Srinagar, October 27
Farooq Ahmed Dar, alias Bitta Karate, a top militant of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), was given a warm reception here today on his release from jail after 16 years.

On October 23, a TADA court in Jammu granted bail to Dar, who faces 19 militancy-related cases, after remaining behind bars at the Kot Balwal jail for 16 years. He was arrested by the BSF here on June 22, 1990.

Dar was a top commander of the JKLF when the outfit was underground. The JKLF, which spearheaded the ‘’movement’’ for an independent Kashmir, declared a unilateral ceasefire in 1994 and decided to launch a non-violent movement.

Dar was allegedly instrumental in the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley. Several Kashmiri Pandit organisations, including Panun Kashmir, condemned his release, saying it was a ‘’sad reflection’’ of the Jammu and Kashmir Government’s ‘’internal structures shielding the inhuman enemies of the nation”.

Dar was handed over to his family members before the Id-ul-Fitr on October 25. A rival faction of the JKLF, led by Javed Mir, had decided to give a warm reception to Dar on Friday.

A large number of supporters gathered at his residence at Guru Bazar early this morning and then he was taken in a procession to Eidgah, where he offered “fateha (prayers)” at the graveyard of all those killed since the outbreak of violence in the Kashmir valley in late 1980s.

Later addressing his supporters, Dar said he was happy to be among them after being in jail for about 16 years.

He supported the ongoing peace process in Jammu and Kashmir and said this should continue in the larger interests of the people and the state as well.

The presiding officer of the TADA court, N D Wani had on Monday, ordered that Dar be released from custody forthwith for four months if he furnished a bail bond and personal surety to the tune of Rs 1 lakh each.

He further directed that he should not leave the state without prior permission of the court. The judge observed that the accused had been facing imprisonment for the past 16 years while his co-accused had already been granted bail.

Mr Wani said Dar had been detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) which was earlier quashed by the Supreme Court. The judge said in view of the fact that there was inordinate delay in the framing of charges against the accused, he was forced to languish in jail for years together. — UNI

Jammu, October 27
To provide a stable electricity source in the frontier region of Ladakh, the Centre has asked the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) to prepare a detailed project report for the construction of a 45-MW Nimoo Bazgo hydel project, near Leh.

The project is expected to be constructed at a cost of Rs 761 crore.

Following damage to the Stakna hydel project, only 8.5 mw of electricity was being generated in Ladakh and at times diesel generators were being run to provide electricity to consumers. However, each unit of electricity generated through the diesel generators costs Rs 15.

The Nimoo Bazgo project is expected to be completed within four years after receiving a nod from the Centre.

As the project would be constructed on the waters of the Indus, clearance has already been received from the Indus Water Treaty commission, defence and environment ministries.

Of the total 515 hectares of land required for the project, 434 hectares would submerge. The main components of the project include a 57-metre-high concrete gravity dam and 372-metre-long diversion channel.Justice Sharma heads dispute redressal forum