M A I N   N E W S

Partial bandh in Jammu
Protest against General’s visit
Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 14
Except for stray incidents of violence Jammu bandh organised in protest against General Musharraf’s visit to India, passed off pecefully today. The Jammu Joint Students Federation, Panun Kashmir and the Ladakh Buddhist Association had given a call for the bandh to covey peoples’ resentment over Pakistan’s continued support to cross-border terrorism.

Activists of the Students Federation smashed half a dozen buses and matadors and some shops in the city which resulted in complete shutdown of passenger transport services and closing of shops in several areas.

Attendance in government offices was thin as many couldn’t make it for want of transport services. It was in the afternoon that transport services on various city routes were resumed and shops in different areas opened their shutters.

The president of the Jammu Joint Students’ Federation, Mr Rajinder Jamwal, claimed that peoples response to the bandh call was total. He said the man who had been aiding militants, operating in Jammu and Kashmir, should not have been given warm welcome. He said that if General Musharraf agreed to stop moral and material aid to the militants he should deserve welcome from all sides.

The Power Development Department strictly adhered to the load shedding schedule from 8 a.m.

SRINAGAR: The police and security agencies are on the high alert in Jammu and Kashmir for the past one week. This has been done, according to the top police sources, in view of reports of the opposition to the Indo-Pakistan summit by various militant groups.

Security has been stepped up around the vital installations like the Secretariat, police headquarters, Doordarshan and Radio Kashmir buildings. According to sources, security of important persons and pockets of the minority communities has been put on high alert.