Intrusion bid foiled
SRINAGAR, Nov 14 — The security forces frustrated an intrusion attempt by a group of Pakistan-backed militants in Jammu and Kashmir where 10 persons, including six militants and two securitymen, were killed and four securitymen wounded since last evening.

Advani calls meeting on J&K problem
JAMMU, Nov 14 — Union Home Minister, L.K. Advani has convened a meeting of senior functionaries of the state government and the corps commanders of the Army for finalising a strategy for meeting fresh challenges posed by the Pakistan trained militants.

Rs 18 cr for cops’ houses in J&K
JAMMU, Nov 14 — The state government has cleared a multi-crore housing project for the police and the work on the construction of flats and administrative block in Srinagar and Jammu has been started.

Detentions will not do: CPM
SRINAGAR, Nov 14 — The CPM has criticised the Jammu and Kashmir Government for detaining Hurriyat Conference leaders, saying the detention of political opponents will not make the situation in the trouble-torn state any better.

Security scenario worries AKPSC
JAMMU, Nov 14 — The All-Kashmiri Pandit Solidarity Conference has expressed concern over the marked deterioration in the security situation following escalation in militant violence.

Intrusion bid foiled

SRINAGAR, Nov 14 (PTI) — The security forces frustrated an intrusion attempt by a group of Pakistan-backed militants in Jammu and Kashmir where 10 persons, including six militants and two securitymen, were killed and four securitymen wounded since last evening.

The security forces noticed a group of militants attempting to infiltrate into Indian territory from occupied Kashmir through the R S Pora Sector in Jammu last night, an official spokesman said here today.

The intruders were asked to stop, but they tried to escape, forcing the securitymen to open fire, resulting in the death of a Pakistani intruder.

In a major encounter, five militants were killed during search operations in Bandipora area of Baramula district in North Kashmir yesterday.

A jawan laid down his life and four others were injured during the operation which yielded a big cache of arms and ammunition, he said.

He said the security forces shot dead a militant during house-to-house searches at Malahan in the Surankote sector of Poonch district yesterday. A general purpose machine gun, six rifle grenades, a rocket launcher and eight remote control devices were seized from him.

A counter-insurgent associated with the Ikhwan outfit was shot dead by militants in Bijbehara area of Anantnag district last night.

Meanwhile, policeman Manzoor Ahmad was killed at Kokernag in Anantnag district last night when his service rifle went off accidentally.

The Jammu and Kashmir police assisted by the security forces conducted a joint operation at Karimabad in Pulwama district last night and nabbed a militant of the Hizbul Mujahideen and seized an assault rifle, a wireless set and two magazines with 58 rounds of ammunition from his hideout, the spokesman said.

In another operation in Kupwara district, the police seized 80 kg of explosives, 50 detonators, 20 remote control devices, two rockets and two boxes filled with ammunition during combing operations at Gulgam forest, he said.

The security forces and the police recovered another haul of explosives and some ammunition, including 80 kg of explosives two anti-personnel mines and five hand grenades, during search operations at Marhote in Poonch and Natipora in Srinagar yesterday.

Meanwhile, security on the 300-km Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, the only road linking the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, has been beefed up in view of the increasing militant activities in the state.

The security bandobast between Srinagar and Jammu, particularly in the Jawahar tunnel area, was reviewed at a three-day operational conference of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) that concluded yesterday.

Advani calls meeting on J&K problem
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Nov 14 — Union Home Minister, L.K. Advani has convened a meeting of senior functionaries of the state government and the corps commanders of the Army for finalising a strategy for meeting fresh challenges posed by the Pakistan trained militants.

The meeting is slated for November 17 and Governor, G.C. Saxena, Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, senior functionaries of the Army, the police, the BSF, the CRPF and the ITBP, are likely to attend the meeting.

Stating this the Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Prof, Chaman Lal Gupta, told newsmen, during meet the press programme organised by the Jammu Press Club, here today that the Union Home Minister had taken a serious notice of the recent offensive of the rebels.

He said that the Centre would emphasise on accountability and for every incident the person concerned would have to explain even be he the Chief Minister, who heads the Unified Command, or the corps commanders.

Prof Gupta said that he had suggested to the Union Home Minister that since the border routes were to become impassable during the winter thereby reducing the possibility of heavy infiltration the security forces be directed to launch an offensive against the rebels and smash their hideouts in the hilly belts of the state.

He said that the government had expected escalation in Pak-sponsored proxy war because of loss of face Islamabad suffered in Kargil. He said that the Centre was determined to fight militancy and in this connection he wanted the state authorities to utilise the services of the special police officers and members of the Village Defence Committees.

To a question the Minister said that as far as the BJP-led central government was concerned it had already rejected the demand of the National Conference for the restoration of greater autonomy to Jummu and Kashmir "even if the National Conference is a partner of the National Democratic Alliance we have let it known to the Chief Minister that there is no scope for restoration of pre-1952 constitutional status to the state" he added.

He said that a project for the modernisation and upgradation of Jammu airport would be completed at a cost of Rs 18 crore so that both Srinagar and Jammu airports were of the international standards. He said he was trying for allowing charter flights to land direct on Srinagar and Jammu airports.

Prof Gupta stated that the Ministry of Civil Aviation had approved the scheme of carrying pilgrims to Mecca direct from Srinagar airport and in this connection security and Customs authorities were to be consulted for their approval.

He said that Indian Airlines had to compete with private airlines as the latter had started introducing small planes to connect state capitals and district headquarters. He hinted that Indian Airlines might too purchase small seater planes.

Referring to bringing the shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi in the airlines map he said that Pawan Hans helicopters would be introduced for the benefit of the pilgrims. He said that since the one helipad in Katra was a disputed matter a new helipad would be constructed after discussing the issue with the Shrine Board authorities.

Prof Gupta disclosed that Indian Airlines would add one flight to the services to Leh and the Kargil airport, working being carried out by the BSF, will be ready by the beginning of the next year so that there was no problem for the passengers during the six months of the winter.

Orders on pullout issued
Jagat to protest move
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Nov 14 — While Jammu and Kashmir had to wait for six months for the replacement of 20 battalions of armed forces following deployments in Kargil, more battalions of paramilitary forces are being withdrawn from Kashmir valley shortly.

The Central government, according to highly placed official sources here, has already issued orders for withdrawal of 22 battalions. Sources said that 35 Companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and six battalions of the BSF were being pulled out from different parts of the valley.

The state government is understood to take up the matter with the Union Government. A high-level meeting to discuss the security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir will be held under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani on Wednesday. Senior state government officers including the Director-General of Police, Mr Gurbachan Jagat are scheduled to attend the meeting. Mr Jagat is already reported to have conveyed to the Central government to reconsider the withdrawal of more paramilitary troops from the State in view of the recent attacks by militants.

The withdrawal is being made close on the heels of recent attacks by militants on the Civil Secretariat and the highly fortified Badami Bagh Cantonment where the headquarters of 15 Corps is located. At least four persons were killed and several others injured in two rifle grenade attacks on the Civil Secretariat on September 29 and October 28 last. Seven Armymen, including the Defence PRO, Major P. Purushottam, were killed by a suicide squad of the Lashkar-e-Toiba militants organisation in the Badami Bagh Cantonment on November 3 last.

The Central government’s decision to withdraw more troops from the trouble-torn state has alerted the high offices in the state. It is more so in the wake of the recent attacks of higher magnitude by the militants on the Civil Secretariat and the Badami Bagh Cantonment. Such attacks were made by the militants for the first time during the past decade of militancy in the valley. Senior police officers here are apprehensive of more attacks in view of the last month’s meeting of Lashkar-e-Toiba in Pakistan. The top leaders of Lashkar-e-Toiba asked its cadres to step up their offensive in Jammu and Kashmir.

The State was already demanding replacement of 20 battalions of security forces after 58 battalions of the Army were shifted from different parts of the state for deployment in Kargil in May last. Awaiting the replacement of these battalions by the paramilitary troops, only 38 battalions of the CRPF and the BSF were made available to the state.

This year the number of officers and jawans of the State police killed during the anti-militancy operations was more than 80, which is more than those killed during the previous years of militancy. This, according to police, is due to its more involvement, which has created Special Operations Group (SOG) only to fight militants, and has been engaged more in such operations. More casualties of the police personnel are believed to be more because of the lack of adequate deployments of Army and paramilitary forces in the valley.

The police has killed 194 militants this year and apprehended more than 361 during searches which have also recovered more than 300 weapons and explosives.

The police believes that militants are equipped with more sophisticated weapons like the 14 inch rifle grenade launcher. Such devices were used by the militants when a series of grenades were fired on two occasions on the Civil Secretariat. The Lashkar-e-Toiba has also asked its cadres to step up offensive, that was manifest in the attack on the Badami Bagh Cantonment. The recovery of yet another high calibre Rocket missile here on Friday, weighing at least 35 kg has also unnerved the security agencies. This, the security agencies believe would enable the militants to strike in the high security areas.

Rs 18 cr for cops’ houses in J&K
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 14 — The state government has cleared a multi-crore housing project for the police and the work on the construction of flats and administrative block in Srinagar and Jammu has been started.

Soon after the setting up of the J&K Police Housing Corporation a blueprint was finalised for providing better housing facilities to the police. The work on the 5-storey administrative block at Gulshan Ground in Jammu at an estimated cost of Rs 3.23 crore is nearing completion, according to a police spokesman.

A four-storey administrative block at Batamaloo in Srinagar is likely to be completed by the end of the current year at an estimated cost of Rs 2.02 crore.

The spokesman said that the housing project is expected to cost Rs 18 crore. Under the project 256 flats at Channi Himmat in Jammu, 288 flats in the summer capital, at Bemina, 120 flats at Kathua, 90 flats at Doda, 48 flats at Baramula, another 48 flats each in Kupwara, Udhampur and Rajouri are being built to have better lodging facilities for the police.

The spokesman said that apart from galvanising the police for tackling the activities of the militants the state government has already finalised series of schemes for the welfare of the police force.

He said that senior police officers will get an opportunity to interact with their counterparts in rest of the country when the All-India Police Science Congress will be held here in the first week of December.

The three-day conference will deliberate on police reforms to meet challenges in the next century. Other issues that may be discussed at the prestigious congress include criminology, victimology, criminal law, application of science and technology in police work and police-community relations.

He said that despite fresh challenges from the Pakistan trained militants there has been no break in holding inter-battalion sports competition.

Detentions will not do: CPM

SRINAGAR, Nov 14 (PTI) — The CPM has criticised the Jammu and Kashmir Government for detaining Hurriyat Conference leaders, saying the detention of political opponents will not make the situation in the trouble-torn state any better.

"Putting Hurriyat leaders behind the bars is no solution to the Kashmir problem and, in fact, their detention can further aggravate the situation," Mr M.Y. Tarigami, state secretary of the state unit of the party, said addressing a daylong convention of workers here yesterday.

Mr Tarigami urged the Centre for a bold political initiative and creating a congenial atmosphere for resumption of the dialogue process and solution to the problems facing the people of the state.

The policy of "ad hocism" pursued by the Centre was "deplorable" and reliance on mere administrative measures was not going to solve the problem, he said.

Security scenario worries AKPSC
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 14 — The All-Kashmiri Pandit Solidarity Conference (AKPSC) has expressed concern over the marked deterioration in the security situation following escalation in militant violence.

At a meeting held here yesterday under the chairmanship of Mr O.N. Trisal, the AKPSC urged the state and the central governments to review the situation and take in hands measures which would help the security agencies in flushing out militants from the state.

Addressing the meeting, Mr Trisal asked the Centre to take a serious note of the recent three-day conference by Lashkar-e-Toiba in Pakistan where several hundred activists had pledged to intensify the "Liberation" struggle in Jammu and Kashmir.

He said steps needed to be taken to check infiltration in order to discourage Pakistan-backed militants from carrying out grenade and rocket attacks against the security forces.

The AKPSC demanded that relief be released on time to the Kashmiri migrants. Mr P.N. Tengloo and others said the migrants were being given cash relief after a gap of two to three months, causing them much distress.