J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

NC plans defamation suit against CEC
Jammu, November 8
The National Conference leadership has reacted sharply to the recent statement of the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr J.M. Lyngdoh, in which he had accused the Farooq-led government of trying to sabotage the assembly poll in Jammu and Kashmir which was completed in the first week of October.

• Earlier story: There was bid to sabotage J&K poll: CEC

CRPF picket targeted, ultra killed
Srinagar, November 8
Militants made an abortive attempt to target a security picket, while security forces shot a militant in an encounter in the Kashmir valley since last night, official sources said today.

A policeman stands guard as Muslims offer prayers on the first Friday of the fasting month of Ramzan, at a mosque in the Lal Chowk area of Srinagar. — Photo Amin War.

J&K Government releases 2 ultras
Srinagar, November 8
Amid speculation that some Hurriyat leaders may be released from jails, the new Jammu and Kashmir Government has released two militants who have been languishing in prisons for over 10 years.

Srinagar-Leh road closed
Srinagar, November 8
Leh and Kargil districts will remain cut off from the rest of country for the winter months following the closure of the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh national highway from today.

NC plans defamation suit against CEC
Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 8
The National Conference leadership has reacted sharply to the recent statement of the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr J.M. Lyngdoh, in which he had accused the Farooq-led government of trying to sabotage the assembly poll in Jammu and Kashmir which was completed in the first week of October.

In a statement issued here today the President of the National Conference, Mr Omar Abdullah, referred to Mr Lyngdoh’s statement casting aspersions on the National Conference government and said the statement was “unfortunate, irresponsible and unsubstantiated.” He said the allegations of the Chief Election Commissioner were “motivated and aimed at defaming the National Conference government” which had facilitated the conduct of the elections as per the directions of the commission.

Mr Omar Abdullah challenged Mr Lyngdoh to “prove the allegations levelled against my party or else withdraw his statement.” He said the Chief Election Commissioner’s statement had “further strengthened our belief that there are forces conspiring to weaken the National Conference.” He said for a constitutional authority like the CEC to make a statement like the one made by Mr Lyngdoh on a television channel during a discussion “does not speak well of his expected non-partisan role.”

He said “my party has always avoided raking up issues regarding the fairness of the elections in the national interest despite provocations and reports that there was a conspiracy to prove the fairness of the elections by ensuring the defeat of the NC.”

Mr Omar Abdullah said the party was consulting legal experts so that a defamation suit could be filed against Mr Lyngdoh if he did not withdraw his statement.

Earlier, Dr Farooq Abdullah ridiculed the allegations made by the Chief Election Commissioner saying that the charges were baseless. Talking to mediamen while filing the nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha seat, he suggested to the PCC chief, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, not to throw stones when he himself was living in a glass house while referring to Mr Azad’s demand for holding a judicial probe into the “conspiracy” hatched by the NC to sabotage the assembly poll.

UNI adds: The Pradesh Congress president, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, today demanded a high-level inquiry by a sitting Supreme Court or High Court Judge into an attempt by a section of the police to sabotage the recent Assembly elections in the state and rig them in favour of the National Conference.

Talking to mediapersons after filing his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha, Mr Azad said the charges made by the Chief Election Commissioner should not be taken lightly.

Reacting to the statement of CEC, state secretary of CPM Mohammed Yusuf Tarigami too demanded a high-level inquiry into the charges.

CRPF picket targeted, ultra killed

Srinagar, November 8
Militants made an abortive attempt to target a security picket, while security forces shot a militant in an encounter in the Kashmir valley since last night, official sources said today.

A militant, identified as Sartaj Ahmad Lone, a resident of Tangpora, was killed in a gunfight with the security forces at Pheripora village of Shopian in Pulwama district of south Kashmir early today, the sources said.

The encounter broke out when the security forces laid a cordon around the village to flush out hiding militants, they said, adding that some arms and ammunition were seized from him.

Militants lobbed a grenade towards a CRPF picket at Banglabagh in Baramula district town of north Kashmir last night. However, the grenade missed the intended target and exploded on the road causing no casualty or damage, the sources said.

Meanwhile, a Special Police Officer (SPO) was killed by a surrendered militant at Anantnag in south Kashmir this afternoon.

An official spokesman said a youth fired a couple of rounds on SPO Javed Ahmad at main chowk Anantnag this afternoon resulting in his death on the spot.

However, when the youth tried to flee, he was caught by the people and handed over to the police.

Later, the killer was identified as an activist of Ikhwan, a counter-insurgent group formed by surrendered militants.

BARAMULA: At least one person was killed and two others, including a surrendered militant, were wounded when unidentified gunmen resorted to indicriminate firing at Wagoora Lolab in north Kashmir on Friday afternoon.

Official sources said the militants opened fire at Wagoora immediately after the Friday prayers were over in a local mosque.

They said Mohammad Iqbal was killed on the spot while a surrendered militant and a tailor Ghulam Hassan Lone were wounded.

The injured were admitted to hospital. PTI, UNI

J&K Government releases 2 ultras

Srinagar, November 8
Amid speculation that some Hurriyat leaders may be released from jails, the new Jammu and Kashmir Government has released two militants who have been languishing in prisons for over 10 years.

The JKLF commander Nazir Ahmad Sheikh, alias Gul Danter, and Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Mohammad Ayub were set free by a court on bail yesterday, a few days after another JKLF commander Showkat Ahmad Bakshi, was granted bail. He was in jail for 13 years. All of them were facing militancy related charges. PTI

Plan to revamp schools in villages
Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 8
The state Cabinet today okayed a plan for revamping the educational system in the rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Cabinet, which met here under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohd. Sayeed, decided to set up village education committees for managing the schools. These VECs will look after the construction work and purchase of teaching and learning material besides supervising the function of the schools.

Under the programme 840 new primary schools would be opened for children in the six to 14 age group. Terming the Centrally-sponsored scheme as comprehensive the Mufti said that 1680 teachers, two for each school, would be engaged locally under the norms set in the Rehbar-i-Taleem scheme.

A sum of Rs 70 crore is to be spent on the programme. Under the programme 65 primary schools are to be opened in Jammu district, 40 each in Udhampur and Kathua, 112 in Doda, 32 in Poonch and 13 in Rajouri. In the Kashmir valley 130 schools are to be opened in Baramulla district, 58 in Budgam, 76 in Anantnag, 89 in Kupwara, 20 in Srinagar, 60 in Pulwama. In Leh 40 and 53 in Kargil.

Srinagar-Leh road closed

Srinagar, November 8
Leh and Kargil districts will remain cut off from the rest of country for the winter months following the closure of the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh national highway from today.

A senior traffic police official said no vehicle will be allowed to ply on the highway from tomorrow. The highway from Sonamarg to Drass receives about 10 to 20 feet of snowfall during the winter months.

Officials said though there was no snowfall on the highway yet the authorities did not want to take any risk by allowing traffic.

More than 100 persons died on the highway in the late nineties when more than 30 vehicles were caught in sudden and heavy snowfall. The authorities have stocked essential commodities in Kargil and Leh districts for the winter months. Meanwhile, Imam Khomani Trust general secretary Asgar Kabalyaee has demanded a tunnel be constructed at Zojila Pass to keep the Srinagar-Leh highway open throughout the year. UNI