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‘Govt won’t succumb to
guns & grenades’ From Dinesh Manhotra RAJOURI, Nov 2: Dispelling the impression that he will return to national politics after completing his three year tenure, Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad today declared that he will stay in State politics for next 20 years. Addressing a public meeting on the completion of one year as the Chief Minister of his home State, Mr Azad said, "one year back when I had assumed charge as Chief Minister of the State, some people had created the impression that I will pack up as soon as I complete my tenure. "I want to make it clear on the completion of one year of my Government that I will stay put in the State for the coming 20 years to serve the people’’, he asserted, adding, "I am here with a specific agenda and will not go back without accomplishing my task’’ He further said that he was in the State to play a long inning. Visibly satisfied by the one year performance of his government, the Chief Minister said his first priority was to provide corruption free administration in the State. Without hesitation, he admitted that he was yet to achieve his task but hastened to add that serious efforts are being made in this regard. "I want to give a clear signal to the corruption officers that I will not leave this State before total eradication of corruption’’. "Jammu and Kashmir is the first State in the world to enact a legislation where by properties disproportionate to known sources of income of public servants shall belong to the State’’, he said and informed the gathering that properties of eight individuals have already been taken over and properties of around 50 others were under the process of being taken over. Taking a cue from recent reports that violence has come down in the State, the Chief Minister said that it was a matter of satisfaction that for the first time during the last 17 years only one custodial dis-appearance case has been reported in the last 12 months. "I want to ensure the people that no individual will be harassed and there will be zero tolerance to human rights violations’’, he said and added that steps taken by the State Government in this regard yielded encouraging result. The Chief Minister made it clear that the Government was ready to talk to every body who shun violence and resort to process of interaction and dialogue through democratic means. He, however, gave a strict warning to the terrorists that Government will deal with iron hand with those who have been indulging in killing of innocent people. "Those resorting to violent activities should keep in mind that the Government will not kneel down with guns or grenades’’, he declared. Referring to the steps taken by the Government to restore peace in the State, Mr Azad said that first time since 1947 a sincere efforts have been made to solve vexed Kashmir problem. "After formation of UPA Government sincere efforts are being made to get this problem solved’’, he said and pointed towards formation of five working groups by Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh after two round table conferences. Highlighting achievements of the coalition regime, Mr Azad said that ban on recruitment has been removed and 19000 vacancies referred to Service Selection Board and Public Service Commission for completion of the selection process. He said that all unemployed engineers are being engaged on contractual basis while as engagement of agriculture graduates on stipend has been approved, besides raising three more police battalions to recruit the youths. Further highlighting steps taken by his regime during the last one year, Mr Azad said that innovative and people friendly steps have been initiated to create a work culture, curb corruption and mal practices and to make administration responsive and strive for ushering the State in an era of peace and development. He said that in order to realize people’s aspirations and fulfill their long cherished demand, creation of eight new districts, three sub-districts and 13 tehsils have been approved to expand the administrative network and provide proper attention to the people's needs. Pointing towards problems of inhabitants of this border district, Mr Azad said that he had chosen this town to address first public meeting after completion of one year of his regime to give impression to the people that backward areas were on the priority of the State Government. He specially mentioned Baba Ghulam Shah University and lavished all praises on Vice-Chancellor of University, Masod Choudhary for establishing such an institution in far-flung area. Today’s rally was considered as one of biggest public gathering in this border town after so many years. Some local people recalled that similar type of rally was held in 70s when former Prime Minister, late Indira Gandhi had visited this town. Minister of Health and Medical Education, Mangat Ram Sharma, Minister of Rural Development, Jugal Kishore, Lok Sabha member, Madan Lal Sharma, Minister of State for Agriculture, Aijaz Ahmed Khan, MoS, PHE, Dr Ramesh Chander, Shabir Khan, Ashok Sharma, MLC and others addressed the rally in which Minister of R&B, Gulchain Singh Charak, MoS Planning and Finance, Prem Sagar Aziz, former Minister, Mohammed Sharief Naiz were present. |
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Two cops held for extortion Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Nov 2: Militants today gunned down a BSF soldier as also a former SPO in Kashmir valley even as an encounter took place between militants and security forces in Sopore. Informed sources told the EXCELSIOR that two unidentified militants targeted three soldiers of BSF 143 Bn outside the busy Shakti Sweets on Residency Road this afternoon. The soldiers were reportedly guarding their officers said to be busy with shopping and withdrawal of last month's salary from State Bank of India. Sources said that head constable Mohammad Ashraf of Kerala got killed and two of his associate constables, Rajpal Singh and Vir Singh, sustained critical injuries. The injured were quickly evacuated to a military hospital for treatment. A BSF spokesman said late tonight that both the injured were critical but were responding to treatment. Sources said that the two youth drew two pistols and fired volleys of gunfire on their targets. BSF did not retaliate as the gunmen vanished in the crowd and a stampede was caused with the shootout. Reports from north Kashmir said that a gunman targeted former SPO, Puneetpal Singh S/o Harbhajan Singh R/o Khwaja Bagh at District Hospital premises when he had gone to return somebody's borrowed money at Baramulla. Singh sustained critical injuries and was evacuated to hospital where he succumbed to injuries. Officials said that Singh had been disengaged as SPO by Baramulla Police on March 16 this year. Harkatul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility, saying that Singh had been working with SOG Baramulla. Sources said that on a specific information, a Police party conducted a raid on the close vicinity of the naked saint, Ahad Sahib, in Sopore town today. However, two of the militants who had been spotted gave a slip to the Police party. Later, Police received a call from its sources in Mohalla Ashpir in outskirts of the appletown. It said that two militants, including the most wanted Munna Janwari, were present in the locality. As Police and BSF raided the particular spot, both the militants ran away while lobbing two grenades and firing pistol shots. Police retaliated and chased away the militant duo. However, both the militants managed to escape. Sources said that nobody was killed or injured in the dramatic operation. Police claimed to have recovered one live grenade as also a fake identity card drawn in the name of Asif Ahmed Dar R/o Moma Kak Batpora. Agencies Add: A group of four militants entered the house of one Choudhary Mohammad Sheikh at Drug Teng, Kangan, about 40 km from here and kidnapped him. Militants later hanged him to death in the nearby area, sources said. Security forces arrested an over ground worker of a militant outfit at Khuri Mawar in the frontier district of Kupwara. Two police constables were arrested by police from two different places in the Valley today for extorting money from the people, IGP Kashmir S M Sahai said. He said Shiraz Ahmed, a constable of Security wing of police was arrested at Seer, Anantnag when he was extorting money from BEd college students. Another constable, Mr Sahai said, was arrested from Hazratbal when he extorted from money Irshad Ahmed and his wife. He has been identified as Manzoor Ahmed. The IGP Kashmir has directed police to take stern action against both the constables. Meanwhile, Police today claimed to have seized 63 bags of poppy straw weighing 2800 kg in Pulwama district, an official spokesman said. Police raided Haji Darpora, Lauter in Pulwama district where the poppy was being packed in apple boxes and loaded on a truck. The smugglers had also packed the poppy in used sugar gunny bags for transportation of consignment, he added. Police have registered a case and seized the truck. |
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PM favours fair share for minorities in jobs NEW DELHI, Nov 2: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today favoured a "fair share" for minorities in Central and State Government as well as private sector jobs. Singh, who maintained that the nation "does not belong to any single race", also said young people from minority communities should be provided with skills required for employment. "It is essential that communal peace and harmony should be maintained and the minorities get a fair share in Central and State Government and private sector jobs," he told a conference of state minorities commissions here. Also, he said state Chief Ministers have been asked to put in place a monitoring mechanism over implementation of minority welfare schemes. The Prime Minister, who pointed out that a lack of access to common school system was the main factor behind the socio-economic backwardness of minority communities, said the Government should work to ensure greater access for Muslim girls to professional education. "During the current plan period and the next plan period, we must ensure that concrete schemes for setting up of secondary and higher-secondary schools in blocks and districts having predominantly Muslim population are implemented for the Muslim girls," he remarked. Widening access for Muslim women to professional education, particularly to medical and engineering courses, should be a priority area of educational programmes, Singh added. "This nation does not belong to any single race, least of all any group of religious extremists. It belongs to a mosaic of religiously, linguistically and culturally varied communities," the Prime Minister remarked. The Prime Minister told the conference organised by the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) that the Centre has appointed a committee of secretaries to monitor its 15-point minority welfare programme. He, however, regretted that a large number of development schemes have not been able to reach out equitably to the poor and the underprivileged among minorities. "... available evidence does not inspire confidence that the benefits of these schemes have flowed equitably to the eligible sections amongst the minorities." With a communal harmony legislation aimed at guaranteeing compensation to religious riot victims expected to be passed in the coming session of Parliament, as suggested by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil in his speech, the Prime Minister maintained that those seeking to disturb communal peace must be dealt with firmly. "The Indian State has the solemn obligations to protect life and liberty of all citizens, particularly those belonging to the minority communities," he said. Those affected by communal riots, Singh added, must be provided with "effective relief and rehabilitation assistance". There should be regular monitoring of the effectiveness and adequacy of such assistance, the Prime Minister said. Also, the Prime Minister indicated that a bill aimed at granting constitutional status to the NCM would be passed in the winter session. "We hope to enact this bill in the coming winter session of Parliament. The commission has to be given adequate powers to investigate into complaints. Its finances and manpower base will also be expanded...," he said. (PTI) |
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SICOP DGM’s assets worth crores unearthed by SVO Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Nov 2: The State Vigilance Organisation today registered a case of corruption against a Deputy General Manager (DGM) of SICOP Srinagar, Mushtaq Ahmed Khan for possessing assets worth crores of rupees including a palatial bungalow having a cost of Rs 3 crore which were disproportionate to his known sources of income. "The DGM’s house appeared to be among top 10 houses in Kashmir valley", DIG Vigilance Rashmi Ranjan Swain said. Till recently a Testing Manager now promoted as DGM, Khan had not only a palatial but a splendid house having a approximate cost of Rs 3 crore, he said, adding it was constructed in one and a half kanals of land at Sanat Nagar By-Pass near Airport Road in Hyderpora. Entire house was Centrally heated and decorated with state of art fittings and fixtures costing lakhs of rupees. The house had a number of bathrooms each equipped with modern gadgets including steam bath cabins and other items of luxury. Interiors of the house were decorated with exquisite costly walnut wood carving on walls, doors and cupboards. All rooms were having costly ‘khatamband’ ceiling and decorated with Rajasthani brick tiles on outer walls, official sources said. It had a remote operated main gate costing more than Rs 4 lakh. During searches of the house, the SVO sleuths discovered that Khan had also purchased a four kanal plot worth more than Rs 1 crore at HMT on the name of his brother-in-law. The plot had been purchased recently. During searches, the Vigilance teams also recovered bank pass books and LIC premium receipts of the officer. Receipts revealed that Khan had been paying Rs 3 lakh LIC premium per annum which was more than his annual salary. He had five bank accounts and a locker. Details of cash in bank accounts and locker will be known tomorrow when the SVO team will approach the concerned banks, sources said. According to sources, a raid at Sanat Nagar residence of Mushtaq Ahmed Khan was conducted after secret investigations carried out by the Vigilance Organisation over past few weeks confirmed that he possessed assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. Immediately thereafter, a corruption case was registered against him and raids carried out. His arrest hasn’t been ruled out. |
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Ultra held for Yankee’s killing Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Nov 2: Security forces today arrested a suspected militant from village Lancha in Gool, who was reportedly responsible for the killing of a surrendered militant Abdul Karim alias Yasin alias Yankee the other day. Barkat Ali, 25, son of Ranjha R/o Lancha, Gool was arrested by security forces this morning as informations gathered by security agencies revealed that Barkat Ali had abetted the killing of Yasin, a former Hizbul Mujahideen militant. Yasin had surrendered last year. Barkat Ali has been handed over to police for questioning. Security forces recovered two UBGL with nine grenades, 320 AK rounds, 54 Pika rounds and 86 UMG rounds during a search operation at Samyal forest in Buzla, Ramban. One more .303 rifle was recovered from Chirala forest in Doda district where Hizbul Mujahideen ‘divisional commander’ Javed Burqi was killed by Army and police a day before. |
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Excelsior Special Correspondent SRINAGAR, Nov 2: In a dramatic operation, Forest Protection Force (FPF) has seized a tipper, laden with 300 cft of timber, which was being smuggled during last night by officials of the Pirpanjal Forest Division in Budgam-Raithan-Khansahib belt. Even as the timber has been seized and the driver of the tipper has managed to escape, influential men running and patronising the timber mafia in Budgam district have begun frantic efforts to assert that the quantity of timber was being transported for renovation of a mosque at Dreygam. Informed sources disclosed to the EXCELSIOR that two officials of PP Division Budgam, who happen to be brothers-in-law to each other and have been enjoying strong political clout, approached the driver of tipper No: JK01G-5045, namely Abdul Gani Najjar of Gurveth, last evening and loaded 300 cft of fir on his vehicle in compartment No: 31-Raithan. The driver was told that the timber had to be transported to Budgam. As no documents like sanction and Form-25 were given to the driver, the officials reassured him that they would escort him in a Maruti Zen or a confiscated van of PP Division. Minutes before 2100 hours, the tipper reached Bugroo and drove past the checkpost of FPF while ignoring all signals. However, three guards of the FPF checkpost hired a Tata Mobile van and chased the tipper which got stranded due to the passage of a marriage party at Parneewah. While the escorting Forest officials vanished, the tipper was seized. Driver Abdul Gani Najjar revealed to the FPF guards that he had been hired by officials of PP Division, including a Range Officer and a Forester, and assured that the transportation of the loaded timber was all legal. He failed to produce any documents. Thereupon the daring guards alerted Joint Director FPF, Kashmir, Liaqat Ali Dar and Deputy Director, FPF Budgam, Qamaruddin in Srinagar and Budgam respectively over their mobile phones. Dy Directors of FPF Budgam and Pulwama, namely Qamaruddin and S K Raina, rushed to the spot and escorted the seized tipper to Budgam. Two Forest officials, including a Range Officer and a Forester, contacted Qamaruddin over a PP Division guard's mobile phone, when he was clearing the seized vehicle at PP Division's Budgam checkpost in presence of a District Police naka, and asked him not to seize the timber. "Forest officials of PP Division at Budgam checkpost told us that they had received instructions from their higher authorities not to allow the FPF squad to cross Budgam checkpost. We received a call on a guard's phone and somebody, claiming to be the Range Officer Raithan Range, told us that he would shortly reach with a Form 25. We told him if the transportation would have been bona fide, the documents would have been with the driver. We also asked the caller as to how the tipper was carrying the timber by night when there were standing orders that no transpiration of timber would take place from dusk to dawn. As nobody turned up for a long time, our JD directed us to dump the vehicle with its seized timber at FPF premises at PC Depot in Srinagar. That is what we did", FPF DD, Qamaruddin, said. FPF JD confirmed that the quantity of 300 cft of fir, alongwith the vehicle, had been seized. A case had been registered under Forest Act and an investigation launched. He said that the driver of the seized vehicle made an excuse of going for ablution in the wee hours but managed to escape at PC Depot, Parimpora. He said it was late in the afternoon today that officials of PP Division handed over a Form 25 to the Investigating Officer of FPF and told him that the timber was being carried for sawing in Budgam which was to be allotted for the renovation of a gutted mosque in Dreygam. He said that absence of Form 25 and a formal sanction from the competent authority as also transportation of the conifer timber by night were strong prima facie evidence to suggest that the entire exercise was "completely illegal and unauthorised operation" which got exposed by chance. DFP Urban Forestry Division, Abdur Rasheed Shah, who has also been officiating as DFO PP Division since September, told the EXCELSIOR that the transportation was "hundred and one percent legal". Asked why there was neither a sanction nor Form No:25 for authorised carriage of the timber, Shah alleged that the FPF guards had beaten up the driver, kidnapped him to PC Depot and denied him a proper chance to produce the documents. He insisted that the timber was supposed to be sawn at Budgam and later to be provided for renovation of a gutted mosque at Dreygam. He claimed that the timber could not be sawn in Dreygam-Raithan areas of upper Budgam as these localities were in the banned forest zone. Asked why the driver had escaped and why the transportation was being conducted by night in violation of standing orders, Shah said that he was busy with a patient at hospital and would look into these things tomorrow. Conservator Srinagar Circle, Mushtaq Ahmed Hakak, maintained that a case had been registered and the investigation would reveal the truth. FPF sources countered that the officials of the PP Division had prepared "fake documents" in an after-thought exercise today and produced the same to an Inspector at 1430 hours today. They said that as a result of nexus between Forest officials, smugglers and influential politicians, over a dozen compartments in Raithan-Khansahib area had completely denuded in the last four years and the timber mafia was operating with full knowledge of everybody in Budgam district. The seized timber, they claimed, was to be sold off to a sawmill owner as per a midnight routine. They said that according to a recent survey, over 5,000 horses and 40 trucks were involved in the Supreme Court banned green felling and timber smuggling in the area under PP Division alone. According to them, over 100 truckloads of the illicit timber were being felled and smuggled in Budgam district every month. |
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India, Pak to increase freight trains NEW DELHI, Nov 2: India and Pakistan today decided in principle to introduce freight services in Munabao- Khokhrapar rail sector and increase the frequency of freight trains between Wagah and Attari to facilitate cross-border movement of goods. The decision comes after three-day talks between officials of the two countries here in pursuance of the third round of Composite Dialogue held in Islamabad in March, 2006. While 20 to 22 freight trains are running every month between the two countries on Wagah Attari border, "we also discussed introduction of such trains in Munabao-Khokhrapar sector to improve trade, commerce and people to people contacts," Ashok Gupta, Advisor (Traffic) Indian Railways and Ali Arif, Additional General Manager (Freight), Pakistan Railways, said. The two sides deliberated at length on increasing the number of goods trains running between the two countries in the Wagah Attari sector to two per day, they told reporters after signing the minutes of the talks. The officials said the two sides "had agreed, in principle," on these issues. Besides introduction of special type of rolling stock like flat bed wagons for carrying containers, electrification of railway line between Amritsar and Lahore was also discussed, they said. During the talks, aimed at reviewing the train operations between the two countries, they said only reserved berths will be available on Samjhauta and Thar Express trains. The Indian delegation also proposed augmenting the services of Thar Express and making available the passenger lists of both the trains in advance on reciprocal basis for expeditious immigration clearance at the station, Gupta said. (PTI) |
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Sealing unlikely to resume today NEW DELHI, Nov 2: Sealing of commercial establishments in residential areas of the capital is unlikely to resume tomorrow because of "difficulties on the ground" in carrying out the drive even as the MCD was asked by the Supreme Court monitoring committee to re-start the action. While a Group of Ministers (GoM), who met to discuss the vexed issue, indicated it was unlikely that the sealing will start from tomorrow in view of the "tense" situation, the MCD remained non-committal on whether it would abide by the court panel’s direction. After reviewing the matter in its meeting, the three-member apex court panel wrote to the civic body to resume the drive against illegal shops operating in residential areas from tomorrow. "The MCD will approach the Supreme Court tomorrow and apprise it of the difficulties on the ground in carrying out sealing in the present tense situation," Union Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy told reporters after the GoM meeting. He said both the MCD and police are of the opinion that it is difficult to carry out sealing in Delhi in the "current tense" situation. Besides, he said, there were two major Sikh festivals falling on the weekend, which will also be brought to the notice of the court. However, to a specific query whether the sealing drive will resume from tomorrow, he said "you can draw your own inference from what I have said." The GoM, chaired by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, was told by the police that the situation in the capital continued to be tense and it would be difficult to carry out sealing for the time being. While there was no official word from the MCD regarding its plans on resuming the drive, at least eight of the 12 zonal Deputy Commissioners, when contacted, said they had not been issued any directions on carrying out sealing till late in the evening. They said the sealing teams, consisting of an Assistant Engineer, Junior Engineer and two other officials, were ready and they could be on the streets within a short notice. "We have not sought police security for our teams as we were not told that the drive will begin tomorrow," a Deputy Commissioner said. Meanwhile, the monitoring committee had asked the MCD to carry out sealing on only one out of the 185 roads said to face the axe, to begin with when they would have resumed the action tomorrow. The sealing drive was earlier scheduled to re-start on November one and was deferred by the monitoring committee for one day and it was again put off till tomorrow. (PTI) |
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Rajnath flays UPA, Left on Guru KODERMA, BIHAR, Nov 2: BJP president Rajnath Singh today charged the UPA Government and Left Parties with indulging in "vote politics" and ignoring "terrorism" in the country. Talking to reporters here, Mr Singh said they were rather favouring Mohammad Afzal Guru, who has been convicted by the Supreme Court in Parliament attack case of 2001. He said they also conspired to topple the NDA Government in Jharkhand. Mr Singh also accused the UPA Government at the centre of failing to check price hike of essential commodities. Prices of petrol and diesel had gone up seven times in last six years, he added. Speaking on the issue of Indo-Pak relations, he said India should impose a ban on flights from Pakistan and break up diplomatic relations with the country till all terrorist camps were dismantled. On the issue of alleged sting operation in which three BJP MLAs were found accepting money for making a recommendation, Mr Singh said the matter should be enquired by the CBI. (UNI) |
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Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Nov 2: A police constable, who was kidnapped by the militants along with two civilians from village Shadol in Gulabgarh area of Reasi police district, was rescued by police this afternoon from a hide-out of the militants in Gulabgarh forests. Identified as Abdul Rehman, posted in Gool police station, the constable had come to his house on leave when he was kidnapped by a group of three militants along with two students. While one of the student was gunned down by the militant, another was injured. The constable was untraced since then. SSP Reasi J L Sharma said police parties had been fanned out in different directions to rescue the constable. Assistance of Army personnel was also taken in the task, he added. Success was achieved this morning when the constable was rescued. The militants, however, managed to escape. Rehman was brought to Angrala picket this evening. He was stated to be fit and hadn’t been harmed in custody by the militants. |
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Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Nov 2: Two militants of Harkat-ul-Jehad Islami (HUJI) outfit today surrendered before Doda police and Rashtriya Rifles at Chatru. They have been identified as Ghulam Mohd son of Mohd Ramzan and Mohd Iqbal son of Ghulam Ahmed, both residents of Kwath, Chatroo. SSP Doda Manohar Singh said both militant were active since August this year. He said a highest number of 87 militants had surrendered in Doda in 1996 when a large group of Al Jehad militants had joined mainstream. Second highest number of surrendered militants was 34 each in 1998 and 1999. With today’s surrenders, a total of 37 militants have surrendered in Doda this year with two months to spare. More surrenders were in pipeline, the SSP Doda said.
Violence down, but cross-border terror, infiltration on: JJ SRINAGAR: Army Chief General J J Singh today said the level of violence has been brought down significantly in Jammu and Kashmir this year as compared to previous years, but the acts of cross-border terrorism and infiltration were continuing unabated. Addressing a news conference, Gen Singh said the loss of lives of civilians has also minimised. ''We are carefully analysing the physical casualties the Army suffers every year. While the non-combat related casualties have come down by almost 30 per cent, the combat-related have also come down substantially. It is a matter of satisfaction,'' he added. The Army Chief said the counter-terrorism strategy has helped considerably in bringing down the level of violence in the state About the alleged increase in human rights violations in the Kashmir valley in the recent past, he said the Army was following a clear-cut policy of an iron fist for militants and a velvet glove for the people. ''We do not tolerate any deliberate act of human rights abuses. All such reported acts are investigated. Statistics tell us that in the past 10-15 years, only four per cent of the allegations were found true,'' Gen Singh added. He said action has already been taken against 110 officers and men found guilty of violating the human rights of the people. ''We are very particular about it. We want to win the hearts and minds of the people and this can be achieved only if there are no deliberate acts of human rights violations. We are proud that the human rights track record of the Indian Army is comparable and commendable.'' Gen Singh said the number of human rights violations in the state in the past few years have come down substantially. ''We are alive to the situation and would like to ensure that the human rights violations and collateral damages are kept at bare minimum, if not totally avoided,'' he added. (UNI) |
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