Jammu, May 23: Joint security forces continued anti-terrorist operations on Friday in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, even as no fresh firing exchanges were reported from the area.

The security forces launched the operation against a group of 3 to 4 terrorists reportedly hiding in the Singhpora Chatroo area of Kishtwar district Thursday morning.

One soldier was martyred in the encounter between the joint forces and the terrorists, while two other soldiers were injured.

Army’s Nagrota headquartered White Knight Corps said on X on Friday, “In a solemn ceremony, Chief of Staff @WhiteKnight_IA paid tribute to #Braveheart Sep Gaykar Sandip Pandurang, who made the supreme sacrifice in the finest traditions of the #IndianArmy.

“His courage and #sacrifice will inspire generations of soldiers”.

Officials said on Friday that firing stopped Thursday evening, and there has been no exchange of fire thereafter.

“A massive search operation was launched jointly by the Special Operations Group of J&K Police, the Army and paramilitary forces to track down the terrorists hiding in the dense forest. Additional troops have been inducted, and operations are ongoing to neutralise the terrorists,” officials said.

The J&K Director General of Police (DGP), Nalin Prabhat, also visited the Singhpora-Chatroo area where a major anti-terrorism operation is currently underway.

“The DGP personally visited the dense forests and mountainous terrain, encouraged the deployed personnel, and issued directions to ensure that all terrorists involved are dealt with strictly and brought to justice,” said an official.

He said DGP Prabhat lauded the synergy among all security agencies and reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of the Jammu and Kashmir Police to maintaining peace and order in the region through sustained and focused operations.

It must be recalled that Joint forces have been involved in aggressive operations against terrorists, their overground workers (OGWs) and sympathisers in Jammu and Kashmir.

These operations were intensified after April 22, when Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists segregated tourists on the basis of religion and killed 26 civilians, including 25 tourists and a local, in Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam.

The cowardly terrorist act outraged the entire nation. India launched precision-guided targeted attacks on terrorist infrastructure in Muridke near Lahore, Bahawalpur, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Pakistan responded by heavy mortar shelling on the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) in J&K, targeting civilian facilities.

At least 200 houses and shops were destroyed in Pakistani shelling, while hundreds of border residents were forced to abandon their villages to move to safer locations. The border residents have not fully returned to their homes yet as the security forces are still defusing unexploded Pakistan shells in Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla and Kupwara districts.

India responded positively to a ceasefire after the DGMOs of the two countries reached an understanding on June 12.

But, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has made it clear that the understanding will be respected only as long as Pakistan does not allow any terrorist activity on its soil against India.

Mumbai: Muslim organizations have now started legal proceedings against Mumbai BJP leaders and former MP Kirit Somaiya. In an important meeting of Muslim elders and scholars in the Mumbai Peace Committee, it was decided that a case should be registered against Kirit Somaiya for disturbing communal harmony in Mumbai city, creating enmity between two communities, and spreading religious hatred. Applications should be filed in various police stations of the city to register a case against Kirit Somaiya. Despite all these legal proceedings, if the police is unable to register a case against Kirit Somaiya, then they should approach the court against it. Muslim organizations have also decided to knock on the door of the court if the case is not registered.

Mumbai Peace Committee President Fareed Sheikh said that the atmosphere of the city has deteriorated due to the provocations of BJP leader Kirit Somaiya and the loudspeaker removal campaign against mosques. There is also a risk of communal violence and religious hatred. This has also created a rift between Hindus and Muslims. Therefore, a request has been made to the Mumbai Police to register a case against Kirit Somaiya. At the same time, we have also demanded that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis take action against the mischievous leaders because this is deteriorating the atmosphere of Maharashtra. Maulana Ijaz Ahmed Kashmiri, the preacher and imam of Handiwala Mosque, said that the provocation of Kirit Somaiya regarding the removal of loudspeakers from mosques in Mumbai has led to communal tension and in such a situation, a law and order problem has arisen in Maharashtra and Mumbai.

He said that this meeting was held regarding the issue of loudspeakers in mosques as well as the legal action against Kirit Somaiya’s provocation, in which it was decided that NGOs and organizations will approach the police stations to register a case against Kirit Somaiya. If a case is not registered despite all these requests, then the court should be approached soon. He said that it is very important to stop leaders like Kirit Somaiya to maintain a peaceful atmosphere in Mumbai. Kirit Somaiya has started a campaign to make Mumbai free of loudspeakers, due to which he visits police stations within the limits of mosques and tries to put pressure on police officers, due to which there is law and order here. The problem of discipline arises. In all these situations, there is a risk of tension in Mumbai. Therefore, we also demand from the government to take action against leaders like Kirit Somaiya and make efforts to maintain peace and order in Mumbai city. Maulana Anis Ashrafi, Naeem Sheikh, Shakir Sheikh, APCR head Aslam Ghazi, Advocate Abdul Karim Pathan were also present in this meeting.

Seoul, May 22: North Korea said Thursday a “serious accident” occurred the previous day during a ceremony to launch a new warship, with its leader Kim Jong-un calling it a “criminal act” that could not be tolerated.

The accident took place Wednesday at a shipyard in the eastern port city of Chongjin during a ceremony to launch a newly built 5,000-tonne destroyer, attended by the North’s leader, according to the Media.

Citing “inexperience command and operational carelessness” in the course of the launch, North Korea said a “serious accident” occurred as the launch slide of the stern departed first and was stranded while the flatcar failed to move in parallel.

Some sections of the warship’s bottom were “crushed,” destroying the balance of the warship, and the bow couldn’t leave the shipway, it reported.

After watching the whole course of the accident, Kim said, “It was a serious accident and criminal act caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism which is out of the bounds of possibility and could not be tolerated,” according to the Media.

He ordered the restoration of the warship to be “completed unconditionally” before a plenary meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) set for June and gave an important instruction related to an investigation into the accident.

“The immediate restoration of the destroyer is not merely a practical issue but a political issue directly related to the authority of the state,” Kim said.

The political bureau of the WPK decided to convene the 12th plenary meeting of the party’s central committee in late June to review the first-half performance and policies for the second half, the Media said in a separate dispatch.

The North did not disclose photos related to the latest accident.

Considering that Kim called for the restoration to take place before the June party meeting, a unification ministry official said the scope of the damage is likely not large and appears to be recoverable.

“By using the expression ‘absolute carelessness,’ (Kim) could have aimed at shoring up internal discipline through a stern reprimand,” the official said, noting the accident was reported on the front page of the North’s main Media, the Rodong Sinmun.

South Korea’s military said the North appears to have failed in using a side launching technique.

“South Korea and US intelligence authorities had been tracking and monitoring the movement of a large-sized warship at the North’s Chongjin port,” Col. Lee Sung-jun, spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), told a regular Media.

“We assess (the warship’s) side launching failed,” Lee said, adding the destroyer remains partially capsized on the sea.

The latest accident came as the North has been ramping up efforts to modernise its naval capabilities, conducting a firing test on a newly built 5,000-tonne destroyer just days after its launch, Media reported.

Last month, North Korea unveiled the new multipurpose destroyer, named the Choe Hyon. It said the warship is equipped with supersonic strategic cruise missiles, tactical ballistic missiles and other strike means.