J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Cops Suspended
Protests rock Budhal over custodial death
Rajouri, May 9
A day after a youth, accused of murder allegedly committed suicide by slitting his throat at Buddal police station, massive protests were witnessed in the area alleging that the youth was killed in police custody.

2 held for smuggling cattle
Udhampur, May 9
In its campaign against the smuggling of bovines to the Kashmir valley for slaughtering, two more cattle smugglers were arrested by the police this morning at Kud on the Jammu-Srinagar highway with 18 cattle.

7 militants killed in valley

Srinagar, May 9 At least 10 persons, including seven militants and two security personnel, have been killed and six others injured in separate incidents in the Kashmir valley since yesterday.

Childern near the house which was destroyed during an encounter between the security men and militants in Srinagar on Wednesday. Tribune photo by Amin War

Rs 165 cr allocated for security
Jammu, May 9
The Centre has allocated a sum of Rs 165 crore to J and K for meeting Security Related Expenditure (SRE) during the year 2006-07. Another grant of Rs 120 crore has been provided for relief and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants.

Cops Suspended
Protests rock Budhal over custodial death
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, May 9
A day after a youth, accused of murder allegedly committed suicide by slitting his throat at Buddal police station, massive protests were witnessed in the area alleging that the youth was killed in police custody.

The protesters held a massive demonstration at Buddal against the alleged custodial death. The protesters, raising anti-administration slogans, charged the Buddal police of killing the youth in custody. They demanded stringent action against the guilty.

Abdul Rasheed, a son of Abdul Rehman of Morah Daraj, along his two brothers Sakhi Mohd and Muneer Hussain were picked up by the police from their native village on Tuesday in connection with the killing of Kashmir Singh and Chain Singh, of the same village, who were beheaded by unidentified gunmen while cutting wood in Kala Gawa forests in the Daryal area of Daraj on April 21.

After the police formally arrested them yesterday following their alleged established involvement in the murder of the two, Rasheed asked the cops to open the lockup as he wanted to use the toilet to which the cops obliged. "Before entering the toilet, Rasheed managed to take along a knife from the kitchen just close to the toilet. After some time a police constable went inside the toilet to see Rashid lying in a pool of blood", sources said.

Soon after the incident, Rashid who was bleeding profusely was shifted local hospital from where doctors referred him to the district hospital at Rajouri. Rasheed died on way to the hospital, the sources added.

SSP Rajouri Farooq Ahmed Khan has ordered the immediate suspension of in charge Budhal police station and the entire guard on duty. "Since the accused managed to slit his throat inside a police station, there is a case of negligence on part of police personals deployed at the police station. I have requested the District Magistrate to order a magisterial inquiry into the incident so that the truth comes out", said the SSP.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Rajouri, Sheikh Rafiq, today ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. 

2 held for smuggling cattle
Tribune News Service

Udhampur, May 9
In its campaign against the smuggling of bovines to the Kashmir valley for slaughtering, two more cattle smugglers were arrested by the police this morning at Kud on the Jammu-Srinagar highway with 18 cattle.

According to the police, during patrolling on the highway this morning,a police party questioned two persons,Mohammed Hussain and Yakub Din, who were moving with some cattle.

During interrogation, they confessed to being bovine smugglers and taking the animals to Kashmir in the guise of nomads.The police also recovered 18 cattle from them.

In the past five days, 16 cattle smugglers have been nabbed by the police.

7 militants killed in valley
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 9
At least 10 persons, including seven militants and two security personnel, have been killed and six others injured in separate incidents in the Kashmir valley since yesterday.

Five suspected militants were also apprehended and arms and ammunition seized during search operations by the security forces.

Four unidentified militants were killed in an encounter with the security forces at Lone Harray, Kralpora in Kupwara district of north Kashmir today. A defence spokesman said here that on specific information about the presence of a large group of militants in the hideout, troops of 17 Dogra launched a search operation. At 8.30 am heavy fire fight ensued which lasted over the day. The house caught fire in the crossfire and the hide out was busted.

Two militants of the Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit and a security forces jawan was killed in another encounter at Chogal, Handwara in Kupwara district yesterday, the police here said.

A jawan was killed and six others were injured in an encounter with militants at Lshidat, Kamkadi near the LoC in Kupwara district yesterday. An unidentified militant was killed in an encounter with security forces at Sangran, Kralpora in Kupwara district today. 

Rs 165 cr allocated for security
Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 9
The Centre has allocated a sum of Rs 165 crore to J and K for meeting Security Related Expenditure (SRE) during the year 2006-07. Another grant of Rs 120 crore has been provided for relief and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants.

According to an official spokesman, the Centre had released a sum of Rs 18.64 crore to Himachal Pradesh to control spillover of terrorism-related activities from J and K.

The Centre had been reimbursing SRE to the J and K Government since 1989, when terrorism broke out here, and a sum of Rs 3,591.64 crore had already been released during the period of 1990 to 2006.