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Email tracked by US helped foil attack in Delhi
Panchayat poll by Sept-Oct: Omar
Cops to help CAPD Dept distribute ration
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Govt encouraging migration of minorities from Doda: BJP
10 IAS officers transferred
Patient’s death case
Distance Education: NSF to protest against VC
Suicide Over Eve-teasing
Attack on JDA team
‘Need to curb discrimination against women’
Amarnath Yatra
150 passengers rescued
3 of family drowned
Intrusion bid foiled
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Email tracked by US helped foil attack in Delhi
Srinagar, May 13 Speaking to The Tribune, DGP Kuldeep Khoda said, “An email that had originated from the Kashmir valley and was intercepted by the US intelligence agencies led to the arrest of LeT militant Omar Zargar, who was planning to carry out a terrorist attack in New Delhi.” Interestingly, Omar Zargar, who was supposed to meet a group of other militants in New Delhi on April 26, was arrested by the state police in connection with a stone throwing incident on April 23. However, he was later released as no serious charges were levied against him. “As he was arrested three days ago in connection with stone throwing in the downtown locality, he was later released as there were no serious charges against him. But after the US agencies warned us about the email, he was again arrested,” Khoda said. Asked about the content of the email, the DGP said the email was being accessed and no information about its content could be shared with the media. The email id used by Omar Zargar to keep in touch with other LeT operatives was johan.mary@yahoo.com and the police is trying to trace other email addresses that originated from this email id. Speaking to The Tribune, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said, “The crackdown on youths who were indulging in stone throwing in Kashmir averted a major terrorist activity in New Delhi.” Even though the US had issued a warning of an imminent militant attack in various places across India, this was for the first time that a US intelligence agency shared information with the Kashmir police which led to the arrest of a militant planning to carry out a militant attack in New Delhi. “We are interrogating Zargar and anything more could be said only when all information was extracted from him,” Khoda said. The state police had passed on the information to its counterpart in the National Capital, which is trying to track down others persons who were supposed to help Zargar in carrying out the attack in New Delhi. |
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Panchayat poll by Sept-Oct: Omar
Srinagar, May 13 Addressing the Grand Gram Sabha convention here, Omar said, “His government and the previous governments led by the NC had left no occasion or the forums to advocate compensation to Jammu and Kashmir for losses it had to bear on account of the Indus Water Treaty.” Omar castigated the PDP for shifting its acts of omission and commission on the Indus Water Treaty on the NC. He said the PDP was carrying a false propaganda and shedding crocodile tears to mislead public on the sensitive issue. “When the treaty was signed in 1960 with Pakistan, Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was in prison and the perpetrators were those (PDP leadership) who were now making the noise and pretending to represent public sentiments,” the Chief Minister asserted. Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah said the PDP, the leadership of which had traded the autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir for chair, was now crying hoarse and blowing the trumpet of self rule. “They are responsible for political retrogression in the state,” he said, adding that for power sake they could stoop to any level and spread false stories of any nature. On Central assistance to the state for harnessing solar, water, wind and thermal energy, Farooq said he and his team was here at present to discuss the expansion of new and renewable energy schemes in the state. He said his ministry had sanctioned Rs 500 crore for Leh and Kargil districts for the next three years to harness solar and wind energy sources for generating electricity. Hundreds of crores were also being earmarked for other districts of Jammu and Kashmir in this regard, Farooq added. The Union minister asked people to make the best use of NREGA and other centrally-sponsored schemes aimed at the holistic development of villages and cities and economic prosperity of the people. “The Union government led by Manmohan Singh is keen on helping the state in all fields of development,” he said and asked the state agencies concerned to make the best use of the schemes provided by the
Centre. |
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Cops to help CAPD Dept distribute ration
Jammu, May 13 Due to prevailing dry spell, farmers, after losing three successive crops, are virtually on the verge of starvation and the failure of the authorities to supply adequate ration in the government-run depots has further deteriorated the situation. “We have been waiting for the past one month to get ration from the depot, but to no avail,” said Ravinder Singh of Kathua, who pointed out that adequate ration was not supplied to the depots and due to the wide gap in the demand and supply, a large number of ration card holders were not getting ration. Officials of the CAPD Department also admitted that the situation was worst, but they refused to give any official comment. “We have to seek help of the police to distribute ration as a large number of people turn up regularly to get ration,” a senior CAPD officer said and cautioned that the situation would be further deteriorated in the days to come due to inadequate supply of ration. Two days ago, a heavy contingent of the police was called in to control the people who turned up in a large number to purchase ration from a CAPD-run outlet in ward number of 14 of Kathua town. “Some days ago, a former minister had to intervene to control to the mob which turned up to collect ration from the same depot,” Anil Sharma said. Though the government has been repeatedly claiming that adequate ration is being supplied to ensure availability of food items in the rural areas, a majority of ration card holders are not getting ration from the CAPD depots. The people alleged that ration meant for poor was being sold in the open market with the connivance of depot holders and officials of the CAPD. Furthermore, ration is being supplied to the consumers on the basis of the 2001 census and no step has been taken to tide over the increased demand of ration. “We are getting ration on the basis for old ration cards, but the demand has increased manifold so we are finding it difficult to cope with this problem,” a ration dealer said. Interestingly, the government has claimed that the Centre has agreed to continue 33,000 metric tonnes of foodgrain quote to the state under the Open Market Scheme Domestic (OMSD) category to solve the problem. |
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Govt encouraging migration of minorities from Doda: BJP
Jammu, May 13 Addressing a press conference here, state president of the party Shamsher Singh Manhas, who conducted an extensive tour of Ramban, Kishtwar and Doda districts, alleged that the authorities, as part of a deep-rooted conspiracy, had been deliberately acquiring land belonging to the minority community in the name of development. “During my visit to erstwhile Doda district, a large number of people complained that the authorities have intentionally acquired their agriculture land so as to compel them to migrate from their native place,” he said. Manhas said even in Kishtwar town, the authorities forcefully acquired the land of a member of the minority community to develop a government complex. “When members of the minority community strongly opposed the move, the authorities returned the land,” he said and warned that the BJP would expose the nefarious designs of some elements to displace minorities from this belt. “After forcing the migration of Hindus from the Kashmir valley, some elements are now concentrating on erstwhile Doda district,” he cautioned and alleged a nexus between some officers and anti-national elements. To substantiate his allegations of demoralising the minorities, Manhas said about a month ago, seven shops of the members of minority community were gutted, causing losses worth crores of rupees in the Gulabgarh area of Padder. But not even the tehsildar concerned or any other official from the administration cared to even visit the spot. Manhas also flayed the coalition regime for demoralising members of the village defence committees (VDCs) by not enhancing their wages. “The VDCs have been rendering splendid services in the hilly and far-flung areas where the state police has less or no presence,” he said. “It is due to the VDCs that the people in these areas feel safe and do not migrate,” he added. |
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10 IAS officers transferred
Srinagar, May 13 Pramod Kumar Jain, IAS, joining on the completion of foreign training, has been posted as Financial Commissioner, Revenue, relieving RK Jerath, Principal Secretary, Health and Medical Education, of the additional charge of the post. KB Agarwal, IAS, awaiting order of posting, has been posted as Chairman, J&K Special Tribunal vice Dr Arun Kumar, who is proceeding on study leave. Atal Dulloo, Commissioner-Secretary, Information and Science Technology, has been transferred and posted as Commissioner-Secretary, Department of Tourism and Culture. Umang Narula, Commissioner-Secretary, Rural Development Department, has been transferred and posted as Commissioner-Secretary Industry and Commerce, while Shaleen Kabra, IAS, at present on leave and awaiting orders of posting, has been posted as Managing Director, J&K State Power Development Corporation. Tanveer Jehan, Secretary Transport, has been posted as Secretary Higher Education, and will be joining her new place of posting on the retirement of NK Verma May end. Yedullah, Secretary Cooperative Department, has been transferred as Secretary Rural Development Department, while Abdul Hamid Wani, Labour Commissioner, has been posted as Secretary Cooperative Department. Sunita Sharma, Additional Commissioner in the Office of Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, has been transferred as Member of the J&K Special Tribunal, (Jammu Bench) against vacancy while Shahid Anayatullah has been posted as Labour Commissioner. Parvez Ahmed Malik, Special Secretary, Higher Education, has been transferred as Director, CAPD, Jammu. Hemant Kumar Sharma, Director, CAPD, Jammu, has been posted as Special Secretary Higher Education, while Mehraj-ud-din Keno, Director, CAPD, Kashmir, has been posted as Director, Handicrafts. Showkat Ahmed Zargar, Director handicrafts has been transferred and posted as Director Safeguard, ERA and would also hold the charge of post of Director Institutional Reforms, ERA in addition to his own duties. Faqir Chand Bhagat , Additional DDC Reasi, has been transferred and posted as Director Local Bodies Jammu. Khurshid Ahmad Bhat, Director Local Bodies, Jammu has been transferred and posted as Special Secretary, Planning and Development. Abdul Wahid Tak, Additional DDC, Anantnag has been transferred and posted as Director, CA&PD Kashmir. Ishtiyaq Ahmad Hamal, Managing Director, Housing Board, has been transferred as Joint Development Commissioner Works. Dalip Thusoo, awaiting orders of posting in the GAD, has been posted as MD, Housing Board. SA Tak has been transferred as MD, JK Handicrafts Corporation, while IA Khan has been transferred as Project Chief, IWD Project, while Vinond Ranjan, Chairman, Pollution Control Board, has been posted as Director, Forest Protection Force. Pritam Chand, Project Chief of IWD Project, has been transferred as Chief Wildlife Warden. Lal Chand, Director Forest Protection Force has been posted as Chairman, Pollution Control Board in his own pay and grade. |
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Patient’s death case
Jammu, May 13 The complainant claimed Rs 50 lakh as compensation for her mother’s death allegedly due to doctor’s negligence. “The medical practitioner is not liable to be held negligent because he failed to decide the best course of treatment,” the commission ruled. The complainant’s mother was allegedly convinced by a hospital agent to get herself operated upon in the hospital when the employees of the Government Medical College and Hospital were on strike. The patient consulted Dr BK Parihar, who advised her to undergo surgery immediately. On June 15, 2005, some tests required before administering anaesthesia were not performed. The patient deposited an advance payment of Rs 10,000 while a receipt of only Rs 6,000 was given to her. The patient was taken to the operating theatre on June 16 at 11 am and her relatives were told that it would take them half an hour to perform the operation. But she was kept in the operating theatre till 1:30 pm and later she was taken to the Government Medical College Hospital, Jammu, where she was declared brought dead. No doctor from that hospital accompanied the patient in the ambulance. While dismissing the complaint, the commission held: “There is no iota of evidence to hold that the patient died because of negligence on the part of doctors or because of professional incompetence of grave nature. Rather, the evidence of two independent enquiries conducted on behalf of the government has exonerated the doctors.” “In the absence of any record or cogent reason, the commission cannot substitute its opinion by overstating the proved facts of the case. In this view, we have come to the conclusion that the complainant has failed to prove the allegations made in the complaint, which is accordingly dismissed,” it ruled. |
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Distance Education: NSF to protest against VC
Jammu, May 13 He said if the VC failed to maintain accountability in the functioning of the department, the NSF would hold a protest. Sharma further alleged that the director, Distant Education, had not been able to provide quality education to students and had misused university funds. Meanwhile, Ravi Chowdhary, senior leader of the NSF, raised the issues of students who suffered due to prevalent mismanagement in the Directorate of Distance Education (DDE) of the university. While criticising the Director and Joint Director of DDE for being unable to overhaul the system of the DDE, Chowdhary said a lot of funds were collected from students and a part from this were give by the central agencies but there was no financial accountability regarding the utilisation of fund. |
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Police Post on Varsity Campus
Jammu, May 13 For the third consecutive day, students held a rally on the campus and raised slogans in favour of their demand for the removal of the police post. Later, the students gathered outside the central library and pledged to jointly fight against the presence of the police on the campus under the banner of SSCAPP. On the occasion, the president of the People’s Democratic Student Front, Sheil Khan, stressed upon the students to demonstrate unity in their thought and action. He appealed to civil society to come forward and support the student community against the “dictatorial” attitude of the Vice-Chancellor. Others who addressed the gathering included president of the Jammu University Research Scholars Executive Association Rakesh Chib, secretary of the Progressive Students Association Rozi and an executive member of the Student Scholar Joint Action Committee, Varinder Singh Chib. |
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Suicide Over Eve-teasing
Barolla (Udhampur), May 13 Neeru would have celebrated her 16th birthday yesterday, but her house was reverberating with the cries of her family members and relatives. She allegedly committed suicide at her residence by consuming some poisonous substance on May 4. In her suicide note, she stated that she was intimidated, harassed and chased by Shahbaz. Neeru and Shahbaz studied in Higher Secondary School, Barolla. Both belonged to different communities, which added to the tension in the village, forcing round-the-clock police deployment for the past 10 days. The police swung into action only after strenuous protests by area residents and activists of a Jammu-based NGO and the boy was booked and arrested on May 7. However, the struggle is not over as the activists and the family of Neeru fear that the accused would be let off soon. Rahul, president of the NGO, said earlier also the boy had been tormenting others, but no action was taken against him as his relatives were quite influential. The tragedy could have been averted if the faculty had ensured strict action against the “eve-teaser” branded as “school bully”, Shahbaz Ahmed, when he allegedly assaulted the vice-principal of the school in August last year. He also caused extensive damage to school infrastructure, roughed up fellow students and teachers. “This incident could have been averted had action been taken against the accused at that time. Everyone was mute over the humiliation of teachers. What followed was inevitable,” schoolteacher Gopal Krishan told The Tribune. Jattu Ram, who recently took over as the principal of the school, said: “I was aware of his misconduct. We have denied him entry into the school, but to reform the boy we allowed him to appear in Class X exam last month.” |
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Attack on JDA team
Jammu, May 13 The team of JDA officials, which had gone to demarcate a piece of land at Bachan Sales Depot yesterday, was attacked by some employees of the
SFC. While the JDA has claimed to having earmarked 130 kanals for carving out plots at Bachan Sales Depot, the SFC has been staking its claim over the land. When the JDA officials reached there, the SFC employees allegedly threw stones at them and attacked them with rods. The JDA employees lodged a written complaint at Trikuta Nagar police station in this regard. Acting on the complaint, the police arrested some SFC employees, including their union leader CK Sudan. The SFC employees also lodged a counter FIR against the JDA officials for encroaching upon their land. The police granted bail to the employees of both departments against whom the complaints had
been lodged. |
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‘Need to curb discrimination against women’
Srinagar, May 13 She was delivering an extension lecture on “Need for gender sensitisation among teachers” organised by the Department of Students’ Welfare in collaboration with the Women’s Studies Centre and the Institute of Home Science, Kashmir University. Rajput asked the participants to move from what she termed as “a welfare approach” to “a development approach” where women are contributors to social and economic development than merely being beneficiaries. She said, “For this both men and women need to be equally involved. Within universities and colleges, we need to carry out a gender analysis, gender planning and subsequently budgeting to curb most of our social problems, including discrimination against women.” Rajput asked Kashmir University to take a lead in creating an atmosphere free of gender discrimination. She stressed on the need to amend statutes and policies to make them more gender sensitive. In his presidential address, Prof Riyaz Punjabi, Vice-Chancellor of Kashmir University, said, “The very fact that the university has a woman as Dean Students Welfare is an indicator that we are serious to tread path of empowering women at all levels.” Prof Nilofer Khan, Dean Students’ Welfare, spoke about the importance of event saying the department was committed to making the varsity environs gender sensitive. “This lecture is an effort to highlight the involvement of teachers in gender sensitisation programmes.” |
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Amarnath Yatra
Srinagar, May 13 The Governor, who is also the chairman of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, stressed the need for timely putting in place all required security related arrangements and called for securing greater synergy among government departments, security forces, the shrine board and other agencies concerned. Various issues like the enforcement of an effective access control system at both base camps, effective traffic regulation, deployment of mountain rescue teams on the Sheshnag route, setting up of joint control rooms and disaster management centres etc. were discussed in the meeting. Finance Commissioner (Home) Verghese Samuel, DGP Kuldeep Khoda, Corps Commander, 15 Corps, Lt-Gen NC Marwah and Additional DGP, CID, K. Rajendra also attended the meeting. |
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150 passengers rescued
Srinagar, May 13 The police said information was received that about 150 passengers, who were traveling from Kokernag to Kishtwar and Kishtwar to Kokernag in 17 passenger vehicles, were stranded. A joint party of the police and the GREF was dispatched towards Simthan Top for a rescue operation. The passengers were rescued by the joint party.
— TNS |
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3 of family drowned
Jammu, May 13 According to the police, Tara Chand, 40, along with his family and cattle, had gone to the hilltop. While grazing in the mountains, two sheep slipped and fell into the pond. Tara Chand, while trying to rescue the sheep, also fell into the pond. His wife Vimla Devi also jumped into the pond to save her husband. As her parents were crying for help, 14-year-old Anju was also drowned in the pond while trying to rescue them. Villagers, after getting information about the incident, rushed to the spot but failed to save them. Later all three bodies were fished out of the pond. |
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Intrusion bid foiled
Jammu, May 13 Although senior officers of the BSF are tight-lipped about the incident, sources said during patrolling last night, jawans observed the movement of some persons near the zero line. When asked to surrender, the infiltrators started firing on the jawans. The jawans retaliated and forced the infiltrators to flee back. A search operation was launched in the RS Pura sector early this morning, which continued till evening. |
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School founder’s birth anniversary
Jammu, May 13 A “havan puja” was organised on the school premises and after the “puran ahuti”, students, staff and all invitees were served lunch. Speaking on the occasion, Haridaya Nand Giri, a saint, threw light on the works of
Mengi. |
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Srinagar, May 13
