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Arrest of two militants following escape
Police always ‘quick’ to take credit
Discrimination against Jammu migrants |
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Uproar in Assembly over ‘illegal’ appointments in J&K Bank
Kishtwar gets state’s first double-storey jail
Panel picks holes in MGNREGA implementation
3,288 died on state roads in past three years
Police mock drill creates panic in Srinagar
Kashmiri Pandits allege felling of trees on temple land
Pending bills
Poor quality wheat seed rocks House
Not a penny spent on Omar’s tours in 2010
Earth Hour to be observed
in Valley today
4 injured in Katra road mishap
Salary of seven absent teachers withheld
Teachers’ Association to strike work on April 2
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Arrest of two militants following escape
Udhampur, March 30 Sources told The Tribune that Army personnel of 10 Rashtriya Rifles had not only facilitated the capture of Mohammad Abdullah, alias Sherkhan, former divisional commander of Huji in Kishtwar district, by the Doda police but actually handed his associate Abdullan, alias Jameel, to the police after capturing him without any assistance from the police. However, neither the IGP, Jammu, who formally announced their arrest at a news conference at Jammu, nor the DIG, Doda-Kishtwar Police Range, and the police chiefs of Ramban and Doda districts acknowledge the contribution of the Army. The Army spared the police its blushes by chipping in voluntarily after the two terrorists escaped by dodging a posse of police personnel. Narrating the sequence of events, sources said the Army personnel volunteered to support the police after its road opening party noticed the movement of the police in Ramgarh area on the Batote-Kishtwat national highway in the jurisdiction of the Assar police station in Doda district, around 14 hours after the militants’ escape. An offer was made by the Army to strengthen the police operation, to which senior police officers of Doda agreed and provided initial information about the militants’ movement to the Army. Five police teams from Batote and Assar police stations, supported by two teams of the Army, comprising 15 personnel, set out to track the militants who had reportedly purchased some jaggery from a village before entering the forest area of Ansi Top in Doda district. The Army had information that Sherkhan had eloped with a woman of the area when he was active. While on the run, he had established contact with her family, said sources. Since the police personnel on trail had no food arrangements, the Army organised rations that could last 48 hours in case the operation lingered on. Also, the While a police team led by Sub-Inspector Rahul Mahajan of the Doda police moved uphill after suspecting Sherkhan’s presence in the Ansi Top forests, it asked the Army personnel to provide cover if needed. Sherkhan was subsequently apprehended. Sources said another Army squad had in the meantime reached Haldroo Nullah on the other side of Ansi Top to catch Sherkhan if he tried to flee. A local source approached the Army personnel and provided information about the presence of the other militant, Jameel, who had been hiding in the bushes. The Army personnel fired some rounds in the air to stop him from fleeing and finally caught him, with the police nowhere in the picture. Sources said he was then brought to the Assar police station and was formally handed over to Assistant Sub-Inspector Mohinder Singh of the Batote police station in the presence of Assar police station SHO Ravinder Singh Rakwal, who countersigned the relevant document. |
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Police always ‘quick’ to take credit
Jammu, March 30 Though none in the Army was willing to come on record, serving and retired Army officers opined that soldiers by and large fought armed militants in hostile conditions like dense forests, rugged mountains and cliffs. “I feel bad because of the fact that our soldiers fan out in thick jungles, ravines and mountains to take on the armed militants. But, since we can’t keep them (ultras) with us, we have to hand them over to the police and they accordingly take the credit,” said a retired Army officer. The police is quick in conveying such incidents or encounters to the media and staking its claim, he added. The retired officer added that the Army did not want to create any rift between various security forces, including the Jammu and Kashmir Police, which have been combating militancy in the state. A serving Army officer said since the police had its stations across the length and breadth of the state, information of such incidents and encounters reached them quickly and they shared it with the media without wasting any time. “Though it’s an open secret that the Army takes on the militants on the ground, it seldom takes credit for it,” said the officer. “The Army has certain procedures. We wait for an operation to end to verify the details of the encounter and identify the bodies before handing them over to the police, which ultimately has to take the possession for legal action. Therefore, the police first shares the information with the media before we come out with our official bulletin,” he added. An Army spokesperson, however, felt nothing wrong in the practice. “Personnel of 10 Rashtriya Rifles and the police had launched an operation to capture the militants, who had escaped police custody. The police is doing a good job and fighting militancy has always been a joint effort in the state. We don’t want to create any differences with the police,” he said. |
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Discrimination against Jammu migrants
Jammu, March 30 During the Zero Hour today, Congress legislator from Bhaderwah Mohammad Sharief Niaz raised the issue in the Assembly. “Migrants from the Jammu region have been struggling to get relief, but the authorities have been adopting delay tactics in solving their problems,” Niaz said and pointed out that the migrants from the Jammu region in general and erstwhile Doda district in particular were sitting on a dharna at New Delhi to highlight their woes. He emphasised on the need to solve the problems of the Jammu migrants on a priority basis. As Niaz was speaking, BJP legislator Jugal Kishore Sharma also supported the issue raised by Niaz. “It is a human issue, but the government is not serious to solve it,” Sharma said and asked the government to take a serious note of the problem highlighted by the Congress member. BJP member Ashok Khajuria also joined his party colleague. Panthers Party members Harsh Dev Singh, Balwant Singh Mankotia and Yashpal Kundal also joined the issue and supported the Congress member on the issue. Lone JSM member Ashwani Kumar also tried to corner the government on the issue. “Since 2002, we have been raising the issue in the Assembly, but nothing concrete has been done so far to mitigate the woes of the Jammu migrants,” he shouted. Congress legislator from Inderwal Ghulam Mohammad Saroori also supported the demands of the Jammu migrants and asked the government to adopt a humanistic approach while dealing with the problem. The Congress, BJP, Panthers Party and JSM members vociferously raised the issue and emphasised on the government to give a statement. “The migrants of the Jammu region too are the residents of the state so they should be treated on a par with displaced people of other parts of the state,” Jugal said. Deputy Speaker Sartaj Madni, who was on the chair at that time, intervened and gave directions to the government to give a statement on the issue raised by the legislators. Minister of Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Raman Bhalla stated that the government was aware of the problem and would take some effective steps to solve it. “The Union Home Minister is visiting Jammu on April 10 and this issue would be discussed with him so that the migrants of the Jammu region would get relief on a par with their counterparts of the Kashmir valley,” he assured the House. |
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Uproar in Assembly over ‘illegal’ appointments in J&K Bank
Jammu, March 30 As soon as the House assembled for the day’s proceedings today morning, Leader of the Panthers Legislature Party Harsh Dev Singh said the J&K Bank authorities needed to explain why the final selection lists had not been made public, including those of banking associates, clerks, financial executives and class IV, issued during the last one year. He alleged that the appointments were made in violation of procedures by vested interests in connivance with politicians of the ruling party. “The concealing of the final selection lists and issuing individual call letters to selected candidates was sufficient to support the claims and contentions of aggrieved Jammu youth that the selection process was not fair,” Harsh Dev added. He said transparency and fair play demanded that the J&K Bank release the final selection lists, as was the case with other selections. “The J&K Bank can’t subvert the selection process or act arbitrarily, as it was functioning under the overall control of the state Finance Department. Presently, the state government has 53 per cent share in the bank, which makes it answerable and accountable to the state government,” he maintained. Legislators of the BJP and Jammu State Morcha also supported the issue raised by the Panthers Party member and sought a statement from the government. Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone tried to pacify the agitating legislators, but they refused to relent. Reacting to the charges levelled by legislators, Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather said the J&K Bank was an autonomous body and added that its functioning couldn’t be discussed in the House. Countering the remarks of the Minister, Harsh Dev pointed out that according to the Rule 4, schedule first of the state government, Business Rules categorically provided that the J&K Bank was under the overall control of the Finance Department and could be discussed in the House. As the Speaker didn’t pay any heed to the pleas of legislators, the latter resorted to massive sloganeering and walked out from the House. |
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Kishtwar gets state’s first double-storey jail
Udhampur, March 30 The upgraded jail is part of the larger prisons management plan in the state, aimed at decongesting jails by increasing the sanctioned capacity of new ones. “Doing so would help facilitate an expeditious trail by keeping undertrials at the new jails, whose cases are being heard at Kishtwar courts. At the same time, it would reduce the burden of the Kishtwar police in escorting undertrials frequently between Jammu and Kishtwar for regular appearance in court,” Aggarwal told The Tribune. The new jail is located in the Pochaal area about 3 km from Kishtwar town. Built at a cost of Rs 4.65 crore, it has a capacity of 100 prisoners, as compared to 20 prisoners at the old jail, where 23 prisoners were lodged at the time of shifting to the new jail. The high security jail has 20 feet high walls and watch towers at the four corners to keep a strict vigil. “Undertrails presently lodged at jails in Udhampur, Jammu and Kathua, who are facing trial at Kishtwar, will be shifted here in due course. Undertrials from Doda, who are lodged in outside jails, can also be accommodated here,” added DG, Prisons, Navin Aggarwal. As compared to places like Jammu, there is a space constraint in mountainous areas like Kishtwar. The cost of land is also increasing. “We experimented with the idea of having a double-storey building. Given the space constraints, three-storey jail buildings can also be visualised. We have already prepared the design of another double-storey jail at Bhaderwah,” said the DG, Prisons. Of the total four barracks for prisoners, three are on the ground floor. There is a vocational rehabilitation and a medical inspection room. The jail has the provision for lodging 20 women inmates, who would also be shifted here from other jails. Moreover, residential quarters for jail staff are also being constructed on the jail premises. CRPF personnel have been deployed for round the clock security of the jail. |
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Panel picks holes in MGNREGA implementation
Jammu, March 30 The report of the committee, headed by Congress legislator Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, was tabled in the state Assembly today. The committee members were of the unanimous view that the basic objective of the scheme was to increase employment opportunities as well as development of rural The committee members complained that village level workers had not given receipts to job card holders against their applications. It directed the department to take action against those workers who refused to give such slips. The committee, in its report, observed that huge financial irregularities had reportedly been committed while making expenditure on the construction of amusement park at Chatnic play field and lanes and drains in Kishtwar under the scheme. Also, the norms prescribed for model villages had grossly been violated. Taking a serious note of the irregularities in the implementation of the scheme, the committee directed the authorities to constitute a team comprising the Deputy Director, Rural Development Department, and some senior officers to inquire into the issue of job cards during the past five years in the Tatiana area of Kishtwar district. The committee observed that the works on desilting irrigation canals had not been done or completed before the crop season with the result the funds got lapsed despite clear directions from the government for de-silting the canal well before the crop season, the report stated and observed that there was lack of coordination among departments concerned. The committee directed the Irrigation Department to furnish the utilisation certificates to the Planning Department regarding the schemes executed with the assistance of MGNREGA and further directed that the process of desilting be started before November and completed by the end of January every year. As there were reports of irregularities in the distribution of wages, the committee directed that payment of labourers engaged under MGNREGA should be made through cheques in the future. The committee also directed the departments concerned to constitute a committee to assess the present position of all ongoing schemes under MGNREGA. |
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3,288 died on state roads in past three years
Jammu, March 30 If government figures are to be believed, at least 3,288 persons lost their lives and 27,165 returned home with broken bones and limbs in as many as 18,786 road accidents in the past three years. In a bid to check road accidents, the state government had amended the Motor Vehicles Act, 1998 and the J&K Motor Vehicle Rules, 1991 in February 2012 to make the provisions for penalty more stringent. “A proposal to further amend the Motor Vehicles Act, 1998 (Central Act) based on the recommendations of Sunder Committee is under the consideration of the Centre,” reads the government reply. The State Road Safety Council has been set up under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary vide SRO 52. The council will advise on steps to be taken for collecting, comparing and analysing road accident data, establishment of a road safety fund, provision of trauma and healthcare facilities to the victims, besides formulating a comprehensive road safety policy for implementation by the departments concerned. The government stated that the J&K Passenger Welfare Fund Rules had also been sanctioned to provide an ex gratia to the victims of road accidents, which included Rs 25,000 to the next of kin of those killed and Rs 10,000 to the injured. The government also listed other measures that had been initiated to check road accidents in the hilly state. The figures tabled in the House, however, revealed that Jammu district had topped the charts in the past three years in road accidents, deaths and injuries. |
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Police mock drill creates panic in Srinagar
Srinagar, March 30 A large number of armed police and CRPF personnel in riot gear were seen marching on the roads in many areas of the summer capital in the morning, triggering fear among people. “I was walking towards my office near Lal Chowk when I saw a large number of policemen out on the streets. I initially thought the police had cordoned off the city as rumours of Geelani’s death were rife,” said Irfan Malik, a resident. “However, I later realised it was a mock drill, as I was allowed to walk through. But many people living in the vicinity were scared to venture out of their homes initially,” he added. While a police spokesperson dubbed the mock drill a routine exercise to check the preparedness of its personnel in case of any untoward incident, a resident said the authorities should have informed the residents in advance regarding the mock drill. “Given the volatile nature of the situation in Kashmir, the police should have informed us in advance, as finding so many policemen in the streets will surprise everyone,” he said. A Hurriyat spokesperson dismissed rumours of Geelani’s death that had been doing rounds across the Valley since yesterday. “He is hale and hearty and the rumour is being spread by some mischievous elements with vested interests. He is in New Delhi right now and there is nothing to worry about,” the spokesperson said. A similar mock drill was conducted in Shopian, Kulgam and Pulwama districts of south Kashmir yesterday. According to reports, the exercise created panic among the local residents there as well. |
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Kashmiri Pandits allege felling of trees on temple land
Jammu, March 30 Vinod Pandit, chairman, APMCC, made this statement after visiting the temple. He said eight trees on the temple land had been felled by people, who claimed that the land belonged to them. The APMCC chairman said: “The Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, who is the custodian of the migrants’ properties is a mute spectator to the violation. We approached the SHO concerned, but he said he had not received any orders to act against those who had felled the trees.” “Those living in the vicinity of the temple informed us that some people had come and claimed that they had taken the possession of the land and had the right to cut the trees. Not even the police came to stop them,” Vinod Pandit added. The APMCC chairman added that Dharmath Trust that had been taking care of the temple could not save the land there. Also, the administration was hand in glove with land grabbers. The Kashmiri Pandit organisation demanded immediate suspension of the Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, who according to the organisation, had failed to take any action against those involved in the selling and purchase of the land of Hindu Shrines and Temples. In a press conference, Convener of the Panun Kashmir Dr Agnishekhar alleged that around 2.9 kanals of the Vaital Bhairav temple had been illegally sold by Dharmath Trust to local residents there. The government is also dragging its feet on the issue of passage of Hindu Temple and Shrines Bill. In response to a tweet by Kashmiri Pandit activist Veer Ji Wangu, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah wrote: “Tree felling has been stopped. One tree was cut and has been handed over to the trust. Further action will follow.” — TNS |
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Pending bills
Rajouri, March 30 The power supply was restored in few stations after the intervention of the Mobile Magistrate and DC, Poonch, but 10 to 12 stations are still running on generators, as power supply was not restored to them. Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE), PDD, Rajouri said, “The BSNL has to pay a large power bill, which is pending for a long time. The pending bill totals Rs 1 crore, out of which Rs 24 lakh are pending in sub-division Rajouri and Rs 76 lakh in other areas.” Even after several reminders and notices served by the PDD, the BSNL authorities paid no heed and finally the PDD has disconnected the power supply to mobile towers and also to the main exchange of the company, the information served by the AEE, Rajouri, read. District head, BSNL, Rajouri-Poonch range, RD Parmar said the PDD had disconnected the power supply to over 10 to 12 stations of the BSNL in Poonch and Rajouri districts since past 10 days, without serving even a single notice on the BSNL. Parmar added that diesel worth Rs 2.5 lakh was used during the days when power supply was snapped to the department. He said this had happened due to the highhandedness and blackmailing tactics of the Power Development Department. We had cleared our pending bills of the last year and only Rs 20 lakh are to be paid as bills for three months, which we could pay soon to them, he added. |
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Poor quality wheat seed rocks House
Jammu, March 30 Members of the BJP and Jammu State Morcha (JSM) also raised anti-government slogans and accused it of adopting “anti-farmer” policies. They also blamed the government for “pick and choose” policy in developing villages in border areas on “modern lines”. The legislators also staged a walkout from the House. Expressing concern over the supply of poor quality wheat seed to farmers, the BJP legislator from the Marh Assembly segment, Sukhnandan Choudhary, during Question Hour, alleged that the seed variety of wheat-3077 was adulterated and it cost more to farmers despite subsidy provided by the government. “The seed variety of wheat provided to farmers by the National Seeds Corporation (NSC) is adulterated and farmers have been cheated. Despite the subsidy given by the government, it is costlier than the local variety of seeds. The government should make a statement on the issue,” said Sukhnandan, who had brought a seed bag inside the House. As Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone asked him to raise his issue after the question, the legislator pressed for a statement from the Agriculture Minister. Other BJP MLAs and JSM legislator Ashwani Kumar Sharma joined him and raised slogans against the government. “Farmers are being cheated and sidelined, as the government has adopted anti-farmer policies,” they alleged. As the Speaker didn’t allow them to raise the issue during Question Hour, the agitating members staged a walkout from the House. At the fag end of Question Hour, the legislators of the BJP, Panthers Party and JSM also created an uproar over the alleged “pick and choose” policy adopted by the government vis-à-vis development of villages in border areas of the state. They charged the government with discriminating against the Jammu region in developing villages of borders areas on “modern lines”. The agitating members also walked out from the House in protest against the alleged discrimination. |
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Not a penny spent on Omar’s tours in 2010
Jammu, March 30 The government had recently claimed that it had spent over Rs 2 crore as travel expenses on ministers. Responding to a question by BJP legislator Bharat Bhushan in the Assembly, Minister for Finance Abdul Rahim Rather, on behalf of the Chief Minister, who also holds the charge of the General Administration Department (GAD), disclosed that Omar Abdullah had spent Rs 3.23 lakh for his visits to different constituencies in 2009-10 while officials accompanying him had spent Rs 61,000 for the period. Though the Minister didn’t cite any reason for no expenditure on the visits of the Chief Minister in 2010, it is believed that the five-month-long summer unrest in Kashmir didn’t allow Omar to undertake visits in different constituencies. “The expenditure borne on the visits and tour programmes of Tourism Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora and his accompanying officials was the maximum. The government spent Rs 20.23 lakh for the purpose during the last two years,” Rather said. The Finance Minister said the government had incurred Rs 13.78 lakh on the visits and tour programmes of Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand and his accompanying officials during 2009-10 and 2010-11. |
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Earth Hour to be observed
in Valley today
Srinagar, March 30 “The PDD will organise the Earth Hour here to inspire the government, business communities and individuals to take a stand on climate change,” an official said here. Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Asgar Hassan Samoon has urged all the Head of Departments and Deputy Commissioners to organise events across the Valley to create awareness about the Earth Hour in collaboration with the PDD. The public has been urged to wholeheartedly participate in the event by switching off all non-essential lights between 8.30 pm and 9.30 pm. Meanwhile, the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI) too has decided to observe the Earth Hour. “Small steps taken now shall make a huge difference not only for us, but also for the generations to come. It is time we take responsibility from one planet and take action to reduce our impact on the environment,” KCCI spokesperson said. The Earth Hour is an environment-friendly event that was launched in Sydney, Australia, in 2007 and is now observed in many other countries on the last Saturday of March.
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4 injured in Katra road mishap
Katra, March 30 They were referred to Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu, after the first aid. The vehicle has been seized, but its driver fled from the spot. A case has been registered and further investigations are on. — OC
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Salary of seven absent teachers withheld
Katra, March 30 Gupta ordered the officials concerned to withhold the salary of these teachers, including four teachers from Government Higher Secondary School, Reasi, two from Middle School, Moori, and one teacher from Government Higher Secondary School, Reasi, for various irregularities. The Chief Education Officer directed the Zonal Education Officers to prepare charge sheets and submit the same to him within seven days, the officials added. — OC
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Teachers’ Association to strike work on April 2
Srinagar, March 30 “Our demands are falling on deaf ears and we are forced to join our colleagues at the University of Jammu, who are on an agitation for the last one week. We will hold a protest tomorrow at the KU that will be followed by complete suspension of work on April 2,” president of the KUTA Prof Mohi-ud-Din Sangmi said in a press conference here today. Demanding the release of arrears recommended by the 6th Pay Commission and the implementation of the UGC guidelines in toto, Sangmi said: “If provisions laid down in the guidelines regarding recruitment and promotions were implemented in full, why not the provisions relating to incentives and retirement age to 65?” The KUTA also warned to intensify protests, if its demands were not looked into. — OC |
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Udhampur, March 30
Jammu, March 30
In a reply to a query of Congress MLC Naresh Kumar Gupta, the government today stated in the Upper House that during 2009, 2010 and 2011, at least 18,786 accidents took place in the state as a result of which 3,288 persons were killed and 27,165 received injuries.