The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was on Friday allowed to offer congregational prayers at the Jamia Masjid here after five months, officials said.

“Mirwaiz was allowed to move out of his residence in Nigeen locality of the city here this afternoon,” an official said.

After leaving his residence, Mirwaiz reached the Jamia Masjid in the Nowhatta area of the city and offered the congregational Friday prayers there, officials said.

Mirwaiz was first kept under house arrest in August 2019 when the Centre abrogated Article 370. While he was released in September last year — after four years — and allowed to pray at the Jamia Masjid for some weeks, he was detained again in the wake of protests against the Israeli action in the Gaza Strip.

Mirwaiz had moved the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court against curbs on his movement.

The court on February 21 gave the “last and final opportunity” to the Union territory administration to file a reply on it.

SRINAGAR — Authorities have identified the woman whose body was found along the banks of the Jhelum River in Sumbal area of Bandipora.

According to an official quoted by a local news agency, the body was spotted by local residents on Saturday afternoon.

"The body was retrieved for identification and necessary medico-legal procedures," the official stated. After completing the due process, it was determined that the deceased woman was Khatija Begum, the wife of Abdul Rehman Bhat from Kanidewar Nowhatta in Srinagar.

Subsequently, the body was handed over to the family for funeral rites.

SRINAGAR — A woman from central Kashmir's Srinagar district allegedly committed suicide after failing to clear Public Service Commission (PSC) exam.

Reliable sources said that a 26-year-old woman from Nowhatta area of the district ended her life at her residence.

They said that she was found unconscious at her residence, following which she was rushed to JLNM Hospital Rainawari where doctors declared her dead.

They added the woman was upset since she failed to clear the Public Service Commission exam and that is the reason behind her taking this harsh step.

Meanwhile, police have already taken cognizance of the unfortunate incident and started an investigation in this connection.

SRINAGAR — National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday attached the property of the founder and chief commander of Al-Umar Mujahideen, Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar alias Mushtaq Latram in Nowhatta area of Srinagar.

In a statement issued to the news agency KNO, a spokesperson said Zargar was released along with Masood Azhar in exchange for passengers of the hijacked Indian Airlines flight at Kandahar in 1999.

The statement reads that Zargar was also involved in the kidnapping of former Union Home Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s daughter, Rubaiya Sayeed in 1989.

“Zargar’s two marlas house at Ganai Mohalla, Nowhatta, Srinagar, has been attached under the provisions of UA(P)A. The procedure was carried out today by a team of NIA along with the representative of district administration and local police,” it reads.

It added Zargar is a designated individual terrorist under the UA(P) Act and has been operating from Pakistan ever since his release.

“Zargar was earlier associated with Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front and was responsible for several terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. He has also been involved in other heinous crimes, including murders, and has a close association with other terror outfits such as Al-Qaeda and JeM,” it reads.

The statement reads that Zargar grew up in Nowhatta and joined JKLF. “In 1989, he was one of the members who kidnapped Rubaiya Sayeed and negotiated her release in exchange for five terrorists.”

It added that he was arrested on May 15, 1992 and was released from jail on December 31, 1999 as part of the Indian Airlines Flight hostage exchange deal.

SRINAGAR — A militant and a policeman were injured in an ongoing chance encounter in Nowhatta area of Srinagar on Sunday evening.

As per the news agency KNO, police in a tweet said that a policeman identified as Constable Sarfaraz Ahmad of Batote, Ramban was injured in the encounter and was evacuated to hospital for treatment.

Police said that a militant has also been injured in the ongoing encounter.

"SrinagarEncounterUpdate: In the ongoing #encounter, one police personnel namely Ct Sarfaraz Ahmad R/O Batote Ramban got injured. He was evacuated to hospital for treatment. One #terrorist also got injured. Search still going on. Further details shall follow,” Kashmir Zone Police tweeted.

Vehicle used by LeT militants seized, says J&K Police

Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday said that the vehicle used by two militants, associated with Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), has been seized while one rifle and two grenades have also been recovered in Nowhatta area of Srinagar.

J&K Police in a tweet said that vehicle (scooter) used by two LeT militants has been seized from the incident site. “Besides, one AK-74 rifle and two grenades have been recovered while the search is still going on,” police said.

“Vehicle (scooter) used by two #terrorists of #terror outfit LeT seized from the incident site. Besides, one AK-74 rifle and two grenades have been recovered. Search still going on. Further details shall follow,” Kashmir Zone Police tweeted.

SRINAGAR — Jammu and Kashmir Police on Saturday claimed to have arrested 13 accused persons involved in sloganeering inside the historic Jamia Masjid during the Friday congregational prayers.

“Yesterday afternoon, there were Friday prayers in Jamia Masjid wherein huge number of gathering took place, around 24,000 persons attended the Friday prayers, which is among largest in recent history,” a police spokesman said in a statement issued to the news agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO).

“After the culmination of the prayers, about a dozen persons started anti-national and provocative sloganeering for a while, this was joined by a couple of others as well, while most of the gathering remained aloof. There was also an altercation between the persons indulging in sloganeering and the volunteers of the Intezamia Committee of Jamia Masjid who tried to stop such sloganeering and hooliganism,” the statement said.

It added that this created a situation of ruckus inside the mosque, leading to clashes between them.

“Later, the hooligans were dispersed outside the mosque by volunteers. Even after coming outside from one gate, more than a dozen among them tried to provoke others by sloganeering which failed and in 2-3 minutes, they dispersed in hurry seeing police presence around,” police said.

A case in this regard was registered in Nowhatta PS under FIR number 16/2022 under sections 124A and 447 of IPC, police said, adding that during the course of the investigation, technical means were adapted to identify these hooligans and raids were conducted at different locations which led to arrest of two main instigators of the sloganeering, who were identified as Basharat Nabi Bhat, son of Ghulam Nabi Bhat of Hawal, Nowhatta and Umar Manzoor Sheikh, son of Late Manzoor Sheikh of Bahuddin Saab, Nowhatta.

“Both were apprehended and formally arrested in the case. Eleven (11) more accused were subsequently arrested in this case who were involved in the sloganeering and hooliganism inside the Jamia Masjid and at the gate,” police said, adding that many more suspected persons are being examined and will be formally arrested as soon as their role clearly comes forth in this case.

“PSA dossiers of all these accused are being prepared for booking them under PSA as well, in addition to the case," police said.

It added, "It also came out during the initial investigation that the accused in furtherance of a well-planned conspiracy had received instructions from Pakistani handlers of militant outfits to disrupt Friday prayers in Jamia Masjid and create law and order situation by provoking the attendees. Thus, section 120B was also invoked in this case.”

The spokesman said that investigation, in this case, is undergoing at a fast pace and some more arrests are likely.

Meanwhile, Srinagar Police informed all citizens that any attempt at disrupting peace will be viewed very seriously, and the strictest action under provisions of the law will be taken against all those who get involved in such illegal activities.

“In addition to this, no attempt at using religious places for furthering anti-national and militant agenda will be tolerated at all. Lastly, parents are also advised to keep a watch on the company of their children, indulging in such activities may cause irreparable damage to career prospects,” police said.