Chhari Mubarak leaves today
SRINAGAR, Aug 2 — A record number of 1,27,328 persons joined the annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath during the first 28 days this year. The yatra concludes on August 8.

BJP claims government abetting militancy
JAMMU, Aug 2 — The Jammu and Kashmir BJP unit today said that the state government’s "unconcerned" attitude was responsible for the rise in militancy in border districts of Rajouri and Doda of the Jammu region.

Reserve 1 pc seats for J&K: Mufti
SRINAGAR, Aug 2 — Senior Congress leader Mufti Mohammad Syed has demanded 1 per cent reservation of seats for Jammu and Kashmir in professional and technical colleges of the country to bring the youth of the state closer to the national mainstream.

Cops must combat militancy: Jagat
SRINAGAR, Aug 2 — The task of rooting out militancy from Jammu and Kashmir now rests with the police after the Army and paramilitary forces succeeded in restoring normalcy to the trouble-torn province, Director General of state police Gurbachan Jagat said here yesterday.

2 killed in bus accident
JAMMU, Aug 2 — Two pilgrims were killed and 28 others injured, some seriously, when their bus skidded off the road at a curve near Katra, the police today said.

Doda new militant recruiting ground

DODA, Aug 2 (UNI) — More than 100 adolescents from Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir have been reported missing over the past month and are feared to have been recruited by militants for arms training across the border.

Sources here said the militants, under the directions of Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) had been roping in boys in the age group of 15 to 20 years for arms training in Pakistan. Later, they would be sent back into the country to carry out subversive activities.

The state administrative machinery was aware of the problem, but owing to its magnitude was unable to tackle it effectively.

Senior Superintendent of Police (Doda) Munner Khan said the police had information regarding the missing youths but "we are taking proper action to frustrate the militants in their efforts".

"It is very difficult to foil the militants’ plans as they are exploiting the religious sentiments of the youths and providing financial support to attract them", he said.

Mr Khan said the militants, familiar with the hilly terrain of Doda region, were able to operate successfully and it was impossible to deploy security forces over the entire area.

The Jammu region, which occupies 26,000 sq km area, is spread over six districts — Jammu, Poonch, Rajouri, Kathua, Udhampur and Doda. Doda district alone makes up for 11,600 sq. km.

The Commander of Ninth Sector of Rashtriya Rifles in Kishtwar, Brigadier Satish Bahal said the youth were being forced to cross the border through coercive methods, including threats to relatives of the youths to pay money or part with their wards.

The parents, being poor could not afford the huge sums of money demanded by the ultras and were forced to part with their children at gun point.

Brigadier Bahal said in some cases the militants kidnapped the boys and made them pose for photographs armed with guns. They would then blackmail them into joining their ranks or face the wrath of the security forces after the photograph was sent to them.

JAMMU: The police today claimed to have foiled a well planned conspiracy by militants belonging to the Hizbul Mujahideen to create violence on a large-scale in Doda district of Jammu region on Independence Day by nabbing three militants in Bhaderwah town and recovering a huge cache of arms and ammunition from them.

Identifying one of the three militants, arrested on July 30, as Akhtar Hussain alias Raju of Chaka village in Bhaderwah town of Doda district, police said the Pakistan-trained militant was acting as an above ground worker for various militant outfits.

He was also responsible for lobbing a hand grenade in a public market in Bhaderwah on July 17, police said.

During interrogation the militant confessed to contacts with many militant outfits operating in Doda, particularly in Bhaderwah tehsil. He also confessed to functioning as contact person for recruiting youth of Bhaderwah tehsil for militant groups, police said.

The security forces carried out search operations at the instance of the arrested militants in different parts of Bhaderwah tehsil and recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition, which was to be used on the eve of Independence Day.

Meanwhile, authorities today gave a seven and a half hour relaxation in curfew in Kishtwar town of Doda district.

Curfew was clamped in Kishtwar and Bhaderwah towns on July 28 following gunning down of 17 Hindus by militants in Shanna-Thakraie and Sarawan villages. The curfew was lifted in Bhaderwah town on July 30.

Army chief visits Doda, Kishtwar
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Aug 2 — The Army chief, Gen V.P. Malik, today flew to the Doda and Kishtwar areas for an assessment of the situation arising out of the increase in subversive activities, including the killing of civilians by militants.

Accompanied by the GOC-in-Chief, Northern Command, Lt-Gen S. Padmanabhan, the Army chief had detailed discussions with senior Army officers in Doda and Kishtwar. Maj-Gen C.S. Brar, who heads the Rashtriya Rifles in Doda district, briefed General Malik on the ground situation. The Army chief was informed about the limitations under which the security forces operated in Doda, the largest district in the state with an area of 11,691 sq km and a population of over 5.25 lakhs. The main limitations were the shortage of security personnel and the absence of motorable roads which had forced the troops to carry out operations on foot.

General Malik is said to have suggested regular patrolling by the troops. After "sanitising" one belt, they could repeat the experiment in other areas.

During yesterday's meeting with senior civil officers and the Governor, Mr Girish Chander Saxena, the Army chief was told in plain terms that Doda district needed additional troops to cover more militancy-hit areas. At present the troubled district has 14 battalions of the security forces, including nine battalions of the Rashtriya Rifles, when the minimum demand was for over 23 battalions.

The Army chief is said to have remained non-commital. He had, at one stage of the discussions, suggested withdrawing some companies of the paramilitary forces from the Kashmir valley which could then be posted in Doda district. This was not agreed to by the state team on the plea that any withdrawal of the security forces from the valley could allow militants time to resurface.

There are indications that three to five additional battalions of the security forces may be sent to Doda district for taking on the militants in the hilly region. General Malik is said to have appreciated the work being done by the jawans in the difficult terrain. He gave some "innovative" suggestions to the troops to be implemented in a time-bound, phased manner to curb the ISI's proxy war in the region.

The Army officers informed General Malik about the commendable role of members of the Village Defence Committees who could have done even better had they been equipped with sophisticated weapons. The Army chief is said to have directed the jawans to also launch "goodwill operations" to win the confidence of the people.

General Malik had several rounds of talks with the senior Army functionaries at Northern Command Headquarters before he flew back to Delhi this afternoon.

Meanwhile, there was a six-hour relaxation in the curfew in the Kishtwar area today. People came out in good numbers to buy essential commodities. However, tension continued to grip the town as people had yet to experience any improvement in the situation. The police has set up a picket between Sarwana and Thakrein villages where recently 17 persons were killed by militants.

Rs 200 cr for J&K job schemes

JAMMU, Aug 2 (PTI) — The Jammu and Kashmir Government has earmarked a sum of Rs 200 crore for poverty alleviation and employment generation schemes in the state during the current financial year.

This was announced by the State Rural Development, Cooperatives and Panchayats Minister, Abdul Rahim Rather at a meeting here last evening.

He said there had been an appreciable increase in fundings under the rural development sector in the state since the installation of a popular government last year.

The minister said this year’s programmes included construction of over 1800 buildings, including 652 school buildings and 542 panchayat ghars.

Repairs and renovations of the existing panchayat ghars, common facility centres, community centres, anganwaris, health centres etc will also be taken up.

Mr Rather said two well-equipped training institutes were being setup in the state, one each in Kashmir and Jammu division, for imparting training and refresher courses to functionaries of the rural development department.

Chhari Mubarak leaves today
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Aug 2 — A record number of 1,27,328 persons joined the annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath during the first 28 days this year. The yatra concludes on August 8.

During previous years, particularly during the militancy period, the number of yatris did not exceed 70,000. In 1996 over one lakh pilgrims joined the yatra, but due to heavy rain and snow in the high mountains between Pahalgam and the holy cave, about 50 km, at least 242 pilgrims died. The state government adopted certain preventive measures to ensure a smooth and peaceful yatra. Instead of 20 days of the yatra annually, the route to the cave was thrown open earlier this year for over a month. The number of yatris joining the pilgrimage at Chadanwari was fixed at 3,000 to 3,500 daily.

An official spokesman said here today that 1.15 lakh pilgrims had had darshan of the holy Shiv Lingam at the Amarnath cave till last evening, while another batch of 2,530 pilgrims had arrived from Jammu in 53 vehicles. Nearly one lakh pilgrims had returned home after performing the pilgrimage.

Meanwhile, a 70-year-old sadhu, N. Vegenda of Tamil Nadu, die during the yatra last night. With this, 15 pilgrims have so far died during the yatra.

The main yatra, to be led by Chhari Mubarak, or the holy mace of Lord Shiva, will leave the historic Dashnami Akhara complex here tomorrow morning accompanied by sadhus. Mahant of the Dashnami Akhara Deepinder Giri will carry the holy mace which will leave for Amarnath on August 5 from Pahalgam. It will have darshan in the cave shrine on the day of Raksha Bandhan.

BJP claims government abetting militancy

JAMMU, Aug 2 (PTI) — The Jammu and Kashmir BJP unit today said that the state government’s "unconcerned" attitude was responsible for the rise in militancy in border districts of Rajouri and Doda of the Jammu region.

"Some people in and outside the state administration are on the pay rolls of ISI and are conniving with the militants in planning these killings," BJP vice-president Ashok Khajuria said here.

These people were responsible for compelling the administration to remove security pickets and forces from the areas before the killings took place, he claimed.

If the government had made proper arrangements the killings could have been averted, Mr Khajuria said.

He said the administration was not serious about village defence committees (VDCs) and demanded VDCs be provided with sophisticated arms.

Reserve 1 per cent seats for J&K: Mufti

SRINAGAR, Aug 2 (PTI) — Senior Congress leader Mufti Mohammad Syed has demanded 1 per cent reservation of seats for Jammu and Kashmir in professional and technical colleges of the country to bring the youth of the state closer to the national mainstream.

"If the Centre wants to bring the youth closer to the mainstream it should reserve 1 per cent seats in all government-run professional and technical institutions to send a clear message that we care for you", he said while addressing a public rally at Surusyar in Badgam district of central Kashmir yesterday.

The rally was organised to felicitate the newly appointed president of the Jammu and Kashmir Congress Committee, Choudhary Mohammad Aslam.

The Mufti alleged youth of the state were being discriminated against in every sphere of life. "Unemployment among youth is playing with their patience and unless their problems are not addressed to it may turn into a catastrophe which will be difficult to stop", he added.

He reiterated his party’s resolve not to topple the National Conference government in the state and said the Farooq-led government would fall because of its misdeeds.

Cops must combat militancy: Jagat

SRINAGAR, Aug 2 (PTI) — The task of rooting out militancy from Jammu and Kashmir now rests with the police after the Army and paramilitary forces succeeded in restoring normalcy to the trouble-torn province, Director General of state police Gurbachan Jagat said here yesterday.

The role of the police has undergone a change and it now has to quell violent movements after traditionally tackling problems related to crime, law and order and peaceful agitations, Mr Jagat told IPS probationers at police hedadquarters here.

Urging the new generation of police officers to be ready to meet the challenge, he said police personnel were found unprepared when militancy broke out in Kashmir, Punjab, the North East and other parts of the country.

Stating that the police force in the state and elsewhere had been geared up to face the militancy-menace, Mr Jagat lauded the Centre for appreciating the need for strengthening the force and initiating long-term measures to meet contemporary and future challenges.

2 killed in bus accident

JAMMU, Aug 2 (PTI) — Two pilgrims were killed and 28 others injured, some seriously, when their bus skidded off the road at a curve near Katra, the police today said.

The Jammu-bound bus skidded at the Nimma curve, about 50 km from here, last night.

The victims have been identified as Inder Kaur and Surinder Kumar, the police said, adding the injured had been brought to the Jammu medical college hospital.

Most of the bus passengers belong to Kathua and Jammu districts.