J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

6 militants killed in valley
SRINAGAR, July 19 — Eight persons, including six militants and two security force personnel, were killed and at least seven others were injured in separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday.

4 more Amarnath pilgrims die of cardiac arrest
SRINAGAR, July 19 — Four more Amarnath pilgrims died at Sheshnag and Baltal during the past 24 hours while another batch of 335 pilgrims in 183 vehicles arrived at Pahalgam this afternoon.

Medals for 41 police officials
SRINAGAR, July 19 — The Jammu and Kashmir Governor, Mr Girish Chandra Saxena, presented President’s Medals to 41 police officials of the State police at the investiture ceremony at Raj Bhavan here this morning. Eight personnel were awarded President’s Medal for distinguished services.

Pahalgam wears festive look
PAHALGAM, July 19 — This township, 100 km South-East of Srinagar, gives a festive look these days with the arrival of over 25,000 Amarnath pilgrims during the first six days of the yatra, and hundreds of local tourists and officials for the annual pilgrimage.

Pollution level high in Jawahar Tunnel
SRINAGAR, July 19 — The high level of poisonous gases like carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide is posing threat to the lives of passengers passing through the twin tubes of Jawahar Tunnel on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, an official said today.

6 militants killed in valley
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, July 19 — Eight persons, including six militants and two security force personnel, were killed and at least seven others were injured in separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday.

Three militants and a jawan of the CRPF were killed in an encounter at Tarhama, Tangmarg in Baramula district yesterday. A residential house and a mosque were also gutted in exchange of fire.

Two AK rifles were found from the killed militants, a police spokesman said here this evening. Another handout issued by the Zonal Police headquarters stated that three militants killed in the incident were identified as Abdul Majid Bhat, Bashir Ahmad Rather and Abdul Rahman Ganai.

Two unidentified militants and a security force jawan were killed in an encounter at the BOP sector Sunderbani, in Rajouri district of the Jammu region. Two AK rifles, eight magazines with 190 rounds of ammunition, five hand grenades, three rifle grenades, one pouch and a bag were found at the site of the encounter.

According to the police, an encounter started between militants and security forces at Kakoora, Rajouri, today. The encounter was going on, till the last reports came in.

In another encounter with security forces, one militant was killed at Nowshera-Nad, Machil sector, in Kupwara district yesterday. One AK rifle, two magazines and 96 rounds were found at the site of the encounter.

Four suspected militants of Hizbul Mujahideen were apprehended by a joint operations group of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and security forces during a search operation at Tresil and Chatripora in Pulwama district yesterday. Two hand grenades, an IED and two electronic detonators were found in their possession.

Two suspects, Manzoor Ahmad Ganai and Abdul Rashid Rather were arrested in the Beerua area of Badgam district. Another suspected militant Nazir Ahmad Maulvi of Hizbul Mujahideen was held from Shopian in Pulwama district.

4 more Amarnath pilgrims die of cardiac arrest

SRINAGAR, July 19 (UNI) — Four more Amarnath pilgrims died at Sheshnag and Baltal during the past 24 hours while another batch of 335 pilgrims in 183 vehicles arrived at Pahalgam this afternoon.

An official spokesman said four pilgrims — Hari Krishan of Muzaffarpur (Bihar), Mrs Amba of Wali (Gujarat), Arvind Kulkarni of Maharashtra and Chabeel Das of Gazipur (Uttar Pradesh) died at Sheshnag and Baltal due to cardiac arrest during the past 24 hours.

Medals for 41 police officials
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, July 19 — The Jammu and Kashmir Governor, Mr Girish Chandra Saxena, presented President’s Medals to 41 police officials of the State police at the investiture ceremony at Raj Bhavan here this morning. Eight personnel were awarded President’s Medal for distinguished services.

Those awarded medals for distinguished service included Rajan Bakshi, Addl DG, headquarters, P.S. Gill, IGP, Operations, Kuldeep Khuda, IGP, Crime and Railways, Jammu, R.V. Raju, IGP, Jammu range, Dr Ashok Bhan, IGP, Kashmir zone, Farooq Ahmad, AIG Personnel, Police headquarters, all IPS officers, Anoop Singh, retired DIG and Mohammad Yusuf Rather, retired Superintendent of Police.

Among those who got medals for meritorious services included C.L. Banal, IGP, Home Guards, K. Rajindera Kumar, DIG, Srinagar range, P.L. Gupta, DIG Crime and Railways, Jammu, S.S. Bijral, DIG, SSG, Srinagar, Mohammad Amin Shah, SSP, Crime, Srinagar, Mohammad Amin Anjum, SSP, Jammu, Satvir Gupta, SSP, Udhampur and Niaz Mehmood Mir, SSP, Counter Intelligence, Srinagar.

The Director General Police, Mr Gurbachan Jagat, said 18 officers were given the President’s medal for gallantry and meritorious services. He said these awards were given to those with at least 15 years of service.

Mr Jagat said efforts were being made to make the police force functional. Some of the officers of the SOG or Task Force carved out of the police force were being shifted to other places. He hinted at major changes in the police set-up in order to reactivate the entire police force. Mr Jagat pointed out that all the defunct police stations in Srinagar district, had been made functional.

The investiture ceremony was held on the lawns of Raj Bhavan.

Pahalgam wears festive look
Tribune News Service

PAHALGAM, July 19 — This township, 100 km South-East of Srinagar, gives a festive look these days with the arrival of over 25,000 Amarnath pilgrims during the first six days of the yatra, and hundreds of local tourists and officials for the annual pilgrimage.

Long rows of heavy and light vehicles are found by the side of Liddar river at Nunwan, 1-km short of the town, for security checks. All passengers, pilgrims or locals are frisked. While the men pass through the railings on the left side of the road, the women have to enter a tin-roofed shed for the security check by women police. This is a common sight for several hours daily in the evening, when thousands of pilgrims arrive here after travelling nearly 300 km from Jammu. The 45-km-long road to Pahalgam shoots off at Khannabal from the Jammu-Srinagar highway, 250 km from Jammu.

Elaborate security cover has been given to the entire route from the Jammu-Srinagar highway and to the entire yatra route via Pahalgam-Chandanwari. The Army, the BSF, the CRPF and the Jammu and Kashmir police has been deployed at different places. While the Army has been providing the outer cover para-military troops manage the movement of the pilgrims en route to the cave shrine, about 60 km from Pahalgam, the base camp for the annual yatra.

A checkpost has been set up for the collection of entry fee by the Notified Area Committee (NCA) Pahalgam. While the local vehicles diverted to the local taxi and bus stands, those carrying yatris move ahead to the temporary columns set up to accommodate the yatris and the parking of vehicles across a part of Liddar river. The tourist reception centre (TRC) headed by a tourist officer of the Department of Tourism, Jammu and Kashmir Government, overlooks the arrangement for the yatris, including the booking of labourers, ponies and dandis for carriage to the holy cave.

Pollution level high in Jawahar Tunnel

SRINAGAR, July 19 (PTI) — The high level of poisonous gases like carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide is posing threat to the lives of passengers passing through the twin tubes of Jawahar Tunnel on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, an official said today.

The amount of these poisonous gases, being constantly emitted by incoming and outgoing vehicles, could be very dangerous for the passengers passing through the 2.5-km-long tubes of the tunnel, the Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Board (PCB) said.

He said the amount of these poisonous gases is quite above the prescribed limits. There were no facilities in the tunnel for pumping them out and pumping in fresh air, the Chairman, who conducted an inspection of the tunnel yesterday, said.

The PCB has asked the authorities to take effective steps for installing necessary equipments to pump out polluted air and pump in fresh air into the tunnel, he said.

The body has served a three-week notice to the tunnel authorities to submit details of steps being initiated to solve the problem, he said.