A decision to this effect was taken at a Cabinet meeting last evening chaired by Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, Chief Secretary Ashok Jaitly said here today.

The meeting decided to form a competent and designated authority and review the constitution of special courts as envisaged in the ordinance.

Giving the details, Mr Jaitly said while approving the implementation of the ordinance, the Cabinet specifically emphasised that safeguards provided under law should be fully adhered to since the matter was before Parliament.

Sources said the police action in sealing the house of a suspected harbourer of a terrorist came under criticism at the Cabinet meeting and the Chief Minister viewed it seriously.

It was decided that the police would be instructed not to misuse the POTO provisions and action would be taken against erring officials in the incident.

Mr Jaitly said the Cabinet decided that whatever changes were incorporated in the law, these would also be made applicable to Jammu and Kashmir.

He said under the POTO, 23 organisations in the country had been declared as terrorist outfits as per the provisions of Section 18.

These included organisations operating in Jammu and Kashmir, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Tehreek-e-Furqan, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islami, Hizbul Mujahideen, Hizbul Mujahideen (Pir Panjal Regiment), Al-Umar Mujahideen and Jammu and Kashmir Islamic Front.

Mr Jaitly said the Principal Secretary, Home, shall be the competent authority for the purpose of Section 36 of the ordinance, while the Divisional Commissioners, Kashmir and Jammu, would be designated authorities for respective divisions for that purpose of various sections of the ordinance relating to forfeiture and attachment of property.

As regards constitution of a review committee under the ordinance, the Chief Secretary said the State Advisory Board, constituted under Section-9 of the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988, would be chaired by a retired High Court Judge with two other members notified as chairmen and members of the review committee as envisaged in Section-59 of the ordinance.

The existing designated courts constituted under the TADA would be notified as special courts as envisaged under the POTO for the purpose of Section-23 of the ordinance.

The ordinance provided several safeguards against misuse of its provisions which, inter alia, included that investigations under it had to be carried out by an officer not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police.

Other provisions included two years’ imprisonment with or without fine for police officers who exercised powers corruptly or maliciously and award of compensation by special courts to innocent persons proceeded against under the ordinance with the award amount to be paid by the authority or officer found guilty of malicious and corrupt action.

They also ransacked the office of a counter-insurgent leader.

Unconfirmed reports said curfew was later imposed on Bandipora town. This was, however, denied by Deputy Inspector-General of Police (North Kashmir) Mohammad Amin Shah.

A report from Baramula said the mob, mostly women, was protesting against the arrest of girls by troops of Rashtriya Rifles (RR) at Bandipora last night.

The demonstrators damaged the main gate of the police station there and pelted the building with stones. They later set ablaze an NC office and damaged the office of an NC legislator and senior counter-insurgent leader.

The mob also ransacked the house of a ruling NC leader.

This is the first time that offices and houses of ruling NC leaders have been attacked in the Kashmir valley since Dr Farooq Abdullah took over as Chief Minister in 1996.

Mr Shah said six persons were taken into custody for trying to set afire the NC office.

The police maintains that the girls were nabbed for their alleged involvement in militant activities. Mr Shah said all were handed over to the police for further questioning.

Mr Shah said seven girls had been released, while two were being questioned by the women’s wing. Two wireless sets and as many grenades had been recovered from the girls.

Mr Shah said the father of one of these girls was in custody for alleged links with militants.

A self-styled area commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, Yasin Ahmad Lone was killed along with an accomplice in an encounter with the security forces in the Ganderbal area on the outskirts of Srinagar yesterday, the sources said adding that two hide-outs were also busted during the operation which led to the recovery of a pistol, a grenade and some ammunition.

Four others, two each at Nasbal-Sumbal in Baramula and Shanipora-Khansahib in Badgam were killed by the Army search parties last night, they said adding that three assault rifles, one under-barrel grenade launcher, six grenades and some ammunition were recovered from them.

The Army raided the house of a militant in Handwara area of Kupwara during a search operation yesterday, where 20 kg of RDX and a grenade were recovered, the sources said.

Besides, a militant Javid Ahmad Bhat, surrendered before the Army along with an AK assault rifle and some ammunition at Haripora-Handwara yesterday, the sources added.

JAMMU: A villager was killed and two were injured when the Pakistani troops resorted to firing and shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border in Poonch, Rajouri and Jammu sectors, official sources said here on Friday.

The Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing and mortar shelling in areas falling under the LoC in Laam, Bhawani, Noushera, Bhimber, Mendhar, Pallanwal, Balakote and Gambhir of Jammu division since late last night, the sources said adding, that the Army and the BSF personnel retaliated.

A person identified as Gurchan from Arnia village along the LoC in the Jammu sector was killed in the firing while Nisar Ahmed and Farooq Din were injured in Sabzian and Laam areas early today, the sources said.

Pakistani Rangers fired intermittently along the International Border till today in R.S. Pura, Samba and Hiranagar areas of Jammu frontier, they said, adding that no casualty was reported.

Meanwhile, a senior Congress leader and a top militant were killed in Kathua and Doda districts of Jammu division, where two militants were arrested since Thursday, official sources said here on Friday.

Elsewhere in Jammu region, the security forces recovered a large quantity of arms and ammunition from Kishtwar and Rajouri areas on Thursday, the sources said.

A group of heavily armed militants barged into the house of block president of Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee Daya Ram at Aasso village of Bani Tehsil in Kathua district late on Thursday and kidnapped him along with a lineman of the Power Development Department (PDD), the sources told PTI adding that the militants also took away four guns from the members of the village defence committee.

The body of the Congress leader was recovered by the police this morning from the outskirts of Bani town. However, the lineman was released, the sources said.