Srinagar, March 24
Going by the rescheduled visit of UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, the flagging off of the inaugural bus to Muzaffarabad from here on April 7 is going to be a political function.

Ms Gandhi, according to party sources, will most probably be accompanying Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The matter is being considered and a final decision would be taken by tomorrow, the sources said.

Ms Gandhi was expected to visit J&K on March 29. Her earlier itinerary included a public meeting at the border town of Uri on March 29, besides some functions in the valley.

The National Conference president and MP, Mr Omar Abdullah, said: “It is up to the Central Government whether it wants to make it a national occasion or a political occasion”. He said if it was not an official function, the two main coalition partners, the Congress and the PDP would “extract maximum political benefit out of it”. He had already conveyed his party’s views on the issue to the Prime Minister.

Mr Omar Abdullah had hailed the decision on the bus service and the entry permit system.

The PDP is seeing it as a political occasion and is crediting itself with the initiative by erecting a memorial at Uri to commemorate those who “sacrificed their lives” for the cause on April 8 last year. At least 14 persons had lost their lives while several others, including two ministers, were injured in an explosion at a PDP rally in support of the opening of the road at Uri on April 8 last year.

The State Road Transport Corporation is already in possession of the decorated four 19-seater buses that would ply between Srinagar and the LoC. The two sides have also exchanged the list of passengers. Work is also going on the 18-km stretch between Uri and the Kaman bridge that links the two sides.

There has been a heavy rush of people eager to get application forms to travel by the bus to Muzaffarabada to meet their family members. The forms were issued on March 4 and against the applications, only 63 were submitted to the authorities concerned here. The second phase of the issuance of 500 applications was completed between March 21 and 23. Separate counters were set up at the district headquarters of Baramula and Kupwara.

Srinagar, March 24
Militants shot dead the brother of the Minister of State for Home, Mr Abdul Rahman Veeri, in the Beijbehara area of Anantnag district this evening.

Elsewhere, at least six persons, including four civilians and a militant, were killed in separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday.

The police said the militants fired upon Mohammad Akram Bhat (Veeri) and Noor Mohammad at Zeeripora, Beijbehera, about 45 km from here, on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway at about 5.55 pm. Mohammad Akram Bhat, brother of the minister, died on the spot while Noor Mohammad received bullet injuries. He was rushed to the SMHS hospital here in a serious condition.

The incident created panic as the police and security forces immediately cordoned off the area. Shopkeepers downed the shutters immediately after the incident.

Meanwhile, Abu Bilal Afghani of the Lashkar-e-Toiba was killed in an encounter with the police and security forces in the Basantgarh area of Udhampur in Jammu yesterday. One AK magazine, 12 rounds, one grenade and some documents were recovered from the site of the encounter.

The militants kidnapped and shot Mohammad Amin Lone and Hilal Ahmad Lone in Bakhipora Panzla village in Baramula district last night.

Mumtaz Ahmad Lone of Arin Dardpora was shot by unidentified gunmen in Bandipore (Baramula) yesterday, the police said.

Gulzar Ahmad was shot by the militants at Wahipora in Pulwama district last night.

The police recovered an unidentified body of a man at Deeth Nag Achchabal in Anantnag district today.