pakistani Rs 3,100. The electricity tariff was reduced to Pakistani Rs 3, Rs 5 and Rs 6 per unit for up to 100, 300, and more than 300 units, respectively, the Dawn reported.

The protest is led by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which has traders at the forefront in most parts of the region, who have been seeking the provision of electricity as per hydropower generation cost in the region, subsidised wheat flour and an end to the privileges of the elite class.

A long march led by the JAAC left for Muzaffarabad, the capital of PoK, on May 13 as the wheel-jam strike entered its fourth day.

The movement announced its march on Muzaffarabad after the talks between the JAAC core committee and Chief Secretary of the region Dawood Bareach ended in a stalemate.

Expressing deep concern over the violent clashes between the Police and the protesters, Prime Minister Sharif on May 12 said that there should be “absolutely no tolerance for taking the law into one’s own hands”.

“I urge all parties to resort to a peaceful course of action for resolution of their demands. Despite the best efforts of detractors, the matter will hopefully be settled soon,” he said.

As part of his efforts to calm down tensions, President Asif Ali Zardari urged all the stakeholders to exercise restraint and resolve the issues through dialogue and mutual consultation.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman speaks in the Lok Sabha during the Budget session of Parliament, in New Delhi, on February 5, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 5 proposed an interim Budget of ₹1.18 lakh crore for fiscal 2024-25 for the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.

The interim Budget envisages a fiscal deficit of ₹20,760 crore and a 7.5% growth in gross State domestic product (GSDP).

Read: Jammu and Kashmir Interim Budget—at a glance

The capital expenditure for the fiscal has been proposed at ₹38,566 crore, which is 14.64% of the GSDP, as per the interim Budget tabled by Ms. Sitharaman in Parliament.

The revenue receipts for the next fiscal stood at ₹97,861 crore.

According to Ms. Sitharaman, the crucial reforms undertaken in 2019 enabled “path-breaking” measures by the Union Territory Government to decentralise governance structure, promote inclusive development, upscale revenue generation and step up infrastructure development.

Also read | Puffed-up and poll-ready: Nirmala Sitharaman’s first Interim Budget

“The Government is maintaining law and order to ensure security while simultaneously implementing initiatives for economic and social development. The Government has adopted a policy of zero tolerance against terrorism,” Ms. Sitharaman said.

Security forces are taking effective and continuous action in countering terrorism.

Due to the effective measures and efforts taken, the security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir has significantly improved, Ms Sitharaman added.

Srinagar:

Security forces foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control in the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir, the army said on Sunday.

“In a Joint Operation launched by #IndianArmy, @JmuKmrPolice & Intelligence agencies on 21 Oct 23, an infiltration bid was foiled by alert troops along #LoC in #Uri sector, Baramulla,” the Srinagar-based Chinar Corps of the Army wrote in a post on X.

OP NARASIMHA BHAIRAVA, URI #Baramulla

In a Joint Operation launched by #IndianArmy, @JmuKmrPolice & Intelligence agencies on 21 Oct 23, an infiltration bid was foiled by alert troops along #LoC in #Uri sector, Baramulla.
Contact was established with infiltrating terrorists &… pic.twitter.com/MaUezhLX9J

— Chinar Corps – Indian Army (@ChinarcorpsIA) October 22, 2023

The army said contact was established with the infiltrating terrorists and a firefight ensued.

Six pistols and four hand grenades have been seized, the army said, adding that the operation is underway. 

Jammu:

A major inter-state drug racket has been busted, leading to the arrest of eight people and seizure of nearly Rs 5 crore in cash and illegal substances, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference here on the operation ‘Sanjeevani’ initiated on September 30 with the aim of combating the drug menace, Mr Singh also said Pakistan is the epicentre of narco-terrorism and that J&K is the collection point while Punjab is the receiving point.

“Eight smugglers – four from J&K and four from Punjab – have been arrested so far. The investigation is going on. We are likely to involve other investigation agencies in the operation,” Mr Singh said.

He said that Pakistan is using drones to ferry narcotics material into J&K, particularly in Jammu region’s Rajouri district and areas along the International Border but smuggling is taking place physically in Kupwara and other areas.

Under operation ‘Sanjeevani’, Ramban police intercepted a significant consignment of a substance resembling cocaine, with an estimated street value of Rs 300 crore, he said.

“The seizure occurred from two Punjab-based peddlers who were transporting the illicit cargo in an Innova car bearing a fake registration plate in Ramban. A case was registered,” he said.

Following the initial seizure, a special investigation team was formed to trace both backward and forward linkages, Mr Singh said. In a meticulous process, technical intelligence was gathered and a truck carrying a portion of the consignment was apprehended, he said, adding that the truck driver, responsible for delivering the contraband, was arrested.

During interrogation, the driver revealed crucial information that resulted in the arrest of another peddler from Kupwara, the DGP said, adding this chain of detentions eventually led to the recovery of an additional four kilos 198 grams of a cocaine-like substance and Rs 43.17 lakh in cash.

Simultaneously, efforts were underway to trace the forward linkage of the cartel, he said. A collaborative effort with IB team, Jammu, and assistance from the Punjab Police culminated in the apprehension of a major drug magnate, Manjeet Singh, hailing from Ludhiana, Punjab, he said. The subsequent search revealed an astonishing array of fraudulent documents, sophisticated equipment, and an extensive cache of assets, including a revolver of German make, he said.

Among the recovered items were 14 chequebooks, 22 passbooks, 12 Aadhaar cards, 38 fake vehicle number plates, and other fake documents associated with the BJP, Punjab Police, and the Punjab government, Mr Singh said. He said that a significant amount of cash, gold, silver, and electronic devices were confiscated, underscoring the extensive network and resources at the disposal of the apprehended kingpin.

This operation marks a significant milestone in the ongoing battle against drug trafficking, reaffirming the commitment of law enforcement agencies to curb the menace of narcotic smuggling in the region, the DGP said.

Further investigations are underway to trace any additional accomplices associated with this drug cartel, he added.

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

Army says officer injured in ‘grenade accident’ at a post in J&K’s Rajouri

The Army on October 5 evening said one officer has been injured in a likely grenade accident at a post in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri sector. “The officer was evacuated and stable post initial treatment. Further investigation of the incident in progress,” the Army said in an official statement. 

Sikkim flash floods death toll mounts to 18; searches on for 98 missing people

The toll in the flash flood in Sikkim mounted to 18 on Thursday as Army and NDRF teams worked their way through slushy earth and fast flowing water in the Teesta river basin and downstream north Bengal for the second day in search of those who were swept away and are still missing, officials said. Ninety eight people, including 22 army personnel, remained missing after a cloudburst over Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim in the early hours of Wednesday triggered the flash flood, Chief Secretary V.B. Pathak said.

Supply copy of FIR to NewsClick founder, court tells Delhi Police

The Patiala House Court on Thursday allowed news portal NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and its human resource head Amit Chakraborty to get a copy of the First Information Report (FIR) in the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) case filed against them by the Delhi Police. The police had opposed the application earlier in the day. Additional sessions judge Hardeep Kaur passed the order after hearing the counsel of the accused, Arshdeep Singh, and Additional Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava.

Amit Shah suggests uniform anti-terrorism structure under NIA for all States 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday that along with a ruthless approach, an uniform anti-terrorism structure should be established under the purview of National Investigation Agency (NIA) in all the States. Mr. Shah made the remarks at the inauguration of the two-day anti-terror conference organised by the NIA.

INDIA parties speak up for arrested AAP MP Sanjay Singh; Congress gives qualified support

The Congress has extended qualified support to Aam Aadmi Party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, who was arrested on Wednesday by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with its money laundering probe linked to the Delhi excise policy case. Equating Mr. Singh’s arrest with that of Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira in Punjab, the party’s general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal said, “We cannot become those we oppose”. The remark was also a swipe at the AAP government in Punjab over the arrest of Mr. Khaira. 

IIT-Bombay ‘veg. table’ row | Dean says policy made by elected body, calls protest ‘provocative, insensitive’

As voices against the policy of a hostel canteen of the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B), segregating certain tables for vegetarian food begin to grow louder within the campus, the Dean of Student Affairs (SA) on October 5 sent an email to all students and staff on the issue, the first from the administration on the controversy.

India, Canada in conversation on parity of diplomatic staff: MEA

India and Canada are in conversation about attaining “parity” in the diplomatic staff posted in each other’s missions, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday. During his weekly press briefing, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi reiterated India’s charge of Canadian “interference” in India’s internal affairs and indicated that India expects Canada to reduce the total number of its diplomats stationed here. 

India conveys concerns to U.S. over American envoy to Pakistan’s visit to Gilgit-Baltistan

India on Thursday said it raised its concerns with the U.S. over American envoy to Islamabad Donald Blome’s recent visit to Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and called on the world community to respect the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi asserted that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.

Reports say dozens have been killed and wounded as drone strikes hit a Syrian military ceremony

A drone attack struck a packed graduation ceremony for military officers in the Syrian city of Homs on Thursday, killing and wounding dozens, including civilians and military personnel, reports said. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack and the reports could not be independently confirmed.

EU Parliament decries ‘ethnic cleansing’ in Nagorno-Karabakh

EU lawmakers on Thursday accused Azerbaijan of carrying out “ethnic cleansing” against the Armenian residents of Nagorno-Karabakh, and urged the bloc to impose sanctions on Baku. Almost all of the 120,000-strong ethnic Armenia population has fled the breakaway region since Azerbaijan seized it back in a lightning offensive last month.

Chinese firm sold satellites for intelligence to Russia’s Wagner: contract

Russian mercenary group Wagner in 2022 signed a contract with a Chinese firm to acquire two satellites and use their images, aiding its intelligence work as the organisation sought to push Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to a document seen by AFP. The contract was signed in November 2022, over half a year into Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in which the Wagner group under its founder Yevgeny Prigozhin was playing a key role on the battlefield.

Musk’s X strips headlines from news links

Elon Musk’s social media platform X has stripped headlines from news articles shared by users, in a move likely to further worsen relations with media groups. The tycoon has long railed against the “legacy media” and claims X, formerly Twitter, is a better source of information. However, he said the latest change was for “aesthetic” reasons — news and other links now appear only as pictures with no accompanying text.

Political stability, policy consistency needed to ensure Indian economy’s growth to world’s third-largest: FM

Taking on critics who argue that India will become the world’s third largest economy in a few years with or without government intervention, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that political stability and policy consistency was essential for the prospect to turn into a reality, especially in a world marred by unprecedented volatility. 

Lower prices for tomatoes, chillis and LPG may have pulled food inflation down last month

Retail food inflation may have eased in September, thanks to cooling tomato prices and a reduction in LPG cylinder prices, even as onion prices rose further during the month, a CRISIL study on food plate costs suggested. Retail inflation had eased to 6.83% in August from a 15-month high of 7.44% in July, but food price inflation stood at about 10%.

SEBI to tell court Adani inquiry began 2014, but hit dead end: sources

Markets regulator SEBI will tell the Supreme Court why it paused, then restarted investigations into the Adani Group after a tip in 2014 amid questions around regulatory delays, according to two people with direct knowledge of the matter. SEBI will say for the first time that India’s customs authority alerted it to an alleged misuse of offshore funds by Adani Group companies in 2014 but that the initial investigation did not yield anything and was paused in 2017, the sources said.

Asian Games | Indian compound archery teams’ domination complete

With the scores tied at 200 each, Indian archers needed to hit three perfect 10s in a row to stay alive in the compound women’s team final at the Fuyang Arena. First, Parneet Kaur hit a 10 before Aditi Swami and Jyothi Surekha followed suit with 10s to put the pressure back on Chinese Taipei. Taipei slipped up with the first arrow which assured India’s gold medal and it won 230-229 Later, the trio of Abhishek Verma, Ojas Pravin Deotale and Prathamaesh Jawkar won the men’s team gold by beating South Korea 235-230 in the final.