Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 10

The Army on Friday said the five militants killed in a gunfight at Rafiabad forests in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district were probably fresh infiltrators.The operation was launched by security forces on August 5 after specific intelligence input about the presence of militants at the dense Doniwari forest in Rafiabad, nearly 90 km from Srinagar.The first contact with militants was established on August 8 when they fired upon a search party that left one soldier injured.“In the ensuing gunfight over several hours, five heavily armed terrorists were eliminated by security forces. On detailed search of the area, four AK-47 rifles, one pistol and a large amount war-like stores were recovered,” Brig Dharam Raj Rai, commander of Army’s 7 sector, told reporters in north Kashmir on Friday.“An analysis of the recovered items suggests that the militants belonged to the Lashkar-e-Toiba. The group had probably infiltrated into the state from the PoK recently,” he added.Brigadier Rai, however, did not specify the exact route through which the militants had infiltrated from across the Line of Control.

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 7

In separate reports tabled in Parliament on Tuesday, the Comptroller and Auditor General has raised serious questions on the operational readiness of the IAF bases, saying US’ Boeing-supplied maritime reconnaissance aircraft don’t perform as promised.One of the reports said: “Audit found inadequacies in the support facilities at IAF airfields adversely affecting their readiness”. The report identified facilities like modernisation of communication equipment, surveillance of plane while in air, safe landing and take-off, restoration of runaway after (enemy) bombing, refuelling of planes and handling of armaments to be loaded. There was a shortfall in the equipment to be held by the airfields which was mainly due to delay in procurement.The CAG pointed out that Modernisation of Airfield Infrastructure (MAFI) project at a cost of Rs1,220 crore was running years behind the schedule. Off the 30 air bases to be moderinsed by 2014, only 25 had been done till last year.The IAF conducted in October 2016 a survey “at 40 per cent of the airfields” where MAFI implementation was completed and found that the performance of systems and infrastructure was 69 per cent. This was sub-optimal performance, said the CAG.The CAG has also questioned award to Boeing. The report on Navy maritime reconnaissance aircraft said the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in 2009 awarded a contract to Boeing by wrongly arriving at costs.The CAG said Boeing, in 2007, bid at $2,187 million (Rs8,700.37 crore). The EADS bid was at 1,323.72 million Euros (Rs7,776 crore). The Euro rate was then Rs58.74. The EADS offered two-year support, the Boeing offered nothing. The cost negotiation committee (CNC) calculated 20-year support price and suggested that EADS bid was 1.483 million Euro (Rs8,712 crore) — Rs12 crore more than Boeing.

Modernisation behind schedule

• Rs 1,220 cr Modernisation of Airfield Infra (mafi) project running behind schedule, as per CAG
• 25  Air bases modernised till 2017; target was to modernise 30 air bases by 2014
• 69% Performance of airfields where MAFI implemented; CAG calls it sub-optimal performance

Army fake encounters: Lieutenant Colonel Dharamvir Singh submitted the affidavit, a copy of which is with indianexpress.com, in connection with a Habeas Corpus petition filed by his wife Ranju Singh claiming her husband had been wrongfully detained.

A Lieutenant Colonel of the Indian Army’s 3 Corps Intelligence Unit has in an affidavit filed in the High Court of Manipur alleged that an army team perpetrated extortion and killing of innocent people in the state. Lieutenant Colonel Dharamvir Singh submitted the affidavit, a copy of which is with indianexpress.com, in connection with a Habeas Corpus petition filed by his wife Ranju Singh claiming her husband had been wrongfully detained. The High Court has directed the Army to file their counter affidavit before August 1.

The affidavit alleged that Singh was taken away from his quarters in Imphal by armed jawans led by Lieutenant Colonel Nanda and Major Rathore on July 1 morning and kept under house arrest till the court directed his release five days later. The Army had refuted the claims as baseless and said the officer was sent for posting. Singh is currently on leave and staying with his family in Imphal.

In the affidavit, Singh alleged that he was the victim of an organised campaign by some senior officers who turned vindictive after he reported their wrongdoings. The affidavit claimed that on September 9, 2016, Singh wrote a complaint against the extortion and fake encounter killings of innocent boys from Manipur who were picked up from Dimapur in Nagaland and murdered in the nearby Rangapahar Cantonment. However, the affidavit alleged, he withdrew the letter following pressure from top and after assurances that suitable action will be taken against the erring personnel.

Singh, in the affidavit, also claimed a serious threat to him and family.

The affidavit alleges three alleged fake encounters and an extortion case perpetrated by a single team of the 3 Corps Intelligence Unit between 2010 and 2011. Singh also sought the court’s permission to submit the 13-page official letter he had prepared on September 9, 2016.

Singh’s affidavit alleged that on March 10, 2010, three Manipuri youth — identified as Phijam Naobi, RK Ronel and Th. Prem — were abducted from a rented house in Dimapur by 3 Corps Intelligence Unit and killed behind the Mess. As per media reports, bodies were found in the Lakhijan area under Bokajan police station in Karbi Anglong of Assam on March 17, 2010, it said.

A case is pending in Gauhati High Court and Major T. Ravi Kiran was the first one who wrote a letter to the then General Officer Commanding (GOC) on March 12, 2010, stating that three Manipur youths were abducted by the Army’s intelligence surveillance wing and shot dead after torture.

In a similar incident, the affidavit claimed, ST Dominic College student Satish from Manipur and his friend were picked up from Shillong by the same team on February 5, 2010 and both were killed in the jungles of Masimpur. Satish’s parents lodged a formal missing complaint to DGP Manipur on February 23, but till now no efforts have been made, the affidavit claimed.

On August 18, the affidavit alleged, PLA militant G Jiteshwar Sharma alias Gypsy and a friend were picked up from a rented room near SM College in Dimapur and killed. The bodies of both were buried behind the unit mess and few unit persons know the exact location, the affidavit claimed.

The affidavit also alleged that the same unit was behind the kidnapping of a woman and her child from Dimapur and released them after taking a ransom of Rs 1 crore from her family.

The local Army PRO said he was not authorised to comment as the matter was sub judice.

For all the latest North East India News, download Indian Express App

M Aamir Khan

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 27

A first-of-its-kind cultural festival is being organised next month in the Nubra valley’s Turtuk area — known as the last village along the Line of Control (LoC).The fest is aimed at connecting the divided families of the ethnic Balti community living in the Ladakh region and highlighting their unique art, literature and culture.Once known as the gateway to the ancient Silk Road, Turtuk had come out of Pakistan’s occupation after the 1971 war. Through the fest, the J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL) wants to introduce the Balti literature to the rest of the world.“This is our first initiative and it’s huge. It took us a year to finalise the programmes for the ‘Balti Literary and Cultural Festival’ that will be held on August 3 and 4. After the 1971 war, the Balti community got divided and we want to connect the families living in Leh and Kargil. We also want to promote their unique art, culture and literature,” deputy secretary (culture) Nazir Hussain told The Tribune.He said the fest would also give an opportunity to the people of the Balti community to give vent to their sorrows. “They are divided and they went through a lot after the 1971 war…. some have relatives living on the other side of the LoC…. we want to bring those living in Ladakh to one place where they can narrate their woes. We also want to make it a yearly event,” he added.Stating that the villagers of Turtuk were upbeat over the festival and had given full support to the JKAACL, Hussain said the main attractions of the event would be cultural programmes, paper-reading sessions, mehfil-e-mushaira and traditional horse polo matches, among others.JKAACL secretary Aziz Hajini said the academy had earlier held an event in Zanskar and such festivals were being held to promote the rich art, culture and literature of ethnic communities of the state, especially the lesser-known ones of the Ladakh region.

Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat’s reachout to jawans through WhatsApp has eroded the long-established norms

Brig Indrajeet S Gakhal retd

Having attended the evening company roll call as a young Lieutenant (in 1975), I and Subedar Karam Singh, senior JCO, Alfa Company, were walking to the dining hall when he said: “Saab, 426 Sher Singh da ik gharelu jhagra hai teh uh tuhanu milna chaunda hai (No 426 Sepoy Sher Singh has a domestic conflict and he wants your audience).”  “Theek hai Saab, usnu tay usday Platoon Commander nu bula lao (Ok, call him and his Platoon Commander),” I said.After a while Naib Subedar Rawail Singh and Sepoy Sher Singh stood before me after the customary “Sat Sri Akal sahib bahadur”.  Naib Subedar Rawail Singh then explained the Sepoy’s problem. Next morning, armed with a letter to the Senior Superintendent of Police, Bathinda, Sher Singh was on his way home on a seven-day leave. The crux is that the aggrieved jawan through his Section NCO and Platoon Havildar approached the Platoon Commander who in turn reported to the senior JCO and to me. The chain of grievance redressal follows the chain of command. At no stage, Sepoy Sher Singh needed to jump the line to go directly to the Company Commander or the Commanding Officer. In another incident, when I was at the Brigade Headquarters, an anonymous letter came through the complaint box. It purported that the JCO Quarter Master was pilfering ration. A surprise check of the ration store found some discrepancies and the JCO was dealt with under the law. Once a jawan reported to the Subedar Major that he wished to be relieved of buddy (Sewadar/Sahayak) duties as he was treated rudely. The Subedar Major reported to the Commanding Officer who, investigated discreetly and had posted the jawan as his officer runner. Yet again at the Unit Sanik Sammelan (Durbar) after the points received from the companies and points by the Commanding Officer were passed, the Commanding Officer invariably said. “Meri taraf se aur koi point nahi hai; agar kisi jawan ya NCO ko koi point yaad aaya hai to woh abhi keh sakta hai (I have no more points to render, if any jawan/NCO has any point to make, he is free to do so).”Once during such a meet, a jawan rose, saluted and said: “No… Sepoy… Shriman mera point yeh hai ki working party 5 baje ke baad nahi honi chahiya kyun ki baad main nahane ko pani nahi milta (Sir, there should be no working party after 5 pm as then there is no water for bathing thereafter).” The Commanding Officer addressed the issue instantly and passed executive orders. In short, the existing grievance redressal system has worked well for three odd decades. The system exists in all Army units — combat arms, support arms or services. However, its systematic enforcement is more effective in Combat Arms and Support Arms. This is borne out by empirical data on the grievance correspondence initiated from the Services.Army Chief General Bipin Rawat’s reachout to jawans through WhatsApp has eroded the long-established norms. He has launched a WhatsApp number through which any soldier can post his/her grievances. This practice will undermine the existing chain of command that is critical in operations. The announcement has also fanned an anti-officer sentiment. I think this will prove disastrous for the command and control structure and challenge the future leadership.That is not to say that all is hunky-dory in the leadership, which needs introspection and bridging the growing gap between the Commander and his Command.