No military base offered to US: Jaswant

NEW DELHI, Sept 20: External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh today categorically stated that U.S. has not sought permission from India to use any of its military bases in its likely operations against terrorist.

"Neither U.S. has sought permission for use of Indian military bases nor India has offered any of its bases to U.S. for use of its forces," Singh told a press conference.

"What India has offered in the fight against terrorism can be clearly understood from the Prime Minister’s letter to the American President," he said.

Asked about the military operation against terrorists, the Minister said what happened in U.S. was a military attack considering the nature of expertise, planning and resources involved in the terrorist attack.

Defending the military action against terrorists, he said "lohe ka jawab to lohe se hi dena padega". But military action is not the sole option against terrorism, it has to be fought on several fronts including political and economic fronts, he said.

"We have also used military force against terrorists. I am a Defence Minister. But the fact that the terrorists are capable of striking with force cannot be overlooked. It has to be responded with equal might," he said.

Hitting back at Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf for his anti-India tirade, External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh charged Islamabad with continuing support to cross-border terrorism while proclaiming support to global fight against the menace.

A day after Musharraf asked India to "lay off" and questioned its interest in Afghanistan, Singh expressed confidence that the US will take into account Pakistan’s support and encouragement to cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and its strong linkages with Taliban in Afghanistan.

Singh rejected Musharraf’s charge that New Delhi was stirring up anti-Islamic feelings and asserted that the fight was against global terrorism which has entered a "testing phase" and not over Indo-Pak relations.

To a question, he said that military action was one in a basket of options but not the final determinant in fighting terrorism.

Referring to Musharraf’s "lay off" remarks, he shot back "lay off from what" and added the Pakistani military ruler was catering to the domestic audience. "I do not want to further compound the difficulties he faces domestically".

India, he said, has emphasised that terrorism could not be made synonymous with the noble faith of Islam which does not encourage terrorism of any form. "Musharraf forgets the fact that the number of Muslims in India far exceeds their number in Pakistan itself".

Accusing Pakistan of being responsible for the "birth, growth and nurturing"of Taliban, Singh said he was happy that its child was now "face to face" as an adversary.

Singh said that Taliban would not have existed without Pakistan’s support in several respects including economic, military and manpower training.

He said that it needed to be seen whether Islamabad’s "sudden conversion and arrival into the global concert of nations standing up against terrorism" remained merely at the level of declaration or would reflect into action.

The minister regretted that despite joining the global war against terrorism, Islamabad had not stopped promoting cross-border terrorism. "Terrorist organisations continue to flourish on the soil of Pakistan".

Singh said India did not join the battle against terrorism after the terrorist strikes on the US but had been engaged in the fight for over two decades. "We had fought this battle alone... The US had to join this battle under regrettable circumstances".

Besides, he pointed out that the Indo-US cooperation in the field was not new as the two countries had set up a joint working group against terrorism two years back.

To a question, the minister said he did not see any involvement of Iraq in the terrorist strikes.

On US President George W Bush’s remarks on Indo-Pak ties, he said New Delhi backed Washington’s stand of shaking terrorism loose from sponsoring states.

Singh said India would welcome a "change of heart" by Pakistan which has been indulging in "compulsive and perpetual hostility" against it.

He said it remained to be seen whether Pakistan’s "sudden conversion and arrival into the global concert of nations standing up against terrorism" was merely a declaration of intent or would be translated into action.

About his visit to the US, Singh said this will be either by month-end or early next month for consultations with leaders there on measures to fight global terrorism.

Commenting on the military action being planned by the US in response to the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, Singh said even Bush administration has made it clear that it could not be indiscriminate bombing anywhere and everywhere and has to be on select objectives and targets and against harbourers and perpetrators of the horrific crime.

To a question, he said he did not see any involvement of Iraq in the terrorist attacks against the US.

On whether Taliban was a creation of the US, the Minister said "no western country has supported terrorism anywhere".

As part of consultation process, Singh said he would be speaking to his Saudi counterpart and had already held discussions with US Secretary of State Colin Powell and Russian, Canadian and British Foreign Ministers.

Denying any division within the Union Cabinet on India’s approach in joining the US action, he said such reports were "myth-making" in the media.

On whether he felt that military action against Afghanistan was imminent, Singh said no such information had been shared with India. (PTI)

‘Time for action not words’
US rejects clerics’ call, readies for military action

WASHINGTON, Sept 20: The US tonight began positioning a formidable array of over 100 Air Force planes and a 14-ship naval task force for possible military operations against Afghanistan after rejecting a call by Taliban clerics for Osama bin Laden to leave the country voluntarily.

The Taliban appeared to have softened their defiant stand with a 1000-strong grand council of Islamic scholars, which met in Kabul, asking the Saudi fugitive, wanted dead or alive by the US for last week’s terror attacks, to leave "of his free will and choice." The final decision was to be taken by Taliban supreme leader Mullah Mohammad Omar.

In a swift reaction to the Taliban’s move, the White House demanded that Bin Laden be handed over "to responsible authorities" and said the clerics’ edicts did not meet Washington’s requirements.

"It’s time for action not words," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said recalling President George W Bush’s demand that Bin Laden be handed over and terrorist camps in Afghanistan be closed.

The clerics also issued a ‘Fatwa’ (edict) to all Muslims to launch a Jehad (holy war) against the US if it attacks Afghanistan.

As Taliban wavered and tested Washington’s patience, nearly 100 US Air Force planes have been dispatched to bases in the Gulf, the Indian Ocean and the Central Asian Republics of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

Army units have also been ordered to deploy overseas as part of the campaign to route out the terrorist network behind New York and Washinton attacks.

"We are ready to sustain land combat operations ... Across our force structure — heavy, light, air mobile and air borne special operations, and combat support," army Secretary Thomas White told reporters.

Among the planes deployed by order of Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld are F-16 and F-15 fighters, B-1 bombers, AWACS radar planes and E-8C joint stars ground surveillance planes, a senior defence official added.

Planes heading to the Indian Ocean island base of Diego Garcia, controlled by Britain, include B-1 and B-52 bombers, said the official, who declined to give his name.

F-15E strike Eagle Fighter-bombers are to operate out of Uzbekistan, which, along with Tajikistan, borders Afghanistan, where the prime suspect in the September 11 attacks, Saudi-born Osama Bin Laden, is believed to be hiding.

The planes are part of a deployment that also included a launch yesterday of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt from Norfolk, Virginia, which led a 14-ship naval task force including Amphibious assault ships carrying some 2,000 combat marines capable of conducting special operations.

"There are movements and you will see more movements," said Deputy Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz after meeting with German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, who offered his Government’s "full solidarity."

Some 15,000 sailors are aboard the carrier, guided missile cruisers, destroyers, frigates, submarines and supply ships setting off on a six month deployment, the Pentagon official said.

Two other carrier battle groups already are in the Gulf region — one led by the USS Carl Vinson and the other by USS Enterprise, and the USS Bataan Assault Ship is also leading an amphibious ready group in a flotilla of 15,000 sailors and 2,100 marines, Atlantic Fleet Commander Admiral Robert Natter said.

Force has been described by the administration of US President George W Bush as a secondary option, with the deployments an effort by the President to keep his options open while hoping to intimidate terror-sponsor rogue states into complying with US demands.

"The United States is repositioning some of its forces to support the President’s goal," National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said. "This is a war of will and mind. It is a war in which information may be the most important asset that we have." (PTI/AFP)

Taliban, Laden Pak’s creation: Omar

NEW DELHI, Sept 20: India today said Pakistan cannot shirk its responsibility of having created Taliban and the world should understand that the source of unrest in the entire South Asia lies in militant training camps being operated and funded by Pakistan.

"Why is there unrest not only in Kashmir, Afghanistan or parts of Central Asia and but also now in the United States. Who is Osama bin Laden and who created him? Pakistan obviously, which also deputes regular Army officials and intelligece personnel to these camps," Minister of State for External Affairs Omar Abdullah told PTI here.

The minister, who returned to the Capital after attending the Durban conference on racism and a tour to Central Asia, said "history is witness to the scenes of joy in Pakistan when the Taliban took over Afghanistan and brutally massacred President Najibullah."

Flaying last night’s speech of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, he said "Musharraf is trying to rake up anti-India sentiments to save himself from fundamentalist elements in his country."

"Musharraf cannot forget that he was instrumental in instigating Kargil war, continues to run militant camps in the backyard of his country which try to create a communal wedge in our country," the minister said.

He said participation of Pakistan against war on Taibans cannot relieve them of charges of massacring innocent Indians in Kashmir and other parts of the country.

The minister said there was a growing consensus among various countries especially the Central Asian countries about the spread of fundamentalism in various parts of the world.

"During my meeting with leaders of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, they shared serious concern over the growing fundamentalism and threat posed by it," Abdullah, who met Tajikistan President Imomali Rahmonov and Uzbekistan Prime Minister Utkir Sultanov, said.

Lauding the role of the Centre in fighting terrorism around the globe, Abdullah said "this fight cannot be limited to only one nation but has to be a concerted and a joint effort of all countries who believe in flourishing of humanity."

He said "India had been voicing its concern about the terrorism since 1990 but it found no takers. We even highlighted the hijacking of Indian Airlines plane to Kandahar and asked the world community to take serious note of the developments."

"Unfortunately, there was no response except a few condemnations here or there," he said, adding "I hope now the world will evolve a composite strategy to fight terrorism.

"To address these concerns, India has circulated a draft comprehensive convention on international terrorism, which is currently under discussion in the United Nations," he said.

"Early finalisation of the convention would show a comprehensive determination to strengthen international co-operation in the fight against terrorism," the minister stressed. (PTI)

NC-militancy two faces of same coin: Mufti

Excelsior Correspondent

BADYAL-BRAHMANA (Indo-Pak Border), Sept 20: Accusing both Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) and Congress of blindly supporting anti-people policies of National Conference Government, former Union Home Minister and president of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mufti Mohammed Sayed today said that his party will fill the political vacuum and provide an alternative to the people of the State.

Addressing a public meeting at border village of Badyal Brahmana, Mufti regretted, "there is brazen nexus between BJP-NC on one hand and NC-Congress on other hand". He accused both BJP and Congress of playing the role of ‘cooperative opposition’ and maintaining ‘criminal silence’ over the mis-deeds of the National Conference Government.

"It is very unfortunate that main opposition parties have failed to play their role and instead of opposing anti-people policies of the Government they are rather blindly supporting the NC Government to accomplish their petty interests", he said and narrated how BJP MLAs usually behaved in the Legislative Assembly.

Launching a scathing on ‘some’ Congress leaders for unnecessarily supporting Farooq Abdullah, Mufti accused that for their petty political gains Congress leaders have intentionally weakened the party in the State. He recalled how Congress highcommand had made a mockery of the system when Moulvi Iftikar Hussain Ansari was allowed to become minister in the Cabinet of Farooq Abdullah.

"Congress Highcommand had made a mockery as on the one hand Congress MLAs used to oppose NC Government while on the other one Congress MLA was minister in the Cabinet of Farooq Abdullah", he said and added it was all due to the attitude of the Congress highcommand that he was forced to part way with the party to form a regional out-fit. He regretted that Congress leaders, for their personal interests, have repeatedly committed blunder and back-stabbed people.

Terming Rajiv-Farooq Accord as ‘turning point’ in the history of the State, Mufti regretted that Congress brazenly entered into an ‘unholy and unethical alliance’ with National Conference ignoring emotions and feelings of the grass-root workers. Had the Congress not entered into an alliance with National Conference and 1987 elections were not rigged, situation would have been entirely different in the State, Mufti said.

Former Union Home Minister said that his decision to form a regional party was only to provide an alternative in the State. "Neither we are for power nor have any personnel grudge against Farooq Abdullah. We only want to provide a platform to the people of this State from which they can highlight their emotions and feelings", he said.

"I had served the country as Home Minister and I have enjoyed power so much but today I want to change the fate of the people of this State", he said and exhorted the people to come forward and join PDP to throw out corrupt National Conference Government.

"Our sole aim is not to throw out Farooq Government but people of this State are of the view that as long as Farooq Abdullah is at helm of the affairs betterment and upliftment of the masses is impossible", he said, adding, "State has been witnessing a change".

"People are fed up of corrupt Farooq Government and they are looking for an opportunity to give a befitting reply to NC Government for its mis-deeds", he said.

Pointing towards terrorists attack at World Trade Center and Pentagon in New York and Washington, Mufti supported any united effort to wipe-out terrorism from the world but at the same time cautioned countrymen against danger of neo-colonialism in the form of American hegemony. He reminded the people that Indian leaders after independence preferred to join Non-Alignment Movement rather than joining any group of super powers.

He asked the Centre Government to bring a consensus on the issue of giving support to the USA in its anti-terrorism campaign. He flayed statement of Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, who has offered air base to USA for strike in Afghanistan.

Addressing the rally, prominent Kissan leader and general secretary of the PDP, Mr Trilok Singh Bajwa criticised the State Government for its failure to mitigate miseries of the masses. He accused the National Conference Government of discriminating with Jammu region.

Highlighting woes of the farmers, Mr Bajwa said that farmers of this border area have been facing the shortage of power. He urged the people to iron out their difference to throw out, what he called, corrupt National Conference Government. He accused the ruling National Conference and BJP of dividing people on communal lines for their petty political gains.

Coming down heavily on National Conference Government for not heeding to the woes of the farmers, he said the authorities have not made any arrangement for providing irrigational facilities to the farmers.

He said "militancy and NC are two faces of same coin".

Mr Ved Mahajan, general secretary, Baldev Singh Slathia, Ashok Sharma, Surinder Singh, Ashok Jogi, Surjeet Kour, Ch Chuni Lal, Capt Hazara Singh, Mulakh Raj, Sukhvinder Singh, Dayal Singh, Harmeet Singh, B D Gorkha, Baldev Pappa, Davinder Sharma, Jarnail Singh, Mohan Singh Chib and others addressed the rally.

Pak training camps dispersed, not closed down: Suri

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Sept 20: The J&K Police Chief, Mr. A.K.Suri today said that militants’ training camps run by ISI of Pakistan across LoC/International Border have only been dispersed and not wound up.

Addressing a meeting of prominent citizens here today, the DGP said that Pakistant has not closed its training camps for militants, rather the militants in these camps have been dispersed for the time being in view of the situation arising out of terrorist attacks in the USA and subsequent repercussions particularly in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Pakistan, he said, is ‘Kashmir-centric’ and no militant is going to go back and leave us in peace. Instead there would be more influx of militants in the State once the pressure gets built up on Taliban and militants leave Afghanistan, Mr. Suri cautioned.

The DGP said that Jammu is going to be centre of militant activities in the coming days. With the Darbar move next month, the city will be a hub of more activities. To carry out violence, blood shed and subversion, he said attempts are underway across to push more and more militants in Jammu region, adding that ISI of Pakistan is making all out efforts to communalise the situation in Jammu region.

Regarding the preparedness of State police, the DGP said that State force is fully fit to fight militancy. He disclosed that 70 to 75 per cent of the militants are killed by local police directly or indirectly. The initiative of police has frightened the militants and there is every apprehension that militants will launch more attacks on police to demoralise it. The morale of the force, he said is very high and police is determined to fight militants to the finish.

Mr. Suri once again commended the role of VDCs and SPOs and said that VDCs have been responsible in cutting down about 30 per cent of militants’ infiltration especially in the border belt. They have caught, fought and killed the sneaking militants and made the infiltration routes used frequently earlier as death traps for militants. He told the prominent citizens that as a recognition of their exemplary performance, 350 SPOs have been regularised as Constables in the last one year.

Seeking citizens cooperation and suggestions for further improvement of police working and sound police-public relations, Mr. Suri stated that no success can be achieved without people’s cooperation. He said that tough times are coming ahead. People, he said, have extended their full cooperation in the trying times and hoped that the same will continue in future also. He assured the citizens that the menace of land grabbing in the periphery of Jammu city as also the menace of drugs will not only be checked but efforts will be made to completely wipe them out.

Prominent citizens on the occasion putforth many valuable suggestions and assured DGP that they would fully cooperate with the police as and when their cooperation would be sought in any respect.

IGP, Jammu Zone, Mr. Radhavinod Raju and DIG Jammu-Kathua Range, Dr.S.P.Vaid were present at the citizens’ meet.

Earlier a two minute silence was observed as a mark of respect to the martyrs of police and to those who lost their lives in terrorist attacks in America.

The prominent citizens among others who attended the meeting included: Mrs. Zubaida Salaria, Mrs. Bimla Luthra and S/Shri Piara Singh, Ashok Khajuria (all MLAs), D.K.Kotwal, Bodh Raj Bali, Mangat Ram Sharma, Dharam Paul Sharma, Surinder Singh, Dr.R.K.Dubey, Dhanraj Bhargotra, Gulchain Singh Charak, M.R.Puri, Bashir Ahmed, Jugal Mahajan, Dewakar Singh and Romesh Gupta.

Militant, 2 BSF soldiers killed

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Sept 20: While as one militant got killed in an encounter and a BSF soldier committed suicide, another BSF personnel died in a grenade blast in Kashmir valley today.

Official sources told EXCELSIOR that late this evening, troops of RR 6th Bn and SOG Handwara eliminated an unidentified militant in an encounter at Hafruda forest area, near Vilgam, in Kupwara district.

Constable Krishen Kumar of BSF 75 Bn committed suicide by pumping five rounds of his automatic weapon into his own chest at Trehgam, in Kupwara district.

A BSF soldier sustained injuries in a colleague’s misfire at Baramulla bridge today. He was rushed to hospital.

This morning, a soldier of BSF 124 Bn got killed when a grenade went off in his hand at Tral, in Pulwama district. He was identified as Tula Ram.

An IED blast occurred at Achhabal in Anantnag district, causing splinter injuries to Sonaullah Mir, father of National Conference leader and MLA Shangas, Abdul Majeed Mir. He was rushed to hospital.

A joint patrol of SOG and RR 15 Bn spotted a group of three militants and opened fire on them at Nusu in Bandipore. However, they retaliated and managed to escape. Late this evening, militants launched an attack on a security forces’ camp at Safapora, Sumbal. Troops retaliated and the militants escaped without causing or suffering any damage.

3 killed in mishap

Meanwhile, a junior assistant working in Higher Secondary School Handwara, Ghulam-ud-din Tantray S/o Subhan Tantray R/o Hanga (Handwara), got killed alongwith his 3-year-old son, Shahid Rasool, and mother-in-law, Shah Begum W/o Ghulam Rasool Tantray of Chhotipora, when their Maruti car, JKD-8459, rammed into a speedy truck on Srinagar-Sopore road at Haigam today.

Mulla’s appeal to J&K militants

NEW DELHI, Sept 20: Taliban supremo Mulla Mohammed Omar has issued an "appeal" to all terrorist groups that are currently operating in Jammu and Kashmir to "quickly move" out towards Afghanistan to assist the militia against impending American military strikes, External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh said here today.

Singh told a press conference that Indian intelligence agencies have received several "inputs" regarding the appeal but declined to elaborate.

"Our information based on intelligence resources of India is that Mulla Omar has issued an appeal that all terrorists that are currently in J and K should quickly move towards Afghanistan, come to Afghanistan to stand up against what is apprehended," Singh said.

Replying to questions, Singh said relative calm existed on the Line of Control between India and Pakistan and that there was no "extraordinary movement of troops" of the two countries towards each other.

"Relative quiet on the LoC continues to be maintained as a consequence of the Agra summit in July," he said.

Singh, however, regretted that cross-border terrorism activities continued and that there was no let up despite the devastating terrorist attacks in the US.

Singh said Pakistan must convert its declaration to fight terrorism into action and noted that it was a "new entrant" in the fight against terrorism. "Only time will tell how effectively Pakistan converts its statement of intent into action," he said.

He did not agree with a questioner that Pakistan was a frontline state in combatting terrorism saying geographically it could have this status. "Pakistan conceptually is not a front line state (in the fight against terrorism)". (PTI)

Two Kashmiri militants held in Arnia

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Sept 20: Close on the heels of an Islamic Front militant’s killing in RS Pura sector, Border Police today arrested two more Kashmiri militants from forward Shibu post in Arnia sector soon after they crossed over to Indian territory from Pakistan.

The militants were moving towards Arnia town after breaching the so-called massive security cover of the Border Security Force (BSF) on the International Border when they were spotted by some local people in Shibu area.

People kept a watch on the movement of militants and simultaneously sounded Arnia police station. A police party arrested both the militants. They have been identified as Jameel Ahmed son of Nazir Ganai and Javed Ahmed son of Mohd Yasin Shah, both residents of village Kalaalgunj in Kupwara district of Kashmir valley.

Two sophisticated Chinese pistols with two magazines, a sharp-edged weapon, seven pistol rounds and Rs 7000 in Indian currency were recovered from the possession of arrested militants.

Immediately after their arrest, the militants were whisked away to a safe house for sustained interrogation. Militants were stated to have their affiliation with Hizbul Mujahideen outfit.

Quoting from a preliminary questioning report of the duo, police sources said they had gone to Pakistan about three months back for arms training. They were returning after training and were heading for Kupwara district to start militant activities when they were noticed by local people and arrested by police.

Only few days back, army had arrested an Islamic Front militant Irfan Ahmed R/o Imamwara, Srinagar from Sangral area of RS Pura sector after his infiltration from Pakistan. He too had succeeded in breaching the BSF naka on the border and sneaked deep into Indian territory when he was apprehended.

However, Irfan was killed in an encounter later when he tried to escape while being taken for recovery.

Sources said the recent arrests of three Kashmiri militants in RS Pura and Arnia indicated that this sector on the International Border was being increasingly used by Pakistan army for pushing the militants. Earlier also, a number of militants had either been killed or captured in this sector while many others had escaped after their infiltration.

According to sources, the successful infiltration of militants also pointed out that all was not well with BSF nakas on the border.

However, BSF sources said that their soldiers were maintaining a strict vigil on the IB to thwart intrusion attempts. A couple of infiltrations were described by the sources as ‘isolated incidents’ saying they didn’t reflect any leniency on their part.

TN DGP suspended

CHENNAI, Sept 20: In a surprise development, the AIADMK Government in Tamil Nadu today removed its appointee Director General of Police A Ravindranath and placed him under supsension following complaints of corruption against him.

Director of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau B P Nailwal has been appointed as the new DGP.

Official sources told PTI that Ravindranath was suspended following complaints of corruption against him.

Ravindranath is the first DGP of the State to be suspended on corruption charges.

He had come under attack for the controversial arrest of former Chief Minister and DMK chief M Karunanidhi on June 30 and police act-

ion on a DMK rally in July.

Nailwal is the fourth DGP of the State since the Jayalalithaa Government came to power in May last.

V K Rajagopalan, Additional Director General of Police and member of Uniformed Services Recruitment Board, had been promoted as DGP and posted as the Director of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau. (PTI)

Two cops mistaken as fidayeen, detained

Excelsior Correspondent

KATHUA, Sept 20: Two police constables were detained by army as a case of mistaken identity from Sherpur village in Hiranagar tehsil last evening and kept in confinement at Mamoon Cantonment in Pathankot for more than 12 hours. Initially, they were suspected as the militants.

Reports said that two constables—one of them in a police uniform and other in a civil dress—were seen by local people while moving in Sherpur village last evening. Since both were bearded, the people mistook them as fidayeen and informed a local unit of army.

An army team rushed to Sherpur immediately, packed off the duo in a vehicle and took them to Mamoon Cantonment in Pathankot for interrogation. Sources said the cops pleaded with army soldiers that they were policemen. However, as both of them were not carrying their identity cards with them at that time, troops declined to believe them.

During interrogation at Mamoon Cantonment and subsequent investigations with police authorities, it was established that the duo arrested by troops were police constables. Both of them were released by army this morning after about 12 hours of detention and handed over to police.

Police sources identified the constables as Nazir Ahmed of Doda and Shakeel Ahmed of Ramnagar. Both of them were posted in a police camp at Londi. They had gone to a village from the camp to attend a nature’s call when people mistook them as fidayeen.

Police authorities have reportedly taken up the matter with army officials on the arrest of police constables, who were reportedly tortured in custody. Police officials have, however, asked all cops to keep their identity cards with them even when they were moving in civil dress.

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