J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Continuous snowfall hampers road clearance operation
J&K highway closed for third day
Jammu, February 9
With the snow and rains having closed the Jammu-Srinagar highway for the past three days, the Indian Air Force has started operating sorties to airlift the stranded soldiers at various places in Jammu and Kashmir.

Youths pelt the police with stones in protest against the death of a man at Maisuma in Srinagar on Wednesday. — PTI photo

Budgam, Ganderbal go to polls today
Srinagar, February 9
The fourth and final phase of civic elections in Kashmir, which is crucial for both ruling PDP and the Opposition National Conference, will be held in Ganderbal township of Srinagar district and four municipal committees of Budgam district tomorrow.

Youth’s death: protesters teargassed
Srinagar, February 9
The police here today lobbed tear gas shells and resorted to lathicharge to quell demonstrators protesting against the killing of a youth allegedly by security forces on Sunday. A complete bandh was also observed in the Central Lal Chowk area here in protest against the killing of the youth while he was returning from Gulmarg on Sunday last.

Militants kidnap PDP leader
Srinagar, February 9
Close on the heels of killing of a ruling PDP municipal councillor, militants today kidnapped another councillor, Abdul Rashid Shah, from Harwan. Official sources said Mr Shah was kidnapped by the gunmen when he was on the way to home at Shalimar, on the banks of the Dal Lake.

Continuous snowfall hampers road clearance operation
J&K highway closed for third day
Tribune News Service and Agencies

Jammu, February 9
With the snow and rains having closed the Jammu-Srinagar highway for the past three days, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has started operating sorties to airlift the stranded soldiers at various places in Jammu and Kashmir. The IAF was airlifting the troops from Jammu and Udhampur to various destinations in the Kashmir valley and Ladakh. About 11,000 troops and their families have been airlifted to various destinations.

Meanwhile, civil and police administrations have been geared up and men and machinery put into service to provide all possible help with regard to food, shelter, hard coke, blankets and safety to hundreds of stranded passengers on the highway which is still closed for vehicular traffic because of snow.

Meanwhile, officials of the Met office has issued a warning of avalanche along the highway in the next two days.

The continuous snowfall is making the highway clearance operation by the Border Road Organisation difficult, Deputy Inspector General (Traffic) Mehmood Niyaz said.

Fresh snowfall and landslides have occurred in Banihal, Panthal and Khooni areas. A record nine feet snowfall has been reported from Jawahar Tunnel and five feet in Patnitop, he said.

The Met department has warned people living in Poonch, Rajouri, Doda and along national highway of major avalanches for the next two days.

Warnings have also been given to troops guarding Line of Control in Rajouri-Poonch and Ladakh regions and directed them to take necessary measures to tackle the situation.

Over 1000 persons have been shifted from their vehicles on the highway and put in different shelter sheds, government accommodations and private houses enroute the 300-km highway, while 600 to 700 vehicles were still stranded on the highway, the DIG said.

The inter-district road, including Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch and Jammu-Doda, have also got closed due to snowfall and landslides, officials said, adding that work to clear the road is going on.

Uninterrupted rainfall in Jammu has affected normal life in the area, they said.

SHIMLA: Normal life remained disrupted as heavy snow and rain continued to lash the state for the fourth consecutive day today.

While the entire tribal belt and higher hill areas were having intermittent snow, the lower hills were experiencing widespread rain. There was no respite from snow in Manali, Dalhousie and Narkanda which received 20 to 30 cm of fresh snow today. Dhundi recorded 80 cm of snow and Solang Nullah 50 cm in the past 24 hours. Narkanda, Kalatop and Kharapathar have been covered by one-metre of snow. Solang nullah , Dhundi ,Marhi and other areas uphill Manali were under 150 to 180 cm of snow.

The Dhauladhar range overlooking the Kangra valley, the Churdhars and the Hatu peak were also experiencing heavy snow. The nearby tourist resort of Kufri also had about 15 cm of snow, while Jakhu, the highest peak of the town, had 5 cm. Rain and sleet lashed the lower areas of the town throughout the day.

While Jubbal, Kotkhai, Chopal and Rohru area remained cutoff, vehicles plied only upto Theog on the Hindustan -Tibet road. The Rampur-bound traffic had been diverted via Basantpur and Dhami.

The lower Kangra valley, Solan, Bilaspur, Mandi and other lower hill areas are having widespread rain which is considered good for the rabi crop.

Budgam, Ganderbal go to polls today
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, February 9
The fourth and final phase of civic elections in Kashmir, which is crucial for both ruling PDP and the Opposition National Conference, will be held in Ganderbal township of Srinagar district and four municipal committees of Budgam district tomorrow. Tight security arrangements by the police with the help of CRPF and the BSF are in place for peaceful conduct of the poll. An elected member from the Beerwah Municipal Committee was killed by unidentified gunmen after all 13 candidates of the ruling PDP were declared elected unopposed.

It is crucial for both parties in Ganderbal township, where 40 candidates from three major parties — PDP, Congress and National Conference — are in the fray for 13 wards. Ganderbal being the birth place of the National Conference founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah it has been its domain. The Ganderbal Assembly constituency has been represented by the Sheikh himself, followed by his son and now the NC patron, Dr Farooq Abdullah, in all three elections held in 1983, 1987 and 1996. This prestigious constituency was, however, wrested by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Qazi Mohammad Afzal, who defeated the NC president, Mr Omar Abdullah, in 2002 elections.

The ruling PDP is contesting from all 13 wards, while its main ally Congress is contesting from 10 wards. The opposition National Conference is contesting from 12 wards. Four seats have been reserved for women, while one woman is contesting from a general ward. There are 13 polling stations set up for 8,883 voters, including 4,566 male and 4,317 female voters.

In Budgam district it is also crucial for the NC, which has retained the prestigious constituency of Chrar-e-Sharief, represented by Mr Abdul Rahim Rather, leader of the Opposition and a former minister. The NC also retains the Budgam constituency, while a ruling ally, the Democratic Peoples Forum (DPF) member and minister, Hakeem Yaseen, represents the Khansahib constituency.

Out of five municipal committees in central Kashmir district of Budgam, polling is being held for four committees only. There will be no polling for the Beerwah Municipal Committee, where all 13 candidates of the ruling PDP were declared elected unopposed. The total number of voters in the municipal committees of Budgam district is 19,003, including 9,820 male and 9,183 female voters. Out of 50 polling stations, 22 have been categorised as hyper sensitive.

There are 14 wards in Budgam town, five in Magam, six in Khansahib and 12 in Chrar-e-Sharief municipal committees, where 67 candidates are in the fray. The candidates include 20 from the National Conference, the PDP 18, the Congress 12 and 17 Independents. Of the total 50 wards, 17 are reserved for women, including five from Budgam, two each from Magam and Khansahib, and four each from Beerwah and Chrar-e-Sharief.

Youth’s death: protesters teargassed
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, February 9
The police here today lobbed tear gas shells and resorted to lathicharge to quell demonstrators protesting against the killing of a youth allegedly by security forces on Sunday. A complete bandh was also observed in the Central Lal Chowk area here in protest against the killing of the youth while he was returning from Gulmarg on Sunday last.

Angry demonstrators took to streets in Maisuma in the morning as all shops and business establishments in Maisuma, Budshah Chowk and Lal Chowk areas were closed on the occasion of a religious ceremony for the dead today. Pitched battles between the police and angry demonstrators continued throughout the day, affecting normal life in the Maisuma area, the nerve centre of this capital city.

The police is investigating into the death of Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, 27, from the Bemina area on the outskirts of the city. He was killed under mysterious circumstances at Magam on the Srinagar-Gulmarg road on Sunday. Two of his friends, who were accompanying him from the tourist resort, were also injured in the firing by BSF personnel. According to the BSF, the fire was opened on the occupants of the car after they had ignored a signal to stop at a check post near Magam. The injured youth said that they could not see the signal due to bad weather conditions, and were fired upon by the security men at the next post.

Militants kidnap PDP leader

Srinagar, February 9
Close on the heels of killing of a ruling PDP municipal councillor, militants today kidnapped another councillor, Abdul Rashid Shah, from Harwan.

Official sources said Mr Shah was kidnapped by the gunmen when he was on the way to home at Shalimar, on the banks of the Dal Lake.

A massive hunt has been launched to trace him.

Yesterday, militants killed Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Mir, who was elected unopposed to the Beerwah municipal committee. — UNI