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3 ultras killed in valley Decline in infiltration,
says Gen Prasad Militants’ strike rate down 14 per cent: reports
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Speculation rife as
Farooq meets Sinha Medical camps in border villages Shelling forces 80 families to shift Tohra assured
of all cooperation Speculation rife as
Farooq meets Sinha Talks offer not for APHC alone, says Mufti Negi takes over as Station Commander Governor’s
Iftaar open to constables too! Cellphones worth 4.30 lakh seized
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3 ultras killed in valley Srinagar, November 23 Border Security Force smashed two militant hideouts and recovered 4.5 kgs of explosives besides some arms and ammunition in the valley during the period. The explosive device fitted in a gas cylinder was found at Levdoora-Qazigund on Srinagar-Jammu national highway by the security forces today. The bomb disposal squad defused it thus averting a major tragedy, a police spokesman told PTI. He said two local militants were killed in an encounter with security forces at Chinad near the Delina area of Baramula district of North Kashmir in the wee hours today. He said two AK rifles four magazines, six grenades and a
wireless set were recovered from the slain militants identified as Abdul Hamid Khan, alias Saleem, and Ghulam Hassan Bhat, alias Khalid, of Nowpora-kreeri and Illahipora-kreeri. An unidentified militant was killed in a gunbattle with a joint team of Army and police at Talapora in Budgam district of central Kashmir today, the spokesman said. He said militants swooped on a Mosque at Hadbal in the Bandipora area of Baramula district last night and dragged out Ghulam Hassan Khan and shot him dead. Militants also abducted and subsequently shot dead an ex-serviceman Nazir Ahmed Ganai at Shrakapora at Mitrigam in Pulwama district last night, he said. The spokesman said militants also kidnapped Riyaz Ahmed Rather from Monapora-wuyan from his house in Pulwama district and his whereabouts were not yet known. He said BSF recovered two hand grenades, two gas grenades two under barrel grenade launcher grenades, five anti-tank grenades, 4.5 kgs of explosives, one AK magazine and 93 rounds from forest area at Reshigund in frontier district of Kupwara today. Security forces also recovered two AK magazines, two pistol magazines, 336 rounds of AK ammunition, a rifle grenade, two Pika gun barrels, three remote control receivers, a bayonet, one universal machine gun magazine and a hand grenade from the Anchar area in Soura locality of Srinagar, the spokesman said. JAMMU: Two
Pakistani militants belonging to Al-Badr outfit were killed in a fierce gunbattle with troops in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir late this
afternoon, official sources said here. On specific information, troops cordoned off Morah Bachie area of Surankote tehsil in Poonch district this afternoon to track down a group of militants, the sources said. A fierce gunbattle broke out when militants fired on the operation party, the sources said and added two militants, later identified as Abu Kasa and Abu Tariq of Al-Badr outfit belonging to the Sialkot area of Pakistan, were killed. The operation was on when reports last came in from the area, the sources said and pointed out that recoveries from the site of encounter included two AK-47 rifles with three magazines, two rounds and some incriminating documents. — PTI |
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Decline in infiltration,
says Gen Prasad Srinagar, November 23 Stating this here today, Lieut-Gen Hari Prasad, GOC of Army’s Northern Command, said ground sensors, thermal imagers and night-vision devices have helped the troops increase the rate of success. He said there was no let up in infiltration attempts made from across the border. General Prasad said the fencing work along the LoC to prevent infiltration was going on and would be completed much ahead of the schedule by the end of next year. He said 170 km of the 575 km-long borders in the state had already been completed. This, he said, was going on despite the firing by Pakistani troops. Referring to the anti-militancy operations by the troops within the state, General Prasad said nearly 1,500 militants had been killed, apprehended or surrendered this year. He held that the number of militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir was between 2,500 and 3,000, of whom two-thirds were foreigners. He said the aim was to win-over the local militants and eliminate the foreigners. The GOC of Northern Command admitted that the level of violence in the past few months had increased. |
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Militants’ strike rate down 14 per cent: reports Jammu,
November 23 According to official
reports, the number of militancy related incidents during the past four and a half months has dropped by 14 per
cent, from 1790 to 1499. The reports said the rate of killing of civilians by militants has come down by 23 per cent and that of the security personnel by 32 per
cent. Between July 1 and middle of November 345 civilians and 178 security personnel were killed by the rebels against 452 and 261 during the corresponding period last year. A senior police officer told the correspondent here today that “following a step up in our operations against the militants the security forces were able to recover 642 assault rifles, 133 pistols and 1,485 handgrenades during the past four and a half months against 564 rifles, 121 pistols and 1,111 grenades in the corresponding period last year.” He admitted that a large groups of militants, most of them foreign mercenaries, had carved out bases in the Shopian-Kulgam belt, Lolab Valley, Surankot area of Poonch and some parts of Rajouri. But with the deployment of additional companies of troops, police and paramilitary forces “we have started having the upper hand despite sporadic strikes by the rebels.” Another government report said more groups of militants had been brought on the launching pads across Rajouri and Uri sectors after the border routes in Kupwara got buried under snow. According to the report, attempts were being made to push into Jammu and Kashmir as many groups of ultras as possible before heavy snow. The report said messages were being sent to leaders of Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad, besides Hizbul Mujahideen outfits, to step up the level of violence in order to sabotage the proposed talks between the APHC(Abbas) leaders and Delhi. |
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Trek to promote
peace Udhampur, November 23 Mr Bhardwaj, who belongs to Ludhiana, started his journey on foot from Srinagar on November 6 and hopes to return there in about four years after touching Kanyakumari. Carrying the Tricolour and a placard with slogans for peace, Mr Bhardwaj is greeted by residents of the villages he passes through. He is accompanied by an armed constable of the police to protect him. He wanted to start his trek from the historic Lal Chowk in Srinagar, but was not allowed to do so because of security reasons. His mission was flagged off at the well-guarded MLAs’ hostel. He said he spent the night in the police station or any school en route. Mr Bhardwaj said the idea of a trek from the extreme north to the other end in the south struck him when he saw students in a procession being beaten up by the police. He wrote to 200 persons, mostly leading politicians, seeking sponsorship for his mission but not a single person responded. He said the Lions Club provided him a financial assistance of Rs 2100, while the Siti Cable of Ludhiana gave him Rs 5100. He said his journey on foot was aimed against exploitation of the youth by politicians and growing unemployment. The placard which Mr Bhardwaj carries with him reads “United we stand and divided we fall”, “We value our soldiers who defend the nation” and “Being Indian, we should respect every other religion”. |
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Speculation rife as Farooq meets Sinha Jammu, November 23 The meeting assumes significance as it took place barely 24 hours after Dr Abdullah alleged in a public meeting here that the Mufti government in the state had failed on all fronts and had claimed that he would soon form a government in the state. Though the meeting appeared to be a courtesy call, party sources said it had political overtones. Dr Abdullah and his son Omar were closeted with the Governor for about an hour, during which they exchanged views on the prevailing political scenario in the state, the sources said. Dr Abdullah reportedly told the Governor about discordant voices in the state coalition government. Meanwhile, Peoples Democratic Party functionary Shanti Devi has rubbished the NC’s claim that it was capable of toppling the ruling government in the state. Addressing a gathering here yesterday, Ms Devi said the NC had made such claims in a bid to keep its flock of 28 members together as people had rejected the party in the last Assembly poll. The Peoples Democratic Forum (PDF), another ally in the state coalition government, has also strongly denied reports about dissenting voices in the coalition that were allegedly trying to destabilise the government. —
UNI |
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Medical camps in border villages Jammu, November 23 Minister for Health and Medical Education Chaudhary Lal Singh inaugurated such a medical camp at the border village of Sai on the Indo-Pak border, 35 km from here today. Jointly organised by 143 battalion of the BSF and the Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College, the specialists in various disciplines from the Health Department will examine patients for various maladies in the camp. Urging people to avail of the services of specialists by getting themselves examined for various ailments, the minister said, specialists in various disciplines, especially ophthalmology, dermatology, surgery, medicine and pediatrics would treat the border villagers. Apart from treating patients for various ailments such camps also helped in identifying the epidemiological changes, he said. —
PTI |
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Shelling forces 80 families to shift Srinagar, November 23 One person was injured and several houses were damaged due to the shelling. Most shells fell in Chanigund village near the Line of Control, forcing the entire population to migrate. All 80 families living in the village have shifted to Kargil. The shelling intensified last evening, a resident, Ghulam Nabi, said over the phone from Kargil. At least 12 persons have lost their lives and several houses have been damaged due to Pakistani shelling in Kargil and Drass sectors in the past few months. —
UNI |
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Tohra assured
of all cooperation Jammu, November 23 At a meeting here today, which was presided over by Mr S.S. Wazir, President, Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, the Sikh leaders “pledged” to strengthen the hands of Mr Tohra in bettering the lot of the community. Those who attended the meeting were Mr Narbir Singh, President, Youth Akali Dal, Mr Mohinder Singh, chief organiser, Bhai Kanhaya Nishkam Sewa Society, Mr Kulwant Singh, chief adviser, Sikh Naujawan Sabha, Mr Paramjeet Singh, President, AISSF, Ms Sujeet Kaur, general secretary, Sikh Istri Sudhar Sabha, Mr Balbir Singh, General Secretary, state Akali Dal, and others. The leaders said the re-election of Mr Tohra was the need of the hour when anti-Panthic forces had started raising their head. They assured Mr Tohra and his colleagues in the SGPC that workers and leaders of several Sikh organisations in Jammu and Kashmir were ready to fight for unity among the community members. |
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Speculation rife as Farooq meets Sinha Jammu, November 23 The meeting assumes significance as it took place barely 24 hours after Dr Abdullah alleged in a public meeting here that the Mufti government in the state had failed on all fronts and had claimed that he would soon form a government in the state. Though the meeting appeared to be a courtesy call, party sources said it had political overtones. Dr Abdullah and his son Omar were closeted with the Governor for about an hour, during which they exchanged views on the prevailing political scenario in the state, the sources said. Dr Abdullah reportedly told the Governor about discordant voices in the state coalition government. Meanwhile, Peoples Democratic Party functionary Shanti Devi has rubbished the NC’s claim that it was capable of toppling the ruling government in the state. Addressing a gathering here yesterday, Ms Devi said the NC had made such claims in a bid to keep its flock of 28 members together as people had rejected the party in the last Assembly poll. The Peoples Democratic Forum (PDF), another ally in the state coalition government, has also strongly denied reports about dissenting voices in the coalition that were allegedly trying to destabilise the government. In a statement here, party leader and state Revenue and Relief Minister Hakim Mohammad termed the reports as irresponsible and “mere figment of imagination”. “Cohesion among coalition partners is not a compulsion but an act of faith,” he said. Mr Yasin said the coalition, which had the support of the people, was “stable like a solid rock” and would complete its full term. He said the coalition government wanted to restore peace, streamline the administration, eradicate corruption and develop the state. Reacting to reports that attempts were being made to install a separatist leader as Chief Minister, the minister said media being the most vital element of a responsible society should not fan such rumours. —
UNI |
Talks offer not for APHC alone, says Mufti Srinagar, November 23 “What I know is that the Centre’s offer for dialogue is meant for all separatists. Everybody will be included in the talks”, he said on the sidelines of an Iftar party hosted by General Officer Commanding of 15 Corps of the Army,
Lieut- Gen Nirbhay Sharma, last evening. Welcoming the announcement made by the
Ansari-led Hurriyat that that it had accepted the Centre’s offer for dialogue to resolve the Kashmir issue, he said:” It is a move forward towards peace”. —
PTI |
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Negi takes over as Station Commander Jammu, November 23 He replaces Group Captain A.K. Sachdev. He has been associated with the Army in many counter- insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and was actively involved in the UN peace-keeping mission in Sierra Leon. —
PTI |
Governor’s
Iftaar open to constables too! Jammu, November 23 It is for the first time that Raj Bhavan Iftaar party invitations were extended to those always seen standing guard for such high-profile functions. True to the festive spirit, the Governor received Muslim constables in the same manner as he received the Chief Minister and other ministers, senior IAS officers, top-ranking bureaucrats, businessmen and political leaders. —
UNI |
Cellphones worth 4.30 lakh seized Jammu, November 23 The mobile phones were found during a routine check up in a bus proceeding to Jammu, the Deputy Commissioner, Sales Tax said, adding these were kept in three bags underneath readymade garments. Jatinder Singh, a resident of Noida, who was smuggling the phones, was held and later let off after payment of penalty. —
PTI |
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