New Delhi, March 3

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has withdrawn a controversial order which withdrew income tax benefits to disabled soldiers. The Principal Controller Defence Accounts (PCDA) on Tuesday issued instructions which are based on the advice of the Secretary Defence (Finance). This asks that ‘no income tax be deducted’ till the case is decided by the Supreme Court.

The PCDA had issued instructions on February 20 citing a June 24, 2019, letter of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) withdrawing income tax exemptions. Strangely, the PCDA issued a circular despite the fact that the Supreme Court had granted a stay on the matter, saying parties (MoD and respondents) shall maintain status quo. — TNS

Srinagar, March 3

The National Investigation Agency’s probe into last year’s Pulwama terror strike that killed 40 CRPF personnel, which had virtually reached a dead end, saw a major breakthrough on Tuesday after the agency arrested a man and his daughter who allegedly were witness to the conspiracy behind the audacious attack.

The NIA arrested Tariq Ahmed Shah and his daughter Insha Jan after investigation led to their house at Hakripora in Pulwama district of south Kashmir, where a video was filmed by Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist Adil Ahmed Dar, who rammed an explosive-ridden car into the CRPF convoy. The video was released from Pakistan after the attack.

A truck driver by profession, Shah disclosed that his house was used by Dar, Mohd Umar Farooq, a Pakistani terrorist and IED-maker, Kamran, another Pakistani terrorist (both were later killed in encounters with security forces), Sameer Ahmed Dar, a Jaish terrorist from Pulwama, and Ismail, alias Ibrahim, alias Adnan, also a Pakistani terrorist.

Shah facilitated the terrorists by sheltering them at his house, where they planned the heinous attack on the CRPF convoy and also recorded a video of ‘Fidayeen’ (suicide bomber) Adil Ahmed Dar which was released by the Jaish-e-Mohammad soon after the Pulwama attack, an NIA spokesman said.

Insha Jan (23) also facilitated the terrorists, provided them food and other logistics during their stay at the house on more than 15 occasions, for two-four days each time, during 2018-2019, he said.

“Initial interrogation has revealed that Insha Jan was in constant touch with Mohd Umar Farooq, a Pakistani IED maker, and was in communication with him over telephone and other social media applications (till he was alive),” the spokesman said.

The arrest has brought new life into the case which had virtually reached a dead end, with five people, who were either conspirators or executers of the ghastly attack, being eliminated by the security forces in various encounters.

The case had thrown a unique challenge to the NIA, the anti-terror probe agency formed in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror strikes in 2008, as there was no solid information about the perpetrators or the mastermind behind the attack.

The first challenge was to establish the owner of the car used by the suicide attacker as there was nothing available from the vehicle which carried a cocktail of explosives like ammonium nitrate, nitro glycerine and RDX, the officials said.

But with the help of forensic methods and painstaking investigations, the serial number of the car that was blown into pieces was extracted and within no time, the ownership of the vehicle was established—from the first to the last owner.

After JeM spokesperson Mohd Hassan claimed in a video that his group was responsible for the attack, it was sent for forensic examination and the Internet Protocol address was traced to a computer-based in Pakistan. PTI

Tribune Web Desk
Chandigarh, March 3

Major General Madhuri Kanitkar became the third woman officer of the Indian Army to assume the coveted rank of lieutenant general, the second highest post in the force after she was promoted on Saturday.

She has reportedly served in the Army for 37 years. She was earlier the dean of Armed Forces Medical College Pune and has now been posted to Headquarters, Integrated Defence Staff under the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) in Delhi.

Her husband is Lt Gen Rajeev Kanitkar (Retd). She and her husband will be the first couple in the armed forces to achieve the rank.

The first woman to hold the post of lieutenant general was Punita Arora, who was a surgeon vice-admiral and a former 3-star flag officer of the Indian Navy and the Indian Army.

Lieutenant General Padmavathy Bandopadhyay is the second woman to achieve this feat.

New Delhi, March 4

Army chief Gen MM Naravane on Wednesday said the Balakot strikes demonstrated that if one is skilful, escalation did not always lead to war.

Speaking at a seminar on land warfare, the General said the rise of non-state actors like terrorists demanded that victory in war is formulated in a nuanced manner.

Chinese dominance in South China Sea showed that small incremental steps achieved aim without firing a single shot, the Army chief said.

He said the ISIS is far more adept in using social media to devastating effect as compared to the 21st century armies of the US and the UK.

The General said warfare in ‘grey zone’ and its various nuances was receiving their considered attention.

Focusing on dynamic response, along the western and northern borders, is below the threshold of all-out war, the Army chief said. PTI

Enhancing Indian Coast Guard’s rescue and surveillance capabilities, its latest multi-mission offshore patrol vessel ‘Varad’, equipped with state-of-the-art navigation and communication equipment, was commissioned by Union Shipping Minister Mansukh Mandaviya here on Friday.

The 98-metre long craft, that can travel up to 10,000 km non-stop, is the fifth in the series of seven indigenously designed patrol vessels being built by the Larsen and Toubro Shipyard as part of the Centre’s Make in India programme.

The vessel, which can carry two engine light helicopters with night flying capabilities, also has four high-speed boats including two rigid hull inflatable boats for swift boarding operations, search and rescue, law enforcement and patrol, the Coast Guard said.

It was commissioned by Mandaviya in the presence of Coast Guard Director General K Natarajan, Chennai Port Trust Chairman P Raveendran and senior government officials at the Chennai Port.

New Delhi, February 28

Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshall RKS Bhadauria on Friday said the induction of 36 Rafale jets would not be sufficient to take care of the force’s requirements and the need of the hour was to focus on developing indigenous platforms. The IAF Chief was speaking at a seminar themed ‘Air power in no war no peace scenario,’ organised by the Centre for Air Power Studies.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat also attended the seminar.

Stressing upon the importance of developing indigenous technology, Air Chief Marshal Bhaduria said, “The 36 Rafale jets will alone not provide us solution for the IAF’s need. We need to be able to use the indigenous Astra missile on the Su30s and across other fighter aircraft, like Mig-29, for better performance of air power.”

He said the Indian Air Force would be “very happy” if in the next air skirmish, weapons and missiles used by it are indigenously built. Rafale would need to be complimented with similar capabilities on other platforms, he said. — TNS

Gen T S Shergill PVSM Senior Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab and Senior Vice Chairman of GoG reviewed the Govt Flagship Schemes monitor by GoG at Pathankot today.DC,ADC,SDMs,AC(Grievances)and GoG Officer of Pathankot  Dist attended. General also interacted with   GoG of the District

New Delhi, February 26

The death toll in the northeast Delhi communal violence over the amended citizenship law rose to 20 on Wednesday, even as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal flagged that the situation has become “alarming” and the Army should be called in as police is “unable to control it”.

According to GTB Hospital authorities, the number of injured now stands at 189, however, the situation at the hospital “seems to be settling”.

Communal violence over the amended citizenship law had escalated in northeast Delhi on Tuesday as the police struggled to check the rioters who ran amok on streets, burning and looting shops, pelting stones and thrashing people.

On Tuesday, the death toll was 13.

“The death toll has risen to 20 today,” Medical Superintendent of GTB Hospital, Sunil Kumar, told PTI.

Earlier, at least four bodies were brought to the Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital from the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital (LNJP) Hospital, a senior official said.

Later, while interacting with reporters, GTB MS said, from Tuesday midnight it is a “trickle of patients and not a gush of injured persons as was earlier”.

These patients have several kinds of injuries, including from gunshots, many sustained trauma from jumping from rooftops to escape violence, many received head injuries, he said.

“We are fully prepared with doctors, nurses, paramedics, consumables, linen and other paraphernalia and hoping that the situation won’t worsen from here,” he said.

Asked if the victims have been identified, Kumar sad, “Many people have been identified, some are yet to be”.

Chief Minister Kejriwal said the situation has become “alarming”, adding that he is writing to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

“I have been in touch with large no. of people whole nite (night). Situation alarming. Police, despite all its efforts, unable to control situation and instil confidence (sic),” Kejriwal tweeted.

“Army shud (should) be called in and curfew imposed in rest of affected areas immediately. Am writing to Hon’ble HM to this effect,” he added.

After Monday night, incidents of arson, tension had smouldered in the National Capital and on Tuesday, streets in several localities like Chand Bagh, Bhajanpura, Gokulpuri, Maujpur, Kardampuri and Jaffrabad saw pitched battles between the members of two groups who also hurled petrol bombs and opened fire.

National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval late last night also took stock of the situation, sources said.Meanwhile, television visual showed DCP Northeast Ved Prakash Surya along with a posse of police personnel conducting a flag march in the violence-hit areas seeking to boost confidence of people and bring the situation to normal. PTI

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Lt Gen Harwant Singh (Retd)

THERE is this common wisdom in the military that ‘you never volunteer’. Yet, when the occasion arises, there is seldom a dearth of volunteers, even for the most dangerous missions.

Ours is a three-class armoured regiment and during the 1971 war, it was called upon to send a squadron for what could be called the ‘last man, last round mission’. Dogra squadron was detailed on this mission. Since it would have involved just one class (Dogra) in the regiment taking all the casualties, as second-in-command, I suggested that the force be raised to one-and-a-half squadron, two tank troops from each of the three squadrons and that I would command this group. The Corps Commander approved the plan. I held a darbar and explained the meaning of the regiment’s motto, nature of the task and the extent of casualties we may have to accept. I ended by asking for volunteers.

Troop leaders and troops fell over each other to volunteer. Two days before the launch of this force, some adverse situation developed in another sector of the corps zone and the regiment was moved post haste to that sector.

During the early Nineties, hundreds of young men who had crossed over to PoK had started coming back to the Kashmir valley after training in the use of weapons, etc. Those who were from South Kashmir were transiting through Poonch and Rajouri sectors at night.

To traverse through this area, the services of a local guide were required, especially as much of the Army was deployed in the depth areas. A batch of 25 terrorists was held up on the PoK side of the LoC, waiting for a guide to take them through this area. The guide was not too sure of being able to avoid Indian troops. This group was getting impatient and they finally decided to take a truck from the road below and drive up to Baflias (below Pir Panjal range, along the old Mughal route) and from there on they could be on their own to get to South Kashmir.

The guide arranged a truck, but no driver was available as the terrorists wanted only a Sikh driver. Those days there was much trouble in Punjab and these terrorists had been made to believe that Sikhs were with them.

The local police and Army intelligence came to know of this demand for a Sikh driver and the brigade commander’s jeep driver, overhearing the conversation about the demand for a driver, volunteered to drive the truck.

In civil clothes and with a pistol tied to his leg, he contacted the guide and at night took the truck to the designated point. The guide and his assistant brought this batch of 25 terrorists to where the truck had been positioned. The leader of this terrorist group and the senior guide sat with the driver, while three terrorists positioned themselves on the tool box above the driver’s cabin, while the rest of them and the junior guide got into the truck.

As the truck reached a particular bridge, a sentry stepped forward to stop it. Those sitting on top of the truck realised they had run into an ambush and shot the sentry. The leader of the group thought that they had been led into an ambush, so he shot the senior guide sitting by his side and the junior guide, as he jumped out of the truck to escape, was shot by those in the body of the truck. All this happened in a matter of 7 to 10 seconds and during this time, the driver opened the door of the truck and jumped over the railing of the bridge and landed on the sand bed. He got under the bridge with a pistol, ready to take on, were anyone to follow him.

Then all too suddenly two light machine guns opened up, followed by a rocket launcher. With all the explosives these terrorists were carrying, the truck exploded, killing all 25 of them. The driver was awarded Kirti Chakra and moved out of the area.

Whatever be the common wisdom in the military, there is never a dearth of volunteers, no matter how dangerous the mission.