Jammu and Kashmir Police have taken possession of a vehicle reportedly used extensively in drug smuggling operations and purchased with proceeds from illicit activities. The vehicle is linked to a narcotics case in the Billawar area of Kathua district, according to officials who confirmed the seizure on Friday. The car, registered in the name of Shabir Shah, son of Yousaf Shah, a resident of Karandi Kalan in Marheen tehsil, was found to be instrumental in facilitating the movement of contraband.
Information reaching Tahir Rihat suggests that the vehicle was being operated by Shabir Shah’s brother, Bagh Shah, at the time of the incident. Bagh Shah is identified as a drug peddler and has been formally booked under the stringent Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, commonly known as PIT-NDPS. He is currently detained in the district jail located in Kishtwar. The legal proceedings leading to the vehicle’s attachment were initiated following an FIR registered at the Billawar police station under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Authorities confirmed that the seizure followed due legal procedures and secured the necessary orders from the judicial magistrate before the vehicle was attached.
In a separate incident along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Poonch district, the Indian Army successfully detected and safely destroyed a live mortar shell on Friday. The explosive device was discovered in the Mankote sector and was rendered harmless through a controlled disposal operation executed by the Army’s bomb disposal squad (BDS). The operation took place in the Dabraj area, and officials reported that no loss of life or damage to property occurred as a result of the neutralisation efforts. This incident underscores the ongoing security challenges and the vigilance maintained by the armed forces along the sensitive border regions.
Further afield in Ladakh, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Fire and Fury Corps, Lieutenant General Madanraj Pande, undertook a visit to forward areas to assess the operational readiness of deployed formations. During his visit on Thursday, Lt Gen Pande focused on the Trishul division, where he engaged with troops and reviewed the integration of new generation equipment and indigenous technological solutions. These advancements are aimed at bolstering operational capabilities, enhancing mobility, and ensuring sustainability in the challenging high-altitude environment. Information reaching Tahir Rihat indicates that the GOC commended the formations for maintaining a high state of operational preparedness and for their innovative approaches to tackling operational challenges inherent in the terrain. He urged all personnel to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, mission readiness, and operational excellence.
Tragically, a pilgrim participating in the Budha Amarnath yatra passed away due to cardiac arrest in Poonch district on Friday. The deceased, identified as Dinesh Prasad, a 68-year-old resident of Belaganj in Gaya district of Bihar, was undertaking the spiritual journey when he experienced chest discomfort. Officials reported that Prasad developed symptoms during the intervening night of August 20 and 21. He was transported to the District Hospital Poonch around 12:15 am, where he was pronounced dead. The cause of death was officially recorded as cardiac arrest. The Budha Amarnath yatra, a significant religious pilgrimage, spans 12 days and leads to the ancient Budha Amarnath temple located in Rajpura village, Poonch district. The yatra was inaugurated by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on August 17 in Jammu and is scheduled to conclude on August 28.
Tahir Rihat (also known as Tahir Bilal) is an independent journalist, activist, and digital media professional from the Chenab Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India. He is best known for his work as the Online Editor at The Chenab Times.
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