Jammu, May 29
The stir of Gujjars in Rajasthan has reached this state as the Gujjars in the state today demonstrated their solidarity with their fellows in Rajasthan as they marched towards the Jammu and Delhi railway tracks and halted the railway traffic in Jammu.

Gujjars from different parts of the state today gathered at Ambedkar Chowk here and marched towards the railway track near Channi Hemat and launched their agitation against what they called the ‘atrocities’ on their counterparts in Rajasthan who have been demanding Schedule Tribe status for themselves on the similar lines as given to Gujjars in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

The police had made elaborate security arrangements to stop the Gujjars from moving towards the railway track, however many of them managed to reach to the track.

“Deployment of thousands of police personnel on the railway track to crush the voice of the Gujjars would not suppress our struggle to show solidarity with our brethren who are mercilessly being killed, jailed and made subject to various atrocities by the state sponsored bloodshed,” Anwar Chowdhary, president of the J&K Gujjar’s United Front said.

They have threatened to intensify their struggle till the ST status was granted to the Gujjars in Rajasthan.

Gujjars of J & K have said while they were granted ST status in 1991 and Himachal Gujjars way back in 1961, then why the counterparts in Rajasthan were being made to struggle for the same.

“When we have similar socio-economic and cultural scenario, then why Gujjars in Rajasthan are being denied the came constitutional right,” Chowdhary said.

The Gujjar leaders have condemned what they termed the ‘massacre’ of their fellow Gujjars in Rajasthan and have said that they would leave no stone unturned to support, to render their moral and ethical cooperation to them.

"The Chief Minister of Rajasthan is solely responsible for killing 37 innocent Gujjars last week and 26 Gujjars in May last year,” said a Gujjar leader.

He said the tribal Gujjars residing in 11 states of the country would not forgive the atrocities committed on their tribesman in Rajasthan.

He also announced that one deputation of prominent Gujjars of Jammu and Kashmir was leaving for New Delhi to meet the Prime Minister seeking intervention of the central leadership in granting ST status to the Gujjars of Rajasthan.

Jammu, May 29
Alarmed by the decline in its population, the state wildlife department has proposed protection for hangul (Kashmir Stag), the only surviving race of Red Deer family, on the lines of tigers and elephants.

Talking to The Tribune, Chief Wildlife Warden A.K. Srivastava said though data of the latest census of hangul was being compiled, it had brought to fore the declining trend in its population.

"Since different methods were adopted for carrying out the census on previous occasions the figures could not be compared. However, hangul population is definitely on the decline," he added.

He attributed the decline to shrinking forest area and increasing pressure of human population and livestock on the existing forest land.

"Ban on hunting in the valley has led to rise in leopard population and that has also contributed to the threat hanguls are facing today," he said.

Also the fencing in the border areas has restricted the movement of hangul, making it vulnerable to leopard attacks.

On a query regarding militant activity and poaching causing decline in hangul population, Srivastava said he had received no such complaint in the past two years of his tenure as the chief wildlife warden.

Regarding conservation, Srivastava said they had already submitted a Rs 8.8-crore conservation plan for hangul to the Ministry of Forest and Environment.

He said there were two conservation plans for hangul - the first one being in-situ under which they will be protected from leopard and black beer attacks.

The other plan ‘ ex-situ’ under which their breeding will be done, had been submitted to the Central Zoo Authority.

Srivastava said the department was till now paying attention to Dachigam sanctuary as far as hanguls were concerned, but now they plan to bring in the concept of Greater Dachigam, under which surrounding areas of the sanctuary would also be included in the conservation plan for hanguls.

Jammu, May 29
The recent intelligence inputs have started giving sleepless nights to the security agencies in the state.

Reason: These inputs suggest that the militants operating in the state will increase the use of improvised explosive device (IED) to disrupt the Assembly elections.

Besides, the security agencies, fearing attack on the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, are taking no chances ahead of the yatra scheduled to begin from June 18.

According to intelligence inputs, three hardcore militants of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit have set up a mobile training camp in the Pirpanjal range to train new recruits and the over ground workers (OGWs) of the outfit to use IEDs to target moving objects.

As the militant outfits operating in the state face a manpower crunch, they are now taking to new tactics to inflict heavy damage to the security forces without suffering any causality.

“Given the high rate of causality on their side in face-to-face encounters, these militants are now adopting other tactics like use of IEDs and hand grenades. With this, they can attack from a distance and can inflict maximum damage to their targets,” says an intelligence source.

Three LeT militants, Abdul Sakib, Abdu Adil and Abu Baiday, recently demonstrated to a batch of around 15 new recruits on how to prepare and plant an IED.

The source says, “They have set up mobile training camps in the high altitude of Pirpanjal range where they train new recruits in making and planting IEDs.”

These mobile camps keep on shifting from one place to another. “When they (militants) spot the presence of the security forces in that area, they shift their camp to another place. Once the Army raided one such secret camp in the Jadanwali area but militants managed to escape,” the source says.

The security agencies are worried that militants have been training their recruits as how to use a mobile phone device to trigger an IED at one place while sitting miles away from the spot.

Despite strict measures in issuing new SIM cards in the region, the security forces are worried as large number of SIM cards are being recovered from the killed or arrested militants.

“When connected with a cell phone device the IED becomes a lethal weapon as it becomes very easy for the militant to detonate it from a safer distance as and
when he spots his target approaching the spot where the IED has been placed,” a source informed.

Jammu, May 29
Though the state government had made it clear that no person would be allowed to undertake the annual Amarnath yatra before June 18, people especially sadhus, have started pouring into the winter capital.

In a bid to prevent premature melting of the Shivlingam, the state government has banned the movement of people before the official commencement of the pilgrimage, which starts from June 18.

However, caring two hoots about the government’s order, sadhus from different parts of the country have started arriving here.

“I have been paying obeisance at the cave shrine from the past four years, but I was disappointed by the early melting of the Shivlingam last year. Hence this time around I have decided to undertake an early journey,” said Rameswaram, a sadhu from Tiruchirapalli, who has come along with a group of eight sadhus from Haridwar.

They, however, feigned ignorance about the government’s order. This year, the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) has requested the state government to impose prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC to prevent people from undertaking the pilgrimage before June 18.

Meanwhile, following intelligence inputs that militants may target the yatra, a three-tier security arrangement has been made.

Official sources said 70 companies of the CRPF, 30 companies of the state police would be deployed at the shrine. The Army would also render its services.

Jammu, May 29
Security has been beefed up in Samba district which witnessed an encounter between militants and security forces earlier this month, with the deployment of a large contingent of the CRPF.

More than 425 personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and armed village defence committees have been deployed, following the May 11 attack by terrorists in the Kaily Mandi area. Four civilians and two militants were killed in the incident.

“To instill confidence among area dwellers, three companies of the CRPF have been deployed in sensitive areas,” Saruv Bhagat, district development commissioner, said.

He said people in the village defence committees were being armed with rifles and would act as the fourth-tier of defence along the Indo-Pak border.

Fresh deployment of troops from the CRPF would try to plug infiltration routes used by militants and protect public places like temples and highways, Bhagat said.

The move follows intelligence reports that terrorists dressed in Indian combat dresses may enter Samba district.

Officials are also planning to form more armed village defence committees and impose a ban on the sale of military uniforms by private shopkeepers.

The shopkeepers had been told to keep a record of the sale of army uniforms and maintain close contact with nearby police stations. People living in these areas seem satisfied with the measures, Bhagat said.

Bhagat informed that emergency lights had been installed at various sites and paramilitary forces patrolled these areas regularly.

A joint control room of the Army, police and civil administration had also been set up and new security posts had been set up in Basantar Nallah area, he added. — PTI

Rajouri, May 29
Faced with the allegations of human rights violations, the Indian Army with a view to improve its image, is organising sports events to win over people.

In fact, Army units posted in various far-flung areas in Rajouri and Poonch have been organising various sports activities ranging from cricket tournaments to “Kushti” to win over the masses.

Besides holding sports competitions, the Army units are also organising various cultural events.

Defence sources said since people had a passion for cricket, the Army units organised cricket tournaments.

“It serves the dual purpose. Apart from attracting huge crowds, it also brings a sense of competitiveness. It also helps in channelising talent of the local youth in the right direction and prevent them from going haywire”, defence sources said.

“We, with the active cooperation of the local youth, organise sports tournaments. These events add to our image among the local masses”, said a senior Army official whose unit organises sports event on a regular basis in the Darhal area.

“We recently organised a month-long cricket tournament which was highly appreciated by the people. Nine teams from the area participated in the event”.

“By organising cricket tournaments, the Army is promoting local talent. They should also guide this budding talent as how to make it big at the national-level”, said Muhammad Ali, a local cricketer.

Lt-Col S.D. Goswami, Jammu-based defence spokesperson (9, 16 Corps), said, “Organising sports events helps to to better the Army’s image.”

The police has started investigations and the result of the postmortem examination is awaited.

Jammu, May 29
Former union minister of state for defence and senior BJP leader Prof Chaman Lal Gupta has asked politicians not to make unrealistic promises to the people in an election year.

Reacting to a statement of National Conference president Omar Abdullah here today, Gupta said, "How a government can provide one job to each family in a state which has over 17 lakh families."

Omar while addressing a rally in the Kashmir valley yesterday had assured one job each to every family besides a stipend to unemployed youth.

At present the strength of employees in Jammu and Kashmir is over four lakhs, which is highest in the country in comparison to other states with proportion to their population, said Gupta.

He pointed out that revenue of Jammu and Kashmir from its own internal resources was just about Rs 3500 crore whereas the bill of the state staff as also the spending on pensions had gone up to nearly Rs 7000 crore.

Srinagar, May 29
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has said that India was ready for trade across LoC for which items forwarded by Pakistan had since been cleared, but there was no such enthusiasm from the other side which had not yet cleared the items.

Inaugurating the 54th industrial and handicrafts exhibition here yesterday the Chief Minister said a package based on the recommendations of the three-member committee headed by the Economic Adviser to the Government would be worked out soon for the industry in Jammu and Kashmir.

The committee had been set up to examine and report on the demands of the industry with regard to the power tariff and excise duty.

He said the committee after deliberations with the industry leaders in Kashmir and Jammu and discussions with the government departments had submitted its report recently.

He said he had discussed the report with the Deputy Chief Minister and the senior officers concerned.

He said he had asked them to prepare a package based on the report so that incentives could be given to the industry on short and medium term basis.

The chief minister said he had changed the time of exhibition from November to May and June so that more people from within and outside the state could visit it.

Srinagar, May 29
While different political parties promise to provide government jobs in their bid to lure young voters, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has presented different outlook.

The Chief Minister yesterday made it clear that the government sector, albeit to a very limited number, could not provide jobs to the youth.

“I do not want to mislead the youth by making such promises in return for their votes,” he added.

The ruling coalition partner PDP has envisaged a programme to accommodate qualified but unemployed youth in private and government sectors.

The opposition National Conference has also made the issue as its thrust area ahead of the polls.

Azad said he believed in calling a spade a spade and added that he was against misleading an entire generation by making false promises even as it might not be politically prudent to be forthright.

He asked social and political leaders and intellectuals to guide the youth towards “the right path and convince them about the gains in pursuing careers outside the already shrunk government sector.”

Azad was addressing a function after inaugurating the 54th industrial and handicrafts exhibition at the sprawling Kashmir Haat here yesterday.

He asked entrepreneurs and people to supplement the efforts of the government to develop industry in the state.

He said Jammu and Kashmir had potential in handicrafts and tourism sectors to generate employment even for youth of other neighbouring states, not to talk about its own youth.

He said employment in government sector being limited his effort was to create atmosphere and facilities for the youth to take self-employment.

Srinagar, May 29
The All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leadership has received a formal invitation from the Pakistan foreign ministry to visit the neighbouring country next month for discussions on the resolution of Kashmir issue.

The APHC announced its acceptance of the invitation at a time when India and Pakistan were holding talks.

The Pakistan foreign ministry in its formal invitation to the APHC yesterday stated that it was “looking forward to extend a warm welcome to you in Pakistan.”

The letter has invited a delegation of the APHC, led by chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, in the month of June for “consultation and meetings with the leadership of Pakistan.”

During their visit, the APHC leaders would be meeting Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Geelani and other leaders in PoK.

Meanwhile, leaders of the APHC might visit Pakistan in the third week of June in response to the invitation from Islamabad.

According to the APHC sources, “We shall send a small delegation.” The sources said the delegation might comprise not more than four members.