Telangana youth killed in Kashmir was working for IS
Hyderabad: A youth from Telangana, who was killed along with two Kashmiri militants in a gun battle with the security forces in the border state last week, was allegedly working for international terror group Islamic State, police said.
Mohammad Taufeeq, 26, killed along with two Kashmiri youth in the gunfight on the intervening night of March 11 and 12 at Hakkora in Anantanag district, was a native of Manuguru in Telangana's Bhadradri Kothagudem district.
A senior police official said he was radicalized into Islamic State (IS) ideology through social media and went to Kashmir to participate in terrorist activities of IS.
"He was not wanted into any of the criminal cases in Telangana state. Further details are being verified," the official added.
The police statement came amid the claims by the IS and Ansar-ul-Gazwat-ul-Hind, an Al Qaeda franchise in Kashmir, that the third militant, who was killed along with two local militants was a resident of Hyderabad in Telangana.
The security agencies have voiced their concern that this could influence more Indian youth to turn to Kashmir for militancy.
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Stranded tourists find shelter in mosque amid heavy snowfall in Kashmir
Srinagar(PTI): In a heartwarming display of Kashmiri hospitality, locals in Gund, on the Srinagar-Sonamarg highway, opened the doors of a mosque to shelter a group of travellers stranded due to heavy snowfall.
A dozen tourists from Punjab found themselves caught in the snowfall on Friday while returning from the Sonamarg area, officials said
Their vehicles became stuck in the snow and with no nearby hotels and local houses too small to accommodate the group, Gund residents opened the doors of the Jamia Masjid, allowing the tourists to stay there for the night, officials added.
"It was the best possible solution as the mosque has a hamaam, which stays warm throughout the night," said Bashir Ahmad, a local resident.
The Jamia Masjid at Gund is located less than 10 kilometers from the site of a terrorist attack in Gagangir, where six people -- five non-local labourers and a local doctor -- were killed in October this year.
A video of the tourists spending the night inside the mosque has since gone viral.
The tourists expressed their gratitude to the locals for their help. "We were stuck in the snow, and you came to our rescue. We are extremely thankful to all of you," one of them said.
Another tourist added, "Everyone should visit Kashmir to experience its hospitality. Everyone here is kind and it is safe to visit. Please come to this paradise on earth."
Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq praised the gesture and said it was heartening to see Kashmiris open their mosques and homes to stranded tourists amidst heavy snowfall.
"This gesture of warmth and humanity reflects our longstanding tradition of hospitality and helping others in times of need," he said on X.
Elsewhere, heavy snowfall also left many tourists stranded along the Srinagar-Jammu highway and at tourist destinations like Doodhpathri.
However, not all the stranded tourists were complaining. "The car ignition isn’t working due to the cold, and we have to push it. But it's fine; we're enjoying it," said a tourist from Haryana as he waited for clearance at Qazigund to head home.
Police and civil administration have begun reaching out to stranded tourists, providing hot drinks and other necessities to keep them warm.
