J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Top Lashkar commander shot
Srinagar, January 5
The security forces today shot a top commander of the Lashker-e-Toiba and seized a huge cache of explosives, including 12 kg of RDX, in Jammu and Kashmir today, a police spokesman said.

Army chief to lay war memorial stone today
Jammu, January 5
The Army will construct “Balidan Stambh” (war memorial) on the outskirts of Jammu. The foundation stone of the war memorial will be laid by the Army Chief, Gen N.C. Vij, here tomorrow.

Healing-touch policy form Sikhs sought
Jammu, January 5
At a congregation in connection with the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh at Gurdwara Digiana here today, a resolution was adopted seeking settlement of the refugees from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir who had been living in a pitiable condition since 1947 in Jammu.

A Kashmiri Sikh girl prays as others participate in a religious procession in Srinagar on Wednesday on the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh. —  Tribune photo by Amin War

Top Lashkar commander shot

Srinagar, January 5
The security forces today shot a top commander of the Lashker-e-Toiba and seized a huge cache of explosives, including 12 kg of RDX, in Jammu and Kashmir today, a police spokesman said.

The self-styled district launching chief of Lashkar, Abu Assadullah, alias Janbaaz, a resident of Pakistan, was killed in an encounter with troops of the Rashtriya Rifles at Batkote village of Handwara in Kupwara district in the wee hours, the spokesman said.

He said the militant commander was killed after he was confronted by the troops during search operations and was asked to surrender. Instead, he opened fire and in retaliatory action got killed.

The militants shot at Javid Ahmad Naik at Tral in south Kashmir district of Pulwama. He was admitted to hospital.

The spokesman said the militants set free a police constable Mohammad Iqbal Rather, who was kidnapped on January 3 from his house.

Panic gripped Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the summer capital, when the militants hurled a hand grenade towards the security forces near the gurdwara chowk today.

A large number of pedestrians and shopkeepers in the area ran for safety. However, the grenade did not explode.

The Amira Kadal bridge was closed for traffic when a bomb disposal squad was summoned to defuse the grenade.

The security forces later took into custody a youth from the area for questioning.

Normalcy returned after half hour. However, people, including the shopkeepers, staged a dharna stating that the youth was innocent. — PTI, UNI

Army chief to lay war memorial stone today
Our Correspondent

Jammu, January 5
The Army will construct “Balidan Stambh” (war memorial) on the outskirts of Jammu. The foundation stone of the war memorial will be laid by the Army Chief, Gen N.C. Vij, here tomorrow.

According to a Defence Ministry spokesman, Jammu and Kashmir deserved a war memorial because soldiers of the Army and paramilitary forces had displayed bravery in wars since 1947 and in counter-insurgency operations during the past 15 years.

A large number of soldiers and officers had laid down their lives for the country.

The war memorial, a 60-metre high structure, can be seen from the entire Jammu city. The Defence Ministry authorities received number of designs and finally the 60-metre “Stambh”, signifying a pillar of strength, was selected. The pillar will be surrounded by fountains and parks aimed at enhancing the panoramic look of the place.

The memorial walls will have the inscription of war history of Jammu and Kashmir and the marble columns, surrounding the main pillar, will have names of martyrs inscribed on them.

Hailing the decision of the Army to set up a war memorial, a former Minister of State for Defence, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, said here today that besides it, the families of all those who laid down their lives while fighting the enemy should be rehabilitated.

He wanted that members of the Village Defence Committees and SPOs would also be remembered and rehabilitated.

Healing-touch policy for Sikhs sought
Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 5
At a congregation in connection with the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh at Gurdwara Digiana here today, a resolution was adopted seeking settlement of the refugees from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir who had been living in a pitiable condition since 1947 in Jammu.

By another resolution leaders of various Sikh organisations demanded that the healing-touch policy, initiated by the PDP Congress Government, be extended to the Sikh community also so that youths from the community languishing in different jails since 1984, were released.

It demanded reservation in government service for the educated Sikh youths.

Another resolution expressed concern over the way the government had ignored Sikh intellectuals with the result that not a single member from the community had been appointed a judge of the high court and a member of the state public service commission.

It demanded that one senior Sikh lawyer and an intellectual be given representation in the public service commission and in the high court as a judge.