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Governor sets agenda for peace in
valley
3 killed in J&K, major incident
averted
Tight security in J&K for
R-Day
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Cong indifferent to Omar’s
feelers
JMM to contest 9 MC seats
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Governor sets agenda for peace in
valley
Jammu, January 25 In a message on the eve of Republic Day, the Governor said as head of the state he would strive for wiping every tear and for restoring peace to the
state. Mr Sinha said during the past 15 years, more than 39,000 lives were lost. Out of them 15,000 were civilians, 4500 personnel from security forces and 18,500 militants. He said during the past one year, 24 per cent reduction had been recorded in incidents of violence. He said following the completion of the fencing project on the border the rate of infiltration had come down to
zero. Mr Sinha praised the role of the Army and other security agencies in reducing militancy-related violence. He said militants were using a double pronged strategy using guns and indulging in baseless propaganda. The Governor said during the past 15 years, as many as 1300 complaints were received against security personnel and after investigations only 30 were found to be true. In these 30 cases, 70 Army personnel found guilty were punished with dismissal and given sentences running up to 12 years. He said the Indian troops operating in Jammu and Kashmir were the most disciplined. He said with improvement in the security scenario tourist traffic to the state had recorded a marked improvement. Besides unprecedented increase in the number of excursionists to Kashmir valley during the past two years, the pilgrim traffic also touched a new high. He said in 1991 6,000 tourists had visited the valley against 3.76 lakh last year. He said pilgrim traffic to Mata Vaishnov Devi had touched 60 lakh figure last year. The Governor said the Prime Minister’s Rs 24,000 crore economic package would further change the scenario in various development sectors, including education. |
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3 killed in J&K, major incident
averted
Srinagar, January 25 A major incident was averted with the arrest of two suspected militants of Hizbul Mujahideen from the general bus stand at Anantnag when they were trying to lob a grenade yesterday. The police said two militants of Hizbul Mujahideen were killed in an encounter with the security forces at Urapora in the Zainapora area of Pulwama district. They have been identified as Zulfikar Hussain, alias Qasim Gujjar, chief coordinator of Hizbul Mujahideen, Pir Panchal range and Abu Zarar. Two AK rifles, two mobile phones and five hand grenades were recovered from the site of the encounter. The house of Abdul Hamid Dar, where the militants were hiding and firing upon the security forces since yesterday, was damaged in the exchange of firing. One person was killed and four others were injured in an encounter between militants and the security forces at Zampathri Kellar in Pulwama district today. The police and the Army prevented a major incident when they apprehended two suspected militants of Hizbul Mujahideen while they were about to lob a grenade in the crowded bus stand at Anantnag yesterday. The officials, who produced the two militants before media persons at Anantnag today, said that the militants were carrying two hand grenades. They said that the militants had been instructed by their mentors to lob the grenades on the civilians in order to disrupt the peaceful participation of the people in the Republic Day celebrations and the forthcoming civic poll. Three security personnel were injured when an IED planted by suspected militants went off at Paibugh, Mattan, in Anantnag district this morning. The vehicle in which security personnel were moving was damaged in the explosion. One AK rifle, three magazines, 240 cartridges, two UBGLs, four UBGL grenades, three IED remotes and a wireless set were seized from an abandoned house during searches in the Bemina locality here today. Two persons were injured in an explosion at Kitchloo Hotel, Kishtwar, in Doda district, the police here said. A suspected militant, believed to be a tehsil commander of Jaish-e-Mohammad, was arrested by the police at Pochal in Doda district. One militant of the Harkat-ul-Jehadi Islami outfit surrendered before the authorities in Poonch. |
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Tight security in J&K for
R-Day
Jammu, January 25 Sniffer dogs and mine detectors were used for scanning the stadium and its surrounding areas. The stadium has remained out of bounds for sportsmen for the past one week. Security forces have been busy sanitising the area. CRPF men have been deployed on the flyover in front of the stadium. Vehicles fitted with medina-range guns and SLRS have been deployed around the stadium in Jammu and Srinagar. Checking of vehicles and belongings of passengers has been intensified in the city during the past three days. Special police nakas have been erected at several focal points. Areas in and around the Raika Forests and the Nikki Tawi have been sanitised by security forces. Government employees and educational institutions have been directed to participate in the function. For ferrying visitors to the stadium, scores of buses were being provided by the State Road Transport Corporation. SRINAGAR:
Tight security arrangements have been made to thwart militants' attempts to disrupt Republic Day celebrations as the main function is being held at Bakshi stadium here. Security has been beefed up in and around other major towns of the Kashmir valley to ensure smooth conduct of the celebrations while strict vigil is also being maintained around the vital government installations. All roads leading to the stadium have been sealed and pedestrian and vehicular traffic has been restricted along the main roads around the venue. It was here that the two suicide militants and an equal number of CRPF men were killed and at least seven others injured in a 25-hour long encounter at the Indoor stadium, close to the Bakshi Stadium over a week earlier. |
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Cong indifferent to Omar’s
feelers
Jammu, January 25 A senior Congress leader and member of the state Council of Ministers said here today that Mr Omar Abdullah aimed at creating confusion and mistrust between two major coalition partners. He said till date the Congress-PDP coalition government had been running smoothly and there was no reason for us to either explore the possibility of forming a government in alliance with the National Conference or accept the offer from Mr Abdullah. Mr Omar Abdullah had told a news channel yesterday that their doors for negotiations with the Congress were open. Political observers here said the National Conference leadership felt encouraged after the Central Government agreed to set up a three-member committee for examining afresh the demand for restoring greater autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir. They said in order to keep the Congress leadership in Delhi in good humour, Mr Abdullah had come out in different colours although earlier NC leaders had not missed any opportunity to train their guns against it. No doubt the NC leadership had not been as vicious in criticism against the Congress as it had been against the PDP and the reason was that it did not want to close doors for a possible alliance with the Congress in the state. It also believed that by keeping the Congress in good humour, it could persuade the Centre to restore greater autonomy which, if done, could help the National Conference to regain political weight. The Congress minister said a conflict between the PDP and the Congress was possible if Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed declined to step down in November, 2005, so as to enable a Congressman to occupy the Chief Minister’s chair as provided in the agreement reached between the two partners at the time of the formation of the government in November, 2002. Under the agreement, the Chief Minister’s chair would be occupied by the PDP leader for three years and a Congress candidate would replace him for the next three years. The minister said Mr Sayeed had already stated in Srinagar recently that he would quit as the Chief Minister in November to enable a senior Congress leader or Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad to occupy the chair. |
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JMM to contest 9 MC seats
Jammu, January 25 Prof Gupta said, “We will contest the poll on the slogan of separate statehood for the Jammu region. “He explained that under the valley centric political leadership and bureaucracy people of the Jammu region “will never get justice.” He said during the past 50 years the region has remained neglected, with the result that educated youth from the Kashmir valley got a lion’s share in government service and as far as the development works were concerned the region received a raw deal. He said that the only way to remove discrimination was to give a statehood status for the region so that people belonging to Jammu had a major say in shaping the destiny of people. |
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