Blog

Our strategy is minimum collateral damage during encounters, damaging residential houses only in very extreme situations, say ADGP Munir Khan

Srinagar, January 22: With no let up in the encounters in the first month of year 2019, the Jammu and Kashmir Police Tuesday said that of late encounters are taking place after the militants are being zeroed in orchards or open fields and that “strategy was that no residential house would be damaged till situation terms extremely dangerous.”

“The recent encounters took place in orchards or after militant hide-outs were busted in fields or orchards. That is why residential houses suffered no damage in these gunfights,” Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Munir Khan told KNO in an exclusive chat.

He said that police will ensure to avoid the residential houses where in militants take shelter or refuge after being zeroed in by the forces.

“We never want to damage the residential house. That will happen in the very extreme situations. I would say that would happen when water would flow over the head,” the ADGP said.

“Our endeavour is to eliminate militants in most professional manner without any collateral damage. Directions have been issued to officer to avoid damage or blowing up of residential houses and to give a chance to militants to come out and surrender.”

According to rights activists, at least 121 residential houses were damaged in year 2018 that saw the killing of 250 militants of various militant outfits that include Lashkar-e-Toiba, Hizbul Mujahideen, Jaish-e-Muhammad, Al-Badr, and Ansaar Gazwatul Hind. The killing of 250 militants is highest ever in a decade.

In January 2019, 11 encounters took place and majority of them occurred in open fields. The latest two encounters are a case in point—in Hapatnar area of Charar-e-Shareef, militants took positions in dense forest and after 12 hours three militants were killed without any collateral damage, according to police.

Similarly, police said in the Heff village of south Kashmir’s Shopian district, militants engaged forces in an open field after which three militants were killed. “Here also there was no collateral damage and militant hide-out was in the orchard,” police said.(KNO)

“I will not bear, people to suffer in city, will resume office from Wednesday along with my corporators, Will expose some people soon,” Imran

Srinagar, Jan 22: Deputy Mayor Srinagar, Shiekh Mohammad Imran said there should be a probe in the SMC councilor meet incident as Mayor has clear intention to kill him on the spot.

He said he will resume office on Wednesday morning as he will not bear as people are suffering and will not tolerate BJP, RSS proxies backed people would run our sacred Srinagar city.

Regarding Monday’s incident, Imran termed as unfortunate and said seating arrangement for corporators were randomly arranged and preplanned.

“There was neither protocol followed nor any rule was applied by the Mayor. As per protocol Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Commissioner should have the same place like in other states but my chair was placed deliberately in-between BJP corporators,” he said.

“I inquired Commissioner SMC about the ‘pick and choose’ sitting arrangement of corporators, but he said he got ‘directions are from Mayor.”

Imran said Junaid Azim Mattu had allowed 43 (passes) illegally and BJP sponsored corporators attempted to kill him. He said he had filed FIR report against them and truth will prevail.

“I am with my people and not getting orders from Nagpur or New Dehli,” he said adding that Mayor had the intention to kill him on the spot.

He said police should investigate the incident from all angles as SMC council was not adjourned following the preplanned attack on me. As per council chairman, Junaid Mattu had to file a complaint but he did not and kept me waiting till 2.30 pm.

Mayor’s advisor has given 20 thousand rupees amount to blue-eyed corporator and street lights, he said. Imran said he will expose them very soon with valid proof.

He appealed his corporators to resume their duties from tomorrow as people are suffering. I got hundreds of calls related to public grievances, he said.

“We will be resuming our duties tomorrow along with my all my corporators,” Imran added.

‘India’s independence snatched us our independence’

Joint Resistance Leadership comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohd Yasin Malik have asked people of Kashmir to register their strong protest against Govt. of India’s Policy of non-resolution of the Kashmir dispute and the subsequent severe repression unleashed on people of J&K, by observing 26th January as a black day. JRL said that for past 71 years people of J&K are demanding the Right to self-determination that Indian leadership promised to them not only in the United Nations or the Indian Parliament, but reiterated at Lal Chowk in Srinagar by none other than Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawhar Lal Nehru. However, till this day not only has that commitment not been fulfilled but those that remind them of it are rewarded with bullets and pellets are incarcerated and gagged.
JRL said that a nation that prides itself on being a representative democracy chosen by the free will of its people, a republic , is executing tyranny and suppression to forcibly exert its will over the people of Kashmir. Lakhs of armed forces are deployed to suppress the aspirations of people and draconian laws like AFSPA and PSA are invoked to ensure people’s sentiments do not get out of hand. Hundreds of people are lodged and languishing in jails in JK and outside whose only crime is their demand for restoration of basic human and political rights the fundamental right to decide their destiny. Every voice raised for it is muzzled through military might. Our youth are targeted and killed whether armed to resist forcible control or unarmed. Our homes are blown-up by explosives, our orchards and crops destroyed. Even our toddlers are not spared the bullets and pellets. All means of protest are barred and curbed for us.
The Leadership while paying tributes to the six militants martyred in Hapatnar and Shopian that include Zahid Ahmed, Touseef Ahmed, and Muhammad Rabani, Shamsul Haq Mengnoo along with his two associates, stating that each day we are shouldering the coffins of our loved ones a consequence of the simmering dispute. Our grief and pain has no effect on those who while they celebrate their own struggle for independence with independence and republic days trample upon ours with jackboots and military might and are getting away with it as the world watches indifferently.
The Leadership strongly condemned the police raid in the notorious prison Kotbalwal where Kashmiri inmates were thrashed without any justification, JRL termed the act as grossly inhuman and against jail manual. The leadership also denounced the lodging of Kashmiri prisoners with dreaded criminals which is against the jail rules stating that this move can result in a great risk to life of Kashmiri prisoners. It urged the world bodies including ICRC, Amnesty International and other bodies to take strong note of this inhuman measure and ill treatment meted out to Kashmiri prisoners lodged in various prison in and outside the State.

Srinagar, Jan 22: Three militants including the brother of an IPS officer were killed and an army soldier was injured in Shopian district of south Kashmir on Tuesday.

Reports reaching GNS said that a joint team of army’s 44 RR, Para Commandos and SOG launched a search operation in Shirmal after having credible input about the presence of some militants in the area.

As the joint team of forces intensified searches towards the suspected spot–the hideout inside an orchard, the hiding militants fired upon them, triggering off an encounter. There was a lull monetarily before firefight resumed, leading to the killing of three militants.

One army soldier has also sustained injuries during the course of the gunfight, they said.

The bodies of the slain were recovered along with as many weapons and other arms and ammunition, they said.

The government forces blasted the hideout, the sources said.

Four militants were trapped and one of them reportedly managed to flee. However, there was no official confirmation in this regard so far.

Official sources said that among the slain include Shamsul Haq Mengnoo son of Mohammad Rafiq Mengnoo, a resident of Draggud village of Shopian district.

Shamsul Haq had left studies at Bachelors of Unani Medicine and Surgery (BUMS) at government college here in Zakura campus. His elder brother Inamul Haq is 2012 IPS batch officer who is posted in North East. The identity of the two other militants was being ascertained, official sources added.

A police official confirmed the killing of three militants but refused to comment about the fleeing of the fourth militant, saying the operation is still underway.

Regarding identification of Shamsul Haq, the officer said it was being ascertained even as inputs suggested his presence when the operation was launched. (GNS)

Shopian, January 22: Two militants have been killed in an ongoing encounter raging between government forces and militants in orchards of Heff Shirmal belt of Zainapora area in South kashmir’s Shopian district.

Police sources told KNO that they believe two militants have been killed in the firefight. Earlier official sources told KNO that contact was established in orchards after a joint team of forces including 44 RR, CRPF and SOG Zainapora launched search operation in the area.

As search operation was going on, the hiding militants fired upon forces which was retaliated triggering encounter. Exchange of fire is going on and 4 to 6 militants are believed to be trapped.(KNO)

Friends,Like most of you out there, we at weather office were also eager to see a bumper snow in Srinagar City yesterday n today but that didnt happen. We had a reason to believe so that analysis of many weather Models both domestic & foreign, surface charts, Highs & Lows pressure, bla bla bla, we were confident of Good Snow in plains of Kashmir as well. Accordingly we issued an early warning, so that people can take better decisions, save time & money as well as plan for playing during snowfall. Do you know why we did so? We did so, Because your well being is our concern..!

What went wrong?
1. South Westerly winds carried out Moisture at lower troposhpere from Arabian sea, which is warmer ( these air) than the northerly continental wind( Observe satellite Image)
2. After 16th Jan. there was gradual increase in both Max. & Min. surface temp. till today 21st Jan.( Observe attached Image).
Apart from many other possible factors, these are the reason for Rain in place of snow in plains of valley. As expected, there were heavy snowfall at many places especially of North East Kashmir & Zanskar, Drass & Pirpanjal mountains.

Current situation: The Western Disturbance is still affecting the state and is moving gradually towards South Eastwards H.P, U.K , Punjab.

Forecast for nxt 24hrs: Moderate to Heavy Rain/snow at most places of Jmu & Kmr and few places of Ladakh.
Significant improvement from 23rd onwards.(Sonam Lotus)

Srinagar: Proclaiming democracy on one hand and using police might to stop peaceful gatherings and tribute assemblies on the other hand are two contradictory things. United India During its struggle for freedom from British occupation witnessed only one Jalianwala Bagh massacre but Kashmiris have witnessed dozens of such massacres carried out by Indian occupational forces from 1990 till today. 21st January 1990, is a historical day when Kashmiris resisted Indian bullets but refused to budge before tyranny and falsehood. This was stated by the joint resistance leadership comprising of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Muhammad Umar Farooq and incarcerated Muhammad Yasin Malik while recalling the sacrifices of martyrs who laid down their lives on 21st January 1990. Despite heavy police restrictions, curfew in the whole area, arrest spree and other oppressive measures by the state, JRL leaders and activists managed to gather at Basant Bagh and held a memorial meeting near the site of 21st January 1990 massacre at Basanat Bagh Gaw-Kadal.

It is worth to mention that to foil today’s peaceful program, Police kept JRL leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani under house arrest while as police today morning also raided the residence of Muhammad Yasin Malik and arrested him immediately. He has been lodged at police station Kothi-bagh. Police have also arrested Hurriyat leaders Bilal Ahmad Sideeqi, Hilal Ahmad Waar and many others.

The call for today’s program was given by the joint resistance leadership and besides leaders and activists from Joint resistance leadership including advocate Bashir Ahmad ,Ghulam Nabi Zaki, Muhammad Rafiq Shah Owaisi, Showkat Ahmad Bakhshi, Engineer Ghulam Rasool Dar Eidhi ,Khawaja Firdous, Mukhtar Ahmad Sofi, Noor Muhammad Kalwal, Muhammad Yasin Butt, Sheikh Abdul Rashid, Abdul Rashid Untoo, Muhammad Maqbool Ganaie, Rameez Raja, Molvi Ashraf, Muhammad Sideeq Shah, Yasmin Raja, Imtiyaz Haider, Imtiyaz Ahmad Shah, Abdul Majid Wani, Imran Ahmad, Imtiyaz Ahmad Shah, Mushtaq Khan, Ashraf bin Salam, Professor Javed, Abdul Rashid Lone and many others including senior resistance leader Shabir Ahmad Dar were also present on the occasion. Besides resistance leaders and activists, people from different walks of life and admirers of selfless martyrs participated in today’s program. The memorial program which was held despite stringent curfew, restrictions, barricades, spree of arrests and nocturnal raids by police and forces, was addressed by advocate Bashir Ahmad Butt, Ghulam Nabi Zaki, Muhammad Rafiq Shah Owaisi who paid rich tributes to these martyrs.

It is also worth to mention police from last evening laid a tight siege around whole Lal Chowk and adjacent areas, erected barricades, imposed curfew and restrictions in and around Gawkadal, Nai-Sadak, Basant-Bagh, Maisuma, Budshah Chowk, Burbarshah, Chotabazar, Guru Bazar and other adjacent areas. Dozens of political activists and youth were either arrested by police in nocturnal raids or raided by police from these areas. Even the martyrs’ memorial at Basant Bagh had been sealed off by razor wire and other barricades. Stringent curfew and restrictions were such that no one including women, children and sick were allowed to move in or out the area but despite all these ruthless measures, leaders from the Joint resistance leadership and admirers of managed to reach and gather near the martyrs memorial at Basant- Bagh and held a peaceful protest program.

Meanwhile recalling the gallantry sacrifices rendered by selfless martyrs and also the oppression unleashed by Indian state to suppress Kashmiri Freedom struggle, Joint resistance leadership comprising of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Muhammad Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik have said that combined India throughout its 200 year long freedom struggle saw only one Jalyanwala Massacre but a comparatively tiny nation called Kashmir has seen scores of such Jalyanwala massacres carried on by so-called biggest democracy called India. JRL said 21st January is an important day of Kashmirs 5000 year old history. On this day thousands of unarmed people came out of their houses to demand freedom and right to self determination and protested against the crackdown of Indian forces that had been started from Guru-Bazar, Kani-Kadal, Chota-Bazar .These peaceful people were showered with bullets by Indian forces and police killing more than fifty of them on spot and injuring hundreds of others. JRL said that in 1990 Indian state deployed Jag-Mohan in Jammu Kashmir with a purpose to kill, beat and humiliate Kashmiris and soon after his arrival in Kashmir he started his criminal campaign from Gaw-kadal massacre that was followed by more massacres at Handwara, Kupwara, Hawal Srinagar, Sopore, Sailan Poonch, Zakura, By-pass Batamaloo, Magarmal Bagh, Baderwah, Marmat Doda, and Bijebihara, Hazratbal, Gojwara, Mashali Mohalla, Khanyaar, Dalgate etc in coming days and years. JRL said that the sole aim of India was to terrorize people of Kashmir through these brutal massacres and put an end on their march towards freedom and right to self-determination but India failed in doing so in past and is bound to fail in future too. People of Jammu Kashmir will continued their march towards freedom with passion and zeal despite all these harsh measures and the day is not far when Kashmiris will also achieve their right of self-determination and tyrants will have to seek apology from those oppressed added JRL.

Tough terrain, snowfall, rain disrupted operation, militants changed directions to prolong gunfight, says police

Srinagar: Three unidentified militants were killed in a day-long encounter between forces and the militants at Hapatnar area of Charar-e-Sharief in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district, a police officer confirmed to KNO, on Monday.

A top police officer said that acting on a specific intelligence input about the presence of a group of militants in Hapatnar area, a joint team of police, army and the CRPF launched a cordon to track the militants early in the morning.

“A group of militants believed to be two to three in number hiding in a hideout opened indiscriminate fire at the forces triggering a fierce gun-battle,” the officer said, wishing not to be named.

He said that the forces took their time to track down the militants given “tough terrain, slippery conditions due to continuous snow and rainfall in the area.”

The officer said that the operation could have been completed soon had the weather been fair. “There was less visibility and that the area where the militants were hiding was dense. The area comprises a tough terrain that’s why forces went for a deliberate operation,” he said.(KNO)

‘Farooq Abdullah appreciated SSP behind Pathribal Fake Encounter’

Srinagar, Jan 21: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said the encounters can’t be stopped in Kashmir till there is a conflict and presence of militants.
As per Kashmir News Service (KNS), she said those who talk about stopping encounters should know that they appreciated those police officers who were involved in fake encounters.
“Farooq Abdullah appreciated the SSP who was behind Pathribal Fake Encounter. He showered praises for him in Assembly. During Omar’s time numerous encounters happened. No one can stop encounters,” she said while addressing party workers in a convention at her Gupkar residence.
Mehbooba said their alliance with BJP was based on a well drafted Agenda of Alliance.
“During my stunt I sticked to the Agenda of Alliance. The other reason we joined hands with BJP was to give security for the Muslims of Jammu. After BJP swept polls in Jammu the Muslims there felt insecure. It was important for us to ally with BJP,” She added. (KNS)