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children, 3 women among victims Excelsior Correspondent RAJOURI, Feb 10: In one of the brutal carnage, the Pakistan-sponsored militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit gunned down 15 members of three nomad families including seven children and three women in their houses at village Morha Salui in Kot Chadwal area, about 40 kms from Budhal late last night. Victims included family members of Abdul Ahmed, Mohd Bashir and Bashir Ahmed, all nomads. Two of them were reportedly associated with the Village Defence Committees (VDCs). The civilian killings have sparked off tension in several villages of Budhal with reports speaking of anti-militant demonstrations in some areas. The killings speak volume of the atrocities being perpetrated by Pakistan-backed militants on peace loving, poor and innocent people in the name of so-called ‘jehad, an official spokesman said in Jammu, adding ‘it’s high time that people realise the anti-people designs of ultras and unite to fight them’. Official sources, quoting information given by army and police officers this evening after visiting the spot, told EXCELSIOR in Rajouri that a big group of 15 to 18 militants, all equipped with sophisticated weapons, attacked village Morha Salui (falling on Budhal-Mahore border) at 2330 hours last night. Militants asked for Mohd Shaffi, a VDC member, who was incidentally not present in the house. The militants then went to the house of another VDC member Abdul Hameed and asked him to come out. As Hameed didn’t respond, the militants jumped to roof top of the house, made a hole and lobbed grenades inside the house. The ultras then opened firing on the house of Abdul Ahmed, Mohd Bashir and Reemu, all in a row. After indiscriminate firing with assault rifles, the militants locked the houses from outside and set them on fire. Sources said before being roasted alive in the house, one of the VDC member Abdul Ahmed had flashed a message at an army post, which was about six kms from the spot, on his wireless set. However, by the time army personnel could reach the spot and lay a cordon, the militants had managed to escape. Official sources in Jammu, however, said that militants called out three nomads out of their houses and reportedly asked them to handover their female members to them for satisfying the sexual lust of foreign mercenaries, waiting in a forest area. The nomads categorically rejected the militants’ demand and strongly resisted kidnapping of the women. This angered Pakistani militants, who sprayed bullets on three nomads and their family members and then set their houses on fire. This is for the first time that 15 nomads had been massacred in the State. In the morning, police officers from here including SP Rajouri Rajesh Kumar and SHO Budhal police station left for the village but reached the spot late in the evening after trekking more than 8 kms on foot. All inmates of three houses had died inside. Troops and police recovered their dead bodies after breaking open the doors. Deceased have been identified as VDC member Abdul Hameed, 35, son of Dulla, his wife Reema, 31, son Shabir, 12 and daughter Anjana, 7, Mohd Bashir, 35 son of Keema, his wife Fatto Bi, 32, sons Pathu, 10, Podu, 8 and daughter Jamaal, 4, Reemu, 60, his daughter Rani, 25 and son Sharief, 20, Altaf Ahmed, 65, son of Sharief, Sharief Ahmed, 15, son of Rashid and Gulzara, 20, son of Kalu. It may be mentioned here that nomads had actively participated in the recently concluded Panchayat elections and were also elected as Sarpanchs and Panchs in large number in the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri. Active participation of nomads in the electoral process has also invited the wrath of militants, the sources pointed out. Post-mortem was performed on the bodies this afternoon and reports said the victims were buried this evening by local people amidst high tension. People from adjoining villages of Morha Salui also reached the site of carnage. Sources said tension mounted in many villages with people holding demonstrations against Pakistan and its sponsored militants charging them with killing innocent people on the name of so-called ‘jehad’. Army and police have been deployed in the villages. Troops have also launched a search operation to track down the militants involved in the killings of innocent civilians. Sources said the militants appeared to be activists of Lashkar-e-Toiba and comprised both foreign mercenaries and locals. The killings of 15 members of nomad families came few days after the militants had gunned down three Bakerwals at village Mandli under the jurisdiction of Dharamshal police station few days back. The killings have also created a fear psychosis among the migratory Bakerwals, the sources said. Meanwhile, four militants of a newly formed outfit Lashkar-e-Islami (LeI) were killed and an army Havaldar was injured in an encounter at Pathan Peer in Surankote tehsil of Poonch district this afternoon. GOC Romeo Force Maj Gen Richard Kharey said the encounter followed when militants opened heavy firing on a patrol party of army and Special Police Officers (SPOs). Troops fired back and in the two hour long gun-battle gunned down four militants. One more militant was suspected to be lying burnt in the cave, the sources said, adding an Army Havaldar Gurmukh Singh sustained minor injuries in the operation and has been hospitalised. Three slain militants have been identified as Fighter, Safdhar and Suhail, all foreign mercenaries from Pakistan. Three AK-56 rifles with 10 magazines and 291 rounds, seven hand grenades, two Kenwood radio sets and a huge quantity of incriminating documents were recovered from their possession. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister Dr Abdullah today strongly condemned the killing of innocent civilians in village Salosi near Kote Chadwal in Budhal late last evening. Describing it as dastardly act, the Chief Minister said that this is yet another crime against the humanity by the perpetuators of violence who are picking up innocent people like Bakerwal to quench their thrust with the blood of innocent people of Jammu and Kashmir. He said it is an eye opener to the World as the growing terrorism is a big challenge to the society and hoped that the International community will take cognizance of atrocities being committed by the terrorists on unarmed civilian population. He said the killers have not even spared children which demonstrate their sewage on civilised attitude. He said that the militants have proved that they have scant regard for human values. The Chief Minister has expressed deep anguish shock over the incident. |
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Lashkar had conducted
recci before action From Ahmed Ali Fayaz SRINAGAR, Feb 10: While the authorities have begun to smell a rat behind Friday evening’s Lashkar-e-Toiba attack on the heavily-guarded Police Control Room (PCR), as many as eight Jammu & Kashmir Police personnel have got killed against two militant cadres in the overnight gunbattle. As the State Government is likely to order a departmental inquiry into the circumstances that made the militants’ action possible, the dreaded pan-Islamist organisation has now declared an open war on the entire Police force, be that active or passive in counter-insurgency operations. After a night of chaos and confusion — that even saw the Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah getting incorrect information and killing ‘all the four militants’ in his New Delhi statement — it was established this morning that just two ‘Fidayeen’ died while killing eight Policemen and leaving seven more of them wounded. Well-placed official sources, who participated in the nightlong gunbattle, told EXCELSIOR that only two militants got killed while as two more of the suicidal squad managed to escape. Authorities have now ascertained conclusively that Lashkar-e-Toiba had conducted a ‘reconnaissance survey’ of the well-fortified premises before launching its suicidal attack last evening. PCR insiders insisted that a stranger’s escape from Batmaloo exit would have been impossible in absence of a survey. That assertion is suggestive of the fact that militants have planned and executed the attack "with the support of plants". More surprising is the disclosure that two hours before the attack, militants had established telephonic contact with the PCR and asked officials to be prepared for ‘an action this evening’. The official at the receiving end is believed to have taken the threat as a mere hoax. Sources explained that three or four militants reached the PCR entrance in a Taxi, bearing registration number KMT 936. While lobbing grenades and opening indiscriminate gunfire, the militants gatecrashed into the premises. Two Policemen died at the entrance and few others sustained injuries. Thereafter, two militants went up to the overhead sentry boxes and gunned down both the armed guards. Third one, having sustained injuries, trooped into the deployment room and killed all the four constables who had dropped their SLRs and hidden behind a sofa. As a total of eight personnel got killed and seven others were left wounded, SP South Ramesh Kumar Jalla steered an armoured BSF bunker towards the SP PCR Ghulam Hassan Bhat’s office. Suddenly, the militant took the aim of the bullet-proof glass panel and directed SLR fire on the bunker. Jalla had a narrow escape, though the glass shattered and his hand bled profusely. In spite of the criss-cross of gunfire, the joint team of Police and BSF rescued 21 Police personnel who had got stuck in the MTO’s office. Still, at least two militants walked out through Batmaloo exit without facing any resistance or sustaining a single injury. It was at around 0100 hours that the injured militant was forced to come out and was shot dead. Death of another unidentified militant, still shrouded in mystery, was reported at 0600 hours. Official sources maintained that, as per a radio intercept, the slain militants had been identified as Abu Muawiya and Abu Saqib. On the other hand, someone describing himself as ‘leader of the suicide squad Salah-ud-din’, told some local mediapersons on telephone this morning that he and two more of the team had managed to escape from the premises. He identified his associates as Abu Hafsa and Abdullah Qamar and claimed that only Abu Muawiya had ‘attained martyrdom’ in the attack. Minutes after the attack began last evening, Islamabad-based splokesman of Lashkar-e-Toiba, Abu Usama, had told Srinagar journalists that four cadres of his organisation — namely Salah-ud-din, Abu Hafsa, Abdullah Qamar and Abu Muawiya, had stormed into the PCR. This evening, the Lashkar spokesman reportedly told journalists on telephone that the recent spree of "custodial killings by Task Force and other Indian troops" had prompted the organisation to call a war on Jammu & Kashmir Police. He is said to have threatened that all Policemen, when in counter-insurgency outfits or otherwise, should resign. He has also threatned that Lashkar would continue its offensive against Police patrols and Police stations. As most of the militant outfits had spared the passive wings of the State Police during the last 12 years, it is first time that a formidable guerrilla organisation has threatened this kind of action. Well-placed official sources disclosed that the State Government had taken a serious note of the security chinks at the PCR and a senior IPS officer was likely to be assigned with the thorough investigation into the lax security arrangements of PCR. Meanwhile, the eight Police personnel killed at the PCR have been identified as head constable Abdul Majeed (96/PCR), const/driver Farooq Ahmed (117/PCR), const/driver Tariq Ahmed (108/PCR), const Javed Ahmed (664 JKAP 7th Bn), const Shameem Ahmed (431 JKAP 7th Bn), const Zahoor Ahmed (45 JKAP 7th Bn), const Rai Singh (890 JKAP 7th Bn) and const Mohan Lal (79 JKAP 7th Bn). While as all the slain Muslim personnel are from Kashmir valley, the two non-Muslims are stated to be residents of Jammu. Two Hizb ultras killed Official sources this evening told EXCELSIOR that on the basis of a tip-off, troops of BSF 01 Bn and Police raided a militant hideout at Khriwan Lassipora in Kulgam-Qazigund belt of south Kashmir and eliminated two Kashmiri militants of Hizbul Mujahiden in a fierce gunbattle. They were identified as Shabir Ahmed Khan alias Rahi S/o Ghulam Hassan Khan R/o Kilam and Nisar Ahmed Bhat alias Aijaz-ul-Haq S/o Bashir Ahmed Bhat R/o Dragan, Noorabad. Two AK-56 rifles were claimed to have been recovered from the site of encounter. Abdul Hameed Darvesh’s house, wherefrom militants had attacked the troops, was destroyed in action. Sources claimed that Rahi was a "battalion commander" and Aijaz-ul-Haq a "platoon commander" of his outfit. However, Hizbul Mujahideen’s version of the incident was not available. In a different incident in south Kashmir, an unidentified gunman fired upon a lady SPO, Gausiya, at Batmuran Kellar (Pulwama) and left her critically injured. She was rushed to hospital for treatment. The village headman, who had been similarly shot at and injured at Tuli Nawpora (Kulgam) last evening, has been identified as Mohammad Sidiq S/o Abdul Ahad. 8 cops, 3 civilians wounded Reports from south Kashmir added that this afternoon, an unidentified militant lobbed a hand grenade at the main market of Awantipore and left injured a Deputy Commandant of CRPF 72 Bn, six J&K Police personnel and three civilians. They were all rushed to hospital. During last night, a blast occurred at the house of Nazir Ahmed Mala S/o Qazim Mala at Hagarpora (Magam). However there was no loss of life. Reports described Mala as a source of security forces. |
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Shabir Shah dares Farooq to contest elections in J&K NEW DELHI, Feb 10: Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Shah today said Pakistan’s response to the peace process in Jammu and Kashmir offered a "golden opportunity" for peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue and India should take the offer seriously. Mr Shah, who is in the capital after touring earthquake-affected areas of Gujarat, said at a news conference that the unilateral ceasefire in the State was a step in the right direction. However, some people opposed it for their own vested interests, he said. Without identifying anybody, he said some people were creating problems in the ceasefire just to "protect their own chair and interests and show to the centre that everything is not well in the State." He demanded elections in Jammu and Kashmir under the supervision of NGOs and prominent intellectuals but stopped short of demanding dismissal of Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah saying it would not solve the problem. He dared the Chief Minister to contest elections under NGOs saying "I will field a sweeper against the Chief Minister’s candidate and I challenge if the Chief Minister wins, I will consider him my leader." Asked what was the guarantee that Pakistan would reciprocate if India took Islamabad’s gesture seriously, keeping in view the past experience, Mr Shah said "if Pakistan sabotages, you will see our reaction." he did not elaborate. Mr Shah, who was a prominent member of the Hurriyat but later parted ways and formed his own Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP), supported the Hurriyat proposal to go to Pakistan for talks with militant and political leaders and said India should give them passports. "If that can be the beginning of a permanent and peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute, why not ?" he said in reply to a question. He, however, criticised the Centre for not giving them passports and said the "battle of egos should stop...It seems the Indian Government is not serious." "Those who want to go to Pakistan, should be given a chance if they want to make a beginning." Mr Shah regretted being called "separatist" even though "I travelled 1800 km in earthquake-stricken Gujarat pledging all help. "I went even to those places where no central leader could have gone. Still we are called separatist," he asserted. "Gujarat offered an opportunity to all of us to rethink our strategies and concentrate on development and removing human miseries instead of investing in security operation....Give peace a chance." He urged all the opposition parties including the Congress to help the Prime Minister in restoring peace in the Valley. (UNI) |
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BJP leader arrested,
2 SIs attached Excelsior Correspondent UDHAMPUR, Feb 10: Protesters including women defied curfew twice in the town and took out processions and held massive demonstrations shouting slogans against civil and police administration charging them with shielding the culprits involved in a teen-aged girl’s abduction and running flesh trade in the town with the connivance of authorities. Police arrested a prominent BJP leader Vikram Singh Slathia and seized his Maruti car last mid-night while two alleged main accused in the crime including Aftaab and Anoop Khajuria remained untraced. Police have launched a massive hunt to apprehend the absconders. Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur M S Khan has, meanwhile, ordered attachment of two Sub Inspectors—Sanjeev Gupta and Arjan Singh Chib for their alleged ‘inaction’ in the kidnapping incident. DIG Udhampur-Doda range S K Mishra rushed here from Batote and was camping in the town monitoring the situation. Reports said over 1500 women gathered at village Baryan, from where the teen-aged girl Meenakshi has been abducted, and marched to the town defying curfew restrictions and shouting slogans against DC Udhampur M S Khan and SSP Udhampur Satvir Gupta charging the administration with ‘complete failure’ in apprehending the minor kidnapped girl. The women marched to DC’s office and voiced deep concern over the expiry of deadline (1600 hours today) set by people for recovery of the girl. After heated arguments with the DC and massive sloganeering in his office, the women stormed out setting a fresh deadline of 12 noon tomorrow for recovery of the girl, failing which, the mob threatened to repeat the incidents of Friday night. As women’s procession dispersed peacefully, an approximated 10,000 people including youths and men besides many political and social activists also marched in the town from Baryan, making a mockery of curfew, and made a bonfire of civil and police officials’ effigies. Charging police and civil officials with allegedly encouraging ‘illegal activities’ in the town by conniving with goons and anti-social elements, the protestants alleged the lives of peace loving citizens especially young girls were not safe in the hands of present administration and demanding that entire network of administration be revamped. "It’s lawlessness prevailing all around. The women folk are extremely scared and terrified in moving in the open following day light abduction of teen-aged girl Meenakshi, a student of 11th class. It’s time for the Government to act and restore its authority", two social workers Brij Mohan Sharma and Balwant Singh, who addressed the mob in the town, said. The Border Security Force (BSF), which was called out yesterday evening, followed the mob alongwith police but didn’t stop the processionists from defying curfew ‘keeping in view the highly surcharged atmosphere. The mob dispersed late in the evening without any act of arson or violence, as witnessed yesterday. Meanwhile, the sources said, BJP leader Vikram Singh Slathia, whose Slathia restaurant was extensively damaged by the mob yesterday, was arrested by police late last night and his Maruti car No. 8874 JK14, in which he was allegedly trying to escape in Jammu, was seized. Police couldn’t say whether any case has been registered against Slathia or not. However, two other accused (whom people accused of kidnapping Meenakshi) Aftaab and Anoop Khajuria remained untraced. Houses of Aftaab and Anoop and a furniture house and a car of latter were set ablaze by the mob last evening and gutted. Family members of Meenakshi and local people today also submitted a written complaint at Udhampur police station charging two SIs Sanjeev Gupta and Arjan Singh Chib and Shashi Kumar, a PSO of the BJP leader with helping the accused in abduction of girl. Police received the complaint. In the morning DIG Udhampur-Doda S K Mishra chaired a high level meeting of police and civil officials to review the law and order following yesterday’s unprecedented violence by people. Mishra constituted three special teams of police and dispatched them to different places to apprehend the accused. Earlier, a senior district police officer visited the house of kidnapped girl but following massive slogans of ‘go back, go back’, he had to retrieve. |
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Farooq, Kukka Parray address
joint rally; pledge Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Feb 10: Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah and Awami League supremo, Mohd Yousuf Parray, alias Kukka Parray today held a massive joint rally in latter’s Hajjan constituency of north Kashmir, with a commitment to fight together to bring peace back in Jammu and Kashmir for which the people have been yearning for the last more than a decade. Both the leaders pledged that the peace process initiated by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee would be carried forward with full commitment. This pro- peace rally of 25,000 people was the biggest ever such type of rally organised in Kashmir valley during the prevailing troubled phase. Addressing rally at Hajjan, Dr Abdullah said that his party was committed to peace and would support every effort in this direction. He described reports about his opposition to the ceasefire as misleading and clarified that he was never against the unilateral ceasefire as was being made out in a section of the media. He said that he has been consistent in his views that silence at the borders was meaningless when guns were booming in the hinterland and innocent people killed daily. He said while security forces and police had stopped their operations, militants sponsored by the neighbouring country continued with killing spree. Referring to the last evening attack on the police control room in Srinagar, Dr Abdullah said, "Pakistan and her mercenaries were mistaken if they thought they could terrorise us and succeed in their designs," adding not even an inch of our territory would be allowed to secede from the country. "Hum mar Jayengay Lekin ek inch Zameen bhi nahin Chordengey", he asserted and said India has the might and power to teach a lesson to Pakistan that could be used at the appropriate time and recalled the befitting reply given to her in Kargil recently. Making a fervent appeal to militants to drop the gun, Dr Abdullah called upon them to join the mainstream and channellise their energies for the betterment of the people rather than soaking their hands with the blood every day. He also asked the foreign militants to go back to their respective countries and let the people of the State live in peace. He said the people want to get rid of the gun culture which was alien to them. He accused Hurriyat leaders of duplicity and said those who brought gun to Kashmir are today wanting to go to Pakistan to persuade the mentors of militants stop the gun here. He recalled when these people had objected to the ceasefire announced by Hizbul Mujahideen, the militants had challenged them and reminded them of their worth. He said Hurriyat was surviving because of the gun and asked if its leaders were allowed to go to Pakistan would the militants listen to them and stop militancy in Kashmir. He questioned Pakistan’s desire for peace in the region and asked if actions like killing minorities would help bringing peace in the State. Dr Abdullah accused the protogonists of trifurcation as the enemies of peace and of the State. He said those who talk of trifurcation were only executing the Dixon Plan aimed at the division of the State on communal lines. He strongly opposed the idea and warned that this would lead to the disintegration of the country which had so far withstood all challenges. Religion is not the basis of Indian union and no division can be thought of on communal lines, he added. Asking the Center to provide liberal help to the militancy ravaged State Dr Abdullah said that J&K was part of India and would remain so with dignity and honour. He said when we ask for assistance no one should think that we are begging. It is our right, he said and added that the State needs tremendous resources for construction of schools, bridges, roads, hospitals etc. "We have lot of problems and these can be overcome by unity among the people," he said. Earlier, legislator and Awami League leader, Mr Mohammad Yusuf Parey alias Kukka Parrey, assured the Chief Minister of his full support in his fight against militancy. He described the rally as coming together of anti-militancy forces and hoped this would auger well for return of peace in the State. He said the rally represented the people’s yearning for peace and appealed all political parties to unite and face the challenge thrown by militancy. He said the people want return of pre-89 situation and recalled the miseries brought upon people by militants. He appealed the misguided youth of the State to return to the mainstream and see through the game plan of those who want to make them cannon fodder. He also asked the foreign militants to go back to their countries and said "we were competent to solve our problems ourselves." The rally was massive gathering of people who had come from different areas to listen to the Chief Minister. People in thousands raised pro-peace slogans and listened to the speech of Dr Abdullah with rapt attention. The speech was punctuated by cheers and slogans by the gathering.The Chief Minister had the bullet proof enclosure removed from the dias and made his speech. Later, he mixed with the people and enquired about their problems. The people acquainted him with the difficulties confronting them. He also prayed for the peace and prosperity of the people of the State. Present on the occasion were the Minister for Works, Mr Ali Mohammad Sagar, Minister of State for Home, Mr Mushtaq Ahmed Lone and Director General of Police, Mr A K Suri. |
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KPs are ‘museum piece’ for Govt NEW DELHI, Feb 10: Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Shah today accused the Government of not being serious about the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley and said they (Pandits) were a "museum piece" for political leaders. "The Government will not take Kashmiri Pandits back. They (the Government) have made the Pandits a museum piece so that they are able to show to any foreign dignitary visiting the Valley that look what has happened to our people by militancy." Mr Shah, however, did not go into details how the nearly 350,000 Pandits fled Kashmir in 1990 and settled in other parts of the country. Most of the Pandits lived in camps and one-room tenements under unliveable conditions after their migration. "I went to each and every camp pleading with them to return to their homes," said, Shabir Shah, who was a member of the Hurriyat but parted ways and formed his own Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP). "Kashmiri Pandits are welcome to return to the Valley and can return anytime," he added. Senior Hurriyat leader Abdul Ghani Lone also said Kashmiri Pandits should return to the Valley. "Kashmir belongs to them. They belong to Kashmir. It is their home," he said. (UNI) |
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Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 10: Aftaab, a prime accused in the kidnapping of teen-aged Meenakshi, was spotted here this afternoon, an Intelligence agency reported. An official of the agency told EXCELSIOR tonight that Aftaab was seen near the house of an Advocate in the City area. However, by the time, a police party could reach the spot, he managed to escape. Aftaab’s house was set ablaze by the mob at Udhampur yesterday. |
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SAD leaders call on PM to review cease-fire decision in J&K AMRITSAR, Feb 10: The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) an ally of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) today called upon the Vajpayee Government to review the unilateral ceasefire decision in Jammu and Kashmir as it had failed to produce the desired results in the Kashmir valley. This observation was made by a two member team of the SAD which visited Srinagar and Jammu yesterday on the directions of the party president and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to make on the spot study of the situation in the aftermath of the massacre of six innocent Sikhs by militants in Mehjoor Nagar on the outskirts of Srinagar. The team members included Finance Minister Capt. (retd) Kanwaljit Singh and Rajya Sabha member, Balwinder Singh Bhunder who met members of the Sikh community and officials of J and K during their visit. Addressing a press conference here, the two SAD leaders opined that though the ceasefire decision was a courageous one but it had not produced the desired results. The Central Government should review the overall situation and take immediate steps for improving the security environment in the Kashmir valley to prevent massacres of members of minority community, they said. The two leaders regretted that the Union Home Ministry failed to implement the various promises vis-a-vis providing adequate security for the community in the Valley. The ministry had given these assurances when a delegation of J and K Sikhs met the Union Home Minister L K Advani after the killing of 35 Sikhs at Chattisinghpura in March last year, they claimed. Mr Kanwaljit Singh claimed that there was deep sense of fear and insecurity amongst Sikhs in the Valley who are still to recover from the shock of the massacre. The security environment needed to be improved by deployment of paramilitary forces and Army personnel in all the 129 villages and other localities of cities inhabited by Sikhs and Punjabis, he suggested. Regarding their discussions with political leaders and officials of J and K, Mr Kanwaljit Singh said they had suggested the Government employees amongst the Sikh community should be posted near their places of residence for safety reasons. The J and K Government had also been told to seek additional paramilitary force battalions for deployment in Sikh populated areas, he added. The J and K Government had been asked to take stringent measures for protecting the life and property of the Sikhs and Punjabis, he said and added that in order to restore their confidence the Government of that State should conduct constant interactions with members of the minority communities. He said that during their interaction with the Punjabis in Srinagar they had asked them to remain united and combat the tyrannical forces jointly. The two-member Akali delegation also requested the J and K Government to immediately arrest those officials responsible for the unprovoked firing on Sikh protestors in Jammu which led to the killing of a Sikh identified as Mohinder Singh. The delegation on their return yesterday met Mr Badal here and explained to him their assessment of the situation in the Valley. Mr Bhunder said that Mr Badal would meet the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister soon to demand adequate security measures in J and K for the Sikhs and Punjabis. Mr Bhunder said the SGPC and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) had decided to give a grant of Rs five lakh to the next of kin of those killed in the Srinagar massacre and Rs 1.5 lakh to the injured. Likewise a grant of Rs five lakh would also be given to the family of Mohinder Singh who died in a police firing in Jammu. (UNI) |
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Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Feb 10: The Central team headed by the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes soon after its arrival here today met deputation of Sikh community here today. The team include Minister for Chemicals, Mr S S Dhindsa, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, Member Parliament, Mr S S Ahluwalia, Vice-Chairman Minorities Commission, Mr Trilochan Singh, president, SGPC, S Jagdev Singh Talwandi and president Delhi G P C S Avtar Singh Hitt. Expressing sympathies with the bereaved Sikh families on behalf of the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, Mr Fernandes said the Central Government is fully aware of the situation arisen due to innocent killing of Sikhs at Mehjoor Nagar and condemned this brutal act. The Defence Minister announced on the occasion that those injured Sikhs who are presently under treatment in varioushospitals of Srinagar city would be shifted either to Chandigarh or Delhi hospitals for specialised treatment. He said during the past two days the Prime Minister held meetings with his Cabinet colleagues to assess the situation and devise the measures for the protection of the Sikh Community in the J&K State. Earlier, the Sikh leaders apprised the Central team about the situation and expressed their grievances. |
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Finance Company MD, another held Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 10: Batote police have arrested two persons including Managing Director of a private finance company United Indomit Plantation. Bal Krishan Bhat, who styled himself as MD of the Company was arrested from Malviya Nagar, New Delhi while Company’s Executive Director Sanjay Khajuria was arrested from Jammu. The duo were accused of duping the people of over Rs 50 lakhs. Arrests were made by a Batote police station party led by Sub Inspector Mohd Yunus under the supervision of SP Ramban. |
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Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 10: A builder of the City Ravinder Gupta alias Ghola Shah was fired upon by four persons including a property dealer at Haji Colony under the jurisdiction of Sainik Colony police station tonight but, police said, Gola has survived narrowly. Police sources said Ghola Shah was returning to City from Haji Colony, where he was engaged in the business of property, when he was intercepted by another property dealer and his three associates at Haji Colony at 1945 hours. Accused reportedly fired four shots on Ghola Shah with a revolver from a distance. However, all four shots missed the intended target and Ghola Shah had a narrow escape. Accused managed to escape from the spot. Sources said the property dealer has given some names to police, whom he suspected to be behind the firing. All of them too were property dealers. Efforts were on to identify them, police said, adding a case has been registered at Sainik Colony police station for further investigations. A counter complaint was also reportedly registered with police by the other group. |
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Mann plans to hold talks with Gen Musharraf CHANDIGARH, Feb 10: Akali Dal (Amritsar) president and Lok Sabha member Simranjit Singh Mann today said he was planning to go to Pakistan with a delegation of Sikh leaders to negotiate with Gen Parvez Musharraf the fate of Kahmiri Sikhs. We are going to discuss everything ... The fate of the Sikhs, the reported role of militants in massacres, allegations on Pakistan and so on, Mr Mann said while talking to UNI here. He said his party’s effort were on to take along other Akali leaders including Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal(SHSAD) president and former SGPC chief, Gurcharan Singh Tohra to Pakistan to discuss the fate of the Sikhs. This (Pak visit) would be the first ever initiative of the Akalis for participating in the international diplomacy, he claimed. The radical Akali leader said that before leaving for Pakistan he would call on the Prime Minister and the President as well to discuss the security and fate of the Sikhs in Kashmir, which was a matter of grave concern. He urged both the Centre and the Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal to take steps regarding the security of the Sikhs in Kashmir following the Chhattisinghpura massacre in which 36 innocent people had been shot dead. He, however, criticised Mr Badal for not personally visiting Srinagar after the six innocent Sikhs were massacred. Meanwhile, Mr Mann said he had extended invitations to every Akali leader including Mr Badal to attend the political rally at Fatehgarh Sahib on February twelve next to mark the birth anniversary of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale, who was killed during the operation bluestar. Mr Tohra had confirmed his participation in the function, he added. (UNI) |
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‘Pakistanis, Afghans behind maximum of terrorist activities’ INDORE, Feb 10: Border Security Force (BSF) Director General Gurbachan Jagat today said terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir could be ended fast if Pakistan stopped sponsoring these terrorist activities. Mr Jagat, who was to take part in the prize distribution ceremony of All India Police Duty Meet organised by the BSF, told reporters that terrorism was on the verge of being ended in Jammu and Kashmir State. Episodes like that of Kargil would never be repeated as infiltration from across the border was combated he added. Pointing out that the announcement of unilateral ceasefire by India had yielded positive results, he said people of the State were happy with the Centre’s decision. Stating that Pakistan and Afghanistan nationals were behind most of the terrorist activities, he said BSF, para-military forces, Army and intelligence departments of the country had proper coordination in dealing with terrorism and infiltration on the border. (UNI) |
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Govt recommends cancellation of MBBS admissions Excelsior Correspondent Jammu, Feb 10: The State Government have recommended to Union Ministry of Health and Family welfare that the admissions of Prime Medical and Dental College students in the two medical colleges of the State be cancelled. In a letter sent to Secretary Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Chief Secretary Mr Ashok Jaitly said that unfortunately the adjustment of the students in two medical colleges of the State has been viewed by the general public and in particular the student community in both places as an unfair and discriminatory step as much as these students have not come through the normal entrance procedure. In face, there has been a sustained agitation in Jammu leading to law and order problems. Despite our best efforts, the general perception continues to be unfavorable . The Chief Secretary has also mentioned that the issue was discussed in the State Cabinet in its meeting on 31st January, 2001 and it was the general consensus that in deference to public sentiments, it would be advisable to cancel these admissions. At the same time it was also felt that the matter should be brought to the notice of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to elicit their concurrence in view of the previous background of the case. |
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