Vocational centre for tribal youth
JAMMU, June 2 — A vocational training centre, first of its kind, will be opened shortly to impart training in five different trades to tribal youth in the valley. The Centre has released Rs 9.40 lakh for the purpose recently.

16 die of food poisoning
JAMMU, June 2 — Sixteen persons have died after consuming poisonous food at a local function in a remote village of Doda district in the Jammu region in the past two days, official sources said here today.

Major among 5 killed in J&K

JAMMU, June 2 (PTI) — An Army Major and two top ultras were among five persons killed and two injured in different militancy-related incidents in Doda and Udhampur districts of the Jammu region since last night, official sources said here today.

The sources said militants ambushed an Army patrol near the Sukhamali forest area in Doda district and critically injured two armymen including a Major of the Rashtriya Rifles, last night.

The Major, who was shifted along with the other Army jawan to the military hospital, died on the way, the sources said, adding the deceased was identified as Major Kamlesh.

The militants managed to escape from the spot.

The BSF today killed two top local ultras of the militant outfit, Hizbul Mujahideen, in the Gool area of Udhampur district, the sources said.

The encounter was still on in the Darshan forest area when the reports last came in. The recoveries included an AK-47 rifle, a pistol, a wireless set and some explosive material.

In another encounter in Doda’s Joura area, troops killed a mercenary and injured another, who later managed to escape. Some arms and ammunition were recovered from the spot.

A bullet-riddled, decomposed body was recovered from the Chambi Kandi area of Doda district.

Meanwhile, four top militants of the Pakistan-based Harkat-ul-Ansar outfit were captured from their hideouts here today, official sources said.

The captured militants included Javid Ahmad Bhat, self-styled deputy district commander, his close associate and chief co-ordinator of the outfit and another militant outfit Al-Badr, Niyaz Ahmad Baba, deputy group commander Fayaz Ahmad alias Israr and Shabir Ahmad Gujri alias Soza, the sources said.

While Javid and Niyaz, both most wanted militants of Saidpora-Hazratbal and Buchpora, were arrested by the BSF from their hideout at Ontabhavan, Fayaz and Shabir were picked up from their houses at Bachpora and Malik Mohalla, the sources said.

Leh-Manali road may be opened
From Ehsan Fazili
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, June 2 — How much time would the Army take to clear the Dras-Kargil-Batalik sectors, of the heavily armed intruders into the "unheld areas" along the Line of Control (LoC)? People are raising this question about the ongoing anti-infiltration operation necessitated due to "timely and well planned" intrusion in the high mountainous region.

While Kargil has been witnessing heavy shelling and firing by Pakistani troops from across the Line of Control (LoC) over the past more than two years, those of Dras and Batalik are fresh centres of attack by the troops from the other side. Both Dras and Batalik are close to the LoC. The terrain, which is regarded as the most difficult after the Siachen Glacier, falls at a height of over 12000 to 18000 feet above sea level. Most of the times it remains covered with snow and the temperature goes below minus 40 degree Celsius.

For the past three weeks, Indian troops have been fighting both inhospitable terrain and the heavily armed and "Pakistani" army backed" intruders. The Commander of Srinagar-based 15 Corps, Lt Gen Krishan Pal, earlier had stated that it was a "local situation", the higher Army Commanders and even the Defence Minister has gone to the extent of describing it as a "full-fledged" war, if not a conventional one. Reinforcements have been made and the whole area on the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh highway from Sonmarg, 95 km from here, is virtually under Army control.

Several hundred intruders have entrenched themselves in a "well planned and strategic manner along the 100-km stretch of the Srinagar-Leh highway between Dras and Batalik, according to Lt-Gen Krishan Pal. He adds that the infiltrators were detected in time and efforts to dislodge them would continue. "The operation is time-consuming" due to the inhospitable terrain, he adds. The Kargil district has its boundary linked with Doda, Anantnag and Srinagar.

The five-km stretch of the road to Ladakh at Dras has been "more vulnerable" since the past three weeks now. The attempts of the Pakistani troops, according to the senior Army officials here, is to snap the only road link to Ladakh, thereby cutting off the supply line. The 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh highway remains closed to traffic during winter due to heavy snow on Zojila Pass situated at a height of 11669 feet above sea level. The road reopens to traffic in May every year and thereby supply line to Ladakh is restored.

Due to the heavy shelling from across the border, the authorities have not been able to reopen the road to civilian traffic. This has led to shortage of essential commodities in the region as the supplies for the civilians and the Army reinforcement has to be made through the Zojila Pass only.

According to the reports reaching here, the reopening of Leh-Manali road may bring relief to the civil and Army authorities, for ensuring smooth supply of essential commodities in the already exhausted stores of the region. Given that the troops get smooth supply of the requisite arms and ammunition via the Leh-Manali road, the State Government may also not face difficulties in providing smooth supplies to over two lakh population of Ladakh Division.

Raising Day of Nagrota Corps celebrated
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, June 2 — The Nagrota Corps, one of the largest corps of the Indian Army celebrated its 28th Raising Day near here yesterday.

Lt-General A.S. Khanna, Vashist Seva Medal, Vir Chakra, Corps Commander, in his message on the occasion, felicitated all ranks for their dedication and hard work in a scenario of "Proxy War" imposed on us. Lauding the role of troops in the ongoing operations against the militants, the General said that units and formations of the Corps were acquitting themselves well in the onerous duties for which a lot of credit goes to the jawans or their hard work and performance. "I remain confident that you will continue to work with same zeal and professionalism in meeting challenges", he added.

Addressing a special sainik sammelan, on behalf of General Officer Commanding of the Corps, Major General A.S. Jamwal, VSM, Chief of Staff, Nagrota Corps reminded the soldiers of the challenges of defending the borders. The Line of Control was well guarded, he said. There was no room for complacency, he added.

On the occasion, all ranks of the Corps pledged to defend unity and integrity of the nation.

Earlier, on his arrival at the sainik sammelan, he was received by Brigadier A.K. Ravikant, Station Commander.

Raised in 1972 by Lt-General, JFR Jacob, the Corps, has grown from strength to strength. The Corps has produced three Chiefs of the Army Staff and seven Army Commanders. The former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir General (retd) K.V. Krishna Rao, the former Chiefs of the Army Staff, General Shankar Roychowdhury and General S.F. Rodrigues have commanded this Corps. The formation has earned numerous gallantry awards and fame since its raising.

‘No migration from Poonch, Rajouri’

JAMMU, June 2 (UNI) — No family has migrated from the border villages of Rajouri and Poonch districts despite provocations from across the border and the morale of the people in these villages is high. The Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Schools Education, Mr M.S. Tariq, said today.

Speaking, at a press conference here, the minister said during his three-day tour of the border districts to gauge the situation after the massive infiltration in the Kargil sector, he found that the morale of the people in these districts was high and they were committed to providing full support and cooperation to the security forces in case of any abnormal situation.

The minister claimed that sufficient stocks of foodgrain and other essential commodities had been made available in all areas, including mountainous pockets of Haveli, Surankote, Mendhar, Mandi and Gulpur.

Vocational centre for tribal youth
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, June 2 — A vocational training centre, first of its kind, will be opened shortly to impart training in five different trades to tribal youth in the valley. The Centre has released Rs 9.40 lakh for the purpose recently.

This was stated at a meeting of officers of various departments held to review the progress achieved under the special central assistance to the tribal sub-plan. The Minister for Social Welfare, Mr Mian Altaf Ahmad, presided.
Out of Rs 37.64 lakh that were allocated, Rs 30 lakh have been spent on welfare measures taken for the uplift of the tribal population in Srinagar district last year.

The meeting also approved allocation of Rs 40 lakh to be utilised by various departments during the current fiscal year.

16 die of food poisoning

JAMMU, June 2 (PTI) — Sixteen persons have died after consuming poisonous food at a local function in a remote village of Doda district in the Jammu region in the past two days, official sources said here today.

Over 50 persons were taken ill after consuming poisonous food at a marriage party in Palalee, about 285 km from here, on Monday.