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Following protests after three killed in encounter in Srinagar, as a precautionary measure, cellular internet services were snapped in parts of Srinagar since Wednesday night.

Further Details Awaited

Slain commander identified as Mehran of downtown, was involved in killing of two teachers; Trio were travelling in a car: IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar, says 144 militants, two civilians killed this year; in past two years only three civilians killed during encounters, figure all time low in past three decades

Srinagar, Nov 24 : Three militants including a TRF (Lashkar-e-Toiba) commander were killed in a shoot-out at Rambagh area of Srinagar on Wednesday, police said.

A police official told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that acting on a specific lead about the three militants travelling in a vehicle in Srinagar’s Rambagh area, a team of Srinagar police cornered the vehicle and killed three militants.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar said that among the slain trio, one has been identified as Mehran, a top TRF commander who was involved in the killing of two teachers and other civilians in the city. “The militants were travelling in a car and they were signaled to stop but instead, they opened fire in a bid to flee from the spot but were cornered by the police party,” he said.

As per police records, Mehran Yaseen Shalla, a resident of Jamalatta area of old Srinagar, went missing on May 19, 2021 and joined TRF (LeT). The two other slain militants were identified as Arafat Ahmed Sheikh of Niklora, Pulwama and Manzoor Ahmed Mir of Babhar, Pulwama.

A police spokesman in a statement to KNO said that acting swiftly on “our own specific input” regarding movement of militants in Rambagh area of Srinagar, a small team from Srinagar Police signalled a suspected Santro vehicle to stop. “However, the militants started firing indiscriminately on the police party from inside the car while trying to flee from the spot under the cover of firing. The fire was however effectively retaliated leading to gunfight,” the spokesman said, adding that “In the ensuing gunfight, three militants got killed and identified as militant commander of LeT (TRF) Mehran Yaseen Shalla, resident of Jamalatta, Srinagar, Manzoor Ahmad Mir resident of Babhar, Pulwama and Arafat Ahmad Sheikh, a resident of Nikloora, Pulwama.

The spokesman said that as per police records, the killed militants were linked with LeT (TRF) and part of group involved in several crime cases including attacks on security forces and civilian atrocities.

“Mehran Yaseen had a long history of crimes and was wanted by law for his involvement in several crime cases including grenade attack at Barbar Shah Srinagar on 26/06/2021 in which one civilian namely Mudasir Ahmad Bhat resident of Hanjigund Beerwah got killed & three other civilians got critically injured, killing of Meeran Ali Sheikh at Bulbul Lanker Nawa Kadal on 27/07/2021, Killing of PSI Arshad Ahmad at Khanyar on 12/09/2021, Killing of School Principal Supinder Kour and teacher Deepak Chand of Government Higher Secondary School, Khankah Noorbagh Sangam on 07/10/2021,” the police spokesman said adding that “Prior to joining militancy, several cases regarding his involvement in stone pelting incidents are also registered against him. Moreover, the other killed militant Arafat Ahmad was also involved in several cases including killing of a non-local labour at Litter area of Pulwama on 16/10/2021.”

Talking to KNO, the IGP Kashmir said that this year so far 144 militants were killed while two civilians were also killed in cross firing during encounters. “Last year, 207 militants were killed and only one civilian killed in encounters. So far only three civilians killed in cross firing during encounters in last two years that is lowest collateral damage in last three decades,” he said—(KNO)

TOI

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday asked the Centre to restore Article 370 and resolve the Kashmir issue if it wants to “keep Kashmir”, saying people want return of “our identity and honour” and that too with interest.

Addressing a public rally at Neel village of Banihal, she also said the people of Jammu and Kashmir have decided “our fate with Mahatma Gandhi’s India which gave us Article 370, our own constitution and flag” and cannot live with (Nathuram) Godse’s India.

Mehbooba asked the people to stand united and “strengthen her voice for the success of her struggle in support of the restoration of special status guaranteed by the Constitution and safeguard the identity and honour of the people” of Jammu and Kashmir.

“We have decided our fate with Mahatma Gandhi’s India which gave us Article 370, our own constitution and flag. If they take everything from us, we will also take back our decision. They have to think if they want to keep J&K with them, they have to restore Article 370 and resolve the Kashmir issue,” she said.

The “people of Jammu and Kashmir cannot live with Godse’s (assassin of Mahatma Gandhi) India”, Mehbooba added.

“We want Mahatma Gandhi’s India, return of our identity and honour which was given to us by the Indian Constitution and I am sure they have to return it with interest as well,” she asserted.

Noting that history is testimony to the fact that no powerful nation has ruled people on the might of guns, she said, “You cannot keep Kashmir by holding a stick or a gun (on the heads of the people)… the super power America failed to rule Afghanistan on the strength of its power and had to leave the country.”

Without naming the BJP, the former chief minister said, “Some of our own people get annoyed when I demand dialogue with Pakistan for peace in J&K and resolution of the issue. They dub me a traitor and anti-national.”

“Today they are talking with Taliban and also China which has illegally occupied our land in Ladakh and has also set up a village in Arunachal Pradesh,” she said.

However, Mehbooba said if the people stand united, it is not a big deal that “we will not succeed in our goal (of restoration of Article 370 and resolution of Kashmir issue)”.

“India took 200 years from getting its freedom from the British and BJP took 70 years to remove Article 370 unconstitutionally. We may take 70 months but we will compel the Indian government to return not only Article 370 but resolve the Kashmir issue as well for which our youth rendered numerous sacrifices and filled the graveyards with their bodies,” she said.

Seeking support of the people, Mehbooba said she does not bow before anyone but “what is going to happen if I do not bow before anyone, unless I am supported by all of you”.

“You have to support my voice and I also need your blessings. If we do not raise our voice today, time will come when the people will say this was a place which was once a habitat of Kashmiri Muslims, Gujjars, Bakerwals and Pahari people as others will be settled here,” she said.

“Today is not an election and I am not seeking votes from you. When the time for elections comes, vote for whom you wish to vote for. I want your support for PDP so that no 18-month-old is forced to come on the road again to seek the body of his father,” she said referring to the protest by the family members of the civilians killed in a controversial gunfight in Hyderpora locality of Srinagar on November 15.

Mehbooba, however, defended joining hands with the BJP to form a government in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, saying it was done to “safeguard our honour and stop them (BJP) from touching Article 370”.

“As long as our government remained in power, they did not touch Article 370. The day it collapsed, they revoked it (Article 370). We controlled them like a father who pushes himself before a bear to save his family. We sacrificed ourselves to safeguard our identity,” she claimed.

She accused the BJP of ” polarising the country and dividing the people of Jammu and Kashmir on basis of caste, creed and religion”.

“After PDP and National Conference, they are out to split Congress into two groups – one which remains in its own pocket and the other outside it,” she claimed, in an apparent reference to recent development in the national party when scores of its senior leaders and activists, believed to be close to former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, resigned from party positions in a revolt against J&K Congress chief GA Mir. (TOI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Srinagar, Nov 24: Inspector General of Police Kashmir Vijay Kumar on Wednesday said that one of “three militants killed in gunfight” at Rambagh here has been identified as top commander of TRF, Mehran.

The IGP told GNS that police was “after him for a long time especially after his name came up in connection with the killing of two teachers and other civilians recently.”

“Identification of others is being ascertained,” he said. Earlier the IGP said that three militants were killed in the “gunfight” at Rambagh Srinagar. (GNS)

Srinagar Nov 24: Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed an increase in crime rate with around 25,000 to 30,000 cases reported annually.
Official figures reveal that 25,000 to 30,000 crime cases have been registered annually in the last one decade in Jammu and Kashmir.
The highest cases have been reported in 2020, when 29314 cases have been reported as against 25, 408 cases the previous years indicating a rise in crime rate.
Similarly, 26558, 26907 and 26548 cases were registered in 2012, 2013, and 2016, respectively.
The twin capitals of the erstwhile state have witnessed the highest number of cases. Both these districts have reported over 30 percent of total crime cases in J&K.
A senior police official said there were many factors responsible for the highest rate of crime in Jammu and Srinagar districts.
“Both these districts are the most populated in J&K. People from other areas and states also come to these districts for employment, and many a times, they, too, get involved in crimes,” the official told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS)
The highest number of cases has been related to rioting, burglary, and molestation, cruelty by husband, assault on public servant, attempt to murder, cheating, stabbing, and eve teasing.
The figures say that J&K recorded a 29 percent increase in cases of crime against children with 606 incidents in 2020 in comparison to 470 in 2019.
Similarly, J&K recorded 3069 cases of crime against women in 2019 and the number rose to 3414 in 2020 thus showing 11 percent rise in the cases.
The police official said many crimes go unreported either due to remoteness of the location or victims choose to stay silent out of fear or social stigma attached to some crimes like molestation, eve teasing, or rape.
“There are some crimes, which are increasing in the valley. Police is dealing with such crimes, but it is also the responsibility of the society how to reduce the number of crimes in the region,” the official added. (KINS)

Srinagar, Nov 23: People Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was detained by police at her Gupkar residence ahead of her visit to Slain Altaft’s family who was killed at Hyderpora in Srinagar.

Reliable sources told Srinagar based news agency Kashmir Dot Com (KDC) that Mehbooba Mufti was scheduled to visit the relatives of slain Altaf’s family at Barzulla. However police have detained her inside her Fairview Gupkar residence.

Altaf was among three civilians killed at Hyderpora ‘encounter’. Various politicians have been visiting family of Altaf.(KDC)

Pithoragarh: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said India wants good relations with its neighbours but warned that it will give a fitting reply to any country that attempts to occupy even an inch of its land.
Singh, a senior BJP leader, was in poll-bound Uttarakhand to launch the second leg of the ‘Shaheed Samman Yatra’ from Jhaulkhet Moonakot in Pithoragarh district.
“We want good ties with our neighbours. India has never attacked any country. Neither has it ever occupied a foreign territory. Having good ties with neighbours has been India’s culture but some people don’t understand this. I don’t know whether it is their habit or temperament,” he said.
Naming Pakistan, Singh said it keeps trying to destabilise India through terrorist activities and a stern message has already been given to it.
“We have given a clear message to our neighbour on the western border that if it cross its limits, we will just not retaliate on the borders but can even cross over into its territory and do surgical and airstrikes,” he said.
“We have one more neighbour (which does not seem to understand things),” the defence minister said without naming China.
Singh said he must make it clear that if there is an attempt by any country in the world to “occupy even an inch of our land, India will give a fitting reply to it”.
Noting that everyone was aware of India’s defining victory in 1971, Singh warned India’s neighbours of not living under any delusion.
The defence minister said there was an attempt to create misapprehensions in Nepal about a road from Lipulekh Pass to Mansarovar through Dharchula that was inaugurated by him recently.
“But it has failed to affect our close cultural ties with Nepal,” he said.
Conferring Nepal Army Chief General Prabhu Ram Sharma with the honorary rank of Indian Army Chief recently is a reassertion of India’s close cultural ties with Nepal, Singh said.
Launching the second leg of the Shaheed Samman Yatra’, Singh said the state government should ensure that names of matyrs and the names of their villages should be inscribed on the Sainya Dham being built in Dehradun as a memorial tribute to them.
Soil from homes of 1,734 martyrs’ families in Uttarakhand are being collected in urns to be brought to Dehradun and used in the construction of the Sainya Dham, a vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
—PTI

Srinagar, Nov 20: The Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha has said that those who are found guilty in the Hyderpora encounter will not be spared.

Addressing Sikh community at a Gurudwara in Chand Nagar area of Jammu on Friday, LG Sinha said that an incident has taken place regarding law and order and those found guilty will not be spared.

He said that there are some more things, which he will be discussing in the coming three-four days. 

Notably, a magisterial inquiry has already been ordered into Hyderpora encounter, where four persons including two civilians were killed on Monday evening, even as there has demand of a judicial inquiry into the incident.

Police had earlier buried the bodies of two civilians—Altaf Ahmad Bhat and Dr Mudasir Gul of Srinagar in Handawara on Tuesday morning, however, after massive outcry and families of civilians protesting and contesting the police claims, authorities had to exhume bodies in Handwara and hand them over to their families on late Thursday evening.

Later, the bodies of two civilians were buried at their respective graveyards by their families before the dawn on Friday.

Meanwhile, there has been a demand for judicial probe into the incidents by former chief ministers including Dr Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah, civil societies, political leaders including Sajad Lone and hight court bar association, stating that the magisterial inquiry was mere an eyewash.