Srinagar, June 4 -- A sudden and violent hailstorm accompanied by strong winds tore through Kashmir's major fruit-growing regions on Monday, causing massive damage to apple orchards at a critical stage of cultivation. The disaster has pushed thousands of orchardists into crisis and reignited urgent calls for the implementation of a comprehensive crop insurance scheme for the region's horticulture sector.The worst-hit area was South Kashmir's Shopian district, especially the Imam Sahab belt, where villages like Nagbal, Handew, Wadipora, Alshipora, and Dasu were battered around 2:30 PM. The storm, which lasted over fifteen minutes, was marked by intense lightning and fierce winds that ravaged fruit-laden trees, snapping branches and destroy...