J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Ban on slogan triggers protests
Jammu, July 18
The ban on raising the slogan of "Bharat mata ki jai" during the annual Budha Amarnath pilgrimage in Poonch district triggered angry protests here today with several religious and political organisations burning effigies of Divisional Commissioner Parmodh Jain.

Drive to check theft of power
Jammu, July 18
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has decided to launch a campaign to check theft of electricity worth Rs 450 crore every year in the state.

Mohammad Afzal Rather, allegedly involved in the recent grenade blasts in Srinagar, being taken to the court on Tuesday. — PTI

Militants kill Class XI student
Srinagar, July 18
Militants killed a Class XI student in the presence of a large number of people in south Kashmir, while elsewhere in the state, the security forces gunned down three ultras and arrested as many overnight, official sources said.

Pilgrim from Haryana falls to death
Srinagar, July 18
One Amarnath pilgrim from Haryana fell to death near the holy cave shrine today, official sources said.

Ban on slogan triggers protests
Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 18
The ban on raising the slogan of "Bharat mata ki jai" during the annual Budha Amarnath pilgrimage in Poonch district triggered angry protests here today with several religious and political organisations burning effigies of Divisional Commissioner Parmodh Jain.

These organisations accused the state government of "Talibanising" Jammu and Kashmir by imposing such restrictions on the religious functions of the Hindus who were in a minority in the state.

Activists of the BJP, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Shiv Sena took out processions in the city and burnt effigies of Mr Jain, who, while presiding over a meeting to finalise arrangements for the annual pilgrimage here yesterday, had reportedly imposed a ban on raising slogans like "Bharat mata ki jai" as these might provoke the Pakistan-backed terrorists.

Several organisations demanded the immediate removal of Mr Jain from the post of Divisional Commissioner. Dr Nirmal Singh, state BJP chief, described the action as "anti-India".

He said the ban on raising the slogan would encourage terrorists and separatists. No action was being taken on those who raised pro-Pakistan slogans in the valley, but those raising pro-India slogans were being warned of strict action by the authorities.

Dr Ramakant Dubey, president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, accused the administration of creating hurdles in the pilgrimage that had been postponed to August 1 from the earlier schedule of July 27. Prof.Virender Gupta, president of the Jammu Mukti Morcha, has described the ban as "anti-national and illegal".

In a statement, he said the Commissioner was sending wrong signals to the secessionist elements by imposing such restrictions. The ban was an insult not only to the nation, but also to the armed forces that were protecting the country from the enemy.

Meanwhile, in a clarification issued this evening, Mr Jain denied that he had banned raising of the pro-India slogan.

He said during a meeting with security officers, he had asked that no provocative slogans should be raised because this immediately led to identifying the pilgrims who became the targets of possible attacks. The security guidelines were issued because of suspected infiltration of terrorists in Poonch from the LoC.

Drive to check theft of power
Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 18
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has decided to launch a campaign to check theft of electricity worth Rs 450 crore every year in the state.

Announcing this at a news conference here yesterday, the Power Minister, Mr Rigzin Zora, said that electricity worth Rs 225 crore each was being pilfered in the two cities of Jammu and Srinagar. Effective steps would be taken to curb the tendency among the consumers.

He said that more than four lakh illegal power connections were being detected. The 15 lakh legal power connections were being metered in a phased manner. One lakh electronic metres would be installed in the households this year. The minister said that about 40 per cent power consumption had reduced in the residential areas where electronic metres have been installed.

He said the defaulting government departments would be made to pay the electricity arrears and the Finance Department would be asked to deduct the arrears from their budgetary allocations to bring down the losses of the power department.

He said the electricity position was expected to improve in the state with the commissioning of the Baghliar (450 MW) project next year.

Militants kill Class XI student

Srinagar, July 18
Militants killed a Class XI student in the presence of a large number of people in south Kashmir, while elsewhere in the state, the security forces gunned down three ultras and arrested as many overnight, official sources said.

They said a group of five militants kidnapped Mukhtar Ahmad Sheikh during a cricket match at Kulgam in Anantnag last afternoon.

They later took the boy to his village Nowgam Shopian, tied his hands and legs and killed him in the presence of a large number of people, including women. After the incident, they managed to escape.

Meanwhile, an official spokesman said the security forces gunned down two militants in an encounter at Manjakote in Rajouri district of Jammu region early hours today. The encounter ensued after a search party was attacked by the militants, he said.

Another militant, Mohammad Shafi, was killed in another similar encounter at Bandas Kulhand in Doda district today. Later one UBGL with three grenades, one pistol, a wireless set and 25 rounds of ammunition were recovered from the slain militant.

A top commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, Tariq, was arrested after a brief encounter at Gool in Udhampur district last night. — UNI

Pilgrim from Haryana falls to death

Srinagar, July 18
One Amarnath pilgrim from Haryana fell to death near the holy cave shrine today, official sources said.

With this the total toll since the commencement of the two-month pilgrimage to the holy cave since June 11 has risen to 40. A majority of the pilgrims died due to heart failure.

Sources said a 23-year-old Anil Pal, resident of Goldpora, Haryana, died when he fell from a hilltop near the shrine this morning. His body was brought to Baltal, the sources said.

They said despite the rains near the cave periphery, the yatra was going on smoothly from the shortest Baltal and traditional Pahalgam routes. — UNI