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Reyaz Rashid

Baramulla: The Department of Information and Media bids a fond farewell to the esteemed Senior Assistant, Hakeem Ghulam Mohammad of Shrakwara Baramulla, as he gracefully concludes his 40-year journey of unwavering dedication and service.

In a grand and impressive function organized by the department of information at the Girls’ Higher Secondary School Baramulla, colleagues, friends, and dignitaries came together to celebrate the illustrious career of Hakeem Ghulam Mohammad.

The gathering, convened to honor  and celebrate Hakeem Ghulam Mohammad’s retirement, was adorned with insightful addresses delivered by esteemed speakers, illuminating his profound impact on enhancing the operational landscape within the information department.

With 40 years of steadfast commitment, Hakeem Ghulam Mohammad has etched an enduring legacy within the department and the society he served.

The function was graced by the esteemed presence of District Information Officer (DIO), Iftikhar Ahmad, Chairman Baramulla Working Journalist Association and senior broadcast journalist Karamat Qayoom, senior writer and innovator Reyaz Rashid, Artist and writer Taseer Afzal, Cameraman senior Assistant Shahzad Ahmad Bhat, senior producer Muzamil Mehraj and senior assistant  Muzzafar Ahmad Bhat from information department, employees from various other departments, media personalities, and all officials from the Information Department, Baramulla.

During the farewell proceedings, the DIO Baramulla  Iftikhar Ahmad extolled the invaluable contributions of Ghulam Mohammad as the Senior Assistant, offering heartfelt congratulations on his retirement and bestowing well wishes for his post-retirement endeavors.

Speaking on the occasion, senior journalist and chairman BWJA Karamat Qayoom expressed heartfelt sentiments, acknowledging the invaluable contributions of Hakeem Ghulam Mohammad to the Department of Information. He commended Mohammad’s dedication and professionalism throughout his esteemed career.

While dedicating few affectionate Urdu poetry couplet Hakeem Ghulam Mohammad , Reyaz Rashid a writer and innovator emphasized the importance of recognizing the efforts of individuals like Hakeem Ghulam Mohammad, whose commitment has significantly impacted the society and department  including those in the field of journalism. He extended warm wishes to him for a fulfilling retirement and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to celebrate his remarkable achievements.

Tributes poured in from fellow officials and colleagues, resonating with admiration for his professionalism, integrity, and exemplary work ethic.

In his parting words, Hakeem Ghulam Mohammad reflected on the odyssey of his distinguished career in the information department, expressing profound gratitude for the support and camaraderie he experienced during his tenure at DIC, Baramulla.

Subsequently, accompanied by his colleagues, Hakeem Ghulam Mohammad was escorted to his abode, where his family members joined in, amplifying the significance of this momentous occasion, ensuring it remains etched in his memory for eternity as Kashmir folk singers and music added flavor in the mesmerizing evening at his home.  

SNS KASHMIR

Baramulla: After the security forces unearthed two terror modules in the Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir, the police were able to arrest a terrorist and eight terror associates including two women who were involved in cross-border smuggling of arms and ammunition in different operations. were arrested in separate operations.

At the direction of terrorist handlers stationed in Pakistan, the arrested associates were involved in the cross-border smuggling of weapons and ammunition, which was then sent to Lashkar-e-Toiba militants for use in terrorist actions.

What did the police say?

Amod Nagpure, senior superintendent of police (SSP), Baramulla, provided details at a press conference, saying that on September 21, police learned through reliable sources that Yaseen Ahmad Shah, a resident of Janbazpora Baramulla, is missing from his home and has joined outlawed terror group LeT/TRF.

TRF or The Resistance Front is the shadow outfit of the LeT. Nagpure said a case was registered and an investigation was taken up. 

On receipt of the information, based on human/technical intelligence, during mobile vehicle check-point (MVCP) checking at Tapper Pattan, the security forces apprehended the terrorist on September 22. 

According to reports, the SSP said that incriminating materials, arms and ammunition, including a pistol, a pistol magazine and eight live rounds were recovered from his possession. 

How were the terror associates nabbed?

During questioning, Shah disclosed the name of his other associate as Parvaiz Ahmad, a resident of Takiya Wagoora. 

Accordingly, security forces raided his residence and subsequently arrested him, the SSP said. Upon his disclosure, two hand grenades were also recovered from his possession, he added. 

The next day, the SSP said, during the further course of interrogation of the terrorist, and on his disclosure, a pistol, a pistol magazine and eight live rounds were again recovered from his house at Janbazpora. 

Shah disclosed the names of his women associates as Nigeena, resident of Vijipora Hajin, and Aafreena alias Aayat, resident of Patpora Shalteng Srinagar and upon their disclosure, two hand grenades were recovered from their possession, Nagpure said. 

On Monday, during further questioning of Shah and Ahmad, they disclosed the names of two more associates as Mudasir Ahmad Rather, resident of Takiya Wagoora, and Showkat Ahmad Malik, resident of Wagila Wagoora, the police officer said. 

Upon their disclosure, he said, a Chinese grenade, a pistol, a pistol magazine and eight live rounds were recovered from their possession. 

The investigation has revealed that the terrorist along with his five associates were operating on the directions from Pakistan-based handlers and were planning to recruit more terrorists and carry out terrorist activities in Baramulla and nearby areas, the SSP added. 

A case under sections of UA(P) and Arms Act has been registered and further investigation is going on. 

Another terror module unearthed

In another operation, the SSP said, a terror module was unearthed with the arrest of three terrorist associates of LeT outfit. 

During checking at Paranpeelan Bridge Uri, security forces noticed two suspected persons coming from Dachi towards Paranpeelan Bridge and tried to flee while noticing the naka party, but were apprehended tactfully, Nagpure said. 

During their search, two Glock pistols, four pistol magazines, two pistol silencers, five Chinese grenades and 29 live pistol rounds were recovered from them. 

They were taken into custody and have been identified as Zaid Hassan Malla, a resident of Mir Sahib Baramulla, and Mohammad Arif Channa, a resident of Stadium Colony Baramulla. 

The police said the terror associates were involved in cross-border smuggling of arms and ammunition at the behest of Pakistan-based terror handlers and its further distribution to LeT terrorists for carrying out terror activities. 

A case under the Indian Arms Act and UA (P) Act was registered and investigations were taken up. 

During the course of the investigation, they disclosed the name of their associate as Aftaar Ahmad Lohar, a resident of Surankote Poonch, who was subsequently arrested, the SSP said.

Third attempt of drug mafia foiled this year in Uri, people hail efforts of police and Army

Reyaz Rashid

Baramulla: Continuing its operation against the narco-militancy network, Jammu and Kashmir Police along with Army on Sunday claimed have foiled another attempt of the drug mafia to smuggle heroin worth crores to Kashmir Valley by arresting a man and recovered four packets of herion worth crores from his possession in Uri area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

A top police official said that four packets of heroin worth crores have been recovered by a joint team of the Baramulla Police and the Army from the Hathlanga area of Uri near the Line of Control (LoC) during a routine joint naka of Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Army was established at AD Post in the Uri area of Baramulla.

“During the routine checking, one drug peddler identified as Imtiyaz  Ahmed Bhat son of Mohammad Afzal Bhat resident of frontier village Saooura Uri who on seeing the naka party tried to evade arrest. He was apprehended and four packets of suspected contraband were recovered from his possession,” he said.

He informed that Police under the supervision of SDPO Uri Junaid Wali assisted by Inspector Imtiyaz Ahmad, SHO Police Station Uri arrested and recovered contraband heroin valued worth crores in the market from his possession.

“A case under NDPS Act has been registered in Police Station Uri and investigation set in motion,” he informed said.

He said that the general people have hailed the efforts of security forces and expressed support in eradicating the menace of drugs from the society

“People are requested to come forward with information regarding Drug Peddlers of their areas so that drug menace can be eradicated from the society, “the officer informed while hailing the cooperation of gerenal public in uprooting the drug mafia.

Army sources said that as per the preliminary investigation, the consignment of heroin was smuggled from Pakistan through the Line of Control (LoC) and handed over to the local drug traffickers. Sources said that the consignment was supposed to dispatch outside Jammu and Kashmir to sell the same in the market.

People of Uri subdivision once again hailed the efforts of the Jammu and Kashmir Police particularly SDPO Junaid Wali and Army’s 3 Rajput and vouched to be always ready to support police to eradicate the menace of drugs from the society which is the real sign of the police-public relationship.

In the month of February 2022,  a huge Narco- Militancy module was busted by arresting two people along with contraband worth Rupees 18 Crore in Dachi Uri.

On May 20, 2022 Police arrested a Village-Level Worker (VLW) of Rural Development Department  alongwith over 10 kilograms of heroin worth crores of rupees in Uri area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

SNS KASHMIR SRINAGAR NOVEMBER 30 :

The family of a missing man, hailing from Sopore area in north Kashmir here have sought help from administration to trace their beloved.

According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the family of Ghulam Nabi Naiko while talking to media persons at Srinagar’s press enclave said that their beloved aged 48 years, who is a trader at fruit mandi has left for Shopian for business purpose on 22 Sep and till date he is missing.

The family said that Naiko talked to them on phone at 05:45 and said, ‘he is nearby and will reach home soon.’ and after that his phone got switched off.

“We are not able to trace him since then

From that day we are unfortunately unable to find him. We tried to search him everywhere but all in vein. He has two little kids. We appeal the administration to help us in tracing our beloved,” they said—(KNO)

Smugglers managed to escape, manhunt launched to nab the smugglers   

Reyaz Rashid

Baramulla: Continuing its drive to curb the unabated timber smuggling in North Kashmir’s Narwav area of Baramulla district, forest officials and police in joint operation seized a truck carrying 18 logs measuring 133 Cft illicit timbers being smuggled from the area during night and seized two vehicles including the truck.

A forest official said acting upon specific information that a huge cache of illicit timber was being smuggled from from forest compartment number 77 of Heewan forest block, a team of forest officials led by forester Ashiq Gani laid a special Naka at outskirts of Heewan village on Sheeri- Laridora  road and intercepted a truck bearing registration number JK02U 3985 and a Taigo car bearing registration number JK05H 1768 escorting the truck during last night.

“When we intercepted the truck laden with illicit timber, smugglers managed to flee from the spot. However, the truck and car was seized   and manhunt has been launched to nab the smugglers,” he added.

When contacted Station House Officer (SHO) Sheeri Waseem Ahmad, he confirmed that a truck with illicit timber and a car has been seized and identification of the smugglers is being ascertained.

“We have registered the case under an FIR Under Section 379, 6 Forest Act in this regard and investigations have been started, “he added.

 “It is a major breakthrough and had we not laid a trap the smugglers would have managed to smuggle the large quantity of timber from the area. We are ascertaining the smuggling network behind transporting of timber,” a forest officer said.

 The seized timber amounts to around two lakh in market, according to the forest officials.

CBI’s biggest operation in 4 States/UTs in fake arms license racket

FDRs, property documents seized

SNS KASHMIR

JAMMU/SRINAGAR/ LEH, Oct 13:

In one of the biggest operations, the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) today conducted simultaneous raids at 41 locations in eight districts of the Union Territory including five in Jammu and three in Kashmir besides Ladakh, New Delhi and Madhya Pradesh at the residence of just relieved Advisor to Lieutenant Governor Baseer Khan in Srinagar and official and residential premises of 14 IAS/JKAS officers among others in connection with fake gun license racket.

Ten gun houses and five middlemen were also subjected to searches during the operation throughout the day in which CBI teams from New Delhi, Chandigarh and Jammu and Kashmir were involved.

Last week, the Union Home Ministry had relieved Baseer Khan as Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor as the CBI had approached the Ministry that he was allegedly involved in gun license racket and in view of the post held by him the investigations in the scam could be hampered.

Today, the CBI conducted raids at the residence of Baseer Khan, who had served as the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir as well as the Deputy Commissioner of some districts during which fake gun licenses had reportedly been issued. Khan was a JKAS officer and was inducted into IAS.

House of Baseer Khan at Bulbul Bagh area of Srinagar was searched this morning and the CBI recovered incriminating documents. The raids continued for several hours.

During the probe, the agency had come across evidences suggesting the role of Khan, who was made an Advisor to the first Lt Governor G C Murmu and also served the Advisor to LG Manoj Sinha.

Besides Khan, the house of Commissioner Secretary Jal Shakti M Raju, an IAS officer of the 2005-batch was also searched. He was Deputy Commissioner of Kargil during the period being probed by the CBI.

The agency also raided premises of Prasanna Ramaswamy G, an IAS officer of 2010 batch and at present posted as Director Census.

The house of retired IAS officer Sajjad Ahmed Khan was also searched as he was posted as the District Magistrate of Poonch during the period.

The houses of JKAS officer Nissar Ahmed Wani, M H Malik, Farooq Ahmed Khan (retired) and Bashir Ahmed were too searched by the CBI.

Sanjay Puri, who was the District Information officer at Rajouri, was also searched.

Raids in Jammu division were conducted at Jammu, Doda, Rajouri, Kishtwar and Ramban districts while in Kashmir the searches were carried out at Srinagar, Anantnag and Baramulla districts. Besides, the CBI teams launched searches at Leh in the Union Territory of Ladakh, New Delhi and Bhind district in Madhya Pradesh.
An official statement issued by the CBI this evening said the searches were conducted at official and residential premises of 14 then public servants including then District Magistrates (IAS/JKAS), DIO, clerks etc during the day at a total of 41 locations in eight districts of Jammu and Kashmir, one each in Ladakh and Madhya Pradesh besides New Delhi.

“Residences and other premises including shops of 10 Gun Houses/dealers and five private persons, who were middlemen/agents, were also searched during day-long raids in ongoing investigation of a case related to arms license racket,” the statement said.

It added that the CBI recovered incriminating documents including issuance of arms licenses, list of beneficiaries, documents related to investment in Fixed Deposit Receipts (FDRs) and other sale proceeds, property documents, bank account details, locker keys, diary comprising important details, arms license registers, electronic gadgets/mobile phones and cash including old currency.

“During investigation and scrutiny of documents, the role of certain gun dealers was detected, who in connivance with public servants i.e. the then District Magistrates and Additional District Magistrates etc of concerned districts, had allegedly issued such illegal arms licenses to the ineligible persons.

“It has also been alleged that the persons who got these licenses were not residents of the places where the licenses were issued,” the official statement said.

The CBI said it had registered two cases on the request of Jammu and Kashmir Government and further notification from Government of India and taken over investigation of two FIRs i.e. No. 18 of 2018 dated 17.5.2018 earlier registered at Police Station Vigilance Organization Kashmir (VOK) and FIR No. 11 of 2018 dated 17.5.2018 of Police Station Vigilance Organization Jammu (VOJ) on the allegations of bulk issuance of arms licenses in the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir during the period ranging between 2012-2016.

“It has been alleged that more than 2.78 lakh arms licenses were issued to the non-entitled persons. The CBI also collected documents pertaining to issuance of arms licenses allegedly spread over 22 districts of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir State.

Sources said the CBI conducted raids at judicial section of the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Leh district in the Union Territory of Ladakh.

“The CBI asked for certain record which was provided to them,” sources said. The investigating agency took some record for scrutiny and further investigations in fake gun licenses racket. While the CBI has earlier also conducted raids at houses and offices of many former IAS and JKAS officers besides gun dealers and private persons in Jammu and Kashmir, this is for the first time that they carried out raids in Ladakh also.
In Banihal tehsil of Ramban district, the CBI sleuths examined a number of gun licenses after calling the license holders.

“Several persons were called by the Agency who were in possession of gun licenses whose genuineness is doubtful. The licenses were examined and their copies were taken for examination. The license holders were allowed to go,” sources said.

In Jammu, the CBI carried out raid at the residence of Vijay Kumar at Barnai, an employee of SK Arms House Barnai owned by Sushil Kumar. He was reportedly a middleman. He was quizzed by the CBI but allowed to go later after seizure of certain documents.

On July 24 this year, the CBI had conducted raids at 40 locations in Jammu and Kashmir and New Delhi including offices and residences of two serving IAS officers. Earlier, the CBI had arrested a serving IAS officer who was later bailed out by the Court.

The CBI had in December 2019 carried out searches at over a dozen locations in Srinagar, Jammu, Gurugram and Noida on the premises of the then District Collectors and Magistrates of Kupwara, Baramulla, Udhampur, Kishtwar, Shopian, Rajouri, Doda, Pulwama, and several other places.

The searches were carried out in connection with a probe into two cases pertaining to alleged issuance of around two lakh arms licenses from different districts of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir by their Collectors and Magistrates. It is alleged that arms licenses were issued in lieu of illegal gratification.

It is alleged in the FIR that then public servants in cahoots with other accused issued arms licenses to non-residents of erstwhile State in violation of rules and received illegal gratification.

The Rajasthan ATS had unearthed the scandal in 2017 and arrested over 50 people for their alleged involvement in the illegal issuance of arms licenses.

According to the ATS, over 3,000 permits were granted allegedly in the name of Army personnel.
Based on ATS findings, then Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra had handed over the matter to the CBI.