Samba, July 4
It was a rare occasion when all serving and retired officers and soldiers of the 18 Grenadier today gathered to pay homage to those brave soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice while recapturing the heights in Kargil occupied by the enemies in 1999. Every year, July 4 is observed as Vijay Diwas by the battalion.

After knowing that the enemy forces had captured the heights in Kargil, the 18 Grenadiers, which at that time was deployed near Srinagar, was ordered to move to Kargil and was given the assignment to recapture the heights of Tololing and Tiger Hill from the enemy.

“The battle for Tololing heights and Tiger Hill will always be remembered as the mother of all battles in the super high altitude area of above 15,000 feet,” Brig KC Thakur, the then Commanding Officer of the battalion, told The Tribune.

The heights of Tololing and Tiger Hill were the most strategically important locations, as they overlook and dominated Drass town and the Srinagar Leh National Highway. The highway was under the direct fire from the enemy forces, as they wanted to cut the road link of Leh from rest of the country.

The battalion commenced the operation on May 21, 1999, and by May 25, 1999, all ridges were recaptured and the intruders were compelled to withdraw. From May 25, 1999, to June 12, 1999, the battalion carried out a series of assaults on Tololing from multi-directions against the enemy holding the dominating position and heavily fortified with heavy automatic weapons.

“The treacherous terrain along with extreme cold climate, as well as a volley of artillery shelling, automatic small arms firing, sniping, mined and bobby-trapped approaches made the progress difficult. But we finally recaptured Tololing on the intervening night of June 12, and 13, where every inch of ground was gained at a heavy loss against stiff resistance. Lt-Col R Vishwanathan, Major RS Adhikari, two JCOs and eight other ranks made the supreme sacrifice and many others were injured,” Brig Thakur said.

After recapturing the Tololing heights on July 1, 1999, the other major task assigned to the battalion was to recapture Tiger Hill, a massive mountain feature located in Drass sub-sector that dominates Drass and the national highway.

While remembering the chain of events, Hav Yogender Singh Yadav, who was heading an assault team of seven men, and after braving a volley of bullets and rolling stones managed to reach the top, said, “When we saw enemy inside the bunker, we opened fire killing four of them. At another position, there were 10 enemies. We killed eight of them. Six of my men were also killed and my own body was riddled with bullets.”

He said, “Their reinforcement arrived and their plan was to destroy our MMG position. I prayed to God that he should keep me alive so that I could pass on the message to my superiors. The enemy in order to make sure that all of us were dead, again fired bullets on us, but a coin in my pocket saved me.”

The 18 Grenadiers finally recaptured Tiger Hill on this day 10 years ago, but the battalion lost 38 of its brave men.

Jhangar-Nowshera (Rajouri), July 4
Peace, prosperity and development --- these are the three wishes of Vice-President Hamid Ansari for the residents of border areas of the state.

Speaking to The Tribune on the sidelines of the function, Ansari said, “I wish peace, prosperity and development for the people living in border areas as well as other areas of the state.”

He unveiled the bust of Brig Muhammad Usman, who sacrificed his life while fighting the Pakistani forces in 1948.

However, Ansari skirted a question on the revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) saying the “decision has to be taken by the Prime Minister and the government. You leave it to them”.

Earlier after unveiling the bust of Brig Usman and laying the wreath on his memorial, the Vice-President surprised all when he told them that Brig Usman was his cousin. “Brig Usman was my cousin. I was very young when he achieved the martyrdom”.

Saluting the martyr, Ansari said, “Everybody feels proud of him. He was a great national hero.”

Brig Usman, who is also known as the “Hero of Nowshera”, was awarded Mahavir Chakra posthumously.

Ansari also felicitated 12 ex-servicemen, who had worked as Bal Sainiks under Brig Usman himself, during the war for the liberation of Nowshera and Jhangar areas. They provided logistic support to the Army in fighting the enemy.

The Vice-President also interacted with the niece of Brig Sayida Fayaz-ud-Din, who along with her husband Col M. Fayaz-ud-Din (retd) had come all the way from Lucknow to attend the function. Ansari also dedicated to the nation Brigadier Usman Memorial Hospital on the occasion. The memorial function was attended by Lt-Gen PC Bhardwaj, Army Commander, Northern Command, Lt-Gen RK Swamy, GOC, White Night Corps, Lt-Gen PC Katoch, Lt-Gen Nirbhay Sharma (retd), SDS Jamwal, DIG, Rajouri-Poonch Range, Jaipal P. Singh, Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, Shafqat Watali, SSP, Rajouri, and other senior Army officers.

Jammu, July 4
BJP state spokesperson Ramesh Arora has demanded that the benefits of the welfare schemes started by the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs under the Prime Minister’s new 15-point programme to be extended to the state’s minority community.

Recently applications have been invited from students belonging to Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi communities, notified under Section 2 (C) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992, as minorities, for the purpose of scholarship and other schemes.

Arora said the Hindus were in minority in the state and the term Hindu as per Constitution of India and state included Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. Hence, the benefits be extended to these minorities and there should be no discrimination on this account, he added.

He held the NC-Congress alliance responsible for not extending the benefits to the state minorities as it was done in rest of the country. He blamed government for giving step motherly treatment to the members of the state minority community.

Arora said his party had taken serious note of the callous attitude of the government and his party would table a Bill to this extent in the forthcoming Assembly session to redress the problems of minority community of the state.

Jhangar-Nowshera (Rajouri), July 4
It was a nostalgic moment not only for the relatives of Brig Muhammad Usman, but also for the ex-servicemen who saw him fight.

“I am feeling emotional. But I am very proud about the achievement of my maternal uncle. This day has a great meaning for us. But what makes it more pleasant today is that the Vice-President attended the function and unveiled his bust,” said Sayida Fayaz-ud-Din, niece of Brig Usman, with tears in her eyes. Sayida along with her husband Col M. Fayaz-ud-Din (retd), had come all the way from Lucknow, to attend the memorial function of her maternal uncle.

“My message to the countrymen is that just be united and forget all differences of region, religion etc,” Col Fayaz-ud-Din said while addressing mediapersons.

“It could never have been a bigger, emotional and sentimental feeling than today when we physically visited this place. Comparatively, it is a great educational and sentimental visit for us, especially for my wife who is a niece of Brig Usman,” he said.

Bal Sainiks who had worked for the Army under Brig Usman too turned emotional at the function. “It is a very emotional moment for all members of the Bal Saina, which was formed by Brig Sahib himself. What a brave soldier he was? We all salute his courage, heroism and sacrifice for the motherland,” said 75-year-old Honorary Captain Moti Ram, who hails from Nowshera here. “I stand witness to his death. Till the last moment, Brig Usman fought valiantly before an artillery shell hit him. If he had not achieved martyrdom, the Army would have even captured Kotli and Mirpur.

Srinagar, July 4
At least six persons, including three CRPF personnel, were injured in Sopore today as protests erupted over the recovery of the body of a young boy, who had gone missing on June 30, from a river last evening.

Khalid had disappeared on June 30, when the authorities had clamped a curfew in the apple town, and his family alleged that he was chased by CRPF personnel following which he jumped into the river and drowned. The CRPF has denied the charge. One of the CRPF jawans was seriously injured in his eye today as he was hit by a stone.

Anantnag in south Kashmir was largely closed over the alleged disappearance of a youth from an Army camp at Larkipora in Dooru last week. Locals said he was called by Rashtriya Rifles officials and was never seen since. The Army said they did call him, but he left the campus.

Srinagar, however, was relatively quiet. 

Srinagar, July 4
A fresh postmortem of the bodies of Neelofar Jan and Aasiya Jan may throw up new scientific evidence and lift the veil of mystery over the case, caused to a large extent by the incomplete and vague autopsy reports prepared by doctors, who were subsequently severely indicted by the one-man judicial commission probing the alleged rape and murder of the young women.

Police officials associated with the investigation said the fresh autopsy could be particularly helpful in the case of Aasiya, whose body bore several injuries but their exact nature and cause could not be known yet.

The initial postmortem had not found serious injuries on the body of Neelofer and the subsequent medical reports said she could have died due to “neurogenic shock”, which might come under legal scrutiny if the police do manage to trial the case for murder.

New autopsies, if carried out by experts, could also indicate the likely timing of the alleged rape, something missing from the records so far. Though it remains anybody’s guess if the new team of doctors could find required samples from the bodies, buried more than a month back, but they are more certain to determine the cause of death and nature of injuries.

The medical reports had said Aasiya (16) had received sharp-edged injury on her head but what weapon could have caused the injury was never said. An examination of the victim’s skull is likely to be more revealing. Even the judicial commission had admitted to the paucity of scientific evidence and depended more on circumstantial evidence and witnesses’ claims to its course of probe.

Srinagar, July 4
Cutting across party lines various political parties and associations have welcomed the State High Court order on the exhumation of the bodies of two women allegedly raped and murdered in Shopian last month.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah welcoming the decision said those found guilty would not be spared and action would be taken against them. He said the exhumation and DNA test would help in identifying those involved in the rape and murder case of the two women. Holding that the process was going in the right direction, Omar hoped that the investigations could take days or weeks to get completed. He said Justice Muzaffar Ahmad Jan in its interim report had also referred to the insufficient postmortem reports of the two women.

Welcoming the decision, a PDP spokesman said it would be good if it helps to book the accused in the case. He said a number of deadlines set by the Chief Minister and other ministers had already passed without any results. He lamented that agitation in Shopian continued for the past 36 days and its fallout was witnessed all across the valley. “We would like the culprits to be booked”, the spokesman said.

The Consultative Committee of Shopian spearheading then agitation to take action against those involved in the case, has also welcomed the decision. According to its head, Mohammad Shafi Khan, it would extend its full cooperation if the exhumation of the bodies was necessary to reach at any conclusion.

The High Court Bar Association has also welcomed the decision saying that it would cover all aspects of the case.

Leh, July 4
Tsering Dorjey, chairman of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, at a meeting with the members of the 13th Finance Commission, said Leh and Kargil districts should not be treated as equals for funds allocation. The commission members, Dr Sanjiv Mishra and BK Chaturvidi, are in Ladakh on a two-day visit.

Urging the commission to treat Leh district as special for funds allocation because it being the largest district in the country, Dorjey said funds allocation to Leh and Kargil districts should be on the basis of area and population. He added that the state government had been releasing equal funds for both districts.

Seeking funds for the multi-purpose tunnelling at Khardongla Pass, Dorjey told the commission that the NHPC had done feasibility studies on tunnelling and it was preparing a detailed project report.

The tunnelling at Khardongla Pass is significant in terms of transport and communication needs of defence forces posted at Siachen Glacier and the Nubra subdivision of the district and the diversion of the Shyok river water towards Leh town for irrigation and drinking purposes.

The council also sought Rs 656 crore for the maintenance of infrastructure, including roads, buildings, bridges and irrigation projects, and additional Rs 50 lakh for disaster management. The council chairman also urged the commission members to release the funds at the beginning of the financial year owing to a short working season in the district. Dorjey also sought Rs 45 lakh for the maintenance of 13 centralised residential schools and hostels in the district. These schools were started by the council in remote areas of Nubra, Nyoma and Durbuk blocks of the district under the Ninth Five Year Plan to check the dropout rate at the primary level. 

Jammu, July 4
People have welcomed the Railway budget presented by Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee. The minister has not increased passenger fares as well 
as freight.

The added bonus was to see the name of Jammu and Katra featuring in 50 railway stations of the country earmarked to have world class infrastructure. Besides, Jammu is also going to have a special non-stop train. This will help the city a great deal that receives hundreds of devotees daily.

“In this age of recession, when people are feeling the pinch of reduced salaries, the idea of the minister not to hike passenger fares is praiseworthy,” says Yashpal, a scientist with the state Pollution Control Board.

The business community passing through a harrowing time due to the economic meltdown has also hailed the step of not increasing freight rates. Tejwant Arin, president of the Small Scale Industries Association, said, “It is a big relief for the business community, especially traders from small industries, who are bearing the brunt of the economic crisis that the freight have not been increased.”

Jatin Chaudhary, a student of Jammu University, expressed happiness over students getting 60 per cent concession in the railway fare. Whereas, Veena Gupta, a devotee from Jaipur on wat to Mata Vaishno Devi with her family, said Mamata’s concern for upgrading the security system at railway stations was the best one.

Ashok Sharma, Divisional Traffic Manager, said “It is heartening to know that the minister has announced the filling of all vacant posts of lower railway employees. The girl child scholarship, hospitals and private medical colleges on railway land are some of the excellent measures put up by the Union minister.”

Srinagar, July 4
The Dara Shikoh Centre for Arts organised a three-day festival of music, arts and theatre here today. Apart from interactive session, the festival offers a variety of programmes, including music, display of art-work, performance by visiting artists and discussions.

On the inaugural day, participants interacted with Sadia Dehlvi, Delhi-based Television commentator and columnist. The interaction revolved round her book, “Sufism: The heart of Islam” and participants discussed with the author about various facets of book. A talk on “Spiritual traditions of Kashmir” moderated by Prof. Meem Hai Zaffar was also conducted.

During the course of workshop interaction with well-known musician and guitarist Deepak Castelino and reputed film maker Shyamal Karmakar, Satyajit Ray Institute of Film, Kolkata would also take place. This will be followed by performance by visiting artists like Madan Gopal, M. K Raina and Haji Mohammad Ghulam Dhansalia.