J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Seized arms valued over Rs 95 cr
SRINAGAR, Dec 2 — While the decade-long militancy has taken a heavy toll of human lives in Jammu and Kashmir, a huge quantity of equipment and weapons valuing at more than Rs 95 crore has been recovered in counter-insurgency operations over the year. Highly sophisticated and modernised equipment have been recoverd during the Kargil war following the intrusion along the LoC last year. Most of these recoveries have been made during the encounters with the security forces and by smashing hide-outs in the border belt.

Police observing ceasefire: DGP
JAMMU, Dec 2 — The Director-General, Police, Mr A.K. Suri, has categorically stated that the police along with other security forces had been following the ceasefire decision of the Prime Minister in letter and spirit. In a statement issued here today Mr Suri said a section of the press had misinterpreted his remarks, made at an informal chat with newsmen in Srinagar yesterday, which had caused misgivings in various political and public circles.

Panun to back stir of migrant students
JAMMU, Dec 2 — Panun Kashmir, a premier organisation of displaced Kashmiri Pandits, today announced its full support to the migrant students who have been agitating over the affiliation of camp colleges with Jammu University. Leaders of Panun Kashmir, including Dr Ajay Chrungoo, and All-State Kashmiri Pandit Solidarity Conference, Mr O.N. Trisal, told newsmen here that they would hold demonstrations and dharnas in the city from the next week in case the government did not revoke its order of delinking the camp colleges from the University of Kashmir.

Seized arms valued over Rs 95 cr
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Dec 2 — While the decade-long militancy has taken a heavy toll of human lives in Jammu and Kashmir, a huge quantity of equipment and weapons valuing at more than Rs 95 crore has been recovered in counter-insurgency operations over the year.

Highly sophisticated and modernised equipment have been recoverd during the Kargil war following the intrusion along the LoC last year. Most of these recoveries have been made during the encounters with the security forces and by smashing hide-outs in the border belt.

The weaponary recovered during the militancy has led to setting up of a “captured arms museum” here, which houses about 5 per cent of the total arms recovered. “It is being opened for journalists and visiting dignitaries”, said an officer, at the museum. The list of the recoveries displayed in the museum puts the total value of the weapons and equipment recovered so far in Kashmir alone at Rs 41 crore.

“Their value can be much more, as most of these weapons and equipment have come through illegal arms transaction”, stated an officer. The recoveries in the valley alone include 13305 AK rifles, 791 UMGs, 650 RPGs, 210 sniper rifles, 4197 pistols and revolvers, 37 mortars and 1441 radio sets.

According to official estimates a total of 11,410 civilians had been killed since the eruption of militancy. These include 8633 civilians killed by militants and 2777 killed in cross-firing. The officials deny any killings at the hands of security forces. Another over 18000 have been injured or maimed, besides the abduction of 3431 persons in the state.

The security officials here claim that to wage a proxy war in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan provided “a wide array of sophisticated weapons, ranging from AK (Kalashinkov) rifles of different origin and other automatic weapons, to rocket launchers and landmines”.

These officials claim that the infiltration of foreign militants into Jammu and Kashmir also led to the “upgradation on weaponary and equipment”. The infiltrators brought with them anti-tank launchers with missiles, flame throwers, disposable rocket launchers, anti-aircraft guns, huge quantities of explosives with remote control initiation devices, and sophisticated communication equipment.

A separate enclosure of recoveries made during Operation-Vijay in Kargil last year include a 12.7 mm anti-aircraft gun, 120 mm mortar gun and 81 mm mortar gun. “A lot of other arms and ammunition and equipment required in the glacial areas like in Kargil region, have been recovered”, said an officer.

According to these officers, the equipment and weaponary are made in China, Russia and eastern European countries. “It is clear from the recoveries made in Kargil that the intruders were Pak Army men”, the officer pointed out.

Police observing ceasefire: DGP
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Dec 2 — The Director-General, Police, Mr A.K. Suri, has categorically stated that the police along with other security forces had been following the ceasefire decision of the Prime Minister in letter and spirit.

In a statement issued here today Mr Suri said a section of the press had misinterpreted his remarks, made at an informal chat with newsmen in Srinagar yesterday, which had caused misgivings in various political and public circles.

He said he had never stated that the police was not implementing the ceasefire announced by the government. He, in fact, had made it clear that the police would not violate the provisions of the ceasefire.

Mr Suri said though combat operations by the police had been suspended, normal “policing” would continue by the men posted at police stations for checking crimes and for maintaining peace and law and order. He said the police “cannot be expected to abdicate its statutory responsibility of prevention and detection of crime.”

He said normal police working could be construed as combat operations and in this context policing at police stations “has been intensified which is essential for the protection of life and property of people in the prevailing situation where many militant outfits have made their intentions clear by stepping up their attacks on the soft targets.”

He expressed satisfaction over the declining graph of militant violence since the unilateral suspension of combat operations came into force in the state. He described it as a positive trend reflecting the peoples’ desire for peace. He hoped that militants would respect the wishes of the people by suspending their subversive activities.

Panun to back stir of migrant students
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Dec 2 — Panun Kashmir, a premier organisation of displaced Kashmiri Pandits, today announced its full support to the migrant students who have been agitating over the affiliation of camp colleges with Jammu University.

Leaders of Panun Kashmir, including Dr Ajay Chrungoo, and All-State Kashmiri Pandit Solidarity Conference, Mr O.N. Trisal, told newsmen here that they would hold demonstrations and dharnas in the city from the next week in case the government did not revoke its order of delinking the camp colleges from the University of Kashmir.

The state government had merged the camp colleges with the main colleges in Jammu as it wanted to provide basic infrastructure for the growing rush of students to the main colleges. Also, the government argued that since the student strength of camp colleges was declining there was no need for having separate colleges for them. The Minister for Education, Mr Mohd Shafi, had held a series of meetings with the migrant students but there settlement was reached when he had informed them that delinking the camp colleges from Kashmir University had been their demand for the past decade.

Panun Kashmir leaders alleged that the decision of the government wind up the camp colleges and affiliate the migrant students with Jammu University was part of the government’s “political conspiracy.” They said that the decision had serious consequences, the first being that it would complete the process of “ethnic cleansing” in the Kashmir valley.

Dr Chrungoo, said that camp colleges served as the only link between the valley and the displaced community and the government had decided to snap this link also when, on the other hand it was claiming to be keen on ensuring honourable return of the displaced families to the valley.

Panun Kashmir leaders urged the state government to reconsider its decision so that the vested interest could not get a chance to create a wedge between the migrants and the local people in Jammu. To avoid it, Panun Kashmir and the affected student community was seeking the support of various student political organisations in Jammu for launching a joint agitation against the government decision so that the migrant student community, which has been on relay fast for the past over three weeks did not face further losses.