Udhampur, February 25
At least 39 passengers were killed and 13 others injured, some of them seriously, when a bus rolled down into the Neeru river, a tributary of the Chenab, on Pul-Doda-Bhaderwah, near Doda this morning. The accident on the first day of the opening of the Batote-Kishtwar National Highway, which was closed after a portion of the highway caved in near Trungal on February 6.

An injured victim of a bus accident is taken to Government Medical Hospital in Jammu on Wednesday. A bus carrying dozens of passengers from Kisthwar-Bhaderwah skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge killing at least 39 persons. Photo: Inderjeet Singh

Frequent accidents and the failure of the authorities to keep a check on overloading of vehicles triggered a massive protest in the mountainous districts of Doda and Kishtwar today and people observed a total shutdown against the accident.

According to reports, the driver of the ill-fated vehicle, bearing registration number 0759-JK02U, lost control over the bus while overtaking another vehicle at Gilgarh, 3 km from Pul-Doda. The vehicle was on its way to Jammu from Bhaderwah. The bus rolled down into the Neeru river. Before the police could reach the spot, locals had started rescue operations. Later, the authorities rushed rescue teams to the accident place to extricate the bodies and shift the injured to hospital.

While 33 bodies were recovered from the place of the mishap, six died in a hospital. Nine of the 13 injured have been airlifted to Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital here for advanced treatment. As soon as the news of accident reached Bhaderwah, people took to the streets and started pelting government vehicles with stones. Shouting slogans against the authorities and the traffic police, people also threw a vehicle of the GREF into the river.

A complete shutdown was observed in Bhaderwah town. A pall of gloom descended on the town, as a majority of the victims were from local residents. People demanded action against traffic cops, who were allowing the movement of overloaded vehicles on the road.

Incidentally, the bus service from Bhaderwah to Jammu was started after 20 days today. The service was stopped following the sinking of a stretch of the national highway near Trungal.

After getting the information about the accident, former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad cancelled all arrangements in the Union Capital and rushed to Bhaderwah, as the majority of the victims were from his native town. He also visited the Doda hospital and enquired about the condition of the injured.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and former Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed also expressed grief over the accident. Both leaders have demanded adequate compensation for the families of the victims.

Union Minister for Water Resources and state PCC president Saifuddin Soz expressed shock and grief over the death of 39 persons in the road accident. In his message from New Delhi, Soz urged the government to put measures in place that could put an end to such road tragedies. He asked the state authorities to ensure early relief to the affected families.

Jammu, February 25
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said today that four to five spots on National Highways 1A, 1B and the Doda-Bhaderwah road would be identified where fully equipped quick rescue teams (QRTs) would be deployed with ambulances for immediate rescue operations in case of any accident.

He said personnel of the Border Road Organisation would be deployed to regulate traffic on National Highway 1A on the spots where widening of the road was being undertaken.

The Chief Minister was speaking at a stock-taking meeting at Doda on the tragic road accident at Galginder on the Doda-Bhaderwah road in which several lives were lost.

Omar Abdullah flew to Doda to take on-the-spot assessment of the situation and held a review meeting with the administration. He was accompanied by former Chief Minister and MP Ghulam Nabi Azad.

The CM also suggested for creating a body to provide insurance cover to passengers so that families of the victims were paid relief from that fund.

He also issued instructions that the Motor Vehicle Department should put commercial vehicles for stringent annual scrutiny so that only fit vehicles ply on roads.

The CM said a fleet of 30 SRTC buses would be deployed in erstwhile Doda district for the facility of passengers. He also discussed alternate route to the district and directed engineers to prepare a detailed proposal in this regard.

The Chief Minister also visited the Doda Hospital to enquire about the injured. He asked the hospital authorities to provide the best care to them.

Jammu, February 25
Former Deputy Speaker and National Conference MLA Mohammed Akbar Lone was unanimously elected Speaker today.

Minister for Finance, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Abdul Rahim Rather proposed the name of Lone for the post and Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand seconded the proposal.

Pro tem speaker Chowdhary Mohammad Aslam sought vote in favour of Lone. Later, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Pro tem speaker Chowdhary Mohammad Aslam, PDP legislature party chief Mehbooba Mufti and BJP legislature party chief Prof Chaman Lal Gupta escorted Lone to the Chair of the Speaker. Various members from both treasury and opposition Benches felicitated Lone on being elected as the Speaker.

Srinagar, February 25
Blaming the NC-led coalition government of going by the norms set by the earlier NC government, the PDP said today that the NC’s casual approach toward human rights was likely to deteriorate situation in the state.

Condemning the recent killing of an auto driver in Srinagar, a PDP spokesperson said the state could not expect anything good from a regime that had always been casual to such dastardly acts. The situation could take an ugly turn and may revert to that in early nineties if security forces deployed in the state were not made accountable by withdrawing the unbridled powers. “Ordering probes and constituting enquiry commissions cannot serve any purpose unless the powers enjoyed by the security forces are not withdrawn”, a PDP spokesman said.

“People of the state had reposed faith in a system that was completely overhauled by the PDP-led coalition government in 2002. Unfortunately, we are back to the square one due to the insensitivity of the NC-led government to the fundamental rights of the citizens”, he added.

The party could not be a mute spectator to the sufferings of the common masses as incidents involving gross human rights violations were continuing.

The PDP spokesman pointed out that on the very first day of this government assuming office a physically challenged person was killed. He said around six innocent persons had been killed mercilessly and more than 40 persons had been booked under the Public Security Act merely on suspicion in the past 45 days. Incidents of loot and arson were on the rise and frisking and the fear of night crackdown renewed protests.

The PDP leader said the “healing touch” policy had weaned away people from violence, helped usher in peace and helped democratic culture reassert itself with noticeable vigour. The NC government had compromised all for the seat of power. He, however, said the PDP would not allow the government to play with the life and dignity of innocent.

Srinagar, February 25
A curfew-like situation prevailed across Kashmir today as restrictions were imposed to prevent the movement of groups of people toward Sopore on the fourth day of mourning of two youths allegedly killed by the Army on Saturday last. The restrictions were also imposed in view of the flare up in the situation following the death of a person under mysterious circumstances here yesterday.

At least 30 persons, including six policemen, were injured in the clashes, prompting the police to resort to lathicharge, teargas shelling and firing in the air at several places in Srinagar. The protesters were demonstrating against the Sopore killings and the mysterious killing of Shabir Ahmad Sheikh, an auto driver, whose body was recovered from the Bemina area yesterday morning, leading to clashes in the city. Shabir Ahmad sheikh was a close relative of JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik.

Protests in the bandh-hit city were reported from several parts of the summer capital, including Chanapora, Solina and Batamaloo localities. The interior of the city, including Nowhatta and Rajouri Kadal, which have been witnessing protests every Friday since the Assembly elections, also witnessed protests today against the Sopore killings and the mysterious death of the auto driver.

Several protesters were also injured in clashes with the police at Sopore town that was sealed off from all sides to prevent the movement of groups of people and separatist leaders to reach Bummai village to console the bereaved families of the killed youths. Clashes were also reported from the district headquarters town of Baramulla for the fourth consecutive day today in protest against the Bummai killings.

The separatist organisations had called for a general strike today on the occasion of the fourth day of mourning of the two youths from Bummai near Sopore. APHC chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who was scheduled to address a gathering in the north Kashmir village, was kept under house arrest at his Nigeen residence here. Several other separatist leaders, including Ashraf Sehrai of the Geelani’s faction of the Hurriyat Conference, and others, including Abdul Ghani Bhat, Moulana Abbas Ansari and Fazal-e-Haq Qureshi, Sajad Ghani Lone, Bilal Lone and Zafar Akbar Bhat, were also kept under house arrest since yesterday to prevent their movement to Sopore today. These measures were taken to prevent any law and order situation, officials here said. 

Jammu, February 25
Governor NN Vohra said today that the decline in militancy-related violence should not lead to complacency and all efforts should be made to uphold fundamental rights and civil liberties guaranteed by the Constitution.

In his Address to the joint session of the legislature, he said the state government will adequately strengthen the police to progressively take over the complete responsibility of law and order in the days to come.

On cross-LoC trade, Vohra said the government would continue to work with the Centre for opening of more trade routes across the LoC and facilitate more meaningful trade between the two parts of the state. He said the government would work towards providing effective communication and banking links, simplifying procedure and easing restrictions on the movement of men and material to achieve this aim.

The Governor said the state government would also urge the Centre to take concrete steps for implementation of the recommendations of the working groups constituted by the Prime Minister in letter and in spirit.

Referring to strengthening of panchayati raj institutions, the Governor said the government was committed to conducting panchayat elections so that people at the grassroots were directly involved in the decision-making process.

On the issues of bijli, sadak and paani, Vohra described power as the most critical factor in the development process. The government had taken a fresh look at the power scenario and decided to adopt a multi-pronged approach for harnessing hydel potential. He said The government shall pursue with the Centre the implementation of the Rangarajan Committee recommendations for transferring 390-MW Dul Hasti project to the state, adding that four new power projects with 2,080-MW capacity were proposed at Ganderbal, Baglihar, Parnai and Rattle.

Vohra said it shall be the endeavour of the government to create a conducive atmosphere for attracting private investment in the industrial and tourism sectors for creation of employment for youth. A new prestigious skill development initiative shall be established for imparting intensive skills to school dropouts and unemployed youth in ITIs and upcoming polytechnics in 18 uncovered districts.

Stating that the government would introduce e-governance, the Governor said the state had been gifted with desirous climatic environment in IT, adding that the government would also formulate an IT policy for creating IT-related infrastructure, attracting private sector investment and generating ample job opportunities.

Jammu, February 25
Former vice-chancellor of Jammu University Amitabh Mattoo will lead an Indian delegation for a two-day conference of Pugwash in Islamabad.

The delegation, expected to leave for Pakistan on March 4, is also expected to visit Lahore and Peshawar for an on-the-spot assessment of the ground situation in Pakistan.

This will be the first such conference after the terrorist attacks in Mumbai. The delegation is expected to meet President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Sayeed Yousaf Raza Gilani, Army chief General Kayani and other leaders.

It may be recalled that Pugwash has in the past played a significant role in breaking the ice between India and Pakistan by organising closed-door meetings between key officials and non-officials from the two countries.

Baramulla, February 25
The police has launched a massive hunt to nab Aslam Akhwan, a Territorial Army (TA) jawan who has allegedly abducted a Class X girl student at Uri. Official sources said a complaint was lodged with police that Aslam had allegedly kidnapped a minor girl from Manz Panzgam village in Uri, 50 km from here, yesterday.

Police parties were rushed to different areas to rescue the girl, the sources added. A number of possible hideouts of Aslam had been raided by police parties since yesterday but no arrest had been made so far, they said.

The villagers staged a protest and demanded the recovery of the girl and the arrest of Aslam immediately. — UNI