Abdullahs get rousing reception as they reach to stay in Valley
Omar ridicules New Delhi’s refrain of free, fair polls
‘Zargar, Qazi and other PDP candidates used militants to defeat NC’

From Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Oct 14: Second time this year, Farooq Abdullah’s National Conference (NC) was seen in high spirits as hundreds of the party workers today gathered at Srinagar Airport and accorded a warm reception to the former Chief Minister and his political successor, Omar Abdullah. After staying in Britain for three months, Farooq returned to the rousing reception and fuelled speculations of political manoeuvering by his party, which had met a crushing defeat in Assembly elections last year these days.

Farooq Abdullah, who had taken retirement from active politics last year, today sounded prepared for a fresh round of political manoeuvering. Accompanied by his son and the NC president Omar Abdullah, he reached here in a routine Jet Airways flight. Enthusiastic NC workers, drawn from all over the Valley in about a hundred vehicles, shouted high-pitch slogans in favour of Farooq, Omar and the NC. They yelled against the "healing touch" policies of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s coalition Government and exhibited high spirits— rarely seen in the Valley in the last several months. With the glaring exception of MLA Rafiabad, Mohammad Dilawar Mir, and MLA Gurez, Nazir Gurezi, all the NC legislators, top office-bearers and former Ministers were present.

Both, Farooq and Omar, are understood to have reached for a long and "permanent" stay at their home. After a long time, Farooq’s wife is also reaching here on Thursday to stay with her family for some months. While the father is trying to erase the stigma of being "non-resident", the son is going to deliver most of his political speeches in Kashmiri. Meticulously impressive in his mother tongue, Omar seems to have improved his Kashmiri in the company of a few of his friends.

While addressing an upbeat gathering at the NC’s Nawa-e-Subah headquarters, Farooq asked his party workers and leaders to be prepared "for taking over the reins of the Government very soon". Without an elaboration, he said that he would be meeting his party colleagues to know what kind of a role they wanted in the current political scenario. "The day is not far away when the Government will be ours. The month of Ramazan is approaching with good tidings for National Conference", he asserted. He said that thousands of his party activists had been killed in the last 13 years and the NC’s "next step" would be "without any treason". Significantly, his concluding slogan today was not Jai Hind. It was: "Shaheedan-e-qaum, Zindabad" (Long live martyrs of this nation).

After last year’s electoral defeat, it was second time that NC organised a public show of strength in this Capital city. On the Martyrs Day of July 13th this year, Omar had addressed a 6,000-strong gathering at Khanyar but Farooq had left for London a day before. For him, Srinagar was warm after a long time. In addition to drumbeaters, a group of 100 middle-aged and elderly women from the JKLF chief Yaseen Malik’s uptown locality of Maisuma enlivened the show. They relished the scene of three Ministers—Lal Singh, Thakur Puran Singh and Raman Matoo—getting stranded in the reception rally on the airport road. The trio was on way to the airport from the opposite direction.

Unlike Farooq, Omar’s speech was explicitly hard-hitting on Mufti as well New Delhi. He described the coalition government’s recent take-over of Muslim Auqaf Trust as "Delhi’s conspiracy to occupy Kashmir’s religious places". According to him, Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed had "handed over Hazratbal to Jagmohan for some pennies". He obviously targeted Mufti’s act of bringing Hazratbal under the control of the newly constituted Wakf Board, followed by Jagmohan’s announcement of developing Hazratbal as a major centre of pilgrimage tourism. Jagmohan, former J&K Governor, who is now Union Tourism Minister, has lately sanctioned a good amount of funds for Hazratbal.

Omar said that in 1996-2002 period, Mufti had continuously blamed Farooq Abdullah for sabotaging talks between New Delhi and Kashmiri separatists. "Farooq Abdullah is out of power for the last one year. Who’s now botching up the talks—Mufti or New Delhi?", Omar asked. He asserted that the State and the Central governments had actually no intention to initiate a dialogue with the separatists.

Omar blasted the Prime Minister’s and the Deputy Prime Minister’s refrain of "free and fair elections" and alleged that a number of the NC’s political opponents had used the militants to manipulate the results. "While as there were eight militant attacks on Sakeena (NC’s candidate from Noorabad), there was none on Zargar (PDP’s candidate). It’s now clear that the same militants, who stayed on Zargar’s house, had been attacking our candidate. Qazi Afzal (PDP’s candidate who defeated Omar in Ganderbal and became a Minister) has publicly admitted that he used the services of surrendered militants to win the election. Where are free and fair elections?", asked the NC president.

Omar said that the sacrifices of his party workers would not go waste. He said that no individual or party would be allowed to weaken the NC, which, according to him, was the true representative of the political aspirations of Kashmiri people. He asserted that in near future, the Prime Minister of India would have to visit Srinagar to announce internal autonomy. According to Omar, the gun had given nothing but bloodshed to Kashmir and there would be no solution to the problem but a sincere process of dialogue in accordance with the aspirations of the people of Kashmir and Jammu.

Omar claimed that Mufti’s one-year-old Government had failed on all fronts from employment to development. He said that the Government jobs had been frozen, higher secondary pass-outs declared ineligible for appointment as Rehbar-e-Taleem, middle pass youth debarred from applying for the posts of constables and the developmental activity had come to a standstill. There was also steep hike in the power tariff and the prices of common commodities had spiraled up.

Vajpayee reviews Ayodhya situation
*VHP continues tirade

NEW DELHI, Oct 14: As tensions rose ahead of VHP’s Ram Temple campaign on October 17 in Ayodhya, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today reviewed the situation with Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani and RSS leadership stepped in to lower temperatures but VHP continued its attack against Vajpayee.

The day began with RSS leader Ram Madhav meeting Advani, followed by discussions between VHP and RSS leaders on how to check the situation from going out of control.

Expressing fraternal solidarity, RSS chief K S Sudarshan spoke to Vajpayee and is understood to have discussed the need for arrangements for peaceful execution of VHP programme and to impress on the Mulayam Singh Yadav Government in Uttar Pradesh not to carry out "repressive" measures against the Ram Bhakts.

BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu was also present at the meeting between Vajpayee and Advani which decided that Union Minister of State for Home Swami Chinmayananda would coordinate with the VHP to ensure that the programme passed off without any violence.

It was also decided at the meeting that no trains would be either stopped or diverted as this would only put people to hardship.

Meanwhile, VHP continued its attack against the Prime Minister holding him "directly responsible" for the "repression" on Ram Bhakts. It exposed the anti-Hindu image of the centre, VHP leader Surendra Jain told reporters.

Spelling out its three-point demand, Jain said the centre should get all Rambhkatas released from jail immediately, restore rail services in Ayodhya and withdraw para-military forces from the area.

"The centre has crossed all limits in its repression on Rambhkatas to present an anti-Hindu image," he said, adding that for this the centre was more resposible compared to UP Government.

The RSS, however, chose to single out the Mulayam Singh Yadav Government, saying that in case of any trouble in the law and order front, it would be held responsible.

"Problems are arising because of the State Government. This is not fair and the situation may worsen," RSS spokesman Ram Madhav told reporters here.

Asked if he shared the hard-hitting remarks of VHP general secretary Pravin Togadia against Vajpayee yesterday, the RSS leader evaded a direct reply saying he supported the programme of Ram Bhaktas to have a darshan of Ram Lalla (idol) but would not indulge in personal criticism.

Asserting that RSS extended full support to the Ayodhya Darshan programme, Madhav said the Sangh did not expect any hurdles in the way of the Ram Bhaktas but "now there are many obstructions".

He said Ram Bhaktas were being stopped at various places, dragged out from trains, which were either stopped enroute or diverted. Arrests were also being made, he said and demanded that all such actions should be stopped.

Madhav said since VHP had promised that the programme would be peaceful and even the Prime Minister had said that they should be trusted, there was no need for such actions.

Meanwhile, the BJP sought to adopt a soft approach towards VHP’s October 17 programme in Ayodhya and follow the line taken by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee towards the saffron outfit.

"Whatever the Prime Minister has said on the VHP programme, the party is in agreement with him and we are sure that it will pass off peacefully," party spokesman Prakash Javadekar told reporters here.

Vajpayee had expressed faith in the outfit’s claims that it would be peaceful.

Declining to be drawn into any discussion on the issue, Javadekar said "the centre would take the appropriate steps and so far it has not taken any decision regarding stopping trains from passing through Ayodhya."

On remarks by VHP leader Praveen Togadia about BJP, he said "we don’t want to enter into any argument with VHP." (PTI)

Mufti calls coalition partners’ meet to iron out differences

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 14: Chief Minister Mufti Mohd Sayeed has called a meeting of top leaders of his coalition Government in a bid to sort out certain differences within its partners that have surfaced in open during the past some time, thereby putting the Government to embarrassing situation.

The high profile meeting is slated to take place tomorrow in the Summer Capital of Srinagar.

While PCC-I president Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma and Peerzada Mohd Syeed from Congress will take part in this meeting, apart from Chief Minister Mufti Mohd Sayeed, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, Finance Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig and Mr Ghulam Hassan Mir will represent People’s Democtaric Party.

From the newly floated Peoples Democratic Forum (PDF), Hakeem Mohammed Yaseen and Mr Ghulam Mohideen Sofi have been extended invitation to take part in the meeting in a bid to iron out differences within the coalition partners.

Prof Bhim Singh and Education Minister Harsh Dev Singh will represent Panthers Party in this meeting. CPI(M) leader and MLA, Mr MY Tarigami, who is also supporting the coalition Government, has also been invited to this meet.

Informed sources told EXCELSIOR that the purpose of tomorrow’s meeting within the coalition partners is to weed out certain misunderstandings, that have cropped up during the functioning of Mufti Government for the past one year, within its partners.

The sources said that due to these misunderstandings, the Government has been facing uncertainty and in a bid to remove the crisis, these leaders will sit together to restore the confidence in the leadership.

The sources, while terming the meeting as extremely important, said that some hot discussions are expected to take place on certain issues, particularly keeping Common Minimum Programme (CMP) into consideration.

The sources further said that it has been conveyed to the partners of the coalition Government that due the differences and speaking against each other, the Government was facing tough time to function. Further, development programmes are not addressed to as it has been witnessed that coalition Government in certain cases is not functioning cohesively due to some differences within its partners.

These issues, the sources said, will be discussed threadbare by the top leadership to put an end to the wrong signals emanating from coalition camp.

RWI with ISD being used for communication
Hi-tech ultras now use satellite, cell phones

By Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Oct 14: Following frequent interception of their messages, Pakistan army has converted communication system of its sponsored militants hi-tech by equipping them with satellite and cellular telephones and use of internet. Recently, army authorities have also noticed the use of Radio Wire Integration (RWI) with ISD by the militants to "safely communicate" their messages across the border.

"Pakistan’s Communication Ministry, on the directions of its army and the ISI, has recently installed the cell phone towers close to Line of Control and International Border near Jammu and Kashmir to increase signal of the cell phones. This has been done to ensure that sophisticated cell phones provided to the militants operate in parts of J&K, atleast in the areas close to LoC so that the militant commanders could easily talk to their bosses in PoK", army officials said.

"We have noticed increased use of satellite telephones, internet, cellular phones and e-mail among the militants in several areas across the State. A number of such equipments have also been seized by army after encounters with the militants", they said, adding the facilities of internet and satellite phones have been provided only to the chief commanders while cellular phones have been given to the militants upto the rank of district commanders.

They said the militants used to convey their messages in codes. The coded messages, they added, are sent with the intentions that even if they are intercepted by the security forces, it take time to de-code them.

According to army officials, another significant phenomenon observed in communication system of the militants is use of RWI with ISD, which is done to "safely and clearly communicate" their messages across the border. RWI or Radio Wire Integration is used to connect a radio set to a telephone line, which is the latest form of improved communication system of the militants.

"Re-structuring of militant communication infrastructure has been carried out to improve quality and security of communication and achieve higher deniability", the sources said. They added that the militants have also re-named some of their communication control stations.

However, according to sources, army authorities too used to frequently upgrade their communication system especially in the border areas to intercept messages of the militants. "Half of the successful operations are based on the intercepts", they said.

Meanwhile, another set of figures released by the Army authorities revealed magnitude of the militancy during last 13 years. As per the figures, security forces and police have so far recovered over 72,000 tons of explosives across the State since 1990.

Over 31,000 weapons, mostly the rifles, have also been recovered from the militants and their hideouts over the period, they said.

An all time high 3449 rifles were recovered in the year 1995 while the lowest number of rifles’ recoveries was 217, which was made in the year 2001. This year (upto September), 1219 rifles have been recovered by the army.

Recoveries of deadly rifles started in the year 1990 with army finding 1801 weapons from the possession of militants. Recoveries jumped to 2307 in 1991 and 3290 in 1992. Recoveries of rifles stood at 2551 in 1993 and 3017 in 1994 while it was maximum at 3449 in 1995, the sources said.

In the year 1996, security forces recovered 2281 weapons followed by 1999 weapons in 1997 and 1799 weapons in 1998. Recoveries in the year 1999 were 1644 and 1949 in 2000, 217 in 2001 and 2077 in 2002.

Rickshaw puller’s custodial death
NHRC seeks reply from J&K’s top officials

NEW DELHI, Oct 14: Taking cognizance of a complaint from a voluntary body, the NHRC has directed the Chief Secretary and the Home Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir to submit their replies within four weeks on the alleged "inhuman torture and custodial death" of a rickshaw puller by the Jammu police.

In its complaint on July 25, the Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) had urged the National Human Rights Commission to summon the two officials for their failure to comply with the directives of the NHRC on the torture and custodial death of Mohan Lal, a rickshaw puller from Punjab, by the Jammu police on July 2.

In a statement, ACHR director Suhas Chakma said since the officials failed to submit their replies, the NHRC sent reminders on August 25 and September 11. "However, on both occasions, the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary and the Home Secretary ignored the directions of the NHRC," he pointed out.

Mohan Lal, who hailed from Mahal village in Amritsar, was subjected to torture allegedly by the Jammu police and he succumbed to injuries at the District Police Lines (DPL) Hospital, Jammu.

A father of three children, Mohan Lal was one of the suspects rounded up by the Gangyal police in Jammu on June 21 in connection with the burglaries allegedly committed by the "kala kacha gang" in various parts of the city.

Mr Chakma said the post-mortem conducted at the DPL hospital did not find any marks of his torture. However, after the body was sent to his native village, the District Magistrate of Amritsar ordered a re-examination (post-mortem) on July 4.

The three-member medical board reportedly found as many as 36 marks of electric shocks besides bruises on Mohan Lal’s body, leading to his death, he said.

"The fact that the post-mortem conducted at Jammu did not show any mark on the body of Mohan Lal raises questions about medical ethics of the doctors despite the guidelines issued by the NHRC on the issue," Mr Chakma said in his complaint to the commission.

The ACHR also appealed to the NHRC to order an inquiry by the investigation wing of the commission into the incident, direct suspension of all the police personnel who had been charged by the Punjab police and order payment of an interim compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the victim’s family.

Mr Chakma further suggested that the NHRC establish its own legal cell for prosecuting the culprits responsible for custodial deaths.(UNI)

Bin Laden’s son assumes key role in Al-Qaeda

WASHINGTON, Oct 14: One of Osama bin Laden’s oldest sons has emerged as a key player in the Al-Qaeda network and is part of a small group of leaders running the group from Iran, the Washington Post reported today.

Citing US and European intelligence sources, the newspaper reported that Saad bin Laden and other senior Al-Qaeda operatives in Iran were in contact with an Al-Qaeda cell in Saudi Arabia just prior to the May 12 suicide bombing in the Saudi capital that killed 35 people.

The sources gave no details of the communications but said the contacts led them to conclude that the Riyadh attacks were planned in Iran and ordered from there, the newspaper said.

Saad bin Laden and other Al-Qaeda leaders in Iran are protected by a secretive Iranian security force loyal to the nation’s clerics and beyond the control of the central Government, the report said.

The newspaper said Saudi Arabia has been trying to persuade Iran to extradite bin Laden and other suspects in the Riyadh bombing. Saudi officials estimate there are up to 400 Al-Qaeda members in Iran.

Born in Saudi Arabia, Saad bin Laden is believed to be 24 years old and is one of the eldest sons of Osa-

ma bin Laden and his first wife, according to the newspaper. Osama bin Laden has more than two dozen children with five wives.

According to the Washington Post, Saad bin Laden was at his father’s side in Afghanistan in the mid-1980s when Al-Qaeda was formed and was groomed to take a leadership role.

The younger bin Laden has only recently emerged as an important target for the CIA and FBI. It has only been since his arrival in Iran in the last year that he has assumed a more active role in directing Al-Qaeda, and that he has been identified as a senior leader, the newspaper said. (AGENCIES)

Infiltration on in J&K: George

NEW DELHI, Oct 14: Cross-border infiltration is still under way in Jammu and Kashmir, though its incidence might fluctuate, Defence Minister George Fernandes today said.

Responding to a query that a slight decline had been noted in infiltration activities, Mr Fernandes pointed out that "there was nothing permanent as far as terrorist activity was concerned."

The Defence Minister, interacting with newspersons on the sidelines of the Inland Coast Guard Commanders’ conference, said that according to the security forces, a ‘quiet week’ in the Valley did not denote an incident-free period.

"It actually means that a lesser number of incidents have occurred in comparison to the previoius week," he said, adding that they had reports that a large number of suicide bombers —‘fidayeen’ were coming in, to ‘make up for lost time.’

"There can be no last word as far as the activities of the terrorists in J&K are concerned," Mr Fernandes said.

However, he pointed out that the security forces, particularly the Army, were ready for "any situation."

The Defence Minister said that India had, in principle, agreed to hold joint military exercises with the Israelis but pointed out that these were not likely in the immediate future.

Responding to another query, he said relations with China were also ‘progressing satisfactorily’ and ‘steadily improving.’

Mr Fernandes expressed regret over the recent incident of the rape of a teenager, involving certain Army personnel, but added the activities of a handful of individuals should not be used to tarnish the image of an entire force.

Noting that the Indian Defence Forces were a ‘highly disciplined’ body of men, he said this incident was an aberration and hoped it would not be repeated. (UNI)

New Plot suspects taken for recoveries
*MI hands over 8 to police, 5 released

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 14: Three suspects arrested yesterday by a team of Special Branch from quarters of Ravinder Shiksha Sadan School, New Plots, have been taken for some recoveries in Srinagar, police said.

Of three detained youths, two were suspected to have links with the militants. They have been identified as Shabir Ahmed and Mohd Yusuf, both residents of Verinag, Anantnag.

Police said both of them were staying in the quarter of school’s chowkidar. However, police was yet to ascertain whether the chowkidar was aware of the activities of his "guests".

Meanwhile, all eight persons arrested by the Military Intelligence (MI) yesterday from Wani dhaba in JP Chowk, were handed over to police today. They were lodged in Channi Himmat police station.

However, according to police sources, none of them was involved in militancy. Six of them belonged to the Kashmir valley and two others to the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.

Five of them were released this evening. Police said they were handed over to their relatives.

A Defence official also confirmed that five detainees have been released after verification of their credentials. Three others were still with the police and their credentials are being ascertained from concerned police authorities.

OIC group on Kashmir meets

PUTRAJYA, MALAYSIA, Oct 14: The Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) contact group on Kashmir, which met here this morning, was apprised of the latest political and security situation in the insurgency-ravaged State by PoK Prime Minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan and Islamabad-based representative of Hurriyat Conference.

The meeting, which was attended by Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al Faisal, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, OIC secretary general Dr Abdulouahed Balkeziz, besides Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, received detailed briefing on various aspects of the Kashmir issue by the Hurriyat representative and the Pakistani side.

However, representative of Niger was not present at the meeting as its delegation had yet to arrive here for the OIC meeting, Mr Kasuri told newspersons.

The PoK Prime Minister and the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) representative Ghulam Mohammed Safi alleged that the human rights were violated in Jammu and Kashmir. The Foreign Ministers also heard the report of the fact finding mission of the OIC, which visited the PoK to report about the situation in the area.

The OIC had invited rebel Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani also but he could not attend the summit as he did not possess travel documents. In fact, it has angered another faction, led by Molvi Abbas Ansari, who had lodged protest on this issue.

Mr Kasuri said the fact finding mission, which was established at the Doha summit in 2000, could not visit Jammu and Kashmir as the Indian Government did not allow it to go there.

The contact group has decided to prepare a report on the basis of today’s discussion which will be presented to the Islamic summit, beginning here on Thursday.

Mr Kasuri said two resolutions were moved on the Kashmir issue in the meeting, expressing hope that both would be adopted by the Islamic summit. The resolutions call for "ending of repression in Jammu and Kashmir and resumption of dialogue between India and Pakistan" for resolution of all outstanding issues between the two countries. (UNI)

5 militants, civilian killed in Valley

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 14: While as security forces have killed at least five militants in three separate gunbattles in Kashmir valley since last evening, militants have reportedly shot dead a civilian in Karnah sector.

Official sources said that security forces have killed three unidentified militants in an encounter with them in Qazinag area of Kupwara district. They are believed to be Pakistani members of Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad outfits.

Unidentified gunmen, believed to be militants, have shot dead a 75-year-old civilian, Mohammad Shah, in his house at Jabri, close to LoC, in Karnah sector of Kupwara district. His wife has sustained injuries in the shootout. She has been rushed to a military hospital.

At 1945 hours this evening, troops killed a local militant of Hizbul Mujahideen in an encounter at Rathsuna village in Tral. He was yet to be identified.

Troops of Rashtriya Rifles have killed one more militant in an encounter in Sheikhpora forest area of Panzla in Rafiabad, Baramulla. He has been identified as Ghulam Hassan Hurra alias Col Zubair S/o Rasheed Hurra R/o Rangwar.

Gool rocket attack toll 3

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 14: Death toll in Sunday night’s rocket attack by the militants at Chaklas in Gool today rose to three with a BSF jawan succumbing to his injuries. In another incident today, the militants killed a hostage.

Reports said BSF jawan Deeraj Singh, who was seriously injured in rocket attack alongwith a Havildar at Chaklas late Sunday night, succumbed to his injuries in Military Hospital, Satwari this morning. As reported, two civilians were killed on spot while two BSF jawans and another civilian were injured in rocket attack.

A civilian Noor Jamal, who was kidnapped by the militants on October 8 from his house in Deedha, Gool, was found late last night in Deedha forest in serious condition. He died while being shifted to hospital.

Meanwhile, militants shot at and injured a civilian Farid Ahmed son of Aziz Sheikh at village Aatangam in Marwah area of Doda. He has been admitted in Primary Health Centre at Nawapachi.

Militants also fired upon a VDC member Ram Lal son of Madho Ram at Chandel Mora Machwal in Bani area in Kathua district this morning. The VDC member retaliated forcing the militants to escape. No casualties were reported on either side in the firing. The militants left behind one AK magazine, while fleeing.

Women protestors teargassed

SRINAGAR, Oct 14 : Police today fired dozens of teargas shells and used batons to clear the Srinagar-Airport road blocked by a group of women to protest hike in power tariff and erratic power supply, barely an hour before the arrival of former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah here.

Official sources said a group of women sat on a dharna on the road near Rambagh causing traffic jam, upon which the policemen, who have been deployed in strength all along the road as part of security measures for Abdullah, swung into action and used batons and teargas shells to disperse the women protestors.

As the policemen were busy in chasing away the protestors, the service rifle of a jawan went off accidentally but none was hurt, the sources said.

They said the road was cleared of all hurdles and additional policemen were deployed in the area to maintain law and order.

Abdullah flew in here from New Delhi this afternoon after a long vacation abroad and was accorded a warm welcome by NC activists and supporters who had assembled outside the Airport. (PTI)

Vehicle lifter escapes police custody

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 14: A vehicle lifter Kamal Kumar of Akhnoor, who was described as kingpin of a scooter lifters gang by the police, has escaped from Chowki Chowra police post.

A high level police team comprising Additional SP Jammu S R Samuel and SDPO Akhnoor P P Singh today visited Chowki Chowra police post for holding an inquiry.

Police sources, however, said that the scooter lifter was not at all arrested by Chowki Chowra police. How-

ever, a news about Kamal Kumar’s arrest was given by a police spokesman to all the newspapers on October 4 and it was published in the papers the next day. Police had claimed that Kamal Kumar was kingpin of a gang engaged in thefts of the vehicles.

At that time, police didn’t contradict the press reports pertaining to the arrest. But, after escape of the scooter lifter from police custody, police claimed that he was not arrested. Also, arrest of the accused was not mentioned in the records of Chowki Chowra police post, they said.

 
 
 
 

 

 

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