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Sacha Sauda chief’s effigy burnt
3 LeT ultras killed, 5 CRPF men hurt
Troop reduction vital to Kashmir resolution, says Mufti
Migration of Pandits continues
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Khajuria re-elected Bar Assn chief
16 houses destroyed by cloudburst
4 hurt in police station fire
Lightning kills farmer
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Sacha Sauda chief’s effigy burnt
Jammu, May 16 A congregation of the Sikh bodies at Digiana Ashram demanded from the Punjab government the arrest of the dera chief for hurting sentiments of the Sikhs. Hailing the Akal Takht jathedar for calling a meeting tomorrow to discuss the issue, the J and K State Gurdwara Parbandhak
Board, the Jammu District Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, the J and K Sikh Intellectual
Circle, the Sikh Dharam Parchar and Welfare Committee and other organisations have appealed to Sikhs to attend the congregation convened by the Akal Takht jathedar at Takht Damdama Sahib near Bathinda. ''We appeal to the entire Sikh community to stand united at this juncture and attend the meeting,'' the Sikh bodies stated in a joint statement after the demonstration. Sikh activists blocked the Jammu-Pathankot highway at Digiana and burnt an effigy of the dera chief, raising religious slogans and wielding swords. Earlier in the day, Sikhs here marched from gurdwara Nanak Nagar to Vikram Chowk. ''The Sikhs are amazed by the non-action of the Punjab Police in the presence which followers of the dera took law into their hands,'' the J-K Sikh Intellectual Society said in a statement adding the Parkash Singh Badal government should take strict action against the dera chief and preventive measures against the activities of the dera cult. Sikh students of Jammu University yesterday joined the agitation in the city. |
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3 LeT ultras killed, 5 CRPF men hurt
Srinagar, May 16 The police said the two militants of the Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit were killed in an encounter with security forces in Budgam district yesterday. They were identified as Syed Mohammad Sartaj Shah, alias Peer and Tauseef Ahmad Wani, alias Usman, both local militants. Two AK rifles, six magazines and 122 rounds were recovered from the site of encounter. District commander of the Lashkar-e-Toiba, Saifullah, was killed in an encounter with the security forces at Kathwali Dhok in the Thanamandi area of Rajouri district today, the police said. One AK rifle, two magazines, 15 rounds, three hand grenades, one wireless set and three letter pads were recovered from the site of encounter. Five CRPF men were injured when suspected militants detonated an IED targeting the security forces vehicle on the Handoora-Tral road in Pulwama district yesterday evening. Suspected militant of the Al-Bader outfit, Bilal Ahmad Bhat of Pulwama district, was apprehended from Potshahi in Kupwara district yesterday, from whose possession one hand grenade and a wireless set were recovered. Another suspected militant of the Hizbul Mujahideen, Shabir Ahmad Bhat, alias Owais Kareem of Kulgam district, was held at Meelyal, Trehgam in Kupwara district. One AK rifle, four magazines and 110 rounds were recovered from his possession.
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Troop reduction vital to Kashmir resolution, says Mufti
Srinagar, May 16 The PDP patron , who has launched a mass contact programme across the Kashmir valley, stated this at a public meeting at Qazigund in south Kashmir today. He made it clear the PDP would not compromise on its stand that democratic and civil society institutions had to be empowered for peaceful and dignified resolution of the Kashmir issue. He said for the empowerment of people and the civil society institutions in the state, withdrawal of troops and withdrawal of the AFSPA, were obligatory and could not be avoided. The Mufti said he was looking forward to the honouring of the commitments made at the highest level at the Centre in this regard. He spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on telephone recently and reminded him of his
commitment on the issues of troop reduction and discontinuance of the
AFSPA, the Mufti said. He added during his earlier discussions also, the UPA leadership had assured him to work out a time-frame to initiate the troop reduction process and review the AFSPA and provide the democratic institutions a level-playing field in the state. "The two high-power committees constituted for the purpose must initiate the process now as the ground situation demands so", the Mufti said. He added the process of moving out troops from the orchards and the civilian and institutional property, started earlier, also had to be accomplished at a greater pace so that people felt the change on the ground.
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Migration of Pandits continues
Jammu, May 16 Following the mass exodus of the Pandits from 1989 to 90, during Governor Jagmohan’s rule, 25,000 Pandits were left in 1991 as they decided to stay back. According to the Census conducted by the Srinagar-based Hindu Welfare Society, which was formed in 1994 for the cause of those who preferred to stay back, the number has now been reduced to 7,000. Most of them happen to be the poor and uneducated lot from rural and backward areas. “While there are talks at political and social forums about the return of the Pandits, the ground reality is that only 7,000 persons are now left in the
valley,” society’s president M.L. Bhatt said. Close on the heels of the recent visit of 25-odd Kashmiri Pandits to the valley, who are presently residing at Mishriwala and other refugee camps, Bhatt said the MLA of the Bomai constituency tried to encash the situation by honouring them at a public function and announcing that these men would soon bringing their families back to the valley. Bhatt pointed out that members of the society had also met Congress president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi in October for providing compensation to a few poor families residing in the refugee camps in Srinagar and
Matan. Sonia had then instructed her party’s state affairs in charge Ambika Soni to do the needful, but nothing had been done so far. |
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Khajuria re-elected Bar Assn chief
Udhampur, May 16 Anil Vijay emerged victorious for the post of the secretary general. He defeated Dinkar Gupta in the straight contest. Ashutosh Gupta was elected as treasurer by defeating Rohil Bhardwaj. At least 65 members of the association had cast their votes. |
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16 houses destroyed by cloudburst
Udhampur, May 16 There was no loss of life but 10 acres was washed away in the incident.A large number of people were trapped in rubbles but evacuated by locals and the authorities. According to reports the cloudburst occurred at 1.30 am today in Pranoo village adjacent the Doda- Bhdarwah road 80 kmfrom here. At least 16 houses were destroyed while the inmates escaped the fury of nature. At the time of the incident people were asleep in their houses. Officers of the district administration
reached the spot and started rescue operation and distributed ration, blankets, essential commodities and other articles of daily need among the sufferers. |
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4 hurt in police station fire
Srinagar, May 16 According to the police, the fire that broke out in the upper portion of the building spread quickly to the adjoining ‘malkhana’ (seized property room) of the police station in which the seized explosives and grenades caught fire and exploded. However, all police records have been retrieved and the assessment of arms and ammunition was being made. The fire might have been caused due to a short circuit and the matter is being investigated, the police said. |
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Jammu, May 16 The deceased identified as Balbir Chand was working in his field along with Dharampal when the lightning struck. Dharampal was admitted to Kathua district hospital with serious burn injuries, a police spokesman said. A few other farmers were also working in adjacent fields when the tragedy occurred. — TNS
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