Rs 100 cr released from Relief Fund
PM declares Orissa cyclone as national calamity

NEW DELHI, Oct 30: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today declared as national calamity the destruction caused by the super-cyclone in large parts of coastal Orissa and said no estimate of loss of human life and property could be made as communication links with the state stood snapped.

At least 10 million people have been affected in eight districts of the state whose entire coastal area has been severely hit, Vajpayee told reporters after over a 90-minute special meeting of the Cabinet to take stock of the calamity.

Such has been the destruction and disruption of communications that the State Government has not yet been able to make any preliminary assessment of the loss to human life and property, he said.

Vajpayee announced release of Rs 100 crore from the National Fund for Calamity Relief, because of the exceptional circumstances, in response to the Orissa Government’s request for additional funds and treating it as a national calamity.

The Prime Minister said Rs 200 crore would be given as additional support following a plea from the State Government. This would be in addition to Rs 250 crore released to the State Government when Vajpayee visited Orissa last Sunday for an aerial survey of the devastation caused by the first cyclone which hit the state earlier this month.

Replying to questions, Vajpayee said eight districts of the state, comprising one-third of Orissa, had been severely hit by the cyclone affecting at least ten million people.

At times of such grave natural calamity, we should all come to the aid of those who have suffered loss of their loved ones, or have lost the shelter above their heads. They need all possible help from their fellow countrymen, the Prime Minister said in an appeal.

I appeal to all citizens’ organisations, voluntary health organisations and fellow Indians to come forward to provide relief to the cyclone-hit people of Orissa and generously help in their rehabilitation.

Besides the financial aid, Vajpayee said all Central Government departments and agencies have been fully engaged in relief and rescue operations.

The Prime Minister said a four-member Ministerial team comprising L K Advani, George Fernandes, Naveen Patnaik and Jual Oram failed this afternoon to reach the cyclone-hit areas by helicopter from Kalaikunda Air Force base in West Bengal as winds with speed of over 120 kms per hour were still blowing.

He said after hitting the land at Paradip port with an unprecedented speed of 260 kms per hour, the cyclone had weakened but was moving very slowly causing heavy rains.

After the Cabinet meeting, Patnaik recalled that the severe cyclone which struck Orissa in 1971 had caused 10,000 casualties, but was weaker than the present cyclone.

I just cannot imagine what enormity of devastation and death the super-cyclone would have caused, he said, adding that low-lying coastal areas had been worst-hit and roads, rail links and electrical and communication lines had been totally disrupted. Orissa is in total darkness.

The Prime Minister said the cyclone has been standing still at one place and it is difficult to project its future course.

An estimated 1.5 million people have been uprooted from their homes, he said, adding while the Centre was in touch with the State Government till yesterday through a telephone link, that too had become non-functional since this morning.

Patnaik made a special appeal to all charitable organisations in India and abroad to donate generously to help tide over a calamity of this magnitude.

He said army which had reached Bhubaneshwar and Balasore last evening was carrying out relief and rescue operations, re-establishing communication channels and rebuilding important facilities. (PTI)

30 SHOs, PP Incharge transferred

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 30: In a major reshuffle, the district police today ordered transfers and posting of 30 Station House Officers (SHOs) and Police Post (PP) Incharges.

Inspector Ashok Singh Sambyal has been transferred from District Police Lines (DPL) and posted as SHO Gangyal. SHO Bishnah police station Inspector Jagjit Singh Jagga has been transferred to DPL. Inspector Dev Raj Parihar has been transferred from DPL and posted as new SHO Bishnah.

Inspector Jamroodh Singh, SHO Channi Himmat has been transferred and posted as SHO Trikuta Nagar police station vice Inspector Hardeep Singh Gill, who has been shifted to Police Lines. Inspector Kulbir Chand Handa was transferred from SHO Bus Stand police station and posted as SHO Nowabad police station in place of Inspector Swaran Singh Jangi.

Mr Jangi will be new SHO Satwari police station replacing Inspector Hafiz Ullah, who has been repatriated to Armed Range as per the directions of Police Headquarters. Inspector Shashi Thakur, SHO Bagh-e-Bahu police station and under transfer to CID, has been shifted to DPL. Sub Inspector Maggar Singh, Incharge PP Hari Market will replace Ms Shashi Thakur.

Sub Inspector Pervez Ahmed, SHO Gangyal police station was posted as SHO Bari Barahamana police station to replace SI Rajinder Sharma, who too has been shifted to DPL. SI Mohd Aziz has been shifted from DPL and posted as Additional SHO Bakshi Nagar police station.

SHO Janipura police station Mr Sat Pal Modi has been shifted to DPL. He will be replaced by SI Kuldeep Khajuria from DPL.

SI Himmat Singh, Incharge PP Parade Ground has been transferred and posted as Incharge PP Rehari while SI Arjun Singh, Incharge PP Medical College has been posted as Incharge PP Sarwal. SI Sanjeev Mahindroo, Incharge PP Panjtirthi has been posted as Incharge PP Parade Ground vice Mr Himmat Singh.

SI Narinder Singh has been transferred from police station Nowabad and posted as Incharge PP Canal while SI Rakesh Gupta was transferred from DPL Jammu and posted as Incharge PP Talab Tillo in place of SI Rajinder Parshad who has been posted as SHO Bus Stand police station.

SI Rohit Dev Singh has been transferred from Nowabad and posted as PP Panjtirthi. SI Braham Dass has been posted as Incharge PP Medical College, Jammu. SI Sham Lal will be new Incharge PP Falain Mandal while SI Rajinder Kumar has been shifted from Gandhi Nagar police station to Incharge PP Ware House.

SI Rattan Singh has been transferred from DPL Jammu and posted as Investigating Officer in Nowabad police station. ASI Baj Singh has been transferred from Bakshi Nagar police station and posted as Incharge PP Hari Market while ASI Shamsher Bhagat Incharge PP Flian Mandal was posted as Incharge PP Chowk Chabutra.

ASI Jasbir Singh was transferred from Bakshi Nagar police station and posted as Incharge PP Digiana while ASI Bishan Singh was transferred from Bari Barahamana police station and posted as Incharge PP Gadigarh.

Vital clues in blast
Kashmiri suspect held with fake currency

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 30: City police today arrested a Kashmiri suspect alongwith fake currency in the denomination of 500 and unearthed a gang operating in Jammu engaged in the business of fake currency.

Meanwhile, police today claimed to have achieved some ‘vital clues’ in Residency Road explosion but declined to disclose the clues on the ground that investigations were at preliminary stage.

SP City (North) Jammu Mr Johnny Williams said police have gathered clues which were being pursued to make a breakthrough in the explosion in which 20-odd people were injured. He said the suspects detained during investigations of the blast had also given some information concerning the blast.

Police expects a breakthrough in the blast very shortly, he said.

Police today arrested one Mohd Ashraf son of Abdul Ganai, a resident of Hawal area in Anantnag district from Parade Ground and recovered fake currency of Rs 500 from his possession. The arrest was made by a Parade police post party.

Mohd Ashraf was arrested on a tip off, police said, adding so far seven notes in the denomination of 500 have been recovered from his possession. A police party was being dispatched to Anantnag to ascertain the credentials of arrested youth.

Ashraf was being interrogated to ascertain whether he was part of a gang engaged in the circulation of fake currency or had got the fake notes by mistake. Further investigations were on, police said. A case against Ashraf has been registered under Sections 489-B and 489-C.

Meanwhile, IGP Jammu Mr R V Raju convened a meeting of senior police officers today to review the law and order situation in Jammu on the eve of Diwali and Secretariat move. DIG Jammu-Kathua Range Dr S P Vaid and SSP Jammu Mr M A Anjum besides other senior officers were present in the meeting.

Several steps were initiated to improve security scenario in the State, the sources said.

Largest number of policemen killed in current year
Major counter-offensive on cards: DGP

From Ahmed Ali Fayaz

SRINAGAR, Oct 30: Jammu and Kashmir Police and security forces are going to launch a 3-month-long counter-offensive against militants in Kashmir valley and the Director General of Police (DGP) is hopeful of substantial improvement in situation during this winter.

While addressing a crowded news conference here today, before shifting his office to the winter capital of Jammu for the next six months, DGP Gurbachan Jagat admitted that the latest sophisticated weaponry introduced by militants had brought about a serious anxiety for the Government. However, he was optimistic that with the help of generous central assistance, the State Government would neutralise a major chunk of insurgency in near future. Jagat disclosed that in addition to the 14-inch grenade-launchers, recently used in two attacks on Civil Secretariat, militants had lately acquired a large quantity of silencer-fitted AK rifles, Medium Machine Guns (MMGs), combat calibre guns and heavy mortars.

DGP said that the effective range of the small grenade-launchers, as used in the attack on Secretariat, was 300 to 400 metres. He said that such launchers had been introduced among militants in large numbers. Nevertheless, he said, Centre was generously cooperative with the State Government and a good deal of special financial support was being provided to combat militancy more and more effectively. He said that a sum of Rs 30 crore had been received the other day only for procurement of sophisticated weaponry while as Rs 4 crore had been provided for purchasing of vehicles.

Kargil, according to DGP, created vacuum of counter-insurgency grid as 60 battalions of security forces had to be shifted to the border and there remained a total of 22 companies of BSF and CRPF to carry out the operations alongwith police in Kashmir valley. Replenishments were coming fast but still the pre-Kargil concentration had not been achieved.

Counting reasons for the current spurt in militancy, Gurbachan Jagat said that in addition to Kargil, the State had to engage a large number of troops and police in smooth conduct of Amarnath Yatra. Independence Day ceremonies were another major pre-occupation and lastly there was the protracted period of electioneering for the Lok Sabha polls. All the three passed off smoothly, barring the assassination of BJP candidate Hyder Noorani in Anantnag district.

While as, according to DGP, around 2000 militants — mostly foreigners — had taken the advantage of the counter-insurgency vacuum and infiltrated into the Valley from May to August this year, about 150 militants were believed to have been pushed in during the last two months. All possible measures, he said, were being taken by the State Government to check and neutralise the rising level of militancy.

Jagat sought to dispell the impression that militants had stormed into the security forces' camps and targeted the officers and jawans with a suicidal format. He clarified that just two or three small groups of socalled "Fidayeen" had sneaked into the formations and killed a few personnel with the help of covering cover from outside. It was quite different from what the LTTE suicidal squads had been doing in Sri Lanka, he asserted.

DGP demanded credit for his 52000-strong Police force which had not only ensured best possible security arrangements during the yatra and I-Day ceremonies but had also conducted the Lok Sabha elections smoothly and efficiently. He pointed out that on one side the threat perception during elections was multifold this year but on the other hand the State had got and used just eight companies of additional troops for the most sensitive assignment. Last year, he said, Government had got 354 companies for the specific assignment of holding the polls in Valley.

As for the two rifle grenade attacks on the Secretariat, DGP admitted that it was a failure of police and security agencies. "Failure is a failure. I don't make excuses of failures", Jagat asserted, rather candidly. However, DGP quickly showered compliments on SOG Budgam for having apprehended a group of the militants who had fired grenades on the 6-storeyed complex. Jagat reminded that IGP Kashmir Gopal Sharma had already made it clear that there were two or three more of such militant groups in the capital city.

While claiming that J&K Police had finally associated itself with the task of fighting and finishing militancy, DGP said that SOG had done highly commendable job and police stations were now assertive against militants. Over 80% of specific information regarding the presence and movement of militants was being provided by police today. Jagat said that as many as 80 JKP personnel had been gunned down by militants during the current year and never before had such a number of personnel been killed in one year since 1990. Reason, according to DGP, was nothing but the fact that police had finally begun to take on militants.

In view of new positive developments among the police force, DGP said that the ceiling of ex-gratia in case of slain personnel had been raised from Rs 2.00 lakh to Rs 5.00 lakh while as the amount of relief had been doubled to Rs 2.00 lakh.

Aked when exactly would militancy end in Jammu & Kashmir, DGP quipped: "Pakistan will stop helping militants in the evening, peace will restore fully next morning".

DGP said that Hurriyat's involvement in the Sept 29 grenade attack on Secretariat had not been established but the matter was still under investigation in the background of the threat for "direct action". Nevertheless, he alleged that the Hurriyat leaders had been found responsible for financing militants and giving them soft targets for elimination.

Jagat said that during current year, SOG had killed 194 militants in different encounters while as 317 had been apprehended and 306 weapons had been seized till date. The seizure included 204 AK rifles, 62 rockets and 92 pistols.

Vigilance books PHE X-En for funds misappropriation

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct. 30: Vigilance Organisation has suo-moto initiated preliminary enquiry against Public Health Engineering (PHE) Division Kathua for mis-appropriation of lakhs of rupees.

According to sources, the Vigilance Organisation during the course of preliminary enquiry found that officials of PHE Kathua had showed an expenditure of Rs. 679.37 lacs under different heads without observing codel formalities. The works involving huge expenditure was executed departmently and payment made in favour of selected contractors on hand receipts/bills illegally and without seeking approval from Competent Authority and by abuse of their official position.

The enquiry further revealed that most of the work, such as service reservoirs, trial pits etc. have been executed departmentally and payment have been made in favour of selected contractors on hand receipts without any justification and approval of authorities. Huge amounts have been drawn by the Executive Engineer of the said Division on self cheques imprest money.

The A.E.E.s and Junior Engineers have shown the same amount paid to contractors/labourers on hand receipts/ muster sheets. Actually no amount was paid to contractors and labourers and said amount had been mis-appropriated by the officers and officials of PHE Divison Kathua. Payment certificates have not been recorded in cash vouchers by the concerned AEEs and Junior Engineers after making payments.

The enquiry further revealed that the officials of PHE Division Kathua have not observed codel formalities while maintaining the cash book. A perusal of cash book showed that payment in respect of C.V-418 of 1/99 has been made out of imprest money by the Junior Engineer between January 14, 1999, January 20, 1999 and subsequently submitted to Division Office but as per record the entries have been made in the Divisional Cash Book on January 1, 1999. During the course of enquiry it was also found that huge quantities of GI/CI fittings have been purchased from private firms on the basis repeat orders without inviting tenders.

There is nothing on the record showing non-availability of these materials in procurement Division during the said period which clearly shows that the purchase was made on exorbitant rates from private firms with malafide intention and for personal benefits.

During enquiry it has also observed that payment on account of repair Departmental vehicles executed between January and March 1997 have been made in January 1999 without any justification and approval of the competent authority out of the funds provided during 1998-99. The payments thus made on account of repair of Deparmental vehicles have not been justified as approval of competent authority to clear the old liabilities of 1996-97 out of the funds provided for the year 1998-99 have not been obtained.

It was established that the commission of the offence of the officers/officials of PHE Division Kathua amounts to commission of offences U/S 5(2) prevention of Corruption Act read with section 120-B RPC has been registered and ordered for investigation. It is also ordered that the investigating officer is authorised to conduct investigation and carry out search/seizure of record also to affect arrest of accused, if required, for purpose of investigation.

Two militants, cop killed in Doda, Udhampur encounters

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 30: Troops and Doda police delivered another big blow to the militants when they gunned down two dreaded activists of Lashkar-e-Toiba and Hizbul Mujahideen and apprehended four others after a fierce gun-battle in Makhanbaggi area of Doda district. A huge quantity of weaponry was recovered from the possession of militants.

In another encounter in Chasana area of Mahore in Udhampur district, a police constable Mohd Rafiq was killed.

A Defence Spokesman said information of a group of militants preparing a hideout in the area of Makhanbaggi was received by the Sector Headquarters. A multipronged search and destroy operation was launched by troops of Rashtriya Rifles under Colonel A Saxena, Colonel UP Singh both Commanding Officers of Rashtriya Rifles and Doda police, the same night.

During the search of the area in the wee hours of morning the militant hideout was located. However move of a large body troops alerted the militant and they fled in different directions.

A Rashtriya Rifles columns under Major YB Joshi and Major Suresh Babu chased three militants, fleeing towards Udhampur. Col Saxena ordered additional columns to block the escaping militants. Two columns under Captain Mandal and Major N Bandre were moved from two other directions. Militants finding no escape dropped their weapons in the nala and offered themselves to be apprehended by the security forces.

Two militants fleeing towards Bhagwa were intercepted by a column of Rashtriya Rifles led by Major Rakesh Trivedi in the area of Lal Draman. In the exchange of fire one unidentified LET militant was killed, where as another HM militant offered himself to be apprehended by the column of Captain R D Singh.

In another incident a search and destroy mission was launched in the higher reaches of Bharat ridge, one HM militant Gulam Mohd Lone who had got injured in the exchange of fire with troops of Rashtriya Rifles was reported to have succumbed to the bullet wound. Search for his body is continuing.

Continued search of the area led to the recovery of arms and ammunition. Major recoveries made so far include one missile, one disposable Rocket Launcher, one AK 47 rifles, one Radio set, RDX ½ kg, RPG rounds, grenades, assorted ammunitions. A massive search operation has been launched to recover arms and ammunitions dropped by militants.

Sector Commander Headquarters Rashtriya Rifles, Brigadier SC Sharma commenting on the operation said that this new trend by militants to offer themselves for apprehending is an encouraging sign and reflects a growing disenchantment amongst the local militants to continue with the life of self exile. He exhorted the local militants to come forward, surrender and join the main stream so that they lead a normal life with their family, relatives and the society.

Meanwhile, another encounter took place between Special Task Force (STF) and militants in Chasana area of Mahore in Udhampur district last night. The encounter continued for two hours in which a Selection Grade Constable (SGC) of police Mohd Rafiq was seriously injured. He succumbed to his injuries while being shifted to hospital.

Taking advantage of darkness and thick forests, the militants managed to escape. Sources said reinforcement has been dispatched to the village to continue searches and eliminate the absconding militants.

Another encounter in Srinagar outskirts
BSF Inspector, 5 militants killed

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 30: An Inspector of Border Security Force (BSF) and four militants -- all of them believed to be Pakistani nationals -- have been reported killed in two different operations in Kashmir valley today.

Official sources told EXCELSIOR that, on the basis of a specific information regarding the presence of three militants, Special Operations Group (SOG) Srinagar laid siege to Machhwa village, in the capital city outskirts, early this morning. At 0430 hours, when the SOG columns with back-up support of BSF’s 60, 63, 83 battalions and CRPF 28 Bn, began the house-to-house searches, militants opened fire and made desperate attempts to escape. Even as one of the militants managed to escape, two of his associates got killed. According to preliminary reports, the two slain militants had been identified as Mohammad Ali alias Abu Ali and Mohammad Iqbal alias Abu Omar. Residents of Abbotabad, Pakistan, both of them were believed to be cadres of Lashkar-e-Toiba.

While fighting the holed up militants at Allai Mohalla of the village, one BSF Inspector, namely Dina Nath, also got killed. He was reportedly a resident of Himachal Pradesh.

Two AK-56 rifles, one wireless set, 3 RPGs and a hand grenade were claimed recovered from the spot.

Today’s encounter took place in close vicinity of Shankarpora, where SOG Srinagar had eliminated four militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba on Wednesday last. With today’s operation, SOG Srinagar has eliminated as many as 9 militants in Srinagar during the last one month as 22 weapons have been recovered.

Taliban will accept Laden plan to leave Afghanistan

KABUL, Oct 30: Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban militia today said it was willing to accept an offer by suspected terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden to secretly leave Afghanistan with its help.

The Taliban’s supreme leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, in a statement carried by the Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press, said he wanted to ensure Bin Laden’s statement was not made under any fear or pressure.

If there is a confirmation by Osama, we will not oppose his wish and consider how to arrange his departure, the Taliban chief said.

Omar vowed that the Taliban would never bow to any pressure nor hand Bin Laden over to face a trial.

Earlier official Afghani sources said Taliban leaders would meet soon to discuss Bin Laden’s offer.

The sources did not say exactly when Omar, who is based in the city of Kandahar in southern Afghanistan, would convene the militia’s consultative council to discuss the issue.

AIP, a usual conduit for Taliban announcements, quoted a militia spokesman as saying Omar would give a reply to Bin Laden over the coming days after the consultation.

The Saudi-born millionaire, accused by the United States of terrorism, in a letter to Omar yesterday offered to leave Afghanistan on condition the Taliban ensured safe and secret passage to a third unnamed country, according to AIP. Laden’s offer appeared to be linked to heightened Taliban worries over its international isolation and growing pressure on them to expel the Saudi dissident.

In Washington, the State Department has reacted coolly to Bin Laden’s offer.

Osama bin Laden can run from Afghanistan, but he cannot hide from our determination to seek justice, spokesman James Rubin said. We will have a long, long memory. He cannot hide from the long arm of the law.

Washington has been in talks with Taliban officials on how best to deal with Bin Laden, but no consensus has yet been arrived at.

The last such meeting occurred in Washington on Monday between Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Karl Inderfurth and the Taliban’s New York-based representative Abdul Hakeem Mujahid.

Bin Laden, who has lived in Afghanistan as a guest of the religious militia, is blamed by the United States for the August 7, 1988 bombings of its two embassies in East Africa in which more than 200 people were killed. (AFP)

2 arrested, gold, opium seized
Smuggling racket of ISI busted

JALANDHAR, Oct 30: Police today claimed to have busted a smuggling racket of the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) with the arrest of two men from whom 16 gold biscuits and two kg of opium had been recovered.

Senior Superintendent of Police Gaurav Yadav said here that Gurnam Singh alias Cheema and Raj Kumar alias Raja were intercepted with the contraband in the city last evening while they were going on a scooter.

The SSP said Cheema and Raja were part of an ISI-backed module promoting gold smuggling and narco-terrorism in India. Cheema is resident of border village of Dial Bhatti in Amritsar.

On February, 1997, Vinod Kumar, Raj Kumar’s brother and Jaspal Singh, a relative of Cheema, were arrested in Delhi with 70 kg of heroin worth Rs 70 crore hidden in diesel tanks of two trucks.

Cheema, who had been working for Pakistan-based smugglers since 1986, had made more than 200 trips across the International Border. Working for Lahore-based smugglers Ashraf Dhillon and Nazir Bhullar, Cheema had also been in touch with Ghulam Hussain of Daud village and Hanif of Miani village, both now also based in Lahore.

Arrested twice by Ramdas Police in 1986 and 1990, Cheema continued his nefarious activities undeterred by his arrests. He also took to smuggling of narcotics after gold was decontr-olled by the Indian Government in 1995.

According to Mr Yadav Cheema claimed that Swaran Singh alias Samma alias Doctor, a resident of Panchkula, and Ludhiana’s Anil Kumar Aggarwal alias Mappi, too, had been his associates. He had been delivering gold consignments to them. Doctor, who had been the kingpin of the module, now leads an opulent life style with Palatial houses at Panchkula, Ambala and Rajpura.

The officer said the Doctor has lot of property and police were compiling a list of his ill-gotten wealth to initiate legal action for its seizure.

Mr Yadav said the two confessed that they were to deliver 16 gold biscuits worth Rs 9 lakh and two kg of opium seized to the Doctor and Mappi.

The gold was being smuggled by them because of spurt in its prices in view of Diwali season.

The SSP said Cheema was particu-larly in contact with Mohammad Aslam of Lahore and Sohan Singh who were arrested by the city police a month ago and he was acting as a conduit for re-supply of contraband smuggled by Aslam.

Cheema was also having links with Pakistan smugglers who were in contact with Lahore-based Khalistan Commando Force chief Paramjit Singh Panjwar.

Their module was part of the Pakistan’s ISI strategy to push in narcotics alongwith gold through smugglers to raise money for funding subversive activities in the country, Mr Yadav said.

Both the accused have been remanded into police custody. (UNI)

| home | state | national | business| editorial | advertisement | sports |
| international | weather | mailbag | suggestions | search | subscribe | send mail |