3 militants, civilian among 10 killed in Valley
Capt among 4 soldiers killed in blast near Pattan; 35 injured

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 9: In a broad daylight suicide attack on an army convoy, militants have killed at least four soldiers and a civilian driver while as 35 others have sustained injuries near Singhpura (Pattan) on Srinagar-Baramulla highway. Meanwhile, suspected militants have killed a civilian and security forces have killed three militants in two separate gunbattles in Kashmir valley since last evening.

Informed sources in north Kashmir told the EXCELSIOR that an unidentified militant blew up the Maruti car he was driving near Hartrath bridge, Singhpura (Pattan), when an army convoy of civil buses was on way to Uri from Srinagar. The explosion took place at 1045 hours, disrupting traffic on Srinagar-Baramulla highway for four hours. Sources said that a civil bus, JK02F-3715, carrying troops, was directly hit. Nineteen soldiers and driver of the bus sustained critical to mild injuries. While being evacuated, driver Joginder Singh, and a Captain, namely Lal Singh, succumbed to injuries. All the injured soldiers were rushed to hospital. Later, three more soldiers succumbed to injuries.

However, officials insisted that only one soldier, the civilian driver of the bus and the suicide bomber got killed in the blast. They said that condition of five soldiers was critical. These sources said that 20 civilians, including drivers, sustained injuries. In all 35 injured civilians and troopers were treated at different hospitals.

Sources said that at least six civilian vehicles suffered damage in the explosion. The militant driver detonated his car when the convoy vehicles were negotiating the bridge and those coming to Srinagar from Baramulla were on standstill. Identity of the suicide bomber could not be established as he was blown into pieces.

Someone, who identified himself as Abu Junaid, spokesman of Jaish-e-Mohammad guerrilla outfit, told some local news agencies over telephone that a militant of his organisation had caused the blast and killed a number of soldiers.

Security forces closed the highway for traffic for about four hours till all the vehicles, damaged or otherwise, were removed from the spot. Sources said that troops observed restraint and did not go for any over-reaction as had been happening at several places some years ago.

Militants have stormed military, para-military and Police formations about 70 times in the last five years but this kind of suicide attack has been carried out for the first time in Jammu and Kashmir. Sources said that the Maruti car seemed to have been laden with huge quantity of explosive material for it caused considerable damage to the targeted vehicle. Militants had left 50 soldiers wounded in a powerful blast at Lawaypora on the same highway in December last year but that time an IED had been planted inside an upcoming shop.

Officials said that today’s suicide attack on the army convoy near Pattan had added a new dimension to the threat perception to security forces. There is apprehension of massive casualties in case similar attacks were to be executed in cities and towns.

Meanwhile, sources said that on the basis of a specific information, troops of 9-Grenadiers conducted a search operation at Rangwar in Chowkibal area of Kupwara district today. During the operation, two unidentified militants got killed.

In yet another gunbattle, security forces killed a militant at Hapatnar Behak in Pulwama district. He was identified as Fayaz Ahmed Malik S/o Ghulam Mohammad Malik R/o Hampathri, Kulgam.

Late last evening, unidentified gunmen barged into the residence of a fruit grower Gul Mohammad Lone S/o Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Lone R/o Hanjan, Kulgam, and fired upon him. With critical injuries, he was rushed to a Srinagar hospital but he died on way. Sources said that he was the brother-in-law to vice president of Youth PDP, Nazir Ahmed Laway of Kulgam, but he had apparently no political connections. People interrogated by Police revealed that a foreign militant, Abdullah, had been spotted in the village after the shootout.

Sources said that unidentified gunmen appeared at Seer Hamdan in Anantnag district last evening and fired upon one Mushtaq Ahmed Khan, Khateeb of Jamia Masjid, Saddar Bazar, Mattan. He sustained injuries. He was quickly rushed to Anantnag District Hospital for treatment. Residents observed a shutdown today in protest.

Reports from Ganderbal said that the dead body of a mentally deranged person, namely Mohammad Abdullah Chara S/o Alam Din R/o Kachpathri, Ganewan, was recovered from the Power Canal, in Kangan. Sources said that there were no torture marks or gunshots on the body.

Police smashes espionage network
Editor of daily newspaper held

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 9: Police today claimed to have smashed an espionage network with the arrest of a local english daily editor Rehmat-ullah Khan along with two of his associates under Official Secrets Act for allegedly passing classified information to Pakistan.

Acting on information that certain individuals were involved in collecting classified information and passing it on to their mentors in Pakistan, sleuths of Counter Intelligence Kashmir, a wing of state police, raided the office of ‘Daily Rehmat’ and seized computers.

After interrogation, Khan, the daily’s Manager, Jatinder Singh Sirohi alias Sonu alias Sandeep and Computer Engineer Manzoor Ahmed Wagay were arrested and booked under the Official Secrets Act, the spokesman said.

CIK also sealed the office of the daily and detained two other staff members of the newspaper, Zahoor Rezvi and Zubair Ahmed Dar. However, both of them were let off after questioning. The arrest of the trio comes on the heels of the arrest of a local journalist Sahil Mohammad Maqbool Khokhar on similar charges on September 18.

The spokesman said investigations revealed that Sirohi, a resident of Bulandshahar in Uttar Pradesh, has been working as a computer technician as well as press reporter in Kashmir since 1998. He got in touch with Khan and subsquently started publishing a newspaper, the spokesman said.

The spokesman alleged that under the cover of the newspaper and being a computer technician, Sonu was managing access to various offices.

As a part of the alleged conspiracy with Khan, the spokesman said Sonu would transfer information from computers in these offices while carrying out repairs and the duo would pass on the information to Pakistan against handsome monetary consideration. He said a number of accounts were maintained by Khan and Sirohi in various banks particularly in Delhi to receive money in lieu of the information transmitted to their handlers.

Manzoor Ahmed Wagay, an engineer with a private company, R K Enterprises, located in high security Batwara here also joined in the criminal conspiracy and exploited his access to various computers for repairs, the spokesman said.

The spokesman said Khan has visited Pakistan and Dubai after which he started publishing the newspaper (daily Rehmat).

In Dubai, he got in touch with one Saleem, who according to him, works undercover for a daily there and is a Pakistani national. Some information collected by the trio was sent to saleem on his Dubai address, the spokesman said.

He said a case under section three of Official Secret Act, three of Enemy Agents Ordinance Act, 30 Press and Publications Act read with 120 (B) and 121 Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) has been registered and investigation started.

'I feel doubly ashamed for I'm a Kashmiri and my wife a Pakistani'
Sajjad: Pak scribes were conducted to confusion

From Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Oct 9: Chairman of Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Conference, Sajjad Lone, today alleged that co-ordinators of the Pakistani journalists’ visit had actually sabotaged the basic objective of the SAFMA initiative to bridge the communications gap between the Pakistan-administered Kashmir and India-administered Kashmir. He described it as the "Kashmiris’ bad luck" that self-styled non-Kashmiri activists had conducted the guest mediapersons to utter confusion and embarrassment in Srinagar.

In an exclusive interview with the EXCELSIOR, son of the slain separatist leader Abdul Gani Lone, Sajjad Lone, said that the co-ordinators of the tour had arranged the itinerary of the Pakistani journalists "either according to their own likes and dislikes or as per a sinister design". Asked to elaborate, Sajjad quipped: "Didn’t you mark that 16 journalists were produced before the self-styled leaders who don’t have even 15 supporters?"

"Among all separatist leaders, I am the only one who could arrange a gathering of over 35,000 people on one occasion in the last ten years. Those who call themselves as All Parties Hurriyat Conference couldn’t get even 5,000 people. I think May 21 and 22 this year have proved who actually are the real representatives of the peoples’ aspiration", Sajjad added. He argued that the hidden agenda of the organisers was to expose the Pakistani journalists to utter confusion so as to lead them to believe that Pakistan was investing her prestige and material in a theatre of the absurd.

"The journalists were allowed to meet only a couple of the sane voices. Apart from that, wherever they went, they were subjected to embarrassment and humiliation", Sajjad said. He asserted that credibility and integrity of the Pakistani journalists was deliberately made suspect when on their arrival the State Government and the ruling party were advised to steal the show. "What worse damage can you cause to a journalist than making his or her integrity doubtful in the eyes of the common people?", he asked.

"I feel ashamed at the treatment meted out to the guest journalists by the local friends of their co-ordinators. I feel doubly ashamed for I’m a Kashmiri and my wife is a Pakistani", Sajjad Lone added.

He was, however, optimistic that the Pakistani journalists were men and women of great professional experience and insight and they were competent to see through such designs. He described it as an irony that those Kashmiris, who had sacrificed their nears and dears in the last 16 years of the separatist movement, were been consigned to backstage while as those non-Kashmiris, who had capitalised on the blood of Kashmiri youth, were claiming to be their leaders. He alleged that one of the co-ordinators had turned the whole show of the Pakistani journalists visit into a "family affair".

Sajjad Lone claimed that only National Conference, PDP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Awami Action Committee and Peoples Conference had a visible mass base in Kashmir valley and all other parties and organisations existed on newspapers alone. According to him, "one-man organisations" were just being used in a numerical game by New Delhi and Islamabad.

He welcomed the current process of talks between India and Pakistan but asked Gen Musharraf not to speak on behalf of the Kashmiris. "Let Mr Musharraf speak for Pakistan nor for Kashmir.

Sajjad Lone remarked that New Delhi wanted to kill the Hurriyat but before that Hurriyat committed suicide. "Earlier I was being held responsible for breaking the Hurriyat. I have been completely silent since May 22 this year when I organised a 35,000-strong rally in Srinagar. It’s in the last five months that the Valley’s separatist parties and alliances have broken to dozens of groups. Who’s responsible for it now?", he asked.

According to Sajjad, strengthening of the radical right was a deliberate move and part of New Delhi’s Kashmir policy. "Radical right, like Geelani Saheb and others, are also assets in India’s foreign policy. Their extremist statements help New Delhi to club Kashmir with terror groups elsewhere in the world. Geelani Saheb’s one-odd statement has the power of negating positive aspirations of the millions of Kashmiris", Sajjad said. He asserted that promoting of Kashmiri hardliners was simultaneously "a vested interest of some Pakistani officials and politicians". He called it an "ugly and unholy convergence of interest".

Sajjad Lone said that European Union too was promoting Geelani and "digging such hardline Kashmiri leaders out of their political graves". "It’s strange that a Geelani in any EU country is bad, but in Kashmir he is good", he said. He said that with their Kashmir visits foreign diplomats were adding to political uncertainties in the State which they were using to secure the interests of their respective countries vis-a-vis India. He elaborated that photo sessions of the foreign diplomats with the Valley’s political jokers were harmful not only to the mass-based leaders but also to the whole Kashmir cause.

Coalition Govt failed to solve people's problems: Omar

Excelsior Special Correspondent

BASHOLI, Oct 9: National Conference president Omar Abdullah today said that coalition Government in the State has failed to live upto the expectations of the people of the State.

Addressing series of public meetings in Basholi constituency in support of National Conference candidate Raj Singh, Mr Abdullah said that backward hilly areas of the State like Basholi have been totally ignored. He said that the developmental activities in the areas have come to a standstill thereby multiplying miseries of the people of these areas.

NC president said that it was unfortunate that the present State Government has made no efforts whatsoever to harness the rich natural resources of Basholi in a bid to resurgent the economy of the area.

Omar Abdullah castigated the State Government for slow pace of the Sewa Hydel Project. He said that despite clearances from the Union Government of various hydro-electric projects obtained by the erstwhile National Conference Government, the present State Government has made no concrete efforts to harness the rich hydro electric potential of the State.

The National Conference president said that the lack of employment avenues for the youth had disappointed the younger generation. Sympathizing with them, he said the mis-governance of the present State Government has led to lack of employment avenues for the youth, who are feeling alienated, frustrated and disappointed. He urged the State Government to take emergent measures to create areas of employment in the rural as well as in the urban sector through the Government as also the involvement of the private enterprise so that their energies are suitably and productively utilised.

NC president said that the present State Government is rudderless, directionless regime which lacks perspective and has no concrete plan for the development of the State and its people. He urged the people to defeat the coalition candidates in the ensuing by-election. He sought support for the National Conference candidate Raj Singh, who he described as a local who can identify himself with the aspirations of the local population.

Omar Abdullah was accompanied by Ajay Sadhotra, provincial president National Conference and senior party leader Surjit Singh Slathia and NC candidate Raj Singh.

Top ultra shot dead in Kathua
3 militants, 2 civilians killed

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 9: Four militants including two infiltrators and two civilians were killed while another civilian was seriously injured in separate incidents across the Jammu region since last night.

A hardcore militant Siraj Ahmed, 23, a resident of Magota, Marmat in Doda district, was gunned down in a joint operation by Army, police and CRPF at village Sarola Duggan in Bani tehsil in Kathua district tonight.

SP Kathua Raghubir Singh said a joint team was dispatched to Sarola this morning on a tip off developed by police about the presence of three militants in the hilly area. In a fierce gun-battle for three hours, Siraj Ahmed, who was operating in the area for past quite sometime, was eliminated.

Operation was still on as two more militants were present in the area, Mr Singh said, adding one Insas rifle along with 14 cartridges were recovered from the slain militant.

The Insas rifle had been snatched by the militants from an Army jawan, who was killed along with a police constable in an encounter in Malhar last month.

Meanwhile, official reports said, two militants entered into the house of Makhan Shah at village Broh in Kalakote tehsil in Rajouri district at 7 pm last night. Observing movement of the militants, Makhan Shah’s two brothers—Lal Shah, 38 and Sikandar Shah, 28, jumped from boundary wall of the house and fled away.

The militants opened indiscriminate firing on them from their automatic AK rifle. While Sikandar Shah died on spot, Lal Shah was seriously injured but he managed to flee to safety.

The militants escaped from the village after couple of minutes firing.

Lal Shah was shifted to Kalakote hospital from where he was referred here this morning and admitted in Medical College hospital.

His condition was stated to be serious.

According to reports, two militants were killed in the house of Makhan Shah on September 9 this year. Two BSF officials had also lost lives in the gun-battle.

Few days later, the militants torched house of Makhan Shah son of Bahar Shah suspecting him to be the informer of militants’ presence in his house. After this, Makhan Shah along with his family had migrated to Jammu while his brothers were still putting up in the village.

A police party reached the spot after getting a report of the firing incident. A search operation was carried out by police and security forces but the militants remained untraced.

Another civilian Airaj Din son of Abdul Rehman R/o Sigri in Chatru area of Doda district was kidnapped and killed by the militants last night. His body was recovered by police this morning.

Meanwhile, security forces observed movement of a group of infiltrators in forward village of Kalaal in Nowshera sector in Rajouri district this evening. The militants were part of a freshly infiltrated group from Pakistan.

In the operation, two infiltrators were gunned down by the security forces till late this evening while three to four others were still in the cordon.

Two AK rifles and some ammunition were recovered from the slain infiltrators, whose identity hasn’t been established so far. They were, however, suspected to be the Pakistanis.

There were no reports of any casualties on security forces.

Another militant was shot dead by security forces and police at village Kot in Kali Masta area of Gool police station this evening. He has been identified as Muzamil.

One .303 rifle and five rounds were recovered from him.

An associate of the slain militant escape during the encounter. Police party in the operation was led by SHO Gool Suresh Pathania.

Two day SAFMA conference inaugurated
Natwar asks Pak to end cross-border terror

NEW DELHI, Oct 9: India today reiterated its commitment to moving ahead with the composite dialogue process and deepening the engagement with Pakistan but asked Islamabad to stop cross-border terrorism, saying the whole process depended on President Pervez Musharraf’s January six reassurance.

"We remain committed to deepening our engagement. However, the whole process is critically dependent on the fulfillment of President Musharraf’s reassurance of January six not to permit any territory under Pakistan’s control to be used to support terrorism in any manner," External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh said today.

In his inaugural address at the South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) conference here, the External Affairs Minister said there was steady progess on India-Pakistan relations. "India is committed to moving ahead with the composite dialogue."

He, however, said the serious problem of cross-border terrorism had to be tackled for taking the relations forward.

He said the present climate that characterised the India-Pakistan relations, was significantly different as comapared to that in 2002. The two sides had been able to identify areas of convergence and future cooperation.

Referring to the summit meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Musharraf in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assambly last month, the External Affairs Minister said both the leaders had agreed to restore normalcy and cooperation and implement Confidence Building Measures.

The Prime Minister had also agreed to look at the possibility of a gas pipeline via Pakistan to India in the larger context of expanding trade and economic relations between the two countries, he said.

Welcoming the change in Pakistan’s attitude towards India, the External Affairs Minister said Islamabad was no longer "unifocal" in its relations with New Delhi and was ready to have discussions on Jammu and Kashmir along with other issues.

"We welcome that and we were hoping for this...The genuine desire for good neighbourly relations is growing...The commitment to the composite dialogue process has a major impact on the region," he said while addressing senior media personnel from south Asian countries including Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Islamabad has for long been insisting that without resolving the "core" issue of Kashmir, it was futile to address other outstanding issues.

On its part, New Delhi has stuck to the line that it was ready to discuss all aspects of the J and K issue alongwith other subjects.

Singh said Indo-Pak relations have now taken a "turn for the better".

The minister regretted misinformation emanating from outside the region, often found its way to Indian newspapers and television channels. "The damage sometimes is serious. Misunderstandings multiply. Rumours take precedence over accuracy. Opinions are paraded as facts. Damage control becomes a semi-permanent activity".

Comparing the speeches in the UN General Assembly by President Musharraf and the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2003 and those by the Pakistani leader and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh this year, the External Affairs Minister said the previous speeches reflected a "climate of distrust, discord, suspicion and even anger...Read this year’s speeches and you will see entirely different approaches."

Highlighting the role of the media in promoting good relations between the SAARC countries, Mr Singh said India was keen to support the process of free movement of media and media products within the region.

He said India has been continuously working for the liberalisation of grant of visas to Pakistani nationals, including journalists, and referred to the decisions announced on September 18 about liberalisation of visa regulations for Pakistani nationals.

Calling upon SAARC countries to "get together and solve the problems," Mr Singh said the contries of the region should develop a coherent economic space where each region and country could be proud of its individual contribution without resorting to conflict or confrontation.

He called upon the people and media to broadband communication to cover regional political, economic, security and cultural matters and take up issues pertaining to collaborative opportunities in communications, agriculture, health, energy, water and education.

Pointing out that media barriers, based on suspicion, among countries of the region had not stopped the flow of misinformation from transnational media organisations, Mr Singh said there was an urgent need for free movement of the media and media products within the region.

He stressed the need for the SAARC region having its own version of the BBC, CNN or Al-Jazeera.

He said the media had the twin task of nurturing the spirit of cooperation and countering negative perceptions. This could be achieved by operating within a framework of empathy and by looking at issues with the sensibilities of the other. A responsible projection of issues which avoids dramatisation and rejects stereotypes is an essential requirement of this process, he added.

SAFMA, he said, could play an important role here by providing an opportunity for close interaction in a cooperative framework between mediapersons.

"We all agree with the urgent need to free the movement of media and media products within the region. The biggest non-tariff barrier is the suspicion in our minds...We are only limiting opportunities for better understanding among ourselves.

Regretting the "huge deficit" of information about one another among SAARC countries, the External Affairs Minister said the countries of the region had to face twin challenges of misinformation and negative perceptions about each other and at the same time, keep pace with galloping tecchnological development in information and communication fields. The Minister also suggested opening SAARC markets to each other’s films, educational and entertainment products like audio and video CDs and DVDs and called for creating a powerful South Asian entertainment industry by ensuring that the talent, content and technology of this "enterprising subcontinent" were jointly exploited.

Stressing the need for a structured and regular exchage of media professionals among SAARCcountries, the External Affairs Minister said it was important to "broadband" communication to cover regional political, economic, security and cultural matters and issues pertaining to collaborative opportunities in communications, agriculture, energy, water, health and education.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said creating a neighbourhood of peace and stability was a high priority with his Government and felt the media could play a critical role by shaping ideas that could overcome the burden of past perceptions.

"Creating a neighbourhood of peace and stability is a high priority of our Government," Singh said in a message to the two-day conference of SAFMA.

Observing that South Asia still remained one of the world’s less developed regions despite its advantages, he said "our individual and collective struggle to march forward on the road to development has been impaired by weak intra-regional cooperation, compounded by mutual suspicion".

Singh said his Government would like to encourage the free flow of ideas and people to help shed prejudices and develop an appreciation of the existing ground realities.

To this end, India had liberalised visa rules for journalists from Pakistan to visit India, he said observing "I am glad that it has yielded concrete results".

He noted that the SAFMA conference was taking place just a few days after a visit to J and K by a group of Pakistani journalists.

In her message, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said the UPA gave the highest priority to building closer political, economic and other ties with the neighbours in South Asia and to strengthening SAARC.

Gandhi said the resolution of conflicts through peaceful means was an essential pre-requisite for strengthening the manifold ties among the countries of the area.

"In the past, the Congress party and the Governments led by it took several steps to resolve conflicts through bilateral efforts and other means. That continues to be its motto and its policy," she said.

In another message, leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, L K Advani said South Asia occupied an important position on the world map with its economic, social and religious activities getting noticed by all.

"A cohesive and united South Asia could pose an unbeatable challenge to the rest of the world," he said.

He noted that inter-state conflicts in this region have marred its prospects of progress to a great extent.

Advani commended SAFMA for its role in promoting peace, regional cooperation and better understanding.

AIMPLB to consider model ‘Nikahnama’

LUCKNOW, Oct 9: Faced with alleged misuse of tripple Talaq practice, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, an apex body of Muslims in the country, is considering a model ‘Nikahnama’ containing guidelines for both men and women.

The model ‘Nikahnama’ would come up for discussion at the annual session of the AIMPLB slated to be held at Kozhikode in Kerala from December 26, board assistant general secretary and spokesman Abdul Rehman Qureshi told reporters after a meeting of the AIMPLB office bearers here.

Besides the ‘Nikahnama,’ right to inheritance for Muslim women in agricultural land of her father and a detailed programme to create awareness about Shariat (Islamic jurisprudence) would also be discussed at the annual session, Qureshi said.

Observing that there was no standard ‘Nikahnama’ which, at times, leads to controversies, he said the model ‘Nikahnama’ would contain a declaration to be signed by the bride and the groom and two witnesses in the presence of Qazi, the person who solemnises the marriage.

"It will be a kind of guidelines to be followed by both the husband and the wife," he said.

The ‘Nikahnama,’ if approved by the board, would act as a standard ‘Nikahnama’ in the country, he said and expressed the hope that it might be accepted by different Muslim sects.

Asked whether Muslim women would also be given the right to divorce in the model ‘Nikahanama,’ he said there was "no wisdom" in conferring this right on them as it is the husband who has to bear the financial burden in the event of a divorce.

"In an agreement the person, who has to bear the financial responsiblity, should only be given the right to terminate it and not the other way round," Qureshi said.

The spokesman, however, said the Shariat contained several pro-women clauses and confers several rights on them and to remove the "miconceptions" regarding the Shariat, especially the non-Muslims, the board would consider launching a Shariat awareness programme.

A similar campaign was launched after the Shahbano case in 1976, he said.

"Many people are not aware of the Shariat rules and raise an accusing finger at them at times. We will tell our non-Muslim brethern that the Shariat has several pro-women rights," he said.

Qureshi said the board would also interact with non-Muslims to make them aware of the rationale beind the Shariat rules.

Qureshi said it had come to the notice of the board that in Uttar Pradesh Muslim Women have no right of inheritance in agricultural land of their father.

Terming this as anti-women, he said we will discuss the matter in the annual session. The board has also submitted a representation to Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav to change the rules accordingly.

About ten board office bearers were present at the meeting chaired by the AIMPLB chairman and rector of the Nadwa Maulana Rabe Hasan Nadwi. (PTI)

Rangers handover Indian national to BSF

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 9: Pakistan today handed over to Indian authorities an Indian national who had ‘inadvertently’ crossed over to the other side some months back.

A spokesman of the Border Security Force (BSF) said that Romesh Kumar, son of Khajan Chand of village Dharial in Pathankote tehsil of Punjab was handed over by the Pakistani rangers to the BSF during a flag meeting in the R S Pura sub-sector this afternoon.

The handover of the Romesh Kumar took place in the presence of BSF doctor—A B Dass and senior officers from both sides. While the Indian side was represented by Commandant Rajesh Gupta, Lt Col Nadim Ahmad was heading the Pakistani rangers.

Romesh Kumar had crossed over to the other side on August one, 2004 through Samba area, the BSF spokesman said.

Malik arrested; Geelani, Shah under house arrest

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 9: Police today arrested Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Mohammad Yaseen Malik while separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Shabir Ahmad Shah remained under house arrest for the second day.

Malik was arrested immediately after he left the college of education near here this afternoon after delivering a lecture on Aga Shahid Ali.

The police have taken into custody two more senior JKLF leaders, including Showkat Bakshi, in the city.

As the news of his arrest spread, Malik’s supporters took to the streets near the JKLF’s headquarter at Maisuma.

They shouted " pro-freedom" slogans and clashed with the police. Business activities in the area were disrupted and shopkeepers downed shutters.

Meanwhile, Mr Shah said that he has been under house arrest since yesterday morning.

A large number of police personnel had surrounded his house and he was not allowed to move out, he said.

Mr Shah said although no reason was given for placing him under house arrest, it could be to prevent him from continuing his anti-election campaign in Batmaloo and Pahalgam constituencies.

The two constituencies are going to the polls on October 13. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is seeking election from the Pahalgam seat.

A spokesman of the breakaway Hurriyat Conference said Mr Geelani was put under house arrest since yesterday and was not being allowed to move out.

BPL ration haul from private mill

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 9: Akhnoor police today seized a large quantity of ration, meant for Below Poverty Line (BPL) quota for Chowki Chowra, which was being unloaded in a mill at Gajansu this afternoon. A mill owner and a ration dealer have been arrested while other accused were absconding.

Police said a Akhnoor police team led by SDPO Ashok Sharma carried out a raid at Gajansu and seized a truck from which 25 quintals wheat, 14 quintals rice and six bags of sugar, were being unloaded at a mill at Gajansu, which was owned by Romesh Chander son of Jai Gopal, a resident of Gajansu.

Romesh Chander and a BPL ration dealer of Akhnoor-Darshan Lal son of Dev Raj of Gurha Barahamana, Akhnoor were arrested red handed by the police while off loading BPL quota ration in Gajansu mill.

Truck and entire ration quota has been seized by police and shifted to Akhnoor.

Investigations by police revealed that the ration was meant for a BPL dealer of Chowki Chowra in Akhnoor. Both BPL ration dealers of Akhnoor and Chowki Chowra had connived and diverted the ration quota to a private mill, police said, adding a case has been registered against the accused.

Efforts are on to apprehend BPL ration dealer of Chowki Chowra and other accused.

Patwari held for securing job on fake certificate

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 9: Crime Branch Srinagar today arrested a Patwari on the charges of securing job through Subordinate Services Recruitment Board (SSRB) on a fake Matriculation certificate.

Muneer Hussain Chouhan son of Lal Din Chouhan R/o Chotipora, Shopian, who was recruited as a Patwari in the year 2002 through SSRB, has been dismissed from the services after the Crime Branch investigations probed his certificate as a fake.

SSP Crime Branch, Srinagar Dr Abdul Aziz Khan said a complaint was received from Mohd Iqbal Gujjar of Chotipora, Shopian, whose name figured at Serial No. 1 in selection list of Patwaris, that Matriculation certificate of Muneer Hussain, selected as Patwari, was fake.

Muneer had joined the services on December 9, 2002 and worked till April 30, 2003.

During investigations, the Crime Branch sleuths seized Matriculation certificates of Muneer Hussain and sent them to Board of School Education (BOSE) for authentication. The certificates were proved as fake.

Muneer was arrested by the Crime Branch today and a challan was produced against him.

Two Chinese engineers kidnapped in Pak

ISLAMABAD, Oct 9: Two Chinese engineers and their Pakistani security guard were kidnapped early today by unidentified men in Pakistan’s south Waziristan tribal area, bordering Afghanistan, where security forces have launched operations to flush out hiding Al-Qaeda militants.

The duo- identified as Wang Peng and Wang Ende- were abducted by five persons when they were on their way to tank, where they were working on Gomal Zam dam, a Rs 12-billion hydro-power project, Chinese embassy officials here said.

One Pakistani guard, who was escorting the two engineers who worked for state-run Chinese Company Sino Hydro Corp, was also kidnapped, the officials said, adding their vehicle was found abandoned by the road.

Pakistan security forces have launched an operation to rescue them.

The kidnapping is the latest in the series of attacks against Chinese workers in Pakistan. Late last month three Chinese personnel working on the same hydro-power project came under heavy firing by unidentified attackers.

A deadly car bomb attack on Chinese engineers helping Pakistan to build the multi-million dollar Gwadar seaport had killed three of them on May 3 this year.

On June 10, unidentified assilants shot dead 11 Chinese road workers in Kunduz province in northern Afghanistan, in the deadliest attack on foreign civilians since the fall of the Taliban. (PTI)
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

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