Srinagar, August 26
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court today reserved its decision for granting approval to the state government’s decision to transfer the probe into the Shopian incident to the CBI, but made some scathing observations over the investigation carried out so far, which has not brought out any solid lead.

Counsel for the state and the Bar, which opposed the transfer of the probe to the CBI, made their arguments and the Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Barin Ghosh asked what the CBI could do when officers picked by the them have failed. “We have got no doubt that they did not do what they were required to do,” the Chief Justice told Advocate-General Ishaq Qadri of the fruitless work carried out by the Special Investigation Team and wondered if the state wanted to bring the CBI in for the “purpose of an eyewash”. “You want to tell people I am not doing it… somebody else (CBI) is doing it and knowing well that you have done everything to shield your officers,” they observed.

The Bench, however, said it was not doubting the state’s intentions.

Qadri said the government wanted the CBI to replace the SIT as doubts had been raised over partiality of the state police and the petitioners, the Bar and legislators have accused the police of failure. The government, he said, could not be spectators to these allegations and that is why it had gone for a CBI probe, also demanded by legislatures.

The Bench nevertheless seemed dissatisfied with the status and asked Qadri if they had done anything to dispel those doubts. “Nothing is happening as far as investigation is concerned,” it said. It said all evidence seemed to have been destroyed.

Chief Justice Ghosh said political parties, local mafia and anti-national elements had taken “mileage out of this unfortunate event” while there had been no real progress in the probe of the murder of two women.

Udhampur, August 26
Though the level of violence in Kashmir valley has come down, but there is an increase in the cross-border infiltration attempts as Pakistan is still providing logistic support to the terrorist outfits’ operative in the state.

Speaking to The Tribune on sidelines of a function at the headquarters of the Northern Command, Lt-Gen PC Bharadwaj, General Officer in Commanding-in-Chief of the Northern Command, said: “Nearly 650 to 700 terrorists could be active in the state and the Army was prepared to eliminate them. However, the number of foreign terrorists operative in the state also come down as compared to the previous years.”

“The level of violence has dropped but there is an increase in the cross-border infiltration. This year alone, 26 infiltration bids were foiled in which 57 terrorists were gunned down,” Lt-Gen Bharadwaj said. As per details there were 72 successful infiltrations this year.

The Northern Command is responsible to guard the 772 km-long LoC and 122 km AGPL with Pakistan and 642 km-long LAC with China.

Lt-Gen Bharadwaj said though there had been minor aberrations in the ongoing ceasefire between the two nations, but the matter was resolved at local level.

“The terrorists have sympathisers and they are no taking agitative approach, which is quite dangerous. The separatists are exploiting the incidents of human rights violation,” he said.

When asked to comment on the threat perception from China as it was raising a huge infrastructure along the LAC, he said the Chinese infrastructural build-up posed no threat to India.

To specific questions about China’s emerging strength and its activities across the LAC in Kashmir, Lt-Gen Bharadwaj said: “There is nothing to worry about. Our troops are maintaining maximum vigil all over.”

Meanwhile, another officer of the Northern Command said the terrorist infrastructure across the border was still intact and a large number of trained terrorists were waiting to cross over to the Indian side.

“There are 34 terrorists training camps operative across the border, in which more than 1000 militants are undergoing training and are waiting to infiltrate into Indian side,” the officer said.

Udhampur, August 26
A top Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militant, who had managed to escape from a hotel in Batote due to negligence by a team of the Kulgam Police, was re-arrested from Chanderkote late last night while he was trying to sneak back into the valley.

A team of the Kulgam police was on its way to shift Hizbul militant Tariq Ahmed in Kathua jail. Without informing the local police, the team halted at a hotel in Batote on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway. The militant who was accompanying the cops escaped from the hotel. As the Ramban police got information about the incident, cops swung into action and teams were rushed to different areas.

The escaped militant was re-arrested near Chanderkote when he was trying to enter the valley.

Srinagar: A top Hizbul Mujahideen militant, who managed to walk off from a court after being given bail by a local court in Anantnag five days ago despite being wanted in several other cases, was nabbed on Tuesday evening from an Anantnag village.

Nisar Ahmad, alias Ghazi Misbah-ud-din, the then chief operation commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen in the state, was arrested in December, 2007.

However, a local court in Anantnag granted him bail last week and, much to police shock, ordered accompanying cops to hand over his custody to his lawyer who promptly managed to get him out of the court.

A massive hunt was launched for him and he was arrested again last evening.

Jammu, August 26
The state government’s decision to lift the ban on the export of rice has given a fresh lease of life to the wilting paddy cultivation. The government had banned the export of brown (unpolished), sarbati and coarse rice last year. Now, the upbeat farmers are demanding that paddy cultivation be brought under the ambitious Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY).

The government decided to ban rice exports in April last year as part of measures to keep a tab on steep hike in the prices of rice in the domestic market. Contrary to it, paddy growers had been protesting the government’s move asking it as to why the export of apples was not banned for the same reasons.

Due to the delayed rains, the ban on rice exports and low prices in the domestic market, the paddy growers had threatened to stop the cultivation of paddy from next year if the ban was not lifted.

Nevertheless, the decision of Qamar Ali Akhoon, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD), lifting the ban has brought cheers on the faces of rice growers in areas like RS Pura, Kathua, Marh and Bishnah.

“During the pre-ban period, the paddy prices were around Rs 3,300-3,400 per quintal and they came down to Rs 1,700-1,800 per quintal after the ban was imposed,” said Tajinder Singh, president of the J&K Kisan Council.

It is estimated that there are at least 270 rice mills. “We were exploited by rice mill owners due to the ban. We had no option but to sell our paddy crop to them at throwaway prices,” he said. He hoped with the ban lifted they would get higher bids for their produce.

“Now, we hope that the Agriculture Production Department will also take procedures to bring the wilting paddy cultivation under the purview of the RKVY so that farmers again evince interest in its cultivation,” he added.

“We had threatened to launch an agitation if the ban was not lifted. Due to the ban, millers, wholesalers and retailers were pocketing huge profits. We hail the government’s decision,” said Dev Raj, president of the Rice Growers Association.

Sarol (Rajouri), August 26
To combat terrorism, the Army has been providing specialised training to its soldiers in Corps Battle School (CBS) at Sarol in the frontier district of Rajouri.

The soldiers are imparted training and techniques here, which are based on various modus operandi adopted by the terrorists during the past 19 years. They are made battle hardened to crush the enemy under all circumstances and bring laurels to their regiments and pride to the nation.

Sarol is situated around 70 km away from Rajouri town and about 20 km from the LoC. “This is an ideal place with rough terrains. The school, thus, trains the soldiers in such a way that they become competent enough in fighting militancy in areas like Poonch and Rajouri,” said directing staff (instructor) Lt-Col Anil Rana.

While briefing a team of visiting journalists, Lt-Col Rana organised a demonstration of five types of battle drills that are taught to the soldiers to eliminate the terrorists on their very first sight.

The soldiers demonstrated how they identify the enemy when they are attacked by terrorists. In “natural alignment drill”, soldiers shoot the target without wasting time.

Simultaneously, in “fire and move drill” they demonstrated how soldiers hit the target quickly by changing their positions alternately after detecting any suspected element.

The swiftness with which a soldier hits his enemy was demonstrated in a drill called “quick reflex shooting”. Under this course a solider is trained to act quickly and start shooting the target when found during patrolling on mountain ranges. The soldiers patrolling in groups take positions immediately under such circumstances and encircle the suspected target leaving no space for the enemy to flee away.

“They are also taught the special methods to react in a situation where they face multi-direction fire by a small team of enemy in an ambush,” said Lt-Col Rana. During the demonstration of the course called “room intervention”, the soldiers act swiftly and in a planned way to eliminate terrorists who enter a residential house in a civilian locality. They are taught the skills to hit their targets taking due care of the residents of the house.

The fifth course is called “jungle lane shooting”. In this course the soldiers are taught the techniques to kill terrorists if found in a wild thick jungle where terrorists hide under the jungle grass.

(Concluded)

Srinagar, August 26
The Supreme Court has not only dismissed a special leave petition (SLP), but also upheld the order of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, asking Col Kishore Malhotra to make himself available to the special investigation team (SIT) formed to investigate the disappearance of Jana’s husband, Manzoor Ahmad.

Upholding the High Court order, which had directed Col Malhotra to appear before the SSP, Srinagar, for investigation, who is the chief investigation officer of the team, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal on August 24, Jana and her daughter Bilkis said at a press conference here today.

In the SLP, the Central government had challenged the High Court orders of June 5, 2008, and July 10, 2008. The High Court had directed the Budgam Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) to hold an inquiry and the CJM had indicted Col Malhotra for the disappearance of Manzoor, the mother-daughter duo said.

They said the High Court had constituted the SIT for conducting investigation. “On July 10, 2008, the court had observed that Col Malhotra, currently posted at the Brigade Headquarters, Drass, should appear before the SSP, Srinagar, the investigating officer. Instead of appearing before the SSP, Srinagar, the SLP was filed before the Supreme Court,” they said.

Jana’s husband, Manzoor Ahmad Dar, was arrested on January 19, 2002, by a contingent of 35 Rashtriya Rifles led by Col Malhotra.

Srinagar, August 26
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has said the separatist sentiment could not be addressed by filling jails or muzzling the voice of dissent, but needs a bold political handling to reach out to the people.

Speaking on the Chief Minister’s grants in the state Assembly, she said ‘azadi’ sentiments could not be tackled without understanding its genesis and responding to it with an alternative. She held that it was for the political leadership at the state level to put its act together and convey our feelings to the Centre on issues “on which we all agree”. “My party offers its unqualified support to any such initiative, be it on the matters of immediate significance or long term resolution paradigm,” she said.

In her 50-minute speech, Mehbooba recounted how the Central government through a series of acts had shaken the confidence of people thus feeding alienation among them and leading to the demands for a plebiscite or ‘azadi’ with only variation of expressions. This sentiment could not be erased either by the denial of justice or efforts to compensate it with controlled democracy, but by an alternative road map.

Referring to the alleged human rights violations, Mehbooba said the continued denial of justice to victims had turned the state into a virtual Guantanamo of Indian legal and political landscape.

Lamenting the plight of the state youths and their vulnerability to

suspicion by the security agencies, Mehbooba said they were arrested in and outside the state on flimsy or no grounds merely for their name. Nobody ever knew what happens to these unfortunate young men. “People are denied passports as a rule as much as their counterparts in the rest of the country get them as a fundamental right.”

Referring to the role of the police, Mehbooba recalled how this institution meant for crime control and law and order had been misused in the past and continued to be so.

Srinagar, August 26
The government today ruled out withdrawal of the Disturbed Areas Act in the state, saying no such proposal was under consideration.

Answering a question raised by Nizamuddin Bhat (PDP) in the Assembly, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said: "No such proposal is under consideration of the government at the moment." However, he said the state's internal security was under continuous review, and action would be considered as and when the situation warranted.

Replying to Mohammad Khalil Band of the PDP, Omar said security cover was provided to persons on the basis of an assessment of threat perception.

"The details of security cover provided to or withdrawn from protected persons has a direct bearing on the security of the persons concerned," he added.

Answering Mir Saifullah (NC), he admitted that some of the recommendations of the State Human Rights Commission were yet to be implemented.

"As many as 1008 recommendations have been received from the SHRC. Out of these, 578 cases have been disposed of by the deputy commissioners concerned and the Home Departement," he said. The balance 430 cases were being verified.

About the filling of two vacancies in the SHRC, Omar said the government was looking into the matter. — PTI

Srinagar, August 26
The government has earmarked Rs 1618.40 crore for return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandit migrants in the valley. Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Raman Bhalla said the government had Rs 7.50 lakh as cash assistance for construction and renovation of house for those migrants who had sold their property prior to 1997, and migrants who did not possess any house were entitled either on an individual basis by arranging land on their own or by forming a group housing society.

The minister said transit accommodation would also be made available by the government for six months or in case migrants arranged house on rent, the rent would initially be reimbursed.

He said the migrants registered under the relief category would be entitled for relief for two years after their return to the valley. Bhalla said an employment package for 6,000 unemployed migrant youth had already been approved.

The migrants who wished to return and set up income-generating units would be entitled to cash assistance of Rs 5 lakh of which Rs 2.5 lakh would be subsidy with the rest recoverable in easy instalments.

Jammu, August 26
The All Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) Workers Union has decided to proceed on an indefinite strike if its demand for the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations from July 2009 is not fulfilled immediately.

According to a statement issued here today, the SRTC employees said the buses and trucks of the corporation would not operate between Leh and Delhi till the state government accepted their demands.

Their other demands include the regularisation of services of consolidated, contractual employees, DPC be done and orders issued accordingly and contributions to the CPF and the GPF be deposited that had not been deposited for a decade.

Udhampur, August 26
Policemen fighting against terrorism in the mountainous region of Kishtwar district have been asked to open another front against those involved in pilfering potable water.

The gravity of the situation, which has arisen due to water scarcity, can be gauged from the fact that residents have been forcefully taking water from the main supply line that passes through their hamlets.

As the department concerned has expressed its helplessness in stopping people from breaking the main water supply line, the authorities have mooted a plan to form a Special Task Force (STF) to guard the 32 km-long pipe line that is the main supply line for the people of Kishtwar and adjoining localities.

The STF will comprise officials of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) and police departments. The proposed STF will patrol the 32 km track to keep a check on water theft.

“It is really difficult for us to stop those who forcibly break the main supply line and take water illegally,” Shesh Kumar Sharma, Executive Engineer, PHE, Kishtwar, told The Tribune. He admitted that the Deputy Commissioner had approved the department’s proposal regarding the constitution of the STF.

The supply of potable water in Kishwar township and the Mandal area comprising clusters of villages is solely dependant on the main line that starts from Naigarh. More than 60,000 people depend on this supply line. As some upper reaches are also confronting the scarcity of drinking water, residents of such hamlets have broken the main pipe for drinking water. Due to the breaking of the pipe at several places, residents of Kishtwar and outskirts are not getting adequate water supply.

The PHE authorities have been conducting raids to check water theft. Some influential persons of these villages have been utilising this water for irrigation purposes.

Jammu, August 26
The Progressive Students Association (PSA) today accused the police of causing damage to its study material and posters of freedom fighters during a raid in its office-cum-library at Tara Nagar Hatli Morh, Kathua. However, the police denied the charges.

The Tribune had reported in its columns that the PSA was helping Marvi Salathia who reportedly left her home against the wishes of her parents to study further.

The family of girl had lodged a report with the police, maintaining that she was kidnapped. Following the report, the police had also picked up two student activists for questioning.

“The police has been harassing us for helping the girl (Marvi) who was in distress. We helped her to continue with educational pursuits, which is her fundamental right,” Rahul, president of the PSA, said.

“Today, the police broke open the door and caused extensive damage to books and posters of freedom fighters,” he said.

Nayat Ali, SHO Hatli Morh, rejected the allegations and said: “It’s just a rumour. The police did not raid any office of the PSA.”