SRINAGAR: Several persons, part of two separate gangs have been arrested after Police found them engaged in a fight over internal dispute with regard to online scammed money in Poonch, an official said.

The official told GNS that two gangs from Dogria and Buffliaz areas in Surankote in Poonch district were fighting each other with online money scammed through 'Telegram' (instant messaging service). 

The two groups, the official said are actively involved in scamming and drug peddling activities. 

"After receiving information about the fight between the rival groups, a police team reached the spot and arrested members of both the gangs for necessary action," the official said.

Confirming it, a police officer told GNS that an FIR has been registered in this regard under relevant sections for further proceedings. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: Police and army on Wednesday said to have recovered 2.5 kgs of 'heroin' in Poonch district. 

 A police official told GNS that Army alongwith  Police launched  a joint search operation on "suspicion"  in Degwar Teerwan area of Poonch  district and recovered 2.5 kg heroin. Confirming it, a police official told GNS that a case has been registered and further investigations taken up. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: A balloon marked with PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) was recovered along Line of Control in Poonch, an official said on Monday.

The official said that the balloon was recovered in Tain Mankote in Mendhar area by the Indian Army.

"The balloon is in the possession of Army for required assessment", the official told GNS. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: Three soldiers were killed and as many as three were injured in a militant attack in DKG area on Thursday, officials said.  

They said that army retaliated after being attacked by the militants. “The troops were going to reinforce a joint operation against terrorists going on in the area since last evening,” they said. 

“An operation was being conducted in general area DKG(Dera ki Gali), Thanamandi, Rajouri, since the night of 20 December 2023,” a defence ministry spokesperson based in Jammu said in  a statement to GNS. 

“At approximately 3:45 PM on 21 December , two army vehicles carrying troops were moving to the operational site, which were fired upon by the terrorist. The fire was immediately retaliated upon by own troops,” he said, adding, “In the ongoing operation, own troops sustained 3 fatal and 3 non fatal casualties.”

He said operations are in progress. “Further details are being ascertained.”

Meanwhile, officials told GNS Thannamandi DKG Bufliaz road closed due to ongoing encounter. “As such all are informed to use BG - Jara wali Gali road to travel Srinagar or Poonch,” they added. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: The Administration on Monday ordered a magisterial enquiry into the “custodial death” of a rape accused in police lockup in Surankote area of this district, officials said.

District Magistrate Poonch Yasin M Choudhary (IAS) appointed Mohammad Jhangir Khan (JKAS), Sub Divisional Magistrate Mendhar (Executive Magistrate 1st Class), as the inquiry officer and asked him to conduct a “comprehensive magisterial enquiry" into the incident and the circumstances leading to the custodial death of Ulfat Hussain son of Lal Hussain of Marhote Surankote.

The inquiry order was passed by the District Magistrate ater a report from SDM Surankote, stating that Ulfat Hussain “attempted suicide by hanging inside the Surankote Police Station lockup on 16th October, 2023 (Monday).”

“The deceased was implicated in FIR No. 314/2023 U/S 376 and 366 of the IPC and was apprehended by the police based on a complaint filed by (a woman) on 9th October 2023,” the report was quoted in the DM's order, a copy of which lies with GNS reads, adding, “the family members of the deceased have requested a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Ulfat Hussain.”

Considering the report, the District Magistrate ordered the magisterial enquiry into the death. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday conducted raids at the premises of several suspects in Poonch district of Jammu & Kashmir in connection with the Lashkar-e- Taiba (LeT) attack in Dhangri village of Rajouri district, in which five civilians were killed and several seriously injured in January this year.

In a handout to GNS, the NIA said that it carried raids were today at five locations across Gursai village of Mendhar Tehsil of Poonch district. NIA teams made extensive searches at the locations, which were the residential premises of Overground Workers (OGWs) linked with LeT, a proscribed terrorist outfit.

Several digital devices and documents containing incriminating data and content have been seized and are being scrutinised for unravelling the conspiracy.

The NIA Spokesman further said that two accused, Nisar Ahmed @Haji Nisar and Mushtaq Hussain, were arrested by the NIA in the case (RC-01/2023/NIA/JMU) on 31st August 2023 and are currently lodged in Central Jail, Kot Bhalwal, Jammu. Disclosures made by these two men, along with inputs gathered by the NIA, led to today's raids.

NIA investigations have revealed that both the arrested accused had harboured the terrorists who had carried out the deadly attack. They had provided logistics support to the terrorists for more than two months and had sheltered them in a hideout that they had built. The duo, as per the investigations, had been operating on the directions of Pakistan-based LeT handlers, namely Saifullah @ Sajid Jutt, Abu Qatal @ Qatal Sindhi and Mohd. Qasim, he said.

The attack case was initially registered as FIR no. 01/2023 at PS Rajouri under sections 302/ 307/120-B/452/323 of IPC; sections 13/16/18 of UA (P) Act 1967, and sections 7/27 of Arms Act. NIA, which had taken over and re-registered the case on 13th January, is carrying out further investigations, reads the statement. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: An Army porter along with his horse was injured in landmine blast along LoC in Poonch on Saturday.

Official sources told news agency Kashmir Scroll that an Army porter identified as Mukhtiar Ahmad S/O Mohd Saleem Mir R/O Gagrian Sawjian along with his horse was injured in a landmine blast along the Line of Control (LoC) at Mauli Dhokh Sawjian, Poonch.

The injured porter was shifted to SDH Mandi for medical treatment,they said . Meanwhile further investigation has been taken up. (KS)

SRINAGAR: A 47-year-old man died and five others were hospitalised with injuries in an electrocution incident in Aala Peer area of Poonch district, official sources said.

They told GNS that a group of persons received jolt while digging grave of a deceased man. 

"As the group started to dig the grave of the deceased person, they came in touch with an iron structure which presumably had already been exposed to a live wire", they said. 

"The group of persons received a strong jolt, leaving one of them dead on the spot and injuries to five others", they said. 

Identifying the deceased as one Mohammad Aslam son of Abdul Kareem, of Mandi Arai the sources at the same time identified those injured in the incident as; Mohd Azmat (40) son of Mohd Azeem Khan, of Gundi; Liaqat Hussain (26) son of Mohd Hafiz of Shankar Nagar; Mohd Imran son (25) of Mohd Bashir Age, of Galinag Mandi, Abdul Razaq (44) son of Wali Mohammad Age of Kanuyian and Mohammad Shakeel (26) son of Mohd Hafiz of Shankar Nagar. 

"All those injured were hospitalised soon after incident" they said.

Confirming it, SHO Poonch Deepak Pathina told GNS that the injured persons are under treatment at a local hospital. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: Asserting that Pakistan is trying to revive terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, Indian Army has identified the militant killed along the Line of Control in Poonch as Divisional Commander of Hizbul Mujahideen.


"The terrorist killed in Poonch has been identified on the basis of Police records as Muneer Hussain, resident of Bagyladra, Poonch and he was a dreaded terrorist and a Divisonal Commander of Hizbul Mujahideen," said the defence spokesman.
He stated that in 1993, Muneer went to PoK, came back in 1996 and again returned to PoK in 1998.

He has masterminded number of attacks on security forces.
As per Police Records, the spokesman said that his family of two wives and children are residents of Surankote, Poonch.
Muneer Hussain was close associate of Maulana Dawood Kashmir (TuJ) who in turn is a close associate of Syed Salauddin (HM).

Recently, a high level meeting of HM group took place in Islamabad which he attended and agenda of meeting was revival of HM cadre in Rajouri-Poonch.

"From this, we can make out that Muneer Hussain along with his body guard were sent with the agenda of reviving HM in Rajouri-Poonch and South of Pir-Panjal (SPPR)," he said, adding that he was given a larger leadership role of Tanzeems and told to revive terrorism South of Pir Panjal.

Muneer Hussain was the top leader of HM and was the most dreaded terrorist killed in the last one decade in Rajouri and Poonch, the spokesman said adding, "it is evident that Pak is trying to send old terror veterans to J&K to motivate and recruit youth thus making desperate attempts to revive terrorism." (UNI)

SRINAGAR: Army on Saturday recovered an old mine near Line of Control in Balakote Poonch and later destroyed it, officials said.

They told GNS that the mine was found near the Sabra Ghali Balakote  Sector in Mendhar area of the district.
  
Army's BDS team later destroyed the mine on spot without any loss or injury to life. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: The Government on Monday ordered all its employees to participate in the August 15 function.  

“Independence Day is an important national event celebrated on 15h August every year. All government employees are duty bound to participate in commemorating such an important turning point in the history of our Nation,” reads a government order, a copy of which lies with GNS.
 
“...all the officers/officials in the Union territory stationed at Srinagar/Jammu are therefore enjoined upon to attend the main function of the Independence Day Celebrations, 2023 at the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Stadium, Sonawar, Srinagar/Maulana Azad Stadium, Jammu respectively, as part of their official duty,” it said, adding, “Any absence shall be only permissible with prior permission of their immediate superior.” 

All the Administrative Secretaries, Heads of the Departments, Managing Directors/Chief Executives of the Public Sector Undertakings, it said, are advised to ensure that all officers/officials working under their administrative control, and stationed at Srinagar/Jammu, attend the function at their respective places.(GNS)

SRINAGAR: Driver of a dumper vehicle died after the vehicle skidded off the road and fell into gorge in Mendhar Poonch, officials said on Saturday.

They said that the dumper vehicle (JK12B-7126) met with the accident at Naka Village area of Mendhar. Soon a rescue operation was launched by local volunteers and police. However, the driver Yaqoob Azam (52) son of Mohammad Hussain of Bhata Dhrian died on spot.

A police official confirmed the death of the driver to GNS and said that a case has been registered and further investigations taken up. (GNS)