Tussle among Congress groups for ticket
JAMMU, Aug 10 — Following tussle between two main factions in the state unit of the Congress for ticket for contesting the ensuing Lok Sabha poll, the party high command could clear names of only two candidates Mr Thupsan Chewang and Mr Aga Syed Mehdi, from the Ladakh and Srinagar constituencies, respectively.

Meeting reviews I-Day security
JAMMU, Aug 10 — Following reports that Pak-trained militants, especially foreign mercenaries, were planning to strike on a massive scale to disrupt the Independence Day celebrations in different parts of Jammu and Kashmir the police, paramilitary forces and the Army have finalised measures for ensuring incident-free celebrations.

Militants gun down 3 in J&K
SRINAGAR, Aug 10 — Militants gunned down three persons in separate attacks and abducted one, while security forces arrested a suspected terrorist in Jammu and Kashmir since last evening, an official spokesman said here today.

Tussle among Congress groups for ticket
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Aug 10 — Following tussle between two main factions in the state unit of the Congress for ticket for contesting the ensuing Lok Sabha poll, the party high command could clear names of only two candidates Mr Thupsan Chewang and Mr Aga Syed Mehdi, from the Ladakh and Srinagar constituencies, respectively.

There are several aspirants for the Congress ticket for Anantnag, Baramula, Jammu and Udhampur constituencies. The camp headed by Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, AICC General Secretary, had lobbied for Mr Madan Lal Sharma. At one stage Mr Azad suggested that the party President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, be given a free hand for selecting the party candidates from the remaining four seats in the state. Several Congress leaders and workers had opposed this idea on the plea that the merit of each aspirant for the ticket be discussed by the Congress Working Committee.

Mr Rajesh Pilot is said to have favoured the candidature of Mr Mangat Ram Sharma, vice-president of the state unit, from the Jammu constituency. Several party leaders threatened the AICC leaders that they would quit the party in case Mr Sharma was not given the party ticket.

In case of Udhampur it was believed that Dr Karan Singh, who recently rejoined the Congress, would be the party candidate but he has made it clear to the party high command that he was not interested in contesting the poll. Instead, he would campaign for the Congress not in Jammu and Kashmir and at the national level also.

Two names figure at this stage. Mr Balbir Singh, MLA, is being supported by the camp led by Mr Pilot and in case Dr Karan Singh does not seek party ticket for his son Vikramaditya, Mr Balbir Singh has a chance to get the Congress ticket.

In case of the Baramula constituency, the Congress high command is under pressure to support Prof. Saifuddin Soz who, after being expelled from the National Conference, is contesting the election as an Independent candidate.

But Congress leaders have made it clear to Prof. Soz that he should join the Congress and would be fielded as party candidate from Baramula. Prof Soz has so far rejected the offer on the plea that as the Congress candidate he would not receive support from anti-Congress and anti-National Conference voters.

This was made clear by Mufti Mohd. Sayed when Prof. Soz met him for supporting his (Soz’s) candidature. The Mufti, having been committed to field Mr Muzaddar Hussain Beg from Baramula, refused to oblige Mr Soz and offered him the Srinagar seat which Mr Soz declined. Former PCC chief, Ghulam Rasool Kar is trying to get the Congress ticket for Baramula.

As far as the Anantnag constituency is concerned, there is a tie between Peerza Mohd. Syed and Dr Mehboob Beg. The pilot camp has lent support to Dr Beg on the plea that he could get support not only from the Congress workers and well wishers but from disgruntled National Conference supporters because he belonged to the family of Mirza Afzal Beg, a close association of Sheikh Abdullah.

However, the Azad camp has warned of major dissensions in the Congress if Peerzada Mohd Syed was denied the party ticket. Peerzada’s supporters have made a plea that since he had remained a loyal Congress leader and never quit the party, he should be preferred to Dr Beg who had left the Congress 10 years ago and rejoined it only three years back.

Meeting reviews I-Day security
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Aug 10 — Following reports that Pak-trained militants, especially foreign mercenaries, were planning to strike on a massive scale to disrupt the Independence Day celebrations in different parts of Jammu and Kashmir the police, paramilitary forces and the Army have finalised measures for ensuring incident-free celebrations.

A high-level meeting was held in Srinagar today to review the security arrangements where the Director-General Police, Mr Gurbachan Jagat, urged senior police and intelligence officers to mobilise the forces in such a way as would prevent separatists and militants from creating disruption before and during the Independence Day celebrations.

Mr Jagat suggested to the police officers from all districts to carry out regular checking of cars so that militants were not allowed to carry out car-bomb blasts.

At the meeting it was decided to keep round-the-clock vigil at all places, especially Sports Stadium in Srinagar where the main function is scheduled to be held on the Independence Day.

After the withdrawal of the Army from the state the responsibility for sanitising the stadium and other areas where the Independence Day functions are going to be held has fallen on the shoulders of the police and the CRPF. Though for the past 10 years militants had failed to disrupt the Independence Day celebrations, this time foreign mercenaries have been assigned the task of disrupting the functions even if it needed suicide squads.

At the meeting, the police officers were advised to gear up the machinery for preventing militants and other separatist groups from hoisting Pak flags on August 14, Pakistan’s independence day. The police have been also directed to deal firmly with those groups of militants who were planning to hold parades in connection and with the Pakistan’s independence day those who planned to hoist black flags on private houses and at other places on August 15.

3,500 animals perished in Kargil conflict
By Varinder Singh
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 10 — The two-month long Kargil conflict has taken a toll of 3500 animals, 100 times the official estimate, according to the Animal Welfare Board of India which has conducted a 10-day-long animal welfare programme in Kargil.

The board had initiated the programme on July 29 to provide succour to the sick and starved animals, left behind by people who had to leave their houses in a hurry when Pakistanis started shelling the residential areas of Kargil and Dras sectors. The board sanctioned Rs 1.75 lakh for the purchase of medicines and fodder and deputed a four-member team to undertake the 10 -day operation, conducted with the assistance of the officials of the J&K Animal Husbandry department and officials of the Kargil district administration.

Though the actual figure of casualties could be assessed only after the return of all residents to their houses, the assessment by board officials during their stay in Kargil and Dras put the toll at about 3500, which is 100 times the figures given by the Chief Animal Husbandry Officer of Kargil, who recorded the death of only 35 animals in these two sectors during the entire conflict.

According to Mr Jasbir Ralhan, the executive member of the board, and a member of the team, during their stay in the area, they had assessed that at least 3,500 animals were killed, mostly due to heavy shelling by Pakistanis. "A majority of the animals killed during the conflict were sheep and goats, while yaks accounted for about 5 per cent of the casualties ," said Mr Ralhan adding that sheep and goats suffered the most because of their habit of moving in large groups.

According to official estimates, the population of animals in the entire Kargil district was about one lakh, and a majority of these were left to fend for themselves by residents who moved to safer areas suddenly in the wake of shelling . Since, only a few families have mustered the courage to return to their houses, the task of assessing the loss was all the more difficult." Actually, it was possible that some of the animals, dreading the loud blasts, had fled across the border," said Mr Ralhan, adding that except fodder, there was no shortage of medicines with the district authorities and there were as many as 62 animal dispensaries, most of these in remote areas, to treat animals in the district. "Availability of fodder will pose a real problem for the authorities, particularly during the winter as the residents have not been able to collect it from the upper reaches due to the conflict and the presence of the Army on higher reaches. In such a situation, animals are likely to starve if proper arrangements are not made in advance" said Mr Ralhan, who said the daily requirement of fodder for the abandoned animals in the area was estimated at 11,856 kg, for which the district administration has urged the board authorities to provide a grant of Rs 2 crore.

About disbursal of relief and problems faced by the team during the programme, Mr Ralhan said the rough terrain and distant location of the villages were the main hindrance faced by the board's team comprising himself, Swami Swayam Bhagwan Dass, both representatives of the board Dr K.L. Sharma, and Captain R.K. Raina, President and Secretary of the Jammu unit of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty against Animals (SPCA). The team was assisted by Dr Manjit Singh, Chief Animal Husbandry Officer of Kargil and three other veterinary doctors of the Animal Husbandry department, which provided on-the-spot treatment to the injured animals during the programme. According to Mr Ralhan, they treated a number of yaks, who had received splinter injuries during shelling.

Mr Ralhan said of the Rs 1.75 lakh, Rs 1.34 lakh was spent on buying fodder and medicines for the animals, while the balance amount was diverted to the Jammu unit of the SPCA for purchase of medicines for animals in the Poonch area, which was experiencing heavy shelling .

Militants gun down 3 in J&K

SRINAGAR, Aug 10 (PTI, UNI) — Militants gunned down three persons in separate attacks and abducted one, while security forces arrested a suspected terrorist in Jammu and Kashmir since last evening, an official spokesman said here today.

A group of unidentified ultras shot dead Akbar Mohammad Dainda at Arizal village in Badgam district early today, while Abdul Rehman Malik and Para Chand were gunned down by militants at Chatroo and Gundna-Bandipora in Doda district last evening.

Militants kidnapped Latief Khan from his house at Chitibandi of Baramula district last might.

In a broad daylight shooting, unidentified militants shot at and injured an autorickshaw driver, Tanveer Ahmad Gassi, at the Badadamb area in Srinagar today. A suspected militant was arrested in the Batmaloo area.

Meanwhile, the police assisted by security forces smashed a militant hideout in Largam village in the Tral area of Pulwama district last evening. But, militants managed to escape before the raid, the spokesman said.

However, reports reaching here from the village said a brief encounter took place between militants and the raiding party, but none was hurt on either side.

Security forces also smashed an abandoned hideout at Cheerkote in Kupwara district and recovered four improvised explosive devices, 12 remote-control devices and 956 rounds of ammunition last evening.