Major Taher Hussain Khan was laid to rest with full military honours
Ignoring the boycott call by separatist groups and braving cold weather, nearly 70 per cent polling was on Tuesday, in most of the 15 constituencies going to polls in first of the five-phased polls in Jammu and Kashmir.
At least twelve persons, including ten security men were injured in clashes with security forces in Ganderbal, Bandipora, Srinagar and Baramulla districts as authorities detained separatist leader Mohammad Yasin Malik during protests against the recent killing of youths in CRPF firing in Shopian of Kashmir.
Braving inclement weather, Army aviation pilots on Monday airlifted the five injured soldiers from Macchil to Srinagar for specialised treatment. Unfortunately, all five brave hearts attained martyrdom, an army official said.
Normal life remained paralysed for the 42nd day in the Valley which has been rocked by violence after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8.
"The incidents of targeting civilians in Kashmir since a few days are barbaric. Innocent people who are working for the society and have nothing to do with anyone are being targeted," the police chief said.
Reasi district of Jammu region recorded 75.20 per cent voting, the highest in the union territory, State Election Commissioner (SEC) K K Sharma said, adding that 50.53 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the third phase of the maiden DDC polls in J-K.
Two militants and a soldier were killed on Sunday in a gun battle during infiltration bids by ultras at Keran and Tangdhar sectors along the Line of Control in Kashmir while an army officer lost his life in a mishap during a search operation.
The agency said it has found several digital devices containing large volumes of incriminating data during the searches.
The dogs, who are fed regularly by the CRPF personnel, continued to bark, giving the personnel an idea that there were people hiding in a particular area.
Blowing a hole into the Union government claims that terror funding had been badly hit by the demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes, the new currency notes were recovered from the possession of the terrorists who were killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir.
Curfew was on Sunday lifted from all parts of Kashmir but normal life in the Valley remained affected due to the strike call given by hardline Hurriyat Conference to protest against the firing incident in Ramban district that left four persons dead.
Security agencies braced for a march called by separatists on Monday.
The snowfall has set in cold wave like conditions in the Valley as electricity supply in many areas was snapped as a precautionary measure, they said, adding that dewatering pumps were made operational in the city to avoid waterlogging.
"Four terrorists were killed in the retaliatory firing and the suicide attack was foiled," an official said.
The award was received by Corporal Nirala's wife Sushmanand and his mother Malti Devi at the majestic Rajpath.
Here's a recap of moments captured in India in the past 24 hours.
The Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra were posthumously awarded to Major David Manlun and Major Satish Dahiya, who lost their lives while fighting with terrorists in Nagaland and Jammu and Kashmir.
The report published in the gazettes of India appeared in local newspapers on Monday and showed that Habba Kadal seat in Kashmir division and Suchetgarh seat in Jammu province had been restored.
Curfew has been lifted from Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam and Ganderbal districts of the Valley but restrictions on the assembly of people under Section 144 CrPC continue in these districts
The identities and affiliation of the terrorists were yet to be known. Arms and ammunition had been recovered from the site.
The gunfight in the Cheyan Devsar area of the south Kashmir district broke out after security forces launched a cordon and search operation there following inputs about the presence of terrorists, a police official said.
Aurangzeb, who was in blue jeans and t-shirt was being asked by suspected Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists about his duties, posting and encounters in which he participated in 1.15 minutes video probably shot in a forest area, they said.
Four Indian Army personnel, a Border Security Force sub-inspector and six civilians were killed while four security forces personnel and eight civilians were injured in the firing by Pakistan during the multiple ceasefire violations between Gurez and Uri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.
Curfew from the south Kashmir town was briefly lifted on Saturday morning after remaining in force for 49 days.
Fresh snowfall disrupted normal life in Jammu and Kashmir, where an avalanche warning was issued in five districts, higher reaches and tribal areas of Himachal Pradesh and the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand on Monday.
Curfew remained in force in entire Srinagar district and Anantnag town on Saturday to thwart the separatists' plan to stage a two-day sit-in in the city centre even as the death toll in the ongoing unrest climbed to 56 in the Valley with the death of a youth injured in firing.
This classification of districts is to be followed by states and union terrotories till a week post May 3, when the second phase of lockdown will end, for containment operations.
The former IAS officer said the main reason for not contesting the polls was to focus more on the mass contact programme.
The 68-year-old Bindroo, who ran Bindroo Medicate, was shot at by the assailants point blank at his pharmacy, a police official said, adding he was rushed to a hospital where he was declared brought dead.
The National Investigation Agency on Wednesday raided a dozen places in Jammu and Kashmir in connection with two cases, one related to the recovery of an IED and another about the recruitment of youth by the Lashkar-e-Tayiba terror outfit, an official said.
Abdul Hamid Najar, a resident of Mohiendpora area of Budgam in central Kashmir, was shot at and critically injured by terrorists in his native village on Sunday, the official said.
Situated 55 kilometres north of Srinagar, Bandipore assembly constituency goes to polls in the first phase. The main contest here is going to be between the independent candidate Usman Majid, Nizamuddin Bhat of the People's Democratic Party and Ghulam Rasool Mir of the National Conference. Interestingly, a Tihar jail inmate, Mohammad Iqbal Jan is also fighting elections from Bandipora on the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers' Party ticket.
The Resistance Front, which is believed to be a shadow group of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, has claimed responsibility for the killings.
Enthusiasm to take part in the democratic process by exercising their right to franchise transcended the age boundaries on Tuesday as old and young alike, the many-time voters and the first-time ones, came out to vote in the first phase of elections in Kashmir.
The businessman, who travelled to Delhi to attend a Tablighi Jamaat congregation, died on March 26 in a Srinagar hospital, 19 days after he set off for the national capital. He could have infected scores of people during his travels and about 300 people have been put under quarantine because of him, officials said.
Poonch district of Jammu region recorded the highest turnout at 75.42 per cent. Ganderbal district recorded the highest polling in Kashmir valley at 56.28 per cent.
The Jammu and Kashmir police on Monday said they have arrested five 'hybrid' terrorists of the proscribed Lashkar-e-Tayiba outfit, three of whom were allegedly involved in the killing of a sarpanch in Baramulla district last month.
The eight-phase DDC polls, which began on November 28, is also the first election after Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370 was revoked last year and it was reorganised into a Union Territory.
After initial 'zero infiltration' in the wake of renewed ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan in February, fresh attempts are on to push terrorists from across the border where 250 to 300 terrorists are trained and waiting on the launch pads, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said on Tuesday.
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