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National Conference stages walkout
Four militants shot in encounter
Women try to console a relative of Rayees Ahmad Dar, a militant killed in an encounter, during his funeral in Kulgam, 70 km south of Srinagar, on Thursday.
Justice Sethi cremated
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Tearing of holy Quran: Man arrested
31 Army men get gallantry awards
1 killed, 3 CRPF men injured
Italian tourist dies in Ladakh
Bill on recovery of debts introduced
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National Conference stages walkout
Jammu, January 18 Taking exception to the huge expenditure on comforts of the elected representatives, the opposition members said the money could have been spent on the development of the state. They pointed out that the information provided by the government in reply to a question of Mr Abdul Gani Vakil (Congress) and Ms Sakina Itoo (NC) indicated that private houses of certain legislators were also furnished by the government. When the Consumer Affairs Minister, Mr Taj Mohiuddin, who was replying to the question, told the House that the Chief Minister had the discretion to allot houses to legislators, the Chairman of the council, Mr Abdul Rasheed Dar, reacted by pointing out that such discretion should be exercised judiciously. There should be no discrimination in the matter. The minister said Rs 24.55 crore had been spent on renovation and furnishing of houses of ministers and legislators at Jammu and Srinagar. He said Rs 2.69 crore had been spent on the renovation of houses of these categories last year in Jammu and Rs.1.72 crore at Srinagar. Furniture worth over Rs 6 crores was issued to them in the past four years. Rs 18 crore had been spent on the renovation of houses in Jammu and Srinagar during the same period. He said the allotment of houses was done while keeping in view the threat perception to any legislator. The members on the treasury and opposition benches traded charges on the issue and nothing was audible in the din. Ms Itoo wondered why the houses of ministers and some selected legislators required to be renovated and furnished every year. She pointed out that certain ministers had been allotted government accommodation not only in Jammu and Srinagar but also in the MLAs hostel and district headquarters of their constituency for which expenditure was being met from the public exchequer. Mr Bhim Singh (Panthers Party) wanted that some criteria should be fixed for the renovation and furnishing of the houses of ministers. Some opposition members alleged that the government was discriminating with the legislators by allotting bungalows to some of them and providing single-room accommodation to others. Responding to the complaint of Mr Ghulam Hassan Khan (PDP) in the legislative Assembly that worn-out bulletproof cars had been allotted to some legislators, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said J&K was the only state in the country where government vehicles had been provided to legislators. Such practice was not prevalent even in Parliament. He said members should not raise security-related issues in the House as they were exposing themselves to threat of militant attacks by doing so. He said by seeking information regarding the allotment of bulletproof cars and strength of security personnel with any individual, the mischievous elements would get a vital clue. |
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Four militants shot in encounter
Srinagar, January 18 A joint party of the Army, CRPF and police launched search operation at Awgam village in Kulgam area last evening. The hiding militants opened indiscriminate firing on the search party that ensued into the encounter, a defence spokesman said. The militants killed in the encounter have been identified as a company commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, Siraj Ahmad Lone, Mudasir Ahmed Dar, Rayees Ahmad Dar and Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat, all of them locals, the police said. Recoveries made from the site of encounter included four AK-47 rifles, four UBGL, four rocket grenades, 21 AK magazines, 272 rounds, one damaged mobile set and four pouches. BSF recovered a .12-bore single barrel gun, 15,157 rounds of AK ammunition, 73 rounds of UMG belt ammunition, 66 rounds of .303 ammunition, eight rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition and 250 gms of explosives. The police recovered a body from Naidgam, Shopian in Pulwama district, with an identity card bearing name of Fayaz Ahmad Hajam of Kursoo, Rajbagh, Srinagar. Meanwhile, five militants of the Harkat-ul-Jehadi Islami surrendered at Bharat Galla in Keri sector of Rajouri district yesterday. |
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Justice Sethi cremated
Jammu, January 18 Mr Azad prayed for the departed soul while expressing his condolences to the brother of Justice Sethi, Mr K. D. Sethi and other family members. Justice Sethi’s cremation was largely attended. The Chairman of the Legislative Council, Mr Abdul Rashid Dar, the Minister for Health and Medical Education, Mr Mangat Ram Sharma, and the Minister for R and B, Mr Gulchain Singh
Charak, a few intellectuals and social activists were among those who attended Justice Sethi’s funeral. The Governor, Lt Gen
S.K. Sinha (retd), has also condoled the death of Justice Sethi. Both Houses observed two minutes silence. |
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Tearing of holy Quran: Man arrested
Srinagar, January 18 A team headed by a Deputy Superintendent of Police interrogated 120 suspects, which finally zeroed in onto one person, Gowhar Maqbool of Nowgam, Shangus. According to the SSP, Anantnag, Gowhar Maqbool was not only responsible for these incidents but had also broken open a shop before trying to set the mosques on fire. He is reported to have torn a few pages of the holy Quran, stolen from Shangus Jamia Masjid, and thrown them into a drain at Nowgam. He also tried to set a mosque on fire at Somran Nowgam. The police, while giving reasons for such an act, said Maqbool was a habitual drug addict and had complex family
problems. |
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31 Army men get gallantry awards
Jammu, January 18 Two of the awards were presented posthumously to the next of kin of the awardees. Lieut-Gen B.S. Nagal, General Officer Commanding, 9 Corps, and a large number of senior military officers were present on the occasion. The ceremony was also attended by a large number of ex-servicemen, gallantry award winners, including Capt Bana Singh and Lieut-Gen (retd) Anup Singh Jamwal. Ms Mohini Daljeet Singh, president, Western Command Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA), gave gifts to the “veer naris”. |
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1 killed, 3 CRPF men injured
Srinagar, January 18 The police said a CRPF vehicle collided with the tanker on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway-1A at Chachkote, Awantipora, in Anantnag district
this morning. While tanker driver Rakesh Kumar of Jammu died on the spot, three CRPF personnel were wounded in the accident. They have been hospitalised. The police has registered a case in
this regard. In another accident, a scooter driver hit and wounded a pedestrian, Showkat Ahmad Mir, at Kandhama, near Magam.
— UNI
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Italian tourist dies in Ladakh
Srinagar, January 18 He has been identified as Valenziano Lodvica, 64. He along with 20 others Italians had come to Leh to take part in the Leh-Zanskar ice walking mission. He fell from the roof of the Spituk Monastery while taking photographs. He was immediately rushed to Sonam Narboo Hospital where he died.
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Bill on recovery of debts introduced
Jammu, January 18 According to the statement of objects and reasons attached to the Bill, banks and financial institutions at present were experiencing difficulties in recovering loans and enforcing securities.
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Srinagar, January 18
