Excelsior Correspondent

Srinagar, Jan 10: Security forces today launched a massive operation in a forest area of Sopore in North Kashmir after receiving information about the presence of a group of militants in the forests.
Sources said that acting on information about the presence of a group of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militants, Army’s 27 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police cordoned off Cherhar forests in Marble area of Sopore this morning.
Sources said that gun shots were heard from the forest area during the operation and it was not known whether it was the security forces who were firing or militants fired at them during the operation.
The security forces during the searches busted a militant hideout and recovered large quantity of eatables, utensils and blankets. The search operation in the forest area is going on.
In the meantime, Army today said that they arrested a militant from South Kashmir and recovered a weapon from him after locals lodged a complaint with the local unit of the Army.
Srinagar based defence spokesman said here that one AK-56 rifle, a magazine and 30 rounds of ammunition and 10 toy pistols were recovered from the arrested militant.
The statement issued by the defence spokesman said: “Locals solicited help of Army and Police in South Kashmir in apprehending a terrorist who was threatening them with dire consequences if the locals fail to pay a sum of Rs 50,000 for the cause of their Tanzeem.”
The spokesman said that on January 7, two masked men barged into the house of a local at night, took him at gunpoint to the outskirts of the village and threatened him to pay up Rs 50,000 for their Tanzeem cause or face dire consequences.
“Next day, the helpless individual mustered the courage to approach the local Army unit and Police. Displaying optimum synergy, coordination and alacrity, both Army and Police immediately acted upon to identify the terrorists responsible for the same”, the spokesman added.
The spokesman further said: “On January 9, following a tip off, the joint column of Army and Police raided a hideout and recovered one rifle AK-56, one magazine with 30 rounds along with 10 toy pistols which were used by the terrorists. The locals also volunteered to guide the Security Forces to the place where one terrorist was hiding. The terrorist was successfully apprehended highlighting the utmost level of mutual trust and synergy enjoyed by Army and Police in South Kashmir. He has been handed over to the Police.”

NEW DELHI, Jan 10:  Indo-US diplomatic ties suffered another blow today with India expelling a senior US diplomat in retaliation for the expulsion of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade hours earlier after she had been indicted by a jury in New York in a visa fraud case.
An unnamed Director-rank American diplomat from the US Embassy was given “a little more than 48 hours” to leave India even as Khobragade was on a flight home nearly a month after she was arrested and strip searched for allegedly underpaying her maid, Sangeeta Richard.
Arrest of Khobragade had led to tense diplomatic stand- off between the two countries which saw the US finally approving her accreditation to the UN on Wednesday which gave her full immunity against partial immunity she had in her position as Deputy Consul General at the time of her arrest.
Khobragade was told by the US to leave that country immediately after India refused to waive her diplomatic immunity to face trial. She boarded a flight to India last night.
In fast retaliation, New Delhi ordered the expulsion of an American diplomat of similar rank who was involved in arranging for the “evacuation” of three members of the maid’s family from India two days before Khobragade was arrested.
Refraining from using the term “expulsion”, official sources said here that the US Embassy has been asked to “withdraw” one of its diplomats.
Government has “reasons to believe that the diplomat is closely involved in the processes relating to the Khobragade case and subsequent unilateral action by the US,” the sources said without divulging the name of the American diplomat.
The diplomat was understood to be closely involved in the “evacuation” of the family of Sangeeta, whose husband and two children were flown to the US with tickets issued by the official travel agency of the US Embassy. The diplomat is believed to have also signed the tax exemption for the air tickets using his diplomatic card.
India’s tit-for-tat action is only the second instance of a US diplomat being expelled, the first instance being expulsion of George Griffin, then political Counsellor, 33 years ago. That was in retaliation against similar action being taken by the US against Prabhakar Menon, an Indian diplomat.
It is understood that it was always the effort of the Government to bring back Khobragade, who had surrendered her passport after the arrest and was out on a bail of USD 250,000, through G-1 visa route which would have given her full immunity.
Meanwhile, the charges against Khobragade will remain pending until such time as she can be brought to Court to face the charges, either through a waiver of immunity or her return to the US in a non-immune status which were make her liable to arrest.
Meanwhile, Devyani Khobragade, who was today indicted for visa fraud and making false statements by a grand jury in the US, returned here tonight amidst an emotional reunion with her family.
The United Airlines flight carrying Khobragade landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport at around 9.40 pm and she came out of the terminal at 10.40 pm, her father Uttam Khobragade said.
“She is not depressed. She is fine”, Devyani’s father told as he received his 39-year-old daughter at the airport along with officials of External Affairs Ministry.
Uttam Khobragade said he was “grateful to everyone for supporting her daughter”.
A 1999-batch IFS officer, Khobragade, was arrested on December 12 on charges of making false declarations in a visa application for her maid. She was released on a USD 250,000 bond.
The diplomat was strip searched and held with criminals, triggering a row between the two sides with India retaliating by downgrading privileges of certain category of US diplomats.
Meanwhile, the United States today said  in Washington, Devyani Khobragade, who returned to New Delhi, no longer enjoys immunity and she and Indian government were told that an arrest warrant might be issued against her.
“Prior to her (Devyani Khobragade) departure, it was conveyed to her and to the Government of India that she is not permitted to return to the United States except to submit to the jurisdiction of the court.
“Her name would be placed in visa and immigration lookout systems to prevent the routine issuance of any future visa and upon her departure a warrant may be issued for her arrest”, the State Department spokesperson, Jen Psaki, told reporters.
Khobragade’s departure from the US, she said, does not change the charges against her.
On Thursday, she was indicted in a New York court on two counts of visa fraud and misrepresentation of facts.
“The charges remain in place. There are processes that are standard processes in each of these cases, which we were abiding by throughout this process,” the State Department spokesperson insisted.
The United States  “deeply regretted” that India felt it necessary to expel an American diplomat after senior diplomat Devyani Khobragade was asked to leave the country following her indictment in a visa fraud case.
“We deeply regret that the Indian government felt it was necessary to expel one of our diplomatic personnel,” Jen Psaki said.
“I can confirm that a US official accredited to the (American) Mission in India will be leaving post at the request of the Government of India”, Psaki said.
The spokesman said “this has clearly been a challenging time in the US-India relationship” and the US expected that “this relationship will not come to a closure and India will take “significant steps” to improve the ties and return to a more “constructive place”.
“We expect and hope that this will not come to closure, and the Indians will now take significant steps with us to improve our relationship and return it to a more constructive place,” the spokesperson said. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, Jan 10:  Rahul Gandhi today promised early declaration of candidates for Lok Sabha polls under a “new process” reflecting the “voice of people” in Congress.
“We are taking the decision about giving tickets in a new way, under a new process.
“Discussions on it about various States have been taking place within our party for a long time. We are doing this with a formal structure,” the Congress Vice President told reporters before holding consultations with newly-appointed Chairman of Screening Committees for all States and UTs.
He said all tickets will be finalised at the national level “very soon for first time as far as deadline is concerned”.
“The thinking is that we bring a process and system in the party and bring in the voice of people in the political party systematically. That is why this meeting is there,” he added.
In a major exercise ahead of Lok Sabha polls, Congress had last night constituted screening committees for all States and Union Territories for early selection of candidates.
In the first meeting of the Chairmen of these screening committees, Gandhi today underlined the importance of giving weightage to common people in decision making in political processes including deciding candidates.
He is learnt to have impressed upon the broad parameters of candidate selection like no criminal record against them and an experience of right kind of politics along with winnability.
Sources in the party had indicated that the meetings of the screening committees to select candidates will begin soon after the January 17 AICC meeting in Delhi, where the party could name Rahul Gandhi as its Prime Ministerial candidate.
With Rahul keen on early declaration of candidates for Lok Sabha polls, the party is understood to have decided to come out with a list of 150 to 200 nominees by the end of this month.
Lok Sabha elections are likely to be held in April-May and the decision will give at least three months time to the candidates to prepare for the elections.
The exercise is also in line with the recommendation of the A K Antony panel entrusted with the task of drawing up an action plan for the party for Assembly and Lok Sabha polls.
It had recommended that the candidates should be declared at least a few months ahead of the elections.
The AICC general secretary incharge of all the States were also present at the meeting.
It was decided to prepare a schedule for the meetings of the screening committees and shortlisting of candidates.
The sources said the process of candidate selection at the level of Pradesh Election Committee is already on and once they send the list to the screening committee, the shortlisting will done here. (PTI)

UNNAO, (UP), Jan 10: Ruling out any future alliance with NDA, National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah today said his party was part of the dispensation when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was at the helm, but not now.
“Even if the BJP-led NDA comes to power after the Lok Sabha polls, National Conference will not be a part of it,” the Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy told reporters here.
When asked that he was in the NDA Government last time, he said that “the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was different…I can go with that person but not this,” though he did not name whom he referred to as “this” person.
Referring to AAP leader Prashant Bhushan’s statement on Army deployment in Kashmir, Abdullah said he did not have full knowledge about Kashmir.
The Union Minister said that Army deployment in Kashmir was necessary as it faced a threat from China and Al-Qaeda although he favoured withdrawal of Army from areas where it is not required. (PTI)

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 10: The Government has issued orders of transfers and postings of 38 in-charge Executive Engineers (X-Ens) and 47 in-charge Assistant Executive Engineers (AEEs) in the R&B Department.
Anil Pandoh, I/C Executive Engineers awaiting orders of adjustment has been placed in PMGSY Mahore, Sayed Sharief-ud-Din to PMGSY Pulwama, Abhinav Wangnoo as Technical Officer to Development Commissioner (Works),
Nissar Ahmed Bhat to R&B Budgam, Mushtaq Ahmed from R&B Div Budgam to the office of Chief Engineer PMGSY Kashmir, T L Thapa to continue at R&B Katra, Sidiq Ahmed Wani to JKPCC while Shakti Sagar has been shifted from JKPCC to ERA.
Rajan Mengi, I/C Executive Engineer has been transferred from R&B Medical College Division Jammu to  R&B Division No. III Jammu vice Jaspal Singh, who will swap posting with Mr Mengi. I/C X-En Nazir Ahmed Parray has been shifted to Mughal Road Division,   Abdul Mutalib from PMGSY Kargil to R&B Div II Kargil, Nissar Ahmed from Suru Valley Div Sankoo to PMGSY  Leh, Sonam Ponchok  from Spl SD Noyama  to PMGSY Kargil, Mohd Abbas Khan from Spl SD Khalsi to Suru Valley Division Sankoo, Dorjay Gyasto from PMGSY Leh to R&B Spl SD Khalsi, Nissar Hussain Kakpuri  from Tourism Department to PMGSY  Baramulla, Gurdev Singh from PMGSY Handwara to R&B Tangdar whle  A K Rawal  shall report to the office of CE R&B Jammu.
Ghulam Nabi Ahangar has been shifted from R&B Div Marwah to R&B Kishtwar, Madan Lal from R&B Div Kishtwar to R&B Doda, Shahjehan Mohd Pir from R&B Doda to R&B Div Bandipur,  Rajinder Kumar Bhat from R&B Bandipur  to SMVDSB Katra, Mohd Ashraf Gilkar from PMGSY Thathri to PMGSY Kishtwar, Isher Lal Bhagat from REW to PMGSY Thathri, Abdul Rashid Bhat from PMGSY Kishtwar to R&B Marwah, Suman Bhan from J&K ERA to R&B Chhatroo,  R P Gandotra from R&B Chhatroo to the office of CE R&B Jammu, A K Gadoo from PMGSY Baramulla to JKPCC, Parveiz Ahmed awaiting orders of adjustment has been placed in ERA, Showkat Jeelani Pandit to SDA, Abdul Rashid Malik to SSA Kashmir, Bikram Singh to Tourism Department, Mehmood Ahmed to REW, Mohinder Kumar to R&B Gandoh, Mohd Saddiq Dar to PMGSY Handwara, Tsering Anchok to R&B CD Leh while Skalzan Dorjey to R&B Spl SD Nyoma vice Sonam Punchok.
Meanwhile, the Government has also transferred 47 I/C Assistant Executive Engineers. I/ C AEE, D R Bhagat has been transferred from Sports Council Jammu to R&B Hq SD Kishtwar, Rajesh Kumar from R&B HQ SD Kishtwar to PMGSY Basohli, Rakesh Saraf from R&B SD Belicharana to J&K ERA, Mohammad Rafiq,  awaiting orders of posting has been placed to R&B SD Gandhi Nagar.
Pawan Gupta has been transferred from R&B SD Gandhi Nagar to the office of  CE, R&B Jammu, Tariq Abdullah Saraf has been transferred from PMGSY Baramulla to SKUAST, Mohammad Ramzan Sofi from SKUAST to PMGSY Baramulla, Ramesh Singh from R&B SD Mahore to R&B SD Mahanpur,   Atul Gupta from R&B SD Mahanpur to JKPCC, Sandeep Gupta to  R&B SD Marh, Rajesh Kumar Augustam from R&B SD Marh to Belicharana  SD as TO,  Ravinder Singh Trali in REW, Assa Singh to  R&B SD Mahore, Ghulam Hassan Najar  from Mughal Road to the office of X-En Shopian as TO, Imtiaz Ahmed Lara, TO to X-En Shopian to PMGSY, Vinod Kumar to JKPCC.
Mushtaq Ahmed from R&B SD Pampore to Mughal Road, Hanif Mohammad Mir, who was awaiting orders of posting has been posted at R&B SD Pampore, Tariq Hussain Ganai to  R&B Procurement SD Kargil, Zahoor Ahmed from ERA to PMGSY Pattan, Sardar Khan from R&B SD Pouni to JDA, Bhej Kumar Raina from PMGSY Mahore to R&B SD Pouni.
Susheel Kumar from JDA to REW, Ashok Kumar from PMGSY Basohli to R&B Chatroo SD Bathalan, Ghulam Hussain Bhat from Mughal Road to the office of  SE R&B Circle Shopian/Pulwama as TO, Fayaz Ahmed Kumar from the office of  SE R&B Circle Shopian/Pulwama to Mughal Road, Zafar Baba from PHC to PCD, Mohammad Ayoub from PCD to PHC, Sanjeev Kumar from R&B Arnas to DIQC, Vinod Saberwal from DIQC to REW.
Shabir Vaid from Mughal Road to the office of  SE Anantnag as TO, Gulzar Ahmed from SE Circle Anantnag to the office of  SE Ganderbal as TO, Ali Mohammad, who was awaiting orders of posting has been posted at R&B SD Zainpora, Mushtaq Ahmed Bacha from PDC to the office of  X-En Sopore as TO,  Khurshid Ahmed Pandit from R&B SD Zainpora to Mughal Road, Kulbhushan Bhau from HQ SD Gandoh to SD Samba-II, Gurmeet Kumar Phonsa from SD Samba II to R&B Arnas, Showkat Ahmed Shah from PMGSY Kupwara to the office of  X-En TT Div Srinagar as TO, Farooq Ahmed Khan from  the office of X-En TT Div Srinagar to PMGSY Kupwara, Sheikh Zameer, who was awaiting orders of posting has been posted to the office of  CE, PMGSY, Kashmir, Fayaz Ahmed from Amirakadal, SD of LRCR Div Srinagar to Magam SD (GDA),    Muneer Ahmed Sherwani from Magam SD (GDA) to PMGSY Handwara, Kuldeep Raj from CVPPC to JKPCC, Arun Gupta from R&B SD Bhaderwah to R&B SD Ramnagar, Mohan Lal Kundan from R&B SD Ramnagar to R&B SD Bhaderwah while  Ghansham Singh Jamwal, who was awaiting orders of adjustment, has been posted in REW.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 10: The police and Forest officials jointly foiled the major attempt of a PDP leader from Gool area ( now in Bathindi) and another local,  in Bathindi  area and seized two JCBs and a Scorpio vehicle from the spot.
A senior police officer said that after receiving information from the Forest officials concerned and locals of the area, the police team led by DySP Sambyal rushed to the spot and foiled the attempt of  some people to grab Forest/ Govt land. The land grabbers however, managed to escape when the police and Forest party reached there leaving behind two JCBs and a vehicle. The police party seized the machines and the vehicle and registered a case against one Imtiaz Shan, Talib Hussain and others from Bathindi area.
DFO Jammu, Dr V S Senthil Kumar said that after receiving information the joint operation was launched and two  machines were seized from the spot. They were making attempt to grab land near Sagar Mohalla just closer to the fencing. They had been engaged in making road up to the area under their target.  He said  RO Bahu Range and Forester were accompanying the party. The department would go for confiscation of the machines and initiate action under law against the land grabbers.  The exact status of the land is being ascertained, but majority of the land there belonged to Forest Department. He said the police has registered a case in this connection.
Meanwhile, an attempt to encroach Gair Mumkin Chapri under Survey No.188 in village Tinday Khurd under the jurisdiction of Bishnah Police Station was foiled by the civil administration this afternoon.
Official sources said that on getting information about the encroachment attempt, a team of Revenue Department with the assistance of Bishnah Police carried out operation in village Tinday Khurd and foiled the designs of the encroachers.
A JCB machine and two tippers, which were being used by one Som Nath, son of Isher Dass, were seized and the land restored to its original position.