Lt Umar Fayaz.

Relatives mourn young Kashmiri Army officer Lieutenant Umar Fayaz’s death in Yaripora village in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Wednesday. Tribune Photo: Amin War

Ajay Banerjee and Samaan Lateef

Tribune News Service

New Delhi/Srinagar, May 10 

Militants kidnapped a lieutenant in the army, who was on leave and was unarmed, from his uncle’s house in Shopian district on Tuesday night and later killed him, the Army said on Wednesday.

Lt Umar Fayaz Parray, 23, of Sursuna-Yaripora village in Kulgam was kidnapped around 10 pm by militants, believed to be five in number, from the house of his maternal uncle at Shopian, 60 km from here.Srinagar-based defence spokesperson Col Rajesh Kalia said, “In a dastardly act, militants on Tuesday night kidnapped and killed a young unarmed army officer who had come on leave to his native place in Kulgam to attend a marriage in the family.”

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Parray’s body that bore two bullet marks was recovered from Hermain Chowk in Shopian on Wednesday morning, a Shopian police officer said.He said Parray, who was commissioned as lieutenant on December 10, 2016, and was posted at the Army’s 2 Rajputana Rifles at Akhnoor, had arrived at his house last week to attend the marriage of his cousin at Batapura village in Shopian district.He is survived by parents and two sisters. His father runs a fruit business.The post-mortem of the body is being conducted at the district hospital, Shopian, and the body will be brought to his native village for burial with full military honours.The deceased officer was scheduled to attend the Young Officers’ Course in September, the Army said.“The Army salutes the braveheart and stands by the family. It commits itself to bringing the perpetrators of the heinous act to justice,” the Army spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley called the killing an “act of cowardice”, adding that the sacrifice reiterated the nation’s commitment to eliminate terrorism.

“Abduction and murder of Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz by terrorists in Shopian is a dastardly act of cowardice. This young officer from Jammu and Kashmir was a role model,” Jaitley said in a tweet. With IANS

Kullu Deputy Commissioner Younus Khan (right) and his wife Anjum Ara (third from left) with the family members of martyr Paramjit Singh in Tarn Taran on Saturday. Tribune Photo

Our Correspondent

Tarn Taran, May 6

A young bureaucrat couple from Himachal Pradesh today visited Vein Puin, the native village of Naib Subedar Paramjit Singh, who was recently killed during ceasefire violation by the Pakistani army at LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.Kullu Deputy Commissioner Younus Khan and his wife Anjum Ara, an IPS officer and Solan SSP, offered to bear all expenses on the education and marriage of Khushdeep Kaur, 10-year-old daughter of the martyr.Paramjit Singh is survived by his wife and three children. Simrandeep Kaur (15) is the eldest, while Sahildeep and Khushdeep are twins. Both are studying in Class VI. The couple consoled Paramjit’s wife and assured help to the family. They also gave Rs 51,000 cash to Khushdeep Kaur. They said they would bear the expenditure on her education wherever she wanted to study. Meanwhile, Paramraj Singh Umranangal, IG, Law and Order, also visited the family and handed over a cheque of Rs 1 lakh to the family on behalf of the charitable trust being run by him. The Commandant of 5th Indian Reserve Battalion also gave Rs 21,000 to the family.

Reduce fee, 40 schools told

Pvt schools get 10 days to comply with norms or face action

Several protests have been held against the high fee being charged by private schools in Amritsar. File photo

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 6

The Education Department today directed about 40 private schools to reduce their fee and other charges, which were raised by more than eight per cent compared to the last year.District Education Officer (DEO) Amardeep Singh Saini said the schools were asked to refund the hiked fee to the parents within 10 days. He said following auditing of accounts of these schools, it was found that the difference of their fee last year and this year was more than eight per cent. It is a violation of the Punjab Regulation of Fee of Unaided Education Institutions Bill, 2016.Saini, in a communication to the heads of such schools, stated that the cluster heads carried out account audit of the schools and found them charging fee more than the permissible limit.Notably, majority of the schools are situated in rural areas of the district. Some of the prominent schools in the city are DAV Public School, Sri Guru Harkrishan Senior Secondary School, GT Road, Roses Public School, Majitha Road, among others.The DEO said, “This is for the first time that such an action has been taken in accordance with the newly-enacted Act. In case the schools do not comply with the norms in the given time frame, the department will be compelled to write to the Divisional Commissioner for taking necessary action.”MK Sharma, president of the Punjab Parents’ Association (PPA), who is spearheading the agitation against the “high and unreasonable” school fee, welcomed the move. “As per the Act, education is a social work. It can’t be carried out for profit. Hence the schools in profit shouldn’t hike even eight per cent fee,” he said.

‘Cong stopped Atta-Dal scheme’

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 6

The BJP today accused the Congress government in the state of depriving the poor people of wheat and kerosene under various schemes launched by the erstwhile SAD-BJP government.BJP national secretary Tarun Chugh said that the Congress had applied brakes on the “successful” Atta-Dal scheme started by the SAD-BJP government, which was replicated by many states.He said the Congress, under pressure of its MLAs, leaders and some bureaucrats, was trying to derail the scheme which had been the lifeline for the economically weak section.“It is unfortunate that nearly 2.5 lakh quintals of wheat could not be distributed due to the failure of the Congress government, thereby inflicting a loss of subsidy worth Rs 37 crore due to the needy people. The situation in Amritsar is worst as the Congress legislators, due to their ego, are willfully halting the implementation of the scheme,” he said.According to Chugh, the SAD-BJP government had approved and released 3.25 lakh quintals of wheat due till March 31 this year ahead of elections. The Congress was instrumental in getting the quota blocked ahead of elections as it cited that the delivery of Atta-Dal to the poor could give electoral benefit to SAD-BJP alliance, he said.Reminding Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh of his electoral promises, the BJP leader said it was sad that instead of honouring the Congress manifesto, the new government was discontinuing the schemes started by SAD-BJP government.Chugh also called upon the newly elected legislators of the Congress not to be a party to the anti-poor decisions of the government and stand for the electorate which have voted them to power.

Dept deals blow to power consumers

After JERC’s no to tariff hike, FPCCCA charges added to bills, raising amount by 20 to 50%

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune news service

Chandigarh, May 6

While the Joint Regulatory Electricity Commission (JERC) has rejected the proposal for enhancing the rates of power, the Department of Electricity has burdened the consumers in another way.The bills of March and April being delivered at the doors of residents are giving shock to them. The Department of Electricity has once again levied fuel and power purchase cost adjustment (FPPCA) charges on the consumers.The JERC has authorised the Chandigarh Electricity Department to compute fuel and power procurement cost variations on quarterly basis and charge from the consumers.The department bought power at higher rates and charged from the consumers. This has increased the bills by 20 to 50 per cent depending upon the category of consumers. The charges have been levied for all types of consumers’ i.e. domestic, commercial and the industrial. The charges have been levied from Rs 80 paisa to Rs 3.15 maximum per unit over and above the existing rates charged from the consumers. This is the third hike within the year.Naveen Manglani, president of the Chamber of Chandigarh Industries, has condemned the unprecedented hike by way of FPPCA charges. In a representation to the Superintending Engineer of the Department he, said the FPCCA charges enhanced rates, which should be reviewed.He said the whole system of charging the FPPCA charges should be made transparent and the public should be told why they were being charged so much. He said with the FPPCA charges, the charges for power in the industrial sector had touched Rs 9 per unit, which was the highest in the region. Manglani said they were ready to pay the genuine cost, but did not want to pay for the inefficiencies of the department or any transmission loses. Baljinder Singh Bittu, president, FOSWAC, also said the FPPCA charges are unjustified and why should the residents pay for the theft and losses.

Army men patrol a village in Shopian district during a massive search operation on Thursday. Tribune Photo: Amin War

Srinagar, May 5

The National Conference on Friday said the door-to-door search operation conducted on Thursday in Shopian district was indicative of an “unofficial military rule” in the state and termed it as “another low” for the state government.“It is the first clear indication of an unofficial military rule being invoked in the Valley and the return of such operations after nearly 15 years was another low for the PDP-led government,” said NC spokesman Junaid Mattu. — TNS

PANDORI SIDHWAN (TARN TARAN): Pandori Sidhwan village in Tarn Taran district, is known as ‘Faujian Da Pind’.

With around 100 men from the village serving in the army and around as many retired from the army and paramilitary forces makes this village proud. But the recent killings of Indian soldiers by Pakistan army and mutilation of their bodies have made the village residents angry.

As one moves around in the village, one finds that almost every house has a son serving in the army or one who has come back after serving.

The village ground sees a lot of buzz in the morning as numerous youngsters reach their for workouts to prepare for joining the armed forces.

Such is the anger against Pakistan over its recent acts that many villagers staged a protest on Wednesday and burnt an effigy of the neighbouring country. They urged the central government to respond in a befitting manner.

Talking to HT, retired Subedar Gurdeep Singh, whose father and grandfather had served in the forces, said, “It is very painful to see that Indian soldiers are being killed on the border and evewn more shocking is the treatment meted out to their bodies. This has angered our village, which has sent many youngsters to the army. India must punish the enemy and give a befitting reply.”

Joginder Singh, who took part in the 1962 and 1965 wars, said, “Our village has a tradition of sending youngsters to the army. But today, the village is sad and angry. The bodies of Indian soldiers being mutilated by the enemy nation is very painful. Today, the entire village and the nation is pained. The Indian government must hit back in the best way. That will give us some relief.”

Seeking more powers for the army, Joginder said, “Every time our soldiers are killed, statements follow. But it is time to act,” he added.

Another villager, Sukhwinder Singh, who retired from the BSF, said, “We are a bigger nation and we need to act tough so that our soldiers are not treated like this. Pakistan is just taking our humanity as our weakness. It’s time to teach them a lesson. We are a village of soldiers, so we are upset.”

Another soldier, Daljit Singh, who retired in 2012, said, “The ground situation can be exactly judged by a sentry on a post and not the Prime Minister. The government must give a free hand to the army and troops should not be left waiting for orders.”

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 2

Andaman and Nicobar Lt Governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi has assured an SGPC delegation that three roads in Port Blair would be named after Punjabi martyrs of the freedom movement — Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, Dr Diwan Singh Kalepani and Madan Lal Dhingra.SGPC president Prof Kirpal Singh Badungar had sent a delegation to Andaman and Nicobar islands following reports that the role of Punjabi freedom fighters — who had been lodged in Port Blair’s Cellular Jail — was being underplayed in the light-and-sound programme held daily in the prison.Akali MP Prem Singh Chandumajra had raised the issue recently in the Lok Sabha, following which a report was sought by the Union Tourism Ministry from the Andaman authorities.In a press note, members of the delegation said they had urged Prof Mukhi to provide due space to Punjabis in the Kala Pani narrative.Delegation members said Prof Mukhi promised that the light-and-sound programme would be revisited within the next six months. The Lt Governor also invited suggestions and proposals to be incorporated in the revised programme.Meanwhile, Chandumajra said he would urge Prof Mukhi to name roads after Kartar Singh Jhabbar and Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna as well.

Honour for freedom fighters

• Three roads in Port Blair will be named after Punjabi martyrs of the freedom movement — Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, Dr Diwan Singh Kalepani and Madan Lal Dhingra
• SGPC president Prof Kirpal Singh Badungar had sent a delegation to Andaman and Nicobar islands following reports that the role of Punjabi freedom fighters — who had been lodged in Port Blair’s Cellular Jail — was being underplayed in the light-and-sound programme held daily in the prison

To avenge mutilation of its jawans, forces could use artillery to inflict damage on neighbour

NEWDELHI: Defence minister Arun Jaitley said the sacrifice of the two soldiers mutilated by Pakistan in Poonch’s Krishna Ghati sector on Monday “will not go in vain,” with the army calling it a “despicable act” that will be “appropriately responded to.”

HT PHOTOArmy chief General Bipin Rawat arrives in Srinagar on Monday. Rawat is here to analyse the situation post the mutilation of two Indian soldiers near the Line of Control in Poonch.

Army sources said one of the options for the force was to bring artillery to the fight along the LoC to cause maximum damage to Pakistani posts and inflict casualties on the neighbouring army. The army has chosen this option on numerous occasions.

The army had used the Bofors guns to destroy several Pakistani army posts last October following the mutilation of Sepoy Mandeep Singh in Macchil sector in Kashmir’s Kupwara.

In 2015 too, Pakistani provocations compelled India to shed its restraint and lift a self-imposed restriction on deploying artillery against Pakistan army.

Officers who have served in J&K said another option could be to carry out similar cross-border raids at the tactical level to exact revenge for the killing of the two security personnel. “Such counter assaults are not uncommon. Battalions deployed along the LoC have their plans in place for such assaults,” said an officer.

However, serving and retired officers said the scale of the BAT (border action team — an amalgam of terrorists and Pakistan army regulars) action did not merit surgical strikes like the ones carried out last September after 19 soldiers were killed in an attack on army camp in Uri.

“Everyone would know which post the rogue team came from. The army should deploy heavy weapons to flatten that post,” Lieutenant General Vinod Bhatia (retd), a force director general of military operations. As a major general, Bhatia had commanded the 25 Infantry Division in 2007-08. The sector in which the two soldiers were mutilated come under the same division.

Apart from military action, Bhatia suggested that the border trading points along the LoC should be shut to make Pakistan feel the pinch.

BAT action was responsible for Indian soldier Hemraj’s gruesome beheading and the coldblooded murder of five other soldiers in separate cross-border assaults in 2013. Battalion commanders along the LoC are issued directions from time to time to stay prepared for short and swift BAT raids.

However, former Northern Army commander Lieutenant General BS Jaswal (retd) called for action at a “multi-layered level” to turn the heat on Pakistan. He said, “Tactical operations are not causing pain to Pakistan…It has to be dealt with at military, political and diplomatic level. Send their diplomats back, abrogate international treaties…”

Indian Army soldiers patrol near the Line of Control in Poonch district after a ceasefire violation by Pakistan. PTI

New Delhi, May 2Camps of Pakistan-backed militant groups have mushroomed across the Line of Control in Pok, with 20 more coming up since the Indian Army launched a surgical strike on terror launch pads last September, officials said on Tuesday.When the Indian Army had mounted the surgical assault, there were around 35 training camps of various militant groups across the LoC and many were dismantled and shifted deep inside Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.Quoting intelligence reports, government officials said at least 20 new terrorist camps have come up in the last four months, while the earlier ones have also returned closer to the LoC, taking their number from 35 to 55.All these camps are “actively operating”, they said.The disclosure by the government came a day after Pakistan Army’s Border Action Teams (BAT), which consist of both army regulars and militants, shot dead and beheaded two Indian soldiers in an ambush they had laid inside Indian territory.In the first four months of 2017, there were 60 infiltration attempts along the LoC in which 15 terrorists managed to enter into Jammu and Kashmir.Quoting intelligence reports, officials said as of now around 160 terrorists are active in the Kashmir valley and their Pakistani handlers have instructed them to intensify attacks on security forces to keep the “pot boiling and the LoC active”.They said since the state government will start functioning in the state’s summer capital Srinagar from May 8 after the ‘Darbar Move’, militant groups were trying to boost the morale of their cadre by intensifying attacks on Indian security forces.Yesterday’s assault by a BAT contingent is part of this strategy, they said. — PTI

The wreath-laying ceremony at the Badamibagh cantonment in Srinagar on Friday. Tribune photo

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 28

The security forces are zeroing in on a newly infiltrated Lashkar-e-Toiba group for the fidayeen attack on the Panzgam artillery garrison in the frontier Kupwara district that left a Captain and two soldiers dead.While the Army on Friday intensified the combing operation to track down an injured militant involved in the attack, the investigation has revealed that three fidayeen who stormed the camp belonged to the Lashkar.“Lashkar is behind the fidayeen attack,” a senior defence official said. However, no militant group has so far owned responsibility for the attack.The officer said it was yet not clear whether the militants involved in the attack were fresh infiltrators or were active in or around the area for some time. “The infiltration possibility is being checked,” the officer said.However, sources said the three-member fidayeen group might have crossed the Line of Control during night earlier this week along the Doomari ridge in the Keran sector. The Army investigators were analysing the GPS sets and maps that were recovered from the two slain militants.The Army carried out a search operation around the Panzgam garrison and the thick forest area from where the militants are believed to have entered the highly fortified Army base after cutting the fence wire.“Many Army units are combing various areas to nab the injured militant,” a source said. All health centres across the district are being kept under watch as the injured militant might be brought for treatment.Meanwhile, the state government imposed restrictions in some parts of Kupwara on Friday to foil protests over the death of a civilian, Mohammad Yousuf Bhat, in the alleged Army firing on protesters seeking the bodies of the two slain militants on Thursday.“The situation was normal across Kupwara and there were no report of any violent incident,” said Senior Superintendent of Police, Kupwara, Shamsher Hussain.

Tributes paid to three bravehearts

Srinagar, April 28

Rich tributes were paid here today to three Army personnel, including Captain Ayush Yadav, who lost their lives in an encounter with militants at Panzgam village of Kupwara district on Thursday.Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen JS Sandhu laid wreaths on the bodies of Captian Yadav, Subedar Bhoop Singh Gurjar and Naik Botta Venkata Ramana at the Badamibagh cantonment in Srinagar this morning and paid rich tributes to them.Officers from the civil administration and other security forces were also present at the wreath-laying ceremony.“The Army stands in solidarity with the bereaved families and remains committed to their dignity and well-being,” a defence spokesman said.The spokesman said Captian Yadav, hailing from Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, was survived by his parents.He said Subedar Bhoop Singh Gurjar of Rajasthan had joined the Army in 1992 and was remembered as a true patriot. He is survived by his wife and two children, he added.Naik Botta Venkata Ramana hailed from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and is survived by his wife and two children, the spokesman said. TNS

Raipur, April 24

At least 25 Central Reserve Police Force personnel were killed and six wounded today in a Naxalite attack in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district. A paramilitary patrol, 99-personnel strong, sanitising the area for a road to be laid, was attacked at 12:25 pm in Kala Pathar area of south Bastar, close to the Chintagufa-Burkapal-Bheji axis, the hotbed of Naxal violence that has seen a series of such attacks in the past. All troops belonged to the 74th Battalion, sources said. Reinforcements, including CoBRA commandos, have been rushed to the site.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)“We have lost 25 men.

We are still to account for all personnel. A search is on,” said a senior CRPF officer. While 11 bodies were recovered first, 12 more were found during combing operations, he said. A jawan died on way to hospital. The company commander, Raghubir Singh, an Inspector-rank officer, was among those killed. An injured jawan, brought to a hospital here, said they were attacked by 300 Maoists. “The Naxals first sent villagers to check our position. I also saw some women Naxals. They were all in black uniform and carried sophisticated weapons, such as AK assault rifles.”  A considerable number of Naxals are believed to have been killed in retaliatory action, according to the CRPF.  Officials said the ambush set up by the Naxals was as deadly as the one on March 11 in Bheji area of Sukma district in which 12 personnel had died. Another survivor said the Naxals, who were in hiding, opened indiscriminate fire and lobbed hand grenades, taking the patrol by  surprise. The wounded troopers, who were airlifted and hospitalised, were identified as Assistant Sub-Inspector RP Hembram and constables Swaroop Kumar, Mohinder Singh, Jitendra Kumar, Sher Mohammed and Latoo Oraon. The incident comes at a time when the country’s largest paramilitary force is without a full-time chief.  Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi reviewed the situation in the aftermath of the attack at North Block.A “distressed” Raman Singh, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister, cut short his Delhi visit and rushed to Raipur. “Strongly condemn attack on CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh; condolences to families of deceased and prayers for injured,” President Pranab Mukherjee tweeted.Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh sent Minister of State Hansraj Ahir to Chhattisgarh to take stock of the situation. “Extremely pained to know about the killing. My tributes to the martyrs and condolences to their families,” he tweeted. — PTI

Force without regular chief for 2 months

• The CRPF remains headless for almost two months now with the government yet to appoint its regular Director General (DG), even as the country’s largest paramilitary force lost 38 personnel in line of duty in two major ambushes during the period. Post K Durga Prasad’s retirement on February 28, the Union Home Ministry appointed Additional DG Sudeep Lakhtakia to hold the charge in “additional” capacity. While officials in the Home Ministry say the appointment of a full-time DG is expected soon, those in the CRPF maintain there was “no word” yet. A senior Home Ministry official said a panel of eligible IPS officers had already been prepared but there was no finality on the name of the next DG for the nearly 3-lakh-strong force so far. PTI

Afghan security personnel stand guard near the site of attack in northern Afghanistan. AFP

New Delhi, April 22

India on Saturday strongly condemned the terror attack on an army base in northern Afghanistan, saying it is a stark reminder of the need to immediately dismantle safe havens sustaining terrorism from outside that country’s borders.

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The External Affairs Ministry, in a statement, said India remained steadfast in its support to Afghanistan in fighting all forms of terrorism.

At least 140 soldiers were killed and wounded in a coordinated Taliban attack on the army base near the Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif on Friday.

“The terrorist attack is a stark reminder of the need to immediately dismantle the safe havens and sanctuaries that support and sustain terrorism in Afghanistan from outside its borders,” the MEA said, in an apparent reference to the terror infrastructure in Pakistan.

It said the government and the people of India extend their deepest condolences and stand with the government and people of Afghanistan at this difficult moment.

“India remains steadfast in its support to Afghanistan in fighting all forms of terrorism and bringing perpetrators of terrorist violence to justice, wherever they maybe,” the statement said. — PTI