News Analysis India

Tag: Anantnag

  • Civilian Deepu Kumar killed by terrorists in Jammu & Kashmir’s Anantnag cremated

    By PTI

    UDHAMPUR: Deepu Kumar, who was gunned down by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district, was cremated near his native village here on Tuesday, with Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina terming the killing as unfortunate that has shamed humanity.

    Kumar (27), who worked at a circus in the Janglat Mandi area in the south Kashmir district, was shot dead by Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists when he had gone to the market to buy milk around 8.30 pm on Monday.

    His body was on Tuesday moved to his remote Thial village in Udhampur district where it was received by villagers amid anti-Pakistan sloganeering.

    The body was later taken to a nearby cremation ground where the last last rites were performed.

    The pyre was lit by Kumar’s nephew in accordance with family tradition and rituals.

    “This is a very unfortunate incident which shames humanity. His father is on the death-bed and his elder brother is blind. He was the only bread earner for the family,” Raina, who was among several BJP workers who joined the last rites of the deceased, told PTI.

    He said the perpetrators of the gruesome crime have done a great injustice to the poor family.

    “What was his crime for which he was brutally killed? An innocent blood was shed and those who have done this have committed a great sin,” Raina said, adding “the culprits cannot escape the law here and the creator too will not forgive them”.

    The BJP leader said he spoke to the Lt Governor and sought adequate compensation for the poor family.

    “I am hopeful that the government will come out with a proper rehabilitation plan for them”.

    Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has approved an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the next of kin of Kumar.

    Hailing from remote Thial village of Majalta, about 60 kms from the Udhampur district headquarters, Kumar was a sole breadwinner in a joint family comprising his pregnant wife, ailing father besides blind brother, his wife and two children who are putting up together in a single-storey mud-house on a slope in the village.

    Reacting to the killing, the Jammu chapter of J-K High Court Bar Association termed it as “dastardly act” and voiced concern about the game-plan of terrorists and their masters across the border in selectively targeting the peace-loving civilians.

    Chairing a condolence meeting inside the court complex in Jammu, Bar president Vikram Sharma appreciated the offensive mounted by security forces against the perpetrators of crime to bring them to book.

    “We hope such incidents are not allowed to recur and that the terrorism shall soon be wiped out,” he said, urging the government to give a befitting response to those waging war against the country from within and outside.

    UDHAMPUR: Deepu Kumar, who was gunned down by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district, was cremated near his native village here on Tuesday, with Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina terming the killing as unfortunate that has shamed humanity.

    Kumar (27), who worked at a circus in the Janglat Mandi area in the south Kashmir district, was shot dead by Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists when he had gone to the market to buy milk around 8.30 pm on Monday.

    His body was on Tuesday moved to his remote Thial village in Udhampur district where it was received by villagers amid anti-Pakistan sloganeering.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The body was later taken to a nearby cremation ground where the last last rites were performed.

    The pyre was lit by Kumar’s nephew in accordance with family tradition and rituals.

    “This is a very unfortunate incident which shames humanity. His father is on the death-bed and his elder brother is blind. He was the only bread earner for the family,” Raina, who was among several BJP workers who joined the last rites of the deceased, told PTI.

    He said the perpetrators of the gruesome crime have done a great injustice to the poor family.

    “What was his crime for which he was brutally killed? An innocent blood was shed and those who have done this have committed a great sin,” Raina said, adding “the culprits cannot escape the law here and the creator too will not forgive them”.

    The BJP leader said he spoke to the Lt Governor and sought adequate compensation for the poor family.

    “I am hopeful that the government will come out with a proper rehabilitation plan for them”.

    Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has approved an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the next of kin of Kumar.

    Hailing from remote Thial village of Majalta, about 60 kms from the Udhampur district headquarters, Kumar was a sole breadwinner in a joint family comprising his pregnant wife, ailing father besides blind brother, his wife and two children who are putting up together in a single-storey mud-house on a slope in the village.

    Reacting to the killing, the Jammu chapter of J-K High Court Bar Association termed it as “dastardly act” and voiced concern about the game-plan of terrorists and their masters across the border in selectively targeting the peace-loving civilians.

    Chairing a condolence meeting inside the court complex in Jammu, Bar president Vikram Sharma appreciated the offensive mounted by security forces against the perpetrators of crime to bring them to book.

    “We hope such incidents are not allowed to recur and that the terrorism shall soon be wiped out,” he said, urging the government to give a befitting response to those waging war against the country from within and outside.

  • LeT ‘hybrid’ terrorist, involved in labourer’s death, killed in encounter in J&K’s Anantnag

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: A “hybrid” terrorist of Lashkar-e-Taiba, accompanying a police party for identifying a hideout, was killed in an encounter between security forces and ultras in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, police said.

    “Hybrid” terrorists are not listed as ultras but are radicalised enough to carry out a terror strike and then slip back into routine life.

    The “hybrid” terrorist, Sajad Ahmad Tantray alias Furqan, a resident of Shirpora in Kulgam, was involved in the killing of a non-local labourer at Rakhmomen in Anantnag’s Bijbehara on November 12, a police spokesperson said.

    He was arrested and during questioning, he confessed to his involvement in the labourer’s killing.

    At his instance, a pistol used in the commission of the terror crime was recovered, the spokesperson said.

    Tantray also revealed information about the presence of terrorists in Bijbehara’s Cheki Duddo area, he added.

    On the basis of information provided by Tantray, the police said, a search and cordon operation was launched in Cheki Dudoo.

    As the search party approached the hideout, it came under heavy firing from the hiding terrorists and Tantray was critically injured.

    He was immediately shifted to a hospital in Bijbehara where doctors declared him brought dead, they said.

    The spokesperson said the cordon in the entire area has been strengthened with the help of reinforcements and the search operation is underway.

    Tantray was earlier a terrorist associate of LeT and was involved in various crimes regarding which cases were registered.

    He was also detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) from June 2019 to December 2019, the spokesperson said.

    SRINAGAR: A “hybrid” terrorist of Lashkar-e-Taiba, accompanying a police party for identifying a hideout, was killed in an encounter between security forces and ultras in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, police said.

    “Hybrid” terrorists are not listed as ultras but are radicalised enough to carry out a terror strike and then slip back into routine life.

    The “hybrid” terrorist, Sajad Ahmad Tantray alias Furqan, a resident of Shirpora in Kulgam, was involved in the killing of a non-local labourer at Rakhmomen in Anantnag’s Bijbehara on November 12, a police spokesperson said.

    He was arrested and during questioning, he confessed to his involvement in the labourer’s killing.

    At his instance, a pistol used in the commission of the terror crime was recovered, the spokesperson said.

    Tantray also revealed information about the presence of terrorists in Bijbehara’s Cheki Duddo area, he added.

    On the basis of information provided by Tantray, the police said, a search and cordon operation was launched in Cheki Dudoo.

    As the search party approached the hideout, it came under heavy firing from the hiding terrorists and Tantray was critically injured.

    He was immediately shifted to a hospital in Bijbehara where doctors declared him brought dead, they said.

    The spokesperson said the cordon in the entire area has been strengthened with the help of reinforcements and the search operation is underway.

    Tantray was earlier a terrorist associate of LeT and was involved in various crimes regarding which cases were registered.

    He was also detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) from June 2019 to December 2019, the spokesperson said.

  • Encounter underway in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: An encounter broke out between terrorists and security forces in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, police said.

    “Encounter has started at Semthan #Bijbehara area of #Anantnag. Police and security forces are on the job. Further details shall follow,” a spokesman of Kashmir Zone Police tweeted.

    There were no reports of any casualties so far on either side.

    SRINAGAR: An encounter broke out between terrorists and security forces in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, police said.

    “Encounter has started at Semthan #Bijbehara area of #Anantnag. Police and security forces are on the job. Further details shall follow,” a spokesman of Kashmir Zone Police tweeted.

    There were no reports of any casualties so far on either side.

  • Two terrorists of al-Qaeda affiliate killed in ‘chance encounter’ in J&K’s Anantnag

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: Two terrorists of Ansar Ghazwatul Hind, an al-Qaeda affiliate, were killed in a “chance encounter” with security forces in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, police said.

    The slain terrorists, who were identified as Fayaz Kumar and Owais Khan, were involved in several terror attacks, they said.

    “Two #terrorists neutralised in a chance encounter by Anantnag Police in Thajiwara, #Bijbehara area of #Anantnag,” a police spokesman said in a tweet.

    Additional Director General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said the slain terrorists were affiliated with Ansar Ghazwatul Hind (AGuH).

    “Killed terrorists identified as Fayaz Kumar & Owais Khan linked with terror outfit AGuH. They were involved in several terror attacks including attack on police personnel in Cheeniwooder Srigufwara on 03-07-2022 in which 01 police personnel Firdous Dar got seriously injured and Darashikoh park Bijbehara on 12-08-2022 in which one police personnel Gh Qadir got seriously injured,” Kumar tweeted.

    Besides, they were involved in a grenade attack at Padshahi Bagh on June 15, he said.

    SRINAGAR: Two terrorists of Ansar Ghazwatul Hind, an al-Qaeda affiliate, were killed in a “chance encounter” with security forces in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, police said.

    The slain terrorists, who were identified as Fayaz Kumar and Owais Khan, were involved in several terror attacks, they said.

    “Two #terrorists neutralised in a chance encounter by Anantnag Police in Thajiwara, #Bijbehara area of #Anantnag,” a police spokesman said in a tweet.

    Additional Director General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said the slain terrorists were affiliated with Ansar Ghazwatul Hind (AGuH).

    “Killed terrorists identified as Fayaz Kumar & Owais Khan linked with terror outfit AGuH. They were involved in several terror attacks including attack on police personnel in Cheeniwooder Srigufwara on 03-07-2022 in which 01 police personnel Firdous Dar got seriously injured and Darashikoh park Bijbehara on 12-08-2022 in which one police personnel Gh Qadir got seriously injured,” Kumar tweeted.

    Besides, they were involved in a grenade attack at Padshahi Bagh on June 15, he said.

  • J-K: Civilian killed, soldier injured as militants open fire to break security forces’ cordon

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: A civilian was killed and two others, including a soldier, were injured, in an encounter between militants and security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Tuesday.

    In another south Kashmir district of Anantnag, a gunfight was underway between militants and security forces.

    Giving details, a police spokesman said a cordon and search operation was launched on Monday evening by security forces in the Pandoshan area of Shopian following information about the presence of terrorists there. As the search party was establishing the cordon around the area, the hiding terrorists started indiscriminate firing on it, he said.

    The spokesman said the security forces exercised maximum restraint to save and evacuate the civilians present in the area.

    “However, during the evacuation process, the hiding terrorists targeted the civilians as well as the security forces in a bid to escape. Although the civilians were evacuated to a safer place, due to heavy firing by terrorists, one soldier Lance Naik Sanjib Das and two civilians namely Shahid Gani Dar and Suhaib Ahmad received gunshot injuries,” he said.

    The injured persons were immediately airlifted to Army’s 92 Base Hospital in Srinagar. However, the civilian, Shahid Gani Dar, succumbed to injuries, the spokesman said.

    Taking advantage of the darkness and the civilian presence, the terrorists managed to escape from the site of the encounter but efforts are on to locate them, he said.

    It has been observed in some encounters recently in Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag districts that Pakistani terrorists start firing on civilians and security forces to escape from the cordon, Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said.

    “In some such encounters, terrorists managed to escape from cordon but we have lost precious lives of civilians and security forces. We are trying to bring some change in our tactical SOPs,” he said.

    A fresh gunfight broke out at Kreeri in the Dooru area of Anantnag district, the spokesman said. He said the exchange of firing was going on and there were no reports of any casualty so far.

  • Infiltration attempts by Pakistan in J-K declined in 2021: Lt Gen DP Pandey

    By ANI

    Anantnag (Jammu and Kashmir): General Officer Commanding (GOC) 15 Corps, Lt General DP Pandey on Friday claimed that the infiltration attempts from the other side of the border into Jammu and Kashmir have gone down this year, adding that terror groups are trying to recruit young children aged 15-16 years.

    “The infiltration attempts are not serious as of now. The numbers have gone down this year. We are vigilant and totally prepared to ensure that no one is able to sneak in,” said Pandey while talking to ANI.

    Pandey also claimed that the violence has also reduced in the Union Territory this year, adding that terrorists are finding it hard to recruit people into the ranks of terrorists.

    Terror groups are finding it hard to recruit well-educated youth between 22-25 years of age. So now they are turning to young children aged 15-16 years old to join the ranks of terrorists. I am sure that these parameters are going in a direction which will ensure a better and safe environment for the people of Kashmir,” he added.

    Regarding the Army’s activities to strengthen its relationship with the common citizens, Pandey said that the Army’s relations with the people are already pretty good and it is reflected in how they are allowed to carry out their operations.

    “We are engaging at various levels with the civil population. We are looking for support from civil society to end this cycle of violence,” he added.

    The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar said that around 86 local terrorists are currently active in Jammu and Kashmir.

    Notably, Vijay Kumar on Thursday said that the number of active terrorists in the valley has come down to less than 200 while the number of active local terrorists have reduced to less than 100, for the first time in history.

    “We have been able to breach the mark of 200 terrorists in Kashmir, as it has come down to 180. For the first time in history, local terrorists have reduced to less than 100. The count is 85-86 after yesterday’s encounter. So, terrorism is reducing,” said IGP Kashmir said while addressing a joint press conference on the two encounters in Kulgam and Anantnag district.

    He further said that out of 128 local militants who joined militancy this year, 73 were killed while 17 were arrested.

    The encounter which broke out on Wednesday evening in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag and Kulgam districts, ended this morning with the killing of six JeM terrorists including two Pakistani nationals and an army soldier. 

  • Lashkar terrorist arrested in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag, weapons recovered

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: Security forces on Monday arrested a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorist from Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

    A team of police and Army apprehended the active terrorist from Wahadan village of Ashmuqam area in Anantnag during a search operation, the officials said.

    They said the arrested terrorist was identified as Hafiz Abdullah Malik, who was affiliated with The Resistance Front (TRF), which is believed to be a shadow outfit of LeT.

    A pistol and seven rounds were recovered from Malik’s possession at the time of his arrest while on his disclosure, the security forces recovered one AK rifle, two magazines and 40 rounds from Katsu forests.

  • J&K Police busts LeT terror module in Anantnag, nabs 4 involved in developing IEDs

    By PTI
    SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Police has busted a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror module in Anantnag district by arresting four people involved in developing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), officials said Monday.

    The busting of the IED terror module has helped the police avert a major attack in Anantnag town and also saved the gullible youths from falling prey to the propaganda of this online module, they said.

    “Police in Anantnag have busted a terror module linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT and arrested four accused persons involved in developing an IED to carry out blasts in Anantnag town,” a police spokesman said.

    He said the accused were also involved in motivating gullible youths to join the terror fold by using social media and online platforms.

    Incriminating material including hand grenades have been recovered from their possession, the spokesman said.

    Giving more details, the spokesman said acting on a specific input one militant associate identified as Aamir Reyaz Lone, a resident of Baramulla, was arrested and incriminating material including electronic devices were recovered from him.

    During analysis, it came to light that he was in contact with an active LeT terrorist namely Hilal Sheikh, also resident of Baramulla, he said.

    During the course of investigation and on Lone’s disclosure, it came to light that another militant associate identified as Owais Ahmad Shaksaz, a resident of Seer Hamdan, is in the process of making an IED with the help of information from internet platforms, the spokesman said.

    Ahmad was arrested based on this tip off, he said.

    “Further investigation into the matter revealed the involvement of two more terrorist associates who were subsequently arrested,” he said.

    He identified them as Suhaib Muzaffar Qazi alias Tamil, a resident of Rajpora Pulwama, and Tariq Dar.

    Qazi was in direct contact with active terrorist Aaqib Dar (LeT) of Pulwama who provided a hand grenade to him in order to attack security forces, the spokesman said, adding the grenade was recovered at his instance.

    He said Dar was found in contact with another active terrorist namely Aslam Dar of Kulgam and was providing logistic support to the said terrorist.

    “Preliminary investigation into the matter revealed that the busted module was working for active terrorists of proscribed terror outfit LeT and were in process of developing IEDs to carry out blasts in Anantnag town,” the spokesman said.

    They were also involved in motivating gullible youth of the valley to join the ranks of proscribed terror outfit LeT and HM, he said.

  • ‘Three arrested in Kashmir’s Anantnag are IS operatives’ 

    Express News Service
    SRI NAGAR: Three persons arrested in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Sunday were ISIS members and had been propagating the global terror group’s ideology through the online propaganda magazine Voice of Hind, the National Investigation Agency said.

    The trio was identified as Umar Nisar, Tanveer Ahmad Bhat and Rameez Ahmad Lone, all residents of Anantnag. They were among six persons detained by the NIA during raids at seven locations — one in Srinagar and six in Anantnag. 

    Based on the trio’s questioning, searches were conducted at two more locations in Anantnag on Monday and a number of digital devices and other materials were seized, a NIA spokesperson said. On Sunday, too, the NIA had recovered incriminating documents, digital devices and T-shirts with ISIS logo. 

    The ISIS has been trying to radicalise and recruit impressionable youths in Kashmir and other parts of India to wage violent jihad. “By assuming pseudo online identities, have created a network wherein ISIS related propaganda material is disseminated,” the spokesperson said.

  • NIA raids in Jammu & Kashmir’s Anantnag district in connection with terror funding case

    By ANI
    ANANTNAG: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday raided various locations in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district in connection with a terror funding case.

    This comes a day after eleven employees of the Jammu and Kashmir government were sacked for terror links. Among those dismissed were two sons of terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen founder Syed Salahudin.

    On Saturday, a Delhi Court ordered the framing of charges against four alleged Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorists observing prima facie material against them for receiving funds from Pakistan to plot terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

    The Court had ordered framing of charges under various charges dealing with criminal conspiracy, waging war against the country, and under provisions of UAPA.

    Special Judge Parveen Singh, in his order, observed that the terror outfit had formed a frontal organization Jammu Kashmir Affectees Relief Trust (JKART), which purpose was to fund terror activities. The trust and mainly to provide funds for the terrorists and their families.