Briefs: Notorious criminal detained under PSA in Jammu

An alleged criminal was detained under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) here and subsequently lodged in Rajouri district jail, police on Saturday said. Mohd Kalu, a resident of Gujjar Basti, was taken into custody by a police party from Miran Sahib area on Friday evening following issuance of PSA warrant against him by the district magistrate, Jammu, a police spokesman said.

“Kalu is a notorious criminal with a history of violent and heinous offences. Despite multiple arrests and legal actions, he has consistently shown a blatant disregard for the law and continued his involvement in criminal activities, posing a serious threat to public peace and security,” he added. The spokesman said the routine legal measures having failed to deter his unlawful conduct and, therefore, his preventive detention under the PSA was deemed necessary to protect public order and prevent further criminal acts. Multiple FIRs are registered against the accused for indulging in criminal activities, he added.

Mendhar/Jammu, April 12A 20-year-old student was allegedly stabbed to death during a birthday party in Poonch district on Saturday, police said. Four people -- all of them the victim's friends -- were arrested, along with the weapon of the offence, they said.

Israr Ali, a student of government degree college in Mendhar, suffered critical injuries when he was attacked with a knife, police said. Ali was rushed to Sub-District Hospital (SDH) where he succumbed. They said the four initially tried to mislead the police by claiming that Ali was attacked by some unknown people outside his rented house in Dhrana village.

Block Medical Officer SDH Mendhar Ashfaq Choudhary said Ali was brought to the hospital at around 4 pm. His body was handed over to police after post-mortem, the doctor said, adding the deceased had stab injuries on the left side of the lower chest.

5.8 quake strikes Valley

Srinagar, April 12

A moderate intensity earthquake with epicentre in Pakistan struck J&K at around 1 pm on Saturday, an official said. Tremors were felt in many parts of the Valley, but there were are no reports of loss of life or damage to property, he said. The 5.8 magnitude earthquake occurred at a latitude of 33.63 degrees North and longitude of 72.46 degrees East in Pakistan.