Srinagar, September 19
While the situation remained peaceful in the Kashmir valley amid the curfew today, three persons injured in clashes with the police at different places succumbed to their injuries in hospitals last night.

Two of the injured undergoing treatment at the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, here succumbed to their injuries last night,the police said. One of them, Mohammad Amin Ganai, was injured in clashes at Tappar in the Pattan area of Baramulla district on Friday while the other ,Shabir Ahmad Dar of Lider Mund, Pulwama, had sustained injuries in clashes at Sangam in the Bijbehara area of Anantnag district on Thursday.The third,Bilal Ahmad Najar, president of the Anantnag district youth wing of the PDP, who was injured in clashes at Nai Basti in Anantnag yesterday, also succumbed to his injuries in hospital here.

A police spokesman said the situation was peaceful throughout the valley today, while the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway and the Srinagar-Uri Road were open to traffic.

The curfew continued in Srinagar,Budgam, Chadoora and Charar-e-Shrief in Budgam and in the main towns of Ganderbal and Kangan in Ganderbal district of central Kashmir.The restrictions also remained in force in Anantnag, Bijbehara, Kulgam, Qoimoh, Pulwama, Kakapora, Litter Pulwama, Shopian, Awantipora, Lethpora, Pampore, Kunzer, Tangmarg, Pattan, Baramulla, Delina, Pahalgam, Tapper Pattan, Sopore, Kralpora, Trehgam, Kupwara, Handwara, Chotipora, Kulangam, Bandipora and Sumbal.

Meanwhile, the police said that security forces complying with the orders of the respective District Magistrates had imposed restrictions under Section 144 to bring the situation under control, minimise casualties and ensure the provision of essential commodities. All the SHOs had been instructed to ensure that medicines were made available to people.

Srinagar, September 19
A woman bystander was killed today when security forces opened fire to disperse a mob of protesters at Sopore in the Kashmir valley.

A mob started hurling stones at security personnel in the apple town of Sopore, 55 km from here late this evening, official sources said. The security forces first used batons and tear-gas shells to disperse the mob but when it did not budge they fired warning shots.

A 25-year-old woman, identified as Mobina, who was standing on the first floor balcony of her house, was hit by a stray bullet. She was rushed to a hospital in a critical condition where she was declared dead on arrival, they said.

Elsewhere in the Valley, the curfew continued in major towns even as three persons injured in clashes with the police at different places succumbed to their injuries in hospitals last night.

Two of the injured undergoing treatment at the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, here succumbed to their injuries last night, the police said. One of them, Mohammad Amin Ganai, was injured in clashes at Tappar in the Pattan area of Baramulla district on Friday while the other, Shabir Ahmad Dar of Lider Mund, Pulwama, had sustained injuries in clashes at Sangam in the Bijbehara area of Anantnag on Thursday. The third, Bilal Ahmad Najar, president of the Anantnag district youth wing of the PDP, who was injured in clashes at Nai Basti in Anantnag yesterday, also succumbed to his injuries in hospital here.

A police spokesman said the situation was peaceful throughout the Valley today, while the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway and the Srinagar-Uri Road were open to traffic.

The curfew continued in Srinagar, Budgam, Chadoora and Charar-e-Shrief in Budgam and in the main towns of Ganderbal and Kangan in Ganderbal district of central Kashmir. The restrictions also remained in force in Anantnag, Bijbehara, Kulgam, Qoimoh, Pulwama, Kakapora, Litter Pulwama, Shopian, Awantipora, Lethpora, Pampore, Kunzer, Tangmarg, Pattan, Baramulla, Delina, Pahalgam, Tapper Pattan, Sopore, Kralpora, Trehgam, Kupwara, Handwara, Chotipora, Kulangam, Bandipora and Sumbal.

Jammu, September 19
After diarrhoea, jaundice, typhoid and viral fever can afflict Doda district in the coming days.

This was predicted by a special investigation team of the Union Ministry for Health and Family Welfare that visited Doda in the beginning of this month after the outbreak of waterborne diseases, in its final report submitted to the Health Department.

The team of three experts from New Delhi comprising Joint Director, NICD, Joint Director, NCDC, and a clinical expert from Safdarjang Hospital had visited Doda from August 30 to September 1 to assess the emergent situation.

The experts had taken along with them the old formula-based ORS sachets being used in the district hospital for examination.

They noted that in the event of the outbreak of a disease, daily recording of cases, besides details like name of the patient, age, sex, address, DOA and diagnosis, was mandatory.

However, the expert panel found that the records maintained at District Hospital Doda were sketchy and not amenable for a detailed review or analysis.

Also, there was an overuse of antibiotics and fluids with inadequate stress on the ORS, the report added.

“In view of incessant rains in Doda during the past two months, people should have been educated through an effective campaign regarding sanitation, hygiene, chlorination or boiling of drinking water, etc, at the family level in each village and ward. Had the information been disseminated well in time by the health department workers, the number of diarrhoea and cholera patients could have reduced to the minimal,” the report maintained. 

Jammu, September 19
With the situation largely under control,the curfew was relaxed for two hours in Mendhar and for 12 hours in Poonch today. The police thawarted an attempt of some youths to march to the tehsil headquarters in Mendhar.

Reports said the youths assembled near Harnai in the Ari area in the morning,but were dispersed by the police and the security forces. In Poonch city, the curfew was relaxed for 12 hours from 8 a.m to 8 p.m.

However, the curfew restrictions continued in Mendhar tehsil on the 5th day today.

At the tehsil headquarters in Mendhar, senior officials of the local administration, including the District Development Commissioner and the Additional SP, held a meeting with prominent citizens this evening.At the meeting,members of different communities put forth their opinions. 

Gigrayal (Khour block), September 19
The Jammu police is trying to unravel the mystery behind the shocking incident of setting on fire of three females of this border village. While two of them died in the hospital, the third, a teenager, is stated be critical.

Krishna Devi (55), her daughter, Rajni (20), and a neighbour’s daughter, Kajal (13), were set on fire on the midnight of September 1 by some unidentified persons when the three were sleeping in the open verandah of Krishna’s house.

Krishna and Rajni suffered nearly 50 per cent burns and died in Government Hospital, Jammu, yesterday. Kajal is still undergoing treatment with 25 per cent burns, but her condition is critical.

The miscreants first sprinkled petrol on them but none of the victims could wake up in time to prevent the gory attack. Surprisingly, two sons of Krishna Devi, 24-year-old Gurdial and 17-year-old Tilak Raj, who were sleeping on two different cots nearby were not attacked and did not wake up till the women were engulfed in flames.

The boys claimed they did not see any one running away. The police noticed that the boys’ hands were not burnt as usually happens when some one tries to douse a fire.

With theories like robbery, personal enmity and land dispute not providing any successful leads in the 18 days of investigation, the cops believe it could be a case of honour killing or the handiwork of some mad men who committed the crime withut any motive. The sustained questioning of boys has not provided any clue so far about whether their sister had an affair or there was some dispute in the family.

“There is absolutely no clue so far. We are zeroing in on the possibility of honour killing as the main motive. A young girl is targeted because of illicit relations or inter-caste love affair,” said SHO, Khour police station, Rakesh Akram.

Gurdial, the elder son of the deceased, said the police was trying to implicate them in the case. “I and my brother woke up hearing the cries of my mother and others. We poured water on them and later made them sit under the hand pump. By that time the entire village had reached,” said Gurdial

The family is poor.It lives in a small plot having two thatched huts, one used as living room and another as the kitchen.

“We are poor landless labourers dependent on daily wages,” added Gurdial.

Villagers acknowledge it was the most shocking as well as weird incident. They said there was some unpleasant talk about the young girl but nothing was there to confirm it. Some of the villagers, wishing not to be named, said the girl’s younger brother had recently gone on a Sadbhawna trip sponsored by the Army. The police insists the brothers are the prime suspects. “We would call them for questioning soon. This is not the opportune time due to the death of their sister and mother, ” said the police.

Srinagar, September 19
The police firing in the Mendhar area of Poonch district that killed three persons during a violent protest against an alleged act of sacrilege on September 15 was actually a case of revenge killing.

“A Personal Security Officer (PSO) of the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) who opened fire at a mob actually did so to take revenge,” a source who is part of the investigation team told The Tribune.

The source said the PSO, Rajesh Kumar Sharma, who was later booked, opened fire after he spotted one of the protesters, Shamim Ahmed. “Three years ago, Rajesh’s brother, Rakesh, was killed by militants in Bomla village in Poonch district.His family had alleged that Rakesh was killed by Shamim, but in the absence of any proof, no action was taken,” said the source.

The police had earlier said that it had opened fire to disperse a stone-throwing mob that was going to torch a school.On September 15 when the mob gathered in the Dhar Bathoon area of Mendhar, the police apprehended that it was going to burn the school and a heavy contingent was deployed there.

Rajesh was given a job in the police department after the killing of his brother.

Udhampur, September 19
District Development Commissioner, Udhampur, Baseer Ahmed Khan has given a nod to set up complaint cells at all tehsils of the district, which will inform and advice the district administration on various public welfare issues.

The decision was taken at the maiden meeting of the recently constituted Citizens Advisory Council (CAC), which was chaired by Khan, here today. The step is significant as it aims at redressing public grievances as well as promoting peace, security and harmony with the cooperation of public representatives, especially in the backdrop of recent demonstrations organised in the Jammu region over the alleged desecration of a holy book.

SSP, Udhampur, Surinder Gupta, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Rajinder Singh, district officers of various departments and members of the Citizen Advisory Council, belonging to various political parties, trade and business administration and NGOs, were present in the meeting.

Addressing the meeting, the DDC appreciated people of Udhampur for showing the highest degree of responsibility for protecting and maintaining the age-old tradition of communal harmony and brotherhood at all levels. However, he asked them to be vigilant about the nefarious designs of the anti-social elements and not to pay heed to rumours created by miscreants for disturbing the peaceful atmosphere in the district.

Khan said timely feedback to the administration at the tehsil and district levels by members of the committee on the matters of public welfare would go a long way in redressing the grievances and maintaining social and communal harmony. For the purpose, he asked members to interact with people in their respective areas to know their basic problems for meaningful solution.

To improve the work culture in the government offices and to register the public grievances, complaint cells would be setup at each tehsil headquarters soon under the supervision of the tehsildar concerned, who would in turn submit the complaints to the office of DDC for taking appropriate action on weekly basis.

“But your inputs should be based on the facts and figures,” the DDC told the council members.

Appreciating the decision of the administration for constituting the CAC for Udhampur district, all members assured the administration for extending their full support in maintaining the secular ethos and peace in the district.

Jammu, September 19
MLA, Doda, Abdul Majid Wani today urged the state government to order a high-level probe into the healthcare-related expenditures incurred in Doda district during the last five years.

The MLA appealed to the Health Minister to seriously look into all aspects of the report submitted by the special investigation team from the Union Ministry for Health and Family Welfare.

“Despite the release of crores of rupees by the Centre for the Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP) in the state, the IDSP unit is apparently non-existent in Doda,” he said.

“The IDSP is an important tool for integrating and strengthening the disease surveillance at the state and district levels, to improve and upgrade laboratory support and providing training for disease surveillance and action. A strong action should be taken against the officers responsible for misuse of the Central funds and delay in establishment of the IDSP unit in Doda.”

“Even after the recent experience of epidemic of diarrhoea and cholera in the Doda constituency, the district health system has failed,” the MLA said.

“The poor healthcare delivery system along with irresponsible attitude of employees of the Public Health Engineering Department and the Municipal Committee Doda was responsible for the outbreak of diarrhoea/cholera in Doda,” he added.

The MLA said apart from the administrative chaos in District Hospital, Doda, an acute shortage of medical staff was a matter of serious concern. “Had it not been the timely help provided by the Army and other agencies by deployment of their medical and paramedical staff at the district hospital for containing the spread of epidemic, the situation could have been even worse and could have gone out of control.”

He also appealed to PHE Minister Taj Mohi-ud-Din for immediately deputing a quality control team along with a trained chemical engineer to all remote villages located in Bharath, Gundana, Bhagwah and Ghat blocks of the Doda constituency for testing water quality of natural springs, streams and handpumps.

People in these areas are habitual of drinking “natural spring water” which is usually considered to be pure and full of minerals. But due to the incessant rains, water in these natural springs along with other sources have got contaminated with with filth, manure, dead animals’ carcasses and other human/natural waste, resulting in the outbreak of the epidemic.

Remedial measures, thus suggested by the chemical engineer on basis of these tests, shall definitely reduce chances for recurrence of waterborn diseases in the constituency.

The district PHE staff should be made more accountable and all technical staff, including linemen and daily wagers, should be provided training for “bacteriological analysis of water”. A fully equipped “water testing lab” should be immediately set up at all PHE subdivisions in Doda district.

Srinagar, September 19
The state government has extended an invitation to separatists, trade union organisations and representatives of the civil society to participate in discussions with an all-party delegation which is arriving here from New Delhi tomorrow.

Disclosing this, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Rural Development and Panchayats Ali Mohammad Sagar asked all political parties to come forward and present their point of view before the delegation.

Addressing mediapersons here this evening, Sagar asked the political parties, NGOs, lawyers, journalists, students and others, who had received an invitation for meeting the delegation, to present their point of view eloquently as they had a full mandate.

The Minister said the Central government had sent invitations to both factions of the Hurriyat Conference and others.

He said it was a welcome step that Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, trade unions, other organisations, people connected with tourism, journalists’ fraternity and other leaders had been invited for discussions on the Kashmir issue.

Sagar appreciated Geelani’s decision to withdraw his call for holding a protest in front of Army camps.The Minister said it would save precious lives on the one hand and violence would come down on the other hand.

However, a spokesman of the Geelani faction of the Hurriyat Conference, Ayaz Akbar, told The Tribune that Syed Ali Geelani had received the invitation that was delivered at his Hyderpora residence today.

He added Geelani had already made it clear that he would not attend the meeting.

The party had already put forth a five-point condition for entering into any talks with the government, which had not been fulfilled so far.

These conditions included accepting Kashmir as a dispute among other things.

Jammu, September 19
Sixtysix-year-old Balak Ram, a BPL card holder, is a regular visitor at the Regional Cancer Centre of the Government Medical College and Hospital, Bakshi Nagar. While fighting with the life-threatening disease, economic deprivation has reduced him to a skeleton and his family has sunk in debt.

Squatted numb on a chair in the alley outside the radiation treatment section, he waits for his turn. Talking about his financial and physical health, he occasionally breaks down, regains himself and then picks up the conversation yet again.

“My sons are daily wage labourers. So you can judge the family’s income. For my treatment they have borrowed Rs 40,000 from relatives. Local moneylenders charge a heavy interest so there was no option left,” he said. He added, “I have to repay money but do not know how?”

Balak Ram has come from Arnas Handar in Mahor tehsil of Reasi district. “I cannot hire a room in a hotel to complete the course of treatment. The management of Baba Sidh Goria temple behind the general bus stand was kind enough to give me shelter. Now, two square meals are a challenge,” he said. He had a cup of tea with a kulcha (loaf of bread) for breakfast, he added.

Last year, Balak Ram said, he worked under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in his village for four months but got the wages for only two months so far. “I was operated upon at a private clinic in March this year. But I could not recuperate even after spending Rs 120,000. Now, the doctor referred me to the GMCH,” he said. He added, “Doctors have asked me to bring thermoplastic from the market which I can not afford. It costs Rs 3,000. ”

Balak Ram continued with his eyes moist. “I will speak to doctors today if they can cure me then I stay put or leave for the village.”After a wait of four hours, he was subjected to radiotherapy without thermoplastic.

But it’s not the tragic story of Balak Ram alone. There are many others undergoing treatment at the centre who have been struggling with impending mortality and economic hardships hand in hand. Sadly, the government schemes aimed at helping economically poor patients fighting life-threatening diseases remain out of bounds for obvious reasons.

Paradoxically, there is no awareness about the Central government’s financial assistance of Rs 1lakh being provided to such patients under the Health Minister’s Cancer Patients Fund. The assistance is admissible for treatment in all 27 regional cancer centres in the country.

Since the upgrade of the department of oncology at the GMCH, Jammu, to the status of a regional cancer centre some years ago, cancer patients belonging to the lower income bracket have not availed any benefit.

“The scheme could not get operational here as patients are not aware about it. The needy patients can approach me,” said head of the centre Dr Ashutosh Gupta. He added, “Due to the increasing number of patients, it is not practically possible for the staff at the centre to educate all patients about the welfare schemes. The role of NGOs and philanthropic organisations can be invoked in this regard under a comprehensive policy.”

“The assistance should be released in favour of patients forthwith as the treatment of cancer patients can’t wait for money,” he stressed, adding, “The hospital can’t give everything to the patients. Patients are supposed to purchase consumables from the market.”

The hospital was providing diagnosis, radiation treatment, chemotherapy, CT scan, MRI and emergency services free of cost, he added.

Jammu, September 19
Questioning the legality and propriety of the visit of an all-party delegation to Srinagar tomorrow, the Panthers Party today said the much-publicised visit of representatives of political parties would be a futile attempt to restore peace in the region as the one and the only aim of this entire exercise was to protect Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

“The statement of AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi supporting Omar Abdullah is a clear indication that the Centre is not going to take any step against the Chief Minister and the Union Government is devising strategies to shield him”, said Panthers Party state president Balwant Singh Mankotia while addressing mediapersons after the conclusion of a meeting of party leaders.

Giving the details of the deliberations, Mankotia said party leaders were unanimous that there was no reason to meet the delegation as political parties of the state during their recent meeting with the Prime Minister had already made their stand clear.

Cautioning the Union Government against protecting the “failed” Chief Minister,the party said the same blunder was committed in 1987 when assembly elections were brazenly rigged and Farooq Abdullah was “imposed” as the Chief Minister of the Congress-National Conference coalition on the state against the wishes of the people.

“History is repeating itself as same parties are at the helm of affairs and leaders of both political groups are ignoring ground realities for the continuation of dynastic rule in the state”,he said.

The party took strong note of the statement of Rahul Gandhi.”Both Congress and National Conference suffer from dynastic supremacy and this is incompatible with the democracy which the country and the state need ”, he said.

Jammu, September 19
A Dogri play, “Suno Eh Kahani”, conceived, written and directed by Balwant Thakur was staged at Natrang Studio Theatre here today.

Based on the story of a young girl, Guddi, the play highlighted the plight of rural lower-middle class adolescent girls who are forced into matrimony at a very tender age.

Guddi is fully aware of the strains of an early marriage, which resulted in the untimely death of her mother. She wants to grow and get educated before she takes up the responsibility of the married life.

However, her dreams come to a crashing end as a marriage date is fixed for her. While the marriage ceremonies are being performed, help comes in the form of intervention by legal authorities, which stops the ceremony.

Neeraj Kant played the role of father whereas Sajra Qadir played the role of Guddi with full theatrical versatility. The narrators of the play, Mohit Sharma and Pankush Verma, did multiple roles and thus demonstrated their versatility to perform a variety of characters.

Rohit Verma as clownish groom generated repeated laughters through his comic acts. Rahul Singh gave engrossing an performance. The other characters of the play included Mohd Yaseen, Jaswinder Singh, Sumit Sambyal, Ravinder Singh, Ricky Bhat, kuldeep Mehra and Azad Kumar. The lights were operated by Mayank Bakshi. Sumeet Sharma coordinated the show and the presentation was done by Ishfaq Anwar.

Srinagar, September 19
At a time when the Kashmir valley is under the curfew, a few young boys are defying the restrictions, not to throw stones on the security forces, but to help people in need.

A group of four young boys in the age group 10-15 play hide- and- seek with the security forces to reach households in the interiors of Srinagar city to supply items of daily requirement to residents.

“I was surprised when two young boys came to my house early in the morning to sell some milk and baby food. Initially, I thought they might take advantage of the situation and charge exorbitantly, but I was surprised when they sold the milk packet to me for Rs 40. They charged only Rs 3 extra, which they said was the transportation charge”, said Komaljeet Kaur, a resident of Allouchi Bagh.

The Valley has been under the curfew for the past seven days due to which people are unable to buy essential commodities like milk, medicines and baby food. Though the administration had asked people to take the help of the police, people find it “helpless” in delivering the required items.

“Though the curfew was relaxed yesterday, the market could not open due to the strike. As a result, I was unable to get milk and baby food for my child. However, these boys came to my help,” said Tahira, a housewife.

The boys said their aim was to serve the people in need. When they found a store open in the interior, they convinced the storekeeper to sell his items through door-to-door service.

“Islam is the religion of people which preaches us to help people in need. Though it is a small gesture, still we can send the right message,” said one of the boys,Touseef.

Touseef and the other boys said they not only defied the curfew, but played hide-and-seek with the police and the CRPF deployed to enforce the curfew.

“We were once chased away by the security forces. In the process of saving ourselves, some items fell on the ground and were damaged. So, we sell the items by charging Rs 1 to Rs 3 extra so that we can pay the shopkeeper,” said 13-year-old Imtiyaz.

Jammu, September 19
Classes of undergraduate and postgraduate students at Government Medical College (GMC) and Government Dental College,Jammu, will remain suspended as 200 teachers under the banner of the Medical Teachers Association(MTA) have decided to go on an indefinite strike from tomorrow, i.e. September 20.

After being assured by the Chief Minister and the Minister for Medical Education this Saturday, the MTA deferred its earlier decision to go on a mass leave for two weeks. However,Head of the Nephrology Department and secretary of the association, Dr SK Bali, said teachers had decided to suspend their classes from tomorrow. “ If the demands are not met by October 3,the faculty has resolved to proceed on an indefinite mass leave from October 4,” he added. He said the MTA had been demanding benefits like time-bound promotions and enhancement in retirement age, besides faculty at Government Dental College, Jammu.

Jammu, September 19
To strengthen communal harmony and brotherhood, various social and political organisations have decided to send delegations to the areas of the Jammu province, which were rocked by protests during the last one week.

The organisations were of the view that some anti-national elements were desperately trying to create communal division in this part of the state.So, it was the duty of all peace- loving people to frustrate such designs.”We are in constant touch with some social organisations to send delegations to Mendhar, Poonch, Rajouri, Doda and Kishtwar”, said Ravinder Raina, leader of the Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti (SAYSS).

He observed that following their failure to create a Kashmir-like situation in Jammu during the last three months, some anti-national elements had been trying to rake up other emotive issues to create disturbances.

Jammu, September 19
A two-day seminar on “Global Issues on Environment”, sponsored by the UGC, concluded at Government College for Women,Parade,yesterday.

The Minister of State for Higher Education, Cooperatives, Science and Technology, Dr Manohar Lal Sharma, was the chief guest while Dr Sham Lal Gupta, Director, Colleges, Higher Education, and Prof M.R Puri, former Vice-Chancellor, University of Jammu, were the guest of honour and special guest, respectively.

The students presented a creative dance performance on the ‘Repercussions of Global Warming’. There were two technical sessions which were chaired by Prof S.P.S Dutta, Prof Meena Sharma, Prof Kuldeep K. Sharma and Dr Kamal Kapoor. Four participants delivered lectures on the said subject.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief guest complimented the Principal of the college, Dr Kiran Bakshi, staff and students for enriching the academic milieu by organising national and state-level seminars with the aim to sensitise the young generation about the current issues faced by the nation.