J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

7 Indian civilians cross LoC
Jammu, November 21
The first-ever crossing of Indian civilians to Pakistan occupied Kashmir through the Line of Control at Chakan-da-Bagh in Poonch today was delayed by about four hours as the Pakistani authorities got involved in procedural wrangles.

Top Jaish militant among four killed,
RDX seized
Srinagar, November 21
A top commander of the Pakistan-based Jaishe-e- Mohammad was among four persons killed, while security forces recovered arms and ammunition, including RDX, in Jammu and Kashmir overnight.

Blast in scrap dealer’s shop kills 3
Jammu, November 21
Three persons were killed in a powerful explosion at a scrap dealer’s shop in Purkhoo on the Jammu-Akhnoor road this morning.

HC reserves judgement against Anil Sethi
Srinagar, November 21
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court today reserved its judgement on the public interest litigation against sacked Additional Advocate-General Anil Sethi, sources said.

7 Indian civilians cross LoC
S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 21
The first-ever crossing of Indian civilians to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) through the Line of Control (LoC) at Chakan-da-Bagh in Poonch today was delayed by about four hours as the Pakistani authorities got involved in procedural wrangles.

While seven Indians and two Pakistani nationals crossed the LoC from this side, not a single person came from PoK even though a number of people waited to greet them on the Poonch-Rawalkot road.

Groups of anxious people stood on both sides of the LoC as the Indian authorities persuaded their Pakistani counterparts to expedite the crossing by victims of the recent earthquake.

The Pakistanis had no objection to take the seven Indians whose names were cleared by both governments, but initially refused to accept the two residents of PoK who were stranded here as the routine crossing from Uri was suspended because of damage caused to the roads by the earthquake.

However, the matter was resolved at about 3 pm when the Pakistani authorities cleared the two PoK persons to cross from there.

The Pakistani officials were earlier insisting that the two should come back from the point in Uri from where they had come to Jammu and Kashmir.

The deputy commissioner, Poonch, told his Pakistani counterpart that the two had already overstayed in India and should now be allowed to cross from Chakan-da-Bagh.

It was initially said that about 20 persons from PoK might come to this side, but the Pakistani authorities did not provide any list to the Indian officials. The same was the situation at Teetwal last week where no one from PoK was cleared by the Pakistani authorities for crossing the LoC.

Groups of people on both sides watched the crossing, the first in the past 58 years. While about 200 persons were allowed to come close to the LoC by the Indian authorities, the Pakistani troops did not allow the people of PoK to proceed beyond the Titrinote outpost.

In an effort to provide succour to the quake hit divided families, India and Pakistan have opened five points on the LoC to allow exchange of relief material and people to meet their relatives on either side.

The Indian nationals who crossed the LoC today were, Quateel Sarvar, his wife Parveen Sarvar, daughter Sakina and son Feroze. Javed Iqbal and his wife Gulrez Anjum and one Mohammad Aslam.

Top Jaish militant among four killed, RDX seized

Srinagar, November 21
A top commander of the Pakistan-based Jaishe-e- Mohammad (JeM) was among four persons killed, while security forces recovered arms and ammunition, including RDX, in Jammu and Kashmir overnight.

An official spokesman said the Jammu and Kashmir Police on a specific information, cordoned off the posh Jawahar Nagar area of the city late last night. However, when the police personnel were about to storm a particular vacant house, they came under heavy fire from militants hiding inside. The fire was returned and in the fierce clash, a JeM commander Sajid, alias Saifullah, a resident of Pakistan, was killed. Two police personnel were also injured in the encounter, he said adding that an AK rifle, two magazines and 15 rounds of ammunition were recovered from the slain commander.

He said a blast took place in the shop at Purkhoo under the Domana police station, resulting in on-the-spot death of two persons and injuries to another. The injured later died on way to hospital.

Militants shot at and wounded a girl Masooda Akhtar at Shanoo Handwara in the frontier district of Kupwara. She was hospitalised.

Security forces, during a search operation at Bhela village recovered 3 kg of RDX, 3 UBGL grenades and one pouch last night. However, no one was arrested.

Militants hurled a hand grenade towards a security force vehicle at Batmaloo this afternoon at 1345 hours. However, the grenade missed the intended target and exploded without causing any damage, they said, adding that security forces in the nearby bunkers fired some shots in the air after the blast. A large number of people present in the bus stand ran for safety.

A spokesman of the Pakistan-based JeM spokesman told local mediapersons that a militant of the outfit threw a hand grenade inside a security force vehicle.

He claimed that the vehicle was totally damaged and 10 security personnel were killed and five others were wounded in the blast. — UNI

Blast in scrap dealer’s shop kills 3
Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 21
Three persons were killed in a powerful explosion at a scrap dealer’s shop in Purkhoo on the Jammu-Akhnoor road this morning.

The explosion occurred while the scrap was being unloaded at the shop of Vikram Singh. It was a high-intensity explosion that killed Vikram Singh (38), Kishen Lal (18) and a migrant labourer Pappu (18) on the spot.

Vikram Singh used to purchase scrap, collected by rag-pickers, operating in the nearby firing range of the Army.

Experts of the forensic laboratory and Army personnel reached the spot to investigate the matter. The police has registered a case.

HC reserves judgement against Anil Sethi

Srinagar, November 21
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court today reserved its judgement on the public interest litigation (PIL) against sacked Additional Advocate-General Anil Sethi, sources said.

The specially constituted Division Bench, comprising Mr Justice Bashir Ahmed Kirmani and Mr Justice Hakim Imtiyaz, heard arguments by petitioner Mushtaq Ahmed Ganai’s counsel Altaf Haqqani on the PIL which came up before it today, they added.

The Bench had also seen the CD of the sting operation where Mr Sethi had allegedly been shown receiving a bribe of Rs 5 lakh from the petitioner for getting a matter favourably settled in the Accountability Commission headed by his father Justice R.P. Sethi.

The court, after hearing the arguments, reserved its judgement in the matter, the sources said. — UNI