32 hardcore
militants surrender before Excelsior Correspodnent KUPWARA, Oct 31: 32 Hardcore militants, belonging to different outfits today laid down their arms in front of the Director General of Police, Mr Gurbachan Jagat at Kupwara. The surrender of these militants was organised, planned and executed by SP, SOG, Kupwara, Mr Manmohan Singh and his team. Most of these surrendered militants are in the age group of 18 to 25 years and have received weapons training in Pakistan. Hailing from various areas of district Kupwara and Baramulla, 15 of these militants belonged to pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen. 11 of them were from Albarq, 3 from Tehreek-ul-Jehad and one each from Muslim Mujahideen, Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen and Harkat-ul-Ansaar. 27 AK series rifles, 5 pistols, 4 wireless sets and a large quantity of ammunition has also been surrendered by these militants. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Jagat welcomed all these misguided youth back to the National Mainstream and assured them that they will be honourably rehabilitated as per the present Government policies. He said that Kashmiri youth no longer have faith in religious fundamentalism and understand Pakistani motives, so they are shunning the path of violence. He added that Pakistan also does not trust Kashmiri militants, so is sending only foreign mercenaries into the State, most of which are from Punjabi speaking areas of Pakistan, Afghanistan and few even from Sudan, Iran and other countries. Mr Jagat stressed that while the security forces are doing their best to eliminate these mercenaries, efforts are also on to plug in the infiltration points. Later speaking to the Excelsior correspondent, most of the surrendered militants said that they had been forcibly pushed into militancy. When given a chance by SP, SOG, Mr Man-mohan Singh, they immediately availed it and permanently abstained from violence. Many of them were also concerned about their safety as surrendering before police has made them prime targets of the militants. These militants were also presented with gifts and cheques on the occasion for starting life afresh. Later speaking to the correspondent, SP, DIG Kupwara, Mr Man-mohan Singh said that besides killing 7 top ranking militants of various organisations this year, SOG Kupwara has also recovered a huge catche of weapons. Giving details he said that dreaded militants like Sona Shah commander in chief of TUJ, Shafi Kataria divisional commander of TUJ Qasim Kateria launching chief of TUJ and Bashir Sheikh launching chief of HM have been killed by SOG Kupwara, besides participating in operation at Jaggerpora in which 16 foreign mercenaries were killed. Mr Manmohan informed that this year SOG Kupwara has also recovered 5 Sniper Rifles, 9 Universal Machine Guns, 15 Rocket Propelled grenades, 2 Anti Craft guns with complete assembly, 170 AK series rifles, 29,668 rounds of ammunitions, 1 grenade gun besides other arms and ammunition. He said that it is only SOG Kupwara which has recovered 2 Anti-Aircraft guns from different places for the first time in the history of ongoing militancy. Large number of senior army and BSF officials were also present during the surrender ceremony besides eminent citizens of Kupwara town attended the function. They appreciated SOG Kupwara for their commendable work and hoped that other misguided youth will also be brought back to the national mainstream very soon. |
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Religious
leaders urged to influence Pak Excelsior Correspondent NEW DELHI, Oct 31 : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah feels that ISI sponsored anti-national activities cause great harm to Muslims in India. Speaking at the Muslim Parliamentarians meet here today, he asked the Pakistan Government to desist from interfering in the internal affairs of India. The one-day meet, which was organised by five prominent Muslim personalities to deliberate on measures for seeking greater representation for Muslims in Parliament and state Legislatures, was attended by over fifty present and former members of Parliament. Dr Abdullah asked Muslim religious leaders of India to use their influence in Pakistan to stop violence in the country. They could play a major role in this regard as they have considerable pockets of influence among various sections of the people there, he said. Among those who attended the meet were former Cabinet Secretary Zafar Saifullah, Prof S D Soz, Mr Arif Beg, Mr Rashid Masood, Sultan Salahuddin Owais, Mr Sulaiman Sait and Abdul Rashid Kabuli. While criticising Islamabad, Dr Abdullah said Pakistan had denied visa to Kashmiri Sikhs for pilgrimage to Gurdwaras in Pakistan. Dr Farooq Abdullah made a strong plea with the political parties, particularly, the major parties like Congress and the BJP, to go into the question as to why the number of Muslim representatives in various State legislatures, particularly the Parliament of India, is on the decline. He emphasised that if the largest minority of the country does not get proper representation in the legislatures, the Indian democratic and secular polity will have something missing. He said that strengthening India's unity and integrity should be the concern of every political party and the question should be raised at proper forums as to how the country can remain strong if a section of society remains economically and politically weak and unrepresented in legislature. He stressed the need to help muslim candidates to get elected to the Parliament and other legislatures adequately. Dr Abdullah gave a call to the muslim community to fight for their constitutional rights in a democratic way and at the same time never miss any opportunity of making contribution towards India's unity and integrity. Syed Shahabuddin in his speech said Muslims feel neglected and insecure. They face economic deprivation and a low share of representation in private and public employment. They are often targets of suspicion and distrust. Under the Indian democratic system the Legislator represents his community, which looks up to him for redressal of grievances and realisation of aspirations, syed Shahabuddin said. Prof Soz said that for the past fifty years not much has been done for the upliftment of the minorities. He urged the political parties to work towards this end. Mr Arif Mohammed Khan said the Muslim leaders should project the community’s problems without resorting to the "emotional approach." Casteism and communalism pose a serious challenge to the country’s unity, Mr Khan said and cited recent attacks allegedly by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists on Christians. Mr Inderjit, noted journalist and former Member of Parliament, pleaded for educational development of the muslims. "This is very essential if the community wants to achieve economic progress." Mr M Afzal said secular political parties had used the community as a vote bank and done nothing for their betterment. Mr Mumtaz Ansari demanded a ten per cent quota for Muslims in Parliament. Mr Kabuli favoured a common approach by the political parties towards solving the problems of the Muslim community. Import duty on pulses
lifted NEW DELHI, Oct 31 : Government today allowed duty free import of pulses, abolished four per cent special additional duty on Vanaspati inputs and asked NAFED to increase procurement and supply of onion to check soaring prices of essential commodities. Announcing this, Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha told newsmen the decisions were taken at a meeting of group ministers on prices, chaired by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee here. He said the meeting decided that 10 per cent import duty on pulses would be lifted besides putting the item under open general licence. Similarly, the four per cent special additional duty imposed this year on inputs like Palmolein used as input in the manufacture of Vanaspat stood abolished, he said. Sinha said the Prime Minister would write to all state Chief Ministers asking them to step up dehoarding measures. Cabinet Secretary Prabhat Kumar has convened a meeting of State Chief Secretaries on November 7 to review the action taken on this score, he added. Besides Prime Minister and Finance Minister, the group ministers comprised Commerce, Industry, Food and Agriculture and Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission. Home and Defence Ministers are also part of it. The group which met for the first time would hereafter meet from time to time to discuss pressing economic issues. On potato shortage in the capital, Sinha said Prime Minister had asked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh to supply surplus quantities in the state’s cold storage chain. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister is holding a meeting to increase supplies to Delhi, he added. He said the Cabinet Committee on prices and the official level committee headed by Cabinet Secretary would meet regularly every week to review the price situation and take remedial measures. The National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) had been asked to procure greater quantity of onions from other states where there was surplus. Minister of State for Agriculture, Sompal would be contacting State Governments which had surplus onions to facilitate increased supply in states facing shortage. During 1997-98, onion production was only 36 lakh tonnes against 42.7 lakh tonnes in the previous year. Asked from where Government would get onions, Sinha said it was trying to locate sources. We have identified countries like Belarus and Kahakstan besides Iran for onion imports, he said. Prices of primary articles under the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) had increased by 12.82 per cent during the period till October 17 and 15.8 per cent as compared to corresponding period last year, he said. In contrast, fuel and power prices declined marginally since April 1, while that of manufactured articles rose marginally, Sinha said. The rise in primary articles prices under WPI during the corresponding period last year was only three per cent, he said. On edible oil supply, the minister said there was adequate stock of Palmolein with Government and the shortage was mainly in mustard oil. While there was no increase in sunflower prices, groundnut prices had started declining with the start of the season, he said. Shortfall in pulses production was around two million tonnes as the country’s output had remained stagnant around 13-14 million tonnes for the last 30 years, Sinha said. As many countries did not produce pulses, import was difficult. Yet Government had contracted for import of 8-9 lakh tonnes of pulses. Price rise in pulses is confined mainly to arhar dal, which has increased by 16.5 per cent. But it is grown exclusively in the region, He said, adding Government would approach Myanmar for pulses import. Moong and masor dals could be used as substitute for arhar dal and their import was being sought from China, Turkey and Hungary, he said. (PTI) Families capture
Tehsildar’s house Excelsior Correspondent HIRANAGAR, Oct 31: As Pakistani rangers continued heavy firing on Indian positions on the International Border, 30 more families migrated from village Sade Chak and captured the residential quarter of Tehsildar. The migrated families who have already took asylum in the tehsil headquarters, on the other hand, have decided to intensify their agitation. Due to escalation of Pakistani firing, about 30 families led by Numberdar Raj Kumar of village Sade Chak adjoining International Border left their native place to protect their lives. Irate by the failure of the authorities to save them from Pakistani bullets, the migrating villagers straightway stormed into the residential quarter of Tehsildar Hiranagar. The angry villagers captured the quarter and virtually locked the Tehsildar and his family in a room. Following failure of the Government to give any guarantee to the protection of their lives, the migrated villagers along with locals of Hiranagar have decided to intensify their agitation and warned of some extreme step if authorities continued its indifferent attitude. The residents of the border town have constituted a three member committee comprising Mohan Kapoor, Dr Gian Singh and Mr Ranjit Singh to monitor the relief distribution and chalk out future course of action. The district administration on the other hand has decided to distribute free ration to all the residents of all the 27 border villages of Hiranagar tehsil. According to official sources, authorities have also decided to give relief to the farmers who could not cultivate their land due to Pakistani firing. Various social and political organisation have criticised the Government for its apathetic and indifferent attitude. Mr Ashok Singh Jasrotia, district secretary of the BJP, condemned the State Government for paying no heed to the miseries of the border people. He asked the authorities to make security arrangement for the villagers residing near International Border. Panthers Party MLA, Mr Harash Dev Singh visited the migrated families at Hiranagar and expressed his resentment over the miserable conditions of the displaced persons. Mr Singh criticised the Government for its failure to provide security to the villagers residing near International Border. He appealed the authorities to make security arrangement for the villagers before asking them to return. He also demanded immediate relief for all the families lodging in the tehsil headquarter. Rajinder Singh Manjoo, National Conference leader of Hiranagar, has also urged the Government to provide adequate relief to the migrated families. Mr Naresh Sharma, Youth Congress leader, in a statement issued here today, criticised Central and State Governments for their failure to protect the lives of the people. He asked Home Minister, Mr L K Advani and Chief Minister of the State Dr Farooq Abdullah to personally visit the border villages to assess the situation. Two family members, guide gunned down in Kishtwar Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 31: Militants torched a house, gunned down two family members and wounded another at village Kochhal under the jurisdiction of Chatroo police station in Doda district last night. Another youth, who was working as a guide for the security forces, was shot dead by militants at Bhagla Bharat hills. According to a police spokesman, four militants wearing Army uniforms attacked the house of Ghulam Nabi Girdawar in village Kochhal at about 2230 hours last night. Militants opened heavy firing on the house with an assault rifle after dragging out the sleeping inmates from their rooms. Two family members were killed on the spot in militants’ firing while another was critically wounded. Militants fled from the spot after killing the victims. They fired several shots in air before escaping from the village. The spokesman said a police party from Chatroo police station and security forces from a nearby camp rushed to the spot and launched searches for the militants. The victims were shifted to sub district hospital of Kishtwar where two of them were declared dead while the injured was admitted. The deceased have been identified as Ghulam Nabi Girdawar’s son Farooq Ahmed and son-in-law Ghulam Ahmed. Their dead bodies were handed over to their family members after post-mortem in the hospital. Girdawar’s another son Khurshid Ahmed was injured. He has been referred to Medical College hospital in Jammu from Kishtwar in view of his critical condition. He had sustained gun shots. The spokesman said police officers were camping in the village to co-ordinate search operations with security forces. However, no arrest has been made so far. Reason behind the militants’ attack on Girdawar’s house was being ascertained, he added. Local people resented the killings of two family members, who they described as innocent. Chatroo police station has registered a case in the killings of civilians and started investigations. Meanwhile, the spokesman said, militants gunned down another youth at Bhagla Bharat hills in the same district. The deceased was working as a guide for the security forces. Identified as Naseeb Singh, a resident of village Khonu, the bullet-riddled dead body of the youth was recovered by police from Bhagla Bharat hills after getting an information from the local police, who first sighted the body. The spokesman said Naseeb Singh had been kidnapped by the militants from near Khonu village while he was on way to his house. He was tortured, interrogated and gunned down in the captivity. His body was thrown in the forest area. Reports said a letter was recovered from near the body which said Naseeb Singh was killed for working with the security forces as guide. He was responsible for the killing of a number of militants by guiding the security forces to their hideouts, the letter said. Cop's surrender before
militants Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Oct 31: While as the security forces have eliminated 5 militants, all of them believed to be foreigners in Kashmir valley, militants have shot dead a school-teacher, a released militant as also an unidentified civilian. Militants also attacked the residence of a National Conference (NC) activist at Tangmarg and forced the house-guard to lay down his arms. Official sources told EXCELSIOR that security forces conducted a combing operation near Line of Actual Control (LoC) in Machhil sector in Kupwara district on Thursday last and eliminated three unidentified foreign militants. Three AK rifles, 3 handgrenades and 2 rocket-launchers were recovered from the site of encounter. Sources said that troops of 18 Garhwal Rifles killed a Lashkar-e-Toiba militant in Chandigam forest area of Lolab. One AK-56 rifle, 1000 kg of rice and 60 kg of flour was seized from the hideout. Sources said that yet another militant had been found killed at Branwaar, Budgam, raising the number of total casualties to three. All the three were believed to be foreigners. Security forces today conducted a cordon-and-search operation in five villages of Faltsil near Budgam following reports that two militants, who had got injured in the RR operation at Branwar, had taken shelter in that locality. However nothing could be traced in the Budgam locality. Dead body of a school-teacher namely Master Mohd Abdullah Sheikh S/o Khizar Mohd Sheikh was recovered today from Rishipora village of Tangmarg. Sources said that late last evening militants intruded into his house and kidnapped him on gunpoint. Later, he seemed to have been shot dead. Sources said that dead body of a 20-year old individual was recovered from Chhee Crossing in Anantnag district. The identity was being ascertained. There were two gunshot wounded on the dead body, sources said. Sources said that during last night, gunmen appeared at Aarth village near Soibug and kidnapped the released militant of Hizbul Mujahideen namely Abdur Rashid Wani. He was later shot dead and the dead body was recovered Rakh Maiden Cheerpora today. Sources said that during last night, militants attacked the residence of a former Congress MLA and presently National Conference activist Ghulam Ahmed Beg Noon alias Noona Beg at Kralveth, Tangmarg, second time in a month. Militants overpowered the house-guard who surrendered the .303 rifle. Militants escaped from the spot without causing any harm to the house-guard or the political activist. This was second time in a month that militants attacked Noona Beg’s house. President promulgates buy back ordinance NEW DELHI, Oct 31: President K R Narayanan tonight promulgated an ordinance to allow companies to buy back their shares, issue sweat equity and make inter-corporate investments and loans without Government permission. The ordinance, issued amending the 1956 Companies Act, said companies were now allowed to buy back their own shares upto 25 per cent of paid-up capital and free reserves. But the buyback process would have to be completed within a year from the date of passing the resolution and the bought back shares would have to be extinguished and physically destroyed within seven days of the buyback. The ordinance also provides for nomination facility to the holders of shares/debentures/deposits, setting up of investor education and protection fund and to declare infrastructure development finance company limited as a public financial institution. There are also provisions in the ordinance to make mandatory compliance of accounting standards by companies in preparation of their annual accounts till the setting up of the National Advisory Committee on accounting standards. On the intercorporate investments and loans, the ordinance said the companies would have full freedom to make corporate investments and loans to other corporates without prior approval. No prior approval of Government would be required for this purpose and they could make investments upto 60 per cent of their paid up share capital and free reserves with the approval of board of directors. Beyond this limit the companies would have to pass a special resolution. Also the companies would not be allowed to give loan to any body corporate at an interest rate lower than the prevailing bank rate. The ordinance also allowed issue of sweat equity through a general body resolution, which should specify the number of shares, value and class of directors or employees to whom the equity is issued. There would, however, be certain regulations on the issue of sweat equity. Elaborating on the buyback, the ordinance said buyback of shares could be done out of companies freed-reserves, securities premium account or proceeds of any earlier issue specifically made for buyback purposes. But buyback is permitted only if article of association of the companies authorised the same and special resolution is passed in a general meeting of the company. Buyback of shares will, however, not be allowed if the companies have defaulted in repayment of deposits, redemption of debentures/preference shares and repayment to financial institutions. The companies will not be allowed any further issue of securities within 24 months of the buyback and the listing of companies would have to comply with regulations and guidelines prescribed by Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for this purpose. The companies will also have to make full and complete disclosure of all facts in the notice of the meeting for the buyback. (PTI) Tipnis appointed new Air Chief NEW DELHI, Oct 31: Air Marshal A Y Tipnis has been appointed the new Chief of the Air Staff. He will succeed Air Chief Marshal S K Sareen, who retires on December 31 this year, a Defence Ministry spokesman said today. Air Marshal Tipnis, 58, is at present Vice Chief of the Air Staff at Air Headquarters. Air Marshal Tipnis was commissioned in May 1960 as fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force and has since flown all types of fighter and transport aircraft including the Mirage 2000, MiG-29 and the latest Su-30s. He has logged around 4000 hours of flying to his credit. An outstanding fighter pilot, he took active part in the 1965 operations and flew many combat missions, flying with the first MiG-21 squadron. A post graduate from the National Defence College, he has held several important operational and staff appointments including those of Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Air Command, senior Air Staff officer of the Eastern Air Command, Air Officer Commanding (Jammu and Kashmir) and Air Officer Commanding of the fighter base at Gwalior. Dr Kalam awarded with Indira Gandhi Award NEW DELHI, Oct 31: Congress president Sonia Gandhi today asked policy makers not to be obscurantists saying those now in power had a purely sectarian approach which could adversely affect the modernisation process. Addressing a function after giving away the Indira Gandhi Award for national integration to noted scientist Dr A P J Abdul Kalam here, Gandhi said unfortunately those in power .... have a purely sectarian approach and due to this the entire modernisation process loses direction and momentum. Stating that policy makers cannot be obscurantists in mind, she said we see this reflective in all spheres of life today. Speaking on Indira Gandhi who was assassinated this day 14 years ago, she said the former Premier had dared to take decisive steps like nationalisation of banks and initiation of the process to grant rural credit. Accepting the Award, Kalam said I have seen, whenever there is an important task, the task integrates people. It is there in every field of application, social or economic. More challenging the task, the more it unites the people. The Award carries a citation and a cheque of Rs 1.51 lakhs. Among those present on the occasion were former President R Venkataraman, former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao besides former Governors, Lok Sabha Speakers Shivraj Patil and P A Sangma. (PTI) Experts confirm killing of endangered species JODHPUR, Oct 31: The forensic science laboratory has confirmed killing of black bucks and chinkaras by blood spots and hair found on a gypsy allegedly used by cine stars charged with poaching of endangered animals here recently. The interim report of the forensic laboratory submitted to the investigating agencies here said the experts detected blood spots and hair of black bucks and chinkaras on a gypsy, allegedly used by the accused for alleged hunting between September 26 and October 1 near Gudha Vishnoia, Mathania and Bhadava villages. The interim report also matched the wheel prints of the gypsy in the forest with that of the seized vehicle. The expert team could also pick up blood stains from the places where the protected wild animals were shot dead, the report said. Actor Salman Khan is the main accused while other actors Saif Ali Khan, Sathish Shah and actresses Tabu, Sonali Bendre and Neelam are the co-accused in the poaching cases registered by the Forest Department and the police. While other actors have been granted bails by different lower courts, Satish Shah has been refused anticipatory bail. A police team has gone to Mumbai to arrest Shah.(PTI) Inter-State Council’s Standing Committee reconstituted NEW DELHI, Oct 31: The Government today formed the Standing Committee of the newly-reconstituted Inter-State Council (ISC) with Home Minister L K Advani as its chairman. Besides Advani, the Standing Committee comprises five Cabinet Ministers and eight Chief Ministers. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee heads the ISC as its chairman. The other members of the Committee are Defence Minister George Fernandes, Fertilisers Minister Surjit Singh Barnala, Commerce Minister Ramakrishna Hegde, Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha and Law Minister M Thambi Durai. The Chief Ministers nominated to the Standing Committee are Jyoti Basu (West Bengal), N Chandrababu Naidu (Andhra Pradesh), M Karunanidhi (Tamil Nadu), Bhairon Singh Shekhawat (Rajasthan), Farooq Abdullah (Jammu and Kashmir), Kalyan Singh (Uttar Pradesh), J B Patnaik (Orissa) and Prafulla Kumar Mahanta (Assam), the sources said. While constituting the ISC on October 28, the Prime Minister had also nominated Human Resource Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi and Steel Minister Naveen Patnaik as permanent invitees to the Council. The Standing Committee deliberates and decides on issues and policy matters to be taken up by the ISC. (PTI) |