Jammu, Sep 24: Two mortar shells were found in the forward villages along the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Samba districts of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Saturday.
A live mortar shell was noticed by villagers at Pragwal in Akhnoor sector on the outskirts of Jammu this morning, they said, adding the bomb disposal squad is working to defuse it.
Another mortar shell was detected by the Border Security Force (BSF) during patrolling in Regal area of Samba district late on Thursday, they said, adding the shell was safely defused by experts. (Agencies)

Srinagar, Sept 24: Former minister and BJP’s Kashmir Affairs in charge, Sunil Sharma on Saturday said that the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah will address mega rallies in Rajouri and Baramulla districts of Jammu and Kashmir on October 1 and 2 respectively.

Addressing a press conference here, Sharma said that Shah will arrive Jammu on September 30 and on October 1 he will address a mega rally in Rajouri district, news agency KNO reported.

Sharma said that Shah will also a mega rally in Baramulla town on October 2, in which people from not only from north Kashmir, but from across the valley will participate.

“He will talk about several issues with the people of Kashmir in the rally and will also highlight various things regarding development in Jammu and Kashmir and what central government is doing on various fronts for the development of J&K,” Sharma said.

Replying to a question, Sharma said that it is the prerogative of the Election Commission of India to make announcement about holding elections in Jammu and Kashmir and that BJP is always ready for elections.

He also said that connecting Amit Shah’s visit with holding of elections in Jammu and Kashmir “would be wrong, as this is his routine visit to the region”. “He has yesterday visited Bihar as well and he will be visiting J&K also, which is a routine visit to take stock of several developmental projects and security issues,” he said.

Sharma added that Amit Shah will also lay foundation stone for Cancer hospital, being constructed by the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board, in the Valley.

Jammu, Sept 24: The district authority in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban has banned foot movement of nomadic families with their livestock in an effort to ensure hassle-free vehicular traffic on the strategic 270-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway, officials said on Saturday.
However, the authorities will make available 50 trucks to transport the tribal families returning to Jammu from the highland pastures of Kashmir, they said.
Quoting a recent order by Ramban District Magistrate Mussarat Islam, the officials said Sub-divisional Magistrate Banihal Zahir Abbas had been appointed as nodal officer to oversee the migration plan.
The nodal officer will be assisted by the district’s Assistant Regional Transport Officer Samrinder Singh and Manager, Road Transport Corporation, Rajesh, the district magistrate said in the order. Their mobile numbers been designated as helpline numbers.
The order bans foot movement of the nomadic families and their livestock on the highway, the district’s only all-weather road linking Kashmir to the rest of India.
Every year, lakhs of people from nomadic tribes, mainly the Gujjars and Bakerwals, migrate to the Valley when temperatures soar in the plains of Jammu in April-May before returning ahead of the onset of winter.
The Union Territory’s tribal affairs department, for the first time this May, provided trucks to transport the families and their livestock from various districts in Jammu to the highland pastures of Kashmir.
This reduced their travel time from 20-30 days to one to two days, while also helping in smooth traffic management, especially on the highway.

JAMMU, Sept 24: The 270 km long Jammu-Srinagar National highway was blocked due to fresh landslides and shooting stones on Saturday morning, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded.
The Jammu-Srinagar NHW (NH-44) has been blocked at Mehad in Ramban due to continuous shooting stones. People are advised not to travel on Jammu -Srinagar national highway without confirmation from Traffic Control Units at Jammu, Srinagar, and Ramban.
Notably, the Jammu-Srinagar highway is the sole all-weather road that connects Kashmir to the rest of the country. All essential supplies and vehicles pass through the highway.
Mudslides are being reported at various locations in Jammu and Kashmir due to incessant rainfall across the valley. Man and machinery are on work to restore traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. Teams of the National Highway Authority of India and district administration are on the spot to resume the traffic at the earliest.

JAMMU, Sept 24: The High Court of J&K and Ladakh has placed Khalil Ahmad Choudhary, District Judge (Entry Level) presently posted as Presiding Officer, Fast Track Court, Jammu, in the Selection Time Scale of the Jammu and Kashmir Higher Judicial Service i.e., Rs. 57700-1230-58930-1380-67210-1540-70290 w.e.f. 29.07.2022 against the available vacancy.
Meanwhile, according to a separate order by Registrar General of the court, Sanjeev Gupta, Abdul Rashid Malik, Principal District and Sessions Judge, Pulwama has been attached court’s judicial officer till the government takes decision about his voluntary retirement.
“Till such time, the order regarding voluntary retirement of Abdul Rashid Malik, Principal District and Sessions Judge, Pulwama, as recommended by the Full Court, will be received from the Government he shall remain attached with the office of the Registrar Judicial, High Court of J&K and Ladakh, Srinagar Wing,” reads the order. “Besides, the charge of the Court of Principal District and Sessions Judge, Pulwama, is hereby entrusted to the Court of Additional District and sessions Judge, Pulwama in addition to his own work till further orders.” (Agencies)

Jammu: Three drug peddlers were arrested with over 35-gm heroin in Udhampur, the police said. In the first incident, a police party intercepted two motorcycle-borne men—Yonus and Fiaz Ahmed, and seized 30-gm heroin. In Tikri, a scooterist, Mohan Lal, was caught carrying 7-gm heroin.

SRINAGAR, Sep 24: State Investigation Agency (SIA) is carrying out raids at multiple locations in central and north Kashmir on Saturday morning as part of its investigation into narco financing of terror activities in the Union territory, sources said.
Sources that the sleuths of the investigating agency with the assistance of the local police and the CRPF carried out raids in summer capital Srinagar, Budgam, Kupwara districts.
In Srinagar, a raid is being conducted in hotel Almonds Lal Mandi in Room no 219, in which one person namely Gulzar Ahmad Mir, son of Ghulam Nabi, a resident of Kishtwar is staying. Mir is a soil assistant in the agriculture department.
Another team of SIA raided the residence of Bashir Ahmad Dar son of Ghulam Ahmad, a resident of Batpora Kachwari in central Kashmir’s Budgam district.
An officer confirmed the raids and said “Some people who were found involved in the nexus of narcotic terror financing have been arrested under relevant sections of law and investigation is proceeding to establish the involvement of some more people in the nexus who are already under scanner.”
SIA has found a number of evidences with regard to smuggling of narcotics from across the border and generating the funds from the same for financing the terror modules, separatists, overground workers of terror outfits, and families of killed terrorists, the officials said. (Agencies)

Srinagar: Stating that it will not take much time to clear off terrorism, J&K Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh on Friday said that many thorns in garden of peace were removed by police and security forces.

“There were many thorns in the garden of peace. They were removed by J&K Police along with other security forces,” DGP told reporters on the sidelines of Pedal for Peace event here.

He was obviously referring to killing , arrests and surrender of terrorists during last some time. “ Those remaining will be removed as well and that won’t take much time,” he said

“Today we feel that the era of destruction is over and now is the time to move forward.”

Dilbag Singh said the anti -peace elements who were instigated by separatist and other elements on the directions of Pakistan have been wiped out in Kashmir.

He said that J&K has lost a number of people due to the violence and most of those bad elements responsible for the death and destruction of people of J&K have been wiped out.

“Hurriyat and Jamat-e-Islami were inciting the youth to violence on the instructions of Pakistan. They used to play a bloody game in Kashmir and almost all these elements have been wiped-out,” he said.

He gave credit to the people of Jammu and Kashmir for the prevailing peace and said that their support and cooperation to the J&K Police has been immense.

DGP said that there was an atmosphere of peace and people are now breathing freely in all the districts of Kashmir. “Pakistan was not only responsible across the border in spreading violence and unrest in Kashmir, but Hurriyat and Jamaat e Islami (JeI) were also in the forefront, working on the behest of Pakistani agencies to spread radicalism,” he said adding that vast amount of terror funding was playing a key role in its secessionist activities and tracking down Hurriyat and Jamaat is the main reason which results in stone pelting incidents in Kashmir.

J&K Police chief said the people of most terrorist hit areas were now choosing sports and other competitive fields as their career. “I want to congratulate people of Kashmiri who stand firm with the security forces in bringing down the graph of terrorism in Kashmir. We will flush out all these elements sooner. We have lost precious lives at the hands of terrorists which is very unfortunate”.

“I am glad to see the downtown youth choosing sports and other competitive exams as their career,” he said adding that the security situation has improved a lot in the valley.

Earlier, as a part of the celebrations of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Jammu and Kashmir Police organized a cycle race “Pedal for Peace” this morning under its Civic Action Programme(CAP).

The race was divided into seven different categories wherein 2264 professional & non professional cyclists participated. Special attraction of raffle draw was introduced in the event for the first time.

Dilbag Singh and Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary) Home Department J&K, R K Goyal graced the occasion at the Flag In presentation ceremony.

DGP expressed his gratitude to the senior officers of Police, Civil administration, people and above all the participants for making today’s event a grand success and bigger as compared to its previous seasons.

Addressing cyclists the DGP said that every pedal is changing the scenario of Jammu and Kashmir towards a new milestone of a more peaceful environment.

R K Goyal speaking on the occasion said that he feels extremely happy to be a part of this great event.

He said that the events of J&K Police always have a special charm and depict the vibrancy of the department. He said that today’s participants who are of different age groups encourage every one that age is just a number.