The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Hizb owns responsibility for Sopore killings
Police says three of five militants were foreigners
Majid Jahangir
Tribune News Service

Sopore, April 27
Militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed the responsibility for yesterday’s attack in which four policemen were killed. A Hizb spokesman had called a Srinagar-based news agency last night claiming responsibility for the attack on the policemen near Sopore.

Police sources say the attack was carried out by five to six militants of the militant group. Congress Sarpanch Ghulam Ahmad Mir on whose phone call the policemen were led into the terrorist trap at Haigam village near Sopore yesterday, was released in the evening today.

“We have established as to who were involved in the attack and the accused include three local residents and an equal number of foreigners. The three natives are residents of Sopore who have been active for sometime,” a police officer said.

Since yesterday’s attack, police, Army and the CRPF have been conducting searches in Hamray, Taper, Takibal and some other villages around Haigam village. Police said they suspect the militants who had snatched two assault rifles and an Insas rifle were hiding in some neighbouring villages of Haigam.

Deputy Inspector General, North Kashmir, JP Singh said, “We are working on some leads and have conducted searches in different villages. Those involved in the attack will be brought to justice,” Singh said.

The police is scanning Mir’s contacts to find out if he had any terrorist links.

Sources claim Mir had told the police that he was “used” by the militants and was asked to call Potkhaw police post about the movement of a “cattle thief” in the village.

A senior police officer claimed the sarpanch had made a genuine phone call as he noticed suspicious movement in the village.

“Mir has made a genuine phone call. He is a well respected person in the village,” he said. “He was detained as he had
called the police asking them to send a patrol team to the village.”

Mir is also a known social activist and enjoys a good reputation in the village.

On Friday, four policemen were gunned down as they walked into a well planned ambush in Haigam village in a major militant attack.

Attack on Sarabjit a conspiracy to kill Indian prisoners in Pakistan: Chamel Singh’s wife
Tribune News Service

Kamlesh Devi, wife of Chamel Singh, at her house at Molu Pargwal on the India-Pakistan border. Photo by writer

Molu Pargwal, April 27
Attack on Sarabjit Singh at Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore is a “deep rooted conspiracy to eliminate Indian prisoners lodged in jails in Pakistan, feels the family of Chamel Singh, an Indian prisoner, who was brutally murdered in the same prison on January 15 last.

His widow Kamlesh Devi, mother of four sons, wants India to get tough with Pakistan and ensure safety and dignity of hundreds of Indian prisoners languishing in Pak jails.

“Had the killers of my husband brought to book, this incident with Sarabjit could have been avoided,” she said. Sarabjit is reported to be in a coma and has been put on a ventilator.

“Sarabjit’s sister Dalbir Kaur did her best during my ordeal in bringing back mortal remains of my husband. I pray for the safety of her brother but deep inside I have serious doubts. He may have also been killed brutally like my husband,” she alleged.

The family shares the grief of Sarbjit’s family. No one could eat after the news of the attack came in last night, she said.

“On January 15 the prison staff killed my husband and now murderous attack on Sarabjit. Something really dangerous is going on with Indian prisoners at Kot Lakhpat prison. It is high time the India acts tough with Pakistan,” said Kamlesh.

“How can bricks, stones and blades reach inside a prison. If Indian prisoners are attacked like this then I doubt none will return home,” she said.

“My husband was about to complete his sentence when he was brutally murdered. It seems Pakistani authorities were deliberately engineering such attacks to eliminate Indian prisoners,” she said.

She felt that Pakistan should show its human face when it comes to prisoners.

“They too have families back home waiting anxiously for them. Treat them like human beings,” she asked.

Pakistan authorities have blamed Amer Aftab and Mudassar for attacking Sarabjit. He, too, has been shifted to Jinnah Hospital where Chamel was admitted.

No trace of promised relief

Family of Indian prisoner Chamel Singh who was murdered inside the Kot Lakhpat prison in Lahore is waiting for the elusive compensation promised to them. The state government had also promised job to a member of the family during the last Budget session from February 28 to April 6.

“None, including sitting MLA from our constituency, Tara Chand, visited us,” said Kamlesh Devi, widow of Chamel Singh.

She rued “insensitive” approach of the government towards a family, which had lost its head for sake of the country. “My husband was sent across with a purpose where he got arrested and was killed brutally but this government has not shown even slightest of sympathy towards us,” she said.

Kamlesh’s sons; Dara Singh, Deepak Singh, Suresh Singh are marginal labourers while Rakesh Singh is a Class X student.

Fresh norms for use of water resources notified
Power-giants will have to obtain licences; to ensure safety of inhabitants
Arteev Sharma
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 27
Days after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced that no new project would be given to the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) unless it returns Uri, Salal and Dulhasti power projects to the state, the state government has notified fresh regulations, making it mandatory for all “existing and new users” to obtain a licence for setting up a unit for generation of electricity.

The State Water Resources Regulatory Authority (SWRRA), which was constituted under Section 139 of the J&K Water Resources Regulation and Management (JKWRRM) Act 2010 last year, would be the licensing authority. The licence fee for the existing and new users (power giants like the NHPC), which intend to install a power generation unit, would be Rs 5 lakh.

The SWRRA has also specified the “measures to be adopted by a licensee for protecting public and ensuring safety” prior to install a unit. The users would have to “eliminate or reduce the risk of personal injury to any person or damage to property of any person.”

Besides, the users would also ensure “the safety of life and property of the inhabitants of the area under the operation of the scheme, water source, hydraulic work and protection against any damage or danger caused or likely to be caused by the uncontrolled release of water or hazardous water caused by the collapse or failure of any unit, damage, barrage or hydraulic works.

According to the notification, apart from a unit for generation of electricity, the existing or new users who had installed a unit for supply of water for irrigation, drinking purposes or any other hydraulic scheme requiring usage of water prior to commencement of JKWRRM Act 2010, would be required to obtain a license by submitting an application along with a fee of Rs one lakh.

“The new users intending to install a unit for drinking purposes (domestic, commercial, industrial or institutional), running water mills, exploration and exploitation of ground water, distribution of water, undertaking trading in water directly or indirectly and construction of dams on any water source will also be required to obtain a licence and it will have to pay a license fee of Rs one lakh,” it said.

Army rescues three civilians buried under avalanche near Zojila
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 27
The Army saved the lives of three civilians after an avalanche hit their vehicles near Zojila on the Srinagar-Leh road on April 25. The avalanche occurred 5 km short of Zojila towards Minamarg around 2 pm on the National Highway-1, the lifeline to Drass and Kargil, said a Defence spokesperson.

The avalanche swept away two trucks and a light pick-up van. However, those who escaped the fury of the avalanche, contacted the nearest Army camp for assistance.

“Army personnel quickly swung into action and rescued the three civilians buried under the snow. Two civilians were administered first aid on the spot while the third was taken to the Army post and given medical aid for multiple injuries,” said the spokesperson.

All transients were given food, warm clothing and shelter. The rescue operation, however, had to be called off due to heavy snowfall and inclement weather.

The rescue operation was again started around 6 am on April 26 by the Army, General Reserve Engineer Force and the state police who were looking for one missing person, he said.

The team simultaneously opened the road and recovered the trucks which were hanging off the cliff, thereby blocking the national highway, he said.

“Despite efforts, the missing civilian and the pick-up truck could not be located due to accumulation of snow in the area,” he said.

State Congress chief reminds NC of ‘coalition dharma’
Decisions taken in Coordination Committee yet to be implemented
Dinesh Manhotra
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 27
With the National Conference (NC) not giving due importance to the issues dearer to the Congress party, the “helpless” Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief Saifuddin Soz today asked coalition partner to adhere to the spirit of the coalition dharma to ensure smooth functioning of this regime. NC is heading the coalition government in the state in which the Congress is an equal partner but the party (Congress) has been forced to play second fiddle as its agenda has been put on the backburner.

In an indirect remark, Soz said the NC had failed to fulfil the commitment which was made in last meeting of the Congress-NC Coordination Committee on April 6 last, but he asserted that his party would not dilute its stand on the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution. “We will not compromise on the 73rd Amendment issue -which is core of our ideology,” Soz told reporters during a function here this afternoon.

In its last meeting the Coordination Committee had thoroughly debated the issue to extend relevant clauses of the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution in J&K Panchayat Raj Act. It was decided that within a week the NC ministers will identify the much awaited amendments which need to be incorporated in the J&K Panchayat Raj Act. Even after 20 days, no action had been taken in this regard, he said.

Soz had himself declared on April 6 that on-going process to incorporate the 73rd Amendment would be finalised within a week.

“I do agree that the Panchayati Raj Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar had assured in the meeting of the Coordination Committee on April 6, 2013, that the decision on the 73rd Amendment would be taken within week’s time and the week passed many days ago,” Soz admitted. He tried to downplay the casualness being shown by the NC to the demand of its coalition partner Congress. “Such decisions consume time, but gave a veiled warning to the NC that the Congress was not going to compromise on this vital issue,” he said.

He also urged the NC to adhere to the coalition dharma.

Washing dirty linen in public

As Congress ministers Taj Mohiuddin and Sham Lal Sharma have been washing dirty linen in public, the JKPCC chief has observed it was nothing but a democratic debate. “The Congress is a democratic party so some people are airing their view points publicly,” Soz said.

The law will take its own course on the allegations and counter allegations by the Congress party ministers. “I am not a judge. Everything will be cleared very soon because in our state we have a proper investigation process,” he said.

Now, women to monitor traffic
Induction of women constables on cards to check on female drivers
Bismah Malik
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 27
In the Valley, where the number of women drivers has risen over the last couple of years, the Traffic Police is contemplating to induct policewomen to check on women drivers. Superintendent, Traffic Police, Srinagar, Hasseb-ur-Rehman, said it was difficult for the policemen to deal with women traffic violators and therefore the induction of women constables at major roads in the city and outskirts had become necessary.

“In a conservative society like ours, I don’t think policemen stopping women will go down well with the people. Therefore, normally we tend to go soft with women drivers. I think, women traffic constables will be in a better position to handle such situations,” SP Traffic Police, Srinagar said.

He said a proposal had been prepared to recruit women traffic police constables so that women drivers do not get away if they violate traffic rules.

“Rules are for everyone, so even the women drivers would be brought to book. Earlier, there were very less number of women drivers in the Valley. But the number of women drivers in Kashmir is gradually increasing,” Rehman said.

According to the Traffic police Department, the number of women scooter drivers in Kashmir had touched 4,000 in 2012 though the trend of women riding two wheelers started in 2009.

Earlier, women were only seen driving cars that too within the city and not small towns and villages in Kashmir, but now that is changing.

People feel that with the growing presence of women drivers in the Valley, the policewomen should be specially trained to regulate women traffic violators. “Usually the traffic cops and drivers enter into a scuffle when the latter is fined such incidents should not happen with women, hence the need to recruit women cops is necessary. SP, Traffic police, said in near future the traffic rules awareness drives will be organized in various girls’ colleges of the Valley where a majority of students have switched to riding two wheelers or driving cars.

Crime Branch arrests third accused in spurious drugs scam
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 27
The Crime Branch of the police today arrested the third prime accused in the spurious drugs scam. The accused has been identified as Akhil Gadoo, a resident of Bohri in Jammu. An official spokesperson said the Crime Branch officers succeeded in getting the custody of the accused when he approached the Court of the Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Jammu, to seek bail.

Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Jammu, Puneet Gupta sent the accused to custody of the Crime Branch, Jammu, till the next date of hearing. The accused has been handed over to the investigating officer, with the order that a report be filed on the next date of hearing.

Gadoo was absconding since the registration of the case in connection with the spurious drugs scam.

“His questioning is expected to yield some important clues necessary for the investigation of the case. A team of the Crime Branch, Jammu, has also been dispatched to different locations in the neighbouring states to identify and apprehend the other accused persons and seize the relevant records. The investigation into the case is in progress,” the official spokesperson said.

In the bail application, filed by petitioner Akhil Gadoo, it was submitted that the petitioner is innocent and enjoys good reputation in society and had engaged Ashok Kumar Raina for running the chemist shop, Life Line Pharmaceutical.

PIL seeks independent probe

A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed before the J&K High Court by two persons, including a doctor, seeking an independent probe and a judicial inquiry into the drugs scam
The PIL has also prayed for sacking officials who were at the helm of affairs when the purchases were made. It has called for analysis of each drug supplied to various hospitals in J-K
The supply of substandard drugs in the state came to the fore early this month in a report prepared by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Third accused in spurious drugs scam held
Tribune News Service

Gadoo was absconding since the registration of the case in connection with the spurious drugs scam.