Rifles,
rockets, currency among seizure Excelsior Correspodnent RAJOURI, Nov 1: Army today achieved another major success in the ongoing anti-militancy operations when they gunned down eight hardcore militants, all Pakistani nationals after two fierce battles at village Katha in Loran area of Poonch and Parwa Gujran in Darhjal area of Rajouri district. Four militants each were killed in both the encounters which ended successfully this evening. No casualty was reported on the Army side during the gun-battles. This was for the first time that eight Pakistanis were killed in a single day in the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri. The killings of eight militants came just after three days of the elimination of six hardcore militants in Mandi area of the same district. A Defence spokesman said Army launched an operation in village Katha, located in the middle of dense forest area of Loran in Poonch district in the early hours of this morning on the basis of a specific information about the presence of a group of militants in the area. He said in a systematic way, the local people of the village were moved out of their houses to avoid civilian casualties during the encounter and ensure that militants couldn’t take the advantage of human shield to escape from the area. Troops closed in on the militants’ hideout after sealing all exit routes of the village and challenged the militants. However, the militants opened heavy volume of firing with automatic weapons on the Army personnel, who retaliated effectively. A fierce encounter ensued between the two sides which continued intermittently for more than five hours. All four militants present in the hideout were shot dead by the Army personnel in the encounter. There was no casualty on Army side in the fierce gun-battle. The hideout of the militants, from where they were operating, was smashed during the exchange of firing. Troops recovered dead bodies of all four slain militants from the hideout. They have been identified as Tanveer Ahmed, Asgar Ali, Manzoor Ahmed and Sihaz, all Pakistan nationals and activists of Harkat-ul-Ansar (HUA). The spokesman said Army recovered a huge quantity of arms and ammunition and explosives from the scene of encounter. The recoveries include four AK-47 rifles, one rocket propelled gun, 10 rockets, 10 hand grenades, 596 rounds of assault rifles, three buoynets, two wireless sets, one telescopic gun, one binocular, Rs 17,000 in Indian currency and Rs 1,000 in Pakistani currency. A traveller cheque of Rs 50,000 drawn on Muslim Commercial Bank of Karachi was also recovered from the possession of militants. All the slain militants were dreaded subversives who had been operating in the border district for last more than six months and were involved in a series of killings, kidnappings and extortions. With this killing, Army eliminated 10 militant during the past four days. Meanwhile, in another successful operation, troops gunned down four more top militants of Pakistan in an encounter at village Parwa Gujran in Darhal area of Rajouri district. The encounter started when troops were carrying out a search operation in the village Parwa Gujran, a far off village in Darhal, on the basis of specific information given by local people of the area about militants’ movement. The fierce encounter continued for more than two and a half hour in which Army jawans, who fought bravely, succeeded in killing all four militants, present in the area. Their dead bodies have been recovered from the scene of encounter and handed over to local police. There was no casualty on Army side in the encounter as troops carried out the operation in a systematic way and with well-planned strategy. Identity of one of the slain militant has been established as Abu Lashkar of Lahore. Three other slain militants were also Pakistanis and offiliated with Lashkar-e-Toiba (LET), outfit. Abu Lashkar was the district commander of the outfit and had eliminated number of innocent persons during the past one month. A huge quantity of arms and ammunition have been recovered by Army personnel from the scene of encounter. Details of the seizure were being worked out. With these killings, the number of militants liquidated by Army in the border district of Poonch and Rajouri during last four days has gone upto 14. Six militants were killed by Army in a similar type of encounter in Mandi area three days back. The spokesman said a total of 21 militants have been killed by the Army in Poonch during the month of October alone. The killings were attributed to relentless operations being carried out by the local Army formation in the area. |
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20 JK
scribes on ISI pay roll NEW DELHI, Nov 1: Nearly 600 madrasas and 240 mosques have been identified by intelligence sleuths in nine States in India that are used by militants and ISI-sponsored fundamentalists for taking shelter. Jammu and Kashmir State accounts for the maximum number -- 200 madrasas and 120 mosques. If the evidence obtained by Government sleuths in various districts of the State is any indication, at least half a dozen mosques and madrasas in Jammu district alone have been, from time to time in the past five years, used by militants for taking shelter. At least 100 madrasas and 70 mosques have been identified in Kashmir valley, while the number of such centres in the sensitive districts of Doda, Rajouri and Poonch at 80. Udhampur district, according to reports, accounts for 15 madrasas and 7 mosques. Activists of Pakistan’s ISI and militants use 20 mosques and 130 madrasas in Uttar Pradesh for taking shelter. The Union Territory of Delhi accounts for 6 mosques and 30 madrasas. Not long ago, two important mosques in Delhi, according to the Intelligence Bureau (IB), were found to have become "safe" places for several ultras from Kashmir. Significantly, however, little was done by the authorities in view of the anticipated adverse reaction from a section of Muslim vote bank. While 10 mosques and an equal number of madrasas in Bihar are reportedly used by Muslim extremists for taking shelter, West Bengal accounts for 25 mosques and 100 madrasas as against 20 mosques and 35 madrasas in Kerala, 15 mosques and 40 madrasas in Tamil Nadu, 20 mosques and 75 madrasas in Maharashtra and 6 mosques and 30 madrasas in Assam. Portrayal of the scenario in the tenth State, namely, Andhra Pradesh, and the eleventh State, namely, Karnataka, is equally disturbing. Intelligence sleuths have reportedly obtained information in various parts of these two States, which speaks of the alleged involvement of "a number of influential political activists and businessmen and transporters" in ensuring clandestine flow of monetary help to Muslim fundamentalists and militants. And if this information is any guide, "scores of mosques and madrasas in Andhra Pradesh, particularly Secunderabad and Hyderabad, and in Karnataka are used by anti-national elements for taking shelter." Equally disturbing is evidence collected by unidentified intelligence sleuths with regard to the "involvement of hundreds of self-styled secularists in secretly assisting Islamist militants in various States of the country." In this connection, a pointed reference has been made to the "moral and material" support hitherto offered by "these self-styled secularists, who also include a number of present and former legislators" to militants in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Andhra and Karnataka. Sensational, indeed, is the disclosure contained in the intelligence sleuths’ report with regard to the clandestine flow of huge sums of money into the hands of scores of "motivated" mediapersons not only in Jammu and Kashmir but also in UP, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Maharashtra from "financially sound Islamist lobbies," in an apparent bid to prevent them (mediapersons) from highlighting the sinister plans of activists of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence and militants. If the UP Police authorities recently discovered that the ISI activists and militants paid foreign currency for their care-taking in mosques and madrasas, particularly in Moradabad, Rampur, Amroha and Bijnore districts, Government sleuths not long ago came across evidence clearly indicating the flow of lakhs of rupees -- all Indian currency -- into the hands of as many as 20 scribes in Jammu and Kashmir in the past five years. . Leaders of Gilgit, Baltistan
voice concern NEW DELHI, Nov 1: As Jammu and Kashmir celebrates its 50th year of accession with India, leaders of Gilgit and Baltistan (under Pakistani occupation) have voiced concern over the jungle law prevailing in their region and denial of any constitutional basic rights to people. In a letter written to United Nation Secretary General Kofi Annan recently, three leaders — Ehsan Ali (general secretary Mutahida Quami Party), Muhammad Iqbal (chief organiser Karakuram National Movement) and Syed Mohammad Agha (president Balawaristan National Front) — have highlighted plight of people living in that region. They have charged Pakistan with fraudulently taking over the area and compared it to East India company, saying Islamabad was only interested in geo-political and geo-economic importance of the region. Even today at the threshold of 21st century, the people of the region have no say for their basic rights, the letter said. The leaders accused Pakistan of its dual policies, saying on one hand they consider this area as an integral part of Jammu and Kashmir at the international fora and on the other they do not allow any representaion in the so-called Parliament of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. They said the people of Jammu and Kashmir had a say in the local politics as India regularly held Assembly and parliamentary elections there while it was unheard off in this region. Calling for an attention from the world community, the leaders said for last five decades the area was under an undeclared martial law with the people being deprived of all fundamental human rights. They said more than a dozen intelligence agencies were working in the region to harass local political leaders and restrain them from any political activity. Judiciary in this region is a‘puppet’ in the hands of few bureaucrats in the Kashmir Affairs Ministry set up by Pakistan and nobody can even appeal against it in any court, they said, adding the doors of Pak-occupied Kashmir courts are closed for us and same is the case with Pakistani courts. They appealed to the world community to pressurise Pakistan to accept the identity of the people in this region as they had failed to do so in the last 50 years. (PTI) Procession on tractors,
trolleys HIRANAGAR, Nov 1: Twenty five more families landed in the town here today from forward village of Regal located close on the International Border even as migrants camping here took out a procession on tractors and trolleys shouting slogans against Government. Security has been tightened in Hiranagar following reports that migrant families were planning to intensify agitation from tomorrow by blocking Jammu-Pathankot National Highway. Reports said 25 families migrated here this morning from Regal village located on Hiranagar-Samba border in view of continued heavy firing from Pakistan side for last several days. The families were accommodated in the Government offices. With this, over 500 families have so far reached from forward villages of Londi, Khwarha, Sade Chak and Regal. The office and residence of Tehsildar had already been captured by the migrant families. Reports said if migration continued with similar pace, it will be difficult to accommodate the families as much of the official accommodation available here had already been captured by the migrant families. Meanwhile, the migrant families today took-out a massive procession in the entire town this morning on tractors and trolleys. The massive procession was also joined by a number of local people including political leaders which threw the traffic in town out of gear. The procession passed through the entire town and finally culminated outside the Tehsil office. Shouting slogans against the Government and Pakistan Army, the protestants threatened to intensify their agitation from tomorrow if Government didn’t announce proper measures for their protection and rehabilitation. The Deputy Commissioner Kath-ua, Mr Chaman Lal, who again visited the migrants today, announced that administration was ready to provide Rs 200 per family per month for rented accommodation to them. The migrants were, however, demanding that they be allotted land outside the firing range as had been done in Kargil for the settlement of their families in comparatively safer zones. They had already rejected the package announced by the State cabinet. Meanwhile, MLA from Haranguer and BJP leader Mr Prem Lal today announced that he was sitting on hunger strike from tomorrow at Hiranagar in support of migrants’ demands. The BJP meeting held at Hiranagar under the chairmanship of Mr Ranjit Singh also decided to step-up the agitation. Mr Sham Lal, Mr Bano Parkash and Mr Chiranji Sangra were also present in the meeting. Mr Prem Lal appealed to the Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah to concede the demand for allotment of 5 marlas of land to each families in safer zone for their rehabilitation. The sanction of ration by the Government was welcome but where they had to cook the food ? he asked. Mr Prem Lal said a total of 23 villages had been affected with Pakistan firing but worse affected villages include Londi, Khwarha, Chichwal, Bobiya, Regal, Rathua, Muthi, Dule Chak and Charoo. Besides land, school and other necessary facilities should be made available for migrants, he demanded. The MLA also lauded the efforts of Town Area Committee especially Mr Mohan Lal Kapoor, Mr Ranjit Sindh and Dr Gian Chand for running free langar for the migrants at a time when Government has refused help to the migrants. Congress (I) leaders including Mr Mangat Ram Sharma also visited the town and met the migrant families. They also extended full support to the demands of migrant families and urged Government to immediately concede them. Armed clashes at Kokernag,
Kupwara SRINAGAR, Nov 1: Even as militants gunned down an SPO in an encounter near Kokernag today, security forces engaged militants in exchange of fire at three different places in Kupwara district and eliminated at least three militants. In other militancy-related incidents since last evening, militants attacked the residence of a National Conference block president as also two paramilitary pickets in the capital city in which one BSF jawan and six civilians sustained injuries. Official sources told EXCELSIOR that militants ambushed a J&K Police party at Sogam on Anantnag-Kokernag road at 1530 hours this afternoon when the latter were returning from examination duty. In the exchange of fire, one SPO namely Bashir Ahmed of Kokernag sustained critical injuries. While being rushed to a hospital in the capital city, he succumbed to injuries. All the militants managed to escape in broad daylight. Sources said that a Hizbul Mujahideen militant namely Abdul Gani Ganai alias Asgar Ali son of Abdul Gaffar Ganai of Pazalpora, Kupwara, got killed today in an encounter with the troops of Rashtriya Rifles (RR) 4th battalion at Wagat near Handwara. One AK-56 rifle and 4 hand grenades were recovered from the site of encounter. Sources said that Asgar had been active in militancy for the last 5 years. In yet another encounter between security forces and militants, an unidentified militant got killed at Katwar Gali in Kupwara forward area. One foreign militant got killed in a similar encounter at Menganwari in Kupwara district. One AK-56 rifle, one wireless set and one hand grenade were claimed to have been recovered from the spot. One AK rifle and a rifle grenade were recovered at Tenkipora in Kupwara. Sources said that during last night, militants fired upon the residence of NC Block president Ghulam Mohammad Rishi at Ranbirpora in Baramulla district. The police guard retaliated and the militants made good their escape. Militants today lobbed a hand grenade on a paramilitary picket at Sathu Barbarshah locality here which fell short of the intended target and exploded on road causing injuries to half-a-dozen civilians. They were all rushed to hospital for treatment. Militants hurled yet another grenade on a BSF picket at Kawdara on Nallah Mar Road which exploded causing injuries to one BSF jawan. Special Operations Group Budgam claimed to have apprehended one Pak-trained militant of Hizbul Mujahideen namely Showkat Ahmed Rather son of Ghulam Ahmed, resident of Archandrahama, Magam from his residence, alongwith one AK-56 rifle. Troops of 12 Sector RR and SOG Budgam conducted a search operation of Falchil, Nagradkhah, Banday Bagh and other adjacent villages in search of the seven foreign militants who had escaped from a combing operation at Branwar, three days back. The search operation was conducted after the security forces received information that a group of seven foreign militants, including two critically injured Pakistani nationals, had reached Falchil area after escaping from Branwar. However, no militants could be traced in the 5 villages near Budgam.
Killing of driver on
Airport road SRINAGAR, Nov 1: MLA Budgam Syed Ghulam Hussain Geelani clarified today that it was not he but the "Security Lapses Wing" of Jammu & Kashmir Police which was responsible for the cold-blooded murder of his driver by unidentified militants at Parraypora on Srinagar-Airport road on Sunday last. In reaction to a statement by the SSP Security, carried by this newspaper, Mr Geelani claimed that immediately after his reaching at Shergarhi Police Station, two of his PSOs informed the Duty Officer as well as MTO of Security Wing (SW) that his Gypsy had developed some trouble and the same lay unprotected alongwith the driver. Even as the SW officials asked the two PSOs on telephone to take the MLA back home safely, they perhaps wasted a lot of time during which militants appeared at the scene and shot dead the hapless driver Saifullah Khan. Geelani said that he travelled to his MLA Hostel residence in the vehicle of Sub Inspector Mohd Ayub of Shergarhi Police Station as the SW officials bothered neither to send him a vehicle nor to rush some protection for the security of the conked up vehicle and the driver. "The first call I received on my telephone informed me that militants had gunned down the unprotected driver," Geelani said and added that inspite of his repeated requests, the SW officials neither provided him a bullet-proof car nor an escort Gypsy. "Had there been an escort with me, nobody would have killed the driver," he added. He strongly refuted that SW officials had cleared his visit only upto Budgam on the fateful day. He claimed that he had got the programme of his visit to Budgam-Sholipora-Abadpora recorded with the Duty Officer of SW through his PSOs well in advance. The MLA asserted that the statement of the SSP Security was "totally incorrect." Mr Geelani asserted that the MLAs, particularly those of the ruling National Conference (NC), had lost their contact with their voters and the common masses "only due to non-cooperation of the security officials who would never send them a vehicle before making rounds of the Security Lines or making dozens of phone-calls. He said that still a number of MLAs were visiting their constituencies at grave risk of their life becuase the Chief Minister and the NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah had desired them to be available to the common masses and take stock of everything from situation to the developmental works in their respective constituencies. Describing the SW as a ‘total failure’, Mr Geelani said that the ommissions, commissions and irresponsibilities of the officials would be properly brought to the notice of the Chief Minister by a delegation of legislators and later everything would be made public "at an appropriate time". He said that a section of police officers had developed vested interest vis-a-vis the disturbed situation and they were overtly and covertly discouraging the mainstream political activity "by creating all possible hurdles and impediments." The MLA said that soon after his statement "which was nothing but truth and reality", the senior SW authorities had withdrawn even his Gypsy on Monday last and he had been forced either to sit at home or to travel in three-wheeler and unsafe vehicles of his acquaintances. "It is the punishment I have been given for speaking the truth," he added. "The Security Wing officials have been sabotaging all my programmes and movement for the last one week," he alleged. Mr Geelani, a former Minister who is now serving his 4th consecutive term as MLA Budgam said that non-availability of bullet-proof (BP) as well as the escort Gypsy to him was a 'well-known fact' in the entire Government. He said that when the SW officials refused to send him a vehicle last month, when he was supposed to accompany the Irrigation Minister for inauguration of a tube-well at Mirgund Budgam, he was given a lift by Mr Ali Mohd Sagar, Public Relation Officer (PRO) to the Speaker Abdul Ahad Vakil, he said, was witness as to how the SW officials had turned down even his repeated requests and refused to send a vehicle for Mr Geelani during the recent session of Legislative Assembly. "Consequently, I had no option but to travel in a three-wheeler at grave risk of life," he added. Mr Geelani said that on one occasion he was provided a vehicle by DC Budgam and on another by the Secretary of Assembly when his vehicle "over-used and left by police officials" conked up on road. He said that the SW officials had diverted his vehicle at a time when he was ill and his elderly mother was admitted in a hospital. "I could neither go to a doctor nor see my ailing mother at the hospital," Mr Geelani added. He strongly refuted the SSP's assertion that the MLA's vehicles had developed trouble due to paucity of fuel. "They (SW officials) never provide the spare-parts or repair a vehicle to the driver's satisfaction. They did not provide even the lid of fuel tank for my vehicle No. 3109 for about a month though I requested to provide the ordinary item over a dozen times," he alleged. People protest against
movie KATHUA, Nov 1: Agitated people of Sikh community here today burnt the effigies of popular film star Shahrukh Khan, actresses Kajol and Rani Mukherjee, producer K K Johar and director Yash Johar for allegedly hurting the sentiments of the community in their movie ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’. Large number of agitated activists of Sikh community took out a procession in the town this morning and held a demonstration shouting slogans against producer-director and stars of the movie for casting aspersions on the community in a particular scene. The protestants later staged a dharna in the Tehsil office and torched five effigies of Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, Rani and Johars. They strongly denounced the Censor Board for clearing defamatory remarks against the Sikh community. They demanded that objectionable scene be immediately deleted from the movie or, otherwise, Sikh community throughout the country will launch agitation and won’t allow the movie to be screened anywhere. The movie was being run successfully in Indira Theatre of Jammu and a cinema hall in Pathankot but it hadn’t been released here so far. The protestants warned that untill the defamatory scene was withdrawn, the movie won’t be allowed to be screened here. They have also warned the managements of local cinema hall owners not to screen the picture. The demonstrators dispersed following an assurance given by the district administration that they will take up the matter with the concerned authorities. The demonstration was led by Sardar Charanjit Singh of Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee and Sardar Kartar Singh of Sikh Forum. Activists of some social organisations also joined the protest. Govt will not fall after Assembly
polls: PM "When we are going to win (the elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi), there is no question of our Government being brought down", Vajpayee told reporters at the airport here before emplaning for Delhi, winding up his two-day visit to the city. "The elections will not be a referendum on our Government. It (the outcome) will go in our favour" Vajpayee said and ruled out any impact of the outcome on his Ministry in the post-poll scene. Asked about former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda’s remark that he would not rest until the BJP-led Government at the centre was brought down, he said ‘I am waiting for that moment.’ On the demand by some allies of BJP, including Trinamool Congress, for a meeting of the coordination committee of BJP and its partners, he said leaders, whom committee convenor George Fernandes had contacted, felt that an immediate meeting was not necessary. The allies favoured holding such a meeting only after the Assembly elections in four states, he said Commenting on the controversy surrounding the recent state Education Ministers’ Conference, he said there was no attempt to ‘insert something in the agenda which was not agreed to by the (BJP) allies’. ‘It was a private suggestion for consideration. It evoked opposition’, he said, referring to parts of the agenda which some parties had alleged were an attempt by the BJP to communalise the education system. Vajpayee struck a confident note on the economy, saying the series of steps announced by the Government to perk it up had already started yielding results and said the prices were showing a downward trend. He denied a suggestion that investors and businessmen had lost confidence in the Indian economy and added ‘results will come’ following the Government’s measures. On Karnataka,he ruled out BJP’s support to Chief Minister J H Patel, who is facing threat from the dissident MLAs. ‘If elections come, we welcome them’, he said. (PTI) India better placed after Pokharan blasts: Fernandes LUCKNOW, Nov 1 : Defence Minister George Fernan-des today said the motive behind attacks by Pakistani forces on three outposts in the Siachen area was to grab some land and claim it to be in their possession during the forthcoming Foreign Secretary level talks. Talking to newspersons here, he said talks between the Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan and the working groups constituted during Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpay-ee’s New York visit would be held from November 6. Replying to a question about the current defence perception of the country, Mr Fernandes said that securitywise India was in a better position after the Pokhran blasts. He said the "perception kept changing given the fact that today we are a nuclear state." Referring to the criticism from some quarters in regard to his statement on China, the Defence Minister said he had not been misquoted on the issue by the media, but in some cases his statement was also distorted. Mr Fernandes said that with regard to distortion of his statement on China, the anchor person of an international satellite channel who had interviewed him live, had to tender an apology. Replying to a volley of questions on Bihar, the Defence Minister recalled that after the President had returned the Cabinet recommendation for imposition of President’s rule in the state, it was decided to lie low on the issue for the time being. However, the Bihar issue was open, he said. Commenting on the soaring prices of commodities like onions, potatoes and vegetables, the Minister attributed the phenomenon to the loss of crops due to floods, export obligations and delay in imports. (UNI) BANGALORE, Nov 1: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee watched with amusement as a robot cut the tape on his behalf to mark the opening of ‘Bangalore it. Com ‘98’, a mega global show on Information Technology and communication near here. The ‘SCARA’ (Selectively Compliant Armed for Robotic Assembly) robot moved its arm and cut the ribbon as Vajpayee and other dignitaries watched in awe. The robot was designed, fabricated and developed at the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR), under the Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), here. According to sources in the CAIR, scientists at cair have also developed a chess-playing robot, which integrates "game-playing strategy", "image processing" and "robot motion planning". The sources said the SCARA robot was also used for any sort of ‘pick and place’ applications in industries as well as in educational institutions. (PTI) PM to hold meet for Khalsa birth celebrations ANANDPUR SAHIB, Nov 1: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will hold the first meeting of the ‘national committee for tri-centenary celebrations of the birth of Khalsa’ on November 5 at New Delhi. Chief Ministers of various states would attend the meeting and would present their plans and programmes to be executed in their respective states to celebrate the occasion, State Finance Minister Kanwaljit Singh told reporters here yesterday. The minister, who was here to overlook preparations for the laying of the foundation stone of ‘Khalsa heritage memorial complex’ on November 22, said the white marble foundation stone which is 16 feet tall would be laid by the ‘punj pyares’, and the ceremony telecast live. Heads of Sikh sects and other religions would also attend the ceremony besides some NRIs, he added. (UNI) |