The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — A day after the approval from the Election Commission of India (ECI) for the posting of four police officers as district police chiefs, the officers assumed the charges at designated places on Saturday.

According to the news agency KNO, customary handing over of charges took place between the outgoing SSPs and SP and incoming officers.

Soon after taking over charge as the district chiefs, the top officers chaired introductory meetings with the officers in their respective police districts at their office chambers.

In Baramulla, the incoming SSP Mohammad Zaid, who was accompanied by the outgoing officer SSP Gurinderpal Singh, was received by the SP Operations Feroz Yehya, SP Headquarters Syed Yasir Qadri besides others.

The event was followed by the handing over of the charges.

In Kupwara, the outgoing SSP, Shobhit Saxena, along with senior police officers of the district, extended a warm welcome to the incoming officer Ghulam Jeelani Wani at the District Police Headquarters. The officer was honoured with a ceremonial guard of honour.

Similarly, in Handwara, the outgoing SP Dawood Ayoub and incoming SP Mir Ifroz were received by SP Operations Handwara Zaffar Iqbal, SDPO Hamid Ali and others, which was followed by the handing over of the charges.

Earlier on Friday, the ECI approved the posting of Mohammad Zaid as SSP, Baramulla, Ghulam Jeelani Wani as SSP Kupwara, Ifroz Ahmad as SP Handwara and Imtiyaz Hussain Mir as SSP Srinagar.

KUPWARA — Three militants were killed in joint operations by J&K Police and Indian Army in northern Kashmir's Kupwara district on Thursday.

These successful operations, as per the security forces, are attributed to the seamless coordination between the two forces, focusing on maintaining close surveillance and enhancing human intelligence regarding infiltration attempts from the Line of Control (LOC) in Kupwara.

On August 27, specific intelligence inputs were received by the forces about simultaneous infiltration attempts in the Karnah and Kumkadi sectors of Kupwara. This information, as per the statement, was promptly shared with the respective army units, and joint ambushes involving J&K Police and the Army were strategically deployed.

The statement added that suspicious movement was detected around 19:30 hours on August 28 in the Kumkadi sector, leading to an exchange of fire that continued until the early morning hours of August 29. A subsequent search operation revealed two dead bodies of militants at the site.

Similarly, in the Karnah sector, suspicious movement was observed around 21:00 hours on August 28. The ensuing gunfire lasted into the early hours of August 29. The search operation conducted later resulted in the recovery of one dead body. Further search operations are ongoing in both sectors, and legal formalities are being completed. This marks the sixth counter-insurgency operation in Kupwara district this year, bringing the total number of militants killed in the district to 10, all of whom were foreign militants.

SRINAGAR — A soldier and an intruder were killed, while four other soldiers were injured in a Pakistani Border Action Team (BAT) attack in the Machil sector along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district on Saturday, official sources said.

According to sources who spoke to the news agency KNO, the Pakistani BAT attacked an Army post in the Kamkari sector along the LoC on Saturday morning. Five soldiers, including a captain, were injured in the attack, with one soldier later succumbing to his injuries.

An intruder, identified as a Pakistani national, was killed in the retaliatory action by Indian forces, they said, adding that a fighting knife called a dagger, a Chinese Type-56-1 assault rifle and other materials were recovered from the attacker.

This incident occurred a day after Kargil Vijay Diwas, during which Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a stern warning to Pakistan, asserting that Indian forces would crush 'terrorism' and respond decisively to enemy actions.

The Srinagar-based Defence spokesperson confirmed the incident, saying that a group of two to three armed personnel exploited bad weather and poor visibility to cross the LoC and fire on a forward Army post.

"Alert troops responded vigorously, and in the ensuing exchange of fire, one Pakistani intruder was killed, with weapons, ammunition, and war-like stores recovered. The identification and affiliation of this Pakistani national are being ascertained," the spokesperson said.

He said two Indian soldiers were gravely injured during the exchange and were evacuated to the Base Hospital in Srinagar. Unfortunately, one of the soldiers, Rifleman Mohit Rathour, succumbed to his injuries, while the other is stable and responding well to treatment, he added.

The Defence spokesperson said that similar attempts by infiltrators, often aided by the Pakistani Army, have exploited thick foliage and poor visibility conditions but have consistently been thwarted by alert Indian troops. “The Indian Army remains firm in its resolve to maintain the sanctity of the LoC and defeat the inimical designs of the Pakistan Army,” he said.

This incident follows a series of recent infiltration attempts along the LoC in Kupwara, including an anti-militancy operation in Kowut (Trimukha Top) on July 24, where a militant and an Army soldier were killed.

On July 18, two infiltrators were killed in the Keran sector, with a large cache of arms and ammunition recovered. Similarly, on July 15, three infiltrators were killed while attempting to cross the LoC in the same sector.

The Indian Army extended condolences over the death of Rifleman Mohit Rathour, with General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), and all ranks of the Indian Army saluting the “supreme sacrifice of the braveheart”.

“Indian Army offers deepest condolences and stands firm with the bereaved family in this hour of grief,” it posted on the social media site 'X'.

KUPWARA — In a tragic incident on Friday, the father of two brides died on their wedding day in Haril village of Mawer block of Handwara in northern Kashmir's Kupwara district.

The deceased, aged 50 years, has been identified as Nissar Ahmad Mir son of Mohammad Maqbool Mir.

The wedding ceremony of the deceased's two daughters was slated to take place this coming Saturday and Sunday. However, Nissar Ahmad passed away in the early morning hours, at about 4 am.

Meanwhile, the wedding ceremony was cancelled after consultations with the elders from both families given the sudden and untimely death of the brides' father.

It is in place to mention here that the deceased was a businessman and is survived by four daughters.

SRINAGAR — A Division Bench of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh High Court comprising acting Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan and Justice Rajnesh Oswal have directed the Forest Department to stop the work on the concrete structure at picturesque Bangus Valley.

Advocate Sheikh Manzoor on behalf of the petitioner Muhammad Umar Mir argued that the concrete construction of a forest rest house at Bangus Valley in Kupwara should be halted and a response should be sought from the Forest Department.

The Division Bench accordingly directed the department not to allow raising any concrete structure in the Bangus Valley without the leave of the court. The court also granted four weeks to respondents to file their responses.

Pertinently, the Forest Department has started work on a concrete rest house, which it says, is for the forest employees.

The case has been listed for the next hearing on September 11, 2024.

SRINAGAR — A soldier and a militant were killed in a gunbattle that erupted on Tuesday evening in Kupwara district of north Kashmir, officials said.

The Indian Army’s Chinar Corps said troops launched a search operation in the Kowut area based on intelligence about the presence of militants.

An encounter ensued when troops challenged suspicious movement, resulting in the death of a militant and injuries to a soldier. The soldier later succumbed to his wounds.

The gunfight resumed in the morning on Wednesday after a brief pause and a militant was killed, police said. The identity of the slain militant was not immediately known.

The operation was still ongoing Wednesday afternoon when this report was filed.

SRINAGAR — The Jammu and Kashmir Government dismissed four employees on Tuesday, citing their alleged involvement in anti-national activities, in a move stressing its zero-tolerance policy towards militancy.

The dismissed employees include two constables from the Police Department, a junior assistant from the School Education Department, and a village-level worker from the Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.

According to an official communiqué, the dismissals were made under Article 311 of the Indian Constitution, which permits removal from service for involvement in activities detrimental to national security. The affected individuals were reportedly found to have engaged in activities linked to militancy and drug trafficking.

Imtiyaz Ahmad Lone, a constable from Pulwama, was accused of supplying and transporting arms and ammunition to support militant activities. Bazil Ahmad Mir, a junior assistant in the School Education Department from Kupwara, was implicated in running a drug syndicate and trafficking narcotics with connections to militant networks.

Mushtaq Ahmad Pir, a selection grade constable in the Jammu and Kashmir Police from Kupwara, was found to have established ties with narcotic smugglers in Pakistan, operating a drug cartel in north Kashmir and maintaining links with militant groups.

Mohammad Zaid Shah, a village-level worker from the Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, was accused of drug peddling and facilitating the flow of heroin into Jammu and Kashmir from across the Line of Control. Shah was reported to have significant involvement in funding militant activities through the drug trade.

The Jammu and Kashmir Government has again emphasized its commitment to rooting out anti-national elements from its ranks, maintaining strict measures against individuals who exploit their positions for nefarious purposes.

SRINAGAR — Three persons were detained as security forces busted a 'narco-terror' module in northern Kashmir's Kupwara district on Saturday.

An official quoted by the news agency Kashmir Scroll said that after receiving input that a person was trying to find purchasers for heroin, a trap was laid by Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Indian Army in Karnah.

He said that two persons were later apprehended with approximately 500 grams of heroin. They have been identified as Shafeeq Ahmad Sheikh son of Late Mohammad Shafi Sheikh, a resident of Khawarparab Karnah and Tariq Ahmad Malik son of Ghulam Ahmad Malik, a resident of Baghballa.

"Further investigation revealed the presence of three pistols with a person identified as Parvez Ahmed Pathan, a resident of Sadhpura," he said.

Immediately, Parvez was apprehended in a joint raid by the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Indian Army. "Three pistols, 76 pistol rounds, six pistol magazines and approximately, five kilograms of suspected explosives were recovered from his possession," the official said.

In this regard, the official added, an FIR was registered and further interrogations and investigations are going on.

SRINAGAR — Mela Kheer Bhawani was celebrated amid religious fervour and gaiety across the valley on Friday and a large number of devotees were seen thronging to respective temples in central, southern and northern Kashmir.

As per the news agency CNS, a huge gathering of devotees made their presence at Mata Kheer Bhawani temple in Tulmulla, Ganderbal; Mata Kheer Bhawani temple in Tikker Kupwara and Mata Kheer Bhawani temple in Devsar, Kulgam to offer their prayers on the auspicious occasion of Jyeshtha Ashtami.

The aura of the event was filled with positive vibes after a mammoth number of Kashmiri Pandits visited sacred temples in Kashmir.

“We feel happy after being present here and to offer our prayers on this revered occasion. Arrangements by the administration have been top-notch and the conduct of Kashmiri people along the way to here (Mata Kheer Bhawani temple Tullamulla) has been friendly,” said a group of Kashmiri Pandits.

After a fragile situation arose in Jammu’s parts, the devotees reached shrines amid tight security measures, with further arrangements made by the respective district administrations for the convenience of devotees.

Meanwhile, local political leaders also felicitated the people on the occasion of Mela Kheer Bhawani and prayed for peace, prosperity and happiness for all.

SRINAGAR — Kupwara Police has lodged an FIR against 16 army personnel including three lieutenant colonels for allegedly entering into a police station on Tuesday night and assaulting on-duty policemen. The incident left four policemen injured.

According to media reports, Kupwara Police have invoked IPC sections relating to rioting, robbery, kidnapping and attempted murder against the soldiers.

The FIR was filed in relation to the incident that took place on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday (28-29 May). According to reports, a Police versus Army battle broke out in the region following the questioning of a Territorial Army jawan by the Jammu and Kashmir Police in connection with an alleged drug case.

Video evidence was provided showing a group of armed and uniformed personnel from the 160 Territorial Army storming the Kupwara police station. The Territorial Army is a military reserve force composed of part-time volunteers who provide support services to the Indian Army.

According to the FIR, the armed group led by lieutenant colonels Ankit Sood, Rajiv Chauhan and Nikhil forcibly entered the premises of the police station, a Mint newspaper report said. They proceeded to launch a brutal assault on police personnel present there, using rifle butts and sticks and kicking them without any provocation, it stated.

The situation escalated further as the army personnel brandished their weapons, seized mobile phones from the injured police officers and even abducted a police constable before fleeing the scene, the FIR stated.

The swift response of senior police officers helped rescue the targeted police personnel and initiate legal action against the perpetrators.

The FIR has been registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 307 (attempt to murder), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 147 (punishment for rioting).

The accused also face charges under sections 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 392 (punishment for robbery), 397 (robbery, or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt) and 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person).

According to the FIR, they have also been booked under the Arms Act.

The Kupwara deputy superintendent of police is investigating the incident. Officials said that authorities aim to uncover the full extent of the crime and bring the accused individuals to justice.

Srinagar-based defence spokesperson sought to downplay the incident and said the reports of an altercation between police and army personnel and "beating up therein of police personnel are misfounded and incorrect".

SRINAGAR — Tragedy struck Kralpora village in Kupwara as two persons were recovered dead and three others hospitalised after they fell into a well this afternoon.

An official quoted by the local news agency GNS said that while cleaning a well in Satboin Dardpora, five persons fell unconscious due to suffocation.

“As the news spread, a rescue operation was launched at the site,” the official said, adding, “After strenuous efforts, the persons were taken out of the water source and shifted to a nearby hospital, where the doctors declared two among the five as brought dead.”

Identifying the deceased as Farid Ahmad Khoja and Bashir Ahmad Khoja, the official further said that Safeer Ahmad, Qasim ud Din and Abdul Hameed are undergoing treatment.

SRINAGAR — Conflicting reports emerged on Wednesday regarding an alleged altercation between army personnel and police officers in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir, with both forces denying any significant clash.

Four policemen were admitted to SKIMS Hospital in Soura late Tuesday night, reportedly after being beaten by army personnel, a report from the news agency PTI said. Special Police Officers Rayees Khan and Imtiyaz Malik, along with constables Saleem Mushtaq and Zahoor Ahmad from Police Station Kupwara, sustained injuries but are in stable condition, they added.

The incident purportedly began when an army team, led by an officer, allegedly barged into the police station and assaulted the officers. Sources claim the altercation was sparked by a police raid on the home of a local Territorial Army man in Batpora, Kupwara, as part of an ongoing investigation. This action reportedly angered the local army unit, leading to the alleged attack on the police station.

However, a Srinagar-based defence spokesman stated he was unaware of the incident and would comment after gathering more information.

Later, an army official was quoted by the news agency Kashmir Scroll as having said that the reports of a physical altercation and assault were baseless and incorrect. He described the event as a minor disagreement between a police officer and a Territorial Army unit over an operational matter, which has since been resolved amicably through dialogue.

Both police and army officials have refrained from commenting on the specifics of the altercation, maintaining a unified stance that the situation is under control and no significant conflict occurred.

SRINAGAR — A driver has allegedly killed his wife on Wednesday in northern Kashmir's Kupwara district.

An official quoted by the local news agency Kashmir Scroll that Amjid Ahmad, son of Abdul Rasheed Mughal and a resident of Shartpalla Tangdhar, killed his wife, namely Sobia Begum.

He said that the man, who is a driver by profession, killed his wife at own residence Shartpalla Tangdhar by strangulating her.

Meanwhile, the local police have arrested the accused while further investigation has been taken up.

KUPWARA — Security forces on Monday claimed to have busted a militant hideout in northern Kashmir's Kupwara district.

An unnamed official quoted by a local news agency Kashmir Scroll said that a large cache of arms, ammunition, equipment and other war-like stores were recovered in Awra area of Kupwara district as a militant hideout was busted during the search operation.

He said that based on specific inputs, a joint search operation was launched by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police in the dense forest area of Awra, Kupwara, on Monday.

“During the search, a terrorist hideout was busted and a large cache of arms, ammunition, equipment and other war-like stores have been recovered," the official said.

KUPWARA — A 50-year-old man was found dead with his throat slit at his residence in northern Kashmir's Kupwara district on Monday morning.

The deceased, identified as Abdul Hamid Khan, son of Gulla Khan and a resident of Mir Muqam Awoora, was found with deep cut marks on his throat, according to reports from a local news agency.

A police officer said that a case has been registered and an investigation is underway.

Meanwhile, the local authorities visited the scene and shifted the body for a post-mortem examination. Following legal and medical formalities, the body will be returned to the family for last rites.

KUPWARA — Authorities in northern Kashmir's Kupwara district have announced the suspension of classwork for 33 schools due to waterlogging caused by heavy rains in the region.

An official, quoted by a local news agency, stated that the decision was made after assessing the flood-affected schools in the district.

Among the affected schools are UPS Trumnar, PS Chard Batpora, UPS Hirri Payeen, UPS Hiri Bala, UPS Solina, PS Shart Gulgm, PS Lone Mohalla Gulgam, MS Kultoora, UPS Lalbugh, UPS Wahipora, UPS Ananwan, BMS Khanpora, UPS Check Tekipora, GHS Chogal, UPS Mxed Dardhali, PS Khan Mohalla Shatrigam, PS Mobile Dardhaji, GMS Kulangam, PS Khurahambad, MS Kawari.

UPS Goonipora, BPS Chogal, UPS Baripora, PS New Colony, Awathkuli, BHS Chogal, PS Chota Braipora, PS Asthan Mohalla, Kulangam, PS Herpora Kulangam, UPS Geripora, PS Bandariyan, PS Khumriyal, PS Kahipora, PS Ganie Mohalla, Bramri, and UPS Armpora are also in the list.

The suspension will remain in effect until alternative arrangements are made. The decision follows a flood-like situation in the region due to heavy rains, leading to the suspension of classwork at Kashmir University and all schools in the Kashmir division on Tuesday.

KUPWARA — A 17-year-old girl allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself at her home in Ashpora Handwara of northern Kashmir's Kupwara district on Thursday morning.

An official quoted by a local news agency said that a girl (name withheld) from Ashpora locality of Qaziabad allegedly hanged herself at her home following which her family members took her to a nearby hospital, however, she was immediately referred to GMC Handwara where doctors declared her dead on arrival.

A police officer said that a case in this regard has been registered and further investigation has been set into motion.

He said the police were verifying from all angles what forced her to take such an extreme step.

SRINAGAR — Authorities have taken action against a double agent accused of providing false information regarding counterfeit heroin to security agencies in northern Kashmir's Kupwara district.

According to an official quoted by a local news agency, the individual identified as Aazam Shah, son of Ghulam Hussain Shah from Pingla Haridal, allegedly utilized urea fertilizer, Nishashat, and white cosmetic powder to produce a substance resembling brown sugar.

The official stated that the accused misled security agencies with inaccurate information, potentially leading to the wrongful implication of innocent individuals. Consequently, FIR No. 14/2024 under section 420 of IPC has been filed at Police Station Karnah, with investigations underway.

During a search of the suspect's premises, authorities seized incriminating materials such as urea fertilizer, starch powder, and white cosmetic powder, along with the individual's cell phone for expert analysis.

SRINAGAR — The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) lost two of its men in Kashmir on Thursday in separate incidents, leaving their fellow troopers in mourning.

In the Hafiz Bagh area of central Kashmir's Srinagar district, a CRPF personnel reportedly took his life using his service rifle, according to officials.

The jawan, stationed in Hazif Bagh, tragically ended his life on Thursday morning. The body has been transported to the hospital for autopsy, with police launching an investigation into the matter.

Simultaneously, another CRPF trooper met an untimely demise during a routine exercise at the DPL Kupwara.

The incident unfolded when Constable Sreejith from the 162 CRPF camp lost consciousness while participating in the exercise. Despite immediate medical attention and swift transportation to the SDH Kupwara, doctors pronounced him dead upon arrival.

KUPWARA — Two individuals from Kupwara have been apprehended in connection with a tragic fire incident that claimed the life of a non-local resident earlier this month.

According to reliable sources cited by a local news agency, the suspects, proprietors of a restaurant within a three-storied shopping complex in Kupwara's Batergam area, allegedly set the building ablaze intentionally in an attempt to collect insurance money. This act followed their failure to repay a bank loan.

The blaze resulted in the death of Muhammad Feroz Alam, an embroiderer from West Bengal, who resided on the third floor of the complex. Police authorities, acting swiftly, resolved the case within a week, apprehending the two individuals involved.

A police official disclosed that following intensive interrogation, Abrar and Zakir, the proprietors of the restaurant, emerged as prime suspects. Upon further investigation, both individuals confessed to their involvement in the arson, leading to their arrest.