Jammu Apr 26 PTI The NIA Tuesday took over the case of last weeks terror strike near an army camp here officials said as one of the three arrestees confessed to transporting terrorists from the International Border to Kashmir in the past also sending alarm bells ringing in the security establishmentThe case relates to the terror attack on a Central Industrial Security Force CISF bus and the subsequent encounter in Sunjwan area on the outskirts of the city on Friday While two Pashto-speaking suicide bombers of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed outfit were eliminated in the encounter an Assistant Sub Inspector ASI of CISF lost his life in the terror attack Nine other personnel including two policemen were injured Driver Bilal Ahmad Wagay and his helper Ishfaq Chopan of Kokernag area of Anantnag district who allegedly transported the terrorists from International Border in Sapwal to Jammu were arrested from Kashmir on Sunday Shafiq Ahmad Sheikh of Tral in Pulwama who had received the terrorists at Sunjwan and arranged for their stay in a house in the area for a day was the first to be arrested in the case while his brother Asif who emerged as a key conspirator is still at large and efforts are on to nab him the officials said They said the National Investigation Agency NIA took over the case on the orders of the Ministry of Home Affairs The anti-terror probe agency re-registered the case in Jammu under various sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act Indian Penal Code and Arms Act for a thorough investigation to unravel the whole conspiracy behind the attack they said The probe will be headed by a Senior Superintendent of Police SSP-rank officer the officials said They said the NIA took over the case amid disclosure by one of the arrested accused that he had earlier also ferried some more terrorists to Kashmir after their successful infiltration from Pakistan along the IB in Jammu On Monday the arrested accused were remanded in police custody for 10 days after they were produced before the third additional sessions judge also a designated NIA court Police have also detained the house owner where the terrorists had spent a day for questioning He has not been formally arrested though The truck which was used in the transportation of the terrorists had also been seized the officials said Announcing a breakthrough in the case on April 23 Additional Director General of Police Jammu Mukesh Singh they arrested Sheikh and identified the other accused on the basis of technical analysisAfter the encounter police teams worked tirelessly day and night to establish the identity of the conspirators who were behind this plan to carry out a suicide attack in Jammu which was successfully foiled he had said On the basis of technical analysis and evidence the police first zeroed in on Sheikh who works at a walnut factory at Narwal which is not far away from the scene of the encounter Sheikh and his brother Asif are deeply involved with terrorists of JeM Asif created a telegram ID called Pagal Jamaat mad group for Shafiq and also provided him with a mobile phone with a SIM card He also contacted a JeM commander in Pakistan by the name of Veer his telegram identity the ADGP had said He had said Wagay set out on the instructions of Pakistan-based JeM commander from Kashmirs Pulwama at 10 am on April 20 and reached Jammu around evening time He stayed at Transport Nagar and at around 12 am midnight he set out for Sapwal border in Samba and picked up two terrorists of JeM They boarded a medium sized truck loaded with empty vegetable crates and neatly created a cavity among the crates for hiding the terrorists the ADGP had said They reached Jallabad locality of Sunjwan around 230 am Sheikh received the terrorists and took them to his house where they stayed during the day and discussed their plans with their handlers across the border PTI TAS SKL TIR

Jammu Apr 26 PTI The National Investigation Agency NIA Tuesday took over the case of last weeks terror strike near an army camp here officials saidThe case relates to the terror attack on a CISF bus and subsequent encounter in Sunjwan area on the outskirts of the city on FridayWhile two Pashto-speaking terrorists who had infiltrated from across the border and travelled in a mini-truck from Sapwal in Samba to Jammu were eliminated in the encounter an ASI of CISF lost his life in the terror attackNine other personnel including two policemen were also injuredThree persons including the driver of the mini-truck and his helper have been arrested in connection with the case so far PTI TAS SKL TIR TIR

Jammu Apr 26 PTI Jammu and Kashmirs health department has introduced a modern technique for palliative and geriatric care via shockwave therapy to treat patients with chronic pain and organised its first camp in the city officials said on TuesdayExplaining the shockwave therapy they said that shock of different frequencies and intensity is delivered to the affected part to give relief from pain in the neck back and limbs and pelvisA shock wave therapy camp was organised at the pain clinic of the government hospital at Gandhinagar in Jammu city where people of different age groups underwent the therapy on Monday a senior official of the health department saidThe camp was organised by pain and palliative care specialist Dr Rohit Lahori in collaboration with Donier Germany officials saidThey said that such camps will reach out to the elderly people suffering from various types of pain including severe cancer painsDr Lahori said We will be holding such camps under outreach program in Jammu and peripheral districts under palliative and geriatric care In a landmark step to fill a void in the Union territorys healthcare system Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had last week announced dedicated facilities to the elderly and critically-ill ageing patients along with launching state-of-the-art palliative and geriatric care wards in all districts headed by Dr Lahori PTI AB RDT NSD

Jammu Apr 26 PTI The historic Mughal road connecting the twin districts of Rajouri and Poonch in the Jammu region with south Kashmirs Shopian district will be reopened for vehicular traffic on Wednesday after remaining closed for over four months due to heavy snowfall officials said on Tuesday Divisional Commissioner Jammu Raghav Langer ordered the reopening of the road which was cleared of snow by the Mechanical Engineering Department after a hectic road clearance operation they said The officials said the department pressed its men and machines to clear the 84-km stretch from Bufliaz in Poonch to Shopian and managed to clear the road about two weeks ago but a decision for its reopening was delayed to ensure that the road is safe for the commuters Quoting the order of the divisional commissioner they said the road shall be open for regular traffic from April 27 The commuters have been asked to follow the traffic advisories issued by the traffic police authorities from time to time for smooth movement and regulation of heavy motor vehicles and light motor vehicles they said There has been persistent demand from the locals for the early reopening of the Mughal road an alternate road link between Kashmir and Jammu which usually remains closed for several months during the winter A delegation of panchayat members met the divisional commissioner here on Monday and raised the demand for the early reopening of the road for the benefit of the public including the nomadic population who are moving from higher reaches in search of greener pastures for their cattle in the valley the officials said The road was closed for vehicular traffic on December 23 last year after the high-altitude areas including Peer Ki Gali along the Mughal road experienced heavy snowfall The 270-km Jammu-Srinagar highway is the only all-weather road connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country while Anantnag in south Kashmir and Kishtwar in the Jammu region is connected through Sinthan top and the road was also reopened for traffic last week PTI TAS 4172022 AQS AQS

Jammu Apr 25 PTI Three people arrested in connection with the recent encounter in Sunjwan area here were on Monday remanded in police custody for 10 days officials said Two Pashto-speaking suicide bombers of Jaish-e-Mohammed JeM were killed in the encounter after they managed to sneak from across the border and killed a CISF officer by attacking his bus in Sunjwan on Friday Driver Bilal Ahmad Wagay and his helper Ishfaq Chopan of Kokernag area who allegedly transported the terrorists in a mini-truck from Sapwal border in Samba to Sunjwan and Shafiq Ahmad Sheikh of Tral who had received the terrorists and also arranged their stay in a house in the area for a day were arrested in the case so far Police have also detained the house owner for questioning However he is yet to be arrested formally in the case Producing the three accused before the court of third additional session judge also a designated NIA court the officials said police sought their remand for interrogation The court granted 10 days remand of the accused to the police and accordingly they were whisked away for questioning they said PTI TAS CK

Jammu Apr 25 PTI Jammu and Kashmir unit of Congress on Monday organised an inter-faith prayer meet here with its leader G A Mir expressing serious concern over politics of hate and vendetta Mir led the Sarv Dharam Prarthana Sabha and said both the politics of hate and political vendetta are dangerous for the social secular and democratic atmosphere in the country Various religious leaders enlightened the gathering about the need for upholding the secular character and said no religion preaches hatred and intolerance They appreciated the Congress for the initiative and called for necessary steps to counter the forces who are trying to divide the peopleProvocative and mischievous activities are taking place with a nefarious design to disturb peace and the traditional harmony in the country attempts to vitiate the atmosphere of religious brotherhood is very dangerous for the multi religious multi lingual and multi-cultural nation Mir said He lodged a strong protest of the party over the politics of vendetta termed it political intolerance of Modi-led BJP government Congress party leaders like Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani are being booked and framed under stringent laws in order to deter opposition to speak against the ruling party he alleged He said it is dangerous for the democratic system and against the Constitution of the country which guarantees freedom of speech and expression and right to protest Meanwhile several senior Congress leaders led by Mir visited the residence of National Panthers Party supremo Bhim Singh to enquire about his health and also discussed in detail the current political and social scenario in the country They wished the 80-year-old veteran politician who is not keeping well for the past sometime due to age related issues speedy recoverySingh was very much concerned about the overall social and political atmosphere emerging in the country which is vitiating the age old secular fabric the Congress said in a statement The NPP leader said all the secular political and democratic forces must come together to maintain the harmonious social political and democratic atmosphere in the country He also called for a united struggle to seek restoration of the historical Dogra state without any further delay the release said PTI TAS RCJ

Jammu Apr 25 PTI Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed keen interest in a photo exhibition depicting rural heritage organised by the Jammu chapter of INTACH during his visit to Jammu and Kashmir officials said on MondayThe Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage INTACH held the exhibition at Palli panchayat the venue of the prime ministers public rally to commemorate the National Panchayat Day in Samba district on Sunday they saidPrime Minister Modis speech was relayed to all gram panchayats across the country and during the event he inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of several projects for the union territoryThe officials said the photo exhibition was based on heritage temple corridors of MandalPurmandal Uttar-behni and Birpur as well as the traditional route to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrineConvener of INTACH Jammu Chapter S M Sahni along with Shastri Rajinder Kumar of the Purmandal complex briefed the prime minister about the rural heritage corridor photographs the officials said PTI TAS IJT

Jammu Apr 25 PTI Thanking the people for turning up in large numbers to hear Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Samba district senior BJP leader Ravinder Raina on Monday said his party will build a new and beautiful Jammu and Kashmir with the cooperation of the local populaceRaina who is the president of the BJPs Jammu and Kashmir unit also dismissed the criticism of the Congress and other parties over no mention of restoration of statehood and early assembly polls in Modis speech on SundayTheir pain opposition parties is understood after the prime ministers historic rally he saidOn National Panchayati Raj Day Prime Minister Modi on Sunday addressed a rally at Palli Panchayat in the district in his first public appearance in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019His speech was relayed to all gram panchayats across the country and during the event he inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of several projects for the union territory that came into existence after the Centre abrogated the article which granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and KashmirWe are thankful to the people who turned up in large numbers at the rally which shows their love and respect for the prime minister who has a special place for Jammu and Kashmir in his heart said Raina who was flanked by other BJP leaders including former deputy chief minister Kavinder GuptaTalking to reporters at the party headquarters here Raina referred to the foundation stone laying ceremony of various developmental projects and Modis message to the youth of Jammu and KashmirModi had assured the youth of Jammu and Kashmir that his government will make sure that they do not face problems related to basic amenities that their parents or grandparents had encounteredThe BJP is moving ahead to build a new and beautiful Jammu and Kashmir with the cooperation of the people Raina saidThe people of Jammu and Kashmir whether Hindus or Muslim Sikhs or Christians habitants of city or rural areas Pahari-speaking or Gujjar and Bakerwal refugees or border residents and other reserved categories and deprived communities stand with Modi which was evident from the public rally participants by people with enthusiasm he saidThe BJP leader said that the partys believes in Sabka saath Sabka vikas and Sabka vishwas and with efforts of all Jammu and Kashmir will continue to tread on the path of peace prosperity and developmentThere will be no discrimination and equitable development of both regions of Kashmir and Jammu will be ensured Raina saidHe also talked about the three-tier Panchayati Raj System and said the BJP under Prime Minister Modi strengthened democracy at the grassroots by holding elections and also empowered Panchayati Raj Institutions unlike the past seven decades of National Conference and Congress ruleAsked about the criticism of the Congress and other parties on no mention in Modis speech about statehood and assembly polls in the union territory he said the Centre has time and again made it clear that statehood will be restored at an appropriate time while elections will be held after the submission of the final report by the delimitation commissionModi is the saluted by the world for being the most powerful prime minister and leader todayModi has made India famous at the global level When lakhs of people attended his rally in Samba the pain in the opposition camp is understood he said PTI TAS ANB

Jammu Apr 24 PTI One person was injured in a mysterious explosion in Jammu and Kashmirs border district of Rajouri on Sunday officials said The explosion took place at Budhal-Shahpur in Kotranka area outside the house of Preetam Singh around 8 pm a few hours after the conclusion of a marriage function there they said A police party has rushed to the spot and the cause of the explosion is being probed the officials said adding the injured was shifted to hospital and his condition was stated to be stable This was the fourth explosion in Kotranka area in the past nearly one month On March 26 two explosions in quick succession rocked Kotranka market but caused no casualty while a couple from Uttar Pradesh putting up at a slum were injured in another mysterious explosion at Jaglanoo village on April 19 On April 16 security forces detected and defused an Improvised Explosive Device IED at Gurdan in Rajouri PTI TAS CK

Jammu Apr 23 PTI The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Saturday inked a Memorandum of Understanding MoU with the National Highways Logistics Management Limited NHLML for the development of ropeway networks as an alternate solution of mobility to improve connectivity to remote habitations on higher reaches The MoU was signed between Regional Officer National Highway Authority of India J-K Rohin Gupta and Development Commissioner Works Public Works Department Roads and Buildings J-K Manzoor Hussain at Raj Bhavan here in the presence of Lt Governor Manoj Sinha an official spokesman said Terming this much-awaited project as a potential solution to the existing mobility problem besides promoting tourism Sinha said in the long run this sustainable and environment-friendly transport system will play a significant role in decongesting the urban spaces He expressed gratitude to the central government and said as future mobility medium the proposed ropeway project will bring economic prosperity to inaccessible hilly areas It is a significant step in the direction of developing a comprehensive ropeway network to benefit all sections of the population living in remote and difficult geographical conditions of Jammu and Kashmir Sinha said Terming connectivity as top priority to increase production trade and to improve the quality of life of people the Lt Governor reiterated the unwavering commitment of the UT administration towards the rapid socio-economic development of the people living in remote areas of Jammu and Kashmir PTI TAS 4172022 AQS AQS