Jammu, October 1
Close on the heels of foiling an intrusion bid by 10 to 12 armed militants on September 26 in Pargwal sector, the BSF thwarted another infiltration bid from Tent Post in Kanachak sector close to the border around 12 o’clock last night.

Official sources said in yet another ceasefire violation, Pakistani troops resorted to firing from across the border at the Tent border outpost (BOP) to push in armed militants. A BSF spokesman said Pakistani Rangers opened fire on Tent Post around 12.30 a.m. last night and the exchange of fire lasted 15 to 20 minutes before armed militants beat a hasty retreat.

This was the second intrusion bid in the past four days, he added. However, there was no loss of life or injury in the cross-border firing and searches were conducted in the area. J.B. Sangwan, additional DIG of the BSF (Jammu Frontier), said: "Our troopers noticed some suspicious movement near Tent Post around 11.50 p.m.."

A group of two or three militants had come very close to the fence, he said, adding that probably there were two groups one of which had taken cover under a bandh on the other side of the border. The militants were engaged in a gunfight, forcing them to retreat, the DIG said.

On September 26 night, about 12 heavily armed militants had tried to infiltrate via the Chak Pagwari BOP in Pargwal sector.

Jammu, October 1
With Jammu and Kashmir already into election mode, militants have shifted their focus on the 187-km-long international border to sneak into the state, carry out attacks and disrupt the democratic process so as to gain attention of the international community.

Defence sources told The Tribune that 600 to 800 militants have been kept in different launching pads across the IB so as to sneak into this side of the border.

Militants are being assisted by the ISI and the Pakistani Rangers, they added.

Though there have been attempts on LoC as well but in the backdrop of upcoming elections vis-à-vis fast approaching winters militants have shifted their focus from mountainous areas of LoC to the plains of IB in Jammu, they said.

Fully aware of the developments in the state where elections can be held anytime, their masters across the border don't want to miss the opportunity and hence we anticipate more infiltration bids from IB in coming days, said an Army officer on the basis of anonymity.

Additional DIG BSF Jammu Frontier JB Sangwan said, “The BSF has already mobilised all its resources and has adopted all possible measures to thwart any misadventure.”

The government has impounded the passport of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries’ (CCI) president, Dr Mubeen Shah, citing “adverse grounds” as the reason.

Shah is close to the top leadership of the separatist parties and recently played a leading role in bandhs and rallies organised for the “azadi movement.” He is also a prominent member of the separatist coordination committee.

As a big garment trader, with business bases abroad, Shah had lobbied hard for opening the cross-LoC trade, especially on the Srinagar-Muzzaffrabad (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) route. After recent talks with a Pakistani delegation, the Centre decided to open the Srinagar-Muzzafarrabad route for trade.

However, during the Amarnath land row agitation in Jammu, which led to sharp counter reactions in the Kashmir valley, Shah played a major role in the call given by the Hurriyat (freedom) parties to boycott trade from Jammu.

Of late, the authorities have claimed that Shah has become a “puppet” in the hands of Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

In a notice issued to the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries’ (CCI) president, the government has reportedly conveyed to him the CID’s decision to impound his passport. He has been asked to present his position to the authorities.

However, Shah said: “It was expected from the government…if the authorities in New Delhi and Srinagar believe that this way they can browbeat me, they are wrong.”

Shah’s Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries is one of the major trade bodies comprising the Kashmir Economic Forum, which yesterday condemned the income tax department for issuing notices to a number of businessmen in the valley, asking them to produce details of their commercial transactions.

The trading community has alleged that it is an attempt to “harass” them for their association with the separatist leadership.

Meanwhile, president of the Jammu Chambers of Commerce and Industries, Ram Sahai, has alleged that Shah had actually given a call for the boycott of trade from Jammu at the behest of the separatist coordination committee.

Shah has also been playing a lead role in the Hurriyat Conference’s call for October 6 for the “Lal Chowk Chalo” to demand the right to self-determination for “azadi.”

Jammu, October 1
Though it has been a month since the Amarnath land row got over in the Jammu region, traders, particularly those associated with tourism, feel their business will pick up only after normalcy returned in the state.

Chairman of the Associated Chamber of Traders Federation, Yashpal Gupta, said: “The impact of the land row on our business will last for some more time. About 25 per cent of the business depends on pilgrims and tourists visiting the state. Though half of our tourist-related business is back on track, the rest will only fall in place only when complete normalcy is restored.”

Gupta said: “Many pilgrims visiting Mata Vaishno Devi proceed to the valley for spending their vacations and thus it is very important for peace to return here. Even those who are visiting the shrine these days are coming here for a short stay, which is affecting our trade”.

All-Jammu Hotels and Lodges Association chief Indrajeet Khajuria said: “Though things are looking up during Navratras, a lot will depend when the situation turns normal. The restoration of peace in the valley will send a clear message to tourists that it is safe to visit the state”, he said. He said Navratras had begun on a positive note and their business had witnessed a hike of up to 10 per cent.

However, tour operators have lost all hope of reviving their business in the coming year. President of the Jammu Tourist Taxi Operators Federation, Anchal Singh Manhas, said: “Our business has been hit to a very large extent as scores of tourists cancelled their tour due to the agitation. Our work hasn't taken off after the agitation.”

He said in the wake of disturbed atmosphere in the valley, neither tourists nor tour operators were ready for a trip to the troubled area. “It has come as a huge setback to us and there is no hope of a good season ahead,” he said. He has asked the government to announce a special relief package for them.

Udhampur, October 1
The Doda police has launched a manhunt to nab a missing villager, who has joined the militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen.

According to reports, Imtiyaz Hussain had gone missing from his Kither village in Gandoh tehsil of Doda district on September 5 this year. A missing case was filed by his family.

During investigation it was found that Hussain had joined the terrorist group. He was found accompanying divisional commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen Shah Mohammad.

Reports said earlier Imtiyaz Hussain was working as over ground worker.

Srinagar: Meanwhile, the militant who was killed on Monday in an encounter in Pulwama district has been identified as Abu Sarjeel, divisional commander of Jaish-e-Mohammad from Pakistan.

At least seven Army men of the 42 RR and three police constables were injured in the encounter, the police here said.

Sarjeel, a resident of Gujranwala, Pakistan, was active in the Kashmir valley since 2000.

He had been commanding the module, which was involved in killing of policemen in Srinagar, Tral in Pulwama district and other areas in the valley.

Two AK rifles, two pistols, one Chinese grenade, three magazines, 20 rounds of AK ammunition, 10 rounds of pistol, one gun pouch, one laptop, seven mobiles, one wireless set, one satellite phone, one compass, one digital diary, among others.

Jammu, October 1
Concerned over the rising incidents of man-animal conflicts in Jammu and Kashmir, the state’s Wildlife and Protection Department has submitted a detailed project to the Centre to help in handling this grave problem that has so far claimed 65 lives besides causing serious injuries to 300 others during the last two years.

The people in retaliation had also killed many animals.

Official sources told The Tribune that the Forest and Wildlife Department officials had registered at least 50 such incidents only during the months of August and September when bears and leopards had intruded into human habitation falling in Loren, Sabzian, Mandi, Shopian, Uri, Tanghdar, Rafiabad, Tangmarg, Pulwama and Karnah areas.

Apart from attacking the human population, the wild animals had also destroyed fruit orchards and maize crop in these areas.

The sources said it was with this concern that the department had approached the Centre with a detailed project of about Rs 43 crore to help in handling the menace and conserving the reserves.

The Wildlife Department had identified these reserves comprising 16,000 sq km under the protected areas network (PAN).

In this management plan report, it has been mentioned that man-animal conflicts were bound to occur, since Jammu and Kashmir has got 53 protected areas which was the largest in the country.

The sources said that the department was taking every effort in handling the man-animal conflict situation by capturing, caging and rehabilitating the wild animals whenever they move into the populated areas. The department also compensates those who suffer causalities at the hands of animals.

Jammu, October 1
The Jammu Development Authority (JDA) has allegedly played truant with hundreds of applicants by generating a false hope of providing them plots at three residential colonies on the city’s outskirts.

The JDA had initially collected a huge amount of money from the applicants through demand drafts and later returned the same after one year without paying a single penny as interest to the applicants. Even the process of allotment of these residential plots was kept in abeyance allegedly under some political compulsions.

Informed sources said the JDA in June, 2007, issued various notifications in local newspapers, wherein it intended to allot plots of different sizes to those who had no residential accommodation of their own. The plots were to be provided in Roopnagar, Bhagwati Nagar and Gole Gujral localities.

The sources said over 3,000 applications were received and when the agency was about to scrutinise them and go for a draw of lots, it reportedly buckled before the political pressure. The then urban and housing minister Tariq Hamid Qarra had ordered to keep the process of allotment “in abeyance”, without assigning any reason, the sources said.

The irony was that even the bank drafts had not been deposited in the JDA account for over one year, thereby losing the interest on the public money. Some of these drafts were sent back to the applicants only this week.

“I came to know only recently that the allotment proposal has been shelved when the same draft which I had prepared in the name of the vice-chairman, JDA, was returned to me in original after more than one year”, Kamal Krishan said. Kamal said he had arranged the money in extreme conditions. “Neither the plot nor the interest on the deposited money was provided to anyone”, he rued.

“We will fight for this injustice. I am approaching all such aggrieved applicants to launch a common fight”, Sanjeev Sharma, a social activist, said.

Meanwhile, JDA vice-chairman Pandurang K. Pole said: “Soon after assuming the charge last month, I took up the matter with the government to initiate the process of allotment, so that the unattended land could be saved from the encroachers. In the meantime, I ordered that at least money be paid back to the applicants until the government took a decision on the allotment of these plots.”

Jammu, October 1
Students from Jammu who could not crack CET, whose results were declared on September 29, have alleged foul play in the selection of candidates.

They alleged that there seemed to be some sort of partiality shown towards students from the Kashmir valley.

Aspirants of MBBS, BDS, BVSc and engineering alleged that the government was biased against them as they got lesser time for preparation as compared to their Kashmiri counterparts.

Ahad Sham, who appeared in the decisive examination for second time, said: “The class 12th exams in Kashmir get over in December and resultantly students get ample time for coaching classes. But in Jammu, examinations get over in April.”

Demanding parity with the students in Kashmir, he urged the authorities concerned to evolve some mechanism wherein students from both the regions get equal time.

“In the selection list, as usual there is no mention of domicile but it could be judged from the institutes allotted to the candidate that most of the selected students hail from the valley,” said a teacher working with a leading coaching institute in Jammu.

Meanwhile, student leaders of the Jammu Joint Student Morcha and Jammu University Research Scholars Executive Association have asked the J&K Board of Professional Entrance Examination (BPEE) to come clean on the selection lists as to how many students have been selected from Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

Srinagar, October 1
Eid-ul-Fitr was celebrated with religious fervour and gaiety in the Kashmir valley today with scores of people thronging shrines and mosques to offer prayers in the morning.

The biggest congregations were held at Eidgah, Hazratbal, TRC grounds and Sonwar. It was for the second time that prayers were offered at Eidgah, since last year, after a gap of about 20 years.

Chairmen of both factions of the Hurriyat Conference - Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq addressed the gathering at Eidgah, while chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Mohammad Yaseen Malik and chief of the Jamiat-e-Ahl-e-Hadeeth, Showkat Ahmad Shah, offered prayers at the TRC grounds.

Pro-freedom slogans rent the air at both the places in the city, soon after special prayers were offered.The separatist leaders asked people to make their call for the “Lal Chowk Chalo”, on October 6, a grand success. Geelani in his address said: “No stones or provocative slogans will be raised during the march demanding right to self-determination for Kashmiris”.

Geelani and Mirwaiz threatened to launch a stir if the administration did not release all those detained during the recent protests in the valley.

Muslims celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr with religious fervour and enthusiasm at the Eidgah in Jammu today.

Seeking communal harmony and brotherhood, thousands of Muslims offered prayers and greeted each other on the occasion.

Jammu zone IGP K. Rajindera, divisional commissioner Sudhanshu Pandey and SSP Manohar Singh were also present at the Eidgah.

Jammu, October 1
In a blatant defiance of the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhi Plaza, a full-fledged vegetable market at Gandhi Nagar, today houses shops where non-vegetarian food is sold, purchased and even dished out along with alcohol.

Gandhi Plaza, which came into being on October 4, 1986. Named after Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, it was exclusively meant for sale, purchase and storage of vegetables, disclosed a retired assistant director, Department of Information.

It seems that the Jammu Development Authority (JDA), the owner and administrative body of the plaza, has turned a blind eye towards this, as all lease-holders of shops have opened their entrances towards the road instead of operating from inside - which is a violation of architectural plan of the building. Presently, the plaza bears a miserable look.

However, with Navratras on, shops selling and serving non-vegetarian food are closed.

Meanwhile, director, Gandhian Study Centre, Jammu University, Dr Anurag Gangal, said: “It is really unfortunate that the authorities concerned are ignorant towards the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi. It reflects the degrading value system and to what extent one can go for the sake of self-interests. There seems to be no sense of commitment towards such a great man and the authorities are devoid of what is going on in the name of Gandhi.”

Gangal said: “The statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Satwari Chowk has become a subject of mockery as it resembles a “scarecrow” to deter predators in the fields. We keep on lodging such protests through public speeches and seminars.”

Pandurang K. Pole, vice-chairman, JDA, expressed ignorance over the issue and said: “If such a thing is going on against the permitted use of plaza, then its wrong. After verifying the facts, we will initiate action”, he said.

Pole said he would personally visit the site and  see what measures should  be taken.

Gulmarg, October 1
The vast expanses of Gulmarg are as lush and captivating as they usually are during this time of the year, only that crowd of tourists which has made it a top travel destination is missing.

The famous ski resort gives you feel of a town whose inhabitants have fled in apprehension of some danger. A majority of hotels and restaurants are closed and tourist guides and ponywallahs beg any visitor with requests for hire. The wave of protests that has engulfed the state has also hit the valley. Its tourism business has come down like a pack of cards and Gulmarg, which is very much survives on this industry, epitomises that pain.

In Kongposh, a government-run restaurant, waiter Abdul Ahad regrets the absence of most of the dishes printed on menu. “You should be lucky that there is a place where you could eat something,” he says. The board outside the hotel asking eaters to come in queue harks back to the good fortune it and its nearby hotels, mostly closed now, enjoyed till June. “It took tourists considerable time before they could get a free seat,” he says.

Locals say Gulmarg withstood the initial days of protests over the controversial Amarnath land deal but the body blow was struck when Jammu went on a strike and traffic on the highway virtually came to a standstill.

Wasim Khalid, a teenaged ponywallah, gives a big discount to some tourists, mostly locals, for a ride and even that invites bargain from them, apparently encouraged by their pleas for a ride on their ponies. “We are in a bad shape. We used to earn Rs 400 to 500 three months back. Now providing our ponies a decent food is a problem,” the boy says.

Many believe that tourists’ arrival will see a rise once the winter sets in and snow accumulates in Gulmarg. Ski-lovers from all over the world descend in good numbers to enjoy skiing on its natural slopes, which are considered as good as anywhere in the world.