J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

A pilgrimage with tight security
Amarnath Cave
It took nearly seven hours for Ms Bhawna Khileri, a representative of a leading pharmaceutical company, to have darshan of the 7.5 ft high snow shivling inside the holy cave. She along with her relatives had joined the long queue at 9 a.m. Others, including this correspondent, had to wait only from 6.30 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. for reaching the cave.

Seven infiltrators shot dead
Strike against ‘state terrorism’ complete
Srinagar, July 27
The security forces, guarding the Northern Sector, scuttled yet another major infiltration attempt when they killed seven heavily armed militants at the Nowgam Sector last evening. Elsewhere, seven militants were among nine killed. A ruling National Conference leader escaped a bid on his life.

A Border Security Force trooper stands guard as a group of Kashmiris sit in front of closed shops during a strike in Srinagar on Friday. A strike called by the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference to protest against the killing of a militant leader brought business to a halt in the state capital on Friday. — Reuters photo

Firing disrupts fencing work
Jammu, July 27
As a result of intermittent but heavy firing on the border villages and posts, work on the fencing of 187-km-long international border (IB) has been disrupted at a number of places. 

2 SOG men held for extortion
Srinagar, July 27
Two personnel of the Special Operation-Group of the Jammu and Kashmir police allegedly involved in a number of extortion cases were placed under suspension following their arrest today.

A pilgrimage with tight security
Raj Sadosh

Amarnath Cave
It took nearly seven hours for Ms Bhawna Khileri, a representative of a leading pharmaceutical company, to have darshan of the 7.5 ft high snow shivling inside the holy cave. She along with her relatives had joined the long queue at 9 a.m. Others, including this correspondent, had to wait only from 6.30 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. for reaching the cave. It was considered more comfortable and less time-consuming exercise in the evening because most visitors preferred to return in the afternoon.

Locals said originally the height of the shivling was 9 ft but the snow melted due to the bright sun. The cave area had heavy rain in the last week of June, while Daras hills had snowfall.

Although the Jammu and Kashmir Government had fixed a target of allowing 1.08 lakh devotees this year against last year’s turnout of nearly 1.75 lakh persons, the number of visitors had already crossed 85,000. On the way from Pahalgam through Chandanwari, Pissu top, Sheshnag and Panchtarni there had been repeated frisking by securitymen with metal detectors but none had checked the permission permits issued by the Department of Tourism. Perhaps this was the reason for high turnout.

Although owners of the tents appeared to have been told to keep tight-lipped, two of them from Kangan and Gandharwal areas told this correspondent that the state government had taken several measures to win over locals by offering incentives. At the cave only reliable persons from far-off areas of the valley were allotted free space, to put up tents for shops and accommodation. They had to reach here in the middle of June to select vantage points and put up their tents.

The “Khans” said customers had already been objecting to the existing rates whereas the official list entitled them to charge more. Night stay charges by private tent owners at Sheshnag and Panchtarni were Rs 50 against Rs 130 charged by the Tourism Department, which had put up tents in large numbers. Interestingly on July 1 the department had quoted the rate for night stay in tents at Pahalgam at Rs 60 but later raised it to Rs 90. However, protests by visitors forced the department to restore the original rates.

Sources said nearly 21,000 securitymen had been deployed under Operation Bolenath (Bholenath) en route the holy cave. As a mark of respect to the yatra, the security forces had decided to observe dry days since July 1. Wine stores were closed and the securitymen were seen breaking down bottles of whisky detected during scanning at the entry point near Nanuwan village outside Pahalgam. A majority of hotels and restaurants had pasted white slips on non-veg food items on signboards.

The most interesting signboard was of Nasir Ali ka Vaishno Dhaba on National Highway 1-A leading to Pahalgam. A large number of closed shops on the national highway indicated that their owners had migrated from the valley.

The three tier security cover provided to the yatris was in addition to deployment of Jammu and Kashmir police. The CRPF was supervising the arrangements on the ground, the BSF had put up tents in the hills and the Army put up posts on mountain tops. A women’s battalion of the CRPF was keeping a watch on the movement of women during the yatra. The security forces including 4 Madras (WLI) Regiment were seen serving hot and salty water to the yatris at some points where deficiency of oxygen could upset blood pressure during pilgrimage to 14500 ft-plus peaks of Mahaganesh etc. Although many yatris preferred to take the return journey through the Baltal route but it was risky as no shelter was available en route the 16 km distance down the hills. Moreover one had to spend the day for non-stop return trip by bus to Pahalgam if the Baltal route was chosen.

Khans from Gandharwal told this correspondent that they had to be equally hospitable to the Indian securitymen and the militants by offering food and tea as and when they visited their village. They had to stay put in the area which generally heard an exchange of fire between the two sides on the LoC as they were to look after the dry fruit orchards for their livelihood. None of them was sure of a safe return to their home in the evening, so they carried identity cards in their pockets. They realised that militancy had completely ruined the economy of the Kashmir which attracted tourists before the last decade.

At Pahalgam also the shopkeepers said like ponywalas and “pithus” they had to wait for the Amarnath yatra for 11 months of the year as tourists had stopped visiting the area completely. Bashir Ahmed and other ponywalas said they were disillusioned at this poor turnout of pilgrims from Gujarat due to earthquake. The Gujaratis had been very liberal in giving “bakshish” in addition to the fixed charges.

Bashir’s entire family was camping at a village near Chandanwari since June 15. They had brought six ponies and 100 sheep here as the herd could not tolerate Jammu’s heat in the summer. Other “pithus”, some of them under graduates, told this correspondent that they had come from Udhampur area. They had to pay for meals but night stay was free at the tents put by people from their areas. Interestingly, a smart youth who was running a tent at Sheshnag agreed to carry the luggage to Panchtarni just for Rs 150.

Seven infiltrators shot dead
Strike against ‘state terrorism’ complete

Srinagar, July 27
The security forces, guarding the Northern Sector, scuttled yet another major infiltration attempt when they killed seven heavily armed militants at the Nowgam Sector last evening. Elsewhere, seven militants were among nine killed. A ruling National Conference leader escaped a bid on his life.

There was no violence from any part of the valley, the sources said, adding peaceful protests against the increase in “custodial killings” and alleged high-handedness of the security forces were reported from various parts of the valley after the Friday prayers. UTI, PTI

Firing disrupts fencing work
M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 27
As a result of intermittent but heavy firing on the border villages and posts, work on the fencing of 187-km-long international border (IB) has been disrupted at a number of places. In certain areas the pace has slowed down where the BSF jawans labourers have been forced to go slow under the rain of bullets.

When work on the fencing project was started five months ago, the progress was phenomenal and a 10-km belt was fenced within the shortest possible time. The work on fencing another 13-km stretch was taken in hand and despite repeated attempts by Pakistani Rangers to disrupt the work, the project has not been given up.

On July 15, as many as 16 pencil bombs were tied to fencing pillars under construction which were damaged when these bombs explosed. The BSF defused five live pencil bombs in the same Kanachak area in Jammu. This indicates that the Pakistani side is making determined attempts to stall the fencing project.

Official sources said Pakistan did not want to see the fencing project completed because this would check infiltration, arms and narcotics smuggling and enable the BSF to reduce its forces in the Akhnoor, Sambha, R.S. Pora and other belts.

The state authorities, especially those looking after Crime Railways, had conveyed to the Union Home Ministry that fencing had become imperative because in the absence of barbed barrier militants would sneak into Jammu and carry out blasts on the Jammu-Samba railway track. The railway track runs, at places, 3 to 7 p.m. from the border. Hence, it was necessary to fence the border.

The sources disclosed that the Home Ministry had not made available adequate funds which would allow the BSF to start work on the project at several places. The funds kept coming in a trickle because the time schedule fixed for completion of the project was 2003.

The state authorities wanted the completion schedule to be made shorter. This was possible if more funds and manpower were made available and wherever necessary the Army was approached for assistance.

Informed sources said the Government of India and not want to precipitate the conflict on the border, by hastening the fencing project because Delhi was opposed to giving any provocation to Islamabad at a time when the two sides were keen on resolving bilateral problems through negotiations.

It was in the context of these developments that the Union Home Secretary, Mr Kamal Pande, was scheduled to visit some pockets on the border today to monitor the pace of progress of the fencing project and interact with the state and BSF authorities for finding out if they had some problems which could be sorted out.

However, Mr Pande has postponed his visit though he was also expected to discuss with the state auhtorities the latest security situation in the state. The Chief Secretary, Mr Ashok Jaitly, had reached Jammu yesterday and the Director-General of Police, Mr A.K. Suri, arrived from Srinagar by air today. Possibly, they were not informed about the postponement of Mr Pande’s visit.

Sources said the state government had decided to convey to the Home Secretary the need for sanctioning additional companies of paramilitary forces so that these forces could be deployed in the troubled Doda district where militants had plans of attacking soft targets in several areas which continued to be “grey” after over 4,000 troops were withdrawn last year.

Though the demand for setting up security pickets in areas inhabited by minority communities in various pockets of Doda district has been in the air for the past two years, it has become louder since the massacre of 12 Hindus at two places in Kishtwar area recently. Political leaders and people in Doda district also demand strengthening of village defence committees by equipping the members with sophisticated weapons.

Reports said this issue would also be raised during the next meeting that the state authorities would have with the Union Home Secretary.

2 SOG men held for extortion

Srinagar, July 27
Two personnel of the Special Operation-Group of the Jammu and Kashmir police allegedly involved in a number of extortion cases were placed under suspension following their arrest today.

An official spokesman said the involvement of the SOG personnel came to light with the arrest of an extortionist — Arshad Ahmad Dar — who disclosed their involvement during questioning. A number of political and social organisations in the valley have time and again alleged that SOG men, along with surrendered militants, are behind looting of shops and houses across the valley, particularly in far-flung areas.

The Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party (PDG) of former Union Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has demanded disbanding of the SOG which, according to it, is responsible for custodial killings, fake encounters and extortions. UNI