The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	New battleground a rugged terrain Shalabato village in Keran sector is a favoured infiltration route of militants Azhar Qadri Tribune News Service Zirhama (Kupwara), October 8 The ghost village of Shalabato, abandoned by its residents in 1990, has been the scene of a major gun battle for a fortnight between militants and the Army. The village is located in the Keran sector of north Kashmir. The road from Zirhama to Shalabato passes only through wilderness and silence. At times, the steep of the road is at a gradient of 50 degrees. “It is too risky. You should not go up there,” a soldier stationed at an Army camp in a foothill village of Zirhama warned. The 25-km road ahead, a dangerous stretch of dirt and rocks, ends at Shalabato. The soldier, who gave a terse warning at the beginning of the journey, also drew a map of the road - 15 km of dirt road and then a walk of several hours through dense jungles of Keran will lead to Shalabato. On September 24, when a squad of three militants attacked police and army installations in the Jammu region’s Samba and Kathua districts, the story of Shalabato also began to emerge. Initially, it was reported by Army officers that a major infiltration attempt had been foiled and bodies of 12 militants had been spotted lying in the area. As days passed, the firefights between the two sides turned into a battle as the numbers of dead and living militants fluctuated. The Army’s imposition of a veil of secrecy and limited release of information increased the confusion surrounding the battle at Shalabato. The Keran sector where Shalabato is situated on a rim at the Line of Control, is a favoured infiltration route of militants, along with the Machil and Tangdhar sectors - both of which lie on the right and left of Keran. Keran is a place of extreme nature - stunningly beautiful, treacherously rugged and one of Kashmir’s most dangerous zone. It lies on the edge of a fault line between Indian and Pakistan and the sector is now attracting a new wave of militants as their favoured route to enter the waning conflict. In the frontier Kupwara district of north Kashmir, Keran is the actual frontier. The length of the battle in Keran’s Shalabato has surprised all Kashmir watchers as this rare confrontation between the Army and the group of militants lasted a fortnight. For the first time in more than a decade, a firefight between the two sides, despite a huge gap in their numbers and firepower, has lasted for such a lengthy period that it led many to draw a parallel with the 1999 Kargil war. The Keran sector is an enormous mass of land lost in the vastness of mountains, which compete with each other in their ruggedness. In the sleepy villages surrounding Shalabato, villagers speak in hushed up tone about hearing intense firing during the nights and intermittent firing during the days. Khwaja Baseer Ahmad, a resident of the Jumgund village, the nearest inhabited location to Shalabato separated by a distance of several kilometres, said everybody in the village was scared these days. “We are very afraid. Everyone is fearful about what will happen if this escalates,” Baseer Ahmad said.
	Cross-LoC trade back on track after a month 45 trucks laden with goods cross over to PoK from Uri Ishfaq Tantry/TNS Srinagar, October 8 The cross-LOC trade in Kashmir resumed today after remaining suspended for over a month. On the first day of trade, 69 trucks carrying goods from both sides crossed the Line of Control at the Kaman post in north Kashmir’s Uri sector. The cross-LoC trade through the Salamabad-Chakoti axis was suspended on September 3, following the Customs Department order disallowing trade of goods produced in Pakistan. “The trade activity resumed today and went on smoothly without any hurdle. The first truck crossed the Kaman post around 11.30 am today,” said trade facilitation officer and custodian of cross-LoC trade Ehsan-ul-Haque. From this side, he said, 45 trucks carrying goods like Kashmiri embroidered items, herbs and spices like cumin seeds and pepper crossed over to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) after crossing the Peace Bridge at the Kaman post in Uri. From the PoK side, 24 goods trucks carrying dry fruits, dates and handicraft and embroidery items were received at the Salamabad trade facilitation centre today. Earlier during the October 3 meeting on the Zero Line in Uri with their counterparts from PoK, Kashmir trade officials had decided to resume the suspended trade activity across the LoC from October 8. The meeting on the Zero Line came after a high-level meeting in Delhi on September 30 between Central and state government officials, wherein it was agreed to “revisit” the Customs order. The meeting had also reiterated adherence to SOPs (standard operating procedures) and ban on trade of “third country origin goods” like those originating from China. Impasse ends Cross-LoC traders had suspended their business activity on September 3 to protest the Customs Department order banning import of goods produced in Pakistan To end the deadlock over trade, the high-level meeting in Delhi on September 30 agreed to revisit the Customs order The meeting reiterated adherence to the standard operating procedures and ban on trade of “third country origin goods” like those from China Subsequently, the traders on October 2 met trade officials in Uri to formally convey their decision to end the strike On October 3, trade officials from Kashmir in their meeting with the PoK trade authorities on the Zero Line decided to resume trade across the LoC from October 8
	house in session Payoff row: NC wants VK Singh summoned Majid Jahangir Tribune News Service Srinagar, October 8 A day after the state Assembly adopted a unanimous resolution asking the Centre to conduct a time-bound inquiry into the payoff allegations levelled by former Army Chief General V K Singh against mainstream political leaders of the state, the ruling National Conference demanded that the former Army Chief should be summoned by the Legislative Council. Speaking during a discussion in the Upper House today, NC leader and MLC Devender Singh Rana requested Chairman of Legislative Council Amrit Malhotra to use his special powers to summon General V K Singh to the House. “For the sake of legislators’ honour, the former Army Chief should be summoned,” said Rana in the Upper House. “The former Army Chief by his allegation against politicians has not only brought disrepute to the Army and the country, but has also cast aspersions on the democratic process in the state," he added. The NC leader said General Singh should be called to the House so that the truth could be out. “Please use your chair for the sake of our honour and summon the gentleman (General Singh) so that we can ask him questions as to who has received the money. You (Malhotra) be the judge and let the truth come before the people of J&K," Rana said. People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Nayeem Akhter said the former Army Chief’s disclosure called for disciplinary action. “New Delhi has double standards when it comes to J&K. It is actually the double standards of New Delhi that makes things complicated in Kashmir,” he said during the discussion. Congress leader Bashir Ahmed Magray and NC legislator Khalid Najeeb Suharwardy also spoke on the issue. The Chairman of the Council adjourned the House till tomorrow morning and announced that the discussion on the former Army Chief’s statements would be resumed tomorrow after Question Hour.
	Since 1990, 12 judicial probes ordered into civilian deaths Ishfaq Tantry Tribune News Service Srinagar, October 8 In Jammu and Kashmir, 12 judicial inquiries have been ordered by the successive government into civilian deaths since 1990. Of these judicial probes ordered into the civilians deaths in the state where militancy has raged for over two decades, seven have been finalised and five are currently on, including the latest two ordered by the government into the Kishtwar communal violence and the Shopian killings. This was revealed today by the government in the Legislative Council session in a written reply to a questioned asked by MLC Bashir Ahmad Magray. As per government estimates, over 43,000 civilians have been killed in militancy related incidents. Separatists, however, claim that the number of civilians killed is much higher and peg it at over 1 lakh. “Since 1990 till October 5, 2013, 12 judicial inquiries have been ordered, out of which seven have been finalised and five are in progress,” the state government has revealed in the documents placed in the Legislative Council today. It added that the inquiries also included the probes ordered into the recent incidents like the communal violence at Kishtwar, which broke out on August 9 and the killing of four persons allegedly by CRPF men in a Shopian village on September 7. Margay had sought details with regard to the judicial inquiries ordered into the deaths of civilians, with special reference to the recent incidents at Kishtwar and Shopian. As revealed in the government documents, most of the judicial probes have been ordered between 2000 and 2013, while between 1990 and 1999, no judicial probes have been ordered into the civilian deaths. In 2000, two judicial probes were ordered by the government. Both of them have been finalised, the government documents further reveal. In 2001, out of the two probes, only one has been finalised and another is in progress, says the government. The judicial probe ordered into the civilian deaths during the 2010 summer unrest is still in progress, the government said. In the current year, the government has ordered two judicial inquiries into the Kishtwar violence and Shopian killings, both of which are in progress, the documents further reveal. Government data The government in the Legislative Council on Tuesday said of the total probes ordered into civilian deaths since 1990, seven had been finalised and five were in progress Most of the judicial probes have been ordered between 2000 and 2013. Between 1990 and 1999, no judicial probes have been ordered As per government estimates, over 43,000 civilians have been killed in militancy related incidents. Separatists, however, peg the number at over 1 lakh The probes also include the August 9 communal violence at Kishtwar and the killing of four persons allegedly by CRPF men in Shopian on September 7
	Over 20,000 rape, molestation cases registered in 24 yrs Conviction awarded in just 579 cases M Aamir Khan/TNS Srinagar, October 8 As many as 20,078 cases of rape and molestation have been registered in Jammu and Kashmir after the eruption of militancy in the state. From 1989 to 2013, 5,125 cases of rape and 14,953 cases of molestation have been registered, the Home Ministry said in a written reply in the Legislative Assembly today. A total of 2,524 and 2,601 rape cases were registered in J&K provinces, respectively. Similarly, 2,738 molestation cases were registered in Jammu while 12,215 molestation cases were registered in Kashmir. In the same period, 70 rape and 55 molestation cases were registered against the security forces. Fiftynine rape and 34 molestation cases were registered against the police while seven rape and three molestation cases were registered against the militants. Three rape cases were also registered against surrendered militants. However, conviction was awarded in 579 cases only while 159 rape and 557 molestation cases are under investigation. While 664 rape and 782 molestation cases were not admitted, 65 rape and 115 molestation cases remained ‘untraced’ as per the reply. A total of 4,237 rape and 13,499 molestation cases were challaned. CPM legislator M Y Tarigami had raised the query whether the authorities were contemplating transferring all these cases to fast-track courts. To this, the Home Ministry said the J&K High Court had designated various courts of Additional District Judge as Special Courts for trial of offences relating to women. “By the said arrangement, the victims/ their families can get speedy justice on their doorstep and to their convenience,” the reply added. Crime against women From 1989 to 2013, 5,125 cases of rape and 14,953 cases of molestation registered in J-K 2,524 and 2,601 cases of rape registered in Jammu and Kashmir provinces, respectively 2,738 cases of molestation registered in Jammu and 12,215 in Kashmir
	Oppn creates ruckus over health care, Rajouri violence M Aamir Khan/TNS Srinagar, October 8 Speaker of the state Assembly Mubarak Gul today adjourned the Question Hour after legislators of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) stormed into the well of the House. This is for the first time that the Question Hour was adjourned during the ongoing Autumn session of the state Assembly, which will conclude tomorrow. The opposition MLAs started protesting after the Speaker told them that it was not possible to accommodate all supplementary questions during discussion over health care projects in the state. As the PDP legislators refused to move out of the well, demanding a detailed discussion, the Speaker adjourned the Question Hour for 10 minutes. Once the Zero Hour started, the legislators again started demanding a discussion and again stormed into the well of the House, raising the slogan, ‘health department hai hai’. National Conference legislator Akbar Lone entered into a heated argument with the opposition bench. Lone accused them of hooliganism, dictating terms and wasting the time of the session. Law Minister Mir Saifullah later agreed to hold a discussion following which the PDP MLAs returned to their respective chairs. The House was adjourned for the second time for 10 minutes after the PDP MLAs staged a protest pressing for Amendments to a Bill regarding establishment of Dehi Adalats in rural areas. National Panthers Party (NPP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators raised the issue of Rajouri bandh. NPP legislator Harsh Dev Singh warned against turning Rajouri into another Kishtwar, which recently witnessed communal clashes. Clashes between groups belonging to different communities were reported in Rajouri town a couple of days back. While Gul said he would not allow statements that would result in communal tension in the state, MLA Ejaz Jan accused the BJP and the NPP of playing vote-bank politics. The BJP and NPP legislators entered into a war of words with Independent MLA Engineer Rasheed after he demanded disbanding of the village defence committees (VDCs). Later, Congress MLA Shabir Khan said the government was in touch with both communities in Rajouri. Khan sought the cooperation of the Opposition in defusing tension in the area following which normal business resumed. To another question, the Home Ministry said 4,112 VDCs had been constituted in various districts. The written reply of the Ministry said while tackling militancy related incidents, 270 Special Police Officers and 52 VDC members had sacrificed their lives.
	Militant attacks Kin of slain panches entitled to govt job Govt categorises panches, sarpanches as civilian Ishfaq Tantry Tribune News Service Srinagar, October 8 The government has said the panches and sarpanches fall within the category of civilians. It has said the kin of the panchayat members are entitled to government employment, if killed by militants. The government said the kin of deceased panchayat members were entitled to government job under SRO-43. Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Ali Mohammad Sagar said this in a written reply today to a question by Legislative Council member Sham Lal Bhagat. Bhagat had asked if there was any provision in SRO-43 (government order) to benefit the next of kin of the sarpanches who had sacrificed their lives for strengthening the panchayats in the state in recent past. In J&K, over 33,000 panches and sarpanches were elected in the pancahyat elections in 2011. However, many of them have been targeted and some killed by unidentified militants. “As per the Rule (5) sub rule (1) and (2), envisaged in SRO-43, the appointment of a family member of a government employee or a civilian who had died as a result of militancy related action or in respect of a family member of the officer of the armed forces or paramilitary forces shall be made by the Deputy Commissioner concerned in accordance with the procedure,” the minister said in his written reply. “Sarpanches/panches fall in the category of the civilians and therefore, their next of kin is entitled to appointment under SRO-43,” he said while specifying the government policy in this regard.
	Over 13 lakh kanals under illegal occupation in state Nearly 1.73 lakh kanals has been taken back from unauthorised occupants Bismah Malik/TNS Srinagar, October 8 Nearly 13,60,697 kanals of land is under illegal occupation in Jammu and Kashmir, states the Department of Revenue in the Assembly today. The state government has been able to retrieve over 1,73,566 kanals of land from illegal occupants in the past two years. The state government said the revenue officers concerned had already been directed to expedite the eviction process of the land under illegal occupation. The state government has also formulated a scheme, which has been circulated among all revenue officials, to retrieve the land. The state government has also approved the appointment of price fixation committees in all districts of the state. Nearly 3, 48,155 kanals has been approved for regularisation by the district committees. The state government has realised an amount of Rs 7,645 lakh from the occupants so far. Nearly Rs 24 lakh amount is yet to be realised from the land occupants which has already been approved by the occupants. As per the official estimates, around 3.4 lakh kanals of agricultural land, which is under illegal occupation, has been approved of regularisation by the district committees. Only two cases of conversion of agricultural land into non-agricultural have been approved by the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, since 2010. In the Jammu Division, the permission has been granted by the Divisional Commissioner to three persons for conversion of agricultural land into non-agricultural.
	Pak again opens fire on posts in Poonch Jammu, October 8 Pakistani troops again opened heavy fire on Indian forward posts in the Balakote sub-sector along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district today. The firing continued for over four hours, drawing a measured response from the Indian Army. “Around 11.30 pm yesterday, Pakistani troops opened fire from automatic weapons on Indian forward posts in Kanga Nullah and the Panjani area of the Balakote sub-sector,” said an Army source. “As a result, we also responded in equal measure and the exchange of fire lasted till 4 am,” the source said. Sources said Pakistani troops fired rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and HMG rounds. They, however, denied reports that a group of militants had tried to infiltrate during the ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops. “It was a routine truce violation by Pakistani troops to which we responded effectively. We couldn’t see any group of militants trying to infiltrate during the latest skirmish,” said the source. Meanwhile, continuous Pakistani firing since August 8 has been affecting the farming activity in forward villages along the LoC in the Poonch sector. Sources said farmers in some forward villages were reluctant to go to their fields because of the firing by Pakistani troops. — TNS
	Four terror incidents expose vulnerability of security grid Ravi Krishnan Khajuria/TNS Jammu, October 8 Four major terror-related incidents by Pakistan on the 744-km-long Line of Control (LoC) and the 202-km-long international border in the state so far this year have not only brought to the fore Pakistan’s agenda of fuelling terror in Jammu and Kashmir but also exposed the vulnerability of the security grid. On January 8, the Pakistan army’s Border Action Team (BAT) — an amalgam of commandos of the special services group and Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists — had brutally killed two Indian troops after intruding 450 metres into the Indian territory in the Balnoi area along the LoC in Poonch district. On the intervening night of August 5 and 6, the BAT had ambushed an Indian patrol, killing five troops after breaching the LoC in the Chakan da Bagh area of Poonch. On September 23, a group of 30 to 40 terrorists and Pakistan’s special forces infiltrated into the Keran sector in Kupwara district, resulting into one of the biggest anti-infiltration operations in the state, which ended today, with the recovery of seven bodies of militants. A group of three heavily armed terrorists killed 10 persons, including Lt Col Bikramjeet Singh, three soldiers, four policemen and two civilians, in the twin terror attacks in Kathua and Samba districts on September 26. “All four major incidents amply convey that the Pakistan army had conducted detailed reconnaissance of the target areas before executing its plans,” said a top Intelligence source. “Unarguably, in all four cases, the vulnerability of the security grid has come to the fore. No doubt, we have an anti-infiltration obstacle system in place on our borders in the form of barbed fence with live electricity wires, floodlights, foot-patrol, horse-mounted patrol, sniffer dogs and surveillance devices, openings still exist,” he said. The official attributed the ‘openings’ to rugged terrain having cliffs, ravines, dense jungles, crevasses, rivers and rivulets. The security grid needs to be revisited by the quarters concerned, he said, adding that 2014 could be more challenging for the security forces for obvious reasons. While the Army has the operational responsibility of the 744-km-long LoC and the 10-km-long international border in the state, the BSF mans the 191.5-km-long international border. Out of the 744-km-long LoC, India has reportedly raised the fence on 550 km of the stretch while the BSF claimed it had raised the fence on almost the entire stretch of the international border but some 5 km stretch remains uncovered because of rivers and rivulets.
	Shopian killings CRPF men from Gagren camp relocated Suhail A Shah Shopian, October 8 The shifting of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel from the Gagren camp to the District Police Lines, Shopian, was completed today. Personnel from the Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police (JKAP) have moved into the camp. Deputy Superintendent of Police, JKAP, will be the Company Commander. Deputy Commissioner (DC), Shopian, Bashir Ahmed Bhat confirmed that the CRPF personnel had been shifted from the Gagren camp. “The Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police (JKAP) has moved into the camp,” the Shopian DC said. Bhat had earlier said the shifting process would be completed by October 10. The chorus for the removal of the camp grew following the September 7 shootout by CRPF personnel from the camp. Four people, including three civilians and a suspected Lashkar-e-Toiba operative, were killed while another was injured in the alleged firing by CRPF men. Another civilian was killed allegedly by CRPF personnel of the same camp on September 11. The state Cabinet, on September 12, had decided to replace the CRPF personnel at the camp with men from the JKAP. The locals had called the decision mere ‘eyewash’ and demanded removal of the camp. Following the killings, curfew remained imposed in the town for 15 days. The locals in Gagren village had threatened to migrate from the village on October 11, if the camp was not removed by 10th.
	J&K told to constitute employment council Vikas Sharma/TNS Jammu, October 8 The Ministry of Rural Development, in its recently issued operational guidelines, has stressed upon the state government to constitute a State Employment Guarantee Council (SEGC) or a State Council under Section 12 of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). Sources said the SEGC, if constituted, would not only advise the state government on the implementation of the scheme but also review the monitoring and redress mechanisms, besides suggest improvements. The Ministry had directed the state authorities to promote widest possible dissemination of information about the Act and the schemes under it. Directions were also issued by the Ministry to J&K and other states to establish a State Employment Guarantee Fund (SEGF) to ensure that the state share of the MGNREGA budget was provisioned for and released into the SEGF. “Ensure that full-time dedicated personnel, wherever required, are in place for implementing MGNREGA, especially the employment guarantee assistant (Gram Rozgar Sahayak), the programme officer (PO) and the staff at the state, district and cluster level.”
	Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan from Oct 15 Tribune News Service Srinagar, October 8 Sports fields in every panchayat and block in the state are being developed under the new Central scheme, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan, which is going to take off from October 15. This information was given by the Minister for Medical Education, Youth Service and Sports, Taj Mohi-ud-Din in the Legislative Assembly here today. He was replying to the supplementary questions from legislators on the main question by Hakim Mohammad Yasin. The minister said that funds in this regard are being released by the Centre and under this scheme, sports academies would be set up in every district. He said sports stadium in urban areas having a population of above 50,000 would also be developed. For the purpose, the government has already submitted DPRs of Rs 700 crore to the Centre for approval of funds, adding that sports stadia in these urban areas would be developed subject to availability of land as there is no compensation of land under the scheme. Taj Mohiuddin said that under NYK, 8,000 youth have been engaged in the state during 2010 for two years and as per the Central guidelines, another 8,000 youth were engaged under the scheme in the state and the demand for extension of NYC youth already engaged was also taken up with the Centre which is under their consideration. The Sports Minister said that during the last three years, no funds were received from the Centre under PIKA. He, however, said that the government has submitted utilisation certificates of the projects and now funds to the tune of Rs 2 crore have been received and liabilities would be cleared. In reply to the point made by opposition PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, the Sports Minister said that the department has already started counselling of youth who are drug addicts, at GMCs of Srinagar and Jammu. He said the government would also consider setting up drug de-addiction and rehabilitation centres at sports stadia. He said the department has a provision for youth counselling and hoped to extend it to district level.
	Road to Nandni tunnel in dilapidated condition Amir Karim Tantray Tribune News Service Jammu, October 8 The Nandni tunnel on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway seeks immediate attention to avoid any untoward incident as it is not being maintained properly by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). All focus of the NHAI authorities is on the new national highway coming under the north-south corridor plan. The road leading to the tunnel from both sides is in dilapidated condition. The inside condition of the tunnel is worse than that of road as it is flooded with water and has scores of potholes. Everyday thousands of vehicles ply on the national highway through Nandni tunnel, which is also the only road link to the abode of Mata Vaishno Devi in Trikuta hills of Shivalik range of the Himalayas. 'The condition near and inside the Nandni tunnel is so bad that threat of any tragedy looms large. “I have been driving my vehicle through this tunnel for the past 20 years but I have never seen the tunnel in such a bad condition. Water logging inside the tunnel has become a routine affair,” said Shamsher Singh, a taxi driver who moves between Jammu and Srinagar everyday. Under the north-south corridor plan, the Authority of India is constructing the new national highway up to Uri in Kashmir and the work between Jammu and Udhampur is expected to be completed by June 2014, but since then people have to move from the existing Nandni tunnel, which could collapse any time. The National Highway Authority of India authorities have shown ignorance about the bad condition of road and the Nandni tunnel despite the fact that for the past few months, water logging inside the tunnel and potholes have become a routine affair. “I am not aware of any such condition of the tunnel. I will surely look into it,” said RP Singh, NHAI project director for J&K. The National Highway Authority of India has also abandoned the road from Chenani to Batote on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, which will be bypassed by a 9.2-km-long tunnel connecting Chenani in Udhampur district with Nashri in Ramban district. Around 35 km stretch of road which moves through picturesque tourist resort Patnitop has been put on the mercy of God. Vehicles on this stretch of road are moving at their own risk with no focus from authorities to manage the condition.