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Politicking over Hizb ‘militant’ intensifies
Ex-militants, kin demand right to lead ‘normal life’
Top cop begins exercise to find out loopholes in police probe
7 cops injured as grenade accidentally explodes in Srinagar
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A decade after massacre of 24 Kashmiri Pandits, culprits untraced
J&K Bank bags award
Governor extends Holi greetings
Two Appropriation Bills passed in Assembly
Ex-Youth Cong chief joins PDP
PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed addresses party workers in Jammu on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Inderjeet Singh
Cultural events promote harmony: Guv
Canine population in Srinagar down by 50%, claims SMC
Delay in local bodies’ elections discussed
Muslim League chief sent to judicial custody till April 15
State spent Rs 12 cr on VIP sorties in three years
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Politicking over Hizb ‘militant’ intensifies
Jammu, March 26 BJP legislators held a protest outside the Assembly, while Panthers Party chief Bhim Singh called on Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde to seek his immediate intervention to stop infiltration of “Pakistani militants in the guise of rehabilitation policy”. With the Congress in a piquant situation following the Chief Minister’s stand on Liyaqat, the BJP has decided to vociferously rake up the issue to corner its archrival Congress in the Jammu region. BJP Legislature Party leader Ashok Khajuria along with other party MLAs staged a protest outside the Assembly today against Omar and his party’s stand on Liyaqat. “How is Omar Abdullah claiming on the floor of the House that Liyaqat is not a terrorist? Who has given him the Pakistan passport to reach Nepal to illegally infiltrate into this side?” asked Khajuria while alleging that the arrested “militant” had planned to execute a suicide attack. Contesting the statement of the Chief Minister, the BJP leader said: “If Liyaqat was coming back under the rehabilitation policy, why had he adopted for an illegal route?” Khajuria said the government had identified certain routes for the return of former militants in the rehabilitation policy but these militants were coming through Nepal. “By favouring Liyaqat, Omar Abdullah is trying to legitimise illegal routes for return of terrorists”, he alleged. Omar had stated on the floor of the Assembly on Monday that Liyaqat was coming back under the rehabilitation policy and was not going to carry out terror attacks in New Delhi, as he was not holding a gun in his hand. The BJP has also decided to rake up the Chief Minister’s statement in the Assembly at grass-roots level. “The BJP high command has taken a decision to carry to the grass roots the issue of “anti-national” statements made by the Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues in the Assembly,” spokesman of the BJP Jatinder Singh said. “This is a unique example where a state Assembly is openly putting on record its anti-India and divisive agenda while the Union Government is turning a blind eye to it.” Meanwhile, Panthers Party chief Bhim Singh called on the Union Home Minister in New Delhi and demanded the dismissal of the Omar government, which was a “security risk”. He urged the Union Home Minister for immediate intervention to stop the infiltration of Pakistani militants in the guise of the rehabilitation policy. “Terrorists are being sent by the ISI with Pakistani passports to Nepal and from there they enter into the Indian territory by using fake I-cards,” he alleged. |
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Ex-militants, kin demand right to lead ‘normal life’
Srinagar, March 26 The families of former militants, including those which returned from Pakistan under the state government’s rehabilitation programme, said they were demanding the right to lead a “normal life”. One of the conveners of the protest demonstration, which was held at the Press Colony in the city, said around 70 families of former militants had participated in the protest. “We want the government to give us the right to live properly,” said Saifullah Farooq, chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Human Welfare Association. The association constitutes of a group of former militants. Farooq said their demands included issuance of passport, admission of their children into educational institutions and availability of easy loans. “We have also demanded the shifting of all militants from jails outside Kashmir to jails here,” he said, adding that the association wanted a peaceful solution to the Kashmir issue. Farooq said the former militants and their families did not want more bloodshed in the region. “We don’t want another mother to lose her son. The Kashmir issue should be solved by peaceful means,” he said. Many of the former militants and their families, who returned home under state government’s rehabilitation policy after spending years in Pakistan, have been living miserable lives as they face daunting challenges to restart their life here. Some of the families have faced difficulties in getting their children admitted to schools in the region as their earlier academic certificates are not considered valid. Many former militants, who had earlier settled in Pakistan, are also facing problems of earning their livelihood. Rehab Policy |
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Janglat Mandi encounter
Srinagar, March 26 The J&K High Court in its orders last month had directed the police to conduct the probe into the matter by a gazetted rank police officer while disposing of a petition by Zaitooni Begum, in which she had called for reinvestigation of the case. The High Court in its judgment had also ruled that the encounter was not “fake”. “We have told the Additional Superintendent of Police, Anatnag, to inquire into the matter as per the court directions,” Deputy Inspector General of Police, South Kashmir, Vijay Kumar told The Tribune. The SP rank officer has been told to probe why the police failed to follow the procedures which were required under the rule of law after the encounter ended. “After the encounter, the police had not taken any picture of the deceased and also did not maintain any identification mark where the body was buried. The probe will look into all these aspects,” said a police officer in Srinagar. However, the police is silent on the subject whether it would also try to find out if the militant killed in the encounter was Mohiuddin Afghani, alias Mateen Chacha, or someone else. Zaitooni Begum, in October 2011 had moved the High Court alleging that her son Abdullah Bhat was killed in a “fake” encounter in Janglat Mandi and was later identified by the Army as foreign militant Mateen Chacha. The court, however, disposed the petition calling for reinvestigation into the matter. Whether the matter should be “reinvestigated”, the court observed, would depend upon the identification of the third person (non-local Mateen Chacha) killed in the encounter. The Case File * The petition, seeking reinvestigation into the 2001 Janglat Mandi encounter case, was filed by Zaitooni Begum and her daughter in October 2011. She had alleged that the Army had killed her son Abdullah Bhat (who was then 60) in cold blood and passed him off as foreign militant commander Mohiuddin Afghani, alias Mateen Chacha *
The Defence Ministry, while refuting the allegations raised in the petition, had said Army Chief General Bikram Singh, who was then a Brigadier and commanded 1 Sector, Rashtriya Rifles, was returning to his headquarters when the Army convoy was attacked at Janglat Mandi in Anantnag town. *
The High Court in February had directed the police to conduct the probe into the matter by a gazetted rank police officer while disposing of the petition by Zaitooni Begum |
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7 cops injured as grenade accidentally explodes in Srinagar
Srinagar, March 26 A police spokesperson said the explosion took place when a grenade, which was recovered during a recent fidayeen attack, went off accidentally inside the Parimpora police station around 3 pm. “Seized grenades were being destroyed and one of the grenades went off accidentally injuring seven persons, including two members of the bomb disposal squad,” said Kashmir Deputy Inspector General Ahfad-ul-Mujtaba. The injured have been identified as SHO Parimpora Ghulam Mohideen, sub- inspector Suhail Mushtaq, assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Mohammad Subhan, constable Sayar Ahmed and head constable Mohammad Shafi while two members of the bomb disposal squad have not been identified. “The injured were immediately shifted to Jhelum Valley Collage, Bemina. Later, two were discharged from the hospital,” the police spokesperson said. The J&K Police had recovered two AK-47 rifles, five magazines, two pistols with two magazines, two pouches, four hand grenades, one UBGL (under barrel grenade launcher), one rifle grenade, a transparent poly pack containing “made in Pakistan” medicines, ointment and two small bags from two fidayeen, who attacked CRPF personnel in Bemina on March 13. Five CRPF men and two fidayeen were killed in the encounter. After the encounter, a case was registered at the Parimpora police station. |
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A decade after massacre of 24 Kashmiri Pandits, culprits untraced
Srinagar, March 26 Irked by the cold response of the authorities, the Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti (KPSS) — a social grouping of Kashmiri Hindus who did not migrate from the Valley — has sought the details of the case and other massacres involving their community. The KPSS has filed an application under J&K Right to Information Act with the police authorities. The Nadimarg massacre relates to the killing of 24 Kashmiri Pandits in Nadimarg village of Pulwama district in south Kashmir on the intervening night of March 22 and 23 in 2003 by unidentified gunmen, whom the authorities suspected to be Pakistan-based militants. The victims included 11 men, 11 women and two boys who were lined up and shot dead by armed assailants dressed in fatigues. “Since then it has been 10 years, and so far nobody has been punished for this massacre”, said Sanjay Tickoo, president of the KPSS, one of the main representative bodies of the Kashmiri Pandits who still live in valley. The KPSS had recently filed an RTI application, seeking the details and the status of all cases involving the killing of Kashmiri Pandits from the J&K Police. “The police in its reply has said that 182 FIRs involving the killing of 219 Kashmiri Pandits are registered across different police stations in J&K. So far, they have given us the FIR details of 100 cases only. The status of most of these cases has been termed as untraced by the police and investigations have been closed”, Tickoo revealed. The KPSS has now filed a rejoinder to the Police Department, seeking the challan (chargesheet) details of all cases, including the Nadimarg massacre. “We have also sought the challan copies of the Nadimarg case, so that we are able to see what the police has done in its investigation so far,” Tickoo said,
adding that international human rights organisations like Amnesty should take note of the delay in
justice in such cases “like it did over the issue of unmarked graves”. The 2003 Nadimarg massacre *
Militants, dressed in military uniform, killed 25 Kashmiri Pandits in a remote hamlet in south Kashmir called Nadimarg on the intervening night of March 22 and 23 in 2003 *
The victims included 11 men, 11 women and two boys. The then Deputy Prime Minister, LK Advani, who visited the village on March 25, 2003, had described the killings as “cold-blooded murder”. Without naming Pakistan, he had said: “This is an act of our neighbour and violence in the state is continuing only because of them.” *
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who was then a junior minister in the Vajpayee-led coalition government and had accompanied Advani to the village, had blamed Pakistan-based militant outfits like Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad for the Nadimarg massacre *
Kashmiri Muslims led by Hurriyat leader
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had condemned the Nadimarg massacre |
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Srinagar, March 26 J&K Bank, chairman and CEO, Mushtaq Ahmad said, “Such a recognition is a sound appreciation of our strategy and also an inspiration for the future, particularly at a time, when the bank is about to achieve a milestone (in terms of business turnover) in its platinum jubilee year.” The survey differentiates between various categories of banks-public sector, private sector: old and new and foreign banks in recognition of their operating environments and award those institutions that have maximised stakeholder value. The bank has won the award in 2011 as well. — TNS |
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Governor extends Holi greetings
Jammu, March 26 He expressed the hope that Holi would spread happiness and joy all around and further promote harmony and brotherhood. Wishing a happy Holi to the people, the Governor prayed for their well-being and prosperity. |
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Two Appropriation Bills passed in Assembly
Jammu, March 26 The Assembly Bill No. 9 and 10 of 2013 provide to authorise the payment and appropriation of certain sums and withdrawal of some sums from and out of the consolidated fund of the state of Jammu and Kashmir for the services of the financial year 2013-14. Replying to the points raised during a discussion on Bills, the minister said the grant of the Scheduled Tribes (ST) status to the Pahari-speaking people of the state had been taken up with the Centre. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs had held a meeting under the chairmanship of the Union Home Secretary on May 15, 2012, wherein it was decided that to study the ethnic characteristics of the Pahari-speaking people, eminent research scholars be engaged by the state government. Accordingly, Rather said the Social Welfare Department had constituted a Committee of research scholars for the purpose with the stipulation that the report should be made available within four months. The Committee comprises Head of the Department of Social Work, University of Kashmir, Dr Pirzada Mohammad Amin Shah; associate professor, Department of Sociology, University of Jammu, Ashish Sexena; senior assistant professor, Department of Sociology, University of Jammu, Suresh Baba and assistant professor, Department of Social Work, University of Kashmir, Shazia Manzoor. The minister said as soon as the report was received it would be put before the government for its consideration, adoption and recommendation to the Centre. He said the state government had from time to time taken up the case with the Government of India for declaring various groups of people as the Scheduled Tribes, including Kolis and Chopans. The Centre has asked for detailed information regarding these people about their habitations and life pattern, in addition to the information submitted with the proposal. Accordingly, the Deputy Commissioners have been directed to furnish the detailed report expeditiously so that the same could be forwarded to the Centre, Rather said. |
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Ex-Youth Cong chief joins PDP
Jammu, March 26 PDP patron and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was present at the function. Mufti reiterated the resolve of his party to restore peace and tranquillity in Jammu and Kashmir. He claimed that the PDP had earned faith and credibility of the people of the state through its convictions and commitments. “Getting power is not the only agenda of the PDP. Our party is a movement to change the destiny of
the people and to establish a system of justice and equality in the state,” Mufti said. “The PDP has emerged as a strong and genuine voice of the people of the state and this is the biggest achievement of our party,” he said and asserted that the PDP had challenged the hegemony of the National Conference by providing an alternative to the people. Mufti said with the strength of just 16 MLAs in 2002, the PDP had changed the political discourse of the state and restored the dignity and honour of the people of the state. “It was the result of our convictions that successive governments at New Delhi supported whatever steps we took during our tenure,” he said. He further said his party had pioneered a political and economic agenda to establish sustainable peace in the subcontinent and to fulfil the wishes and aspirations of all regions and sub-regions of the state. “Our party, through its pro-peace policies, has consolidated the reconciliation process and facilitated the efforts of establishing lasting peace in |
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Cultural events promote harmony: Guv
Jammu, March 26 The Governor was addressing a gathering after inaugurating a three-day “The Octave Festival-2013” at Hargobind Bhatnagar Stadium on the BSF campus here last evening. More than 250 folk artistes from Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim are participating in the cultural extravaganza, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the north-eastern states of the country. The event has been organised by the North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala, in collaboration with the North East Zone Cultural Centre, Dimapur, BSF and the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages. In his address, the Governor congratulated DS Saroya, Director of the North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala, for taking the initiative of bringing a cultural troupe all the way from the North-East to enable the people here to witness their cultural performances. He also complimented the BSF and the Cultural Academy for collaborating in the effort. The Governor hoped that such cultural performances would also be organised at other places in the state for the benefit of the people and assured all possible support for the purpose. Earlier, the Governor and his wife Usha Vohra lit the ceremonial lamp to mark the commencement of the festival. |
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Canine population in Srinagar down by 50%, claims SMC
Srinagar, March 26 “As per the survey of Gujarat-based independent agency Humane Society International in September last year, the population of stray dogs stands at 48,949,” SMC Commissioner GN Qasba told the media here. The government had stated in the Legislative Assembly in February last year that Srinagar had 91,110 stray dogs. The rise in the canine population and frequent dog bites had become a topic of heated debates and even triggered protests by various quarters. An NGO had also filed a PIL in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court last year over the dog menace. Another group, Valley Citizen Council, is planning to hold an ‘anti-dog’ seminar next month over the stray dog menace. Even as the SMC had started its much-touted dog sterilisation programme following the hue and cry last year, Qasba said the reduction in the number of canines was mainly a result of ‘cleaner’ Srinagar. “We are now using sophisticated machinery to keep the city clean just like metros. We have also procured hopper machines to collect garbage and sanitation conditions have significantly improved. We even have prosecuted around 1,000 people for littering. When there is no garbage, the number of dogs will automatically decrease,” he said. However, Qasba denied that the SMC had culled dogs and also refuted claims that the canines from the city were being released in other districts. “It is practically impossible to catch dogs in large numbers and release them elsewhere. But dogs do go elsewhere (on their own) when they find no garbage,” he said. Qasba said the SMC had so far sterilised around 1,000 dogs, adding that the corporation would be able to bring down the population of stray dogs in the city to zero population growth by 2015-end. As the SMC had started the sterilisation programme in May last year at the state-of-the-art dog pound in Shuhama on the outskirts of the city, Qasba said: “We have an infrastructure of carrying out 10 to 15 surgeries a day. The surgeries would be enhanced to 50 to 60 by setting up 50 more kennels for sterilisation at Tengpora.” Regarding a few dog bite cases which surfaced in the last few weeks, Qasba said the canines were more active after the winter months due to comparative increase in littering. He also said the stray dog menace was not so grave and that there would no overnight results. |
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Delay in local bodies’ elections discussed
Jammu, March 26 At a separate meeting, Vice-Chairman of the State Advisory Board for Development of Gujjars and Bakerwals Choudhary Bashir Ahmed Naaz also called on the Governor. Naaz briefed the Governor about the functioning of the Board and the to-date status of the implementation of various schemes which have been launched for the socio-economic uplift of the Gujjars and Bakerwals in the state. Ajeet Kumar Sahu, who recently assumed office of the Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, also called on the Governor here today. The Governor discussed various problems being faced by the people of the city with Sahu, particularly those relating to encroachments along the public pathways, roads and even the national highway, problems arising out of inadequate traffic management and insanitary conditions caused by garbage. — TNS |
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Muslim League chief sent to judicial custody till April 15
Srinagar, March 26 “Masarat was supposed to be produced before the sub-judge Pattan, where he is facing trial in an FIR registered against him in 2010. Since the said judge was on leave, in his absence, Masarat as an undertrial was produced before the court of Munsif (1st Class Magistrate) at Tangmarg in north Kashmir”, said Masarat’s lawyer Shabbir Ahmad. Masarat Alam is facing trial in case FIR 215/2010 registered against him under Sections 148, 149, 332, 336, 307 and 427 of RPC at Pattan police station in Baramulla district. The police has already produced chargesheet in this case before the court of sub judge Pattan in north Kashmir. “Since Masarat has not been bailed out in the case as yet, the Munsif court at Tangmarg today sent him to judicial custody till April 15 to district jail Baramulla,” Shabbir added. Masarat, who since his arrest in 2010 has been booked five times under the Public Safety Act (PSA) by the authorities, had challenged his continuous detention before the Supreme Court in January this year. The state government had informed the apex court on Friday that Masarat’s detention under the PSA had been revoked on March 18. While disposing of his habeas corpus petition, the apex court had on March 22 directed the authorities that Masarat should be informed a week in advance in case the government intends to detain him again. |
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State spent Rs 12 cr on VIP sorties in three years
Jammu, March 26 This was disclosed by the Chief Minister in response to a cut motion moved by leader of the Panthers Legislature Party Harsh Dev Singh during the discussion on the grants for General Administration Department in the state Assembly here. Incidentally, Omar directly controls the Civil Aviation Department (CAD). The details show the expenditure incurred on the usage of state choppers from 2010-11 up to February 2012-13. “A total of Rs 11.96 crore was incurred on state aircraft and helicopters with effect from year 2010-11 up to February 2013,” Omar said. In 2010-11, the total expenditure on the chopper service was Rs 440.55 lakh which includes maintenance, inspection, examination and labour charges of Rs 299.40 lakh, Rs 12.89 lakh on landing or parking charges, Rs 31.79 lakh on insurance of aircraft, and Rs 96.47 lakh on fuel charge, the Chief Minister said. He said the state government spent a total of Rs 360.19 lakh on maintenance, inspection, examination, parking charges, insurance and fuel charges in 2011-12. “The expenditure of state government for the purpose in the current financial year, up to February 2013, was 395.71 lakh,” Omar said. The state CAD has one aircraft King Air-350 and two helicopters, Bell 407 and Agusta-109-E. As per the norms, the state aircraft and helicopters are meant to facilitate the movement of dignitaries such as the Governor and Chief Minister. The Chief Minister authorises its use for other VVIPs like visiting Union Ministers, presiding officers of the legislature, his ministerial colleagues and senior officers of the Government of India and the state government. According to the CAD, the aircraft Air-350 had been generally used to facilitate the movement of VVIPs on the Jammu-Srinagar-Leh-Rajouri-Delhi circuit. Helicopters are used within the state for official purpose or security considerations. “The aircraft King Air-350 carried out a total of 722 sorties inside and outside the state from January 2010 up to February 2013, while Agusta-109-E made a total of 1,151 sorties for the period. Similarly, Bell-407 helicopter was used extensively and it carried out 1,679 sorties in the last three years,” the document suggested. Interestingly, the government defended the extensive use of aircraft and helicopter by citing the reason of “geographical isolated areas” in the state. |
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Seven policemen, including the Station House Officer of the Parimpora police station, were injured today while defusing the ammunition recovered from two fidayeen militants, who were killed in an encounter on March 13 in
Srinagar.
Former president of the Pradesh Youth Congress (PYC) Mirza Muzaffar Beg and state general secretary of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Choudhary Najib Ullah along with their supporters today joined the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at a function here.
Former minister Gulchain Singh Charak met Governor NN Vohra at Raj Bhawan here today.
Charak discussed with the Governor issues arising from the delay in the establishment of the Panchayati Raj institutions, conduct of elections to the urban local bodies, enhancement of remunerations of nambardars and chowkidars and issues relating to the speedy economic development of the state.
