The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Jawan killed by troops Army orders probe into Budgam shooting Majid Jahangir/TNS Srinagar, October 23 The Army has ordered a high-level probe into the killing of a soldier and injury to another by troops who mistook them to be militants in Budgam district of central Kashmir on Monday. There were reports that two soldiers were killed in the firing, but the Army maintains that only one solider had died in the firing. The soldiers in civvies were moving in a private vehicle in Chattergam village in Budgam district when an Army patrol opened fire on them suspecting them to be militants. “An internal inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the incident. The inquiry will look into all aspects,” said an Army spokesman, Col Brijesh Pandey. Sepoy Ghulam Rasool Sheikh of the Territorial Army (who was attached to 25 Rashtriya Rifles) died while Naik Setien Tao and a civilian driver, Abdul Rauf, were injured last evening when troops of the 53 Rashtriya Rifles signalled the private vehicle (Tata Sumo) in which they were travelling to stop at a check point set up by them. “There was an input about militant movement in the area and troops of the 53 Rashtriya Rifles had set up a check point. The two jawans of the 25 Rashtriya Rifles who were moving in the Tata Sumo did not stop when signalled and the troops opened fire on the SUV leaving all three in the taxi injured,” said an Army officer. “There was no exchange of fire,” added the officer. The injured were later shifted to 92 Base Hospital in Srinagar, where Sheikh succumbed to his injures. “It was an unfortunate incident,’’ Pandey said. Soon after the firing, senior police and Army officer rushed to the spot. “Initially we were told that militants had opened fire on troops, but it became clear later that the soldiers of another unit were travelling in the SUV,” said a police officer, adding that the police was also investigating the circumstances that led to the death of the soldier. Police sources say as per the Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) whenever any security unit sets up a check point on any road, the other agencies in the area are also informed about it to avoid confusion among various security forces. “In this case, we are ascertaining whether the SOP was followed or not,” he said. The police has not yet registered any case.
	Border force adds more muscle with lethal weaponry Tribune News Service Jammu, October 23 With more lethal weaponry in its arsenal in the form of Israeli X-95 sniper rifles fitted with laser and infrared pointer, Beretta guns and long-range grenade launchers, the Border Security Force (BSF), which guards the international border with Pakistan, has not only increased its firepower but also the accuracy to hit the target with precision. “The Union government is giving full attention to the warfare needs of the BSF, which has not only increased our firepower but also the accuracy to hit the targets,” said a senior BSF officer. He said the BSF in the state has X-95 guns, Beretta guns and long-range grenade launchers. “We have every sophisticated weapon in our kitty today to outmanoeuvre the enemy,” he said. The new-age X-95 sniper gun fitted with laser and infrared pointer in particular has given the BSF an extra edge. It is a smaller and light weight weapon compared to AK-47 rifles and can be easily used during night, said the officer. The weapon has multipurpose reflex sight due to which the operator can accurately aim at any target without keeping his eye and body in the line of weapon, said the officer. Similarly, the latest Beretta guns and long range grenade launchers have given more teeth to the BSF, strengthening its security grid all along the international border.
	Panel to probe irregularities in Central scheme: Sibal Our Correspondent Pulwama, October 23 Union Minister for Human Resource Development (HRD) Kapil Sibal today said he had formed a committee to probe irregularities in the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) scheme as pointed out by the Project Approval Board (PAB). “Many things have come to light in the PAB report such as incomplete buildings and few other violations. I formed a committee on October 12 that will look into these irregularities and find out where the implementation of the scheme went wrong,” Sibal said while talking to mediapersons on the sidelines of a seminar in Pulwama district. About the implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act in Jammu and Kashmir, Sibal said it was the responsibility of the state government to ensure its implementation. “The state government has to identify what we call neighbourhoods and carry out mapping of them so an effective implementation of the Act is ensured,” Sibal said. He said over 5,000 scholarships had been announced for students in J&K which would provide a stimulus to their career and they would be at ease to choose a course either at home or outside the state. “The response was poor last year and that was because of stringent norms set for attaining the scholarships. The norms, however, have been simplified this year and we are flooded with applications from across the state,” he added. Sibal laid stress on the role of private sector in promoting education throughout the country. “The demand for higher education is growing in India and the Central government does not have that many resources to cater to the demand on its own,” Sibal said. He said a new bill was in the pipeline to ensure that all schools across the country had vocational courses. “Every school in India is going to have vocational courses for Class IX, X, XI and XII which will help making the education system more job-oriented,” the Union minister said.
	Army to take up Pak firing with Ministry Majid Jahangir Tribune News Service Srinagar, October 23 After Pakistan denied its involvement in the recent shelling on a village in Uri in north Kashmir, the Indian Army has decided to take up the issue with the Ministry of External Affairs. Three villagers were killed on October 16 in the 'unprovoked' Paksiatni shelling in Churanda village near the Line of Control (LoC). “Pakistan has denied that it was involved in the unprovoked shelling on Churanda in which three villagers were killed. Pakistan claimed that it did not fire mortar shells at the village,” the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 19 Infantry Division, Major General Bipin Rawat, said. "Pakistan has said the villagers might have got killed due to land-mine blasts or other explosive material," the GOC said, terming Pakistan’s excuse as shocking. The Indian Army had lodged a protest over the shelling on the hotline and Pakistan responded to the protest on Sunday. The Army had complained that the Pakistani troops had used heavy machine guns and had fired 82 mm mortar shells, which had a range of 5-6 km, at the village in which the civilians were killed. Another senior officer in Kashmir said with Pakistan in a denial mode, they would take up the issue at the highest military level. “After the Pakistani denial, we have decided to take up the issue at the Director General Military Operations’ level and later with the Ministry of External Affairs,” he said.
	Ex-servicemen rally held in Udhampur Tribune News Service Jammu, October 23 The GOC-in-C, Northern Command, Lt Gen KT Parnaik, today said the welfare of ex-servicemen and ‘veer naris’ was a priority for the Army. Addressing veterans and veer naris during a rally for ex-servicemen in Udhampur today, the Army Commander thanked them for attending the rally. He informed them that the Army had declared this year as the “Year of the Veterans” and conveyed the gratitude of the country and the armed forces to them for their bravery and sacrifices. Lt Gen KT Parnaik reiterated the Army’s commitment of providing all possible assistance to ex-servicemen and veer naris and timely redressal of their grievances. He applauded the contribution of ex-servicemen and said a lot of measures had been initiated for their post-retirement rehabilitation and comfort. He also appealed to the representatives of the civil administration to address the problems of the ex-servicemen. The rally was attended by over 2,300 ESM and 400 veer naris. Apart from resolving pension-related problems and resettlement issues, a medical camp with specialists, a fully functional laboratory, an ECG facility and a dental camp was also provided on the site. Documentation issues of CSD and ECHS smart cards were resolved at the rally. A pension grievance cell and stalls providing information on employment, resettlement and welfare schemes for ex-servicemen were put up on the occasion. Various banks, financial and public institutions participated in the rally.
	Land given for border fencing Govt talks to Army about compensation to villagers Ishfaq Tantry Tribune News Service Srinagar, October 23 The state government has taken up with the Army the matter of compensating those farmers whose land was acquired for fencing along the international border and the Line of Control in frontier districts of the state. In Jammu province, no objection certificates (NOCs) for acquisition of such farmland are awaited by the Border Security Force (BSF) at 55 villages. In Kashmir, rentals and compensation by the Army authorities for 437 kanals of land coming under the LoC fence are awaited. Out of the 740-km-long stretch of the LoC in the J&K, the government had built barbed and concertina wire fence along the 550-km stretch in 2004. Fencing has largely been completed along the international border in Jammu. After erecting the fence along the border, the security forces have been able to contain infiltration attempts by militants. However, hundreds of kanals of land has been rendered uncultivable in and around the fence. In Jammu province, 118 villages have come under the 135-foot-wide border fencing along the international border in Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts. In Kashmir, 437 kanals of land at several locations in Bandipora and Kupwara districts has come under the fence. Since 2004, the affected villagers have been demanding compensation as hundreds of kanals of farmland has been rendered uncultivable in these areas due to border fencing. “In Jammu province, revenue papers of 55 villages have been prepared out of which the cases of 28 villages are under consideration for issuance of no-objection-certificates (NOCs) for the acquisition of land by the BSF,” J&K Home Department revealed in its official papers put during the Assembly session. It was also revealed that in Kashmir division, 183 kanals of private land and 157 kanals and 16 marlas of government land at 21 locations in the Gurez sector of Bandipora has come under border fencing. In Kupwara district, 97 kanals and15 marlas in Tangdhar and Keran sectors along the LoC have also come under the fencing. “Deputy Commissioner, Bandipora, has issued requisition order for land measuring 340 kanal and 17 marlas coming under the LoC fencing in Gurez. The matter has been taken up with the Defence Estates Officer, Kashmir, for the release of rentals and payments,” official papers revealed. “Rent or compensation will be paid to the landowners after the receipt of sanction from the Defence authorities,” the papers revealed. The Centre is contemplating construction of an all-weather LoC fence in the state. Over 80-km fence along the LoC, especially Gurez, Karnah, Kupwara and Gulmarg sectors of North Kashmir gets damaged due to heavy snowfall.
	Cong panels to make report on empowering panchayats Dinesh Manhotra /TNS Jammu, October 23 To ensure incorporation of all relevant provisions of the 73rd Amendment of the Indian Constitution in the existing Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Saifuddin Soz has constituted two panels which will consult experts and prepare a detailed report on strengthening panchayats in the state. The combined report of these panels will be placed before the coordination committee of the ruling coalition so as to exert pressure on the National Conference (NC) to conduct the block development council (BDC) elections soon with all the required provisions. Soz said the panel for the Kashmir valley was headed by former minister Ghulam Ahmed Mir and that for Jammu province was headed by PCC spokesman Ravinder Sharma. “These panels have been asked to submit a detailed report within a time frame because we want that the BDC elections should be held as early as possible to complete the second tier of the Panchayati Raj institutions in the state,” he said. Soz is the head of the coordination committee, which has been constituted by coalition partners Congress and National Conference, to set agenda for governance. To ensure due representation of women in panchayats, Soz has appointed Pradesh Mahila Congress president Indu Pawar in a panel. Furthermore, prominent scheduled caste (SC) leader Mula Ram is also in a panel. Although Soz tried to downplay any differences between the coalition partners on this issue, sources said after forcing the National Conference to defer BDC elections, the Congress wants to further tighten its grip on the government so as to implement its agenda. Sources in the Congress said Soz had constituted these panels to mount pressure on the National Conference against adopting delay tactics in holding the elections. “After getting the report from the panels, Soz would convene a meeting of the coordination committee to get these recommendations approved,” said a source. “The Congress will exert pressure on the government to issue an ordinance to incorporate all the relevant provisions.”
	Geelani disturbing peace in state, says Cong leader Our Correspondent Katra, October 23 Senior Congress leader and chairman of the J&K State Human Rights Development Council Tariq Bhat today cautioned Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Geelani against “interfering in the religious affairs of a community and disturbing peace in the region”. Bhat said this while addressing a press conference at Reasi today. The reaction has come in response to a statement wherein Geelani had said he would launch an agitation if the state government went ahead with widening of the track leading to the Amarnath Cave shrine. Bhat said Geelani was trying to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere in the state. He further said that it had become the habit of Kashmir-based political parties and other outfits to make such statements which were aimed at pleasing the separatist elements and hurting the religious sentiments of the Hindus. “The Jammu region witnessed an agitation in 2008 over Amarnath land row and this time too the majority population in Jammu would not tolerate if any road blocks were created to delay the widening of the existing track for the safety of Amarnath pilgrims,” Bhat said. Geelani had on October 16 threatened to launch an agitation after Eid if the government went ahead with laying the road to the cave shrine.
	Two high-profile abduction cases harmed separatist cause: Hurriyat chief Azhar Qadri/TNS Srinagar, October 23 Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani has said the abduction of Rubiya Sayeed and Nahida Soz in the late 1980s and early 1990s damaged the separatist movement in Jammu and Kashmir. Rubiya, the daughter of then Union Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, was abducted by militants on December 8, 1989 and was released later in exchange for top militant commanders. Nahida, the daughter of Congress leader Saif-ud-din Soz, was abducted in 1991 and was released several months later in exchange for a militant. Geelani has expressed this reaction in the second volume of his autobiography Wullar Kinarey which was released earlier this month. “It (abduction of Rubiya and Nahida) did not help the (separatist) movement, but harmed it,” Geelani says in a chapter titled Agwah which means kidnap. The chapter also talks about the abduction of the Vice-Chancellor of University of Kashmir, Mushir-ul-Haq, and a senior doctor Abdul Ahad Guru. Geelani, who was then a leader of pro-Pakistan Islamic group Jamaat-e-Islami, says he was abducted by a pro-independence militant outfit Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF). Geelani’s autobiography has come under sharp criticism from the JKLF which accused him of deliberately trying to “distort history and fabricating facts”. The JKLF has already announced that it will soon publish a booklet to rebut the claims made by Geelani.