J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Hold serious talks, separatist leader asks India, Pak
Srinagar, October 11
Senior separatist leader Azam Inquilabi has urged India and Pakistan to initiate a serious dialogue and take the people of Kashmir into confidence for an end to the Kashmir imbroglio, which has claimed a large number of lives on either side over the years.

No plan to topple govt, says PDF leader
Srinagar, October 11
Claiming that the fall of the coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir was imminent, National Conference, the main opposition in the Legislative Assembly is weighing chances of support from different groups to take over the reigns.

6 militants killed in Kashmir
Baramula, October 11
Troops foiled an infiltration bid and shot dead three Jaish-e-Mohammed militants in northern sectors while three more were killed elsewhere in North Kashmir.

Foundation stone of bridge laid
Srinagar, October 11
As part of efforts by the Defence forces to address the problems of the people living in the valley apart from curbing militancy, a foundation stone for the construction of bridge in South Kashmir has been laid by a senior Air Force official to contribute to the economic development of the area.

Major unmarried daughters entitled to maintenance Srinagar, October 11 The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has held that daughters of divorced parents were entitled to maintenance allowance from their father till they were married.

Two dead in Pakistani shelling
Jammu, October 11
Two persons, including a BSF personnel, were killed and five others injured in heavy shelling by Pakistani troops to disrupt the ongoing fencing work along the border in Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said today.

Javed Mir, six supporters get 3-day remand
Srinagar, October 11
JKLF vice-chairman Javid Ahmad Mir and his six supporters, arrested yesterday for violating prohibitory orders by trying to take out a procession against alleged human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir, have been remanded in three days of judicial custody, official sources said today.

Judicial probe in Ghatti incident sought
Jammu, October 11
Thakur Randhir Singh, president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has demanded an independent probe by a judge of the Supreme Court into the fiasco of Pakistan terrorists escaping the Army and the police cordon at Ghatti in Kathua district after killing an SPO and injuring six personnel. 

Probe ordered into boy’s killing
Srinagar, October 11
The Jammu and Kashmir Government today ordered a magisterial probe into the killing of a teenager, allegedly by security personnel in Baramula district on Thursday, which sparked protests by residents.

70-yr-old Pak national held
Jammu, October 11
A 70-year-old Pakistani national, claiming to be a cowherd, was arrested after he “inadvertently strayed” into the Indian territory with four others along the international border in Jammu district, the police said today.

Nine bonded labourers freed
Kathua, October 11
Nine bonded labourers belonging to Rajasthan were freed by the district administration and the police from a brick-kiln in Hiranagar area of Kathua district in Jammu and Kashmir yesterday, official sources said here today.

• Civic bodies poll put off

Hold serious talks, separatist leader asks India, Pak
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, October 11
Senior separatist leader Azam Inquilabi has urged India and Pakistan to initiate a serious dialogue and take the people of Kashmir into confidence for an end to the Kashmir imbroglio, which has claimed a large number of lives on either side over the years.

Addressing a press conference here today, he urged the two countries to forge an alliance against the USA and resolve bilateral issues. He regretted that the powers that be were not "serious in resolving the bilateral issues", adding that the Kashmir dispute involved three parties — India, Pakistan and representatives of Kashmir.

Expressing concern over the sufferings of the people over the past five decades, particularly during the past 14 years, Inquilabi said the time was ripe for initiating a serious dialogue to resolve the issue. He said the Hurriyat Conference was a "bridge between India and Paksitan", and offered to extend all help to resolve the issue.

Referring to the split in the Hurriyat Conference, he said it was an internal matter which could be overcome by mutual understanding.

Inquilabi, chief of the Mahaz-e-Azadi (Independence Front) urged the two countries to be serious in addressing the issue for an end to the loss of human lives.

The turmoil in Kashmir, Inquilabi said, had its impact on the situation throughout the country. Once peace was restored in this region, it would lead to an end to such problems in other parts of the country. He pointed out that the number of militant had declined from 50,000 to 5,000.

No plan to topple govt, says PDF leader
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, October 11
Claiming that the fall of the coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir was imminent, National Conference, the main opposition in the Legislative Assembly is weighing chances of support from different groups to take over the reigns.

This was indicated by the Opposition leader in the Legislative Assembly, a senior National Conference leader and former minister, Ghulam Mohiuddin Shah while answering questions at a press conference here yesterday. Mr Shah was addressing mediapersons two days after an FIR was registered by the State Vigilance Organisation against him for causing loss to the state exchequer.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Forum (PDF) leader and Revenue Minister, Hakeem Yaseen along with his party and ministerial colleagues here today denied any move for a change that could lead to fall of the coalition government. Hakeem Yaseen, addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, was accompanied by his ministerial colleagues, Ghulam Mohiuddin Sofi, who is also the chairman of the forum, Thakur Puran Singh and Raman Mattoo, and some of the other MLAs and others who he claimed had joined the party recently. However, some of his colleagues later referring to the chances of fall of the coalition government due to joining hands with other major parties was a question of “wait and watch”.

There is a severe criticism of the coalition government on various grounds by the National Conference leadership, which however, had been indicating that it was not in a mood to take over the reigns once again after it lost the majority in the last Assembly elections for the first time after a gap of 27 years. The party is the single largest with 28 members in the 87-member House in Jammu and Kashmir. Without getting the support of 16 other members to form the government, it left the field open for the PDP and the Congress which in coalition with two other parties succeeded in determining the majority to form the government.

“There is also a view to topple the government...but I am not in its favour”, said Ghulam Mohiuddin Shah adding that the coalition government had failed and had not come to the expectations of the people. He added that the government would fall “under its own weight”. There are groups like the Peoples Democratic Forum (PDF) of over a dozen members in he House, the Panthers Party of Bhim Singh and to CPM led by M Y Tarigami, which could be reigned in, Mr Shah indicated. These groups comprise the majority support to the coalition government apart from the Congress and the PDP. Referring to the stand taken by another party leader and MLA, Mohammad Dilawar Mir, Mohiuddin Shah said there was no dissent in the party.

6 militants killed in Kashmir

Baramula, October 11
Troops foiled an infiltration bid and shot dead three Jaish-e-Mohammed militants in northern sectors while three more were killed elsewhere in North Kashmir.

A Defence Ministry spokesman said troops of the 11 Jat and 17 Infantry, during their routine patrolling, observed suspicious movement at Chattar Nar near the Line of Control.

When challenged the militants opened fire. Troops also returned the fire killing three militants of the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Meanwhile, official sources said that the security forces killed a militant at Kanthwhile Galy while another was gunned down at Jumagound.

JAMMU: A SPO working with the Rastriya Rifles in Doda district was shot dead by militants on Saturday where an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was detected and defused on Friday night, official sources said here.

Militants intercepted Mohammad Saleem, SPO, at Makrbkote in the Banihal area and shot him dead, the sources said. The ultras fled from the spot and a hunt had been launched to track them down.

A high-powered IED planted by suspected militants was detected by troops of the Rashtriya Rifles on the Doda highway.

Army troops recovered one AK rifle and several Kashmiri shawls during an operation in the Teer-Chansi area of Rajouri district on Thursday night, the sources added.
— Agencies

Foundation stone of bridge laid

Srinagar, October 11
As part of efforts by the Defence forces to address the problems of the people living in the valley apart from curbing militancy, a foundation stone for the construction of bridge in South Kashmir has been laid by a senior Air Force official to contribute to the economic development of the area.

The foundation stone for the two-lane bridge, which will link historical Awantipur town with Pulwama district, was laid by Air Marshal A R Ghandhi yesterday, an official pressnote said.

The bridge would enable unrestricted flow of traffic and contribute to the economic development of the area endowed with abundance of fruit orchards.

The bridge, which will replace the unsafe wodden bridge, will be completed by Project Beacon of the Border Roads organisation within two years, the pressnote said.

The Rs 6 crore funds for the bridge would be taken care by the Indian Air Force, the pressnote said and added that after completion it would be handed over to the state government for maintenance.

Project Beacon was also undertaking contruction of major bridge at Sopore in North Kashmir and four other bridges on Srinagar-Baramula-Uri. — PTI

Major unmarried daughters entitled to maintenance

Srinagar, October 11
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has held that daughters of divorced parents were entitled to maintenance allowance from their father till they were married.

Overruling the judgement of a single Bench of the court that deserted and neglected major daughters were not entitled to any maintenance, a division Bench comprising acting Chief Justice of the high court Mr Justice V.K. Jhanji and Mr Justice Syed Bashir-ud-Din observed “we hold that that major unmarried daughters are entitled to claim maintenance from their fathers in summary proceedings under Section 488 of the CrPC.

Earlier, Mr Justice Y.P. Nargotra on May 29, 2003, held that as certain specific personal laws codified for rest of India and the jurisdiction of family courts do not extend to Jammu and Kashmir, both Hindu and Muslim daughters here were not entitled to maintenance under the provisions of CrPC after attaining maturity. An NGO, Care Concern Forum, taking up the case of deserted and destitute girls, had challenged the single bench judgement.

Two dead in Pakistani shelling

Jammu, October 11
Two persons, including a BSF personnel, were killed and five others injured in heavy shelling by Pakistani troops to disrupt the ongoing fencing work along the border in Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said today.

A civilian, Ishedass, was killed in Karalay village and one Din Mohammad was injured at Balakote in Poonch-Rajouri sector when shells fired from across the border exploded near their houses late last night, they said.

A BSF personnel, Raghubinder, was killed in the firing along the international border while four Army men were injured at a forward defence location in Jangard along the Line of Control, the sources said.

Indian troops retaliated and an exchange of firing continued till this morning.

Civilian areas and defence locations at Kalsian, Jangard, Romlidhara, Karalay, Karmara, Noueshra, Makari, Krishangati, Balakote, Chowki Chore and Laam along the LoC and areas along Samba and R.S. Pura belt were hit by Pakistani shells and firing, the sources said. — PTI

Javed Mir, six supporters get 3-day remand

Srinagar, October 11
JKLF vice-chairman Javid Ahmad Mir and his six supporters, arrested yesterday for violating prohibitory orders by trying to take out a procession against alleged human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir, have been remanded in three days of judicial custody, official sources said today.

Mir was sent to Srinagar Central Jail last evening as per the orders of the District Magistrate, Srinagar.

they were charged under various sections of the IPC for breach of peace, the sources said.

The JKLF leader had in the past been detained a number of times while staging protests, but let off after a few hours.

Mir and his supporters were arrested while protesting against killing of two boys allegedly by security personnel in Baramula and Pulwama districts over the past three days. — PTI

Judicial probe in Ghatti incident sought
Tribune News Service

Jammu, October 11
Thakur Randhir Singh, president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has demanded an independent probe by a judge of the Supreme Court into the fiasco of Pakistan terrorists escaping the Army and the police cordon at Ghatti in Kathua district after killing an SPO and injuring six personnel. Mr Randhir Singh regretted that the members of the Village Defence Committee were ill-equipped and paid a meagre amount by the authorities.

He accused the coalition government of having failed to check infiltration in Kathua district.

He announced the formation of a committee to build a park in memory of the three youths of Ghatti who had laid down their lives while fighting terrorists in the past two years.

He urged the Centre to provide modern weapons to members of the VDCs who were keeping vigil on terrorist activities.

Probe ordered into boy’s killing

Srinagar, October 11
The Jammu and Kashmir Government today ordered a magisterial probe into the killing of a teenager, allegedly by security personnel in Baramula district on Thursday, which sparked protests by residents.

Additional Deputy Commissioner, Baramula, Syed Sharifuddin has been appointed to probe the killing of Riyaz, a class X student and submit a report within 15 days, an official announcement said.

The residents of Yatipora Wattan village alleged the boy was shot dead by security forces without provocation on October 9 evening.

They blocked traffic on the Srinagar-Baramula highway yesterday to protest against the killing. — PTI

70-yr-old Pak national held

Jammu, October 11
A 70-year-old Pakistani national, claiming to be a cowherd, was arrested after he “inadvertently strayed” into the Indian territory with four others along the international border in Jammu district, the police said today.

While four others escaped back to Pakistan, Nawab Din of Sailkote was arrested last night, they said.

Nawab Din claimed that he and the four other cowherds had inadvertently strayed into the Indian territory along with their cattle in the Chinor area yesterday. —PTI

Nine bonded labourers freed

Kathua, October 11
Nine bonded labourers belonging to Rajasthan were freed by the district administration and the police from a brick-kiln in Hiranagar area of Kathua district in Jammu and Kashmir yesterday, official sources said here today.

The Additional Deputy Commissioner, on the directions of the State Human Rights Commission, raided the brick-kiln at Mawa and released all nine bonded labourers, including two women and four children. — PTI 

Civic bodies poll put off

Srinagar, October 11
Elections to the civic bodies in Jammu and Kashmir have been postponed in view of the holy month of Ramzan. The elections have been postponed and the revised schedule will be announced separately, Chief Electoral Officer B.L. Nimesh said in a notification here today. — PTI