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Majid Jahangir
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, December 6
Almost 13 months after the killing of two youths at Chattergam in Budgam, Army men will depose before the police for recording their statements for the first time.
The police have been blaming the Army for the delay in filing a challan in the case in the competent court, alleging that the Army had not been cooperating with their investigation.
Two youths — Faisal Yousuf (17) and Meraj-u-din Dar (21) — were killed and two others injured on November 3 when Army men of the 53 Rashtriya Rifles battalion, manning a checkpoint at Chattergam village in Budgam, opened fire on the car they were travelling in.
The killing sparked outrage across the Valley and the Army later termed the killing as “a mistake”. The state police had already recorded the statements of the two injured boys and other civilian eyewitnesses during the investigation into the case.
“The investigating officer forwarded nearly a dozen communications to the Army unit in the last one year, asking it to record the statements of men deployed at the naka, but it had not responded so far. This is the precise reason for not being able to complete our investigation,” said a senior police officer.
The Army was yet to deposit the weapons for forensic examination, which it had not done so far, the officer said. The Army authorities said deposition of witnesses in the case would commence from Monday.
“The Army has been extending full cooperation to the civil administration and the Jammu and Kashmir Police with respect to the Chattergam incident. Senior Army officers are maintaining constant liaison with the Budgam Senior Superintendent of Police. Deposition by witnesses is scheduled to commence tomorrow,” said a senior Army officer in Srinagar.
The Army had completed a court of inquiry into the case and was waiting for the police and magisterial probe to move ahead in the case.
Sources said the court of inquiry had indicted nearly a dozen soldiers, including a Junior Commissioned Officer of the 53 Rashtriya Rifles, for violating rules of engagement in Chattergam.

Probe update

• Police investigation status: The police had registered a case under Section 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the Ranbir Penal Code and Sections 7 and 27 of the Arms Act against the 53 Rashtriya Rifles. They are yet to file a challan in the case. The Army has not shared its court of inquiry with the police
• Army investigation status: The Army has completed its court of inquiry. It will move further in the case once the magisterial inquiry and police investigation into the case are complete. On the court of inquiry not being shared, the Army says the police are required to conduct an independent inquiry without reference to any departmental inquiry
• Magisterial probe status: The Jammu and Kashmir Government had named the Khan Sahib SDM as the inquiry officer. The official is yet to complete the probe

According to an ANI report, the proposal for the acquisition will soon be placed in front of the Defence Acquisition Council. The IAF has three squadrons of MiG-29 and they are looking to arm them with indigenous weapons. Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadu…

Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/national/iaf-wants-new-mig-29s-coupled-with-indigenous-weapons-768072.html

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath. — PTI

New Delhi, September 23

In more trouble for senior Congress leader and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, Mukhtyar Singh, a witness in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to record his statement.

Singh arrived at the SIT office in south Delhi’s area of Khan Market and shared the details of the incidents that took place with the SIT members. This was for the first time that Singh appeared before the three-member SIT team to record his statement.

After coming out of the SIT, Singh said he cannot reveal what he told the SIT as the matter was under investigation.

According to sources, Singh apprised the SIT members consisting of a senior IPS officer, a Deputy Commissioner of Police and a retired District and Sessions judge. The case pertains to the killing of Sikhs in Gurdwara Rakabganj on November 1, 1984 by a charged mob.

On September 9, the Union Home Ministry has given its nod for reopening the case, as a result of which Kamal Nath will face a fresh inquiry for his alleged role in the massacre of Sikhs in the aftermath of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination in New Delhi on October 31, 1984.

Kamal Nath was an accused in the case initially, but the court had found no evidence against him. The 72-year-old veteran Congress leader and a Gandhi family loyalist, is facing trouble as London-based journalist Sanjay Suri has also expressed readiness to depose in the case. Suri had written to the SIT on September 15 asking it to give him the appropriate time and date to appear.

Suri’s letter was shared by Shiromani Akali Dal leader Manjinder Sirsa on Twitter. The SIT is likely to consider fresh evidence against the veteran Congress leader, which allegedly mentions that he had instigated a mob near the capital’s Gurdwara Rakabganj during the 1984 riots.

The Modi government had set up the SIT in 2015 to probe the 1984 riots.

Pressure on Kamal Nath has been building since last year after the conviction of Sajjan Kumar in the same case by the Delhi High Court. Kumar, after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, was accused of inciting and orchestrating mob violence against the Sikh community across Delhi. — IANS

Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 7

China’s reaction to Ladakh becoming a Union Territory seems to be stemmed from the un-demarcated 823-km frontier. In reality, there are only two spots along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) recognised as disputed by India and China.

Another half-a-dozen spots along the LAC have troops patrolling as per their perception of the LAC, however, not a bullet has been fired since November 1962 in Ladakh. The difference in ‘perception’ is between 2 and 20 km at various points, hence the dispute.

“The reaction of Beijing was to make an on-record diplomatic protest as Aksai Chin, the north-eastern corner of now bifurcated state of J&K, is claimed by India even as China is in illegal custody,” said a senior functionary in the know of matters related to China.

China characterised the move as “unacceptable” and asked New Delhi to avoid actions that unilaterally change the status quo.

In Delhi, observers in the South Block point out there are only two disputed areas along the LAC. One is at Trig Heights located in the north-eastern edge of Ladakh and the other is Demchok, the south-eastern edge. Besides, tensions brew occasionally as both sides carry out patrolling along the northern edge of Pangong Tso (lake), Sppangur Gap, Kongka La, Chumur, Mount Sajun and Samar Lung pa. All these matters are being dealt at the level of the Special Representatives for boundary talks.

In 2016, the two countries carried out their first-ever joint military exercise at a tactical level in Ladakh. In September 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, proposed the LAC demarcation on ground to end the dispute.

Historically, the frontier of Ladakh with Tibet has never been demarcated. The British took control of J&K in 1846 after defeating the Sikh Army. The British proposed boundaries — five separate ones in 1846, 1865, 1873, 1899 and 1914, China rejected each of them.

Major Alexandar Cunnigham, who was part of the British attempt in 1846 to demarcate the boundary, details this in his 1854 published book ‘Ladak Physical, Statistical and Geographical’. He narrates “The settlement of this boundary (between Ladakh and Tibet) was one of some importance”.

The existing LAC partially adheres to the 1873 British ‘foreign office line’ and is considered the most realistic on the internationally accepted principle that the water shed will decide the boundary. India’s point is the LAC lies along the alignment where its troops were in 1962 before the war commenced

SATARA (Maha): Hundreds of people from all walks of life on Thursday converged at a small village here as the mortal remains of Colonel Santosh Mahadik, who laid down his life battling militants near LoC in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, were consigned to flames with full military honours.

The 39-year-old martyr’s body was brought to Pogarwadi village in Maharashtra’s Satara district this moring where his last rites were performed.
The body was kept for sometime at his mother’s house in the neighbouring Aaray village where defence minister Manohar Parrikar paid homage to him. A large number of villagers from various communities gathered at the cremation site to pay their respects to the martyr.

With teary eyes, the mourning villagers bid adieu to their son who made them proud and shouted slogans like “Col Mahadik Amar Rahe” as his mortal remains were consigned to flames.
Earlier, his mortal remains wrapped in the tricolour were brought in a procession escorted by Army personnel.
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis had paid tributes to Col Mahadik in Pune last night when the the Army officer’s mortal remains were brought there en route to his native Satara district.
Col Mahadik, the Commanding Officer of 41 Rashtriya Rifles, was critically injured during an operation in the Haji Naka forest area of Kupwara near the LoC in Kashmir on Tuesday. He succumbed to his injuries at a hospital later.

Ajay Banerjee 
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 4

The Indian Army has offered the Pakistani Army to take over the dead bodies of its troops that are lying inside the Indian territory near Keran in north Kashmir.

The Pakistani Army has been offered to approach with a white flag and take over the dead bodies for last rites.

The Army had foiled an attack by Pakistan’s Border Action Team (BAT) on a forward post along the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Saturday, killing five to seven intruders. The BAT generally comprises special forces personnel of the Pakistani Army and terrorists.

The bodies are lying close to the Line of Control (LoC).

Defence sources said the bodies may possibly be of Pakistan’s SSG commandoes.

On Friday, Chinar Corps Commander Lt General K J S Dhillon had said according to available intelligence reports, all the launchpads in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir are full and infiltrators attempting to enter Kashmir.

This year, despite Balakot airstrikes, the infiltration has not stopped from across. Sources said over 30 militants managed to sneak into J&K till May-end.

A senior Army official said Pakistan has desperately attempted to push terrorists belonging to JeM and other outfits into Jammu and Kashmir over the last few days. “The response by security forces vindicates the build-up in the hinterland,” he said.

The Pakistan Army has, meanwhile, denied the Indian claim about action by Pakistani army regulars and militants across the Line of Control and that their bodies were lying on the Indian side.

Pakistan Army spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor on Saturday night denied the Indian claim as “mere propaganda” and said India was “trying to divert attention of the world form the situation of Kashmir.”

Similarly, the Foreign Office also issued a statement at about mid-night to reject the claims by India.

“We reject Indian allegations of cross-LoC action by Pakistan and possession of bodies,” FO said. — With PTI inputs

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 10

The petitions of three Major Generals who had moved the Armed Forces Tribunal against their non-empanellment for promotion to the rank of Lieutenant General have been dismissed.

With this, the stay imposed in May on promoting officers to the rank of Lieutenant General has also been vacated.

In its orders today, the Tribunal’s Bench comprising Justice Virender Singh and Lt Gen Philip Campose upheld the results of the Special Promotion Board (SSB) that had considered the officers for promotion.

Three officers of the 1983 batch of the general cadre, Maj Gen SC Mohanty, Maj Gen Sudhakar Jee and Maj Gen ML Mohan Babu had mover the Tribunal after they were not empanelled for promotion by the SSB held in October 2017.

According to earlier court orders, they were subsequently given redress related to their Annual Confidential Reports and they had sought directions from the Tribunal that they be considered for promotion as special review (fresh) case as per the old promotion policy, which was in vogue during their consideration by the Board held in October 2017. A new promotion policy for Generals had been introduced in December 2017.

Considering their plea, the Tribunal directed the Army to convene a review promotion board before June 21 and consider the officers for promotion as per the old policy.

After perusing the records of the case and scrutinising the proceedings of the SSB, the Tribunal concluded that there was no irregularity or abnormality in the promotion results. According to one of the counsels, the petitioners reserve the right to move the Supreme Court against the AFT’s judgment.

Not empanelled 

Three officers of the 1983 batch of the general cadre, Maj Gen SC Mohanty, Maj Gen Sudhakar Jee and Maj Gen ML Mohan Babu had mover the Tribunal after they were not empanelled for promotion by the SSB held in October 2017.