Bareilly (UP), Dec 28: Uttar Pradesh Police have detained two suspected Kashmiri men, allegedly after villagers complained about their suspicious activities in Bareilly district, officials said on Sunday.

The incident came to light on Saturday morning when villagers complained, on the police’s X handle, about two Kashmiri men who allegedly were found begging at houses in Dhimri village in the Ahladpur area, police said.

Izzatnagar police launched a search after suspecting their language and manner of speaking, they said.

The suspects attempted to evade police by mingling with the crowd and offering namaz. However, after villagers spotted them again, police apprehended them, Izzatnagar Station House Officer (SHO) Bijendra Singh said.

During questioning, the men identified themselves as Shaukat Ali and Sajjad, both residents of Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir, he said.

The duo told interrogators that they had been staying in a local mosque and had arrived in the city on December 10 and had been staying in the Dhimri village since then, police said.

The detainee also claimed that they were poor and survived by begging, police said, adding that no significant information has emerged so far.

Intelligence agencies are also interrogating them, police said, adding that, prima facie, their activities appeared suspicious.

Soon after their detention, the Local Intelligence Unit (LIU) also joined the probe, the SHO said.

The photographs and Aadhaar details of the two men have been sent to Jammu and Kashmir Police for verification, the SHO said.

Further questioning is underway, officials said.

Jammu, Dec 28: Over 8,000 runners across age groups from eight to 80 years participated in the ‘Run for Unity’ marathon, organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Police here on Sunday, officials said.

The marathon was flagged off by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), headquarters, M K Sinha and ADGP Armed Anand Jain and passed through various city routes before culminating at the starting point at Gulshan ground, a police spokesman said.

He said the participants included students from various educational institutions, members of sports bodies, police and senior citizens.

The winners in different categories were awarded cash prizes and certificates by the ADG Headquarters, the spokesman said, adding all participants were presented with T-shirts, finishing medals, and refreshments.

Sinha said Jammu and Kashmir Police has been consistently organising sports and community-oriented events in the winter capital under its civic action programme, which have received an overwhelming response, particularly from the youth.

“The primary objective of these initiatives is to identify and nurture sporting talent while promoting a healthy, positive and disciplined lifestyle,” he said.

Jammu, Dec 28: Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jammu, Bhim Sen Tuti, IPS, said that elaborate and technology-driven security arrangements have been put in place to ensure safe and smooth New Year celebrations across the region.

Speaking to reporters, IGP Tuti said that every year police endeavour to make security arrangements better than previous years.

“This time, we have introduced several new measures. As you saw, Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor also visited the area, reviewed the security scenario and issued important directions related to safety and crowd management,” he said.

He said that the use of technology for crowd management and pilgrimage-related security, which began last year, has significantly strengthened overall arrangements.

“The use of CCTV cameras has been made more creative and effective. We are leveraging data analytics and ensuring timely intervention at locations prone to overcrowding, making the system more robust,” Tuti added.

IGP said that nearly 550 CCTV cameras have been installed across the entire track, and a dedicated technical team is continuously monitoring live feeds from the control room. “Officers from the Shrine Board, police and other concerned departments are stationed together. Any alerts or analytics generated are acted upon immediately,” he said.

He further said that efforts are being made to integrate all technological systems, including CCTV feeds, RFID systems and wireless connectivity, at one central location to ensure better coordination and efficient management. “Our focus is to culminate all technological inputs at a single control room to ensure better planning and execution,” Tuti said.

Speaking on narco-terrorism, IGP Tuti said the fight against drugs is a long-term battle. “What you have witnessed in recent days are expert policing actions against drugs, but this is only a small part of a much larger campaign. In the coming days, you will see more intensified action against drug networks,” he asserted. (KNC)