Pakistan violates ceasefire along International Border in Jammu

[Hindustani78]

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/ja...target-police-vehicle-in-anantnag/495716.html
Srinagar, November 10

Militants fired on a police vehicle on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway near Qazigund in Anantnag district, about 80 km from here, while security forces launched search operations to flush out hiding militants in Pulwama and Budgam districts today. The police said the militants fired on the police vehicle moving on the national highway at Bongam village, near Qazigund in Anantnag district, this morning.

However, no one was injured in the attack. The police cordoned off the area to nab the attackers, but no one could be apprehended. In another incident, police men on guard duty at the District Police Lines, Awantipora, fired in the air after spotting some suspicious movement in the wee hours today, without causing any damage. Security forces launched cordon and search operations at Lassipora village in Pulwama district today.

There were reports of clashes between youth and the security forces after the search operations were launched. The protesters were chased away. Later in the evening, militants attacked a police post at General Bus Stand, Anantnag, inviting retaliatory fire from policemen.

There was no loss of life or injury to anybody in the attack The search operations were also launched at Hanjibugh village of the Magam area in Budgam district in central Kashmir. Meanwhile, the police recovered a rusted hand grenade at Gagren village in Shopian district that was defused by a bomb disposal squad. — TNS

 

[Spring Onion]

There is NO international border along JAMMU and KASHMIR.

 

[Hindustani78]

Search operations on in Jammu and Kashmir ’s Shopian, Pulwama

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...ian-pulwama/story-PF3nTm0DjJnec4HOsl0IxO.html

A joint team of the Rashtriya Rifles, Special Operations Group of the state police and the CRPF started house-to-house searches in over two dozen villages in the two districts.

Updated: Nov 11, 2017 14:12 IST
Indo Asian News Service, Srinagar

Earlier this year, the security forces resumed the practice of cordon and search operations over large areas as part of their area domination exercise in south Kashmir districts.(AFP file)

Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday started massive search operations in Shopian and Pulwama districts following specific intelligence inputs about the presence of militants, police said.

A joint team of the Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Special Operations Group (SOG) of the state police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) started house-to-house searches in over two dozen villages in the two districts.

Earlier this year, the security forces resumed the practice of cordon and search operations over large areas as part of their “area domination” exercise in south Kashmir districts.

More than taking the militants head-on, the objective of such massive operations, is to keep the terrorists on the run so that they are unable to establish a foot-hold in the densely populated areas.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...ak-shelling/story-EDJyQOFIATZx9EnWbNnJNO.html

Among the main demands of villagers along the Line of Control are individual bunkers and alternate plots of land to escape sheeling by Pakistani forces.
Updated: Nov 11, 2017 19:57 IST

Ravi Krishnan Khajuria
Hindustan Times, Jammu

Rina Mitra, Special Secretary (Internal Security) Union Home Ministry along with district officials during her visit to villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri on Saturday.(HT Photo)

A high powered delegation of the Union home ministry officials met villagers living along the Line of Control (LoC) in the districts of Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday to assess the problems of the residents in the wake of continued shelling by Pakistani forces.

Headed by Rina Mitra, special secretary (internal security) MHA, the delegation also included of Gyanesh Kumar, joint secretary (internal security) and R K Swarankar, director MHA. The delegation’s visit came two months after Union home minister Rajnath Singh toured Nowshera and Jammu on September 12.

“A high-level team of ministry of home affairs visited Jhangar, Langar and Dhanaka forward villages along the LoC in Rajouri to assess quantum of damages, problems faced by people, public demands and issues for a broad-based redressal planning,” Rajouri deputy commissioner Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary told Hindustan Times over phone.

Principal secretary to Jammu and Kashmir’s home department, R K Goyal, Dr. M.K Bhandari divisional commissioner of Jammu province and Dr. S. D. Singh Jamwal IGP of Jammu zone were also part of the delegation.

The deputy commissioner, DIG Deepak Slathia, SSP Yougal Manhas and other officers of the district briefed the visiting panel about the losses due to ceasefire violation, evacuation and rescue measures, rehabilitation, issues and demands.

The delegation assessed losses in various villages and held a detailed interaction with the public at worst affected Jhangar village.


Later, Mitra inspected the recently constructed individual bunkers in Langar and Dhanaka. They highly appreciated the type-design, quality of construction and convergence model with community involvement.

The panel had visited several forward villages along the International Border (IB) in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts on Friday.

After visiting Nowshera, the panel visited Poonch town where they met LoC villagers from Balakote, Mendhar, Saujian, Shahpur Kerni, Khari Karmara and Digwar sectors.

Poonch deputy commissioner Tariq Ahmed Zargar told Hindustan Times that the delegation interacted with the villagers to get their feedback on Pakistani shelling.

“Individual bunkers, adequate ambulances and hike in compensation were some of the major demands of the villagers. The delegation spent an hour with them before returning to Jammu,” said Zargar.

Villagers along the international border and the LoC face death and injuries regularly in firing by Pakistani troops.

Villagers living close to the “live” borders in the state, especially in Jammu region, have been demanding five marla plots in safer zones away from the firing range of Pakistani forces, individual bunkers in their houses to take refuge at the time of intense shelling, special recruitment drives in central forces for their children, compensation for their lands acquired by BSF and army for border fence, and their crops, adequate ambulances and sprucing up hospitals along the borders.

The home ministry delegation is scheduled to return to Delhi on Sunday and will submit a report Rajnath Singh in the next few days.

 

[Hindustani78]

A file photo of Army jawans on guard after a JeM militant was killed in north Kashmir. File | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...kes-a-comeback-in-kashmir/article20337803.ece
NEW DELHI, November 12, 2017 18:15 IST
Updated: November 12, 2017 22:41 IST

It is roping in locals for terrain knowledge, and targeting suspected informants.

Terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), once virtually wiped out from Kashmir, is back in action and has consolidated its base giving security forces cause for serious concern.

“The JeM has captured the area of Lashkar-e-Taiba. The LeT is on the wane now. In a change of tactic, they have taken a lot of locals into the ranks as they have terrain knowledge,” a senior Army officer said.

The JeM is full of foreign terrorists who infiltrated from across the Line of Control (LoC). To consolidate their base, they started going after suspected sources. In the past 15 to 20 days alone, six or seven people who were perceived as informants were targeted. “They are trying to stop the flow of information to security forces,” the officer said. In fact, a poster was put up in Tral recently, the southern-most part of North Kashmir, asking people not to participate in the Army’s sadbhavana [goodwill] activities as they believe it is a way of recruiting sources by security forces.

There are an estimated 50 JeM terrorists in the hinterland, over 30 in South Kashmir and 20 in North Kashmir. Tral, which is just 40 minutes from Srinagar or 15-20 km away, has now become the headquarters of the JeM. Within that, Hajjin is of particular concern with its proximity to Srinagar and the confined location.

Increasing recruitment

“Hajjin has become a problem. It is very densely populated and they [JeM] have started taking advantage of it. The last two operations have not been successful. It has to be dealt in detail,” the officer said.

In recent times, the top leadership has been eliminated in quick operations but the numbers are still a concern. Recruitment is on the rise especially in Pulwama and Shopian. The average recruitment for the whole of Kashmir has gone up to 10 per month this year compared to seven or eight last year. Elaborating the measures to counter this, the officer said the primary way was to increase engagement with the public by events and tours under sadbhavana. “The apple season is over, schools are closed and winter has set in. This is the time for recruitment. Our engagement has to be increased to ensure the youth do not go to the other side,” the officer said.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...no-longer-in-armys-use-jk/article20358368.ece

Srinagar, November 12, 2017 22:52 IST
Updated: November 12, 2017 22:52 IST

She met Defence Minister at Pahalgam

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday sought the intervention of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for the return of the State land which is no longer required for operational purposes by the Army.

Ms. Mufti had a one-on-one meeting with Ms. Sitharaman at Pahalgam in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

The Chief Minister also sought intervention of the Defence Minister for the return of pockets of land which are no longer required by the Army. The CM pressed for the speeding up of cases of revision and payment of rent to the land owners of High Ground in Anantnag.

 

[Hindustani78]

Jammu, November 13, 2017 15:59 IST
Updated: November 13, 2017 15:59 IST
http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...shmir-in-2017-says-jk-dgp/article20379420.ece

NIA raids, he said, were not alone responsible for the change in situation in the Kashmir Valley and maintained there were multiple factors at play including demonetisation and action against top militant commanders.

Jammu and Kashmir Police chief S.P. Vaid has said that there has been a 90% dip in incidents of stone-pelting in Kashmir Valley this year as compared to the last year and credited the people of Kashmir for the improvement in the situation.

NIA raids, he said, were not alone responsible for the change in situation in the Kashmir Valley and maintained there were multiple factors at play including demonetisation and action against top militant commanders.

The Director General of Police said it was normal to witness 40-50 incidents of stone-pelting in a day last year. “(There is) a more than 90% fall in stone pelting in Kashmir Valley (this year) as compared to the last year. It is a huge decrease,” Mr. Vaid told PTI here.

“There are weeks when there is not even a single case of stone pelting while in a day (last year) there used to be more than 50 incidents taking place.There is a huge change in the mood of people”, he said.

“It is a huge change. Law and order situation in Kashmir is for everybody to see, particularly those living in Kashmir or those dealing with it.

“It is easily understood that there is a huge improvement in the situation in Valley. There is not even a single incident taking place in the whole day. At times in the whole week, there is no incident (of stone-pelting) taking place”, he added.

“Even on Friday, where it used to be normal to have 40-50 incidents of stone pelting in a day (last year), not even a single incident is taking place (this year)”, the DGP said.

Vaid said NIA raids were not alone responsible for a drop in stone-pelting incidents. “There are many factors responsible for improvement in the law and order situation and decrease in stone pelting. The impression that NIA raids have only improved the situation...I would not agree to it”, DGP said.

“Of course, that (NIA raids) helped, but the main credit goes to the people of Kashmir, probably they have also realised the futility of this and damaging their own property and targeting police which also belongs to their own society besides the fatigue factor and action against top commanders”, he said.

The police chief said there has been an improvement of the situation in Kashmir due to demonetisation, arrest of terror supporters and increase in political activity. “At many places, it was militancy driven. Besides the role of demonetisation and many other factors, including the administrative action against instigators and slapping cases against those who were involved in sabotage peace has also contributed to it.

“There was no single factor responsible but all of them were instrumental in (in dip in stone-pelting and improvement in situation in Kashmir)”, he added.

Apart from these, detention under the Public Safety Act also helped, he said. “I will also give credit to resumption of political activity. Slowly political activity has picked up and that also played its role. After all political people are also playing a positive role. All these things contributed to the improvement in the situation”, he added.

Asked whether the change in situation has been brought about due to the “iron fist in velvet glove” policy, he said, “Yes”.

The police chief said there has been a tremendous success as far as “operation allout” is concern. “The credit goes to officers and jawans who were working in the fields. There is very good coordination among police, Army and other security agencies,” he said.

“Most of the top leadership of HM and LeT has been neutralised except a few odd. It is a huge huge success. I think roughly 170 militants have been eliminated this year. This is record of last ten years...except 4 to 5 commanders, rest of commanders have been eliminated,” the DGP said.

He, however, said that a new phenomena of suicide attacks by JeM has been observed. “We have eliminated nine militants of them, three in Pulwama, three in BSF camp attack in Srinagar and three only yesterday,” Mr. Vaid added.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/two-militants-killed-in-handwara-encounter/article20384474.ece

Srinagar:, November 13, 2017 19:25 IST
Updated: November 13, 2017 21:34 IST

Army jawans rush towards encounter site in Handwara district of Kashmir. File photo | Photo Credit: THE HINDU


The identity and group affiliation of the slain militants is being ascertained.

Two militants, who attacked a police party, were killed in exchange of fire in north kashmir’s Handwara area on Monday evening.

A police official said the two militants were “killed in a brief shootout” at Rajwar, Handwara.

The militants fired upon a joint party of police and the army near Galganzer. “The attack was repulsed and both the militants were killed,” said the police.

The identity and group affiliation of the slain militants is being ascertained, the official said.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...n-encounter/story-AuDOOp9x92kBTlzvrkgw7J.html

Militants fired at a police party in Zachaldara area of Handwara in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district. Security forces killed the two militants in a joint operation.

india Updated: Nov 13, 2017 21:18 IST

Two militants were killed in a gun battle with security forces after they attacked a police team in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Monday, police said.

Officials said the gunfight broke out after the militants opened fire at a police party in Zachaldara area of Handwara.

The militants targeted a police checkpoint after dusk, according to the police control room in Handwara.

A police spokesman said the slain militants were identified as Toib of Sopore and Ashiq of Palhallan Pattan.

They were affiliated with the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit, the spokesperson said.

An army spokesman said the militants were killed in a joint operation with police and CRPF. A search was launched in the area after the encounter, the spokesman said.

On November 6, an army jawan and three militants were killed in an encounter in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

The Pulwama gunfight took place on a day when the Centre’s interlocutor, Dineshwar Sharma, arrived in Jammu and Kashmir to initiate the dialogue process.

Sharma, a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau who was tasked by the Union government to initiate talks in Kashmir over the three-decade-old insurgency, met over 80 delegations during his three-day visit to the state Kashmir from November 6.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...uth-kashmir/article20442955.ece?homepage=true

Srinagar, November 14, 2017 12:11 IST
Updated: November 14, 2017 12:11 IST

Security forces are engaging militants in gunfights at two separate locations in south Kashmir since Tuesday morning, said a police official.

According to police, hiding militants fired when, on specific information, the police and Army cordoned off Nowbug Kund, Qazigund, and Kulgam.

“The operation is on,” said the police. In a separate operation in Pulwama, security forces encircled Lam and Tral areas “after a tip off.”

As searches were intensified towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon security forces, triggering an encounter, said a police official.

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http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...and-kashmir/story-5k9h0tXz4kVFCZ9jJ9T1UO.html

Two encounters broke out this morning between security forces and militants in Kulgam and Pulwama districts of south Kashmir

india Updated: Nov 14, 2017 15:31 IST
Hindustan Times, Srinagar

Army personnel stand guard during a gun battle with militants, who launched a pre-dawn attack on a district police complex in which three security personnel were martyred, in Pulwama of South Kashmir.(PTI File Photo)

An Army jawan and a militant were on Tuesday killed in an encounter in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir even as security forces were engaged in a counter insurgency operation in Pulwama district.

One soldier was critically injured in the gunbattle with militants at Nowbug Kund in Kulgam district, Army sources said.

They said the injured soldier later succumbed to injuries.

A militant was also killed in the operation, the sources said.

Police officials said that the gun battle began in Laan Tral of Pulwama after security forces reached the area following a tip-off about the presence of militants.

“The police, army and CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) are on the job,” said a police spokesperson.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Nowbug Kund area of Kulgam.

“The operation turned into an encounter. The police, army’s Rashtriya Rifles and CRPF are at the spot,” the spokesperson added.

The gunfights come just hours after two local militants were killed when they attacked a police checkpoint in north Kashmir’s Handwara on Monday night.

An army soldier and three militants were killed in an encounter in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on November 6, a day when Centre’s interlocutor, Dineshwar Sharma, arrived in the restive state to initiate the dialogue process.

Sharma, a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau who was tasked by the Union government to initiate talks in Kashmir over the three-decade-old insurgency, met over 80 delegations on his three-day visit to Kashmir from November 6. However, Hurriyat leaders did not meet him nor did he visit any separatist leader.

(with PTI inputs)

 

[Hindustani78]

Representational image | Photo Credit: Nissar Ahmad

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...militant-killed-in-kulgam/article20445822.ece

In Tral, ultras give the Army the slip

A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant and a soldier were killed in a fierce gunfight at Kulgam in south Kashmir on Tuesday, as another batch of militants managed to the give the Army the slip after being trapped in Pulwama.

A police official said a heavy exchange of fire erupted between the hiding militants and the security forces at Nowbug Kund, Kulgam, during a cordon operation. “The operation got prolonged as the trapped militants changed their positions during the exchange of fire,” the official said.

An LeT militant, identified as Muzamil Manzoor, a resident of Bardoo-Yaripora, Kulgam, was killed. However, Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin identified the militant as Showkat Ahmad Dar.

The other trapped militants managed to escape into a jungle area. A soldier was also killed in the operation. A policeman associated with the Special Operations Group (SOG) suffered injuries, police said.

Hideout busted

In a separate operation, militants gave a search party of security forces the slip in Laam forests of Tral, Pulwama. “A hideout was busted and blankets were seized from the spot,” said the police. Railway services were disrupted in Kulgam and Anantnag. Internet services in the area too remained suspended

In north Kashmir, a procession was taken out during the last rites for Ashiq Ahmed Bhat, a Hizbul Mujahideen militant killed along with his associate Toib Majid of Brat Kalan Sopore in Zachildara area of Handwara town on Monday night.

A police official said Bhat was from the volatile Palhalan area. He had joined the militant ranks in April 2015 as a Class 10 student. Clashes also broke out after the funeral. Another militant Majid was also buried in Bratkalan Sopore as mourners chanted anti-India slogans.

Paying tributes to the slain militants, Hizb chief Salahuddin, in a statement issued from Azad Kashmir, said the ongoing struggle would continue till a logical conclusion was reached. “The sun of freedom will rise sooner or later in Kashmir.”

CRPF personnel stand guard at Srinagar-Baramulla national highway at Palhallan Pattan on Tuesday. Two Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militants were killed during an encounter at Zichaldara, Handwara in District Kupwara of North Kashmir yesterday.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...s-along-loc/article20449170.ece?homepage=true

Pakistani troops on Wednesday opened fire and shelled areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, drawing heavy retaliation from the Indian Army.

The firing is still on, a defence spokesman said.

“Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars from 0815 hours in Poonch sector along the Line of Control,” the spokesman said.

The Indian Army is retaliating strongly and effectively.

On November 2, Pakistan Rangers fired at a BSF patrol in Samba sector resulting in death of Border Security Froce (BSF) constable Tapan Mondal.

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http://www.deccanherald.com/content/642859/militant-arrested-kashmir.html

Press Trust of India, Srinagar, Nov 15 2017, 11:58 IST

Police today arrested a militant from Kulgam district in Jammu and Kashmir and recovered arms and ammunition from his possession. PTI file photo

Police today arrested a militant from Kulgam district in Jammu and Kashmir and recovered arms and ammunition from his possession.

Shamsul Waqar alias Pyara was arrested by police during checking at Check-e-Budwani in Kulgam, a police official said.

He said some arms and ammunition were recovered from his possession.

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[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...r-encounter/article20460903.ece?homepage=true

Jawans rush towards the encounter site at Qazigund in south Kashmir on Tuesday.


One soldier and a militant were killed in the day-long gun battle in Kulgam on Tuesday

Two local Hizbul Mujahideen militants, who escaped at the end of a day-long encounter in Kulgam’s Qazigund area on Tuesday, were arrested from two separate spots on Wednesday.

A police official said combing operation in the Kund Nowbug area around the encounter site was resumed in the morning. A soldier and a militant were killed in the gun battle on Tuesday.

A police official said a local militant, Aqib Iqbal Malik alias Talha Bhai, a resident of Ringet Noorabad, was arrested from the area. Malik, who joined militancy earlier this year, had been injured.

Another militant, who is also believed to have fled from the encounter site in Kulgam, was apprehended as he was trying to board a train in the morning. He has been identified as Shams Waqar, said a police official.

Meanwhile, the Army has identified the deceased soldier as sepoy Manjinder Singh. Singh, 22, joined the army in 2015 and was a resident of Punjab’s Mansa area.

Mirwaiz, Malik arrested

Separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik, addressed a small rally in Srinagar on Wednesday. They called for a shutdown on November 27 against the National Investigation Agency (NIA) raids and ongoing “crackdown of civilian population” during counter-insurgency operations in the Valley.

The Mirwaiz and Mr. Malik, along with 30 supporters, were arrested when they tried to lead a protest march towards the city centre Lal Chowk.

Earlier, Mr. Geelani addressed a rally on the phone. The Mirwaiz and Mr. Malik were present at Abi Guzar to jointly address the media. “This puppet government has crossed all limits of oppression. If they thinks they can break our resolve and unity, they are mistaken. We are not going to surrender under any circumstance,” said Mr. Malik.

‘Fabricated cases’

He alleged that NIA raids and the security agencies’ operation against civilian population in south and north Kashmir “is aimed at forcing us to surrender.” The trio said the shutdown on November 27 was also against the “maltreatment of detainees and the fabricated cases being slapped on leaders and supporters.”

For many months now, separatists in Kashmir have been barred from holding public rallies.

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http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...inst-two-al-badr-conduits/article20460962.ece

The Enforcement Directorate has filed a chargesheet against two persons allegedly liked to terror outfit Al Badr on charges of money laundering.

The chargesheet has been filed against Khurshid Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Srinagar, and Inayatullah Shah, a resident of Baramulla, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The case pertains to an FIR lodged by the J&K police against the accused persons in 2009. It was alleged that the police seized from them ₹50,000 in cash, a live Chinese grenade and some documents, including a letter of “Al Badr Mujahideen J&K”. The letter contained a message that the money and the other articles were being sent through the two alleged conduits.

‘Documents forged’

During interrogation, the accused initially said the money came from the sale of fruits, for which Mr. Bhat had made forged documents. “ED investigation has established that the seized amount of ₹50,000 was proceeds of crime, derived and obtained, directly or indirectly, by Khursheed Ahmed Bhat and Anayatullah Shah as a result of criminal activity relating to the scheduled offence of PMLA. Hence it was provisionally attached. It was confirmed by the adjudicating authority on June 16,” said an official.

Based on findings, the agency has sought the trial of the two accused by the Special Court in Srinagar.

 

[Hindustani78]

//economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/61672910.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir DGP S P Vaid said that drug menace was a "bigger challenge" than terrorism in the state and that contrabands were being "pumped from across the border".

This year, the police have arrested 667 people in 542 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act for drug peddling and smuggling, an official data said.

"The drug menace is a bigger challenge than terrorism. When I joined, I had announced an all out war against drugs and the people running it," the director general of police (DGP) told .

The officer said that the police alone cannot fight the menace and there was a concern about narco-terrorism.

"There are a lot of drugs and narcotics being pumped into J-K from across the border. It is very clear who is pumping drugs and narcotics into this state," he said without naming Pakistan.

"I am trying to convince everybody, including the police force, about the bad affects. It (drugs) has the potential to destroy the society. We have made huge seizures, but there is difficulty on the legal and de-addiction fronts," the DGP said.

"It may be recalled that 70 kg of heroin was recovered in Uri and 20 kg in Jammu. Roughly 100 kg recovered here came from across (the border)," he said, adding that everybody needs to make efforts to save the current and future generations from this menace.

Of the 667 people arrested in 542 cases, 214 were arrested in 163 cases in the Kashmir region and 453 in 379 cases in the Jammu province, the data said.

The data said that as many as 12 alleged drug peddlers were arrested under the Public Safety Act (PSA) in Jammu and Kashmir this year as compared to 27 in 2016.

It said that as many as 822 people were arrested in 608 cases of drug peddling and narcotic smuggling in 2016, and this year 568.94 kg of marijuana was seized, five times more than the seizure made during this period last year in the Jammu region.

In 2015, 24.3 kg of cannabis was seized and 107 kg in 2016. In the case of poppy straw, this year 5,610 kg was seized against 3,268 kg in 2016 and 1,846 kg in 2015, it said.

There was a significant drop in the amount of brown sugar seized.

Last year, 13.1 kg of the contraband was seized against 1.306 kg this year. In 2015, the police had seized 4.4 kg of brown sugar, the data said.

Till August 2017, 39.315 kg of heroin was seized against 64.143 kg in 2016 and 14.953 kg in 2015 in the same period, it said.

The other seizures include opium and cannabis, and banned capsules and tablets, the data said.

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Police produce militant Bilal Ahmad Sheikh during the joint press conference. Tribune photo: Amin War

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/ja...gam-district-of-jammu-and-kashmir/498656.html

Srinagar, November 16

Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday said they arrested three militants during a gunfight in Kulgam district which left a soldier dead. Addressing a joint press conference along with officers of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Inspector General of Police Muneer Khan said:

“In the ongoing operation against militants in Kund area, we have arrested three local militants.” He said one of them, Atta Muhammad Malik, was caught in an injured condition. “He would have died if we hadn’t shifted him to a hospital where he is now said to be out of danger.”

Khan said the security forces had launched the joint operation in Kund on Tuesday after intelligence inputs about the presence of a big group of militants of the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen there.

“A militant, Muzamil, and a soldier were killed on the first day of the encounter,” Khan said.

“Even if a local militant raises his hands during an encounter, we will help him to return to his home and lead a normal life,” he said. IANS

 

[Hindustani78]

http://indianexpress.com/article/in...eturn-to-normal-life-igp-muneer-khan-4940729/

By: PTI | Srinagar | Published:November 16, 2017 9:18 pm

IG police Muneer Khan addressing a joint press conference with Army and CRPF, in Srinagar on Thursday. PTI Photo


Inspector General of Police (IGP) (Kashmir) Muneer Khan on Thursday said that security forces would take all steps to help “local militants” in Kashmir return to a normal life, even if they surrender during an encounter. The statement of the official comes as the Jammu and Kashmir police prepare its recommendations for a comprehensive rehabilitation policy for surrendering militants. “We stand by our commitment to local militants that they can surrender at any time, even during an encounter, and return to lead a normal life after facing the law,” the IGP told reporters in Srinagar.

Khan was addressing a press conference in which two of the three militants arrested on Wednesday in Kulgam district were presented before the media. The third militant, who was injured in the gun battle with security forces in Kulgam’s Kund area, is in hospital, the official said. “Ata Mohammad (a local militant) was injured during the encounter at Kund on November 14, and he was on the verge of dying.

“But our jawans, who had lost a colleague during the operation, rescued him and took him to a hospital. His rescue shows our commitment to the offer of surrender,” Khan said.

The IGP claimed that the police had brought back many youths, who were on their way to join militants, into mainstream. Several of them arrested from Kupwara while on their way to get arms training, he said.

Responding to a question, Khan claimed that not more than 17 youth have joined militancy recently. “I do not agree with the reported figure of 42, but there is no doubt that youths have gone and joined militants,” he said.

Replying to a question, he said it is a point of discussion on what was the driving force or lure behind youths joining militants. “Most of them, you will find, are college or school dropouts. There is a relentless social media campaign by Pakistan to lure the youth also,” Khan said.

The officer said that the youth in the age group of 15 years to 25 years were vulnerable to be exploited as they find it hard to differentiate between right and wrong. In response to a question, the IGP said that he would not divulge the details of surrendered militants as “we have to ensure their safety and security”.

Khan said that the police is compiling its recommendation to be submitted to the government on steps to be taken for rehabilitation of those militants who surrender. “We are compiling the steps to be taken for rehabilitating militants — both who have gone across and those who are here. We will send our recommendations on how to rehabilitate them to the government. In the near future, we shall have a comprehensive policy,” he said.

Khan said that a search operation in Kund area was still on as there were intelligence reports about two militants there. “The operation at Kund was jointly launched by the police, Army and CRPF. This operation was started on November 14 based on specific information about a big group of terrorists, a joint group of Lashkar-e-Toiba and Hizbul Mujahideen,” he said.

He said a militant and a jawan were killed in the encounter. “The Kund operation is still ongoing, a specific area is still cordoned. We have information that a foreign militant and a local militant are still in the area. We are looking for them. Hopefully we should get them,” he said.

Khan said this operation was a fine example of excellent coordination between various security agencies.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...hmir-police/article20497834.ece?homepage=true

He was fast turning into a poster boy of the outfit online after pictures of him holding an AK-47 rifle went viral following his announcement of joining militancy two weeks ago.

Lashkar-e-Taiba's recent-recruit Majid Khan (22), who was fast turning into a poster boy of the outfit online, surrendered before the Army's 1 Rashtriya Rifles and the police on Thursday evening.

A police source said he surrendered with a rifle in south Kashmir's Anantnag. The surrender comes just a day after three militants were arrested in Kulgam’s Qazigund area.

Pictures of Khan holding an AK-47 rifle went viral online after he announced joining militancy two weeks ago.

An emotional online message from his ailing mother, asking him to rejoin the family, went viral. Many locals also made online appeals to Khan, a known footballer and social work volunteer, to give up arms.

Khan, a lone child of his family and a Commerce graduate, was seen leading his militant friend Yawar Nisar’s funeral on August 4 last.