Poonch, Apr 9: An intruder was killed and two others were apprehended as army said to have foiled an infiltration bid on intervening Saturday and Sunday night along Line of Control in Poonch district.
“On 08 April 2023 at approx 2215 hours, own alert troops deployed on the Line of Control in the Poonch Sector observed a suspicious movement of a group (three individuals) close to the Line of Control and at around midnight the group, crossed the Line of Control and started infiltrating on to own side”, a spokesperson of defence ministry based in Jammu said in a statement to GNS.
“Own alert troops kept the movement of the infiltrating group under continuous observation and approximately at 0200 hours as the group approached the fence, the alert Indian Army troops deployed on the fence challenged the infiltrators”, the statement reads.
“The intruders started to run away, were engaged by fire, in which one intruder was shot dead, while the other two managed to run into the jungle taking advantage of the thick foliage and rocky outcrop. The area was immediately cordoned to prevent their escape across the Line of Control.”
The search operation, as per the statement, was launched at first light wherein the dead body of one intruder was recovered at the encounter site. “As the search progressed in the jungle, one intruder was apprehended alive in wounded condition. In the subsequent search the third intruder was also apprehended alive.”
“In the search operation so far three bags with fourteen packets of Narcotics weighing approx 17 kgs, Pakistan currency, some documents, and eatables have been recovered.”
“During preliminary questioning the two intruders who have been apprehended alive, have claimed that they (all three) are residents of Pakistan Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (POJK) and belong to Maidan Mohalla, village Chanjal”, reads the statement.
“Indian Army troops have by their quick action thus prevented a major infiltration bid of a narco-terror group which had the potential of disturbing the peace in Poonch & Rajouri Districts through its nefarious designs”, reads the statement adding the Indian Army continues to remain alert on the Line of Control and is fully prepared to thwart any such attempts in the future too. (GNS)
SRINAGAR: An infiltrator was killed as the army on Sunday claimed to have foiled a major infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Poonch sector.
“On the intervening night of 8/9 April 2023, alert troops of Indian Army on the LoC in the Poonch Sector(JK), detected some suspicious movement of a group of individuals,” a spokesperson of defence ministry based in Jammu said in a statement .
“The individuals were challenged by Army on own side of LoC, close to the fence,” he said, adding, “On being intercepted, in the ensuing operations, one dead body has been seen and the other intruders ran into the forest area.”
He said a cordon of the area has been established and search operation is in progress. “Update will follow,” he added. (GNS)
On two sides of the Pir Panchal mountains in Budgam live a community that shares ethos, language and heritage. For centuries, they have been marrying their wards and reaching each other by foot using the same route that traders and conquerors used in early medieval Kashmir. Now, they want a 10-km road that will end their centuries of crisis, reports Abul Aala Bukhari
Dumdum The lost watchtower of Tosamaidan. Till last century several such watch towers were seen and most of them are either in ruins or disappeared.
Raja Begum was born in Loran’s Barichaid belt, which is nestled in the Poonch peaks in the Pir Panchal range. Now in her old age, she is settled and married in Budgam’s Drung area for many decades. Interestingly, her son and daughter are both married in Loran.
The two villages inhabit the foothills of the same mountain range on two sides and the residents trek the distance within hours. Throughout history, they have been together in every crisis, a relationship that they have retained even today.
= The erstwhile Poonch principality, now a district, is a huge mountain territory. It literally surrounds most of Kashmir and is accessible from Uri, Tangmarg Budgam and Shopian.
Writing in 1897, De Bourbel detailed various treks that people could use in reaching Kashmir from Poonch. One was Poonch Baramulla through the 9135-ft Gajjan Pass, which was challenging and passed through Bitarh and Sakarala valleys and camps at Kahuta, Palan, Hillun, Gujan, Gaggerhil, and Bhunniar.
From Poonch, Gulmarg is accessible through Nilkant Pass, which almost takes the same trek but moves away from Hillun towards Dangar Allan, Pharpat Marg and then to Gulmarg.
Parallel to this trek, runs another route that connects Srinagar with Ferozpur Pass. It takes off from Mandi (Koondah) , moves to Gurgi Upper, reaches Banabali Nag, and then to Magam via Gerozpur pass. From Gurgi Lower, another route takes off for Srinagar that touches Shinamani, Dunwas, Aripanthan, Soibug and Srinagar.
The closest to Srinagar continues to be the Tosa Maidan access. This trek used to take off from Mandi in Poonch, cross Sultan Patri and land in Tosa Maidan. Running parallel to it is another trek that passes through Doodh Pathri.
There are two formal roads between the two areas – one through Uri, which is defunct because Haji Pir pass is inaccessible to the two sides, and the Mughal Road, which is operational for many years now. Laid in the early forties, the 46 km road connecting Uri with Poonch through the strategic 9000-feet Haji Pir Pass was operational till late 1947 and later for a few months after the 1965 war as well. After India wrested the strategic Haji Pir Pass from Pakistan in 1965, the road was used by Mrs Indira Gandhi and convoys would use it from Uri to Poonch. But Tashkent restored the status quo ante and the road was closed again.
Besides, Poonch is easily accessible from Tangmarg and Tosa Maidan. This accessibility has helped the people living on either side to have relations with each other. Begum is only one of the many hundred women who are settled in Kashmir.
All these tracks were always guarded for any entry or exit. These were the border checkposts. These were called Dumdums in medieval Kashmir and in certain cases were multistory towers. Though most of them have crumbled and disappeared, the ruins of a few are slightly intact. Trekker and mountaineer Mehmood Shah, who is also a brilliant photographer, has captured at least two such Dumdums -one in Hirpora (Shopan) and another at Danwas (Tangmarg). The Danwas watchtower was undone by time but the one at Hirpora had still a perfect base.
Ruins of a watch tower at Danwas, Upper Tangmarg. Pic Mahmood Ahmad
There are scores of women from Poonch who are married in Drung and other adjoining Kashmir areas and vice versa. The familial relations connecting many villages in north and central Kashmir with Pir Panchal’s villages comes even when the proposals of successive governments to revive traditional routes could see the light of day.
In summer, Begum said she goes to her parent’s home via China Mar Gali in Tosamaidan, an access that takes barely five hours on foot. In winter, however, if she requires going, it takes her a long time to use the Mughal Road and if it is closed, it requires three days to reach Poonch via Jammu.
Begum said the marriages are solemnised across the villages on both sides as people of the same castes live on both sides. “Due to our social norms, we don’t marry outside our community and that is why we marry among our people across the mountains,” she said.
These marriages have been taking place in a vast belt on either side. Brides from Poonch can be seen in Khag, Zubjan, Brass, Satrun, Beerwah, Arizal, Raithan, and various Khan Sahab areas. Girls from these villages also settle on the other side of the mountain range. These relations have made the administrative division unimportant. Poonch falls in the Jammu division and Budgam is a Kashmir region district.
“My father was a contractor and was working in Poonch where he married my mother in Sonpha,” Maqbool Ahmad, Raja Begum’s son said. “Later he came with his wife and settled in Kashmir; Now I am married in Poonch and so is my sister.” He said marriages take place because people share the same caste and the same culture. “They also speak the Kashmiri language.”
For Maqbool and many others, the preference is the Poonch side bride rather than Kashmir. “There are only two factors responsible for this,” Farooq said, “one is our shared cultural heritage and another is simple marriage.” He said the marriages are taking place from both sides. “It is not a one-way affair and it is not linked to resources,” he added.
= Athamsham Butt said that three areas of Poonch – Loran, Sawjikm, and Mandi – have more than half of the population having Kashmir origins. Their elders migrated to Poonch for trade and business and settled there. All these areas speak Kashmiri.
Ethnic Kashmiris marry in Kashmir. In their weddings, they have almost everything that happens in Kashmir but these marriage ceremonies are less expensive, simple and devoid of mouth-watering Wazwaan.
Most of the weddings, however, avoid moving on foot. These baraats choose Mughal Road instead. For most of their life later, they usually move on foot because it is cheap and a huge time-saving.
Still perfect watch tower on Mughal Road near Hirpora Shopian Image Mehmood Ahmad
Off late, the people living on the two sides of the mountain range have been seeking s road link that would connect Loran and Budgam via Tosamaidan.
In 2015, the Mufti Sayeed-led BJPDP government started work on a road in the Tangmarg area of Baramulla which would connect with Loran in Poonch. However, the work on the road couldn’t be completed. The responsibility of constructing this road was given to the Border Road Organisation (BRO). The work was started with much fanfare but to date, only 12 kilometres were completed out of a total of 38 kms.
Shah Mohammad Tantray, a former PDP lawmaker from the area said that in 2018 he enquired about the progress of the project which led to his “disappointment” when he was informed that the work has been stopped.
“The men and machinery of the construction company also fled away.”
Tantray alleged that post August 5, the union government has stopped construction works undertaken by the previous coalition government across Jammu and Kashmir.
The previous government, Tantray said, had conducted an aerial survey for a cable car project aimed to connect Loran with Tosamaidan. “The Tosamaidan and Loran are just 2.5 kilometres away as per the aerial survey. It just takes five hours to walk on foot. It is just a mountain separating Loran from Tangmarg.”
Poonch resident, Ahtesham Butt said that the work on Loran to Tangmarg road and adjacent areas of Tosamaidan was started but was suddenly stopped due to reasons unknown.
“Locals thought that this road would provide employment opportunities to young educated people along with boosting tourism,” Butt said. “If this road comes up, people wouldn’t opt for the Mughal Road.”
In its vicinity lies the alpine meadow of Tosa Maidan.
Shabir Ahmad, a local resident of Sutran Budgam said a road from Tosamaidan to Loran is shorter than the one being laid to connect Loran via Tangmarg. “This road is barely 10 kms from Tosamaidan to Loran and its stations in between are Damdam, Kadlabal, Habas, Gartar, Damsar, Bandarsar, and Sultanpathari areas,” Ahmad said.
There has not been any spade work on the link connecting Budgam with Loran. In September 2007, when the Mughal Road was being implemented, the then Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said there is a much shorter road that must be taken up. Talking to a huge gathering in Poonch’s Loran, Azad said he has asked his Roads and Buildings department to go for a quick survey of the 42-km Loran (Poonch) Arizal (Budgam). “It is the shortest road link between Kashmir and Poonch,” he said.
Returning Home: Tosa Maidan pasture is visited mostly by locals from Beerwah, Khag and some adjoining areas of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district. People from these villages spend nine months in a year in meadow rearing their cattle, apart from getting firewood.
This road that the people are so keen to have properly laid and developed is not a new route between Poonch and Kashmir. It is actually one of the oldest that conquerors and traders used for centuries. This route was used by Mehmood Gaznavi more than once to capture Kashmir. He failed every time.
During the Shah Miri rule, Sultan Fathe Shah ran for life to Poonch using this route. Later in the 15th century, Yousef Shah Check returned home from Delhi using this trek.
It was a trade route too. It was a formal entry point into Kashmir. Till the1960s Salt was transported into Kashmir from this route. Some people still know this trek as the Nun Wath, the Salt Road.
Javid Ahmad Farash, a resident of Lassipora Drung said that there is a structure erected at Tosa Maidan whose ruins can still be found there. That, he said, was the custom post having a seven-story building. All the entries and exits used to be recorded there and taxes were also paid, he said.
In 1964, the Tosa Maidan meadow was leased to the Army on a 50-year lease for use as an artillery firing range. Before the lease came up for renewal on April 18, 2014, the lease was terminated, and the Tosa Maidan meadow is open to visitors since May 30, 2016. Now, it is a busy picnic spot for most of the summer.
Srinagar, Mar 22: Grand Mufti Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam has said that his office has received witness’ about sighting of moon for holy month of Ramadan 1444 A.H, though the source of the witness is under scrutiny to make any final announcement.
Islam told GNS that the office has entrusted its men across all districts of Jammu and Kashmir to see if the crescent is observable at any place. “We as such received witness’ from Poonch district of Jammu division suggesting evidence of the Ramadan crescent there”, Islam said adding the source is being scrutinized for its reliability to make any final announcement.
“Once we are ready with any decision, we will let the people know it accordingly”, he further said. (GNS)
Jammu: An infant was reunited with her family within hours after she was allegedly abducted from a public health centre in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district by a woman posing as a nurse, police said on Sunday.
Abdul Hamid Gujjar, a resident of Shindhra village in Haveli, alleged that he was contacted on Saturday by a woman who introduced herself as a nurse at the public health centre in Lassana, a police spokesperson said.
She enquired about the 25-day-old baby’s vaccination record and convinced him to bring her to the health centre for availing of financial aid.
“Hamid took the baby to the public health centre where a burqa-clad woman deceived him and fled with the infant after engaging him in paperwork,” the spokesperson said.
After Hamid lodged a police complaint, a case under relevant sections was registered at Surankote police station and an investigation taken up.
“During the investigation, human and technical intelligence was collated Police teams raided different locations and the baby was recovered from two women in the Ramkund area of Mankote tehsil,” the spokesperson said.
Poonch, Mar 19: Fourteen people including six girl and seven male students were injured when an “overloaded” eco-vehicle skidded off the road and rolled down into a gorge in this mountainous district on Sunday, officials said.
They said the accident took place near Keri Kangra in Mendhar Poonch when the driver of the Eco Van (JK12C-O613) lost control over it and the vehicle rolled down many feet into a gorge, leading to the injuries to 14 people— six of them females and eight males. The injured, 13 of them being minors and one major, were immediately rushed to the local hospital by the rescuers including local volunteers and police. BMO Mendhar Dr P A Khan confirmed to GNS that 14 injured people were received at the Sub District Hospital. He said two of them have been shifted to GMC Rajouri for advanced treatment.
The injured have been identified as Mishba Kousar (16), Fahim Kouser (15), Zahira (20), Qasid Rashid (15), Adid Hussain (16), Danish Shah (17), Rukhsana (15), Muskan Basharat (14) Uzma Kouser (16), Mujtab Shah (20), Hassan Ali Shah (16), Asees Ahmad (16), Mohammad Layaqat and Mohammad Zamran (25), all residents of Rya. A police official told GNS that a case has been registered and further investigations taken up.
Meanwhile locals accused traffic police of having failed to check overcrowding in the vehicles, leading to the accidents in the area. They urged higher ups to look into matter and ensure that there is no overcrowding in the vehicles in order to avoid mishaps. (GNS)
SRINAGAR: Fourteen people including six girl and seven male students were injured when an “overloaded” eco-vehicle skidded off the road and rolled down into a gorge in the Poonch district on Sunday, officials said.
They said the accident took place near Keri Kangra in Mendhar Poonch when the driver of the Eco Van (JK12C-O613) lost control over it and the vehicle rolled down many feet into a gorge, leading to the injuries to 14 people.
The injured, 13 of them being minors and one major, were immediately rushed to the local hospital by the rescuers including local volunteers and police. BMO Mendhar Dr P A Khan confirmed that 14 injured people were received at the Sub District Hospital. He said two of them have been shifted to GMC Rajouri for advanced treatment.
The injured have been identified as Mishba Kousar (16), Fahim Kouser (15), Zahira (20), Qasid Rashid (15), Adid Hussain (16), Danish Shah (17), Rukhsana (15), Muskan Basharat (14) Uzma Kouser (16), Mujtab Shah (20), Hassan Ali Shah (16), Asees Ahmad (16), Mohammad Layaqat and Mohammad Zamran (25), all residents of Rya.
Quoting a police official, GNS reported that a case has been registered and further investigations taken up.
Meanwhile, locals accused traffic police of having failed to check overcrowding in the vehicles, leading to the accidents in the area. They urged higher ups to look into matter and ensure that there is no overcrowding in the vehicles in order to avoid mishaps.
Poonch, Mar 16 (GNS): Two CRPF personnel suffered injuries due to alleged mishandling of weapon by a para-military trooper outside Government Degree College Poonch on Thursday morning, officials said.
They told GNS that at around 11 AM, one constable Navjot Rai, in a vehicle belonging to CRPF 200 Battalion D Company, while mishandling his weapon discharged fire, resulting in injuries to himself besides another colleague SI Rajini Kanta. The incident, they said, occurred outside Government Degree College, Poonch.
“The injured duo was evacuated from the site to District Hospital Poonch for treatment”, they said.
Meanwhile a police official has also confirmed the incident to GNS saying that a team is on the site to collect the relevant details. (GNS)
In pursuance to the District Skill Committee instructions issued under endorsed no. DCP/2023/DSC/01- 15, dated 04-03-2023, Applications are invited from the permanent inhabitants (Female/ Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe and Person with Disability only) of Union Territory of J&K, interested to undergo following short-term skill training at Government ITI Poonch. The Candidates having minimum 16 years and maximum 25 years of age, as on 1st Jan 2023, (except Driver Cum Mechanic LMV course, for which minimum age is 18 Years) can apply.
The desirous candidates have to till up the application forms available in the office of Superintendent ITI Poonch and submit the same to the office of Superintendent 1.1.1 Poonch before 13th of March 2023.
OTHER TERMS & CONDITIONS :
The candidate have to fill up the complete details which includes basic detail of the candidate like Name, Parentage, qualification, contact detail etc in the application form and attach the photocopies below mentioned documents.
01. Marks Certificate of Qualifying Examination.
02. Date of Birth Certificate
03. Category Certificate (SC/ST/Person with Disability)
04. Aadhar Card.
Further Details :
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SRINAGAR: Five cattle were charred alive in a midnight fire in Baila village in Mandi area in Poonch district, officials said on Friday.
They said the fire started from a residential house belonging to one Muhammad Sharif son of Wali Muhammad. “While five cattle, three buffaloes and two cows, inside a shed adjacent to the house were charred alive, there was no loss of human life or injury reported in the incident,”they said.
Soon after the fire, they said, locals, police and army rushed to spot and doused off the flames. Besides loss of cattle, goods and belongings in the house were burnt to ashes in the fire incident. Confirming it, a police officer told GNS that a case has been registered. He said the cause of the fire was also being investigated. (GNS)
