Jehangir Lolabi

Srinagar, April 5 : Two army soldiers were injured in a mysterious blast inside an army camp at Lachampora area of Handwara in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Friday.

Official sources told GNS that a mysterious blast occurred inside the army’s 15 RR camp at Lachampora today in the afternoon.

In the blast, two army soldiers suffered injuries, they said.

A police officer while confirming it said that both the injured were immediately airlifted to army’s 92 base hospital Badamibagh, Srinagar.

The officer said that investigations into the incident have been launched to ascertain the nature of the blast. (GNS)

Srinagar, April 5 : Government on Thursday booked a senior Hurriyat (G) leader under Public Safety Act (PSA) in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.

Hurriyat (G) senior leader and District President Bandipora Sheikh Danish Mushtaq, was arrested more than a fortnight ago and was today booked under the PSA vide order number DMB/37/2019.

Official sources told GNS that Sheikh Danish, a resident of Aloosa Bandipora was arrested by a contingent of police on March 16 in Pattan area and since then was in police custody.

A police officer while confirmed it said that Sheikh was involved in “creating law and order problems” and was also involved in anti-national activities and as such he was booked under the PSA.

Sheikh was later shifted to district jail Kupwara for lodgment, the officer added.

Jammu, April 05 : Praveen Kumar Togadia, National President of Hindustan Nirman Dal on Friday said that their party will order carpet bombing of stone pelters in Kashmir if voted to power.

Togadia is former International Working President of the Vishva Hindu Parishad.

According to news agency he was addressing a presser in Jammu.

He made these comments while asking Jammu people to vote for Sushil Sudan, Hindustan Nirman Dal Contesting Candidate from Jammu-Poonch Parliamentary Seat.

“We will order carpet bombing of stone pelters in valley,” he said. He criticised Bharatiya Janata Party of using Hindutva for gathering votes.

“In election they talk of Ram Mandir when in power they ponder over Masjids. They have fooled Indian Hindus for their political purposes only,” he said.

Umar Rashid

Srinagar, April 5 : Driver of an SRTC bus, on way to pick up paramilitary CRPF men, escaped unhurt after the vehicle came under attack by militants at Tarkanwagam in Shopian district of south Kashmir on Thursday night.

“While I was on way to Balpora camp to pick up CRPF personnel, there was firing from the rear side of the bus at Tarkiwangam,” said the driver of the bus, Chied Singh son of Kartar Singh, of RS Pura Jammu.

Sources said that the bus skidded off the road and tilted slightly. However, the driver escaped unhurt in the incident.

They said that the bus was deputed for election duty purposes especially to ferrying government forces personnel in the region. (GNS)

At least two inmates were reportedly injured and at least three barracks and a building suffered damages amid number of “gas cylinder blasts” inside Srinagar’s fortified central jail following massive protests by prison inmates, official sources said on Friday.

The authorities have imposed restrictions in old city parts here and reduced internet speed in entire Srinagar, Anantnag and Kulgam districts.

They said late Thursday evening when authorities started to move some jail inmates from a particular barrack for their shifting “within the jail”, there was hue and cry as the inmates felt that they are being moved outside the state.

“The particular barrack along with some other barracks were to be renovated and the jail inmates were being shifted to other barracks till the renovation would have been completed. However, there was suddenly a hue and cry and rumours that the inmates were being shifted out of the Kashmir Valley,” they said.

The inmates, he said, burnt a temporary shelter and tried to come to the outer cordon of the jail which is located in the Srinagar’s downtown area of the city, they said.

Senior police officers including DIG, SSP Srinagar besides Deputy Commissioner Srinagar reached the spot and tried to control the situation.

The authorities also rushed additional companies of the CRPF to the jail to bring the situation under control, they said. However, the protests by the inmates continued throughout the night amid gas cylinder blasts, three barracks and a building suffered damage. The fire has been brought under the control but “hue and cry” by the inmates continued.  CCTV cameras have also been damaged. The government forces also fired teargas shells and resorted to pellet firing to bring the situation to normal. In the process, they said, two inmates have been injured.

Meanwhile, authorities have imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar’s Old city including Nowhatta which houses the historic Jamia Masjid.
Reports said that barricades have been erected at several places and people are not being allowed to move.

The authorities also reduced the internet speed across the summer capital of the state and also with south Kashmir districts of Kulgam and Anantnag. (GNS)