Majid Jahangir & Suhail A Shah
Tribune News Service
Srinagar/Anantnag, Oct 19

Security forces killed five militants in two operations in north Kashmir even as nine Army men, including a Major, were injured in an IED blast in south Kashmir.

Three unidentified militants were killed in a counter-infiltration operation along the Line of Control in Baramulla district. The operation began on Thursday morning when the Army noticed suspected movement close to the LoC near Tourna in the Boniyar sector, around 100 km from Srinagar.

“Challenged, the terrorists opened fire and the ensuing gunfight continued till late last evening. Three bodies were recovered from the dense forest area this morning,” a defence official said. “Four AK rifles, some haversacks and warlike stores have also been recovered.”

The combing operation was still underway in the area, he added.

The identity and affiliation of the slain militants could not be established immediately.

In a separate incident, two Pakistani militants affiliated with the Jaish-e-Mohammed were killed at Kralhar on the outskirts of Baramulla town.

Baramulla SSP Imtiyaz Husain said the militants, operating under code names Faizan and Wahab, were travelling in a Scorpio vehicle towards Baramulla when they were signalled to stop at a check-point. “Both terrorists were killed in a brief gunfight while a policeman suffered minor injuries,” Husain said. “The Scorpio driver has been arrested and the vehicle impounded.”

During searches, an AK rifle, an AK magazine, a UBGL, two Chinese pistols and some ammunition were seized.

Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh said when the security men asked for the card from one person, he took out a pistol and fired at police and CRPF men.

“He was killed in retaliatory action while the second one fled while firing. He was chased and killed later,” Dilbag said.

A news portal quoted Jaish-e-Mohammad spokesman as having said that the two militants killed in Baramulla shootout were on a “special mission”. He, however, did not reveal the mission details.

In another incident, nine Army men, including a Major, were injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. The massive blast occurred around 9.15 pm on Thursday at Trichal village on the outskirts of Pulwama town.

“A Casper vehicle of the 55 Rashtriya Rifles hit a landmine. The blast was followed by intense firing by militants,” a senior police officer said. A Major and eight soldiers sustained injuries in the blast. Militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Villagers alleged Army personnel went berserk after the blast and thrashed locals, injuring 15 civilians, seven of them women. They alleged their houses were also vandalised.

The DGP said the police were yet to receive any formal complaint in that regard. “If there is any such complaint, we will look into it,” he said.

Defence spokesperson Rajesh Kalia said the facts were being ascertained regarding the incident.

Pregnant woman killed in militant attack

A pregnant woman was killed in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district after militants targeted an Army camp on Friday evening, officials said. Superintendent of Police Chandan Kohli said the militants fired two UBGL grenades and also opened fire at the camp at Shadimarg, Pulwama. “Firdousa, daughter of Khursheed Ahmed Sheikh of Qasbayar, Shadimarg, received a bullet injury in the exchange of fire. She was taken to Rajpora hospital, from there she was referred to District Hospital, Pulwama, where she succumbed,” he said. The doctors  said the slain woman was five months pregnant. TNS

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, October 15

For the second time in less than a month, the police have been caught off guard while militants stole rifles from under their nose.

On Sunday night, militants stole two carbines of the two personal security officers (PSOs) deployed at the residence of retired Senior Superintendent of Police Sheikh Ghulam Mohammad in central Kashmir’s Budgam district. The two PSOs were not present at the house and had kept the weapons in a locked box.

While the pictures of the two carbines surfaced on the social media, claiming that the Jaish-e-Mohammed had looted the weapons, the police said they were investigating which group was involved in the incident.

“So far, the claim is on the social media. We are looking into it (Jaish claim) and all other angles,” said Vidhi Kumar Birdhi, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, central Kashmir.

“We have found that the back door entry to the residence of the retired officer was open which has raised our suspicions. We will also be questioning the private employees working at the house,” the DIG said, adding that strict action would be taken against the policemen for “dereliction of duty”.

Apart from the two Personal Security Officers, there were four policemen to guard the residence of the Senior Superintendent of Police at Gopalpora, Chadoora. Of them, two were absent.

“As the militant barged into the house, they were looking for the weapons of the two police guards present there. When the policemen told the militants that they had no arms, they were thrashed. The militants found a locked box in which the two Personal Security Officers had kept their weapons and decamped with them,” a police officer said. “After the militants fled, they fired gunshots from a distance,” he said.

This is the second time that militants have managed to steal weapons in central Kashmir inless than a month.

On September 28, Special Police Officer Adil Bashir fled with seven rifles and a pistol from Peoples Democratic Party MLA Aijaz Mir’s government residence in Srinagar.

This year, militants have stolen 18 weapons in Srinagar and neighbouring Budgam district.

18 rifles stolen this year

• On Sunday night, militants stole two carbines of the two personal security officers deployed at the residence of retired SSP Sheikh Ghulam Mohammad in central Kashmir’s Budgam district
• On September 28, Special Police Officer Adil Bashir fled with seven rifles and a pistol from PDP MLA Aijaz Mir’s government residence in Srinagar
• This year, militants have stolen 18 weapons in Srinagar and neighbouring Budgam district

The Pentagon has announced that it is grounding its complete fleet of F-35s following preliminary investigations of a recent crash, pointing to the possibility of a widespread problem with the advanced fighter’s fuel tubes, The Marine Corps Time has reported.

On 28 September, single-seat Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II with Marine Corps training squadron VMFAT-501 crashed on a small island just miles from Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. The pilot, a US Marine, however, escaped unhurt and was ejected safely.

“The US Services and international partners have temporarily suspended F-35 flight operations while the enterprise conducts a fleet-wide inspection of a fuel tube within the engine on all F-35 aircraft,” the F-35 Joint Program Office announced in a statement released on Thursday morning.

The global fleet of F-35s — including Marine Corps, Air Force and Navy variants — will stay on the ground to enable inspectors to examine the airplanes’ engines.

Close to 320 jets would undergo inspections over the next 48 hours to check fuel tubes in engines that are made by Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United TechnologiesCorp.

The F-35 joint strike fighter is reportedly the most expensive program in the Pentagon’s history. The aircraft program is projected to cost about $1 trillion to develop, produce, field and sustain over its lifetime.

The F-35B has a single Pratt & Whitney engine and a lift fan made by Rolls-Royce that allows it to take off and land vertically.

A Lockheed Martin spokesperson said, “We are actively partnering with the Pentagon’s F-35 Joint Program Office, our global customers and Pratt & Whitney to support the resolution of this issue and limit disruption to the fleet.”

The US military has so far purchased 245 aircraft from Lockheed Martin. The Air Force has 156, the Marine Corps has 61 and the Navy has 28.

Britain, Italy, Australia, Israel and Norway are also flying the planes.

Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 9

Two women officers of the Army will ride motorbikes to compete in the 20th edition of the Raid De Himalaya, considered one of the 10 toughest high-altitude cross-country rallies of the world.

Maj K Renuka and Capt Prabhakaran Santheni will ride the Royal Enfield Himalayan at the Raid in the Moto Adventure category. Major Renuka is from the Armed Service Corps and Capt Santheni from the Army Nurse Corps (AMC). Capt Santheni is currently working at the Army’s Research and Referral Hospital in New Delhi.

The Raid De Himalaya will begin tomorrow from Kargil. For the first time, the Army has also fielded a women’s team in Raid Xtreme (4X4), an extreme endurance event of marathon proportions. Maj Euthica of the ASC will drive a Maruti Gypsy at the Raid with navigator Capt Tejal Parashare, also of the ASC.

More than 200 competitors will race to Sankoo, the bowl-shaped valley known as Ladakh’s Gulmarg (valley of flowers). The Raid will also go to Umba La, a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.496 metres, and to Drass, called the gateway to Ladakh, in Kargil.

Maj Renuka is an experienced motorcyclist. In June 2018, she participated in the Himalayan Odyssey Women’s Edition, a motorcycle trip from Delhi to Khardung La and Leh. “Serving the Army is a huge empowerment for women. We are professional soldiers. For adventure, we go for trekking, mountaineering, scuba diving, white water rafting, cycling, run marathons,” said Maj Renuka, who has been a biker for close to 20 years now. She hails from Kovilpatti in Tamil Nadu.

Capt Santheni had to compete at the trials held by the Army at Agra in August when competitors for the Raid were selected. “I am in the Army, so willpower is not a problem. We have been preparing ourselves physically for competing in high-altitude areas and I am truly excited about the Raid,” said Capt Santheni, a Keralite from Chennai.

“It is for the first time this year that women officers are riding motorcycles and also competing in Moto Xtreme 4X4. This is a positive message for gender equality,” president, Himalayan Motorsport, Vijay Parmar said.

200 will race to Ladakh 

• More than 200 competitors will race to Sankoo, the bowl-shaped valley known as Ladakh’s Gulmarg
• The Raid will also go to Umba La, a high mountain pass at 4.496 metres, and to Drass in the Kargil sector

China has always been saying its airports in Tibet are coming up for regional connectivity and not for offensive operations, Air Chief BS Marshal Dhanoa said

 Chinese JH7 fighter-bomber jet takes off from an airfield (File)

Voice of Karachi asserted that Pakistan is answerable for several things including the freedom given to the leaders of terrorist group like Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Voice of Karachi chairman Nadeem Nusrat called Imran Khan a weak leader.

Amir Karim Tantray

Tribune News Service

Poonch, September 27

Two years after Army commandos carried out surgical strikes on terror launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), the morale of the forces guarding this volatile zone continues to be high.

Committed to keeping the enemy at bay and not letting it push in armed militants, soldiers of the Army unit (name withheld) manning the Poonch sector are putting their lives at risk to guard the LoC amid all odds.

From a forward post on an undisclosed location on the LoC in the Poonch sector, the surgical strikes were carried out inside the PoK on September 28-29, 2016. “Initially, when we came here as a frontline battalion, we adopted a tit-for-tat policy. Now, the emphasis is more on punitive action. The commanding officers have more freedom to take action and that is translating into success,” Col Bhupinder Singh, Commanding Officer of the unit, told The Tribune.

“The commanders on the ground are free to initiate any action if any misadventure is undertaken by the enemy,” he said.

Besides ceasefire violations by the Pakistan army, the biggest challenge on the LoC remains infiltration, as terror launch pads are still active there. To meet this challenge, the Army is using surveillance devices with advance technology and carries out drills and ambush operations to ensure the area remains safe. Also, patrolling is done to clear the area of all threats, including mines.

“Infiltration has to be stopped at any cost. Our boys keep a high morale even in the face of harsh weather conditions and tough terrain,” the Colonel added.

Major General Rajeeva Kumar, commissioned in the Sikh Light Infantry, is now the most senior officer among the Army personnel to approach the Supreme Court in the AFSPA matter following a petition by Colonel Amit Kumar and others.

Days after Army chief General Bipin Rawat questioned the need for serving Army officers and soldiers to approach the Supreme Court in personal capacity against alleged dilution of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, a serving Major General, currently posted as Chief of Staff of a Corps in the Eastern Command, has filed an application that he be made party to the petition filed by 739 Army personnel.

Major General Rajeeva Kumar, commissioned in the Sikh Light Infantry, is now the most senior officer among the Army personnel to approach the Supreme Court in the AFSPA matter following a petition by Colonel Amit Kumar and others. Hearing in the case is scheduled for September 28.

Incidentally, Colonel Amit Kumar too was commissioned in the Sikh Light Infantry before he joined the legal branch of the Army, the Judge Advocate General Branch.

READ | Army chief Bipin Rawat asks why officers, soldiers filed plea in SC

“The points raised in the present petition go to the significant problems and confusions being encountered by soldiers of Indian Army as to whether they are supposed to continue to engage in the proxy war and insurgency with their military training, principles, standard operating procedures, operational realities, valour and courage or act and operate as per the yardsticks of peacetime law and order issues and CrPC,” the application states.

The application refers to an extraordinary situation of confusion that has arisen with respect to protection of soldiers from prosecution as defined under Section 6 of AFSPA (Assam and Manipur) and Section 7 of AFSPA (J&K). “This protection does not give any blanket prohibition or any special right to the soldiers for themselves but only facilitates their functioning and operations in extraordinary circumstances or proxy war, insurgency, armed hostility, ambushes, cover and covert operations. Such operations are materially and substantially different from law and order situations,” the application states.

Sources in Army Headquarters said Major General Kumar has commanded troops in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and has filed the application out of “his own conviction”.

Read | Officer behind AFSPA plea of 356 Army men drafted it for Major Aditya too

“The officer feels that officers, JCOs and jawans have gone to the court and that the cause is very important and, therefore, he has decided to implead as a petitioner,” a senior officer said.

Initially, 356 Army personnel moved the Supreme Court on August 13, stating that the “garb of protection of human rights should not be taken as a shield to protect the persons involved in the terrorist act”. Later in the month, another 383 Army personnel asked to be impleaded in the petition, taking the number of personnel who have moved the court to 739.

Earlier this month, during an interaction with Colonel-rank officers and their wives, General Rawat had questioned the need for serving personnel to move court, pointing out that the Army was fighting these cases, that the government too was aware of these cases. “AFSPA is a very strong law which provides protection to the soldiers. Now if these guys (the petitioners) lose the case, what will happen,” General Rawat was quoted as having said.

Amritsar, September 25

The last date for applying for 55,000 posts in the Central Security Forces, including the BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, SSB, ARNIA and SSF, has been extended till September 30, said Deputy Commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangha. Earlier, the last date was September 17.

Sangha said the recruitment process would be conducted by the Staff Selection Commission and unemployed youths could avail the opportunity. The DC said the date had been extended due to some technical glitches on the commission’s website.

The general and OBC category candidates can fill the application form by paying a fee of Rs100. The SC candidates have been exempted from paying any fee.

Sangha said the state government would provide free two-month coaching for the written test along with physical training to the candidates for the competition. — TNS