REGIONAL

Kupwara Police have successfully dismantled a large-scale counterfeit gold trade operation, arresting three key suspects and recovering 153 fake gold biscuits. Acting on a tip-off, Police Station Lalpora launched a swift operation on September 12, 2024, leading to the arrest of Bashir Ahmad Khan, Rayaz Ahmad War, and Noor Mohd Lohar, all residents of Dever Lolab, Kupwara. The suspects confessed to their involvement in the illicit trade during interrogation. Police said that the recovered counterfeit gold biscuits are considered worth a substantial amount, and further arrests are expected as the investigation unfolds. “This breakthrough is a testament to the Kupwara Police's commitment to combating illegal activities and protecting the public from fraud.” The police said that th...

Meer Irfan Unknown persons stole hundreds of apples from an orchard in the Shopian district of south Kashmir. Family members speaking to The Kashmiriyat said that unknown persons stole hundreds of apple from the apple orchard of Mohammed Ismail Wagay at Aglar area of Shopian. "On Thursday morning at around 7:20 A.M., when I visited my orchard, I found that hundreds of apples have been stolen from the orchard," Mohammed Ismail said. He said that following this they tried to search around the garden, but the burglars had fled away with the apples. "This is my sole source of income and I am devastated, this is all I had," he said. Following this the family filed a report in the nearby Police station, where the Police personnel have assured full cooperation.

Danishwar Hameed The government forces claimed to have busted a militant hideout in the Kulgam district of south Kashmir. As per official sources on Thursday morning, a joint team of the 9 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) of Indian Army and Kulgam Police launched a cordon and search operation in the Lanker Pombay area of Devsar in Kulgam. During the searches, the hideout was discovered based on intelligence inputs, and a search operation was swiftly initiated. While further details about the recovery is awaited, security forces continue to sanitize the area.

Jammu  Kashmir Police have arrested three individuals, including a woman, after busting a sex racket in the Bandipora district of North Kashmir. Two minor girls were rescued during the operation. The raid was conducted by the DO Police Post Ajas at a house in Saderkoot Bala, based on a tip-off from a reliable source. According to officials, the investigation has revealed that a resident of Saderkoot Bala was involved in the trafficking and exploitation of the minor girls. A case has been registered under FIR No. 161/2024, U/S 3, 4, 5, 7 of the Immoral Trafficking Act. Further investigation is ongoing. (KNS)

National Conference (NC) Vice President Omar Abdullah on Wednesday criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), stating that the distribution of arms to civilians in Jammu is the clearest sign of the government’s failure to control militancy in the once peaceful region. Addressing an election rally in Bhaderwah, Doda district, in support of NC candidate Mehbooba Iqbal, Abdullah pointed to the revival of Village Defence Guards (VDGs) and the arming of locals with self-loading rifles, replacing the older .303 models, as evidence of the escalating security issues in Jammu. “Guns are being handed out because the BJP has allowed terrorism to take root in Jammu, a region that was once free of such threats during our time in office. The people are being armed because they are now living in ...

Two militants affiliated with the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) group were killed in an ongoing operation in the upper reaches of Basantgarh in Jammu Kashmir's Udhampur district on Wednesday, according to Army officials. This marked the first successful operation in the dense forest area, which has witnessed over six encounters in the past six months. These previous incidents claimed the lives of a Village Defence Guard on April 28 and a CRPF inspector on August 19. Officials indicated that another militant is likely trapped in the Khandara top area, where efforts are ongoing to neutralize him. The operation, a joint effort by the Army’s first para unit and local police, made contact with the militants around 12:50 PM, according to officials.   “Two militants neutralized in...

Awami Itehad Party (AIP) patron Engineer Sheikh Abdur Rashid Wednesday said that he will fight against the Prime Minister Narendera Modi’s narrative of Naya Kashmir and the peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue till his last breath. Talking to reporters in New Delhi, soon after walking free from Tihar jail after over five years, Er Rashid, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that he will fight against PM Modi’s narrative of Naya Kashmir and the peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue till his last breath. “Let me tell you that PM Modi’s narrative of Naya Kashmir has miserably failed. That has been proved by the people of my constituency on June 4. The vote for me was actually a referendum against Modi’s narrative of Naya Kashmir that has failed,” he said. “I will fight a...

Union Home Minister Amit Shah sharply criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday, accusing him of standing with forces that threaten India’s unity and security. Shah's remarks came while Gandhi is on a three-day visit to the United States. In a post on social media platform X, Shah alleged that Rahul Gandhi’s statements, both at home and abroad, are consistently harmful to the country. "Standing with forces that conspire to divide the country and making anti-national statements have become a habit for Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party," Shah stated. Shah also accused Gandhi of supporting the Jammu Kashmir National Conference’s (JKNC) "anti-national" agenda, particularly on reservations, and claimed Gandhi’s recent remarks about potentially abolishing reservations ex...

A gunfight broke out on Wednesday afternoon between militants and security forces in the Khandara Top Basantgarh area of Udhampur district, Jammu division. According to a senior police official, a joint operation involving the police and army was launched in the area following reports of militant activity. As the forces neared the suspected location, militants opened fire, leading to an exchange of gunfire. The police official confirmed the ongoing clash but stated that further details are still awaited.

Meer Irfan In a disturbing incident in the Ayend village of Shopian district, south Kashmir, unknown persons have vandalized hundreds of apple trees, causing substantial financial damage. Local residents speaking to The Kashmiriyat said that they discovered the destruction early Wednesday morning when they saw the high density apple orchard severely damaged with numerous trees felled. The affected orchard, which had been under cultivation for the past three years and was finally set to be harvested, was left in ruin. The orchard owner, Mohammed Shafi Bhat son of  Ghulam Mohammed Bhat, who had secured a bank loan to establish the garden and is still repaying the debt, expressed deep frustration. “It is disheartening to see such incidents becoming more frequent in Kashmir,” a loc...