Rajbagh, April 20
After two heavily armed Pakistan terrorists managed to escape from a nursery near Chabechak village in the Rajbagh area of Kathua district on the intervening night of April 19 and 20, the security forces launched a massive search and combing operation to hunt them this morning. Additional reinforcements were rushed to the area. “There is no result so far, but searches are on and the area of search has been expanded,” IG, Jammu zone, Ashok Kumar Gupta told The Tribune.

In fact, a fresh cordon has been laid to track down the two foreign mercenaries,” said Gareeb Dass, SSP, Kathua district. This morning, we seized a rucksack from the nursery containing wire cutters, some eatables and certain documents, said the SSP.

“We have also found their footprints in the area and launched a search and combing operation in a much wider area, including the Jammu-Pathankot highway,” he added.

“The right side of the Bhagh Nullah near Chabechak has been completely scanned and now the left side that connects with the highway is being searched by the forces comprising the police, Special Operations Group, Territorial Army and the CRPF,” Gareeb Dass said.

Asked about injury to one of the fleeing ultras in a brief exchange of fire with the police yesterday, the SSP said, “One of them had fell down following the police firing, but so far we have not come across any bloodstains in the area.”

Before hiding in the nursery spread over 400 kanals, the Pakistan terrorists had yesterday attacked a local resident and a farmer and snatched their motorcycle and cycle at Haria Chak. However, the police refused to disclose the identity of the victims.

Sources said the security forces and the two Pakistan terrorists had a brief exchange of gunfire around 10 pm yesterday and 12.30 am early today and then intermittent firing continued till 3 am before the latter managed to escape under the cover of darkness.

Meanwhile, an eerie silence prevailed in Chabechak and other surrounding villages where people have been advised to exercise maximum restraint while venturing out of their houses. Security personnel in combat fatigues along with sniffer dogs were seen scanning the area.

Srinagar, April 20
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has reiterated his government’s determination to protect and uphold human rights under all circumstances, saying no compromise would be made on the issue of human rights violations in the state.

He was addressing a public meeting in the Langate area of Kupwara district in north Kashmir after inaugurating two vital bridges over the Mawar nullah today. He said the government was committed to zero tolerance against human rights violations. “The blood of innocent people is not so cheap that those responsible for its shedding will be allowed to go scot-free. We will ensure justice to every sufferer as has been done by us in various such cases during the last 15 months,” Omar said.

His remarks are significant as they come after the mysterious death of a 70-year-old person in the forest area near Handwara town in Kupwara district on Wednesday. While the security forces claimed that the body of the unidentified person was found after an encounter with militants, the police claimed he was a civilian from the Lolab area.

Omar held that his government would fulfil all poll promises, adding that he believed in deeds rather than slogans. He said the six years of his government would be known as the period of development, progress and welfare. “Equitable progress of all areas with special focus on the double-speed development in the rural backward areas is our endeavour,” he said.

During the 15 months of his government, special attention had been paid to upgrading and improving road communication in the state, he said. More than 50 bridges had been constructed during this period, while an equal number of bridges was under various stages of execution, he added.

On the inter-district recruitment policy, the Chief Minister said 92 per cent population in the districts would get an exclusive benefit out of the new policy while during the PDP regime it was made a free for all affair, surrendering the domicile rights of people living in the districts.

Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated two bridges on nullah in the Langate constituency. The Rs 4.58 crore and 130 metre steel concrete bridge at Kutlary Mawar would benefit a population of over 20,000 residing in eight villages. The Rs 4.06 crore and 110 metre bridge inaugurated at Kalamchakla would benefit 40,000 people in 11 villages.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by Minister for Roads and Bridges GM Saroori, Minister for Social Welfare Sakina Itoo, Minister of State for PHE Nasir Aslam Wani, Minister of State for R&B Javaid Ahmed Dar and local MLA Abdul Rashid. 

Jammu, April 20
Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats Ali Mohammad Sagar held a high-level meeting today to review the pace of work regarding the Panchayat House being constructed at the Rail Head Complex.

The minister directed the officers concerned to speed up the pace of the project work as its timely completion was of great importance in view of the ensuing panchayat elections. He said it would be used for imparting training to the elected panches and sarpanches for the proper implementation of the Panchayati Raj Act.

Sagar said the requisite funds had already been earmarked to the executing agency, JKPCC, for the construction of the Panchayat House. He further directed them to complete the same within the stipulated time frame so that its benefit was fully utilised.

It is pertinent to mention that the Panchayat House would have a well-equipped library, besides 14 rooms and other allied facilities. 

Jammu, April 20
After its worst defeat in the last state Assembly elections, leaders of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have ultimately raised a banner of revolt against state coordinator Narinder Kashyap, who, according to a majority of workers, was solely responsible for the party’s debacle.

The state executive committee meeting of the BSP was held on Monday to devise a strategy to revive the party in the region. The leaders discussed various aspects to revitalise demoralised the cadre and control shifting of its vote bank towards the Congress.

Party insiders said a majority of the leaders present at the meeting expressed resentment against the style of functioning of Narinder Kashyap, who has been appointed by BSP chief and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati to manage the affairs. Leaders blamed Kashyap for the worst-ever defeat.

“We will give suggestions to our party chief to remove the present coordinator and give all powers to the local leadership to manage the affairs themselves”, a senior BSP leader told on condition of anonymity. He said local leaders had sought an appointment with the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister to air their grievances.

The BSP, which had won four assembly seats in the 1996 elections failed to win even a single seat in the last elections. Not only the party failed to open its account, the BSP leadership also proved incompetent to maintain its vote bank in the rural areas of Jammu district. The BSP has a strong vote bank in the R.S Pura, Bishnah, Samba, Marh and Kathua areas, but due to wrong selection of candidates, the party failed to win any assembly seat.

During the last five years, prominent BSP leaders have left the party due to the behaviour of the coordinator. Dr Satpal, H.R Chargota, Dr Gafoor Ahmed are the three stalwarts who had left the party during the last four years.

Dr Satpal, who is one of the founder-members of the party in the state, had levelled serious allegations against Kashyap while resigning from the party. Sources disclosed that some prominent BSP leaders, who had left the party, had assured to return, if Kashyap was removed.

Srinagar, April 20
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has blamed the government for “insensible handling” of the situation which had led to further dithering the atmosphere in the state, and demanded reducing security forces and making them accountable by revoking Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

She was addressing a public meeting at Devar Anderbug in the Lolab area of Kupwara district, where she had gone to condole the death of elderly Habibullah, who was killed by the security forces last Wednesday.

She claimed that the status of Jammu and Kashmir had got eroded after accession as a result of selfish attitude of political leaders. Those who played their role in the accession behaved like commission agents between New Delhi and the state, she said. “When things went well for their personal interests, there was no problem between the Centre and the people of Jammu and Kashmir, but as their personal interest was hit by one way or the other, they exploited the galling masses, which resulted in unending tragedies for the people of the state,” she said.

Jammu, April 20
The Jammu Private Schools and Elementary Teachers’ Training Institutes Association (Progressive) has asked the police to make public the outcome of its investigation into the paper leak cases of Class XII board papers.

The president of the association, Deep Singh, expressed concern over the suspicious silence maintained by the state government over the episode.

Deep Singh also urged the civil society to be assertive over the issue as it involved the future of the students of the region. “Such practices discourage the honest and diligent students. If such practices are not rooted out from the system, we can well imagine their impact on young and impressionable minds,” he said.

Alleging failure on the part of the Jammu police in investigating the paper leak cases, Deep Singh said it had remained passive despite knowing culprits and institutions involved in such practices. The association also appealed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and legislators to ensure a time-bound investigation into the recent paper leak incidents by the CBI to repose the faith of students in the Board of School Education, besides strict action against the culprits. 

Jammu, April 20
Activists of the Jammu Joint Students Federation (JJSF) today held a protest demonstration against the university authorities for their decision of increasing fees of Ph.d and other professional courses offered by University of Jammu. The protest was held on the Canal Road, opposite Government Gandhi Memorial Science College.

The protesters raised slogans against the university authorities and burnt the effigy of the Vice-Chancellor of the university. They alleged that the university authorities were trying to increase the fee of PG courses and demanded withdrawal of their decision immediately.

While addressing the protesters, Partap Singh Jamwal, state vice-president, JJSF, said the university authorities should retain the fee structure of Ph.d and professional courses as it was earlier. He said by increasing the fee, the university would increase the financial burden of the students and their families.

Jammu, April 20
A delegation of Deputy Heads of the Missions of Nordic countries called on the Governor, NN Vohra, at Raj Bhavan, here this evening.

The delegation comprised Danny Annan, Minister-Counsellor/ Deputy Chief of Mission, Denmark; Liisa Valjento, Minister-Counsellor/Deputy Head of Mission, Finland; Aslak Brun, Minister-Counsellor/Deputy Chief of Mission, Norway, and Anders Sjoberg, Minister and Deputy Head of Mission, Sweden.

The Governor answered the questions raised by members of the delegation, which related to varied aspects of the development story of Jammu and Kashmir.

Jammu, April 20
The third tunnel, which is airy, well lit and with very convenient headway, and which provides an excellent ‘darshan’ at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, was today thrown open to the pilgrims amidst chanting of Vedic mantras and special pooja and other religious ceremonies.

Dr SS Bloeria, a member of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, Commissioner/Secretary, Planning and Development, BB Vyas, Commissioner/Secretary, Finance, Sudhanshu Pandey, Principal Secretary to the Governor and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO)of the Shrine Board Raj Kumar Goyal, Additional Chief Executive Officer Dr MK Bhandari, Technical Consultant HL Maini and other officers of the board participated in the pooja.

Governor NN Vohra, who is also the chairman of the Shrine Board, has been taking keen interest for strengthening the infrastructural facilities for the visiting pilgrims to ensure an increasingly smooth and comfortable pilgrimage.

He has repeatedly stressed the need to continuously upgrade and improve the amenities for the yatris. In this context, he has been personally reviewing the progress of various ongoing projects on the spot.

The Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, has also been approached to depute a team of experts for carrying out a time motion-study of the queues at various locations between Katra and Bhawan, with a view to taking measures to reduce the waiting time of the pilgrims and, thus, providing them further comfort.

The CEO disclosed that after opening of the third tunnel, the existing tunnel would be renovated. He said a number of projects had been taken in hand, while many others were in the pipeline for further expanding and upgrading the facilities for the pilgrims.

He added that the steps were also underway for putting in place a material ropeway between Siar Dabri and the Bhawan and a passenger ropeway between Bhawan and Bhairo Ghati.

Jammu, April 20
Even two weeks after the murder of a Railway Police constable,Amarjeet Singh, the Jammu police has failed to make any headway and the culprits are still untraced.

Though the officers investigating the killing of the constable, who was found dead in the Sainik Colony Road on the night of April 6, have prepared sketchy details with which they are reconstructing the events, they have not yet found any clue to the crime.

Amarjeet Singh, who worked with the DSP, Railway, as a driver was stabbed to death when he was returning to his house at Bandhurakh in Kunjawani after his duty at the GRP Lines. His body was found laying a few metres away from his motorcycle. Even some hair was found in his hand.

It may be stated here that the constable was murdered a day after the recovery of Rs 54 lakh “black money” from a Delhi-based businessman at Jammu Tawi railway station.

Still after getting the samples of hair and other things from the spot, the police has failed to solve the case. “It seems the constable had some clash with some persons (they might be some associates of the accused involved in the recovery of Rs 54 lakh black money) and then he was killed by using some sharp-edged weapons”, a senior police officer said.

However, he cited another theory according to which the constable might have been killed due to old rivalry. But a third theory has given a new direction to the episode. “We have recorded the statements of the family and it seems to be a result of a family dispute. There might be some involvement of any girl in this incident or Amarjeet might be having relations with some girl”, the officer said.

He added that they were applying all these theories to solve the case and that’s “why it is taking a long time”. He further said it had been established that the constable was stabbed nine times.

However, Basant Rath, SSP Jammu, ruling out these theories, said:”There might be some connection of any girl with this incident. We are applying this theory and are very close to solving the case”. He further said everything was premeditated to kill the constable as nothing appeared to be the outcome of immediate provocation”, he said.

Jammu, April 20
The Jammu police today claimed to have arrested another accused Yashpal, a resident of Tikri in Udhampur, who was avoiding his arrest for the past two days, for allegedly harassing a girl over phone for the past few days.

The police said acting on the complaint of a girl, one accused namely Jasbir Singh was arrested on Sunday in this connection. Parvez Sajjad, SHO, Bus Stand police station, said: “After the arrest of Yashpal, we are trying to nab the mobile phone dealer who sold the SIM connection on fake documents.” — TNS