Farooq seeks more forces
Spurt in violence
JAMMU, July 2 — The Jammu and Kashmir Governor, Mr G.C. Saxena and the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah have requested the Union Home Minister Mr L.K. Advani, to send additional battalions of paramilitary forces to Jammu and Kashmir where Pak-trained militants and foreign mercenaries, after having resurfaced in large numbers are determined to create major internal security problems.

J & K panel for vocational training
JAMMU, July 2 — The Jammu and Kashmir Government has constituted a 14-member State Council for Vocational Training headed by the Chief Secretary to advise the state government on implementing training policy laid down by the National Council for Vocational Training and coordinating the training programme for the ITI sector.

Demonstrators tear-gassed
SRINAGAR, July 2 — The police lobbed tear-gas shells and resorted to a cane charge to disperse a group of demonstrators at Badshah Chowk in the heart of Srinagar today and detained 25 agitationists, including Nayeem Khan, president of the national front, official sources said.

• 25000 labourers to leave valley
• 7 die as truck falls into gorge

Farooq seeks more forces
Spurt in violence
  Tribune News Service

JAMMU, July 2 — The Jammu and Kashmir Governor, Mr G.C. Saxena and the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah have requested the Union Home Minister Mr L.K. Advani, to send additional battalions of paramilitary forces to Jammu and Kashmir where Pak-trained militants and foreign mercenaries, after having resurfaced in large numbers are determined to create major internal security problems.

The demand was made during a detailed discussion the Governor and the Chief Minister had with the Home Minister in Srinagar yesterday. Informed sources said Dr Farooq Abdullah explained to Mr Advani that following armed conflict in the Kargil and Dras sectors and on account of Pak shelling and firing in several sectors in the state 58 battalions of the Army including the Rashtriya Rifles had been withdrawn from within the state and sent to the border. So far the state had received 20 battalions of the CRPF and the BSF Mr Advani was informed that the state needed at least 40,000 men of the paramilitary forces so that large "grey areas" were provided at least minimum possible security cover to prevent militants from carrying out massacres.

Sources said the two sides discussed the latest security scenario in the light of the massacre of 29 civilians in Morha Bachai village of Surankot and in Sandu village of Anantnag district. The Chief Minister is said to have told the home Minister that he was in favour of sending additional troops to the border for foiling Pak gameplan of intruding into the Indian territory but the withdrawal of the Army should not be at the cost of internal security.

Reports from the Doda, Rajouri, Poonch, Anantnag and Kupwara-Baramula belt revealed that large groups of foreign mercenaries had sneaked into the state since May when the Kargil conflict assumed alarming dimensions. They had been seen moving from one area to another.

Police sources in Doda said though the district received five battalions of the CRPF in place of six battalions of the Rashtriya Rifles the police authorities would not risk launch operations against the militants because of the shortage of security forces. The sources said that it might take at least two months for the fresh battalions to acclimatise and learn about the topography and security requirements of the area.

Senior state government functionaries said the Centre's delay in releasing full funds for the modernisation programme of the police had added to the security lacuna. Out of Rs 190 crore police modernisation scheme the Centre had released Rs 38 crore last year. And the state government released only Rs 29 crore to the police. It had withheld Rs 11 crore. The centre was committed to release Rs 83 crore for the modernisation scheme but so far the state had not received a penny.

The state had been able to raise two battalions and those selected would be sent for training. This would mean that for another three to six months the fresh recruits would not be in a position to fill the gap caused by the withdrawal of the troops from within the state.

Field reports said that it was an uneven battle between the security forces and the militants in areas dominated by foreign mercenaries, who were equipped with sophisticated weapons and had better communication facilities.

With these details in mind the Chief Minister renewed his request to Mr Advani who assured Dr Abdullah and Mr Saxena that he would make available at least 10 additional battalions of paramilitary forces for Jammu and Kashmir.

Experts said that in case the Centre released a few crores of rupees village defence committees could be strengthened and their number could be increased. In Doda, Rajori and Udhampur VDCs had played an important role in blunting the offensive of the militants.

Ban on PTV not for ever : Mahajan
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, July 2 — Information and Broadcasting Minister Pramod Mahajan today announced that the telecast of the Kashmiri channel would be increased from two hours to 18 hours gradually, and Srinagar and Jammu cities would have two FM centres each soon.

Addressing a function to inaugurate DD-II (Metro) channel from the Srinagar kendra of Doordarshan, Mr Mahajan said that 65 FM centres were planned to be privatised in the country in a fortnight, out of which four centres would be in Jammu and Kashmir. With the inauguration of DD-II the range would now be increased to 40 km. Mr Mahajan said there was a further proposal to upgrade it up to 10 KWs for increasing the range. With today's upgradation its range had increased from 100 watts to 1,000 watts.

The minister said an earth station was being set up in Srinagar by December which would ensure uplink facilities in Srinagar Doordarshan. A 10 KW mobile AIR kendra would be launched in Kargil, he said. The Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, presided over the function.

Referring to the ban on Pakistan TV, Mr Mahajan said it was not for ever, adding that the step was "necessitated in view of malicious propaganda and dissemination of false information particularly in the wake of challenge posed by Pakistan in Kargil. The propaganda by Pakistan could be detrimental to the peace and amity in the country", he said.

The Information and Broadcasting Minister accused Pakistan of waging assault on information channels by damaging Kargil television and radio stations. Pakistan seemed to be so threatened of Doordarshan and Akashwani that they targeted these mediums of information. He said modern warfare was not fought in battle grounds alone.

The Union Minister lauded the role of the staff of Doordarshan and AIR who faced problems in the face of militancy in the valley. Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah also recalled the services rendered by the staff of Radio Kashmir and Doordarshan and paid rich tributes to Lassa Koul and others who laid down their lives for keeping up the high standards of professionalism.

Later the minister also visited Kargil and the cave shrine of Amarnath before his departure for Delhi.

Before arriving here yesterday, Mr Mahajan launched Dogri news from PCF station in Jammu. He also met a cross section of people in Kashmir.

Hostage's wife renews appeal
Tribune News Service,

SRINAGAR, July 2 — Jane Schelly, wife of an American, Donald Hutchings who was kidnapped by militants along with four others near Pahalgam four years ago has once again appealed to people of Kashmir to supply information about the whereabouts of her husband.

She made the appeal at Friday prayers at the Jama Masjid here. She also met the Mirwaiz, Maulvi Umar Farooq. The Mirwaiz also appealed to militants holding the four foreign tourists to release them on humanitarian grounds.

Jane who has been camping here for the past one week has resolved to continue her efforts to trace her husband. She met senior police officials here also in this connection.

Five foreign tourists were kidnapped from Aroo near Pahalgam in South Kashmir in the first week of July, 1995. They included Keith Mangan and Paul Wells (UK), Donald Hutchings (USA), Dirk Haset (Germany) and Hans Christain Ostro (Norway).

Another American John Childs managed to escape. The beheaded body of the Norwegian, Hans Christain Ostro was recovered near Anantnag on August 13, 1995.

The police does not have definite information about the hostages. There have been different reports about the hostages with some suggesting that they were kept in different areas of South Kashmir district of Anantnag and Doda district of the Jammu region.

The police had got conducted DNA tests on some bodies exhumed from South Kashmir to confirm whether these were of any hostages.The special crime branch of the Jammu and Kashmir police headed by an SSP has been entrusted with the task of finding any clues in connection with the kidnapping. The police has also set up telephone boxes here and in Jammu to enable people to provide any information about the hostages.

J & K panel for vocational training
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, July 2 — The Jammu and Kashmir Government has constituted a 14-member State Council for Vocational Training headed by the Chief Secretary to advise the state government on implementing training policy laid down by the National Council for Vocational Training and coordinating the training programme for the ITI sector.

The function of the council includes carrying out the policy of the National Council for Vocational Training with regard to the award of national trade certificates in engineering and non-engineering trades as may be brought within its scope by the central or the state governments.

The council will also hold adhoc or periodic inspection of the training institutes and centres in the state and ensure that the standards prescribed by the national council are being followed. It will coopt, if necessary, any person or persons to advise the council in connection with its work and will also ensure that the staff is employed according to the qualifications prescribed by the national council and relax qualifications in special circumstances to be recorded, for trades where such staff is not easily available.

The council would also ensure that the examinations are conducted by the State Board of Examinations according to the standards and the manner prescribed by the national council and would countersign and issue national trade certificates to successful candidates.

25000 labourers to leave valley
From our Correspondent

UDHAMPUR: After the killings of 12 labourers at Sandu in Anantnag district 2000 labourers of UP, MP & Bihar have returned to their states. According to one labourer at present more than 25000 labourers are working in different brick-kilns in the Kashmir valley. According to one labourer security forces have expressed inability to protect them and they had been asked to go to their homes so all the 25000 labourers have decided to leave the valley in four days. Security forces also provided them their (security force's) buses to main bus stands.

7 die as truck falls into gorge
From our Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, July 2 — At least seven persons were killed and 35 injured when a truck JKP-137 carrying 45 persons skidded and fell into a gorge at Shayee, 10 km from Doda. Four persons died on the spot, identified as Mohammed Shafi, Farooq Ahmad, Muddasar Bhat and Ram Lal. Three others died in Doda hospital. They are Habibullah and Farooq Ahmad. Injured persons were admitted in Doda hospital. Condition of some is critical. According to the report the bus passengers were shifted in to the truck.

Demonstrators tear-gassed

SRINAGAR, July 2 (PTI) — The police lobbed tear-gas shells and resorted to a cane charge to disperse a group of demonstrators at Badshah Chowk in the heart of Srinagar today and detained 25 agitationists, including Nayeem Khan, president of the national front, official sources said.

The demonstrators were protesting against alleged "state terrorism", the sources said, adding the police took action because the protestors had violated prohibitory orders.

Meanwhile, a complete shutdown was witnessed in Lal Chowk and its adjoining areas in protest against the alleged excesses of the security forces in the area yesterday after a special police officer was shot dead by militants.