Jammu, August 30
A high-level team of the National Security Group (NSG) would be arriving here to investigate the Chinore encounter in which at least nine people including three militants were killed on August 27, official sources here said. “The NSG team will scrutinise the encounter site and also the route used by the fidayeens right from Kanachak from where the militants had intruded into Indian side, up to Chinore, where they kept hostage seven people including four children for around 19-hours,” a senior police officer.

The squad, however, would investigate the entire incident and also find out the shortcomings, if any, on part of the security agencies en route Kanhachak to Chinore, official sources said. — UNI

Srinagar, August 30
The curfew was relaxed in a phased manner for varying periods in different parts of the valley, which passed off peacefully, barring an incident of protest in the interior city today.

The valley has been reeling under curfew restrictions since Sunday last after the separatists planned to take out ‘Lal Chowk chalo’ march on Monday last.

Curfew was relaxed here from 11 am to 1 pm, which was later extended up to 7 pm. In Nowhatta, Khanayar, Safakadal, Rainawari and M.R. Gunj, curfew was relaxed from 2 pm to 4 pm.

The residents in various areas thronged markets to buy essential commodities including milk, bread and vegetables.

The police spokesman said curfew in Shopian was relaxed from 8 am to 4 pm and later extended up to 6 pm, in Kulgam from 8 am to 8 pm, in Pulwama from 2 pm to 8 pm.

However, in the areas falling under Awantipora police division, the relaxation was given from 2 pm to 7 pm. In Kupwara town, it was relaxed from 10 am to 3 pm and in Lolab from 10 am to 4 pm and Vilgam and Handwara curfew relaxation was given from 2.30 pm to 5 PM.

Curfew was virtually lifted from Kulgam district where it was relaxed for 12 hours from 8 AM following improvement in the situation while it was eased for long periods in the rest of the nine districts of the Kashmir valley, the sources said. Deputy commissioner of Kulgam Lateef-e-Zeman asked government employees, especially teachers and paramedical staff of public health centres of the district, to report for work.

Barring minor incidents of stone pelting reported from Malaratta and New Fateh Kadal areas, the relaxation period passed off peacefully.

In Baramulla district, except Baramulla town, the curfew was eased for 7 am from 10 am.

However, business establishments in main markets remained closed and public transport was off the roads.

Srinagar, August 30
With newspapers failing to hit stands for the seventh consecutive day today in Kashmir, the administration has decided to issue special passes to staffers of the dailies to move in the curfew-bound valley.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting between state Chief Secretary S.S. Kapur and editors of the local dailies here yesterday, official sources said.

The meeting was convened after editors of local newspapers expressed inability to publish their dailies as most of their technical staff could not make it to the offices due to imposition of curfew since Sunday.

Although the administration was keen on having the newspapers published from today itself, the editors said they will start functioning normally only from Monday, the sources said.

Meanwhile, ETV Urdu was the only private channel to be beamed by cable operators in the valley today. The state administration had banned airing of news and current affairs programmes by cable TV channels saying the coverage of rallies was fuelling unrest in Kashmir.

The cable operators, in turn, pulled all national television channels off air, leaving the state-run Doordarshan, radio and Internet as the only source of news in the valley.

The cable operators have been airing several Pakistani TV news channels, including PTV, since the latest round of protests began in the Valley in the beginning of this month despite a direction earlier this year to pull them off till they got permission from the union Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

Under the Cable TV Act, the operators are required to get permission from the Union ministry for airing foreign channels. — PTI 

Srinagar, August 30
The authorities here claimed that there was a smooth movement of trucks, carrying essential commodities, on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.

The attacks on Srinagar-bound trucks, particularly belonging to those from the Kashmir valley, had been disrupting the smooth supplies of essential commodities in Kashmir for some time since the eruption of trouble over the land transfer row. Rioters had also attacked convoys on Udhampur-Lakhanpur axis of the national highway disrupting the normal traffic.

This had been one of the main reasons that the Kashmir Fruit Growers Association decided to turn their truckloads of fresh fruits on the traditional road to Muzaffarabad that was supported by the separatist organisations leading to the trouble on August 11.

Senior Hurriyat leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz was killed during the march near Uri that led to the trouble across Kashmir resulting in more than 30 deaths, three massive public rallies and the imposition of curfew since Sunday last.

The 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, lifeline to Kashmir, is the only surface link, connecting the valley with the rest of the country.

Meanwhile, the curfew restrictions have paralysed the normal life with the shopkeepers and small businessmen and vendors running out of stocks.

During relaxation the residents here and in other major towns of the valley under curfew have been thronging the markets for essential items like milk, bread, vegetables, eatables and other household items.

“Even as there were curfew relaxations for varying periods since Wednesday, very less commodities are available in the shops”, complained a resident here.

“The relaxation period is very less and we cannot get the stocks within that period”, said a shopkeeper here. Continuing with its daily inputs, an official spokesman said that during the past 24 hours up to 2 pm today, 474 load carriers with essential commodities and fuel arrived in the valley.

Of these, 87 carried rice, 29 flour, 10 sheep, 6 fresh fruit, 7 chicken, 228 other commodities while 40 tankers with diesel, 19 with kerosene oil, 28 with petrol, 15 with LPG, two with milk and three empty trucks also entered the valley in the same period.

Giving details the spokesman said 384 trucks and tankers left the valley towards various destinations outside the state during the same period. Of these, 154 trucks were laden with fruit, 9 with vegetables, 26 with other commodities and 195 empty tankers also returned after off loading fuel here.

Jammu, August 30
Even as an uneasy calm prevails in the Chinore area after the militant attack on August 27, which claimed seven innocent lives, the people in Jammu have accused certain Kashmir-based political outfits of fomenting trouble in the winter capital so as to teach them a lesson.

Talking to The Tribune, a Bantalab resident Ramesh Mehta said: “Certain Kashmir-based politicians continuously raked up the so-called issues of economic blockade and atrocities in Kashmir with the malafide intention of creating trouble in Jammu.”

One of them even threatened the people of Jammu with dire consequences after they were forced to stay out of the all-party meeting at the Raj Bhawan to break the stalemate over the Amarnath land row, Ramesh added.

Airing similar views, Nancy Raina, a working woman in the New Plots area said: “Frustrated over the secular agitation across Jammu, which has a just and genuine cause, the PDP, the NC and the Hurriyat leaders, constantly tried to provoke Kashmiris.”

Srinagar, August 30
To cater to power requirement during the month of Ramzan, the state government will approach the Centre for additional power allocation to Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing a high-level meeting here yesterday, C Phunsog, adviser to the Governor, said the Central government would be approached for additional power allocation to the state to cater the requirements during the month of Ramzan. The Power Development Department (PDD) and Power Development Corporation (PDC) authorities have been asked to take steps to rationalise curtailment and supply position in the three regions of the state.

Phunsog also asked them to ensure adequate power supply during the holy month. He directed the concerned officers to address the problems of consumers. — PTI

Jammu, August 30
The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) has formed a high-level team comprising party leaders to investigate the 20-hour-long hostage drama in the Chinore area of Bantalab here on Wednesday.

Panthers supremo Bhim Singh today said the high-level team would be headed by senior party leader Bansi Lal Sharma. He attributed the militant attack to “security lapse”.

Singh said: “The police and civil administration will have to answer as to how militants managed to cut the barbed wires demarcating the international border and infiltrated into the Indian territory.”

Singh said constant public accounts of sighting suspicious persons were keeping security forces on their tenterhooks. He said the party wanted to know what mechanism the government had adopted to identify and neutralise the infiltrators, who “managed to sneak into the city”, if any.

Singh informed that he would submit the report of the high-level committee to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He also urged Governor N.N. Vohra to resolve the Amarnath land row at the earliest for bringing peace and normalcy in the region.

Singh said: “My proposal for resolving the land row which has been hanging fire for the past over two months, has found favour not only in the Jammu region but also in the Kashmir valley.”

Singh’s proposal includes Amendment in Section 4 of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board Act, 2000, by making it mandatory for all nine members of the board to be permanent residents of the state. Singh said his proposal also demanded that the said land be diverted to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board without changing its proprietary right which should remain intact with the Forest Department.

Udhampur, August 30
Rivalry between the Hizbul Mujahideen and the Harkat-ul-Jehadi Islami has resulted in the killing of a HuJI self-styled commander in Chatroo area of Kishtwar district.

Although the police authorities are tight lipped over the incident, sources said Noor Hussian, alias Noora Commander, of the HuJI was killed by militants of the Hizbul Mujahideen in Kushal area of Chatroo tehsil Kishtwar district.

Sources said a group of Hizbul militant entered the house of Noora in Kushal area on late Friday night and kidnapped him at a gunpoint.

Bullets ridden body of the HuJI commander was recovered this morning from the nearby forest. It is widely believed that Noora was killed by Hizbul men, who have been desperately trying to establish their supremacy in this belt, which is dominated by the HuJI.

Noor Hussain was appointed as commander of the HuJI after the killing of Bashir Ahmed, alias Saba Hajia, who was supreme commander of the HuJI.

Saba, who had masterminded serial blasts in Uttar Pradesh, was killed in a fierce encounter on January 25 this year in same village.

As militant groups have been getting huge ransom from contractors, Hizbul group has been desperately trying to take control of this belt.

Chatroo and adjoining localities are by and large dominated by militants of the HuJI who have let loose of reign of terror in this belt. On June 13 this year a group of HuJI militants had gunned down five officials of GREF, including Lt-Col Ajay Kumar Verma.

It is widely believed GREF official were killed as they refused to give ransom to the militant. The Hizbul outfit has been trying to take control of this area, which connects with south Kashmir.

Incidents of inter-gang rivalry among militant groups have increased. Some time back, three Hizbul militants died under mysterious circumstances in Doda district.

It was believed that local militants namely Abdul Qayoom, Mohammed Shabbir and Sajad Ahmed were killed by a rival group. It was reported at that time that Laskher-e-Toiba outfit, dominated by foreigner mercenaries, had been trying to gain ground in those areas where local militants especially Hizbul have out numbered foreigners.

After killing of HUJI commander, infighting among militant groups is likely to be intensified in this belt.

Jammu, August 30
The police seem to have learnt no lessons from the Chinore encounter, as many vital installations in Jammu are still vulnerable to terrorist attacks, thanks to the lax security arrangements.

Though the police claim that it has beefed up security apparatus in and around Jammu railway station, one of the most security sensitive railway stations in the country, a visit to the station presents a contradictory picture.

Though the presence of the police personnel has been increased in and around the railway station, a majority of them can be seen chatting in groups.

“Everybody can freely venture in and around the railway station. There is nobody to stop you, nobody even searches the luggage”, Ashok Kumar, a railway employee, said.

A lone policeman, who stands near the metal detector placed at the entrance of the railway platform, was busy reading a newspaper, while passengers didn’t bother to pass through the detector.

Scanning luggage is a voluntary practice as people hardly bother to get it screened.

Of late, the railway station has been on the target of terrorists and has witnessed terror attacks in the past. “After various terrorist attacks, the railway station was placed under high security, but the laxity adopted by the police personnel posted on duty here exposes their seriousness, making the station vulnerable to terrorist attacks”, a railway department officer said on the condition of anonymity.

The officer said: “They are least bothered about the unclaimed luggage that is found on the railway station. We bring such things into their notice. Anyone can take advantage of their lax attitude and the lives of thousands of people can be put into danger.”

Meanwhile, repeated attempts to contact the IGP, railways, proved futile.

Srinagar, August 30
A wild bear attacked and injured three persons in Anantnag, official sources said.

They said a bear suddenly appeared in Malpora village and attacked the villagers. The injured were later hospitlised, officials said adding the bear escaped into the forest area.

This was the second attack in south Kashmir by wild animals during the past two days. On August 28, one person was killed by a leopard at Manzgam Noorabad village.

The man-animal conflict has increased in the Kashmir valley in the recent past.

About 75 people including women and children, were killed and 330 others injured in the beast attacks in Jammu and Kashmir during the past two years.

Official sources said about a dozen wild animals were also killed by the people in retaliation in the state. People reject the protests by NGOs, alleging that these animals have killed and wounded many women and children in the state.

The state has formulated a comprehensive management plan for containing such incidents. The plan has been submitted to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and state Planning Department for financial assistance. — UNI