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Two injured in fresh Pak shelling
Villagers and policemen stand near an unexploded mortar shell fired by Pakistani troops at Jerda village in Ramgarh sector of Samba district on Monday. — PTI Shinde to attend Unified HQ meet
News analysis |
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Militants took advantage of lapses in SOPs: Omar
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah pays a floral tribute to police martyrs during the Police Commemoration Day ceremony at Zewan on the outskirts of Srinagar on Monday. Tribune photo: Amin War
Continuous shelling scars border residents
Bishan Dass, whose house was targeted by Pakistan Rangers, in Suchetgarh Kullain village in the Samba sector on Sunday. Tribune photo: Anand Sharma BSF steps back, leaves Army with Keran queries
Soz launches veiled attack on NC
Unity, integrity of nation comes first, says DIG
New Cong members avoid commenting on Mufti
Amarnath Yatra: 87 ponywallahs given compensation cheques
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Two injured in fresh Pak shelling
Jammu, October 21 The intense shelling left Special Police Officer (SPO) Girdhar Lal and BSF personnel Mohammed Yousuf of 200 Battalion injured in the Kanachak and Ramgah sub-sectors, respectively, taking the total number of the injured to 11 in the past one week. “Rangers fired 82-mm mortars, RPGs and HMG and UMG fire targeting eight forward villages and BSF posts at SM Pur, Narayanpur, Chambliyal, Nanga, SP1 and SP 2 around 9 pm in the Ramgarh sub-sector,” said a senior BSF officer. The BSF, which initially exercised restraint in a bid to de-escalate the tension, was left with no option but to retaliate in equal measure, he added. Nearly 150 villagers from SM Pur and Jasso Chak, mostly women and children, left their villages in tractors and took refuge in Radha Swami Satsang Ashram in Ramgarh town, said a police officer. A local from Arnia, Balbir Kumar, told this correspondent that around 8.45 pm on Sunday the Rangers opened heavy fire in the Arnia sub-sector. “They used heavy calibre weapons and one mortar exploded in the Arnia bus stand damaging an electricity transformer and shop of one Sohan Lal,” he disclosed. “Three mortars exploded in Suhagpur village, two in Kaku-de-Kothe and one in Pindi village. Though there was is no migration as yet, heavy fire on villages has created panic among the villagers,” he said The firing continued till 5.30 am, he added Kumar said Kaku-De-Kothe, Rakh, Chanana, Pindi Kadwal, Pindi Camp, Pindi Chadkan, Jabowal, Trewa, Kotla Camp, Chak Gorian, Pittal and Kathar in the Arnia sub-sector were targeted by the Rangers. After The Tribune reported that a primary school was in the line of Pakistani fire in the Pargwal sector, the state government has ordered closure of all government schools in Pargwal till the situation normalises. Meanwhile, a day before Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde’s visit to Jammu to review the security scenario on the borders, the Kathua police launched a massive search operation after a J&K Armed Police (JKAP) personnel saw three suspicious-looking men in Gopalachak in Hiranagar tehsil during the wee hours today. The JKAP personnel, Amit Kumar, saw three men around 3.15 am today near Gopalachak with one of them carrying a bag that aroused his suspicion, said a police officer. “The JKAP personnel informed the police and we immediately launched a search operation, which was called off after five hours,” the police officer added. Border firing *
The intense Pakistani shelling left Special Police Officer (SPO) Girdhar Lal and BSF personnel Mohammed Yousuf of 200 Battalion injured in the Kanachak and Ramgah sub-sectors, respectively, taking the total number of the injured to 11 in the past one week *
The Pakistan Rangers pounded 15 Indian forward posts and villages with 82-mm mortars, heavy machine guns and universal machine guns in the Ramgarh, Kanachak and Arnia sub-sectors in Samba and Jammu districts *
The BSF, which initially exercised restraint in a bid to de-escalate the tension, was left with no option but to retaliate in equal measure |
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Shinde to attend Unified HQ meet
Jammu, October 21 “He will land at the headquarters of the BSF in Samba around 9:15 am tomorrow, where he will be briefed by the senior BSF officers about the prevailing situation along the border in the wake of shelling by the Pak Rangers,” said a senior BSF officer. “He may also visit a forward post in the Samba sector. Thereafter, he will visit the Hiranagar police station where three Pak terrorists had killed four policemen and two civilians on September 26 before storming an the Army camp where they killed four soldiers, including Lt Colonel Bikramjeet Singh,” he said. After visiting the police station, he would come to Jammu where he would attend the Unified Headquarters meeting with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at the latter’s residence before returning to New Delhi around 4 pm, said the officer. In the past one week, as many as 11 persons, including five BSF personnel, one SPO and two women and three minor children, have been injured in the Pak shelling.
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News analysis
Chandigarh, October 21 Pakistan has heightened tensions on the Line of Control (LoC) and the international border by pushing in infiltrators and with countless ceasefire violations, provoking retaliatory fire from the Indian side. There is a sense of déjŕ vu in Jammu and Kashmir. The continuing firing on the LoC and the international border and the raking up of the Kashmir issue by Pakistan premier Nawaz Sharif, who is also seeking the US intervention in the Kashmir issue, are reminiscent of the pre-2003 days, when guns and mortars used to hit houses in border villages and trigger migration. And the violence in the Valley and other parts of the state and cross-border firing directly affect the Chief Minister, his government and people of the state. Being the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir is the “most difficult job”, Omar had told this reporter when he was confronted with internal strife in 2010. He has realised the gravity of the situation created by Pakistan, thus this tough talk. People on the borders or in the hinterland are his people and it is his duty to take care of all of them. Pakistan’s highly hostile acts threaten to undo all the work that he has done for the people. He was a tireless campaigner for the India-Pakistan dialogue. He was in the diminishing minority of those favouring talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif. But he seems to have changed his tone and tenor toward Pakistan, because the word that Nawaz Sharif gave to Manmohan Singh in New York has not been kept. The state is directly affected. Already, the people have started migrating from the border areas and Pakistan is unrelenting in firing on the Indian side, hitting Border Security Force personnel and civilians alike. When Omar said at Police Commemoration Day in Srinagar on Monday that “India should explore other options to deal with Pakistan,” the message was very clear that he, too, has seen through Pakistan’s game. The deadly combination of infiltration and firing on Indian posts on borders is also aimed at derailing his agenda: to ensure peace in the state, get the special laws revoked and bring in investment from other parts of the country. To be sure those things are kept in check; his strong words against Pakistan came from his heart. Now it is to be seen that how he acts and harmonises his plans with the security forces.
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Militants took advantage of lapses in SOPs: Omar
Srinagar, October 21 “I believe there were procedural lapses. This year, there has been relaxation of the SOPs that were put in place. Had the SOPs been followed, I believe these incidents would not have taken place,” Omar told reporters on the sidelines of the Police Commemoration Day at Zewan in the outskirts of Srinagar. The Chief Minister said militants took advantage of lapses, not only in Hiranagar and Samba, but in various other attacks, including the Hyderpra attack on the Army and the Bemina attack on the CRPF. However, Omar hailed the policemen for their efforts in bringing normalcy to the state. “I credit the J&K Police of playing a role along with the paramilitary forces and the Army to bring the situation almost back to normalcy. It is due to their effort that some sort of normalcy has returned to the state,” he said while addressing the policemen during the function. The Chief Minister, however, asked the security men to be vigilant as militants were carrying out attacks to demoralise them. “They carry attacks to create a sense of fear among you and to make their presence felt. But the morale of the J&K Police is high and we will win this battle against them (militants),” he said. Omar also assured the families of the police martyrs that the state government was with them through all thick and thin. “While various measures have already been put in place to take care of martyrs’ families, our government would further strengthen and expand these measures,” Omar said. He added that the commemoration of police and paramilitary forces on October 21 reminds them of their bravery, commitment, patriotism and sacrifice. “I pay my rich tributes to them for giving their precious lives for the cause of the people and the nation. I also express my solidarity with their families,” the Chief Minister said. Earlier, Director General of Police Ashok Prasad read out the names of 576 police and paramilitary personnel, who were killed this year across the country. The names included 21 policemen from J&K. Minister for Agriculture Ghulam Hassan Mir, legislator Javid Mustafa Mir, Chief Secretary Mohammad Iqbal Khandey, senior civil and police officers and family members of the police martyrs were present on the occasion.
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Continuous shelling scars border residents
Suchetgarh-Kulian,
October 21 Putting up just 350 metres away from Pakistan’s Tandar post, Dass’ family braved four mortars to recount the horror. “Four 82 mm mortars fired from a distance of just 350m within a span of one-and-a-half hours. One exploded on the roof of my house, the other on the rear wall and a couple of them exploded in my fields adjacent to the house. The incident sent shivers down the spine of my entire family,” recalled Dass. Still in a shock, Dass thanked God that his family survived the assault. “Around 12.30 am on that fateful night, the first mortar landed on the roof of my house and exploded with a bang. At that time the entire family, comprising eight members including children, was sitting in the verandah. The roof developed cracks, but thank God the mortar didn’t fall in the verandah,” Dass said. “The entire family hid itself by the walls, fearing that the ceiling may cave in anytime. The children were screaming and there was smoke all around. Then another mortar hit the rear wall of my house, facing Pakistan. By 2 am, two more mortars exploded in my fields very close to the house,” remembered Dass. He said, though, the Rangers used to open small arms fire, it was for the first time they fired mortars. “It’s a miracle that we escaped unhurt,” Dass said. The family has already witnessed displacement in 1999 and 2002 because of Pakistan shelling and now they fear another migration. “They (Rangers) raised Tandar post in 1973. It is barely 350m away from my house. Being a marginal farmer I can’t think of moving to some safer place,” he said. Dass rued the government apathy, saying that nobody from the state administration bothered to visit the house of a poor farmer hit by Pakistani mortars. |
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BSF steps back, leaves Army with Keran queries
Srinagar, October 21 The BSF in a statement here said it never manned the posts in the Shalabatu area, which were reported to have been occupied by the infiltrators and later recaptured by the Army during a 15-day-long operation, which was called off earlier this month. “The BSF is deployed on the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir under Army’s 15 Corps, but it was not associated with the Army in any way in the recent anti-infiltration operations in Shalabatu,” Srinagar-based Public Relations Officer of the BSF said while denying the reports that BSF was part of the joint operation launched by the Army in the area. As maintained by the Army, it launched the anti-infiltration operation against the “holed up” infiltrators in Shalabatu village in the Keran sector in north Kashmir on September 24 and suddenly called it off after 15 days on October 8, leaving many gaps between what it claimed and what was reported to be on the ground. “Khokhri, Kulari and Mangerta…no such posts are or were ever manned by the BSF on the LoC in the said area or for that matter reoccupied jointly with the Army after the conclusion of the said (anti-infiltration) operations,” the BSF PRO said. The Army’s anti-infiltration operation in Shalabatu village, which was one of the known infiltration routes in early 1990s, has been questioned by the security agencies of both the state and the Centre. The respective agencies in their reports have picked holes in the Army's version of the episode. Defence Minister AK Antony is also likely to hold a high-level meeting with the armed forces later this month, during which he is expected to review the Keran operation.
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Soz launches veiled attack on NC
Jammu, October 21 Soz observed that increasing popularity of the Congress in all the three regions of the state was clear indication that common masses were “fed-up” with the “divisive politics” being propagated by some forces. He was addressing a function here to welcome some prominent political persons and a retired bureaucrat into the party fold. “The emergence of the Congress as a single largest party in the recently held elections of the Kargil Council was a clear indication that the acceptance of the party has been increasing in every nook and corner of the state,” senior Congress leader said. Soz, while highlighting the party’s victory in Kargil Council polls, also sought to expose the NC for indulging into “deceitful tactics” to dishonour the public mandate. “Propriety demanded that the Congress should have been called to lead the Council, but unfortunately efforts were made to dishonour the mandate,” he said, adding that the Congress ultimately proved its strength in the Kargil Council elections and party candidate Asgar Karbalai was elected as the chairman of the Council. Continuing with his indirect tirade against the NC, the JKPCC chief said: “When I claimed that the Congress was emerging as a vibrant force in all the three regions of the state, some political groups tried to undermine my claims.” “Joining of large number of people in the Congress from different regions of the state is an authentication of my claims”, he said. The Congress is a force to reckon and the joining of more and more important leaders from political parties was writing on the wall, he said. Soz reiterated that the party will emerge as the single largest party in the next Assembly elections. Taking an apparent dig at Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for his remarks over the state’s accession to the Union of India, Soz said: “Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.” “There is no place for politics of exploitation, as people of the state appreciate and participate in the great democracy of this great nation for a better and bright future,” he said. Later, interacting with media persons, Soz clarified that Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram has never supported Omar’s controversial statement on accession. “I want to make it clear that Chidambaram’s words are not dictum, my words are final as far as the Congress view point on Kashmir is concerned,” he said and reiterated that accession of J&K with India was final. Omar during a meeting with the European delegation had said Jammu & Kashmir only acceded with the Union of India and did not merge with it. The leaders, who officially joined the Congress during the function, include Gurbachan Kumari Rana, PDP general secretary Balbir Singh, NC leader Mohammad Aslam Goni, PDP leader Choudhary Tassaduq Hussian, Murtaza Ahmed Khan, Zahida Khan, Sheikh Mujeeb Ali and Shafeeq Ahmed Mir. |
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Unity, integrity of nation comes first, says DIG
Rajouri, October 21 The main function was conducted in Police Line, Rajouri, where the senior officers of the district police, including Deputy Inspector General of the Rajouri-Poonch Range Danish Rana and SP Mubassir Latif, paid tributes to the martyrs. Brig JK Tiwari, Deputy General Officer Commanding, 25 Infantry Division, GOC, Romeo Force, and senior citizens also paid their tributes on the occasion. Speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of the function, Rana said, “We paid rich tributes to all those martyrs’ who laid down their lives for the unity and integrity of the nation in different parts of the country.” “The unity and integrity of our country comes first and to safeguard it is the prime responsibility of the Paramilitary Forces and state police,” he said. Showing concern over escalated tension on borders, Rana said, “For the past four months, Pakistan has been continuously violating ceasefire in Poonch, Kerni, Balakote. No successful infiltration has, however, been reported till now. Due to heavy shelling from across the border, villagers are facing difficulty cultivating their fields,” said Rana. |
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New Cong members avoid commenting on Mufti
Jammu, October 21 “I have every emotional and human relation with Union Minister Farooq Abdullah and these relations would continue till my death,” Goni said, while elaborating his decision on parting of the ways with the NC. He, however, said he was feeling suffocated under the present leadership. Without naming Omar, Goni said with the NC leadership in the hands of immature persons, a majority of the workers was feelings suffocated and depressed. He said very soon many people would join other parties. Goni also tried to downplay allegations leveled on him by additional general secretary of the NC Sheikh Mustafa Kamal, who happens to be the uncle of the Chief Minister. “Who takes Mustafa Kamal seriously?” he said. Being a native of the erstwhile Doda district, Goni also tried to play regional card and said various development projects started during the regime of the Congress in that region had been deliberately stalled by the present dispensation. Leaders of the PDP who joined the Congress today also avoided any attack on Mufti Mohammad Sayeed but said they were not satisfied with the policies and programmes of the party. |
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Amarnath Yatra: 87 ponywallahs given compensation cheques
Srinagar, October 21 The cheques were distributed at a function held at Raj Bhavan here by Minister for Forests and Environment Mian Altaf Ahmad on the directions of Governor NN Vohra, who was out of station. Eightyseven ponywallahs were given cheques amounting to Rs 30,000 per horse/pony, an official statement said. Navin K Choudhary, principal secretary to the Governor and the CEO of the Shrine Board, said ponywallahs were an important part of the yatra and the Governor had issued directions to get their insurance claims settled expeditiously. He said the Governor had also asked him to take up the matter with the insurance companies concerned to speedily settle their remainder insurance claims. Speaking on the occasion, Altaf said the provision of insurance cover for the ponies/horses in case of their accidental death during the yatra was an extremely laudable welfare measure and provided strong relief to the economically weaker sections of society whose animals get killed in accidents. He thanked the Governor for taking keen interest in the welfare of the pony/horse owners and said there had been tremendous improvement in the management of the yatra, particularly in the past five years. Minister of State for Animal and Sheep Husbandry Nazir Ahmad Khan (Gurezi) thanked the Governor for the initiative for putting in place the provision of an insurance cover. Additional CEO of the Shrine Board Preet Pal Singh gave details of the insurance claims of the pony/horse owners who were given cheques. Pahalgam MLA Rafi Ahmad Mir, secretary of the Animal and Sheep Husbandry Department Sarita Chouhan, Ganderbal Deputy Commissioner Sarmad Hafeez, Director of the Animal Husbandry Department Shamas-ud-Din Makhdoomi, and pony/horse owners were present on the occasion.
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The Pakistan Rangers again pounded 15 Indian forward posts and villages with 82-mm mortars, heavy machine guns and universal machine guns in the Ramgarh, Kanachak and Arnia sub-sectors along the 191.5-km-long international border of Samba and Jammu districts on Monday, triggering another migration from SM Pur and Jasso Chak villages in
Ramgarh.
Jammu, October 21
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who on this day three years ago had claimed that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) would be revoked within a few days, on Monday recognised the fact that Pakistan had not given up its old habits and was spoiling the atmosphere in the sensitive state.
Pointing out at the recent terror attacks across the state, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said these incidents could have been avoided had the security agencies followed the Standard Operation Procedures (SOP) properly.
Suchetgarh-Kulian,
October 21 
Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief Saifuddin Soz today launched a veiled attack on the coalition partner National Conference (NC) for undermining the growing strength of the Congress in the state.
The Rajouri district police today paid tributes to the policemen killed in Ladakh in 1959 on the occasion of Police Commemoration Day.
The main function was conducted in Police Line, Rajouri, where the senior officers of the district police, including Deputy Inspector General of the Rajouri-Poonch Range Danish Rana and SP Mubassir
Latif, paid tributes to the martyrs.
Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and National Conference (NC) leaders who joined the Congress today avoided attacks on veteran leaders of the parties that they have quitted.
