Jammu, May 31
While on the one hand world today observed ‘World No Tobacco Day’, people of Jammu city were seen smoking cigarettes or ‘beedies’ and violating the ban that was put on it by the government.

This year’s theme for World No Tobacco Day was “Tobacco Health Warnings” so as to make the people aware of the health hazards of tobacco use and convincing them to quit the habit.

“The necessity of the time is to make people aware about the ill effects of tobacco so that ban could be implemented effectively over it. More and more countries and states of our country are fighting against this epidemic by highlights the dangerous of using tobacco products,” said an officer of the state health department.

This day is observed to end the widespread prevalence of tobacco use and its negative health effects. The aim of the day is to reduce the death rates caused due to tobacco related health problems.

The ban on smoking in public places is not yet strictly enforced in Jammu as many people could easily be seen openly violating it. Be it the busy markets like Raghunath bazaar, Parade market, Bus stand or any state government office in Jammu city, people openly flout rules, without the threat of being caught or fined.

The ban on smoking at public places is restricted by the order passed in the Supreme Court. A notification in this regard was also issued by the Union Health Ministry.

“Despite the ban, people smoke fearlessly in public places and at bus stops. The law should be strictly enforced,” said Ritu Mahajan, a student.

“By smoking a cigarette, a person loss five minutes from his precious life every second but despite knowing this, they prefer to smoke,” said Monika Sharma, a college student.

A municipal corporation officer on the conditions of anonymity said: “Many employees in the municipal corporation openly violate the ban.” The scene is no different in the police stations. “People smoke in police stations and offices,” a police officer spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Jammu, May 31
Of the three, two factions of the Panun Kashmir, the frontal organisation of displaced Kashmiri Pandits, today joined hands after a gap of 14 years.

The one faction, headed by Ashwini Charungoo, has merged with another, led by Dr Agnishekhar.

However, they are yet to sink differences with the third faction, led by Dr Ajay Charungoo.

Both factions officially announced their merger at a executive board meeting held today.

Dr Agnishekhar, who broke away from the nodal Panun Kashmir in 1996, has welcomed the new development, saying, “It is unfortunate that all three factions of the Panun Kashmir, who stand by their common ideology of demand for a separate homeland for Kashmiri Pandits, had parted ways in the past. For a long time, I had been trying to bring them together. I hope that we will bring Dr Ajay on the same platform soon.”

Ashwini Chrungoo, who separated from the main Panun Kashmir organisation just three years after it was floated in 1991, later floated his own organisation called, ‘Panun Kashmir Movement’. “Now, we will be able to strengthen our movement with total integration,” he said.

Amidst all this sharing of positive notes, the picture remains incomplete without the assimilation of Dr Ajay Churngoo’s faction.

Vice-Chairperson of Dr Ajay’s group Shailendra informed that they harbour no bitter feeling against Agnishekhar and might come together in future.

But according to sources, Dr Ajay’s faction still doubts the integrity of Dr Agnishekhar that he changes his stand quite often.

Jammu, May 31
Eyeing the Rajya Sabha seat vacated by former Chief Minister and NC president Farooq Abdullah following his election to the Lok Sabha, the Akhil Bhartiya Gujjar Mahasabha has demanded that a member from their community should be given the seat.

Addressing a press conference here today, Asfaq-ul-Rehman Poswal, president of the Akhil Bhartiya Gujjar Mahasabha, Jammu and Kashmir, demanded that the vacant Rajya Sabha seat should be given to a member of the community.

“Every community from the state has got adequate representation in Parliament and the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council in the state, but there is no representative from our community. So, we demand that proper representation should also be given to the Gujjar community,” Poswal said.

Defying the separatists, the Gujjar community had actively participated in the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the state for which the community needed to be rewarded.

Poswal said that the Gujjar community had been demanding a ministry for tribal affairs in the state as a large chunk of the state’s population consists of Gujjars, Bakerwals and other tribal communities.

“As the proposal is under consideration of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, we request him to add the ministry during the next Cabinet expansion,” Poswal said.

Srinagar, May 31
At least 30 persons were injured in fresh clashes with the police, which erupted in Srinagar downtown and the Shopian and Pulwama areas of south Kashmir in protest against the death of two women under mysterious circumstances in Shopian yesterday.

Residents of the Shopian area have been alleging that the two were killed at the hands of security forces when they had gone to their orchard from Bonagam village to Kanipora near Shopian on Friday afternoon.

The bodies of two women were recovered from a nearby nallah on Saturday morning which led to protests by residents, alleging that the two were raped and murdered by the security forces in the area.

The clashes erupted in Gojwara locality here this afternoon when agitating youths indulged in stone pelting on police personnel and government vehicles in protest against the killing of two women. At least 12 persons were injured in these clashes till reports last came in.

An official car of former Chief Secretary and now senior NC leader Sheikh Ghulam Rasool also came under stone pelting, reports said. His bodyguards fired in the air to chase away the agitating youth which created panic in the area. The protest demonstrations also spread to the adjacent areas of Rajouri Kadal, Kawdara, Naidkadal and Sarafkadal.

According to reports from Shopian, a curfew-like situation prevailed in the district headquarters town for the second consecutive day today. Protest demonstrations were also held in the town and Pulwama and Tukroo village, the paternal home of Neelofar, whose body was recovered from Shopian yesterday. At least 18 persons were injured in these clashes today.

Neelofar along with her sister-in-law, Asiya, who left for their orchard on Friday afternoon, had died under mysterious circumstances and their bodies were recovered from a nallah on Saturday morning, leading to widespread demonstrations.

Srinagar, May 31
At least four persons, including a former candidate of the Lok Janashakti Party from Sopore and two security personnel, died in incidents of violence in the Kashmir valley since last night.

The police said gunmen fired upon SPO Fayaz Ahmad Bhat near the bus stand at Sopore in Baramulla district this morning. He was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, the police said. In the melee that followed, Feroz Ahmad Malik, who had unsuccessfully contested the last Assembly elections from Sopore as a candidate of the LJ P, fell unconscious and was shifted to the hospital. He was shifted to SMHS Hospital here where he was declared dead due to cardiac arrest.

Suspected militants fired upon an ambush party of the Army in Panar forests near Bonakote in Bandipore district in which Lance Naik Dil Kumar Roy of 1st Para was killed.

Militants shot dead Saifuddin Kalis at Kellar in Pulwama district of south Kashmir.

Jammu, May 31
Despite the fact that the Railway authorities of the Ferozpur division incurred a loss of Rs 70 crore in the violent activities over the death of Sant Ramanand in Vienna, Divisional commercial manager (DCM), North Railway, Ferozpur Division, Dharmender Kumar said Northern Railways had no dearth of funds and it would be able to revamp the damaged infrastructure within fortnight.

In spite of the sudden blow, the authorities, however, managed to tide over the crisis by getting help from different quarters such as villagers, religious organisations, armed forces in Jammu and its own staff.

Kumar said, “The Railway has incurred heavy loses as important equipment, signals, crossings, track portions and one track machine worth Rs 10 crore were destroyed by the protesters in Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Phillaur and Phagwara."

The control panel of the Kanyakumari-Jammu Tawi has been damaged and the train now runs manually.

He said: “The loss due to the destruction of the Railway properties amounted to Rs 65 crore and another loss of Rs 5 crore stems from the loss of booking, reservation and refund.

“We have lost revenue due to the cancellation of the train. Nearly 40,000 persons gathered at Jammu railway station to get the refund but the authorities did not have that much cash on that day due to the cancellation of booking and reservation,” he said.

Kumar also expressed his gratitude toward villagers, the Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, Amritsar, and the humanitarian role of the Army in Jammu for providing food and shelter to the stranded people in Punjab and Jammu. Kumar also put spotlight on the efficiency, which the Railway showed in the aftermath of the incident.

Tulmulla-Ganderbal, May 31
Thousands of devotees thronged the Kheer Bhawani temple on the occasion of the Kheer Bhawani mela. Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand along with some other legislators also visited the temple. Elaborate arrangements were made by the administration and free langars (community kitchens) were also organised.

Tara Chand while interacting with Kashmiri Pandits said the Kheer Bhawani festival offered an opportunity for everyone to come back and rediscover their roots.

He also went around different stalls put up by various government departments as well as other social and religious organisations.

Senior leader of the Lok Jan Shakti Party Sanjay Saraf was also present on the occasion.

Bansi Lal, a civil secretariat employee, said: “I always visit in the temple and never miss this occasion. I wish peace and tranquillity returns to the place as people have suffered a lot over the past two decades and hopefully these would come to an end.”

Hundreds of devotees had reached the place yesterday and spent the night in barracks as well as houses of Muslims.

“Kashmiri Pandits are our brothers and it is our duty to provide them all support. The mela is important not only for Kashmiri Pandits but also for us,” says Mohammad Ismail, a Muslim.

Jammu, May 31
Rajesh Kaul, a migrant Kashmiri Pandit, used to offer pudding every year at Kheer Bhawani Temple in Tulumula, 18 miles north of Srinagar.

But after migration, he can only dream of going to the place. Today, he took his teenage daughter to the replica of the much revered temple, constructed in Janipur here after the migration, telling her how he as a teenager used to visit the original temple. “It is an emotional festival for us. It reminds us every year of our homeland and why we can’t offer ‘kheer’ there,” he rued.

There was a heavy rush of Kashmiri Pandits at the replica temple in morning and evening hours. Among those was Archana Bhat, 24, who makes it a point to offer pudding here, “We long to see the original temple and live close to it. But a few of us manage to go there, but they too have to return early,” she said.

Kheer Bhawani temple is dedicated to Goddess Rajnya Devi and the name 'Kheer Bhawani' is derived from the spiritual powers that Pandits believe the Goddess possesses. It is believed since generations that offering milk and 'kheer' to the sacred spring wards off impending disaster.

“After migration, the Pandits missed the temple and decided to construct an exact replica at Janipur here. The replica is much revered but each devotee longs to offer pudding at the original temple,” she said.

She hopes that her wish will fulfilled and like her, thousands of Kashmiri Pandits could pay obeisance at Kheer Bhawani temple in the valley. 

Srinagar, May 31
The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) today appealed to the people of Hazratbal not to pay heed to the poll boycott call by separatists and asked them to exercise their franchise in the byelection slated in the Assembly constituency on June 3.

"The past 20 years of death and destruction have proved beyond doubt that change can be brought by ballot and not by bullets. Hence we appeal to voters to turn up in strength for polling on June 3," JKNPP chief Bhim Singh said here.

"It is the duty of people to thwart such a call (by separatists) and come out in large numbers for casting their votes," he said. The byelection was necessitated after NC president Farooq Abdullah got elected to the Rajya Sabha and resigned from this Assembly membership.— PTI

Jammu, May 31
Journalists paid rich tributes to photo journalist Ashok Sodhi, who lost his life while performing his duties during a raging encounter at Kali Mandi in Samba district on May 11, 2008, at Abhinav Theatre here today .

A documentary, “Kaily Mandi revisited”, highlighting several aspects of the slain photo journalist’s life was screened on the occasion.

The documentary highlights several aspects of Sodhi’s personality. Apart from being a photographer with Daily Excelsior, Sodhi, who covered several blast incidents, encounters and other developments unfolding in risk areas, was a theatre artist and a fine human being.

As many as 11 journalists have laid down their lives in the line of duty so far in terrorism-hit Jammu and Kashmir . Sodhi was the first casualty from the Jammu region.

Chief guest and minister for tourism and culture Nuwang Rigzin Zora along with Deputy Editor of Hindustan Times Arun Joshi and president of the Press Club, Jammu, Manu Shrivastva, lighted the traditional lamp to mark inauguration of the event.

Friends and family members of the Sodhi were also present on the occasion. The only daughter of Sodhi said: “I would follow in the footprints of my father. After doing a degree in photo journalism, I would like to take up journalism as a career.”

Jammu, May 31
The Crime Branch arrested three dealers for selling Reliance Telecom SIM cards here without proper verification and, in some cases, by forging documents.

They are Vivek Suri of Shri Sai Traders in Rehari, Piyush Gupta of Sony Enterprises in Bakshi Nagar and Ayush Jain of BR Traders in Trikuta Nagar. JP Singh, SSP, Crime Branch, said these dealers had been issuing SIM cards without proper verification of documents.

In some cases they forged the documents, said the SSP, adding that Crime Branch sleuths had recovered at least eight rubber stamps of various gazetted officers, a good number of electors’ photo identity cards (EPICs). Cases had been registered against them in this connection.

Jammu, May 31
Villagers, including family members of a newly wedded woman, who was allegedly tortured to death by her in-laws, today placed the body of the deceased in the middle of a link road at Purmandal Morh on the Jammu-Pathankot national highway and blocked traffic for nearly an hour.

Rekha Devi, who married to Krishan Singh around six-month back, had consumed poison at her in-laws’ residence at Sanjay Nagar here yesterday.

She died at Government Medical College (GMC) late last evening.

The agitating family members, including deceased’s brothers, alleged that Rekha was being maltreated and tortured by her in-laws since her marriage.

They alleged that she was strangled to death by her in-laws and demanded that her mother-in-law and father-in-law should also be arrested.

Her husband has already been picked up for questioning. Samba SSP Raghubir Singh rushed to the spot and pacified the agitating villagers.

The SSP assured that action against the guilty would be taken as per law and urged family members to get the investigations completed.

Investigating officer inspector Karan Chalotra said no dowry-related allegation had so far been levelled by Rekha’s family members.

Her parents claimed that their daughter had committed suicide due to some problem at her in-laws’ house and this need to be ascertained, said the SSP.

“We have picked up Krishan Singh for questioning, but her mother-in-law and father-in-law have not been detained,” he added.

The statements of the witnesses were yet to be recorded and the autopsy report was also awaited, he said.