Jammu, April 10
Expressing satisfaction over security arrangements being put in place for the five-phase Lok Sabha elections beginning April 16 in the strife-torn state, the Chief Election Commissioner designate Navin B. Chawla, however, refused to comment upon the Home Ministry’s report of a possible spurt in militancy in the state.

“Being a prerogative of the Union government and the state police, I can’t comment upon inputs of the Home Ministry and the state DGP (of militant attacks during the poll) in the state,” he responded while fielding media queries here this evening before flying back to New Delhi.

“What I know is that we have enough security forces in Jammu and Kashmir to handle the elections”, said Chawla

Chawla along with Deputy Election Commissioner R Balakrishnan had arrived here today to review security scenario and poll arrangements being put in place for the Jammu-Poonch and Udhampur-Doda parliamentary constituencies going to the polls in first and second phases on April 16 and April 23, respectively.

To a pointed query on increased intrusion bids from across the border, he described it a phenomenon that could happen anywhere, but said the EC did not anticipate any problem in the state.

“We are completely satisfied with the security arrangements,” he added.

Asked why the EC decided to have elections in five phases in a state having six seats, he said the apex body devised the schedule after taking a lot of inputs.

“We did it in phases in states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in the past,” he added. On poll code violations in the state, he said the election authorities in the state so far had done a remarkable job impounding vehicles of various political parties, besides taking action against certain wall writings in Doda district.

In our policy of zero tolerance of poll code violations, not too many infringements had been reported from the state and the CEO had done a splendid job. But nonetheless we expected a level-playing field for free and fair elections, he added.

On video tracking of contesting candidates, he said not only candidates with criminal records but also prominent candidates would be video-tracked so as to keep a watch on their statements, expenditures and other information relevant to the EC.

Jammu, April 10
Even though the Congress has withdrawn the candidatures of Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar after the Sikhs resorted to continuous protests all over the region against the duo for their alleged involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, members of the Sikh community in the region continued with the protests today.

They held a protest rally here and blocked the road leading to RS Pura and the Jammu Airport and burnt tyres. They raised slogans against the Congress, Tytler and Sajjan Kumar. They were holding placards denouncing the CBI for giving a clean chit to the accused politicians.

The protesters said revoking the candidature of the two ‘prime accused’ was not enough, and they want severe punishment for them for their role in the killing of innocent Sikhs in 1984. The ire of the community here was also directed against the Congress and the CBI, as it alleged that the agency was under pressure from the UPA government to give a clean chit to Tytler and Sajjan Kumar.

“The Congress has betrayed us for 25 years since thousands of innocent Sikhs were brutally murdered by the goons of Tytler and Sajjan Kumar. When the Nanavati Commission indicted the two and eyewitness account showed their involvement in the genocide, then how could the CBI give them a clean chit,” said Amrik Singh.

“Justice delayed is justice denied. Even the Home Minister of the country in an interview to a private news channel has said justice for the community has been delayed,” said another protester.

Meanwhile, the protest venue was only a few metres away from the venue of the Congress where it held a party convention that was attended by PPC chief Saifuddin Soz and Union minister Prithviraj Chavan.

Srinagar, April 10
At least 40 persons were injured in clashes between protesters and the police in Srinagar downtown, and two major towns of Sopore and Baramulla in north Kashmir after Friday prayers today.

The hard line Hurriyat Conference chairman, Syed Ali Geelani, who had been kept under house arrest for several days, managed to give the police a slip to lead an anti-election rally at Jehangir Chowk in the central Lal Chowk area this afternoon.

He asked people to boycott the Lok Sabha elections, as these were no solution to the Kashmir problem. The anti-election rally also opposed the move of Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Ghani Lone, who is believed to join the election process ahead. 

Geelani had earlier announced to launch the anti-election rally after the Friday prayers and given a slip to the police at his residence yesterday.

A heavy deployment of police and CRPF personnel was made around the main mosques today to prevent Geelani from addressing any congregation before the Friday prayers, but he managed to appear at Jehangir Chowk after offering the prayers and led an anti-election rally. 

Meanwhile, two police personnel posted at his residence have been suspended for negligence of duty for letting Geelani address the rally.

More than 20 persons, including police and CRPF personnel, were injured in the clashes that erupted in Rajouri Kadal and Kawdara areas near Jamia Masjid in downtown Srinagar this afternoon. The youths took out anti-election processions soon after the prayers, prompting the police to take preventive measures, which led to clashes.

The youths indulged in stone throwing on the security forces forcing the latter to resort to lathi charge and teargassing.

At least six youths were arrested by the police in an injured condition, eyewitnesses said.

Clashes also broke out in Sopore and Baramulla towns of north Kashmir after the Friday prayers, where people took out anti-election marches. At least eight persons were injured in the clashes between agitating youths and the police in Sopore. More than 12 persons were injured in the clashes in Baramulla town, where the situation was tense till the last reports came in.

Udhampur, April 10
A woman died in a mysterious blast in Bhaderwah town early this morning. Basara Begum, wife of Bashir Ahmed of Chanyas Gandoh, a resident of Bhaderwah, was walking in his kitchen garden when the blast took place.

Although police officers have termed this blast “accidental” as the woman was fiddling with some scrap, a team of FSL officials has been rushed to the spot to collect the splinters for investigations.

“The woman was fiddling with a detonator, which was mixed with the scrap collected by her husband”, ASP, Bhadewah, TR Katoch told The Tribune. He added that it was just an accident. He said there was no question of any subversive activity in this incident.

Basara along with her husband was residing in a rented house on the outskirts of Bhaderwah town. His husband was inside the room when the blast took place.

She was shifted to the local hospital immediately where she succumbed to her injuries. Tension flared up in the town after the blast. People along with senior police officers rushed to the spot. According to locals, Bashir Ahmed is a blacksmith, who along with his wife had migrated from the Gandoh area.

Meanwhile, the security forces busted two hideouts in different areas of Doda district during the last 24 hours. According to reports, the security forces seized two IEDs and ammunition, including grenades, in the Gandoh area of Doda district.

A search operation was launched late last night by the troops of the BSF 12 Battalion in the Jakyas area of Gandoh in Doda district. During the search an IED fitted in a stove tank, two IEDs in pipes and a battery were seized from the hideout. The IEDs were destroyed on the spot.

In another search operation, the troops of Rashtriya Rifles seized 37 rounds of Pika, six grenades, a binocular and miscellaneous stores in the Nachlana area of Doda. However, the troops of 61 Rashtriya Rifles launched searches in the Chenab Gali area of Reasi district. During searches, 75 AK rounds, 15 Pika rounds and one AK 47 magazine was seized from a hideout.

Jammu, April 10
An angry mob blocked the Jammu-Pathankot National Highway for an hour in protest against the murder of a truck driver in the Hatli Morh area of Kathua district. The protesters placed the body of the driver in the middle of the road and demanded the arrest of the accused immediately.

Last night, truck driver Bhupinder Singh of Sawan Chak was murdered by his nephew Puneet Singh of Sawan Chak over a trivial issue. Official sources said Bhupinder Singh had a tiff with his cleaner Dilbagh Singh of Patnitop last night and to sort out the issue Puneet Singh had intervened.

However, the situation took an ugly turn when Bhupinder and Puneet entered into a duel, they said. They added that in a fit of rage Puneet attacked his uncle with a kirch resulting in Bhupinder’s death.

Today, a mob, including family members of the deceased, placed Bhupinder’s body on the road at Hatli Morh and blocked the highway for nearly an hour demanding the immediate arrest of the accused, who is absconding since last evening.

The sources said the police officers concerned, including Dy SP and SHO, Kathua, reached the spot and pacified the mob.

Meanwhile, the Kathua police arrested accused Puneet Singh late this evening. A case under Sections 302, 307, 4/25 and 341, RPC, was registered against him.

Jammu, April 10
The police caught a 45-year-old driver of the State Motor Garages while raping a minor girl in Krishna Nagar area of the city here today.

Official sources told The Tribune that driver Kishori Lal, 50, a resident of Krishna Nagar, was raping a minor girl in official white coloured Ambassador car (number JK02P/1409) in the Krishna Nagar locality itself when a police party caught him red-handed.

However, it could not be ascertained as to which official the car belonged, they added. The minor girl aged around 14 years belongs to the Rani Bagh area of Jammu, they said. They added the victim was later sent to the Government Medical College for a medical examination.

SDPO, Bakshi Nagar, Dy SP Shiv Kumar Chauhan confirmed the incident saying a case under Section 376, RPC, has been registered against the accused. “We are ascertaining as to whom the official car belongs,” he said.

Jammu, April 10
In view of ensuing Baisakhi festival, the anti-adulteration drive launched by the Jammu Municipal Corporation has taken fast pace. The Health Wing of the JMC has lifted 13 samples of sweets and carbonated water etc. 

under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act. This was disclosed in a meeting held under the chairmanship of Municipal Commissioner Mubarak Singh on the premises of the corporation here.

These samples were lifted from different areas like Sanjay Nagar, Canal Road, Talab Tillo, Pacca Danga, Pirmitha, Ragunath Pura and Gandhi Nagar.

The Veterinary Wing of the corporation under the supervision of the Municipal Veterinary Officer (MVO) has lifted 10 canes of milk, out of which one cane was destroyed.

Adulterated milk was lifted from different areas like Rehari Chungi, Rehari Colony, Shiv Nagar, Subash Nagar, Patoli, Janipura and Amphalla. Around R 1,300 was charged from these shopkeepers/milk vendors as fine.

The team also inspected the quality of meat in various meat shops and a fine of Rs 800 was also imposed on the shopkeepers for unstamped meat being sold by them.

Srinagar, April 10
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has said her party would make the government accountable for its incompetence in addressing security and developmental concerns of people.

Addressing party workers here today, Mehbooba said her party would not allow the NC to “repeat its age-old tactics” of taking votes by promising sky to the people and then bartering their interests and that of the state for power. She accused the NC leadership of resorting to emotional blackmail and divisive tactics to hoodwink, for political gains, the citizens of Srinagar. 

“I want to ask NC leaders, who have ruled the state for around three decades, what have they done for the development of this historic city,” she said.

She added that the people of Srinagar city had a right to know where Rs 33 crore of the constituency development fund (CDF) that the NC legislators (including their MPs Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah) were entitled to between 2002-2008 had gone.

Mehbooba said leaving aside the NC legislators in the state Legislature who had a cumulative CDF of Rs 13 crore for six years, let Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah give the account of the Rs 20 crore MPLAD funds they were entitled to as MPs for five years (2004-2009). 

“I am sure if Farooq Abdullah has the courage to make the expenditure statement of his MPLAD funds for the last five years public,” she said. She added even the NC legislators in the state Assembly had held their hands back on spending their CDF during the past six years, barring a few MLAs, to create an impression that no development was taking place in the Srinagar city.

Jammu, April 10
The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers party today released its election manifesto for the parliamentary election as party chairman Prof Bhim Singh would be contesting from the Doda-Udhampur seat.

Releasing the manifesto Prof Bhim Singh said: “Our party stands for strengthening the federal structure of the state on the basis of cultural, linguistic, geographical identity of the regions through the amendment of Article 370 so that each region grows on the foundation of its culture and history.”

The manifesto stated: “The delimitation of the constituencies was promised in our Common Minimum Programme (CMP) but the Congress and the PDP failed to honour their commitment, causing grave injury to the democratic rights and aspiration of the people of the three regions of the state. The JKNPP stands for delimitation of constituencies so that each gets equitable just representation.”

He said if elected he would seek full and final resolution of the state as the party wanted LoC irrelevant. He said his party stood for holding referendum in the Gilgit-Baltistan region and in the PoK so that the residents of the occupied areas might make their final choice.

Regarding return of the Kashmiri Pandit migrants, the Panthers Party is dedicated to facilitate the safe return of the Kashmiri Pandits to their homeland.

Jammu, April 10
With an aim to bringing the state literacy rate on a par with the national rate, the Education Department will soon implement the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) on the pattern of the Sarva Shikha Abhiyan (SSA). The RMSA aims at promoting secondary and senior secondary school education.

Under the scheme, several higher secondary schools will be established and infrastructure for the existing schools will be improved, besides more posts of teachers will be created.

Education Minister Peerzada Mohdammad Sayeed said this at a function organised by the All J&K Plus 2 Lecturers Forum to mark ‘Lecturers Day’ at Jammu University yesterday. The minister said paper work for the regularising the services of contractual lecturers and the appointment of principals was almost complete, and the model code of conduct in the wake of elections was causing delay.

There are 80,000 teachers at present for 19 lakh students in the state. There are about 1,500 principals and 3,000 lecturers working in the capacity of in charge since 1998, waiting for the confirmation of their services. “There are cases where the principal of a higher secondary school is holding the charge of three higher secondary schools,” said MLA MY Tarigami. 

“After 1987, the department has not been reorganised and it needs separate directorates at elementary, secondary and higher secondary levels with a director general at the state level,” said Rajouri district president of the forum Abdul Rauf Dar.

“There is only one lecturer in English for 250 students in Girls Higher Secondary School, Poonch,” said Poonch district president of the forum Nagesh Arya. He demanded the removal of pay anomalies of principals and benefit of running pattern in the pay scale of Rs 8,000-13,500, creation of posts of vice-principals, incentives to MPhil and Phd holders. 

Referring to the government’s decision to abandon 40 per cent quota of plus two cadre to colleges in December, forum members demanded the restoration of quota.

Secretary, education, GA Peer said the department was looking into their genuine demands. 

Since one train needs two diesel powered engines, and the Badgam rail line has two trains, so this new engine can be replaced with the dysfunctional diesel engine, if any and, if needed a new train can also avail of the new addition.