J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Geelani group for induction of Molvi Umar Farooq
Jammu, November 11
While the Executive Committee of the APHC, headed by Molvi Umar Farooq, will meet in Srinagar after Id-ul-Fitr to evolve a strategy for the resumption of talks with the Centre and for communicating the final decision on its demand for sending a team to Pakistan, the rival group led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani has favoured the entry of Molvi Umar Farooq into the organisation.

CID officer, 4 militants killed
Srinagar, November 11
Four militants were killed in separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday. The police said that two militants of Hizbul Mujahideen were killed in an encounter with the security forces at Wularhama in the Pahalgam area of Anantnag district yesterday. They were identified as Ghulam Mohiuddin Chopan of Salar, Pahalgam, and Danish Ahmad Najar from Kanalwan.
 

Suicide attack on CRPF camp, 2 ultras shot Srinagar, November 11 Two militants were killed after they made a suicide attack on a CRPF camp in Dalgate area here this evening. Four CRPF personnel, including a Sub Inspector, were injured in the attack. The police said a two-member suicide squad of militants attacked York Hotel housing the camp of 94 Bn. CRPF at 6-35 p.m. Sources here said that the troops of CRPF effectively returned the fire killing one militant in the initial attack. Another militant, who was injured in retaliatory action by the troops was also shot. TNS

Vision TV chief gets interim bail
Jammu, November 11
A local court here today granted interim bail to Sumant Singh, Managing Director of Vision Media Network, an accused in the pornographic movie case allegedly involving a former Miss Jammu.

DFP chief calls for unity among political leaders
Jammu, November 11
The chief of the Democratic Freedom Party, Mr Shabir Ahmed Shah, has called for unity among the separatists so that they could play a "vital role" in the ongoing India-Pakistan dialogue.

Mainstream and separatist leaders mourn Arafat’s death
Srinagar, November 11
Both mainstream and separatist political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have expressed grief and condoled the death of veteran Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

Guest Control Order stayed
Jammu, November 11
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has stayed the “controversial” Guest Control order which restricts the menu and the number of guests during marriage and other related ceremonies in the state.

Military inquiry begins in rape case
Srinagar, November 11
The high-level court of inquiry constituted by the Army to inquire into the allegation of rape against Major Rahman Hussain is going on expeditiously, a Defence spokesman said here today.

Geelani group for induction of Molvi Umar Farooq
Our Correspondent

Jammu, November 11
While the Executive Committee of the APHC, headed by Molvi Umar Farooq, will meet in Srinagar after Id-ul-Fitr to evolve a strategy for the resumption of talks with the Centre and for communicating the final decision on its demand for sending a team to Pakistan, the rival group led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani has favoured the entry of Molvi Umar Farooq into the organisation.

Inside reports said during a meeting of senior functionaries of Tehrik Hurriyat Kashmir, members supported a suggestion to invite Molvi Umar Farooq to join the Geelani camp. Molvi Umar Farooq has not, so far, shown any inclination to join the camp led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

A senior APHC leader told this correspondent that the Geelani camp was trying to sow seeds of dissensions in “our conglomerate.”

He said the Geelani camp should have discussed the issue if Molvi Umar had sent any feelers for joining his camp.

Amidst confusion among the separatists, the chief of Mahazi Azadi, Mr Azam Inquilabi, has proposed a new unity formula. Under this, he has suggested that the two factions of the Hurriyat Conference should merge with Syed Ali Shah Geelani as its chief patron and Molvi Umar Farooq to be installed as its chairman. So far there has been no reaction from the two camps.

Former Chairman of the APHC, Prof. Abdul Gani Bhat, said “ members of the Executive Committee of the APHC will meet in Srinagar a few days after Eid-ul-Fitr where a final decision would be taken on the chairman’s demand for sending an APHC team to Pakistan prior to the resumption of the dialogue with the Central Government.

“We have to frame our strategy after examining whether a visit to Pakistan was necessary and if the tour could help India and Pakistan resolve bilateral problems, including the Kashmir issue,” he told this correspondent today.

He said the Union Home Minister, Mr Shivraj Patil, had during his recent visit to Jammu and Kashmir, stated that the Centre was ready for an unconditional dialogue with “us”. In this context “we have to decide whether the offer for talks, when given a formal shape, will be accepted or not.”

Sources close to the Kashmiri separatists, most of them moderates, wish to wait for the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh’s, visit to the state. They expect him to make an announcement regarding the dialogue process.

CID officer, 4 militants killed
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, November 11
Four militants were killed in separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since yesterday.

The police said that two militants of Hizbul Mujahideen were killed in an encounter with the security forces at Wularhama in the Pahalgam area of Anantnag district yesterday. They were identified as Ghulam Mohiuddin Chopan of Salar, Pahalgam, and Danish Ahmad Najar from Kanalwan.

One militant of the Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit was killed in an encounter with the security forces at Larnoo Kokernag in Anantnag district. He was identified as Nissar Ahmad Shah from Kishtwar in Doda district. One AK rifle, three magazines, 30 cartridges, a wireless set and a hand grenade were seized from the slain militant, the police said.

JAMMU: CID officer Mumtaz Ahmad Malik was shot by terrorists in the main bazar of Surankot town in Poonch district today.

According to the police, Mr Malik, who was an Assistant Sub Inspector, CID, and posted as sector officer there, was fired upon in the main bazar. He succumbed to the injuries while shifted to hospital.

In another encounter, a commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, Saleem Bhat, was shot dead by the security forces in the Goold area of Udhampur district.

One AK rifle, 3 AK magazines and two hand grenades were seized from him.

Vision TV chief gets interim bail

Jammu, November 11
A local court here today granted interim bail to Sumant Singh, Managing Director of Vision Media Network, an accused in the pornographic movie case allegedly involving a former Miss Jammu.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Sanjeev Gupta directed the investigating agency to release the accused on furnishing a bail bond and surety bond to the tune of Rs 50,000 each.

The court further directed that interim bail would last till November 17 and thereafter Sumant Singh should surrender on the same date before the investigating agency.

The bail was granted on the condition that it would cease to exist if the case against Sumant Singh was established, the court said.

Sumant Singh was arrested from a hideout a few days ago following disclosures by Anara Gupta, the former beauty queen. A local court granted bail to her on Tuesday.

Another accused Narinder Kohli, a cable operator, who surrendered before the Inspector-General of Police, Jammu, a few days ago, had also moved an anticipatory bail plea before a local court.

However, soon after his surrender, Kohli filed a fresh bail application in court of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), which is still pending. — PTI 

DFP chief calls for unity among political leaders
Our Correspondent

Jammu, November 11
The chief of the Democratic Freedom Party, Mr Shabir Ahmed Shah, has called for unity among the separatists so that they could play a "vital role" in the ongoing India-Pakistan dialogue.

Mr Shah told newsmen here today, "I have been a votary of peace. I want bilateral problems between India and Pakistan to be resolved through peaceful negotiations." He said in this context political leaders of Jammu and Kashmir had to play a role and they could do it only if they remained united.

Mr Shah wanted peoples' representatives to be involved in the ongoing Indo-Pak talks.

The DFP chief, who is on a tour of various areas of the Jammu region for the past 20 days, said solution to the Kashmir problem should be such that it satisfy the people of the three regions of Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir.

He said during his tour he was convinced that majority of people wanted peaceful settlement of the Kashmir issue and added, that the Manmohan-Musharraf talks were progressing on a smooth scale.

Mainstream and separatist leaders mourn
Arafat’s death
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, November 11
Both mainstream and separatist political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have expressed grief and condoled the death of veteran Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

The Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in his condolence message described Arafat as a great leader, who had a long struggle for the cause of Palestine. He conveyed his condolences and sympathy to the bereaved family.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and Member of Parliament Mehbooba Mufti has expressed grief and shock over the death of veteran Palestinian leader, who dominated his people’s struggle for 40 years. She said Arafat’s loss was a setback to the entire Muslim world in general and the Palestinian people in particular.

She said the Nobel peace prize winner, Arafat had kept Palestine alive and added that his death was the saddest day in the Palestinian history as Palestine as a nation had lost its father.

She said he had been incarnating for the past 40 years the ‘Palestinian cause’ and fighting against the Israeli aggression.

She also prayed for the peace to the departed soul and hoped the cause for which Arafat struggled would reach its logical conclusion.

Former Chief Minister and National Conference patron, Dr Farooq Abdullah also expressed his condolence over the death of the Palestinian leader. He recalled the long struggle of Yasser Arafat and paid rich tributes to the departed leader.

The separatist Hurriyat Conference chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani paid rich tributes to the Palestinian leader and expressed grief over his demise.

Guest Control Order stayed

Jammu, November 11
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has stayed the “controversial” Guest Control order which restricts the menu and the number of guests during marriage and other related ceremonies in the state.

Passing the order, Justice V K Jhanji, yesterday said till the objections were filed and considered, the operation of the Guest Control order, passed by the General Administration Department on October 27 this year and implemented from November 5, stands stayed.

The writ petition, filed by Mr O.P. Dogra and others, had submitted that the state government in May 2004, had indicated its desire to impose restrictions on menu and guests of marriage ceremonies. However, since May-June was the marriage season in the Kashmir valley, the order was put on hold.

The wedding season in Jammu region comes around November and December and the present government, on regional consideration, issued the controversial order, the petitioners had submitted. — PTI

Military inquiry begins in rape case
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, November 11
The high-level court of inquiry constituted by the Army to inquire into the allegation of rape against Major Rahman Hussain is going on expeditiously, a Defence spokesman said here today.

This follows the allegation of rape of a mother-daughter duo in Badhra village near Handwara town in Kupwara district of north Kashmir on Saturday last. The incident sparked off protest demonstrations in the town and elsewhere in the valley, including capital Srinagar over the past three days.

The Defence spokesman said the court of inquiry had already examined Major Rahman Hussain and several other key witnesses. He added that other soldiers and witnesses were being examined. The court of inquiry is presided over by Col S. K. Nandal and has Mr Firdous Iqbal, Deputy Superintendent of Police, as the senior member.

As part of the inquiry, DNA samples of all persons involved in the incident have already been dispatched for forensic examination. These DNA samples were obtained and sealed in the presence of a team of civil forensic officials, civilian medical authorities, police officers and Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kupwara, and the Executive Magistrate.

The Corps commander has ordered that the progress of the inquiry be monitored on a daily basis. The Srinagar-based Corps Commander has personally assured that stern action would be taken against those found guilty.