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70 member
Vajpayee-led Ministry sworn-in NEW DELHI, Oct 13: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was sworn in for a third term in office today, made no changes in the prestigious portfolios of Home, Finance, External Affairs and Defence and allotted the key ministries of Commerce and Industry to DMK leader Murasoli Maran and Railways to Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee. Dropping Karnataka leader Ramakrishna Hegde and BJP veteran Sikandar Bakht, Vajpayee inducted Janata Dal (United) heavyweights Sharad Yadav, Ram Vilas Paswan and Nitish Kumar and gave them Civil Aviation, Communications and Surface Transport respectively. BJP spokesman Arun Jaitley, who is a member of neither House of Parliament, has been given independent charge of the high-profile Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, whose incumbent Pramod Mahajan has been shunted to Water Resources and Parliamentary Affairs. Another BJP leader Ananth Kumar, who held the Civil Aviation portfolio, gets Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports. L K Advani, Yashwant Sinha, Jaswant Singh and George Fernandes will retain the key portfolios of Home, Finance, External Affairs and Defence. Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Manohar Joshi has been put in charge of Heavy Industry and Public Enterprises, while DMK leader T R Baalu gets Environment and Forests. Senior BJP leader from Maharashtra Ram Naik, who has been elevated to Cabinet rank, has been allocated the Petroleum and Natural Gas portfolio, while Shiv Sena’s Suresh Prabhu has been put in charge of Chemicals and Fertilisers. Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Sunderlal Patwa gets Rural Development and former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Shanta Kumar has been allotted Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution System. Murli Manhor Joshi, Jagmohan, Ram Jethmalani, Naveen Patnaik, Kashiram Rana and P R Kumaramangalam retain their old portfolios of HRD and Science and Technology, Urban Development, Law, Justice and Company Affairs, Mines and Minerals, Textiles and Power respectively. Satyanarain Jatiya has been shifted to Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation while Orissa BJP leader Jual Oram has been given tribal affairs. In the 70-member Council of Ministers, apart from Prime Minister there are 25 Cabinet ministers, seven ministers of state with independent charge and 37 ministers of state. The Prime Minister has retained the portfolios of Personnel and Public Grievances, Agriculture, Labour, Coal, Atomic Energy and Space. Earlier in the day, Mr Vajpayee was today sworn in as Prime Minister for a third term heading a 70-member National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government that saw induction of heavyweights from allies like Janata Dal (U), DMK, Shiv Sena and Trinamool Congress and dropping of BJP veteran Sikander Bakht and Karnataka leader Ramakrishna Hegde. Retaining virtually the existing Council of Ministers, Vajpayee brought in Janata Dal (U) stalwarts Sharad Yadav and Ram Vilas Paswan, Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, DMK’s Murasoli Maran and T R Baalu and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Manohar Joshi of Shiv Sena into the Cabinet. Two more former Chief Ministers, Sunder Lal Patwa (Madhya Pradesh) and Shanta Kumar (Himachal Pradesh), have been brought into the Cabinet as a reward for BJP’s impressive performance in both the States. Hegde, who is seen as the architect of BJP-JD(U) electoral alliance in Karnataka which courted disaster, has been dropped along with the best known but ageing Muslim leader of BJP Sikander Bakht, who was Industry Minister from March 1998. A number of new faces, including a large representation to Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, find a place in Vajpayee’s third Government in three years. A surprise inclusion in the Ministry is the well-known lawyer and BJP spokesman Arun Jaitley, who is a member of neither House of Parliament, as Minister of State with independent charge. Apart from the Prime Minister, there are 25 Cabinet Ministers, seven Ministers of State with independent charge and 37 ministers of State. The Prime Minister said after the first meeting of the new Council of Ministers that portfolios would be announced tomorrow. BJP’s ally in Punjab, Akali Dal, which won only two seats, went unrepresented. Nor has BJP’s lone winner from the State Vinod Khanna found a place in the Ministry. Punjab Chief Minister and Akali Dal chief Prakash Singh Badal said his party with two members had its limitations and added it was not the only ally of BJP without representation in the Government. On exclusion of Hegde, senior Minister George Fernandes said Ministry-composition was the prerogative of the Prime Minister. BJP leader L K Advani said there had been no pulls and pressures in the Ministry-making. Surjit Singh Barnala and Vazhapadi K Ramamurthy, who were Ministers in the outgoing team, lost the election. BJP’s largest ally, Telugu Desam Party, and Haryana ally Indian National Lok Dal have decided not to join the Government. Among other prominent new entrants are BJP leader from Orissa, Jual Oram who has been made Cabinet Minister, Bijoya Chakravarty of BJP from Assam, Andhra Pradesh BJP president Ch Vidya Sagar Rao, Balasaheb Vikhe Patil of Shiv Sena from Maharashtra and V Sreeniwas Prasad of JD(U) from Karnataka. BJP’s lone Muslim member in Lok Sabha Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, elected from Kishanganj in Bihar, has been inducted as also the West Bengal BJP president Tapan Sikdar who won for the second time in succession. In Delhi, where BJP made a clean sweep, the party was given only one representation in Jagmohan contrary to speculation that BJP heavyweights like Madan Lal Khurana and Sahib Singh Verma would also find a place. Dr Raman and Subhash Maheria, both of BJP, who humbled Congress veterans Moti Lal Vora from Rajnandgaon in Madhya Pradesh and Sikar in Rajasthan have been rewarded with ministerial berths. BJP general secretary Sumitra Mahajan has been made a Minister of State as also senior party MPs Rita Verma from Bihar and Harin Pathak from Gujarat. Surprisingly, BJP leaders Bangaru Laxman and O Rajagopal, who lost in the Lok Sabha elections from Rajasthan and Kerala respectively, have been inducted into the ministry. Both are Rajya Sabha members. The lion’s share of 46 berths has been taken by the leader of the alliance BJP, followed by JD(U) six, Shiv Sena and DMK three each, BJD, MDMK, PMK and Trinamool Congress two each, NC and Manipur State Congress one each and independents two. President K R Narayanan administered the oaths of office and secrecy to Prime Minister and other Ministers at a ceremony in the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan that lasted for about two hours. Vice President Krishan Kant, Lok Sabha Speaker G M C Balayogi, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, former President R Venkataraman, former Prime Ministers V P Singh and I K Gujral, Chief Election Commissioner M S Gill, Chief Ministers M Karunanidhi, N Chandrababu Naidu, Keshubhai Patel, Farooq Abdullah, Om Prakash Chautala, P K Dhumal and BJP president Kushabhau Thakre were among the galaxy of personalities present on the occasion. Among the States, Bihar has got the largest representation with 11 members including five of Cabinet rank, followed by Maharashtra with eight including five of Cabinet rank, Tamil Nadu eight including three of Cabinet rank, Madhya Pradesh seven and Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP did not do well, only six. (PTI) |
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‘PoK
be liberated, re-united to J&K’ Excelsior Special Correspondent SRINAGAR, Oct 13: Fourteen MLAs today participated in the threadbare discussion over the issue of liberating Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) as BJP’s Ashok Khajuria moved a resolution to that effect in the State Assembly. Khajuria wanted the House to resolve that PoK be liberated and united with the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Initiating debate on the issue, he stressed on liberation of PoK even if it required a war with Pakistan. Senior BJP leader Shiv Charan Gupta supported the resolution but emphasised that soft options be used for the purpose. He said it was the "moral obligation" of the House to have the resolution passed as PoK was a part of Jammu and Kashmir State, forcibly occupied by Pakistan in 1947. BSP’s Som Nath too seconded the resolution. During the debate Khajuria sought to clarify that he favoured the hard option in case all the soft options failed to yield the desired results. He welcomed any negotiations which would re-unite PoK with Jammu and Kashmir. While participating in the discussion, NC’s Sadiq Ali observed that it would not be prudent to move and pass such a resolution at this juncture as talks between Indian and Pakistani leadership had entered a significant stage and the world was hopeful of an amicable resolution of the crisis. Another NC MLA Abdul Majeed Mir favoured a solution to the dispute through talks and negotiations. He said that everybody in State wanted liberation and reunion of PoK with Jammu and Kashmir but enough of bloodshed had already been witnessed and thousands of Kashmiris had perished as canon-fodder. Sadiq Ali contended that it was the domain and responsibility of the Central Government to take measures for PoK’s liberation as both Defence as well as Foreign Affairs were under that Government’s control even according to the Instrument of Accession 50 years ago. However, Speaker Abdul Ahad Vakil disagreed and gave his ruling that it could well be discussed and debated in the State legislature which had 24 vacancies for the representatives of the occupied part of Kashmir. Congress MLA Ashok Sharma opposed the resolution with the argument that Parliament had already passed similar resolution unanimously. He held the BJP-led Government responsible for two-month-long slumber during the Kargil intrusion and claimed credit for Congress as that party’s Government in 1971 had divided Pakistan into two and created Bangladesh. Abdul Majeed Mir made a fervent and emphatic appeal that Line of Control (LoC) be converted in International Border (IB) and free trade and movement be made possible between the people of the two parts of Jammu and Kashmir. Mir’s suggestion was emphatically seconded by NC’s Mubarak Gul. MLA Banihal Farooq Ahmed Mir as also NC’s Khalid Najeeb Suharwardy and Mohammad Sayeed Akhoon held the Centre and the Congress responsible for systematic erosion of Article 370 of Indian Constitution during the last 50 years. Majeed pointed out that even if Pakistan had occupied the other part of the State, it had not tampered with the nomenclature provided in J&K Constitution. PoK continued with its Prime Minister and President, he said and pointed out that Chief Minister and Governor had been introduced in our part of the State in 1960s. The discussion remained inconclusive as the Law Minister PL Handoo could not get time for reply and the Speaker said that the debate on the resolution would continue on Thursday. |
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Pak chancery lauds
Excelsior’s reports From B L Kak NEW DELHI, Oct 13: Pakistan’s Chief of General Staff, Lt Gen Mohammed Aziz, has been found to be the "real hero" who, in unexpectedly swift, secret operations, completely upset the apple-cart of Mr Nawaz Sharief immediately after the chief of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lt Gen Ziauddin, was appointed by the Pak Prime Minister as the new Chief of the Army Staff in place of Gen Parvez Musharraf. Mr Nawaz Sharief’s dramatic announcement about the dismissal of Gen Musharraf while he was out of the country and naming the ISI chief as the new Chief of the Army Staff resulted in equally dramatic events, one after another, within a couple of hours in Islamabad and elsewhere in Pakistan. Lt Gen Ziauddin, diplomatic sources divulged, was responsible for the move, which culminated in the announcement by Mr Nawaz Sharief about the dismissal of Gen Musharraf. Lt Gen Ziauddin, who was not in the good books of Gen Parvez Musharraf and Chief of General Staff, Lt Gen Mohammed Aziz, had, of late, become restive and was keen on ensuring his own superiority over the two with the help of his mentor, Mr Nawaz Sharief. According to these sources, Lt Gen Ziauddin miserably failed to call the shots and defend the man in misery (Mr Nawaz Sharief) when Lt Gen Mohammed Aziz ordered his soldiers to "cripple both of them". Both Mr Nawaz Sharief and Lt Gen Ziauddin were practically immobilised after the soldiers surrounded their residential premises. Weeks before the end of the Government of Mr Nawaz Sharief in a military coup on Tuesday, some non-Indian intelligence sleuths had described Lt Gen Mohammed Aziz as the "architect" of Kargil infiltration. In fact, a section of Americans had opined that since the fundamentalist sections in the Pakistani Army did not like the Lahore Declaration, the Kargil episode, planned by Pakistan’s Chief of General Staff, was a good way to undermine it. The ambitious Chief of General Staff could not be expected to get himself axed by Lt Gen Ziauddin, if the latter was allowed to shift to Rawalpindi as the new Army chief. Hence, orders from Lt Gen Mohammed Aziz to his troops to surround Mr Nawaz Sharief’s official residence in Islamabad and to prevent him from stirring out till the return to Pakistan of Gen Parvez Musharraf from Colombo. Both Gen Musharraf and Lt Gen Aziz accomplished their target, namely, sealing the fate of the ISI chief. Lt Gen Ziauddin has been whisked away to an unknown destination. A senior functionary of the Delhi-based Pakistan chancery took a four-member team of scribes by surprise on Wednesday with his remark: "We don’t have anything to say on how and why it happened in Pakistan. Information about what was to happen there had already reached this part of the world. Yes, a publication from J&K, Daily Excelsior by name, had, between August and first week of October, carried more than two items with regard to uncertain future of Mr Nawaz Sharief and Lt Gen Ziauddin". And this publication was perhaps the first in this subcontinent to have revealed the scheme of things against the continuance of Lt Gen Ziauddin as the ISI chief". Even as Lt Gen Ziauddin went about as Mr Nawaz Sharief’s eyes and ears, Lt Gen Mohammed Aziz played havoc with the banners and posters that were to be put up in his (Mr Sharief’s) defence. Clearly, Mr Sharief had found himself in a jam over the Kargil operations. Indeed, his photographs, after his troops’ withdrawal from Kargil region, betrayed a very gloomy, worried and dejected Prime Minister. The Kargil conflict had put Mr Nawaz Sharief in a Catch-22 position from which it was not easy to wriggle out. A man who, while not wanting war, cannot at the same time be seen to be letting down his own Army. Mr Nawaz Sharief’s biggest threat came from those fundamentalist and militant outfits which he at no point of time during his two stints in power ever discouraged from practising Islam through the power of the gun barrel. And even though he also held the defence portfolio, he was allowed little room to manoeuvre as the country’s Defence Minister. Hence, all the more reason for him to translate into action Lt Gen Ziauddin’s proposal against the continuance of Gen Parvez Musharraf as the Chief of the Army Staff. Unfortunately for Mr Nawaz Sharief, the move against Gen Musharraf and in support of Gen Ziauddin proved to be counter-productive. The power of the gun barrel, as demonstrarted by Gen Musharraf and his Man Friday, Lt Gen Mohammed Aziz, has silenced both Mr Sharief and Lt Gen Ziauddin. Air-dropped bomb
seized in Kalakote Excelsior Correspondent RAJOURI, Oct 13: Three youths, who were being forcibly recruited into militants’ ranks by Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) agents, were rescued by police and army at village Tatta Pani on Khanorla road under the jurisdiction of Kalakote police station while an air-dropped explosive device was recovered in Dedoch area of Kalakote. A police spokesman said a police and army patrol intercepted a group of three youths and some suspected militants when they were moving towards forest area of Jatta on Tatta Pani-Khanoria road in Kalakote last evening. Seeing the police party, the militants fled away leaving behind the three youths. Police took the youths into custody and questioned them. The youths disclosed that they were abducted by the militants from their houses and were being taken for arms training in the forest area when they were rescued by the police. The rescued youths have been identified as Belal Ahmed son of Mohd Mumtaz, a resident of Kurori in Udrana area of Bhaderwah, Javid Ahmed Rather son of Nizam Din of Denfo village in Dachnan, Dora and Mushtaq Ahmed son of Abdul Qayoom of Chorag in Gandoh. The rescued youths will be restored to their families after questioning. Police and security forces continued a hunt to apprehend the absconding militants. No further arrest has been made so far. Meanwhile, on a specific information police recovered one electronic device hanging with a pine tree alongwith a big balloon in Dedoch area under Kalakote police station last night. Police sources said the device looks to be air dropped but couldn’t say as to how it was air-dropped in the forests. The possibility of Remotely Piloted Vehicles (RPVs) having been used in air-dropping the explosive device wasn’t ruled out. Some RPVs had already been recovered from Kalakote area. Police and security forces have reached the village Dedoch in heavy number and cordoned off all surrounding villages. Efforts were on to track down the militants in the area. Meanwhile, some arms and ammunition were recovered by the army from Darhal in Rajouri and Bangai in Poonch district today. However, no arrest was made in this connection. Official sources said troops recovered four RPGs and two booster chargers from Darhal while Rashtriya Rifles recovered 500 AK rounds from Bangai. Further searches in the area were going on. Sources said that explosive devices had been abandoned by the militants to pick up them at an opportune time. However, the consignment fell into security personnel’s hand before militants could pick it up. |
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Armed forces on extra alert : Fernandes NEW DELHI, Oct 13: India today said the military take-over in Pakistan did not pose any threat to it but the armed forces were on extra alert. We do not visualise any threat except that at this point of time there is extra alert, George Fernandes told reporters shortly after being sworn-in as Cabinet Minister at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Reacting to the fast-paced developments in Pakistan, Army Chief Gen V P Malik said political instability in the neighbourhood is not a good thing for our security. We have to watch the situation and have to be vigilant, he told PTI when asked for his comments on the situation in Pakistan following ouster of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif by Army Chief Gen Pervez Musharraf. Asked if he foresaw any enhanced Pakistani military activity along the border, Gen Malik said I don’t anticipate any serious development. Air Chief A Y Tipnis said we are watching the situation. Replying to questions, Fernandes said while India was celebrating the triumph of democracy, we are concerned about the people of Pakistan where democracy seems to be in peril. He hoped that things would get sorted out without much delay there. We wish the people of Pakistan well. Asked if there had been stepped-up activity along the Indo-Pak border, he said nothing unusual has been noticed. On future ties between the two countries, Fernandes said it is really difficult to say how things will really fare (in Pakistan). Let the situation clear. (PTI) |
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Sentry killed, another
seriously injured Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 13: Five Pakistanis and one Afghan national escaped from police lock-up from Ramgarh police station in the wee hours of this morning after killing two Sentries on duty and wounding another. They took away an SLR of the slain Sentry. Meanwhile, police authorities have attached Station House Officer (SHO) Ramgarh, placed under suspension five other constables on duty and ordered a high level inquiry into suspected police connivance in the escape of five foreign nationals. DIG Jammu-Kathua Range Dr S P Vaid told newsmen that five foreign nationals, who were not militants but had inadvertently crossed the border and completed the sentence awarded to them by the Court, escaped from the lock up at about 0230 hours in the morning. The foreigners managed to come out of the lockup as Sentry on guard duty and other police personnel present in the police station weren’t alert and were probably sleeping. The detenues opened the lock with a master key, which had been provided to them by some ‘insiders’ and came out. In the meantime, hearing the sound of opening of lock-up Sentry on duty—a Special Police Officer (SPO) Rishi Kumar and Selection Grade Constable (SGC) Mahesh Kumar intercepted the fleeing intruders and tried to push them back into the lock-up. A scuffle ensued between constables and fleeing intruders. One of the infiltrator over-powered Sentry Rishi Kumar and attacked him with a blunt weapon (a ‘darati’ kept in an adjoining room of police station for cutting wood) rendering him unconscious. Another constable Mahesh Kumar was also hit on the back with the same weapon. Five police personnel, who were present in the police station at the time of incident, didn’t wake up despite alarms raised by the injured jawan Mahesh Kumar. This gave an access to the detenues to escape from the spot. They also took away an SLR of the Sentry alongwith them while escaping. The injured SPO Rishi Kumar succumbed to his injuries before being shifted to the hospital while another injured constable Mahesh Kumar died in the Medical College Hospital late tonight. Dr Vaid identified the escapee foreigners as Mohd Ismail of Kachi Line in Kasoor district of Pakistan, Mohd Hafiz of Kingrah village in Sialkot, Mohd Ashraf and Sarfaraz Ahmed, both of Sialkot district in Pakistan and Mehmood Khan of Pukhaltia district in Afghanistan. Immediately after getting a report, SSP Border Mr Gulzar Singh Slathia and Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Samba rushed to Ramgarh police station alongwith police and para-military personnel. Dr S P Vaid, DIG Jammu also visited Ramgarh in the morning for on the spot investigations. Police said a high alert was immediately sounded along the entire stretch of International Border. Army and BSF were sounded to maintain a strict vigil on the border in anticipation of reports that escaped detenues might try to cross over to Pakistan. Border Police also erected special nakas to apprehend the escapees. However, police don’t rule out the possibility of foreign nationals having been succeeded in reaching Pakistan well before the alert as border was just three kms away from the police station. Replying to a question at the press conference, the DIG Jammu don’t rule out the connivance of some police personnel of Ramgarh in letting the foreign nationals escape. Infact, the theory of connivance gained credence with the recovery of a master key from the spot, which had been used in by the detenue in opening the lock-up. The key has been seized by the police. Dr Vaid said a high level inquiry has been ordered to verify police connivance and other loopholes which resulted into the escape of foreigners from police lock-up. Additional Superintendent of Police, Border Mr B L Pandita has been entrusted the inquiry. Pending an inquiry all five police personnel on duty in the police station last night have been placed under suspension. There was possibility that some constables might have connived with the foreign nationals and allowed them to escape from the lock-up. This aspect will be speedily investigated by the inquiry team. SHO Ramgarh police station Sub Inspector Raghubir Singh has been attached to District Police Lines (DPL). However, he wasn’t present in police station at the time of escape and was reportedly on leave. He has been replaced with another Sub Inspector from Samba police station Mr Balkar Singh as officiating SHO. Police, however, clarified that all five escaped Pakistanis and Afghani were not militants or saboteurs but they had crossed over to Indian side due to mistake. All of them were middle-aged. While Mohd Hafiz was arrested in 1992, Mohd Ismail had been arrested in 1996 and Mohd Arshad in 1997. Sarfaraz Ahmed and Mehmood Khan were arrested in the year 1998. All of them were booked under 14 Foreigners Act and challaned in the court of law. All of them were sentenced to six months imprisonment, which all of them had completed. The foreigners now had been lodged in Ramgarh police station only to be pushed back to Pakistan. The foreigners were, infact, ‘no man’s baby’. Legally, police said, they were not under police custody as they had served the sentence awarded to them and had to be pushed back. However, due to delay in Government sanction for push-back, the foreigners were held up at the police station. While the push-back order of Mohd Hafiz was issued on June 4, 1997, the similar order of Mohd Ismail was issued on May 12, 1998. The push back orders of Mohd Arshad, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Mehmood Khan were issued on August 26, 1998 and May 4, 1998 respectively but Government sanction was pending in all the cases. Surprisingly, there were six more Pakistani nationals lodged in Ramgarh police station but they didn’t escape with their fleeing associates. They too were illegal border crossers and were awaiting their push back sanction from the Government. Condition of injured police constable was stated to be serious in the Medical College hospital. |
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Rifles, detonators
recovered Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 13: Troops of Delta Force have apprehended a militant aide with arms from Village Maliknar in Kishtwar tehsil of Doda district who was serving as and over ground worker of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit. The arrested aide, namely Mohd Iqbal son of Ghulam Quadir, a resident of Maliknar is an employee of post office Chattru and believed to be working for the dreaded militants Atta Mohd alias Khursheed (Code 90), a self styled area commander of Chattru area. Mohd Iqbal is believed to be actively involved in transhipment of arms and ammunition. He was arrested by a joint team of 11 Rashtriya Rifles and STF Chattru. His activities were being monitored since past two months. Finally on receiving a tip off from reliable sources, a team lead by Major G M Kumar raided his residential premises and caught him red handed with two 12 bore rifles, 23 IED detonators and 2 sophisticated binoculars hidden in the house. He was immediately whisked away for further investigation. This is the third arrest from same area in last four days of Hizb supporters with weapons. It may be recalled that 11 Rashtriya Rifles arrested a dreaded militant on October 7, alongwith lare catche of arms and ammunitions. Also a bus was seized on same day near Chattru carrying believed large quantity of explosives. The area is suspected to be harbouring a number of militants supporters, who are actively involved in abetting militancy which are now being systematically targeted by security forces. |
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Civilian killed in
Mahore Excelsior Correspondent RAJOURI, Oct 13: Army trapped two militants with two young girls in a compromising position in village Seewala in Hillcock area of Poonch district last night. However, militants managed to escape alongwith the girls. According to sources, an army patrol party noticed some movement in the forest area of Seewala and became alert. On reaching close, troops saw two militants in compromising position with two young girls. Before the army personnel could lay hands on the militants, they were fired upon by ultras. Armymen returned the firing. After a brief exchange of firing, militants fled away from the spot alongwith girls in semi-nude conditions leaving behind their clothes. Troops recovered one AK-47 rifle, five magazines and hand grenades besides clothes of militants and girls from the scene of encounter. Army soldiers continued searches in the forest area of Seewala to apprehend the militants and girls. However, they remained untraced till this evening. Official sources said the incident has exposed the true face of the militants, who were exploiting innocent girls of the far off areas and forcing the girls to have sexual relations with them. Earlier also, the incidents of sexual harassment with girls had been reported from Poonch and Rajouri districts. Meanwhile, a civilian was slaughtered by the militants at Batoi village in Mahore tehsil of Udhampur district, bordering Budhal area of Rajouri district. The deceased has been identified as Ghulam Nabi Shah son of Mohd Shah of Batoi. Reports said two militants attacked the house of 50 year of Ghulam Nabi Shah and dragged him out. Militants chopped off his neck with a sharp-edged weapon resulting into his instant death. Militants escaped after the killing. |
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5 IPS officers
adjusted Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 13: The State Government today ordered transfers and postings of 14 Deputy Superintendents of Police (DySPs) including five IPS officers. After completion of their practical training, five IPS officers have been adjusted. Mr Jaideep Singh, IPS has been posted as Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Kishtwar while Mr Baipallab Kumar, IPS has been posted as SDPO Nowshera. Mr Vijay Kumar, IPS has been posted as SDPO Ganderbal. Mr Garib Dass was posted as SDPO Shaheed Gunj while Mr Alok Kumar was posted as SDPO Bijbehara. Following adjustment of five IPS officers, more transfers of DySPs/ASPs have also been ordered. Mr Dinesh Rana, SDPO Ganderbal has been transferred and posted as SDPO Bari Barahamana against an available vacancy. Mr Noman Thakur, SDPO Bijbehara was transferred and posted as SDPO Hazratbal while Mohd Ismail, DySP awaiting orders of postings has been adjusted as DySP Headquarters Badgam vice Mr Wani. Mr Abdul Qayoom Dar, SDPO Nowshera has been transferred and posted in Sher-i-Kashmir Police Academy, Udhampur. Mr Abdul Rasheed Lone, DySP in Police Academy Udhampur has been transferred and posted in Police Control Room (PCR) Srinagar. Mr Ghulam Haider, DySP JKAP 5th battalion has been posted as Staff Officer to DIG Baramulla. Mr Abdul Rasheed Sofi, DySP JKAP 14th battalion has been posted in PCR Srinagar while Mr Javed Ahmed Lone, SDPO Shaheed Gunj has been transferred and posted as DySP JKAP 5th battalion. |
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Shah to look after in absence of Farooq Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Oct 13: The Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah has directed that in his absence from the State w.e.f. October 13, 1999 the Minister for R&B, Mr Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Shah shall preside over the meetings of the Cabinet. In pursuance of Jammu and Kashmir Business Rules, the Chief Minister has also directed that all the cases of the departments falling under his charge shall also be disposed off by Mr Shah during the aforesaid period. Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 13: Bari Baraha-mana police today seized a Maruti taxi Van full of crackers and arrested a trader who was bringing the crackers from Kathua without any valid permission. The Maruti taxi No. 5463 JK02K carrying crackers was seized by a Bari Barahamana police station party led by SHO Mr Rajinder Sharma. The trader identified as Dharminder Singh of Shastri Nagar has been arrested by the police. The seized crackers valued Rs 20,000. A case has been registered against the trader. |
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