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5 militants killed in
Valley From Ahmed Ali Fayyaz SRINAGAR, July 20: Swelling herds of the long-haired Pakistani militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba have recaptured a vast fruit belt in Shopian-Kulgam area of south Kashmir and inspite of scores of Police, military and paramilitary camps all around they have been enjoying a field day---lifting civilians, slaughtering them in public view and roaming about, all in broad daylight. This is how a 17-year-old poor student was picked up and slaughtered like a lamb on July 17th: Mukhtar Ahmed Sheikh S/o Ghulam Hassan Sheikh was playing cricket with friends and neighbours at a playfield in his village of Chak Kachhdora. A group of four to five gun-totting militants appeared at the playfield at 1330 hours and kidnapped Sheikh. In broad daylight, he was taken to Vehil Nowgam, about 2 km from his village. On the premises of the village mosque, Sheikh was positioned like a sacrificial goat and brutally slaughtered with a sharp butcher's knife in full view of men, women and children. His severed head was dropped yards away in front of a house at which security forces had killed a couple of Lashkar militants three months ago in a fierce gunbattle. Residents--- none of them willing to reveal identification---believe that Sheikh was done to death for the militants suspected him to be the man who had tipped off Army about the presence of militants. They maintain that they knew nothing about Sheikh who belonged to a different village. "Some women beseeched the militants to grant clemency to the youth but they did not listen to anybody. It was a horrible site as everybody ran away in panic", described a resident. Those living in Chak Kachhdora are equally terrorised. They revealed that Sheikh belonged to a poor family. "We believe he never became an informer (of security forces). Yes, once he was arrested by Police in a theft case". SP Pulwama Nitish Kumar insists that Sheikh had never worked as an informer with Police or security forces. "He was a school drop out who had resumed his studies and was in Class 11th at Government Boys Higher Secondary School Kapran. The operation at Vehil Nowgam was jointly conducted by Army and STF and Sheikh was not the source", says the district Police chief. His head of operations Imtiyaz Hussain Mir sounds confident that Sheikh's killers would be got identified and taken to justice "very soon". According to him, Sheeraz Ahmed Chopan, killed in an encounter at Braripora on Wednesday alongwith another militant, had been identified by the local people as one of Sheikh's killers. Mir revealed that a butcher's knife, recovered from Bashir Ahmed Bhat of Vehil Nowgam---a Lashkar militant killed in another encounter at Chak Amshipora, was believed to be the weapon used to slaughter Sheikh. "It had stains of fresh blood. We are sending it as also the student's clothes to Forensic Science Laboratory for certain forensic tests". Even as Police insists, on the basis of eyewitness accounts, that the throat-cutters sporting unkempt long hairs and Islamic beards were the Pakistani cadres of Lashkar-e-Toiba, none of the militant organisations has claimed responsibility of the student's broad daylight slaying in public. Reports from south Kashmir said that the brutal slaughtering of the 17-year-old student has spread shockwaves in a vast orchard belt of Kulgam-Shopian. It has reportedly evoked massive condemnation but none has mustered courage to register it on the streets. Meanwhile, killing of two Jammu & Kashmir Police constables in point blank range at Hazratbal and Soura on Wednesday has also evoked remarkable condemnation in Srinagar outskirts. Shopkeepers in Soura observed a total shutdown today to register their condemnation of the killing of a Constable at Sabzi Mandi. The junior Policeman was a resident of Tangmarg area. Jaish-e-Mohammad spokesman Abu Qudama today told the Srinagar-based news agencies that the militants of his organisation had shot dead the two Police personnel at Hazratbal and Soura on Wednesday last and left yet another wounded in a shootout near Biscoe School at Lalchowk. He claimed that the victims of the Jaish strike were associated with Special Operations Group of J&K Police. Officials as well as the bereaved family members maintained that the ill-fated personnel had never associated themselves with any counter-insurgent organisation. They asserted that the militants had made a "totally false claim" to justify their strikes on the innocent Policemen. Hizbul Mujahideen spokesman Junaidul Islam has, meanwhile, claimed that it were the militants of his organisation who had shot dead a shopkeeper, namely Abdur Rasheed Sheikh of Trikanjan Uri, at Palhalan, Pattan, the other day. He claimed that Sheikh was actually an informer of Army who had been planted by a Major in the disguise of a shopkeeper at Palhalan. He claimed that Sheikh had been responsible for getting three of Hizbul Mujahideen militants killed and an identity card, signed by a Major, had been recovered from his possession. The Hizb spokesman claimed that the posters found pasted at different places in Nattipora area of Srinagar were the handiwork of "some anti-movement elements". Text of these posters has described Hizbul Mujahideen's Yunis Group as "looters and extortionists". The spokesman claimed that Yunis was a "clean member" of his organisation. He warned "anti-movement elements" to desist from "defaming" the militants. 5 militants killed Official sources, meanwhile, said that Army killed an important militant of Hizbul Mujahideen in an encounter at Kanjikullah in Kulgam area last night. He has been identified as Mohammad Saleem Bhat alias Junaid of Hardu Handew, Shopian. Officials claimed that in the last two years, Bhat had masterminded and executed a number of civilian killings through youngsters and fresh recruits of his organisation. They said that he was a "battalion commander". Residents, on the other hand, insisted that Bhat had been captured alive by Police, subjected to physical torture and interrogation for three days and finally got eliminated in a "fake counter". In the militant-infested Kulgam belt again, troops of Rashtriya Rifles 62 Bn swooped on the house of a fruit merchant, namely Ghulam Nabi Laway, at Sursunoo village late this evening. Official sources said that troops of Hattipora camp of RR 62 Bn launched the operation immediately after receiving specific information regarding the presence of three to five militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba. During the operation, a fierce gunbattle took place in which troops destroyed the target house. Sources said that at least four militants were believed dead and buried under the debris but no dead body had been recovered when reports last came in tonight. Here in the capital city, a joint naka of Srinagar District Police and CRPF apprehended two youth carrying a couple of rifle grenades near Shumshan Ghat in Karan Nagar area this evening. During questioning, they admitted that both of them were militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit. They identified themselves as Mohammad Farooq Mir S/o Mohammad Subhan Mir R/o Maidanpora Chhattabal and Abid Ahmed Chiloo S/o Ghulam Qadir Chiloo R/o Zaldagar Nawab Bazar. Official sources said that they would be subjected to sustained interrogation to check whether they were involved in any incident of grenade throwing or other subversive acts. |
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IAF rescues 7 from Tawi flash floods Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, July 20: Five labourers were among seven persons trapped in a sudden flash flood in River Tawi this afternoon, forcing the district administration to call the services of the Indian Air Force (IAF) to rescue them. Due to rainfall in upper reaches of Jammu region, the water level in River Tawi increased abruptly this afternoon trapping seven persons including five labourers at two different places—near the newly constructed bridge and Peer Baba. Two persons, who got trapped near the bridge towards the Bikram Chowk side were fishing when the water level increased suddenly making it difficult for them to rush for safety. However, to prevent themselves from being washed away in flash foods, they jumped on a huge stone. The labourers were busy in loading sand in two trolleys when they got trapped in the swollen river. People passing on the twin bridges over River Tawi noticed some people in distress and immediately informed police personnel deployed at Bikram Chowk. A message was flashed to Fire and Emergency Services Department for the help of the trapped persons. Within minutes, an emergency tender of the Department alongwith divers reached the spot. They first rescued persons trapped under the newly constructed bridge by making use of rope and other appliances fitted with the tender. Volunteers of the Civil Defence under the direct supervision of Deputy Controller DySP Manjit Kour also helped Fire and Emergency Services Department in rescuing the persons. The personnel of Fire and Emergency Services, however, could not rescue the trapped labourers. Subsequently, Divisional Commissioner Pramod Jain and Deputy Commissioner Jammu Hirdesh Kumar Singh approached Indian Air Force (IAF) at Jammu Station and requested for help. An IAF chopper immediately took off from Technical Airport. Under the leadership of Squadron leader Rawat, the Air Force personnel rescued all the trapped labourers. The IAF personnel, who took part in the rescue operation include leading Aircraft Men Aadesh and Kamlesh, Aircraft Men Devan and Ravi and Sergeant PV Singh |
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Marshal all resources against terror: PM to States NEW DELHI, July 20: Admitting that the past responses to deal with terrorism and naxalism have been "inadequate", Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today asked the States to marshal all their resources to meet the threats which are of "different intensity, magnitude, scale and scope". With serial blasts in Mumbai and Kashmir fresh in his mind, the Prime Minister told the Chief Secretaries of States and Union Territories at a meeting that these incidents have brought out the extent of penetration of terrorist elements. "We cannot allow them to succeed and get away with their crimes," he said, adding "we need to gear ourselves up to meet these challenges. Business cannot be carried on as usual. We must recognise that past responses are inadequate in dealing with these problems which are of a different intensity, magnitude, scale and scope". He noted that he had said in the past naxalism is "probably the single biggest challenge" to the country’s internal security. Singh said these threats have to be met firmly, with determination and with a will to destroy them. "You will have to empower your police forces to be able to discharge their functions at higher levels of efficiency". In the meeting, the Prime Minister also dwelt on issues of good governance, red tape, right to information and implementation of development programmes. Talking extensively on the issue of internal security, the Prime Minister said the country faces the challenge of terrorism and naxalism in many parts of the country. "It is the primary responsibility of the State to maintain public order and ensure the safety of its people," he said. After the Mumbai explosions, the Prime Minister had hinted at Pakistan’s involvement, noting that the blasts were carried out by terror modules "instigated, inspired and supported by elements across the border". Observing that the implementation of various development programmes was of "vital concern" to him, the Prime Minister said the Government has embarked on a large number of key programmes. These are extensive in their size and scope and have the capacity to alter the rural and urban landscapes, Singh said citing the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme, the National Rural Health Mission, the expanded Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the Mid-day Meal Programme and the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. "The volume of funds flowing to States today are higher than ever before in the past. It is therefore necessary that these funds get translated into outcome," he said. Noting that red tapism was a key problem faced by people when they interacted with the Government, Singh suggested simplification of transaction, strengthening accountability, using IT and e-governance tools and promoting behavioural changes in Government employees.(PTI) |
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Paharis to get ST status: Azad Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, July 20: The Pahari-speaking people in Jammu and Kashmir are to get the Scheduled Tribe ( ST) status shortly as the State Government has taken up the matter with the Centre. This was stated by Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad during the review meeting of the Advisory Board for the development of Pahari speaking people here today. The Government, Mr Azad said, has strongly taken up the matter with the Centre for the ST status for Paharis. He pointed that this demand has been recognized by the Congress incorporating the same in the manifesto and then in Common Minimum Programme ( CMP). Mr Azad complimented Pahari-speaking people for their distinguished historical role played in the unity and development of Jammu and Kashmir. "Inhabiting in the vast areas of Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla, Kupwara, Uri and other border areas of the State, the Paharis constitute a vital component of the State’s composite culture and pluralistic character", Mr Azad said. These Pahari speaking people, the Chief Minister said, have not only demonstrated high standards of patriotism time and again but contributed in the intellectual filed as well in the extra-ordinary nature. Mr Azad announced Rs.1.77 crore for providing scholarships to 75000 Pahari students of the State. He said that Rs one crore would be also released for construction of a Pahari hostel at Kupwara and announced Rs one crore for construction of Rajouri-Poonch Pahari girls hostel. He said that Rs. 60 lakh would also be provided to the Board for occupying rental buildings etc. for housing Pahari students at Kupwara and Jammu till the completion of hostel complex. He said that Rs. 6 lakh would be also kept at the disposal of the Board for purchase of vehicle and Rs 4 lakh for preparing and telecasting a tele-film on Pahari culture besides Rs. 2.60 lakh for educational tour of Pahari students. Mr. Azad directed the Board authorities to prepare a proposal for construction of Pahari hostels at Baramulla and Anantnag. He also directed the Board members to identify the areas for opening of mobile schools under SSA for Pahari students. He said that the meeting of Pahari Development Board would now be held twice in a year. He said that the boarding and lodging charges of the Board members would be enhanced with immediate effect. He said that the demand for broadcasting Pahari news bulletin from Radio Kashmir, Jammu and Srinagar and DD channel has been taken up with the Central Government. The Chief Minister said that the sub-offices of Cultural Academy at Poonch, Bhaderwah, Baramulla and Kupwara districts would be opened for promotion of Pahari Cultural and Language. The Chief Minister said the promotion of education is instrumental for over all development and stressed Pahari people to educate their wards and be second to none in attaining excellence in all disciplines of education. He also underscored the need of female education and asked the board members and officers to reach out every nook and corner of the Pahari areas for the purpose. He said for fulfilling the dream of Khushal Jammu and Kashmir all the people especially the down trodden and backward would have to be taken all along in developmental programmes. He said that without the cooperation of the people the social-economic transformation of the State is impossible adding that the people are the real source of power. Earlier, in his welcome address the Vice Chairman Advisory Board for the development of Pahari speaking people Shabir Ahmad Khan said that since Mr. Azad has taken over revolutionary steps have been taken for ameliorating the life conditions of Pahari speaking people. He gave a resume of steps taken by the present Government for the welfare of Pahari speaking people. On the occasion, the Chief Minister released three Pahari books entitled "Pahari Qabail" written K.D. Menaha, "Kaccha Kotha" and "Koosay Athroon" written Master Mohd Iqbal Khan. |
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NEW DELHI, July 20: The Government today gave its approval for setting up the Sixth Pay Commission for Central Government employees. Term of the Commission would be for 18 months, the Cabinet decided at its meeting. "The Commission will comprise one chairman of the rank of Minister of State, one part time member and one Member-Secretary of the rank of Secretary or Additional Secretary in the Central Government," Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi said after the cabinet meeting. The Chairman and other members of the Commission would be appointed by the Prime Minister, he said. The Commission will also examine desirability, need and quantum to sanction interim relief if any. The last Central Pay Commission was set up in 1994 and its report came in January 1997. The financial implications of the Fifth Pay Commission was Rs 17,000 crore. Dasmunsi said State Governments were also consulted before taking a decision on the Pay Commission. Views of States were sought because once a decision was taken on pay commission for Central Government employees, the State Governments were expected to face similar demands from their own employees. "Out of as many as 16 States that sent their comments some like Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh were against it. Some States wanted the Centre to share the burden of the Pay Commission with the States," he said. Both Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh are ruled by Bharatiya Janata Party. Karnataka, Assam, Tripura, Orissa, Manipur and Nagaland are the States which demanded that Centre should share the burden of increased salaries of Government employees. (PTI) |
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Development of agriculture NEW DELHI, July 20: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today gave its approval for modification in the operational guidelines of the Central Sector Scheme ‘development and strengthening of agricultural marketing infrastructure, grading and standardisation’ to make the proposals more effective. As result of the modifications, the hill States of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal will be entitled to higher subsidy for taking up marketing infrastructure projects at all places irrespective of the altitude, in the on-going scheme, benefiting producers at high altitudes who market their produce from projects located at lower altitude. "With this approval, the State agencies will be better enabled to take up infrastructure project from their own funds by dovetailing the subsidy under the scheme, without borrowing from the financial institution," Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi told newspersons here. The minister was briefing on the decisions of the Cabinet and CCEA this morning. The following are the modification: (a) Existing guidelines: Assistance under the scheme is credit linked and subject to sanction of infrastructure project by the specified banks based on economist activity and commercial considerations: Revised: Permit State Government Agricultural Marketing Board and state agencies to utilise their funds in lieu of bank loans for financing project under the scheme. (b) Existing guidelines: The rate of subsidy will be 25 per cent of the capital cost of the project. In case of north eastern States, hilly areas (hilly area is defined as land situated 1,000 metres above mean sea level) and tribal areas and to entrepreneurs belonging to Scheduled Castes and Tribes and their co-operatives, the rate of subsidy will be 33.33 per cent of the capital cost of the project. Revised: To utilise projects located in the hill States of Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir to be eligible for higher subsidies admissible for hill areas irrespective of the altitude at which a project may be located. (UNI) |
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Six AEEs promoted Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, July 20: The Government today promoted six Assistant Executive Engineers (AEEs) as incharge Executive Engineers in the R&B wing of the Public Works Department while twelve Executive Engineers (Xens) were transferred and adjusted in the same wing. Those promoted as Executive Engineers are- Raj Mohd Khan, Abdul Rashid Fani, O P Khullar, Mohd Yousuf Mir, Ghulam Jeelani Shuntoo and Shah Shabir Ahmed. Consequent upon the above mentioned promotions, the Government issued orders of transfer and posting/adjustment of twelve Executive Engineers in R&B. A K Koul, Executive Engineer has been posted in Tourism department against available vacancy. M A Jan awaiting orders of transfers has been posted to R&B Division Bondipora. Radha Krishan Rana, Xen, was sent to Bhaderwah Development Authority while V K Sawhney to the Sericulture department against available vacancy. M K Dhar, Xen has been sent on deputation to the Kashmir University against an available vacancy, Raj Mohd Khan to the ERA Kashmir, Abdul Rashid Fani in the Design, Inspection and Quality Control Division and O P Khullar to ERA Jammu against available vacancy. P B Gandhi under orders of transfer to Bhaderwah Development Authority, will continue to be posted in J&K Housing Board Jammu, Shah Shabir Ahmed has been posted in R&B Division Pulwama, Ghulam Jeelani Shuntoo to the Parks and Gardens department whereas, Mohd Yousuf Mir is posted in Kokernag Development Authority. |
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ISLAMABAD, July 20: Opposition parties in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) have decided to step up their agitation against "targeted rigging" and "manipulation" in the July 11 legislative polls. Opposition groups, ranging from liberals to religious hardliners, are planning a protest campaign against the polls in which Muslim Conference (MC) won 20 out of the 41 seats of the PoK Legislative Assembly. The opposition parties alleged that the MC win was possible due to the open blessings of President Pervez Musharraf, the ‘Dawn’ daily reported. They also alleged targeted rigging in many constituencies and almost total manipulation of the results of 12 seats reserved for Jammu and Kashmir refugees living in Pakistan, none of which was won by their candidates. Election to eight seats reserved for women, ulema, scholars, technocrats and overseas Kashmiris on Saturday is certain to give the MC a clear majority in the 49-seat house. While MC emerged victorious, former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto-led Pakistan People's Party (PPP) won seven seats and the rest were shared by the other opposition parties. The PoK chapter of the Islamist alliance Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) alliance which suffered a total rout in the PoK polls for the second time in succession has convened a meeting of the opposition parties in Islamabad to discuss strategy to step up the agitation. The situation is likely to be grim for the next Government in Muzaffarabad while the territory is still struggling to recover from the shock and destruction of last October’s killer earthquake, the newspaper said.(PTI) |
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SRINAGAR, July 20: Fifty-one passengers today left in Karvan-e-Aman buses from here for Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), official sources said. They said 28 passengers, including 18 men, eight women and two children, from Jammu and Kashmir were visiting PoK for the first time since the Karvan-e-Aman bus service was started on April 7. There were also 23 residents of PoK, including 15 men and 8 women, who were returning to their homes on the other side of the border after meeting their relatives here. The passengers were taken in two buses under tight security arrangements, official sources said. They said the passengers will deboard the buses at Aman Setu, the last border point on this side and cross over to other side on foot at the Kaman bridge, connecting two parts of Kashmir. The passengers will later board buses from Pakistan for Muzaffarabad. (UNI) |
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Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, July 20: A civilian was killed by the militants in upper reaches of Gulabgarh in Mahore area while a group of militants was trapped by police and Army in an encounter at Manari Nallah in Arnas this evening. Official sources said police recovered dead body of a civilian Shamas Din from upper reaches of Gulabgarh this morning. Shamas Din was kidnapped by the militants from his house on the intervening night of July 9 and 10 and killed in captivity. His body was handed over to his family after post-mortem this morning. Reason behind the killing hasn’t been ascertained so far. A joint team of police and security forces trapped a group of militants in a forest area near Manari Nullah at Arnas in Reasi police district this evening. Exchange of firing between the two sides was going on till late this evening when the reports last came in, the sources said. However, there was no report of any casualties on either side, they added. |
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Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, July 20: Police today arrested a narcotics smuggler in Doda town and recovered four kg charas from his possession. The narcotics smuggler, identified as Abdul Gani son of Ramzan Mochi R/o Baswal, Bharat, was arrested from the town by a routine naka party which was frisking luggage of the people, SSP Doda Manohar Singh said. Accused had wrapped the charas in maize shells and hidden them between vegetables in a nylon bag. Abdul Gani was immediately arrested and charas seized. During questioning, he disclosed that the consignment had been given to him by one Akhter Hussain son of Ghulam Shah R/o Dhak Mohalla, Bharat. According to police, Akhter is a history sheeter and a known criminal. Efforts were on to arrest him. A case against the accused has been registered at Doda police station.
Excelsior Correspondent RAJOURI, July 20: Police today registered another First Information Report (FIR) against three PHE officials including an AEE for an embezzlement worth Rs 6 lakh. As reported, three FIRs were registered against the PHE officers for misappropriation of funds in this district few days back. Today’s FIR was registered against Narayan Dutt, AEE, Balwinder Singh, JE and Sadhu Ram, Works Supervisor. According to police, the PHE officers had withdrawn Rs six lakh for laying new PHE pipes in Pukharni on the ground that old pipes had been buried under snow. Police investigations revealed that Pukharni had never received snowfall in the history. Further investigations in the case are being conducted by police after registration of FIR No. 92/06 under Sections 409, 467, 477 and 120-B RPC. |
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