Jammu, April 18
Demanding a probe into the Chittisinghpora massacre by a sitting high court judge, the Jammu Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (JGPC) today announced that a further delay in the ongoing probe into the killings that took place seven years back, would make the Sikh community approach the Amnesty International.

"In the wake of Pathribal fake encounter, the basic issue as to who massacred 36 Sikhs in Chittisinghpora on March 20, 2000, stands ignored," JGPC general secretary Gurdev Singh said at a press conference here, referring to the charge sheet against five Army personnel convicted for killing innocent local Muslims and dubbing them as the killers of Chittisinghpora Sikhs.

Gurdev Singh also pointed out that the then J and K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah had admitted that the Centre had been pressurising him not to pursue with the probe into the Chittisinghpora killings.

"Abdullah had even named then union home minister L K Advani as the man who wanted to delay the probe," the JGPC general secretary said.

"More than seven years have passed but the truth has not come out so far despite the commissioning of inquiries ,including the Pandya Commission," he said.

The then Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and other senior Akali leaders had led a delegation to Chittisinghpora following the massacre and assured the bereaved women and children to take up the matter urgently with the Centre.

The committee also demanded reservation of at least three seats for Sikhs in the state legislature so that "certain issues related to the cause of the Sikh community in J and K could be taken up in the Assembly".

Udhampur, April 18
Arrest of four persons, including a couple, on the charges of hatching a conspiracy to attack Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad’s rally at Ramban on April 12, has snowballed into big controversy in the newly-created district of Ramban.

For the fifth successive day, large of number of persons staged a protest dharna in front of the tehsildar’s office. While locals alleged that police had cooked the entire story about the plot to attack the Chief Minister’s rally just to get promotions, the police claimed that arrested Congress worker Farooq Ahmed Wani and his wife were involved hatching a conspiracy at the behest of a Pakistani terrorist.

President of Banihal municipal committee Bakar Rasool Banihal, who helped in organising Chief Minister’s rally at Ramban, said that Farooq Wani was active worker of Congress and had worked hard to make Ghulam Nabi Azad’s rally a successful event. He demanded a high-level probe into the entire episode. While quoting the accused, Mr Banihal charged the police with forcing Farooq Wani to confess his involvement in the plot.

Reports reaching here said while large number of people, including women and children, continued their protest, relatives of the detained person were sitting on an indefinite hunger strike.

Srinagar, April 18
A CPM worker, Nazir Ahmad Bhat, was injured after militants fired upon him in his village, Kujar Yaripora in Anantnag district.

He has been shifted to the Bones and Joints Hospital for treatment and a case has been registered.

The body of a male was recovered from the Jhelum near Pather Masjid here today.

Meanwhile, one person, Abdul Ahad Rather, from Ajas Bandipore was apprehended today from Kupwara. One pistol and six rounds of ammunition were recovered from him.