3 militants killed, 5 houses torched
SRINAGAR, July 17 — Security forces killed three militants and recovered arms and ammunition while militants injured three persons and set on fire the houses of five Village Defence Committee members in the Kashmir valley during the past 24 hours.

Cong blames NC, Centre for neglecting migrants
JAMMU, July 17 — While the Congress has blamed the state and the central governments for neglecting the migrants from the border villages of the Jammu sector, the state unit of the BJP has accused the National Conference government of adopting discriminatory policy as far as distribution of cash relief was concerned.

3 killed, 23 injured in mishap
KATHUA, July 17 — Three women were killed and 23 persons injured in a head-on collision between a matador and a truck near Bagial Morth village on the Kathua Jammu national highway, today.

Ex-gratia up
JAMMU, July 17 — The Jammu and Kashmir Government has increased the ex-gratia relief from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh to next of kin of defence personnel killed in operations who are permanent residents of the state.

3 militants killed, 5 houses torched

SRINAGAR, July 17 (UNI) — Security forces killed three militants and recovered arms and ammunition while militants injured three persons and set on fire the houses of five Village Defence Committee members (VDC) in the Kashmir valley during the past 24 hours.

An official spokesman said security forces and the Jammu and Kashmir Police Task Force in a joint operation killed two militants at village Godoora in Pulwama late last night. An AK rifle and two grenades were recovered from the slain militants.

He said forces killed a militant at Farwan forest last evening. A 303 rifle, one magazine, 27 bullets, a grenade and a pouch were also seized in the operation.

He said militants entered the house of Mohammad Iqbal Shah at Kahara last evening and shot at and injured his wife Hajra Begum. She was hospitalised.

He said militants also shot at and injured two special police officers (SPOs) at Kahara last evening.

He said militants set on fire houses of five VDC members at Halla village last night.

Panic gripped Sopore this afternoon when militants lobbed a hand grenade on a security force picket. However, the grenade exploded after missing the intended target without causing any damage. Forces immediately cordoned off the entire area and conducted searches.

PTI: Militants attacked a security picket, injured two special police officers (SPOs) and a woman, an official spokesman said.

Militants today attacked the security picket with a grenade at Sopore, 55 km from here in north Kashmir. Further details were awaited.

Militants shot at and critically wounded two SPOs, Showkat Hussain and Kuldeep Kumar, at Kahara Gandoh in Doda district yesterday.

Militants also intruded into the house of a woman, Hajra Begum at Gugara Kahara near Gandoh in Doda district and dragged her sister, Razia Begum, out and shot at her.

Security forces and police seized a rocket launcher, seven grenades, a pistol, one point 303 rifle, an AK rifle and some ammunition during raids on militant hideouts in Baramula, Rajouri and Srinagar districts.

Cong blames NC, Centre for neglecting migrants
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, July 17 — While the Congress has blamed the state and the central governments for neglecting the migrants from the border villages of the Jammu sector, the state unit of the BJP has accused the National Conference government of adopting discriminatory policy as far as distribution of cash relief was concerned.

The AICC general secretary, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, told reporters after distributing relief and ration among the displaced families in the R.S. Pora sector here today that both the BJP-led government at the centre and the National Conference government in the state had failed to come to the rescue of the migrants. He said that several thousand migrant families had to depend on doles and relief distributed by voluntary organisations.

Mr Azad urged the Centre and the state government to identify alternative sites where border villagers could camp under better atmosphere during Pakistani firing. He said border firing by Pakistani troops had become a common feature and the people had to flee to safer places where they faced misery.

He said despite commitment from the Centre that adequate relief and ration would be provided to the migrants nothing concrete had been done so far. He announced that the Congress would be distributing 50 per cent of the foodgrains that the migrants needed their.

The Congress leader lambasted the BJP leaders for claiming that the ruling party at the centre had achieved victory in Kargil. He said it was the victory of the Indian Armed Forces and the BJP should not try to cash in on the sacrifices of "our brave soldiers".

He also ridiculed the BJP claim that India's sound diplomacy had paid dividends, Mr Azad said that the United States of America had intervened and other countries had forced Pakistan to withdraw its infiltrators because it was a clear-cut intrusion into the Indian territory by violating the sanctity of the Line of Control. He said the Kargil conflict was the result of weak government at the centre. He said Pakistan took advantage of the "weak government" and added that during the 45-year rule of the Congress Pakistan never dared intrusion into Indian territory in Jammu and Kashmir.

Against this the president of the state unit of the BJP, Mr D.K. Kotwal, landed the efforts of the Vajpayee-led government in isolating Pakistan over the Kargil conflict. He said for the first time in the last 50 years all major powers and nations in the world had supported India's stand on Kargil.

Mr Kotwal accused the National Conference government of discriminating against migrants of one area and the other. He said the distribution of relief should not depend on the "whims" of the government officers and the National Conference leaders. He wanted a uniform policy to be adopted as far as distribution of relief was concerned. He said that some families received Rs 200 per head per month others Rs 500 per hand per month.

The BJP leader said that the Kashmiri migrants and the displaced families from the border villages of the Jammu sector should receive same treatment as far as relief amount was concerned.

Jammu DD to counter PTV propaganda
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, July 17 — With the objective of countering the Pak propaganda unleashed from across the border which has been targeting the people of Jammu region and the ban on Pakistan Television has been lifted a couple of days ago the local Doordarshan Kendra has started a number of programmes to counter this venomous propaganda.

The new Station Director of Doordarshan Kendra, Jammu (PGF), Mr Jai Krishan Zutshi, in his first ever interview after assuming charge as the Station Director spoke a length about these measures with this correspondent.

As the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had asked every station to prepare counter Pak propaganda programmes Mr Zutshi said his station had also started a number of programmes in this regard. Besides starting a series of programmes on the winners of Param Vir Chakra, Mahavir Chakra and other gallantry awards, the station has also started the telecast of statements of relatives of the Kargil martyrs which is usually mixed with patriotic songs. A number of discussions and current affairs programmes were already countering the nefarious Pak propaganda in quite dignified manner, said Mr Zutshi who has recently been transferred from Doordarshan Kendra, Jalandhar where he was working as Deputy Director, Programming (DDP).

Asked about catering to the masses living along the international border and the Line of Control in the Jammu region, Mr Zutshi said as the signals of Jammu Doordarshan did not go beyond Kathua it was very difficult for them to reach the masses living in the border areas. "We do understand the need to prepare programmes to cater to such people living in border areas which can counter nefarious propaganda unleashed by the enemy from across the border," he said, adding that he was also aware of the fact that these people who had been listening and watching Pak propaganda day in day out should have access to our programmes. "But the lack of facilities is the main reason behind the extension of transmission of signals up to Jammu border areas," he said.

The kendra has recently sent a proposal to the directorate at New Delhi regarding the need to extend the signals of the Jammu Kendra up to the border areas. At present the station is in dire need of a satellite link which would solve almost all problems of the station regarding the reach of programmes up to the border areas of the Jammu region.

Mr Zutshi said the Information and Broadcasting Minister, Mr Pramod Mahajan on his recent visit to Jammu for the inauguration of the Dogri news set up had announced they would give them a special van for up linking of signals to satellite. No one knows how much time this might take.

Elaborating further, the Station Director informed that as the Doordarshan Kendra, Srinagar, was in the process of becoming an earth station (station having all modern facilities) there was a proposal of sending satellite news gadget (SNG) van which was at present stationed at Srinagar to Jammu so that all important clipping were transmitted to various stations and directed through the satellite link. The SNG van, he said, would ensure quality. Even though the station had facilities like microwave link it was not as good as a satellite link as it sent poor quality.

The Station Director was quite hopeful that when provided with all such facilities he would be able to counter propaganda very effectively. Recently, the Doordarshan Kendra had got a survey done according to which the DD viewership in the entire Kashmir valley was 70 per cent while in Jammu district alone it was 29.17 per cent which was quite significant.

3 killed, 23 injured in mishap
From Our Correspondent

KATHUA, July 17 — Three women were killed and 23 persons injured in a head-on collision between a matador and a truck near Bagial Morth village on the Kathua Jammu national highway, today.

According to report, three women were killed on the spot. They were identified as Shanti Devi, Kulwant Kumari, and Tenu Chalotra. Four injured persons were admitted to GMC, Jammu, and 19 admitted to the District Hospital, Kathua.

In another accident, an employee of Thein Dam identified as Karam Chand of Madhopur Pathankot tehsil crushed to death by a truck at Basohli Morh near Lakhanpur toll post. He was going on duty on his cycle.

Ex-gratia up
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, July 17 — The Jammu and Kashmir Government has increased the ex-gratia relief from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh to next of kin of defence personnel killed in operations who are permanent residents of the state.

The increase will be effective from May 1. A decision to this effect was taken at a Cabinet meeting held here on July 8.

Meanwhile, donations towards the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund continued to pour in from employees of various government departments. The Patwar Association, Katua tehsil, has donated Rs 16,000 to the fund. The staff of the Block Development Office, Bani, has donated Rs 7,000 to the fund.