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‘Trifurcation
may lead to disintegration like Russia’ Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 13: Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah today said while most of the organisations and individuals in India and Pakistan were serious over the peace initiative in the region, still there are some groups in both the countries who are getting huge funds from countries like Pakistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia to sustain militancy in Jammu and Kashmir State for their vested interests. Dr Abdullah was addressing a huge gathering of Mahasha community at the foundation stone laying ceremony of Guru Nabha Dass ji Maharaj community hall in Dogra Hall locality here today. He said, " We want dialogue process may be initiated at the earliest and atmosphere of peace is restored in the region which is facing worst situation for the last one decade." The State Government long for friendly and cordial relations between the two countries, so that people on both the sides of border may lead peaceful life. Without naming any one, he said there are certain groups in J&K and also in Pak which are not in favour of peace. On the name of militancy, they are getting aid worth crores from some foreign countries. Their business of aiding militancy and carrying on their nefarious acts in exchange of money will stop immediately if the peace is restored to the region, Dr Abdullah added. Referring to the continuous firing along the border and migration of a large number of people from Chhamb, Pallanwalla and Khour the Chief Minister said that the people are leading a pitiable life in tents near Akhnoor. They could not cultivate their fields since long and several innocent villagers and their cattle have fallen victims to the bullets of Pakistani soldiers. A large number of security personnel are being killed and the bloodshed is going on. It should be brought to an end now. The militancy, he said, has proved a boon for some people. Huge funds meant for the development of the State are also going into the coffers of those people. They are drawing funds from the treasuries for the works which they never executed in the far-flung and militancy infested areas. No Government officer or official wants to go and make on spot accessment before clearing the bill and therefore, the general public is the worst sufferer. Any miracle from God can only save the people from this tragic situation, he maintained. Opposing strongly the demand of trifurcation raised by several groups in Jammu region, the Chief Minister said that it was very dangerous movement which may lead to massive disintegration of the country. The leaders supporting this move should try to understand that it is a game plan of United States of America in order to disintegrate India. They should also realise that US managed to disintegrate strong Russia and now its eyes are on J&K. The move, he said, is part of Dixon plan who proposed disintegration fifty years ago on the communal lines. He warned the people that such decision was not in the overall interest of the State and the country. Criticising former Union Home Minister and PDP president Mr Mufti Mohammed Syed and his daughter—Mehbooba Mufti for their ongoing propaganda against National Conference, Dr Abdullah said for them all those sitting on senior positions in NC are thief. Like swallow, Mr Mufti has come out in the public now for the criticism of NC Govt as the elections are drawing nearer. " Where was he since long when the Kashmir was burning. Before calling others thief and what not, Mr Mufti must look into his past and his acts which are known to everyone,’’ he added. " I do not want to expose all his misdeeds but if I started there will not be an end to it," Dr Abdullah said adding that elections were held only during NC rule here but if in future his party will be in power, one can- not think of elections at all. He is visiting Delhi frequently and hob-nobbing with some Central leaders but he will never succeed in his plan. "Gone are the days when elected State Governments were being dismissed by the Centre. Now for any such act, Centre has to think twice or thrice before initiating any such move. The Indian democracy has changed a lot and structure at the Centre has also turned quite different. " Mufti may try his best but nobody can topple our Government. We will complete remaining two years in our office," Dr Abdullah said adding that injustice to Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh has been caused only due to the wrong policies of the Central leaders. They only lured the innocent people of the State and made false assurances. They should realise that such things may not last for long. While congratulating the members of the SC (Mahasha) community for their efforts to establish a religious/ social community hall, Dr Abdullah assured full cooperation from the Government and his legislators. He also suggested the prominent members of the community to construct hostels and set up schools in the Mahasha Bastis so that children of the community can get good education. Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr Ram Paul also attended the programme besides Bhagat Ram Chand, MLA from R S Pura. MLC—Vir Chand Mahasha while speaking on the occasion raised several problems of the community and demanded special attention towards Mahasha biradari from the Government side. Earlier Mr Maheshwar Dardi, president Mahasha Saddar Sabha welcomed the chief guest and other guests and also highlighted the problems being faced by the members of the community. He sought the cooperation of all the SC legislators and the government for the construction of this community hall which will also provide accommodation to poor students of the community hailing from far-flung areas. |
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OIC has no locus standi in
J&K From B L Kak NEW DELHI, Dec 13: Reaffirming the Government’s resolve to hammer out solutions to all outstanding issues with Pakistan, the Ministry of External Affairs has made it abundantly clear that Kashmir’s accession to India is not debatable. The entire State of Jammu and Kashmir "is an integral part of the Indian Union", Mr Ajit Kumar Panja, Minister of State for External Affairs, declared in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. In his reply to a question by Ms Shayama Singh and Mr N Janardhana Reddy, Mr Panja said that while a part of Jammu and Kashmir State continued to be under the "illegal and forcible occupation" by Pakistan, the Government of India remained committed to resolving all outstanding issues with Pakistan through a bilateral dialogue, as envisaged under the Shimla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration. Calling for steps by Islamabad to create a conducive environment for the resumption of dialogue, Mr Ajit Panja vehemently argued that it can be possible only if Pakistan decided to abandon its sponsorship of cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of India. Mr Panja also wanted Pakistan to cry a halt to its hostile propaganda and calls for jehad against India. Mr Panja informed the House that many countries where Islam is the majority faith have in their interactions with New Delhi shown sensitivity towards India’s position on Jammu and Kashmir, and generally subscribe to the view that this matter needs to be resolved by India and Pakistan through bilateral discussions. However, on Pakistan’s instigation, the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), he regretted, routinely adopted resolutions on J&K. The Government of India, Mr Panja said, had rejected all these resolutions. He said in reply to a question by Mr Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi that OIC summit which was held in Doha last month adopted certain resolution in Jammu and Kashmir. "We reject all such resolutions outrightly. The OIC has no locus standi in matters concerning India’s internal affairs", he added. The British Government, Mr Panja said in reply to a question by Mr YS Vivekananda Reddy, had welcomed the Vajpayee Government’s unilateral cease-fire in J&K. Mr Panja quoted Mr Peter Hain, the British Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, as having stated: "I welcome the Indian Government’s announcement of a unilateral cease-fire during the month of Ramadan. I hope that the militants and those who support them will respond positively to this encouraging move. I hope also that this will create a climate which encourages the resumption of dialogue between India and Pakistan". Mr Panja also referred to the observation made by the British Foreign Secretary, Mr Robin Cook, that serious dialogue required restraint. Mr Cook had also urged that the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir should be respected and reiterated the US President, Mr Bill Clinton’s statement: "The modern world does not permit boundaries to be drawn in blood". In his reply to a question by Mr Vijay Goel, Mr Ajit Panja confirmed that Pakistan’s Chief Executive, Gen Parvez Musharraf, had, in October, stated that Pakistan could use its nuclear weapons against India if its security was jeopardised. Mr Panja explained that the main elements of the Union Government’s nuclear policy had been laid out in previous statements, including by Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee in December 1998 in Parliament. These, Mr Panja insisted, remained "valid" despite recent developments in the region. On Chinese military aid to Pakistan, Mr Panja informed Mr Gutha Sukender Reddy and Mr TM Selvaganpathi that the CIA’s unclassified report to the US Congress in August this year stated that Chinese entities provided increased assistance to Pakistan ballistic missile programme during the second half of 1999 and that Pakistan continued to acquire nuclear-related and dual-use equipment and materials from various sources. Mr Panja also said that a report by the Monterrey Institute of International Studies stated that the recent US intelligence reports suggested that despite Chinese pledges to the contrary, China had continued to provide Pakistan with specialty steels, guidance systems and technical expertise in the latter’s effort to develop long-range ballistic missiles. The Government of India, Mr Panja informed the House, has consistently highlighted, including in bilateral discussions with the People’s Republic of China, the adverse effect on India’s security from continuing nuclear and missile proliferation in Pakistan despite the existence of various export control regimes and declarations of restraint by supplier countries. Mr Panja stated in reply to a question by Mr YS Vivekananda Reddy, Mr Ramsheth Thakur, Mr G Mallikarjunappa and Mr SDNR Wadiyar that the 8th meeting of the India-China Export Group of Diplomatic and Military officials was held in Beijing on November 13 and 14 this year, and the two sides exchanged maps of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the middle sector. The next step, Mr Panja pointed out, would be to compare the two maps of the LAC in the middle sector with a view to identifying differences in the respective perceptions of the LAC. Answering a question by Mr GS Basvaraj, Mr Panja stated that the Special Rapporteur of the UN Commission on Human Rights on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions, Ms Asma Jahangir, a Pakistani national, had called upon the Governments of India and Pakistan, through a letter dated August 14, 2000, to have the killings of the pilgrims to Amarnath shrine in Kashmir investigated by a high-level independent enquiry. |
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JKP geared to thwart any attempt
to sabotage NEW DELHI, Dec 13: Amidst intelligence reports that militants would step up violence in the coming days to sabotage the peace process, Jammu and Kashmir Police is geared up to deal with any eventuality, newly-appointed Police Chief A K Suri said here today. "We do expect some trouble in the coming days as there are intelligence inputs suggesting that militants would make attempts to sabotage the peace process by indulging in senseless killings and targetting vital installations," Suri told PTI here. Besides, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HUM), a militant outfit dominated by foreign mercenaries, has also threatened to launch massive attacks on Army camps during the Ramzan month particularly its 17th day (tomorrow) when the battle of Badr was fought against the "infidels" of Arabia. "Police is monitoring the situation. We will not allow the situation to go out of hands at any given time," an optimistic Suri, who met Home Minister L K Advani and other senior officials last evening, said. Asked about the intelligence reports suggesting escalation of violence, especially tomorrow, Suri said "the state police and other security agencies were maintaining high alert despite the ceasefire and all posts were being manned." Asked about the situation on Line of Control (LoC), Suri said the number of incidents of artillery and small arms firing by Pakistan had reduced considerably and that infiltration of militants had "come down to a trickle". "The ceasefire is by and large holding but we are closely watching the situation," he said. Maintaining that the militants were continuing to target security forces and their installations, Suri said the attacks at present were limited to use of improvised explosive devices and grenades. "The morale of the troops is very high and there is no cause for concern," the State Police Chief said. Referring to the ongoing ceasefire, which came into effect from November 27, Suri said "the security forces and the police were maintaining utmost restraint despite provocation from those who do not want peace to return to the trouble-torn Jammu and Kashmir." Observing that security forces had been given clear instruction to fire only when attacked, he said "there would be action only after provocation." About the modernisation of police force present in the State, Suri, who took over as the new chief on November 30 from Gurbachan Jagat (promoted to DG of BSF), said "some steps would soon be initiated in this direction and communication system of the State Police would be upgraded." (PTI) |
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Delhi’s
‘no’ to troop withdrawal demand From B L Kak NEW DELHI, Dec 13: Prof Abdul Ghani Bhat, chairman of the much-talked about All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC), is not for Kashmir’s merger with Pakistan. He is for a solution which, he insists, should be acceptable to Kashmiris. This message has been conveyed by Prof Bhat to an ‘emissary’ from the Government of India in the course of an ‘informal’ get-together between the two in New Delhi. A similar message has been conveyed by Mr Abdul Ghani Lone, a political heavyweight and senior leader of the Hurriyat Conference, after his whirlwind tour of Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has now received unambiguous messages from important leaders of the Hurriyat Conference, Messrs Abdul Ghani Bhat, Abdul Ghani Lone, Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik, making it clear that no attempt should be made by the Government of India to "impose solutions and suggestions" on the "aggrieved" people of Kashmir. The Government’s ‘emissary’, who has had quiet sessions with the Hurriyat Conference chairman as well as with Mr Abdul Ghani Lone, Mr Yasin Malik and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was said to have been told in unmistakable terms that the powers-that-be in Delhi should not treat Kashmir as their "colony". The Hurriyat chairman was also said to have told the ‘emissary’ that the Hurriyat’s response to Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee’s cease-fire offer was important not just for what it said but for what it did not say. And Mr Abdul Ghani Lone sought to make the ‘emissary’ realise the ‘fact’ that unlike its hostile reaction to the cease-fire announced by the Hizbul Mujahideen in July last, the Hurriyat Conference left no one in any doubt this time that it welcomed the Indian "change of heart". In fact, Mr Lone was reported to have been brutally frank in telling his hosts in Pakistan and PoK that a country like Pakistan with "no democracy could not be relied upon to help the cause of the Kashmiris". Much importance requires to be attached to the new expression now being used by some Hurriyat men-that is, "greater independence" for Kashmir. Significantly, the Hurriyat Conference strategists of consequence, Messrs Abdul Ghani Bhat, Abdul Ghani Lone, Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik, are not opposed to this expression. One of these leaders, in fact, told EXCELSIOR: "Of course, we consider Pakistan as a party to the Kashmir problem. But we don’t support Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s demand for Kashmir’s merger with Pakistan. We also reckon the fact that a large number of Kashmiris want Pakistan to retreat from its original aim of annexing the whole of Kashmir". On the other hand, a senior Ministerial source made it clear that the Government of India had no plans to hold talks with foreign mercenaries loyal to and aided and abetted by the Lashkar-e-Toiba. The Lashkar, it was pointed out, had no business to dictate terms. Commenting on the Lashkar’s demand for withdrawal of Indian troops from Kashmir, the Ministerial source said: "The demand just cannot be considered in view of the continuing threats and ultimatums from the Lashkar and its allies. The Lashkar has rejected the Government’s cease-fire offer. How do they expect us to accept their demand?" |
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IEDs defused on Nowshera
road Excelsior Correspondent RAJOURI, Dec 13: Two Gujjars were gunned down and their houses torched by the militants at village Kunala under the jurisdiction of Dharamshal police station in Kalakote tehsil late last night. Army averted a major tragedy by detecting and defusing four powerful Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) at Narian on Rajouri-Nowshera road today. Official sources said a big group of 10 militants attacked village Kunala late last night and forced two Gujjars, sleeping in their houses, to wake up. The militants wanted both the Gujjars to accompany them and work with them as their guides. However, the duo outrightly refused to work for Pakistan-sponsored militants and asked them to leave the village. Angered by Gujjars’ rebuff, the militants opened firing killing both of them on the spot, the sources said, adding while fleeing the ultras also torched the houses of Gujjars. Deceased have been identified as Qasim Din son of Ismail Din and Bashir Ahmed son of Mariyan Gujjar, both of them presently putting up at village Kunala alongwith their families. Panic gripped the village following killings by the militants. A police party from Dharamshal police station and security personnel visited the village this morning and got the post-mortem conducted on bodies. Later, the bodies were handed over to their families. Local people strongly protested against the killings of two innocent and poor Gujjars by the militants for no fault of theirs. They demanded stern action against the militants. Sources said the killers were believed to be affiliated with Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit. Meanwhile, army averted a major tragedy by timely detecting and defusing four powerful IEDs at village Narian on Rajouri-Nowshera road this morning. Sources said the IEDs had been kept by the militants in a small cave, few meters away from the road. Militants had to plant the IEDs on the road this morning to blast passenger buses and cause heavy casualties of civilians. However, army jawans carried out a pre-dawn raid in the area on the basis of a specific information and recovered all four IEDs. The explosive devices were defused. The IEDs were capable of causing extensive damage as each of them was filled with atleast five kg deadly explosive of RDX. The series of blasts, which the ultras had planned to trigger with IEDs, would have caused huge devastation, the sources said, adding the IEDs had been planted by the militants, who were opposing cease-fire announcement of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. |
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Removal of 3 Ministers
sought NEW DELHI, Dec 13: Opposition in the Lok Sabha today moved a censure motion seeking removal of three chargesheeted Ministers and the resignation of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee accusing him of mounting the "chauvinist Hindutva tiger" but the Government hit back saying the other parties were attempting to revive communal tension by raking up the Babri Masjid issue. After a week-long stand off following Vajpayee’s controversial remarks on Ram temple construction, the two sides settled down to discussing the issue through a Congress-sponsored motion under rule 184 that called for dropping of L K Advani, M M Joshi and Uma Bharti against whom prima facie charges have been found in the demolition case. The motion, on which voting will take place tomorrow after the Prime Minister’s reply to the debate, also attacks Vajpayee for seeking to "exonerate" the three Ministers. Leading the opposition attack, Congress member S Jaipal Reddy said Vajpayee had lost his moral right to remain in office by his comments on the Ayodhya issue after which his "Mukhota" (mask) has slipped. By his statement that the movement for Ram temple was an expression of nationalist feeling, the Prime Minister had completed his pilgrimage from "hypocrisy to theocracy," he alleged, adding "it was not a slip of tongue but the slip of masks". However, the issue continued to rock Rajya Sabha which adjourned today without transaction of any business after Government and opposition failed to agree on a similar censure motion in the House. Slamming the three Ministers for their continuance in office, Reddy said the demolition of the Masjid was a collosal crime and the CBI had contended that Advani was involved in the criminal conspiracy hatched at the residence of BJP MP Vinay Katiyar in Ayodhya. He also attacked the Prime Minister for drawing a "dangerous" distinction between corruption and political issues for Ministers to quit office. In a spirited defence of the Government, Law Minister Arun Jaitley accused the opposition of attempting to revive communal tension by raking up the eight-year-old issue. He maintained that the demand for resignation of the Ministers amounted to "interference" in Prime Minister’s prerogative and in the course of justice. Jaitley laid the blame on Congress doors for "heightening" religious sentiments by opening the locks of the disputed structure in 1986 followed by `Shilanyas’ (foundation laying) in 1989. The Minister also said that the Prime Minister had not stated anything new except to reiterate that dispute could be settled either through negotiations or court verdict. So far, none of the major allies of BJP, which had taken a strident line against the Prime Minister’s remarks, have spoken in the debate except MDMK leader Vaiko who strongly defended the Government and attacked the Congress. Leaders of NDA allies—Trinamool Congress, TDP, DMK and JD (U)—met among to firm up their strategy on the motion which will come up for voting tomorrow. Somnath Chatterjee of CPI-M accused the Prime Minister of trying to interfere in the due process of law in the Ayodhya case by virtual trying to exonerate Advani, Joshi and Bharati. The CBI chargesheet was enough ground for raising question of propriety against the three Union Ministers, he said. He said Vajpayee through his remarks on temple issue not only sought to keep the fundamentalist, obscurantist elements in good humour but triggered disturbances in some places. Chatterjee criticised the Congress for its then Government’s decision to open the mosque in 1986. Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav accused the Congress of being the root cause of the Ayodhya problem and said Vajpayee Government came to power due to "wrong" policies of Congress Government. He said Vajpayee had raised the Ayodhya issue to divert attention from problems facing farmers and the common man. Accusing BJP of dividing the country on communal lines, Singh defended his Government’s action as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister when ‘Karsevaks’ were fired upon en route to Ayodhya. (PTI) |
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Producer arrested, plot to kill Rakesh Roshan unearthed MUMBAI, Dec 13: The city police today arrested Nazim Hassan Rizvi, producer of the forthcoming Hindi film ‘Chori Chori Chupke Chupke’ for entering into a criminal conspiracy with underworld don Chhota Shakeel to eliminate certain key Bollywood personalities, including film producer Rakesh Roshan. Rizvi, who was in the eye of the storm following allegations that his latest production starring Salman Khan, Rani Mukherjee and Preity Zinta was financed by the underworld, was arrested from his office in suburban Andheri by the Crime Branch after unearthing of the sensational plot that sent shockwaves in Bollywood. He has been charged under various sections of Indian Penal Code relating to abetment to murder, extortion and entering into a criminal conspiracy with Chhota Shakeel and planning attacks on a few film personalities, police said. Police sources said they had information that the Chhota Shakeel gang was planning fresh attacks to eliminate successful film-maker Rakesh Roshan, besides making serious attempts to buy over his venus company. Said. Roshan survived an assassination bid by underworld elements some months ago. Police alleged Rizvi was in constant touch with the don. Rizvi has also been charged under various sections of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime (MCOC) Act for conspiring to commit or advocating, abetting, knowingly facilitating commission of an organised crime, harbouring or hiding a member of an organised crime syndicate. According to police sources, an offence has also been registered against Chhota Shakeel for issuing threats to Kumar Mangal, personal assistant of Ajay Devgan, to reschedule the release of the actor’s forthcoming film. (PTI) |
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Woman killed by militants Excelsior Correspondent UDHAMPUR, Dec 13: Three jawans of Indian Reserve Police (IRP) were injured in an explosion, engineered by the militants, at village Deda under the jurisdiction of Gool police station this morning while a woman was reportedly killed by the militants in Ramsu area of Doda district. Official reports here said that a blast was triggered by the militants with an IED at Deda targeting a patrol party of third battalion of the IRP. Three police personnel were injured in the explosion, which was said to be of lower intensity. IRP jawans and security personnel from an adjoining picket rushed to the scene of explosion and shifted the injured to hospital. All of them were responding to treatment. Police and security jawans carried out a joint search operation in the area and rounded up certain suspects following the explosion. However, the militants involved in the blast remained untraced. They were suspected to be the activists of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit, which has considerable presence in the area. This was second attack on IRP’s third battalion in Gool area during the last three days. In first attack, the militants had ambushed IRP patrol party by launching a grenade attack and firing from assault rifles causing injuries to four jawans, one of them seriously. Meanwhile, a young woman Rajwanti wife of Sher Singh, a resident of village Urmaal in Chambalvas area of Ramsu in Doda district, was kidnapped and killed by the militants last evening. Her dead body was recovered from the village this morning. Reports said the woman was returning to her house when the ultras waylaid her and killed her. Her body was handed over to family by police today. A case in the killing has been registered at local police station for further investigations. |
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Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 13: A doctor was killed and his pillion rider injured when their scooter was knocked down by a speeding truck at Chiriya Morh on Narwal-Nagrota By-Pass road this afternoon. Dr Narinder Sharma, a resident of Ghagwal, Hiranagar and posted in Batra hospital was returning to his house at about 1600 hours today when his scooter was hit by a truck, wearing registration number of Punjab. Dr Sharma, a Dentist, died on the spot while his pillion rider Bushan Sharma son of P P Sharma of Kathua was injured. The injured has been admitted to Medical College hospital. Truck driver escaped from the spot. Local police have registered a case in the accident. |
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NEW DELHI, Dec 13: BJP’s allies, which openly disapproved the Prime Minister’s remarks on the Ayodhya issue, today adopted a "wait and watch" approach on their strategy in Lok Sabha towards the discussion on the matter and voting on it. The allies including Trinamool Congress, TDP, Samata Party, JD (U), National Conference, INLD, BJD and DMK met today and exchanged views on the Ayodhya issue which is being discussed in the Lok Sabha, sources said. The NDA partners are likely to participate in the debate tomorrow after "watching" the course it takes, the sources said. The allies have not taken a decision yet on the issue of voting on the censure motion moved by the opposition and are likely to meet again tomorrow. They expressed the view that the BJP should confine itself to the NDA agenda and reiterated their commitment to it. Among those who attended the meeting were K Yerran Naidu (TDP), Mamata Banerjee (Trinamool Congress), T R Baalu (DMK), D P Yadav (JD-U), Prabhunath Singh (Samata Party) and Abdul Rashid (NC). (PTI) |
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Excelsior Correspondent POONCH, Dec 13: A civilian was shot dead by the militants at a ‘gharat’ (flour mill) at village Chatra in Mandi area of this district last night. He has been identified as Shrakat Hussain, 22, son of Alla Ditta. Police said the civilian was sleeping in the ‘gharat’ when militants intruded inside and shot him dead. In another incident, the militants fired upon a police post in Mandi area. Police personnel retaliated and repulsed the militants’ attack without suffering any casualty. Criminal case against Azhar, Jadeja RAJKOT, Dec 13: A criminal case has been registered by police against Mohammad Azaharuddin and Ajay Jadeja for "cheating and criminal conspiracy" in allegedly fixing the one-day cricket match between India and South Africa here in 1996. The Commissioner of Police Sudhir Sinha told PTI here today the case was registered, on a complaint lodged by a spectator, under two separate sections of IPC 420 and 120-B. He said investigations would be conducted after a detailed study of CBI and Madhavan Committee reports on match fixing and if they are found guilty, legal action would be initiated. The complainant, Sanjay Vyas, an advocate, in his FIR said by fixing the Rajkot match played on October 29, 1996 both the senior players had cheated the spectators, who had come to enjoy a fair game. It was apparently loss of money and time, he said in his complaint. Former Indian skipper Azharuddin was banned for life, while Jadeja was slapped with a five-year suspension from international cricket by the cricket board earlier this month. (PTI) |
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ISI recruiting women for terrorist activities in J&K NEW DELHI, Dec 13: The Centre has received information that Pakistan’s ISI is recruiting and training women for terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said here today. The women are likely to be employed as "overground workers," the sources said adding that the Centre had already alerted the State Government and asked the security forces to take necessary steps. The security forces have also been asked to exercise maximum restraint while dealing with women terrorists, the sources said. A women’s organisation ‘Dukhtaran-e-Millat’ is already active in the Valley. With the recruitment of women in terrorist outfits, militancy in the Valley is expected to assume new dimensions as it would be difficult for security forces to detect and counter them, the sources added. (UNI) |
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