Excelsiordaily

REGD.NO.JK-71/15-17RNI No. 28547/1992

Vol No. 52 No. 21 JAMMU, THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016 16 Pages `̀ 4.00

INSIDE WEATHER* Dirge of SRTC ...Page 8

* Knowing RTI

Man impersonating as PA

to CM booked ...Page 3

Teacher’s Forum to hold

protests on Jan 30 ...Page 3

PM wants overall progress

of J&K: Jugal ..Page 5

Heptulla regrets Dalit student’s

suicide in Hyderabad ...Page 5

India collapse to defeat despite

Kohli, Dhawan tons ...Page 14

JAMMU : Dry/Fog

TEMPERATUREMax: 9.3 Degree C Min: 5.6 Degree C

RELATIVE HUMIDITYRH-I (Morning): 100.0 per centRH-II (Evening): 94.0 per centSunset on Thursday: 05.54 p.m.Sunrise on Friday: 07.32 a.m.

KASHMIR:Dry

TEMPERATUREMax: 13.3 Degree C Min: -4.4 Degree C

RELATIVE HUMIDITYRH-I (Morning): 92.0 per centRH-II (Evening): 29.0 per cent

LEH: TEMPERATUREMax: -1.3 Degree C Min: -16.4 Degree C

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Fayaz BukhariSRINAGAR, Jan 20: A

Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) mil-itant was killed in a fierce gunbattle with the security forcesat Naina village of SouthKashmir's Pulwama districtthis morning and a youth waskilled in alleged security forcefiring while they were control-

ling a mob after the gun battlein which around 30 peopleincluding 17 policemen wereinjured.

Security forces this morningkilled a militant of HizbulMujahideen at Naina village of

Pulwama after overnight gunbattle. Reports said that two ofthe HM militants managed toescape from the security cordon.

Security forces last eveningcordoned off Naina village afterreceiving specific informationabout the presence of 2-3 mili-tants. The joint operationagainst the militant group waslaunched by police's Special

Operation Group (SOG),Army's Rashtriya Rifles andCentral Reserve Police Force(CRPF).

Police said that duringsearches, militants fired on thesecurity forces from the residen-

tial house of one Abdul SalamMalik, triggering fierce gun bat-tle. The encounter continuedthroughout the night and in themorning security forces blastedoff the house where militantswere hiding and razed it to theground.

Sources said that three mil-itants including a top militantcommander were believed tobe trapped but the comman-der along with another onemanaged to flee from the spot.During searches, the forcesrecovered the body of one mil-itant identified as 20-year oldShariq Ahmed Bhat, residentof Brow Bandana village ofAwantipora in the district.The slain was associated withHizbul Mujahideen, policesaid. An Army official said oneAK 47 rifle and "some otherwar like stores have beenrecovered from the encountersite".

A youth was killed after secu-rity forces opened fire onprotesters who were protestingagainst the killing of a HizbulMujahideen militant at Naina vil-lage of south Kashmir's Pulwamadistrict. The clashes left nearlythree dozen persons including aPolice officer injured.

DySP among 17 cops, 13 civilians injured

Militant, civilian killed in Pulwama

Gopal SharmaJAMMU, Jan 20: The

winter capital city of the Stateremained colder than the sum-mer capital, Srinagar, asJammu recorded seasons low-est day temperature nearly 9degree Celsius below normalwhile dense fog enveloped the

plain areas of Jammu regionand most parts of Punjab,Haryana and Delhi, badlyaffecting the train and air-ser-vices.

No plane could land atJammu airport before 1.30 pmand all the three morning flightswere delayed by two to threehours due to dense fog and poorvisibility while an afternoonflight – Indigo was cancelled. Itoperates between Delhi-Jammu-Delhi. Except one, all theflights operated from Jammu

airport today while the timing ofmost of the flights was resched-uled. Similarly, all the trainswere today late by one to fivehours, causing inconvenience to

the passengers due to foggyconditions since last night. Thedense fog crippled the normallife in the entire northern regionas vehicle operators were find-ing very difficult due to poorvisibility on the roads.

A Met spokesman told theExcelsior that Jammu recordedthe maximum temperature of9.3 degree Celsius while inSrinagar city the day tempera-ture remained four degreeabove, that is 13.3 degreeCelsius. The normal tempera-ture in Jammu should be 18.6degree Celsius which indicatesthat day temperature today wentabout 9 degree below normal.This is the lowest day tempera-ture recorded in Jammu duringthis winter season so far. Theminimum temperature recordedin Jammu today was 5.6 degreeCelsius and it is expected to fur-ther fall in next couple of days.It was sunny day in Srinagar andmany other hilly towns inJammu region includingUdhampur, Reasi, Katra, Doda,Poonch, Rajouri etc.

The spine-chilling cold hasgripped most of the plain areaof Jammu region and parts ofPunjab as the Sun was not

Jammu colder than Srinagar, daytemp falls 9 degree below normal

(Contd on page 9 Col 5)

HC directs PSC to conduct interviewExcelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Jan 20: The High Court today directed PublicService Commission (PSC) to conduct interview of candidateswith Ph.D qualification after they produce certificates fromrespective universities, attesting that their degrees are in conformi-ty with University Grants Commission regulations 2009.

Hearing a petition by a number of aggrieved candidates,Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey also directed the universities toaccord consideration for issuing the certificates in favour of eligi-ble candidates with a week.

The court passed the direction after hearing counsel foraggrieved candidates M Y Bhat, who submitted that his clients

5th navigation Sat put in orbitSRIHARIKOTA (AP), Jan 20:

India today successfully launched its fifth navigation satelliteIRNSS-1E on-board the workhorse PSLV-C31 here, taking anoth-er step join a group of nations equipped with own satellite naviga-tion systems like the US-based Global Positioning System (GPS).

In a precise textbook launch, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle(PSLV) C 31 blasted off from the SatishDhawan Space Centre (SDSC) here, about

110 km from Chennai at 9.31 AM and released the satellite into theorbit 19 minutes and 20 seconds later.

President Pranab Mukherjee congratulated the ISRO team onthe launch.

"Heartiest congratulations to ISRO team on the successfullaunch," he said.

Lauding the "dynamism and determination" of ISRO scientists,Prime Minister Narendra Modi said they have made the countryproud.

"Congratulating the dynamism & determination of @isro &our scientists on successful launch of PSLV C31 & puttingIRNSS-1E in orbit precisely", he said on twitter.

(Contd on page 9 Col 3)

21 massacred in Pak VarsityCHARSADDA (PAKISTAN), Jan 20:

At least 21 people were massacred today by Kalashnikov-wielding Taliban suicide attackers who stormed a prestigious uni-versity here in restive northwestern Pakistan and opened indis-criminate fire, in a grim reminder of the 2014 Peshawar armyschool attack.

The gunmen entered the Bacha Khan University named aftericonic leader Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan alias Bacha Khan inCharsadda, some 50 km southwest of Peshawar in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, and opened fire on students and teachersin classrooms and hostels, police said.

Four militants were also killed as security forces retaliated,bringing the death toll to 25 in the grisly attack.

The militants used the cover of thick, wintry fog to scale thewalls of the university before entering buildings.

Blasts and heavy gunfire were heard from inside the campuswhere a poetic symposium was in progress to mark the deathanniversary of Bacha Khan who died on January 20, 1988.

Pressure cooker IED seizedExcelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 20: In a major success, security forces recovereda pressure cooker Improvised Explosive Device (IED) from vil-lage Salhutri in the border district of Poonch last night.

Official sources said joint teams of security forces conductedsearches in Salhutri area near Jhallas in Poonch district and recov-ered a sophisticated pressure cooker IED.

The IED was recovered along with a LPG cylinder and defusedon spot.

After recoveries, security forces conducted searches in thearea. However, no arrests were made. A case in this connection hasbeen registered by the police for further investigations.

(Contd on page 9 Col 3)

4 terror suspects arrestedNEW DELHI, Jan 20:

With the arrest of four persons with suspected ISIS links fromManglour in Uttarakhand, Delhi Police today claimed to haveunearthed a terror plot to target the ongoing Ardh Kumbh Mela atHaridwar, particularly trains heading there and some strategiclocations in the national capital.

The suspects, identified as Akhlaq ur-Rehman, MohammedOsama, Mohammed Azim Shah and Mehroz were arrested fromManglour town in Uttarakhand's Haridwar district yesterday andproduced in a court here today which sent them to 15 days' policecustody, Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) ArvindDeep said.

"The four suspects were tracked down with inputs from aCentral intelligence agency. They had planned to carry out terrorattacks at the Ardh Kumbh mela, trains heading towards Haridwarpassing through Roorkie and some strategic locations in Delhi,"Deep said.

According to sources, the suspects were allegedly in contact of

A woman goes ahead with her routine work despite extremechill in Jammu on Wednesday. -Excelsior/Rakesh

Braving cold and dense fog, a cyclist moving on road inJammu on Wednesday morning. -Excelsior/Rakesh

Dense fog cripples life; trains, air-traffic badly hit

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 20: NationalConference president and for-mer Chief Minister Dr FarooqAbdullah said today that hewas "sad and sorry'' thatKashmiri Pandits had to leavetheir homes and hearths in1990 and he always wantedthem to return as Kashmir isincomplete without KashmiriPandits.

"It was very 'sad and sorryaffair' that the Kashmiri Panditshad to leave their homes andhearths in 1990 due to eruptionof militancy. I always wantedthem to return but, at the sametime, we can't force them toreturn. They have to take deci-sion on their return,'' Farooqtold reporters at GhouManhasan after attending mar-riage celebration of formerMLA and NC leader Sat PalLakhotra's son along with NCprovincial president DevenderSingh Rana.

Dr Abdullah, whose reportedstatement that nobody will begKashmiri Pandits to return haddrawn flak from various organi-zations, said the NationalConference and Dr FarooqAbdullah had never been mutespectator to the plight ofKashmiri Pandits and main-tained that they (the KashmiriPandits) are essential compo-nent of pluralistic ethos ofKashmir.

"We can't even dream ofKashmiri without KashmirPandits,'' he remarked.

Asserting that the KashmiriPandits had to leave Kashmir ina very difficult situation in1990, the National Conferencepresident said he always wantedthem to be there (in Kashmir)and "I feel sorry that they had toleave their homes and hearths invery difficult situation''.

Referring to his yesterday'sremarks on Kashmiri Pandits,Farooq said it was unfortunatethe way his comments had beenprojected.

"I have never been insensi-tive to their (the KashmiriPandits') plight. I always wantthem to be there in Valley. Butat the same time, the Panditstoo can't wait for last gun tofall silent,'' Dr Abdullah said,adding the NationalConference and FarooqAbdullah were never insensi-tive to plight of the Pandits.

He pointed that NationalConference Ministers, legisla-tors and several leaders werekilled by the militants.

Replying to a question onPeshawar University attack, DrAbdullah said Pakistan shouldwake up and forge friendshipwith India to defeat terror forceseven as he observed that thereare elements in both countrieswho do not want peace betweenthem.

"For God's sake, wake upand start friendship with Indiaand only together we will beable to fight these elements," hesaid in a message to Pakistanwhile referring to the Peshawarattack.

"It is a big tragedy inPeshawar, this being the secondattack. I think Pakistan realisesthat terrorism is on the rise andtherefore I request that countryto wake up and start friendshipwith India. Otherwise these ele-ments will destroy democracyhere and as well as democracythere. We should not wait anylonger," he said while talking toreporters here.

The former Jammu andKashmir Chief Minister said"these attacks will take placeunless we get together to fightthem because they need to be

‘Pak should forge friendship with India’Kashmir incomplete without

KPs; sad & sorry on theirmigration: Farooq

(Contd on page 9 Col 7)

Sanjeev PargalJAMMU, Jan 20: In a

major twist in the ongoinginvestigations in January 2Pathankot terror attack case,the National InvestigatingAgency (NIA) was investigat-ing that two out of six attack-ers in the strike in which 13persons were killed could wellbe the insiders and only fourterrorists might have infiltrat-ed from Pakistan to executethe attack.

Hithero, it was beingbelieved that all six militants,who executed the attack wereJaish-e-Mohammad (JeM)activists of Pakistan, who hadtargeted Indian Air Force (IAF)base in Pathankot, killing 7security personnel including a

National Security Guards(NSG) Lieutenant. In theencounter that raged more thanthree days, security forces hadkilled six militants.

Official sources told theExcelsior that the NIA teams,which have been shuttlingbetween New Delhi toPathankot and Jammu to inves-tigate one of the major terrorstrikes in India in which the ter-rorists had directly targeted air-base, had been closing aroundthe theory that there could betwo "insiders'' in the attack, whowere yet to be identified as theirbodies were very badly mutilat-ed as security forces had to razea multi-storey building to killthe two last surviving militantswhile as four militants had beengunned down on very first day

of the attack."They (the two insiders)

could be anyone. As on now,no one can say, who they wereas there were very populatedvillages around the airbaseespecially the border areas ofBamiyal and there had beenreports that some local popu-lation was allowed inside thebase for grazing their cattle,''sources said but admitted thatthis could be one of the majorpoint to probe in the investiga-tions and will lend credence tothe theory that Pakistaniattackers had "some kind oflocal support'' in the borderbelt of Pathankot.

The NIA was very closelymonitoring Call Detail Records(CDRs) of telephones recoveredfrom inside the airbase includ-

ing those in possession of themilitants, local phones used inBamiyal sector and other areasof Pathankot few days beforeand during the attack and willquiz the persons, who used to goinside the airbase for grazingcattle to ascertain identity of the"local suspected militants'',sources said, adding theForensic Sciences report wasalso being awaited eagerly toreach to a conclusion.

All security agencies includ-ing the Ministries of Defenceand Home Affairs had men-tioned that there were six attack-ers but bodies of only four ofthem have been identified as"outsiders'', most likely thePakistanis.

Major twist in Pathankot terror attack

4 Pakistanis but two attackers may have been locals

Mohinder VermaJAMMU, Jan 20: The

State Government will haveeither to carry out furtheramendment in Jammu andKashmir Panchayati Raj Actor constitute State ElectionCommission well beforeFebruary ending to ensuretimely elections to Panchayatsotherwise these grass rootlevel democratic institutionsin rural parts of the State willmeet the fate as that of UrbanLocal Bodies whose electionshave not been held during thepast several years.

This has become impera-tive in view of the legal compli-

cations, which restrict the ChiefElectoral Officer (CEO) ofJammu and Kashmir from start-ing any sort of exercise forPanchayat elections, which willbecome due in May-June thisyear.

The Section 36 of theJammu and Kashmir PanchayatiRaj Act, 1989 states: TheSuperintendence, direction andcontrol of the preparation ofelectoral rolls for, and the con-duct of, all elections under thisAct, vest in an ElectionAuthority to be known as theState Election Commission.

However, prior to the hold-ing of Panchayat elections in2011 there was no focus on

framing of State ElectionCommission and this prompt-ed the then State Governmentto carry out certain amend-ments in Panchayati Raj Actof 1989 to facilitate holding ofelections through ChiefElectoral Officer of the State.

Accordingly Section 36 ofAct of 1989 was substitutedwith the mention that for pur-pose of holding general elec-tions under the Act in the year2011, the superintendence,direction and control of thepreparation of electoral rolls for,and the conduct of, all electionsunder this Act shall vest in theChief Electoral Officer of theState.

"Even after holding elec-tions to the Panchayats in2011, there was no focus onestablishment of StateElection Commission and thesame situation persists at pre-sent despite lapse of fiveyears", official sources toldEXCELSIOR, adding sincethe Amendment was carriedout to facilitate Panchayatelections in 2011 only, thepolls, which will become duein May-June following com-pletion of five years term ofthe present Panchayats, can-not be held either without car-rying out further amendmentfor vesting powers on Chief

Decision required to be taken before Feb end for timely polls

Panchayat polls in J&K not possible without further amendment in Act

*Step becomes essential in absence of Election Commission

Avtar BhatJAMMU: Though previous

State Government hadannounced various reforms dur-ing last budget session to putailing power sector back onrails, lot needs to be done onground to improve the perfor-mance of this vital sector so thatGovernment’s words can matchwith actions.

The Government during the2015 budget session announcedvarious steps to reform thepower sector, however, some ofthese announcements have notbeen fulfilled during the last 10months of previous coalitionGovernment in office.

But the 10 months can not besaid a big period on which per-

formance of any Governmentand the outcome of the reformscan be judged, yet it can be aroadmap to gauge in whichdirection these reforms are lead-ing the State.

The present coalition hasshown keenness in reforming

the power sector from the dayone it assumed office. The for-mer Minister of Finance HaseebDrabu during budget speech inState Assembly announced toprovide 24x7 quality, reliableand affordable power to alldomestic, commercial andindustrial consumers. Thoughprevious Government had cal-imed that various schemes were

in pipeline for improving powersupply and fulfill the commit-ment, it seems that lot needs tobe done to make it a reality.

However, to turn the com-mitment into reality the formerDeputy Chief Minister, DrNirmal Singh holding the Power

and Urban DevelopmentMinistries spared no time inlaunching these reforms onground by initiating variousschemes.

Moreover, some drastic stepswere taken by the PDD in thisregard which includes speedingup of the implementation ofRestructured Accelerated PowerDevelopment and Reforms

Programme (R_APDRP).IRCON and EME which wereexecuting this flagship pro-gramme had been given direc-tives by the previousGovernment to speed up andmeet the dead line of March2016. The Government claimedthat the progress is on thedesired lines and till now twosub stations have already beeninaugurated in Greater Kailashand Gadigarh areas of GandhiNagar Constituency of Jammuwhile a project for providing24X7 power supply to touristdestinations in the State has beeninitiated and in the first instancebase town of Shri Mata VaishnoDevi Shrine Katra is being pro-vided the 24x7 power supply.

Lot needs to be done to fulfill commitment of 24x7 power supply

* Coal block given but done nothing till date

(Contd on page 9 Col 7)

(Contd on page 9 Col 1)

Budget Announcements vs Reality

(Contd on page 9 Col 7)

(Contd on page 9 Col 1) (Contd on page 9 Col 3)

* Pic on page 9

Police arrests deserter’s accompliceExcelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Jan 20: Police today arrested an accomplice of acop who deserted with four AK47 rifles from South Kashmir'sAnantnag district.

Police today arrested 20 year old Gazi Fayaz Dar, who wasmissing along with Constable Shakoor Ahmad and another youthAqib Bashir since January 13. An AK 47 rifle as well as 90 bulletswere recovered from him. This was one of the rifles that ConstableShakoor had fled with from SDPO office in Bijbehara last week.

Police said Fayaz was held at Kundlan, his native village, froma cab.

(Contd on page 9 Col 5)

Troops during encounter at Naina, Pulwama on Wednesday.-Excelsior/Younis Khaliq