Udhampur, August 16
Security forces today shot dead three militants of the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) outfit in two different encounters at Kishtwar and Reasi districts.

Defence sources said on specific information regarding the presence of militants in Marwah area of Kishtwar, the Rashtriya Rifles launched a search operation here on Friday night.

During the operation, troops spotted two militants at the Sigdhi area between Nawapachi and Chatroo. When asked to surrender, the militants ran into a house and resorted to indiscriminate fire on the security forces.

The fire was retaliated and both the militants were killed in the three-hour-long gun battle. Two AK 47 rifles and a large quantity of arms and ammunition were recovered.

The two militants were identified as Imran, son of Khushi Mohammed of Sujana Palwar in Kishtwar and Bahadur Din, son of Abdullah of Sarthal, Kishtwar.

Police sources said Imran was a self-styled commander of the HM and had been active in Chatroo belt since 2000. After receiving training from across the border, Imran returned to this area. He was involved in a number of militancy-related incidents.

Meanwhile, security forces also shot dead a top militant of the HM in Mahore area of Reasi district.

Sources said the police and the 59 RR launched a joint search operation at Thinmarg in Mahore area yesterday. During the combing operation, the militant was killed.

Jammu, August 16
Raksha Bandhan was today celebrated with fervour even as the winter capital observed a complete shutdown for the 25th consecutive day today on the issue of the Amarnath land row.

Shutters remained down in the entire temple city despite an announcement that the curfew would be relaxed.

“Raksha Bandhan is being celebrated throughout the country with enthusiasm but Jammu is celebrating it with a difference,” a shopkeeper said. He said the city observed a complete shutdown for the restoration of land to the SASB and to end the 60-year-long discrimination.

Some of the sweet shops remained open till noon, while kite stalls observed a huge rush of customers in the morning.

“Due to the bandh, we could not purchase kites and rolls of thread, but as and when the land will be restored to the shrine board, it will be a day of celebration for the people of Jammu”, Amit Gupta, a bank manager, said.

Besides, peaceful protest rallies were also taken out in some areas with people chanting ‘Bam Bam Bhole’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’.

So far nine persons have lost their lives in the ongoing agitation, including four in the alleged police firing at Samba.

Meanwhile, the Sangharsh Samiti, a conglomerate of 45 political, religious and social organisations, has extended the Jammu bandh till August 20. — UNI

Srinagar, August 16
Although curfew has been lifted from all parts of the Kashmir valley, normal life in Srinagar and nearby areas remained paralysed today due to a strike called by the separatists to observe the fourth day ceremony of senior Hurriyat Conference leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz, who was killed in a firing incident early this week.

Shops and business establishments, government offices, banks and educational institutions remained closed and transport was off the roads in response to a call given by the coordination committee of separatists, officials said.

The coordination committee is an amalgam of both factions of the Hurriyat Conference, the JKLF led by Mohammad Yasin Malik, the Dukhtaran-e-Millat, the Jamiat-e-Ahli Hadees, the traders' federation, the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and the emplooyees' union.

Protestors marched to Pampore, the native village of Aziz, to participate in his fourth day ceremony. The ceremony was to follow a public meeting to be addressed by separatist leaders. Aziz was killed in a firing incident at Chalal-Boniyar on August 11 while leading a procession to Muzaffarabad in protest against the "economic blockade" of the valley.

Fearing trouble, the authorities clamped curfew in Srinagar and the 40-km route from Sheeri to Uri on August 11 evening which was extended it to all 10 districts of the valley the next day.

However, curfew restrictions were lifted yesterday. — PTI

Jammu, August 16
The Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti today flayed the Centre for what it termed as the “complete surrender” before the anti-national forces in the Kashmir valley.

Addressing a press conference here, Samiti spokesman Prof Narinder Singh alleged: “While the state administration lifted curfew to allow the people to participate in the funeral of Hurriyat leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz, the authorities desecrated the body of Kuldeep Dogra, who was martyred in the Jammu agitation.”

Prof Singh alleged that separatist outfits like the Dukhtran-e-Millat had burnt the Indian flag and displayed the Pakistani flag in the presence of the administration and security forces yesterday. He said it was “shameful on part of the state and the Central governments that they are not taking any action against the fundamentalists who were openly challenging the sovereignty of the country.”

Prof Singh said the Tricolour was hoisted with full dignity and honour at several places in the Jammu region under the banner of the Sangharsh Samiti. Referring to the Kishtwar incident, he said the authorities should wake up and ensure safety of minorities who were residing in militancy-prone areas.

Prof Singh also briefed the media about the Samiti’s “Raksha Sutra programme”. He said 5 lakh people had tied raksha sutras on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, pledging to continue their struggle till land was restored to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board.

Pampore, August 16
Asking the Kashmiri parliamentarians and Assembly members to resign, the Hurriyat Conference today threatened that they will be otherwise socially boycotted.

The Hurriyat Conference also put forth some conditions for restoration of normalcy in the state, besides rejecting Assembly elections in the state.

Addressing a condolence meeting held here to offer 'fateha' to senior HC leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz, killed in police firing in Baramulla during 'Muzaffarabad chalo' on August 11, chairman of the breakaway HC Syed Ali Shah Geelani said all the Kashmiri MPs and should immediately resign.

“We ask them to resign before we call for their social boycott,” Geelani said at the meeting which was attended by lakhs of people, who had come from all parts of the valley.

About the Amarnath land row, Geelani said no Kashmiri Muslim is against the yatra or yatris.

“No Kashmiri is against any religion or region,” he said but expressed concern over the economic blockade, attack on Muslims, Kashmiri drivers and Gujjars in Jammu.

He appealed to the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), UN and other Human Rights (HR) organisation as well as to Pakistan to intervene and save the people of Kashmir from the situation which has arisen due to the alleged economic blockade, attacks on Muslims in Jammu and firing by the Indian security forces on peaceful processionists in Kashmir.

Geelani urged the Pakistan government not to act on the dictates of the United States.

Mirwaiz Omar Farooq, Chairman of the Hurriyat Conference also demanded the revocation of Disturbed Area Act and Armed Forces Special Powers Act in the state. 

Jammu, August 16
While curfew continued in Kishtwar town for the fifth consecutive day today, the authorities relaxed restrictions for varying periods in Udhampur, Jammu and Samba.

Tension flared up in Kishtwar yesterday with representatives of both the communities almost coming to blows at a meeting convened by S.S. Bloeria, adviser to Governor N.N. Vohra, who came here along with divisional commissioner Sudhanshu Pandey and IGP K. Rajindra.

Bloeria visited the area to assess the situation and facilitated a meeting between representatives of the two communities to defuse the tension.

In the meeting, members of the minority community alleged that it was due to police inaction that mobs had vandalised property and tried to lob a grenade. They said the incident should be investigated.

People in some localities defied curfew and hoisted the Tricolour to celebrate Independence Day. The police, paramilitary troops and the Army was still deployed in the town.

Meanwhile, the authorities relaxed curfew at 5 am for 15 hours in the Jammu city and Udhampur town. In Samba, the restrictions were lifted for nine hours from 5 am. The relaxation period was increased in view of Raksha Bandhan. Authorities said curfew had already been lifted in Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch. — PTI

Udhampur, August 16
Facing criticism from all quarters for the alleged involvement of its leaders in the Kishtwar riots, the PDP has started a damage control exercise to counter attacks of the Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti (SAYSS) and other minority organisations.

The Sangharsh Samiti and members of the minority community have alleged that senior PDP leader Farooq Ahmed along with some activists of the Hurriyat Conference had instigated a mob to attack the properties of a particular community on Tuesday last.

As the Sangharsh Samiti has stepped up its attack on the PDP for instigating the majority community in Muslim-dominated areas of the Jammu region to attack minorities, the party has asked its Hindu leaders to counter this propaganda.

The PDP convened a meeting of party leaders of Kishtwar today to assess the prevailing situation. The party leaders, while expressing concern over the loss of lives in the violence, took strong exception to the allegations that PDP leader Farooq Ahmed had lead the procession which attacked the minority community.

The leaders made it clear that Farooq Ahmed was not present in the procession and he was at his business establishment when the violence took place in the town.

Meanwhile, senior vice-president of the district unit of the PDP, Joginder Mahajan, said party leader Farooq Ahmed himself was a victim of violence and had suffered huge losses in arson and looting.

“What to say of instigating people, Farooq Ahmed himself is struggling to protect his life and property”, he said, adding, that his business establishments were set afire by some miscreants.

Jammu, August 16
Marred by controversies over the issue of land, the Amarnath yatra came to an end today.

While the issue has flared up passions in the Kashmir valley and in Jammu, people who performed pilgrimage this year felt that the yatra should be kept out of all sorts of controversies.

They said the yatra would never be complete without the participation of Kashmiri Muslims who have been providing facilities to the yatra since it started more than a century and a half ago.

“For petty political gain, the yatra need not be dragged into any sort of controversy,” said Chaman Lal Sharma, a resident of New Delhi, who reached Jammu yesterday after performing pilgrimage at the holy cave.

He said, “I have been performing the yatra for the past 30 years and always enjoyed the support and hospitality of the local Kashmiri population. It's very unfortunate that controversy has been made over a piece of land that we have already been using for past so many years.”

Though the controversy over the forest land transfer divided the two regions on regional and communal lines, the yatris said Kashmiri Muslims have never objected to the facilities being provided to the pilgrims.

“Even at the times when militancy was on its peak in the valley and militants were targeting Hindus, the local muslins came to our rescue and treated us like their family members,” said Ram Kumar, a resident of Amritsar.

For the past 17 years, Ram Kumar has been regularly performing the yatra.

“In 1996 we were caught in the hostile climate, many yatris lost their lives and then the local Muslims came to our rescue. They not only saved our lives, but also offered us shelter and food,” said Lalit Pandit, a resident of New Delhi.

These yatris said the controversy over the land transfer should not be given a political or communal colour and the issue should be resolved amicability and peacefully.

“It’s not like that this was the last yatra, it would continue for centuries to come, the land at the centre of the controversy should be converted to an epitome of brotherhood,” said Chandigarh resident Kunal Kohli.

Jammu, August 16
The separatists in Kashmir, who have apparently got a new lease of life in the aftermath of the Amarnath land row, are now stressing on the opening of a trade route with Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in a recent statement issued said: “The ongoing protests in the valley will end only until trade resumes between Kashmir and Pakistan administered Kashmir, the Disturbed Areas Act is revoked, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act is withdrawn and Kashmiri detainees are released”.

The valley, which was largely peaceful after the land diversion order was revoked by the then Congress government, has witnessed massive protests with over 20 casualties, following the alleged economic blockade and separatists’call to fruit growers to march towards Muzaffarabad in PoK.

On the other hand, while the agitating outfits in Jammu are sticking to their demand of restoration of land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, the unprecedented support the agitation has received is being attributed by many to the people’s pent up anger over the “continuous discrimination” with the region on various counts, including political power, development and employment.

Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani, in his recent letter to the PM, has also referred to the “gross discrimination” that the people of Jammu have suffered in matters relating to the governance of the state.

He said: “Recent events have shown that people in Jammu are now determined to assert in order to claim their fair share in the matter of governance and development of the region.” Political analyst Prof Noor Ahmad Baba said the recent developments had posed a deeper challenge for the government to work out a relationship between the two regions. He said people in the valley were concerned with the recent happenings and wanted their alternative road links restored. He felt there was little meeting ground between the two regions.

Jammu, August 16
The National Conference (NC) today accused the PDP leadership for vitiating the secular harmony of the state.The NC leadership in a statement issued here said PDP president Mehbooba Mufti’s policies and statements had created a communal divide in the state and disturbing peace in both regions of the state.

The NC leaders said the PDP’s conduct and behaviour was communalising the happenings in the state. They warned the PDP leadership to practise restraint from the politics of religion otherwise they would be responsible for dividing the state on communal lines.

“No political party can behave in an irresponsible manner in the present situation and destroy the secular credentials of the state,” the statement said.

They said the PDP had realised that they had lost support in the state and it was out of sheer frustration that they were acting irresponsibly.

The statement said the NC had stood for secularism, equal distribution of resources among all three regions of the state, communal harmony and brotherhood.

“The PDP should understand that the people of Jammu & Kashmir can understand their communal policies of doublespeak”, the statement said.

The NC leaders also appealed to the Governor to address the grievances of the people and find an early, respectable, honourable and amicable solution to the crisis.

Jammu, August 16
Pakistan has deployed three to five Army personnel in each border outposts across the 187-km-long international border (IB) between Kathua and Akhnoor in Jammu sector.

These armymen have been deployed to assist the Pakistani Rangers in strengthening the defence grid in spite of the fact that during the last four years the Indian border guards have never violated the ceasefire agreement. Official sources said today field reports received from across the IB had revealed that each outpost has been fortified with the deployment of three to five soldiers.

The sources said whenever Pakistani troops violate the ceasefire by firing rockets or mortar shells they do it for either providing cover to the militants, wishing to infiltrate into the Jammu sector or for testing the defence preparedness of the Indian border guards.

Invariably neither the outposts nor the Indian soldiers are targeted by the Pakistani troops whenever they open fire. This, according to Army sources, was being done to avoid leaving any proof of their ceasefire violation.

A senior Army officer of the rank of a colonel said that this is what happened in R.S. Pora sector in Jammu on Friday when five rockets were fired from across the IB.

Not a single rocket fire had hit either the outpost or any other structure. He said when the BSF authorities lodged a protest with the Rangers, the Pakistani side denied having fired five rockets.

Since there was no evidence of any damage having been caused by the rocket fire the BSF authorities could not do anything except repeating their concern over the ceasefire violation.

The official sources said the troops and Rangers deployed across the IB and the LoC were trying to find an opportunity for pushing into Jammu and Kashmir groups of militants who had been waiting on the launching pads across the border for the last several months.

It is on the basis of these reports that additional companies of troops and the BSF have been deployed on the border to foil infiltration bids.

Srinagar, August 16
The normal supply of petrol and diesel was restored in the Kashmir valley today while essentials were being distributed by the people among the needy free of cost.

Petrol pumps, which had remained dry for several days, resumed the normal supply of petroleum products in the city and other major towns.

“We have received a stock of petrol and diesel,” a petrol pump dealer at Moulana Azad road said.

Almost all the petrol pumps in the city and outskirts were open providing petrol and diesel to the consumers.

Milk was also available in all parts of the city. However, people complained of shortage of rice, sugar and flour in the government ration depot.

Hundreds of trucks and other vehicles, loaded with vegetables, rice and other eatables continued to arrive from different rural areas and far-flung villages for distribution among the needy people, free of cost in Srinagar and its outskirts. People of different religions could also been seen getting vegetable, rice and other essentials from relief committee free of cost. — UNI

Srinagar, August 16
Religious speeches liberally interspersed with vitriolic outpouring against security forces in the past few days is fuelling the anti-India sentiments in the valley, which has brought alive memories of the early 90s for old-timers.

Imams across the valley during the Friday prayers yesterday, which drew a large number of Muslims, accused the government of “running a reign of terror and letting loose police and CRPF on the people.”

In response, thousands of Muslims today swarmed the city roads chanting anti-India and religious slogans. For the first time in many years, green and black flags flew at the Lal Chowk instead of the Tricolour on August 15.

The massive outpouring of people in the mosques and on the streets of Srinagar on the night of August 13 night largely a consequence of such incendiary speeches as announcements were made from several religious places that CRPF personnel were out to molest Kashmiri women. Audio and video records gathered by security agencies conform this.

Enraged youths marched on the roads and pelted stones on nearby CRPF bunkers as was proved by one such record. This pattern is being used across the valley to motivate people to come on the roads shouting anti-India sentiments.

The CRPF has also become a “hate-force” in the past few days and several of its posts have been burnt down. A number of firing incidents have occurred as mobs unrelentingly charged towards their bunkers, as was the case in Habakadal yesterday.

The paramilitary force has relocated some of its forces to safer locations in Srinagar. Official reports said there was some truth in allegations of use of excessive force against it, but claims of its personnel invading homes and brutalising family members, especially girls and women, were either highly exaggerated or completely false.

As the government continues to drift along, emboldened separatists and religious rights have stepped up the pressure and some of them have asked Kashmiris working in the “repressive” state police to leave the force and join their struggle.

They have been asked to choose between India and Kashmir. Hundreds of cops had deserted the state police in the 1990s and may have gone to Pakistan to become militants. Several religious leaders have also called for social boycott of cops and their relatives.

Jammu, August 16
Pensioners in Jammu are a worried lot these days as they have not received their pension due to the ongoing curfew. The miseries of these senior citizens have gone unnoticed by the administration.

Pensioners informed that they used to get their pension during the first week of every month, but as the banks were closed in view of the shutdown call, they had not received it.

The pensioners are now facing a financial crisis and have no money to purchase medicines and essential commodities. Brij Lal Pandita, a pensioner from Talab Tillo area, said: “I receive my pension in the first week of the month but this time there seems to be no end to our wait.”

Sham Rani, wife of pensioner Dina Nath, said: “My husband is bedridden for the past more than four years. His medicines exhausted a week ago and I have no money to purchase them again.”