3 terrorists gunned down in Kashmir; migrant labourers killed by militants
Srinagar:Three terrorists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Anantnag, while militants killed a migrant labourer hailing from Chhattisgarh in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir where normal life remained affected for the 73rd consecutive day on Wednesday since the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police also managed to arrest the kingpin who spearheaded violent agitation post August 5. The three terrorists, who were in their early 20s and had joined terror groups recently, were killed on Wednesday in an encounter with the police in Anantnag district, officials said.
The encounter broke out at Pazalpora area in Anantnag on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday on a specific intelligence provided by the district police.
All the three militants have been neutralised, the officials said.
A police team, along with other security forces, launched a cordon-and-search operation in the area. It had a pinpointed information where the three militants were holed up, the officials said.
It approached a house whose owner resisted saying that no one was present at the premises, but not agreeing to the landlord, the team carried on with their operation, they said.
The holed up militants first fired at around 02.30 AM after which the police retaliated effectively.
In the encounter, the entire house came down due to the gunfight, they said, adding that the bodies have been handed over to the families for their burial.
The oldest among the three was Nasir Gulzar Chadroo alias Abu Hannan, a resident of Bijbehara in Anantnag district, who had joined the banned Lashker-e-Taiba terror outfit in September last year. The other two were identified as Zahid Ahmad Lone and Aaqib Ahmad Hajam.
While Lone, also a resident of Bijbehara, had joined the terror outfit in July, Hajam, a resident of Redhwani in Kulgam district of south Kashmir, had joined militancy in April. All the three were in their early 20's.
In a separate incident, a migrant labourer from Chhattisgarh was shot dead by terrorists in militant-infested Pulwama district of south Kashmir, the second such incident within three days, police said.
Sethi Kumar Sagar, a resident of Besoli area of Chhattisgarh, was a brick kiln worker. He was killed by terrorists when he was walking with another civilian near Kakpora railway station.
"We have fanned out teams in various parts to nab the killers," he said, adding eyewitnesses said that there were two militants.
This is the second incident of targeting non-Kashmiri workers in the valley since Monday. Two terrorists, including a suspected Pakistani national, shot dead a truck driver from Rajasthan at Shirmal village of Shopian district in south Kashmir on Monday.
In another incident, the police arrested Hyat Ahmad Bhat, alleged to be the brain behind the unrest in Soura on the outskirts of the city immediately after the Centre withdrew the state's special status in August, in a pre-dawn operation.
Terming it an important development, the police said a swift operation was launched by a team led by a deputy superintendent of police in the Anchar area on the outskirts of the city to nab Bhat.
The police alleged that Bhat was "instrumental" in mobilising miscreants in and around Jenab Sahib Soura on Srinagar-Leh highway.
On August 6 and 7, protests in the area was highlighted by the international media leading to a stricter restrictions in and around.
Formerly affiliated with Muslim League, Bhat was earlier booked two times under the stringent Public Safety Act as there were 16 cases registered against him pertaining to law and order disturbances.
The police have registered three fresh cases against him this year at Soura police station for his involvement in "subversive" activities.
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Oppn notices on motion to remove CEC rejected by RS Chairman, LS Speaker
New Delhi (PTI): Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday rejected separate notices from the opposition to move a motion for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar from his post.
The opposition had in March submitted the notices to the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Rajya Sabha Chairman against the CEC, listing seven charges, including alleged "partisan and discriminatory conduct in office," "deliberate obstruction of investigation of electoral fraud" and "mass disenfranchisement".
In separate orders, the Speaker and the Rajya Sabha Chairman refused to admit the notices moved under Article 324(5) of the Constitution, read with other relevant constitutional and statutory provisions, praying for the removal of Gyanesh Kumar as the Chief Election Commissioner.
"After due consideration of the notice of Motion and a careful and objective assessment of all relevant aspects and issues involved, the Chairman, Rajya Sabha, in exercise of the powers vested to him under Section 3 of the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, has refused to admit the said notice of Motion," a notification from the Rajya Sabha Secretary General said.
It said the notice of Motion dated March 12, 2026, signed by 63 members of the Rajya Sabha under Article 324(5) of the Constitution, read with Article 124(4) thereof, Section 11(2) of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023 and the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, was submitted to the Rajya Sabha Chairman.
A separate notification from the Lok Sabha Secretary General said a notice of Motion dated March 12, 2026, signed by 130 Members of Lok Sabha under Article 324(5) of the Constitution, was submitted to the Speaker, seeking the removal of Gyanesh Kumar, Chief Election Commissioner.
"After due consideration of the notice of Motion and a careful and objective assessment of all relevant aspects and issues involved therein, the Hon'ble Speaker, Lok Sabha, in exercise of the powers vested to him under Section 3 of the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, has refused to admit the said notice of Motion," it said.
Article 324(5) of the Constitution says the CEC shall not be removed from office except in like manner and on like grounds as a judge of the Supreme Court, and the conditions of service of the CEC shall not be varied to his disadvantage after his appointment.
Reacting to the rejection of the notice, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, "We know what happened to the last Chairman of the Rajya Sabha who accepted a petition moved by Opposition MPs".
Ramesh's statement on X was an apparent reference to Jagdeep Dhankhar, who suddenly resigned as Vice President in July 2025, citing health reasons.
TMC leader Derek O'Brien said no reason has been given while rejecting the opposition's notices and accused the BJP of mocking Parliament.
"Ah! Told you so. Notice to remove CEC Vanish Kumar by Rajya Sabha MPs rejected. Reason? NO REASON GIVEN. BJP keep mocking our great Parliament. SHAME," O'Brien said in a post on X.
The opposition parties have accused the CEC of aiding the ruling BJP on several occasions, especially with the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The process for removing the CEC is similar to that for the removal of a Supreme Court or a high court judge, meaning an impeachment can be effected only on the ground of "proven misbehaviour or incapacity".
The signatories to the notices included the Congress, Trinamool Congress, DMK, RJD and Left parties, which are all part of the opposition INDIA bloc, besides the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is no longer formally in the alliance. Some Independent MPs had also signed the notices.
This was the first time a notice was moved seeking the removal of the CEC.
The motion for removal may be introduced in either House of Parliament and must be passed by a special majority -- a majority of the total membership of the House and a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting.
