Srinagar,January 22
At least 13 civilians were injured in a grenade attack at Pattan in Baramula district while a large quantity of arms and ammunition, including 100 kg of explosives, was recovered during searches here today.

According to the police, militants threw a grenade at a convoy of the security forces near Higher Secondary School, Main Chowk, Pattan, which missed the target and injured 13 civilians. Six of the seriously injured were shifted to the SMHS hospital here.

A joint search party of the police and the CRPF recovered a large quantity of arms and ammunition from an abandoned hideout at Khimber, Zakura, on the outskirts of Srinagar, the SSP said here today. Giving the details, he said 100 kg of explosives, two magazines, two antenna wireless sets, three UBGL shells, eight pistol rounds and a letter pad of the Al-Badar were recovered. He said the explosives were being sent to the Forensic Laboratory for examination. A hideout was busted by the security forces at Ajas in Baramula district and two blankets were recovered.

A militant of Lashkar-e-Toiba, Javed Ahmad Khan, was apprehended at Dewar in the Lolab area of Kupwara district.The police claimed to have recovered two hand grenades, 20 detonators and a wireless set from him.

A militant, Mohammad Ashraf Bhat, from Srinagar surrendered before the security forces at Watlab, Sopore, in Baramula district today and handed over a Chinese pistol, a pistol magazine and four rounds.

Jammu, January 22
As many as 4,014 family members of victims of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir are waiting for government jobs.

In a written reply in the state Assembly, the Chief Minister, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, informed Mr Mubarak Gul (NC) that 4,014 militancy-related cases were still pending for appointments during the past two years and only 384 persons had been provided jobs under this category so far.

He said that out of 4,014 cases, the highest numbers of 803 cases were pending in Baramula, 691 in Kupwara, 595 in Srinagar, 491 in Anantnag, 496 in Doda, 276 in Pulwama, 238 in Rajouri, 221 in Budgam, 137 in Poonch, 33 in Udhampur, 30 in Jammu and three in Kathua.

Under the rules, the victims’ kin are provided government jobs under the SRO-43.

The Chief Minister informed the member that during the past two years, 78 kin of victims of terrorism had been given government jobs in the Doda district, 67 in Anantnag, 61 in Srinagar, 46 in Budgam, 41 in Udhampur, 32 in Jammu, 26 in Rajauri, 12 in Kathua, seven in Pulwama and four in Baramula.

Not a single person among the 137 under the category had been absorbed in government job in the Poonch district.

Members expressed concern over the delay in completion of the recruitment process by the state public service commission (PSC) and the State Services Recruitment Board (SSRB) that haD resulted in shortage of doctors and personnel on other posts.

The Chief Minister said 19,000 vacancies had been referred to the PSC and SSRB. Several posts had been referred to the Divisional Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners for being filled on contract basis.

He said that of the 4,547 posts referred to the PSC and 11,324 to the SSRB, 1,239 and 1,577 candidates, respectively, had been recommended for appointment by the two organisations. Some more members would be appointed in the SSRB to expedite the process of selection. The PSC had also been asked to speed the recruitment process.

About 900 posts of physical education teachers would be filled shortly.

The Chief Minister said that there was no blanket ban on recruitment in government departments.

Jammu, January 22
As many as 16 persons have been killed and 109 injured in attacks by leopards and a bear due to the increasing man-animal conflict in Jammu and Kashmir during the past two years.

The Environment Minister, Qazi Mohammad Afzal, while replying to a calling attention motion of Mr Ali Mohammad Sagar and Mr Mohammad Yaseen Shah, both of the National Conference, said in the Assembly today that the Wildlife Department possesses only one tranquilizer gun, which was not worth being used.

Though the census of the leopard and black bear has not been conducted, their frequent sightings and incidents of man-animal conflict indicate that their population was on the rise, he added.

The members while expressing concern over the incidents pointed out that 120 persons have lost their lives and more than 1,500 were injured in these incidents during the past 10 years.

The minister said the reason behind the rise in such incidents was the shrinking habitats of wild animals, spread of human settlements, deforestation and decrease in herbivores population.

Srinagar, January 22
As a part of its drive against drug addicts, the local police has arrested three persons and seized 1.7 kg of brown sugar worth Rs 1.7 crore in the international market.

Disclosing this here today, the Srinagar SSP, Mr S.A. Mujtaba, said a person was apprehended with 1 kg brown sugar at Bagyas while two others were held at Chattabal with 700 grams. Drugs like Corex and other syrups and Spasmoproxyvan tablets, which the addicts frequently take, had also been seized.