Beacon store catches fire
Delta Force guns down 3 militants in Banihal

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 7: The elite troops of Delta Force today mowed down three top militants including a Pakistani national in separate encounters in Doda and Banihal areas. The militants killed in Doda were involved in charges of rapes, extortions and forced recruitment.

A Defence spokesman said in a major reverse to Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit, the 8 Rashtriya Rifles in assistance with STF of JKAP launched a major offensive in the areas of Gundna-Bagla in Lal Draman area after receiving a series of complaints from the local people about the forced kidnappings, rapes and wide spread extortions in the area by a group of foreign mercenaries.

The mercenaries were led by a local militant Mohd Shaffi Lone.

The force cornered the militants from five different directions. The group was found hiding in the thick forests of Lal Draman. Mohd Shaffi Lone, a resident of Gundana was the first to be shot at early this morning by a ‘Ghatak Platoon’ led by Major Ravi Gurrung.

By the evening, rest of the militants, reportedly three in number, shifted their positions and hide themselves behind an outgrowth. As 8 RR troops closed in the area, they fled towards hills. They were relentlessly chased for over an hour. Two of them were then shot dead by JKAP STF team led by Major Anshuman late this evening.

Body of one of them identified as Aslam Mohammad, a resident of Pakistan has been recovered from the spot. Search for the other militants was on till the reports last came in.

The spokesman said while the children threw stones and hurled abuses at their dead bodies, residents of the area were seen rejoicing the killings. Two AK-56 rifles, hand grenades, one radio set, three books containing pornographic literature and several strips of condoms were recovered from the slain militants.

Meanwhile, troops of 12 RR shot dead another dreaded foreign mercenary in Batu-Chamalwas, 12 kms south of Banihal today.

The spokesman said troops launched a search and cordon operation in Batu-Chamalwas area of Banihal late last night after getting a tip off about militants’ presence in the area. An encounter ensued between the two sides which continued for over an hours.

In the operation, troops succeeded in eliminating one militant while his associates fled from the spot. There was no casualty on army side in the encounter.

Identity of the militant couldn’t be established immediately but he was believed to be a foreign mercenary. His body has been handed over to local police for identification. One pistol, two grenades and some bullets were recovered from the scene of encounter.

Reinforcement of troops and Special Task Force (STF) of police has been rushed to Neel area to carry on the search operation and eliminate the absconding militants.

Meanwhile, a Beacon plant of tarcoal caught fire at Ramsu on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway today. Fire Brigades from Banihal and Ramban rushed to the spot and controlled the blaze. Massive loss was reported in the fire but no casualty was reported.

MoU signed on Baglihar Project
NHPC not vacating dam site, demands Rs 35-cr

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 7: Having signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with JP Industries, India for the construction of Baglihar Project on River Chenab , the State Government is facing a tough task with its meagre resources , as National Hydro Projects Corporation (NHPC) is not vacating the place of site where it had already invested Rs 35 crore.

The Project, which is likely to be commissioned within six years with an estimated cost of Rs 600 crore per year, will be a boon for the economy of the State, provided it takes off smoothly without any hitch.

Informed sources told EXCELSIOR that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Managing Director of the State’s Power Development Corporation and JP Industries, wherein it has been decided that the entire project work shall be henceforth completed and commissioned by this firm within six years beginning from November 7, 1999.

The sources, however, pointed out that NHPC was not vacating the site as its contention was that it had taken up the work on the basic infrastructure including construction of colonies, stores and roads at the dam site for which it had invested Rs 35 crore. With its meager resources, the State Government has yet to pay this huge amount to NHPC.

The sources said that as per the MoU, with JP Industries, all the electrical equipment including turbine, generators, transformers and switch gears shall be arranged by M/S Siemens Germany and the civil works on the project will be executed by M/S J P Industries India.

It has been stipulated in the MoU that 25 per cent of the cost of the civil work to be done by JP Industries, shall be advanced to them in three installments. While 10 per cent ( totaling Rs 162 crore) has been already advanced in April this year, the second installment of 10 percent is due at the end of this month. The remaining five per cent will be given in April next year, the sources said.

They, however, pointed out that the main problem was in the arrangement of the funds for this project, as the Central Government has not so far given counter guarantee and the resources of the State were too meager to spare an amount of Rs 600 crore per year for this project for a period of six years. The sources, however, said that the efforts are being made to secure the loan from IDBI and other agencies.

This project cost, the sources said, does not include the cost of 400 KV transmission line which have to be laid from Baglihar to Kishenpur and the cost of 75 kilometer line may be about Rs 40 crore, the sources further said.

If the agreement with JP Industries continues, then by March 2000, the State Government might have advanced Rs 405 crore to this firm. And if the funds at the rate of Rs 600 crore per year are not arranged and made available to the firm, it might then stop the work and there will be no return of the advanced money, the sources said.

The 450 MWs Baglihar Project is the third project to come up on River Chenab. The dam is proposed to come up on the up-stream of village Chanderkot near Ramban from where two kilometer underground tunnel on the right bank of the river shall be constructed which will feed the machines to be housed in the underground power house which is to come up under the hillock, situated near old Fort of Gajpat. The diameter of the tunnel will be 10 meters.

The sources said that normally for the works of this magnitude, the global tenders are to be invited, but in this case, the same was not done and the offer was received from M/S JP Industries who have a tie-up with Siemens Germany. This offer was evaluated vis-a-vis- rates available on similar projects in Himachal Pradesh and other states and these were got vetted from the Agency approved by the World Bank, the sources added.

US says aid for Kashmir if India, Pak resolve problem

WASHINGTON, Oct 7: US Assistant Secretary of State Karl F Inderfurth has offered international rehabilitation and reconstruction aid for Kashmir if India and Pakistan can reach a solution for the problem bilaterally, taking into account the wishes of the people of Kashmir.

Inaugurating the South Asia Institute at the School of International Studies at the John Hopkins University, here yesterday, he said India and Pakistan can reach a long-term solution for Kashmir if they approach the issue with a dose of realism and dose of creativity to determine what are the ways that the various needs of all parties can be met.

We are hopeful, said Inderfurth, that is the direction in which the parties will travel and the US will support them in every step all the way.

He did not spell out the content of the US’s ideas of realism and creativity but made it clear that the US does not believe that it is for the US to either propose a solution nor can we influence a solution.

However, he warned the two nations that although the Lahore bus took a detour, was diverted to Kargil and the process of reconciliation derailed, it has to be brought back on track so that threat of a possible nuclear exchange can be averted with a certain degree of confidence.

He emphasized that the US believes that the only way the long-standing and fundamental differences between India and Pakistan, dating back to the very painful 1947 period, can be resolved is by the parties themselves.

The US, said Inderfurth, will support that process and that is why President Clinton has become personally involved in this effort.

One of the purposes of Clinton’s trip to the region next year, said Inderfurth, will be to try to encourage that kind of process during his term in office. He has seen process that take place in the Middle East, in Northern Ireland. We now see some reconciliation taking place between Greece and Turkey. We think that it is something overdue for that kind of effort to take root in South Asia.

Inderfurth said the US does believe that there is a role to be played (by the US) to support, underpin and facilitate whatever bilateral efforts are going on. Looking at the tragic history of Kashmir, he said, they (the Kashmiris) have been in the eye of the storm and it is very clear their suffering must come to an end.

The other dimension is a border conflict that could become nuclear. So I think India and Pakistan should resume their dialogue, which I believe Prime Minister Vajpayee in an interview he gave Indian Express said this was very much on his agenda as soon as the election results are known and if he formed a new Government. Let us hope that the wishes of the Kashmiri people will be taken into account by all concerned.

Inderfurth avoided a direct question on the sufferings of Kashmiri Pandits and the Hindus of Jammu, choosing, instead, to refer to sufferings of the Kashmiri people collectively.

He said he thought that there is a feeling in the international community after the Kargil crisis that it has a rightful role and it is willing to assist in a supporting function in whatever way the parties want.

For instance, said Inderfurth, Kashmir has suffered for many years and much of its infrastructure, a great deal of it, has been destroyed. There will be a role for the international community to assist in rehabilitation and reconstruction of Kashmir to allow it to return to a functioning economy. There are a lot of things the international community can do if the parties themselves can move towards a long-term solution.(PTI)

Kranti Hotel’s plea dismissed with costs
High Court asks JDA to take possession of
encroached land

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 7: The Division Bench of the State High Court comprising Mr Justice R C Gandhi and Mr Justice Arun Kumar Goel has dismissed the appeal filed by M/S Kranti Ghosh of Kranti Hotels who had encroached a prime land worth crores of rupees at Rail Head Complex belonging to Jammu Development Authority.(JDA)

The Court directed that the JDA will be well within its rights to take over the physical possession of the land in question so that the Agency is in a position to deal with the same as its absolute owner to its best advantage.

While dismissing the petition, with costs ,the Division Bench observed that since this was a case of contumacious use of the public property unauthorisedly by the appellant (Kranti Ghosh), " we direct the JDA to appoint an officer of an appropriate rank to assess the market rate of the use and occupation charges of this plot of land which shall be recoverable from the appellant on the force of this order, as if those were costs in this appeal". The Court further ruled that the exercise of assessment be completed within a period of six months.

These Court directions were passed after rejecting an appeal filed by Kranti Ghosh of R K Forest Industries, Trikutanagar Jammu against the judgment dated May 22, 1998 passed by the Single Bench . By means of that judgment, the petition filed by the appellant was dismissed and was asked to vacate the land.

As per the case, M/S Kranti Ghosh had encroached upon a prime JDA land worth crores of rupees at Rail Head Complex somewhere in October 1983.

Kranti Ghosh had obtained a stay from the High Court by which the respondents (JDA) were directed not to dislodge the appellant from the possession. However, JDA got the stay vacated. An appeal was later filed before the Division Bench by M/S Kranti Ghosh, which was, however,dismissed with costs.

The counsel for Kranti Ghosh had raised certain contentions in support of the appeal with a prayer to allow the same by reversing the impugned Single bench judgment and consequently granting the relief to the appellant. It was submitted that this case was a clear cut assurance held by and on behalf of JDA that the plot in question would be allotted to the appellant.

The DB observed that on the basis of the record, it cannot be made out that any assurance was ever extended to the appellant by any one or on behalf of JDA. " Similarly, there is nothing on record that he (appellant) was ever put in possession by any one as claimed by him in his affidavit dated September 4, 1999 filed in this appeal and this was never his case before the writ court. Thus it is nothing, but purely an afterthought."

It was further pointed out that " M/S Kranti Ghosh had tried to suppress certain material facts relating to the case which went to the root of the whole case, little realising that the exercise of the writ jurisdiction is equitable and discretionary power vested with the Court".

The Bench further observed that the appellant wanted this court to regularise his contumacious possession, which he alleges to be from 1983. " In the circumstances of this case it cannot be said that any assurance , much less promise was ever extended by anyone so as to invoke Doctrine of Promissory Estoppel as claimed by him in the writ court as well as during the course of this appeal", the Court observed, adding that these appeals must therefore fall as there is no merit in the petition which is accordingly dismissed.

Meanwhile, a JDA release issued here said that pursuant to the orders of the High Court, the JDA has resumed the possession of land worth rupees three crore and has also fenced the land.

Tension in Udhampur as TAC demolishes temple

Excelsior Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, Oct 7: Tension gripped the town last evening after a Town Area Committee (TAC) squad, assisted by the local police, demolished an under-construction temple near Director Agriculture office on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.

The TAC squad and police demolished the temple with the help of a demolition squad and removed away idols and other construction material from the temple site during the operation launched at about 1900 hours last evening. The operation lasted over two hours and was completed under tight security arrangements.

In the morning, a large number of local people and shopkeepers gathered on the National Highway and staged a dharna demanding stern action against TAC chairman Mohd Aslam for demolishing the under-construction temple. They were demanding that temple be allowed to be re-constructed.

Shouting slogans against the TAC chairman and police authorities, the mob disrupted the vehicular movement on the busy Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. Another group of mob marched towards the TAC chairman’s office and staged a massive dharna-cum-demonstration there demanding stern action against the TAC chairman.

Some shopkeepers also downed their shutters and joined the dharna.

In the meantime, Deputy Commissioner Udhampur Mr Mehboob Iqbal intervened in the matter and directed the TAC chairman to release the entire construction material seized from the temple and allow the construction of temple. Following this, the situation was controlled and people lifted their protest demonstration.

Sources said the TAC claimed that temple was being constructed at an encroached site. However, the local people denied the TAC charges.

Democracy triumphs again: Farooq

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 7: Complimenting people of Jammu and Kashmir for their participation in the elections of Lok Sabha and two seats of Legislative Assembly despite efforts to terrorist voters by militant supporters of the Hurriyat Conference, Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah today said: "Democracy offers political choices to citizens including the right not to cast a vote; voters have a right to voluntarily exercise their political power without coercion either way."

Notwithstanding violent coercion by the Hurriyat Conference, a creditable number of voters in the Valley came out to exercise their political power fearlessly, he said, adding that this demonstrates their deep yearning for peace and normalcy in the State.

"Democracy has triumphed again in the State," he said while hailing the people for defying the diktates of Pak lackeys by participating in the elections and frustrating the enemy’s game plan.

Dr Abdullah also thanked the voters of Ladakh and Kashmir for voting in favour of National Conference candidates and said the party was gradually gaining strong support among voters in Jammu division. He said it had emerged as the only political party popular with all sections of the population in all the three parts of the State.

"Never before had the National Conference won four seats in Parliament, he said and expressed confidence that this trend would continue in the future and in fact improve further.

NC may join NDA Govt: Umar

NEW DELHI, Oct 7: National Conference (NC) today said there was every possibility of the party joining a BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government at the Centre.

There is every possibility of NC participating in the NDA Government at Centre, Umar Abdullah, son of NC president and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, told Doordarshan from Srinagar.

NC has bagged four Lok Sabha seats from Jammu and Kashmir.

Asked about the change in its stand in participating in the BJP-led Government, Umar said last time also we were asked to participate in the Government but we did not think it was the right time to do so.

He said his father, health permitting, would participate in the meeting of the BJP and its allies in New Delhi tomorrow and then a decision would be taken about the future action of the party. (PTI)

Militant killed in Handwara
11 civilians hurt in blast

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 7: Even as security forces have eliminated a militant in an encounter near Handwara, militants have launched two grenade attacks on security forces and left 13 people, including 11 civilians, injured.

Official sources said that eleven civilians sustained injuries in a blast when militants fired a rifle grenade towards a picket of BSF 83 Bn at Shamshan Bhoomi, Karan Nagar. It fell short of the intended target and caused injuries to a number of civilians at 1530 hours today.

Troops conducted a cordon and search operation which continued for several hours.

Last evening, militants had hurled a hand grenade on a patrol party of BSF 26 Bn at Nayid Kadal in downtown. It exploded and caused injuries to two BSF jawans who were rushed to hospital.

Sources said that an IED was recovered from the interior of an SRTC bus while the driver was cleaning the vehicle. The bus had been parked at a spot close to MLA’s Hostel.

Last evening, militants had fired upon a civilian, namely Imtiyaz Ahmed Bhat of Natipora at Mandir Bagh, Gaw Kadal. He sustained gunshot wounds and was rushed to hospital.

Reports available from north Kashmir said that a Pakistani militant had been killed in an encounter with security forces at Bab Batsar, Handwara, today. One AK-56 rifle was recovered from him.

PDP bags Bijbehara seat

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 7: J&K Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Abdur Rehman Veeray has finally defeated the National Conference (NC) candidate Rafi Ahmed Mir in Bijbehara Assembly segment.

According to official sources, Veeray polled a total of 3756 votes against Rafi Mir's 2506 votes and was declared elected by a margin of 1050 votes. The Awami League candidate got around 1200 votes. As many as 1100 votes were described as invalid which included 777 votes which had been torn by agents of rival candidates in a disturbance late last night. Counting had been suspended after the violent clash and the matter of 777 missing votes was referred to Election Commission of India.

EC communicated this afternoon that counting be resumed while placing the 777 missing votes in the invalid tray. In case the margin of the winning candidate would be more than 777 votes he may be declared elected and in case it was below the number of the missing votes, repoll be conducted in the whole segment.

Accordingly, counting of the second and final round began this evening. The PDP candidate was returned with a margin of 1050 votes. Earlier, Bijbehara segment had been won by PDP's Mehbooba Mufti in September 1996 Assembly elections. She resigned after she quit Congress and consequently mid term polling was conducted in Bijbehara.

NC has won all the three Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir valley but lost both the Assembly segments of Langet and Bijbehara. Langet Assembly segment has already been won by an Independent candidate Mohammad Sultan Panditpuri with a margin of 72 votes.

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