Amid Clashes, Ultra flees from encounter site in Palhalan

An anti-militancy operation sparked intense clashes in Palhalan village of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district that left at least four people, including a police officer, injured. A heavy contingent of the Army, CRPF and Special Operations Group of the J&K Police launched a cordon and search operation (CASO) in Tantaraypora, Palhalan, some 30 km from Srinagar, in the wee hours following a tip-off about the presence of a local militant in the area. A police spokesman in Srinagar said while the cordon was being established and civilians being evacuated from the…

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One-way traffic restored on Jammu-Srinagar highway

The strategic Jammu-Srinagar national highway that had remained closed for the last four days, was restored for one-way traffic on Friday. “Traffic will move from Jammu to Srinagar. No vehicle will be allowed in the opposite direction,” a traffic official said. The highway had remained closed due to multiple landslides in Udhampur and Ramban districts stranding thousands of passengers on both sides. Over 2,000 vehicles were stuck at various places on the highway during this period.

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LeT, Jaish want Syed Salahuddin to quit as Hizb losing influence in Kashmir

Pakistan’s ISI is reportedly under tremendous pressure from the LeT and JeM to remove Syed Salahuddin as the head of United Jihad Council, the intelligence agencies claim. Pakistan-based Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) chief Syed Salahuddin is reportedly under tremendous pressure from Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) to quit, according to an assessment by the intelligence agencies. According to inputs gathered by intelligence agencies, the growing pressure on Salahuddin to quit is indicative of deepening rivalries in the ranks of Pakistan-based jihadi outfits that target India. Apparently, with the backing from Pakistan’s…

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Security issues dominate session, Only 16% questions related to people’s problems taken up

Debates on developmental issues were overshadowed by ‘disruptions’ on the security scenario in the just-concluded Budget session of the Legislative Assembly as only 16 per cent of the total questions relating to people’s issues were taken up for discussion during the sittings. The situation can be gauged from the fact that 1,165 questions, 631 starred and 534 un-starred, were listed for discussion but only 187 were taken up during the session. The issues, like deteriorating law and order situation, unabated killings on the border, alleged human rights violations and nationalism…

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National Highway reopens for stranded vehicles after 4 days

The Jammu-Srinagar national highway was today reopened after four days to clear the stranded vehicles, an official said. The road was shut due to landslides caused by heavy rain and snowfall. “The highway has been restored only for the stranded vehicles. The vehicles from Jammu will not be allowed to proceed towards Srinagar at the moment,” a senior Traffic Department officer said. The arterial road, which was closed on Monday, was briefly reopened for traffic on Tuesday but had to be closed again due to landslides. The highway — the…

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Western Disturbance still active in Kashmir, day remain cold, min temp above normal

The Western Disturbance (WD) was still active which could result in isolated rain or snow in the Kashmir valley, where day remained cold due to icy cold winds and overcast sky though the minimum temperature was above normal, barring Gulmarg. There was major improvement in the night temperature at Leh while Kargil witnessed further drop and settled at minus 11, coldest in the region. Light rain or snow would occur at isolated places during the next 24 hours in Jammu and Kashmir, a Met department spokesman said here Thursday afternoon.…

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Gunfight breaks out in Palhallan; Internet shut in Baramulla

Gunfight broke out between militants and government forces in Palhallan area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Friday. Reports said that forces launched a cordon-and-search-operation in Tantray Mohalla area on Thursday evening after inputs about the presence of militants. They said that militants opened fire on the forces during the searches around 5 am today, triggering a gunfight. There was no immediate report of any casualties on the either side. Meanwhile, authorities have suspended mobile Internet service in Baramulla district “as a precautionary measure”. An official said that all the…

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27 Years on, Police yet to translate 1991 Khanyar Massacre FIR into English

Despite passing of 27 years after 28 people were killed in firing by government forces at Khanyar here in Downtown, police is yet to translate the case file into English. Officials said this has delayed accord of sanction by government for prosecution of the accused forces. On 8 May, 1991, forced had opened fire on a procession carrying bodies of civilians killed in Dachigam and Saida Kadal. In the incident, 28 civilians were killed and 52 were injured. In 2013, a petition was filed by chairperson International Forum for Justice…

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Guards without Guns; Army hadn’t issued weapons to Deva: Family

Manzoor Ahmad Deva, 32, who was working with the Army as a Lance Naik, and killed like a sitting duck during the attack on Sunjwan Army camp, had not been issued weapons while no Army personnel guarded the family quarters he was staying in. Talking to Kashmir Post, his wife Afrooza Begum said her husband did not have weapons to respond and the family was sleeping when the gunmen opened first fire. “Then they started knocking at our doors and were successful in breaking into our room, and killed my…

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Rare Srinagar attack signals ultras ability to strike at will

In the wee hours on Monday when the Kashmir valley was getting blanketed by the first snow, two fidayeen tried to sneak into a paramilitary camp in Srinagar’s commercial neighbourhood, marking the beginning of a rare gunfight deep inside the state’s heavily guarded summer capital. Even as an alert paramilitary sentry repelled their attempt to sneak into the battalion base, the militants barricaded themselves in a nearby five-storeyed building leading to a lengthy gunfight that continued overnight and ended on Tuesday afternoon. The Monday fidayeen assault in Srinagar was the…

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