ANNOUNCED: Special Investigation Team (SIT) that has failed to achieve a breakthrough in the twin rapes and murders in Shopian has announced an award of two million rupees for any person offering any information that would lead to the identification of the killers. The decision came within hours after the division bench of the High Court monitoring the investigations asked the state administration to decide on its own how the case would be investigated. Earlier, the government wanted the case be probed by CBI, a decision Kashmir Bar association had opposed. Interestingly, the CBI had already conveyed its reluctance to take up the case. The announcement of reward money indicates that the case is unlikely to go to the CBI.

ACTIVE: Army says infiltration attempts have increased considerably this year and nearly 600-800 militants are still active in the state. Chief of Northern Command Lt Gen Bhardwaj said, “There has been a considerable improvement in the security situation in the state. Against 45 successful infiltration attempts last year, there were 72 attempts so far. Army sources disclosed at Jammu that of the 1508 complaints of human rights violations received by them since 1990 only 35 complaints were found true. For them, 39 officers, nine JCOs and 56 other ranks stand punished. Of the 462 prosecution cases pending before the High Court only 35 cases pertain to army. Prosecution was granted in two cases, and the individuals have been punished and case closed.

RETURNING: As many as 934 Kashmiri Pandit migrant families have expressed their willingness to return to their homes in the Valley. The return is linked with Prime Minister’s Rs 1618 crore package for them that envisage 9000 self employment jobs besides 3,000 jobs each by state and central government.

BANNED: For around two days the public broadcasters Doordarshan and Radio Kashmir were banned by speaker M Akbar Lone from covering the proceedings of the legislative assembly. The order was in response to the general observation of the members that they were not giving fair and proper coverage of the proceedings and the issues raised by the members.

ARRESTED: Special Operations Group of Police arrested a top al Badr militant in Sopore. Identified as Zeenat-ul-Islam, a resident Sugan village of Shopian, police said he was operating under various codenames including Zahid and Junaid during his four-year stint as the operations chief of the outfit. He is first top commander, who has been trained in Lolab by a Pakistan trainer Sikander in 2005. Meanwhile police re-arrested Hizb leader Gazi Misbah-ud-Din from Islamabad outskirts within five days of his release. Police had already placed five of its cops under suspension for their failure in re-arresting him outside the court last week.

RAIDED: CBI raided residence and factories of Dr Kulbushan Nahar, an Ayurvedic drugs manufacturer, Satish Kumar Gupta, of Surya Vaid Milk Products and L A Kachroo, a former Chief Manager, SBI in connection with a Rs 14 crore scam. The raids were carried out by five teams of CBI. Kachroo, now under suspension, had floated 10 fictitious firms on the name of his employees and family members and secured 10.5 crore worth loans from the bank.

DIRECTED: High Court has directed government to shift 14-year-old boy Naeem Ahmad Dar from Poonch Jail to Srinagar Central Jail within two weeks. Detained under PSA, Dar is a resident of Rainawari and was booked for stone pelting. Meanwhile apex court has directed Colonel Kishore Malhotra of RR to make himself available for interrogation by a Special Investigation Team in a case involving forced disappearance of Manzoor Ahmad Dar of Rawalpora Srinagar.

ATTENDED: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah finally attended the assembly for two consecutive days after remaining absent for 14 days. He spoke for around two hours later and attacked opposition PDP for what he called their “demand and supply politics”. For public interest, he said, the government would use iron fist in velvet gloves.

THRASHED: Police have registered an FIR against two army Majors and seven troopers for attempting to murder an SHO investigating recovery of fake currency from a Territorial Army sepoy in Poonch. The accused officers have been identified as Major Sudhir and Major Navi and seven jawans of 17 Rajput Rifles for attempting to murder SHO Kuldeep Khajuria.

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