JCO, 12 militants killed in Gurez

Pak Army boats, GPS used in current year’s biggest infiltration bid

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Aug 20: A recently commissioned Lieutenant of Army Ordnance Corps got killed when troops intercepted a group of at least 12 militants infiltrating into Gurez sector through inflated boats, believed to have been provided by Pakistani Army. Even as Police maintained that it had not received any dead bodies till late tonight, Army claimed that all the 12 infiltrators in black commando combat dresses were killed in the fierce gunbattle and two boats were seized.

Authoritative sources told Early Times that a fierce gunbattle took place between a group of infiltrating militants and troops of 15^th Bn of Maratha Light Infantry near Izmarg post of the Indian Army in Bagtoor-Kanzalwan belt of Gurez sector, in northeast Kashmir, during last night. Sources said that troops on the vigil spotted some movement in Kishen Ganga river, known as Neelam River across LoC in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, through NVGs and sensors.

As soon as it became clear that either militants or Pakistani soldiers in combat uniform were crossing the river in two boats, troops opened fire. It triggered off a fierce gunbattle that lasted for several hours. One JCO got killed and two more injured in the operation. Even as the firing subsided by the morning, troops launched a combing operation. By late this afternoon, Army claimed to have killed all the 12 militants who, according to it, were infiltrating through boats. Kishen Ganga, or Neelam, serves as the de facto LoC at many places, including Bangtoor, in Gurez sector.

Spokesman at headquarters 15 Corps, Lt Col J S Brar, told Early Times that troops have killed all the 12 militants who were crossing the river by two inflated boats. He said that both the boats had been seized and dead bodies of six militants, alongwith their arms and ammunition, had been recovered on Izmarg shore of the Kishen Ganga. He said that six more bodies were believed to have flown to Neelam area of PoK. He said that firing had subsided but troops were still in the middle of a combing operation to see if any of the militants had managed to hide or escape.

Police sources, however, maintained that none of the dead bodies, or weapons claimed to have been recovered, had been handed over to it anywhere in Police district Bandipore till late tonight.

Earlier today, Army’s press release claimed that 12 infiltrators and a Lieutenant had died in the current year’s biggest ever infiltration attempt in Jammu and Kashmir. It said that sophisticated inflated boats had been used for the first time by militants in infiltration from PoK to Kashmir valley or Jammu.

“Today morning, in the wee hours, at around 1 A.M., our alert troops deployed on the Line of Control near Bagtor village in Gurez Sector of Bandipora District in North Kashmir intercepted a group of terrorists trying to infiltrate from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. The group was intercepted when they were trying to cross the Kishanganga River in a Pneumatic boat. Kishanganga River at many places is the de-facto Line of Control between the two sides”, said the press release, quoting Lt Col Brar.

“This is certainly a new development. The terrorists were also carrying an inflatable five- man Dinghy. When contacted while crossing, a heavy exchange of gunfire ensued. While they tried to come ashore, six terrorists were killed and they fell into the river. Six more terrorists were killed near the shore in a fierce encounter. Five AK rifles, one Pistol, two boats, 50 assorted grenades, two radio sets, two compasses and one Global Positioning System besides a large quantity of war like stores were recovered till reports last came in”,  it added.

“In this operation, we lost a gallant officer, Lieutenant Navdeep Singh, besides injury to two of our jawans. A lively 26 year old officer, Navdeep was commissioned in March this year into the Army Ordnance Corps and was serving in 15th Battalion of the Maratha Light Infantry. The operation is still on to comb the neighbouring dense forests in the area”, it further added.

Officials said that as many as 30 militants had died in 8 infiltration attempts during current month but today’s was the biggest ever since beginning of the year. They said that half-a-dozen soldiers had also got killed in these gunbattles on the LoC. They said that the sophisticated rafting boats, meticulously installed on two wooden boats, besides seizure of GPS units and the commando uniform used by all the 12 infiltrators, were a clear indication that Pakistani regular troops had facilitated today’s infiltration.

Meanwhile, yet another gunbattle began between militants and security forces in Hafruda forest area of Handwara where troops of 31 Para and RR 6^th Bn launched a cordon-and-search operation in the afternoon today. Exchange of gunfire was happening intermittently since afternoon but reports of any casualty had not been received till late this evening.

END 

Kulgam administration paying ‘Hafta’ to Akashwani reporter from public exchequer

Municipal casual labour gets ‘Best Journalist’ award from Minister on I-Day

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Aug 19: Believe it or not, the fact remains that officials of the state government in Kulgam district have been paying ‘hafta’ of Rs 3300 every month to All India Radio’s Part Time Correspondent (PTC) from the accounts of Municipal Committee Yaripora. Same ‘Correspondent’, who has been working as Casual Labour since September 2009, received the ‘Best Journalist’ award from a Cabinet Minister of Omar Abdullah government on occasion of Independence Day on August 15^th.

During the course of an investigation Early Times discovered that one Khursheed Ahmad Padroo S/o late Ghulam Hassan Padroo R/o Bijbehara, Anantnag, has been appointed by Director General News of AIR as PTC for Kulgam district in the year 2007. As per his terms of engagement and job profile, Padroo has been regularly filing news reports for Akashwani as well Doordrashan news bulletins. His appointment was, in fact, in gross violation of the ‘Guidelines for Engagement of PTC’ which do not permit engagement of a PTC for one district while his living in other district.

In order to escape negative reporting on AIR and DD, J&K Government officials in Kulgam district decided to pay this PTC a sum of over Rs 2,000 every month. They, however, did not put the burden on their own pockets. Then Executive Officer Mohammad Khaleel engaged Padroo as a Casual Labour in Municipal Committee Yaripora with effect from 17-09-2009. One of his relative’s residence at Frisal, Kulgam, was deceitfully shown as Padroo’s residence.

For some months, Municipal Committee Yaripora paid monthly “wages” of Rs 2100 to Padroo. It was subsequently enhanced to Rs 3,300 a month. According to head of news at Radio Kashmir Srinagar (AIR Srinagar) and Doordarshan Kendra Srinagar, Bashir Malik, Padroo has been getting Rs 4500 plus some other benefits every month from Radio Kashmir Srinagar on account of his reporting for the national broadcaster in Kulgam district. According to officials in Kulgam, Padroo has been getting Rs 3,300 every month on account of working as Casual Labour in Municipal Committee Yaripora.

To reciprocate the goodwill, Padroo not only shut his own eyes to 40 backdoor appointments in Municipal Committee Yaripora but also persuaded other South Kashmir-based mediapersons not to report a word against the omissions and commissions of the state government officials. That is the total reversal of mandate All India Radio and Doordarshan have set for the PTCs.

Incredibly, Deputy Commissioner Farooq Ahmad Khan produced Padroo as his district’s “Best Journalist” to the chief guest and Minister of Social Welfare, Sakeena Itoo, on August 15^th at Kulgam. She honoured Padroo with the I-Day award much like the Minister of Irrigation and PHE, Taj Mohiuddin, had decorated Cultural Assistant of J&K Academy of Art, Culture & Languages, Zahoor Sultan War, at Kupwara on the Republic Day of January 26^th. Unfazed by the exposure in media, Sultan has been continuously reporting for ‘Sheherbeen’ programme of Radio Kashmir Srinagar while continuously taking his monthly salary as a regular government employee from the Academy.

Asked how he had misled a Cabinet Minister about the credentials of a Casual Labour and projected him as the ‘Best Journalist’ for receiving a government award, DC Kulgam, Farooq Ahmad Khan said: “It’s a news to me that Padoo is also working as Casual Labourer in Municipal Committee Yaripora. We know him as a journalist. Now that you have brought it to my notice, I will soon obtain a statement of facts from the committee and, accordingly, initiate necessary action under rules in the matter”.

DC Kulgam revealed further that Secretaries and Executive Officers of Municipal Committee Yaripora had appointed/engaged as many as 30 to 40 persons on different posts, including non-existing posts. He asserted that there was no requirement of appointing 30 to 40 people in the municipal body. Prima facie, he said, all these appointments/ engagements were “illegal, through backdoor, unjustified and unwarranted”. He revealed that on public complaints, coupled by his directions, Additional DDC and Assistant Commissioner Revenue (ACR) were currently holding an in-depth investigation into these backdoor appointments. “We will initiate necessary action under rules after receiving the committee report”, DC Farooq Ahmad said.

Head of Regional News Units at AIR Srinagar and DDK Srinagar, Bashir Malik, said: “If it is true that our PTC has been simultaneously working as Casual Labour and getting another monthly salary from the state public exchequer, it is the matter of a serious cheating and misconduct. I’ll soon write to DC Kulgam and seek a factual report from him before initiating necessary action at the level of Directorate General of News”.

Minister of Social Welfare, Sakeena Itoo, told Early Times that she had no knowledge of Padroo being a Casual Labour in Municipal Committee Yaripora. She too asserted that she would seek an explanation from DC Kulgam. “We’ll take necessary action for impersonation as well as for misleading a Minister against the officials responsible”, she said.

END

EARLY TIMES EXCLUSIVE

Rs 53 Lakh fraudulent withdrawal under CM’s gold medalist Director

Broad daylight loot of Centre’s Technology Mission funds in J&K Horticulture Department

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Aug 18: Sizable amount of Rs 53 Lakh has been fraudulently withdrawn from Technology Mission account of Horticulture Department days before Director Horticulture Kashmir, Dr Ghulam Hassan Shah, was declared by Government of Jammu and Kashmir as recipient of Chief Minister’s gold medal on the eve of Independence Day on August 14th. How officials have been ruthlessly swindling Rs 200 Cr worth funds, provided for Technology Mission under Prime Minister’s special economic package, became clear when a recent fraudulent withdrawal, to the tune of over Rs 60 Lakh, surfaced in Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipore district in Kashmir and Reasi district in Jammu division.

During an investigation, Early Times discovered that some unscrupulous elements have got their “fruit nurseries” registered with Department of Horticulture in Kulgam area of South Kashmir, particularly when local politician Abdul Aziz Zargar functioned as the Minister of Horticulture in the previous coalition government. Soon they began receiving orders from District Horticulture Officers (DHOs) for supply of fruit plants and other material. Exorbitant rates, as compared to market rate, shortage in actual supplies and inferior quality used to be the key features in the beginning. Over the years, making insertions in cheques and huge fraudulent withdrawals were meticulously employed by the actors.

When the lid was taken off dramatically by some insiders, DHOs lost no time in filing FIRs at different Police Stations, taking the stand that the forgery and fraudulent withdrawals were the handiwork of either the payee suppliers, or staff of J&K Bank or both. Though the embezzlement spreads across districts and provinces and thus merits a comprehensive investigation by Crime Branch, Police Stations of Handwara, Bandipore, Sopore and Reasi are currently holding separate inquiries into the Technology Mission scam.

Interestingly, Director Horticulture Kashmir, Dr Ghulam Hassan Shah, was among six public servants who were declared by Government of Jammu & Kashmir as recipients of Chief Minister’s gold medal “in recognition of their honesty/integrity and meritorious public service” on the eve of Independence Day earlier this week. The award comprises a gold medal, cash prize of Rs one Lakh and a citation.

Handwara-based DHO Kupwara is learned to have issued four cheques to purported suppliers for an aggregate amount of Rs 1.30 Lakh. The purported suppliers have withdrawn amount of Rs 33.30 Lakh against the same cheques at Khudwani branch of J&K Bank Ltd. DHO Kupwara has issued cheque No: 26470171 for Rs 14,700 in the name of “supplier” Ghulam Mohiuddin Bhat S/o Mohammad Ismail Bhat R/o Nawpora, Kulgam. After two insertions, purportedly attested by DHO, amount of Rs 6,14,700 has been withdrawn on this particular cheque. SHO Handwara, Sajjad Ahmad, confirmed that Police went from door to door in Nawpora but found that no person by this name exists in the village.

Similarly, DHO Kupwara has drawn cheque No: 26470147 for Rs 10,500. Payee Mohammad Yaqoob Mantoo S/o Gh Mohammad Mantoo of Muttanhama has drawn cash of Rs 10,10,500 from J&K Bank against the same cheque. Cheque No: 26470133 has been issued for Rs 24,150. Payee Abdul Majeed Lone S/o Fareed Lone R/o Hawora, Kulgam, has been paid Rs 10,24,150. Another cheque, bearing No: 26470132, issued for Rs 80,850 has been encashed at Khudwani branch of J&K Bank for Rs 6,80,850. Thus an excess payment of Rs 32 Lakh has been made to four “suppliers” including one non-existent.

SHO Handwara initially maintained that the file was in a court but subsequently confirmed that case FIR No: 152 of 2011 (under sections 409, 109, 420, 468 and 471 RPC) dated 23-06-2011 had been registered at Police Station Handwara. He elaborated that DHO had initially filed a report, seeking registration of FIR against the payees but, after investigation, Police added other sections and now payees, Horticulture officials and the bank staff were all under suspicion. According to him, no tape was found pasted on the initially written amount and requisite spaces were left in a way that insertions after insertions became possible. One or two insertions of the amount were purportedly attested by DHO.

A universal modus operandi from Reasi to Kupwara, besides payment to dozens of profusely inserted and obliterated cheques, was an indication of the staff of both organizations being hand-in-glove with the payees. SHO Handwara revealed that one Rayees Ahmed Lone of Hawora, Kulgam, who according to Police was kingpin of the racket, had been arrested and he was currently on judicial remand in Sub Jail Kupwara. He said payee Iftikhar Lone was Rayees’ brother and payee Abdul Majeed Lone was his father. Payee Gh Mohiuddin Bhat was a fake name.

SP Bandipore, Bashir Ahmad Khan, confirmed that Police Station Bandipore had registered case FIR No: 146 of 2011, under sections 467, 468, 471 and 120-B) on the complaint of DHO Bandipore. A cheque, issued for an amount of Rs 60,000 was found to have been cashed by the payee, namely Ghulam Hassan Lone S/o Mohammad Shaban Lone of Hawora for Rs 7,60,000 with the excess payment of Rs 7.00 Lakh. Mr Khan said that Bandipore Police had got equal amount of money sealed in one of the payee’s accounts and the investigation was still underway.

Sopore-based DHO Baramulla has got yet another FIR filed at Police Station Sopore. Police sources confirmed that excess payment of Rs 14 Lakh by fraudulent means, forgery, impersonation and conspiracy had been drawn from the bank. Some of the cheques have been produced at Pahloo branch of J&K Bank and the money has been credited to the payees’ accounts at Khudwani branch.

In addition to the excess payment of Rs 53 Lakh in Kashmir, Early Times discovered during its investigation that another fraudulent payment of Rs 8 Lakh had taken place in Reasi district of Jammu division. Additional SP Reasi, Anita Sharma, as well as SHO Reasi, Jitendar Sambyal, confirmed that DHO Reasi had issued a cheque for Rs 8,881 but payment of Rs 58,881 had been drawn from the bank. In all, 23 cheques have been found to have been forged and paid with huge excess amounts.

SP Kulgam, Mubassir Lateefi, said that according to his knowledge J&K Bank had seized several accounts of the payees containing Rs 37 Lakhs. He said that Kulgam Police was not part of the investigation.

Sources in J&K Bank, wishing anonymity in absence of approval from headquarters, said that the bank had got five particular accounts frozen at Khudwani, Kaimoh, and Pahloo (Kulgam). More than Rs 35 Lakh was the balance in these accounts when the action was taken. They asserted that all the cheques had been processed for payment as all the insertions had been “duly attested” by the account holder DHOs. Bank’s own investigation was still in progress.

Reached over telephone for his comments, Director Horticulture Kashmir asserted that it were the DHOs who had themselves lodged the FIRs after learning that excess payment of around Rs 53 Lakh had been drawn. According to him, bank should have seized all the cheques with excessive insertions, overwriting and obliteration and stopped the payment for verification with the DHOs. “This is a matter between the payees and the bank. Excess amounts of Rs 53 Lakh have been illegally drawn from our accounts. I have written to Chairman J&K Bank and asked for restoration of our bank position. I hope bank will deposit the illegally drawn amount back into our accounts in a couple of days”, Dr Shah said.

However, officials in the bank maintained that an identical modus operandi, and the cheques having been issued without tape on amounts, was a clear indication of a truck between the payees and the Horticulture officials. They believed that reality would unfold during Police investigation.

END

Kulgam ‘gang rape’ turns out to be false

FSL report: No medical evidence of rape on Ruqayya

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Aug 16: Allegation of abduction and rape, leveled against unidentified soldiers of Army by a young woman in Kulgam district of South Kashmir, has proved to be false. Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) has found no evidence of the woman having been abducted or raped even as a Special Investigation Team (SIT) had earlier failed to find any circumstantial evidence to establish the crime.

Addressing a news conference at his office today, DC Kulgam, Farooq Ahmad Khan, revealed that FSL had not found any evidence of the complainant Ruqayya W/o Lateef Bhatti R/o Gujjardar, Manzgam, having been raped. As already reported, Ruqayya had complained to Tehsildar and Police on July 21^st that she had been “abducted and raped” by two unidentified soldiers of Army in Chhiranbal area where the family’s herds were grazing in Pir Panjal foothills.

SP Kulgam, Mubassir Lateefi, head of the SIT and Additional SP Kulgam, Mohammad Shafi Mir, as also two other members of the SIT, Assistant Commissioner Revenue Tassaduq Hussain and Dy SP Zulfikar Choudhary, were also present at the press conference.

DC and SP of Kulgam further revealed that the complainant woman’s statement was recorded initially before an executive magistrate immediately after she came forward with the allegation on July 21. Case FIR No: 66 of 2011 under section 376 RPC was registered at Police Station Damhal Hanjipora.

On DGP’s orders, SIT was constituted and the complainant was got medically examined at District Hospital of Kulgam. Her vaginal swabs were collected by a team of doctors under supervision of Chief Medical Officer Dr Altaf, Medical Superintendent of District Hospital Kulgam Dr Zahoor and Gynecologist Dr Shazia Afzal. These were sent for analysis and medico-legal opinion to FSL Srinagar.

 Thereafter, on the complainant’s guidance members of SIT conducted an inspection of the area and the dhok where she had been allegedly raped. No circumstantial evidence of Ruqayya’s abduction or rape could be found. All the eyewitnesses, examined at nearby dhoks, maintained that nothing like abduction or rape had taken place in Chhiranbal area.

On return from Chhiranbal, SIT got the statements of the complainant woman, her husband Lateef Bhatti, brothers-in-law Shahwali and Ismail, and mother-in-law Aamina Bi, recorded under section 164-A of Cr PC before two judicial magistrates. While as the complainant’s statement was recorded before Chief Judicial Magistrate of Kulgam, Mohammad Ashraf Khan, who is a Gojri language knowing judge, those of others were recorded before Judicial Magistrate (Munsiff) of Damhal Hanjipora.

Mother-in-law, husband and both brothers-in-law contradicted Ruqayya’s statement that she had been abducted in the evening on July 19^th. All of them invariably maintained that she had been at their dhok alongwith her husband on night intervening July 19/20. Most significantly, the complaint retracted her previous allegation and deposed before CJM that she had been neither abducted nor raped.

Ruqayya, according to SP Lateefi, revealed subsequently that “some persons” had prompted her to level the allegation of abduction and rape against Army. SP said that Police had gathered some vital clues and leads and the individuals having provoked Ruqayya would be soon arrested for further investigation and prosecution.

After a detailed analysis of the vaginal swabs, FSL submitted that no human spermatozoa, in any form, had been found in the specimen. It concluded that there was no evidence of rape. Over three-week-long investigation and the final medical opinion from the team of doctors that had medically examined the woman on July 21, SIT concluded the matter as not admitted.

SP Kulgam said that Police were now looking for a couple of individuals who are believed to have prompted Ruqayya to level serious allegation of abduction and rape against Army. He said that some more people had attempted to create mayhem over the false allegation while posting provocative matter and some other woman’s photograph on the social networking site Facebook.

END

INVESTIGATING AN INVESTIGATION

    Nazim Rashid custodial killing

Sopore probe begins from scapegoats

‘Swift and exemplary action’: Booked for murder, Dy SP’s PSO was in Anantnag when Nazim Rashid died in Sopore on July 30

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Aug 15: In total reversal of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s repeatedly made assurances of a fair investigation---and exemplary punishment to the guilty---Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Jammu & Kashmir Police has begun its task with the arrest of a Constable who was 120 Kms away in Anantnag when Nazim Rashid Shalla died in custody in Sopore on July 30^th. Investigating the Police investigation for over a week, Early Times has discovered that this detainee number one, selection grade constable Nisar Ahmad Malik, who has been behind the bars since his arrest on August 6^th, was continuously at his home in Anantnag, as also at post-wedding feasts in the same area, from July 26^th to July 31^st.

Police press release, issued to media at 9.14 p.m on August 6^th, did not reveal details of Nisar’s residence. Issued in the backdrop of separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s call to the Kashmiris that they should persist with protest ‘until killers of Nazim Rashid are arrested’, it simply said: “The Special Investigation Team, which is being supervised by Deputy inspector General of Police, North Kashmir, today arrested two policemen namely SgCt. Nisar Ahmad No. 203/Sopore, SgCt. Mohammad Abass No. 243/ Sopore in case FIR No. 202 /2011 under section 302 RPC lodged in police station Sopore regarding the death of Nazim Rashid alias Naveed Anjum son of Abdul Rashid Shalla of Alam Dar Mohalla, Sopore”.          

Nisar and Abbas were produced on August 7th before a judicial magistrate, who remanded them to Police custody for five days. Extension was granted on August 12^th for another five days.

The best way of tracing Nisar’s movement was, obviously, the BSNL cellphone in his use for several years. SIM card of 9469537168 stands issued to his father, Abdul Gani Malik S/o Mohammad Akram Malik R/o Wai-Bamdora, Anantnag, who retired as Assistant Sub Inspector of Police (ASI) at District Police Lines Srinagar in 2005. This phone has been in Nisar’s possession and use all through his posting in Sopore since beginning of 2010.

Working on Nisar’s call detail record, it became clear that he reached his home in Wai-Bamdora from Sopore on July 26^th. After staying at his home for three days, he reached Zaldora Larkipora, nearly 4 Km from his home, to attend an invitation at the house of father-in-law Gul Mohammad Bhat. Personal Security Officer with Dy SP of SOG Sopore, Ashiq Hussain Tak, SgCt Nisar was married to Rozi Jan of Zaldora on May 19^th this year. After a day-and-night stay at Zaldora, Nisar reached the home of Master Mohammad Yousuf, at Wanihama Dyalgam (Anantnag) in the forenoon on July 30^th alongwith wife Rozi Jan and stayed there continuously till morning of July 31^st.

Nisar and Rozi Jan attended the feast at the house of Master Yousuf’s brother, Master Ghulam Mohiuddin Bhat (posted in ZEO Office Achhabal), and subsequently stayed at the former’s house for the night.

On the eventful evening of July 30, all of Nisar’s calls are operated through BSNL’s Her Dyalgam tower (See box ‘C’). After six outgoing calls from 7.12 p.m to 9.51 p.m, Nisar’s phone is switched off for the night. This is exactly the timing of Nazim Rashid’s custodial interrogation and getting hit fatally, though his death occurred a little after midnight. Sources associated with the official investigation revealed that SP Sopore, Altaf Khan, received a call that informed him about the death and forced him wake up at around 1.00 a.m that night.

“I know Nisar since he was my student at Govt High School Sagam, Kokernag, in 1998. I got him to my home when he was a student of Class 9^th. He stayed and studied here till his Class 12^th. Then he went back to his home”, Master Mohammad Yousuf Bhat, presently posted at Govt High School Harhpora, Hakoora, said. He described Nisar as an extremely obedient and disciplined boy and claimed that he could never indulge in a criminal activity, let alone killing innocent people under torture. “We had invited the couple as my brother had organized a Khatm-e-Shareef. We had a number of guests. We have over a hundred witnesses to say that he Nisar and his wife had lunch and dinner and both stayed at our home on July 30/31”, he added.

“In the morning on July 31, Nisar left for Anantnag. He told us on phone that he had been called from Sopore and asked to report on duty urgently as his Sahab (Dy SP) had landed into some trouble”, Master Yousuf Said. He narrated that Nisar returned to Wanihama, Dyalgam, took his lunch there and then left for Sopore around 3.00 pm on July 31.

Retired ASI Abdul Gani Malik told Early Times that his son Nisar was “completely innocent and not involved” in arrest, interrogation or custodial killing of the retired SI Abdul Rashid Shalla’s son in Sopore. “It’s all a drama enacted to save the culprits. If this happens with a dutiful Police official and a retired ASI’s son, one can only imagine what would be happening with an ordinary person”, Malik complained. According to him, Nazim Rashid’s death was a crystal clear case as over a dozen personnel must have participated in the process and all of them were present in Sopore. He alleged that SIT was “looking for scapegoats”, making eyewash actions and its task was clearly “to protect the culprits”.

Even as head of the SIT, Rashikh Mir, did not pick up the phone, DIG North Kashmir, Munir Khan, who is supervising the SIT, insisted that the investigation would be taken to its logical conclusion. “It’s a murder case. All of our actions have to stand the judicial test and scrutiny. We have arrested three persons and would be going for more arrests from tomorrow”, Khan told Early Times.

Khan further revealed that doctors had sent an interim post mortem report but he would be sending it back to them tomorrow with certain queries and seeking some clarifications. He said that SIT had got all the statements of witnesses recorded under section 164 Cr PC before a judicial magistrate and no scope was being left for changing of statements or the witnesses turning hostile during prosecution. He made it clear that Dy SP of SOG had been only attached and nobody other than constables Nisar, Abbas and Janak Raj, had been arrested till today.

When it was pointed out to Mr Munir Khan that Nisar had not been present in Sopore on the day of Nazim Rashid’s arrest and death, he revealed that he was the man who had “destroyed the evidences”. DIG did not elaborate but sources associated with the investigation said that Nisar had burnt the wooden roller that had been used in third degree torture of Nazim.

Why SIT was picking up actors of post-killing events and not those who acted on July 30? Who ordered Nisar to burn the roller and destroy other evidences? Why are they still scot free?  Why over 15 SOG personnel, who participated in Nazim’s interrogation, had neither been arrested nor interrogated in the last 15 days? Nobody has an answer. “We can’t reveal further as that can hamper the investigation”, DIG Munir Khan pleaded.

END

A. SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

Date	Event
July 28	Mohammad Ashraf Dar of Krankshivan Sopore gunned down by suspected militants.
July 30	Nazim Rashid Shalla @ Naveed Anjum picked up by SOG Sopore for interrogation; He died in custody after midnight.
July 31	FIR No: 202 of 2011 under section 302 RPC registered at PS Sopore; Dy SP of SOG Ashiq Hussain Tak attached; Three cops suspended; Magisterial inquiry ordered; SIT constituted for investigation
Aug 02	SP Sopore Altaf Khan transferred to J&K Armed Police
Aug 06	SgCT Nisar Ahmad Malik and Mohammad Abbas arrested
Aug 07	Nisar and Abbas produced in CJM’s court; Remand for 5 days granted
Aug 12	Remand of Nisar and Abbas extended for 5 days

B. SgCt NISAR AHMAD’S LOCATION FROM July 25 to Aug 06

July 25	Present on duty with Dy SP of SOG in Sopore
July 26	Leaves Sopore for home; Reaches home (Wai-Bamdora, Anantnag)
July 26 to 28	Stays at home in Wai-Bamdora, Kokernag, Anantnag.
July 29/30	Stays at in-laws’ home at Zaldora, Larkipora, Anantnag
July 30	Alongwith wife Rozi Jan, reaches house of Master Mohmmad Yousuf Bhat/ Master Gh Mohiuddin Bhat at Wanihama Dyalgam; Takes lunch-dinner-lunch there on 30/31 and leaves for Khannabal, Anantnag
July 31	Receives call from SOG Sopore; Asked to reach back immediately; Returns to Bhats’ home; Leaves for Sopore after taking lunch; Reaches back to duty in Sopore at 7.00 pm
Aug 1 to 6	On duty with Dy SP of SOG Sopore
Aug 06	Arrested alongwith SgCT Abbas at 8.00 pm

C. CALL DETAIL RECORD OF NISAR’s CELLPHONE 9469537168

Date	Time	Call duration	From/ To	Incoming/ Outgoing	Nisar’s Tower Location
July 30	07:16:18	45 sec	9469419931	Outgoing	Mattan Microwave
	07:17:45	59 sec	9469563377	Outgoing	Dyalgam Exchange
	07:23:34	129 sec	9469563377	Outgoing	Her Dyalgam
	07:30:06	13 sec	9469563377	Outgoing	Mattan Microwave
	07:39:17	238 sec	9469563377	Outgoing	Dyalgam Exchange
	13:55:00	34 sec	9469563377	Incoming	Dyalgam Exchange

July 30	19:12:03	21 sec	9469419931	Outgoing	Her Dyalgam
	20:05:27	10 sec	9697480360	Incoming	Her Dyalgam
	20:22:36	07 sec	9697480360	Outgoing	Her Dyalgam
	20:23:17	09 sec	9697480360	Outgoing	Her Dyalgam
	20:25:11	12 sec	9469419931	Outgoing	Her Dyalgam
	21:51:40	111 sec	8872224589	Outgoing	Her Dyalgam

July 31	10:13:00	28 sec	8803436320	Incoming	Her Dyalgam
	10:50:20	41 sec	8803436320	Incoming	Her Dyalgam

D. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s Tweet on July 31

“The death of Anjum Rashid in police custody is a gross human rights violation and inexcusable. Things like this cannot be allowed to happen. I expect the police to do nothing less than make an example of those responsible so that nothing like this ever happens again. Swift & exemplary action. No delays, no cover ups, no excuses. That’s all I can promise & ensure. It’s not enough, of that too I’m aware”.

E. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to media at SKICC on August 1

“Action has to be taken against those who are guilty. We have initiated probe to inquire into the circumstances that have led to the death in custody. We are not interested in covering up any of the facts or in protecting any of those who are ultimately responsible for this death. Some steps have already been taken. A murder case under section 302 has been registered and we will ensure that the full force of law is brought to bear on these people. They will be made an example so that nobody ever again decides that the law can be treated in such a shabby manner”

Entry of over 100 DD officials banned into Srinagar Kendra on I-Day

For 20 years, they had orders to attend; In 2011, they have orders not to attend Tricolour ceremony

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Aug 15: Officiating head of the station, Anuradha Agarwal, banned entry of over 100 officials into the premises of Dooradrshan Kendra Srinagar on occasion of the I-Day on August 14^th and 15^th. While the officials in the last 20 years of insurgency were under strict orders to attend the flag hoisting ceremony at the station on all I-Days and Republic Days, it is for the first time that most of them were directed to stay indoors and not to attend the official ceremony today.

Superintending Engineer, Anuradha Agarwal, has issued Office Note No: DKS-PA-4G/2011 Dated 12-08-2011 in her capacity as ‘Head of Office’ of DDK Srinagar. Prasar Bharti and union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting have not appointed any full-fledged Director for DDK Srinagar after Dr Rafeeq Masoodi’s transfer and lightning departure for New Delhi over a month back. Seniormost official, Superintending Engineer Mrs Agarwal, has been functioning as Head of Office and Deputy Director Shami Shair as incharge of Programme section as an ad hoc arrangement.

In her order, a copy of which is available with Early Times, Mrs Agarwal has directed Security Officer and Dy SP of CRPF to allow nobody other than 88 officials into the premises on Aug 14^th and 15^th. She has not cited any reasons. Surprisingly, those banned to enter include all three of the Deputy Directors, namely Shami Shair, Zeeshan Fazil and Qayoom Wadera, besides Director of News Bashir Malik who is senior to the three in grade but junior to Mrs Agarwal. Only two of the Programme Executives, namely Mohammad Yusuf Parray and Mufti Riyaz, were allowed to enter.

More surprisingly, 88 officials allowed to enter include as many as 24 casual workers who have no service accountability in the organisation.

Since copies of the ‘Order’ had not been served on the officials, nor were any pasted on the notice board, all of the DDK Srinagar officials, as usual, reached the station. Most of them learned about the orders when they were turned back on Saturday. As per a 40-year-long practice, all DDK officials attend I-Day and R-Day flag hoisting ceremony at the station. Absence at such a national occasion would make integrity of an official suspect.

Sources said that scores of DDK officials were turned from the main entrance under orders of the incharge Head of Office today. Head of Programmes, Shami Shair had reportedly stayed inside the station since Saturday itself. 

No official vehicles were sent today to pick up DDPs, Qayoom Wadera and Zeeshan Fazil. However, both managed to reach the station “for fear of being labeled as  anti-national elements”. “We perceived the ban on entry as a conspiracy to keep us away from the national day function and thus complain to headquarters that we had boycotted the flag hoisting on I-Day”, Wadera as well as Fazil told Early Times on telephone. Both of them quarreled with the security officers at the entrance when they were told that their entry had been banned. “After a great deal of arguments and quarreling like children we forced our entry into the station”, they added.

Zeeshan Fazil narrated how hard it was for him to cross dozens of security points while driving to DDK Srinagar in his private car. He said he was allowed to pass on as a number of security and Police staff recognized him by his familiar television face.

For Wadera, journey to his office was all the more pathetic and humiliating. “Two days back, I had been appointed as overall head of transmission on the I-Day. Surprisingly, I learned about the ban when I called the driver in the morning today”, said Wadera who can not drive a vehicle as he has broken his ankle a month back. “I implored driver of an Army vehicle to give me lift. He picked me from Barzullah and dropped me around Bakshi Stadium. Thereafter, I was given lift by three private vehicle drivers till I reached my office”, he said.

Wadera said that it was after heated exchange with Security that he forced his entry into the station. “We in DD are the biggest town-criers of restoration of peace and normality in Kashmir. How shameful it is that we too are subjected to this humiliation under the excuse of security interests?” Wadera, who has been posted in his hometown after serving in Delhi for 25 years, asked.

Mrs Agarwal was not reachable for her comments.

END