Bilal Ahmad Bhat @ Bilal Lelhari of Lelhar Pulwama

The Jammu and Kashmir Police and Indian army achieved a major success when it succeeded in eliminating a LeT Divisional Commander Bilal Ahmad Bhat @ Bilal Lelhari who was involved in killing of  Dr. Sheikh Jalal and his two police guards in an attack at Pampore, besides , in the killing of 2 Army jawans at Kadalbal and in attack near Hotel Silver Star. Bilal Lelhari was killed along with his associate in an encounter at Reshipora,(Awantipora) Pulwama, today.

On a specific information, Pulwama Police, 50 RR and 183 CRPF launched a cordon and search operation at village Reshipora, Kakpora in Pulwama district, today. The militants present in the village fired on the forces triggering an encounter. Two terrorists  were killed in the encounter.
The slain militants were identified as LeT Divisional Commander Bilal Ahmad Bhat @ Bilal Lelhari of Lelhar Pulwama and Mudasir Ahmad Sheikh of Kisergam Pulwama.

Bilal Lelhari was involved in killing of world's top cardiologist Dr. Sheikh Jalal and his two police guards in an attack at Pampore  near Nambalbal on 18th July last year, besides, in the killing of 2 Army jawans and snatching of AK rifle at Kadalbal. Bilal was also involved in the attack on Army convoy near Silver Star and was also involved in the conspiracy of Hyderpora attack on Army.

According to reports reached on here, After seeing patients in Pampore free of cost since last 42 years Dr Sheikh Jalal came out of his home to go to Tulsi Bagh/Srinagar to see patients there free of cost. It was a hot day and fasting month. Everyone was tired and sleeping but Dr Sheikh Jalal came out to see the patients waiting for him at Srinagar who had come from far flung areas. Mujahid Cammander Molvi Bilal of Lelhaar was hiding before a wall near Ghulam Hassan Wani and when Dr Jalal was near him he came out and showered 60 bullets. All the people on the road were stunned and then Molvi Bilal sat in a sumo and left from Khrew Road. In the pious month of Ramzan he killed an innocent doctor who was on his way to see poor patients..

Meanwhile, Two terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Taiba were killed on Sunday in an encounter with the police and security forces in Pulwama district of South Kashmir.Sources said that the Pulwama District Police and troops of the Rashtriya Rifles 50th battalion swooped down on a hideout at Rishipora Kakpora on a tip-off about the presence of the militants. Both were killed in the three-hour-long gunbattle. Deputy Inspector-General of Police in South Kashmir Vijay Kumar told The Hindu that the LeT’s most wanted militant and “District Commander” Bilal Ahmad Bhat of Lelhar  and a fresh recruit Mudasar Ahmad Sheikh of Kisrigam Pulwama died in the gunbattle. One  AK-47 rifle and one pistol were recovered from the site of the operation.

The DIG claimed Bilal’s killing as a major achievement for the police and the security forces. He said that after Qasim, a dreaded Pakistani commander, Bilal was the LeT’s senior most militant in South Kashmir.

He was involved in an attack on the Army in 2012 when one soldier died. Bilal then escaped after looting their AK-47 rifles. He was also among the three local militants who attacked cardiologist  Dr. Sheikh Jalal at Pampore in July 2013, killing two of his armed police guards on the spot. Dr. Jalal got critically injured and died in a month.

According to some eye witness reports  that After seeing patients in Pampore free of cost Dr Sheikh Jalal came out of his home to go to Tulsi Bagh/Srinagar to see patients there free of cost. It was a hot day and fasting month. Everyone was tired and sleeping but Dr Sheikh Jalal sahib came out to see the patients waiting for him at Srinagar who had come from far flung areas. terrorist  Cammander Molvi Bilal of Lelhaar was hiding before a wall near Ghulam Hassan Wani and when Dr Sheikh Jalal was near him he came out and showered  dozens of bullets to his body guards. All the people on the road were stunned and then Molvi Bilal sat in a sumo and left from Khrew Road. In the pious month of Ramzan he killed an innocent  doctor who was on his way to see poor patients. (Writer-South Asia)

Kashmiri Prisoner in Kolkata's Guantanamo Bay

State Brutality knows no Frontiers: Kashmiri Prisoner in Kolkata's Guantanamo Bay

Amit Bhattacharyya

Secretary General, Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners(CRPP)

(On 31 October 2010, the Hindustan Times, Kolkata edition published a front-page report captioned "Kolkata's Guantanamo Bay" where it was reported that on October 15,when the entire city was celebrating Saptami during the Pujas, Sheikh Farhat Mehmood, a 29-year-old Kashmiri under-trial prisoner lodged in Presidency Jail, Kolkata, West Bengal, was stripped, tortured and kept naked throughout the night in his cell: Mehboob's offence: he protested against the quality of food and demanded his basic rights according to jail rule. Following the 'punishment', Farhat observed a two-day hunger-strike in the jail. The matter was hushed up by the Presidency jail authorities. The picture of the prisoner in a naked state was published in the paper. On the next day-1 November-the Bandi Mukti Committee(Committee for the Release of Prisoners, a human rights forum  based in West Bengal) organized a demonstration against it and took out a procession comprising about 100 people and went to the Presidency Jail gate and demonstrated. They were denied permission to meet Farhat. On 2 November 2010, the HindustanTimes, Kolkata edition came out with another report which I am sending to you all for conveying the message that state brutality knows no frontiers and that there are many Guantanamo Bays in 'the land of the largest democracy of the world' also. Such acts of brutality, sadistic torture, deserve universal condemnation and should not go unpunished.)

The said report is as follows:

"Protests over Jail Stripping" ht Impact

Kolkata: The jail department initiated a probe on Monday, even as it denied any incident of stripping of a prisoner inside Presidency Jail. On Sunday, Hindustan Times reported a case of stripping of Sheikh Farhat Megmood, a 29-year-old under-trial from Srinagar, inside his solitary cell on the night of October 15.

The situation has taken a curious turn, with the Srinagar Bar association calling a press conference at the Sadar Court at Lalchowk, Srinagar, on Tuesday to condemn the incident.

"Such incidents should be condemned and the guilty must immediately be punished. We've called a press conference to highlight the issue", said Ajaj Dadar, vice-president of the association.

"We've initiated a probe. There's been no torture or stripping. It may be that, somehow, the inmate took his own pictures on a cell phone and sent it out", said BD Sharma, ADG(Prisons) at Writers Buildings.

However, Sharma could not clarify several pertinent points. Even if his point is accepted, why would Mehboob strip himself? How could he take his own photograph when he was trying to cover himself with both hands? How could someone enter the cell of a high security prisoner with a cell phone and take his naked picture?

On the question of a cell phone being sneaked into the solitary cell, Sharma said, "We're looking into it. We have to look after so many thousand inmates and have just a handful of staff". He, however, said the department would write to the government to spped up Farhat's trial.

On Monday, human rights organization Bandi Mukti Committee demonstrated outside Presidency Jail demanding that the jail authorities stop treating inmates brutally. The organization took out a rally to protest against the incident. About 100 activists marched to Presidency Jail and demonstrated against the atrocities.

Chhoton Das, secretary of the committee, said, "We've submitted a deputation to the jail superintendent. We wanted to meet the inmate, but were not allowed. Our main demand is punishment of the person guilty of torturing Mehmood".

Good militants ensured smooth Amarnath Yatra: IG CRPF ‘Not A Single Stone Hurled During Pilgrimage Period’

Srinagar, Aug 20: In disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian Inspector General of Central Reserve of Police Force (Operations) Dr B N Ramesh Friday said good elements within the ranks of militants played their role in the conduct of smooth Amarnath Yatra this year.

“If there are good hearted militants they too played their role. They couldn’t create much disturbance this time, perhaps they too had intentions of not doing much this time,” he said addressing a news conference here.

Commending the locals for the smooth conduct of Yatra, Ramesh said not a single incident of stone-pelting was witnessed during the Yatra period this year.

“Not a single stone was hurled on CRPF or any other vehicle.  Although they (youth) carried stones in their hands, but when we appealed they left stones and took decision by their heart and not mind,” he said, adding that prior to the pilgrimage CRPF build atmosphere for conducting smooth Yatra.

Replying to a query on whether CRPF had any plans to reduce the bunkers from the towns of the Valley on the pattern of Srinagar, he said that there are no permanent bunkers in Valley except in summer capital.

He said that the bunkers definitely cause inconvenience and are stumbling block to the return of normalcy, but added that concerned Superintendent of Police has to take decision on their removal.

When asked about the presence of dozens of bunkers in Sopore, Ramesh said that the Apple town is a special case requiring special measures.

“When Abbotabad episode took place on May 2, we were in the town given its sensitivity,” he said.
The CRPF operations chief asserted that they have achieved lot of success in anti-militancy operations during the past few weeks.

“There is our role also in surrender of Basharat commander of Pirpanchal range. We have also recovered cache of arms and ammunition from Pulwama and Tral,” he said.

Ramesh said CRPF would welcome the misguided youth who want to return back to the normal fold of life.”
If they want our assistance, we will assist them,” he said.

Claiming that the force has not committed a single act of human rights violation during the past ten months, Ramesh said that there are strict instructions from Union Home Secretary and Director General CRPF on their sector to safeguard rights.

He also added that they are also modifying rules for the recruitment of Kashmiri youth in CRPF.

Indian CRPF troopers in IHK get new Israeli assault rifles

Srinagar, April 12 : In Jammu and Kashmir, the personnel of Indian Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) are finally laced with Israeli assault rifles 'X95' and 'Tavor' to suppress Kashmiris’ just liberation struggle, reports Kashmir Media Service.

A local daily in a report said that one of these sophisticated rifles 'X95' had already been received by the CRPF while 'Tavor' was yet to be procured.

A top CRPF officer, wishing anonymity, told media men that both the weapons were costly and were first used in some areas in India by the CRPF personnel. "Since both the rifles are difficult to operate so the CRPF men will be made to undergo a special training to use them," the report said.

Confirming that the CRPF men in the valley will be laced with the two sophisticated weapons, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of CRPF, Prabhakar Tripathi said that they had already procured 'X95' and the 'Tavor' would be procured soon.

Indian troops kill 19 civilians in Kashmir

Srinagar, September 14 In Jammu and  Kashmir, Indian paramilitary personnel killed at least 19 civilians and injured over 200 others when hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in several parts of the held valley, demanding of India to vacate the territory without any further delay. Those killed included three teenaged boys, a woman and district president of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front-R.

The killings took place in Bandipore, Tangmarg, Cherare Sherief, Budgam, Pampore, Sopore and Islamabad on Monday. Another youth who was injured on September 6 in the firing of police personnel succumbed to injuries in a Srinagar hospital on September 12.

With fresh killings the death toll of protesters in the ongoing uprising mounted to 96 since June 11.

On the other hand, Indian troops during crackdown operations martyred three innocent civilians at Lashkoot in Bandipore.

Meanwhile, an indefinite curfew was imposed in Poonch town while protest demonstrations were also held in Jammu, Doda, Ramban, Banihal, Batote, Kastigar and Mandi areas.

The Chairman of All Parties Hurriyet Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has demanded of India to stop killings of innocent Kashmiris and take solid steps for resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with Kashmiris’ aspirations.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in a statement issued in Srinagar said that the people of occupied Kashmir were demanding their birthright to self-determination but the Indian troops and police personnel were showering bullets and teargas shells on peaceful demonstrators.

He said that the massive anti-India demonstrations by the people of the occupied territory was a referendum against India. He said that the Indian government was hoodwinking Indian people regarding the Kashmir situation and they were not being apprised of the real situation.

The APHC Chairman said that the Indian government was giving the impression that the Kashmir dispute was a non-issue and Pakistan was involved in the deteriorating situation of occupied Kashmir. He said Kashmiris from 10 years to 70 years of age were demanding for their right guaranteed by the United Nations.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq urged India to give up its rigid stance on Kashmir, realise the ground reality and settle the Kashmir dispute through meaningful tripartite talks including Pakistan, India and the real leadership of Kashmiri people.

He also appealed the international human rights organisations to put pressure on India to stop continued killings of innocent Kashmiris and amicably resolve the dispute so that permanent peace could be established in South Asia.(Writer-South Asia)