Shabir Shah, 200 supporters arrested
JAMMU, Sept 3 — President of the Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party, Shabir Ahmed Shah, along with 200 supporters was today arrested soon after he addressed a public meeting here this afternoon.
S.N. memorial award announced
JAMMU, Sept 3 — Mr Veerana Aivalli, Additional Director General Police, has been selected for the Surendra Nath Memorial award for 1998-99.

Woman killed in Pak firing
SRINAGAR, Sept 3 — One woman was killed and four houses damaged when Pak troops resorted to shelling on Kargil town in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.

Shabir Shah, 200 supporters arrested
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Sept 3 — President of the Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP), Shabir Ahmed Shah, along with 200 supporters was today arrested soon after he addressed a public meeting here this afternoon. As Mr Shah ended his speech in a guest house the police bolted the doors of the premises. Even newsmen who were there to cover the speech remained behind the bolted doors.

The police bundled up 200 supporters of Mr Shah in three buses. As Mr Shah was put in one of the buses his supporters lost their cool and resorted to pelting in which windowpanes of two buses were smashed.

Mr Shah and his supporters were taken to some unidentified place. Earlier Mr Shah was given a warm welcome at the airport and was taken in a procession in the city.

The senior separatist leader, addressing a public meeting, said that he was for tripartite talks for resolving the Kashmir dispute. He said "I favour Mr Nelson Mandela to mediate between India and Pakistan for settling the 50-year-old Kashmir dispute. "He said "India should not reject third party mediation and since Mr Mandela is India's friend his mediation be welcomed."

Mr Shah suggested to India not to treat Kashmir as a settled issue. It is a disputed territory and even at the NAM meeting the issue was raised," he said adding that New Delhi should "favour direct talks with Islamabad."

He said "Kashmir dispute is a threat to peace and both India and Pakistan have embarked on a dangerous course of manufacturing nuclear weapons." He said he would appeal to both India and Pakistan to stop nuclear programmes and join hands in the development of the two countries.

Mr Shah lambasted the current state government and successive political leadership in Jammu and Kashmir for having "befooled" people in one way or the other. He said that any solution evolved for resolving the Kashmir dispute should fulfil the "aspirations" of the people of the state.

As Mr Shah was taken away by the police some of his supporters raised pro-Azadi (independence) slogans and shouted "Hum Azadi Ley kay Rahein Gay" (we shall secure freedom).

S.N. memorial award announced
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Sept 3 — Mr Veerana Aivalli, Additional Director General Police, has been selected for the Surendra Nath Memorial award for 1998-99. Mr Aivalli has received the award as an outstanding administrator in Jammu and Kashmir Police. The award carries a citation, foundation memento and Rs 51,000.

The award has been instituted by the Surendra Nath Memorial Foundation. The foundation has awarded fellowship for path-breaking research on interfaith studies and comparative religion to Mr Mohd. Yusaf Teng. Mr Teng will work on the commonality of philosophies of Sheikh Nooruddin Wali and Lal Ded and Baba Farid. The fellowship will be for Rs 51,000 and the work will be published within next 12 months.

The chairman of the foundation, Mr Ranjit Malhotra, said that the Jyotsna Paryavaran award has already given to Dr Keshav Sharma of Jammu University for research in environmental protection. He said that this award has been instituted in the name of Jyotsna, only daughter of Surendra Nath, former Governor of Punjab and Himachal, who died along with her father and mother in an air-crash near Kulu.

The Surendra Nath Memorial Foundation was set up in 1994 to promote activities relating to communal peace and harmony, education, welfare of underprivileged classes and blood donation. The foundation members are Dr Karan Singh, Mr Virbhadra Singh, former Himachal Chief Minister, Mr Mir Nasrullah, former Chief Secretary, Mr D.N. Malhotra, Mr V.K. Duggal, Mr R.M. Khanna and Mr Ranjit Malhotra (son).

Ten dropsy cases in Jammu

JAMMU, Sept 3 (PTI) — The Jammu and Kashmir Government has prohibited the sale and distribution of two varieties of oil even as 10 suspected cases of dropsy have been admitted to hospitals in Jammu.

An official statement said today the state government has prohibited the sale of loose rapeseed and mustard oil for edible purposes with immediate effect.

The authorities have also picked up nearly 200 samples from retailers and wholesalers for examination since yesterday, official sources said.

They said efforts were being made to ensure that contaminated mustard oil did not reach the public.

Meanwhile, 10 cases of dropsy were reported from Jammu city and Udhampur town. Their condition was stated to be stable, the sources said.

Woman killed in Pak firing

SRINAGAR, Sept 3 — One woman was killed and four houses damaged when Pak troops resorted to shelling on Kargil town in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.

The police here said that one woman, identified as Archoo Fatima was killed on Wednesday. Two others were killed and several others injured in Pak firing in the Kargil sector a few days back.

In the continued militancy related incidents across the valley, at least three persons including a woman were killed since yesterday, a police spokesman said here today. Militants intruded into the house of one Fayaz Ahmad at Fazalpora in Bandipore, district Baramula last night and fired indiscriminately on family members. Fayaz Ahmad, a surrendered militant and his sister, Hajra were killed, while their mother was injured.

A bullet-riddled body of Farooq Ahmad Sheikh was recovered from Mattan in Anantnag district. The police here said that he had been kidnapped by unidentified militants on August 28 last.