Maulvi’s expulsion to hit Cong
JAMMU, Aug 11 — By expelling Maulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari J&K Minister for Housing and Urban Development, from the Congress for a period of six years on charge of having campaigned against the party candidates in the March Lok Sabha election, the AICC has given clear indications that the Congress was for playing the role of an effective opposition in Jammu and Kashmir and not a second fiddle to the ruling National Conference.
Pak shelling kills 2 civilians
JAMMU, Aug 11 — Two civilians were killed one was injured in renewed Pak shelling in Kargil sector during the last 24 hours, reports said that Pak fired over 20 shells and one shell fell near the CRPF camp killing one civilian and wounding three others of whom one succumbed to the injuries.
Troops kill 4 militants
SRINAGAR, Aug 11 —Troops killed four militants in the Kashmir valley during the overnight operations.
Majority of Kupwara militants ‘foreigners’
KUPWARA, Aug 11 — Majority of the over 150 militants operating in the populated areas here are foreigners and the "same situation is likely to continue for some time", particularly during the summer months.

Security forces in Doda inadequate
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Aug 11 — Even after persistent demand from the state government and in the light of worsening security scenario in Doda district the Centre has sanctioned only three additional companies of the BSF.

The police sources said Doda district, being the largest in the state, the existing 14 battalions of the security forces were too less to tackle the situation. The state government has demanded at least another 12 battalions.

The paucity of security forces had not been made up by increasing the number of village defence committees and since June 26, when two major massacres were committed by militants in the district in which 44 civilians were killed. Just one village defence committee and a police post had been set up in Thakre Di Sarwana villages.

The sources said for the last three weeks Kishtwar and Bhaderwah areas have been witnessing major communal polarisation and the recent killing of two civilians by the Army, kidnapping of girl and of one couple, beating of demonstrators by the CRPF in Kishtwar had resulted in communal tension.

The police authorities feel handicapped on account of paucity of security forces and unavailability of bettor weapons. "If there are communal disturbances, we have no adequate forces to control the situation," said and a police officer who did not want to be identified.

Security experts are of the opinion that there was need for setting up additional police, Army and paramilitary forces pickets in different areas in the district. At present the distance between one picket of security forces is more than 20 to 30 km and that too when the pickets are separated by mountains restricting the mobility of the forces.

According to these experts militancy cannot be controlled in the hill region of Bhadereah-Chamba border belt unless massive combing operations are launched since the number of the security forces in Doda district was quite small they could not supplement the operations that are likely to be launched from Chamba side.

Maulvi’s expulsion to hit Cong
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Aug 11 — By expelling Maulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari J&K Minister for Housing and Urban Development, from the Congress for a period of six years on charge of having campaigned against the party candidates in the March Lok Sabha election, the AICC has given clear indications that the Congress was for playing the role of an effective opposition in Jammu and Kashmir and not a second fiddle to the ruling National Conference.

About three weeks ago Maulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari, who got elected to the Assembly from Pattan constituency on the Congress ticket, had been served a show cause notice in which he was asked to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against him. The Maulvi is understood to have ignored the notice.

Reports said that the Congress president, Ms Sonia Gandhi, took a strong decision ordering the expulsion of the Maulvi for a period of six years. The Maulvi was the only Congress candidate whom Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, had inducted in his cabinet in October, 1996. Since then there has been simmering di scontent in the state unit of the Congress over his continuance in the cabinet which had embarrassed the Congress within and outside the state Assembly.

After Mufti Mohammed Sayeed emerged victorious from Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency and succeeded in getting Ch Mohammed Aslam as PCC president the Mufti has been mounting pressure on the Congress high command to take action against Maulvi Ansari on the plea that while the party had started playing the role of a responsible opposition party Maulvi Ansari's presence in the cabinet had created misgivings among the Congressmen.

Maulvi Ansari was never comfortable in the Congress during the past three years. Even as a senior leader of the Congress he had has heart with the Chief Minister, Dr Abdulla also needed him for mobilising support of Shia Muslims as Maulvi Ansari has influence among a large section of Shias. The Maulvi could not afford to resign from the Congress as in that case he would have invited the provisions of the anti-defection law and lost his seat in the Assembly. He, therefore, created a situation in which the AICC had no choice but to expel him from the party.

His expulsion is treated as an affront to Kashmir Chief Minister, in the shape of a warning that the Congress would not have any alliance with him after he had "joined hands with a communal party like the BJP".

No doubt expulsion of the Maulvi from the Congress would affect the party in Kashmir but at the same time Ms Sonia Gandhi has conveyed an impression among pro-NC leaders in the Congress that they too would meet the same fate in case they tried to play a complementary role for the National Conference.

A section of the National Conference including some ministers are said to be happy over the Maulvi's expulsion as they have not fostered intimate relationship between Maulvi Ansari and Dr Farooq Abdullah. Already Maulvi Ansari is being involved in cases of favouritism and this is being done by some influential ministers and bureaucrats to malign him. In case the cases prove correct he may have to quit the cabinet and that would be quite unfortunate as over the last two decades Maulvi Ansari has been in the forefront of nationalist forces in Kashmir.

Pak shelling kills 2 civilians
Tribune News Service and agencies

JAMMU, Aug 11 — Two civilians were killed one was injured in renewed Pak shelling in Kargil sector during the last 24 hours, reports said that Pak fired over 20 shells and one shell fell near the CRPF camp killing one civilian and wounding three others of whom one succumbed to the injuries.

Police sources said that Pak troops have been making concerted attempt to blow up the Drass-Kargil road to snap supply line to Kargil and Leh districts.

Pak troops fired several shells in Poonch town and one shell partially damaged one hospital. However, there was no casualty. Another Pak shell fell on the H.B. bridge near Kargil in which one civilian was wounded. In Akramabad in Doda scores of people had a narrow escape when militants carried out a bomb explosion.

Militants opened fire on Village Defence Committee members in five villages in Bhaderwah subdivision of Doda district which included Indrala, Dallan and Sharot. The VDC members repulsed the attack by returning the fire.

Two women were injured, one Ms Zainab in Poonch explosion, and another, Kanta Devi in firing opened by militants in Dranga village in Bhaderwah.

The sources said two persons were injured critically when militants exploded a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) by remote control near a food store in Surankote market this morning causing panic in the area.

The injured had been shifted to the district hospital in Poonch for treatment.

In another incident, militants exploded a powerful bomb by remote control near Poonch hospital damaging a portion of it, they said.

No one was injured or killed in the blast, they added.

Meanwhile, inter-state night bus services from Jammu have been suspended till August 15 as a precautionary measure and security has been beefed up in the Jammu region, official sources said.

Troops kill 4 militants

SRINAGAR, Aug 11(UNI, PTI) —Troops killed four militants in the Kashmir valley during the overnight operations.

A Defence Ministry spokesman said troops during a fierce encounter killed two foreign militants at Dardasun in the frontier district of Kupwara last evening. Two AK 56 rifles, five magazines, 150 rounds and two grenades were recovered from the slain militants.

He said troops also killed two militants during a search operation at Shikargah in the Pulwama district of south Kashmir last evening. Two assault rifles, six magazines, 130 rounds and four grenades were recovered during the operation.

Two of the killed were Pakistani nationals and three others were arrested by security forces, while village defence committee members repulsed militant attacks in five villages in Kashmir valley since last evening.

Meanwhile, three militants surrendered before the security forces at Malangam in Bandipora area of Baramula district yesterday. The militants handed over three AK assault rifles, 120 rounds of ammunition and 12 magazines to the authorities, he said.

With their surrender, the total number of militants who had shunned the path of violence on Monday has gone up to four. A self-styled district commander of Islamic front, Imtiyaz Ahmad Gujri alias "nika guru" gave himself up before Border Security Force authorities at Karan Nagar in downtown Srinagar yesterday.

A Defence Ministry spokesman said two foreign mercenaries fell to the bullets of troops in a fierce encounter at Dardsun in frontier district of Kupwara, last night.

Army also shot dead two foreign mercenaries, identified as Nasrullah and Fazal Din from Gilgit (Pakistan), during combing operations in Pulwama district of south Kashmir yesterday, he said.

Four AK assault rifles, six grenades and some ammunition were recovered from the sites of the encounters.

The spokesman said militants opened indiscriminate fire on five villages of Inderalla, Dhallah, Bhatana, Kandote and Sharote in Doda district of Jammu region last night.

Border Security Force (BSF) personnel averted a possible tragedy when they detected a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) at Noorpora-Tral road in Pulwama last evening.

The captured militants were identified as Nazir Ahmad alias Rashid, self-styled platoon commander of Hizbul Mujahideen hailing from Heepora-HMT, Ghulam Rasool Sheikh alias Tahir, section commander and Syed Firdous Hussain of Shariefabad-Chewdoora, the spokesman said.

Two AK assault rifles, four grenades, two kg of explosives and some ammunition were recovered from the captured militants.

Majority of Kupwara militants ‘foreigners’
Tribune News Service

KUPWARA, Aug 11 — Majority of the over 150 militants operating in the populated areas here are foreigners and the "same situation is likely to continue for some time", particularly during the summer months.

"No locals come forward to join the militants' ranks", said Maj-Gen V.G. Patankar, GOC, 28 Division of the Army, while talking to mediapersons here today. He said that the Hizbul Mujahideen was the main militant outfit to which these militants belonged while its other smaller groups like the Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen, Al-Barq and other fragments including the Harkat-ul Ansar also formed part of the militant groups operating in the area.

Briefing newsmen on the "operation - Tarun" launched on Sunday and Monday in which at least 15 militants and two Armymen were killed, Maj Gen V.G. Patankar said that the group was totally eliminated. He said that these militants had infiltrated in the Shamshabari range into the valley and it was only a day before that they had reached the area.

He added that militants sneaked into the valley only when the Pakistani troops opened heavy shelling and firing from across the border. "It is only during such firing that the militants are infiltrated", Maj Gen V.G. Patankar said.

So far only 12 bodies of the militants were recovered from Jagarpora village which witnessed a 32-hour long operation against the militants. Those killed have been identified as six Afghans, one Pakistani and an Iranian, while four others were local militants. However, the names of only six militants were disclosed. They are — Saifuddin Bast, Umar Inquilabi, Shahbaz, (all foreigners) Naseebuddin (Iranian), Umar Javed and Fayaz Ahmad both local militants.

Two Army men including Captain Tarun Kumar and Signalman Sawant AM were also killed in the operation. The seizure included nine AK rifles, two pistols, one rocket projector, and one Pika machine gun. Besides a large quantity of arms and ammunition documents and currency seized from the site of the encounter.

It was revealed that the two or three more militants, part of the group, had also been killed. The search for their bodies in the village that witnessed the fiercest encounter, are still on. Over 12 residential houses were also damaged in the encounter, Maj Gen Patankar revealed. He said that militants set afire the houses in order to find a way to escape from the cordoned village.

The 7 Sector of the Rashtriya Rifles, under the Command of Brig. R.K. Karwal made the operation possible with the coordination of the Army, the BSF, the Jammu and Kashmir Police, said Maj Gen V.G. Patankar. Referring to the excellent courage shown by the Armymen, Maj Gen Patankar said that Captain Tarun Kumar who sacrificed his life in encounter with the militants he said it was a case of individual gallantary in which the Captain attempted the surrender of two militants. They hurled a grenade on him from a close range, but they were also killed", Maj Gen Patankar said.

Giving details of the operation, Brig R.K. Karwal of the seven Sector said that they received information about the presence of about 15 militants in Jagarpora on Sunday morning. Three columns of the seven Sector RR rushed in and cordoned off the village by 12.30 p.m. Thereafter numerous appeals were made to the militants to surrender within next two hours. At about 4 p.m. the militants opened fire indiscriminately using Machine Guns. AK rifles. Restraint was used while returning fire so as not to damage civilian property. "As night fell the militants realised that they were trapped. To distract our attention, they set a few houses ablaze so that they could escape", Brig R.K. Karwal said fierce encounter continued throughout night leading to the death of 12th militants.