Body of slain handed over to family; scores injured in clashes; internet snapped, colleges remain closed in Sopore, Baramulla

Suhail Khan

Srinagar, July 17 : A militant of Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit was killed in an encounter with government forces at Gund Brath area of Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Wednesday.

Reports reaching said that a joint team of army, SOG and CRPF launched a cordon-and-search operation today morning.

A police spokesman in a statement issued here said that the cordon was launched following a credible input in the area.

“During the search operation, the hiding militant fired on the search party. The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter”. 

“In the ensuing encounter, one militant was killed and the body was retrieved from the site of the encounter. The slain has been identified as Adnan Ali Channa resident of Arampora Baramulla,” the spokesman said.

The slain as per police records was affiliated with LeT and was wanted by law for his complicity in militant attacks including attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities, he said.

“According to the Police records, he was operating in the areas of Baramulla and Sopore and was involved in planning and executing several attacks in the area. Several crime cases were registered against him including Case FIR No. 41/2019 pertaining to the killing of a civilian Arjumand Majeed Bhat in Jatti Baramulla in March 2019, Case FIR No. 33/2019 pertaining to firing on a civilian Feroz Ahmad Gojree of Zaloora Sopore in May 2019. He was involved in recruiting locals to the militant ranks,” the spokesman said.

Pertinently with the efforts of Police and security forces it was a clean operation and no collateral damage happened during the encounter, he said.

“Incriminating material including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. All these materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other crimes,” the spokesman said.

People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials if any, he said.

Meanwhile, a police officer said that after conducting all legal medico formalities, the body of the slain was handed over to his family for last rites. According to reports and eyewitnesses, a large number of people attended the funeral prayers of the slain at his native village.

Following the killing of the local militant, youth took to streets at Arampora Baramulla and its adjoining parts and started pelting stones on police and paramilitary CRPF. The forces deployed in the area used battons and tear smoke to disperse them. The pitched battle continues for some time resulting in injuries to at least seven youths and several policemen including two police officers of ASI ranks.

In wake of the gunfight, authorities have snapped mobile internet services and suspended class work in Degree Colleges of Baramulla and Sopore.

An official of the administration said that the decisions to block the internet and suspend class work were taken to maintain the law and order in these areas. (GNS)

July 17: Police in its recent action targeting drug dealings in Budgam arrested one person at a checkpoint and seized contraband substance from his possession.

One person identified as Bilal Ahmad Bhat son of Abdul Rehman Bhat resident of Hyderpora was arrested for drug supply offences and shifted to Police Station Budgam where he remains in custody.

Officers at the checkpoint established at Sebdan Chowk intercepted a Maruti-800 car bearing registration number JK01M-4274 and seized Heroin weighing 18.5gms from possession of Bilal Bhat. Vehicle has also been seized in the matter.

Case FIR No 219/2019 under relevant sections of law has been registered in Police Station Budgam and investigation has been taken up.

Community members are requested to come forward with any information regarding drug peddlers in their neighbourhood. Persons found indulging in drug peddling will be dealt as per law.

Our consistent actions against drug peddlers should reassure the community members that we are making efforts to keep our society free from the scourge of drug menace.

Srinagar, Jul 17 : Hurriyat Conference (M) today felicitated the newly elected body of Aiwan-e-Sahafat (Kashmir Press Club) after its maiden elections and wished the new team all the luck and success in their endeavors.

In a statement issued, Hurriyat (M) said press is the fourth pillar of democracy and the free and fair reportage has earned fame across the globe. The Hurriyat stated that it was because of the fearless and credible reporting of a journalist, society shapes up for betterment of its citizens as the journalist acts as a torch bearer through his/her unbiased reporting.

Hurriyat Conference (M) said that despite uncertainty in Kashmir, the journalist fraternity maintained the sanctity of this noble profession by not compromising with reality and facts and continued to keep intact their professional integrity despite bearing the brunt and offering supreme sacrifices while carrying their professional duties.

Hurriyat (M) hoped that with the formation of newly elected body at the KPC, the journalist fraternity will continue to maintain its unbiased approach and work as a unit to highlight the situation on ground in Kashmir as they have been doing since past many decades

Srinagar, Jul 17 : Terming the role of Lambardars and Chowkidars extremely significant in the development of rural areas, National conference Leader Farooq Ahmed Shah Wednesday said that their contribution for local governance to remain effective was immense and exemplary.

Adressing a day long convention of lambardars and chokidars at Tangmarg the former

IAS officer appreciated the role of village heads in knitting together the society even during the challenging times. While admitting that there were hauls of problems they were confronting with, Mr Shah said that despite hardships and meager earnings the Chowkidars and Lambardars stand to their commitment which is really appreciable.

He assured them of taking up their issue and problems with relevant authorities and vowed to persuade the NC leadership led by Umar Abdullah to bring reforms which would be advantageous to village heads and Chowkidars as and when NC returns to power.

New Delhi, Jul 17 : Jammu and Kashmir National Conference senior leader Member of Parliament from Anantnag Hasnain Masoodi on Wednesday said the state is at the risk of facing immense losses due to highway restrictions.

Hasnain Masoodi while raising the issue of reckless highway restrictions in the Parliament said that the State faced the risk of Rs 2000 crore loss due to High way restrictions. While replying to the demand for grants on Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Masoodi said, “ With the cold storage capacity of 5 percent of total produce and 1 percent commercial processing, the fresh fruit produced in current season will rotten unless immediately transported to fruit markets within and outside country. I therefore call for lifting of restrictions to facilitate fruit export.”

Masoodi reminded the Central Government that 3.5 million people were dependent on 2.5 million mt fruit industry and their interests could not be jeopardized. He also lamented over negligence of government towards removing the bottle necks for increased production of Saffron in the state. “The most important cash crop of the State that would earn millions in foreign exchange presents a tale of government’s apathy and failure of PM saffron mission.”

Referring to the Union Budget 2019-2020 as anti farmer Masoodi said, “With little relief to the 22 crore farmers; combining PM Kissan Saman Yujna with the budgetary demands helps the government to conceal the downslide in budgetary allocations for Agriculture and farmer welfare. The benefit under Saman is to elude 55 percent of the farmers as the benefit is linked to land and 55 percent of the framers are landless.”

Masoodi also put government in a spot on 3.7 percent decrease in allocation to ICAR and restricting allocation to research to mere 0.3 percent. “Such allocation is more than 1 percent in case of Brazil and Mexico,” he said in his reply.

He also underscored various discrepancies in Kisan Bima Yojna stating, “The benefit does not reach the insured as a farmer in case of crop failure is to prove that crop of entire taluka had failed or was destroyed, with 67 percent of farmers with less than a hectare, bulk of the farmers are left at the mercy of money lenders prone to exploitation, without an efficient and humane lending mechanism.”