With misty eyes, an old couple staring towards PoK with a hope that their children will return sometime. Excelsior/Ashok

Eerie silence prevails in Tarkundi, adjoining villages
Ex-filtration leaves aching void among denizens

From Dinesh Manhotra

TARKUNDI (Line of Control), Sept 17: Deafening sound of Pakistani mortars repeatedly pierced through the eerie silence prevailing in this hamlet whose entire population has crossed over to other side of the border due to, what is widely alleged as, criminal negligence of the civil administration to frustrate nefarious designs of Pakistan............more

Hizbul threatens to intensify strikes, also offers for talks

NEW DELHI, Sept 17: Hizbul Mujahideen today threatened to enlist increased number of "skilled militants" and acquire modern and sophisticated weapons even as the group reiterated its offer to hold bilateral talks with the Centre if New Delhi accepted that the final solution to the Kashmir issue would be reached through a tripartite agreement between India, Pakistan and the people of Kashmir. ......more

BJP, Govt differ on banning SIMI

LUCKNOW, Sept 17: Differences seem to have cropped up between BJP’s Uttar Pradesh unit and the party-led Government in the State over the issue of banning Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), with party unit president Kalraj Mishra and Chief Minister Ram Prakash Gupta expressing contrasting views over the matter While Gupta has disfavoured a ban on the SIMI, Mishra told newspersons here today that the group should be banned for "indulging in disruptive .....more

College closed for 3 days
Mir appointed inquiry officer into clashes

Excelsior Correspondent

RAJOURI, Sept 17: The district administration today nominated Assistant Commissioner (Revenue) Abdul Qayoom Mir as magisterial inquiry officer to probe yesterday’s clashes between two group of students in the degree college which led to police firing causing injuries to four students.....more

Explosives haul in JWG

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Sept 17: Troops of Jharan Wali Gali (JWG) Brigade of Romeo Force today effected a big haul of explosive devices from village Harni in Jharan Wali Gali of Poonch district.......more

CVC suggests amendment

NEW DELHI, Sept 17: In a bid to weed out corruption and cleanse politics, the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has suggested amendment in the Income Tax Act to give tax exemption on funds donated to the political parties. ........more

Telephone in every village by yr 2010

JAIPUR, Sept 17: Every village in the country would have telephone by the year 2010 at a budgetary expenditure of 78 billion US dollars to achieve the target, Union Telecommunication Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said today. After reviewing the telephone expansion work being underway in Rajasthan, he said of the seven lakh villages in the country, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had provided connections in only 3.76 villages till now Of the existing rural telephony, 2.11 lakh were not working due to a number of reasons, but his department would energise the faulty ones within a year, the Minister said. .....more

Pak trying another Kargil

VARANASI, Sept 17 : Defence Minister George Fernandes today said Pakistan was stepping up its activities at the border in the Western Sector and suspectedly its aim is to try to create a Kargil type situation. He told newspersons here that the Government was keeping a constant watch on the situation and intentions of Pakistan. The country’s defence forces are fully prepared to meet any eventuality and would give a befitting reply to Pakistan if they tried any misadventure, Fernandes added. ...more

Army posts attacked

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Sept 17: Militants attacked army posts at Chitti Bhatii and Gounthal Top in Surankote area of Poonch district last night.....more

Blast rocks Chatroo

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Sept 17: A powerful explosion rocked the main market in Chatroo area of Doda district last evening but failed to cause any casualty.....more

Ikhwani, civilian, militant killed
BSF officer among 15 injured in 6 IED blasts.....

Ten undertrial dacoits escape from jail .......

US will work with India ........