SRINAGAR: A livestock-laden truck rolled down a gorge near Domail in Udhampur district resulting in fatality to all seventy goats and sheep, officials said.
Officials said that a truck bearing registration number HP63 E4737B driven by one Sansar Singh, son of Jarnail Singh on way from Manwal side towards Srinagar turned turtle and rolled down a gorge in Roun Domail, resulting in on spot fatality of the whole livestock.
Pertinent to mention that JK administration had issued trucks for the transportation of livestock and families of migratory tribal populations who otherwise would foot the distance along with their livestock from the upper reaches to the plains or vice-versa.
Additional SP Udhampur Anwar ul Haq has in the meantime also confirmed about the incident. (GNS)
SRINAGAR: Police in Kashmir have thwarted a major militant attack plot by arresting a militant associate of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) who was working as a driver in a five-star hotel.
Farooq Ahmad Wani, son of Abdul Rashid Wani, was arrested from the hotel where he worked in Baramulla district last week. During the interrogation, police discovered that Wani was in contact with his handlers in Pakistan and had sent pictures and other details of some of the 5-star hotels in Kashmir where high-profile guests, including Union Ministers, top leaders, and senior officials stay.
The arrest comes ahead of the G20 group meeting in Srinagar from May 22 to May 24. The security has been tightened around the hotels in Srinagar and other places as there is a serious input about a possible militant strike in Kashmir. The police recovered a grenade from Wani’s possession, and he is being questioned, providing leads to the authorities.
The security review meeting in Srinagar was conducted by the Additional Director General of Police Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, focusing on the emerging threat of Vehicle-Based Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIEDs) and other potential modes of militant attacks, including Fidayeen.
The presence of a militant in a 5-star hotel and the audacious attack in Poonch last month on Army has led to elite Marine Commandos (MARCOS) and National Security Guards (NGS) being placed for the security of the G20 Group meeting in Srinagar. The official clarified that the hotel management had no knowledge of Wani’s militant links, and he had developed links several months after working in the hotel.
SRINAGAR: Amid forecast for generally cloudy weather with possibility of rains at several places during next 24 hours, night temperature recorded a drop and settled below normal at most places in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, officials said.
Quoting a meteorological department official, GNS reportedthat there was possibility of a brief spell of rain and thunderstorm particularly in Kupwara, Poonch, Rajouri and Baramulla today.
On May 5, he said, the weather was likely to be fair to partly cloudy. “Brief spell of rain/thunderstorm can’t be ruled out towards late afternoon/evening”.
From May 6-8, he said, there was likelihood of rain at “many places.”
The weather department has urged tourists to keep warm clothes ready. “Weather is going to be cold till May 8th.”
The department also urged farmers to avoid spraying of apple trees and harvesting of crops (in Jammu region) during May 6-8 as chances of rain were high.
Regarding temperature, he said, Srinagar recorded a low of 10.3°C against 10.4°C on the previous night and it was 0.6°C above normal for the summer capital
Qazigund, he said, recorded a low of 7.2°C against 8.8°C on the previous night and it was below normal by 1.3°C for the gateway town of Kashmir.
Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of 2.0°C against 5.2°C on previous night and it was 2.9°C above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Kokernag recorded a low of 6.7°C against 7.4°C on the previous night and it was 1.2°C above normal for the place, the officials said.
Gulmarg recorded a low of 3.8°C against 3.5°C on previous night and it was 0.5°C below normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, he said.
In Kupwara town, he said, the mercury settled at 9.6°C against 8.7°C on the previous night and it was 1.2°C below normal for the north Kashmir area.
Jammu recorded a low of 17.6°C against 18.8°C on the previous night and it was 5.0°C below normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said.
Banihal recorded a low of 7.3°C (below normal by 2.8°C), Batote 8.1°C (4.4°C below normal), Katra 13.1°C (6.1°C below normal) and Bhaderwah 6.4°C (below normal by 2.8°C). Ladakh’s Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 1.5°C and 2.8°C respectively, he added.
Drug abuse is already an epidemic. Earlier the drug abusers used to die silent death by overdose. Now, the resource-deficit addicts have started turning against their own relations, reports Raashid Andrabi
With the hospitals getting an unprecedented number of addicts, some with overdose, a new pandemic is in progress in Kashmir. KL Illustraition: Malik Kaisar
That the instant and unexplained deaths of young men could be the outcome of a drug overdose is the old story. The new story is more tragic. Desperate to have drugs and the means to manage the costs can push the addicts to kill their own family members, even the closest relations.
Kashmir has actually landed into a state of fear and disbelief, as a series of heinous crimes rocked the Vale. In a spate of horrific incidents, family members turned on each other. The tragedy is that a son was held responsible for killing his mother.
Data that the government has put in the public domain suggest nearly 10 lakh people in Jammu and Kashmir are victims of drug abuse. Cannabis addiction affects at least 1.44 lakh drug abusers, while opioid addiction is prevalent among 5.34 lakh men and 8,000 women, and sedative addiction among 1.6 lakh men and 8,000 women. Experts believe that these figures could be much lower than the actual numbers, as many drug users are hesitant to seek medical care or open up about their addiction due to fear of social ostracism.
Despite efforts to combat the epidemic, the problem seems to be getting worse. In 2022, a report by the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre of AIIMS estimated the total number of drug abusers in Jammu and Kashmir at over 6 lakh, placing the erstwhile State fifth in the country among all States and Union Territories. Another study, conducted in December 2022, ranked Kashmir second among the States and Union Territories in the country for drug abuse, ahead of Punjab.
The impact of drug addiction is evident across the region, with reports of violence, crime, and broken families. The recent spate of homicides has only served to highlight the devastating consequences of this epidemic. Families are torn apart, and communities are left in fear and disbelief, as the people of Kashmir struggle to come to terms with the reality of the situation.
Ashmuqam Murders
The air was thick with tension as the news of the heinous crime spread like wildfire through the narrow alleys of Anantnag. Javaid Ahmad Rather, a successful baker, had committed an unforgivable act of violence against his own family and neighbours.
Ashmuqam: The shrine area.
On a chilly Friday morning in December 2022, the small town of Ashmuqam was abuzz with rumours of an incident involving one of its residents. Rather, a man known for his excessive drinking and drug use had apparently lost his sanity under the influence of a faith healer. The news quickly spread like wildfire, and people started to speculate about what could have possibly driven him to such madness.
Some claimed that the faith healer had given him powerful drugs, while others believed that he had cast a spell on him.
Rather’s father vehemently denied these accusations, insisting that his son was not a drug addict or a drunkard. He spoke of Rather’s success as a businessman, with three traditional bakery shops in Pahalgam that were managed by ten people. However, there was no denying the horror of what had occurred.
Rather’s father had just returned from Pahalgam, where he had gone to bring his son back home. Rather’s father claimed that the faith healer had asked them to sacrifice a sheep, but he did not know what had made his son lose control.
It started with Rather hitting his father on the head, sending him reeling to the ground. Rather then took his mother, Hafiza Begum, on the pretext of visiting a shrine. But instead of seeking blessings, he attacked her with a cane, causing her to die on the spot. The blood-curdling screams of Rather’s mother echoed through the quiet streets, alerting the neighbours who rushed to help.
But the horror had only just begun. Rather, now completely out of control, began targeting everyone in the area. Mohammad Amin Shah and Ghulam Nabi Khadim, two of Rather’s neighbours, were caught in his path of destruction and were brutally killed.
As the town’s gossip mill went into overdrive, the local police were called in to investigate the incident. They managed to apprehend Rather, but not before he had injured six other people. Shockingly, it was later revealed that Rather had been detained by the police just a day before the incident when he was seen roaming naked in the market carrying a bottle of liquor.
A Mother’s Murder
Anantnag’s Kehribal village was plunged into darkness when a shocking incident came to light. In what can only be described as a heinous crime, a 45-year-old woman named Razia Akther was brutally murdered by her own son and his accomplice, all for the sake of money. The victim Razia was hit on the head with a stone by her own son, Aaqib, and his accomplice Adil. The duo had allegedly hatched a conspiracy to steal money from Razia, but it ended up in a brutal murder.
The initial incident was thought to be an accidental fall from a concrete slab, but police investigations revealed that it was indeed a murder.
On October 21, details revealed police recovered the body of Razia and rushed her to GMC Anantnag for treatment, but the doctors declared her brought dead. The prolonged matrimonial dispute and various allegations and counter-allegations in societal circles made the police suspect foul play. They initiated proceedings under section 174 CRPC and took the body into possession for medico-legal formalities.
In a quick follow-up to the murder, it was Aqib, the son, holding the microphone and telling on camera the details of how his grandparents actually killed his mother. With emotional outbursts, he had successfully managed to hoodwink society.
As the cops started investigating the case, the cat was out of the bag. Police found Aqib and Adil responsible for the murder. They had hatched a criminal conspiracy to snatch money from the deceased. As she refused to yield, Aqib smashed his mother and punched her. Later, they tried to portray the murder as an accidental death and even created a fake crime scene.
Both accused fled away from the spot along with the snatched money. They even got the victim admitted to the hospital with the assistance of other family members. However, during further investigation, a disclosure memo was prepared, and the weapon of offence was recovered. An FIR has been registered under relevant sections of IPC.
The Sopore Shocker
The Sopore town was jolted by a horrific incident on a chilly March morning.
On March 30, Showkat Ahmad Ganai, a 32-year-old resident of Dangerpora village in Sopore, reportedly strangled his 70-year-old mother, Aisha Begum. A son, consumed by the dark grip of drug addiction, committed the ultimate betrayal by snuffing out the life of his own mother. The community is reeling from the shock of yet another senseless murder, which has left many questioning the corrosive impact of drugs on society and the lengths to which addiction can drive a person to commit the most heinous of crimes.
Sopore: An aerial view. It is the bridge that connects the two parts of Sopore. Image: Junaid Bhat
Speaking to the media, Showkat’s devastated sister said the family had always tried to steer Showkat away from his wrongdoings and get him on the right track. They had even scolded him when he was heading in the wrong direction, but in recent times, he had turned his life around, working hard and earning a good livelihood.
Showkat’s sister is still in disbelief about what could have happened to him and that he would resort to killing his own mother. She said that her brother had been very humble towards everyone around him, and everything seemed to be going fine until this incident occurred.
The killer’s sister is also grappling with the shock and cannot come to terms with what has happened. She expressed her wish that the police should catch Showkat and bring him to face justice. She went on to say that she wants to see him hanged in front of her, as that is the only justice that she can think of.
Larger Impact
With drug abuse as rampant as an epidemic, according to the police, a lot of crimes could be attributed to the addicts, who are always cash-starved. With some of them turning towards their family members, there is a possibility that they can kill others too.
While the authorities have been taking action against the suppliers – mostly the retailers, and making arrests on a daily basis, there is a requirement for snapping the supply chain. Officials have been consistently saying that the supplies are sourced from across the Line of Control (LoC) and various gangs including members of the security grid, have been arrested. However, the drug bazaar is still making a lot of money and on a daily basis; hundreds of families are getting devastated. Can Kashmir’s efficient security grid trace and squeeze the tracks that keep the drug supplies on?
(Photographs used in this report are representational and not linked, directly or indirectly, to the incidents mentioned in the report.)
SRINAGAR: The National Investigating Agency (NIA) on Thursday morning carried out raids at several locations across Jammu & Kashmir in connection with an ongoing probe in a terror funding case.
Quoting officials, KNO reported that the National Investigating Agency (NIA) conducted raids at several places across the Jammu and Kashmir.
The raids are being carried at 11 locations in Baramulla and five in Kishtwar.
The houses of persons affiliated with proscribed Jamaat- e-Islamia and those involved in militancy are being searched, they said.
Meanwhile, raids were going on when this story was filed.
SRINAGAR: Two persons were killed and five others were injured when fire engulfed a hotel in Sanasar area of Ramban on Thursday morning, officials said.
District Magistrate Ramban has ordered a magisterial probe into the matter.
Fire broke out at in Hotel Maa Shanti in Sanasar tourist resort in the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday. In the incident, two people lost their lives while five people were evacuated in injured condition, the officials said
Officials said that a fire fighting operation was launched after the incident.
Meanwhile, District Magistrate Ramban has ordered an inquiry into the incident with Additional District Magistrate (Additional Deputy Commissioner Ramban) as its head.
Tehsildar Batote as well as Assistant Director Fire and Emergency Services Ramban will assist the inquiry officer, District Magistrate said—(KNO)
SRINAGAR:Two militants of Lashkar-i-Toiba oufit were killed in an encounter with security forces at Kreeri area of Pattan in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Thursday.
Additional Director General of Police Kashmir Vijay Kumar said that two LeT militans were killed in a predawn gunfight at Kreeri.
Both have been identified as Shakir Majid Najar & Hanan Ahmad Seh from Shopian district. Both joined militancy in the month of March 2023. Further Investigation going on, the top cop said.
From their possession, one AK-47 Rifle and a pistol were recovered. (GNS)
SRINAGAR: Two militants were killed in a gunfight that broke out between militants and counter insurgent forces in Kreeri area of Pattan in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Thrusday morning, police said.
The encounter started after a joint team of Police, Army and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation in Kreeri.
As the joint team of forces approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon the forces, triggering off a gunfight.
Kashmir Zone Police in a tweet said that two militants were killed in the ongoing encounter, however identity of the slain militants is yet to be ascertained.
SRINAGAR: A Srinagar Court has sent a young lady to six days police remand. She was arrested after she stabbed and injured her fiancé on Tuesday.
“Asifa Bashir, who stabbed her fiancé, Adil Ahmad Kaloo of Bemina, in the Chattabal area of Srinagar yesterday and is presently lodged in women’s police station, Rambagh under IPC 307 and 323 with FIR No 57/2023 in Safakadal PS, has been put on six-day remand by the court for further investigations,” said a police officer.
The stabbing shocked Kashmir as this is perhaps the first case in which a young lady stabbed her fiancé.
The family of the victim claimed their son received a call from Asifa Bashir who is his fiancé and he went to meet her. “She sought lift from him and he went to drop her. Asifa got a call and he inquired about the caller. The argument between them turned ugly when the woman stabbed him in his abdomen,” said family
Family sources said the nikkah of the two was outcome of the love affair. The nikkah has already taken place.
There was also a viral video on social media showing an injured Adil seeking help after the attack with blood seeping from his lower abdomen. Passers-by assisted him in transporting the man to the SMHS hospital, where his condition is said to be stable.
The lady, who is being projected as ‘social media influencer’ has been running a social media page. Her page indicates that she has interviewed a number of Kashmir politicians and bureaucrats. She also claims to have earned the Maharashtra National Women Achievers Award. A photograph in circulation shows she being honoured.
One of the relatives of the victim told local news gatherer KNT that the accused was always carrying a ‘mike-logo’ with her and was running a FB page named: ‘Kashmir Dastan News Network’.
Last month, Asifa Bashir made headlines when she claimed that the proprietor of a pet store was responsible for the death of her pet.
The proprietor of the pet store, Abrar Baba, has filed a defamation case against her. “I have filed a defamation lawsuit against her. Later, few people pestered me to drop this case, but I was steadfast in my decision. My store has been closed for more than a month now,” Abrar said.
On October 21, details revealed police recovered the body of Razia and rushed her to GMC Anantnag for treatment, but the doctors declared her brought dead. The prolonged matrimonial dispute and various allegations and counter-allegations in societal circles made the police suspect foul play. They initiated proceedings under section 174 CRPC and took the body into possession for medico-legal formalities.
