J&K wants more forces for poll
JAMMU, March 26 — The state government has made a plea to the Centre to make available at least 140 companies of paramilitary forces for taking care of the security arrangements during the panchayat elections scheduled to be held in Jammu and Kashmir from the first week of June.

Three of family shot
SRINAGAR, March 26 — Militants shot dead five persons, including three members of a family, and made attempt to kidnap a senior official in the valley during the past 24 hours.

Mansar mela from April 2
JAMMU, March 26 — A three-day tourist mela popularly called "Mela Mansar Da" will commence at the picturesque Mansar Lake from April 2.

Cub-Bulbul utsav concludes
JAMMU, March 26 — For the first time after the decade-long militancy period in the state, a four day Cub-Bulbul utsav was organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Bharat Scouts and Guides in collaboration with the Department of Youth Services and Sports, Jammu, in which 89 children drawn from 14 schools of both the regions of Jammu and Kashmir participated.

ITBP replaces BSF in Kashmir areas
SRINAGAR, March 26 — The 140-km-long national highway from Pattan in North Kashmir to Banihal in South Kashmir will be handed over to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police to thwart any militant attack on vehicles plying on it, ITBP Director-General Gautam Kaul said here today.

J&K wants more forces for poll
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, March 26 — The state government has made a plea to the Centre to make available at least 140 companies of paramilitary forces for taking care of the security arrangements during the panchayat elections scheduled to be held in Jammu and Kashmir from the first week of June. However, the Centre has agreed to despatch only 70 additional companies of the paramilitary forces. This has forced the state authorities to complete the poll in six phases. The polling is, hence, expected to be completed in two months.

Though the state government has given the green signal to the police and other agencies to get ready for the panchayat poll, the security agencies are keeping their fingers crossed as they fear heavy infiltration by Pakistan-trained militants and foreign mercenaries between June and July. The state government has conveyed to the Centre the need for more forces for ensuring a peaceful poll.

Another irritant for the state government is that the Centre has not so far responded to the demand for Rs 47 crore which the police needs for making security arrangements in the state before and during the poll period. The police is said to have projected the demand on the basis of expenses required to meet the boarding and lodge charges and for transhipment of additional companies of paramilitary forces from one place to another. So far, there has been no word from the Centre.

The police authorities are handicapped because the Centre has not kept its commitment to release Rs 190 crore for strengthening and modernising the police force. It had agreed to release Rs 43 crore in the first instalment but 80 per cent of the amount had been deducted at source as payment for purchase of weapons and ammunition.

The police authorities had expected that the Centre would see to it that the executive and the armed police engaged in anti-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir did not face the cash crunch. This has not happened. A large section of the police force deployed in remote areas has been receiving their monthly salaries irregularly. In several cases policemen have not received salaries for two months. There are over 12,000 special police officers and each get Rs 1500 per month. However, in most cases the SPOs have not received payment for the past several months.

Official sources said the Director-General of Police, Mr Gurcharan Jagat, has conveyed to the quarters concerned that salaries of policemen and SPOs be disbursed on time. But the department is helpless because of the empty treasury. Scores of senior police officers, including those in the IPS cadre, have failed to get benefit of annual increment. Many have been told that since there is no cash in the treasury, the arrears of their annual increment cannot be cleared. Others are said to have restricted their movement after their TA bills were not cleared for the past one year.

Senior officers in the field have conveyed to their bosses that their men need better weapons and other facilities for taking on the militants.

A majority of the policemen deployed to check the activities of militants in far-flung and hilly areas have been equipped with .303 guns and rickety vehicles.

The state government admits that the village defence committees have performed a good job in blunting the offensive by foreign mercenaries. What actually has demoralised the members of the VDCs is that they continue to be ill-equipped. In many areas in Doda and Udhampur districts, VDC members had preferred iron rods to outdated rifles.

A senior police officer said in case the police is faced with a cash and weapon crunch, it may restrict their role in containing the activities of the militants. He said in view of the alarming reports from across the border regarding Pakistani plans to push into the state at least 5,000 battle-hardened militants during the next three months, raising the strength of the police and modernising the communication, transport and weapon system was imperative.

Cub-Bulbul utsav concludes
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, March 26 — For the first time after the decade-long militancy period in the state, a four day Cub-Bulbul utsav was organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Bharat Scouts and Guides in collaboration with the Department of Youth Services and Sports (YSS), Jammu, in which 89 children drawn from 14 schools of both the regions of Jammu and Kashmir participated.

The utsav which concluded here yesterday had the children between the age group of 6-10 years participating in the festival which was organised at Nawal Shanti Niketan, Amarvilla. Dr Mustafa Kamal, Minister for Medical Education, was the chief guest of the function, while Mr S.S. Ali, Director General, Youth Services and Sports, was also present at the occasion.

The unique thing about the Cub-Bulbul utsav was that the children drawn from Kupwara, Bandipore and other districts of Kashmir province had the chance to visit any place outside the trouble-torn valley for the first time in their lives as all of them were born during the past decade of militancy. These children presented their creative talents in various competitions like painting, sketchmaking, dancing, singing, story-telling. Not only the children from the troubletorn valley but the children from SOS village and slum areas of Jammu city also participated in this utsav.

Children from SOS village, Jammu, DB Shanti Niketan, Hanifa Model School, Anantnag, Alexander High School, Jammu, Royal House Academy, Srinagar, New Era School, Bikram Memorial High School, S.M. School and Carmel Convent participated.

Mansar mela from April 2
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, March 26 — A three-day tourist mela popularly called "Mela Mansar Da" will commence at the picturesque Mansar Lake from April 2. Thousands of people including tourists and pilgrims of Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, are expected to visit the mela.

According to Mr Parves Dewan, Commissioner Secretary Tourism, J&K Government, the mela, which is an annual affair, is gaining popularity at the national level. The J&K tourism Department, has been working hard to bring Mansar on the national tourism map and has been successfully organising the mela for the past so many years, he added.

This year's attraction at the mela will include various stalls including that of handloom, horticulture, agriculture, agro and forests by the departments concerned for introduction and sale of their products. Besides, cultural programmes boating facilities will also be there. Recreation corners for children will also be set up at the mela site, informed Mr Dewan.

Other major attractions at the mela will be horse and camel riding competitions, paragliding, canoeing and paddle boating.

The state government has constituted Mansar Mela Organising Committee which include the members of Jammu Hotel and Bar Association, Jammu Kashmir Tourist Development Corporation (JKTDC) etc. for the successful conduct of the mela.

Three of family shot

SRINAGAR, March 26 (UNI) — Militants shot dead five persons, including three members of a family, and made attempt to kidnap a senior official in the valley during the past 24 hours.

An official spokesman said militants entered the house of Ghulam Hassan Lone at Lilam village, 90 km from here, in the North Kashmir district of Kupwara and fired indiscriminately with automatic weapons.

While Mr Lone, his daughter Dilshada and son Irshad Ahmad died on the spot, his another son Javid Ahmad, was seriously injured and admitted to hospital.

In another incident, militants entered the house of Mohammad Ramzan at Dachin Tunder and fired upon its residents late last night, resulting in on-the-spot death of Mohammad Ramzan and Javid Iqbal. Another person, Gulzar Ahmad, was injured in the shootout.

Militants abducted one person from Salaria village while militants and the forces exchanged fire at Wachi Pulwama. None was injured.

Unidentified persons entered the poultry project at Hari Parbhat in the downtown area and tried to kidnap project director Dr Khurshid Ahmad Malik. Their bid was, however, foiled due to prompt police action. The militants managed to escape.

One militant surrendered along with weapons last evening. A militant was held and 14 rockets,13 boosters, 14 magazines, 30 detonators, 33 metres of cordex wire, four bombs and 500 rounds of ammunition were seized during overnight operations across the valley.

ITBP replaces BSF in Kashmir areas

SRINAGAR, March 26 (UNI) — The 140-km-long national highway from Pattan in North Kashmir to Banihal in South Kashmir will be handed over to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) to thwart any militant attack on vehicles plying on it, ITBP Director-General Gautam Kaul said here today.

The ITBP will replace the BSF in some parts of South and Central Kashmir from April 1, he said. Mr Kaul said four more ITBP battalions were being shifted here from Punjab. He said the ITBP has been active in counter-insurgency operations in Verinag, Kokernag and Deksum in South Kashmir for the past few years. He said the ITBP was also responsible for the protection of the Banihal tunnel besides Pir Panjal ranges.

Mr Kaul said mainly "Lashker-e-Toiba" militants were active in South Kashmir woods as compared to other militant outfits.