Tourists thank Kashmiri locals for ensuring their safety after attack
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Srinagar: As fear gripped Pahalgam following the horrific attack, locals in Kashmir rallied to ensure the safety of stranded tourists. Among the heroes was Imtiaz, a Kashmiri driver who helped Pooja Maney, a dispute officer from Bengaluru, and her mother escape danger and reach Srinagar safely.
Pooja recounted that she and her mother were preparing to leave for Pahalgam when news of the attack reached them. She shared that she was unsure about what to do and immediately called their driver, Imtiaz, for help. “Within a few hours, he ensured our safety by taking us from our hotel in Gulmarg to his residence in Srinagar,” Pooja was quoted as saying by The New Indian Express. She added that they have been staying there since Tuesday.
Tourist agencies report that over 100 families from Karnataka visited Jammu and Kashmir in April. Of these, about 20 families managed to fly back to Karnataka from Srinagar just hours before the Pahalgam attack was reported.
Another Bengaluru tourist, Namrata H., described how quickly the atmosphere shifted from serene to tense, noting that her family was at the Dal Lake when they learned of the attack. She shared that the region went silent—shops closed, roadblocks appeared, and a curfew was imposed. “It was the locals and tourist guides who helped us. They guided my family through the checkpoints and ensured we reached the airport safely by Wednesday evening,” TNIE report quoted her as saying.
With much of Kashmir under shutdown and road routes blocked, many visitors found themselves stranded. They credit local residents and guides for their swift assistance, guiding them through affected areas and arranging transport to Srinagar airport.
In response to the crisis, the Karnataka Tourism Department established a helpline on Wednesday, and had received nearly 50 calls from tourists and their families by evening.
*Locals, drivers, tour guides step in to safeguard tourists after Pahalgam attack*
Srinagar: As fear gripped Pahalgam following the horrific attack, locals in Kashmir rallied to ensure the safety of stranded tourists. Among the heroes was Imtiaz, a Kashmiri driver who helped Pooja Maney, a dispute officer from Bengaluru, and her mother escape danger and reach Srinagar safely.
Pooja recounted that she and her mother were preparing to leave for Pahalgam when news of the attack reached them. She shared that she was unsure about what to do and immediately called their driver, Imtiaz, for help. “Within a few hours, he ensured our safety by taking us from our hotel in Gulmarg to his residence in Srinagar,” Pooja was quoted as saying by The New Indian Express. She added that they have been staying there since Tuesday.
Tourist agencies report that over 100 families from Karnataka visited Jammu and Kashmir in April. Of these, about 20 families managed to fly back to Karnataka from Srinagar just hours before the Pahalgam attack was reported.
Another Bengaluru tourist, Namrata H., described how quickly the atmosphere shifted from serene to tense, noting that her family was at the Dal Lake when they learned of the attack. She shared that the region went silent—shops closed, roadblocks appeared, and a curfew was imposed. “It was the locals and tourist guides who helped us. They guided my family through the checkpoints and ensured we reached the airport safely by Wednesday evening,” TNIE report quoted her as saying.
With much of Kashmir under shutdown and road routes blocked, many visitors found themselves stranded. They credit local residents and guides for their swift assistance, guiding them through affected areas and arranging transport to Srinagar airport.
In response to the crisis, the Karnataka Tourism Department established a helpline on Wednesday, and had received nearly 50 calls from tourists and their families by evening.
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Mumbai court clerk caught by ACB taking Rs 15L; additional sessions judge named in FIR
Mumbai: A clerk at Mazgaon Civil and Session Court, Chandrakant Vasudev (40), was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Tuesday for accepting a bribe of Rs 15 lakh from a Bandra businessman for a favourable verdict in a land dispute case.
The ACB officials said on Wednesday that additional sessions judge, Aejazuddin S Kazi (55), has been named in the FIR filed in the case and shown as wanted by the Bureau.
Both Vasudev and Judge Kazi have been booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The officials have added that the businessman had been asked initially to give a total of Rs 25 lakh, as Rs 15 lakh for the judge and Rs 10 lakh for the clerk. After negotiations, the amount was reduced to Rs 15 lakh.
The clerk Vasudev was produced in court and sent to judicial custody for five days.
ACB Assistant Commissioner of Police Manisha Zende has said that Kazi was booked after Vasudev confirmed the judge’s role in the graft. The clerk had called the judge when he was caught by the ACB team and informed Kazi that he had received the money, she added. The official, however, said that Kazi was yet to be arrested and remains a wanted accused.
In April 2016, the Bombay High Court had stayed the creation of third-party rights on the disputed land. As the land’s valuation was below ₹10 crore, the commercial suit was transferred to the Civil Sessions Court in Mazgaon.
On September 9, 2025, an office associate of the complainant received a call from Vasudev when he was at Court No 14 of the Civil Sessions Court, the ACB stated.
Vasudev is said to have met the complainant in suburban Chembur, where he demanded ₹25 lakh. After the complainant refused to pay the huge amount, Vasudev allegedly called him repeated to demand the bribe, which prompted the complainant to approach and file a complaint with the ACB on November 10.
As instructed by the ACB, the complainant met Vasudev on the court premises and agreed to pay ₹15 lakh. Vasudev called Judge Kazi to inform him about the payment, and the judge allegedly acknowledged the bribe, after which, the clerk was apprehended and arrested by the ACB officials.
Further investigation is underway, the official said.
