Prevent infiltration into Jammu: CM
JAMMU, May 21 — Various security and intelligence agencies have been asked to draw a lesson from the recent events in the Kargil sector, where several hundred Pakistani infiltrators sneaked into Indian territory, and gear up to prevent Pakistan-trained militants from infiltrating into the Jammu region.

New ultra outfit Al Badr surfaces
SRINAGAR, May 21 — Hizbul Mujahideen, the banned militant outfit in Jammu and Kashmir, has been completely wiped out from Srinagar, while members of one of its offshoots have recently surfaced in the capital city, the police said today.

Srinagar - Leh road to open in June
JAMMU, May 21 — The Srinagar-Leh road will be opened to vehicular traffic by the middle of next month.

2 leopards to be shifted to Chhat Bir Zoo
JAMMU, May 21 — The Central Zoo Authority of India has decided to translocate two adult leopards, one male and one female, to the Chhat Bir Zoo near Chandigarh from Deer Park, Manda on the outskirts of Jammu.

Prevent infiltration into Jammu: CM
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, May 21 — Various security and intelligence agencies have been asked to draw a lesson from the recent events in the Kargil sector, where several hundred Pakistani infiltrators sneaked into Indian territory, and gear up to prevent Pakistan-trained militants from infiltrating into the Jammu region.

This advice was given to senior officers of the Army, the BSF, the state police and intelligence agencies during a meeting of the Unified Command by the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, here today.

At the meeting concern was expressed over continued infiltration from across the Poonch and Rajouri sectors and from across the international border. The Chief Minister is said to have urged the security forces to take suitable measures for halting the ingress of Pakistan-trained militants because so long as the well of militancy was not dry the situation would remain fluid in the state.

He and senior officers felt happy over the success achieved through joint operations against the militants.The Chief Minister suggested to the security agencies to be careful and ensure that during anti-insurgency operations common people were not harassed.

The meeting also discussed briefly the system required to be formulated for ensuring security to pilgrims to the Amarnath cave. The annual Amarnath yatra is scheduled to start from the third week of July. The police officers informed the meeting that the security arrangements would be made on the lines adopted during the past several years.

During the meeting the officers were asked to keep a close watch on the activities of all groups of militants and ensure that links between Kashmir and Punjab militants were not established in Jammu.

Senior police officers, including the Director-General Police, Mr Gurbachan Jagat, emphasised the need for further raising the strength of the village defence committees and special police officers in Rajouri, Doda and Udhampur districts. The meeting was told that the role played by members of the village defence committees and SPOs in these three districts was quite useful in containing the activities of the militants.

Informed sources said some senior officers referred to the problem of acute cash crunch which had prevented the government from increasing the number of VDCs and SPOs and clearing their wages on time.

The Chief Minister said he would take up the matter with the Centre again and persuade the Union Home Minister and the Prime Minister to release additional funds in favour of the state so that the security arrangements could be further tightened.

Dr Abdullah wanted the security and intelligence agencies to draw a lesson from men of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) posted in the Ladakh region who failed to inform the Army and the Central Government in advance about the Pakistani plan of pushing in infiltrators into the Kargil sector. He called for improved coordination among various security and intelligence agencies.

New ultra outfit Al Badr surfaces

SRINAGAR, May 21 (PTI) — Hizbul Mujahideen, the banned militant outfit in Jammu and Kashmir, has been completely wiped out from Srinagar, while members of one of its offshoots have recently surfaced in the capital city, the police said today.

"While the Hizbul Mujahideen has been completely wiped out, four or five members of another pro-Pakistan militant outfit, Harkat-ul-Ansar, are still active in Srinagar and would soon be eliminated," a police spokesman said here.

Meanwhile, a new militant outfit has surfaced in the state with certain Pakistani nationals owing allegiance to a hitherto unknown group called, ‘Al Badr’ sneaking into Srinagar to foment trouble in the city, he said.

"It is very difficult to identify activists of the Al Badr outfit as unlike other Islamic militants carrying guns or sporting beards, they move about in casuals and mix with locals easily," the spokesman told reporters here.

However, the police had already apprehended a member of the group and recovered a large quantity of arms, including three machine guns, two sniper rifles, eight AK assault rifles, six pistols and nine grenades, from him.

During interrogation the Al-Badr member revealed the group was led by its supreme commander Luqman alias Jan Nisar.

Other prominent members of the group and their local contacts have also been identified.

The new outfit was an offshoot of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen and broke away from the parent body after it lost local support.

Al Badr was initially active in Bandipora and Ganderbal areas of north Kashmir but its members had recently sneaked into Srinagar owing to increasing pressure in those places.

Some prominent persons, including government officials, were also reported to be providing hide-outs to these militants, the spokesman said, adding efforts were on to identify them.

As many as 150 militants, most of them foreigners, have been eliminated so far this year and the life of an active militant in Kashmir had been reduced to six months, the spokesman claimed.

APHC-called strike disrupts life
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, May 21 — Normal life was affected here today in response to the strike call given by the separatists All-Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) to mark the ninth death anniversary of former Mirwaiz (chief priest) Mohammad Farooq.

The Mirwaiz fell to the bullets of unidentified gunmen at his Nageen residence on this day in 1990.

Shops and business establishments here remained closed. Some of the banks and educational institutions were also closed in response to the call. The interior parts of the city observed a complete bandh on the occasion. Transport plied partially in the civil lines area of the city. There was partial response to the strike in other major towns of the valley. Transport in these towns and on inter-district routes also plied normally.

Most of the areas in the capital city observed the strike throughout the day, on a call was given by the Awami Action Committee (AAC), one of the constituents of the APHC. His 16-year old son, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq then took over the reigns of the Committee, which later became a constituent of the Hurriyat Conference.

Various programmes were organised by the APHC and AAC in connection with his ninth death anniversary. These included a seminar here on Tuesday and religious functions at Idgah.

Meanwhile, two unidentified militants have been killed in an encounter with the security forces at Palhalan in Pattan area or Baramulla district in north Kashmir. Till the last reports came in, the search to flush out some more hiding militants was going on. The security forces had earlier today cordoned off the area on a specific information about the presence of some militants. The seizures made included six AK rifles, two grenade rifles, two wireless sets, an IED and a pistol.

Srinagar - Leh road to open in June
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, May 21 — The Srinagar-Leh road will be opened to vehicular traffic by the middle of next month.

Announcing this at a meeting at Srinagar yesterday, the Transport Minister, Mr B.A. Kitchloo, appreciated the role of the Border Roads Organisation in maintaining the national highway from Jammu to Srinagar and the road from Sonamarg to Leh.

The meeting also reviewed the steps taken to improve road from Sonamarg to Leh. It was suggested that a tunnel be constructed at Zojila to ensure round-the-year traffic on this highway. A proposal to this effect would be submitted to the Central Government for consideration. It also formulated a disaster management plan to deal with any situation that might arise due to inclement weather.

2 leopards to be shifted to Chhat Bir Zoo
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, May 21 — The Central Zoo Authority of India has decided to translocate two adult leopards, one male and one female, to the Chhat Bir Zoo near Chandigarh from Deer Park, Manda on the outskirts of Jammu.

According to a handout issued by Mr Tahir Ahmad Shawl, Wildlife Warden, Jammu East, in pursuance to the directives from Central Zoo Authority, these animals would be translocated to Chhat Bir due to overcrowding of the animals in the enclosures and also due to lack of space in the enclosures at Deer Park provided that the Chhat Bir zoo shall in exchange provide animals for the proposed zoo in Jammu as and when it comes into being.

However, with the translocation of these two leopards the population of leopards at Jammu Deer Park would be reduced to two pairs only.