Several residents across Jammu and Kashmir were rescued by police teams on Friday as heavy snowfall and rain disrupted normal life, blocked roads and damaged shelters in many areas.
In south Kashmir’s Pulwama
district, the police carried out sustained rescue operations to ensure the safety and well-being of vulnerable sections of society affected by the severe weather conditions. Acting swiftly, police teams reached remote and snowbound areas where movement had become difficult due to heavy snowfall.
In one such operation, an ailing member of a Gujjar family was rescued from his juggie after the area became inaccessible. He was safely shifted to the Sub-District Hospital Rajpora, a village and tehsil in Pulwama district, where he received necessary medical treatment.
Braving harsh weather conditions, Pulwama Police undertook sustained rescue efforts across the district to ensure the safety and well-being of vulnerable sections of society affected by the inclement weather.#HelpingHands #PulwamaPolice @JmuKmrPolice @KashmirPolice @DigSkr pic.twitter.com/Izvb3Y8oij
— Pulwama Police (@ssppul) January 23, 2026
In another timely intervention, a six-year-old child, Mohd Ibaad, a resident of Shadimarg, Check Dangerpora, was rescued from his residence after his health condition worsened amid the harsh weather. The child was immediately shifted to a hospital for urgent medical assistance.
Pulwama Police also extended help to several Gujjar families living in juggies whose temporary shelters were damaged due to the heavy snowfall. All affected persons were safely evacuated and shifted to nearby secure locations to protect them from the extreme cold and continuing snowfall.
Meanwhile, similar rescue efforts were reported from Udhampur district. In the upper ridges of the Basantgarh area, Udhampur Police successfully rescued at least 12 people who were stranded in deep snow.
#PeopleFirst#UdhampurPolice
Udhampur Police Successfully Rescue 12 Persons Stranded Due to Heavy Snowfall in Upper Ridges of Basantgarh Area @JmuKmrPolice @ZPHQJammu @igp_jammu @UHqrs @SarahRizviIPS pic.twitter.com/YDb1lyEfYb— District Police Udhampur (@UdhampurPolice) January 23, 2026
The heavy snowfall has also caused major disruptions across the region. Flight operations at Srinagar Airport were temporarily suspended.
Airport officials said all flights were cancelled for the day due to continuous snowfall, snow accumulation on operational areas and adverse weather conditions, in the interest of passenger safety.
The Jammu–Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) was also closed on Friday following heavy rain and snowfall, with vehicular movement stopped at several points, including Jakhani Chowk in Udhampur.
Most parts of Kashmir received fresh snowfall overnight, including the season’s first snowfall in Srinagar. Budgam district and south Kashmir’s Pulwama and Shopian districts recorded significant snowfall, while many areas also experienced rainfall.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has said the current weather system is likely to continue till Friday evening.
(With inputs from agencies)
