Crime
Hybrid terrorism hits Kashmir hard as Pak turns youth into murderers

Hybrid terrorism in Kashmir is emerging as a major challenge for the security agencies and the local populace. No one is gaining anything and people of Kashmir can end up as the biggest losers.
The hybrid terrorists are being provided with the small arms like pistols and grenades by their handlers to carryout target killings to create fear psychosis and send a message that terrorism is far from over in Kashmir. Pakistan is avenging its defeat by turning young Kashmiri boys into dreaded terrorists.
The hybrid terrorists in the past three months have killed 16 civilians in targeted attacks. The slain include 10 Kashmiri Muslims and six Hindus.
On March 2, 2022, a Panch identified as Mohammad Yaqoob Dar of Kulpora Srandroo, Kulgam was shot dead at his residence.
On March 6, two persons Mohammad Alsamand Rafiya Jan were killed in a grenade attack in Amira Kadal Srinagar.
On March 9, a PDP Sarpanch Sameer Bhat was killed at Khonmoh in Srinagar outskirts.
On March 11, Sarpanch identified as Shabir Ahmed Mir from Audoora Kulgam was killed near his residence.
On March 21, a civilian Tajamul Mohiudin was killed in Gotipora, Budgam.
On March 27, a student Umar Ahmad Dar was killed along with his SPO brother at his residence in Chadibugh, Budgam.
On April 13, Satish Kumar Singh, a Kashmiri Rajput man was shot dead inside his home in Kulgam’s Kakran area.
On April 15, an independent Sarpanch Manzoor Bangroo was killed by terrorists in Pattan area of Baramulla district.
On May 12, a Kashmir Pandit Rahul Bhat working in the Revenue Department was killed by militants in tehsil office Chadoora Budgam.
On May 15, Ranjit Singh, an employee at a liquor shop in Baramulla was killed when a grenade was lobbed inside the shop.
On May 26, TV artist Ambreena Bhat of Hushroo Chadoora was killed in her house, while her 10-year old nephew sustained bullet injuries in the attack.
On May 31, a Hindu teacher Rajini Bala from Samba was gunned down by ultras in Gopalpora, Kulgam.
On June 2, Vijay Kumar a bank manager at Ellaquai Dehati Bank hailing from Rajasthan was killed inside his office in Kulgam. Hours after Kumar’s killing a non-local labourer Dilkhush Kumar was shot dead by terrorists in Central Kashmir’s Chadoora area.
In the past five months three civilians have been killed in grenade attacks, while 13 others have been shot dead using pistols.
Besides killing unarmed civilians terrorists have targeted unarmed policemen also. On April 18, 2022, ultras shot dead a Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel and critically injured another outside Kakapora railway station in Pulwama in south Kashmir. The Head Constable Surinder Singh died on the spot while Sub Inspector Devraj succumbed to the injuries a few days later.
On May 7, 2022, a police constable Ghulam Hassan Dar, was fired upon near Aiwa Bridge at Dr Ali Jan Road in Srinagar in the morning. He succumbed to his injuries at a hospital later in the evening.
On May 24, 2022 a policeman, Saifullah Qadri was shot dead and his 9-year-old daughter was injured in a terror attack that took place in Soura area of Srinagar.
Hybrid terrorists choosing soft targets
The hybrid terrorists are on a killing spree in Kashmir. They are choosing soft targets to spread terror and fear among the people and the new face of Pakistan sponsored terrorism has shocked everyone in Kashmir. No one knows who can be the next target as the hybrid terrorists are highly radicalised and have turned into professional murderers.
The hybrid terrorists after carrying out the attacks return to their normal lives. They don’t have any police record as they are unknown faces. After completing the given assignment they wait for their next task making it difficult for the law enforcing agencies to track them. They are radicalised to an extent that they carry out a terror strike and then slip back into the routine life. They are usually used by their handlers after intervals to prevent detection. The hybrid terrorists, who were arrested in the recent past, had no information about the other groups that are operating in Kashmir. They operate in small groups. One or two of them transport weapons while two or three others carry out the attack.
On May 23, 2022, security forces recovered 15 pistols, 30 pistol magazines, 300 rounds along with one silencer in the Chanapora area of Srinagar from two hybrid terrorists.
Earlier on April 20, the security forces recovered a huge cache of pistols and grenades in north Kashmir’s Kupwara which included 10 pistols, 17 pistol magazines and five grenades. In January this year, two similar consignments with silencers were seized in Kashmir. In the past few months the security forces have recovered nearly 150 pistols. But there are reports that terrorist handlers have distributed nearly 200 pistols in Kashmir to carry out the target killings. In the first five months of 2022, the security forces have neutralised more than 85 terrorists and more than 40 hybrid terrorists have been arrested.
Hybrid terrorism grim reminder of dark days
The hybrid terrorism is once again pushing Kashmir back into dark days as the security agencies firmly believe that these terrorists cannot operate and survive without the support of locals. Most of the hybrid terrorists are local youths who have been indoctrinated by their handlers to such an extent that they are killing anyone on the directions of their bosses sitting across the Line of Control (LoC).
The guns provided by Pakistan turning towards a common man, including Muslims and Hindus, has exposed the real face of terror. The senseless killings are pushing Kashmir towards uncertainty and chaos. If the people don’t raise their voice against the cold blooded murders of the innocents, Kashmir can never come out from the quagmire of uncertainty. People of Kashmir need to understand that peace is prerequisite for development and their prosperity.
Pak out to label every Kashmiri Muslim as terrorist
After August 5, 2019 — when the Centre announced its decision to abrogate J&K’s special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories — the government has worked sincerely to empower the people of Jammu and Kashmir. New employment avenues have been created for youth, tourists are arriving in hordes and the big business houses have already started to invest in J&K.
The hybrid terrorists are out to ruin everything. Killing innocent non-local labourers and employees of minority communities is maligning the image of Kashmiris. It appears that Pakistan is out to label every Kashmiri Muslim as a terrorist to ensure that he finds no acceptance in any part of the world.
Pakistan and the terrorists sponsored by it are once again making desperate attempts to vitiate peace in Kashmir. Security forces are on toes. They are not allowing the terrorists to raise their heads but the people need to understand that they can’t act as mute spectators. The monster of terrorism is knocking at their doors again and the emergence of hybrid terrorism can once again push Kashmir into oblivion. The Centre has reposed trust on people of Kashmir and now it’s up to them to ensure that the trust is not shaken.
Crime
Blaze kills woman in Mumbai’s Lokhandwala; 10-day infant among 6 injured

Mumbai, April 26: A woman was killed and six people, including a 10-day-old infant, were injured in a fire in an high-rise building in Mumbai’s Lokhandwala in Andheri (West), early on Saturday, said the Mumbai Fire Brigade.
Abhina Kartik Sanjanvalia, 34, died on the way to Cooper Hospital. Her family member Kartik Sanjanvalia, 40, is undergoing treatment for smoke inhalation, said an official.
Five fire tenders fought the blaze, which started at around 2.40 am in Broke Land Building near Ashok Academy Lane, and restricted it to room number 104 on the first floor before extinguishing it at 5.30 a.m, said an official.
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) Mumbai Fire Brigade suspect that the fire in the eight floor building was sparked by an electric short circuit. However, the exact cause of the blaze is yet to be confirmed.
The blaze burnt down furniture, mattresses, clothes, split and window air-conditioners and electrical installations in the flat on the first floor, said an official.
The other injured residents taken to Kokilaben Hospital were identified as 10-day-old baby boy Pradumna Gupta, Rihan, 3, Daya Gupta, 21, Aparna Gupta, 41 and Polam Gupta, 40.
The incident revived painful memories of another fire incident in a 15-storey building in Lokhandwala last October which claimed the lives of three people, including a visually impaired citizen.
Soon after the fire in Riya Palace building, a 37-year-old building at Cross Road Number 4 of Lokhandwala Complex in Andheri, there were demands for opening a fire station on a plot allotted for the purpose in the area three decades ago.
The October 2024 blaze that broke out on the 10th floor of the building started around 8 am and was doused around 9 p.m. The victims were identified as Kanta Soni, 74, Chandraprakash Soni, 74, and Pelubeta, 42.
In another fire incident on Saturday in Maharashtra, a plywood godown was gutted in Thane district. The fire started around 3.30 a.m, in a three-storey building in Rahnal village in Bhiwandi and four fire tenders continued to battle the flames for hours.
A firefighter of the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation (BNMC) got a fracture in his leg during the operation to douse the blaze.
An official said due to a huge pile of plywood the blaze had posed a challenge to fire-fighters.
Crime
Tahawwur Rana denies role in Mumbai terror attack during interrogation (Ld)

Mumbai, April 26: Tahawwur Rana, the Pakistani-Canadian national accused of involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, has denied any role in the conspiracy during his interrogation by the Mumbai Crime Branch.
According to senior officials, Rana, who is currently in the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Delhi, was questioned for over eight hours by a team of Mumbai Police officers.
During the interrogation, Rana distanced himself from the attacks that claimed over 166 lives and injured hundreds on November 26, 2008.
Rana reportedly told investigators that he had “no connection whatsoever” with the planning or execution of the attack.
He also claimed that his childhood friend and co-accused, David Coleman Headley, was solely responsible for the reconnaissance and planning aspects.
Headley, who turned approver in the case, had earlier admitted to conducting recce missions across India, including in Mumbai, on behalf of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
During questioning, Rana said that apart from Mumbai and Delhi, he had also travelled to Kerala.
When asked about the purpose of his visit to Kerala, he claimed he had gone there to meet a known acquaintance and had provided the individual’s name and address to the agency.
Following this, sources said a team from the Mumbai Crime Branch may soon travel to Kerala to verify his claims and question the said person.
Officials revealed that Rana was largely uncooperative during the interrogation and frequently gave evasive answers.
He also cited memory lapses, stating that he was unable to recall specific details related to the attack that occurred over 17 years ago.
The interrogation is part of an ongoing probe by the NIA into the extensive three-year groundwork carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) prior to the Mumbai terror attacks.
Rana is also being questioned about his alleged links to several individuals whose names surfaced in intercepted communications, including Abdur Rehman Hashim Syed, Sajid Majid, Ilyas Kashmiri, and Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi — all of whom are believed to have played crucial roles in the 26/11 conspiracy.
Rana, a former officer of the Pakistan Army’s Medical Corps, was extradited to India from the United States recently to face justice in the Mumbai attack case.
Crime
‘Rise against your govt, army for encouraging terrorism,’ Sunni cleric’s appeal to Pakistanis

Lucknow, April 24: In a strong condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack, senior Sunni cleric and Imam of Aishbagh Eidgah, Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali, on Thursday called on the people of Pakistan to rise against their government and military for facilitating acts of terror on Indian soil.
The remarks come after 26 people, most of them tourists, were gunned down in a brutal targeted terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam on Tuesday.
The Resistance Front, a Pakistan-based terror outfit and offshoot of the proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba, is suspected to be behind the massacre.
Speaking to Media, Firangi Mahali said, “The people of Pakistan should understand that no one will support such activities. They should raise their voices against their own government and army, which are encouraging these acts of terrorism.”
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, announced a series of stringent measures in response to the attack.
These include the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, closure of the Attari-Wagah border, cancellation of the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) for Pakistani nationals, expulsion of Pakistan’s military attaches from New Delhi and a reduction in diplomatic staff at both High Commissions.
Calling these actions “necessary and timely,” Firangi Mahali stated, “The horrific incident of terrorism in Pahalgam has been condemned in the harshest terms. This tragic event has shaken the entire country. The steps taken by the Government of India — whether on the water agreement, diplomatic expulsions, or visa cancellations — are absolutely appropriate.”
Appealing for national unity, he urged political parties to come together on a single platform in support of the government’s decisions.
“This is not the time for political division. All parties must stand united so that a positive image of national solidarity is conveyed internationally,” he said.
The cleric also warned against communalising the tragedy. “My appeal to fellow Indians is not to view this terror incident through a religious lens. No religion condones violence or terrorism,” he said.
“Some of the posts circulating on social media are sending out a very negative message. In this hour of crisis, every Indian — regardless of religion or political affiliation — must stand together,” he added.
-
Crime3 years ago
Class 10 student jumps to death in Jaipur
-
Maharashtra7 months ago
Mumbai Local Train Update: Central Railway’s New Timetable Comes Into Effect; Check Full List Of Revised Timings & Stations
-
Maharashtra7 months ago
Mumbai To Go Toll-Free Tonight! Maharashtra Govt Announces Complete Toll Waiver For Light Motor Vehicles At All 5 Entry Points Of City
-
Maharashtra7 months ago
False photo of Imtiaz Jaleel’s rally, exposing the fooling conspiracy
-
National News7 months ago
Ministry of Railways rolls out Special Drive 4.0 with focus on digitisation, cleanliness, inclusiveness and grievance redressal
-
Crime7 months ago
Baba Siddique Murder: Mumbai Police Unable To Get Lawrence Bishnoi Custody Due To Home Ministry Order, Says Report
-
Maharashtra6 months ago
Maharashtra Elections 2024: Mumbai Metro & BEST Services Extended Till Midnight On Voting Day
-
National News7 months ago
J&K: 4 Jawans Killed, 28 Injured After Bus Carrying BSF Personnel For Poll Duty Falls Into Gorge In Budgam; Terrifying Visuals Surface