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The Indian military on Saturday accused Pakistani forces of firing on Indian positions along the Line of Control (LoC) in the disputed Kashmir region for a second straight night, amid rising tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors following a deadly attack on Indian tourists. In a statement, the Indian army said soldiers at multiple Pakistani posts opened fire overnight across the LoC, prompting Indian troops to respond with small arms fire. The Indian military labeled the firing as “unprovoked” and reported no casualties. This follows a similar incident reported on Friday, when Indian forces claimed they were targeted with small arms fire in the Gurez sector the previous night. ICE is reversing the termination of legal status for international students around the US There was no immediate response from Pakistan, and the claims have not been independently verified. Both countries have a history of blaming each other for initiating border clashes in the contested Himalayan region. The escalation comes in the wake of Tuesday’s attack near Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, where gunmen killed 26 people, mostly tourists. India labeled the incident a terrorist attack and blamed Pakistan for supporting it. Pakistan, however, denied involvement, and a little-known group calling itself the Kashmir Resistance claimed responsibility. The attack was the worst against civilians in the region in years and has triggered heightened tensions. India and Pakistan, who each claim Kashmir in full and have fought two wars over it, have since taken retaliatory measures. India suspended a longstanding water-sharing treaty on Wednesday, shut down the only operational land border crossing, and announced all Pakistani visas would be revoked by Sunday. In response, Pakistan canceled Indian visas, closed its airspace to Indian aircraft, and halted bilateral trade. Travelers from both countries began returning home through the Wagah border near Lahore on Friday. Iran to ink $4b oilfields deal with Russia Islamabad also issued a stern warning, saying any attempt by India to stop or divert river waters would be treated as an “act of war.” The move threatens to worsen water shortages in parts of Pakistan already facing drought conditions. India maintains that all militant activity in Kashmir is backed by Pakistan, a charge Islamabad denies, asserting instead that the insurgency reflects a local struggle for independence among Kashmir’s Muslim-majority population.    

India has received "strong expressions of support and solidarity" from many governments around the world, including Bangladesh, which have unequivocally condemned the recent terror attack. The Indian Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) met on Wednesday evening under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and recorded its appreciation for such sentiments, which reflect zero tolerance for terrorism. The CCS was briefed in detail on the terrorist attack on 22 April 2025 in Pahalgam, in which 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen were killed. A number of others sustained injuries. The CCS condemned the attack in the strongest terms and expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and hoped for the early recovery of the injured. Prof Yunus seeks greater Qatari investment, offers exclusive economic zone Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh separately strongly condemned the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir in India, resulting in the tragic loss of innocent lives. “Bangladesh extends deepest condolence to the families of the victims and expresses heartfelt sympathy to all those affected by the mindless act of violence," said the MoFA on Wednesday. Bangladesh reiterated its "unwavering commitment" to the global fight against terrorism. In the briefing to the CCS, the cross-border linkages of the terrorist attack were brought out. It was noted that this attack came in the wake of the successful holding of elections in the Union Territory and its steady progress towards economic growth and development, said Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in a statement on the decision of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). Recognising the seriousness of this terrorist attack, he said, the CCS decided upon the following measures: (i) The Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 will be held in abeyance with immediate effect, until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism. (ii) The Integrated Check Post Attari will be closed with immediate effect. Those who have crossed over with valid endorsements may return through that route before 01 May 2025. (iii) Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas. Any SVES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. Any Pakistani national currently in India under SVES visa has 48 hours to leave India. (iv) The Defence/Military, Naval and Air Advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi are declared Persona Non Grata. They have a week to leave India. India will be withdrawing its own Defence/Navy/Air Advisors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. These posts in the respective High Commissions are deemed annulled. Five support staff of the Service Advisors will also be withdrawn from both High Commissions. (v) The overall strength of the High Commissions will be brought down to 30 from the present 55 through further reductions, to be effected by 01 May 2025. The CCS reviewed the overall security situation and directed all forces to maintain high vigil, said the Indian Foreign Secretary. It resolved that the perpetrators of the attack will be brought to justice and their sponsors held to account, he said. "As with the recent extradition of Tahawwur Rana, India will be unrelenting in the pursuit of those who have committed acts of terror, or conspired to make them possible," Misri said.

Bollywood icons Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan have strongly condemned the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 people dead, including two foreign nationals. The actors expressed their grief and anger in heartfelt posts shared on social media platform X. The attack, described as a brutal act of violence, has drawn widespread outrage across the country. Both Shah Rukh and Salman used their platforms to denounce the incident and stand in solidarity with the victims' families. "Words fail to express the sadness and anger at the treachery and inhumane act of violence that has occurred in Pahalgam," Shah Rukh Khan wrote. "In times like these, one can only turn to God and say a prayer for the families that suffered and express my deepest condolences. May we as a Nation, stand united, strong and get justice against this heinous act." Salman Khan echoed similar sentiments, offering prayers and support to those affected. "Deeply saddened by the loss of innocent lives in the Pahalgam attack. My thoughts and prayers are with the families. May peace prevail, and may justice be served," he posted. From Chittisinghpora to Pahalgam: Kashmir’s unending cycle of bloodshed The film fraternity, along with the wider public, has rallied in mourning and outrage following the attack. Authorities have launched a full-scale investigation, vowing to bring the perpetrators to justice. The attack has once again highlighted the vulnerability of civilians in conflict-prone regions and reignited calls for stronger national security and communal unity. Source: With inputs from India Today

At least two dozen people have been killed after gunmen opened fire on a group of domestic tourists visiting a popular beauty spot in Indian-administered Kashmir. The attack took place in Pahalgam, a picturesque town in the Himalayas often described as the "Switzerland of India". The region's chief minister, Omar Abdullah, said the attack was "much larger than anything we've seen directed at civilians in recent years". Reports suggest that there are a large number of wounded, with some in critical condition, BBC reports. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the perpetrators would "be brought to justice". "Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakeable and it will get even stronger," Modi wrote in a statement on X. Modi added that Home Minister Amit Shah would travel to Srinagar, Kashmir's largest city, to hold an emergency security meeting. 13 killed as passenger truck falls into a ravine in southern Pakistan The region's Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, said the army and police had been deployed to the scene. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. There has been a long-running insurgency in the Muslim-majority region since 1989, although violence has waned in recent years. The attack took place in Baisaran, a mountain-top meadow three miles (5km) from Pahalgam. Vehicles are unable to reach the area where the shooting occurred, Inspector General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Vidi Kumar Birdi told BBC Hindi. A tourist from Gujarat, who was part of a group that was fired upon, said that chaos broke out after the sudden attack, and everybody started running, crying and shouting. Video footage shared by Indian media outlets appears to show Indian troops running towards the scene of the attack, while in other footage victims can be heard saying that the gunmen had singled out non-Muslims. Footage on social media, which has not been verified by the BBC, appears to show bodies lying on a meadow with people crying and asking for help. Police said multiple tourists had been taken to hospital with gunshot wounds. The area has been cordoned off with soldiers stopping vehicles at checkpoints while a search is underway to find the perpetrators. Since the 1990s, an armed separatist insurgency against Indian rule in the region has claimed tens of thousands of lives, including those of civilians and security forces. The Himalayan region was divided following India's independence from Britain, partition and the creation of Pakistan in 1947. The two nuclear-armed states both claim the region in its entirety and have fought two wars and a limited conflict over it in the decades since. Some 500,000 Indian soldiers are permanently deployed in the territory. While fighting has decreased since Modi revoked Kashmir's partial autonomy in 2019, there are still incidents of violence. The last major attack on civilians occurred in June 2024 when nine people were killed and 33 injured after militants opened fire on a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims. In 2019, a suicide bombing in Indian-administered Kashmir killed at least 46 soldiers and prompted Indian airstrikes on targets in Pakistan. Pahalgam is a popular tourist destination, both domestically and internationally, and in recent years the government has attempted to encourage further tourism to the region. Around 3.5 million tourists visited Kashmir in 2024, according to official figures.

A wave of forest fires has swept across Kashmir, with human activities and unregulated camping playing a more significant role than environmental factors this time. In the past week, multiple major fire incidents have been reported, particularly in South Kashmir. A devastating blaze erupted in the Lidder Forest Division on Tuesday evening, rapidly consuming large sections of the forest despite concerted efforts by the Forest Department and local volunteers, reports Greater Kashmir. Fires were simultaneously reported in several forest compartments, including Dachnipora in Pahalgam and Khuwripora in Aishmuqam, affecting compartments 17, 21, 22, 50, and 58. The flames also engulfed extensive forested areas in Budroo, Sallar, Kullar, Dehvatoo, Mawoora, Grendwan, Reshkobal, Hapatnad, Wajoora, and Pendobal. Division Forest Officer (DFO) Lidder, Shama Roohi, described the fires as catastrophic and linked them to human negligence. She suggested that people camping in the forests during Eid celebrations might have inadvertently triggered the fires by cooking and leaving behind flammable materials. “With the current dry conditions, even a small spark can escalate into a major blaze,” Roohi said. She noted that a coordinated team comprising the Forest Department, Forest Protection Force (FPF), Wildlife Department, Social Forestry, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and local volunteers had been working tirelessly to contain the fires. “A case will be registered regarding these incidents,” she confirmed. Chief Conservator of Forests, Irfan Rasool, acknowledged the gravity of the situation and warned that strict action would be taken against those found responsible. He pointed out that unrestricted human movement within unfenced forest areas had made the forests highly vulnerable to fires. “Often, fires are sparked by miscreants who set dry grass, leaves, or bushes alight or carelessly discard lit cigarettes, causing devastating consequences,” Rasool explained. Indian parliament's Lower House passes controversial bill that would change Muslim endowments The Forest Department has already issued advisories urging people to minimise visits to forests and avoid carrying combustible substances. The advisory also recommends exercising extreme caution while moving livestock in forested areas and strictly refraining from discarding cigarette butts or domestic ash. “Violations will be dealt with under the provisions of the Indian Forest Act, 1927,” Rasool stated. He further emphasised the dangers of illegal coal and wood collection, which could inadvertently ignite fires, given the region’s dry conditions. “Forests are our natural wealth, and their protection is a collective responsibility,” he added. Kashmir has experienced repeated forest fires over recent months, with several blazes recorded in December last year and February this year, largely attributed to prolonged dry spells. The region has also witnessed a steady decline in forest cover over the years, exacerbated by deforestation and land conversion. According to the India State of Forest Report 2023, published by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), Kashmir lost 40.61 sq km of forest cover between 2021 and 2023, reducing from 21,387 sq km to 21,346 sq km. Jammu and Kashmir’s forests, spanning approximately 21,387 sq km with an additional tree cover of 2,867 sq km, make up around 10 percent of the region’s total geographical area. These forests, predominantly dry temperate, are home to valuable tree species such as Deodar, Kail, and Fir, which flourish at varying altitudes.

Gunmen fatally shot at least seven people working on a strategic tunnel project in Indian-controlled Kashmir and injured at least five others, officials said on Monday. Police blamed militants who have been fighting against Indian rule for decades for the “terror attack” at a camp for construction workers near the disputed region’s resort town of Sonamarg. No rebel group immediately claimed responsibility. Kashmir gets largely powerless government after 5 years Police said at least two gunmen fired “indiscriminately” at officials and workers associated with the construction, leaving two dead on the spot. At least 10 others were taken to hospital, where five more died. The attack came shortly after workers returned to their lodgings on Sunday night. There was no immediate independent confirmation of the attack. The dead included five non-local laborers and officials, one Kashmiri worker and a Kashmiri doctor. Reinforcements of police and soldiers launched search operations in the area to nab the attackers. Omar Abdullah, the region's top elected official, condemned the attack in a post on social media platform X, calling it “dastardly & cowardly.” A key Kashmiri resistance leader said he was “deeply saddened by the outrageous killings.” “Another grim reminder of the unending cycle of violence and uncertainty we are suffering for decades,” Mirwaiz Umar Farooq wrote on X. Hundreds of people, mostly non-local laborers, are working on the ambitious tunnel project that aims to connect the Kashmir Valley with Ladakh, a cold desert region that is isolated for half the year because of massive snowfalls. Experts say the tunnel project is important to the military, which will gain significantly improved capabilities to operate in Ladakh. The strategically important region shares de facto borders with Pakistan and China, and Indian and Chinese soldiers have been engaged in a military standoff there since 2020. Both countries have stationed tens of thousands of soldiers there, backed by artillery, tanks and fighter jets. Sunday’s attack was the second attack on a non-local worker in the region since a largely powerless local government was sworn into office Wednesday, following the first local elections since India stripped the region of semi-autonomy five years ago. On Friday, body of a worker from eastern Bihar state, riddled with bullet wounds, was recovered from a maize field in southern Shopian district, police said. They blamed militants for the killing. Kashmir has witnessed a spate of killings, many targeting workers from other parts of India, since 2021. Police say the killings, which have also included local Muslim village councilors, police officials and civilians, have been carried out by anti-India rebels. India and Pakistan each administer a part of Kashmir, but both claim the territory in its entirety. The nuclear-armed rivals have fought two of their three wars over the territory since they gained independence from British colonial rule in 1947. Militants in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir have been fighting New Delhi’s rule since 1989. Many Muslim Kashmiris support the rebels’ goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country. India insists that Kashmir militancy is Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. Pakistan denies the charge, and many Kashmiris consider it a freedom struggle. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the conflict.

Leaders of Kashmir’s biggest political party were sworn into office Wednesday to run a largely powerless government after the first local election since India stripped the disputed region of its special status five years ago. National Conference leader Omar Abdullah will be the region’s chief minister after his party won the most seats in the three-phased election. It has support from India's main opposition Congress party, although Congress decided not to be a part of the new government for now. The vote was Kashmir's first in a decade and the first since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government scrapped the Muslim-majority region’s long-held semi-autonomy in 2019. The National Conference staunchly opposed the move, and its victory is seen as a referendum against the Modi government's changes. Kashmir will remain under New Delhi's direct controlLt. Gov. Manoj Sinha, New Delhi’s top administrator in Kashmir, administered the oaths of office to Abdullah and the five members of his council of ministers in a ceremony under tight security at a lakeside venue in the region’s main city of Srinagar. Some of India’s top opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi of the Congress party, attended. However, there will be a limited transfer of power from New Delhi to the local government as Kashmir will remain a “union territory” — directly controlled by the federal government — with India’s Parliament as its main legislator. Kashmir’s statehood would have to be restored for the new government to have powers similar to other states of India. India and Pakistan each administer a part of Kashmir, but both claim the territory in its entirety. The nuclear-armed rivals have fought two of their three wars over the territory since they gained independence from British colonial rule in 1947. Modi congratulated Abdullah and promised to work closely with him and his team. Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, a parliamentarian from Kashmir and a National Conference leader, said the new setup in Kashmir “will act both as a government and as an opposition” as it will oppose policies of Modi's party while also strive to “reclaim” the region’s rights. “These policies have harmed the state, such as the revocation of Article 370, which stripped us of the rights we enjoyed. The government will deliver effective governance while fighting for the rights of the state,” he said. Tight restrictions on media and civil rightsKashmir’s last assembly election in 2014 brought to power Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP, which for the first time ruled in a coalition with the local Peoples Democratic Party. T he government collapsed in 2018, after the BJP withdrew from the coalition and New Delhi took the region under its direct control. A year later, the federal government downgraded and divided the former state into two centrally governed union territories, Ladakh and Jammu-Kashmir. The move — which largely resonated in India and among Modi supporters — was mostly opposed in Kashmir as an assault on its identity and autonomy amid fears that it would pave the way for demographic changes in the region. Indian-controlled Kashmir votes in final phase of polls to elect local government The region has since been on edge with civil liberties curbed and media freedoms restricted. Like on election days, authorities on Wednesday limited access of foreign media to the oath ceremony and denied press credentials to most journalists working with international media, including The Associated Press, without citing any reason. In the recently concluded election, the National Conference won 42 seats, mainly from the Kashmir Valley, the heartland of the anti-India rebellion, while the BJP secured 29 seats, all from the Hindu-dominated areas of Jammu. The Congress succeeded in six constituencies. Militants in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir have been fighting New Delhi’s rule since 1989. Many Muslim Kashmiris support the rebels’ goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country. Many in Indian-controlled Kashmir plan to vote this time to deny Modi total control India insists the Kashmir militancy is Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. Pakistan denies the charge, and many Kashmiris consider it a legitimate freedom struggle. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the conflict. Calls to restore Kashmir's statehoodExperts say the new government, stripped of all the essential powers, would face a daunting task to fulfil its election promises against huge public expectations to resist the 2019 changes and the federal government’s tight control. Praveen Donthi, senior analyst with the International Crisis Group, said the region’s political vacuum of the last few years will not vanish with the polls alone. “The Modi government should build on it by restoring full statehood and empowering the government,” said Donthi. “Otherwise, it will intensify disaffection and is a set up for failure.” Modi and his powerful home minister, Amit Shah, have repeatedly stated that the region’s statehood will be restored after the election, without specifying a timeline. However, they vowed to block any move aimed at undoing the 2019 changes but promised to help in the region’s economic development. For the new chief minister, meanwhile, it's going to be a tightrope walk. “As a pro-India politician at the helm of this powerless administration, Omar Abdullah knows his limitations,” Donthi said. “He would be looking at his job as a buffer to moderate the worst instincts of New Delhi, but he would be clutching at straws."

Enjoying the unparalleled beauty of nature cannot be measured by any monetary value. However, everything in the world comes with a price, tourism is no exception. Though travelling costs are getting higher day by day, Bangladeshi tourists can visit overseas within a tight budget with proper planning and right information. Let's explore some popular international tourist attractions to visit with 10,000 taka. 10 Overseas Places to Visit from Bangladesh with a Budget of BDT 10,000 Cherrapunji This city, which is also called Sohra, is situated in the East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya. Notable attractions here include Mawsynram, the Double Decker Root Bridge, Mosmai Cave, and Mokdok View Point. Foreign visitors are drawn to enchanting waterfalls like Nohkalikai Falls, Thankharang Park, Mosmai Falls, Kalikai Falls, Rainbow Falls, Krangsuri Falls, and Seven Sisters Falls. To reach Sohra, travelers must take a train from Dhaka to Sylhet and then a bus to Tamabil. The minimum train fare from Dhaka to Sylhet is around BDT 400, and the bus journey from Sylhet to Tamabil costs BDT 35. Read more: 10 Most Affordable Destinations in Indonesia: Winter retreats on a budget Upon reaching Tamabil, complete Bangladesh immigration and cross-border checking at Indian customs. Subsequently, a taxi or minibus will leave for Shillong through Dauki Bazaar. Cherrapunji is a bit further, past the Wardslake gate of Shillong. For budget accommodation, homestays in Naingriat village can be arranged, with room rents for 4 people ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500, approximately equal to BDT 1,330 to 2,000 (Rs 1 = BDT 1.33). The cost of food can range from Rs 160 to Rs 200 (approx. BDT 215 to BDT 266) per person per day. All in all, one can travel from Dhaka via Shillong to Cherrapunji and back to Dhaka in 3 days for around 8 to 9 thousand taka. Read more: Best Asian Alternatives to the Maldives: Affordable Island Getaways Delhi Delhi, the Indian capital on the banks of the river Yamuna, retains its popularity among travelers due to its historical significance. Jama Masjid, Qutub Minar, Chandni Chowk, India Gate, Red Fort, and Emperor Humayun's Tomb are among the city's prominent sightseeing spots. Dhaka residents can reach Delhi affordably by first taking a bus to Kolkata. A non-AC coach will cost around BDT 890 to BDT 900 per person. From Kolkata's Howrah, they need to take a train to Delhi, with a non-AC sleeper costing approximately Rs 650 to Rs 700 (close proximity to BDT 865 to BDT 931). Opting for a tour agency's sightseeing package, which typically costs Rs 300 to 500 per person (hovering near BDT 399 to BDT 665), is recommended. The average daily cost for food is Rs 390 (roughly BDT 519). Double-bed rooms in Paharganj can be found for Rs 500 to Rs 650 (approx. BDT 655 to BDT 865). Read more: Shopping in Malaysia: What to Buy, Where to Buy from Shimla The capital and largest city of Himachal Pradesh in North India is known as the Queen of Hill Stations. Places to visit in the picturesque city include Mall Road, The Ridge, Summer Hill, Viceroy Lodge, St. Michael's Cathedral, Himachal State Museum, and Jakhu. Budget visitors must first come to Kolkata from Dhaka by the ways mentioned earlier. A minimum of BDT 1,100 will be spent here along with the immigration process. After that, the explorers have to go to Howrah station in Kolkata as before. From there, the Kalka Mail train will take them to Kalka, for which the ticket price will be around Rs 710 (about BDT 945). Toy Train fare for Kalka to Shimla is Rs.50 (close to BDT 67). A room in Shimla can be rented for Rs 1,000 (near BDT 1,330), and food per day can cost Rs 194 (almost BDT 258) per person. Read more: Lawachara National Park Travel Guide: Evergreen forest in northeastern Bangladesh

As India prepares to host a meeting of tourism officials from the Group of 20 in the disputed region of Kashmir, authorities have deployed elite commandos and stepped up security in the region's largest city. The meeting will be the first significant international event in Kashmir since New Delhi stripped the Muslim-majority region of semi-autonomy in 2019. Indian authorities are hoping the meeting will show that the controversial changes have brought "peace and prosperity" to the region. Since the 2019 changes, the city, known for rolling Himalayan foothills and exquisitely decorated houseboats, has become a major domestic tourist destination. Hotels have been mostly booked out for months. Kashmir has also drawn millions of visitors, who enjoy a strange peace kept by ubiquitous security checkpoints, armored vehicles and patrolling soldiers. Also Read: Indian troops kill 2 rebels in Kashmir in ongoing operations For the G20 meeting, the city has spruced up its commercial center and roads leading to the convention center on Dal Lake, while police have increased security even further, placing a massive security cordon around the site. On a recent Wednesday, gun-toting naval commandos in rubber boats mingled with tourists in canary-yellow gondolas. Paul Staniland, a political scientist who studies South Asia at the University of Chicago, said the G20 meeting is "in line with Indian government policy to symbolically project normalcy and stability in Kashmir," and is unlikely to herald a change in policy. ALso Read: India revives civil militia after Hindu killings in Kashmir "The meeting is good and it could boost tourism," said college student Mufeed Hilal. "But we also want to see the Kashmir issue resolved. That is our basic problem." ___ REGIONAL NEIGHBORS AND UN HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERT CRITICIZE KASHMIR MEETING Pakistan, which controls a part of Kashmir but, like India, claims the entire territory, has slammed New Delhi for holding the meeting in Srinagar. Speaking on the sidelines of a recent Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting in India, foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the choice of location showed India's "pettiness" and was a "show of arrogance to the world." Also Read: 2 kids among 6 people die in Kashmir village attack: Police India's foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, dismissed the Pakistani minister's comments, saying that he was not going to debate the issue "with a country which has nothing to do with the G20," referring to the fact that Pakistan is not a member of the group. The G20, made up of the world's largest economies, has a rolling presidency with a different member state in charge of the group's agenda and priorities each year. India is steering the group in 2023. China also criticized India's plan to hold the meeting in Srinagar. "China firmly opposes holding any form of G20 meeting in disputed areas and China will not attend such a meeting," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters at a daily briefing Friday. Last month, China skipped another G20 meeting held in the disputed region Ladakh, where Indian and Chinese soldiers are locked in a bitter military standoff high in the mountains after 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed in a hand-to-hand melee in 2020. A U.N. human rights expert on Monday said the meeting would support a "facade of normalcy" while "massive human rights violations" continue in the region. "The government of India is seeking to normalise what some have described as a military occupation by instrumentalising a G20 meeting and portray an international seal of approval," said Fernand de Varennes, the special rapporteur on minority issues, in a statement. India's mission at the U.N. in Geneva rejected the statement as "baseless" and "unwarranted allegations." In a tweet on Tuesday, it said it was India's "prerogative to host its meetings in any part of the country." India also held G20 tourism meetings in the states of West Bengal and Gujarat earlier this year, and one more is scheduled in Goa next month. ___ SEARCHES AND PATROLS REDOUBLE AHEAD OF MEETING Intrusive security measures have been a fact of life in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989, when a violent separatist insurgency erupted and Indian forces replied with a brutal crackdown. While the armed rebellion was largely suppressed, the region remains one of the world's most heavily militarized territory, with hundreds of thousands of Indian troops deployed. For decades, a typical Kashmiri's day has included frisking and questioning by police and soldiers, house raids and random searches of cars. But after New Delhi took the region under its direct control, authorities have seized scores of homes and arrested hundreds under stringent anti-terror laws. The government says such actions are necessary to stop what it calls a "terror ecosystem." Mehbooba Mufti, the region's former top elected official, said that police had detained hundreds of Kashmiris ahead of the meeting. In a party newsletter, she alleged that there has been an "unprecedented surge in arrests, raids, surveillance and persecution of our people" ahead of the event. In a statement on Monday, police said there is a "need to enhance the security measures at vulnerable locations to avoid any chance of terrorist attack during the G20" meeting. Kashmir has remained on edge since the 2019 changes, as authorities put in place new laws that critics and many Kashmiris fear could transform the region's demographics. In New Delhi's effort to shape what it calls "Naya Kashmir," or a "new Kashmir," the territory's people and its press have been largely silenced. Although violence has ebbed in last few years, fighting between government forces and rebels opposed to Indian rule still erupts periodically. At least 10 Indian soldiers, including five members of army special forces, were killed recently in two militant attacks in Jammu region.  

After seven Hindus were killed in early January in two back-to-back attacks in Dhangri village in disputed Kashmir, former Indian army soldier Satish Kumar described his sleepy mountainous village as an “abode of fear.” Days after the deadly violence in the village in frontier Rajouri district, where homes are separated by maize and mustard fields, hundreds of residents staged angry protests across the Hindu-dominated Jammu region. In response, Indian authorities revived a government-sponsored militia and began rearming and training thousands of villagers, including some teenagers. Kumar was among the first people to join the militia under the new drive and authorities armed him with a semiautomatic rifle and 100 bullets. “I feel like a soldier again,” said the 40-year-old Kumar, who runs a grocery store since his retirement from the Indian military in 2018. The militia, officially called the “Village Defense Group,” was initially formed in the 1990s as the first line of defense against anti-India insurgents in remote Himalayan villages that government forces could not reach quickly. Also Read: 2 kids among 6 people die in Kashmir village attack: Police As the insurgency waned in their operational areas and as some militia members gained notoriety for brutality and rights violations, drawing severe criticism from human rights groups, the militia was largely disbanded. But the January violence stirred unpleasant memories of past attacks in Rajouri, which is near the highly militarized Line of Control that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan and where combat between Indian soldiers and rebels is not uncommon. Brandishing his weapon inside his single-story concrete home on an overcast February day, Kumar justified his decision to join the militia as the “only way to combat fear and protect (my) family from terrorists.” “I am a trained person and have fought against terrorists. But what is the use of (military) training if you do not have a weapon,” Kumar said. “Believe me, I felt almost incapacitated due to fear.” On January 1, two gunmen killed four villagers, including a father and his son, and wounded at least five others. The next day, a blast outside one of the houses killed two children and injured at least 10 others. It is still unclear whether the explosive was left behind by the attackers. A week later, one of the injured died at a hospital, raising the overall death toll to seven. “There was carnage in our village and Hindus were under attack,” Kumar said. Also Read: Indian police say 4 suspected rebels killed in Kashmir The police blamed militants fighting against Indian rule for decades in Kashmir, the Himalayan territory claimed by India and Pakistan in its entirety. But two months later, they are yet to announce a breakthrough or name any suspects, exacerbating fear and anger among residents in the village of about 5,000 where Hindus represent about 70% and the rest are Muslims. The policy to rearm civilians comes after India stripped Kashmir of its semiautonomy and took direct control of the territory amid a months-long security and communications lockdown in 2019. Kashmir has since remained on edge as authorities also put in place a slew of new laws that critics and many Kashmiris fear could change the region’s demographics. In New Delhi’s effort to shape what it calls “Naya Kashmir,” or a “new Kashmir,” the territory’s people have been largely silenced, with their civil liberties curbed, as India has shown no tolerance for any form of dissent. So when the Dhangri violence occurred, the Indian government was swift to rearm the civilian militia even though it had announced its reconstitution in August last year. Officials said they have since armed and provided weapons training to over 100 other Hindu men in Dhangri, while also lifting the ban on gun licenses in the already militarized Rajouri. The village already had over 70 former militiamen, some of whom still possess the colonial British-era Lee–Enfield rifles allotted to them over a decade ago. For the first time, the militia has also been financially incentivized by the government, which said each member would be paid 4,000 Indian rupees ($48) a month. Still, the decision to revitalize the Village Defense Group is not without controversy. Some security and political experts argue that the policy could weaponize divisions in Jammu’s volatile hinterland where communal strife has historically existed. In the past, more than 200 police cases, including charges of rape, murder and rioting, were registered against some of the tens of thousands of militiamen in Jammu region, according to government data. “Small arms proliferation is dangerous for any society and when a state does it, it’s a tacit admission of failure to secure a society,” said Zafar Choudhary, a political analyst. India has a long history of arming civilians in its counterinsurgency efforts and civilian militiamen were first used to fight separatists in India’s northeastern states. In 2005, India’s federal government founded a local militia, the Salwa Judum, to combat Maoist rebels in the central Chhattisgarh state. It was accused by rights groups of committing widespread atrocities and was disbanded in 2011. In Kashmir, the civil defense groups were armed almost six years after the deadly insurgency against Indian rule began. S.P. Vaid was a young officer in 1995 when he supervised the creation of the militia’s first unit after two Hindu men were killed in a militant attack in a remote hilly village in Jammu region. Vaid, who recently retired as Indian-controlled Kashmir’s top police officer, said hours after his team reached the village the locals demanded arms for their protection. “I had no government brief on that, but I immediately sought permission from headquarters to provide the villagers with 10 guns,” he said. “That’s how it started.” The Indian government formally rolled out a policy to arm villagers a few months later. Security officials argue that arming civilians deterred militant activity and helped stop the out-migration of Hindus from remote areas, unlike in the Kashmir valley where a year after armed rebellion broke out most local Hindus fled to Jammu amid militant threats and the killings of local community leaders. Kuldeep Khoda, another former top police officer in the region credited for implementing the policy, said the results “surprised us." “It was an experiment but it worked,” Khoda said at his home in Jammu city. For its work on civil defense groups, the region’s police were given an award by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, an influential U.S.-based police group, Khoda said. The militia, he said, “played a pivotal role in defeating Pakistani designs to instigate communal tensions.” But Choudhary, the political analyst, said “civilians are not armed in a functional democracy.” The sharpening divisions already appear stark in Dhangri. Muslim residents in the village say fear and grief bind them together with their Hindu neighbors, yet their request to join the militia has been refused. Mohammed Mushtaq is a former paramilitary soldier who lives near the house where gunmen first fired on January 1. “We have lived together for generations and have a similar social system. But fingers have been pointed at us,” he said. Mushtaq and two other Muslim neighbors, also former soldiers, asked the authorities for weapons under the policy but were refused, he said. As Mushtaq spoke sitting outside his home, the sounds of religious hymns and devotional songs floated from the loudspeakers of a Hindu temple on top of a hill. The chants were interspersed with the chirping of birds and occasional whistles from pressure cookers in some village kitchens. Moments later, a muezzin called Muslims to early afternoon prayers. Kumar, the former soldier and militia member, said the decision not to induct his Muslim neighbors in the militia was “arbitrary” as “we still do not know who carried out the massacre” in Dhangri. Meanwhile, hundreds of old militia members in Rajouri’s remote hamlets are oiling their weapons again. “We had locked up our guns and thought we would never need them,” said 38-year-old Usha Raina, who has been a militia member since 2015 along with over two dozen other villagers in the neighboring hamlet of Kalal Khas. “The incident (in Dhangri) has scared us all and the guns are back in our living rooms,” she said.