Author: snskashmir

HIGHLIGHTS:

*90 Ops conducted in Kashmir, 13 in Jammu *All militant outfits headless, *635 OGWs arrested, 56 booked under PSA *16 policemen, 44 security forces personnel killed in anti-militancy Ops, *Local militant recruit up in 2020 compared to 2019 *46 new militants arrested, 76 got killed; *75 percent dip in street protests against last year *Covid claimed lives of 16 policemen, affected 3500 across J&K DDC largest ever democratic exercise in J&K’s history 152 quintals of Heroin seized*

SNS KASHMIR

Abid Bashir/KNO

JAMMU, DECEMBER 31 :

Terming the year-2020 as a year of confidence for the security forces, J&K Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh Thursday said that in the year about say good-bye witnessed over 100 anti-militancy operations were conducted that saw killing of 225 militants including 46 top commanders of various outfits.

He said at present, almost all the militant outfits are facing “leadership crisis” while there are a few commanders who are on the radar of police and security forces and will be “tracked down soon.”

Addressing an annual press conference in Jammu, the DGP Singh said that the year 2020 was a year of confidence for the police and other security forces due to many positive things that happened.

ANTI-MILITANCY OPS: “We conducted 103 anti-militancy operations in J&K in the year 2020 of which 90 were witnessed in Kashmir and 13 in Jammu. 225 militants were killed in these operations of which 207 were killed in Kashmir and 18 in Jammu. The slain include 46 top commanders of various militant outfits who were either of A++ or A+ category,” the DGP said as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO). He said that all the militant outfits are leaderless while a few militant commanders are surviving, who are on police and security forces’ radar and will be tracked soon.

LOCAL MILITANT RECRUITMENT: The DGP Singh said year 2020 saw an increase in the local militant recruitment compared to last year. “But it is less than year 2018. The important thing is that 70 percent of those who joined militancy got either killed or were arrested. 46 militants were arrested after joining militancy while 76 newly recruited militants got killed in various anti-militancy operations,” he said. “The shelf-life of militants is very less. It is between three days to three months only.”

CIVILIAN KILLINGS: In 2020, 38 civilians including political activists were killed compared to 38 last year. “Most of these killings took place when the election process was started,” the J&K Police chief said as per KNO.

CEASEFIRE VIOLATIONS: The J&K DGP said that year 2020 saw highest ever ceasefire violations along the LoC in UT. “This was used as tool by our neighbour to push in militants into this side. However, every ceasefire violation got a befitting reply by our security forces,” he said. The year bidding adieu to us saw less infiltration compared to past few years and that’s why the “our neighbor focus on raising the local militant recruitment and choose aerial route to drop weapons, drugs and cash.” “Drones were used along the LoC to drop cash, weapons, and even drugs to promote militancy,” the DGP said. “We have been able to foil the majority of the attempts that were aimed at dropping weapon consignments through drones.”

MILITANT MODULES BUSTED: The DGP said that 36 militant modules were bused in 2020 while as 100 people associated with these modules who were tasked to provide logistic support, shifting of weapons from one place to another, grenade lobbing etc, were arrested.

LAW AND ORDER SITUATION: In 2020, there was a significant improvement on the law and order front as the year saw lowest level of law and order related incidents. “There has been 75 dip in the law and order related incidents this year as only 143 incidents of law and order (with less intensity) were witnessed in Kashmir compared to 584 last year,” the DGP said. “There was zero causality in the law and order incidents in the year 2020. Last year two people had died in the protests just because of their over excitement.” He said in year 2020, there was almost zero collateral damage barring a single incident at Batamaloo area of Srinagar where a woman got killed in cross fire during an encounter.

SURRENDERS: The DGP said that 12 militants surrendered in year 2020 during live encounters, for the first time. “Even yesterday at Lawaypora encounter, one boy tried to surrender, but his associates fired and he couldn’t come out,” the J&K Police chief said as per KNO.

COVID-19: The J&K police chief said that Covid-19 pandemic emerged as a bi challenge for the police in 2020. “Despite less preparedness, police took an active part in serving the people in different ways. Fifteen policemen lost their lives due to Covid and they will be remembered as Covid martyrs while 3500 got infected with the virus. At present, there are not more than 50 to60 policemen who are in positive state of virus,” he said.

DRUGS: The J&K police chief said that 152 quintals of Heroine was seized in various raids in the UT while as 35 persons were booked under PSA. “Huge quantity of charas, intoxicating capsules and bottles were also seized,” he said. The DGP said that in total 26889 cases related to various crimes were registered in J&K of which 13000 were reported in Jammu and equal number in Kashmir.

POLICE WELFARE SCHEMES: The J&K Police chief said that in year 2020, Rs 77 crore were spent on different police welfare schemes and at present there is not a single application pending in Police headquarters.

DDC POLLS: “The DDC polls coupled with BDC and ULB elections, were the largest ever democratic exercise conducted in J&K’s history. Efforts were made to disrupt the polls by sending groups from across. One such group was eliminated in Nagrota and another in Poshana. Six grenades were lobbed in Kashmir, but the exercise was completed in a peaceful manner,” he said—(KNO)

We will look into the allegations of the family. If there is anything in it, then we will probe it.” DGP

SNS KASHMIR

SRINAGAR DECEMBER 31 :

A complete shutdown is being observed in twin districts of South Kashmir to mourn the killings of youth in Srinagar operation.

Reports said that all shops, business establishments were closed in Shopian & Pulwama districts while traffic off the roads.

It is pertinent, that three youth from Pulwama & Shopian were killed in Srinagar gunfight, Police labelled them as militants while families claimed that all are innocent.

Locals from South Kashmir told that we are observing shutdown as mark solidarity with innocent youth who were killed mercilessly in Srinagar fake encounter, we appeal LG Sinha to intervene in this matter & probe the fake operation.

Sources added that scores of youth, women’s & children were seen throng to Bellow, Putrigam & Turkwangam villages to pay homage with victims families.

Meanwhile, Internet remain suspended in both districts as precautionary measure.

DGP of Jammu & Kashmir Police On Dilbag Singh on Srinagar Encounter said that ” Many times parents don’t know where their kids are. What were they doing where encounter was going on? We will still look into the allegations of the family. If there is anything in it, then we will probe it.”

JAMMU:

Ravi Sethi, husband of former Mahila Morcha President and J&K BJP Spokesperson Rajni Sethi has been arrested on Wednesday for sexually abusing 13-year-old daughter of his brother.

Police said, Sethi and his maternal uncle Raj Kumar have been arrested and the court has sent both on 7-days police remand.

As per the details, FIR vide 197/20 under sections 354 of IPC and 7/8 of POCSO Act has been registered against Sethi and Raj. Earlier, Police party led by SP North conducted the raid and arrested the duo.

Police took the victim to hospital for medical examination, the report of which was awaited.

Sources informed that under BJP pressure the Jammu police was delaying registration of FIR. Soon after the complaint, Sethi was detained. However, police was giving him time to settle the issue with the victim’s family.

The minor girl’s family refused to withdraw the complaint and knocked the court doors. On court directions, police swung into action and formally arrested Ravi Sethi and his uncle Raj Kumar for sexually abusing minor girl.

Soon after the arrest, both Sethi and Raj were produced before the court.

“We are investigating the matter”, police said, adding, “the court has ordered 7 days police remand”.

STATE TIMES NEWS

Reyaz Rashid

Baramulla: In a hit and run case, a leapord cub  was crushed to death by an unknown vehicle at Gantamulla on Thursday wee hours.
” It was shocking to find the cub crushed on road near a car showroom at Gantamulla Bala,” said  traveller who lift the cub and put it on roadside.
He added that this earth planet doesn’t belong to humans only as it is home to billions of creatures then why to this inhuman way of driving.

“Drive patiently and cautiously is a message written on sign board erected by Beacon and then why this rash driving,” he added.
He added that at last a child is a child whether its of a human or an animal.
When contacted wildlife department official,  Altaf Ahmad Koul, he said that a team of officials has been sent to get the body of the cub killed in road mishap.

SNS KASHMIR

SRINAGAR DECEMBER 30:

Daughter of Dr. S.M. Anwar Andrabi, Cheif Animal Husbandry Officer Baramulla, Dr. Syedah Asma Andrabi persuing her PhD in veterinary pathology at SKAUST-J has been conferred with IAVP-Dr.Balwant Singh Memorial Young Scientist Best Oral Presentation Award 2020 by Indian Association of Veterinary Pathologists.
The award was presented to her during Virtual International Veterinary Pathology Congress held at Nagpur (Maharashtra) Veterinary College from 26th to 29th December, 2020 for her research paper titled, “Molecular Detection and Characterization of field isolates of Chicken Anaemia Virus and its effects on Immune Cells”. Her formidable efforts for the innovative presentation and research methodologies were considered and appreciated by the esteemed organization for which she has been awarded.
Dr. Asma Andrabi thanked her guide, Dr. Amarjeet Singh- comptroller and team, HOD Department of Pathology at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) and other faculty
members for providing her research environment and expressed her gratitude to them.

SNS KASHMIR

SRINAGAR, DECEMBER 30 :

Family members of senior seperatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani is alive and well.

Taking to KNS, family members of Geelani said, ” He is ok & alive, Rumor about his death is false and baseless”(KNS)

SNS KASHMIR

SRINAGAR, DECEMBER 30 :

National Conference on Wednesday sought time bound inquiry into the “circumstances leading to the killing of three persons at an encounter site in Hokarsar area of Srinagar” while Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Mehbooba Mufti asked government to come clean.

NC Party’s Additional Spokesperson Sarah Shah said the versions of people and family pertaining to the killing of three people at an encounter site are contradictory, therefore the situation necessitates the constitution of a fact finding team that could reveal the circumstances that will probe the matter on a fast track basis. “The police version is that the trio was militants who refused to surrender during the gunfight were killed, but the version of families of the slain is contradictory to that of the police version. It is for the government now to clear the ambiguity leading to the death of the three persons,” she said in a statement to GNS, adding, “We have been hearing from government quarters that there would be zero tolerance for human rights violations but on ground such high-pitched claims emanating from government stand debunked in wake of such killings. Therefore we demand a thorough inquiry into the incident on behalf of my party. I also take this opportunity to express my unison with the bereaved families in their hour of grief and pain.”

In a tweet, Mehbooba said: “Worrying that in the past few months after the Shopian fake encounter other families too in J&K have alleged that their sons were innocent & killed in a staged encounter. Authorities need to come clean on this.”

“The incident of killing of three persons in Hokersar area needs a judicial probe as the families of the slain persons have refuted the allegations of the security forces that they were militants,’ CPI (M) leader M Y Tarigami said.

“Media reports quoting the families of the slain trio says that two among them had left their homes in Pulwama just on Tuesday morning for Srinagar to take admission in a tuition center. How is it possible that they became militants till evening when the encounter started at Hokersar,” he said, adding, “There are unverified reports that they were killed in a fake encounter. If true, this is shocking and must be probed by a sitting High Court judge. The circumstances in which the killings happened need to be thoroughly probed.”

In the past also unfortunate incidents of civilians being killed in fake encounters for rewards and promotions have been reported in Kashmir. Just in July this year, three labourers from Rajouri were killed in a fake encounter in Shopian.

Those who stage fake encounters in the name of the security of the country have to be brought to justice. (GNS)

All three youth left homes yesterday, Families urge LG to probe encounter at highest level

SNS KASHMIR

Jehangeer Ganaie/KNO

PULWAMA, DECEMBER 30:

None of the three youth who were killed in an encounter at Lawaypora area of Srinagar outskirts on Wednesday had any case or FIR against them in their respective police stations neither was any missing report filed about them in South Kashmir’s Pulwama or Shopian districts.

A police official told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), in Rajpora police station, there is no militancy related case against the two youth killed in Lawaypora encounter—Aijaz Maqbool Ganai, 20, and Athar Mushtaq Wani, 19. “There was no missing complaint lodged in Rajpora police station about the duo,” the official said.

He said that there is not a single case of stone pelting or any adverse complaint against the slain duo in Rajpora police station. Aijaz belonged to Putrigam area of Pulwama while Athar hailed from Below, Pulwama, both areas falling under the jurisdiction of police station Rajpora.

“There is nothing adverse against the slain duo in police records,” a police official said.

Similarly, the third slain youth Zubair Ahmed Lone of Tukrwangan, Shopian that comes under the jurisdiction of police station Zainpora had left his home at 1 o’ clock yesterday afternoon. “He was into shuttering business,” a family member said. Police sources in Zainapora police station said that there was no complaint against Zubair with them. “He was never booked for any adverse thing including creating law and order or taking part in stone pelting. There is no militancy record with us about Zubair neither was any missing complaint lodged by his family as he was with his family till yesterday afternoon,” the police sources said.

Meanwhile, family members of slain trio urged the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to order a probe at the highest level to find out reality about “Lawaypora gunfight.” Pertinently, earlier in the day, addressing a joint press conference with the police, GoC Kilo Force H S Sahi said that three militants were killed in Lawaypora encounter as they refused repeated surrender offers. He said that the slain trio were planning a big strike on security forces in the area. One Ak-47 rifle and two pistols were recovered from the slain trio, as per police—(KNO)

Exact nature of explosion will be known once investigations are completed: IGP Jammu Mukesh Singh

JAMMU, DECEMBER 30 :

A mysterious explosion shook a village in Kathua district forcing the security agencies to launch a massive search operation in Hiranagar area and its adjoining villages.

Official sources told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), a big-bang was heard near a temple located in Jandi village of Kathua district after which police and other security forces rushed to the spot. Entire area has been cordoned off while senior police officers have reached the spot, officials said.

“The nature of the explosion is mysterious as of now. We are ascertaining the nature of the explosion as some reports suggest it was a grenade blast,” a police source said.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jammu, Mukesh Singh while confirming the incident said that a mysterious explosion took place near the religious place and searches are going on.

“Exact nature of explosion can be known once investigations are completed,” he said—(KNO)

Says Slain Were Not On Its List of ‘Militants’ But 2 Of Them Were ‘OGWs’ While 3rd One ‘Might’ Had Joint recently

SNS KASHMIR

SRINAGAR, DECEMBER 30 :

Police on Wednesday said three “militants” were killed in a gunfight in Hokersar area in outskirts of Srinagar and none of them were on its list of “(militants, yet two of them were hardcore associates (OGWs) of (militants) while third one might have joined very recently.”

“On 29-12-2020, at about 05:30 PM troops of 02RR launched a Cordon and Search Operation on a specific input near Hokersar where the (militants) hurled grenade on the searching party and fired indiscriminately on troops while laying cordon,” a police spokesperson said.

“On receipt of this information Srinagar police immediately along with Police Component Srinagar and Valley QAT CRPF rushed to the spot,” the spokesperson said, adding, “Search party of 02 RR was heavily fired upon by the (militants) hiding inside the building which was retaliated.”

Repeated announcements were made to the hiding militants to lay down their “illegal weapons” and surrender but instead they fired continuously upon the searching party, the spokesman said further in the statement issued to GNS.

“Due to darkness, the operation was suspended. However the cordon remained intact throughout night,” the spokesman said, adding, “On 30th morning with the first light repeated announcements were again made to hiding (militants) to surrender but the (militants) fired indiscriminately on security forces which was retaliated again, resulting in elimination of (militants).”
The operation ended over at 11:30hrs in which all the three “hiding militants” were killed.

“Upon their search, arms (One AK 47 rifle & two pistols) and ammunition and other incriminating material along with some documents were recovered,” the spokesman said.
From the “recoveries”, the spokesman said, their identity has been established as Ajaz Maqbool Ganie, Ather Mushtaq both residents of Pulwama and Zubair Lone resident of Shopian.

“Some families from South Kashmir came to PCR and claimed them to be their wards. They (were) sent to Ganderbal for further identification and participation in last rites in the presence of Magistrate.)”
In this connection a case under relevant sections of law has been registered and investigation has been initiated.

“It is pertinent to mention that a few (militant) incidents have occurred in this area recently and reportedly these (militants) have also came from South Kashmir to target convey of security forces,” the spokesman said, adding, “Although the three killed (militants) in today’s encounter were not mentioned in our list of (militants), yet two of them are hardcore associates (OGWs) of (militants).” Pertinently, the spokesman said, one of the two was relative of top HM (Hizb) commander Rayees Kachroo who was killed in 2017.

“Reportedly, third might have joined very recently,” the spokesman said, adding, “Generally parents don’t have idea about the activities of their wards. Several OGWs after committing (militant) crimes like grenade throwing and pistol shooting etc stay normally with their family.”
For instance, the spokesman said, “one student from Pulwama who was taking coaching in Srinagar was caught for lobbying a grenade with the help of CCTV’s footage. His parents were totally unaware about his (militant) activities.”
However, the spokesman said that “Police is investigating the case and after thorough investigation will come to the conclusion soon on merits.”

“It is pertinent to mention here that the trio killed in today’s encounter were given ample opportunity to surrender both yesterday evening and today morning but they didn’t surrender and instead fired and lobbed grenades on search party.”

IGP Kashmir, the spokesman said, has requested the parents to keep close watch of their wards and keep strict vigil about their day to day activities to ensure that they may not indulge in any subversive or militant activities.