SRINAGAR: Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid on Thursday said that Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has been placed under house arrest.

“The Mirwaiz has been put under house arrest by the authorities ahead of his sermon that he was scheduled to deliver at Aali Masjid in the city today,” Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid said in a statement.

However, officials here refused to comment on the claim of Mirwaiz’s house arrest, as reported by PTI.

The Mirwaiz was released from house detention in September last year — more than four years after he was placed under house arrest in the wake of abrogation of Article 370 by the government of India in August 2019.

The authorities again placed curbs on his movement in the first week of October and prevented him from attending any religious gatherings, including Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid.

The Mirwaiz was again allowed to attend Friday prayers and other religious congregations a week ahead of the Ramzan fasting month.

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Police alongside security forces arrested four associates linked with Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit here on Saturday evening. 

“Acting on a specific information, a joint Mobile Vehicle Check Post (MVCP) comprising of Srinagar Police, 50 RR, Valley QRT and 29Bn CRPF was established in Kenihama area in the jurisdiction of Police Station Nowgam in the evening hours, today,” reads a statement issued to GNS.

“During checking, a white Alto vehicle was intercepted by the joint party. Four militant associates identified as Md Yaseen Bhat son of Ghulam Qadir Bhat, Sheraz Ahmad Rather son of Abdul Rashid Rather, Gulam Hassan Khandey son of Gulam Mohd khandey, all from Lcchnambal Zafran Colony Panthachowk and Imtiyaz Ahmad Bhat son of Late Abdul Ganie Bhat resident of Frestabal Pampore who were boarding the vehicle were apprehended.”

“Incriminating materials, arms & ammunition including 01 AK 56 rifle with 3 Magazines, 75 rounds of 7.62 x 39 mm, 01 Glock Pistol with 2 Magazines, 26 Rounds of 9 mm and 06 Chinese grenades were recovered from their possession. During preliminary investigation, it was found that the apprehended individuals were linked with the proscribed militant outfit JeM,” reads  the statement. 

“In this regard, a case FiR No.31/2024 under section 18, 23, 39 UAPA, 7/25 Arms Act and 120b of the IPC has been registered in Police Station Nowgam and further investigation is in progress,” the statement reads further. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: A CRPF trooper died of a suspected cardiac arrest during duty hours in Wavura area of north Kashmir's Kupwara district.

An official told GNS that one Mohan Lal, SI Rank, of 162 Batallion, complained of acute chest pain and subsequently fell unconscious during duty hours at Wavura.

"The trooper was taken to SDH Sogam, where the doctors declared him as brought dead on arrival", the official said. 

Confirming the death of the trooper, a police official told GNS that as per the doctors the CRPF man has died of cardiac arrest. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: The management body of Srinagar’s historic Jama Masjid on Friday claimed that authorities have placed Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the chief priest of Kashmir, under house arrest.

“Mirwaz Umar Farooq has again been put under house arrest today ahead of the Friday congregation in Jama Masjid. Mirwaz was to give a special sermon today on the occasion of Shab-e-Mehraj at Jama Masjid, as had been announced,” the Anjumam Auqaf Jama Masjid said in a statement.

A large number of people were expected at the mosque for the Mirwaiz’s sermon, it said, adding the authorities stationed police vehicles outside the main gate of Farooq’s residence at Nigeen, PTI reported quoting the statement.

"Anjuman strongly denounces the repeated house arrest of Mirwaiz especially on Friday, disabling him from visiting Jama Masjid to deliver the Friday sermon and participate in the mandatory Friday prayers,” the management body said.

Mirwaiz was released from house arrest in September last year after remaining confined to his home for more than four years.

However, the authorities allowed him to visit Jama Masjid only for three Fridays. His movement in Srinagar remains restricted on Fridays since the latest flare up in Israel-Palestine conflict in October last year, reported the news agency.

SRINAGAR: Directorate of Enforcement (ED) Friday raided eight locations in summer-capital Srinagar during which it arrested two persons in Money Laundering case. 

"Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has conducted search/survey operations at 8 locations in Srinagar, J&K and has arrested two persons namely Mohammad Shafi Dar (the then Chairman of JKSTCB) and Hilal Ahmad Mir (Chairman of River Jehlum Co-operative House Building Society), under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 in a case related to the fraudulent sanctioning of loan by J&K State Co-operative Bank (JKSTCB) to the tune of Rs. 250 Crores in 2019 to a fake cooperative society named River Jehlum Co-operative House Building Society, Shivpora, Srinagar", reads a statement issued to GNS. 
 
"ED initiated investigation on the basis of FIR and consequent chargesheets filed by LEA, Srinagar invoking various sections of Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) & Jammu & Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act (JK PC Act) Samvat 2006 (Corresponding to IPC and PCA) against 05 accused persons viz. Hilal Ahmad Mir (Chairman of River Jehlum Co-operative House Building Society), Abdul Hamid Hajam (Secretary of River Jehlum Co-operative House Building Society), Mohammad Mujeeb Ur Rehman Ghassi (the then Registrar of Cooperative Societies, J&K), Syed Ashiq Hussain (the then Dy. Registrar of Co-operative Societies, J&K) and Mohammad Shafi Dar (the then Chairman of JKSTCB)."
 
"ED investigation revealed that the aforementioned persons had managed to fraudulently get the sanction of a loan of Rs.250 Crore from JKSTCB in the name of a fake society, River Jhelum Co-operative House Building Society. The same was siphoned off as payments made towards purchase of land parcels, without any collateral security and overlooking all regulatory procedures, and in pursuance of the criminal conspiracy relating to offence of money laundering under PMLA, 2002", the statement reads. 
 
"During the course of search operations, several incriminating documents, property documents, including digital devices, have been recovered and seized. Both the arrestees were produced on Friday before the Special PMLA Court, Srinagar, who has ordered the accused to be in ED Custody till 02.12.2023 and directed for further hearing in the matter", reads the statement further.

SRINAGAR: A Bandipora resident on way from Qatar has been arrested by Jammu and Kashmir Police in New Delhi. “

"Bandipora Police arrested one Irshad Ahmad Khan S/o M Ayoub Khan R/o Panjigam Bandipora while coming back from Qatar to New Delhi”, Jammu and Kashmir Police said in a tweet, as per GNS.

"A look out notice had earlier been issued against him. He is involved in FIR No. 165/2022 U/s 420/IPC PS Bandipora”, concludes the tweet. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Monday said to have arrested a group of youths alleged of harrassing and attacking a family on road in central Kashmir's Srinagar district. 

Taking to microblogging site Twitter, District Police Srinagar wrote; "...Police took cognisance of a video wherein a group of youths on bikes are seen harassing & attacking a family on road. Midnight raids were conducted by teams led by SDPO West & SHO Parimpora."

"All 9 accused are arrested & 4 Bikes seized. FIR registered in Parimpora PS", the tweet reads further. (GNS)