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Demilitarise J&K: Omar Abdullah
Dargah where faith shadows border
Protest against death term for Guru
3 militants killed
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Mock exercise creates panic
Unauthorised petrol station on highway
Traffic curbs for Assembly session
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Demilitarise J&K: Omar Abdullah
Srinagar, September 24 "Musharraf is facing tremendous internal pressures. India must give him some concessions and respond positively to the suggestions of demilitarising some areas in Jammu and Kashmir," said Omar, addressing a business delegation from PoK, here, last evening. The 42-member delegation from PoK is here, on a three-day visit to explore possibilities of trade between J&K and PoK through the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road. Omar said he and Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq were on two different tracks. "Although we advocate autonomy, Hurriyat is for total independence, both of us are against gun," he added. — PTI
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Dargah where faith shadows border
Chamliyal (Line of Control - Jammu), September 24 Ignoring bumpy journey across poor roads and suspicious security personnel, devotees at the dargah of Chamliyal Baba come with hopes of getting a cure for various skin infections. Believers attribute miraculous properties to the soft clay found around the dargah and water of a well in the complex which can cure different types of itches, rashes and even serious ailments like leucoderma. As many as 8,000 to 10,000 persons come here on weekends for mud-baths, according to BSF officials stationed here. In June, during the urs of the Baba, more than one lakh persons turned up at the dargah. With the dargah falling within a BSF defence post, the men in uniform man security and play the role of miracle workers and “agony uncles” to people in distress. “We maintain the shrine and provide food and shelter to the devotees,” says A.D. Khan, Company Commander at the BSF post. The BSF has also spruced up the shrine to remove the tell-tale marks of past skirmishes. “The bullet marks have been plastered and the shrine has been given a fresh coat of paint,” says Khan. The jawans insist that the devotees cutting across caste and creed differences, a second often make visit as a thanksgiving. “We keep records of all those who come here. People often come back after getting cured and offer chadar,” says Khan. “I am here on the recommendation of a skin specialist,” says a Mumbai-based architect Poonam Panchal who is suffering from linearmorphea. Having spent a week at the rest house attached to the dargah, Poonam intends to stay on till she is completely cured. The confrontation between the Indian and Pakistani armies is usually relaxed annual urs at the dargah. A truckload of clay and water from Baba’s well, reverently referred to as “shakkar” and “sherbet”, is sent to the Pakistan Rangers on the other side of the borders who reciprocate with chadars and offerings from devotees from their country. Incidentally, there is a dargah to Baba Chamiyal on the other side of the LoC as well. Legend has it that a rival lured away the Baba from his abode and beheaded him some distance away. Believers say, the Baba’s headless body walked back to fall on the spot where the Indian dargah is located in Indian territory. The Pakistan dargah is believed to be at the place where the Baba’s head had fallen. However, in spite of its secular credentials, the BSF hasn’t been able to prevent the Hinduisation of the shrine. A board openly claims it to be the samadhi of Dalip Singh Manhas though the grave is in the shape of a mazaar. Pictures of Hindu gods also dot the shrine. “Only a plain grave existed for more a hundred years till the BSF came here in 1965,” says Munshi Ram, a retired BSF official, who was posted at the post. According to him, Muslims on the other side of the border call the saint “Pirsaab” and have set up a separate structure on the Pakistani side. There are no Muslims on the Indian side now. After the residents crossed over to the other side after the Partition, their properties were allotted to Hindu and Sikh refugees who came to India. (Part of a series on ‘Communal Polarization and the Threat to Shared Traditions of India’, supported by the National Foundation for India). |
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Protest against death term for Guru
Srinagar, September 24 The protest was held peacefully outside Ghanta Ghar and included JKLF chief Yasin Malik, Democratic Freedom Party president Shabir Ahmad Shah, hardline Hurriyat leaders G.N. Sumji, Hakeem Rashid and Mohammad Shafi Rather, and Society for Protection of Detainees and Prisoners Rights chairman Gurcharan Singh, officials said. The separatist leaders also spoke at a seminar organised by the society, which was formed to defend Delhi University lecturer S.A.R. Geelani. He was one of the four arrested in the Parliament House attack case. The lecturer was later set free by the
Delhi High Court. The speakers who included hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Malik, Shah and Kashmir Bar Association president Mian Abdul Qayoom alleged that “Guru was framed in a false case”.
— PTI |
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Srinagar, September 24 Two unidentified militants were killed in a gunbattle between militants and security forces at Gopalpora village, 12 km from here today. Acting on a tip-off, Rashtriya Rifles troops and police personnel launched a joint search operation at the village. They fired upon by militants hiding in a house. Another militant was killed by security forces at village Manjmi Dessa in Doda district today. The slain ultra has been identified as Mohammad Yousuf alias Guddu Gujjar, from whom one AK rifle and two magazines were found. Militants barged into the house of Mohammad Ramzan last night and shot dead his wife Hamida Begum at village Gudaka in Doda district. Ultras made an attempt to blow up a police station by firing three rockets at it at Yaripora in Anantnag district last night. The rockets missed the intended target and exploded in an open area nearby, causing minor damage. — PTI
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Mock exercise creates panic
Jammu, September 24 The composite exercise was conducted by the police, home guards, fire services and other related departments. As the bomb disposal squad rushed through the area and there was hectic activity by the police, shopkeepers pulled down their shutters and made telephone calls informing their relatives and friends about the “terrorist attack”. A word spread that a remote control device had exploded and several persons were injured. Fire tenders also reached the place. The hospital was alerted and men of the forensic laboratory combed the area. However, it was later realised that it was a drill to keep the police personnel fit to meet with any such situation as terrorists have attacked the Raghunath temple twice earlier.
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Unauthorised petrol station on highway
Jammu, September 24 The petrol station owner had no papers to show that he was duly licensed to sell petroleum products. He is learnt to have admitted before officers of the department that he was “privately” operating the station. The petrol station was detected when a special squad of the department raided several establishments on the highway today. The special squad also came across certain kerosene depots allegedly selling the quota of fuel in blackmarket. These are the stray incidents of the misuse of ration items and operating an unauthorised petrol station that the department has detected, but the illegal trading of the petroleum products is going on in most parts of the state unabated. A number of petrol stations are operating illegally, particularly in Rajouri and Poonch districts. Many others have been selling petrol and diesel illegally on the Jammu-Srinagar highway for the past many years. However, neither any petroleum company nor officers of other departments have ever taken any action against the defaulters. The same is the case with most of the kerosene depot owners who sell their entire quota in blackmarket. The genuine ration card holders generally find the doors of these depots shut. There are reports of truck and matador drivers running their vehicles on kerosene as it is available at a cheaper price than diesel. In a bid to prevent the ration kerosene from being given to unauthorised persons, the state government recently increased its price in the open market to Rs 26 per litre. However, this has failed to meet the objective as the ration quota continues to get syphoned to the transporters, while the genuine consumers have no alternative but to purchase it from open market.
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Traffic curbs for Assembly session
Srinagar, September 24 According to an official spokesman the vehicles from Batamaloo to Hazratbal and Soura will ply from Qamerwari, Cement Bridge and Nallah Maar road, while vehicles coming from Hyder Pora, Peer Bagh and Nowgam will ply via Bakshi stadium crossing to Lal Ded hospital and Abdullah Bridge. Similarly, vehicles coming from Batamaloo to Dalgate will use Karan Nagar-Tankipora, New Habba Kadal road and the vehicles moving from Lal Chowk, Budshah Chowk to Rambagh will move from Abdullah bridge, Raj Bagh police station and Amar Singh club route. The vehicles from Lal Chowk to interior city i.e. Khayam Chowk, Nowhatta and Rainawari will ply from Karan Nagar-Tankipora route. And the mini buses associated with Western Mini bus stand going to HMT, Narbal will operate from Shaheed Gunj. During the session, no parking will be allowed on Moulana Azad, Residency and Airport roads. |
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