Jammu and Kashmir: ..... withdrawal of controversial AFSPA from couple of violence-free districts seems certain

Interlocutors too want Act withdrawn

Vishwa Mohan |TNN | Nov 12, 2011, 05.02AM IST

NEW DELHI: Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah's views on the Armed Forces Special Powers Act tally with what the central interlocutors for the state have said in their report to the Union home minister P Chidambaram.

The report, which is yet to be made public by the Centre, is learnt to have favoured de-notification of the Disturbed Areas Act from certain 'peaceful' districts leading to automatic withdrawal of the AFSPA. It has stated that areas can again be 'notified' as Disturbed Areas as and when it is needed after security review, and therefore the 'idea' of withdrawal should be experimented at this juncture.

Pitching for 'partial' withdrawal of the Act, the chapter - dealing with the controversial law - has cited wishes of the people of the state, though it noted 'reservations' expressed by the Army against the 'withdrawal'.

Without disclosing contents of the report, Dileep Padgaonkar, who headed the three-member team of interlocutors, on Friday said he personally felt that the Disturbed Areas Act should be de-notified in certain districts that had not witnessed violence in the past six months or so. Government can periodically review the situation, and call the Army again if needed, he added.........http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTEvMTEvMTIjQXIwMTgwMg==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

All eyes are on new strategy - clear, hold and develop - to take on Red menace

P Chindambaram to review strategy for ‘liberated’ areas

Vishwa Mohan |TNN | Nov 9, 2011, 05.45AM IST

NEW DELHI: The Centre's new strategy to "clear, hold and develop" Maoist-affected areas -- being tried in the Saranda forests -- will see its first comprehensive review during home minister P Chidambaram's visit to Odisha and Jharkhand on Wednesday.

Though Saranda forest area -- once the Maoists' stronghold which is now under full control of security forces -- falls in Jharkhand, the strategy to 'clear' Red zones by pushing ultras out of it and 'hold' it for a substantial period of time for development works is being tested in neighbouring Odisha as well.

Sources said both the states will present their progress reports, consisting of measures to be taken to finetune the strategy as envisaged by the Union rural development ministry in close coordination with the home ministry.

Chidambaram, accompanied by CRPF chief K Vijay Kumar and other senior officials of his ministry, will first visit Bhubaneswar where he will also review inter-state coordination for the ongoing anti-Maoist operations. He will then go to Ranchi where he will review progress of the strategy in the Saranda forest area.

The ministry has sent two CRPF battalions (nearly 2,000 men) to Jharkhand for deployment in the Saranda forest area -- comprising 56 villages of six panchayats with a population of about 36,000 tribals -- so that the security forces can hold this area till all development works see substantial progress.

CRPF will keep its personnel in 20 identified camps to secure the area for a longer period, unlike in the past when security forces generally used to leave the Naxal areas after clearing it -- making it difficult for local administration to do development work under threat of Maoists' comeback.

"One more CRPF battalion (nearly 1,000 men) will be sent to the state for this purpose soon. Besides, the Centre will also help the state in raising India Reserve Battalion (IRB) -- having nearly 1,000 personnel -- by January 2012," said a senior official.

The action plan for the Saranda forest area, finalised by the rural development ministry, includes major activities like distribution of solar lanterns, bicycles and transitors and installing hand pumps for drinking water under the protection of central paramilitary forces.

Other development activities under various schemes like Integrated Action Plan (IAP), Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) and Pradhan Matri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) will go on simultaneously.

The Centre will replicate the plan in other Naxal-affected areas of the country in due course. "Jungle Mahal area of West Bengal may be the next to experiment this model, provided the security personnel dominate it by overthrowing Maoists," said an official........http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JS00vMjAxMS8xMS8wOSNBcjAwNjAw&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Indo-Pak border .... constant problem

Border build-up worries panel

Vishwa Mohan |TNN | Nov 8, 2011, 04.14AM IST

NEW DELHI: Taking note of huge construction activities across the border by Pakistan, which is resulting in erection of 97 additional 'observation post' towers and 162 barracks, a Parliamentary panel has come out with a number of suggestions for the government to counter such logistic build-up and asked it to urgently implement the proposal for construction of an earthen 'bund' on the home side of the fencing.

The panel has noted that all such additional constructions along the border in Pakistan had taken place in the past eig-ht years after both the nations had agreed for a 'ceasefire' in November, 2003.

Pitching for implementation of the proposal that has been pending for over two years, the Parliamentary standing committee on home affairs has noted that the 'bund', which was constructed to provide security cover to the persons engaged in fencing work, has become "counterproductive" as it has been helping militants (during infiltration bids).

The committee had submitted its report to the Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari on November 3.

The report, while referring to the government's response, has mentioned that the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) is "actively considering" a proposal for the construction of the 'bund' - naka-cum-machan-(raised platform)cum fighting bunkers - and road in the Jammu region of the state.

Besides the 'bund' issue, the panel, chaired by BJP member M Venkaiah Naidu, has taken a serious view of the logistics st-rategy for border surveillance and management.

It noted that the government has not commented on the observations of the committee regarding the manning of 60km-62 km by only one battalion (nearly 1,000 personnel) that deters operational efficiency.

The panel in its report on "Border Fencing and Flood Lighting Projects along Indo-Pak borders in the Country" has also asked the government to replace floodlights and cables along the Indo-Pak border that have "outlived" their life and have become "obsolete".

"Keeping in view the fact that the floodlight equipments have outlived their life and cables have also become obsolete and damaged, the committee recommends that it is necessary to replace the existing border flood light system with utmost expedition," the 32-page report said.

The government told the committee that a proposal regarding upgrade/replacement of the existing border flood lights system in Punjab sector, with new and more illuminating devices, was under examination............http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDExLzExLzA4I0FyMDEyMDA=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

A happy coincidence for this woman officer

4th gen IPS woman makes world record
Family Creates Police History With 90 Yrs Of Service

Vishwa Mohan |TNN

New Delhi: Manusmriti made police history at the IPS officers’ passing out parade in Hyderabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy on Saturday. The woman officer became the fourth generation of a family serving in police continuously since 1921.

    The feat of Manusmriti, who studied at Delhi’s St Stephens College and London School of Economics, is a world record for a family rendering uninterrupted police service for 90 years.

    The only such reported case in the world is of a family in Vancouver, Canada. But even in that case, the family has been serving in the police force for 82 years—eight years short of the record of Manusmriti’s family. The Vancouver Sun had in September reported that David Stewart joined Vancouver Police Department on September 23 as the fourth generation member of his family.

    After joining her Union Territory cadre, Manusmriti — an IPS officer of 2009 batch — will also have a distinction of being the only serving father-daughter IPS duo.

    Her father Kamlendra Prasad is a 1981-batch IPS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre. He is serving in Delhi as director of the National Institute of Criminology and Forensic Science.

    Her grandfather Arbind Prasad had joined the Bihar police as a sub-inspector in 1952 and retired as an additional superintendent of police in 1988.

    Manusmriti’s great grandfather Harihar Prasad Verma had also joined the Bihar police during the British rule as a constable in 1921 and superannuated as an assistant sub-inspector in 1954.

    Manusmriti, an Inlaks scholar who had done her M Phil from CSSS, Kolkata, has also been feted for topping in law at the examination held during the IPS training at the SVP National Police Academy....http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDExLzExLzA2I0FyMDEwMDA=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

26/11 Mumbai terror attack case probe ..... several loose ends in Pakistan

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Finally, Pak's 26/11 judicial panel to visit India soon

Vishwa Mohan |TNN | Nov 5, 2011, 03.22AM IST

NEW DELHI: After dilly dallying for six months, Pakistan on Friday finally informed India that its judicial commission on 26\11 Mumbai terror attack case would visit here soon and asked New Delhi to work out certain related details, including option of dates depending on the availability of persons who are supposed to be interviewed by the panel.

Pakistan's high commissioner to India Shahid Malik met home minister P Chidambaram and conveyed him about the panel's proposed visit.

"I came to inform the minister (Chidambaram) that the government of Pakistan will be sending the judicial commission to carry the process forward and I have mentioned that to the minister. We will formally be informing the Indian government shortly," Malik said after the meeting. He, however, said dates of the proposed visit were yet to be finalized.

In March, India had agreed to host Pakistan's judicial commission to take statements of additional chief metropolitan magistrate R V Sawant Waghule, investigating officer (IO) Ramesh Mahale and the doctor who carried out the post-mortem of the terrorists who attacked Mumbai in November, 2008.

Asked how soon the Commission will visit India, Malik said: "I cannot put a date to it. The process has started. I am sure it will take place soon. I have come to inform the home minister that we have decided to send a Commission....It is for the Indian government to give us certain details".

Though Pakistan had promised at the home secretary-level talks in March that they would send the commission by May 15, the matter did not move an inch for long due to number of factors, including frequent change of the trial court judge in Pakistan.

Islamabad has been maintaining that it is necessary to send the commission to India as part of the judicial process of the 26/11 case in Pakistan. The panel wants to interview the Indian officials in connection with the trial of seven Pakistani suspects, including Lashkar commanders Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and Zarar Shah - lodged in a jail in that country - in the 26/11 case.

Pakistan's contention is that the charges against the seven LeT operatives are based on Kasab's statement and hence the magistrate and the IO's statements are necessary to submit before the anti-terror court in that country.....http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JSC8yMDExLzExLzA1I0FyMDE1MDA=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Red Zone ..... more power to BSF to take on ultras in hinterland

BSF may get power of search, seizure and arrest

Vishwa Mohan |TNN | Nov 4, 2011, 03.06AM IST

NEW DELHI: Border Security Force (BSF), which is increasingly being deployed in the hinterland for counter-insurgency and anti-Naxal operations, may soon get additional powers of search, seizure and arrest as a parliamentary panel approved a proposed legislation to this effect, paving the way for the government to get it passed in Parliament during the winter session.

If it gets these additional powers, BSF - which is deployed along Indo-Pakistan and Indo-Bangladesh borders -- will be the third border guarding force with such a mandate.

Currently, powers of search, seizure and arrest are available to Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), deployed along Indo-China border, and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) that is deployed along Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan borders.

Considering the increasing role of BSF in Naxal-infested areas, the government had in August introduced the Border Security Force (Amendment) Bill, 2011 that sought to widen the scope for deployment of the force in the hinterland for counter-insurgency and anti-Naxal operations, during election period or even in maintaining law and order situation "with additional power to search, seizure and arrest" which is otherwise not available to it.

At present, nearly 5,000 BSF personnel are deployed in anti-Naxal operations and they require state police personnel who have power of "search, seizure and arrest" to accompany them. The proposed legislation will provide them more flexibility and mobility in terms of operations.

"The proposed amendment, therefore, is in a way, an enabling provision for BSF which is already available to SSB and ITBP," the Rajya Sabha secretariat said after getting the report of the parliamentary standing committee on home affairs over the bill. SSB and ITBP personnel are also deployed in Naxal-affected areas.

The panel -- headed by BJP member M Venkaiah Naidu -- presented its report to Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari on Thursday, saying the "committee adopted the bill without any changes and recommended for being passed". The bill was sent to it after its introduction in Lok Sabha on August 19.

The committee, in a different report also presented to Ansari on Thursday, recommended special allowances for BSF personnel deployed in "harsh" climatic conditions along the Indo-Pakistan border in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Currently, the paramilitary force personnel get 'desert/remote area' allowance in various areas of Jammu and Kashmir and north-eastern states, but not in Gujarat and Rajasthan.

The committee also asked the home ministry to relocate helicopters stationed at Safdarjung airport in the Capital to "strategic positions" along the Indo-Pak border to meet exigencies.

Taking note of various facilities being provided to the force, the panel suggested that modern, fast moving and more efficient vehicles should be provided to troops for border guarding duties instead of the "slow" tractors which are mainly used for agricultural purposes.........http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JSC8yMDExLzExLzA0I0FyMDExMDE=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Red Terror: ..... more forces to protect night trains

Railways to get more cover in Red zones

Vishwa Mohan |TNN | Nov 2, 2011, 03.02AM IST

NEW DELHI: In the backdrop of 68 Maoist attacks on railway properties in the past 22 months, the Centre on Tuesday decided to deploy additional forces, increase frequency of night-patrolling and install Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras at vulnerable stations in Red Zones.

Besides, the affected states have been asked to increase the strength of GRPs and properly coordinate with the Railway Protection Force (RPF) in patrolling at night. Now, night running of trains has been suspended along only two railway tracks passing through the naxal-hit areas.

The decisions to install CCTVs and stepping up night-patrolling were taken at a meeting, chaired by Union home secretary R K Singh. Railway Board chairman Vinay Mittal and police chiefs of West Bengal, Orissa and Jharkhand were among the senior officials who attended the meeting that was called to review the security of railway properties in the Maoist-affected states.

As compared to attacks on 45 railway properties, including stations, tracks and warehouses, by Maoists last year, the ultras has so far targeted 23 properties this year. While Jharkhand and Orissa have reported seven such attacks each, Chhattisgarh faced six attacks and Bihar three till October 15.

Stating that the idea of the meeting was to focus on "systemic improvement of railway security", an official said it was also decided to augment the RPF in Maoist-affected areas in coordination with state police forces to protect railway stations, tracks, warehouses and intensify patrolling to ensure smooth running of trains.

He said dedicated officers would be deployed at three designated places round the clock to coordinate security in railway properties, particularly on inter-state borders of West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh and tri-junctions of states.

Analysis of the attacks shows that the Maoists have mainly been attacking on goods trains loaded with coal and iron ore, with an aim to affect industrial activities in different parts of the country. Another round of meeting will take place after two months when officials would take stock of the progress of implementation of all the decisions taken in Tuesday's meeting.......http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTEvMTEvMDIjQXIwMTgwNA==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom