J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Rushdie’s knighthood
Call for general strike today

Srinagar, June 21 A large number of people took to streets today in protest against conferring of knighthood by Queen Elizabeth on noted writer, Salman Rushdie, whose “Satanic Verses” in late 1980’s had earned the wrath of Muslim world.

Activists of the Peoples Freedom League protest against the knighting of Salman Rushdie in Srinagar on Thursday. — PTI

CM in favour of troop reduction: Beigh 
Srinagar, June 21
Though the four-member Panthers Party withdrew its support to the Congress-PDP coalition in the state over troop’s reduction, there is no imminent threat to the government ahead of the next Assembly elections scheduled to be held after 18 months.

Pak girl crosses LoC, held
Rajouri, June 21
Security forces yesterday apprehended a Pakistani girl near the Line of Control (LoC) in the Krishna Ghati area in the Mendhar sector of Poonch district. Defence spokesperson said a girl, Anida Khan of Kathar (PoK) crossed the LoC, 14-km South of the Krishna Ghati and sat approx 400 mts from the Indian post at 3.30 pm yesterday. 

Two women killed in mishap
Rajouri, June 21
Two elderly women were killed and eight others injured one of them seriously, when a mini-bus skidded off the road and fell into a gorge near Dera ki Gali today morning.

Govt official drowns in Jhelum
Srinagar, June 21
A Central government officer was drowned while another rescued from the Jhelum near the Gangil bridge in the Uri sector, 100-km from here yesterday.

Disruption in BSNL services MLA seeks CBI probe
Jammu, June 21
National Conference (NC) MLA from Mendhar Javid Rana today sought a CBI probe into the repeated disruptions in BSNL services in Rajouri and Poonch districts, alleging corruption in the telecom department. The CBI should specially probe into the works executed by the telecom department from 1994 to 2006 in these areas, the MLA told a journalists while alleging corruption, bungling and embezzlement of funds in the telecom sector. 

Rushdie’s knighthood
Call for general strike today
Tribune News Service

CM in favour of troop reduction: Beigh 
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 21
Though the four-member Panthers Party withdrew its support to the Congress-PDP coalition in the state over troop’s reduction, there is no imminent threat to the government ahead of the next Assembly elections scheduled to be held after 18 months.

Both main coalition partners, the Congress and the PDP, seem to be at loggerheads over this issue though insiders think that there is “difference of perception not of principles”. The PDP’s demand for troops withdrawal and revoking of the Jammu and Kashmir Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) has been at the centre of political wrangling in the state since March. Former Chief Minister and PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed took up the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in March. This led to the constitution of three committees to look into its various aspects.

Senior PDP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Beigh has allayed fears of breaking the partnership between his party and the Congress. Beigh said: “Azad never said there must not be reduction in troops and those who say that he is not in its favour are not being fair to him”, a local news agency quoted Beigh.

Pak girl crosses LoC, held
Tribune News Service

Two women killed in mishap
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, June 21
Two elderly women were killed and eight others injured one of them seriously, when a mini-bus skidded off the road and fell into a gorge near Dera ki Gali today morning.

Eyewitness said ill-fated mini-bus (JK11-870) was on its way from Surankote in Poonch to Shahdara Sharief when the driver failed to negotiate a sharp curve, lost control over it and the bus fell into a deep gorge. They said the two elderly women, Naseem Begum (50) and Jana Begum (55), died on the spot and four of the eight injured were shifted to the local district hospital whereas other injured admitted to the primary health centre were discharged after first aid.

Those injured have been identified as Sona Bi, wife of Muhammad Sadiq, Farida Bi, daughter of Muhammad Sadiq, Maroof Hussain and Farooq Hussain (both brothers). 

Govt official drowns in Jhelum

Srinagar, June 21
A Central government officer was drowned while another rescued from the Jhelum near the Gangil bridge in the Uri sector, 100-km from here yesterday.

The police here said joint director,ministry of information and technology,Arun Dingra, who was leading a team of experts for inspecting the Uri project, got drowned while taking photographs at the site. Senior scientist Vinay Gupta was standing besides him. Gupta was rescued while the body of Arun Dhingra was fished out of the river from the Mohura area. — TNS

Disruption in BSNL services MLA seeks CBI probe  
Tribune News Service

Jammu, June 21
National Conference (NC) MLA from Mendhar Javid Rana today sought a CBI probe into the repeated disruptions in BSNL services in Rajouri and Poonch districts, alleging corruption in the telecom department. 

The CBI should specially probe into the works executed by the telecom department from 1994 to 2006 in these areas, the MLA told a journalists while alleging corruption, bungling and embezzlement of funds in the telecom sector.

 He said several letters regarding corruption and bungling was submitted to the department concerned but no action had been taken so far.