J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Temple attack sign of frustration: Swami
Srinagar, September 26
The Union Minister of State for Home Mr I.D. Swami, said here today that two militants killed in the attack on Akshardham Temple in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, were from across the border, though their identity was yet to be established.
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The police removes burning tyres used to block the road by bandh supporters in Jammu on Thursday. The bandh was called by the Shiv Sena and the VHP in protest against terrorist attack in Gandhinagar. — PTI

Fifteen injured in grenade blast
Pulwama, September 26
Even as the security forces are gearing up to ensure peaceful polling on October 1 in the third phase of Jammu and Kashmir elections, at least 15 persons were injured in a grenade blast at the main chowk here today afternoon.

Five in fray for Anantnag seat
Srinagar, September 26
As many as 8,61,983 voters will decide the fate of 106 contestants in 16 Assembly segments of Anantnag parliament constituency. These areas go to the polls in the third and penultimate phase in Jammu and Kashmir on October 1.

Temple attack sign of frustration: Swami
Tribune News Service & UNI

Srinagar, September 26
The Union Minister of State for Home Mr I.D. Swami, said here today that two militants killed in the attack on Akshardham Temple in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, were from across the border, though their identity was yet to be established. He said the attack was not in reaction to the Godhra incident but the result of “frustration and disappointment” following the participation of large number of people in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections despite a boycott call and threats.

Talking to mediapersons here today Mr Swami said intelligence reports had suggested that militants in Kashmir were being asked by their mentors from across the border to indulge in such attacks. The necessary precautions had been taken at various levels to frustrate their designs. He said enemies could succeed in Gujarat as it was border state. He said the added reason for strike in Gujarat was also because the situation there was getting normalised and preparations were being made for the Assembly elections.

Mr Swami said the tactics adopted by the militants also suggested that the attack was carried out by those who had already made several such attempts. Similar strategy was adopted in the attack on the Legislative Assembly in Srinagar on October 1, 2001, attack on the Parliament house on December 13 and at Kaluchak near Jammu early this year.

The Union Minister said in view of these attacks, all options were open before the Government of India and it had approached the international community to urge Pakistan to desist from creating trouble in the country, which it had been doing for the past 15 years. He said there was a need to end the menace of terrorism at the earliest.

Appreciating the people of Jammu and Kashmir for participating in the elections despite threats, Mr Swami said the Centre would ensure speedy development of the state and also consider any proposal or suggestion for the devolution of powers to the state. He said the Centre had already taken steps in this direction to defeat cross-border terrorism, to develop the state as fast as possible and to remove all grievances of the people. He said the divisive forces were already isolated and the talks would be held with the elected representatives of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Referring to the “ successful election” held in the first two phases in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Swami said low turnout in some pockets was out of the fear and not due to the boycott call. “But, that does not mean that the poll was not fair”, he said. The elections were held in the most free and fair atmosphere, transparent and in impartial manner. In this connection he referred to the presence of foreign diplomats and added that journalists had free access to the polling stations which ensured that the polls were held in a free atmosphere.

Mr Swami said a hitherto unknown militant organisation — Tehreek-i-Kasaas — had claimed responsibility for the strike. “The group is another camouflage of the banned Jaish-e-Mohammad and the Lashkar-e-Toiba...The two groups are operating under different names after a ban was imposed on them.”

He said though Pakistan had banned these two terrorist groups they were still being financed and trained by the neighbouring country.

About the reported statement by the Delhi police that it had provided information to the Gujarat Government of a possible terrorist strike in the state, Mr Swami said: “I do not know in what context they have said it. I know there were intelligence intercepts that militants in Jammu and Kashmir are being advised to carry out attacks in the riot-ravaged state... but that information is quite old.”

He said all preventive measures had been taken on the basis of that information. “It was not a specific intelligence but a general one, which is always available. The alert was there and all necessary arrangements had been done...It is not the failure of the Modi government.”

Fifteen injured in grenade blast

Pulwama, September 26
Even as the security forces are gearing up to ensure peaceful polling on October 1 in the third phase of Jammu and Kashmir elections, at least 15 persons were injured in a grenade blast at the main chowk here today afternoon.

Official sources said unidentified militants hurled a hand grenade towards the security forces at the main chowk here today afternoon. However, the grenade missed the intended target and exploded on the roadside, causing injuries to 15 persons.

The injured have been admitted to different hospitals. The condition of one of them is stated to be crticial.

JAMMU: Stepping up counter insurgency operations, Army troops gunned down four militants in Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said here on Thursday.

Army troops launched an operation in the Figri forest belt in Mandi area on Thursday night, the sources said.

In the ensuing encounter between troops and militants, four militants were killed on the spot, the sources said adding that the search operation was still continuing in the area.

SRINAGAR: Stepping up violence in the areas going to the polls in the third phase of Jammu and Kashmir elections, militants attacked the house of a National Conference candidate and two security forces picket injuring three personnel in Anantnag and Pulwama districts on Thursday official sources said.

Militants lobbed a grenade and fired on the house of NC candidate from Wachi constituency Aishya Nishat at Zainapora in Pulwama district, they said.

No one was injured in the attack as the guards posted at her residence fired in retaliation following which the militants fled. Two security personnel were injured when militants set off an IED at Thamankote in Anantnag district on Thursday afternoon. UNI, PTI

Five in fray for Anantnag seat
Ehsan Fazili
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 26
As many as 8,61,983 voters will decide the fate of 106 contestants in 16 Assembly segments of Anantnag parliament constituency. These areas go to the polls in the third and penultimate phase in Jammu and Kashmir on October 1.

In these elections, the prestigious constituency of Anantnag will witness a multi-cornered contest where five candidates are in the fray. The Congress and the PDP have not fielded their candidates from this constituency. Those in fray are the NC candidate, Dr Mehboob Beigh, and candidates of the BJP, the RJD and the Awami League besides an Independent.

The constituency returned a former Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Shamasuddin, in 1957, 1962, 1967 and 1972, a National Conference nominee twice and a Congress candidate twice. In 1977 Mirza Mohammad Afzal Beigh, a close associate of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, got elected from this constituency. Later his son, Dr Mehboob Beigh, got elected as an NC candidate in 1983. He is again contesting from here. Mr Safdar Ali Beigh was elected from this constituency in 1996.

There are three ministers and three other sitting members, all belonging to the ruling National Conference, seeking re-election from their respective constituencies in the district of Anantnag and Pulwama in south Kashmir. Of the 16 constituencies, 10 fall in Anantnag district and six in Pulwama district. The ministers are the Forest Minister, Peerzada Ghulam Ahmad Shah from Devsar, the Minister of State for Tourism, Ms Sakin Itoo, from Noorabad (both in Anantnag district) and the Minister of State for Food and Supplies, Bashir Ahmad Nengroo, who is seeking re-election for the third consecutive time from the Pulwama constituency. Nine new faces have been fielded by the ruling party.

The lowest number of three contestants is in the Tral constituency in Pulwama district, with National Conference, Congress and BSP candidates in the fray. This seat fell vcant two years ago with the election of Mr Ali Mohammad Naik to the Lok Sabha in 1999. The ruling party has nominated Ghulam Nabi Bhat as its new face from this constituency. The highest number of 11 contestants is in the Pampore constituency in Pulwama district.

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of a former Union Home Minister, Mufti Mohamad Sayeed, has fielded its candidates in all seats except the Tral and Anantnag constituencies. Its prominent candidates are a former Congress MLA and Mufti Sayeed’s daughter, Ms Mehbooba Mufti contesting from Pahalgam and Mr Abdul Ghani Veeri, its sitting member from Beijbehara. Ms Mehbooba Mufti, who was elected as a Congress member from her home constituency of Beijbehara in 1966, resigned from the party and the membership of the Assembly on July 23, 1999.

PDP threatens to withdraw from poll

Srinagar, September 26
The Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party (PDP) today threatened to withdraw from the poll if the Election Commission did not take measures to prevent “rigging” in the third phase of the Assembly elections in the state.

“We will be forced to withdraw from the elections if the Election Commission does not take into its custody the EVMs and take effective measures to prevent any kind of rigging,” PDP Vice-President Muzaffar Hussain Beig told reporters here.

“We have reliable and specific information that Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has taken into confidence the police and civil administration in Anantnag and Pulwama districts to ensure a rigged victory for the National Conference in the third phase of the elections,” Mr Beig alleged.

The Election Commission should ensure the EVMs are taken into its custody as soon as possible as the National Conference might try to tamper with them or even change the machines during transit from polling stations to the depositing stations, he said. Claiming that National Conference President Omar Abdullah would suffer defeat in Ganderbal which went to the polls during second phase, the PDP leader said Farooq Abdullah was trying to take revenge by ensuring defeat of Mehbooba Mufti from Pahalgam resorting to rigging and other unfair means. PTI

J&K Govt removes ads from rocks
Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 26
In a quick reaction to the imposition of Rs 1 crore fine on the Himachal Pradesh Government by the Supreme Court in connection with the defacement of rocks and damage to the environment, the authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have swung into action to check such activities in the state.

The state government has started removing the advertisements painted on the rock faces on the hills and river beds by various advertising companies. The space hungry advertising companies have not even hesitated to go to the areas infested by the terrorists.

The Forest Department has published a notice in the local newspapers warning that painting on rocks, nailing of signboards on trees and fixing of hoardings in the forest areas is an offence under the Jammu and Kashmir Forest Conservation Act. However, the forest and environment protection authorities have been sleeping while the advertising companies have blatantly violated the rules and regulations right around the 300-km-long Jammu-Srinagar highway and the 110-km-long Pathankot-Jammu national highway. Other roads leading to the border districts of Poonch and Rajouri also present a picture of neglect. Jumbo size hoardings have been put up within the forest areas and rocks been painted with advertisements of leading multi-national and local companies.

Interestingly, cable operators in certain areas have nailed the cables on trees. There is hardly any check on such activities.

Hardly any rock face has been spared on the road between Jammu and Katra, the base camp for the holy cave shrine of Vaishno Devi, which several lakh pilgrims visit every year.

The forest cover in Jammu and Kashmir was decreasing day by day as illegal residential colonies have sprung up. Many colonies have come up within the forest areas around the Jammu town.

During a flight to Rajouri and Poonch recently, this correspondent witnessed a large scale deforestation on the mountain tops.