J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

HC asks for parole for detainee
SRINAGAR, Oct 22 — The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has asked the authorities to consider the release on parole of Tariq Hussain Bhat, a detenue, in view of his poor health.

6 militants shot in Jammu
JAMMU, Oct 22 — Security forces gunned down six hardcore militants, including five of Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba and Tehreek-Jehadi Islami, and recovered huge amounts of arms and ammunition in Poonch and Doda districts of Jammu division since yesterday, official sources said here today.

Split averted in BSP
JAMMU, Oct 22 — The state unit of the Bahujan Smaj Party could have had a vertical split when the President, Sheikh Abdul Rehman, expelled three senior party leaders from the organisation.

Court’s move on illegal petrol stations
SRINAGAR, Oct 22 — A Division Bench of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has taken note of the petrol stations operating in the Kashmir valley without licences.

HC asks for parole for detainee

SRINAGAR, Oct 22 (PTI) — The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has asked the authorities to consider the release on parole of Tariq Hussain Bhat, a detenue, in view of his poor health.

A Division Bench of the high court comprising Mr Chief Justice B.P. Saraf and Mr Justice Syed Bashiruddin, made these observations on a press report suo motu converted into public interest litigation.

On Friday the Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, who was asked by the court to furnish a report on the health condition of Bhat, a detenue at Kot Balwal jail, gave details of his ailments.

The Deputy Commissioner had stated that the detenue as per the medical report had been referred to the Government Medical College, Jammu, and the Principal had been requested to make appropriate arrangements for his treatment.

The court has also asked two senior members of the Srinagar Bar, Zaffar Shah and Mian Abdul Qayoom, to assist the court in the case.

Senior Additional Advocate-General M.I. Qadri has been asked to take notice in the case on behalf of the respondents.

6 militants shot in Jammu

JAMMU, Oct 22 (PTI) — Security forces gunned down six hardcore militants, including five of Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba (LET) and Tehreek-Jehadi Islami (TJI), and recovered huge amounts of arms and ammunition in Poonch and Doda districts of Jammu division since yesterday, official sources said here today.

Two let militants, including an “area-commander” of the outfit identified as Abu Samana of Faisalabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, were shot dead near Pir Panjal Pass in the Surankote area of Poonch district, the sources said.

In another encounter at Dhara Sangala Heights of Surankote, security forces shot dead two more let ultras identified as Aslam Salabi, alias Abu Gilani, and Abu Adhab, both Pakistanis.

Army troops also killed a self-styled district commander of the TJI, Colonel Sher, in a cave at Bafliyaz near Surankote, the sources added.

Reports from Doda district said security forces killed an ultra in the Nagni area, 6 km south of West Banihal. He was later identified as Jamal-ud-Din of the Chapnari area of Doda who had recently returned from Pakistan.

SRINAGAR: Two militants and a civilian were killed in three separate incidents, while security forces rescued two youths from militants while being taken for arms training in the Kashmir valley since last evening, the police said today.

The youths identified as Mushtaq Ahmad Teli and Nazir Ahmad were noticed by the security forces when they were being forcibly taken for arms training by a militant of Pakistan based Al-Burq in the Kupwara sector of North Kashmir last night, a police spokesman said.

He said security forces acted swiftly and killed the militant who also hailed from the same village and rescued them.

A loaded pistol and a wireless set were recovered from the killed militant, the spokesman said.

He said the police recovered the body of a Hizbul Mujahideen militant, Abdul Rashid Bhat, alias Jaffery, from Anantnag district yesterday.

He said unidentified militants abducted and later killed a civilian in Pulwama district today.

Split averted in BSP
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Oct 22 — The state unit of the Bahujan Smaj Party (BSP) could have had a vertical split when the President, Sheikh Abdul Rehman, expelled three senior party leaders from the organisation.

Sheikh Abdul Rehman had plans of issuing a show-cause notice to one of the general secretaries, Mr Tusli Das, who had announced a new office-bearers with himself as the president when this development was brought to the notice of Sheikh Abdul Rehman, he convened a meeting of party’s core committee and office-bearers of the district units. It was decided that a show cause notice be issued to Tulsi Das, Lakhbir Singh and K.C. Chalgotra asking them to explain why they had set up a parallel body. They were expected to reply within one week, failing which they would be expelled from the party.

The BSP leaders urged Sheikh Abdul Rehman to issue expulsion notices there and then. He expelled the three leaders for anti-party activities.

Reports said Tulsi Das along with 10 BSP activists had constituted a new team of office-bearers to uphold the principle of one man one post. Since Sheikh Abdul Rehman was the party’s MLA he should not hold the post of the party chief.

The supporters of Sheikh Abdul Rehman contested the claim of Tusli Das saying that those whose names had figured among his supporters had given in writing that they had not attended any meeting chaired by Tusli Das.

One Narain Das had personally informed the Sheikh that he was not a party to Tusli Das’s decision. In fact Narain Das had been planted by Sheikh’s men to get the report on the plans of Tulsi Das.

Tulsi Das and Sheikh Abdul Rehman are old rivals in the party. The former had been installed president of the state unit of the BSP with the support of the party supremo, Kanshi Ram. This had irked Tulsi Das. When he failed to dislodge the Sheikh he staged a coup.

Reports said several Congress leaders including Raman Bhalla, have started cashing on the feud in the BSP so that many workers disgruntled over the infighting could be encouraged to join the Congress. Mr Bhalla today succeeded in enrolling nearly 80 BSP workers in the Congress. Sheikh Abdul Rehman, who has emerged as a hero, has already sent a detailed report to Kanshi Ram.

Court’s move on illegal petrol stations

SRINAGAR, Oct 22 (PTI) — A Division Bench of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has taken note of the petrol stations operating in the Kashmir valley without licences.

The Bench comprising Mr Chief Justice B.P. Saraf and Mr Justice Syed Bashiruddin directed the Chief Secretary to prepare a list of all petrol stations operating in the state within a fortnight.

The directive came in the wake of a writ petition filed by Mr B.M. Sadeq, an advocate of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, that petrol was being sold by persons not possessing licences in Pulwama district.

Earlier a notice was issued to the Deputy Commissioner, Pulwama, to appear before the court along with the relevant records.

The Deputy Commissioner stated that illegal petrol stations were also being run in Anantnag, Budgam, Srinagar, Jammu and Udhampur districts.