160 militants active in Udhampur
UDHAMPUR, May 25 — Security forces killed 29 militants and arrested three others while five more surrendered in the Udhampur district of Jammu region during the first four months of this year.


ATGM launcher found
SRINAGAR, May 25 — In a major breakthrough, the Army has recovered an anti-tank guided missile launcher in the border district of Rajouri for the first time since militancy hit Jammu and Kashmir nine years ago, an official spokesman said today.

Pilgrims face water scarcity
UDHAMPUR, May 25 — As many as 15,000 to 20,000 pilgrims from various parts of the country are reaching the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. The pilgrims at present are facing an acute scarcity of water as the main bathing ghat, where the six to seven taps with 24-hour water supply, have almost dried up and presently there is only one tap which is working. Devotees have to wait for long for their turn. Apart from this, there is also no water in toilets.

160 militants active in Udhampur

UDHAMPUR, May 25 (UNI) — Security forces killed 29 militants and arrested three others while five more surrendered in the Udhampur district of Jammu region during the first four months of this year.

According to Senior Superintendent of Police, Udhampur A.K. Choudhry.

He said three others were arrested and a large cache of arms and ammunition including assault rifles, grenades, explosives, mines and incriminating documents were recovered by the security forces during the operations.

Mr Choudhry said security forces gunned down 90 militants, mostly foreigners, in the district last year.

He said about 160 militants, including 60 to 70 foreigners, are active in Udhampur district. Most of them are in Mahore, Gool and Reasi while others are in Basantgarh Lathi and other areas.

Mr Choudhry claimed that most foreign militants are ex-servicemen of the Pakistan Army.

He said that due to pressure by security forces militants had made their hideouts in remote areas of Banni Billawar of Kathua district.

Regarding the overall situation Mr Choudhry said it had improved considerably.

More VDCs, are being set up in far flung areas to instill confidence among the people and efforts are being made to send back about 60 families to Mahore and Gool, who had migrated to Reasi and Pauni. Twenty families who migrated from Rajouri district are also being sent back to their homes.

A murder case has been registered against a police constable who allegedly killed one Suram Singh of Gool recently.

ATGM launcher found

SRINAGAR, May 25 (PTI) — In a major breakthrough, the Army has recovered an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) launcher in the border district of Rajouri for the first time since militancy hit Jammu and Kashmir nine years ago, an official spokesman said today.

Six foreign mercenaries and a policeman were among 10 persons killed while three militants were arrested and two laid down arms in the state since last evening.

The ATGM launcher, kept underground by ultras after being smuggled from across the border, was recovered after a daylong search operation at Danna forest, 5 km east of Koteranka area of Rajouri district last evening.

The 22.5 kg weapon can fire a 7.3 kg missile up to a range of 3 km. The ATGM launcher is basically meant for destroying tanks, it can be effectively used for destroying bunkers, ammunition dumps, helicopters and other strategic installations.

"This launcher has been recovered for the first time by the troops since 1990 when militancy broke out in the state and has given a new dimension to Pakistan-sponsored militancy in Jammu and Kashmir," a spokesman said.

The spokesman said four foreign militants, including two Afghan nationals were gunned down by the security forces in two different encounters at Issa-Wali Dhoke in Dhara area and Shintra in Surankote area of Poonch district.

Two militants belonging to the banned Hizbul Mujahideen and Pakistan-based Harkat-ul-Ansar, active for the past six years, were nabbed by the BSF from their houses at Hazratbal and Maharajgunj areas.

Terming the arrest of the two militants as a "prize catch", sources said the interrogation of the duo Mohammad Latief Mir and Firdous Ahmad Bandari would help in making more arrests.

The arrests were made following "tactical ambushes" by the BSF intelligence. Junior Staff Officer J.S. Pathania, who led the operation along with a team of officers of 100 Battalion, overpowered the militants and seized a loaded pistol and two grenades from them.

Autonomy panels reports
Citizens express resentment
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, May 25 — Prominent citizens of the region have decided to seek the rejection of both state and regional Autonomy Committee reports which were released by the state government in the state assembly recently, by the people of the state.

Addressing a press conference here this morning, Mr Rishi Kumar Koushal, senior citizen and BJP leader, who has been authorised by the citizens, who met here on Sunday and discussed the recommendations of both the committees, to take appropriate measures in this regard, informed that they would soon launch an agitation in protest against the recommendation of both the committees. Besides, a mass awareness campaigning would also be launched in the state making the people aware about the plan of the state government to divide them on communal lines and set up a greater Kashmir consisting of valley and Muslim majority areas of the Jammu and Ladakh regions, including Poonch, Rajouri, Doda and Kargil.

"We will compel the state government and the Central Government to restructure the state's existing politico-constitutional and economic structure on regional basis so that each of the three regions get statutory regional councils vested with full legislative, executive and financial powers and no region dominates or exploits the other" he added.

Terming the recommendations of the panels as highly inflammatory, he said these facilitated state's separation from Indian union by seeking withdrawal of central laws extended to the state of Jammu and Kashmir after August 1953.

The citizens comprising academicians, political leaders, advocates, journalists etc also refused to accept any recommendation that did not ensure closer relations between J & K and rest of the country, empowered the people of the state to enjoy all rights as lay embodied in the Indian Constitution, established a parity between the female population of the state and rest of the country as far as the right to acquire immovable property and service in the state was concerned.

Mr Koushal also informed that if necessary, they would also approach the like-minded parties to join hands together on this issue.

Prof Hari Om, Head of department, History, University of Jammu and Maj-Gen (retd) B.N. Dhar, also spoke to the mediapersons on this issue.

Pilgrims face water scarcity
From Our Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, May 25 — As many as 15,000 to 20,000 pilgrims from various parts of the country are reaching the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. The pilgrims at present are facing an acute scarcity of water as the main bathing ghat, where the six to seven taps with 24-hour water supply, have almost dried up and presently there is only one tap which is working. Devotees have to wait for long for their turn. Apart from this, there is also no water in toilets.

The pilgrims are also facing accommodation problem and sleep in the open on pavements and roadsides.

The authorities of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board say they have approached the State Government to solve the water crisis, but have not been given any assistance. Now the Board has formulated a Rs 18-crore plan to provide water at Darbar and Katra. Work on the scheme will start shortly. However, on accommodation problem they expressed helplessness.