Beant loyalists replaced
From Jangveer Singh
Tribune News Service

PATIALA, Aug 6 — Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), president, Capt Amarinder Singh today announced a 50-member list of office-bearers of the PPCC. All groups had been accommodated, he claimed.

He replaced district unit presidents of eight districts of the state and announced that the name of the new district unit president of Jalandhar (Urban) would be announced tomorrow.

Congress sources said though an effort had been made to give representation to different groups, most office-bearers who had been replaced included staunch loyalists of former Chief Ministers Beant Singh and Rajinder Kaur Bhattal.

The sources said even in the case of the eight district presidents who had been changed, four district chiefs of Amritsar (Rural), Muktsar, Mansa and Ludhiana (Urban) owed allegiance to the Beant Singh faction.

A number of leaders who had had sharp differences with slain Chief Minister Beant Singh and Mrs Bhattal had been adjusted. A large number of supporters of former Chief Minister Harcharan Singh Brar had been accommodated.

Learning to live with fear
From Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

CHAMBA, Aug 6 — Residents of the Churah valley in Chamba district are living in fear following the massacre of 35 persons by Kashmiri militants at Kala Ban and Satrundi.

The massacre sites are just 5 km from the Jammu and Kashmir border. The residents feel the militants may enter the villages and repeat the carnage as it is not possible to seal the state's vast unmanned border with Jammu and Kashmir.

With speculation rife that the militants are still hiding in Himachal, the residents are terrified that they may be targeted again. Mr Sharad Pawar, who arrived here yesterday, was not allowed to go till the massacre sites by the police for security reasons.

He was asked to return to Chamba from Tarela, which is at a distance of 16 km from Tissa. The Pradesh Congress president, Mr Sat Mahajan, who accompanied Mr Pawar from Delhi, proceeded alone and visited the massacre site at Kheru-ki-Bahi.

The Churah valley and Kehar area of Chamba is prone to infiltration by Kashmiri militants from across Doda district of the adjoining militancy-infested state. The deployment of police personnel and other security forces in the area is too meager to counter the militant threat. In the absence of sufficient number of arms, communication equipment, vehicles and basic amenities for policemen, it is impossible to give a fight to the militants in this remote and harsh area located at a height of about 12,000 feet.

6 villagers held hostage
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Aug 6 — Kashmiri militants who massacred 35 persons in Kala Ban and Satrundi villages of Chamba district early this week are holding at least six villagers hostage.

According to intelligence sources, the hostages are being kept somewhere in the high-altitude ranges of Doda bordering Chamba. They released three hostages, all members of a community, including Latif and Sharif Mohammed. Waziru, an alleged accomplice who came to the site at which the labourers were working during the day on the pretext of seeking a job, is said to have gone with the militants.

Meanwhile, the Centre has convened a high-level meeting at Chandigarh tomorrow to work out a strategy to curb the activities of militants along the Himachal-Jammu and Kashmir border. Besides the Union Home Secretary, the Chief Ministers, Chief Secretaries and Directors-General of Police of the two states will participate in the meeting.

The Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police of Chamba and Doda districts will also be present.

Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, said the Centre had agreed to give a special assistance of Rs 1 crore to the state for strengthening the security setup in Chamba. The funds would be utilised for modernisation of the police force and procuring sophisticated weapons, communication equipment and vehicles.

The Centre had also placed a battalion of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police at the disposal of the state for deployment in the troubled areas. It had agreed to provide a helicopter to the state for combing operations and aerial surveillance of the high-altitude ranges dividing Doda and Chamba.

Mr Dhumal said the Centre would pay a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to the dependents of each of those killed in the massacre.

The state government had decided to recruit special police officers (SPOs) from border villages to supplement the efforts of the police. The SPOs will be provided armed training. Besides, there was a plan to revive the village defence committees (VDCs) to instill a sense of security among the residents. These committees would also help strengthen communal harmony.