‘Troops be used as last resort in internal strife’
Infiltration on decline but attempts up: Army Chief

NEW DELHI, Feb 23: Though the infiltration of militants from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir was on decline, the attempts had gone up in the recent past, Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor said.

"Let me give you a comparison between 2006 and 2007. In 2006, the infiltration was approximately 343 as per our count. In 2007, the figure stood at 311," he said in an interview here.

So there was a marginal decline as far as infiltration numbers were concerned, Gen Kapoor added.

"But as far as the attempts or bids (are concerned), they were slightly higher in 2007," the Army Chief said in the interview to CNN-IBN for its devil’s advocate programme, to be telecast tomorrow night.

General Kapoor expressed serious concern over the repeated use of the Army to handle internal insurgencies and communal disturbances, saying it undermined the "deterrence effect" of the troops.

"The Army must only be used as a last resort and for a minimal period," he said.

The Army Chief said whenever the troops were called out for counter-insurgency operations in the country, it does happen at the expense of the training done for a war against an enemy.

He expressed serious concern that repeated use of the Army in internal situation could undermine its "deterrence" effect.

"That (calling out the Army) should happen once the civilian authority has utilised all other resources at its disposal. The fact is that first and foremost the Army must only be used as a last resort for any such contingencies."

"Secondly, it should be used for a minimal period so that its deterrence effect stays and thereafter the Army should be withdrawn," the Army Chief said.

General Kapoor said the Chinese military build-up and the so-called ‘string of pearls’ may not necessarily be seen as an attempt to encircle India, and also admitted that there were incursions into China from this side as well.

"Every one of the bases that the Chinese may have may not necessarily be seen as an attempt to encircle India," he said.

However, Gen Kapoor said all of this was collectively borne in mind when India does its strategic planning.

The ‘string of pearls’ is a circle of Chinese military installations stretching from Burma and Bangladesh in the East, through Tibet in the North, down through Pakistan and Gwadar in the West and into the Indian Ocean with Seychelles, Mauritius and Sri Lanka, and some analysts believe this amounted to China’s encirclement of India.

"When we sit together and discuss any threats to India’s national security we would take all such considerations into our discussion and then come to a conclusion about what should be constituted as a threat or otherwise - any developments in the region are a matter for study and they must be studied in the light of security considerations and they must also be seen in the context of what do we need to do should they pose a challenge to us," the Army Chief said.

He was responding to a query that there were some people who argue that the ‘string of pearls,’ even if that may not be China’s intention, should be seen as a potential encirclement of India.

About Chinese incursions, Gen Kapoor said the media concern about the issue was based on a "misperception".

"I think a degree of misperception has been built on this issue of incursions - first and foremost it’s a matter of perception. The Chinese have a different perception of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) as do we. When they come up to their perception, we call it an incursion and likewise they do."

"That’s right," he said when asked that just as the Chinese incur into the Indian territory, the Indians probably as often incur into their territory because of differences of perception as to where the LAC was.

Asked they could just as easily turn around and say that India was incurring into their territory, if they should so wish, Gen Kapoor said: "Which they would call an incursion into their side. So, to that extent, we would be as much blameworthy for that kind of incursion up to our perceived LAC."

The Army Chief said he did not share the "press fear" that the incursions were a sign of muscle-flexing and perhaps something worse to come.

"I don’t share that at all - that is why I say at times the press has not been fair in reporting this very accurately," he said in the interview to CNN-IBN for its Devil’s Advocate programme, to be telecast tomorrow night.

Speaking about the differences in infrastructure-road and railway development-between the Indian and Chinese sides of the border in Arunachal Pradesh, Gen Kapoor said this gave China "an additional capability to bring in additional troops".

"It gives them an additional capability to bring in additional troops if and when they want to bring in. So that is an area where we need to be on an equal footing. The fact that our infrastructure is not so well-developed is a fact...There is a disparity and we are seriously looking into it and trying to change that," he added.

However, the Army Chief said the satellite technology gave India an ability to see deep across the LAC into the Chinese side and this has helped the country overcome the fact that China could move additional troops to the border faster than India.

"Whilst that is a matter of concern, the fact is that if and when they move (troops) there are also today images available through the means of satellite. Whenever any such movement takes place there is an ample opportunity for (advance) notice to be able to meet such a challenge if and when it does happen...The ability to look deeper across the LAC is today much greater."

"That’s right," he said when asked if the technology had helped India overcome this disparity as well.

India was a "little worried" when things were "turbulent" in Pakistan but the elections there have generated hope that the situation will improve, Gen Kapoor said.

Kapoor had words of praise for his Pakistani counterpart Gen Ashfaq Kayani, saying he was a "professional" soldier and it was "reassuring" to have him as the head of the Army of that country.

He played down the possibility of Pakistan carrying out any adventurous action against India to avert attention from troubles at home, citing the Pakistan Army’s commitment internally and on the country’s western borders.

"When the things were turbulent, we were a little worried.. And therefore, we were very vigilant on the borders," the Army Chief said.

"With the elections now having taken place, I think the security situation in Pakistan, if it now gets stabilised, should improve," Kapoor said.

He said Pakistan would hopefully "have a Government" in the next few days and "we would be able to talk to a democratically-elected Government to resolve some of our differences."

On Kayani, Kapoor said: "I think he would be able to handle the Pakistani army professionally... Some of the measures that he has taken, I think it’s reassuring to have a person who is a professional soldier at the head of the Army."(Agencies)

AJT Hawk inducted in IAF

BIDAR, KARNATAKA, Feb 23: The Indian Air Force today inducted British-built Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) Hawk as trainer aircraft for its fighter pilots.

The AJTs, purchased after a much-debated bidding process, were inducted at the Air Force Station here, nearly 150 kms from Hyderabad, a region known as a cradle of fighter pilot training.

A breathtaking display of air manoeuvres using the AJT marked the induction ceremony attended by Defence Minister A K Antony, Air Chief Fali H Major and a host of officers and dignitaries.

The induction of the Hawk aircraft fulfills a long-pending requirement of the Indian Air Force for an Advanced Jet Trainer.

With its proven design and advanced avionics, the Hawk-132 aircraft is expected to bridge the gap between the performance spectrum of the Intermediate trainer and frontline fighter aircraft which trainee pilots would finally fly, an official said.

The aircraft is expected to greatly enhance flight safety and will have a beneficial impact on the quality of training being imparted to fighter pilots, he said.

The contract for purchase of 66 AJTs was signed in 2004 amid furore over frequent crashes of the MiG-21 fighter aircraft which had earned the sobriquet "flying coffins".

Of the 66 AJT Hawk-132 aircraft, 24 will be bought from the British Aerospace Systems (BAE) while the remaining 42 will be manufactured under license by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited at Nashik and Bangalore.

BAE Systems had already delivered eight aircraft to the IAF with the first jets arriving in November last year.

With their induction, the IAF would become the 19th Air Force in the world to use Hawks as its trainer frontline aircraft.

The AJTs will be used for pilot training from June.

The Hawk-132, a variant of the "highly successful" Hawk aircraft, is equipped with state-of-the-art avionics suite, indigenously made components such as communication sets, Identification Friend or Foe system and the radio altimeter.

Hawk-132 is also capable of full combat and can carry air-to-air missile and air-to-ground armament. It could be used as a light weight fighter.

Besides delivery of aircraft and training devices, BAE Systems, in partnership with the UK Royal Air Force, has chalked out a training programme.

On completion of the programme in mid-2008, over 75 IAF pilots would be trained on the current RAF Hawk fleet at RAF Valley.

In addition, a number of Hawks that will be supplied to the IAF have also been used to train 100-odd IAF engineering officers and technicians at BAE Systems’ Technical Training Academy at Warton. (PTI)

Vigilance conducts raids
Tehsildar arrested, assets worth Rs 3 cr detected

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 23: The State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) today arrested a senior Revenue officer Janak Singh, posted as Tehsildar, Recovery in Deputy Commissioner’s office, Jammu after raids conducted in his and his relatives’ residential, business and office premises yielded his assets worth over Rs 3 crore.

Documents pertaining to huge assets including a petrol pump, several kanals of land, palatial bungalows besides bank balance, cash, FDRs and cars were recovered during the raids which continued throughout the day, official sources said.

The Vigilance teams, which conducted the raids, were led by SSP Vigilance (Poonch-Rajouri-Kathua range) S D Singh. Vigilance Commissioner Dr Ashok Bhan personally supervised the raids and issued directions for the arrest of Tehsildar.

The Tehsildar was arrested from his Shastri Nagar bungalow this evening as his interrogation was required to ascertain sources of huge assets and possibly some more property in his possession, sources said.

They added that Janak Singh was in possession of a double storey house and two kanals of land at Shastri Nagar, where he was putting up, another house in the same posh locality which he had given on rent and a petrol pump ‘Shankar Filling Station’ at Greater Kailash situated on three kanals of land, whose present value was more than Rs 1.5 crore.

Documents recovered from his office, residential and business premises revealed that the Revenue officer has four kanals of land at village Mein Charakan, Bari Brahamana along Jammu-Pathankote national highway having present market value of Rs 60 lakh, one kanal land at Sainik Colony with present value of Rs 40 lakh, and ‘benami’ property of more than 60 kanals at Chak Bhalwal, Thathar and Gurha Brahmana, Dilli.

The Tehsildar had a bank balance of Rs 11.59 lakh in Account No. 42899 in Jammu and Kashmir Bank’s Shalamar Road branch on the name of his one son and Rs 10.38 lakh in the same branch on the name of his another son. He had fixed deposits worth Rs 3.5 lakh, gold ornaments worth Rs 4 lakh, cash worth Rs 78,350 (which was found at his Shastri Nagar residence) and two cars, one motor-cycle and a Bajaj scooter.

Searches in some of his premises was on when the reports last came in, sources said.

They added that the Vigilance teams fanned out this morning to Shastri Nagar, Greater Kailash and Reasi and conducted searches in already identified premises of Janak Singh and his relatives. Another team conducted search in the office premises of the Tehsildar from where documents pertaining to his property at different places were recovered, sources said.

After his arrest, the Tehsildar has been lodged in Vigilance Organisation’s designated police station at Pacca Danga. A case against him has been registered by the Vigilance Organisation vide FIR No. 4/2008 under Section 5 (1) (e) read with 5(2) read with Prevention of Corruption Act.

The assets had been acquired by Janak Singh by indulging in corrupt practices and misuse of his official position, sources said.

Chopras murder case
Narco test reveals Rs 50 lakh cash,
diamonds paid to criminals

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 23: In much publicised Chopras murder case which rocked the entire Jammu city, one of the accused during his Narco Analysis test revealed that Rs 50 lakh cash and diamonds were distributed among the members of the gang for executing the killing of three members of cement tycoon Rajinder Bhushan Chopra, his servant and driver at their residence in Trikuta Nagar in September, 2006.

The alleged accused Vicky, son of Himmat also brought out the explicit details of the crime and narrated the whole chain of events including the role played by him in the heinous crime.

He has also named the other members of the gang which include two brothers Mahesh and Rooshi, who have already been arrested by the police. Vicky also revealed that around Rs 50 lakh and diamonds were distributed among of the members of the gang for the killing of the Chopras.

On the basis of more than one round of Narco Analysis tests as recommended by FSL, Bangalore, a motor-cycle which was purchased by the accused from the booty amount has also been seized by the police.

These startling disclosures have been made in the objections filed by the State in response to a petition filed by Puneet Chopra, son of R B Chopra, who has been seeking CBI probe in the case.

According to the State’s objections, suspects Mahesh and Rooshi, sons of Premda of Khejra, District Guna, Madhya Pradesh were brought to Jammu and put to thorough investigation but they did not reveal anything relevant to the case and were subsequently sent to judicial remand.

Since the case was complicated one, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) resorted to modern method of scientific investigation and two business associates of R B Chopra namely Ajab Singh and Rajinder Singh alias Raju Simbilia were sent to FSL Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat for undergoing lie detector and brain mapping tests.

Further, four persons namely Mubaraz Khan alias Munna, Nigam Chopra, both the residents of Jammu, Mahesh Pardi and Rooshi Pardi, both the residents of Madhya Pradesh were sent to FSL Banglore for undergoing similar tests.

The result of test of these people has not been disclosed in the objections filed by the State. On these grounds, the State sought dismissal of the application filed by the petitioner with the plea that the investigation of the case was still incomplete for want of arrest of remaining members of the gang.

It is worthwhile to mention here that Justice Virender Singh of State High Court on February 15 restrained the State from presenting challan before the court till further orders following the apprehension of the petitioner that State agency may present the challan in near future.

Probe ordered into recovery

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 23: DIG Doda range Farooq Khan today ordered a fact finding inquiry into the recovery of RDX and some ammunition from village Teligarh in Chinote area of Bhadarwah tehsil in Doda district by para-military forces on the eve of VVIPs including UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Home Minister Shivraj Patil’s visit to Bhadarwah town yesterday morning.

The fact finding inquiry will be conducted by SSP Doda Manohar Singh, an official release said.

Describing the recovery as "fake", it said police investigations have found that the claim of recoveries was "highly suspicious" and "incredible". It was apparently found that the information was not based on facts, it said, adding the claimed recovery created panic during the VVIPs’ visit to Bhadarwah. The visit passed off peacefully, it said.

The police release said it was at 4.30 pm that a letter was received at Bhadarwah police station from a local unit of para-military forces claiming recoveries from a house in Teligarh. Police, it added, came to know of the recoveries from electronic channels and print media.

Only 25 pc cases settled so far
Jammu tops in Roshni applications

By Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Feb 23: The Government has received 2.54 lakh applications for regularisation of unauthorisedly occupied land under Roshni scheme but only 25 per cent of them have been disposed off by the administration so far. While Jammu district topped the number of applications received under Roshni scheme, the border district of Rajouri topped in the terms of land encroached.

Official sources told Excelsior that a total of 2.54 lakh applications were received by the Revenue Department from 20 out of 22 districts of the State.

Surprisingly, not even a single application for regularisation of unauthorised land has been received under Roshni Act from peaceful and hilly districts of Ladakh and Kargil.

Out of 2.54 lakh applications received across the State under Roshni Act, the Revenue Department has managed to dispose off only 59,000 so far, sources said, adding rest of the applications were being processed.

Jammu district has remained on top of the applications received for regularisation of encroached land. With 25,379 applications, Jammu had topped the list while newly created Shopian district in Kashmir valley has minimum number of 5462 applications, sources said.

Jammu district is closely followed by Rajouri with 24,628 applications while 21,986 applications have been received from border district of Poonch. From Kathua, 18,530 applications have been received while from Anantnag district, 17,069 cases have come for regularisation of land.

Srinagar district has accounted for 14,467 applications while 14,145 applications have been received from Pulwama. Other districts with above 10,000 applications include Doda (14,212), Ramban (10,634), Udhampur (10,033), Baramulla (11,941), Budgam (14,403), and Kupwara (10,701).

The districts, which have reported less than 10,000 applications, are Kishtwar (6543), Reasi (8676), Samba (7539), Bandipora (7460), Ganderbal (6070), Kulgam (5344) and Shopian (5462).

A maximum of 17,947 cases have been disposed off in Jammu district followed by 8272 in Kathua and 7175 in Udhampur district while only 170 cases have been settled in Srinagar district. Other districts where over 1000 cases have been disposed off are Doda (3663), Kishtwar (2031), Rajouri (1008), Ramban (3058), Reasi (2289), Samba (1233), Anantnag (2048), Bandipora (2134), Budgam (1540), Ganderbal (1977), Kulgam (1612) and Kupwara (1009).

The districts, where less than 1000 cases have been settled, are Poonch (837), Baramulla (449), Pulwama (210) and Shopian (498) besides Srinagar (170).

According to official figures, a maximum of 3.46 lakh kanals of State land was reported to have been encroached in Rajouri district as per the official figures available so far. Of this, 2048 kanals of land falls within Municipal limits of the border district.

The figures revealed that 1.77 lakh kanals of land has been encroached in Doda district followed by 1.60 lakh kanals in Jammu, 1.52 lakh kanals in Udhampur, 1.41 lakh kanals in Reasi, 1.29 lakh kanals in Poonch and 1.19 lakh kanals in Ramban.

Land encroached in other districts include 36,394 kanals in Srinagar, 55,660 kanals in Kupwara, 46,910 kanals in Bandipora, 33,710 kanals in Anantnag, 21,391 kanals in Kulgam, 24,535 kanals in Ganderbal, 52,420 kanals in Baramulla, 40,620 kanals in Pulwama, 13,180 kanals in Shopian, 74,732 kanals in Budgam, 97,134 kanals in Samba and 75,159 kanals in Kishtwar district.

Fresh snowfall in Kashmir

SRINAGAR, Feb 23: Icy winds lashed the Kashmir valley today as high altitude areas in the State received fresh snowfall and the plains were lashed by torrential rains.

Srinagar and adjoining areas shivered in intense cold as a result of a fresh spell of snowfall in mountain ranges surrounding Kashmir valley including hill resorts of Sonamarg, Pahalgam and Khilanmarg, official sources said.

They said many areas along Srinagar-Jammu National Highway including Banihal, Batote, Qazigund have received heavy rain since last evening and traffic on the arterial road was plying as on other days.

The Met office said Banihal, Batote and Qazigund had recorded 13.6, 13.2 and 8.0 mm of rain respectively.

Kokernag in south Kashmir and Kupwara in north Kashmir were the coldest places in the Valley with a minimum temperature of minus 2.6 and minus 1.0 degree celsius, the MET department said.

Srinagar, where the minimum temperature was 2.5 degree celsius, recorded 3.4 mm of rainfall while Kupwara received 19.2 mm of rainfall.

Jammu, winter capital of the State, also received 1 mm of rainfall. The minimum temperature in Jammu was 14.2 degree celsius.

Bhaderwah and Katra recorded 8.2 mm and 2.5 mm of rain till 0830 hours this morning. (PTI)

Moves afoot to clip Musharraf’s powers

ISLAMABAD, Feb 23: Moves were afoot today to clip President Pervez Musharraf’s sweeping powers despite the United States standing by the beleaguered Pakistani leader rendered vulnerable after this week’s Parliamentary polls in which opposition parties scored stunning victories.

Pakistan People's Party (PPP), which has emerged as the single largest force in the new National Assembly, is planning to strip Musharraf of the power to dismiss Parliament under article 58 of the constitution which he had reinstated.

Leaders of PPP, which will head the next coalition Government, have been holding closed door meeting to chart out their course of action which is likely to be made public on Monday.

However, in a clear indicator that it would curtail the President’s powers the party said in a statement that the participants in the meeting had vowed to work for the restoration of the Parliamentary supremacy "by undoing undemocratic provisions under which elected Parliaments have been dismissed."

The party meanwhile put off naming Prime Minister till the first week of March but veteran Sindhi politician Makdhoom Amin Fahim continued to be the front runner.

For Musharraf the positive news emanated from Washington where Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice gave credit to him for holding free and fair elections and said, "the President of Pakistan is Pervez Musharraf.... And so, of course, we will deal with him."

The US Ambassador Anne Patterson and British High Commissioner Robert Brinkley have met PPP leader and slain Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s husband Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N leader and ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to press them to co-exist with Musharraf.

While Sharif has adopted a hardline stance against Musharraf who he wants to step down, PPP has stopped short of pushing for his removal and instead, stressed on restoring supremacy of Parliament.

Fahim reflected PPP’s approach to Musharraf by saying that the party should not "rock the boat at this time". There should be smooth transition of power from the military to the civilians, he said.

PPP and PML-N together have 154 seats in the 272-strong Assembly which is enough to give them reins of the Government but not sufficient to impeach Musharraf who has made it clear that he had intention of stepping down.(PTI)

8 Forest officers shifted

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 23: Minister for Forest and Environment Qazi Mohd Afzal has ordered transfers and postings of eight Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) and Assistant Conservators of Forests in the State Forest department.

Divisional Forest Officer, Udhampur M M Gupta has been transferred and posted as incharge MMO, EE and RS vice JK Kohli who has been posted as DFO Reasi.

N K Kohli, Divisional Forest Officer Reasi has been shifted and posted as DFO Udhampur vice M M Gupta. Pritam Singh Jamwal, incharge ACF Udhampur has been transferred and posted as Project Officer Ujh-I Kathua vice Harjinder Singh.

Harjinder Singh, Project Officer Ujh-I Kathua has been shifted and posted as ACF Udhampur vice Pritam Singh Jamwal. Mohd Rafiq Bhat incharge Project Officer Chenab Basin -II Batote is transferred and posted as I/C ACF Eco Task Force vice Balwant Singh.

Balwant Singh I/C ACF Eco Task Force will report to PCCF till further orders, whereas, N S Jasrotia ACF under orders of transfer to Ujh Project III is posted as I/C Project Officer Chenab Basin II vice Mohd Rafiq Bhat.

Pak national held in RS Pura

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 23: A Pakistani youth was arrested by security forces last night from forward village of Mangral in RS Pura sector. He was handed over to police this morning for questioning.

Identified as Sayeed Shiraj Ahsan Raja, a resident of village Malana, Gujranwalla, the 26 year old youth appeared to be an inadvertent crosser, official sources said.

Security forces apprehended him as soon as he crossed over into Indian territory from across the border in Mangral village of RS Pura sector, they said, adding that after preliminary questioning the youth was handed over to RS Pura police for interrogations.

No significant recovery was made from his possession.

Escaped Ugandan held in Dehradun

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 23: A Ugandan army’s retired official, who had escaped from custody of Satwari police station on the intervening night of February 13 and 14, was today arrested by Dehradun police in Uttranchal.

Rashid Joe alias Joe Ambuji son of Mohd Sufrak R/o Kampala, Uganda, was arrested by Dehradun police when he was moving under mysterious circumstances in the hilly district. As State police had sounded a nation wide alert for the Ugandan, Dehradun police sounded their counterparts here.

A Satwari police station party led by SHO Inspector Arvind Kotwal has left for Dehradun to take custody of the Ugandan, who was arrested on August 3, 2007 while moving mysteriously in Cantonment area of Satwari.

Sources said a fresh case of escaping police custody has been registered against Joe, who was stated to be a retired official of Ugandan army.