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The Hindu
01-08-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Five get life term for 2018 Bulandshahr violence
Six-and-a-half years after a police inspector and a youth were killed in violence that broke out over alleged cow slaughter in a village in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr district, a local court on Friday (August 1, 2025) convicted five accused to life imprisonment and 33 to seven years of rigorous imprisonment. Special government counsel Yashpal Singh Raghav said those convicted for murder and given life imprisonment were Prashant Nat, Rahul, David, Lokendra Singh and Johnny. Among the 33 who got seven-year jail term are local Bajrang Dal leader Yogesh Raj and former Rashtriya Rifles jawan Jeetendra Malik, who were earlier named by the police as key conspirators and booked for murder. On December 3, 2018, a group of villagers in Siyana claimed to have found the carcass of a cow in a field. Alleging cow slaughter, they placed the carcass on a tractor and blocked the highway outside the Chingravati police outpost in Siyana in protest. Inspector Subodh, posted at that police station, reached the spot and tried to pacify the mob but it started throwing stones at the policemen and set the local police outpost on fire. Some people also fired at the policemen. Mr. Subodh and a 20-year-old local resident, Sumit Kumar, were injured in the firing and died. The police had booked 44 persons, including students, farmers, and right-wing group members, for the violence. Five of them died during the trial. 'The 33 persons were given seven years of imprisonment for attempt to murder and rioting of the Criminal Law Amendment Act,' Mr. Raghav said.
Hindustan Times
30-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
2018 Bulandshahr violence: 38 convicted, 5 of them held guilty of murder
Nearly seven years after the December 3, 2018 communal violence in Bulandshahr, a local court on Wednesday convicted 38 people for their involvement in the incident, which led to the deaths of a police inspector Subodh Kumar Singh and a civilian, said special government counsel Yashpal Singh Raghav. As per the case details, the violence erupted on December 3, 2018, in Chingrawathi village under Syana police station limits of Bulandshahr district. (FILE PHOTO) However, two key accused, including a local Bajrang Dal leader Yogesh Raj and a former Rashtriya Rifles jawan Jeetendra Malik alias Jeetu Fauji, who were initially accused as key conspirators in the case, have not been convicted under charges of murders of the inspector and the civilian. The court convicted the duo under charges of attempt to murder, rioting, other Indian Penal Code sections and 7 of the Criminal Law Amendment. The court will announce the sentences on August 1, Raghav said. Raghav said five accused were convicted under IPC Section 302 (murder) for the murders of the inspector and the civilian, while the remaining 33 have been found guilty of rioting, attempt to murder and various other charges. He said around 44 individuals including current district panchayat members and village head Yogesh Raj were named as accused. Five of them have since died, and one minor was released earlier, he added. Meerut deputy inspector general (DIG) Kalanidhi Naithani said those convicted under murder charges were Prashant Nat, Rahul, David, Lokendra Singh and Johnny, all residents of Chingrawathi. He said the court found these five convicts specifically guilty of the murder of inspector Subodh Kumar Singh. 'Others convicts included Yogesh Raj, Jeetendra Malik alias Jeetu, the father and son duo Devendra and Chaman, Ashish Chauhan, Rohit Kumar Raghav, Jitendra alias Lalla Gurjar, Sonu Jatav, Nitin. Mohit, Ramesh Jogi, Vishal Tyagi, Hemraj alias Hemu, Ankur, Amit, Ashish, Harendra, Bhupesh alias Tinku, Mukesh alias Guddu, Sachit Jaat, Satyendra Rajput, Satish Lodhi, Vineet Jaat, Rajeev Kumar Jaat, Sachin Jaat alias Cobra, Pawan Kumar Lodhi, Shikhar Agarwal, Upendra Raghav, Saurabh Kumar, former village pradhan Rajkumar, Nitin Pandit, Jaydeep alias Kaluwa,' he emphasised. 'Following a robust trial and the evidence available on record, the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Gopal Ji convicted 38 accused. The court will announce the quantum of punishment on Friday,' Raghav said. As per the case details, the violence erupted on December 3, 2018, in Chingrawathi village under Syana police station limits of Bulandshahr district after cow carcasses were reportedly found in nearby Mahaw village. The discovery triggered protests by right-wing Hindu groups and villagers, leading to large-scale violence, arson. Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, who was attempting to control the mob, was shot dead. A civilian, identified as Sumit Kumar of Chingrawathi village, was also killed. The mob, allegedly incited by Hindu group leader Yogesh Raj, reached the Chingrawathi police outpost in tractor-trolleys loaded with the animal remains. They blocked the highway, moved towards the police outpost and began pelting stones at the police when stopped, eventually torching the outpost. Following the incident, Case No. 583/18 was registered at the Syana police station on December 4, 2018 under IPC sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting while armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant to deter them from duty), 333 (causing grievous hurt to a public servant), 341 (wrongful restraint), 336 (endangering human life or the safety of others), 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance), 427 (mischief), 109 (abetment of an offence), 307 (attempt to murder), 395 (dacoity), 412 (dishonestly receiving or retaining property stolen during a dacoity), 302 (murder); Section 7 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act; and Section 3/4 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. The police submitted the charge sheet in court on March 1, 2019. The main accused Yogesh Raj, a district panchayat member, was recently released on bail by the Supreme Court. Despite being named as the key conspirator in the police complaint filed by SI Subhash Singh, Raj had been out of custody for much of the trial period. Heavy police deployment from two local police stations was maintained at the court during the verdict on Wednesday due to the sensitivity of the case. Defence lawyer Ashok Dagar expressed dissatisfaction with the judgment and said the verdict would be challenged in the High Court. Initially, cases were filed against 60 people — 27 of them named. However, the final police charge sheet identified only 44 individuals as accused, citing lack of evidence against the remaining 16. Former SHO Premchand Sharma confirmed that 44 people were arrested and sent to of them have since died, one minor has been released, and 38 were tried in court. Of these, four remain in jail, while the rest are out on seven years after the incident, police have not been able to recover inspector Subodh Kumar Singh's licensed pistol, which went missing during the mob government counsel said that the accused Prashant Nat confessed during police remand that he used the service weapon of the inspector. Later he threw it in the canal. However, police were not able to recover the pistol.
News18
29-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Low On Supplies & Water, Fear Of Exposure: How Pahalgam Terrorists Were Traced, Tracked, Killed
Last Updated: Intelligence inputs revealed that the terrorists were receiving logistical support—including food and supplies—from local sympathisers who have since been intercepted After the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, since May, multiple units of the Indian Army, Rashtriya Rifles, CRPF, and Jammu & Kashmir Police have been deployed to high-altitude areas ranging from 5,000 to 13,000 feet. There were several instances where groups of terrorists were detected through intercepted communication sets. However, these sets often went silent before security forces could act on them effectively. To intensify the operation, Tactical Operating Bases (TOBs) were established across various strategic locations. Senior-level officers were stationed at these bases to coordinate and oversee the efforts until the region was cleared of terrorists hiding in the upper reaches of J&K. According to sources, specialised teams were formed, combining manual efforts with advanced technical surveillance systems to trace, track, and intercept terrorist movements. A senior intelligence officer was appointed to lead the input coordination, as confirmed by top sources in the intelligence community. Intelligence inputs revealed that the terrorists were receiving logistical support—including food and supplies—from local sympathisers who have since been intercepted. Security forces also identified and restricted access to water sources being used by the terrorists. One particular area around Dachigam was cordoned off by security forces, who began collecting more detailed intelligence regarding the terrorists' weapons, food supplies, and movement patterns. It was noticed that the terrorists were low on supplies, afraid of moving out, and under pressure to expose themselves. Several of their communication sets were successfully intercepted during this period. Roughly a week ago, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) received a critical tip-off from its cultivated assets indicating that a group of terrorists was hiding in the Dachigam area. Their identities were confirmed through both technical and human intelligence inputs. Based on intercepted communications, the search zone was narrowed down to a 1-kilometre radius. Ultimately, a surgical operation led by Para Special Forces neutralised three top terrorists: Suleman, alias Faizal Bhatt, Jibran, and Afghan. Suleman was a senior operative affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). All three were classified as A-grade terrorists. 'In joint Operation Mahadev, the Indian Army, CRPF, and J&K Police have neutralised three terrorists who were involved in the Pahalgam terror attack," union home minister Amit Shah said in Parliament on Tuesday. 'We have their voter ID numbers. The rifles and cartridges used were made in Pakistan." Providing more details, he said, 'All three terrorists—Suleman, Afghan, and Jibran—were killed in yesterday's operation. The people who used to supply food to them were detained earlier. Once the bodies of these terrorists were brought to Srinagar, they were identified by those who were kept detained by our agencies." view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hindustan Times
29-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
Suspicious communications helped locate Pahalgam terrorists
On July 11, intelligence agencies intercepted a 'suspicious communication' in an area near Dachigam National Park in Jammu & Kashmir. Soon, soldiers started combing the area as the intercept suggested that the user of the communication device from which the signal originated had some links with the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack, people familiar with the development said. The security forces recovered one M4 carbine and two AK47 rifles along with grenades and ammunition, besides food provisions, from the hideout in the Harwan area of Dachigam (AP) After almost 17 days of search operations, around 11.30am on Monday, a team from 24 Rashtriya Rifles and 4 Para Commandos detected three 'high value Pakistani terrorists', these people said. The three were caught unawares and killed; one of them was Suleiman Shah, a Lashkhar e-Taiba (LeT) operative suspected to be the main shooter and one of the masterminds of the Pahalgam attack, these people said. 'We have been intercepting terrorists' communications regularly. A suspected communication was detected in Dachigam on July 11 and it suggested the user of the communication device had a link with the Pahalgam attack. Several parties were inducted for search and domination in the entire region. We were finally successful around 11.30am on Monday when we tracked them hiding in the forested area,' said an officer who didn't want to be named. Suleiman Shah's name figured as the main suspect after the attack in which 25 tourists and one local pony operator were gunned down in a picturesque meadow in Pahalgam. The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is investigating the case, was also on the lookout for him. It is suspected that he was a former Pakistan army commando , the officer cited above said. The security forces recovered one M4 carbine and two AK47 rifles along with grenades and ammunition, besides food provisions, from the hideout in the Harwan area of Dachigam. The identities of the other two killed have not been revealed officially. Jammu & Kashmir Police, in a post on X, said, 'Op Mahadev: The identification of the neutralised #terrorists is being done! Please await further details.' To be sure, neither the army nor the NIA has yet officially disclosed the identities of the three Pahalgam attackers. 'Suleiman Shah's name figures repeatedly in most intercepts since the Pahalgam attack. He was a key operative. Their electronic devices are being examined to know about their communications, routes taken and places of hideout in the last three months. We will have some clarity by Tuesday morning,' said a second officer, who also requested anonymity. The second officer said their identities are likely to be confirmed by two persons –– Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar and Bashir Ahmad Jothar –– arrested by the NIA last month for allegedly harbouring the Pahalgam attackers. The NIA probe has revealed that 'Parvaiz and Bashir had knowingly harboured the three armed terrorists at a seasonal dhok (hut) at Hill Park before the attack,' according to a statement issued by the agency last month. 'The two men had provided food, shelter and logistical support to the terrorists, who had, on the fateful afternoon, selectively killed the tourists on the basis of their religious identity, making it one of the most gruesome terrorist attacks ever,' said the agency. The Resistance Front, a proxy group for the banned LeT organisation, claimed responsibility for the attack. Indian agencies say the group is a front used by Pakistan to avoid international sanctions. As first reported by HT on April 24, intelligence agencies traced the attacker's digital communications to safe houses in Muzaffarabad and Karachi, establishing Pakistani involvement in what officials described as similar to the control room operated during the 2008 Mumbai attacks. India responded to the Pahalgam attack with Operation Sindoor on May 7, bombing nine terrorist camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in pre-dawn strikes that killed at least 100 militants. The operation sparked four days of cross-border fighting involving fighter jets, missiles, and artillery. On the intervening night of May 9 and 10, the Indian Air Force struck targets at 13 Pakistani airbases and military installations before hostilities ended on May 10.
News18
28-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Tourist Spots In Focus As J&K May See Major Security Restructuring After Amarnath Yatra
Sources also indicated that there could be alterations in the deployment pattern of the Rashtriya Rifles—a topic that was actively discussed in 2023 Significant changes in the security architecture of Jammu and Kashmir are expected once the Amarnath Yatra concludes, according to top sources within the security establishment. These adjustments to include implementation of plan for redeployment of forces, redefined areas of responsibility, and revamped access control mechanisms. Tourist destinations across the region are also expected to witness a shift in deployment strategy. All these changes were planned in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, with several components of the broader strategy already implemented. Currently Baisaran Valley is under the security cover of the CRPF and has not been opened for tourists yet. Since many sites have not been opened up yet, sources indicated that they would now open after the Yatra with the latest, upgraded security plan in a phased manner. Sources also indicated that there could be alterations in the deployment pattern of the Rashtriya Rifles—a topic that was actively discussed in 2023. With the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and other security agencies taking on expanded roles, certain changes have already been initiated, albeit temporarily for now. 'Last month, from total nine locations, CRPF was replaced by CISF which also includes Raj Bhawan and jails. We were told that this was done for a limited period, but later there were changes in the decision," a senior officer deployed in J&K told News18 on the condition of anonymity. While the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has been assigned static security responsibilities, the CRPF is poised to take on a more significant operational role. High-level officials suggest that the CRPF's presence may be expanded to areas where it previously had minimal or no independent operational footprint. 'In parts of jungle areas of J&K, CRPF is now actively creating its footprints. Senior officers are getting deployed for a good longer span with troops for operations. The tactical area of responsibility will get further increased with the help of J&K Police. Rashtriya Rifles, which dominates the area, is likely to get other key roles and areas of responsibility," a senior government official aware of the development told News18. Sources said the CRPF has already started camping in areas where it previously had minimal presence. The focus area would be the Pir Panjal range, where security force deployment is likely to see major changes. The umbrella plan has a detailed deployment extension with coordinated operational areas. Meanwhile, the BSF is likely to take charge of security in areas close to the border, and its troops will receive enhanced responsibilities. Sources added that the BSF, which played a highly praised role in Operation Sindoor, will be given additional responsibilities due to its longstanding familiarity with the border areas. The force may get some operational parts, but this is under consideration. Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
