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March 21, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Bandh paralyses Kashmir valley Awami League condemns
Pakistan J&K House lobby
‘no smoking zone’ Villagers block traffic, seek more water CBI probe into Meenakshi case |
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Border villagers threaten
gherao Kathua, March 20 An emergency meeting of the villagers of the border areas was held at zero line international border in Hiranagar today under the chairmanship of Mr Nanak Chand, president of the Border Union.
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Bandh paralyses Kashmir valley Srinagar, March 20 Several separatist militant and political and social organisations have expressed concern over the police action and condemned the incident in which Geelani was injured outside his Peerbagh residence. The incident took place following the release of the senior separatist leader who had to be shifted to the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura, for treatment. While the separatist groups blamed police for the assault on the leader, the police has refuted the charge. The APHC, Jamaat-e-Islami, Peoples Political Front of Mr Fazl-e-Haq Qureshi, Hizbul Mujahideen, several other militant and political organisations, Sikh leaders and others have also condemned the incident. All shops and business establishments here remained closed today. Banks and educational institutions also remained closed. There was thin attendance in government offices as there was lack of transport services. Only private vehicles and autorickshaws were plying. There was thin traffic on the inter-district routes. Reports from other major towns of the valley revealed that all shops and business establishments in Anantnag, Pulwama, Baramula, Sopore and Kupwara remained closed. A police spokesman here yesterday denied the reports that Geelani was assaulted or manhandled. He said that the police personnel were doing theirjob and had gone out of their way to drop the Jamaat-e-Islami leader at his residence. “In return, Syed Ali Shah Geelani feigned illness and despite normal health continues to stay in hospital to mislead the people,” a police spokesman said. As already reported, Geelani, was taken into custody on a day earlier, on Friday, along with six of his associates for violating prohibitory orders. He had been demanding the release of his two other colleagues including Mohammad Yusuf Mujahid, which led to the trouble. Meanwhile, three unidentified militants were killed in an encounter with the security forces at Goripora, in Trehgam area of Baramula district today. The police said that a patrol party of security forces was fired upon by the hiding militants at 7.45 a.m. today, which ensued the encounter. A large number of people participated in the funeral ceremony of the three unidentified militants. They are believed to be foreigners and associated with the Lashkar-e-Toiba. Reports reaching here said that a large number of people took out a procession and raised slogans against the security forces. One boy, Ghulam Ahmad Malik, received injuries in the crossfire between militants and security forces at Zachaldara in Kupwara district last evening. The encounter ensued when a patrol party of the security forces was fired upon by some hiding militants. One person was apprehended in the Lalpora area of Kupwara district of north Kashmir, from whose possession four hand grenades and 13 AK rounds were seized, a police spokesman stated here.
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Awami League condemns
Pakistan Jammu, March 20 In a statement issued here today, Mr Parrey condemned Pakistan for continued support to militants who had been indulging in the killing of innocent persons in the name of jehad. He said that Islamabad should realise the changed scenario in which even UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan rejected the validity of the UN resolutions on Kashmir. He said Pakistan and its agents in Kashmir, including Hurriyat Conference leaders, should stop human rights violations and respond positively to the peace process initiated by the Government of India. Mr Parrey regretted that so far neither Pakistan nor the fundamentalists in Kashmir had positively responded to ceasefire and during the past three months the rebels escalated the level of violence to sabotage the peace process. He warned Pakistan against adopting belligerent attitude against India. |
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J&K House lobby
‘no smoking zone’ Jammu, March 20 The matter was raised by Panthers Party member Harsh Dev Singh, who drew the attention of the Speaker towards the poor attendance of the members of the ruling National Conference (NC). He quipped “is the session to be run only by the opposition members when majority of the NC members were in the lobby busy smoking cigarettes?” At this juncture Congress member Ashok Sharma said the members were polluting the atmosphere in the lobby. Mr Vakil issued directions to the staff to remove all ash trays and put up a board saying “smoking not allowed.” During discussion on the grants of Public Works Department, an NC member, Mr Dilawar Mir, drew the attention of the Speaker towards the meagre salary of the legislators. He said the salary “we receive is not sufficient to meet the expenses.” Mr Harsh Dev asked about the legislators’ powers. He said an MLA had no power to check indiscipline or other malpractices. He and some others regretted the way the bureaucrats treated the legislators. The Speaker cited the Lok Sabha rules and directed the bureaucrats to show respect to the legislators.
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Villagers block traffic, seek more water Udhampur, March 20 Nearly 300 demonstrators staged a dharna on the road. The protesters, led by Mr Puran Chand Sharma, Sarpanch, demanded the supply of two tankers of potable water daily. They said at present, the Public Health and Engineering Department was supplying only one tanker daily.
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CBI probe into Meenakshi case Udhampur, March 20 The six-member team, led by SP R.S. Bhatti, took all records from the CGM court, Udhampur, and shifted these to the CGM Jammu. He took all documents from the police. A deputation of the Joint Action Committee called on Mr Bhatti and urged him to look into the other factors connected with the case. The father of Meenakshi, Mr Natha Singh Buhul, met the team and gave all details regarding the case. |
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Border villagers threaten
gherao Kathua, March 20 The border villagers warned the state government that if their welfare schemes were not implemented shortly and the allotted funds not utilised properly, they would launch an indefinite agitation and gherao the state ministers and bureaucrats and block the Kathua-Jammu national highway at Dayala Chack. GANG BUSTED: With the arrest of three persons, the Samba police has busted a gang involved in selling fake certificates of Class X and Class XII. Avtar Singh, alias Babu Singh of Chak Ram Chand village, Ashok Kumar of Panthi village and Madan Lal, alias Madhu, of Kathua, were arrested in this connection. VILLAGERS’ PROTEST: Agitating residents of Bhiya, Satura Garra, Bhoka Chack, Chadwal and Dyala Chack villages on Sunday protested against the non-supply of drinking water to the villages for the past month. The irate villagers said they had submitted several memorandums to the district administration to restore the water supply, but till date nothing had been done. The villagers warned the administration that if water supply was not restored within a week, they would launch an indefinite strike and block the Kathua-Jammu national highway. RAIDS CONDUCTED: A team of the Excise Department, Kathua range, conducted raids on Chack Drab Khan and Barnoti villages and seized 80 bottles of illicit liquor, a large quantity of lahan and a still. Cases have been registered against Raj Kumar, Sheela Kour and Rasaloo under the Excise Act. LIQUOR SEIZED: A Kathua police team , led by the SHO, Mr
J.S. Sumbria, arrested Jodh Raj of Chack Drab Khan village in Kathua tehsil and seized 50 bags of illicit liquor from his possession. The police has registered the case.
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