SRINAGAR; A major of the Indian army died in a accident Monday while on a operation against insurgents in South Kashmir's Islamabad district, a defence spokesman said.

According to the defence spokesman, a unit of Rashtriya Rifles had launched a cordon and search operation in Panchalthan (Chaugam) village of Islamabad, during which Maj.Rahul Singh sustained a fatal head injury due to 10-15 metre fall caused by extreme slippery terrain due to the inclement weather.

"The accident happened at 11 a.m. when Maj. Rahul Singh, braving the extremely inclement weather, led his troops as part of the operation.

"On reaching Panchalthan, the officer, due to extreme slippery ground conditions caused due to almost 48 hours of continuous rains, slipped and lost his balance. He fell 10-15 meters down in a ridge which resulted in a head injury leading to his death," the spokesman added.

The officer had been in service for nine years. (IANS)

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KUPWARA; Two policemen including an officer were injured in a fierce gunfight that broke out between armed fighters and government forces in north Kashmir's Kupwara district late Monday evening.

Official sources said that acting on a specific information about the presence of insurgents, army's 19 Marathas and Special Operation Group (SOG) of police cordoned off the whole area of Zunreshi village of Chowkibal around 07:20 PM.

The joint team intensified the searches in the area and the armed fighters beleived to be two in number opened heavy fire upon the forces, sources said.

They said that the fire was retailated ensuing a fierce gunfight."During the gunfight two policemen including an Assistant Sub-Inspector of Special Operation Group of Police sustained bullet injuries".

Both the injured were immediately shifted to army's Drugmulla hospital for treatment, sources said. The encounter was still going on when reports last came in.

BANDIPORA; A teenage boy was killed while two others received injuries during protests against government forces in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district on Friday.


Scores of youth took to streets after Friday congregation and started pelting stones upon the personals of 18th Battalion of  Indian Reserve Police (IRP) in Naidkhai area of the district.


In retaliation, the forces resorted to teargas shelling to disperse the protesters, reports added.

Later in the evening, the situation took an ugly turn when forces opened fire at Naidkhai Bazar resulting injuries to three persons.

The injured were rushed to Pattan hospital where a youth identified as Farhat Ahmad Dar, 18, son of Ghulam Rasool Dar R.O: Shahgund Sonawari, succumbed to his injuries. He received a bullet in his heart, doctors at Pattan hospital said.

As the news about the killing of a local youth spread in the area, hundreds of people including men, women and children took to streets and staged massive anti-India protests.

UPDATE at 7:45 PM: Reports suggest that heavy stone pelting is going in Palhalan.

UPDATE at 7:56 PM: Kashmir Police chief Abdul Gani Mir confirmed the casualty.

UPDATE at 08:10 PM: Police statement reads, "Today in evening hours an unruly mob in Naidkhai Sumbal attacked a security personnel vehicle and tried to set it ablaze. Security personnel boarding in the vehicle fired in air to disperse the mob in which one person got injured."

UPDATE at 08:40 PM: District’s Deputy Commissioner, Shah Faisal, has ordered an inquiry into the killing.

SRINAGAR; An unidentified militant was killed Monday in an encounter with CRPF troopers in Tral town of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

Official sources told a local news gathering agency GNS that unknown militants opened heavy gunfire over a patrolling party of CRPF 185 battalion near the bus stand Tral in Awantipora area of the district. In the retaliatory fire, an unknown militant was killed.

Dead body of unidentified militant killed in Tral

Two more militants while taking the advantage of darkness managed to escape from the site, he said.
“One militant has been killed in the ongoing gunfight. Searches have been launched in the area,” a CRPF spokesman Kishore Prassad said.

However, official sources told GNS that police didn’t recover any arms or ammunition when it reached the spot. (GNS)

PULWAMA; Unidentified gunmen shot dead an 85-year-old man, Ghulam Mohammad Dar, when he was returning home on Saturday night after performing prayers at a mosque at Dogripora, in the vicinity of the garrison township of Awantipora, in southern Kashmir.

Ghulam Mohammad Dar, killed by Unidentified gunmen

DIG Vijay Kumar told that the unidentified assailant fired a single shot at Mr. Dar’s head from a pistol. He died on the spot.

Mr. Dar’s son Shaban is currently a Peoples Democratic Party activist and Sarpanch in his area.

SRINAGAR; Over two decades of insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir killed at least 5,300 Indian troopers, according to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

“As many as 3,906 security personnel, including Army, CRPF, BSF and other paramilitary personnel and excluding policemen, have been killed in the State after militancy erupted in 1989,” Omar Abdullah, who also heads the Home Department told the J&K Legislative Assembly in the winter capital, while replying to a motion on grants under his departments.

Abdullah said 119 security personnel were killed in militancy-related incidents in 1990. “As many as 141 security personnel died in militant attacks and encounters in the State in 1991. In 1992, 158 Army and paramilitary personnel were killed,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that with the passage of time there has been a decline in the killings of security forces. “The killings of security personnel dropped to 49 in 2010. In 2011, 18 security personnel were killed. The figure stood at nine in 2012 and 32 in 2013,” he said and added that 942 policemen were killed in militancy-related incidents in the State since 1989.

Pertinently, last year one of the biggest attack was carried on an Amry convey in Nowgam area of Srinagar, in which 18 troopers were killed, although the official records show only 8.

According to the various organizations more than one lac people have been killed in the restive region since the insurgency broke out. Out of the dead, more than 60,000 people were civilians. 

PULWAMA: A Lashkar-e-Toiba militant was killed in an encounter at Awantipora in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district late Tuesday evening.

Official sources told a local news gathering agency that at around 6:50 p.m militants attacked troops of 55 RR near Railway track in Beighpora Awantipora. The militants later tried to escape; however, they were intercepted with the help of additional reinforcement of 42 RR and SOG in the area.
The joint team of forces came under heavy fire triggering a brief gunfight.

As the intense searches were later carried by the joint team of forces resulting in recovering a body which was lying in the area, sources said, adding that the body was recovered along with arms and ammunitions. “The body was later handed over to the police concerned for further necessary actions”.

Army’s Srinagar based defence spokesman told that acting on intelligence inputs about the presence of some militants in the area; army’s 55 RR launched a cordon to eliminate the militant group.

“As the troops intensified the combing operation, the militants fired indiscriminate fire which was retaliated ensuing a gunfight resulting in death of a militant”, the spokesman said.

A senior police official told that a body has been recovered along with an AK-56 rifle, 60 rounds 04 magazines and a cell phone without sim card. “The identity of the slain is yet to be ascertained.

Unofficial sources suggest, that the militant belongs to Hizbul Mujahideen and has been identified as Waseem Yousuf Dar of Dogripora Awantipora.

The slain militant was laid to rest at his native village while thousands of people offered his funeral prayers.

“Two more militants while taking advantage of darkness managed to escape from the spot”, the official added.(GNS)

NEWS DESK : A report prepared by a human rights group Wednesday revealed that 48 civilians were killed in Indian administered Kashmir in 2013, a majority of them by government forces who have been often blamed for human rights violations.

“Out of the total 48 civilian killings 26 have been directly killed by Indian armed forces (CRPF, BSF, Army, Police and VDC) while as allegedly unidentified gunmen have killed 9 persons,” the report prepared by Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society stated.

The survey based on newspaper reports and individual verifications revealed that separatist militants killed five civilians while an equal number were killed in cross-firing and three others died after fiddling with explosives.

“As usual so far none of the accused armed forces personnel have been held accountable for these killings and like always government claimed that ‘law will take its course and the guilty will not be spared’, but on ground no trials have taken place and armed forces refuse to cooperate with the police investigations,” the coalition said. (AM)

The dead body of Reyaz Ahmad Ahanger S/O Bashir Ahmad Ahanger (28) reached to his home in Khunmoh Srinagar early this morning. Ahanger was laid to rest amid pro-freedom slogans.

While as the driver of the truck driver Muhammad Altaf from Srinagar was taken into Police custody yesterday evening.

As per police reports, Rebels forcibly used this truck to escape from Hiranagar area after they stormed Police Station.

SRINAGAR; 26, Sep 2013: Indian Army on Thursday claimed to have killed 10-12 rebels after foiling a major infiltration attempt near Shalbhutu in Trehgam sector of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district while as fresh encounter rages at Jama Gund area in Keran Sector of the same district.

While talking to media persons today at Badam Bagh Cantonment here, 15 Corps Commander, Lt Gen Gurmeet Singh said that 10-12 rebels were killed near LoC in Shalbhutu area of North Kashmir after over 30 rebels in camouflage tried to infiltrate into this side at multiple points on Sep 24.

However, alert troops challenged them, resulting in a massive gunfight which is still continuing. He, however said, we are not in a position to retrieve the bodies of the killed rebels, “as rebels on the other side are challenging by firing intermittently”. “At least 30 rebels are in the area engaging the troops near LoC,” he added.

GOC said that militant groups from across the LoC are desperate to infiltrate into the Kashmir Valley before the mountain passes get closed this winter. He claimed the number of infiltration attempts is rising as compared to previous year. “Attempts are still being made to send more rebels into this side.”

“Though the number of infiltration (attempts) has gone up this year but we have not lowered guard,” he said, adding the troops are still on high alert to foil any such attempt.

Lt Gurmit said we have excellent intelligence network in place to take on challenges concerning us as there is excellent synergy between intelligence agencies and security forces but “the present security situation is under control,” he said.

“The security threat is there. We had already received inputs there are training camps on the launching pads which are active and ready to infiltrate. We have effective intelligence in place as we have grid support from the intelligence and security forces and they are doing good job,” Gurmit added.

He said that most rebels who have attempted to infiltrate belong to Jiash-e- Muhammad (JeM), Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Al-Badar outfits. “A thorough search operation is going on in the area with the help of reinforcement.”
Sources told GNS that about 14 to 16 rebels managed to sneak into this side of Keran Sector four days ago.
Defence sources said that following the infiltration attempt, the vigil along the LoC has been intensified and combing operations have been started. “Forces have increased vigil along the LoC as intelligence reports suggest that groups of rebels are waiting to infiltrate into the Kashmir Valley.”

They said the froces are carrying out combing and search operations through the dense forests in Keran, Macchil, Handwara, Kupwara and Gurez sectors of the Valley which have emerged as favored infiltration routes for rebels over the past couple of years.

Meanwhile, Sources told GNS that 6 to 7 rebels who recently infiltrated engaged with troops of 23 Grenadier at Jumgund area near Balbir post in Keran Sector today afternoon.

Heavy exchange of fire was going on in the area when this report was filed. (GNS)

BARAMULLA; 24, Sep 2013: Unknown gunmen have shot dead a civilian in Sopore town in Baramulla district.

Police say two gunmen entered the house of Muhammad Iqbal Khan in village Cherihar on Tuesday evening and fired their guns at him. He died instantly.

More details are not immediately available. Police said the deceased was a labourer by profession

A police spokesman said the gunfight took place in orchards in Goshbigh village near Pattan town.

Indian Defence Spokesman, Naresh Vig, told that the firing started at 7: 30 pm on Tuesday evening and lasted for brief period of twenty minutes.

“There has been a lull after that,” he said.

Vig added that the operation was carried out jointly by 27 Rashtriya Rifles unit of the Army and Special Operations Group of the police

Eye witnesses told, CRPF troopers opened unprovoked firing on the road leading towards Shopian, killing 3 and injuring 2. Among the injured one more succumbed to his injuries.

Meanwhile Chairman of Huriyat (G) Syed Ali Shah Geelani had called for complete shut-down tomorrow.

However Police claimed that they have killed 4 rebels who tried to attack on Police station.

KUPWARA; 01, Aug 2013: Four warriors were martyred by Occupying forces in a three-day long encounter along the Line of Control (LoC) in Handwara area of north Kashmir.

"Four militants have been killed along the LoC in Hafruda forest area in the operation which was launched on Tuesday," the Indian Army official said.

Two Indian troopers were also injured in the operation, he said, adding that further details are awaited.

A group of rebels tried to enter into Kashmir Valley from across the LoC in the wee hours of Tuesday, but Indian army used heavy mortar shelling on them

With this, the number of warriors martyred in encounters in Kupwara District during past four days reached to 9.

SRINAGAR; 30, July 2013: A man, critically injured in a violent protest against the recent Gool Massacre in which 4 persons were martyred in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir, succumbed at a hospital here today, officials said.

Ravi Kant Sharma (38), a resident of Rajouri district of Jammu region, was injured at Awantipora, 32 kms from here, on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway on July 19, the officials said.

They said Sharma, who was on a holiday in Kashmir, was returning home when he was hit by a stone on the head during protests against the killing of four persons by Indian security forces in Ramban district the day before.

Sharma was admitted to SKIMS hospital where he breathed his last this morning, the officials added.

BARAMULLA; 28, July 2013: A special police officer (SPO) was killed on Sunday morning when unknown persons attacked him at Chankhan, Sopore in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Official sources told that SPO, Mudasir Ahmad Dar of Unto Hamam, Chankhan, Sopore was injured critically after unknown persons fired upon him around 9:50 this morning outside his residence.

Dar was immediately rushed to near by hospital where doctors declared him brought dead, they said.

Police has registered a case in this regard and starts further investigations.

RAMBAN; 18,July 2013: At least six persons was martyred and more than 60 civilians were injured when Indian Border Security Forces (BSF) personnel of 72 Bn opened firing on a protesting mob in Dadam village of Gole Tehsil, district Ramban, early Thursday.

According to reports the BSF personnel of a local camp opened firing Thursday morning to disperse a huge procession which was taken out to protest against an alleged sacrilege issue and beating of a local religious person, Qari Shabir Wednesday late evening.

 A large number of people had gathered in Dadam, today to protest against the alleged issue of sacrilege and beating of Qari. The people started marching towards a local BSF camp alleging that the BSF men were involved in the last evening incident.