 |
|
Muslims, Pandits reunite at Mela Kheer Bhawani
Militants frustrated, says Gen Prasad
Ansari joins PDP
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Army takes 35 maulvis on Bharat Darshan
Azad’s sister’s house burgled
2 Army porters buried alive in avalanche
|
|
Muslims, Pandits reunite at Mela Kheer Bhawani
Tullamula (Ganderbal), June 15 A ‘maha yagna’, which started at 4.30 pm yesterday, concluded with ‘purna ahuti’ and ‘naveed’ today. It was attended by a large number of Kashmiri Pandits and others. The devotees offered flowers at the sanctum sanctoreum of Goddes Ragnya Devi at the spring, surrounded by huge chinar trees. The temple had been first built by Maharaja Pratap Singh in 1912 and later renovated by Maharaj Hari Singh. It is being looked after by the Dharmarth Trust headed by Dr Karan Singh, who along with his wife visited the shrine yesterday. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, accompanied by his ministerial colleagues, Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen and Qazi Mohammad Afzal, also visited the shrine today to oversee the arrangements made for the pilgrims. He enquired about the facilities provided to the pilgrims who have been arriving here since yesterday. Pilgrims have been accommodated in tents and school buildings. Most of the pilgrims had come from outside the valley. Adequate security, transport and medical arrangements besides other facilities have been provided to the pilgrims. The occasion was like a reunion of old friends. Muslims and Pandits relished another chance to meet one another. “I have been frequently visiting the valley ever since migrated more than 15 years ago, says Brij Lal Pandita, a retired government employee. “There is no fear”, he claims and adds that it is confined to certain quarters only. He craves to come back to his village, Khayar in Anantnag district, to live with his Mulsim brethren. The visit to the Kheer Bhawani temple along with his wife is yet another chance for him to breathe in the air of the “beloved motherland”. Mr Pandita is not among those seeking to return to the valley and live in residential colonies under construction at three places. The residential colonies are being constructed by the state government for rehabilitating migrant Pandits at three places, Tullamulla, Sheikhpora (Budgam) and Mattan (Anantnag). While local Mulsim boys and girls, men and women provided all possible help to the pilgrims and decorated their stalls, many youngsters among the visiting pilgrims had the first feel of Kashmir hospitality. For Manoj Kumar, a 20-year-old engineering student from South India, it was the first experience to visit his homeland, Kashmir, with his parents. When the migration took place with the eruption of militancy, he was too young and innocent. A craving to see his homeland “brought him here today”. His father, Ashok Kumar, a senior government official, had been moving with the annual durbar move between Srinagar and Jammu, the two capitals of the state over the years. “My son and wife wished to be here on the occasion of the Mela Kheer Bhawani and it was a moment of happiness for me as well to visit here again”, he said. Middle-aged Ghulam Mohiuddin from a nearby village longs to see his old neighbours and the Pandit brethren on the occasion. He stands outside the gate to the main temple, selling Kashmir shawls. “Take it… a gift from us”, he exhorts his customers and at the same time looks for his old friends. “I wish they were back here…. It is bad that they are not with us and amongst us on the occasion”, he laments. He would love to see his old neighbours and friends return. |
|
Baby girl, three militants killed
Srinagar, June 15 The police here said two militants of the Hizbul Mujahideen were killed in an encounter with security forces at Chakpora- Sehpora near the Ganderbal area of Srinagar district today. The encounter, which started early this morning, was over by 10 a.m., police conformed adding that the house of Mohammad Rajab Dar, in which the militants were hiding, was also damaged in the encounter. However, the annual festival at Kheer Bahawani temple at Tullamula, about 4 km from the site of encounter, went off peacefully. Thousands of devotees attended the festival, most of them from outside the valley. The militants killed in the encounter have been identified as Mohammad Rafiq Dar of Sehpora village and Bashir Ahmad Ganai of Khurhama in the Ganderbal area, the police said. Two AK rifles, six magazines, one pistol and two wireless sets have been recovered from the site of encounter. Unidentified militants killed Saira Bano, an eight-month-old daughter of Bashir Ahmad and set his house on fire in Chaklas village of Gool in Udhampur district yesterday. The police recovered body of a militant, Nazir Ahmad, alias Hashim, from the Gool area of Udhampur district today. The militant suffered injuries in an encounter with security forces in the area three days back, the police said. One AK rifle, and a wireless set were seized. Security forces and the police seized one AK rifle, four magazines and one UBGL from a hideout at Dardpora in Kupwara district yesterday. Security forces recovered six hand grenades during a search operation at Hayatpora, Manjakote in Rajouri district during searches yesterday. |
|
Militants frustrated, says Gen Prasad
Jammu, June 15 He said that terrorists were desperate to re-establish their writ on people as they stood alienated from the Jehadi cause. Gen Prasad said that despite peace talks terrorist training camps were functioning in the Pakistani territory and a large number of militants were waiting for infiltration into the Indian territory. He said that there was no let-up in infiltration attempts through pickets of the Pakistani army, but we have been able to eliminate almost all militants that tried to come on Indian soil. The Army commander said that amidst reports that terrorists might try to target the Amarnath pilgrims, quick reaction teams had been deployed at various places and would immediately be flown in case of emergency. All precautions have been taken on the Amarnath shrine route in the valley. He said that security forces were having the upper hand and terrorism would be brought down by the end of the year. Because of the excellent performance of the security forces “we are coming to the end of the road”. He said that the strategy of the Army to combat terrorism included ensuing sanctity of the Line of Control (LoC), prevent infiltration and winning hearts of people. The Army commander said that terrorism could be completely wiped out only when the people came out against the militants. He said that infiltration had been curtailed due to construction of the fence on the LoC. Our soldiers have demonstrated a strong resolve, thus curbing infiltration to a trickle. |
|
Ansari joins PDP
Srinagar, June 15 Earlier, Moulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari had parted ways with the National Conference after being elected as its candidate from Pattan in Baramulla district in 2002. He had been earlier elected from the constituency as a Congress candidate in the 1996 elections, but later joined the National Conference government led by Farooq Abdullah as a minister. Moulvi Iftikhar had a meeting with the Chief minister and PDP patron, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, here on Monday and discussed various matters with him. He had also reportedly conveyed his decision to join the party. Ms Mehbooba Mufti, president, PDP, yesterday welcomed his entry into the party and described it as a right decision at the right time. In a statement, Ms Mufti said it was not only the vindication of the party’s policies and programmes but also a reiteration of faith reposed by the people of the state in the leadership of Mufti Sayeed. She said the statement of Moulvi Iftikhar that Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had been able to put across the feelings of the Kashmiris in right perspective and should prove an eye-opener for the party’s detractors. |
|
Army takes 35 maulvis on Bharat Darshan
Jammu, June 15 The 13-day tour was flagged off from here by Lt Gen Hari Prasad, Army Commander of the Northern Command. The maulvis are scheduled to meet President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, at Delhi tomorrow and also visit the Army headquarters. Lt Gen Prasad said that the tour of these religious heads would have a tremendous impact in the area and would help curb terrorism. The tour has been conducted under the “Operation Sadbhavana”. The maulvis will go to Delhi, Agra and Pune where they will visit places of religious, historical and industrial importance. Addressing the maulvis, the Army commander called upon them to spread the word of unity and brotherhood among the local people and educate the younger generation in particular to follow the path of peace and contribution towards development and prosperity of the state. He said that during the tour the maulvis will get an opportunity to meet a large number of senior Army and civil personalities like heads of the National Defence Academy the Institute of National Integration and Artificial Limb Centre at Pune. |
|
Azad’s sister’s house burgled
Jammu, June 15 The DIG (Doda-Udhampur Range), Mr Satvir Gupta, while confirming the theft, said that he had ordered arrest of both the PSOs and sent the entire guard to the interrogation centre for further questioning. He said that the thieves broke open a window and escaped with two AK rifles and other valuables without being noticed by the security personnel. Ms Shakila Bano was in Jammu when the theft took place, but the security set-up was in place at her residence. Almost all close relatives of Mr Azad have been provided police security as he was on the hit list of terrorists. His Soti village lies in the hot bed of terrorists as a result of which the police guards all houses of his relatives. This is not the first time that the state police personnel have been caught napping. |
|
2 Army porters buried alive in avalanche
Srinagar, June 15 Mushtaq Ahmad Mir and Noor-ud-Din, both residents of Wuderpayeen and working as porters with the Army, were killed when they were caught in the snow avalanche near a forward post in the Nowgam sector this morning, the sources said. They said troops retrieved the bodies of both the persons and handed them over to their families. — PTI
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
(
