Jammu, July 18
The Army has so far lost at least five of its young officers in different anti-terrorist operations across the restive state in the current year.

The Army lost Captain Davinder Singh Jass of 1 PARA on February 23 this year, Captain Deepak Sharma of 42 Rashtriya Rifles (parent unit ‘Signals’) on March 4, Major Yogendra of 7 Garhwal Rifles on May 5, Colonel Neeraj Sood of 18 Rashtriya Rifles (parent unit ‘8 Rajputana Rifles’) on June 22 and Major Amit Kumar Thenge of 37 Rashtriya Rifles (parent unit’Signals’) on July 13.

“To avoid collateral damage and civilian casualties during the anti-terrorist operations, the men in olive continue to sacrifice their lives in the line of duty,” said sources in the Army.

“Unlike Pakistan, which readily uses air-power to destroy militant hideouts and kills 15 to 20 persons in one strike, we operate with utmost restraint so as to avoid collateral damage. We go to the extent of sacrificing our soldiers and officers,” they added.

In the backdrop of such a situation, when politicians level allegations (of atrocities and staged encounters) and talk about abrogation or dilution of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), “we feel as if we are fighting the Pakistan-sponsored terrorism with our one arm tied behind”, said the sources.

Demand of revocation or dilution of the AFSPA more or less has become a political issue in the state, particularly for the Kashmir-centric parties like the PDP and the ruling coalition partner, the NC.

In the last five months, the Army lost as many officers but unfortunately not even a single word of appreciation came from the valley-based political outfits, said sources.

Those who talked about scrapping or diluting special laws given to the armed forces should not forget that “we are fighting a proxy war being aided and abetted by Pakistan”, they said.

“The Army is not here out of its will. Since Pakistan is fuelling terrorism in the state, we have been asked to neutralise their nefarious designs,” said sources.

In the recent past, the PDP had demanded withdrawal of troops from the state and there was nothing wrong if a political party raised such a demand but the government should also see the ground realities, they added.

“And being an interwoven democratic society, if Army could face such issues then why did politicians react sharply when we said the state establishment had failed to build on gains made by the Army in 2008 in the restive state”, said the sources.

Jammu, July 18
Security forces today gunned down a militant during wee hours in the Patnazi area of Kishtwar district today.

Acting on a tip-off, troops of the Rashtriya Rifles and the Special Task Force (STF) launched a search operation during the intervening night of July 17 and 18 in Konighot forest of the Patnazi area.

The STF, which included policemen from Devigol, Dhandal and Bhanwara police posts, succeeded in locating the hideout of the militants and on approaching the location, the militants, who were reportedly two in number, fired indiscriminately on the party.

The fire was returned and an encounter started, which lasted for about an hour.

After the firing stopped, the area was searched and the body of an unidentified militant was found. Efforts were being made to ascertain the identity of the slain ultra.

The second militant fled from the spot taking cover of the thick forest. The search was on to track him down.

According to reports, one AK rifle, two magazines, eight live rounds and a mobile phone were recovered from the encounter site.

Just two days ago, two Lashkar operatives, including a self-styled “commander” Mohmmad Shafi Pathan, who had been active in militancy for the last 20 years, were arrested from Patnazi during a search-and-cordon operation in Kishtwar.

Meanwhile, success continued to elude the Army in hunting down the remaining militants in Poonch, even as its operation entered its sixth day today. The Army continued with its cordon-and-search operation in Beri Rakh forests of the Mendhar sector in Poonch, 230 km north of Jammu.

“The operation is still on and the cordon is in place. In fact, troops fired in the night twice,” Brigadier General Staff of 16 Corps, Brig Satish Dua said.

Sources, however, said last night intermittent firing between the troops and militants that started around 2.30 am continued till 6 am.

They said, around 1,800 troops of the Army, the CRPF and the Special Operations Group (SOG) were deployed to flush out the ultras.

The area of operation has been widened to Chajla, Bhati Dhar, Thera Topa and Drana forests adjoining the Beri Rakh area. Sources said, militants had constructed underground bunkers in the dense forest where they had stocked sufficient food items.

However, SSP, Poonch, Manmohan Singh said: “Either the remaining militants have been killed or they might have moved to other area in the vast and dense jungle,” he said.

The search was on and hopefully the clear picture would emerge this evening or by tomorrow, said the police officer. It may be stated that a group of 10 to 12 heavily armed militants was suspected to have infiltrated from the Mankote forest belt in Mendhar. The Army had gunned down two militants while it lost Major Amit Thenge, and 11 soldiers, including a Major and a Colonel, sustained injuries since the operation had begun on July 13.

Srinagar, July 18
Life in the Kashmir valley was hit again today as residents were restricted to their houses following an agitational programme started by the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani from today.

Separatists had given a call to people to observe a complete strike today and employees were asked to protest against the arrest of separatist leaders and youth by the police on July 19.Similar protest programmes were given for the week till July 25.

The separatists had given a half-day relaxation in the strike yesterday to enable people to purchase essential commodities.

“We were running out of stock due to protests and the curfew for the past several days. So,the first thing I did yesterday when there was a half-day relaxation in the strike was to purchase two bags of rice”, said Kulwant Singh, a resident of Aluchi Bagh locality of Srinagar.

Meanwhile, strict restrictions were put in place at various places across the Kashmir valley to avert any untoward incident even though curfew was not imposed. At certain places,people said policemen were heard making announcements asking them not to come out of their houses. A report from Baramulla said the situation in the town where a 10-year-old boy was drowned last evening remained tense. Security was tightened to avert any violent protests.

RS Pura, July 18
After last night’s rainfall in the Jammu region, rice growers, especially in the RS Pura sector, which is famous for its quality of rice and known as the rice bowl, have found a reason to smile as agriculture experts have predicted this week to be an appropriate one for sowing paddy.

Terming this week optimum for paddy plantation and forecasting some more rain in the coming days, Mahender Singh, an agriculture scientist at Sher-e-Kashmir University for Agriculture Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) said, “Till July 25, farmers who will plant the paddy in their fields can expect the maximum crop yield.”

“In the initial days of planting the paddy, nearly 5 cm water is necessary to be maintained in the fields, which is easily available these days.So, the farmers should not delay sowing the paddy,” he said.

Singh added: “The evaporation rate is 6 mm per day and that is too less.So, the farmers have no need to worry about their crops and they should make the maximum use of this period.”

In many villages, including Abdullian, Kullian, Suchetgarh and Gulabgarh, farmers are busy in their fields, planting paddy saplings. The water level is also average in canals and some tributaries in the area.

Bodh Raj, a farmer in Kullian village, said: “I have eight kanals of agriculture land and acting upon the advice of agriculture scientists, I have started planting paddy in the fields from today.”

He further said last year he had sown Old Basmati and got the maximum yield.

“This year also, I am sowing the same quality, because it is famous all across the world for its flavour,” Bodh Raj added.

A senior rice expert at SKUAST in Chatha village said so far nearly 50 per cent of sowing had been completed in the region. “The current stage of sowing is normal.After it, the late sowing stage will come, which is less useful than this period,” he added. 

Jammu, July 18
The war of words between the state unit of the BJP and the Panthers Party has intensified with both the parties blaming each other for sabotaging the cause of people in general and the national interest in particular.

On the one hand, the Panthers Party has stepped up its campaign against the government headed by Omar Abdullah, on the other, the party has started attacking the BJP directly for, what it called, “shielding” the failed Chief Minister. “Everyone in the state, except for the BJP, has been criticising the government for its failure to control the situation in the Valley,” observed Panthers Party chief Bhim Singh, adding, “Instead of criticising the government, BJP leaders have rather been supporting this dispensation for its petty personal gains.”

Bhim Singh minced no words in attacking the BJP for attending the all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. “Resolution against security forces was passed in the meeting and the BJP was very much present there, which exposes the double standard of the party,” he said, adding, “At Jammu, the BJP is holding demonstration in support of the security forces while in the all-party meeting the same party was condemning the security forces, including the Army.”

The Panthers Party chief said it was clear that the BJP leadership in the state had repeatedly stabbed in the back of the people of the Jammu region. “There is an unholy nexus between the BJP and the NC in the state, which is dangerous for the people of Jammu,” he alleged and pointed out that it was an open secret that during the Rajya Sabha two BJP MLAs had voted in favour of the NC candidates but till date no action had been taken against them. He further alleged the proximity of some BJP leaders with the NC leadership was known to everyone in the state.

Earlier all the three Panthers Party MLAs, namely Harsh Dev Singh, Balwant Singh Mankotia and Yashpal Kundal, have termed BJP as ‘B Team’ of the ruling NC.

The BJP, on the other hand, has charged the Panthers Party with skirting its responsibility as a political party. “There was no reason to boycott the all-party meeting called by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Instead of boycotting the meeting, the Panthers Party should have attended it and put forth its view point to corner the government,” said BJP state president Shamsher Singh Manhas. 

Srinagar, July 18
Opposition leader and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has taken a strong exception of the remarks made by the Union Home Secretary GK Pillai on the role of her party in the ongoing turmoil in the valley

She said the official has clearly violated the code of conduct for civil servants. “He has clearly crossed the line that his conduct rules prescribe” she said while commenting on the Home Secretary’s recent remarks.

In a statement, Mehbooba said it seemed Pillai had convinced himself that neither the Constitution nor the conduct rules applied to Jammu and Kashmir like the other states.

Such officials, unfortunately, conveyed a colonial mindset to the people of the state which was unacceptable to the PDP, she added.

The PDP president said even as she did not want to join issues with an official of the government, the Home Secretary’s observations were particularly objectionable. 

Pahalgam, July 18
Governor NN Vohra, who is also the chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, today paid a surprise visit to the Nunwan base camp near Pahalgam and reviewed the security and overall arrangements for the ongoing yatra to the holy cave shrine.

He went around the Nunwan base camp for nearly two hours for a detailed inspection of the logistical facilities and other arrangements made for the pilgrimage.

He interacted with officers of the shrine board, district administration and representatives of the various government departments and agencies concerned, which are providing services to the yatris.

He spent a great deal of time in reviewing the arrangements regarding sanitation, cleanliness, toilet facilities, working of sewage treatment plant, power and drinking water supply, medicare, functioning of langars and other utilities.

He directed all concerned to ensure effective arrangements for the collection and disposal of solid wastes on a daily basis at all locations in the yatra area for ensuring cleanliness. He laid special emphasis on maintaining cleanliness and effective enforcement of all required measures for protecting the environment and ecology of the yatra area. The Governor issued strict instructions to langarwalas to ensure cleanliness and maintain hygienic conditions. Vohra reviewed the security arrangements and checked the frisking points. He also reviewed the functioning of the helicopter services operating on the Pahalgam-Panjtarni route.

He also interacted with the yatris and enquired about the efficacy of the arrangements made by the shrine board and the various state government departments for facilitating them. The yatris were appreciative of the arrangements. The Governor, who has been personally monitoring all the yatra arrangements and movement of the yatris on daily basis, expressed satisfaction at the arrangements. He added the arrangements needed to be fine-tuned, wherever required, to make the yatra a pleasurable experience for the pilgrims.

Jammu, July 18
The ever-soaring prices of vegetables have upset household budgets here. The prices of vegetables have touched sky due to the shortage of supply from the states of Punjab and Haryana, which are battling floods.

“Because of floods in Punjab and Haryana, there is an acute shortage of fresh vegetables.So, the prices of whatever vegetables come are very high”, said Manoj Kumar, a wholesale dealer. He said farmers in the two neighbouring states preferred to sell their produce in the local market rather than sending it to Jammu and Kashmir.

Baldev Singh, another vegetable seller, said: “We are also getting vegetables at high prices in the wholesale market at Narwal due to less supply. Our business has been adversely affected due to high prices as the number of our customers is declining everyday”.

Majority of housewives say the escalating prices of the vegetables have disturbed their domestic budgets.They say they are being forced to cut on other things/commodities to buy vegetables for daily consumption.

“An amount spent on purchasing vegetables for one week could fetch vegetables for 15 days.The situation has assumed an alarming proportion and has badly affected the budget of the middle class families”, said Anushaka Sharma, a housewife, while purchasing vegetables from the Nai Basti vegetable market. The housewives say that due to the rise in the prices of various vegetables they have stopped using some of these. They said vegetables prices as well as of cereals and pulses have increased so much that they are left with no other option but to purchase them at high prices.

Srinagar, July 18
Security forces today averted two major tragedies when they detected and defused two powerful improvised explosive devices in Baramulla and Anantnag district.As per the police, an IED, weighing 12 kg, was planted by militants under a culvert at Harithrath near Pattan on the Srinagar-Baramulla National Highway. Acting on a tip-off, the police detected the IED concealed in a tin-box.A bomb disposal squad was summoned which later defused the bomb.

In another incident, soldiers of the 33 Rashtriya Rifles detected a powerful IED planted on the main road in Manzoo village of Anantnag district.The IED was later defused by the bomb disposal squad.

Meanwhile, one person was injured when he accidentally stepped on a landmine in Churanda village of Uri in Baramulla district along the Line of Control.

Jammu, July 18
The Miran Sahib police today arrested two persons and seized 1.5 quintal of poppy husk from their possession at the Simbal Camp area.

The police said acting on a specific information, a naka was laid and a truck (JK-02-F-6315) plying on the Satwari-Simbal road was intercepted. During the search, poppy husk was recovered from the truck.

The accused have been identified as Amarjeet Singh of Simba Morh and Vishav Nath of Kullian village. Both have been booked under the NDPS Act.