Footmarks in snow confirm 14 ultras have infiltrated
Tejinder Singh Sodhi/TNS

Handwara, May 27
Even as Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said that around 30 to 40 heavily trained militants have infiltrated into the Kashmir valley, the Army claims that no infiltration has taken place.

Highly placed sources informed The Tribune that the reports of infiltration were correct and even before the snow started melting more than 14 militants had infiltrated into the state from the Rajwar forest area of the Handwara sector in Kupwara district.

“From the footmarks in the snow and intelligence gathered from different sources, it is confirmed that 14 militants infiltrated into the Kashmir valley in March itself, much before the snow starts melting,” a senior police officer told The Tribune. The Army has maintained that so far no infiltration has taken place in the Valley. “We have specific information from people, who live along the LoC, that they have seen two groups of six to eight militants crossing the LoC and entering our side in March,” the officer, who looks after the counter insurgency grid in the area, said.

He said inputs from locals were cross-checked with the footmarks of the militants in the snow and it was confirmed that 14 militants had sneaked into the area. “Not only footmarks, but also other tell-tale signs like food packets and other stuff that confirmed that the group had successfully sneaked in,” the police officer said. He added that though the security forces launched the operation in the area, a group of eight infiltrators managed to cross into the Sopore area, while the other group of six militants is still being searched for. “The presence of militants in Sopore keeps on changing. We cannot say whether the increase or decrease in the number of militants is due to infiltration or other reasons, as this is the transit route for militants,” SP, Sopore, Altaf Khan told The Tribune.

Police sources say after confirmed reports of infiltration in the Valley, summer this year might see some sort of action, as they have wireless intercepts from the handlers of militants from across the border, who want their cadre to disrupt peace in the Valley.

Speaking to The Tribune, Srinagar-based defence spokesman Lt-Col JS Brar said, “The Corps Commander has made his stand clear on the issue and hence there is nothing more to add to it”.

Rain, hailstorm, strong winds damage crops
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

RS Pura, May 27
Rain, hailstorm and strong winds during the past 48 hours have damaged vegetable, pulses and fruit crops in many parts of the Jammu region.

Reports said farmers of Udhampur, Kathua, Samba and Jammu districts suffered huge losses due to this sudden spell of rain accompanied by strong winds, which destroyed the leaves of the growing crops.

Even agriculture experts of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu, in their report submitted to the Agriculture Department have recommended compensation to the farmers for losses suffered. “The loss of of vegetable and pulses crops is irrecoverable, as their leaves have been damaged, which will take 15 to 20 days to grow again. The yield will also see some decrease.

The state government should assess the damage to provide compensation to the farmers so that their losses could be covered,” said Dr JP Sharma, Associate Director (Research), Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu.

He said vegetable crops were in their fruiting stage and hailstorm and rain had destroyed them completely.

Sharma added, “Major vegetable crops like tomato, brinjal, ladyfinger, pumpkin and bottle gourd have been damaged.

Similarly, pulses, including moong and mash, have also been destroyed”. In some mountainous parts of the region, the maize crop has also been damaged due to the squall.

A visit to some areas of the region has revealed that the situation was worst in the fields and the farmers were seen sitting with grim faces. Growing vegetables, pulses and horticulture crops, including mango, melon and watermelon, have also been affected due to this recent rain, hailstorm and winds.

All these crops were also found damaged by insects, which compounded the problem. “Our crop has been damaged completely by rain followed by strong winds. Now, insects have started affecting our crop,” said Gurmeet Singh, a farmer at Abdullian village.

He said the government should immediately assess their losses so that they could be compensated.

Qualification: MBA (Derbyshire), Job: sarpanch (Kaloen panchayat)
Dinesh Manhotra
Tribune News Service

Kang (Indo-Pak Border) May 27
At a time when there is a mad race among the youth of the border belt of the Jammu region for going abroad in search of employment opportunities, 28-year-old Gurmeet Singh Bajwa rejected offers of lucrative jobs in the corporate world abroad and preferred to become the sarpanch of the Kaloen panchayat to serve the people of his native village.

As Gurmeet was a highly-qualified young candidate among all contestants, he won the elections with hands down.

“The decision to reject offers of lucrative jobs is not so easy, as a few of my family members were against it despite the fact that ours is a political family,” says Gurmeet. “But I had made up mind. So, ultimately, I prevailed upon my family members,” he adds.

The Kaloen panchayat, one of the most socially, economically and educationally backward area of the RS Pura sub-division, is located near the international border and the residents of this belt always bear the brunt of the hostility between India and Pakistan. “I want to become a role model for the people of this border belt where a majority of youth prefers to maintain a distance from politics, which according to them is a dirty game,” he says.

Bajwa, an MBA from Derbyshire Business School, Derby University, UK, had been offered joining letters by various corporate houses, but his aim was to serve his people. “I did engineering in information technology and MBA from Derbyshire Business School. Hence, I received offers from many corporate houses. But at the end of the day, it was my affection towards my soil, which prevailed upon my career,” he says.

“I have grown up in the dusty streets of my village, so I have a strong desire to make this panchayat a showpiece for the rest of the state,” Bajwa adds.

“I get up at 6 am everyday and start visiting houses to enquire about people’s problem till 11 am,” he says, adding that, “I derive satisfaction when I help needy people,” he says.

Listing his priorities, Bajwa says people here are unaware of various poverty alleviation schemes launched by the Union government. “My priority is to ensure that these schemes are property implemented and only deserving people get the benefit of such programmes,” he says.

“I am working on how to channel the energy of the youth towards positive activities. I have discussed the issue of rising incidence of drug addiction among the youth with a few elderly people of my panchayat. I am confident that the menace will be controlled in our area,” Bajwa adds.

4 militants killed in Sopore, Shopian
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 27
The security forces have killed at least four militants, two each belonging to the Jaish-e-Mohammad and the Lashkar-e-Toiba, in separate encounters in the Kashmir valley since yesterday.

Two militants of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), both of them foreigners, were killed in an encounter with the police and the Army in the Nowpora area of Sopore in Baramulla district today, the police here said. Acting on specific information about the presence of armed militants, the police and the 22 RR cordoned off the area. An encounter ensued and the two militants were killed. They have been identified as Omais and Qari Anas.

In another incident, two militants of the Jaish-e-Mohammad, divisional commander Qari Zubair and his accomplice Mohammad Imran Khan, were killed in an encounter with the security forces in the Keller area of Shopian district last evening. Qari Zubair was active in south Kashmir for the past five years, the police said.

Acting on specific information about the presence of militants, the police and the security forces launched a search operation in the area and intercepted the two militants. The ultras opened indiscriminate fire on the security forces, leading to an encounter. Two residential houses were also damaged in the exchange of fire between the militants and the security forces.

Security forces inflict heavy losses on LeT in Poonch
Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 27
After eliminating their top leadership in erstwhile Doda district, of which Kishtwar and Ramban districts were carved out, the security forces have inflicted heavy casualties on the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) in the Surankote area of Poonch district.

Relentless operations by the Romeo Force and the police in the Surankote area in the past one month have led to the killing of a large number of LeT militants, said an Army spokesperson.

Based on specific intelligence inputs regarding the presence of a group of five LeT militants in the forest areas of Surankote, troops of the Romeo Force and the police had launched combing operations on April 28. Braving bad weather conditions in difficult and rugged mountainous areas, the troops continued search operations and succeeded in maintaining pressure on the hiding militants.

The group of militants was on the run and was shifting places during nights. Prolonged operations by the security forces resulted in the busting of militant hideouts and the seizure of a large quantity of ration, bedding and other logistic stores.

Due to the vastness of the area with thick forests and undergrowth, a contact with the militants could not be established, but the security forces kept their cool and continued the combing and search operations without a break, the spokesman said.

Finding it difficult to escape the cordon in the beginning of May, the militants split into two groups and tried to cross a big stream on the upper reaches. While doing so, two militants were washed away in the Suran river, compelling the remaining militants to send telephonic messages to their handlers and masters across the Line of Control (LoC). The drowned militants were identified as Abu Huzefa, alias H2, chief of LeT for Poonch, Rajouri and Jammu, and Abu Abdullah, alias Saifullah, alias Usman Bhai.

“While we recovered the decomposed body of a militant on May 20, a second group of three militants was reportedly moving in the forested areas of Sauni on May 23,” the Army spokesman said.

On the night of May 23, around 8 pm, a contact with these militants was established and a firefight ensued. While one dreaded LeT militant, Abu Umar Khan Jangwani, was killed, his accomplice was injured in the encounter. Taking advantage of dense forests and darkness, the other two militants managed to escape. Sustained operations and the perseverance of the security forces in the past one month have resulted in the killing of three dreaded militants of the LeT operating in the Surankote area, he said.

Last year, the LeT, following pressure from the security forces, had declared a unilateral ceasefire in Kishtwar and had also tried to intimidate locals in Doda, asking them not to join the police. With the elimination of top commanders of various militant outfits in Doda last year, the security forces have already wiped out the HuJI and the Jaish-e-Mohammed from the Jammu region.

Delay in getting new passport
Jammu resident to go on fast
Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 27
A Jammu resident, who has been facing difficulties in getting his partially damaged passport replaced from the Passport Office, Jammu, for the last over two months, has decided to go on an indefinite fast.

Ravinder Singh alleged that he had approached the passport authorities on April 6 with his partially damaged passport. “Even the photograph was intact in the old passport and I submitted a valid character certificate with it. The passport authorities are unduly delaying the issuance of a new passport”.

He said his visa had got expired due to the delay in issuing passport. He added that he submitted his file bearing registration No. D000084 to the passport authorities on April 7.

“I also wrote to President Pratibha Patil, besides the Union Ministry of External Affairs and the Chief Minister’s office, but to no avail,” he alleged.

Ravinder works in a Gulf country and he claimed that the delay in getting a new passport had caused him huge financial losses. Peeved over the ‘laid-back’ attitude of the authorities concerned, he had decided to go on an indefinite fast and would accept the new passport only when Chief Minister Omar Abdullah handed it over to him in person. “I have already reported the matter to the Chief Minister through a letter bearing complaint No. 22789, addressed to his grievance redress cell,” he added.

Non-Inclusion of External Marks
66 students get supplementary
Raju William/TNS

Udhampur, May 27
Due to the inefficiency of the J&K State Board of School Education, 66 students of Class XII (science stream) at Government Higher Secondary School, Batote, Ramban district, got a supplementary in information technology (IT) due to the non-inclusion of external marks in their report cards.

The principal of the school, Vimal Rai, has written a letter to the assistant secretary, sub-office of the board, Ramban, in this regard. The students were facing a lot of inconvenience and their educational career was at stake for none of their fault, the letter read. “Therefore, it is requested that the practical (external) marks of the IT subject may kindly be entered in their mark sheets and the result be amended at the earliest in the best interests of the students,” it further read.

Sources said the students scored good marks in the practical examination of 30 marks conducted by the external examiners deputed by the board in the annual examination 2010-2011, the results of which were declared on May 24. As per the results, all students were shown in the reappear category, mainly on the account of the non-inclusion of their marks.

They added that it was strange that though the marks of the students of Group A were entered in their mark sheets, those belonging to Group B were left out.

GA Querishi, Director, School Education, Jammu, said the matter had been taken up with the board authorities and the needful would be done soon.

However, any delay in amending the result may affect the chances of the aggrieved students in getting admission to institutions of further studies.

Protest against sale of land to former MLA
Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 27
Residents of the Gadigarh area here staged a protest against the government and blocked the Jammu-RS Pura road in protest against the sale of a piece of land belonging to the state government to former MLA Suman Bhagat.

The protesters raised slogans against the revenue authorities. They alleged that the land was sold to the former MLA in violation of rules. “The Department of Social Forestry has planted thousands of trees on the same land. The tract of land measuring nearly 8 kanals was transferred to the Jammu Development Authority in 2004 by the Revenue Department,” they claimed. They added that the same land was transferred in the name of a former MLA on comparatively lower price a few months ago.

“We came to know about the sale of the plot only when the former MLA sent some labourers for its levelling,” they added.

The protesters demanded that the transfer of land be cancelled and it be used for the creation of public facilities.

8 more teachers suspended for absence from duty
Raju William
Tribune News Service

Udhampur, May 27
With the suspension of eight more teachers and a library assistant for absence from duty today, the number of suspended teachers of various government schools in Reasi district has increased to 36 since May 21.

They were suspended after they were found absent from duty during a surprise checking by the officiating District Development Commissioner, Reasi, Nasir Iqbal Parae, today.

Those who have been suspended are Shaheeb Bano of Government Middle School, Sarh; Mohammad Mushtaq, Sadder Din of Government Primary School, Sooli; Zareeda Begum of Government Primary School, Channi Sarh; Rehana Kouser, Mong Ashraf, Shama Devi, Mohammad Amin of Government Middle School, Gundi; Arjanmun Mir, Rabia, Aslam Mir of Government Middle School, Khara; and Ajay Kumar, library assistant, Government High School, Kundra. Those suspended were issued a show-cause notice.

GA Quraishi, Director, School Education, Jammu, had yesterday issued directions to all Chief Education Officers (CEOs) and Zonal Education Officers (ZEOs) in the Jammu province to conduct surprise visits at the schools falling in their respective zones for three days a week to ensure punctuality.

As many as 20 teachers in the Katra, Pouni and Reasi blocks of the district were placed under suspension when Quraishi visited the schools there on May 23.

However, the problem, particularly in Reasi district, seems to have become the order of the day as suspension of two teachers of Government Primary School, Sooli, failed to deter others. During the checking, the school was found locked and students were found to be waiting outside.

The suspension of eight more teachers and a library assistant in five more government schools for absence from duty is a case to prove the point.

Quraishi asked the officers concerned to conduct surprise checks at the schools from Monday to Saturday and furnish the consolidated reports to the directorate every Monday.

He also ordered the constitution of a monitoring committee under the supervision of the personnel officer, Directorate of School Education, for prompt cognisance of absentee cases reported by the CEOs and the ZEOs for further action against the guilty.

British envoy calls on Governor
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 27
The British High Commissioner in India, Sir Richard Stagg, currently on a farewell visit to the state, called on Governor NN Vohra at Raj Bhawan here on Friday.

He had a one-hour meeting with the Governor. Sir Stagg was accompanied by First Secretary, Political, British High Commission, New Delhi, Alex Bamford, and Political Adviser Sushil Aaron.

Personal contact programme concludes
Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 27
The 20-day personal contact programme (PCP) of M.Ed (2010-11) being organised by the Directorate of Distance Education concluded here yesterday. The venue of the PCP was Government Postgraduate College of Education, Canal Road, here. Dr ML Parvana, Principal of the college, was the chief guest on the occasion. He delivered a speech to motivate the students. A get-together was also organised by the students.

Tributes paid to Jawaharlal Nehru
Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 27
Rich tributes were paid to first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on his death anniversary by the Congress throughout the state today. The main function was held at the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) headquarters at the Shahidi Chowk. It was presided over by senior vice-president of the PCC Dharam Pal Sharma and attended by senior functionaries of the PCC and the District Congress Committee, leaders of frontal organisations, block presidents and others.

The speakers paid floral tributes to Pandit Nehru, who was described as the architect of modern India. In his address, Dharam Pal, described Nehru as a great visionary, who laid the foundation of independent India as its first Prime Minister.

Om Chopra, president of the District Congress Committee, Jammu urban, described Pandit Nehru as a towering personality whose thoughts, policies and programmes were relevant and guiding factors for all times to come. He also stressed the need for the Congress to regularly review its role in different situations, which emerged from time-to-time.

Others who paid tributes to on the occasion included Gurmukh Singh; Ravinder Sharma, MLC; Amolak Singh; Indu Pawar, MLA; and president of the Pradesh Mahila Congress; Kuldeep Raj Verma, vice-chairman of the OBC Board; Kanta Bhan, Ram Sudhir, Krishan Lal Gupta, KL Abrol, Chuni Lal Bhat, Dr Rashid Choudhary, Dewan Singh Langeh, BB Gupta, SS Shangari, Jaswant Singh, Mian Nazir Ahmed, Lalita Sharma, Iqbal Malik, Vijay Sharma, JL Koul, Om Prakash, Sukhdev Choudhary, Narinder Gupta, Pawan Singh, Sunil Kumar, Shashi Sharma, Sanjeev Sharma, Chamail Singh and others.

BSF opens preventive fire in Ramgarh sector
Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 27
The BSF troops opened preventive fire after they noticed some suspicious movement along the international border in the Ramgarh sub-sector of Samba district last night.

They opened fire near the forward post of Majra along the border in the Ramgarh sub-sector, a BSF spokesperson said.

He added that the incident occurred at 11.30 pm.

Soon after opening fire, the BSF troops searched the area, but nothing was found, he said.

A senior officer had recently confirmed the presence of around 300 militants on the other side of the 198-km border waiting at launching pads in occupied Kashmir to infiltrate into the state.

Sudhmahadev camp committee formed
Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 27
Panthers Party chief Bhim Singh has constituted a Sudhmahadev Camp Committee to hold the 33rd National Integration Camp at Sudhmahadev from June 13 to 15. While Leader of the Panthers Legislature Party Harsh Dev Singh will be the patron, MLA and state president of the party Balwant Singh Mankotia its president, former MLA Faqir Nath its vice-president and Sukhdev Singh will be the coordinator of the camp.

The other members of the committee include Mool Raj, Sudesh Sharma, Romesh Kapoor, Azaj Ahmed, Shanker Singh Sarpanch, Padam Dev Singh, Balwan Singh, Mohammed Akthar Sarpanch, Sudesh Kumar Sarpanch, Meena Kumari, Mohammed Amin Sarpanch, Jagdish Chand Anthal, Kuldeep Singh, Khem Raj Sharma, Paras Ram and Raghubir Singh.