News Analysis India

Tag: Jammu and Kashmir

  • Jammu and Kashmir DGP orders action against police thrashing journalists during Muharram procession

    Express News Service

    SRINAGAR: A day after police beat up journalists who were covering a Muharram procession in Srinagar, the Jammu and Kashmir police chief Dilbagh Singh on Wednesday directed SSP Srinagar to take immediate action against the erring police officer.

    Singh has taken a serious view against the undesirable behaviour with some media persons in Srinagar, read a tweet from the J&K police handle.

    The policemen had used force against the media persons while they were covering the 8th Muharram procession of Shia mourners near Fly Over at Jehangir Chowk Srinagar on Tuesday.

    A photojournalist, Sajad Hameed, alleged that his camera lens was broken by police while he was performing his professional duties.

    Videos of policemen beating up scribes while covering the procession had gone viral on social media and evoked strong condemnation from Kashmir-based media organisations including the Kashmir Press Club and Kashmir Press Photographers Association.

    The Kashmir Press Club said cops of Shergari Police Station beat the media men to the pulp without any provocation and demanded that authorities should take action against the concerned policemen.

    The Club reiterated that the police authorities need to respect the freedom of the press as enshrined under the Constitution and ensure strict disciplinary action against those guilty. 

    Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah condemned the incident and tweeted, “Very unfortunate to see J&K police personnel mercilessly thrashing journalists in Srinagar. These people were simply doing their jobs – reporting the news. They don’t make the news & they don’t engineer events to create the story. I hope @OfficeOfLGJandK will ensure no repeat.”

    Very unfortunate to see J&K police personnel mercilessly thrashing journalists in Srinagar. These people were simply doing their jobs – reporting the news. They don’t make the news & they don’t engineer events to create the story. I hope @OfficeOfLGJandK will ensure no repeat. https://t.co/d7ycL0rTPL
    — Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) August 17, 2021
    PDP president Mehbooba Mufti also expressed aghast and tweeted: “Media is spending hours debating the human tragedy & unfolding crisis in Afghanistan but will they speak up for their own community in Kashmir who were beaten to pulp today by security forces for doing their job?”

    Media is spending hours debating the human tragedy & unfolding crisis in Afghanistan but will they speak up for their own community in Kashmir who were beaten to pulp today by security forces for doing their job? https://t.co/PcjYBQZMqQ
    — Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 17, 2021
    Other mainstream political parties including the Peoples Conference and Apni Party have also condemned the incident.

  • Jammu and Kashmir DPG orders action against police thrashing journalists during Muharram procession

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh on Wednesday ordered “immediate action” against a police officer involved in “undesirable behaviour” with journalists during a Muharram procession in the city.

    Police on Tuesday lathicharged and thrashed a group of journalists covering a Muharram procession here, evoking criticism from various quarters.

    Very unfortunate to see J&K police personnel mercilessly thrashing journalists in Srinagar. These people were simply doing their jobs – reporting the news. They don’t make the news & they don’t engineer events to create the story. I hope @OfficeOfLGJandK will ensure no repeat. https://t.co/d7ycL0rTPL
    — Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) August 17, 2021
    “DGP J&K Sh Dilbag Singh takes serious view of undesirable behaviour with some media men in Srinagar yesterday. SSP Srinagar directed to take immediate action against the erring police officer,” Jammu and Kashmir Police said on its official Twitter handle.

    Police detained a few Shia mourners at Jehangir Chowk in the city as they tried to take out a procession to mark the eighth day of the 10-day Muharram mourning period.

    As the media personnel, mostly photo and video journalists, were discharging their professional duties, police swung into action and lathicharged them.

    The policemen, armed with batons, also thrashed some of the journalists and caused damage to their equipment.

  • Taliban takeover: Jammu and Kashmir LG urges Centre to evacuate Kulgam professors from Kabul

    By ANI

    SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday urged Minister of State for External Affairs of India V Muraleedharan to immediately evacuate Kulgam professors teaching at Bakhtar University in Kabul, informed Office of LG.

    “Spoke to MoS Foreign Affairs, V Muraleedharan for the immediate evacuation of professors from Kulgam teaching at Bakhtar University in Kabul. He has assured the government is committed to bring back every citizen safely as soon as possible,” the Office of Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor said in a tweet.

    Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor further assured the families that they will be home soon.

    “I assure the families of Prof Asif Ahmed and Prof Adil Rasool that they are safe and will be home soon,” it added.

    ALSO READ | IAF’s C-17 aircraft from Kabul lands at Jamnagar with over 100 Indians aboard

    Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force is evacuating Indian officials from Afghanistan.

    According to the sources, 120 Indian officials from Afghanistan has landed in Gujarat’s Jamnagar earlier today.

    The Taliban entered Kabul on Sunday and took control of the presidential palace. Soon after the terror group claimed control over the Afghan capital, several countries evacuated their diplomatic personnel from the country. Hundreds of people flocked to the Kabul airport in an attempt to leave Afghanistan. 

    ALSO WATCH:

  • Jammu and Kashmir admin committed to ensure dignified return of Kashmiri pandits to Valley: Sinha

    He said considerable progress has been made on providing transit accommodation and jobs to Kashmiri pandit migrants in the valley under the Prime Minister #39;s Development Package.

  • Militants barge into Jammu and Kashmir Traffic Police personnel’s house, flee after family raises alarm

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: Militants barged into the residence of a Jammu and Kashmir Traffic Police personnel on Saturday but fled after the family raised an alarm, officials said.

    “At about 8:30 pm, two to three terrorists barged into the house of Feroz Ahmad Wani at Saidpora Eidgah in district Srinagar,” the officials said.

    They said Wani is a Jammu and Kashmir Police constable posted in the Traffic Wing.

    At the time of the incident, the officials said, Wani was not present home.

    “His family raised a hue and cry, forcing the terrorists to flee,” they said.

  • Jammu and Kashmir cop conferred with Ashok Chakra posthumously was part of 14 encounters

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Babu Ram, who has been conferred with Ashok Chakra posthumously, was fond of joining the armed forces since childhood and was part of 14 encounters in which 28 militants of various outfits were killed.

    Born on May 15, 1972 at Dharana village in the border town of Mendhar of Poonch district of the Jammu region, Ram, was appointed in the Jammu and Kashmir Police as constable in 1999 after his schooling, officials said.

    They said Ram voluntarily opted for the special operations group (SOG), the counter-militancy force of the J-K Police, after completing his basic induction training.

    He was subsequently posted in SOG Srinagar on July 27, 2002, and was part of various anti-terror operations in which a number of hardcore terrorists were killed, the officials said.

    They said during one such operation at Lal Chowk here, while evacuating civilians, Ram got injured, but returned to the action soon after recovery.

    The constable got two out-of-turn promotions in view of his exceptional performance in various anti-militancy operations in Srinagar.

    He was a thorough professional and gave the best services in the SOG, the officials said.

    On August 29 last year, militants travelling on a bike opened fire at security personnel, who were checking vehicles at Pantha-Chowk here.

    “After the attack, the terrorists entered Dhobhi Mohalla in Pantha-Chowk. Immediately, the area was cordoned off and search operation was launched,” the officials said.

    ASI Ram was part of the advance party who launched an assault against holed up terrorists, they said.

    “The hiding terrorists opened fire at the joint search party, triggering an encounter. The encounter ended with the elimination of three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists, including a commander. However, Ram was also martyred leaving behind his wife, two minor sons and a minor girl,” they said.

    The brave heart, during his service in the anti-insurgency group, remained part of 14 encounters in which 28 terrorists of different terror outfits were gunned down, the officials said, adding that for outstanding contribution and valour, he has been decorated with Ashok Chakra, the country’s highest peacetime gallantry award, posthumously.

    Constable Altaf Hussain Bhat, who has been awarded Kirti Chakra, was a resident of Rathpora area of Safakadal here.

    After passing his class 12, Bhat joined the Jammu and Kashmir Police in 2011, the officials said.

    He was posted in district Ganderbal, where he was performing a PSO duty with a protected person.

    On October 6 last year, the protected person was attacked by militants.

    “The brave heart retaliated and killed the terrorist and saved the life of the protectee, but himself got severe bullet injuries and later succumbed, thus attaining martyrdom in the line of duty,” they said.

    Bhat is survived by parents, wife and a two-year-old son.

    “The Jammu and Kashmir Police Pariwar is proud of such a gallant hero. For his outstanding valour and sacrifice, the martyr has been decorated with Kirti Chakra posthumously,” the officials said.

    Special Police Officer (SPO) Shahbaz Ahmad, conferred with the Shauriya Chakra, was born in Hayatpora village of Rajouri district.

    Ahmad was engaged in 2017 as an SPO and remained part of anti-insurgency operations during his engagement with the department, the officials said.

    On January 21 last year, police station Khrew received specific information regarding the presence of terrorists in village Zantrag Nagander Khrew, they said.

    Accordingly, an operation was planned and the cordon was established around the said area.

    A joint party of security forces of which the SPO was a part of started searches in the area.

    “The hiding terrorists opened fire at the search party, triggering an encounter. The encounter lasted for two days and an intensified gun battle ended with the elimination of three JeM terrorists,” the officials said.

    “In the encounter, Ahmad attained martyrdom while fighting for the sovereignty and integrity of the nation,” they added.

    SPO Ahmad exhibited exemplary courage and fought with valour and laid his life in the line of duty, the officials said, adding that for outstanding valour and sacrifice, he has been decorated with Shaurya Chakra posthumously.

  • Jammu and Kashmir administration orders preservation, protection of Kashmiri migrants’ properties

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: The Lt Governor Manoj Sinha-led Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Council on Saturday issued instructions for the preservation and protection of Kashmiri migrants’ immovable properties and the removal of any encroachments from them, an official spokesperson said.

    To streamline the preservation and protection efforts, the council also approved a Revenue Department proposal to confer powers of commissioners upon deputy commissioners of the Kashmir division under the Agrarian Reforms Act, he said.

    Further, the spokesperson said, the Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction was directed to develop an online portal to facilitate the migrants in applying for correction of records, demarcation and removal of encroachments, and alienation by way of fraud or distress.

    Such applications have to be disposed of in a time-bound manner under the Public Services Guarantee Act, he said.

    On Friday, the Jammu and Kashmir administration had said that timely action would be taken against any violation of the J-K Migrant Immovable Property Act, including in respect of religious properties, besides ensuring eviction, custody and restoration of such properties.

    On Saturday, the J-K Administrative Council also approved the creation of 110 posts of accounts personnel in the Revenue Department to bring greater transparency in accountancy related activities of its field offices, the spokesperson said.

    The new posts will be created in the offices of financial commissioner, IG registration, divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, custodian general and revenue training institutes, Settlement Organisation, Nazol Organisation, and others, he said.

    The new accounts cells in the Revenue Department, the spokesperson said, will be a single-point interface for all issues involving financial matters and will act as a bulwark against fiscal indiscipline.

    The specialised cells will also play a crucial role in thoroughly scrutinising budget proposals, maintaining departmental accounts in accordance with the requirements under the State Financial Rules and evaluating progress and achievements for seeking supplementary grants, he said.

    The newly created posts are — two chief accounts officers, 26 accounts officers, seven assistant accounts officers, 22 accountants, and 53 account assistants.

  • Four CISF men get gallantry medal for blocking trucks carrying terrorists to Kashmir valley

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Four personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) have been awarded the police medal for gallantry for intercepting and killing three terrorists who were trying to sneak into the Kashmir valley by hiding inside a truck.

    Constables Rahul Kumar, Muttamala Ravi, Mutum Bikramjit Singh and Anil Lakra displayed courage and engaged the terrorists in a gun battle on January 31 last year at the Ban Toll plaza in Nagrota, Jammu.

    A truck plying from Jammu to Srinagar was stopped at the plaza at around 5:30 am where a joint team of Jammu and Kashmir Police and the CISF were deployed for security checks.

    ALSO READ | Six Army men get Shaurya Chakra for anti-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir

    As the police asked the driver to open the goods carriage, a terrorist hiding inside the cavity was exposed and he opened fire, the CISF said.

    Constables Rahul Kumar and M Ravi, present on the check-post, immediately latched the truck door and a gun battle ensued.

    Constables M Bikramjit Singh and Anil Lakra also reached the spot as part of a shift rotation protocol and they also engaged the terrorists by quickly taking positions at the plaza.

    While one terrorist was hit and he succumbed about 20 feet from the toll plaza, two others were killed in an encounter with reinforcement troops of the J&K Police, CRPF and Army’s special forces.

    “The terrorists were carrying huge quantity of arms and ammunition which might have been used for targeting security forces and innocent people if they could have managed to surpass the naka,” the CISF said in a statement.

    The “timely and valiant” response by the four CISF personnel was commendable, it said.

    The about 1.62 lakh personnel strong CISF is designated as the national civil aviation security force apart from being tasked to guard critical installations in the nuclear and aerospace domain and some other duties in the internal security domain.

  • Six Army men get Shaurya Chakra for anti-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: India’s third-highest gallantry medal in peacetime, Shaurya Chakra, has been awarded to six Army personnel including posthumously to one for displaying bravery in anti-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir last year.

    The recipients of the prestigious award are Major Arun Kumar Pandey, Major Ravi Kumar Chaudhary, Captain Ashutosh Kumar (posthumously), Captain Vikas Khatri, Rifleman Mukesh Kumar and Sepoy Neeraj Ahlawat, according to the Indian Army.

    It said four Army personnel were conferred the Bar to Sena medal while 116 others were named for the Sena medal on the eve of Independence Day.

    According to the Army, Major Pandey of the 44th battalion of the Rashtriya Rifles led an anti-terror operation in a village in Jammu and Kashmir on June 9 and 10 last year and showed “unparalleled courage” while neutralising two hardcore terrorists.

    Major Chaudhary of 55th battalion of the Rashtriya Rifles “exhibited exceptional resoluteness” and fortitude in leading four successful operations by his unit resulting in the elimination of 13 terrorists, the Army said.

    An operation led by him on June 3 last year was specifically mentioned in his citation.

    Captain Kumar of 18th battalion of the Madras Regiment has been conferred the Shaurya Chakra award posthumously for displaying “indomitable courage” and professional acumen of “highest order” in saving the life of one of his fellow soldier and eliminating a hardcore terrorist in an operation on November 8 last year.

    Captain Vikas Khatri from the 16th battalion of the Rashtriya Rifles was deployed as part of a special task of “area domination patrol” in Jammu and Kashmir under the challenging terrain at the height of 12,000 feet on the nights of December 12 and 13 last year.

    The Army said he eliminated one foreign terrorist despite heavy retaliation, showing raw courage and bravery.

    Rifleman Kumar from the ninth battalion of the Rashtriya Rifles was part of a cordon and search operation launched on the night of July 16 based on specific intelligence inputs of the likely presence of terrorists in a remote village of Jammu and Kashmir.

    “Kumar physically wrestled with the terrorist, who was shocked by the ferocity of the assault.

    He kept attacking the terrorist with the butt of his weapon in spite of sustaining a gunshot wound,” the Army said.

    “Unmindful of his injuries, Rifleman Mukesh Kumar neutralised the terrorist from point-blank range ensuring no injuries to own troops or the civilians,” it added.

    Sepoy Ahlawat has been conferred the Shaurya Chakra award for showing “exceptional gallantry beyond the call of duty and nerves of steel” during an anti-terror operation in Jammu and Kashmir on June 20 last year, the Army said.

    One hardcore Pakistani terrorist was eliminated in the operation, it said.

    Detailing about the incident, the Army said a group of terrorists was firing indiscriminately towards the inner cordon of the troops in a bid to escape, taking cover of civilians in the area as human shields.

    It said Ahlawat waited for an opportune moment and fired accurately on the fleeing terrorists after exercising extreme restraint and displaying composure in the face of a rapidly escalating situation.

    “One of the terrorists was eliminated on the spot. The second terrorist opened heavy fire towards Sepoy Ahlawat at close range. Despite the grave danger, he showed indomitable courage to hold onto his position and continued engaging the second terrorist, injuring him and damaging his sophisticated M-4 Assault Rifle,” it said.

    The gallant actions of Ahlawat led to the elimination of a Pakistani terrorist, the Army said.

  • JeM module tasked to trigger blasts in Jammu busted, four terrorists arrested

    By PTI

    JAMMU: In a major success, security forces have busted a module of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) tasked to trigger violence by planting a vehicle-based IED on the eve of Independence Day here by arresting four terrorists and their associates, officials said on Saturday.

    Giving details, a police spokesman said that four Jaish terrorists, including an Uttar Pradesh resident, and their associates were arrested by the Jammu Police in a drive to root out the militant presence in the district.

    “They were planning collection of arms dropped by drones and supply to active terrorists of Jaish-e-Mohammed in Kashmir valley; planting a vehicle-based IED in Jammu before 15th August and reconnaissance of important targets in other parts of the country,” he said.

    Muntazir Manzoor alias Saifulla of Prichoo Pulwama, a member of JeM, was the first to be arrested in this chain and from him one pistol, one magazine, eight live rounds and two Chinese hand grenades were seized, the spokesman said.

    His truck used for transporting weapons to Kashmir was also seized, he added.

    Subsequently, three more Jaish terrorists, including Ijahar Khan alias Sonu Khan of Mirdan Mohalla in Kandala of Shamli district, Uttar Pradesh, were arrested, the spokesman said.

    Khan disclosed that a JeM commander in Pakistan by the name of Munazir alias Shahid had asked him to collect weapons from near Amritsar which would be dropped by a drone, he said.

    Khan was also asked by Jaish to do reconnaissance of Panipat oil refinery which he did and sent videos to Pakistan.

    He was then tasked to do the reconnaissance of Ayodhya Ram janmabhoomi but was arrested before he could accomplish the task, the spokesman added.

    Other terrorists, Touseef Ahmed Shah alias Showket of the Jeff area of Shopian district was tasked by JeM commander Shahid and another Jaish terrorist by the name Abrar in Pakistan to take up accommodation in Jammu which he did, the spokesman said.

    He was then asked to procure a second-hand motorcycle for causing an IED blast at Jammu.

    The IED for this purpose would be dropped by a drone, the spokesman said.

    Shah was arrested before he could complete this task, he added.

    Jahangir Ahmed Bhat of the Bandzoo area of Pulwama district has been arrested in the case and he is a fruit merchant from Kashmir who was constantly in touch with Shahid in Pakistan and had introduced Ijahgar Khan to him, the police official said.

    Bhat was further doing recruitment for JeM in Kashmir and in the rest of the country, he said.

    Further investigation on the work of the remaining module is in progress, police said.