14TT01A.qxd 3/13/2013 10:07 PM Page 1 c m y b The Tribune VOICE OF THE PEOPLE Chandigarh New Delhi Jalandhar Bathinda Srinagar Thursday, March 14, 2013 Vol. 133 No. 72 Haryana Edition Fidayeen terror back in Valley, 5 dead Disguised as cricketers, two Hizb ultras enter school compound, open fire on CRPF men SRINAGAR, MARCH 13 In the first fidayeen (suicide) attack after nearly three years in the Valley, two militants hiding automatic rifles and grenades in cricket kits opened fire on CRPF personnel near a school in Bemina area in the heart of Srinagar on Wednesday, killing five paramilitary men. The two militants, who entered the J-K Police Public School ground on the pretext of playing cricket, were also eliminated during a gunbattle which lasted about 20 minutes, officials said. Five CRPF men and four youngsters who were playing cricket were also injured in the attack, which occurred on the day when Kashmir was observing a shutdown demanding return of the mortal remains of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru to the Valley. MORNING STRIKE ❚ 10.50 AM: Two militants, disguised as cricket players, enter a school compound in Bemina area of Srinagar ❚ The compound is adjacent to CRPF 73 battalion headquarters ❚ With weapons concealed in their kit bags, they mix with other players for over 10 minutes. ❚ 11 AM: Militants open indiscriminate fire on securitymen ❚ As most CRPF men were on reserve duty, they didn’t have weapons to retaliate. ❚ 11.20 AM: The two militants are gunned down after a 20-minute fierce encounter ❚ The fidayeen attack has taken place in the Valley after nearly three years. The last such attack happened in Srinagar in 2010. "Prima facie, the terrorists don't appear to be local but from across the border and the first impression is that they are possibly from Pakistan," Union Home Secretary R K Singh said in New Delhi. Pro-Pakistan militant group Securitymen carry the injured to a hospital in Srinagar’s Bemina on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Amin War Prima facie, the terrorists don't appear to be local but from across the border and the first impression is that they are possibly from Pakistan “ “ MAJID JAHANGIR/TNS — R K Singh, Union Home Secretary Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for the attack. Hizb spokesman told a local news agency over phone that two guerillas of the outfit carried out the attack. “It was a guerilla attack and Hizb militants will carry out more such attacks in the future too,” he told the news agency. The J-K Police said the attack bears Lashkar-e-Toiba’s signature too. “It looks that the attack was carried out by Lashkar. The attack had their signature,” said DIG (Kashmir) Ahfad-ul-Mujtaba. “It was a well-planned strike. Militants had done a careful recce of the area which is a high-security zone housing a CRPF camp, a police post and police housing quarters,” said police sources. The police said the militants had entered the school ground by scaling a boundary wall made of iron mesh around 10.50 am. No student or teacher was in the school at the time of the attack due to the ongoing strike. “Whenever the school is closed, the youngsters from nearby localities usually play cricket in the school compound. Preliminary investigation shows that militants came in the guise of local cricketers. They had concealed weapons and grenades inside their kits,” said the DIG. A J&K Police personnel who was also in the school compound said the two militants Continued on page 18 Related reports P6 CBI books IAF ex-chief Tyagi, 12 others Raids at 14 places, including Chandigarh, Mohali & Gurgaon COPTER DEAL SYED ALI AHMED/TNS NEW DELHI, MARCH 13 Former IAF chief Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi was today booked by the CBI along with 12 others for alleged cheating, corruption and criminal conspiracy in the multicrore VVIP helicopter deal. The probe agency also carried out searches at 14 locations, including his residence. Tyagi, his three cousins Sanjeev Tyagi alias Juli Tyagi, Rajeev Tyagi alias Docsa Tyagi and Sandeep Tyagi - European middlemen Carlo Gerosa, Christian Michel and Guido Haschke were among 13 individuals TYAGI’S ‘ROLE’ ❚ SP Tyagi (in pic), who has denied charges against him, is the first Air Chief to be named in a corruption or criminal case by the CBI ❚ Tyagi’s role was to approve the reduction in the service ceiling for VVIP helicopters, claims CBI ❚ It alleged that the reduction of service ceiling — maximum height at which a helicopter can perform normally — allowed UK-based AgustaWestland to come into the fray named in the FIR as accused, CBI sources said. Tyagi, who has denied charges against him, is the first Air Chief to be named in a corruption or criminal case by the CBI. The CBI alleged that during his tenure as Air Chief, Tyagi and "with his approval" the Air Force "conceded to reduce the service ceiling for VVIP helicopters from 6000 metres to 4500 metres.” It alleged that the reduction of service ceiling — maximum height at which a helicopter can perform normally — allowed UK-based AgustaWestland to come into the fray as, otherwise, its helicopters were not even qualified for submission of bids. The CBI alleged that middleman Haschke through his Tunisiabased company Gordian Services Sarl entered into several consultancy contracts with AgustaWestland from 200405 onwards. "Almost on backto-back basis he also made consultancy contracts with the Tyagi brothers (Tyagi's cousins)," sources said. Under the cover of these contracts, Haschke allegedly sent Euro 1.26 lakh and two lakh to the Tyagi brothers. "Besides these two remittances, the Tyagi brothers also received some unquantified sum of money from the middlemen (Haschke and Gerosa)," the FIR stated. Six firms named in the FIR Continued on page 18 INSIDE NATION Rail Budget passed Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal had a tough time getting his maiden Rail Budget passed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday with the BJP-led Opposition walking out in protest. P2 HIMACHAL PRADESH Pandemonium in House Pandemonium in the state Assembly continued for the second day on Wednesday as BJP legislators staged a walkout. P10 HARYANA Fungicide mess An amount of Rs 60 crore has been spent by the government for buying a fungicide to treat wheat seed against Karnal bunt. However, the fungicide is not even registered to cure the disease. P3 BACK PAGE Art & life of Pyne In the death of Ganesh Pyne, not only an artist who gave contemporary Indian art a distinct style is lost, his style was so uniquely personal that no one else could imitate it. c m y b High drama in Punjab House Report on P18 www.tribuneindia.com 18 pages `2.50 Keep word or be ready for consequences: PM to Italy ASHOK TUTEJA TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, MARCH 13 Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today made it clear to Italy that there would be ‘consequences’ for bilateral relations if it did not fulfil its commitment to send back the two marines to India and face trial for the murder of two Indian fishermen. “Our government has insisted that the Italian authorities respect the undertakings they have given to the Supreme Court and return the two accused persons to stand trial in India,” he told both Houses of Parliament after members sharply criticised the government for reposing undue faith in the Italian government. Some of the members went to the extent of demanding the arrest of Italian Ambassador Daniele Mancini for not honouring the undertaking he had given to the apex court that the marines would return to India after casting ballots in the February 24-25 elections. Amid indications that New Delhi would retaliate against Italy only after March 22 when the four-week parole of the two marines expires, Singh said Rome’s refusal to send the navy men back to India was not by any standards in the interest of bilateral relationship which has to function on the basis of trust. Italy’s action violated every rule of diplomatic discourse and called into Activists protest near the Italian Embassy in New Delhi on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Mukesh Aggarwal INDIA’S STAND THE OPTIONS ❚ Rome’s refusal to send the marines back to India is not by any standards in the interest of bilateral relationship ❚ Italy’s action has violated every rule of diplomatic discourse ❚ It has called into question solemn commitments given by accredited representatives of a sovereign government to SC ❚ There are indications that New Delhi would retaliate only after March 22 when the parole of the marines expires ❚ Ask its Ambassador-designate Basant Kumar Gupta not to take charge of his assignment in Rome pending an amicable settlement of the dispute ❚ Scale down its diplomatic presence in Italy and ask Rome to do vice versa ❚ Exclude Italy from all defence and economic contracts ❚ Review all existing contracts with Italy, including the AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal READY TO NEGOTIATE: ITALY Sensing the outrage in India over its action, Italy said it was ready to negotiate the case on the basis of international law as the two marines were facing trial in the case in a court in Rome question solemn commitments given by accredited representatives of a sovereign government to the Supreme Court, the PM said in his strongly worded statement. Sensing the outrage in India over its action, Italy, meanwhile, said it was ready to negotiate the case on the basis of international law as the two marines were facing trial in the case in a court in Rome. Continued on page 11