J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Militants’ hideouts in sanitised areas worry security forces
Jammu, August 14
Security agencies in Jammu and Kashmir are concerned at militants establishing “safe sanctuaries” in the areas sanitised earlier. Field reports revealed that militants had made hideouts in upper reaches of Zainpore, Shopian, Kulgam, Achabal, Kokernag, Rajwar, Lolab (in the Kashmir valley) and in Saujia, Mora Bachai, Surankot, Darhal, Kalakot (in Poonch and Rajauri districts).

LeT men slaughter Hizb commander
Jammu, August 14
A Hizbul Mujahideen area commander was slaughtered by Lashkar-e-Toiba militants due to group rivalry in Rajouri district. LeT militants kidnapped Hizb area commander Umar Usman from a hideout in the Gambhir Moghalla area in Rajouri district yesterday, sources said. They tortured Usman and later slaughtered him. His body was found lying near a school.

12 KAS officers transferred
Srinagar, August 14
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has ordered the transfers and postings of 12 Kashmir Administrative Services officers, besides the services of seven other officers, placing them at the disposal of the Social Welfare Department.

Army clarifies
Jammu, August 14
The Army in a rebuttal here today described various aspersions cast in the news item “Martyr cremated with honours” published in a section of press as baseless. 

Amarnath yatra suspended
Jammu, August 14
Authorities today suspended the Amarnath yatra and prevented fresh batch of devotees from proceeding towards the shrine from here due to inclement weather.

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A BSF jawan stands guard at Clock Tower in Lal Chowk, Srinagar, on Saturday. —  Tribune photo by Amin War
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Militants’ hideouts in sanitised areas worry
security forces
Our Correspondent

Jammu, August 14
Security agencies in Jammu and Kashmir are concerned at militants establishing “safe sanctuaries” in the areas sanitised earlier. Field reports revealed that militants had made hideouts in upper reaches of Zainpore, Shopian, Kulgam, Achabal, Kokernag, Rajwar, Lolab (in the Kashmir valley) and in Saujia, Mora Bachai, Surankot, Darhal, Kalakot (in Poonch and Rajauri districts).

According to these reports, militants have re-established bases in upper reaches of Doda and Kishtwar.

Militants setting up hideouts in Jammu and Srinagar and in Kangan area of Srinagar district has disturbed security agencies. During raids the police arrested more than eight suspected militants in Jammu City and Kathua in past 10 days.

These militants were picked up mostly from hotels in Jammu and some of them had come from Doda district for attacks on vital government installations. Others had been assigned the task of kicking up violence on the eve of Independence Day.

The police and Defence Ministry sources said that with covert support of Pakistani troops infiltration from across the LoC in Poonch, Rajouri, Uri and Kupwara sectors had gone up in the past two months.

Sources said though ingress of militants had been less than the one registered prior to the enforcement of ceasefire on the LoC, it was still disturbing. They said militants had establishes hideouts in various hilly areas of the state.

Army and BSF authorities have stated that more than 200 militants, with sophisticated weapons, had been brought across Poonch, Rajouri and Uri for pushing into the Indian territory.

These authorities said between 3,500 and 4,000 militants had been given arm training across the border in recent months and were being readied for infiltrating into Jammu and Kashmir.

To check bigger groups of infiltrators to cross into the Indian territory, farmers in Uri, Poonch and Rajouri sectors had been persuaded to reap raw maize crop as the militants would across the border and go in hiding under cover of maize plants.

The Defence Ministry sources said the troops guarding the border have been directed to shoot down anyone crossing the LoC. They have been told to bank on the censors installed on the border to foil infiltration.

Sources said that soon after the Army, BSF, CRPF and policemen were free from the Amarnath yatra duty, the process of sanitisation of militancy-infested areas would begin.

LeT men slaughter Hizb commander

Jammu, August 14
A Hizbul Mujahideen area commander was slaughtered by Lashkar-e-Toiba militants due to group rivalry in Rajouri district. LeT militants kidnapped Hizb area commander Umar Usman from a hideout in the Gambhir Moghalla area in Rajouri district yesterday, sources said.

A police constable, Sham Lal, was killed and a militant injured in an exchange of fire near Patimahal in the Kishtwar area of Doda district yesterday. The incident took place when the police party was fired upon by militants while going to Dachan from Kishtwar. The militant, however, was taken away by his associates, the police said. — TNS, agencies

12 KAS officers transferred
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 14
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has ordered the transfers and postings of 12 Kashmir Administrative Services officers, besides the services of seven other officers, placing them at the disposal of the Social Welfare Department.

It has also sanctioned the promotion of special scale KAS officers to the super time scale of five senior officers, including Mr Nayeem Akhtar, Special Secretary to the Chief Minister. The other officers are Mr V.K. Bakshi, Mr B.D. Sharma, Mr Bashir Ahmad, Mr Gowhar Ahmad.

According to an official spokesman, Mr Altaf Hussain, Deputy Secretary, PDD, has been transferred and posted as Special Officer, Auqaf, while Mr Ghulam Hassan Mir, Special Officer, Auqaf, has been transferred and posted as Deputy Secretary, Revenue Department.

Ms Vijay Kumari has been posted as Deputy Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, while the Kachoo Nissar Ali has been posted as Director, Employment, Kargil.

Mr Mohammad Hafeez has been posted as Assistant Commissioner (R), Poonch, and B.L. Bhat has been posted as Deputy Secretary, Revenue Department.

Mr Ajay Singh Jamwal has been posted Deputy Secretary, Home Department, and Mr Arif Ullah has been posted as Personal Officer in the office of the Director School Education, Kashmir.

Mr Shabir Hussain has been posted as Deputy Secretary, PDD, while Mr Ghulam Rasool has been posted as Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Zanskar. Mr Gulzar Hussain has been posted as General Manager, DIC, Kargil and R.L. Vishen has been posted as Deputy Secretary, Rural Development Department.

The officers whose services have been placed at the disposal of the Social Welfare Department include Mr Suraj Prakash Gupta, Ms Sheela Bhagat, Mr Mohammad Masood Bhat, Mr Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din, Mr Syed Anwar, Mr Showkat Ahmad Dar and Mr Kuldeep Singh.

Army clarifies
Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 14
The Army in a rebuttal here today described various aspersions cast in the news item “Martyr cremated with honours” published in a section of press as baseless.

A spokesman of the Army said the unit to which soldier Pawan Kumar, who died on August 11 after being wounded in a fight with terrorists in Doda district on August 10, had informed his father, Mr Baldev Singh, about the tragedy.

The news report has quoted Mr Baldev Singh of having complained that one of his friends had informed him of the death of his son and not the Army. However, the spokesman clarified that the Army authorities again contacted Mr Baldev Singh today and he said Ms Anjali Thakur had informed him about the incident on August 11. 

Amarnath yatra suspended

Jammu, August 14
Authorities today suspended the Amarnath yatra and prevented fresh batch of devotees from proceeding towards the shrine from here due to inclement weather.

The yatra was not allowed to proceed from the base camp of Mam stadium here as it had been raining heavily in Jammu and along the yatra route from here to Banihal since midnight, officials said.

The pilgrims, who were scheduled to proceed to the shrine today, would be accommodated in the next batch tomorrow, they said. — PTI