A Valley protest against the security forces

Srinagar, Oct. 2: The army has set up an aviation base near Manasbal, a central Kashmir lake that draws hordes of tourists every year, despite calls for demilitarising the Valley and protests from residents who had to give up land.

The base, one of several the army has in the state, also faced resistance from the government-run Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, which staked claim to vast swathes of land in the area, about 35km from Srinagar.

An army spokesperson said the base would house the indigenously built advanced light helicopter Dhruv and be of great help in evacuating casualties during counter-insurgency operations.

“The facility will provide a new capability to the security forces and can also be effectively used for disaster relief and other search and rescue operations,” the spokesperson added.

The base was inaugurated by the army commander in Kashmir, Lt Gen. A.S. Sekhon, while a team of Dhruv helicopters, led by commanding officer Col Rakesh Kapoor, gave a display of the choppers’ skills like formation flying and high-gravity manoeuvres.

The army’s move came amid calls for demilitarisation by mainstream organisations like the People’s Democratic Party and opposition from the agricultural university, which claimed the base would hinder research work.

But director (research) A.S. Trag said the “dispute” was settled after the state government intervened. “According to the agreement, we have been given a part of the land in question,” Trag said.

Another official, however, insisted the army base, spread over hundreds of acres, would affect research.

There were also repeated protests by villagers who said the camp devoured “prime agricultural land”.

A top official in Ganderbal, where the lake is situated, however, said the villagers had been compensated. Sources said the villagers would get rent for the land leased to the army.

Army apology

The army has apologised to the Jammu and Kashmir police personnel who were beaten up last month after kerosene and petrol meant for army use were seized following allegations of sale in the open market.

The apology came after chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, police chief Kuldeep Khoda and the Union home ministry took up the incident with the army.

The police had on September 26 registered a case against a major and 30 jawans of 33 Rashtriya Rifles after they assaulted the sub-inspector of Magam police post in Kupwara district and five others who had intercepted a tractor-trolley carrying the fuel.

But an army spokesperson had claimed the petrol and kerosene were being taken from one post to another when it was seized.