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Police ‘brutality’ leaves challenged youth terrorised
Father Birbal Sharma shows the marks on Harish’s back he sustained in a police thrashing in Jammu on Sunday. Tribune photo: Anand Sharma
Two Pak militants killed in Kupwara |
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Omar’s remarks may cost NC dear in Jammu
Bandh cripples normal life
Probe into Kuldip Dogra’s suicide sought
BSF men go ‘berserk’, locals demand action
No women VDCs in
Kulali, Marah
CRPF prepared for Assembly poll
Additional CRPF director-general Karamvir Singh confers the D-G’s bravery commendation disc award on an officer for fighting against militancy at the raising day celebrations in Srinagar on Sunday. Tribune photo: Mohd Amin War
Gladni grid collapse ‘result of govt apathy’
Panel to work out Hurriyat unity
Mobile school idea fizzles out
Voter I-cards
HC quashes JKPSC order
Admn ‘mishandled’ situation in Jammu
Exception taken to Charangoo’s remarks
Drug peddler arrested, 1.5 kg opium seized
One killed in accident
Woman commits suicide
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Police ‘brutality’ leaves challenged youth terrorised
Jammu, July 27 Narrating the incident, Harish’s father, Birbal Sharma, said: “My son was not the only one out on the road. It was 6:30 am and many people were out for their morning walk.” Birbal said soon policemen arrived in a Gypsy and announced that curfew had been clamped. “Four cops started caning Harish on his back and legs for no fault of his. Being mentally challenged, Harish could neither run nor cry for help,” the harried father said. Bribal said he then approached the SHO, Peer Mitha, and narrated the incident to him. The SHO replied that he could do nothing for the Gypsy belonged to the superintendent of police (SP). Birbal said he would write to the police and civil authorities concerned and seek action against the guilty cops. He said Harish had sustained serious injuries in an accident three years ago which had left him mentally unstable. Meanwhile, SP (city), Randeep Singh, when contacted said no such incident had taken place. |
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Two Pak militants killed in Kupwara
Srinagar, July 27 While Abdullah was a commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba, the police was not sure of the outfit Bakar belonged to. "He may be from LeT of Jaish-e-Mohammad," he said. The police suspects that one more militant was also killed but his body had not yet been found so far. The police said it was common for militants from different outfits to mingle in the area as for their terror plans. The dense forests skirting the northern Kashmir districts of Kupwara, Bandipore and Baramulla have been a haven for militants as the security forces find it difficult to scan the woods spread across thousands of acres. The area also serves as the first hideout for militants who infiltrate from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir from that area. Two AK-47 rifles and a large amount of ammunition have been seized from the slain militants. In another operation, 44 RR in Pulwama busted a hideout in the Sangarwani forest area and seized one under-barrel grenade launcher, seven AK rifle magazines and 892 cartridges. The police has registered a case in this regard no arrest has been made so far. Searches in Srinagar Srinagar:
Jammu and Kashmir has been put on high alert in the wake of serial blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad. In this regard, the security forces carried out frisking operations in different parts of the city today. Lal Chowk, Srinagar’s commercial hub, was intensively searched by the police and CRPF personnel, who also frisked common men and shopkeepers. Official sources said nothing objectionable was recovered. “It was a routine operation as we had to step up security measures,” an official said. Similar searches were reportedly carried out in various other busy areas of the city. Reports from the district headquarters also spoke of stepped-up security arrangements, Meanwhile, DGP Kuldeep Khoda has appealed to the people to maintain peace. |
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Omar’s remarks may cost NC dear in Jammu
Jammu, July 27 It all started with a city resident, Kuldeep Dogra, committing suicide after reportedly feeling hurt by Omar’s remarks. Omar had said in Parliament - “We fought for our land and will fight till the very end.” When the Amarnath land row agitation first broke out in the region in June end, former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and Governor N.N. Vohra had earned the protesters’ wrath. However, the agitators have now trained their guns on Omar whose effigies are being burnt from Kathua to Jammu. The scene is in sharp contrast to the protests held in the beginning of the month when the National Conference was virtually nowhere in the picture. Now, while the NC is accusing the BJP of exploiting the situation for vote bank politics in the backdrop of Kuldeep's suicide, the agitating outfits are leaving no opportunity to attack Omar for his statements on the land row. “Abdullah, who favours pro-greater autonomy, has once again poured venom on India and Indians by shamelessly shouting in Parliament that Kashmiri Muslims were fighting for their land and they shall continue to do so if any piece of land is again diverted to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) for creating facilities for pilgrims,” said state BJP vice-president Hari Om. State VHP president Ramakant Dubey said, “Firstly, Omar should remember that Kashmir is not his personal property and it belongs to the entire country. Secondly, his statement that Amarnath yatris were nowhere attacked in Kashmir was a total lie. Pilgrims have been attacked in places like Banihal and Ganderbal.” Meanwhile, a senior National Conference leader also admitted that the episode may adversely affect the party’s electoral prospects in the Assembly polls. “The incident (Kuldeep's suicide) has come at a time when the elections are approaching. It will affect the party, especially in the Hindu majority areas of the region,” he said. Reacting to the bouquets and brickbats that his speech has invited, Omar, in his blog, says, “The fact that my speech struck a cord in the valley and the rest of the country as well is a unique experience for me. The sad, but somewhat predictable, reaction to my speech in Jammu has been a source of much anguish for me.”
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Bandh cripples normal life
Jammu, July 27 Enquiries from fruit mandis revealed that wholesalers might have to bring down the prices of fruit when retailers approach them. A number of dealers said except for apples, which were imported from Himachal and Kashmir, other fruits were perishable and they were worried about that. Both retailers and wholesalers said they would suffer losses if the bandh was not called off and curfew restrictions were not lifted. Vegetable vendors could be seen trying to salvage fruits that had piled up in their shops. The vendors said once the curfew was relaxed, sales would pick up. They said, “About 50 per cent of the vegetables were thrown in drains in the last five days. People dealing in the sale of various consumer items, including eggs, pulses, spices, rice, edible oils, salt and sugar, did the same.” For the last several days, the city has witnessed an acute shortage of milk because milk vans could not come from the adjoining villages. Though some milkmen dared to come to the city, they were waylaid by demonstrators who emptied their milk cans into the drains. Since then, they have not dared to enter the city again. Meanwhile, activities in various educational institutions, including the Jammu University, where some examinations had been postponed, stand suspended. Though the vice-chancellor of the Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology had ordered that examinations would not be postponed, not all students could give the exams, as public transport facilities collapsed due to the shutdown. The vice-chancellor later directed the faculty members that those who could not sit for the examination would be given another chance once the bandh was called off.
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Probe into Kuldip Dogra’s suicide sought
Jammu, July 27 The sitting MLC said last evening if the government failed to concede the demand, the party would resort to a legal recourse. The State Legal Aid Committee, Bhim Singh said, would take the matter to the court to bring all "culprits" to book. Mourning the demise of Dogra during a visit to his house, Bhim Singh handed over a draft for Rs 50,000 to his widow,
Shilpi. He assured her that the JKNPP would bear the entire cost of education of his two children till the secondary level.
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BSF men go ‘berserk’, locals demand action
Udhampur, July 27 The residents lifted the blockade only after senior BSF and police officers rushed to the spot and assured to take action against the personnel. Meanwhile, the police has registered a case against the BSF personnel. According to the residents, some personnel of the BSF’s 169 Battalion entered Roun Domel on late Saturday night and beat up passersby without any reason. It is also alleged that the BSF men ransacked the house of a police constable. This morning large number of people came on streets and shouted slogans against the BSF men. Large number of locals also joined the agitating crowd. In the meantime, senior police officers rushed to the spot and tried to pacify the agitating people but without success. Protesters were demanding that BSF officers should reach the spot. The police called some officers of the BSF on the spot who assured the people to take action against the ‘erring’ personnel. |
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No women VDCs in
Kulali, Marah
Kulali Marah-Surankote (Poonch), July 27 The women are being given lessons in self-defence by the Army, police and their family members, who are part of the VDC. Police records assessed by The Tribune at the Surankote police station show that no rifles had been issued to women in the area. The records point out that 168 rifles had been issued, including 150 .303 rifles. Besides, 18 SLR rifles had been issued to the VDCs in the Kulali and Marah areas. However, of the 168 rifles, not a single woman has been issued a weapon. The record further suggests that two women, Nazeera Begum and Shamim Akhter, who are not part of any VDC, have been issued .303 rifles. Surprisingly, both women are not residents of the area and instead hail from Danidhara village. “As per our records there is no VDC in our area. However some of the women have received training from their family members, police, Army, and the local VDC members,” a police constable posted at the local police post claimed. “We also have reports that some of the women are using weapons issued in the name of their family members,” he added.
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CRPF prepared for Assembly poll
Srinagar, July 27 Karamvir Singh, CRPF additional director-general, Northern Zone, said today his force was prepared and confident of ensuring a peaceful poll. Speaking to mediapersons at the 69th Raising Day celebrations of the CRPF, Karamvir Singh, who is based in Chandigarh, said it was up to the state government to decide if it needed more forces for peaceful elections. Out of a total of 201 CRPF battalions, 72 are stationed in Jammu and Kashmir out of which 58 units are spread across the valley. Besides helping the state police in tackling law and order problems, the CRPF is in charge of sanitising the highway which is used by the Army and the VIPs to ply across the state. It also joins the police and the Army
in encounters. When asked about growing cases of suicide in the force, he said the force was aware of the development and taking appropriate steps. “The force see to it that jawans are not overburdened and are sanctioned leave frequently,”
he added. The country’s first paramilitary force was raised in 1939. |
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Gladni grid collapse ‘result of govt apathy’
Jammu, July 27 Official sources told The Tribune, even if the ‘mother’ grid was restored to its previous 400 MVA capacity, the total power evacuation would oscillate between 330 MVA and 360 MVA. The grid collapsed on the intervening night of July 2 and 3 when a 133.33-MVA transformer was damaged. Since then, residents, industries in Jammu, Rajouri and Poonch districts have been continuously facing power cuts, ranging from 12 hours to 18 hours a day. Presently the grid on a 132/33-KV line has a total capacity of 100 MVA and once again due to capacity constrains there had been a total power evacuation of 70 MVA to 75 MVA, They said the previous government paid no heed to the repeated reminders of the Power Development Department (PDD) to augment the existing sub-stations. Hence, the ‘ageing’ Gladni grid collapsed. “Bari-Brahmana, Hiranagar and Udhampur grids also face capacity constraints and to overcome the precarious situation a 220/132 KVA (160 MVA) sub-station is needed urgently,” they added. Soon after the damage to the Gladni grid, former power minister Babu Singh and former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had ordered a judicial probe. Even as retired sessions judge Vidya Sagar and two former chief engineers conduct an inquiry into the incident looking into the possibilities of sabotage and other reasons responsible for the grid’s collapse, the previous government didn’t deem it fit to An official of the Power Development Department said the previous government had been apprised of the serious danger lurking over the Gladni grid Meanwhile, the 15-day deadline of the judicial probe has been extended by another fortnight and the report is likely to submitted to the Governor by August 4. The possibility of manufacturing defects in the damaged transformer cannot be ruled out because normally such costly machines have a life span of 30 to 40 years.
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Panel to work out Hurriyat unity
Jammu, July 27 According to Shabir Ahmed Shah, so far two meetings have been held and as a result of the deliberations in the meetings, the two factions jointly participated in the Martyrs’ Day function held on July 13. He said: “I am in touch with other separatist leaders, including chief of the JKLF Mohd Yasin Malik and chairman the People’s Conference Sajjad Lone.” Senior APHC leader Prof Abdul Gani Bhat said: “Realisation has dawned on both sides that unity among all the factions of the According to reports, the hardliners were suggesting restoration of the original spirit of the Hurriyat constitution which over the years had been diluted. Also, the Geelani camp is not in favour of Shabir Ahmed Shah’s suggestion that after all the groups agree to come under one umbrella no group should maintain its separate identity and instead whatever programme was to be carried out it should be done under the banner of All Party Hurriyat Conference. However, Prof Bhat said it might take time for the factions to get united. He stated that various issues had to be discussed. He made it clear that no side was in a hurry to formalise unity process which might not stand the test of time.
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Mobile school idea fizzles out
Jammu, July 27 The lack of interest on part of the government to make these schools effective institutions is evident from their dwindling numbers. As per records of the Directorate of School Education, there are 219 mobile schools with 319 teachers for about However, Dr Javid Rahi, secretary, Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation, Jammu, said, “There were 428 primary mobile schools in 2005 in the Jammu region, which have reduced to 200, as the rest have become stationary.” Dr Javid said the teaching staff, which came from the community itself, was inefficient as they lacked proper qualification and had no elementary training. Moreover, each school had only one teacher with no supervisory staff due to which these schools lacked effective monitoring. Dr Javid demanded that the facility of midday meals, free uniforms, free books and stationary should be extended to encourage Gujjar children to take admission in these schools. Mushtaq Bukhari, a prominent Gujjar leader, alleged that the previous government had tried to convert these mobile schools into stationary schools, which would harm the Gujjar community. “The concept of mobile schools to provide education to the deprived section of the community was excellent, but their number is decreasing because people are not ready to teach these children in remote areas,” said Prof N.R. Sharma, an expert. Meanwhile, Zahida Khan, director, School Education, declined comment on the state of affairs of these schools, saying that she had taken charge only recently.
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Photo studios doing brisk business
M.L. Kak
Jammu, July 27 One can find long queues of voters in front of the digital camera studios in Jammu. A number of studio owners said: “People have started frequenting our shops for getting passport-size photographs soon after the Election Commission (EC) declared to issue electronic photo identity cards (EPICs) to the voters.” A. Sharma who runs a digital camera studio in the city said, “For the past one week, I am earning between Rs 1,000 and Rs 3,000 daily.” Other studio owners too are having a roaring business after Governor N.N.Vohra announced that the elections would be held on time. Studio owners said: “We could have more business had the poll authorities not announced that at least one voter in each family would be issued an EPIC.” Reports said some voters living in backward villages had to travel to the tehsil or district headquarters for getting themselves photographed. Since Jammu continues to reel under an acute power shortage, a number of digital photo studio owners have installed diesel generators in order to cope with the rush of voters.
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HC quashes JKPSC order
Jammu, July 27 The court directed the commission to declare the result of the petitioner within 10 days and initiate action regarding the issuance of an appointment order within one month thereafter if he is found successful along with consequential benefits minus monetary benefits. The petitioner, working as a junior engineer in
MES, responded to the commission’s notification dated May 31, 2005, inviting applications for posts of assistant engineer. Mr Justice Nirmal Singh observed: “Any candidate who is a permanent resident of the state and serving in any department under the Central Government is eligible to apply for a post under the state through a proper channel in the category of ‘already in government service’ in case such a The high court held “in this case rejecting the candidature of a candidate would not be in accordance with the law.” |
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Admn ‘mishandled’ situation in Jammu
Srinagar, July 27 Lauding the people of Jammu for their wise, open-minded and secular approach during the past 18 years of turmoil, Tarigami appealed to them to exercise restraint while expressing
their resentment. He expressed hope that people would not be hoodwinked and misled by some political groups, who wanted to use their miseries to make
political and electoral gains. |
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Exception taken to Charangoo’s remarks
Jammu, July 27 In a joint statement issued here Rattan Lal Gupta, senior vice-president of the party in Jammu province, and district president, Jammu rural, Mohinder Gupta said Charangoo had no business to comment about Omar Abdullah and his secularism. "Ajay Chrangoo's fascist tendencies and communal ideology is well known. It is unfortunate that Charangoo and his cohorts are indulging in a dubious political game plan which is not in the interest of the people of Jammu", the statement read.
— TNS |
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Drug peddler arrested, 1.5 kg opium seized
Jammu, July 27 Acting on a tip-off, Krishen Lal was arrested by the police and 1.5 kg opium was recovered from him in Thatri village, they said. A case has been registered.
— PTI |
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One killed in accident
Srinagar, July 27 Ghulam Hassan Telhi was killed when he was hit by a tractor at Pazalpora. In another incident, fire broke out in a fast food restaurant at Shalimar on the bank of the Dal Lake. A cook identified as Ital Najar Boori, a resident of Assam, received burn injuries. He was taken to hospital immediately. Meanwhile, two structures were damaged in fire at Khalisa Parigam and Solina.
— UNI |
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Woman commits suicide
Srinagar, July 27 Official sources said Shazia hanged herself in her Alochi Bagh residence in the summer capital. However, it was not immediately known why she took the extreme step, they said. In a similar incident, Tahira attempted suicide by hanging herself in her Mirgund residence. However, her family members immediately took her to the hospital where her condition was stated to be
critical. — UNI
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The police in its attempt to ensure strict imposition of curfew, after a day of violent protests, left a mentally challenged youth traumatised and terrorised.
Srinagar, July 27
