Pak involvement established
Hijackers, 3 released ultras head for Quetta

NEW DELHI, Jan 1: India today gave clear indications of Pakistani complicity in the hijacking of the Indian Airlines aircraft with Taliban conveying to New Delhi that all the five hijackers and three released terrorists had left for Quetta in Pakistan.

Indian officials had detected that the hijacked plane, which returned to Delhi today, had RDX explosives, grenades, AK 47 rifles and pistols during cleaning up of the aircraft left behind by the hijackers in the plane.

Addressing a press conference a day after the end of the week-long hijack crisis, External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh said a statement by Taliban Information Minister said all the eight, who were Pakistani nationals, had left for Quetta last night after attending an Iftar at Kandahar.

Pointing the needle of suspicion towards Islamabad, he said initial enquiries have revealed that all the hijackers were constantly consulting people outside the aircraft as if a third force was telling them what to do.

He said there was real apprehension that the plane had been readied for being exploded in mid-air if the hijackers’ demands were not conceded.

"It has come to light that there was qualitative and quantitative change in the arms displayed by the hijackers," Singh said adding besides RDX, they were in possession of AK-47 rifles, pistols and grenades.

The minister also explained that his visit to Kandahar had been undertaken to ensure that the agreement with the hijackers was implemented "without any last minute hitches".

Giving credence to reports that messages from the Indian negotiating team to Delhi through satellite phones, the only mode of communication, were being intercepted, he said "we were well aware of the security implications of the porousness of this communication system,"

Asked whether the Government would seek the extradition of the five hijackers from Pakistan, he said "we will be taking it up with Islamabad in an appropriate fashion and at the appropriate time".

Singh said the Government had discussed with the Taliban the option of storming the aircraft. "Government considered this option in totality. The best option was the option adopted."

Asked who constituted the third force operating at Kandahar during the crucial negotiations, Singh said "I will let you know at the appropriate time."

Singh said that the hijackers "every now and then would call off negotiations and enter into consultations with somebody who was not Taliban."

Describing the hijacking as not an "ordinary" one, he said "it is clear that there were many strands to it. As our inquiry into the entire episode progresses, I am confident that more will be revealed."

The minister said the hijackers as well as the three released terrorists, also Pakistani nationals, had left for Quetta.

He said majority of the 36 terrorists whose release was demanded by the hijackers were from Pakistan.

On the role of Taliban in the hijack crisis, he said they had extended constructive cooperation and had assured India that the hijackers and terrorists would not be given asylum or allowed to stay in Afghanistan for more than ten hours after the release of the hostages.

Asked whether India was now ready to give recognition to the Taliban regime, he said "fundamentals of our Afghan policy remain unchanged and diplomatic recognition is not any conferment of any distinction or based on such episodes."

Asked about his compulsion to go to Kandahar, Singh said besides ensuring effective implementation of the agreement, his presence was required to receive the hostages as also to take spot decisions.

On why he had chosen to have in the same aircraft Pakistani cleric Masood Azhar and two others, Singh explained that the Kandahar airfield had only rudimentary facilities which had already been overstretched. Sending additional aircraft would not have been advisable.

He termed as "complete misrepresentation and totally unfounded" the suggestion that he was "escorting" the terrorists. "I didn’t go as a concession."

The minister also denied that there was any pre-condition set by the hijackers or Taliban that his presence was necessary to finalise the deal.

Singh said New Delhi had received reports right in the beginning of the hijack about the presence of explosives in the plane’s hold.

"We are also aware that before finally leaving, one of the hijackers continued to insist on retrieving a suitcase checked in. Of the five hijackers, only one had checked in his luggage while the four others carried hand baggages."

Asked whether the hijackers had got possession of the suitcase, he said "not until I had left Kandahar."

Asked if India would now step up pressure on the international community to declare Pakistan as a terrorist state, Singh said all such steps would be taken at the appropriate time.

On who killed Rupin Katyal inside the aircraft, he said de-briefing sessions were underway with the crew of that flight.

The minister asserted that the "hijackers are criminals and must be brought to book."

Dismissing suggestion that the country’s image internationally had gone down with the release of the three terrorists, he said India’s fight against terrorism will "continue unbated".

India, he said, expresses its gratitude to all the foreign Governments which had readily supported New Delhi’s actions in dealing with the hijack crisis.

Asked whether the mess-up at Amritsar airport would have a fallout on the Centre, he said Government’s firm position against terrorism remains undiluted.’’

The minister said the Taliban authorities had decided to waive landing and parking charges for the hijacked aircraft though Government had offered to pay the requisite amount.

To a question, he said Indo-Pak relations after the Kargil operations and military coup in that country had not improved. (PTI)

Jawan killed, both ultras shot dead
LET suicide squad storms inside RR Hqrs in Surankot
Police station blasted in Mendhar; 6 injured

Excelsior Correspondent

RAJOURI, Jan 1: Repeating Kashmir like incidents in the border district of Poonch, a group of Lashkar-e-Toiba militants stormed inside the Rashtriya Rifle’s Sector Headquarters in Surankote, gunned down a Sentry and critically wounded two others in the early hours of this morning. Two militants were killed in retaliatory firing by the troops.

Meanwhile, in another incident in the same district six police personnel including four constables and two Special Police Officers (SPOs) were seriously injured in a rocket attack on Gursai police station in Mendhar tehsil this morning. The rocket attack was preceded by heavy firing on the police station last mid-night.

The seriously injured police jawans were airlifted to Medical College hospital this afternoon where they were operated upon but their condition remained critical.

Official sources said two militants, who were suspected to be the members of ‘Fidayeen group’ (suicide squad) of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LET) and wearing police uniforms, stormed inside the Sector Headquarters in the heart of Surankot town at 0730 hours today. Militants shot dead army Sentry on duty and entered inside.

Equipped with sophisticated weapons and grenades, militants opened firing with two assault rifles after sneaking inside the army camp and wounded two army jawans. However, sensing trouble, army jawans alerted themselves and engaged militants in a swiftly planned operation.

Sources said both the militants were gunned down by the army jawans during the operation which lasted just 15 minutes. The slain militants were identified as foreign mercenaries—Abu Kasim and Abu Saraka, activists of Lashkar-e-Toiba’s ‘suicide squad’. The deceased army jawan was identified as Gobind Rao of Andhra Pardesh.

Two AK-47 rifles and 16 live grenades were recovered from the possession of slain mercenaries, whose bodies have been handed over to local police.

"But for the remarkable quick action taken by alert troops inside the RR Sector Headquarters, two militants would have caused heavy casualties on the army side", a Defence spokesman said while commenting on the incident.

Militants’ attack on RR Sector Headquarters came within a few days after militants stormed inside the Special Operations Group (SOG) Headquarters in Srinagar killing a DySP and constables inside. Prior to that troops had attacked Badami Bagh Army Cantonment.

The attack on Sector Headquarters had shocked the security forces and police in the militancy-infested area of Surankot. Immediately after the incident, senior officers of army and police besides other security agencies held a high level meeting to review the situation.

Security around all vital installations including army camps and police stations and police posts has been strengthened in both the border districts of Poonch and Rajouri to check the possibility of any fresh attack by the militants.

The Surankot town was also cordoned off by army and police and searches were carried out till 12 noon. The cordon was lifted later. Some local suspects have been detained for questioning.

Meanwhile, another group of militants attacked Gursai police station in Mendhar tehsil of Poonch district last mid-night. Militants opened heavy firing on the police station with automatic weapons and lobbed several grenades.

As they failed to inflict any casualty or damage on the police, militants fired a rocket which straightway hit the police station and blew up the building at about 0920 hours. Six police personnel were seriously injured in the rocket explosion.

Sources said the rocket attack was carried out by the militants from Kota hills. The rocket fell right on the target causing a huge explosion in which the entire building of police station was shattered and damaged.

A room of the police station building was razed to the ground as boundary walls collapsed under the impact of rocket blast. The vital communication centre inside the police station was also damaged and rendered non-functional in the rocket attack.

Police and security personnel rushed to police station after getting a report of rocket attack and cordoned off the entire area. The injured police personnel were shifted to sub district hospital in Mendhar. In view of their critical condition, five police personnel were airlifted from Mendhar and admitted in the Medical College hospital, Jammu.

They have been identified as Ganshyam, Zaridad and Mohd Iqbal, all constables, Vinod Kumar Mohd Saleem and Joginder Singh, both Special Police Officers (SPOs). Their condition was still critical but they were responding to the treatment, sources said.

Deputy Commissioner Poonch Mr Khalid Hussain and SSP Poonch Mr Pankaj Saxena visited the police station for investigations.

Reinforcement of troops and police had reached the spot. They have surrounded Kota hills from all the four sides and were carrying out an operation to eliminate the militants involved in the rocket attack. So far, there was no report of any breakthrough.

Officiating services not to be counted
Govt breaking norms in KAS promotions

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Jan 1: While as a number of blue-blooded incumbents in Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and the centre-sponsored temporary projects are being inducted into Kashmir Administrative Service (KAS) in violation of the prescribed rules and regulations, selection grade is also being conferred on favourites on pick and choose basis.

With backdoor appointments, out-of-turn promotions and the euphimistic 'relaxation of rules', cadre management of the state administrative service has always become a joke. But, this time round over a dozen blue-blooded incumbents are likely to be pushed into the KAS under the category of 'Technical Quota'. As per the existing rules, only the technocrats are eligible for induction into the KAS under the 'Technical Quota', but it has been observed that a number of the favourites of senior authorities have surreptitiously appeared in the interviews and their names do figure in the final list which is likely to be made public soon.

Well-placed sources disclosed to EXCELSIOR that a number of the favoured incumbents have no technical qualifications or experience but still they have appeared in the interviews and have been assured of their induction into KAS by the selectors. Some of such incumbents have been working in the Centre-sponsored plan schemes in the State Social Welfare Department as Project Officers which has never been recognised by the Government as the feeding stream for the KAS. Others have since been recruited into PSUs by way of backdoor appointments and the illegal process of their induction into KAS has reportedly been finalised.

As many as 50 officials are likely to be inducted into the KAS under Technical Quota but nepotism has allegedly worked in just a dozen of cases.

In addition to the fresh inductions, selection grade is also been confered on about one hundred officials of the rank of Deputy Secretary to Govt or equivalent. But it has been observed that quite a large number of the prospective beneficiaries are those officials of the Social Welfare, Excise & Taxation and Industries Departments for whom the rules have earlier been made to bend more than once. Since there was the apprehension of criticism by some conscientious ministers, the former Secretary GAD has bypassed the Cabinet and sent the file directly to the Chief Minister. Two of the beneficiary incumbents are said to be the relatives of the former GAD official.

In order to ensure that the junior incumbents got the selection grade, officiating services of several senior officers' have also not been counted. Sources said that it was an unjustified violation of the rules in vogue as also Government Order No. 430 of GAD Dated 5-4-1999. Besides, a Supreme Court of India judgement also says that the officiating services must be essentially counted in case of promotions.

Earlier also, grave irregularities had been observed in the process of KAS inductions in September 1997. Not only several Project Officers but also a number of the officers of Social Welfare Department have been inducted in such a manner that seniors have become juniors for no fault of theirs. While as the APRs of several officers were misplaced, allegedly deliberately, in the Civil Secretariat, categories of several others were transformed only to ensure the induction of favourites.

As per the KAS rules, service seniority and the service records had to be evaluated and the incumbents would accordingly figure in 'Excellent', 'Very Good' and 'Good' categories. However, in order to ensure the induction of the blue-eyed officials of the poor 'Good' category, not only the 'Good' APRs were placed in the 'Very Good' category but the 'Excellent' category was also downgraded into the 'Very Good'. Consequently, the favourites got inducted and the seniority of a number of officials changed automatically.

Mrs Vinetta Gupta, Mrs Roma Wani and Dilshad Khan besides Messrs Abdur Rasheed Mir, D K Ved, Shahid Inayatullah, Ghulam Nabi, M A Kakroo, Ahmedullah and Ishtiyaq Ahmed had been officiating as Deputy Secretaries to Government even in 1992-93. That time Surraya Bhat, Jagjit Singh, M A Dhar, M S Koka, Shagufta Parveen, Muzzaffar Iqbal and Mohammad Khursheed were functioning as Project Officers or Assistant Directors in Social Welfare Department. But, under the new scheme of things a many seniors of the former category shall become juniors as their officiating services are not being counted for the selection grade.

Cabinet reviews employees demands
No breakthrough to end strike

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 1: Even as the Cabinet today discussed demands of the agitating employees, no breakthrough was made in the 13 day long stalemate which crippled functioning of all Government departments, educational institutions, hospitals and Civil Secretariat.

However, employees today held massive protest demonstrations in the City and outskirts to intensify their on-going agitation following failure of the yesterday’s meeting to break the deadlock.

As the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah has convened emergent Cabinet meeting today, the agitating employees were excepting some favourable out-come from the meeting resulting into spreading of rumours after repeated intervals.

Though no official announcement has been made regarding deliberations of the today’s Cabinet meeting, sources said that Cabinet Sub-Committee informed the Cabinet about the out-come of their talks with agitating employees.

It is worthwhile to mention here that State Government has constituted a Cabinet Sub-Committee under the leadership of Mr Mohi-ud-Din Shah, Minister for Housing and Urban Development to initiate dialogue with agitating employees to break the deadlock. Other members of the Committee included Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr P L Handoo, Education Minister, Mr Mohammed Shafi and Finance Minister, Mr A R Rather.

Pertinent to note that members of the J&K Government Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC), spearheading the agitation, had staged a walkout from yesterday’s meeting on the issue of Government’s directions to gazetted officers.

Talking to EXCELSIOR, a spokesman of the EJAC smelt a foul play in directing gazetted employees to attend their offices.

However, Kaam Chhor Hartal of the agitating employees today entered 13th day. Rallies and protest demonstrations were held at Medical College, Old Secretariat, Deputy Commissioner’s office, Forest Department, JDA Complex, Sheep Husbandry, RTO Office, Gandhi Nagar Hospital, State Motor Garage, Geology and Mining Department, Canal Road Complex, Irrigation, Agriculture, Horticulture complexes and other departments.

While addressing the rallies, Messrs Anwar Begh, Subash Chander, Satish Sharma, V R Baroo, Lekh Raj Khajuria, Mohammed Gafoor Dar, Girdhari Lal Chanda, Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, Pardeep Kumar Sharma, Mohammed Maqbool condemned the criminal attitude of the State Government towards the genuine demands of the employees. They criticised the State Government for adopting adamant attitude towards the genuine demands of the employees.

A meeting of the Ministerial Staff School Education Forum was held today under the presidentship of Mr D D Sharma, president of the Forum. It was decided in the meeting to extend whole hearted support to the EJAC to force the State Government to accept their genuine demands. Mr Mushtaq Khan, M K Giggo, Hans Raj and others addressed the meeting.

In a joint statement issued here today, Mr Mushtaq Ahmed Bhat, vice-president and Mohammed Ashraf Shah, chief legal advisor of the Employees and Workers Joint Action Forum have stated that they have affiliated the Forum with the Jammu and Kashmir Government Employees Joint Action Committee and directed all the organisations for supporting the on-going agitation.

However, an emergent meeting of the State Council of the J&KEJAC was held today under the chairmanship of Mr Nazeer Ahmed Mir, convenor to take stock of the situation arisen after the yesterday’s deadlock due to, what they alleged, adamant attitude to the State Government.

J&KEJAC while endorsing the unanimous view of its members, made it clear that J&KEJAC was not averse to any meaningful dialogue with the Government on these issues and demands of the employees.

It is worthwhile to mention here that agitating employees have been demanding two DA installments, second installment of the 5th Pay Commission, regularisation of daily wagers, restoration of SRO-43 and many other demands.

Employees strike leaves patients to die
Most of Wards closed down in GMC as epidemic
threat looms large

By Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Jan 1: The prolonged strike by the para-medical staff and safai karamcharis, which today entered into 13th day, has left the ailing community to the mercy of God with over 10 of the total 15 Wards closed down in the Medical College even as an epidemic threat looms large in the working Wards.

As against normal admissions of 700 patients in the Medical College on any given day, today there were only 142 patients left in the hospital and they too were caught in a dilemma whether to remain admitted or leave the hospital in the absence of para-medical staff.

Though the striking employees have exempted emergency from the purview of strike, this correspondent found the staff invisible even in the emergency. Doctors said staff in the emergency was reluctant to work as their colleagues enjoy sunshine while being on strike.

Medical College Principal Dr H L Goswamy admitted that 10 out of total 15 Wards in the Medical College have been locked due to employees’ strike. "It’s not possible for us to run all the Wards in the absence of para-medical staff and safai karamcharis. As such, the patients have been clubbed and accommodated in five Wards", he said.

However, with bathrooms stinking and heaps of garbage lying everywhere even inside the Wards, few admitted patients were also planning to leave the hospital anytime. "It’s gradually becoming impossible for us to stay in the Ward for a long time due to foul smell arising from the bathrooms and Wards", said a patient admitted in Ward No. 2 of the Medical College, who had his leg fractured.

Conditions were no better in the SMGS hospital, an associated hospital of Medical College which accommodates two very sensitive Departments of Gynecology and Pediatrics. Against an average admissions of 550 patients in the SMGS, there were only 178 patients left in the hospital and rest all have deserted the Wards.

Only Labour Room and Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) were being run in the SMGS hospital besides few Wards where seriously ill patients have been admitted.

Most of the critical patients admitted in the Medical College and its associated hospitals, who spoke to EXCELSIOR were unanimous in their view that State Government should immediately enforce Essential Services Maintainance Act (ESMA) against the hospital staff and force them to resume their duties.

"There is no other heinous crime than to leave the patients to die in the hospitals", said Dhani Ram who was attending his minor son in Ward No. 8 of the hospital. "I had to wait for hours together to administer an injection to my son as nurses simply refuse to work saying they were on strike", he said angrily and demanded that striking staff of the hospitals should be dismissed from the services forthwith if they don’t resume their duties.

Principal of the Medical College said it was not under his jurisdiction to invoke ESMA against the striking employees. "Only State Government was competent to do so", he added. He maintained that some consolidated employees were performing duties in the Wards but hastened to add that they couldn’t be an alternate to the employees.

Indeed, the threat of epidemic was there, admitted a senior functionary of the Medical College but added that ‘there is no way to check it’. "Neither the safai karamcharis are working nor they are allowing us to engage private staff for the cleanliness operation", he said, adding "in the present circumstances we have been left with no other option but to watch the situation helplessly".

Attendants of some patients said they themselves were cleaning the area around their beds. Most of the patients and their attendants were seen cursing the hospital staff for resorting to frequent strikes and were of the view that strikes in the essential areas should be totally banned.

"When Power and PHE Department have been exempted from the strike by the employees describing them as essential services there was no justification of covering the hospitals", observed an agitated patient admitted in Ward No. 9.

In the absence of any contingency plan by the Government it appears that patients were in for a worst situation as conditions inside the hospital were deteriorating day by day.

It may be mentioned here that no routine operation has been conducted in the Medical College and SMGS hospitals for the last 12 successive days. The Outdoor Patients Department (OPDs) have also been locked by the employees causing enormous inconvenience to the patients.

"Daily a number of patients visit the OPDs but have to return dejectedly", a senior doctor in the Medical College said, adding "doctors alone can’t run the OPDs in the absence of hospital staff".

Satellite communication facility for remote areas
40,000 new telephone connections during current
financial year: Lalwani

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 1: The Jammu and Kashmir Telecommunications Circle has taken strides for provisions of 55000 lines in equipped capacity of the exchange and total of 40,000 new telephone connections during current financial year.

This was disclosed by Chief General Manager Telecommunication, Jammu and Kashmir Circle, Mr Ramesh Lalwani while talking to media-men here today.

"A total of 28,000 lines of equipped capacity have been added and a total of 10800 new telephone connections have been provided. Telephone on demand is now available at Rajouri and Doda where registration charges have been reduced to Rs 1000", he said, adding "we are also reducing registration charges in 18 small exchanges with effect from 10-01-2000 after getting necessary clearance from TRAI".

Chief General Manager said that special thrust has been given for remote areas for provision of reliable media and STD. Satellite Communication has extensively been planned to provide STD facility in remote areas. "Six numbers of Digital Satellite System has been planned. One such system has been commissioned at Leh and other at Doda, Jammu, Kargil, Srinagar and Poonch", he disclosed, adding, "a new MCPC Hub Station has been installed to cater for Ladakh area. The call within Ladakh will be handled by this Hub station instead of just coming to Jammu and back to Ladakh".

He further said that a number of small exchanges have been upgraded to 256 lines exchanges and 14 new exchanges have been commissioned till November 30, 1999 and with this, the total number of exchanges have reached to 267. He added that work of expansion and replacement has been carried out at 26 exchanges so far while STD/ISD services have been introduced at 22 new places.

Mr Lalwani disclosed that state of art Electronic Switch has been commissioned in April, 99 at Rajouri and CDOT Exchanges have been upgrades to 1000 lines at Batote, Reasi and Samba. "Additional 512-P-ILT commissioned at Doda and CDOT-512-P commissioned at Surankote. RSUs of 3k at Bemina, 4k at Soura while new telephone exchanges (RSU) at Gangyal, Trikuata Nagar and Zainakot are under installation and are expected during January 2000", he informed, added that new CDOT main exchanges are under installation at Leh, Anantnag and Baramulla which are expected to be commissioned by March 2000.

"Internet Services have been opened with routers at Jammu on August 15, 1998. Earlier there were 32 access channels which have been increased to 96 channels during October, 1999", he said and added that a total of 1150 subscribers have been provided with Internet connections. One Node is planned to be provided in each SSA during this financial year during first phase which shall be extended to all districts headquarters during the second phase. Equipment for Jammu Node which is part of National Internet Backbone of Department of Telecom Services is expected shortly.

Chief General Manager said that ISDN services have also been introduced in both the cities of Jammu and Srinagar from November, 1998. This service facilitates the subscribers to use Computer, Fax and Telephone on the same line. 64 KBPs Rate Data Transfer and Calling Line Identity on subscriber’s telephone instruments are also available through ISDN.

Regarding response of the Virtual Card Calling Services, Mr Lalwani said that this service has become very popular. He further said that free phone service in which called party is to pay has also been launched in the Jammu and shortly this facility will be provided in Srinagar also.

In-adequacy of media to places like Kishtwar and Bhaderwah will be overcome shortly by installation of additional MCPC at these places i.e. capacity of STD circuits will be increased to 14 from present 7. We hope to provide STD facility to remaining 10 Tehsil Hqrs by March, 2000. We have only one Tehsil Headquarter Gandoh without telephone facility. We are commissioning this exchange by 26th of January, 2000. 150 VPTs on Inmarsat will be provided to remote inaccessible villages.

We have released Telephone Directory for Jammu, Udhampur, Rajouri and Leh, Srinagar Telephone Directory is under print and we hope to release it in January 2000.

7000 apple boxes, 3 houses burnt
Militant killed in Bandipore

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Jan 1: Even as the first day of the new millennium was reported incident-free in the militancy-torn Kashmir valley, this evening security forces claimed to have eliminated a militant in an encounter at Ashtingoo, on Bandipore-Sopore road.

Reports available from Bandipore said that at 1730 hours this evening, a group of five heavily-armed militants clashed with troops of Rashtriya Rifles at Ashtingoo, near Bandipore. Fierce exchange of fire took place in which one Zahoor Ahmed Sheikh S/o Ghulam Rasool Sheikh got killed while as atleast four militants to escape. Officials claimed that Zahoor was a militant of Hizbul Mujahideen who got killed but his associates managed to escape.

However, civilians of the village told EXCELSIOR that the angry troops swooped on the houses of Sheikhs and torched the houses of Mohammad Maqbool Sheikh and Mohammad Sultan Sheikh sons of Mohammad Subhan Sheikh and that of Mohammad Ramzan Sheikh S/o Abdur Rehman Sheikh. The devastating blaze engulfed the adjacent structures and 7000 packed apple boxes gutted completely. They claimed that Zahoor was a civilian, killed by troops after militants attacked them and made good their escape.

In another incident, counter-insurgents and security forces have allegedly set on fire the house of Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Rather S/o Ghulam Mohammad Rather at Ak-hal in Kangan area. Reports said that one of Rather’s sons was a militant, presently at a training camp in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.

Meanwhile, heavy artillery shelling began between Indian and Pakistani troops in Karnah sector at 1730 hours this evening. Several shells fell in close vicinity of Tangdar. However, preliminary reports said that there was no damage.

Security forces also claimed to have seized a large quantity of arms and ammunition, including a number of hand grenades and rifle grenades, in Baramulla area.

Two militants killed in Doda

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 1: Rashtriya Rifles and Special Task Force (STF) gunned down two militants of Harkat-ul-Ansar and Hizbul Mujahideen outfits at village Basi in Gundna area of Doda district this morning.

A Defence spokesman said four columns of 8 Rashtriya Rifles assisted by the STF jawans launched a search operation in Gundna area late last evening. During searches, which continued till this morning, two suspects tried to escape when they were asked to get themselves frisked by the army jawans.

Troops and STF personnel chased the militants and entangled them in an encounter. During half an hour gun-battle, both the militants were gunned down. No casualty was reported on army side in the encounter.

The slain militants include Bisarat, district commander of Harkat-ul-Ansar for Doda district and Umar Gazi, section commander of Hizbul Mujahideen.

Two AK-56 rifles, eight grenades, five magazines, 400 rounds and one radio set was recovered from the encounter site.

Farooq calls on Vajpayee

Excelsior Correspondent

NEW DELHI, Jan 1: J&K Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah called on Prime Minister Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee this evening and discussed with him the overall situation in the State especially the financial crunch.

He was accompanied by Finance Minister Mr A R Rather, Principal Secretary (Planning) Mr Jalil Ahmed Khan and Principal Secretary (Finance) Mr Ajit Kumar.

Dr Abdullah is leaving for London tonight where his will attend the funeral of his mother-in-law on January 4. He will return to Jammu on January 7.

World attention drawn to terrorists: PM

NEW DELHI, Jan 1: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today said all designs to internationalise the Kashmir issue had been defeated and the world attention had instead been attracted to the hijackers and those backing them.

Addressing a batch of 30-odd released hostages of the hijacked Indian Airlines plane and their family members, who called on him at his residence here this evening, the Prime Minister also said that attempts to disrupt communal harmony were also foiled.

Several Muslim groups had criticised the hijacking as an "un-Islamic act" and the entire country had stood united during the eight-day-long crisis, he said.

He said security at airports would be strengthened.

Mr Vajpayee also told the visitors that the Government had done its best in the given circumstances to get the hostages released at the earliest. The situation was very tough as the hijackers were ruthless and a breakthrough could not be achieved easily.

However, the Government had assured the relatives and friends of the captives that they would be brought back home safely before the new year and it had been able to do so.

The passengers and crew, including Capt D Sharan, the commander of the hijacked plane, presented bouquets to the Prime Minister and thanked him for securing their release.

Talking to reporters outside the PM’s residence, the passengers said there was no question of complaining to Mr Vajpayee about the delay in reaching a settlement. "The Government did its best and we have no complaints," said Mr Subhash Kumar, one of the freed hostages.

Before leaving for the PM’s residence, the passengers met senior BJP leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana, who hosted a tea party for them and escorted them to 7, Race Course Road.

Vajpayee met the released hostages individually who briefly recounted their experience during the eight days on board the aircraft.

The crew of the aircraft briefed the Prime Minister on the situation inside plane during the hijacking.

The others who were present at the meeting were External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Chaman Lal Gupta and former Delhi Chief Minister and BJP vice president Madan Lal Khurana.

The meeting was initiated by Khurana who was keen that the passengers should meet Vajpayee. (PTI)

‘Katyal may have been saved’

NEW DELHI, Jan 1: The life of slain passenger of the hijacked aircraft Ripen Katyal could perhaps have been saved had the authorities in Lahore airport agreed to take him in for treatment, Union Civil Minister Sharad Yadav and the plane’s Captain D Sharan said today.

Ripen Katyal could have been saved. The co-pilot told me the hijackers had agreed to release women, children and the injured Katyal. But Pakistan authorities flatly refused, saying they would not allow anyone to get off, Yadav said.

Pilot of the ill-fated plane Capt Sharan said Katyal was alive when they landed at Lahore as the intention of the hijackers was may be not to kill.

The throats of two people were slit, Sharan said adding that Katyal’s injuries could have been more grievous.

If the Lahore people had taken the patient, he could have been saved. But Pakistan authorities refused permission, the Captain said. (PTI)

 

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