Srinagar, September 5
The separatists' call for protests in mosques and sit-ins on roads did not elicit much response though groups of people marched on the roads and raised "pro-azadi" slogans.

However, the scale of protests was no match to the intensity they evoked last month before the government crackdown on August 24. Small crowds took out rallies from some of the bigger mosques of the city and dispersed after some time.

Earlier, the police put the main three secessionists under arrest at their houses, refusing them permission to go out. Islamist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani had yesterday announced his plan of offering namaz at Hazratbal while Mirwaiz Umar Farooq makes weekly Friday speech from Jamia Masjid, another significant Islamic seat in Srinagar. "We could not have allowed them to rouse passions at a time when tension is already in the air," a senior officer said when asked for reasons behind the house arrest of Geelani, Umar Farooq, besides JKLF leader Yaseen Malik.

Reports from other parts of Kashmir said there were small protest groups at some places. Iqbal, a resident of Sopore, said a small crowd marched on the main road but dispersed in half an hour. "There was no tension. It was no match to the kind of protest we were witnessing only a month back," the youth said.

Several second-rung separatist leaders are already behind bars and Muslim League leader and Geelani's confederate, Masrat Alam, was the last one to be nabbed when a police party picked him up last evening. He had been on the run since August 24 and but continued to issue press statements from his hideout.

He created some sensation in security establishment when he criticised moderate leaders like Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Yaseen Malik, Sajjad Lone and Abdul Gani Bhat in a telephonic conversation with Hizbul Mujahideen's Pak-based chief, Syed Salahuddin. The police had reportedly recorded their conversation and distributed its tapes among these leaders, who were targeted by him for their "soft" approach.

Kuligarh (Kishtwar), September 5
The tragic road accident here, which claimed 23 lives, has bridged the communal divide between the majority and minority communities in Kisthwar, which witnessed riots recently.

Religious differences have sunk as people from both the communities have been working hard to retrieve the bodies of 13 persons, who have been washed away with the strong current in the Chenab.

Hindus and Muslims, who were vying for each others blood after August 12 communal riots, put an end to their differences and rendered a helping hand to provide relief to the victims of the human tragedy.

For the last 30 hours, youths from both the communities have been camping at the spot and providing all assistance to the police as well as the civil administration to recover the bodies from the river. Some local Hindus were providing food to the ill-fated families, who have been camping at the accident site with a hope to get the bodies of their kin.

Ramesh Sharma, neighbour of Imtiyaz Sheikh who is feared to be washed away, has been trying his best to console the victim’s family.

During the past 24 hours, Sharma and other residents have been camping at Kuligarh, where the rescue operation has been going on to retrieve the bodies.

Three agriculture officers --- Imtiyaz Ahmed Sheikh, Abrar Ahmed Sirwal and Sat Pal --- all residents of Kishtwar, have been missing.

Irrespective of religion, Hindus rushed to the houses of their Muslim brethren who were traveling in the ill-fated vehicle.

Eyewitnesses said before the police reached the spot, it was local Muslim youths who rushed to the spot and started the rescue operation.

Jammu, September 5
Though Teacher’s Day was today celebrated with great zeal in various schools across the city, some private schools celebrated the event for a few hours, devoting more time to studies, to help students complete their remaining syllabus.

The day brought smiles on the faces of children, who got some relief after having stayed indoors, during the two-month-long turmoil over the land row.

Meanwhile, students of Model Academy, Residency Road, organised a singing competition between students and teachers. Painting and dance competitions were also held.

School principal Roopa Gupta said: “We could not celebrate the day for a long time because as a large part of the syllabus is pending and we want to finish it soon. For this, we are also conducting extra classes particularly, for weak students.”

However, in other schools, rich tributes were paid to Dr Radhakrishanan for his contribution in the filed of education. On the occasion, students presented cultural programmes and distributed gifts among their teachers. In some schools, painting and singing completions were also organised, while some schools organised symposiums.

Udhampur, September 5
The Army is undertaking a trip for the children of Suru - Zanskar Valley, Ladakh, studying in Army Goodwill Schools, to various places in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh.

The tour comprising 30 students accompanied by elders and teachers was today flagged off by Major-Gen Dalbir Singh, GOC, “Forever in Operations” Division from Khumbathang. Col D.K. Kachari, PRO, Northern Command, said the children would visit various places in Himachal Pradesh, the most important being the sear of “His Holiness - The Dalai Lama” at Mcleodgang. Col Kachari said the children would also go for site seeing at Chandigarh and visit the HMT Tractor Factory at Pinjore.

The children would also get an opportunity to meet the Governor of Punjab, while in Chandigarh, Col Kachari said.

Jammu, September 5
Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party, Bhim Singh, today urged Governor N.N. Vohra to institute a judicial inquiry by a high court judge to look into the Kishtwar riots of August 12.

He also demanded removal of the district deputy commissioner and the SSP.

Singh claimed that it was for the first time since 1947 that communal clashes were reported from Kishtwar. He added that it was deliberately presented as “communal clashes” by vested interests to add fuel to the ongoing agitations for restoration of land to the Amarnath Shrine Board.

A party delegation headed by Singh also visited the area and met the families of those killed during the agitations.

Singh said the shops and houses of about 50 people were burnt and looted, while 37 shops were ransacked during the violence.

“Three houses and some shops of Muslims were robbed, while one Abdul Majid Kilam was killed in the grenade attack,” he added.

Expressing astonishment at the indifferent attitude of the government, Singh demanded compensation for the aggrieved families and for the victims, who had incurred financial losses in the violence.

Singh said an independent inquiry would help unearth the real culprit and would send a strong message that communal harmony could not be put at stake.

Singh also visited the families of Sunny Sharma, Sanjeev Singh and Narender Sharma, who were killed in police firing during the protests in Kathua. On behalf of his party, he handed over a cheque of Rs 50,000 each to the next of kin of the victims.

Singh also sympathised with the families who had lost their dear ones in the mini bus accident at Kishtwar yesterday. He demanded that a compensation of Rs 5 lakh be paid to the families of each killed. Singh also demanded that strict guidelines should be issued to private or government transporters to allow a permissible number of passengers in buses, matadors and mini buses.

Srinagar, September 5
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has directed the defence authorities to produce a colonel, allegedly involved in the custodial disappearance of a person in 2002 in Kashmir, within two weeks.

The direction of the single-judge bench of the court came on a petition filed by the family members of Manzoor Ahmad Dar, a chemist, who disappeared after he was arrested by the Army on January 19, 2002, from Badgam district.

After massive protests, the authorities asked the Badgam CJM to investigate the case.

The CJM, in his report, held Col Kishore Malhotra, currently posted in Drass, responsible for Dar's disappearance.

Col Malhotra failed to appear before the inquiry committee, delaying justice, the petition said.

It said after the arrest of Dar, Col Malhotra assured Dar's family members that he would be released. However, after several weeks, Col Malhotra denied having arrested Dar.

Rejecting defence counsel's argument that Col Malhotra was posted at Drass and could not leave his post, the court directed the Army to present him within two weeks before the investigation team. — UNI

Srinagar, September 5
A moderate earthquake sent people scurrying outside their homes and offices today in the valley. Its intensity on the Richter scale has been measured at 5.5, but it did not cause any damage here as its epicentre was hundreds of kilometre away on the Pak-Afghan border.

Officials said the jolts came at 10.28 and lasted a few moments.

They said there were no reports of any damage.

The Kashmir valley falls in the most vulnerable seismic zone and had suffered a massive earthquake in October, 2005, which left thousands dead.

Srinagar, September 5
A number of senior police officers serving in Jammu division were transferred today. Udhampur SSP Ashkour Ahmad Wani has been sent to the STC, Talwara, as its principal while Surinder Kumar Gupta would replace him as Udhampur SSP. Gupta is presently serving as Ramban SSP.

An official spokesman said Sunil Dutt, SP, anti-hijacking, Jammu, would be the new Ramban police head. R.P. Restura, who is STC, Talwara, principal, would replace Dutt. Doda SSP Raghubir Singh and Samba would swap places.

Jammu, September 5
Due to two-month-long agitation over the Amarnath land row, all banks in the district are now facing an extra burden, as the number of cheques for clearance have almost doubled.

All 233 branches of 33 banks in the entire district could not operate from July 23 to August 23 and their functioning remained affected otherwise also during the days of turmoil.

“I deposited a salary cheque in the TP Shastri Nagar branch of the J&K Bank on August 19, but I haven't got it cleared even after a fortnight,” Vijay Kumar, a resident of Shastri Nagar, said. Vijay said he was facing with a number of hardships due to the financial crunch.

A huge rush of people can be witnessed outside all banks these days as most of the people are running short of money. “My ATM account is running empty as I exhausted it during the wake of agitation and it’s almost a week now since I deposited my salary cheque,” Ishan Anand, a resident, said.

Meanwhile, PRO, J&K Bank, Ajit Pal Singh said: “We are getting about 6,000 cheques everyday - a number almost double of what we use to receive during the normal days.”

Singh said the clearance work had almost reached to a grinding halt after July 23 as the clearance house could not operate in the wake of violent protests. He further said it would take almost 10 days for the Central Clearing House to clear off the pending backlog.

Meanwhile, the Cenral Clearing House has a backlog of transactions amounting to Rs 2,000 crore and everyday the latter is able to clear off an amount of Rs 70-80 crore only.

Jammu, September 5
Jammu University (JU) has reportedly given open choice to its students appearing in various postgraduate and professional examinations. Although the JU authorities have not come out with any official statement, official sources have confirmed the reports.

In a semester examination, students are given 10 questions, two each from five units. According to the earlier pattern of examination, students had to attempt one question from each unit.

Now with the open choice, the students would be entitled to attempt any five questions out of 10 questions. Therefore, students will have ample liberty to prepare only two and half units instead of preparing all the five units. Earlier, in 1997 open choice was only given to the students of BA, BSc and BCom streams.

The decision came in the wake of protest by the students on September 2. Maintaining that they have been preparing for several professional exams, protesting students raised objections against the pattern of examination.

Meanwhile, Panther’s student union hailed the decision of the university administration and demanded fee concession for all the students of private schools and colleges, as they could not attend their classes in the wake of the land row agitation.