Rajouri, April 27
Hours before Defence Minister AK Antony’s visit to the Rajouri sector to review the overall security situation, the security forces this morning gunned down a Pakistani commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba in Dorimal forests in the Mendhar area of Poonch district. His accomplice, however, managed to escape.

Army sources said on specific information about the movement of militants in Dorimal forests, which lies on the border of Salwa and Saroti Naad villages in Mendhar, troops of 37 RR and the state police launched a search operation in the forest area around 11 pm yesterday. On spotting two militants, the security forces challenged them. The militants opened fire on the troops. The security forces retaliated, killing deputy commander of the LeT Abu Babar, a resident of Peshawar in Pakistan. His accomplice, however, managed to escape, they added.

The sources added that an AK rifle, two magazines and 16 rounds had been seized from the slain militant.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister AK Antony visited the forward areas under the White Knight Corps today. He was accompanied by Chief of the Army Staff General Deepak Kapoor, Defence Secretary Vijay Singh, GOC-in-C, Northern Command, Lt-Gen PC Bhardwaj and the GOC, White Knight Corps.

A defence spokesperson said Antony was briefed on the prevailing security situation along the LoC. Thereafter, the minister addressed the troops at the Raina Auditorium, Rajouri. He lauded the role of the Army in curbing infiltration and reducing the levels of insurgency. He also commended the Army’s vigilance and proactive stance for “incident-free elections” in the state in the first two phases.

The minister appreciated projects under Operation Sadbhavana launched for the socio-economic uplift of the local population.

Antony urged the troops to continue to be vigilant.

Khannabal (Anantnag), April 27
Extending a hand of friendship to the Kashmiri youth, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi here today sought votes for the coalition candidate, saying it would amount to voting for UPA’s primeministerial candidate Manmohan Singh.

He said votes in the state would not go to the ruling NC or the Opposition PDP, but to the UPA or the NDA at the Centre.

On his first visit to the Kashmir valley to campaign for the Congress-NC candidate, Rahul assured the youths of all possible help from New Delhi. “I want friendship with the youths of Kashmir”, he said at the rally for NC-Congress candidate Mehboob Beigh here this afternoon. He said his doors were open for the youth in their “fight for development”.

Amid tight security, Rahul was accompanied by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Union Minister for Water Resources and state PCC president Saifuddin Soz, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, and Union minister Prithviraj Chavan. Several Congress leaders and ministers were also present.

Meanwhile, a partial bandh was observed in Anantnag town on a call by hard line Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani to protest Rahul Gandhi’s visit, as the Congress had failed to resolve the Kashmir issue over the past six decades.

The AICC general secretary said by participating in large numbers in the last Assembly elections, the state was put on the rails for development. He added that the UPA government had fulfilled all promises made five years ago and many programmes for the uplift of the poor and the farmers were launched.

Rahul referred to meal scheme for poor children in schools, the Adivasi Bill and the waiver of loans of over Rs 70,000 crore to the farmers. He assured that the Congress and the NC would work for the development of all areas and sections of society.

Referring to the developmental works in the state over the past five years, Rahul pointed out that these included the rail link within the valley, opening of the Srinagar international airport, opening of power projects, and development in others sectors. “We want development, education, health and employment opportunities for all and we will fight for this”, he said.

He sought votes for young leadership in him at the national level and Omar Abdullah in the state for the “long term policies of development”.

Khannabal (Anantnag), April 27
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said here today that the NC stood for a composite dialogue with Pakistan, resolution of the Kashmir issue, strengthening of Article 370, communal amity, and overall development of the state.

He was speaking at the election rally with Rahul Gandhi for Mehboob Beigh for Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency here this afternoon that goes to the polls in the third phase on Thursday.

Omar, referring to the two decades of friendship between his father Farooq Abdullah and Rajiv Gandhi, said today’s was a historical rally jointly attended by the two young leaders.

“It is a vote for the betterment of Jammu and Kashmir”, he said, adding that it would be for the Prime Minister and the government at the Centre.

“Those voting for the PDP, the BJP or others, let them be clear when there is voting for a Prime Minister, it goes to the other side”, Omar added.

PCC president Saifuddin Soz said the Congress had its doors open for any kind of dialogue “wherever possible on any issue relating Kashmir”. He said the two coalition parties were open for a dialogue on development in the state and they had employment on top in their manifestos.

Mehboob Beigh said the state was faced with a lot of problems and needed help from the Central government. There was political and economic instability in the state, he said, adding that there were great hopes from the Congress-led government at the Centre. The state suffered a great deal due to the Indus Water Treaty between India and Pakistan, he said, adding that if it could not be scrapped, the state should be given big compensation. 

Bijbehara, April 27
As one enters Bijbehara, the home of PDP patron Mufti Sayeed, innumerable NC flags of greet him. The NC’s red flag featuring a plough is visible everywhere in the market while PDP’s green one with inkpot makes occasional presence in a campaign that has been largely subdued.

“This is Mufti’s town and he thinks he owns it. He will be shocked on May 16,” Abdul Raja, a young NC worker, says, referring to the day of counting.

In an LS constituency of which 12 of the 16 Assembly seats were won comfortably by the PDP only four months back with the NC barely managing to win just one seat, the confidence of Raja may sound more like a typical political hyperbole than the reality. Many, however, say the NC is making a keen fight in Anantnag when it should otherwise have been a one-sided contest for the PDP.

NC candidate Mehboob Beg, the most towering NC leader in south Kashmir, enjoys a good rapport while PDP’s Peer Mohammad Hussain is relatively a small fry, depending solely on the goodwill of Mufti Sayeed and his firebrand daughter, Mehbooba, to sail through. “The party is important, not individuals. Nobody should even dream that they could dislodge the PDP from its turf,” Hussain says.

Mehbooba had won the seat in 2004 elections and her father has represented it in the past.

The fact that the NC is running the state government and Beg is seen most likely to be a minister in New Delhi if the UPA forms the next government is helping him a lot. “I voted for the PDP in the Assembly poll for the good work Mufi sahib has done for us. 

I am with the NC this time as Beg sahib is also a senior leader and will be in a position to help us either through the state government or New Delhi,” Bilal Qureshi, a handicraft trader, says.

The alliance with the Congress which won two seats in Assembly from south Kashmir and bagged a respectable number of votes at several places and support of CPM’s Mohd Yousuf Tarigami, who won from Kulgam and has a solid base in a couple of other constituencies, are also helping the NC, party workers say.

CM Omar Abdullah is pouring all resources to defeat the Muftis in their home turf and his joint rally with Rahul Gandhi today is seen as a reflection of his efforts. However, the PDP has made deep roots there and nurtured the constituency well, Hakim Irfan, a local says. But he admits that the fight has become closer this time.

Mehbooba said the worst-ever electoral rigging engineered by the NC in 1987 still haunted its leaders. Mehbooba added the NC was unfortunately trying to repeat the same dreadful scenario by resorting to propaganda, intimidation and strong-arm tactics.

Jammu, April 27
The Sikh Jagrook Lehar, Jammu and Kashmir, today demanded a probe and severe action against the people responsible for the massacre of members of the Sikh community in 1984, 1989 and at Chattisinghpora and Mehzoor Nagar.

“We urge the government to take immediate necessary action to bring those responsible for these heinous crimes to justice without shielding them so that our community as a whole could feel secure in this great country,” Lehar president Kulbir Singh said.

He asked the government to take stringent action against the bureaucrats who are backing land grabbers in the state for their vested interests.

Meanwhile, the National Sikh Front, Jammu and Kashmir, has described as ‘shocking’the reports about levying “jazia” on Sikhs living in the Swat valley of Pakistan.

The Sikhs in India are shocked to read the news about the forcible occupation of houses belonging to Sikhs and Hindus who form a minority in Peshawar. “Levying jazia reminds us of Arungzeb who used to commit atrocities on the community,” said Varinderjeet Singh, chairman of the front.

He also sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s intervention in this regard. 

RS Pura, April 27
Though the sowing season of paddy is nearing, farmers here are in a dilemma -- whether to sow or not -- due to the ban on paddy exports. Paddy farmers fear financial losses in the absence of ‘fixed prices’ in the domestic market.

Farmers believe there were political considerations behind the ban that came into force in April 2008. “Some local politicians own mills and processing units. They won’t give up profits,” farmers alleged, adding that the price they were getting from local millers was not even half of the export price.

Paddy is generally sown in June in several areas of Jammu, including RS Pura, Marh, Bishnah and some parts of Kathua.

Farmers rue that they are being denied benefits extended by the Central government under the National Food Mission and the Rashtriya Kisan Vikas Yojana due to the laid-back approach of the Agriculture Department. “So we are planning to cultivate paddy as per our needs only,” they said.

According to them, against the standard size of 8 mm for export, local Basmati has a size of 6.8 mm. “The Agriculture Department is doing nothing to improve quality. Our produce is not sent to exhibitions at international forums to popularise it,” they lamented.

“Our produce is in great demand every where. Even if the government does not remove the ban, it should set a fixed market price for Basmati in the domestic market at least,” said president of the Rice Growers Association Dev Raj.

He added “at present, millers, wholesalers and retailers are pocketing profits.” He added “resentment is brewing among farmers against the wrong agricultural policies of the successive state governments. If the ban is not lifted, we will resort to an agitation in the days to come.”

Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Surjeet Singh Slathia said he was aware of losses being incurred by farmers on account of the ban. “The issue would be taken up in the next Cabinet meeting to redress their problems.”

Jammu, April 27
BJP state president and MLA Jammu East Ashok Khajuria today undertook Mass Contact Programme in Ward No 1 of the constituency and visited Tangewali, Agnihotri, Kucha Arorein and Radio Station localities. He interacted with the local residents in these areas and also took the stock of problems being faced by them.

khajuria, while interacting with the people, said he had visited them a few months back to seek vote in his favour and was now had come again to thank them for making him victorious with huge margin.

The BJP MLA expressed his concern over the imposition of power cuts in many parts of the old city which has added problems for students, patients, housewives and small businessmen in these summers.

Although the department had reduced the duration of power cuts in some areas on his intervention, still many areas are badly affected by unscheduled cuts, he said.

He warned the authorities not to provoke the people to come on roads to register their anger over cuts and take immediate effective measures to ensure regular supply of electricity to them. 

Jammu, April 27
The police today arrested two youths, including 27-year-old Tarsem Singh, a soldier of 9 Para, and Yuvraj Singh, both residents of RS Pura, for allegedly trying to abduct a young teacher in Jallo Chak in the Kunjwani area.

When the girl raised an alarm after the abductors tried to take her away in a vehicle, the police rushed to the spot and arrested the accused.

A dagger was recovered from their possession, official sources said.

However, their third accomplice, Michael of RS Pura, managed to escape.

Tarsem Singh and the schoolteacher had been phone friends from some time and the former was compelling her to marry him.

As the girl spurned the marriage proposal, Tarsem Singh and his accomplices tried to abduct her today.

A case has been registered against the accused. A hunt has been launched to arrest the third accused.

Jammu, April 27
Acting on a written complaint by a 21-year-old girl, the Gandhi Nagar police arrested the bureau chief of “Azad News Channel” this evening for allegedly raping her and then blackmailing her with her porn video clippings.

Official sources told The Tribune that the victim’s sister was an employee in the same organisation and on a pretext of managing a job for the victim in the civil aviation industry, the bureau chief started sexually exploiting her.

The victim in her complaint alleged that accused Sunil Kumar Khatri, 42, had been sexually exploiting her for the past over two months. She stated that the accused mixed some sedatives in a drink at his office-cum-residence in Sainik Colony in February and when she fell unconsciousness drinking it he sexually exploited her, besides making a porn video, said the sources.

They said the victim was a daughter of an Army personnel from Nainital and the bureau chief had promised her a job of an air hostess.

The sources said the bureau chief even got the girl to talk to a man on the phone, who posed as Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel and promised her a job in a private airlines.

However, bearing the mental agony for nearly three months, the victim finally broke her silence yesterday and lodged a complaint with the police.

Since yesterday, the police had been conducting raids on the office of “Azad News Channel” and Khatri’s rented accommodation (113-C in Sainik Colony) to nab him, the sources said.

Besides the complaint, the victim also submitted recorded telephonic conversations with the accused to the police, wherein he had been blackmailing her, the sources said.

They added that married to a model, the bureau chief, who hails from New Delhi, had a child. They said after taking Rs 1 lakh the accused had been demanding another Rs 3 lakh from the victim.

SSP, Jammu, Manohar Singh said the accused had been arrested. A case has been registered against Khatri.

Jammu, April 27
The Supreme Court has given its nod to the launch of the Species Recovery Programme for endangered Pirpanjal markhor (largest wild goat).

The Supreme Court in the writ petition of year 1995, titled N Godavarman Thirumalpad vs Union of India and others, permitted the Jammu and Kashmir Wildlife Protection Department to utilise Rs 10.72 crore received as 5 per cent project cost on account of the construction of the Mughal road passing through the Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary for the implementation of the markhor recovery project. The said amount was received from the PWD for the Mughal Road Project.

As per the order of the apex court, funds had to be deposited with the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) of the Central government, Ministry for Environment and Forests, for subsequent utilisation by the state.

The Ministry for Environment and Forests had supported the state’s application and also earlier approved the markhor recovery plan, formulated by the Wildlife Department for the development of the Markhor habitat in the Hirpora Limber, Lachipora Wildlife sanctuaries and the Kazinag National Park. The Central Empowered Committee of the Central government had accordingly recommended to the Supreme Court to permit the state government to utilise Rs 10.72 crore deposited by the Mughal Road Project authorities.

The state government has already extended the area of the Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary by 150 sq km and notified the Kazinag National Park in pursuance of the Supreme Court directives while according approval to the construction of the Mughal road passing through the Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary.

The national park is the habitat of endangered markhor, listed in the International Union for Construction of Nature and Natural Resources. The park is also home to several other endangered wild species, including musk seer, Asiatic black bear, brown bear, and Himalayan palm civet.

Jammu, April 27
The National Bahujan Party (NBP) has asked the state government to provide 27 per cent reservations to OBCs in the state and reservation for SCs as in other states.

Addressing a press conference, NBP president KK Manhotra said: “OBCs have been getting 27 per cent reservation in other states but in Jammu and Kashmir this weaker section is getting only 2 per cent which is a glaring example of discrimination.”

He pointed out that instead of issuing OBC certificates to the backward classes, the state government had been issuing social caste certificates to them that debarred them from taking the reservation benefits at the national level. He asked the government to immediately remove such discrimination otherwise his party would launch an agitation.

He also demanded compensation for those farmers whose crops have been gutted in recent fire.

Manhotra said the NBP was not a political party but a movement for the uplift of the weaker sections of society.

He said the party had fielded 100 candidates for the Lok Sabha elections all over the country. The party would support the formation of a secular and democratic government in the country.

Jammu, April 27
After the suspected militants blew up a vehicle on April 21 in Surankote tehsil of Poonch district, killing five persons, besides injuring nine others, eight accused out of 14 were shifted to the Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC) in Miran Sahib on the outskirts of the city here.

Official sources said the accused also included a former soldier and a PHE employee.

Talking to The Tribune, DIG Poonch-Rajouri range SDS Jamwal said 14 suspects were arrested and most of them were shifted to the JIC in Jammu.

“They confessed to their involvement in the IED explosion and with their confession the case has been solved,” said the DIG.

During the course of interrogation former soldier and PHE employee made startling revelations enabling the police to recover two cell phones and two Pakistani SIM cards from their Surankote residences, the sources said. Ex-soldier Vilayat Khan of Drogain Bafliaz and PHE employee Wazir Mohammed of Masandara Surankote were detained on the grounds of suspicion and their questioning led to the arrest of six others from the Bafliaz area of Surankote tehsil, they added.

However, another police officer from Surankote said seven accused were shifted to the JIC Jammu, while seven others were being interrogated in Poonch.

Top officers at the JIC here were tightlipped over shifting of eight accused saying revealing information may hamper the investigations.

Since April 12, the Army and Special Operations Group (SOG) have launched a combing operation in Surankote and the adjacent areas, including thick jungles, and they have got substantive clues regarding presence of around 12 Pak militants in the area, Defence sources said, adding the militants were heavily armed.

Barely a couple of days ahead of the second phase polls in the Udhampur parliamentary constituency on April 23, militants had blown up a pickup van in an IED explosion killing five persons, besides injuring nine others, in Surankote tehsil.