Pak-trained
militants enter HP
Tribune
News Service
SHIMLA, Dec 7 — The
security forces and the police have been put on an alert
following reports that about 16 Pakistan-trained Kashmiri
terrorists have infiltrated into Himachal Pradesh from
Doda district adjoining Chamba.
This was announced by the
Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, in the Vidhan Sabha today
while replying to a calling attention motion tabled by Mr
Kaul Singh and Mrs Asha Kumari of the Congress.
The Chief Minister said
the information regarding the infiltration of trained
militants was sent here on fax by the Deputy Commissioner
of Doda.
He said the ITBP, which
was deployed in the Chamba areas, has also received
information to this effect.
Mr Dhumal said the
checking of vehicles entering the state particularly
Chamba district is being intensified.
He said the Union Home
Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, had informed him in a letter
that the Centre had accepted his demand for not billing
the state government on account of the deployment of
paramilitary forces in Himachal Pradesh for
anti-terrorist operation.
The Centre had also
decided to reimburse to the state government the cost of
hiring IAF helicopters for surveillance in the terrorist
infested areas. The reimbursement would be for eight
hours a month and 40 hours would be taken into account
this year.
The Home Minister had also
asked the state government to send a proposal for funding
appointments of SPOs for fighting terrorists.
The Chief Minister said
the respective police stations were already checking the
antecedents of Kashmiri labourers working at various
places in the state. However, there was practical
difficulty in making verifications from their native
places in Kashmir. The issue was a complicated one and
the Himachal Government could not push them back into
Jammu and Kashmir which was an integral part of India.
Mr Dhumal said the 216 km
border of Chamba with Doda and Kathua districts of Jammu
had become quite sensitive after the terrorist strikes in
which 42 persons were killed. Utmost care was being taken
to ensure the safety of residents of the state.
He said that 172 village
defence committees had been established in the border
villages and 70 SPOs had also been appointed. The
communications and road network in the border areas was
also being improved to provide better mobility for the
security forces.
The Chief Minister said
constant vigil was also being maintained on anti-social
and anti-national elements in Kangra district,
particularly in McLeodganj.
Earlier, Congress members
took exception to the Chief Minister’s statements
outside the House that the previous Congress Government
had not made any security arrangements which could have
prevented the terrorist activities.
Mr Kaul Singh (Congress)
accused the present BJP-HVC combine government headed by
Mr Dhumal of having failed to maintain law and order and
putting the blame on the previous government for its own
failures.
He demanded that combing
should be done in the Chamba and Kangra districts where
terrorists were reportedly spreading their activities.
Mr Kaul Singh said that
the Dhumal government had not taken any steps to check
the activities of terrorists in Chamba district although
the matter was raised in the Assembly in July when the
Chief Minister claimed that the government was vigilant
and would crush terrorists.
However, on the contrary
terrorists took the government unaware when they struck
in the Kalaban and Satrundi areas of Chamba on August 3
killing 35 innocent labourers.
He said the government
should take serious note of the reports that the ISI was
infiltrating trained terrorists in Himachal Pradesh.
Mrs Asha Kumari (Congress)
pointed out that the smuggling of arms and ammunition
into Chamba was being done by terrorists from the Kihar
sector and areas of Punjab. There was a nexus between
Punjab militants and Kashmir militants.
She said there was no
information of the whereabouts of four persons who were
taken away by terrorists when they struck in Chamba on
August 3. She demanded that jobs should be provided to
the widows of the slain labourers.
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