DEHRADUN, Feb 1: With Sonia Gandhi putting her seal of approval on his name, Harish Rawat was elected today the Congress Legislature Party leader in Uttarakhand, paving the way for Haridwar MP’s swearing in as new Chief Minister of the hill state.
After a marathon meeting of the Congress Legislature Party here, senior party leader Janardhan Dwivedi said Rawat’s name had been approved by Gandhi who had been authorised to name the CLP leader by the legislators through a one-line resolution passed at the meeting.
It took some time to get the AICC chief’s approval as she was on a tour to Karnataka, he told reporters here.
“Soniaji gave her approval for Rawat’s name. He has been elected CLP leader and will be sworn in Chief Minister along with some Cabinet ministers later today,” Dwivedi said to loud cheers from supporters of Rawat. (AGENCIES)
JAMMU: Yog Guru Baba Ramdev today said ‘Maha Shivar’ to be held in March is being organised to generate support in favour of BJPs Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
“We will be launching nationwide ‘Maha Shivar’ on March 23 to target 10 crore people not only for strengthening the roots of Indian culture but with an aim to generate support for Modi across the country including from the State of Jammu and Kashmir,” Baba Ramdev told reporters at a press conference here.
The Yog Guru said India presently is passing through ‘historical period’ as a new political awakening has emerged adding, ” Mr Modi is the right choice at this juncture and he will definitely be the Prime Minister of the country.”
However, terming UPA Vice-President Rahul Gandhi as “innocent” in the field of politics, Yoga Guru said, “whatever Rahul Gandhi has said is admission of the truth.”
He alleged that Congress was directly involved in 1984 anti-Sikh riots, adding, “Mr Gandhi has admitted the truth as Congress leaders and party was directly involved in the massacre of the Sikhs.”
Terming Congress as ‘sinking ship’, Ramdev also advised various leaders and ministers including the Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah to stay away from the Congress party otherwise they will also ‘sink’. Ramdev, meanwhile, lashed out at Aam Admi Party for “unnecessarily” targeting people in so called anti-corruption campaign and said, “AAP is targeting people without any proof.”
“We introduced Arvind Kejriwal to fight against corruption but he has gone “off-track” in fighting the menace like corruption,” the Yog Guru added. (AGENCIES)
SRINAGAR : Curfew like restrictions have been imposed in Pulwama, where a militant was killed during the night-long operation, which commenced after a search party was attacked last evening.
Official sources said the operation ended as the only militant in the house was killed.
District Magistrate, Pulwama, said restrictions have been imposed in Pulwama as a precautionary measure.
Residents alleged announcements were made through public address system asking people to remain indoor as curfew has been imposed since early this morning.
Additional security forces have been deployed in the town and adjoining areas to strictly implement the restrictions. The encounter ensued at Kangan village, 2 km from Pulwama main town last evening when a joint operation was launched by troops of 55 Rashitriya Rifles, CRPF and State police following a tip-off about the presence of militants in the area.
However, when the security forces were sealing the particular area militant opened fire with automatic weapons. Security forces also retaliated, ensuing a fierce gun battle. It was reported that one of the two militants was killed last night.
The operation was stopped last night because of darkness and resumed today. (AGENCIES)
Government’s callous role is playing havoc with the standard of education in our institutions of higher education and learning. No fewer that 1600 vacancies of Assistant Professors are lying in the Higher Education Department. This is despite the fact that in many educational institutions shortage of teaching faculty is creating serious drawback for the student community.
The strange case of these 1600 vacancies is a clear indication that the Government is neither serious about recruitment of qualified staff nor in the performance and delivery of the faculties at educational institutions. Once the Government announced these vacancies, it asked the Public Service Commission to go ahead with the process of filling these vacancies. Adhering to a notification of the Department of Higher Education, the PSC declined to recruit M. Phils as Assistant Professors. But the affected candidates brought the case to the adjudication by the High Court which pronounced verdict in favour of the applicants meaning the candidates who had applied for employment. Consequently before re-advertising these vacancies, the PSC again asked the Government whether it would go ahead with advertising the posts afresh and entertaining applications of candidates with M.Phil qualification. But instead of giving a clear and unambiguous reply, the Higher Education Department remained content with ambiguous instructions and did not respond to the demand of the Public Service Commission to clarify what position it has taken in the matter.
It is surprising that the Department for Higher Education should adopt ambiguous position in regard to implementation of the court order. It is something that could be construed as contempt of court order which can have serious consequences. The attitude of the Higher Education Department in this context appears hostile rather than sympathetic. It is totally inexplicable that the department has adopted an attitude which does not ease the issue of educated unemployed but contrarily makes it more complicated. This is not the first time that the Higher Education Department has taken a non-committal attitude. In some cases in the past also it had adopted the same attitude. Also there are more matters related to the issue. One is about the amount of salary paid to adhoc teachers. This is far below the salary paid to regular teachers in their respective ranks for the same work. However, after constant struggle by Adhoc Teachers Association the Government enhanced their salaries from Rs 8000 to Rs 10,000 for teaching assistants and from Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 for lecturers recently. This is still far less than the remuneration given to adhoc lecturers by the other universities of the country. The Kurukshetra University pays Rs 21,600 as remuneration to contractual Assistant Professors. Even UGC has also recommended the hike in remuneration in contractual lecturers after the 6th Pay Commission report,
There are teachers who have been working on adhoc for more than twenty years and many among them are nearing retirement. It is unjust to have extracted work from them for the major part of their lives but paid them peanuts and to crown it all deprive them of all pensioner benefits. They are thrown on the roadside with neither the enhanced salary paid to them at proper time nor their services recognised for giving them any pensioner’s benefits. The Government will need to reconsider the academic arrangement scheme under which various far-reaching decisions are being pursued to bring benefit to the Government but at the cost of physical, mental and financial welfare of the teachers involved. Indirectly the students are also involved because after all it is delivery that matters. People send their wards to the institutions after due consideration whether the student can pick up with his or her classmates. As we said those reaching superannuation are disheartened when they reflect on their life long service to the society but with dismal days ahead as they have nothing to fall back upon.
State Vigilance Commission (SVC) reviewed for the second time the alleged cases of irregularity in regard to transfer of land under the scheme called Roshini. All top brass of Vigilance Organisation attended the meeting which was chaired by the Chief Vigilance Commissioner Kuldeep Khoda. At least the ball has been set in motion and if the momentum continues, the vigilance sleuths will be able to conduct business at a rapid speed. There have been various complaints pending with the SVC and the alleged land scandal of Roshini project was also among these. If the lid is taken off the Pandora Box, many bizarre stories will be revelled.
We are aware that the functionality of the State Vigilance Commission is hampered by inadequacy of manpower and it is unable to dispose off the cases that are pending before it. It has already approached the Government to provide it with skilled and unskilled staff so that the work of dispensing justice to the accused people is not halted. However people are pinning many hopes with the Vigilance Commission and they expect it to bring the cases of corruption and bribery among the echelons of administrative staff and their irregularities to the notice of the public. We know that this is not an easy job by any means but we have confidence in the competence and capability of our Vigilance team in contributing practically to the establishment of good governance in this state.
*Report to be submitted to CM today, NC Core Group to meet prior to Cabinet
Sanjeev Pargal
The CSC on new administrative units meeting at State Guest House in Jammu on Friday.
JAMMU, Jan 31: The Cabinet Sub Committee (CSC) on new administrative units in its meeting that went on till midnight tonight recommended creation of about 659 new administrative units in Jammu and Kashmir including sub divisions, tehsils, blocks and niabats and made all 4098 Panchayats in the State co-terminus with patwar halqas, which means every Panchayat would have a patwar.
Official sources told the Excelsior late midnight tonight that the CSC, which had a marathon meeting for nearly six and a half hours today under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader Tara Chand, recommended creation of 46 new sub divisions, 131 tehsils, 178 CD blocks and 304 niabats in the State apart from making all 4098 Panchayats (2145 in Kashmir division and 1953 in Jammu division) co-terminus with patwar halqas.
“As there were about 2000 patwar halqas in Jammu and Kashmir, the State would have to create over 2000 more patwar halqas to give one patwar to every Panchayat,” sources said but added that the patwar halqa can’t be described as an administrative unit as it would have only one patwari and no other officer.
Sources said the CSC has incorporated all administrative units including sub divisions, tehsils, CD blocks and niabats recommended by Mushtaq Ahmad Ganaie Commission apart from making its own recommendations on the administrative units. The CSC, however, excluded all patwar halqas recommended by the Ganaie Commission and decided that all Panchayats would have a patwar halqa, which would take total number of patwar halqas to 4098 (equal to the number of Panchayats) in the State.
The Ganaie Commission had recommended 222 administrative units (excluding patwar halqas) while the CSC has approved 437 administrative units (other than patwar halqas) taking total number of units recommended to 659.
The CSC meeting was held in cordial atmosphere and there was no acrimony. All seven members of the CSC unanimously approved the new administrative units and the decision to make Panchayats co-terminus with patwar halqas, sources said.
Since the CSC didn’t have mandate to recommend new districts, it has suggested creation of eight new districts on the basis of representations received by its from across the State.
The CSC, which initially met from 2.45 pm to 7 pm and then from 10 pm to 12.10 am, adopted terrain, population, backwardness and connectivity as the criteria for recommending new administrative units, sources said. The CSC headed by Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand comprised PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Sham Lal Sharma and Urban Development Minister Rigzin Jora, all from Congress, Higher Education Minister Mohammad Akbar Lone, Planning and Development Minister Ajay Sadhotra and Law & Parliamentary Affairs Minister Saifullah Mir, all from National Conference and Agriculture Minister GH Mir from JKDPN, an associate member of the Congress.
Sources said the CSC would again meet at 12.30 pm tomorrow and sign the report, which is being prepared by Revenue Secretary Vinod Koul and seek the time from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for a meeting to brief him on findings of the Panel and submit him the report. The report would be either submitted to Omar in the meeting or in the Cabinet meeting scheduled for 2 pm tomorrow at the Civil Secretariat.
“Tomorrow’s Cabinet meeting would be very crucial from the administrative units point of view,” sources said.
Omar, who was in New Delhi for past two days, would be reaching here at 11 am by IndiGo flight. The National Conference Core Group would meet at 11.30 am at the Chief Minister’s residence to discuss future strategy vis-a-vis CSC recommendations.
The NC Core Group comprised Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather, Rural Development Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar, Transport and CAPD Minister Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan, Planning and Development Minister Ajay Sadhotra, party’s provincial president Devender Singh Rana and former Minister Surjit Singh Slathia.
Sources said the Core Group would take a decision on the CSC recommendations before the Cabinet meeting.
The Congress Ministers in the coalition Government would also meet simultaneously at the Guest House to devise their strategy.
Akbar Lone told the Excelsior that the CSC report had to be submitted to the Cabinet tomorrow at any cost and that was why “we sat till midnight tonight”. He said: “there was no question to remain in the Government unless we get new administrative units implemented even if we had to quit. We don’t want to anger the Chief Minister”.
Mr Lone clarified that the patwar halqas are not an administrative unit. “Though we have recommended a patwar halqa for every Panchayat, they have been excluded from the new units,” he said.
Though the CSC had no mandate on making recommendations for creation of new districts (as it had been tasked to identity creation of new sub divisions, tehsils, blocks, niabats and patwar halqas), it has suggested creation of eight new districts in Jammu and Kashmir on the basis of representations received from the people.
The new districts suggested by the CSC included two districts carving out of Jammu including Akhnoor-Chhamb and RS Pura-Suchetgarh-Bishnah (border district), one district carving out of Reasi and Ramban including Gool-Arnas-Mahore-Gulabgarh, one district in Rajouri comprising Sunderbani-Kalakote-Nowshera and one district out of Kathua including Bani-Basohli-Billawar, all in Jammu province, two districts in Kashmir including one in Anantnag and another between Baramulla-Kupwara and one district in Ladakh between Leh and Kargil.
Sources clarified that the creation of new districts was purely a suggestion by the CSC and not recommendation as it didn’t have the mandate to recommend new district. The CSC preferred to forward the suggestion on creation of new districts based on representation received by it from the people during its tour of different parts of the State.
In 2007, the then Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had created eight new districts in the State-four each in Jammu and Kashmir regions.
Sources said the CSC on administrative units today met and held threadbare discussions on the recommendations of the Ganaie Committee report as well as representations received from cross sections of the society belonging to different regions and sub-regions of the State.
Minister for Urban Development and Urban Local bodies Nawang Rigzin Jora, Minister for PHE and Flood Control Sham Lal Sharma, Minister for Agriculture Ghulam Hassan Mir, Minister for Higher Education, Mohammad Akbar Lone, Minister for Planning & Development and Labour & Employment Ajay Sadhotra and Minister for Law, Justice and Parliament Affairs, Mir Saifullah attended the meeting, which was chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand.
The Panel comprised three Ministers each from Alliance partner-National Conference and Congress and Ghulam Hassan Mir from DPN, who happened to be an associate member of the Congress.
Secretary Revenue, Vinod Koul was also present in the meeting.
The CSC held a marathon meeting in which the full bench participated and gave their valuable suggestions on the mandate of setting up of new administrative units.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that the recommendations of Ganaie Committee, which is an extension of SS Bloeria Committee, were discussed threadbare, sources said, adding that additional demands which were earlier not considered by the Ganaie Committee and were projected before the CSC by people from all the three regions were also discussed.
Tara Chand said while finalizing the report of the CSC, the Committee has kept in mind the population, terrain, backwardness and connectivity as broader parameters for setting up new administrative units. The Committee would present the finalized report of CSC before the Cabinet tomorrow.
New units recommended by CSC
Sub Divisions 46
Tehsils 131
CD Blocks 178
Niabats 304
===
Total 659
===
Patwar Halqas 4098 (nearly 2000 of which already existed)
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Jan 31: Jammu and Kashmir High Court is contemplating to impose a penalty Rs 60 crore on three leading food processing companies in Kashmir after a report by SKIMS found that their adulterated food products besides being carcinogenic can damage organs and cause multiple diseases.
A division Bench of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court comprising Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar and Justice Tashi Rabstan after studying the report of Director SKIMS, Srinagar, Dr Shoukat Ahmad Zargar, about the Khyber Milk manufactured by Khyber Agro Farms, Turmeric powder manufactured by AVON Agro Industries Pvt Ltd Delhi and Saunf powder manufactured by M/s Kanwal Agro Food Industries Anantnag that were found adulterated by Central Food Laboratory Kolkata in its order today said: “The impleaded parties are further directed to show cause as to why, besides initial direction for depositing Rs 10 crore each, as directed by the Court vide order dated December 23, 2013, they shall not be directed to deposit further Rs 10 crore each in view of the report of Director SKIMS.”
The Court has also directed the three companies to comply the Court order dated December 23, 2013 under which they have to deposit Rs 30 crore with Director SKIMS, Srinagar. It may be mentioned here that Supreme Court had deferred the order of depositing of Rs 30 crore with Director SKIMS by four weeks.
The companies have been directed to give an undertaking before the Registrar Judicial of the High Court within seven days that they will not sell these products that have been found adulterated.
The Director SKIMS who was directed by the High Court to file report about the nature of diseases caused by the colouring and other material which were found in the spices and the toned milk has said that besides being carcinogenic these colouring agents can damage various body organs and can cause heart diseases.
The report of the Director SKIMS says that the Tratrazine found in the turmeric power causes allergic and intolerance reactions in children, among asthmatics and those with aspirin intolerance.
The report further says that various immunologic responses have been attributed to Tratrazine ingestion including anxiety, migraine, clinical depression, blurred vision, itching, general weakness, heatwaves, feeling of suffocation, purple skin patches and skin disturbance.
“The hyperactive behaviour caused by Tratrazine can result in irritability, restlessness and sleep disturbances. It can also cause neurobehavioral toxicity among children”, says the SKIMS report.
The report says that there is no sufficient evidence to implicate tratrazine in carcinogenesis but more evidence favours that it has carcinogenic potential.
The report says that Saunf powder manufactured by M/s Kanwal Agro Food Industries Anantnag contains tratrazine, Carmoisine and sunset yellow. “The Carmoisine and Sunset yellow have similar effects as Tratrazine”, the SKIMS report said.
The SKIMS report, however, said that Central Food Laboratory Kolkata report on Khyber Milk has only reported presence of detergent in the milk but has not specified the type of detergent. “The harmful effects depend upon the type of detergent and its quantity, however the detergents can damage gastrointestinal track”, the report adds.
The Court has directed the Director Information to give wide publicity to these adulterated products and their adverse affects on the health of people.
“The Deputy Commissioner’s across the State have been directed to ensure that these products are not sold anywhere in their districts”, the Court orders.
JAMMU, Jan 31: State Government has proposed an average 14 percent hike in the fares of the passenger vehicles and a detailed proposal in this regard is being placed before the State Cabinet, which is meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah at Civil Secretariat tomorrow at 2 pm.
Authoritative sources told EXCELSIOR that Transport Department with the approval of the Minister Incharge, Ch Mohammad Ramzan has proposed average 14% hike in the fares of the passenger vehicles keeping in view hike in the prices of the petroleum and petroleum products.
“Other parameters like the increase in the cost of chassis of vehicles, fabrication, spares, maintenance and other collaterals like insurance, salaries of drivers/conductors etc have also been taken into consideration while working out hike in the fares”, sources said, adding the proposed hike has also been recommended by Apex Committee after detailed exercise.
It is pertinent to mention here that transporters recently went on indefinite strike but following assurance from the Government that their demand for increase in fares would be sympathetically considered they suspended the same.
For the big buses (stage carriages), the Transport Department has proposed 14% hike over and above the existing fare. Similarly, for medium/mini-buses (stage carriages), a hike of 14% has been proposed. For the taxi/maxi cabs (base model contract carriages like Sumo, Bolero, Tata Indica, Swift, Tata Winger, Tempo Traveller), the Government has proposed 12% hike.
According to the sources privy to the proposal, for Taxi/Maxi cabs (medium segment tourist taxi/maxi cab contract carriages like Tavera, Scorpio, Qualis, Xylo etc) the Government has proposed 14% hike. However, for the Taxi/ Maxi cabs (premium class tourist taxi/maxi cab contract carriage like Innova and Fortuner etc, hike of 19% has been proposed. For auto rickshaw (petrol version) and stage carriage vis Tata Magic (Auto) similar rates like mini buses, hike of 9.8% has been proposed.
“Rates for fixation of per day trip in respect of stage carriages (big, medium /mini buses) for 11 hours with 2 hours break will be Rs 2850 plus fuel for big buses (stage carriages) and Rs 1350 plus fuel for medium/mini buses (stage carriages)”, sources said.
Sources said that Cabinet will also accord approval to the proposal of Social Welfare Department regarding induction of eight members of J&K Social Welfare (Gazetted) Service to the Time Scale of KAS.
These officers are Ghulam Ahmad, Mohammad Farooq, Sonali Arun Gupta, Atul Gupta, Kanchan Bala, Tsering Paldan, Zubair Hussain and Ritu Mahajan.
“The Cabinet will also accord sanction to the appointment of Nazir Ahmed Mir belonging to the J&K Hospitality and Protocol to the Time Scale of KAS”, sources informed.
As reported exclusively by EXCELSIOR in its January 24 edition, the Cabinet will also discuss the recommendation of high level panel and communication of Minister for Higher Education on opening of new BEd colleges in the State, order promotion of 3 IAS and 69 officials of J&K Accounts Services and give nod for the introduction of two bills seeking amendments in the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act, 2006 and appointment of ombudsman for investigating the charges of corruption and maladministration in the Panchayati Raj Institutions besides release of 10% DA in favour of employees and pensioners.
Proposed fares
i) Big Busses (Stage Carriages) 14%
ii) Medium/Mini Buses (Stage Carriages) 14%
iii) Taxi/Maxi Cabs (Base model Contract Carriages like; Sumo, 12%
Bolero, Tata Indica, Swift, Tata Winger, Tempo Traveller etc.)
iv) Taxi/Maxi Cabs (Medium Segment Tourist Taxi/Maxi Cab 14%
Contract Carriages like; Tavera, Scorpio, Qualis, Xylo etc.)
(with reference to serial No. 3, 2012)
v) Taxi/Maxi Cabs (Premium class Tourist Taxi/Maxi Cab Contract 19%
Carriages like Innova, Fortuner etc.)
(with reference to serial No. 3, 2012)
vi) Auto Richshaw (Petrol version) 9.8%
vii) Stage Carriage viz; Auto similar rate like Mini buses Taga Magic
JAMMU, Jan 31: Unruly scenes were witnessed in the meeting of Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board with one of its members raising objections over the presence of district officers and using some uncalled for remarks against them despite the fact that they were invited by none else than the Chairman of the Board. Feeling insulted by the member, District Development Commissioner supported by all the officers and Member Legislative Assembly from Reasi, Baldev Raj Sharma walked out of the meeting prompting its cancellation.
Reliable sources told EXCELSIOR that Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Shantmanu had called the meeting of Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board in his capacity as Chairman of the Board at his office yesterday evening. Besides members of the Board, he had also invited district level officers of various departments keeping in view some important developmental issues to be taken up for discussion and decision.
Sources said that when the Assistant Commissioner Revenue (ACR) Reasi, who is Secretary of the Shrine Board, was making presentation on the activities being carried out by the Board, Advocate B S Slathia, member of the Board objected to the presence of district officers and remarked, “the servants of the Shrine Board are not required to attend the Board meeting”.
“How the Board can take the policy decisions and discuss the inefficiencies of certain officers in their presence”, sources said quoting Mr Slathia’s remarks in the meeting, adding “Mr Slathia even said that Chairman should have either convened separate meeting of the district officers or not invited them to Board meeting”.
Feeling insulted over the use of word ‘servants of the Board’ by Mr Slathia, District Development Commissioner Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary stood up in protest and staged walk-out. He was followed by all the district officers, who too left the meeting, sources informed, adding even the MLA Reasi, Baldev Raj Sharma staged walk-out in support of the DDC and other officers.
Though office of Divisional Commissioner tried its level best to persuade at least MLA, who was special invitee, and DDC to attend the Board meeting yet on moral ground they didn’t return. This led to the cancellation of the meeting, sources said, adding it has now been decided that the Chairman would convene meeting at Ransoo, the base camp of Shri Shiv Khori Shrine on February 5.
When contacted, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Shantmanu confirmed that B S Slathia had the objection over the presence of district officers in the meeting on certain grounds. He, however, refused to reveal more about the reason behind cancellation of meeting.
MLA Reasi, Baldev Raj Sharma, when approached, said, “I staged walkout in support of the DDC and district officers. There should have been no objection on their presence when they were invited by none else than Chairman of the Shrine Board”, adding “after all the decisions of the Board have to be implemented by the officers of the concerned departments”.
Citing the example of District Development Board meetings, he said, “the DDB meetings are not only attended by its members but by senior officers of all the departments. Similarly, the objective behind inviting the officers was to ascertain the progress of the developmental issues and pass further directions”, the MLA said.
He stressed that in the future meetings of Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board the officers of concerned departments must be invited and this should not be made an issue by any of the Board members.
When contacted, Advocate B S Slathia said, “I had objected to the presence of district officers as certain policy decisions warrant discreet discussion. There was no justification behind inviting them and making them privy to discussion on important issues”. “How could misconduct of certain officers be discussed in front of them”, he added.
In reply to a question, he said, “Chairman had not conveyed the Board members that he was also inviting the District Officers otherwise I would have objected to the same prior to the convening of the meeting”.
Troops during a search operation in Sopore on Friday. -Excelsior/Aabid Nabi
Srinagar, Jan 31: One militant was killed in a fierce encounter in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district and another has been trapped in a house after they fired at security forces this evening.
The Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police South Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, told Excelsior that militants this evening fired upon a police party at Kangun village in Muran area of district Pulwama.
“One militant has been killed and we tried to recover his body but we were fired upon by another militant. The gun battle is going on and the entire village is under cordon”, said Kumar.
The DIG said that Police, Central Reserve Police Force and 55 Rashtriya Rifles are conducting the operation. “We will conduct the searches once the gun fight ends”, he said.
Sources said that entire village is under cordon and more troops have been rushed to the area so as to stop another trapped militant from fleeing the village during the night. Generators’ have been also taken to the village to lit up the area to prevent the militant from fleeing the area.
Sources said that militants took shelter in the house of Ghulam Hassan Dar son of Habibullah Dar after they fired on a police party. They suspect the militants belong to Lashkar-e-Toiba militant outfit and one of them is Tauseef Ahmad a local militant.
In the meantime, police and 22 RR of Army, 179 Battalion of CRPF launched search operation in Shiva village and adjoining forests in North Kashmir’s Sopore area after reports that Mushtaq Ahmad Changa of Armpora who was abducted by unidentified gunmen has been taken to the forests.
The security forces conducted house to house searches of the village and also parts of forest area. However, no one was arrested.
Changa was abducted during the night intervening January 29 and 30 by around 5 gunmen who barged into his house at the dead of night.
The family, relatives and residents of Armpora in Sopore today protested in front of Police Station Sopore and demanded whereabouts of Changa. The SHO pacified them and the protesters later dispersed.
