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Srinagar: Panic gripped Boniyar village in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district after laborers who were digging a drain few meters away from Government Higher Secondary School found 28 motor shells each measuring two inches, official sources said.

The laborers immediately informed police officials of Boniyar police station and they reached the spot and recovered all 28 motor shells from the under construction drain, they said.

“All the 28 motor shells were destroyed by Bomb Disposal Squad,” a police official told GNS, adding: “with the help of RPG gun we destroyed them.”

A local told GNS that he heard ‘sound of loud explosions’ in the area.

Pertinently, an army camp was in the same area some 35 years ago which had gutted in a fire incident. It is believed that these shells were left by the army men of the said camp.

Meanwhile, police on Saturday recovered a live grenade from Ahmad Nagar area in the outskirts of summer capital, official sources said.

They said that today locals spotted a suspicious object while clearing the debris in the area where two foreign militants were killed in 22 hour firefight last month.

“After spotting the object, locals informed officials at police station Soura who along Bomb Disposal Squad rushed to the spot,” sources said.

The Bomb Disposal Squad recovered the object under the debris and later handed it over to police. A police official told GNS that the object is a live grenade (HE-36).

On 13 April, a fierce gunfight erupted in Ahmad Nagar in which two Laskhar-e-Toiba militants identified as Abu Huzaifa and Chota Hafeez were killed while two cops were also injured. During the encounter, two houses were gutted and damaged.

Srinagar: Two minors on Saturday morning drowned in a river body here in the outskirts of city, police said.

A police spokesman in a statement said that two boys identified as 12 year old Syed Rehman Gogri and 11 year old Shariq Nabi Bhat hailing from Chattabal locality of city got drowned in Nalla Hokarsaar at Sozaith in Narbal.

“River Police along with local Police launched rescue operation to retrieve the drowned boys,” adding the rescue operation was on till last reports came in.

Meanwhile, the spokesman said five minor school children and an elderly person were rescued by Police from Nehru-Park and Duck Park this afternoon.

“Five minor school children who were on way back to their homes after attending the school were rescued by River Police and Nehru Park police when their boat capsized in Dal-lake due to windstorm near Nehru Park,” the spokesman said.

The spokesman added: “an elderly person about 75 years old Mohammad Ramzan Sheikh son of Mohammad Iqbal sheikh resident of fisherman colony was rescued by Nigeen Police when his boat overturns due to windstorm in Dal-lake near Duck Park, foreshore road. Besides, police helped in shifting stranded tourists from Char-Chinar to safer places.

SRINAGAR: After police claimed to have identified the people who harassed and assaulted passengers in North Kashmir, Police Saturday in a statement said eight more have been arrested.

“Continuing its efforts to arrest the miscreants involved in the incidents of harassment of some passengers on May 8, 2014, eight more miscreants have been arrested from Sopore and Baramulla,” said the police spokesman.

Spokesman further said that, “all the miscreants involved in these acts of harassment and assaults have been identified. It is being reiterated that stringent action is being taken against those involved in these offences and no one involved will be spared.”

Special teams have already been constituted and raids are on to arrest other people  involved in these acts.

JAMMU: Army on Saturday said that two militants were killed when troopers foiled an infiltration bid along Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district.

An army man was also injured in the exchange of fire late last night.

Defense sources said that a group of four militants were seen moving inside Indian Territory along LoC in forward belt Kalsia in Poonch district.

“Army troops challenged them and the militants opened fire on the troops, who retaliated. In the ensuing encounter, two militants were killed and a soldier suffered injuries,” they said.

India and Pakistan are alleging one another about the exchange of firing along LoC.

Srinagar: A family in north Kashmir’s Baramulla town Friday accused J&K police of barging into their house and decamping with cash amounting to over Rs 3 lakh and gold jewellery.

The family of Ghulam-u-Din Mir, a trader who lives in Stadium Colony near Azad Ganj in Baramulla Friday told media that a posse of forces carried a noctural raid on Thursday night and arrested Munir Ahmed, Mir’s son, on charges of stone-pelting.

“Not only Munir, the forces dragged Ghulam-u-Din Mir also and after severe thrashing bundled them into police vehicle,” one of the family members told CNS.

Showing the damage to media men allegedly caused by forces during the raid, the family members alleged the forces hit the lockers with gun butts and took away cash of Rs 3.3lakh and three sets of gold jewellery.

“We had set apart the cash and jewellery for the marriage of our daughters,” the family members said.

Terming the allegation of family baseless, Deputy Inspector General of Police, North Kashmir Ghulam Hasan Bhat said police hasn’t indulged in the act.

He however confirmed that Ghulam-u-Din Mir and his son Munir Mir were arrested by police for their involvement in stopping of vehicles and thrashing of voters in Baramulla.

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference Chairman Sajad Gani Lone, has strongly condemned the attack on residents of district Kupwara, Narvav and Uri in Sopore and Baramulla town.

According to a statement issued to KNS, Lone said, “I want to make it clear to those youths involved in the attacks to clear any misunderstanding that they might have. These attacks are not indicators of  valor, bravery or courage. If anything the attacks depict hooliganism and total cowardice. Stopping helpless civilians and attacking them is no act of bravery. Those youths who try to attain their goals by attacking the innocent civilians will find that the end does not justify the means. We strongly believe that voting and boycott fall within the rights of inhabitants of Kashmir. Such acts of hooliganism if anything attribute motives of fear to those who boycotted.”

Lone further added, “If the attackers are brave enough let them check the index fingers of SPG protected Omar Abdullah or Mufti Sahib. The attacks are bound to result in polarization and further fragment an already fragmented society. There are huge number of people who are from Sopore and Baramulla travel daily to Kupwara and Handwara. There are hundreds of them who own shops in these towns. I dread to imagine the state of affairs if there are reprisals. Already there are reports of reprisals in Handwara and Kupwara. We condemn such acts as well. I appeal to uphold brotherhood.”

Lone went on to say that the youths involved in attacks also need to understand that the reason the state administration is allowing the attacks to take place is the unhappiness of the ruling NC over the polling percentage in district Kupwara. And the youths involved in the attacks also need to check their ranks. The revelations of Gen V K Singh point out to huge sums being paid for such attacks in the past. I hope that it is an  act of madness and not a paid act. I once again appeal to the youths to desist from such attacks and also appeal to people of Kupwara to stay calm.

Srinagar: Army and police Friday afternoon launched a search operation in Mawver area of Handwara in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.

Official sources told GNS that army’s 30 RR, Paratroopers and Special Operation Group of police cordoned off Shanu village in Mawver following the intelligence inputs about the presence of 2-3 militants.

“The joint team of forces reached our village, they laid down a tight cordon around the school,” a resident told GNS, adding that the joint team of forces fired several warning shots while taking positions to counter suspected militants.

He said that the forces also conducted house to house searches adjacent to the Government Boys Middle School. “Now they have cordoned the whole village with additional reinforcement”.

Sources told GNS that late in the evening the joint team intensified the searches around the school as there was no response from other side. The forces start searching at the suspected spot where they have reportedly recovered some food items, sources said.

According to official sources, forces have launched searches in the adjacent areas of the Shanu village to track down the militant group.

When reports last came in, the searches and cordon was on in the area. (GNS)