Rare presence of mind averts major tragedy

By Dinesh Manhotra

JAMMU, Nov 30: Rare presence of mind shown by Joginder Singh, son of Hardit Singh of Gole Gujral Camp, has averted what could have been a major tragedy.

Instead of following the dictates of the two terrorists, who repeatedly asked him to take them to the Railway Station or some crowded spot, Joginder had left them stranded in an isolated place.

Braving terrorists’ threat, who had aimed mousers on him, Joginder only repeatedly dodged them.

Fear was very much visible on face as he has seen death from a very close distance but he was looking happy and satisfied that his timely action had paid off. Equipped with advanced weaponry, the terrorists were looking desperate.

"All the way from Gole Gujral to bypass I did not lose my patience. Although I was shivering with fear as one of the terrorists, sitting with me on front seat, had aimed mouser at me, I was looking for an appropriate opportunity to raise alarm", Joginder narrated, but regretted that all the way from Gole Gujral to bypass the load carrier, which he was forced to drive, was not intercepted at any Naka.

"Whenever I tried to slow down my vehicle, they (terrorists) took out their mousers", fear stricken Joginder told, adding, "not only by threats, terrorists also attempted to win my confidence by offering me money in lieu of taking to hospital and thereafter at Railway Station". "One of the terrorists, who received injury due to collision with my vehicle, was repeatedly asking to take him to hospital as he was groaning with pain", he said, adding, "I feared that they might kill innocent people at hospital so, dodged them, I advised them them not to go to hospital as there was presence of security forces". "I kept them dodging with a hope that my vehicle would be intercepted at Naka but of no avail", he rued.

"Terrorists were insisting on moving towards Railway Station but I dodged them by giving one excuse or other and ultimately took them to Narwal Chowk", he said, adding, "When my vehicle reached Narwal Chowk I was double-minded where to move. Without wasting a minute I applied my mind and turned the vehicle towards Nagrota as I was aware that there are some isolated places". As soon as terrorists alighted, Joginder rushed towards near by Narwal Police Post and informed about entire episode.

Recounting the incident, Joginder Singh narrated that he was driving auto (load carrier) of his brother Rajinder Singh on Gole Gujral-Gho-Manahasa Road. As Joginder reached near mill of Inder Singh a scooter bearing registration number 5143-JKO2D struck from the back. "A youth who was driving the scooter received injuries. Both the driver and pillion rider entered into hot-exchanges with Joginder. Within no time about half a dozen local youth gathered there", he said, adding, "both the scooterists, who were carrying two bags, fished out mousers and aimed these weapons towards youth and directed me to take them from the spot’’.

"I also saw one AK-47 rifle in a bag. So instead of entering into scuffle with them I though it better to follow their directions at that time", he said.

"Had Joginder Singh not displayed his presence of mind, the militants would have reached either Railway Station or Medical College hospital and inflicted several casualties", the official sources admitted. Other villagers in Pouni including the scooterists also displayed courage but all their efforts vent in vain due to police failure.

Army hopeful of 90% decrease in infiltration
Ceasefire to facilitate LoC fencing in J&K

From Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

URI, Nov 30: With the implementation of ceasefire between Indian and Pakistani troops on all borders between the two countries, Army is now optimistic of completing the barbed-wire fencing on the International Border (IB) and the LoC in Jammu & Kashmir well before the initial deadline of June 2005. Chief of the Army Staff, Gen N C Vij, told mediapersons at Pathankot last week that the ambitious task would be accomplished by March 2005. Next day, General Officer Commanding Northern Command, Lt Gen Hari Prasad, said at a news conference in Srinagar that the deadline was October 2004. In the first week of the ceasefire, which is holding without violation, Army authorities have now "reasons to believe" that the work would be over, excluding in Gurez area, in the next seven months.

Senior Defence officials, who are under the orders of not identifying themselves, asserted that the execution of barbed-wire fencing in the 54-Km-long Gulmarg-Uri stretch would be completed well before the next autumn. They disclosed that the work had actually begun in May this year and 32 Kms of the stretch have already been covered. Taking advantage of the ceasefire, coupled with favourable weather conditions, authorities have immediately increased pace of the execution.

While as truckloads of barbed wire and Constantine wire are reaching this border town every day, hundreds of labourers and ponies have been engaged for headload carriage of the fencing equipment to its ultimate destination. Poor people, who would normally have no means of employment during these days of the winter, are getting anything between Rs 70 and Rs 100 for a day’s work. Owners of ponies are the happier lot as they are being paid Rs 500-something a day. The fencing underway has brought jubilation to thousands of people living in close vicinity of the LoC in Uri, Nowgam, Keran, Karnah and Machhil sectors. High altitude terrain of Gulmarg and Gurez are likely to be covered in June next year.

Authorities have already made it clear that the entire 198-Km stretch of the IB, besides over 70% of the 778-Km long LoC, would be fenced in less than two years to put an end to the "cross-border terrorism". According to them, 175 Kms of the targeted 747 Kms had already been fenced.

"Nothing other than ceasefire would have facilitated our job", said an Army officer, who admitted that work on the project had been disrupted by Pakistani troops’ shelling at several places. According to him, this gunfire had just two objectives: pushing in trained terrorists and disrupting the fencing wherever spotted.

Officials clarify that no borders in the world could be sealed fully. Nevertheless, they are hopeful that the barbed wire fencing, coupled with installation of Thermal Imagers (TIs) and Ground Sensors (GSs), would reduce the criss-cross of infiltration and exfiltration by 90%. They believe that though Pakistan was not sincere in the ceasefire and facilitating the cross-border terrorism, it was definitely under tremendous world pressure to disown and discourage Islamic militants.

Invariably the same reflection was in yesterday’s statement of radical militant outfit Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen, which has accused Pakistan of "hobnobbing with the enemies of Islam and Mujahideen". According to the Jamiat spokesman, prime objective of the current ceasefire was to facilitate the fencing work on the IB and the LoC in Jammu & Kashmir. While as the most formidable, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, has also dismissed the ceasefire as Pakistan’s "surrender", other outfits have been asking why the counter-insurgency operations of Indian security forces in the hinterland had not been frozen. It appears to be the biggest demoralising factor for the militants since Pakistan imposed ban on almost all the guerrilla organisations operating from the soil of that country.

Field units and outposts are now remarkably relying on the state-of-the-art TIs and GSs. A senior Army official explained how the TIs, already installed at some places, were showing "recognisable images" of human beings and animals upto a distance of 3 Kms. Weather conditions and the quality of light were irrelevant, he said and informed that vast minefields laid at sensitive spots had also checked infiltration to a large extent.

Though the fencing on LoC is far inferior to that of the IB in Punjab and Rajasthan, officials believe that it would be improved and upgraded in due course of time. They said that electric current would also pass through live wires along the fencing. They revealed that thick concentration of troops would be positioned on all points, like rivers, valleys, ravines, where laying of the fencing would not be possible.

Would people still cross the LoC? "It will be very difficult, perhaps impossible", said a 75-year-old resident of Dardkote village, who claimed to have crossed the LoC 12 times in the last 40 years. He said that infiltration was far easier when BSF was on the forward positions until recently. Now that Army is holding the first line and BSF is positioned on the second line, most of the infiltrators would be left with only two options: surrender or die.

Rs 2 lakh cash seized from harbourer Major among 3 killed

Excelsior Special Correspondent

RAJOURI, Nov 30: Two army personnel including a Major and a militant were killed in an encounter at Gambhir Mugalan in Manjakote area this morning while army recovered Rs two lakh more cash from a harbourer of the militants, recently arrested from Chasana, Mahore in Udhampur district.

An encounter took place this morning between the Army personnel and a group of the militants at village Dorimal in Gambhir Mugalan in which Major Udhay Singh, Naik Ranjit Singh and a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant Abu Hamza were killed, official sources said.

Two other militants escaped during the encounter, they added.

Recoveries made from the encounter site included one AK rifle and some ammunition. Abu Hamza was a hit man of LeT and was involved in a series of activities in Manjakote.

Meanwhile, the troops of Rashtriya Rifles today recovered Rs two lakh more cash from an overground harbourer of the militants, Basharat Hussain, who was arrested from Chasana in Mahore tehsil few days back alongwith Rs one lakh cash.

With this Rs three lakh cash has been recovered from Basharat Hussain, who was running a shop at Koteranka, Budhal. In addition, a Nokia mobile telephone was also recovered from him, the sources said, adding Basharat was working for the militants for last two years.

He has reportedly named one Shaji, who used to give him the cash, which was given to the militants in Mahore tehsil.

Further questioning of Basharat Hussain was on and some more clues were expected of him about the militant activities.

Meanwhile, a Hizbul Mujahideen militant Abu Ghani son of Shamas-ud-Din R/o Thandasu surrendered before security forces at Budhal this morning. He handed over one AK rifle, four magazines, 90 rounds and two hand grenades at the time of surrender, the sources said.

Security forces recovered one hand grenades, one matrix sheet, Rs 908 Indian currency and Rs 108 Pakistan currency during a search operation in Kalakote this evening.

7 Spaniards, 2 Japanese, 2 Americans die in Iraq bloodbath

BAGHDAD, Nov 30: Seven Spanish intelligence officers, two Japanese diplomats and two US soldiers were killed in an upsurge of violence in Iraq just as US Commanders hailed the success of massive counter-insurgency operations in stemming resistance to their seven-month-old occupation.

The targeting of the Spanish and Japanese yesterday clearly attempted to sap the readiness of some of Washington’s strongest allies to expose their nationals to the daily dangers of Iraq.

The seven Spanish agents were killed on their way from the capital to the town of Hilla, the coalition’s headquarters for south-central Iraq, where Spain’s 1,300 troops are deployed, hitherto a relative haven of tranquillity for coalition personnel, the US military said.

Their bodies were flown home from Baghdad today via Kuwait along with a wounded officer from Madrid’s National Intelligence Service, CNI, a Kuwait city airport source told AFP.

Spanish Defence Minister Federico Trillo and Intelligence Head Jorge Dezcallar met up with the Spanish Hercules C-130 flight in Kuwait.

A correspondent of London-based television Sky News, who was on the scene of the attack before coalition troops, said he saw a small crowd of Iraqis gathered around the bodies, chanting praise for Iraq’s fugitive former strongman Saddam Hussein.

In a further blow to US efforts to bolster foreign support for its operations in Iraq, two Japanese diplomats and their Iraqi driver were killed on their way to an aid meeting in Saddam’s hometown of Tikrit, still a bastion of support for the ousted President.

The attack, the first against Japanese personnel here, came as the two diplomats stopped at a food stall to buy food and drink just 15 km short of the restive town, which is now a major US base.

"The three persons had stopped for food and drink when attackers fired small-calibre weapons at them," said Colonel Bill MacDonald, spokesman for the US 4th Infantry Division, based in Tikrit.(UNI)

8 killed in road mishap

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Nov 30:Eight persons, including four women, were killed and nine others injured when their overcrowded jeep skidded off the road and fell into a gorge in frontier district of Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir today, official sources said here.

The Tata Sumo, which was going to Srinagar from Karnah, skidded off the road after the driver lost control of the vehicle, they said adding the vehicle which has a capacity of nine passengers was carrying 17 passengers.

The deceased have been identified as Abrar Ahmad, Sajad Ahmed, Rehana, Nissar Ahmad, Mohammad Shafi, Usma, Sammera and Munira, the sources said.

The injured have been admitted to a hospital in Karnah.

Shah hopeful of SAARC meet

SRINAGAR, Nov 30: Senior separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah today said a meeting between leaders of India and Pakistan at the coming SAARC summit could break the deadlock between them and prove productive for resolution of the Kashmir issue, which would be a ‘turning point’ in the relations between the two countries.

"Kashmir is mother of confrontations and a hurdle in the ties between the two countries. Once the two parties put forth their arguments, good results can follow," Shah said addressing a public gathering at Ompora in Budgam district of central Kashmir today.

Hailing Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for deciding to visit Islamabad for the SAARC summit in January and stating that he was not averse to meet his Pakistani counterpart Mir Jafarullah Khan Jamali, Shah said "results are expected only when you listen to viewpoint of others and express your views."

"The meeting between Indian and Pakistani leaders can break the deadlock in their relations and brighten the prospects of economic cooperation in the south Asian region, thus paving the way for resolution of Kashmir issue," Shah, who heads J and K Democratic Freedom Party, said.

Terming the ceasefire announced by Pakistan as "a bold step", he said the positive response by India was an equally welcome step and a good beginning for the resolution of Kashmir issue.

Referring to the factionalism in Hurriyat Conference, Shah said "a divided house cannot claim to take this struggle to its logical conclusion."

"If the leaders of India and Pakistan can meet at SAARC despite differences, why cannot the separatists create consensus," he asked.

Commenting on former Hurriyat Conference chairman Abdul Ghani Bhat’s statement that a road map for the resolution of Kashmir issue had been prepared, Shah said "the map carries no weight if it is not acceptable to the separatists. Those who talk of it should get the approval of the people."

Shah urged people to lend their complete support to the leadership of India and Pakistan in their efforts to forge a friendship between themselves. (PTI)

Oppn to corner Govt on Judeo issue

NEW DELHI, Nov 30: Congress and other opposition parties are all geared up to put the NDA Government on the mat over alleged "milking" of PSUs by six Union Ministers, the Judeo cash-on-camera scandal and a host of other issues during the shortest winter session of Parliament beginning December 2.

The Centre’s responsibility with regard to the violence in Assam and Mumbai, the alleged role of NDA ally Shiv Sena in the attacks on Biharis in the western metropolis, the Union Goverment’s role in dealing with Telgi scam and the Common Admission Test (CAT) paper leakage are other ammunition in the opposition’s arsenal to fire salvos at the Vajpayee Ministry, which has strongly denied its ministers had exploited PSUs.

"Congress will raise these issues in Parliament. We will not give them up," party spokesman S Jaipal Reddy said today.

He said the party will also seek enactment of a law by Parliament to allow the right to strike by Government employees which has lately been struck down by the Supreme Court.

Besides trying to turn the tables on the opposition on the Telgi scam and Assam violence and defending its ministers, the Government, on its part, has heavy business on its agenda including bills to amend the tough Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) and accord reservation for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies during the three-week-long session curtailed because of assembly elections in four states. The session would end on December 23.

Prevention of terrorism (amendment) bill would seek to replace an ordinance under which decisions of review committees on complaints lodged by those charged under POTA would be binding on State Governments.

The Union Cabinet had cleared the ordinance last month apparently in the backdrop of complaints from NDA ally and MDMK leader Vaiko booked by the Jayalalithaa Government in Tamil Nadu under POTA over a year ago for his alleged support to outlawed LTTE and the threat to invoke provisions of the anti-terror law against MDMK’s Central Minister M Kannappan.

During the session which would have 16 sittings spread over 22 days, Reddy said the Congress would seek amendment to the Constitution to eliminate provisions for "splits and mergers" of political parties as also for putting a ceiling on the size of ministries.

The party would also take up the issues of women’s reservation bill and full statehood to Delhi. (PTI)

Jamali terms ceasefire "big success"

ISLAMABAD, Nov 30: Terming the Indo-Pak ceasefire along the LoC as a "big success", Pakistan Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali has said his Indian counterpart Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s visit for the January SAARC summit here would strengthen the relations between the two countries.

"Ceasefire on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) is our big success," Jamali said in his native town Dera Murad Jamali in Baluchistan province yesterday.

"The Indian Prime Minister is a veteran and seasoned politician and we received a positive response from him," he said, adding "more positive steps are expected from the Indian side."

Jamali said Vajpayee’s participation at the SAARC summit to be held here from January 4 to 6 would strengthen the ties between the two countries and that the new developments would help the two countries to resolve the outstanding issues.

"I am hopeful that Mr Vajpayee would attend the SAARC summit in Islamabad" and this would help improve bilateral relations, Jamali was quoted as saying by media reports here today.

Later, Jamali said in an interview to a television channel that the resolution of major or basic issues would improve ties between Pakistan and India.

Jamali also said that the Kashmir issue "must be resolved in line with the UN resolutions and Kashmiris must be involved in the process."

He said meaningful and result-oriented talks between Pakistan and India were crucial to peace and stability in the region.

Jamali said he hoped that there would be restoration of rail and air links between India and Pakistan after the SAARC summit.

On the political crisis in the domestic front, he hoped that his Government would be successful in ending the deadlock with the opposition over President Pervez Musharraf’s constitutional amendments. (PTI)

Cong candidates escape, 7 killed in Naxals attack

RAIPUR, Nov 30: Six policemen, including an Assistant Platoon Commander, and a civilian were killed when Naxalites set off a landmine blast targeting a convoy of Congress candidate from Bijapur assembly constituency in Chhattisgarh, who escaped unhurt, last evening.

Outlawed People’s War Group Naxalites carried out the attack at around 1815 Hrs in Kungupalli village in Naxal-infested Bastar district when Congress nomiee Rajendra Pambhoi was returning after electioneering, Bijapur SP J S Watti told PTI today by telephone.

The security personnel jeep, which was following Pambhoi’s car, was blown to pieces, he said.

The killed were Assistant Platoon Commander Ramesh Kumar Nirmal, Head Constable Pawan Kumar and Constables Disali Ram, Visambhar Bhedia, Samar Singh Ekka and Rajendra Singh, all belonging to the 5th battalion of Chhattisgarh Armed Police.

The driver of the jeep, a civilian, who was yet to be identified, was also killed in the attack, the SP said.

The Congress candidate, who himself informed police about the attack, is on the hit list of Naxals which had earlier attacked his house at Bhopalpatnam. (PTI)

Mishra tipped as new CBI Director

NEW DELHI, Nov 30: U S Mishra, Special Director in CBI, is tipped to become the agency’s Director after the retirement of present incumbent P C Sharma on December 6.

After being cleared by the selection panel, Mishra’s name had gone to Prime Minister’s Office and an order on his appointment as CBI Director was expected soon, official sources said here today.

Mishra is a 1968 batch IPS officer from Orissa cadre.

Mishra was among the four IPS officers who were shortlisted by a panel comprising Cabinet Secretary Kamal Pande, Central Vigilance Commissioner P Shanker and Union Home Secretary N Gopalaswami.

Other contenders for the post included CRPF Director General S C Chaube and Special Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs B B Mishra, the sources said.

Chaube, a 1966 batch IPS officer from Uttar Pradesh, was in the race for the second time. Earlier, he had lost out to Sharma.

The CRPF chief, who has two months of service left, had served in the agency as Superintendent of Police.

B B Mishra, a 1967 batch Orissa cadre IPS officer, had also served the CBI in various capacities.

According to Supreme Court guidelines, it is mandatory for a CBI Director to have worked in the agency and possess enough knowledge in handling corruption cases. (PTI)

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