J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

5 ultras, soldier among 7 killed
Srinagar, January 19
Seven persons, including five militants and a soldier, were killed while security forces seized a huge quantity of RDX in Jammu and Kashmir during the past 24 hours, an official spokesman said.

Hurriyat (A) denies any condition for talks
Jammu, January 19
Leaders of the APHC (Abbas) have denied reports that they had threatened to pull out of talks if they were not allowed to visit Pakistan to meet leaders of militant groups and the government in Islamabad.

Searches intensified in Srinagar
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, January 19
The police and security agencies have intensified security operations at the vital installations here to ensure smooth conduct of Republic Day celebrations.

Checking and frisking have been intensified on the roads and lanes leading to Bakshi stadium, the venue of main Republic Day celebrations here. Similar arrangements have also been made at other vital installations in the summer capital. Several suspected youth have been taken into preventive custody to ensure smooth conduct of the celebrations. The police, however, did not divulge details of those taken into custody during the past week.

Security personnel have been deployed close to the stadium and localities and on the roof-tops of the houses. The residents have also been asked to furnish the details of the identity and number of the family members.

Meanwhile, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, leader of the breakaway group of separatist all-party Hurriyat Conference, has asked the people to observe  January 26 as “black day”. He said it while addressing a large number of people gathered on the funeral ceremony of Gazi Naseeruddin, deputy commander-in-chief of Hizbul Mujahideen in Budgam on Saturday.

The security forces have been put on the full alert in other parts of the valley as well ahead of the Republic Day celebrations.

As part of the intensified security operations, the police achieved a major success with the killing of top Hizbul Mujahideen commanders here last week. Gazi Naseerudd, deputy supreme commander and his associate, Fayaz Ahmad, chief financial controller, were killed on the outskirts of Srinagar on Friday last. A day earlier, the BSF claimed to have killed Mohammad Abbas Malik of Gund, Doda district at Tengpora on the outskirts of Srinagar. He was second-in-command in the Hizbul Mujahideen after the killing of one Saifurrehman, the BSF spokesman claimed.

The Abbas faction of separatist Hurriyat Conference has expressed concern over the alleged excesses being committed on the people of Kashmir in view of the security arrangements made for the smooth conduct of Republic Day celebrations.

In a statement issued here today, an APHC spokesman claimed that the security forces resorted to harassment of innocent people by way of crack downs, arrests and checking. The spokesman, however, did not directly give any strike call for the Republic Day. “The people of Kashmir are mature enough to decide the way to react” on different occasions, the spokesman said claiming that a complete bandh would be observed as a mark of protest on the occasion.

Syed Ali Shah Geelani, leader of the breakaway which is not in favour of the dialogue process between Abbas faction and the centre, has already called for a strike and appealed that the day be observed as a ‘black day’.

5 ultras, soldier among 7 killed

Srinagar, January 19
Seven persons, including five militants and a soldier, were killed while security forces seized a huge quantity of RDX in Jammu and Kashmir during the past 24 hours, an official spokesman said.

An encounter was going on between militants and security forces at Sheikh Nar, Sogam, in the frontier district of Kupwara, when reports last came in, he said. One soldier had lost his life and another was wounded, he added.

Security forces killed a militant at Band Pawa village in the south Kashmir district of Pulwama last night during a search operation.

Security forces also gunned down two militants each at Targal and Chasana Reasi during two different search operations, the spokesman said.

The body of Talib Hussain, who was abducted from his house on January 18, was found at Hari Safeda in Poonch today.

Sources said Sher Uddin and Lal Uddin had gone into the Serigam forest in Kupwara district for hunting last night. However, while they were returning in the evening, security forces mistook them for militants and opened fire. Sher Uddin later died in a hospital.

Security forces also busted a hideout at Marhote and seized 22 packets of RDX and two UBGL grenades at Surankote.

JAMMU: The police found a live handgrenade in Jammu city on Sunday night, sources said.

Acting on specific information, the police searched Rajinder Park in the Canal road area of the city and found HE-36 type grenade. It was without liver and safety fuse.

The grenade was defused by the bomb disposal squad, they added. — UNI, PTI

Hurriyat (A) denies any condition for talks
Our Correspondent

Jammu, January 19
Leaders of the APHC (Abbas) have denied reports that they had threatened to pull out of talks if they were not allowed to visit Pakistan to meet leaders of militant groups and the government in Islamabad.

“While accepting the invitation from Delhi for talks with the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, neither we nor India laid any condition, Maulvi Abbas Ansari, APHC Chairman, and Prof Abdul Gani Bhat have said.

The two APHC leaders told this correspondent today, “The ensuing talks are unconditional and the question of seeking permission for allowing the Hurriyat team to visit Pakistan for making the dialogue proceed dues not arise.”

Professor Bhat explained that the demand for allowing the APHC team to visit Pakistan was at least two-year old. “If we want to discuss all issues with the Pakistan Government and leaders of militant groups, camping across the LoC, we cannot do it in Delhi where we can meet the Pakistan High Commissioner, which we have been doing for the past several years.”

He said, “A visit to Pakistan can facilitate the dialogue process but the demand should not be construed as a condition.”

Maulvi Ansari, who was quoted to have threatened to pull out of talks in case the APHC team was not allowed to visit Pakistan, said “Those trying to sabotage the ensuing talks have engineered a distorted version of my statement.”

The two APHC leaders gave a clear indication that they would visit Delhi and met Mr Advani and others where “we prefer to answer questions that may be put to us instead of raising one demand or the other.”

“Let us see what Delhi has in mind. Let us observe whether the Government of India is sincere in keeping the dialogue process alive. If we are convinced, we will definitely move ahead," the two leaders said.

A Muslim who sings paeans to Hindu gods
S. P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 19
Undeterred by threats of mullahs, Ghulam Mohammad Dansalia, a Muslim, has been carrying on the family tradition of singing devotional songs of Hindu gods and goddesses.

He started singing devotional songs of Vaishnodevi along with his father, Baba Chirag Din, at the age of 10, and has been continuing to keep folklore of the region alive for the past 60 years despite odds.

His two sons, Iqrar Mohammad and Shamsher Mohammad, were following in the footsteps of their ancestors by joining their father in signing devotional songs in Dogri, and also glorifying exploits of Dogra warriors in battle fields.

Over the years, Ghulam Mohammad has earned respect in society, but no recognition has so far come for the family from the Jammu and Kashmir government. He laments that the successive governments in the state were taking care of the Kashmir-based artists, while people like him here were ignored.

He said that a previous Governor awarded him a gold medal, but no monetary help had come from the state government or any other institution related to art and culture. He gets some money only when he is booked by some organisation for a performance.

However, Ghulam Mohammad is asked to exhibit his talent whenever some VVIP comes here.

He told this correspondent that certain maoulvis and mullahs directed him not to sing devotional songs of Hindus, but he refused to oblige them by saying that he was an artist and not prisoner of a particular faith.

He said that he had written and composed 400 devotional and folk songs in Dogri. Most of these related to Hindu gods and goddesses. He has also composed some songs relating to the Muslim saints. His folk songs on the peasant-reformer Baba Jitto have become very popular among people.

Ghulam Mohammad says that he was indebted to the Dogras who have loved and respected him.