The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Omar launches election campaign, targets PDP ‘disinformation’ drive
Tribune News Service

Marh (Jammu), April 10
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today kick-started the campaign for the next Assembly elections with a blistering attack on arch-rival People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Addressing an impressive public meeting at Marh assembly segment, Omar minced no words while attacking the PDP for trying to belittle the achievements of the coalition government during the last more than four years by launching a “disinformation campaign”.

As today’s meeting was the first public gathering after the conclusion of the budget session of the Assembly, which was boycotted by the PDP, Omar availed this opportunity to counter his detractors by presenting the report card of his government.

“The historic initiatives initiated and achievements registered on the ground are itself a reply to the propagandist elements who cry themselves hoarse to belittle the work done by the government to ensure peace, equitable development, economic prosperity, transparency and public involvement in governance,” he said while adding that those who cover their eyes with black glasses see only darkness.

Omar said, “People are the best judge to evaluate our performance. Overcoming problems of different nature, my government sailed through tumultuous waters,” he said.

He reiterated that the march on the road to progress would continue.

Seeking the support of the people for the next Assembly elections, Omar said: “We will lead you towards prosperity and permanent peace.”

The Chief Minister also seized the opportunity to counter the BJP “propaganda over discrimination”. “The NC lives in the hearts of common people, its flag is unfurled in all regions and sub-regions of the state and its strength lies in the wholehearted support of all sections of the people,” he said.

“The NC symbolises unity, solidarity, communal harmony and equitable and inclusive development of the state. It has remained the voice and heartbeat of common people,” he said, adding that the propaganda against his party always went against those who launched it.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Planning Ajay Sadhotra presented a memorandum of demands of Marh constituency to the Chief Minister. The demands include setting up of a degree college, providing two model villages to the constituency and granting Line of Control-like facilities to the people living on the international border and reframing of the BPL list.

Sadhotra said the National Conference was committed to the development of all regions and sub-regions of the State. He said the state government under the leadership of Omar had taken several revolutionary steps to mitigate the woes of the people.

Earlier, a rousing reception was accorded to the Chief Minister in Marh.

The public meeting was addressed by Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan, Minister for Social Welfare Sakina Itoo, provincial president of the NC for Jammu Devender Singh Rana and others.

Feud with neighbour
Court frames murder charges against four of family
Ishfaq Tantry
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 10
Murder charges have been framed against four members of a family by a trial court here in a case which began with a quarrel between two neighbours in a Srinagar locality over the issue of dumping of a fruit juice can and led to the murder of a 65-year-old man.

The trial court, in its decision, has framed charges of murder under Section 302 and criminal conspiracy (Section 120-B) and other Sections against the four accused persons from a single family from Natipora locality of Srinagar city, who were booked by the police for the murder of their elderly neighbour and seriously hurting other family members of the deceased in July last year.

The Natipora murder case involves killing of 65-year-old Ghulam Mohammad Shah of Budshah Nagar, Natipora, allegedly by Almas Ara Khan, her husband Maqsood Khan and their two sons in July, 2012, during a fight over dumping of garbage — a fruit juice can — by the victim’s family into Khans compound.

The Additional Sessions Judge, Srinagar, RK Watal, while farming charges against the four accused of the family, has observed in his orders issued on April 8 that “there are sufficient grounds prima facie to proceed against all the accused for the offences under Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 326, 506, 201 read with Section 34 of the Ranbir Penal Code.

“The accused are charged for all the offences mentioned. They have pleaded not guilty and claimed to be tried. The prosecution is directed to produce evidence. The accused are remanded in judicial custody,” the Additional Sessions Judge Srinagar, said in his orders while framing charges against the accused.

“The accused are alleged to have attacked the complainant with criminal intention to cause death prima facie and attacked the deceased who got killed in the occurrence whereas the others got seriously injured,” the judge further observed in his orders issued on April 8 and made public today. The judge had reserved his final orders on the framing of charges on December 11, 2012.

The case was committed for trial to the Sessions Court on September 8, 2012, by the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Srinagar after the police had produced the chargesheet against the four accused of the Khan family.

The police had charged the four accused for murder under Section 302 read with Section 34 (common intent), 120-B (hatching a conspiracy) and other sections of the Ranbir Penal Code.

Case file

Following Shah’s killing on July 4 last year, Almas was arrested along with her husband Dr Maqsood Hussain Khan and his two sons — Sadat Hussain Khan and Fahad Hussain Khan

Before framing of charges, Almas, who is currently in judicial remand, had moved a bail application before the trial court, citing health grounds

The bail has, however, been vehemently opposed by the victim family, arguing that setting her free at this stage may influence the trial

The killing

On July 4, 2012, a fight over dumping of garbage between neighbours in the Budshah Nagar area of Natipora in Srinagar had turned violent, leaving Ghulam Mohammad Shah dead and his three children critically injured

The accused Khan family had barged into Shah’s house, carrying lathis, baseballs and iron roads and assaulted the inhabitants

Shah had succumbed to his injuries at SKIMS in Soura on July 6 after he was hit with a baseball bat

Following the incident, some locals had also ransacked the house of the Khan family and set their belongings on fire

Campaign to reduce school dropout rate kicks off in Leh
Our Correspondent

Leh, April 10
To reduce the dropout rate from upper-middle level classes in the government-run schools of Leh district, a week-long campaign has been initiated. Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh Rigzin Spalbar flagged off various teams involved in the campaign from Leh. The programme is organised every year since 2004 in villages of the district in the memory of Khushok Bakula Rinpcohe, the first leader of Ladakh who started an educational campaign in 1960 and 1970 in the region.

Due to the scheduling of the board exams in November and December in Leh district from last year, the LAHDC, Leh, has decided to hold the annual educational campaign in the month of April from this year.

Spalbar, who is also the in charge of the education department said, “This year the theme of the Khushok Bakula Rinpoche annual educational campaign is to reduce the dropout rate, which is higher in the government-run schools than private schools of the district.”

He said, “Campaigns on issues such as importance of education and mobilisation for school enrollment are not needed anymore as 99 per cent of Ladakhi children are enrolled in schools. However, the high dropout rate after 5th and 8th standard in the government-run school is a major issue in Leh district.”

Three NGOs , Save the Children Fund, Ladakh Ecological Development Group and Leh Nutrition Project, have also joined the LAHDC in the educational campaign.

As part of the campaign, the team will prepare the action plans of every school of the district regarding academic need, posts of teachers and their qualification and infrastructural needs pertaining to drinking water, toilets, classrooms etc.

This year the theme of the Khushok Bakula Rinpoche annual educational campaign is to reduce the dropout rate, which is higher in the government-run schools than private schools of the district
— Rigzin Spalbar, Chief Executive Councillor, LAHDC, Leh

Need to upgrade facilities at Vaishno Devi: CM
Devinder Thakur

Katra, April 10
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said in view of the growing pilgrim flow to the Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra, the special focus had to be on upgrade of basic amenities and comforts to pilgrims. Highlighting the trait of diversity, the Chief Minister said communal harmony had been the bedrock of the pluralistic civilisation and heritage of Jammu and Kashmir.

He was addressing a function after inaugurating the largest multiplex of J&K, “AMR”, at Katra.

Omar referred to the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage in Jammu and the Baba Amarnath yatra in Kashmir and said these had grown and nurtured in an atmosphere of brotherhood and oneness.

Saying that Jammu and Kashmir has been an abode of great religions, saints, Sufis and Sants, the Chief Minister highlighted the need for showcasing the rich potential of pilgrim tourism of the state all across the world. He said more than one crore yatris visit the Vaishno Devi shrine every year, giving a considerable fillip to the economy of the state. Similarly, Omar said, over half a million pilgrims visit the Baba Amarnath Ji every year in Kashmir.

The Chief Minister underlined the need for diverting pilgrim tourists to conventional tourists to make them visit different tourist places and enhance their stay in the state. He said efforts were on to create attraction for the Vaishno Devi yatris in Jammu city and in its periphery so that they (pilgrims) visit different areas which would give a boost to trade and economic activities. He said there were various places in Jammu which could be used to attract tourists.

Omar underlined the importance of creating infrastructure at Katra town, which he said was emerging as the third important town in the state after Srinagar and Jammu. He said the need in this regard was being looked into in a comprehensive manner, adding that private investors have to play their role in this direction.

Omar said the creation of modern tourist facilities in pilgrimage towns and tourist places in consonance with environment and ecological requirements was the need of the hour. He said the government would act as a facilitator for raising tourist infrastructure in the state in joint ventures with investors in PPP and IPP modes.

The Chief Minister extended Navaratras greeting to people and wished them happiness and prosperity. He prayed for peace, progress and development of the state and the country.

High Court upholds acquittal of murder accused
DS Chauhan

Jammu, April 10
The Division Bench of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court comprising Chief Justice MM Kumar and Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir dismissed the appeal calling in question the judgment of November 19, 2009, passed by the Sessions Judge, Doda, by virtue of which the respondents were acquitted of the charges levelled against them in a case titled, ‘State vs Mohd Shafi & Ors’ for commission of offences punishable under Section 302 of the RPC and the 7/27 Arms Act.

“We, therefore, do not see any reason available to interfere with the impugned judgment which is quite well-reasoned,” held the Division BAbdul Gani had filed a complaint at the Doda police station on April 21, 2004, saying during the intervening night of April 20 and 21, 2004, some masked men shot dead Abdul Latief Rather, a resident of Ugad in Doda tehsil. The police on registering the said report and upon investigation came to the conclusion that the accused named in the FIR were involved in the matter. The investigation of the case ultimately resulted in the filing of a charge-sheet.

Since two out of three accused persons were absconding, therefore, the charge-sheet was filed only in the presence of accused no 3 Showkat Ali. The trial court declared the other two accused as absconders. The trial court after hearing the counsel for the parties and after scanning the evidence came to the conclusion that the prosecution had failed to prove that the accused had committed the offence.

The Division Bench, while dismissing the acquittal appeal filed by the state of J&K, observed that, “The trial court after deriving satisfaction that the evidence on record does not inspire confidence, admonishes being skeptical about endorsing the prosecution view. The sole conclusion that could be possibly arrived at is that the prosecution has failed in bringing guilt home against the accused, respondent.”

Governor reviews arrangements for Amarnath pilgrims at base camp
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 10
Governor NN Vohra visited the Yatri Niwas base camp at Bhagwati Nagar here last evening and took stock of arrangements being made for the Amarnath yatra which will commence from June 28. The Governor went around the Yatri Niwas complex and viewed the venues where various facilities would be put in place for the yatris.

He was accompanied by Atal Dulloo, Commissioner Secretary, Tourism; Navin K Choudhary, Chief Executive Officer of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board; Pradeep Gupta, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu; Rajesh Kumar, IGP, Jammu Zone; Shakeel A Beig, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Jammu-Kathua Range; AK Sahu, Deputy Commissioner, Jammu and Soujanya Sharma, Director, Tourism, Jammu.

While addressing the officials at the Yatri complex, the Governor stressed the importance of ensuring the best possible arrangements for the stay and onward movement of the yatris and said there was a need to make satisfactory arrangements with regard to water and power supply, sanitation, sewage disposal, medicare and transport.

He wished that the Divisional Commissioner, Tourism Department and all other agencies would ensure that all yatra arrangements were put in place by June 20.

The Governor observed that wayside transit facilities from Lakhanpur to Banihal and from Banihal to the Nunwan and Baltal base camps should be arranged by June 20.

He said camp-wise pert charts should be prepared to specify details of various arrangements to be made. He added that Deputy Commissioners concerned should undertake regular reviews to ensure timely completion of arrangements.

Referring to the need for meeting the yatra requirements for the wayside halt of pilgrims in the future years, the Governor urged the Commissioner Secretary, Tourism, to plan for augmenting infrastructure facilities, particularly in Jammu.

The Governor was briefed by the officials regarding the wayside transit camps being established in Kathua, Samba, Jammu and Udhampur districts and was assured that these would be put in place before the commencement of the yatra.

The CEO of the Shrine Board informed the meeting that the registration of pilgrims had begun on March 18.

Governor greets people on Navaratras
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 10
Governor NN Vohra has greeted the people on Navaratras and Navareh and prayed for their well-being and prosperity.

He said Navratras had a special significance for devotees who visited the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in large numbers during the period.

The Governor extended warm greetings to the Kashmiri Pandits who celebrate Navareh on this day, which marks the beginning of the new year and the onset of spring. He expressed hope that the auspicious period would be a harbinger of harmony, brotherhood, amity, peace, progress and prosperity in the state.

GOC of Romeo Force reviews security in Poonch, Rajouri
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 10
The Counter-Insurgency Force (Romeo) yesterday reviewed the security scenario in the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch at its Palma headquarters in Rajouri district and devised a strategy to deal with important events scheduled for the forthcoming months.

The meeting was chaired by GOC of Romeo Force Maj Gen I Narayana and attended by DIG, Rajouri-Poonch range, Danish Rana; BSF DIG RS Kataria; Assistant Commissioner Defence, Rajouri, Sachin Dev Singh; Rajouri SSP Mubassir Latifi and representatives of the police, civil administration, security and intelligence agencies.

The GOC of Romeo Force appreciated the efforts of the civil administration, police and security agencies for ensuring peaceful and conducive environment for the people.

He said there was a requirement for focused and synergised effort at all levels to consolidate the internal security situation.

The DIG, Rajouri-Poonch range, apprised the gathering about the prevailing security situation in Poonch and Rajouri districts and the steps initiated to maintain the confidence of the people.

Rana expressed concern and said there was a need for continuous watch on the Mughal road which may be utilised for movement of logistics, weapons and funds by extremists. The security arrangements and role of various agencies for the forthcoming important events was also discussed.

Issues related to the establishment and manning of joint forest posts in view of the ensuing migration of the Gujjars and Bakerwals during the summer, training of village defence committees, monitoring of surrendered militants were also discussed.

The participants expressed their views on improving the prevailing security situation and the measures to be adopted for maintaining peace and tranquility in Rajouri and Poonch districts.

Nine lakh youth to get training in skill development
Arteev Sharma
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 10
Grappling with the worst unemployment rate among the northern states, the J-K Government has set a target of training over nine lakh youth under the Skill Development Policy (SDP) during the 12th Five Year Plan from 2012-13 to 2016-17.

As many as 2.77 lakh youth would be trained in vocational and technical education during the next five years, followed by 1.5 lakh in horticulture and 1.34 lakh in the micro and small-scale Industry.

Official sources said the state had around six lakh unemployed youth, but the government had provided employment to just 33,518 youth in the government sector and to 95,637 in the private sector under the self-employment schemes in the last four years.

“Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has time and again made it clear that it would not possible for the state to accommodate all unemployed youth in the government sector. The state government has come up with the SDP, which has set a target to train 9,11,582 persons in different skills,” a source said.

In the current financial year, the government will train 1.10 lakh youth in various sectors. This number also includes 23,000 youth under two Centre-sponsored schemes Udaan and Himayat.

Sources said all the departments related with skill development had been asked to work out the financial requirement and additional infrastructure for the 12th Five Year Plan as per the targets. “The scheme will be implemented after the financial requirements are worked out and approved by the Skill Development Mission and funds provided by the government,” a source said..

High unemployment

According to the Economic Survey Report for 2012-13, there has been an alarming rise in the number of unemployed youth in J-K, which has the highest unemployment rate of 5.3% among the northern states — Punjab (2.8%), HP (2.8 %), Delhi (2.7%) and Haryana (2.6 %)

The report said the highest number of 1,82,453 registered unemployed youth are Class XII pass followed by 1,66,152 matriculates

A first: Rajouri woman ranks fifth in forest services exam
Ranjit Thakur

Rajouri, April 10
Sheveta Jandial (29), a lecturer, became the first woman from the border district of Rajouri to crack the Indian Forest Services (IFS) examination. She ranked fifth in the exam. In an interview with The Tribune, Sheveta said, “I am the first woman from Rajouri district to qualify the IFS examination. This is an honour for me, my family and my place.”

Sheveta belongs to a middle-class family. After her mother’s death six years ago due to kidney failure, the responsibility of the whole family turned on her as she was the eldest of her three siblings.

Coming from a small town, she says she has lived in a constrained atmosphere and had meagre resources. Sheveta says, “I was always good at studies. I never took coaching classes. I believe in self-study.”

She did her schooling from National Public High School, Rajouri, and graduated from Post Graduate College, Rajouri. She did her M.Phil in Botany (plant pathology) and got a gold medal from the University of Jammu in 2007. She is pursuing her Ph.D from the University of Jammu. She has cracked the National Eligibility Test (NET) twice and had been working as a lecturer at Manjakote Higher Secondary School since the past three years.

She credited her mother, late Neelam Jandial, for her success. Sheveta said, “My mother is my inspiration. Whatever the situation, she supported me always. What I am today is because of her blessings.” Giving a message to girls of small towns and cities, she said, “If you have the courage and zeal to do something in life, nothing is impossible in this world.”

Sheveta’s father Subash Jandial said, “I am very happy for my daughter. I feel proud and the feeling is inexpressible. God is kind.”

After 3 yrs, a Kashmiri makes it to IFS
Bismah Malik
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 10
After a gap of three years, a Kashmiri has qualified the Indian Forest Services examination, the result of which was declared by the Union Public Services Commission yesterday. Bilal Mohiuddin Butt (27), who hails from Kupwara district in north Kashmir, has secured the 23rd rank in the list comprising 85 IFS qualifiers.

Bilal is currently serving as a Kashmir Administrative Services officer (KAS) in the state Commercial Taxes Department. He graduated in Veterinary Sciences from the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Jammu, in 2010 and appeared in the KAS examination in 2011.

“I cleared the KAS examination in the first attempt. Although, my goal is to crack the IAS, I decided to go for the IFS exam, which also I cleared in one go. I have always been associated with various environment-conservation drives at my university and becoming an IFS officer is definitely a blessing,” Bilal said.

Bilal’s father Ghulam Mohiuddin Butt is the Additional Deputy commissioner of Budgam district in central Kashmir. Butt says his son is hardworking and always aimed at becoming a civil servant and had been planning for it since his school days.

“He (Bilal) did not go to elite schools of the Valley. Despite that, he was focused and confident of cracking the civil services examination. His achievement has made me proud as there aren’t many candidates from Kashmir who have achieved this feat,” said Butt.

In 2010, Irfan Ali Shah was the lone candidate from the Valley who qualified the IFS examination.

The trend of cracking the civil services examination has picked up in the Valley since 2010 when Shah Faesal became the first Kashmiri to top the IAS. Four Kashmiris qualified the IAS examination last year.

Besides Bilal, Renu Bala, Gulshan Kumar and Nandani Salaria, all residents of Jammu, have qualified the IFS examination this year securing the 9th, 17th and 24th rank, respectively.

Ammunition seized from hideout in Handwara
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 10
Security forces have recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition, including assault rifles, explosives and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), from a militant hideout near north Kashmir’s frontier Handwara town yesterday evening.

The cache was seized during a search operation inside the Moldari forest near Handwara town of Kupwara district. The operation was conducted by the police and 21 Rashtriya Rifles of the Army.

Six Kalashnikovs, 19 Kalashnikov magazines, 119 under-barrel grenade-launcher shells and half kg explosive material were seized from the hideout, a police officer said today.

Nine RPG shells, 36 RPG boosters, 25 AK rounds and six pistol silencers were also seized, the officer said.

The Handwara region, located close to the Line of Control in the frontier Kupwara district, is a known infiltration zone for militants attempting to sneak into the Kashmir valley.

The police officer said the hideout likely belonged to Lashkar-e-Toiba militants who maintain a presence in the Handwara forests. The officer said around 20 militants, most of them of Lashkar-e-Toiba, are believed to be hiding in the Handwara forest belt.

Guv tells officials to complete work on bridge over Jhajjar
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 10
Governor NN Vohra today stressed upon the authorities concerned to complete the bridge over Jhajjar to connect Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University with the national highway. At a meeting held at Raj Bhawan here, the Governor reviewed the to-date status of the construction of the bridge over Jhajjar and its approach roads.

The bridge will also provide direct connectivity from the national highway to the upcoming Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence at Kakriyal.

It was decided at the meeting that the bridge would be completed by early July.

The Governor pointed to the upgrade of the Kakriyal-Katra road, adding that once the Jammu-Katra rail link is opened and the medical institute becomes operational, the flow of traffic on the road will increase manifold.

The Governor told the Managing Director of the Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation to ensure against any further delay in the completion of Parvati Bhawan and Ashirwad Bhawan.

BJYM to expose govt’s ‘anti-national’ policies
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 10
Under the banner of the Yuva Adhikar Yatra, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) yesterday announced the launch of an agitation against the National Conference-Congress regime for encouraging anti-India elements and discouraging nationalist forces in the state.

Addressing a press conference, state BJYM president Ravinder Raina said the BJYM yatra would start from April 11 and pass through various parts of the state, including the Kashmir valley and the Ladakh region.

While coming down heavily on the coalition regime for its failure to check the activities of anti-national forces, Raina said in the just concluded Budget session of the Assembly, most of the time was wasted on discussing Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.