Kashmir Despatch News

Sopore, Jun 11 : Forces on Tuesday morning launched a cordon and search operation (CASO) in Wadoora Payeen village of Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla District.

Reports reaching Kashmir Despatch said that door-to-door searches have been launched by joint team of Army’s 22 RR , SOG and CRPF in the village and have sealed entry and exit points to the village.

A police official told Kashmir Despatch that the search operation was launched following inputs about the presence of militants in the village.

There was no exchange of fire between security forces and the militants when this report was being filed.

Irshad Bhat

Kalapahar Brigade organised a Mela for the population of Uri on 10 Jun 2019. The mela was organised on behest of the local population of Uri as a culmination of Eid festivities.

The Mela witnessed huge gathering of more than five thousand people including prominent citizens of Uri town including Dr Sajad Shafi, Mr JR Choudhary, (NHPC) and Mr Imtiyaz Lone (Sub Magistrate). Renowned Sufi singer Mr Shafi Sopori enchanted everyone with a sterling performance which enthralled the audience. Besides the star performance, various local talents also got an opportunity to perform and make the event lively and colourful.

The event provided an opportunity for locals and students to interact. The locals also appreciated the efforts of the army to provide them a variety of multifaceted utility counters during the mela. These counters facilitated for the attendees services like like Govt services, Aadhaar, PAN Card, Banking services etc under a common umbrella.

The Uri Awaami Mela was graced by Commander Kalapahar Brigade complimented Awaam of Uri, for making the event a grand success in conjunction with Army and giving a chance for peace to flourish. He also felicitated the winners of Volleyball and Tug of War and gave away prizes to participants of the cultural programme.

The event was a unique attempt to bring various facilities offered by Govt and Army at one common venue, as also provide a means of enjoyment, sports and recreation for the Awaam.

Both slain belong to Ansar Gazwatul Hind; mobile internet snapped

Umer Rashid

Srinagar, June 11 : One more militant has been killed in an ongoing operation with goverment forces in Awneera area of south Kashmir’s Shopian district on pre-dawn hours Tuesday.

With the killing, the death toll of militants mounted to two.

A police officer also confirmed the killing of the two militants and said that bodies of the slain were recovered along with arms and ammunition and other Incriminating materials from the site of the encounter.

He identified the slain duo as Sayar Ahmad Bhat son of Sanauallah of Manchowa Kulgam and Shakir Ahmad Wagay of Awneera Shopian.

Both the slain were affiliated with Ansar Gazwatul Hind (AGH) militant outfit and were wanted by law in several cases.

Earlier during the midnight, a joint team of army’s 1 RR, SOG and CRPF laid a cordon at Awneera village.

The cordon-and-search operation according to the officer was launched in the area following specific information about the presence of some militants.

He said that as the joint team fired some warning shots towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants opened fire leading to a gunfight.

When reports last came in the search operation was going on in the area.

Meanwhile, in wake of the encounter, authorities have snapped mobile internet service in the southern district. (GNS)

Srinagar, June 11 : A militant has been killed in an ongoing gunfight with goverment forces in Awneera area of south Kashmir’s Shopian district on pre-dawn hours Tuesday.

Reports reaching  said that a joint team of army’s 1 RR, SOG and CRPF laid a cordon at Awneera village during the midnight.

A police officer told news agency that the cordon-and-search operation was launched in the area following specific information about the presence of some militants.

He said that as the joint team fired some warning shots towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants opened fire leading to a gunfight.

He said that one militant was killed and his identity and group affiliation is being ascertained.

When reports last came in the firefight was going on in the area. (GNS)

Srinagar, June 10 : The grandmother of Global News Service (GNS) Editor Sarfaraz Ahmed Lone passes away this morning at her Khayam residence in Srinagar.

People from all walks of life attended her funeral today in the afternoon.

She was later laid to rest at her ancestral graveyard at Malkha area of Nowhatta.  According to family, the mourning period will remain for three days.

Meanwhile, GNS held a condolence meeting at the office and offered prayers in favour of the deceased and also beseeched Allah to grant strength to the bereaved family to bear the loss.  (GNS)

Srinagar, June 10 : Government forces on Monday found a rusted hand grenade at Soitang area of Lasjan in outskirts of Srinagar City.

Official sources told news agency that the grenade was spotted by some labourers and employees working in a factory and accordingly informed police station concerned about it.

Soon after being informed, a police team along with the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) was immediately reached the spot.

While confirming it, a police officer told news agency that the device was later destroyed without causing any damage by the BDS squad of the police.

He said that police has taken cognizance of the incident and further investigations have been initiated in this regard. (GNS)

Srinagar, June 10 : The fluffy cotton shed by the ‘notorious’ Russian female poplar trees continue to trouble the residents of Bulbul Bagh Anantnag who have demanded district administration to implement the high court directions without fail.

“The pollens from these Russian poplar trees gets into eyes, nose, into the mouth and cause allergies, and what not,” said residents of Bulbul Bagh Nowgam, Anantnag.

“Our glazed mesh windows are opaque due to fluffy cotton by these poplars and we cannot even as move out. The fluffy cotton shed by these poplar trees is such that as if there is snowfall. The pollens are everywhere,” they said, adding, “There is a sudden spike in illness such as cold, cough and fever.”

They requested the authorities to act fast and take strict measures against those people who have hitherto failed to act on their own to axe these trees. “There are some people who have grown these trees on large chunk of land and we request the authorities to take stern action against them so that these trees are cut as per the directions by the high court.”

It has been around five years since J&K High Court order axing these trees as well as banned the cultivation of these poplars. “It is common knowledge that pollen seeds of this poplar species adversely affect health of the general public, mostly of elderly people and children,” the high court said in an order in June 2015. The state’s top court also observed the pollen seeds of these trees had given rise to chest diseases in the Kashmir valley and had ordered the non-native poplar’s eradication from Kashmir. (GNS)

Srinagar, Jun 10 : Soon after the six persons accused in rape and murder of a nomadic girl of Rassana area of Kathua were convicted by Panthakot court, the former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir including Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti Monday welcomed the verdict.

The Pathankot court today convicted six out of the seven accused, including the mastermind Sanjhi Ram in gangrape and murder of a nomadic minor girl.

NC vice president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah in a tweet called for a severe punishment for the convicted. “Amen to that. The guilty deserve the most severe punishment possible under law. And to those politicians who defended the accused, vilified the victim & threatened the legal system no words of condemnation are enough. #KathuaRapeCase,” Omar tweeted.

PDP chief and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti hoped that loopholes in judicial system would not be exploited. “Welcome the judgement. High time we stop playing politics over a heinous crime where an 8 year old child was drugged, raped repeatedly & then bludgeoned to death. Hope loopholes in our judicial system are not exploited & culprits get exemplary punishment,” Mehbooba tweeted.

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