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Wednesday,
January 1, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Govt committed to providing ‘healing touch’
Mufti lifts ban on
transfers New party heads change political face JKLF leader acquitted
of Director’s murder |
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Captain, three militants killed in encounter
Probe into murder of retired BSF officer, kin Qureshi not allowed to go abroad Katiyar
fails to appear in court J&K
sacks 201 doctors J&K Budget on Feb 24 Army-built road opened
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Govt committed to providing ‘healing touch’ Jammu, December 31 The Mufti, wishing the people of the state a Happy New Year, said his government would “continue to strive for peace and uplift of the people in the next year.” He said: “I am sure good governance and the redress of people’s grievances will motivate the youth to bid farewell to the gun.” He said he had repeatedly appealed to the misguided youth to realise that the gun was no solution and problems and issues could be resolved through
dialogue. The Chief Minister said the coalition government “has embarked on a mission to wipe out the tears of those who have suffered during the traumatic phase of militancy.” He appealed to the people to cooperate with the government and said that the political scenario was witnessing a change with the Central government announcing its willingness to hold a result-oriented dialogue with the elected representatives and others without and condition. |
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Mufti lifts ban on
transfers Jammu, December 31 Soon after coming to power, the Mufti had imposed a ban on the general transfer of employees. However, he came under tremendous pressure of the ministers and other functionaries of the ruling coalition to shuffle certain officers. The ministers had been complaining that their powers were truncated due to the imposition of the ban and there was no impact of the new government on the administration. The government had recently ordered a shuffle of IAS officers and some middle-rung IPS officers. An
order of the state government this evening said that transfers and
postings can now be effected in exceptional cases in the interest of
the administration with the prior approval of the minister in charge. |
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New party heads change political face Jammu, December 31 This was followed by Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad being installed as resident of the Pradesh Congress Committee. Dr Nirmal Singh replaced Mr D.K. Kotwal who had been continuing even after his term was over an year ago. The PDP-Congress coalition formed the government on November 2 soon after Mufti Mohammad Sayeed handed over the reins of the PDP to Mr Muzaffar Hussain Beig, Finance Minister and upheld the one man one post principle. Dr Farooq Abdullah installed Mr Omar Abdullah as the National Conference Chief in June last with the hope that he would succeed him as the Chief Minister. However, the fractured verdict of the electorate kept him out of power. New year will test the organisational capabilities of Mr Omar Abdullah, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, Dr Nirmal Singh and Mr Muzaffar Hussain Beig. Abdullah helped the party to emerge as the single largest party in the 87-member Assembly during his four-month stewardship. Mr Azad has won the accolades for winning 20 seats in the Assembly. Mr Beig has to widen his base in the Jammu region. He has the stamina and skill, but will he be able to spare time. Dr Nirmal Singh has the backing of the RSS will the university professor be able to do the balancing act between the warring BJP and RSS leaders? |
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JKLF leader acquitted of Director’s murder Jammu, December 31 Acquitting Bakshi yesterday, Presiding Officer of the court P.N. Razdan observed that the main witness in the case failed to support the CBI version. Taking serious note of the investigation conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation, it noted that A.K. Suri then Superintendent of Police, CBI, who was in Delhi, briefed the investigating officer regarding the confessional statement of Bakshi and that the I.O. never met Bakshi or made any inquiry from him till the presentation of challan. Bakshi, after remaining behind bars since 1990 was released on bail last month. In his judgement Razdan noted that according to the prosecution, Koul’s driver Abdul Ahad who drove him home on the fateful day from his office was the main witness to his killing by two persons who fired at him before he entered his house. The TADA court further observed that the CBI had based its stand on a confessional statement by Bakshi that was recorded by a Judicial Magistrate in Jammu. However, it noted that the statement was written by the Judicial Magistrate and the circumstances in which the accused was brought before the court were “suspicious.” The court had directed the CBI to take the accused to the judicial lock-up but the CBI took him to the JIC, Jammu to “create influence on the accused for a confessional statement,” it held. The TADA court acquitted Bakshi holding that the CBI failed to prove the case against him. According to the prosecution, Abdul Ahad in his complaint at Parimpora police station, Srinagar on February 13, 1990 stated that he drove Koul to his residence. While Koul was waiting at the door, suddenly two young boys appeared and fired him. Koul was taken to the government hospital where he was declared dead. A case under Section 302-120 of the IPC 2/3 of TADA and 3/25 of the Indian Arms Act was registered.
PTI |
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Captain, three militants killed in encounter Jammu, December 31 Official sources said that acting on a tip-off that some militants were hiding at Marha Kalaali, troops launched an operation to flush them out. As the personnel reached their target area, the militants fired upon them. In the gun battle that followed, three militants were shot dead. One Army Captain and a woman Naseem Akhtar also lost their lives in the encounter. One jawan and three other women were wounded, sources added. The encounter was continuing when reports last came in, sources said and added that the identity of the killed militants was not known. Two militants were killed in an encounter at Bandipora in north Kashmir late last night during a search operation, sources said. A security force jawan also lost his life in the clash, they said. Two AK rifles and other arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militants. In another encounter, a militant was killed by security forces at Kandimarg in Kulgam area of south Kashmir Anantnag district, the sources said, adding the details of the incident were awaited as the security forces were sifting through the scene of the encounter. At Bugam in Kulgam area also, militants opened fire on the house of a CPM activist, Ali Mohammad Koka, but there was no loss of life or property, they said. Late last night, militants hurled a grenade at a BSF camp in Nawab Bazar area of downtown Srinagar injuring a jawan and two civilians, the sources said. Militants opened fire on an unidentified target at Nowgam Lasjan area but there was no loss of life or property reported in the incident, they said. In an unrelated incident, seven makeshift stalls were burnt in a fire last evening near Naaz Cinema at Hazuri Bagh area of the city, the sources said. The cause of fire is being investigated. An unidentified gunmen today shot dead a property dealer, and injured his driver at Channi Himmat locality, on the outskirts of the city, police sources said. Some gunmen fired bullets from pistols and revolvers at 11 am today when Choudhary Noor Mohammad was going by a car from the Channi Himmat area. Mohammad succumbed to his injuries on way to hospital, while his driver Liquat Ali was being operated on for his bullet wounds in government medical college hospital here. The assailants fled after committing the crime, they said, adding police is investigating into the incident. SRINAGAR: A foreign militant was killed in an encounter with security forces at Chhechian in Poonch district today. Some arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militant. The police recovered the body of Noor Hussain from Gurjan forests in Rajouri district yesterday. He was abducted by suspected militants a day before. |
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Probe into murder of retired BSF officer, kin Jammu, December 31 The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Jammu, Mr Suresh Kumar Sharma, has been appointed inquiry officer, according to an order issued by the government yesterday. The inquiry officer will submit his report to the government within a period of one month. The appointment of the officer has been made with the concurrence of the Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. The probe officer will identify the persons involved in the incident, fix responsibility and recommend whatever action is deemed necessary against those involved. He has also been asked to suggest remedial measures, if any, to ensure that such incidents do not happen again. Mr Pritam Singh, his wife Satwinder Kaur and daughter Gurwinder Kaur were killed on December 3 in Ajeet Nagar in the city.
PTI |
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Qureshi not allowed to go abroad Srinagar, December 31 District and Sessions Judge Hakeem Imtiyaz while admitting Qureshi’s plea set the next date for hearing on January 8 allowing him to appeal in the state high court against the charges framed against him last week. Qureshi’s request for permission to go abroad from January 10 to February 20 next year for medical treatment and in connection with his business in Europe was turned down as the prosecution feared that he may not return if allowed to leave the country. Qureshi returned to India last year and surrendered to authorities after serving a jail term in Pakistan and spending nearly two decades in Europe. “I will give the decision on the issue on January 17 and till then the accused cannot leave the country,” the Judge said. Qureshi’s counsel argued that the prosecution fears that he may not return if allowed to go abroad were baseless as he had come back on his own and the government had made no efforts in this connection. He also pleaded that if senior People’s League leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz, Farida Behenji of Mass Movement and JKLF chairman Mohammad Yaseen Malik were allowed to leave the country for various reasons despite serious cases against them, Qureshi should be allowed to leave the country for the stated period for a medical check up and income tax clearance in Europe.
PTI |
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Katiyar fails to appear in court Srinagar, December 31 The Principal District Judge, Srinagar, Hakeem Imtiyaz, has issued fresh summons as the accused failed to appear before the court today. The summons is to be sent through Speed-Post to the accused in accordance with provisions of the Criminal Penal Code, the judge said. The court had earlier issued summons to Katiyar taking cognisance of the two complaints filed by the Kashmir Bar Association and a journalist Imadad Saqi, on March 16, alleging that the BJP leader had made some objectionable remarks against the holy relic placed in the Hazratbal shrine here. The alleged remarks were published in a daily here.
PTI |
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J&K
sacks 201 doctors Jammu, December 31 The Health Department said it had sacked 137 medical practitioners from the Kashmir valley and 64 from the Jammu region. They have been absent since the 1990’s, thereby hiting the health services. Most of those sacked were deployed in the rural areas.
UNI |
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J&K Budget on Feb 24 Jammu, December 31 It will be the first time that the state Budget is going to be presented before the Central Budget”, the sources said. The assembly session is likely to begin on February 20, the sources added.
PTI |
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Army-built road opened Srinagar, December 31 Kalgai village is located in rugged mountains, about 8 km away from Uri, towards the Line of Control. The villagers earlier had to travel on foot to reach the National Highway, IA, connecting it with Uri town. Speaking at the inaugural function, the commander said: “We will continue doing such projects with zeal and dedication.”. UNI |
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Property dealer killed Jammu, December 31 |
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Economic Adviser to J&K Govt Jammu, December 31 The appointment has been made for one year. Dr Drabu will help the government in resource mobilisation and improving the fiscal health of the state. |
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