A group of envoys including those from several Europe Union countries and a few Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) member states began a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday to take a first-hand account of the situation in newly-carved union territory, especially after the recently-concluded local body elections.
The National Investigation Agency has arrested four terror associates during searches at 18 locations in Jammu and Kashmir following the registration of a case to unearth a conspiracy hatched by various terror groups to carry out attacks in the Union territory and other major cities, including New Delhi, an official said on Wednesday.
Braving the heat, hundreds of protesters, including women and children, gathered at the Jantar Mantar to protest against the killings of Kashmiri Pandits in the valley.
The BSF opened fire in Pakharpora near Charar-e-Sharif area to quell stone-pelting protesters in which at least one person was killed and five injured.
A bank employee from Rajasthan was shot dead on Thursday by terrorists in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah showed his cricketing skills as he played the game with the locals of Brenwar, a remote village in Budgam district, where he was "grounded" due to bad weather.
Umer Khalid was a A++ category top ranking terrorist and carried a cash reward of nearly Rs 7 lakh.
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 expulsion of Kashmiri Pandits -- and all other non-Muslims -- is its clear objective.'
The daring militant attack on an Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir last Friday shook the people of Uri town, situated close to Line of Control in Kashmir, but it did not deter them from exercising their franchise as voters thronged the polling station on Tuesday morning.
Three persons, including two army jawans, were injured after one army unit fired at another unit mistaking them for militants in central Kashmir's Budgam district, official sources said.
A shrine of a revered sufi saint was on Sunday gutted in a mysterious fire at Ratsuna village of central Kashmir's Budgam district, triggering protest in the area.
The protesters have been demanding their relocation to safe environments in the wake of a spurt in the attacks on the minority community members in the valley.
The home ministry on Wednesday sought a report from Jammu and Kashmir government on the killing of two youth allegedly by the army personnel in Budgam district. In a communication, the home ministry asked the state government to give details about the incident, how did it happen and what action has been taken in the aftermath of the killing of the two youth.
"We have identified the terrorists behind the attack. They are from the Lashkar, led by a Pakistani terrorist named Saifullah. We are on the job and they will be neutralised soon," Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir Zone Vijay Kumar said.
Syed Ahmad Shakeel and Shahid Yousuf, who are sons of Hizbul Mujahideen chief and one of the most wanted terrorists, Salahuddin, were also dismissed from service for allegedly being involved in terror funding, the officials said.
This is not the first time when she has been assigned such a tough task, earlier also, she had worked as IG, the Bihar sector in CRPF and has dealt with Naxals.
Barring a stone pelting incident at Soibagh area in Budgam district, the situation was peaceful in the areas where the polling was held, the officials said.
The voluminous report has proposed redrawing of the Anantnag Parliamentary seat by including Rajouri and Poonch from the Jammu region, besides carrying out massive changes in the Kashmir division, they said.
Ganderbal district recorded the highest of 56.40 per cent polling in the Valley, while Poonch district of Jammu region polled the highest of 71.62 per cent votes across J-K.
According to new guidelines imposed by authorities on Sunday, shops have been allowed to open on alternate days.
Six government employees, including two policemen, were on Wednesday dismissed from service for their alleged links with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, taking the total number of employees sacked in last nearly six months to 25, officials said.
The ultras fired upon advocate Babar Qadri at his Hawal residence around 6.25 pm from close range before fleeing the spot, a police official said.
The DGP said Jatt's killing, along with one of his associates, was a big success for the security forces.
Train services in Kashmir resumed on Thursday after remaining suspended for over five months in the wake of the deadly summer unrest that had hit the Valley.Train service was partially restored between south Kashmir's Qazigund town and central Kashmir's Budgam town today. The train service remained suspended due to the tense atmosphere and non-availability of railway staffers. Violence erupted across the valley in June this year, in the wake of the death of a 17-year old boy.
Security personnel deployed at Jehangir Chowk were the apparent target of the grenade attack.
Dar, posted in Budgam district, was undergoing training in Kathua district in Jammu region of the state.
As a spate of targeted killings of minorities rock Kashmir, a Kashmiri Pandits' organisation on Friday said some employees from the community, who were provided government jobs under a rehabilitation package in 2010-11, have started moving to Jammu quietly fearing for their life, alleging the administration was unable to provide then a secure environment.
Security personnel soon provided a cover to the reporters and cameramen, forcing the stone-pelters to retreat.
Many Kashmiris have been left with no option but to flag down the odd private vehicle passing by in the Valley.
'The people of Jammu and Kashmir are your own people. Do not use them as cannon fodder in your laboratory.'
Went to buy ice-cream. Businessman-turned militant returns home dead.
Curfew remained in force in Srinagar district, Anantnag town and Magam area of Budgam district as a precautionary measure even as normal life was paralysed for the 40th consecutive day on Wednesday in Kashmir where 63 persons have been killed in the ongoing unrest.
Curfew and restrictions continued in Kashmir for the 29th day after fresh clashes erupted in the Valley killing three men on Friday.
In a statement, the ministry of home affairs said the UT of Ladakh consists of two districts of Kargil and Leh while the rest of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir is in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir.
Weapons and war-like stores were recovered from the encounter site.
Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police S P Vaid on Friday lauded the restraint shown by the Central Reserve Police Force jawans who were heckled by some youths in Budgham on Sunday, saying "any armed force in the world would have retaliated with force".
"We condemn the brutal use of force by Indian security forces against peaceful and unarmed protesters," it said.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and three of his cabinet colleagues are among 44 candidates whose fate will be decided on Tuesday in the third phase of polling in 16 seats spread across Budgam, Pulwama and Baramulla districts.
The man identified as Farooq Ahmad Dar speaking of his ordeal says that the army personnel tied him up to the jeep and paraded him through several villages for nearly five hours before his family members and villagers got him released.
