KULGAM — Security forces arrested two men at a checkpoint in the Paniwah area of Kulgam district in south Kashmir on Sunday, November 8, and recovered a pistol and two live hand grenades from them, officials said. The arrests were made at around 11:30 a.m. during naka checking by a joint team of Police Station Kulgam, the Army's 9 Rashtriya Rifles and the CRPF's 18th Battalion, the Kashmir Independent Media Service (KIMS) reported, and the Daily Jagran reported the same joint blockade at Paniwah, with a senior Jammu and Kashmir Police official confirming the arrests.

Source: KIMS

Stopped as they came from a field, tried to flee

Officials said the two men were spotted coming from an agricultural field towards Kulgam and, on noticing the naka party, attempted to flee, but were tactfully apprehended by the checkpoint team — the Jagran report said alert CRPF and SOG personnel caught and subdued them. They were identified as Muneeb Yaseen Rather and Tahir Bilal, both residents of Bugam in Kulgam district. The Jagran report gave their parentage as Muneeb, son of the late Mohammad Yasin Rather, and Tahir Bilal, son of Bilal Ahmad Bhat.

Source: Daily Jagran

What was recovered from each man

During the search, one pistol along with a magazine and two live rounds was recovered from Muneeb Yaseen Rather, while two live hand grenades were recovered from Tahir Bilal, officials told KIMS. The Daily Jagran described the pistol and the grenades as Chinese-made and the rounds as 9mm — a detail the KIMS report did not specify. The recovered arms and ammunition were confiscated and both men were taken into custody.

Source: KIMS

Case registered, links being probed — allegation, not a verdict

Police described the two men as suspected overground workers (OGWs) — people alleged to assist terror groups with logistics and shelter without themselves carrying out attacks. That description is a police allegation: neither man has been tried or convicted, and no group affiliation had been publicly established when the reports were published. FIR No. 213/2026 under relevant sections of law has been registered at Police Station Kulgam, and officials said further investigation has been taken up to determine the men's possible connections with terror groups.

Source: Daily Jagran

Second such Kulgam operation in a month

The Sunday arrests are the second reported Kulgam operation of this kind in recent weeks: on October 7, police said security forces arrested five terrorist associates at Khrewan Chadder in the same south Kashmir district on a credible input, recovering two pistols, three magazines, 40 rounds of 9mm ammunition and three grenades, the Daily Jagran reported. Kulgam, in south Kashmir, has seen repeated naka and cordon operations this year as forces work to cut the support networks around militant groups in the region.

Source: Daily Jagran

What happens next: the two men are in custody at Kulgam while investigators question them about where the pistol and grenades came from and who they were meant for, and police said the investigation under FIR 213/2026 is continuing. Awaaz Punjab will update this story if police release further confirmed details, including any court appearance or additional arrests.

Source: KIMS