Srinagar, July 7
Protest demonstrations were held for the third consecutive day today, this time in downtown alone, against the killing of a youth during violence here yesterday in which at least 15 persons were injured. Sixteen-year-old Muntazir Ahmad of the Naidkadal locality in downtown had died after day-long protests, clashes, stone pelting followed by cane charge and teargas shelling by the police to quell the demonstrators.

The police, however, denied the reports of the youth’s death due to firing. It maintained that he had died after a teargas shell exploded in his hands. It added that the youth, during the battles yesterday, had picked up an unexploded teargas shell to throw it at the police, but the shell exploded in his hands injuring him seriously. He later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.

Angry demonstrators took to streets since early morning today and forced the closure of shops and business establishments in the areas around Jamia Masjid. It was only here yesterday that the clashes had taken place during a general strike called by hardline APHC leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani against human rights violations. The angry demonstrators also pelted passing vehicles with stones and assembled at various crossings in the area, including Naid Kadal, Bohri Kadal and Rajouri Kadal, around Jamia Masjid. 

Darhal (Rajouri), July 7
Rasheeda Begum (20), a housewife walks down to Saaj (4 km from her native Nakka Nadian village) almost every day to get a bucket of water. Her village is supplied adequate quantity of drinking water in government records, but practically not enough water for even drinking purpose is provided.

The tale of thousands of people living in far-flung areas of Darhal tehsil like Tann, Nangwal and Khetaan is not different since the government’s claim of providing drinking water in every far-flung village is not holding true on ground.

Rasheeda said, “Though water pipes have been laid here for the past 15-20 years, no water is supplied through these pipes. Since there is no alternate source of water here, we have to get water from the Saaj spring”. However, she says, it is not easy to get the water even at Saaj since there is a heavy rush coming to get water and sometimes it even takes hours together to get water from the spring. “Water is needed for almost every domestic activity including, cooking and washing.Besides, we have to give water to cattle also. But since the Water Supply Department has failed in supplying water (the department supplies water only once in a month, that too for 10 minutes), we are facing a lot of problems”, rues Rasheeda.

Muhammad Shaukat (25), a farmer of the adjoining Khetaan village, echoes a bitter experience with the department. “Since I am a farmer, I need water for almost every farming activity. But since there is no water for domestic activity, farming here is a difficult job”, he says.

Assistant executive engineer Rajouri(Headquarters) Abdul Qayoom admitted water shortage in these villages. “I acknowledge that there is water shortage in these areas. We have proposed schemes under the Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme and soon the problem will be solved”, he claimed. 

Srinagar, July 7
Chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad pledged full support of the ruling coalition to the United Progressive Alliance and the Left nominee for presidential election, Pratibha Patil, on her maiden visit to Kashmir today.

The presidential candidate flew here today from Delhi to meet the MLAs of the ruling coalition, headed by Azad.

The legislators and ministers of the Congress, the PDP, the Peoples Democratic Front (PDF), the CPM and others who attended the meeting included Abdul Aziz Zargar, Mangat Ram Sharma, PCC chief Peerzada Mohammad Sayed, Tariq Hameed Karra, Hakeem Mohammad Yasin, Nawang Rigzin Jora, Haji Nissar Ali, Qazi Mohammad Afzal and Jugal Kishore Sharma.

Mrs Patil was accompanied by AICC spokesperson Jayanti Natrajan, minister of state in the PMO Prithviraj Chauhan, and Congress election observer Ashwani Sikri.

Azad assured Mrs Patil on behalf of his party and the coalition partners that they would vote in her favour. He told her that the state legislature would be in session at the time of the presidential election and 100 per cent presence of the coalition MLAs would be ensured. Welcoming Mrs Patil, Azad said she would prove to be a highly able and impartial President under whose guidance the country would receive a new direction. 

Srinagar, July 7
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today tried to allay apprehension in official circles that the Vigilance Department was out to fix them, something which is cited as a reason by some officials for the snail-paced development works.

Speaking at a conference of departmental vigilance officers (DVOs) held by the Vigilance Organisation, Azad said the job of the Vigilance Department should be more preventive than punitive. His statements come in the wake of a large number of corruption cases, including rather high number of disproportionate asset (DA) charges, against officials, which has spawned a sense of unease in the officialdom. DA cases drag for years and are often difficult to prove in court, and anti-corruption agencies prefer catching the corrupt red-handed.

Jammu and Kashmir also became the first state to give reward of Rs 1 lakh besides a 50 gm 22 carat gold medal to five officers belonging to different departments as incentive for efficient work. Azad said similar incentives would also be given on August 15 to 15 employees for "valued" work on infrastructure works. 

Bhaderwah, July 7
Having lost his two sons to militancy, it was the last attempt by octogenarian Sher Mohammed to get a fresh lease of life for his only surviving son Nazam Din,one of the most wanted militants, active in the Bhaderwah and Bhalsa belt of Doda district.

“Sir, please save the life of my only surviving son from security forces,” pleaded the old man before Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, after piercing through the Z-plus security cordon of the minister,who was having his meal in the picturesque Jai Valley of Bhaderwah.

This “infiltration” surprised many, including senior police officers, who were providing a security cover to the Chief Minister. Sher Mohammed virtually fell before the VIPs while narrating his tale of woes.

The poor old man was an example of the agony and trauma being faced by the parents whose wards have joined the rank and file of militant outfits. Security forces have been running after Nazam Din and he is likely to be tracked down one day, but the helpless father has been moving from pillar to post as he has already lost two sons in decade-long bloodshed and destruction.

Sher Mohammed’s elder son, Mohammed Din, who was a militant, got killed by security forces a few years back in an encounter. Another son, Hakim Din, was shot dead by militants as he refused to join their outfit. “I am already feeding children of my two deceased sons,” the sobbing octogenarian said, adding, ``if timely action is not taken, my only surviving son will also be eliminated by the security forces''.

The agony of the father of a militant can be gauged from the fact that on the one hand security forces have been harassing his family, while on the other hand militant commanders are threatening to eliminate his entire family if Nazam Din returns to the mainstream.

Moved by the agony being faced by the poor father, the Chief Minister gave on-the-spot directions to the SSP, Doda, to take appropriate action to somehow save the life of Nazam Din. But the SSP had a different story to tell. “Keeping in view his family background, the police twice gave chance to Nizam Din to live a peaceful life, but to no avail. After being released, he again joined militants’ rank and file,” he said.

The SSP suggested to Sher Mohammad to convince his militant son of surrender, but the father had a reason to oppose the surrender. He aired apprehension that his family would be eliminated in case of Nazam Din’s surrender.