J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

8 ultras shot; shelling in Karnah
SRINAGAR, Sept 28 — Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked shelling in the Karnah sector this morning while eight militants, including a former district commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen were killed and three militants nabbed in the state since last evening.

VDCs continue to be ignored
JAMMU, Sept 28 — Despite assurance by the Union Home Ministry and the state government to better the lot of the Village Defence Committee members, there seems to be hardly any improvement in the pattern of dealing with this force.

J&K not to close sick PSUs
SRINAGAR, Sept 28 — The Jammu and Kashmir Industries and Commerce Minister, Dr Mustafa Kamal, has denied that the government is closing down all public sector undertakings.

JKNF to stress trifurcation
JAMMU, Sept 28 — The Jammu and Kashmir Nationalist Front will organise a dharna on October 2 at Jammu to stress the demand for the trifurcation of the state with statehood for Jammu.

Board on Amarnath shrine likely
JAMMU, Sept 28 — The State Government is contemplating setting up of Amarnath Shrine Board for proper development of the holy cave on the pattern of the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.

Crackers banned in Jammu
JAMMU, Sept 28 — The Union Ministry of Environment has imposed restrictions on the use of fire-works and crackers during Divali to control sound pollution.

Bibi to attend Sikh mission programme
SRINAGAR, Sept 28 — Bibi Jagir Kaur, President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, will arrive here to participate in a three-day Sikh mission programme to begin here from tomorrow.

8 ultras shot; shelling in Karnah

SRINAGAR, Sept 28 (UNI, PTI) — Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked shelling in the Karnah sector this morning while eight militants, including a former district commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen were killed and three militants nabbed in the state since last evening.

A report from Baramula said Pakistani troops fired mortars and artillery shells targeting civilian areas and a security force installation in Karnah sector around 9.25 a.m. today.

However, there were no reports of any loss of life or damage to property in the two-hour-long shelling.

An official spokesman said an encounter took place between militants and security forces at Badrakote in the frontier district of Kupwara last evening during which three foreign militants were killed. A large cache of arms and ammunition, including three AK rifles, 6 magazines, 1257 rounds, nine rockets, 56 grenades, 35 detonators and 15 kg of explosive, were recovered from the slain militants.

Security forces also gunned down a militant at Kurhama village in Ganderbal today.

In another fierce clash at Panjnara-Khawas sector, security forces killed four militants early this morning.

Gunmen shot dead a former district commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen at flood colony Baramula last evening, he said.

A security force vehicle was damaged in a mine blast at Tangwani Kokernag in south Kashmir last evening. However, none was wounded, the spokesman said.

Security forces arrested three militants at Baramula and Srinagar during overnight operations, he informed. 

In another development, the Jammu and Kashmir police today shattered Pakistan-based Al-Badre outfit’s plans to establish its cadres in Srinagar city with the arrest of five persons, a top police officer said.

The arrest of the five, including a businessman-turned-chief organiser of Al-Badre Waseem Ahmad Khateeb, followed hard intelligence reports about the outfit’s plans to create law and order problems in Srinagar, Inspector-General of Police (Kashmir) A.K. Bhan said here today.

However, a spokesman of Al-Badre disowned Waseem, saying he was not linked with the outfit.

Bhan said on specific information, the police, assisted by the BSF, conducted a series of raids in Srinagar city and its suburbs during the past few days and arrested Waseem and his group members — Tariq Ahmad Bhat, Javid Ahmad Bhat, Showkat Ahmad Rather and Hilal Ahmad Dar.

JAMMU: Two militants and a Village Defence Committee (VDC) member were killed and a large quantity of arms and explosives seized in separate militancy-related incidents in the Doda and R.S. Pura areas of Jammu division since Wednesday, an official spokesman said here on Thursday.

A VDC member, Mangal Singh, who was seriously injured due to firing by unknown persons at Chappi Bullu village in Gandoh tehsil, succumbed to his injuries later.

Meanwhile, the police recovered two bags from Khamb village in R.S. Pura tehsil containing two RDX slabs.

Pakistani troops continued to shell border areas in various sectors of Jammu division since Wednesday without causing any loss of life or damage on the Indian side, defence sources said here.

The sources said Pakistani troops heavily fired in Palanwala in Akhnoor sector and Bhawani, Laam and Noushera areas of Rajouri sector.

VDCs continue to be ignored
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Sept 28 — Despite assurance by the Union Home Ministry and the state government to better the lot of the Village Defence Committee (VDC) members, there seems to be hardly any improvement in the pattern of dealing with this force.

The VDC members continue to be ill-equipped, ill-clothed and ill-fed. During the past four years the VDC members have played a vital role in containing activities of the militants in Doda, Rajouri and some belts of Udhampur districts. They could have done better had they been given sophisticated weapons.

Police sources admitted that the VDC members were performing a social service when one finds that each member does not get more than Rs 200 per month and that too at irregular time.

In Doda district there are over 980 VDCs which means that about 6400 able-bodied youths are equipped with .303 guns to battle against rebels who are in possession of assault rifles and other sophisticated weapons. Out of the 980 VDCs only 883 are sanctioned by the government. Others had been raised on the spur of the moment when militants had carried out massacres. The Union Home Ministry had promised that necessary funds would be released for sustaining these VDCs. But in the absence of necessary funds the VDC members have not received their monthly wages for the past several months. In case of at least 100 VDCs the members have not been paid the wages for the past over six months.

During his earlier visit to the state Union Home Minister, L.K. Advani, had announced that the VDC members in due course would be given sophisticated weapons, better kit and better wages. But this assurance had not been so far implemented and hardly 100 out of 980 VDCs have been provided with wireless sets.

Reports said that a move is afoot to “disband and disarm” some of the VDCs in Doda and Udhampur districts in order to rationalise expenses. This move has found no favour among the people living in militancy-infested areas of the Jammu region. According to these reports, even VDC members have been gripped by panic on the plea that once they were deprived of the guns they would be killed by the rebels as they have been identified by the separatists long back.

The reports said that a sanction of the people have held some National Conference leaders responsible for toying with the idea of disbanding the VDCs.

J&K not to close sick PSUs
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Sept 28 — The Jammu and Kashmir Industries and Commerce Minister, Dr Mustafa Kamal, has denied that the government is closing down all public sector undertakings (PSUs).

According to a spokesman, the Minister clarified that only those sick PSUs would be closed down which had no potential for revival.

The government is even ready to run all such PSUs which are able to meet their own expenses, he said.

Reacting to the press reports about Himalayan Wood Chambers, the minister said this factory has remained closed for the past two years due to the wornout machinery and slump in the international wool market. The Power Development Department disconnected the power connection two years back as this factory was not even able to pay the power bills.

The Minister said steps have been taken to revive Rosin and Turpentine factory, Miransahib, Jammu, and Rs 2 crore has been earmarked for this.

JKNF to stress trifurcation
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Sept 28 — The Jammu and Kashmir Nationalist Front (JKNF) will organise a dharna on October 2 at Jammu to stress the demand for the trifurcation of the state with statehood for Jammu.

Talking to mediapersons at a press conference here today, Mr Tilak Raj Sharma, convener of the JKNF, said the reorganisation of the state was the only solution to all problems of the three regions of the state.

He said it was discrimination with the people of Jammu in every field since 1947 that had prompted them to launch a movement for the trifurcation so that the people of every section could enjoy the rights equally.

While supporting the demand, Mr Yash Bhasin, co-convener of the JKNF clarified that the movement was not based on communal feelings. To term the movement for the trifurcation as communal was an attempt by some vested interests to sabotage the same.

In the next phase on October 31 dharnas at tehsil levels and seminars at Poonch, Rajouri, Bhaderwah, Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban will be held.

Board on Amarnath shrine likely
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Sept 28 — The State Government is contemplating setting up of Amarnath Shrine Board for proper development of the holy cave on the pattern of the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.

This was stated by the Minister of Tourism, Mr S.S. Slathia, at the inaugural ceremony of the Navratra festival at Katra town situated in the foothills of Mata Vaishno Devi shrine.

He said all efforts had been made by the government to make the festival a success. He reiterated that the government had started a programme for the facelift of the town, which was the base camp of the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board. The government had also sanctioned a package of Rs 50 lakh for beautification of the town. He said construction work on the Dumail-Katra road would be completed soon. It had been handed over to the Border Roads Organisation.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister reiterated the resolve of the government to give a boost to “religious tourism” throughout the state. He said about 10 lakh pilgrims visited the holy cave shrine every year and during Navratras.

He said the Jammu region had a number of tourist and pilgrim spots like Shiv Khori, Dera Baba Bandha Singh Bahadur, Patnitop, Purmandal and Surinsar. The Tourism Department had initiated steps to conduct tours to various attraction sites.

JAWALAMUKHI: The 10-day Navratra Fair at the famous shrine here started on Thursday with enthusiasm and religious fervour.

Arrangements were made to insure smooth celebrations. According to the Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, Mr R.C. Kapil, elaborate security arrangements had been made to maintain law and order. An Executive Magistrate had been appointed on duty round the clock.

Crackers banned in Jammu
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Sept 28 — The Union Ministry of Environment has imposed restrictions on the use of fire-works and crackers during Divali to control sound pollution.

According to the Member Secretary, State Pollution Control Board, setting off crackers has been banned from 11 pm to 6 am and in silence zones, it is totally prohibited. Crackers can only be used in some designated and permitted areas. The manufacture, sale or use of crackers generating noise level exceeding 125 decibles at four-metre distance from the point of bursting has also been prohibited.

Bibi to attend Sikh mission programme
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Sept 28 — Bibi Jagir Kaur, President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), will arrive here to participate in a three-day Sikh mission programme to begin here from tomorrow.

A spokesman for the SGPC said here today Bibi would arrive here on Sunday, the concluding day of the programme. The programme would be held at Gurdwara Chhati Padshahi, Kathidarwaza here and attended by Sikh religious leaders and scholars, he added.

The programme was being organised by the SGPC, Amritsar with the support of the Gurdwara Committee, Srinagar. A number of Sikh leaders and religious scholars had already arrived here, the spokesman said.