Jammu & Kashmir: Timeline (Terrorist Activities) -2005

In another incident, terrorists targeted the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police of Anantnag and Pulwama districts, Ravendra Kotwal, in a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast, detonated yards away from his office in Anantnag. The DIG was among 10 Police personnel and 20 civilians, who sustained splinter injuries in the explosion. According to police sources, as many as 200 houses, offices, shops and other structures, including the Police Station, were shattered and glass panes were broken due to the blast. They added that a three-wheeler, laden with at least 50 Kilograms of explosive material, seemed to have been parked minutes before DIG Anantnag left his office and was detonated by the terrorists. Read less...

An unnamed Defence spokesperson was quoted as saying in Daily Excelsior that a total of 744 terrorists were killed, 128 of them were arrested and 133 surrendered in Jammu and Kashmir during year 2004. Read less...

The Special Operations Group (SOG) is reported to have arrested Maqsood, a terrorist of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) outfit, from the house of a former Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) at Sidhra on the outskirts of capital Srinagar on January 2. The former legislator, who was an MLA from 1996 to 2002, was not present in the house when a SOG team raided his house, official sources said, adding he had gone to his native village. Read less...

A police spokesperson stated that one police personnel who had been abducted by the terrorists in Pulwama district on January 3 was set free the next day. He added that terrorists shot at and injured a civilian, Javid Ahmad Naik, near his house at Tral Payeen in the same district on January 4. Read less...

A village headman, identified as Abdul Aziz Ganai, is reported to have been abducted and later killed by a group of suspected terrorists in the Pampore area of Pulwama district on January 3. Elsewhere in the district, unidentified terrorists abducted a police constable, Mohammad Iqbal Rather, from his residence on the same day. Read less...

In the State, Army personnel destroyed an Improvised Explosive Device on the Bafliaz road in the Surankote area of Poonch district. Further in Poonch, the troops neutralised a terrorist hideout at Phagla Nursery in Surankote and recovered one AK-47 rifle, six magazines, 163 rounds of ammunition and one Kenwood radio set with an antenna. Another hideout was reportedly neutralised at Sarhuti in the Mendhar area and three hand grenades, 20 detonators and one antenna were recovered. However, no arrests were made from these hideouts. Read less...

Inspector General of Police (Kashmir Zone), Javaid Makhdoomi, disclosed at a press conference on January 3 that the Pulwama Police had arrested Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) ‘district commander’, Sajjad Ahmed Bhat alias Mulla, from the Dr. Munir Khan Kidney Hospital at Sonwar in Srinagar. Read less...

The Central Reserve Police Force personnel are reported to have shot dead a terrorist, identified as Abdul Majeed Wani, during an encounter at Bagaat-e-Kanipora in the outskirts of capital Srinagar. Read less...

A group of unidentified terrorists are reported to have shot dead a Government employee, Ghulam Rasool Khan, in the Safakadal area of capital Srinagar on January 4. Official sources said that Khan was also a prominent activist of the ruling People’s Democratic Party. Read less...

In another incident, suspected counter-insurgents allegedly abducted a civilian, Iqbal Khatana, from the Hall Chhatergul area in Anantnag district. His bullet-riddled dead body was recovered from a deserted spot in the same locality, according to Daily Excelsior. Read less...

In the State, suspected terrorists lobbed a hand grenade targeting the troops posted in the Lal Chowk area of Srinagar. It, however, failed to explode and no damage was reported. Terrorists also lobbed two more grenades on the security forces’ at Nowhatta in Srinagar. One of the grenades exploded but failed to cause any harm to the targeted unit of the Border Security Force. Read less...

Terrorism-related violence decreased considerably during 2004 in the Jammu region, according to official statistics released by the office of Inspector General of Police (Jammu Zone), S P Vaid, on January 4. Killings of terrorists, civilians, security force personnel, Special Police Officers and Village Defence Committee members registered a sharp decline in 2004 as compared to 2003, the release said. The decline is being primarily attributed to the India-Pakistan peace process, including cease-fire on the border and the Confidence Building Measures, initiated by the two countries. As against a total of 721 terrorists killed in year 2003, only 375 terrorists were killed during 2004 in the six districts of Jammu region. The civilians killed in 2004 were 255 as against 319 in 2003. Ninety-seven security force personnel were killed in 2004 while 166 of them had lost their lives in the year 2003. According to the figures, 69 terrorists surrendered in 2004 as against 41 in 2003. Read less...

On January 5, a 54 year-old terrorist, identified as Hussain Kohli alias Jabbar, an ‘area commander’ of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), and one of his associates were killed by the security force (SF) personnel at Thillu Bharneli in the Mahore area of Udhampur district. Recoveries made from the slain terrorists included two AK-47 rifles, six magazines, 269 rounds of ammunition and one grenade. Read less...

SF personnel shot dead the ‘district launching chief’ of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), Abu Assadullah alias Janbaaz, in an encounter at Batkote village in Kupwara district. Read less...

The troops neutralised a terrorist hideout at Bahrama Gala in the Surankote area of Poonch district and recovered two wireless sets, four grenades of Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL), one AK magazine, 42 rounds of ammunition, two Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), 22 pencil cells, one injection syringe and a large quantity of medicines and eatables. Separately, in two search operations at Dhar Galoon and Barila in the same district, SFs recovered one AK rifle, four magazines, 248 rounds, two RPG bombs, 43 Pika ammunition, five Chinese grenades, five UBGL grenades, 51 mm HE and two hand grenades. In another search operation, they neutralised a terrorist hideout at Chandsuma in the Baramulla district and seized 12 kilograms of RDX, 82 hand grenades, 15 detonators, five stick grenades, 36 UGBL grenades, three mines, four rockets and 21 anti-personnel mines. However, no arrests were made during these raids. Read less...

A terrorist affiliated to the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit, Abdul Hamid alias Gulla, was arrested at Moga in the State of Punjab and reportedly brought to Mendhar in Poonch district for interrogation. Read less...

During an encounter that ensued after the troops launched a cordon-and-search operation at Ajas in the Bandipore area of Baramulla district on January 6, two terrorists were killed. Officials said that two AK-47 rifles were recovered from the incident site. Read less...

A Deputy Commandant of the Border Security Force (BSF), a soldier and one police personnel were killed and four persons, including a security officer, sustained injuries when a two-member Fidayeen (suicide squad) attacked the Income Tax (IT) office in the capital Srinagar on January 7. One of the terrorists was shot dead in the resultant exchange of fire while the multi-storeyed building housing the IT office caught fire during the gun-battle. Over 70 people, including 50 officials of the IT Department and visitors, trapped inside were later rescued. Read less...

A group of unidentified terrorists are reported to have shot dead a local contractor, identified as Abdur Rehman Rather, at Nowa Chogam in the Qazigund area of Anantnag district on January 7. Read less...

Eyewitnesses said the two terrorists intruded into the IT office located in the Barbar Shah locality around 3.30 pm (IST) lobbing grenades and firing indiscriminately. They entered the building and opened fire at the personnel of the 27 battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) guarding it. The second terrorist is believed to be trapped in the complex till last reports came in. This is the first suicide attack of year 2005 in the State. The Al-Mansooran, suspected to be a front outfit of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack. Read less...

In the Mahore area of Udhampur district, the Army neutralised a terrorist hideout and recovered 19 UBGL grenades, seven Pakistan-make anti-personnel mines, 13 detonators, 28 detonator caps, four aluminum bottles, two RPG rounds, four charged RPG rockets, four detonators, 158 AK rounds and five hand grenades. Read less...

In the State, an ‘area commander’ of the LeT, identified as Dilawar Ikramah, who was the most wanted terrorist in Mendhar, was shot dead along with his body-guard by the troops at Chak Banola in the Mendhar area of Poonch district on January 7. However, two body-guards of Dilawar reportedly managed to escape during the exchange of firing. One AK-47 rifle, one AK-56 rifle, five AK magazines with 70 rounds of ammunition, one radio set and some explosive material were recovered form the incident site. Read less...

Consequent to a twenty-four hour gun-battle, the security forces’ (SF) killed the second Fidayeen (suicide squad) terrorist, who had taken position after a heavy shootout at the Income Tax complex in the Barbarshah locality of capital Srinagar on January 8. In all, four SF personnel, one civilian and both the terrorists were killed in the year’s first Fidayeen attack in Jammu and Kashmir. Read less...

Khalid Chitrali, a ‘district commander’ of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) was shot dead by the police during an encounter in the Mandi area of Poonch district. Two associates of Chitrali, suspected to be his body-guards, escaped during the gun-battle, said official sources. One AK-47 rifle with four magazines, one hand grenade, one Improvised Explosive Device, one wireless set, three pistol rounds, 22 AK rounds, one diary and some eatables were recovered from the incident site. Read less...

Two soldiers are reported to have died and another sustained injuries during an encounter with the terrorists in the Shopian area of Pulwama district on January 8. Sources said that all the terrorists managed to escape from the incident site. Separately, another soldier was reportedly killed in an encounter at Kishtwar in the Doda district. Read less...

A civilian was abducted and later killed by the terrorists at Asthan Marg in the Gool area of Udhampur district. In another incident, the terrorists intruded into the house of a civilian at Koti in the Doda district and reportedly shot dead his son-in-law. Read less...

A Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) cadre, Abdul Karim alias Yasin, surrendered before the security forces’ two hours after killing another top cadre of the outfit, Ghulam Ali, in the Lancha area of Udhampur district. He also handed over one AK-47 rifle, four magazines and 114 rounds of ammunition at the time of surrender Read less...

An 18-year-old student is reported to have died during an exchange of fire between terrorists and security forces’ at Kellam village in the Kulgam area of Anantnag district. Read less...

In Poonch district, troops recovered 10 boxes full of AK ammunition consisting 7500 rounds in Mendhar. During another search operation at Kurali in the same district, Poonch Police recovered six AK magazines, three UBGL grenades and three rockets with boosters. In the Rajouri district, security forces’ recovered 57 AK rounds, one wireless set and one AK magazine from village Naili. Read less...

In the State, four separatist organisations jointly appealed to people to boycott the municipal elections being held for the first time after 28 years. The appeal was issued on January 10 by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association, Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front and Jammu and Kashmir Jamiat-e-Ahle-Hadees. Terming the polls as "useless exercise", leaders of the four organisations said the democratic exercise was "against the interests" of people and should be boycotted at every level. Read less...

Security force (SF) personnel are reported to have killed on January 10 both the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) cadres, who were trapped in a search operation at Kellam village in the Kulgam area of Anantnag district a day earlier. They were later identified as Sabzar Ahmed Wagay alias Aamir and Javed Ahmed Dar alias Mitha. Two AK-56 rifles, one wireless set and two grenades were recovered from the incident site. As reported earlier, an 18-year-old student of the same village died during the exchange of gunfire between the HM cadres and SFs in Kellam. Read less...

SFs have intensified cordon-and-search operations, a routine practice in advance of the Republic Day on Jan 26th. According to Daily Excelsior, SF personnel carried out search operations in at least 25 villages in the Kashmir valley. However, no terrorist or suspect had been arrested thus far. Read less...

Security forces (SFs) on January 11 shot dead three terrorists of the Tehreek-ul-Jehad outfit at Naika Majari in the Mendhar area of Poonch district. The slain terrorists have been identified as ‘district commander’ Tariq Surfi alias TS, Ansar (code 91) and Kari Sahib. Three AK series rifles, eight magazines, one satellite telephone and some documents were recovered from their possession. Read less...

A civilian, identified as Abdul Aziz, was reportedly shot dead by a group of terrorists at his residence in the Mahore area of Udhampur district on January 12. In a separate incident, a civilian was killed after he reportedly steeped over a mine at Rajdhani in the Thannamandi area of Rajouri district. Further, suspected terrorists shot dead a former counter-insurgent, Ali Mohammad Punoo alias Ali Punjabi, who was once associated with Kukka Parray’s Ikhwanul Muslimoon at Gohal Tengpora in the Sumbal area of Baramulla district. Read less...

During an encounter that ensued after troops launched a search operation in the Shopian area of Pulwama district on January 12, a middle-aged woman, Ateeqa, and two terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), identified as Abu Hamas and Imran, were killed. Read less...

In the State, security forces recovered 59 AK rounds, two AK magazines, two hand grenades and one radio set during a search operation at Kothi Panchal in the Doda district. During another operation, troops recovered 12.3 kg RDX along with some medicines from the Tangawali forest area in Rajouri district. Read less...

Troops of Rashtriya Rifles and the Doda Police arrested a Harkat-ul-Jehadi-e-Islami (HuJI) terrorist, identified as Mohammed Abbas Wani, from the Kishtwar area of Doda district. Two live hand grenades were recovered from his possession. Meanwhile, a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) cadre, identified as Yakub alias Abu Burhan, surrendered before the troops along with his wife in the Reasi area of Udhampur district. He also handed over one AK-47 rifle, one radio set, three magazines and two grenades at the time of surrender. Read less...

In the State, reports indicate that sixteen terrorists are being released by the State Government on the eve of Eid and Republic Day celebrations. Daily Excelsior has reported that those being released are locals affiliated to the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) outfit. They were not involved in heinous offences, said unnamed official sources, adding some of them were due to complete their period of detention shortly. Read less...

On January 14, security force (SF) personnel are reported to have killed all the three holed up terrorists in the 24-hour gun-battle at Wathora village in Budgam district. As reported earlier, SFs had launched the operation after securing information that three terrorists were present at the house of one, Ghulam Mohiuddin. A Major and another soldier had died in the initial round of the firing on January 13. Sources in Budgam said that one more soldier was killed on January 14, raising the SF toll to three. The troops destroyed the target house, killing all the three terrorists holed up in it. Unconfirmed reports indicated that a senior Army official and three more soldiers had sustained injuries during the incident. Read less...

One Border Security Force personnel sustained injuries when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded at Quil Shikargah in the Tral area of Pulwama district. Further, three civilians were wounded during an explosion inside a shop at Kulgam in the Anantnag district. Read less...

Two security force (SF) personnel, including a Major of the Rashtriya Rifles, were killed during a gun-battle with the terrorists at Wathora village in the Budgam district on January 13. According to Daily Excelsior, the troops launched a cordon-and-search operation at Wathora after securing information that two to three terrorists were present at the house of Ghulam Mohiuddin. Even as the troops approached the hideout, the terrorists opened gunfire killing two SF personnel, identified as Major Rathi and Rajesh. The terrorists were holed up in the hideout till last reports came in. Read less...

A civilian was shot dead by terrorists in his house at village Koti, about 20 kms from Doda on January 14. Read less...

A terrorist, identified as Raza, was shot dead by the SFs during an encounter at Lower Gambhir Mugalan under the jurisdiction of Manjakote police station in Rajouri district. One AK rifle, two magazines and 30 rounds of ammunition were recovered from the incident site. Separately, one Border Security Force personnel was wounded in an encounter in the Arnas area of Udhampur district. Read less...

In the State, an improvised explosive device explosion was reported from Kehlil in the Tral area of Pulwama district. However, there was no damage incurred. Read less...

Reports from north Kashmir stated that unidentified terrorists entered into the house of a civilian Ghulam Rasool Dar at Yarbug Panzla, Rafiabad, and shot dead his 20-year-old daughter, Tawheeda, on January 14 night. Read less...

Suspected terrorists shot dead Gowhar Ahmed Ganai, an Ikhwani (counter-insurgent), and his mother at their residence in Manwar, Anantnag district. Read less...

Abu Huzaifa, 'spokesman' of the Al-Mansoorain told some local news agencies over telephone that two militants of his organisation had sneaked into the Passport Office complex. He identified the duo as Nayeem Ahmed of Handwara and Mohammad Sabir of Srinagar. He said it was part of 'Operation Qudsiya' but did not elaborate. Read less...

An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by terrorists exploded at Drangbal, Pampore, on Jammu-Srinagar highway on January 15 evening injuring two CRPF soldiers and a civilian. Read less...

In a separate incident on January 15, suspected terrorists lobbed a hand grenade on a campaigning rally of the National Conference candidate Ghulam Mohammad Hakeem at Alamgari Bazar, Hawal, in Srinagar. Hakeem who is contesting election for the Srinagar Municipal Corporation had a narrow escape but one of his supporters died while 18 others sustained splinter injuries. Read less...

Nine persons were injured, one of them seriously, when a terrorist lobbed a Chinese grenade at Hari Market in the Jammu city on January 15. The grenade was lobbed from over a head bridge and exploded near a car parked outside Hotel City Heart. Read less...

On January 15, heavily armed terrorists entered the fortified Passport Office complex near Bakhshi Memorial Stadium in Srinagar and in the operation launched by security forces to flush out the terrorists, two paramilitary soldiers sustained injuries in the initial round of the gun battle. At around 1625 hours (IST), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) sounded a red alert and laid siege to an already fortified uptown locality near Bakhshi Stadium—venue of the January 26th Republic Day ceremony in Srinagar- after two terrorists reportedly shot at and injured a CRPF Sub Inspector, Anil Kumar, on the main gate of the Youth Hostel complex. Daily Excelsior quotes SSP Srinagar, Syed Ahmed Sayeed stating that forces were maintaining the cordon but they had suspended their offensive of striking on the holed up terrorists for the night. Read less...

One more civilian, who was among 19 people injured during a grenade blast at Alamgari Bazaar in the capital Srinagar on January 15 died at a hospital on January 16. As reported earlier, at least 19 persons had sustained injuries during a grenade attack on the National Conference candidate for Srinagar Municipal election, Ghulam Mohammad Hakeem, in Alamgari Bazaar. With this, the death toll has now risen to two. Read less...

Security forces destroyed a terrorist hideout in Paranu area of Hamirpur in Doda district and recovered 10 kilograms of RDX, 22 detonators, three Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and one 16 mm rocket. Read less...

A twenty-four hour gun-battle between the terrorists and security force (SF) personnel ended at Srinagar Passport Office in the Wazir Bagh locality on January 16-evening with the death of two SF personnel and two terrorists and injuries to two soldiers. SF personnel are reported to have killed both the unidentified terrorists who had sneaked into a fortified premises and occupied the Union External Affairs Ministry's Passport Office in Srinagar on January 15. Sources in the capital said that after engaging the terrorists in an intermittent exchange of gunfire for the whole night, SFs stormed the Passport Office complex on January 16-morning. Read less...

According to Press Trust of India, a team of the US-based Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will arrive in New Delhi shortly to gather more evidence against the outlawed Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief, Maulana Masood Azhar, and his alleged involvement in the abduction of American tourists in Jammu and Kashmir during 1995 and his links with the hijackers of IC-814, an Indian Airlines aircraft, in 1999. India has secured an Interpol Red Corner Notice against Azhar in connection with the December 2001 terrorist attack on the Parliament. Read less...

In another incident, a group of terrorists are reported to have hijacked a prominent counter-insurgent's minibus and set it ablaze after killing its conductor in the Kulgam area of Anantnag district. Read less...

The Delhi Police are reported to have arrested a Pakistan-trained terrorist of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) from the Karol Bagh area of Central Delhi on January 16. Aijaz Ahmed Farash was arrested by special cell personnel after a raid on his hideout in the Regarpura area of Karol Bagh. Read less...

A Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorist, identified as Farooq Ahmed Mir, was killed in an encounter by security forces at Basti in Kothi area of Doda district on January 17 evening. Recoveries made from the scene of encounter include one radio set, two UBGL grenades, one remote control IED box and a pouch. Read less...

Daily Excelsior reports that a Congress candidate for the municipal elections of Ward No 2 of Baramulla, Noor-ud-din Sherwani was shot dead by unidentified terrorists close to his house when he was returning after performing his Isha prayers at the Jamia Masjid on January 17. Read less...

In another incident, terrorists entered into the residence of a civilian, Ali Mohammad Lone at Nadihal in Rafiabad area of Baramulla district and shot dead his son, Mushtaq Ahmed Lone. Read less...

In another search operation at Darliya, Chingus in Nowshera sector, security forces recovered 540 LMG rounds, 420 sniper rounds, three AK magazines, 767 AK rounds, five RPG ammunition, four AGL grenades, two UBGL grenades, four hand grenades, five anti personnel mines, two gelatin sticks and five bundles of cordex. Read less...

Security forces recovered one AK magazine, 25 rounds, one pistol with two magazines and one hand grenade during a search operation in Darrah area of Thanna Mandi in Rajouri district on January 17. Read less...

Border Security Force (BSF) personnel foiled an infiltration attempt by a group of terrorists on the Line of Control (LoC) in the Balnoi area of Mendhar sector in Poonch district killing five terrorists on January 18 morning. Four terrorists managed to escape back to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), while recoveries made from the scene of encounter included five AK-56 rifles, one sniper rifle, 20 AK magazines, 31 sniper rounds, one wireless set, 1000 AK rounds, six hand gloves, 25 hand grenades, 20 detonators, one Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) with 14 grenades, 10 anti-personnel mines, 17 packets of PEK explosives and a large quantity of eatables and a medicines kit. Read less...

In Poonch district, troops of 10 Sikh Li of Krishna Ghati Garrison, who were engaged in a search operation since January 18 afternoon after killing five terrorists in Balnoi area of Mendhar sector, intercepted two more terrorists, who were part of the same group, at Narh, Balnoi, about five kms from yesterday’s site of encounter, on January 19 afternoon. Two AK rifles besides some ammunition was recovered from their possession. Read less...

In the first violation of over 13-month-old ceasefire along the LoC, Pakistani forces fired 16 mortar shells on Indian positions in Poonch sector wounding a girl. Brig Dhruv Katock of 16 Corps Headquarter said that 15 shells fell in northern part of Poonch sector between 1930 hours and 2000 hours. Brig Katock said "at present we will not like to accuse the Pakistan Army (of firing) as we have to investigate first whether militants have fired from across the LoC." Firing of mortar shells could be to provide cover to infiltrating terrorists as five of them were killed in the Poonch sector, he added. Read less...

Security forces destroyed a terrorist hideout at Morha Taral in Chingus area of Keri sector in Rajouri district on January 18. Recoveries made from the hideout include 540 UMG rounds, 420 sniper rounds, 770 AK rounds, five RPG shells, four UBGL grenades, three AK magazines, two bundles of cortex, five anti-personnel mines, four hand grenades and a large quantity of material used in fabricating IEDs. Read less...

Terrorists triggered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast under an Army vehicle at Jugaal in the Mendhar sector of Poonch district killing an Army personnel and wounding two others. Read less...

Troops of Rashtriya Rifles 03 Bn killed a terrorist, identified as Farooq Ahmed Dass, in an encounter at Takiya Maqsood Shah, near Waghama, in Bijbehara area of Anantnag district on January 18. Read less...

Border Security Force personnel recovered 20 kilograms of "high grade explosive" powder from a passenger bus in Baramulla district. The explosive was being transported to Baramulla from Sopore on the roof of a mini-bus which was intercepted by the troops. Official sources said the black powder was concealed by terrorists in a bag which was to be later used to trigger explosions with the intention to sabotage the Republic Day celebrations and upcoming civic polls. Read less...

Ghulam Hyder Hajam,, who had sustained injuries in a grenade attack on a campaign rally on January 15 succumbed to injuries at the SKIMS Medical College Bemina on January 19. The deceased was the brother of Ghulam Mohammad Hakeem, National Conference (NC) candidate in Alamgari Bazar area, whose campaign rally was attacked by terrorists. Read less...

On January 19, in two separate security operations, security forces killed six terrorists, four in Bahi Nambal village of Budhal in Rajouri district and two in Narh, Balnoi in Mendhar sector of Poonch district. Read less...

SSP Rajouri S A Mujtaba stated that troops of 60 Rashtriya Rifles, joined by Rajouri police had launched a search and cordon operation in Budhal area and at Bahi Nambal village killed four terrorists, two belonging to the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and two to the Al Badr. A civilian who had been kept as a hostage by the terrorists was also killed in the crossfire. Four AK-47 rifles in damaged condition were recovered from the possession of the slain terrorists, official sources said. Read less...

A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, Raksha Ram Pathak, who was wounded in an improvised explosive device blast at Pampore on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway on January 15 is reported to have succumbed to injuries on January 20. Read less...

A terrorist, identified as Wasim Ahmed Bhat, was killed during an encounter with the security force (SF) personnel at Drubgam in the Pulwama district. Separately, two former cadres of the Al-Jehad outfit, Mohammad Yousuf Mir and Feroz Ahmed, were shot dead by terrorists at Lassipora in Pulwama district. Read less...

According to Kashmir Times, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which has been targeted by the Fidayeen (suicide squad) recently, has asked the Jammu and Kashmir Government to shift their camps from residential and isolated areas to prevent reoccurrence of such attacks in future. The decision to request for shifting of camps came a few days after terrorists carried out a Fidayeen attack on the Passport office in Srinagar in which two CRPF personnel and two terrorists were killed after a 25-hour gun-battle. Inspector General of CRPF (Operations), Ranjit Sinha, said, "Our camps are in migrant houses, hotels and other places, which are stationed in residential and other isolated areas. Because of our vulnerable locations we become the target of militants in the city. We have therefore written to the state government asking it to provide us alternate accommodation in safer areas where we can locate our camps and launch swift operations in case we are targeted." Read less...

One police personnel was killed and four others sustained injuries when a group of terrorists lobbed a grenade targeting a police vehicle at Sakhi Maidaan in the Poonch district on January 20. Read less...

One SF personnel was killed when terrorists opened fire on a group of security personnel at Chak Nallah Wongam in the Bandipora area of Baramulla district. Terrorists also shot dead a civilian, Abdul Rashid Bhat, at Kamrazpora-Rajpora in the Pulwama district. Read less...

Rafiq Ahmed Dar, an independent candidate for the local body elections at Jamia Mohalla in the OId Baramulla town of Baramulla district, escaped a bid on his life when terrorists attacked his house with a grenade. According to Daily Excelsior, this is the second such attack on candidates for the forthcoming local body elections in the State, beginning on February 1, 2005. Earlier, Nooruddin Sheerwani was shot dead by unidentified terrorists outside a local mosque in Jamia Mohalla on January 17. Read less...

Two days after the first violation of cease-fire on the Line of Control (LoC), the Pakistan Army is reported to have fired 10 mortar shells followed by firing from Medium Machine Gun in the forward village of Hamirpur in Mendhar sector, Poonch district, on January 20. However, no fatalities were reported in the shelling. Official sources said the mortar shells landed at village Hamirpur in Mendhar sector, falling under the jurisdiction of 120 Brigade, between 6.30 pm to 7 pm (IST). A total of 10 mortar shells of 60mm and 82mm were fired during the half an hour. Read less...

A group of terrorists are reported to have abducted three civilians and later shot dead one of them in the Anantnag district on January 21. The slain civilian was identified as Haji Nunda Wagay, an activist of the National Conference. While Mohammad Maqabool Shah, reportedly associated with the ruling People’s Democratic Party was wounded, the third civilian, Ghulam Hassan Zargar, was let off by the abductors. In a separate incident, terrorists shot dead Manzoor Ahmed Hajam, reportedly a surrendered militant, in the Pulwama district. Read less...

During a search operation in the Kishtwar area of Doda district, the troops recovered one carbine with one magazine and 49 rounds of ammunition, one AK magazine with three rounds, one .22 rifle, one 12 bore shotgun, 49 rounds of 303 ammunition, three 12 bore carts, five meter cortex, one detonator and half kg explosive. In another search operation in the Nowshera sector of Rajouri district, security forces’ recovered three P2 Pakistanis mines and one claymore mine. Read less...

In the State, the Police arrested a terrorist from the Zanageer area of Baramulla district and recovered a pistol, one magazine, 18 rounds of ammunition and 12 grenades from his possession. Read less...

Official sources said that seven mortar shells were fired by the Pakistan Army at Cheel post under the jurisdiction of Manjakote police station in Rajouri district on January 21. After shelling, 12 rounds of machine gun were also fired from across the Line of Control (LoC), the sources said, adding no casualties or damage was reported in the shelling and firing. Read less...

Security forces apprehended two Harkat-ul Mujahideen (HuM) terrorists from a hideout at Meemander in Shopian area of Pulwama district on January 21. Read less...

Two Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) cadres were reportedly killed and two Border Security Force (BSF) personnel sustained injuries during an encounter with the security forces at village Lancha in the Gool area of Udhampur district. Further, two terrorists, identified as Farooq Ahmed Bhat alias Arsalan and Tariq Ahmed Khan alias Moulvi, were killed in an encounter with the security forces’ at Drubgam-Rajpora in the Pulwama district. Two AK rifles, 181 rounds of ammunition, two wireless sets, four hand-grenades and Rupees 16,465 were recovered from the incident site. Read less...

While rejecting the Union Government’s move to have a fresh look on the issue of granting autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir, the moderate faction of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) on January 21 termed it as a futile exercise and said this was not a solution to the Kashmir issue. Addressing a congregation on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha in the capital Srinagar, APHC chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, alleged that the Union Government’s move was to ward off "mounting pulls and pressures to resolve the Kashmir issue." "Pressure is mounting on India to address Kashmir issue in view of flexibility shown by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf towards Kashmir issue and to ward off such growing pulls and pressures Government of India has started engaging people of Kashmir in frivolous issue of internal autonomy," the Mirwaiz claimed. Read less...

On January 22, Army foiled an infiltration attempt near Kanchan post of Gulpur in Poonch sector killing two terrorists. The terrorists were infiltrating amidst heavy snowfall and inclement weather from across the Line of Control (LoC). Recoveries made from the slain terrorists include two AK rifles, 300 rounds, 11 AK magazines and seven hand grenades. Read less...

On the same day, terrorists shot dead a former terrorist, Ghulam Qadir Wani at his residence in Laddaw area of Pulwama district. Read less...

Security forces recovered 20 kilograms of RDX from a vehicle at Krankshiven in Sopore area of Baramulla district. Read less...

Two more terrorists were shot dead on January 22 by the Border Security Force (BSF) at Bakhwali in Hariwalla forests in Lancha area of Gool in Doda district taking the death toll of terrorists killed during last two days of operation to four. Read less...

According to Daily Excelsior, an explosion occurred near the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera sector where troops recovered 19 Pakistani mines besides a large quantity of explosive material on January 23. While no one was injured in the explosion, 19 Pakistani mines, including three P2 yellow ones, were recovered during searches by troops in the area. Read less...

Elsewhere in the State, security forces’ neutralised a terrorist hideout in the Kishtwar forest area of Doda district and recovered an unspecified quantity of arms and ammunition. Read less...

A group of suspected terrorists fired upon and wounded the constable-warden of Srinagar Central Jail, Kanwalnain Singh, outside the jail premises. Elsewhere in the State, a Harkat-ul-Ansar (HuA) cadre, Jamal Ali alias Abu Muslan, surrendered before the security forces’ in Poonch district. He handed over one 7.62 mm Chinese pistol, one pistol magazine and seven rounds of ammunition. Read less...

According to Kashmir Times, the ruling PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti, and Urban Development Minister, Ghulam Hassan Mir, escaped bids on their lives when terrorists hurled a grenade towards their cavalcade at Khalilpora-Nowshera on January 24. One police personnel was injured in the incident. However, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range), H K Lohia, denied that a grenade attack was carried out on the PDP leaders' cavalcade. He claimed that it was a bursting of a high power cracker on the road. Read less...

One civilian was killed and six others sustained injuries when terrorists hurled a grenade targeting a police vehicle at the Kulgam Bus Stand in Anantnag district on January 24. In a separate incident, terrorists killed another civilian at an orchard in the Shopian area of Pulwama district. Read less...

Reports from Anantnag district indicated that at Chandpora, suspected terrorists abducted four National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) activists. While one of NC activist, Nund Wagay, was shot dead, the others were released after being assaulted. Further, three persons, including a police constable, were injured when terrorists fired upon a search party of the security forces at village Urapora in the Zainapora area of Pulwama district. Read less...

The two terrorists killed in the January 24 encounter at Urpora village in Shopian area has been identified as HM's "district commander", Zulfikar Hussain Thokar alias Qasim and Yasin Pathan. Read less...

Two terrorists are reported to have died during an encounter that ensued after police launched a cordon-and-search operation at Urpara village in the Pulwama district. According to Daily Excelsior, four top ‘commanders’ of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) outfit - Qasim Gujjar, Zarrar, Adil Pathan and Yasin Pathan - were present at a hideout. While none of the terrorists’ dead bodies had been recovered till last reports came in, official sources in Pulwama confirmed that two police personnel and an equal number of civilians sustained injuries in the gun-battle. Read less...

Two terrorists were arrested by troops when they were about to lob grenades at a crowded bus stand in Anantnag, 55 kms from Srinagar, on January 24 evening. Read less...

In an encounter, on January 25, at Zampathri locality in Kellar belt of Pulwama district between a group of terrorists and security forces, two terrorists were reportedly killed. During the operation, one of the terrorists lobbed a hand grenade, which exploded close to the people who had been evacuated causing splinter injuries to five civilians. One of them, Shakil Ahmed Wani, later succumbed to injuries on way to a Pulwama hospital. Gunbattle was in progress, till reports last came in, as troops were reportedly engaged with two other terrorists from the group. Read less...

In the capital city, Srinagar, one live grenade was spotted and defused by security forces close to a BSF camp in Karan Nagar locality on January 25. Read less...

Reports from south Kashmir added that three security forces personnel sustained minor injuries in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast at Paibug in Anantnag district on January 25. The Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) has claimed responsibility for the IED blast. One more IED was reportedly spotted and defused by security forces in Sagam, Kokernag. Read less...

The overnight gun-battle between the terrorists and security forces’ at Zampathri in the Pulwama district ended on January 26 with both the holed up terrorists managing to escape. As reported earlier, the troops had killed two terrorists on January 25 and an operation was underway to flush out two more of the holed up terrorists. One civilian had died and four more sustained injuries in the same operation on January 25 when a terrorist had lobbed a grenade, which exploded close to the evacuated civilians, according to Daily Excelsior. Read less...

A ‘commander’ of the Harkat-ul-Jehadi-e-Islami (HuJI) outfit, identified as Fareed Ahmed alias Manzoor alias Khalid, is reported to have died during an encounter with the Army in the Kokernag area of Anantnag district on January 26. Read less...

All Republic Day functions in the Kashmir valley on January 26 is reported to have concluded peacefully as the terrorists failed to execute their threats of disruption. Not a single incident of terrorist attack or violence was reported from anywhere in the Kashmir valley, reported Daily Excelsior. Read less...

A group of four terrorists are reported to have abducted and later killed a middle-aged civilian and his son in the Kremshore area of Budgam district on January 27. Read less...

At least 26 persons, including four Police personnel, sustained injuries when terrorists lobbed a hand grenade to disrupt the process of municipal elections in Pampore. Sources said that a legislator from the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Zahoor Ahmed Mir, had a narrow escape in the attack. Mir’s father, Abdul Aziz Mir, was the first legislator to have been killed in December 2002 by the terrorists near his residence at Konibal after the Assembly elections of October 2002. Read less...

A United News of India report has indicated that terrorists have stepped up attacks on candidates contesting the civic polls in Jammu and Kashmir, to be held in the State after more than 27 years. As campaigning ended in north Kashmir on January 28, there was an increase in terrorist attacks on candidates in the Valley. Polling is being held today in the twin border districts of Baramulla and Kupwara where 357 candidates are left in the fray after three candidates, including two women, were declared elected unopposed. Read less...

A woman was shot dead and her son injured during a terrorist attack on their house at village Bagla Taryath under the jurisdiction of Dharamshal police station in Rajouri district on January 28. According to Daily Excelsior, traffic on the Jammu-Rajouri road was blocked by agitated villagers who were demanding setting up of a police picket and a Village Defence Committee in the area. Read less...

In another incident, terrorists ambushed an Independent candidate, Abdur Rasheed Charu, near his residence at Bag-e-Islam in the Sopore town of Baramulla district when he was returning from the local mosque. Earlier, suspected terrorists lobbed a hand grenade targeting the residence of a Congress candidate, Fateh Mohammad War, at Sangrampora Batpora in Sopore. It, however, failed to explode. Suspected terrorists also hurled a grenade targeting the residence of Pervez Ahmed Bulaki at Batpora in Sopore. However, there was no damage. Bulaki is contesting from Sopore as an independent candidate. Read less...

In the State, a suspected cadre of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Mohammad Abbas Wani alias Mubarak, was shot dead by the troops during a brief encounter at Kawni in the Awantipore area of Pulwama district on January 28. Separately, troops of the Rashtriya Rifles killed one unidentified terrorist in an encounter at Dhanveth in the Kokernag area of Anantnag district. Read less...

On the eve of the phase-I of the municipal elections in Kashmir valley, a group of terrorists are reported to have shot dead Ghulam Rasool Dhobi, a candidate of the National Conference (NC), and injured another in the Pampore area of Pulwama district on January 28. He had filed his nomination papers as a NC candidate a day earlier when terrorists had carried out a rifle grenade attack on the local administration office, resulting in injuries to 22 civilians and four Police personnel. After killing Dhobi, the terrorists reportedly shot at and wounded People’s Democratic Party candidate, Fehmeeda, at her residence in Pampore. Read less...

Elections to the 68-ward Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) were also held on February 1 without a single incident of terrorist violence. District Election Officer, Shailendra Kumar, said that the turnout was around 20 percent. After polling in the Baramulla and Kupwara districts of north Kashmir on January 29, this was phase-II of the civic body elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Read less...

A group of terrorists are reported to have shot dead a woman and her 14-year-old son and injured her husband at their residence in the Kulgam area of Anantnag district on January 30. In a separate incident, terrorists also killed a contractor, identified as Farooq Ahmed Bhat, in the Hazratbal area of capital Srinagar. Read less...

In Srinagar, terrorists fired upon the campaigning cavalcade of the opposition National Conference (NC) party in the Chota Bazar Zaldagar area. A leader of the NC’s Women Wing, Shameema Firdaus escaped unhurt but one member of the party, Irshad Ahmed Sofi, sustained gunshot wounds. Read less...

In the State, during an operation in the Mahore area of Udhampur district, a suspected over ground worker of the terrorists, identified as Dildar Ahmed, was arrested. Meanwhile, during a search operation in the Dharana area of Rajouri district, security forces’ recovered 250 rounds of AK ammunition and 10 pencil cells. During a separate raid, troops neutralised a terrorist hideout in the Durana Rakh area of Poonch district. Read less...

Three cadres of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit were shot dead by the troops during an encounter at Gai Narh in the Gambhir area of Rajouri district. Read less...

A Congress candidate for the ongoing civic elections, Ghulam Ahmed Bhat, reportedly escaped unhurt when terrorists attacked him at Khudhamam Dooru in the Anantnag district while an activist of the National Conference was wounded when terrorists fired on a vehicle of the party during campaigning at Karfali Mohalla in the capital Srinagar. Read less...

During two separate search operations in the Poonch district, SF personnel recovered one anti tank mine, one led box, two kg explosive, one Chinese pistol with two magazines and 11 rounds of ammunition, one pistol brass, two detonators, 47 AK rounds, one Pika belt and 75 Pika rounds. Read less...

Four members of a family, including a woman and three children, were reportedly shot dead and two others sustained injuries during a terrorist attack on their house at village Nashla Bajarni in the Doda district on January 31. Three family members escaped unhurt in the attack. Sources in Doda said a group of two to three terrorists attacked the isolated house of Abdul Aziz by lobbing a grenade and opening indiscriminate firing on the inmates. Four family members of Aziz were killed in the firing while Aziz and his minor daughter were injured. Read less...

In another incident, security forces’ (SF) are reported to have shot dead a ‘district commander’ of the Harkat-ul-Jehadi-e-Islami (HuJI) outfit, identified as Abdul Hassan alias Code-4, during an encounter at Nad Mohra in the Thannamandi area of Rajouri district. One AK-47 rifle and one AK-56 magazine were recovered from the incident site. Read less...

In the second phase of civic elections in the State, polling is to be held amid tight security arrangements in all the 68 wards of Srinagar Municipal Corporation on February 2. Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer, Shailendra Kumar, said that in all 217 candidates (including 64 women) are in the fray. Twenty-three seats are reserved for women in Srinagar. About 4.43 Lakh voters are to exercise their franchise for polling being held for the civic body after 27 years. Elaborate security arrangements have also been made by the authorities for ensuring a free, fair and smooth conduct of polling in 71 wards of the Jammu Municipal Corporation on February 2. A total of 537 candidates, including 161 women, are reportedly in the fray. Read less...