Bid to take out tazia procession foiled

SRINAGAR, April 25 (PTI) — Thirtysix Shia mourners, including some Hurriyat Conference leaders, were taken into preventive custody as the police foiled an attempt to take out a tazia procession in connection with Muharram in the heart of the city today.

The police fired tear gas shells and used batons to disperse the processionists who had assembled at Abi Guzar and tried to take out the procession despite the imposition of prohibitory orders, official sources said.

Muharram processions were banned after the eruption of militancy in the valley in 1989.

Supporters of the J and K Ittehadul Muslimeen led by its chairman and senior executive member of the Hurriyat Conference, Moulvi Abbass Ansari, tried to proceed towards Dalgate, the sources said.

The processionists were stopped by the police at Regal Chowk, which sparked off clashes between the police and the processionists.

After the police fired dozens of tear gas shells and used batons to chase away the processionists, they regrouped. Thirtysix of them were arrested.

All those arrested, including Moulvi Ansari, Mr Javid Ahmad Mir, Mr Shahidul Islam and Mr Nissar Rather of the Hurriyat Conference were lodged in the police station at Kothibagh.

Moulvi Ansari had announced recently that the traditional tazia procession would be taken out as usual from Guru Bazar to Dalgate notwithstanding the ban orders.

The police assisted by the paramilitary forces foiled the attempt of the separatist leader to take out the procession from Guru Bazar.

Meanwhile, reports of taking out of small Muharram processions were received from Dalgate, Zadibal and Hassanabad in Srinagar, Badgam Magam, Pattan and other Shia-dominated areas besides Imambara Bemina, the sources said.

Autonomy panel ‘a fraud’
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, April 25 — Mr Harsh Dev Singh, Panthers Party MLA today said that the recommendations made by the state autonomy committee (SAC) which were recently presented in the state legislative assembly, were null and void as the state government had no authority to constitute a commission to determine its relationship with the Union of India.

Addressing a press conference here this morning, Mr Singh questioned the locus standi of the National Conference government to suo motu appoint a committee to go into the question of autonomy. "This delicate issue falls under the jurisdiction of the President of India, who alone, under article 263 of the Constitution, can appoint a commission to determine the relationship of a state with the Union. Thus the State Autonomy Committee constituted by the state government was a farce and fraud on the people of Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

Mr Singh said the SAC report seeks annulment of several articles of the constitution thus changing the basic structure of the Constitution. The Supreme Court had categorically said in a landmark judgement in Keshvanada Bharti case that the basic structure of the constitution could not be changed even by a two-third majority in Parliament.

Questioning the SAC recommendation of reverting to the pre-53 position, he said it would affect the state very badly as there were around 350 central laws which had been made applicable to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Even a committee constituted by Sheikh Abdullah and headed by Mr D.D. Thakur, former Deputy Chief Minister had favoured the continuance of these laws for the welfare and well-being of the people of J&K. "The abrogation of such laws would hamper the pace of progress in the state," he said adding that it would also scuttle the judicial process besides effecting the jurisdiction of the Election Commission.

Accusing Dr Farooq Abdullah of dividing the people along communal lines on the basis of Sir Oven Dixon plan, Mr Singh said the people of Jammu region never wanted such autonomy for themselves. "What we want is a share in political power, jobs, and similar other things". he said adding that regional disparities were being perpetuated by the state government.

Militants' influx poses problems
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, April 25 — The constant influx of militants into Doda district is posing problems for security forces. Official sources say that in recent days three groups sneaked into the district from Kapran in Anantnag district and Cool in Udhampur district.

According to the sources there are more than 20 such infiltration routes. Except for the Batote-Doda route, all other routes are through mountains and have not been sealed by security personnel.

Whenever militants are under pressure of the security forces in South Kashmir, they flee to the Kishtwar belt of Doda district. And when the security forces make it hot for them in the upper reaches of Udhampur or Rajouri then too, the militants shift their bases to the district.

Security forces are facing lack of manpower, adequate weapons and other problems in curbing the activities of militants in the district.

The police authorities have raised 900 village defence committees (VDCs) and created 3500 posts of special police officer to assist the security forces in the district. But the VDC members have obsolete weapons and do not have adequate transport and communication facilities. This has affected their mobility. Recently some of the VDCs were provided with wireless sets.

Security experts say that since most of the infiltration routes are located at an altitude of 12000 ft and 14000 ft it is not easy for the security forces to carry out search operations. They have suggested the setting up of pickets at various places. to seal the mountain routes to Doda.

Reports say that due to the inability of the Centre to fund the Rs 190 crore action plan which envisaged the modernisation of the police transport, telecommunication and weapon systems and raising of two more police battalions, the state Government can neither increase the number of security posts nor provide the SPOs and the VDC members better weapons.

13 Bangladesh nationals apprehended

JAMMU, April 25 (UNI) — Thirteen Bangladesh nationals, including six women and two children, were apprehended by the BSF while infiltrating into the Indian territory in the Samba sector of the Jammu region.

A BSF spokesman told UNI here that the troops apprehended the Bangladeshis immediately after they crossed the Line of Control (LOC). However, no incriminating documents or weapons were recovered from them, he said.

Later, they were handed over to the local police for interrogation.

At least, 40 Bangladeshi nationals were apprehended by the BSF from the Samba, Akhnoor and R.S. Pura sectors during the past one week.

2 BSF jawans hurt in blast

JAMMU, April 25 (UNI) — At least two BSF jawans were injured when an improvised explosive device (IED) went off at Passa village in Rajouri district early today.

The injured jawans were immediately taken to the Military Hospital, Rajouri, where they were referred to Government Medical College, Jammu. The condition of both was said to be critical.

Combing operations have been launched to nab the culprits.

SRINAGAR (UNI): Militants killed one person while the security forces arrested two militants in the Kashmir valley during the past 24 hours.

An official spokesman said militants killed Abdul Sheikh at Umar-Hair Buchpora while Salam Sheikh was shot at and injured by militants at Darrana Watapora on Saturday night.

He said the security forces arrested two militants at Safakadal on Saturday.