J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Azad puts Cong in the dock
Jammu, September 30
By demanding clemency for Mohammad Afzal, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has not only put himself in the dock, but also caused embarrassment to the Congress that had lately started gaining lost ground in Jammu and Kashmir.

Forces unfazed by presence of Al-Qaida
Jammu, September 30
Security and intelligence agencies do not seem to be unnerved by reports of the presence of Al-Qaida activists in Jammu and Kashmir on the ground that when men of Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad have remained active in the state for the past several years, the security scenario may not assume new dimensions if militants start operating under new banners.

IG regrets injury to lensmen
Srinagar, September 30
The Inspector-General, CRPF, here has regretted the incident in which three photo journalists were injured at the hands of police personnel yesterday.

50 kg RDX, 59 detonators seized
Jammu, September 30
The security forces today seized a cache of explosives, including 50 Kg RDX, from a nullah at Mohore in Udhampur district.

Azad puts Cong in the dock
Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 30
By demanding clemency for Mohammad Afzal, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has not only put himself in the dock, but also caused embarrassment to the Congress that had lately started gaining lost ground in Jammu and Kashmir.

Almost all political and religious parties here have stood up against Mr Azad and are demanding that he should be sacked.

Congress activists in the Jammu division are feeling embarrassed by his statement as they have no reply to the query of people on the issue. The party at the Central and the state levels is trying to distance itself from the issue.

A Congress leader said the party had once again been put in the dock and this time by its own leader. The party faced a similar situation three years ago when the PDP-led coalition government introduced a Bill seeking to take away the domicile rights of women marrying outside Jammu and Kashmir.

Another party activist wondered why Mr Azad should make such a demand when he was an eyewitness to the terrorist attack on Parliament.

BJP spokesman Parkash Javdekar, talking to mediapersons, described Mr Azad’s statement as irresponsible. Occupying the chair of the Chief Minister, he should not have made the demand for clemency, he said, adding that the Congress was soft towards Pakistan-sponsored terrorists and the UPA government had scrapped POTA which was the only deterrent for ultras.

He said the UPA government was encouraging terrorists and separatists as the Prime Minister had been discussing with Kashmiri leaders the proposals of self-rule and demilitarisation put forth by the Pakistan president.

Dr Ramakant Dubey, president of the VHP, sought the immediate dismissal of Mr Azad. The Centre should take a serious note of Mr Azad’s statement in support of a terrorist, he said.

He criticised valley leaders for organising a general strike for three days in Kashmir on the issue.

Forces unfazed by presence of Al-Qaida
Our Correspondent

Jammu, September 30
Security and intelligence agencies do not seem to be unnerved by reports of the presence of Al-Qaida activists in Jammu and Kashmir on the ground that when men of Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad have remained active in the state for the past several years, the security scenario may not assume new dimensions if militants start operating under new banners.

Senior police officers, engaged in counter-insurgency operations, told this correspondent today that “We do not have any evidence of presence of Al-Qaida activists in Jammu and Kashmir.”

They referred to a recent statement of the GOC-in-Chief, Northern Command, Lt-Gen Deepak Kapoor, in which he had categorically said, “We have not seen major signs of Al-Qaida activity in Jammu and Kashmir”, saying that even the Army authorities agreed “with our views on the matter."

Gen Kapoor had said the Army “is well-prepared to account for any terrorist, including those belonging to Al-Qaida, who are inimical to the interests of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union of India."

Police officers said when militancy was at its peak in Kashmir in 1990-92, there were about 150 militant outfits operating in the valley and their number had shrunk to less than eight. "If one more outfit is born in Jammu and Kashmir it may not affect counter-insurgency operations,” a DIG said.

IG regrets injury to lensmen
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 30
The Inspector-General, CRPF, here has regretted the incident in which three photo journalists were injured at the hands of police personnel yesterday.

“We regret the unfortunate incident which took place at Nowhatta where a press photographer of AFP sustained injuries at the hands of the CRPF during stone-pelting around Jamia Masjid”, a spokesman of the CRPF stated here.

The IG, CRPF, who reached the spot soon after the incident, has ordered suspension and initiated departmental action against the constable involved in hitting at the photographers. Three photo journalists, including Sajjad Hussain of AFP, were injured in the incident.

The IG has also issued orders that a designated officer will be available at locations of law and order deployment to identify press persons, to facilitate their task without falling into conflict with the security forces.

50 kg RDX, 59 detonators seized

Jammu, September 30
The security forces today seized a cache of explosives, including 50 Kg RDX, from a nullah at Mohore in Udhampur district.

Official sources said troops of the 51 Rashtriya Rifles seized 50 Kg RDX, 59 detonators, a packet of cordex wire, which was used in improvised explosive devices (IEDs), electric wire and fuse during a search operation from a nullah in Tharal in Mohore tehsil this afternoon.

“It is a huge seizure and we foiled militant plans of making many IEDs,’’ they said. — UNI