Jammu, February 11
The security forces killed two self-styled section commanders, including an IED expert, of the Hizbul Mujahideen in an encounter at Marmat in Doda district today.

Jammu-based defence PRO Lt-Col Biplab Nath told The Tribune that in a breakthrough a joint column of the Rashtriya Rifles and the police killed two Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists in Khadkal Nullah, near the Goha area in the Marmat region of Doda district.

The slain terrorists have been identified as Muzaffar Husain Mir, alias Zafar, a resident of Labar, and Zakir Hussain Lone, alias Hasan Din, a resident of Muthi, he added.

Official sources said the security forces comprising the troops of 10 RR, Special Task Force of the police and G33 of the CRPF launched a search operation in the forest area near Goha.

Around 9.30 am, the troops established contact with the militants, who were holed up in a cave-like hideout in the forest area, they added.

Eventually, in a fierce gun battle that lasted for almost an hour both terrorists were gunned down. The PRO said the hideout was well stocked with ration, a gas cylinder and administrative stores.

Two AK-56 rifles and three magazines were also seized during the operation, he added.

It is pertinent to mention here that in a series of successful operations five terrorists have been eliminated in the last six months in the Marmat area of Doda district.

The sources said Muzaffar Hussain Mir, who was active since 2004, had been involved in the killing of security personnel in 2007 and 2009, while Zakir Hussain Lone was an expert in triggering IED explosions.

They said Zakir had crossed over to the PoK for arms training in 2002 and had returned in 2008. Zakir was also involved in the killing of two special police officers (SPOs) and three civilians last year.

Meanwhile, a CRPF spokesperson said its troops of G33 along with 10 RR and the police carried out a joint operation in the area killing the two militants in a surgical operation.

Jammu, February 11
Even as leaders of the NC and the Congress have been claiming to working assiduously to strengthen the government, all is not well in this coalition. The recent wordy duel between Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad is not an isolated case, differences among the coalition partners have surfaced over many other issues.

Sources said serious differences had cropped up between the coalition partners over the issue of giving extension to the present body of the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC). Some Congress leaders were demanding that instead of giving extension to the present JMC body, the House should be dissolved and an administrator appointed.

“The JMC is headed by a BJP Mayor, so there is no reason to give extension to the present body,” a senior Congress leader, who is a former minister, said. He said the term of the JMC would expire on March 2 and it should be dissolved immediately to pave the way for the appointment of an administrator.

The Congress leadership had been demanding that the JMC elections should be postponed by three to four months so that the party could strengthen its base in the city and adjoining localities. “If extension is given to the present JMC body, the BJP would be the only gainer,” the former minister observed.

The NC, on the other hand, does not want to dissolve the present JMC body as the post of Deputy Mayor is occupied by the party for the last four years.

The NC leadership is not happy with the decision of the Congress to rope in former PDP leader Manjit Singh, who is the arch rival of a Cabinet minister in the state government. Sources said some NC leaders had expressed resentment over the induction of Manjit into the Congress.

Contradictory statements by Omar and Azad had further strained relations between the coalition partners. Though Congress leaders are hesitating to speak openly against the Chief Minister, they, however, express concern over Omar’s remarks snubbing Azad for opposing the surrender policy.

RS Pura (Jammu), February 11
The recent rain and snowfall in the state have brought cheer to farmers, who were facing difficulties due to a protracted dry spell. The rain and snowfall have benefited crops, especially wheat and mustard.

The entire area saw incessant rain for four days, forcing people to take woollens again.

Weather experts have forecast a good spell of rain in the coming days and the change in weather conditions has cheered up farmers, who have been awaiting rain for past two months. The Trikuta Hills, Peer Panjal range of mountains and other famous tourist destinations have received heavy snowfall this week, which will fill drying rivers of the state.

After a long period, the Tawi was overflowing with water, otherwise, it normally looked like a dumping ground. Patnitop and Mata Vaishno Devi shrine have already witnessed five to six inches of snow and have started attracting tourists from lower areas, including Delhi, Punjab and Haryana.

Besides, Jammu, RS Pura, Kathua and Samba have also witnessed a good spell of rain and the farmers could be seen working in their fields.

The adjoining areas of Jammu had overcast sky for the past few days. The maximum temperature in the Jammu region, which was hovering around 20°C last week, suddenly dipped by 7°C following sharp rain and icy winds.

A leading agriculturist, Tarlochan Singh of RS Pura, said, “With snowfall and rain in the region, active water sources are again filled and are proving beneficial for us.”

The Meteorological Department has forecast more rain over the next couple of days and it bodes well for crops.

MK Khushu, a senior agriculture scientist in the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Science and Technology (SKUAST), said, “At this particular time, wheat crop needs water. Low temperature and moisture will surely benefit it in the region.”

He added, “This region was already late in wheat sowing. But, now the situation will improve by the fresh spell of rain and snowfall.”

Jammu, February 11
The surrender policy for militants, who had crossed over to the PoK for arms training, has created a divide between Jammu and Kashmir regions.

The Jammu-based political parties and groups, namely the BJP, Panthers Party, Jammu State Morcha and some organisations of the Sangh Parivar, have opposed the policy, while the NC and the PDP have endorsed it.

The PDP, while supporting the move, said it was the endorsement of its policy that it had been propagating. The PDP observed that besides amnesty and rehabilitation of militants, there was a need to revoke draconian laws like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) to normalise situation.

The PDP appreciated Union Home Minister P Chidambram for giving his consent to the policy. The BJP, on the other hand, said the surrender policy announced by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah would further promote gun culture in the state.

It said when more than six lakh educated youths in the state were unemployed and the government had failed to frame a policy for them, why it was thinking of promoting gun culture that would demoralise the security forces.

The Panthers Party, while opposing the policy, demanded the dismissal of the NC-led government. In a statement issued here today, party chairman Bhim Singh urged Governor NN Vohra to dismiss the Omar Abdullah government for propagating dangerous and anti-national policies like seeking the return of militants from the PoK. He said Omar had become a security risk in the sensitive state.

The Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Forum (JKPF) said competing with the PDP to expand its constituencies, the Chief Minister had started pursuing the agenda of separatists by way of proposing to the central government to formulate a policy to grant general amnesty to hundreds of militants based in the PoK.

Virender Gupta and Anil Gour, president and vice-president of the Jammu State Morcha, criticised Omar for his “irresponsible and illogical” statements amounting to interference in the foreign affairs and security matters of the country. “He as Chief Minister and his party NC have utterly failed in controlling the situation in the valley,” they said.

Jammu, February 11
Amidst the Union Government’s readiness to facilitate return of all misguided Kashmiri youths stranded in the PoK, surrendered militants feel that the new policy with all checks and balances should meet the intended target - surrendered militants - via effective publicity and consequent implementation.

While Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s new surrender policy has evoked divergent views in the state, interrogation reports of surrendered militants accessed by The Tribune made it amply clear that they were unaware of any surrender policy introduced by the erstwhile PDP-Congress coalition in the past.

But they certainly felt the need of being rehabilitated and opined that if implemented in right earnest, the endeavour would pay positive dividends, divulged sources in the security forces. At least three such militants and a woman overground worker of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit were found ignorant about any such initiative in the past, they added.

Quoting few instances, the sources said 28-year-old Ghulam Haider, alias Yasir, a resident of Polar in Kishtwar district, who was misguided in the name of “jihad” and surrendered on May 20 last year, was not aware of any surrender policy.

A labourer by profession before going astray, Yasir felt that monetary benefits (upto Rs 2 lakh) and job in security forces may attract others to surrender, provided the policy gets wide publicity and implemented effectively, the sources said. “He also felt that the surrendered militants and their families should be settled near the Army or the police formations to feel safe and secure,” they added.

“There are several misguided youth who want to shun violence and return to the mainstream, but besides monetary benefits they also want that police cases registered against them be quashed,” Yasir said. Similarly, 24-year-old Abdul Qayoom Wani of Goha in Marmat feigned ignorance about the surrender policy.

A teacher in a school at Doda before joining militancy on May 2, 2007, Wani had surrendered voluntarily. During the interrogation, he had told that a secured post-surrender life may see an increase in others giving up the path of militancy, they said.

Likewise, 22-year-old Shakila Begum, an overground worker of the Hizbul from the Dharot area and who was married to a district commander of the outfit, felt that adequate financial support, job and security would pave way for several misguided youths to call it a day and return to peaceful life.

Jammu, February 11
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said today that the government was contemplating to launch a comprehensive Kandi Development Programme to ensure holistic development of the Kandi areas in the state.

“There is a need to work out an integrated development plan for the Kandi areas to ensure upgradation of basic amenities on fast track,” he said, adding that the Planning and Development Department has been directed to come up with an effective and feasible plan to this effect.

The Chief Minister was reviewing the District Plans of Kathua and Samba districts at the District Development Board meetings at Kathua and Samba today. Laying stress on the effective monitoring of works, Omar said the government would not compromise on the quality of work.

“While officers have to endeavour for 100 per cent completion of fiscal targets on the ground, they have to strictly ensure the quality of work,” he emphasised.

Omar asked the officers to dovetail NREGA works with other ongoing schemes to ensure integrated development of the area. Omar said he would arrange the funds for the past liabilities created in the districts subject to the certificates given by the District Development Commissioners that the works physically existed on the ground, the correctness of expenditure incurred, payment having not been made under any other head and the justification report of the circumstances leading to the creation of liabilities.

“Henceforth, the government will not approve any unauthorised expenditures made on works launched without the proper administrative approval,” he asserted and directed the district administrations not to create any liability in future.

Meanwhile, talking to mediapersons on the sidelines of the District Development Board Meeting, Omar welcomed the statement of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram about the proposed surrender and rehabilitation policy for militants. He said the Centre and the state government would jointly work for an effective policy in this regard.

Jammu, February 11
For the seventh consecutive day, the Jammu Joint Students’ Federation (JJSF) continued with protest demonstration in various colleges in support of demand for concession in syllabus in the ensuing examination.

Today, the protest demonstration was led by president of the college wing Sahil Choudhary at GGM Science College. Protesting students lodged their protest by putting off their shirts and raising slogans against the Jammu University authorities.

At GCW College Gandhi Nagar, students lead by Ambica Slathia, Bhawana Sharma and Meenu Sharma gathered at the main gate of the college. Students boycotted the classes and demanded for concession in syllabus.

In GCW College Parade, the students boycotted their classes under the leadership of Pooja and Monika Sharma. All students gathered at the college ground and held demonstration. Later, the agitated students took out a rally towards the civil secretariat. However, the police stopped the rally from moving forward near Dogra Hall and the protesters dispersed off peacefully.

Jammu, February 11
Protesting against the screening of the film, ‘My Name Is Khan’, the Bhartiya Vidharthi Sena, the youth wing of the Shiv Sena, along with party supporters of the main organisation held a protest demonstration in the old city here today.

Protesters burnt the posters of Shah Rukh Khan and shouted slogans against him. State president of the youth wing Vikrant Sharma threatened that any theatre or multiplex screening the movie would have to face the consequences.

He lambasted Shah Rukh Khan and described him as anti-national. “The Sena will not allow any traitor to insult the nation. They must cross the border or else be prepared to face the music,” Sharma said while addressing the protesters.

He appealed to the people to boycott the movie, and added that the Sena would not hesitate in taking any step to prevent the screening of the film.

Jammu, February 11
In a bolt to the mineral trade here, an auction of rough sapphire corundum at Udhyog Bhawan in Rail Head Complex that concluded on February 9 saw poor returns as compared to the previous years.

Bidders and organisers cite different reasons for lukewarm response to the auction. While most of the bidders from inside and outside the state returned disappointed, citing “high reserve price” and “poor quality” as reasons, the organisers said it was because of recession and inclement weather.

The auction was organised by Jammu and Kashmir Minerals Limited (a state government undertaking.) In the auction, rough sapphire and corundum and crystals mined out from the Padder area of Kishtwar district have been put on sale.

Last year, the sales touched nearly 1.5 crore, but this year saw returns of only 74 lakh over the sale of an aggregate 10 kg of sapphire. A total aggregate of 22 kg sapphire was put on sale.

The visitors at the auction were also irked over manifold increase in the entry fee. “Last time the fee was Rs 5,000 but this time it has been enhanced to Rs 11, 000,” a bidder, Wazir Abhay Singh, who had come from Lajpat Nagar, Delhi, said.

“The display of stones has not been done skillfully and their quality falls short of standard mark,” another visitor Joginder Verma said. “The reserve price for this year is equivalent to the highest bid made in the last time’s auction. But it’s too high, given the quality of mineral which is crude with many cracks,” he added.

The auctions were earlier held in 2008 and 2009 after two decades, which got overwhelming response. Experts believe that the state government has not made any serious effort to assess the quantum of sapphire reserves in Paddar and adopt cutting edge scientific methods for the mining of the sapphire.

General Manager, JK Minerals Limited, said: “The response was not as good as it was during last year due to bad weather. Many bidders from the Kashmir valley could not participate due to the closed national highway, while recession has also impacted the business.”

He said as many as eight lots weighing around 22 kg were put up in the auction. Nearly 35 bidders participated in the auction. “The highest bid stood at Rs 7 lakh for 935 gm of sapphire.”

On the “high prices” he said: “The evaluation was made by experts from the National Mineral Development Corporation.” Mining of Sapphire is carried out from June to September as during rest of the month the mines remain snow-covered. Last year, around 5 kg of sapphire was extracted, he added.

Srinagar, February 11
Normal life was paralysed across the Kashmir valley on the call of the JKLF and supported by other separatist organisations on the occasion of the 26th death anniversary of its founder leader Maqbool Bhat, who was hanged in Delhi’ Tihar Jail on this day in 1984.

JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik and his senior party colleagues, including Bashir Ahmad Bhat, were held by the police to prevent them from taking out a procession here this morning. Several other JKLF activists, who tried to demonstrate, were also held by the police in the Central Lal Chowk area.

The shops and business establishments were closed, traffic was off the roads and thin attendance in government offices. Today’s general strike came only after two days of normal life, while a complete shutdown was observed in protest against the killing of two teenage students, Wamiq Farooq and Zahid Farooq Sheikh in the Rajouri Kadal and Nishat areas of the city on January 31 and February 5, respectively.

A shutdown was also observed on February 5 on the call of the separatist Hurriyat Conference on the occasion of Pakistan’s “solidarity day” with people of Kashmir.

A complete general strike was also observed in other major towns of the valley, including Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam in south Kashmir and Baramulla, Kupwara, Sopore, Bandipore and other towns in north Kashmir. The police and the CRPF maintained strict vigil in old Srinagar city to prevent any protest demonstrations and stone pelting.