Kashmir.Watch

Category: Union Territory

  • Kupwara encounter: Three bodies of militants recovered; says army

    Srinagar, March 20: The army on Tuesday said that bodies of here militants were recovered from the encounter site at Check Fatehkhan, Halmatpora area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.

    “Operation is in progress so far only three militant bodies recovered,” defence ministry spokesman told GNS.

    Earlier, the spokesman had said that four militants have been killed in the operation.

    Sources said that the militants were offering prayers when they were spotted close to the forests by the joint team including army and SOG who were acting on inputs about the movement of militants in the area.

    However, before surrender offer could have been made, the two militants guarding them opened fire triggering off a gunfight.

    Later, they dispersed and joined with the two militants in the gunfight.

    Meanwhile, reinforcement of Para Commandos was rushed to the area and they joined the operation. The forces, according to sources have also launched a cordon-and-search operation in the adjacent forest areas including Gulgam and Awoora- which is connecting the Halmathpora forests.

    The joint team of forces has also installed searchlights in the area.

    Earlier, a police officer had said that a joint team of army’s 41 RR and SOG launched a cordon-and-search operation following inputs about the movement of seven foreign militants.

    As the joint team of forces intensified the searches, the militants hiding in the area opened fire, triggering off an encounter, the officer had said. (GNS)

  • Gunfight breaks out in Kupwara

    Srinagar: A gunfight broke out between government forces and militants at Check Halmatpora area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Tuesday.

    A police officer told news agency GNS that a joint team of army and SOG launched a cordon-and-search operation at Check Fatehkhan adjacent to forest area of Halmatpora today at around 3:00 pm.

    As the joint team of forces intensified the searches, the militants hiding in the area opened fire triggering off an encounter, the officer said.

    When reports last came in, the intermittent exchange of fire was going on. (GNS)

  • Who is Sehrai?

    In 1965, when he was 22 years old, Sehrai was jailed for the first time for “anti-government activities”.

    Srinagar: Muhammad Ashraf Ali, popularly known as Ashraf Sehrai, was born in 1944 in TekiporaLolab in Kupwara district. His forefathers had migrated to this part of Kashmir from pre-Partition Pakistan.
    Sehrai studied in Tekipora till primary level before moving to Sogam High School for further studies. He passed his matriculation examination in 1959. He was a bright, intelligent but shy student who took great interest in debates and discussions on religious and political discourses since his childhood. Sehrai earned a scholarship in class 10 for his excellent command over Persian, Arabic and Urdu languages. He did BA (Hons) in Urdu from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).

    When Syed Ali Geelani was the district president of the Jamaat-e-Islami for Kupwara district, he would visit Tekipora frequently. The two struck a chord instantly.
    Sehrai was impressed by Geelani’s knowledge of the Quran, Hadees (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW)) and writings of Jamaat founder MaulanaAbulAlaMaududi.
    He has been affiliated with Geelani since 1959. Sehrai’s love for literature and poetry hasn’t diminished, but he doesn’t write anymore because of his political engagements. In 1965, when he was 22 years old, Sehrai was jailed for the first time for “anti-government activities”. He was imprisoned at Srinagar Central Jail for about six months. He has also been detained in jails outside the state.
    In 2004, he and Geelani formed the TeH.

  • Body of Pakistani militant Abu Hamas buried in Boniyar

    Srinagar: A top Pakistani militant who was killed along with his two local associates was buried at Boniyar in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district Saturday night – where foreign militants are laid to rest in the Valley.

    Official sources told GNS that the charred body of the slain militant Abu Hamas was recovered under the debris yesterday and was buried with the help of local Auqaf committee at Sheeri Boniyar late Saturday night.

    A police officer confirmed that the foreign militant was buried in Boniyar.

    The militant was killed along with his two associates Rasiq Nabi Bhat of Tral and Shabir Dar of Awantipora in a gunfight with forces in Balhama village of Khanmoh in outskirts of Srinagar city.

    The encounter broke out on Thursday after a group of militants made an abortive bid to snatch a rifle of the personal guard of BJP leader Mohammad Anwar Khan near Arsh medical institute in Balhama Khanmoh. (GNS)

  • No one made talks offer to Geelani: BJP

    Srinagar: The BJP feels Syed Ali Geelani, the veteran separatist leader, is looking for “ways and approach for dialogue.” The party literally accused Geelani of lying when he had said yesterday that an Intelligence Bureau official had approached him to begin a round of political talks with New Delhi.
    “I do not think that it is correct,” said Ashok Kaul, the BJP general secretary (Organizations). He said Geelani should engage with Dineshwar Sharma, the interlocutor appointed by the Indian government, as such issues are “political and can’t be discussed at any other level”

    On Thursday night, Geelani was quoted by his spokesperson as saying that he had declined the offer of talks made by an IB official to him. “GeelaniSahab declined the offer, saying that until the Kashmir dispute is addressed in its historical perspective and India acknowledges the disputed status of the Kashmir and starts demilitarization to hold a referendum, holding any talks carries no meaning.” Geelani said the offer was nothing more than a tactic to buy time by New Delhi.
    Sunil Sethi, the party’s chief spokesperson, said that the offer of dialogue is made at political level and not on official level. “It is prerogative of political leadership to offer dialogue to someone,” he said. “I doubt the claim by Geelani.”
    Sethi said that there is no question that talks with anybody will be held outside the Constitution of India. “We are saying it today and it is the stand of every government that there is not any possibility of talks outside Indian Constitution,” he said.

  • Kashmir is, was and will be ours always: Rajnath Singh

    New Delhi: Advocating for “permanent solution to the Kashmir crisis” Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said he had personally asked Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to ignore cases against first-time stone pelters.
    Earlier this year, Jammu and Kashmir government has approved withdrawal of cases registered against 9,730 people involved in stone-pelting incidents, including first-time offenders, between 2008 and 2017.
    “We have forgiven first-time stone pelters. I spoke to the CM of Kashmir and told her that children who were involved in stone pelting for the first time need to be let go. They might have been influenced by other people and are young children. We need to give them a second chance,” Rajnath Singh said while addressing the News18 Rising India Summit in New Delhi.
    Singh also said that the government wanted “a permanent solution to the Kashmir crisis”, and that “the state will always remain a part of India”.
    “Kashmir is, was and will be ours always. We want a permanent solution to the Kashmir problem and we are open to speak to anyone,” the Home Minister said, adding that government interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma was accommodating and moving forward in the direction to resolving issues.

  • SSP Shopian escapes bid on life in militant attack

    Srinagar: SSP Shopian on Saturday had a narrow escape when militants fired upon his bulletproof vehicle at Hajipora area in south Kashmir district.

    Official sources told news agency GNS that the bullets hit the vehicle but the officer and his guarding personnel escaped unhurt as the vehicle they were traveling to attend army’s function was bulletproof.

    The officer was scheduled to attend function “flag in ceremony” organized by army’s 34 RR at Behibagh in neighbouring Kulgam district.

    Soon after the attack, the army, SOG, and police cordoned off the area and have launched searches to trace out the assailants.

    When this report was filed no arrests were made.

    Despite repeated attempts, SSP Sriram Ambarkar could not be contacted for the comments. (GNS)

  • Khonmoh Encounter: Two Dead Bodies of Militants Recovered so far

    Srinagar: This is in continuation to our earlier press release pertaining to militant firing at Khonmoh area, in the outskirts of Srinagar city.

    SFs following leads, cordoned a cluster of houses at Balhama, wherein the hiding militants fired upon the SFs. During the initial firing, a CRPF personnel sustained bullet injuries and was shifted to 92 Base Hospital for treatment. He is stated to be stable.

    In the said incident, two dead bodies of militants have been recovered so far, whose identities are being ascertained.

    Along the dead bodies incriminating materials which include weapon and ammunition have been recovered as well.

    In this connection Police has registered case under relevant sections of law and investigation has been taken up.

  • Haseeb Drabu’s sacking not enough. more steps needed to revive PDP: Peer Hussain

    Says “Mehbooba in the company of political psychophants, disconnected from, people”

    Shangus: Senior PDP leader and former Minister Peer Mohammad Hussain has said that sacking Haseeb Drabu as finance ministers is a welcome step but more such steps need to be taken to revive the PDP at grass roots. Talking to KNS after addressing a worker convention in his home constancy Shangus Peer Muhammad Hussain said “Haseeb Drabu has spoken against the party agenda and deserved the action Chief Minister has taken against him but chief minister will have to take more such steps to revive the party at the grass roots”.
    Saying that corruption is on the rise and the alliance with BJP has not worked well, Hussain said chief minister is surrounded by some political psychophants and she will have to take strong and bold initiatives to reconnect the party with the people at gross roots.
    He said “corruption is on the rise and agenda of alliance is not working well. BJP commanding and controlling the government at the centre is neither paying any heat to our demands on dialogue with Pakistan and the separatist leader ship nor considers the state government’s proposals on developmental issues. This alliance has not worked the way we expected it to work”. I impress upon the Chief Minister to come out from the coterie of political psychophants surrounding her time and reach out to people for mitigating their political and economic sufferings.
    Replying to a question about the reports of National Conference approaching him for joining that party Hussain said “whatever I have to do I will do at the appropriate time. I will react to questions on my future course and reasons for quitting Wakf Board at the appropriate time.” (KNS)

  • Khanmoh Attack: gunfight breaks out; two militants likely trapped

    Srinagar, March 15: A gunfight broke out between militants and government forces at Balhama area of Khanmoh in outskirts of Srinagar city. The cordon-and-search-operation was launched in the area following a militant attack on BJP leader that left a policeman injured.

    A police officer told GNS that the militants after carrying out an attack on BJP leader Mohammad Anwar Khan leaving his PSO Bilal Ahmad injured fled away and took shelter inside the village.

    As the joint team of forces intensified the searches in the village to trace out the hiding attackers, the militants fired upon forces triggering off an encounter.

    The intermittent firing was going on when reports last came in. (GNS)