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Artefacts shifted amid protests
2 boys killed in blast
Mufti asks BJP to back peace process |
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Fruit dealer fined Rs 2 lakh for cheating businessman
Last batch of pilgrims leaves for Jeddah
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Artefacts shifted amid protests
Jammu, December 25 These artifacts, which had been stored in the "toshakhana" for the past over 60 years, survived a recent devastating fire in the building. Thereafter, the government decided to shift these to a strong room in the Secretariat. The shifting process of the tastefully designed furniture started in the morning and could be completed around 3 p.m. Activists of the BJP, the Shiv Sena and the Dogra Liberation Front raised slogans against the Congress-led coalition government as porters loaded the treasure in three trucks of the police. However, a strong contingent of the police kept the protesters away. These objects include beautifully carved gold-plated furniture, silverware and silver crockery. As many as 72 artifacts belonging to the Dogra rulers were shifted. A gold brick weighing about 2998 gm was also sent to the new strong room. Most of the furniture was imported from Europe by the successive rulers. The smaller items, including silver plates, were packed in boxes. Hundreds of swords and antique arms have been left behind in the toshakhana as there was no space to keep these in the Secretariat. A new wall has been constructed around these objects in the toshakhana. A strong room of steel sheets has been fabricated in the Secretariat for the safety of the invaluable objects that the government proposes to display in a museum that would be constructed here. However, shifting of these artifacts has created doubts among the people who suspect these might be carried to Srinagar as had been done in the past with the heritage of the Dogra rulers. Leaders of various political parties and heritage lovers here wonder why these artifacts were shifted from the old palace that was being developed as a living monument at a cost of about Rs 40 crore. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Hridesh Kumar, and senior police officers supervised the shifting operations. |
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2 boys killed in blast
Srinagar, December 25 An Army Colonel was killed and three other soldiers were wounded in the encounter. Elsewhere in the state two persons were killed while security forces unearthed a hideout and recovered arms and ammunition overnight. A Defence Ministry spokesman told UNI there was no firing when the troops resumed search this morning in Chak Behrampora village, Tilgam near Pattan in north Kashmir district of Baramula. Search in the area was suspended last night due to darkness. However, the cordon around the entire area was tightened to foil attempt by holed-up militants to escape. The gunfight, between militants and troops of 29 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), commenced at 10 am on Saturday during a search. Commanding Officer Colonel G.S Sarna and two LeT militants, including “self-styed District Commander,” Pattan Abu Tahir were killed in the gunfight, in which six houses were also damaged. Locals allege security forces fired rockets during the encounter. Bodies of the two militants were recovered yesterday from the debris of a damaged house. The body of Colonel G.S Sarna was airlifted to Delhi yesterday. Two security personnel and a boy, Aqib Nazir, resident of Kreeri, received wounds in the leg. They were hospitalised. An official spokesman said two boys were killed when
an explosive device, they were fiddling with exploded at Jhalas in Poonch district of Jammu region. Militants abducted Sharief Naikoo from his Posh Harna, Shopian house in south Kashmir last night. Defence spokesman said troops launched a search in Sheri village, Uri, 100 km from here last afternoon following reports that militants had dumped arms and ammunition there. It was after long search that troops unearthed a hideout and recovered arms and ammunition. The recovery included two AK rifles, 1084 AK ammunition, seven AK magazines, four pistols, five pistol magazines, 32 pistol ammunition, two UBGL, 57 UBGL grenades, one disposal RL, 40 hand grenades, seven anti-tank mines, five anti-tank grenades, four improvised explosive devices, three improvised explosive device charge, nine detonator, one binocular, four kg explosives, three rocket propelled grenade shells and three radio sets. He said the arms and ammunition was to be distributed among militants operating in north Kashmir to “cause disturbance during the Republic Day functions” and also target security forces and politicians.
— UNI |
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Mufti asks BJP to back peace process with Pak
Jammu, December 25 In a statement, he expressed surprise and dismay over the remarks of the former Deputy Prime Minister and senior BJP leader. He hoped that the BJP leadership, which had played a crucial role in laying the strong foundation for peace and amicable resolution of the Kashmir issue, would play an equally responsible role in taking it to its logical conclusion by extending full support to the resolution process. He said the BJP as the main opposition party must stand behind the process initiated by its own leader and the then Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the then Pakistan premier Nawaz Sharif in 1999. The present peace process got the much-needed fillip when Mr Vajpayee extended its hand of friendship to Pakistan from Srinagar in 2003. The subsequent positive response it evoked among the people and the establishment on both sides gave the process the legitimacy and strength to move forward, he said. During the NDA regime, the process gained substantial ground, with the Congress at the Centre and the government in the state fully supporting all major initiatives and confidence-building moves. He said now, when the peace process has reached a crucial stage, he was expecting a similar positive response from the BJP leadership to any move of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, aimed at continuing and consolidating the process. Mr Vajpayee and Dr Manmohan Singh had pursued the peace process with sincerity of purpose and highest levels of statesmanship, he said. Making a strong plea against exploiting the Kashmir issue for electoral gains, the Mufti said this human tragedy had dotted the region’s destiny for over five decades and the time had come to replace the pain with prosperity. He said the imaginative change in the contours of the present debate on resolution of the Kashmir issue and the freshness of the approach had made obsolete much of the earlier rhetoric from both countries. The challenge before both countries now was to convert these favourable and refreshing circumstances into a meaningful and peaceful resolution process instead of wasting time on those portions of the maze that they had already visited. The BJP today organised a protest march against the reported MoU signed between India and Pakistan for setting up a joint Indo-Pak group on Kashmir, with BJP leaders describing the step as India allowing Pakistan to interfere in its internal affairs. |
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Fruit dealer fined Rs 2 lakh for cheating businessman
Srinagar, December 25 According to reports, businessman from Delhi Mohammad Israil Sidiqui of Azadpora, Delhi, filed a case under section 138 of the Negotiable Instrument Act, in the court of District Magistrate, Sopore, in north Kashmir against a fruit grower Mohammad Akram Dar here. In his case, Sidiqui said Dar had promised to supply fruits to him on the rates agreed to by both parties. He added Dar failed to supply the agreed quantity of fruits, causing him great loss. District Magistrate Javeed Ahmad Geelani after hearing both the sides imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on Dar.
— UNI |
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Last batch of pilgrims leaves for Jeddah
Srinagar, December 25 Today was the last day of departure for Jammu and Kashmir Haj pilgrims from here to Saudi Arabia. The departure process had started on November 22. The pilgrims were seen off at Srinagar airport by senior officials of the state administration and the Haj Committee. With this, a total of 10,453 people from Jammu and Kashmir have proceeded on the Haj pilgrimage this year as compared to 9,200 in 2005, which is the highest ever from the state. More than 2 million Muslims from around the world have gathered in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for the annual Haj.
— UNI
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Amid protests and slogan-shouting by the Jammu-based political parties, the government today shifted the heritage treasure of the Dogra rulers from the old palace complex here to the Secretariat under a heavy police cover.
