J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Infiltration bid foiled, 6 militants killed
Srinagar, June 9
Six militants and one Army jawan were killed as troops today foiled a major infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Army Chief inaugurates orphanage
Srinagar, June 9
The Chief of the Army Staff, Gen J.J. Singh, here today inaugurated “Muskan”, the orphanage and old-age home, run by the Army to look after the militancy affected children of the valley.

The Chief of the Army Staff, Gen J.J. Singh, at the inauguration of “Muskan”, constructed by the Army in Srinagar on Thursday. — PTI photo

Bashir Ahmad is new Special Secy, Finance
Srinagar, June 9
The government has ordered transfer and postings of 81 officers in Jammu and Kashmir, an official spokesman said here yesterday.

• Himachal page: Chamba road to J&K blocked

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Tourists enjoy river rafting at Pahalgam. (28k, 56k)

Infiltration bid foiled, 6 militants killed

Srinagar, June 9
Six militants and one Army jawan were killed as troops today foiled a major infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir. The security forces also recovered 20 kg RDX from a hideout, a police spokesman said.

Elsewhere in the state, security forces shot dead two more ultras in an encounter and busted several hideouts in separate operations, while militants killed two civilians since last night, the spokesman added.

He said six militants and an Army jawan were killed in a fierce gunbattle along the LoC in Keran sector of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district early today.

Giving details of the encounter, official sources said troops observed a group of heavily-armed militants trying to sneak into the valley from across the border and laid multiple ambushes to foil their designs.

They said ultras opened fire on noticing an ambush party and fled towards a house at nearby Kundyari village where they were engaged by another ambush party. In the ensuing gunbattle, an Army jawan and six militants were killed, sources added.

One of the deceased was a resident of Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, while the identity of the others killed was not known immediately, the sources said.

In another encounter, the spokesman said, security forces shot dead two unidentified ultras during search operations at Mukashi in the Mahore area of Udhampur district last night. Two AK rifles, five magazines, 110 rounds, two hand-grenades and a wireless set were recovered from them.

The spokesman said militants shot dead Manzoor Ahmad Sofi after dragging him out of his house at Baki Haker in Kupwara district yesterday.

In one of the biggest seizures in recent times, Army troops today unearthed a major militant hideout leading to the recovery of 20 kg RDX and a number of radio-controlled IEDs in Kupwara district, a defence spokesman said.

Troops of 14 Grenadiers, acting on specific information, discovered the hideout in Dat Bank and also recovered 50 radio sets, 50 detonators, 11 RPG rockets, two rounds of 107-mm rocket launcher and more than 1000 rounds of AK ammunition.

Security forces smashed two hideouts at Dariya in Rajouri district and recovered a universal machine gun (UMG), an AK rifle, two magazines, 40 rounds, two grenades and 3,400 UMG rounds from there, the police spokesman said. In another operation in the same district, security forces recovered two Pakistan-made anti-personnel mines.

Another militant hideout was busted in the Banihal area of Doda district from where two AK magazines, 66 rounds, 37 hand grenades, a rifle grenade, two electric detonators, a wireless set and some utensils were recovered, the spokesman said.

During search operation in Tipper Nallah in Doda, security forces recovered 40 AK rounds, 118 pistol rounds, four grenades and five pencil cells today, the spokesman said. — PTI

Army Chief inaugurates orphanage
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 9
The Chief of the Army Staff, Gen J.J. Singh, here today inaugurated “Muskan”, the orphanage and old-age home, run by the Army to look after the militancy affected children of the valley.

Lieut-Gen Nirbhay Sharma, GOC, 15 Corps of the Army, and senior functionaries of the civil administration and distinguished social workers were also present on the occasion. A cultural programme was presented by children of the orphanage.

The vision of “Muskan” had been conceived by Lieut-Gen Nirbhay Sharma in November last year, with a driving force of Mrs Jyotsana Sharma, wife of the Corps Commander, who is also the President of Chinar AWWA. The orphanage accommodates 80 children in the age group of five to 15 years. They are provided with all modern facilities of education, healthcare and sports.

Earlier the Army Chief, accompanied by his wife, arrived here today on a visit to the valley. He would be meeting the Governor, Lieut-Gen S.K. Sinha (retd), and the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

Bashir Ahmad is new Special Secy, Finance
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 9
The government has ordered transfer and postings of 81 officers in Jammu and Kashmir, an official spokesman said here yesterday.

Mr Bashir Ahmad, Special Secretary, Health and Medical Education, has been transferred and posted as Special Secretary, Finance.

Mr Mushtaq Ahmad Peer, Joint Director, Handlooms, has been transferred and posted as Chief Executive Officer, JAKEDA, vice Mr G.Q. Wani, who will work in ERA.

Mr Virender Magotra, Additional Secretary, PSU, Finance, has been transferred and posted as Joint Director, Employment, Jammu, vice Mr Parshotam Kumar.

Mr Anal Kumar Gupta, Joint Registrar, Cooperative (Audit), Jammu, has been posted as Joint Director (Admn), Directorate of Industries and Commerce, vice Mr Tariq Ahmad Mir.

Mr Raj Kumar Baghat, Deputy Commissioner, Migrants (Relief), is the new Joint Agrarian Reforms Commissioner, Jammu.

Mrs Nirmal Sharma, Additional Secretary to Government, Finance, has been posted as Director, Handlooms, in place of Mr D.K. Vaid, who will continue with the Deputy Chief Minister.

Mr A.D. Shinas, Member, SSB, has been made Additional Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri.

Mr Laj Ram, Additional Secretary, Revenue, has been posted as Joint Settlement Commissioner.

Mr Parshotam Kumar, Joint Director, Employment, Jammu, has been transferred and posted as Additional Secretary, Health and Medical Education.

Mr Rafiq Ahmad, awaiting posting orders, has been made Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jammu. The post of Deputy Commissioner (Central), Rural Development, has been temporarily transferred to the office of Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, for purposes of drawal of pay of Mr Rafiq Ahmad.

Mr Tariq Ahmad Mir, Joint Director (Admn), Industries and Commerce, has been posted as Joint Director, SKIMS, vice Mr Manzoor Ahmad Lone.