Jammu, April 24: At least three persons were killed and 11 injured when a mini-bus came under a huge boulder after a landslide hit a stretch of road in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir Wednesday, officials said.

The mini-bus was on its way to Gandoh from Thathri, when a big rock hit it at Piyakul belt in the afternoon, they said.

Sub-Divisional Police Officer of Gandoh Bhallesa, Nawaz Khanday confirmed the casualties.

Thathri Sub-Divisional Magistrate Mohd Anwar Banday said preliminary reports suggest that the mini-bus, which was crossing the muddy patch, apparently came under debris and rocks due to the landslide.

Locals and police immediately reached the spot and after rescuing the passengers, shifted the injured ones to Primary Health Centre (PHC) Kahara.

The identification of those dead or injured in the incident is not known yet.

Calling it a healthy sign, the Army on Wednesday said that there has been a decline in the recruitment of local Kashmiri people in militant outfits after the recent crackdown by the forces.

Addressing a joint press conference of the state police and the Army, Director General of Police in Jammu & Kashmir Dilbag Singh said, “Recruitment of local youth continues to be low, it is a healthy sign. 272 militants were eliminated in the state during 2018 and a large number were apprehended.”

Elaborating further on the numbers, KJS Dhillon, GOC 15 Corps, said, “Total 69 militants have been killed and 12 have been apprehended this year. Post Pulwama 41 militants have been killed and out of them 25 belonged to Jaish-e-Mohammed, 13 of them were Pakistanis.”

Dhillon added that the operations against the militants will continue with full vigour and we will not let militancy rise up.

Talking about how the forces have suppressed the Jaish-e-Mohammed, the outfit behind the Pulwama attack, Dhillon said, “We have targeted Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) leadership, the situation now is that no one is coming forward to take over the leadership of JeM in the valley. Even after Pakistan’s best efforts, we will continue to suppress JeM, specially after Pulwama attack.

Baramulla, April 24 : Family members of 18-year-old missing youth here have urged their son to return home and appealed government to help them in tracing him. A youth identified as Adnan Ali Chanan, son of Mohammed Ali Chanan of Arampora Baramulla district is missing since April 14.
His father Mohammad Ali Channa told KNO that soon after he left home, they tried to call him several times but “his phone was switched off. “We called our relatives and his friends but could not find him,” he said, appealing his son to return home.

After failing to trace him, the family has filed a missing report in Police station Baramulla. Meanwhile, police officials told KNO that family have lodged a missing report and further investigation have been taken up to trace out the missing youth.(KNO)