New Delhi, June 29
The Centre is considering a proposal for phased withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Jammu and Kashmir following a strong case made out by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for scrapping it with the Central leadership.

To begin with, the Centre is likely to explore the possibility of phased withdrawal of the AFSPA in two districts of Kashmir -Srinagar and Budgam - and two in the Jammu region - Jammu and Kathua-- where incidents of violence have shown a marked decline, official sources said.

The Chief Minister has held a series of meetings with Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram and Defence Minister AK Antony during the recent past where he raised the issue of either amending the AFSPA, repealing it or taking it out of the state in a phased manner.

Omar gave a roadmap for its phased withdrawal beginning with the districts that have registered no or bare minimum violence during the past one year and in this context he gave examples of the above four districts.

Sources in the government said that while the situation in militancy-hit state had improved to a large extent, a serious thought could be given to the state’s demand.

A meeting between Home and Defence Ministries’ officials may be held soon to elicit the views of the Army and Central paramilitary forces, which have been fighting militancy in Jammu and Kashmir for the past two decades, the sources said.

While the state has been appreciative of the Army’s role in fighting terrorism, it has contended that the local police should be at the forefront of all anti-militancy operations.

During his recent visit to the state, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram also favoured a greater role for the state police.

While raising the issue with central leaders Omar had noted that on the one hand the government was giving an impression that the situation in the state was improving while on the other phased withdrawal of AFSPA was not being given a serious thought.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had also constituted a committee, headed by Hamid Ansari before the latter became the Vice-President, to find ways for improving internal confidence-building measures. The Ansari panel had recommended revocation of the AFSPA in the state.

The Administrative Reforms Commission headed by Veerappa Moily, now Law Minister, has also endorsed withdrawal of the AFSPA or at least incorporation of some measures which prevent giving sweeping powers to the security forces. 
— PTI  

Jammu, June 29
Residents of Jammu these days are spending sleepless nights in the open due to power cuts and delayed monsoon has added to their miseries.

The 10-12 hours of unscheduled power cuts in the region have compounded people’s problems. The mercury level in Jammu has already crossed 45°C, which according the Meteorology Department was three to four degrees above the earlier highs.

Though there was a good news that pre monsoon showers were only 48 hours away, the residents were forced to spend sleepless nights due to power cuts.

“Unscheduled power cuts have worsened the situation in Jammu. People are already suffering from the rising mercury, and the unscheduled power cuts have worsened the situation,” said Purshotam Lal, a resident of Jammu.

Delayed monsoon has also added to the problems of the people, as various crops in the region have wilted due to the shortage of water for irrigation. Most of the tail-end villages do not get adequate water from the Ranbir canal for the irrigation purposes.

“Our standing crops are wilting due to the shortage of water. Now, our fate depends on rain God. We have been holding prayers so that monsoon showers arrive at the earliest,” said Baljinder Singh, a farmer of Samba.

Farmers are also suffering due to power cuts, as they could not lift water from the canal for irrigation purposes.

“On the one hand the government says it is making all efforts to provide uninterrupted power supply to the residents of Jammu, and on the other we are facing more than 10 hours’ power cuts daily,” said Uttam Chand, a resident of Nanak Nagar.

Residents in Jammu prefer to stay indoors as the mercury level continues to rise, and roads and markets of the city present a deserted look during the day time.

Speaking to The Tribune, Director, Met department Sonam Lotus said, “The monsoon is delayed by 10 days. In case of Jammu and Kashmir, we can expect the arrival of the monsoon by the first week of July.”

Srinagar, June 29
Violent protests in Baramulla over the alleged misbehaviour by policemen with a woman spiralled out of control today, prompting the police to fire on a crowd, leaving two youths dead. At least 35 persons, including 10 security personnel, were injured in the clashes between the security forces and the protesters.

The administration imposed a curfew as the news of the death of Salim Wani and Tariq Ahmad brought more people on road. The police said the curfew brought the violence to a halt. Two persons, Amir Rashid and Javid Ahmad also suffered bullet injuries and were in hospital. At least 25 civilians and 10 security men, including an SHO, were injured in the violence. The mob demanding action against the policemen allegedly responsible for harassing a woman attacked a police station with stones, injuring the SHO, and CRPF units were rushed to control the situation.

DIG, North Kashmir, Farooq Khan told The Tribune that some forces “inimical” to peace mobilised the crowd in old Baramulla town, a hotbed of separatist supporters, in the name of a woman’s harassment even as her allegations were “baseless” as at least 20 civilians were in the police station when she was there.

The woman, Haseena, had gone to the police station yesterday to get her husband Mohammad Yusuf, who was arrested in a case of abducting a minor girl, released from police custody. The police had picked him up in connection with the girl’s abduction. The DIG said Yusuf was among the three accused named by girl’s father Ghulam Ahmad Ganai in the FIR lodged on June 17.

Official sources said it was likely a case of elopement and the police managed to arrest Yusuf from Srinagar yesterday. After being turned away by the police, Haseena went to a Baramulla-based channel and claimed that the police made sexual propositions to her for her husband’s release. Khan said several relatives of the abducted girl were in the police station when she was there and they had dismissed her allegations borne out of desperation over her husband’s arrest.

Meanwhile, the hard line faction of the Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani has called for a three-day shutdown starting tomorrow in protest against the killings in Baramulla today and no headway in the Shopian case.

Jammu, June 29
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today skipped answering queries on Shopian and Baramulla incidents, even as he spoke about delayed monsoon, grim water and power scenario, dilapidated roads. He also talked about the much-awaited Dental Council of India’s (DCI) approval to three batches of 54 students of Indira Gandhi Government Dental College.

In his brief speech to a gathering after inaugurating boys and girls hostels of the dental college here this evening, Omar apologised to the men from the fourth estate for not giving them a ‘comment’ on the two incidents, which virtually had the Kashmir valley on a boil.

Though he was chased by mediapersons from the boys hostel to the girls hostel and then to an overcrowded hall on the college premises, Omar also evaded queries on the killing of two youths in police firing in Baramulla today.

After talking about “Barish, Bijli, Paani, Sadak” and agriculture for a while, Omar said three batches of 54 BDS students pursuing of the dental college would soon get the DCI approval.

It may be stated here that the three batches admitted to the college in 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively, had not been given the DCI approval, putting students’ career to jeopardy.

“During Home Minister P Chidambaram’s visit, we had taken up the issue. Since Ghulam Nabi Azad holds the health portfolio in the Union Cabinet, we also sought his intervention in the matter,” said Omar.

We urged Azad to use his good office to get the DCI approval to the three batches. Azad had assured us of a positive response, added the Chief Minister.

Omar avowed to ensure an equitable growth of all three regions of the state. To check voices of discontent and allegations of discrimination in Kashmir and Jammu, we sanctioned Rs 30 crore each for both regions to lay a network of roads, he said.

He added that “but I have asked my officials not to allow digging on new macadamised roads for a period of at least three years.”

Before wrapping up his speech, Omar apologised to the media for denying a ‘bite’. “I won’t be responding to Shopian and Baramulla incidents,” he said categorically.

Jammu, June 29
All J&K Dalit Maha Sabha, Jammu, has hailed Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for ordering fresh survey of the BPL families in the state. Addressing a press conference, chairman of the organisation Vijay Lochan said previous list of the BPL was not in keeping with the actual position of the Dalits.

“We hope that fresh survey will highlight the true picture of the state and deprived section of the society would be compensated accordingly,” he added.

“The previous survey had neglected several families as a result of which they could not reap the benefits being granted to them under several welfare schemes,” he said and added that, “The CM has exhibited great deal of commitment towards destitute.”

Jammu, June 29
Provincial power employees, Jammu, have accused the state government of adopting dual standards while dealing with the power sector employees of Kashmir and Jammu divisions.

Addressing a press conference, chairman of the Provincial Power Employees Union, Shakti Gupta said, “Under SRO 59, the government has extended benefits to the field staff in the Kashmir valley with effect from January 1, 1996, where they got a monthly hike of Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000 per month, but the employees in Jammu were neglected and were not given their due share.”

He added, “They also got arrears of Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh. We demand that the same benefit be extended to the employees of the Jammu region.”

Gupta said the government had elevated some technical employees of the department, but after they retired their monetary benefits were withheld as the AG office said the promotions were not as per the rule.

He also appealed to the government to immediately absorb the daily wage workers of the department, who had been working for the past seven years. “The daily wage workers should be adsorbed as a majority of them have become over-aged,” he added.

Gupta said the government should also stop the pick and choose policy in case of the matriculate ITI employees of the department. “Under SRO 49, only some matriculate ITI diploma holders were given an appraisal of Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000.”

Jammu, June 29
The National Students Forum (NSF) today submitted an application to the SSP, Crime, requesting him to intervene and ascertain as to why the Department of Higher Education is hesitating in taking action against illegal study centres.

In the letter Vikas Sharma, president of the forum, has mentioned about several illegal study centres of different deemed, private and state universities operating in the state, which are charging exorbitant fee from students.

He alleged that these study centres were also facilitate mass copying in examination as a result of which their students were getting distinctions and highest marks. Taking the Higher and Technical Education Department to task for issuing a mere public notice asking the students to avoid taking admission in such institutions and not taking concrete action against these centres with police help.

Jammu, June 29
Chairman of the Panthers Party Bhim Singh, who lost the Lok Sabha election from the Doda-Udhampur constituency, today filed an election petition in the high court at Jammu under Article 329 of the Constitution challenging the election of Congress Candidate Lal Singh.

There were 14 candidates in the fray in the constituency and Lal Singh of the Congress was declared elected.

Bhim Singh challenged the election of Lal Singh on various grounds, including corrupt practices and manipulation of the EVMs.

In his petition, he alleged that the returning officer, the Deputy Commissioner of Kathua had ‘illegally, unconstitutionally and improperly accepted the nomination forms of the candidates of the Congress and the BJP.

He said in the documented proof, it was established that the nomination papers of the Congress candidate were undated. “The form B of the Congress candidate was illegally endorsed by someone (not named), who claimed to be the president of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress (I) Committee Jammu, while there is no party by this name,” Bhim Singh added. He said similarly, the form A of BJP candidate Nirmal Singh had not mentioned any date and could not have been accepted, as it was not filled in all respects.

The election petition seeks declaration from the high court to declare the election of the Congress MP as void so that a fresh election could be held for the Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency.

Srinagar, June 29
While a fresh batch of 5,661 pilgrims left the Baltal base camp this morning, another batch of 1,955 pilgrims commenced their yatra from the Nunwan base camp, Pahalgam, early today.

A total of 11,465 pilgrims performed darshan at the holy cave shrine of Amarnath yesterday, an official spokesman said. Further, 1,078 pilgrims, mostly women, children and old, were diverted from Pahalgam to Baltal for undertaking the yatra from the Baltal route. Another batch of 1,764 pilgrims also left Jammu today for the Nunwan and Baltal base camps.

According to BB. Vyas, Chief Executive Officer of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), one mobile rescue team each, comprising a Sub-Inspector and eight J&K Police personnel, has been stationed at Sheshnag and Poshpathri. These teams are moving to the critical stretches of the track between Sheshnag and Poshpathri to ensure the safe journey of yatris across arduous Mahagunas Top.

A board spokesman said that certain portions of the track continued to remain critical. At a number of places, the track was still covered by 3 to 7 feet of accumulated snow. To ensure proper movement, steps were being cut on a 400-metre-long stretch on the new alternative track. The board was working with the PDA to speed up clearance and improvement of the track for ensuring the safety of yatris. The board has also deployed 50 labourers to supplement and support the efforts of the Pahalgam Development Authority.

Richa Singal of Uttar Pradesh, was evacuated by helicopter by the board from Panjtarni to the Baltal base camp late last evening.

The board spokesman stated that one more yatri, Mrs. Patal Jiviben Ramadass(70), wife of Ramadass, from Parbathpora, Gandhinagar, Gujarat,, passed away at Panjtarni yesterday due to cardiac arrest. With this, the total number of yatris who have lost their lives during this year’s pilgrimage has gone up to 14, including two ponywallas. 

Srinagar, June 29
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has asserted that his government would take the Opposition along in the process of development, irrespective of their party affiliations and carry forward policy planning for comprehensive development in the state.

Omar was addressing a public meeting at Papchan, near Bandipore 57 km from here, after inaugurating a bridge over Erin nullah. The Chief Minister also inaugurated the 12 MW Athwatu Power Project in the area.

“Restoration of peace and development process is the common concern of all of us and we have to deliver on this front working above the party politics,” he said.

The Chief Minister said the state, like other parts of the country, was confronted with the crisis of unemployment and this sector had been flagged by his government as a priority concern. “While measures are afoot to create jobs in the government sector, efforts are also on to rope in private sector to address this issue,” he said, and asked all political parties to extend their hand in resolving this problem.

The Papchan Bridge has been constructed at a cost of Rs 4.13 crore by the Economic Reconstruction Agency. It will benefit nearly one lakh persons of Baramulla and Ganderbal districts and towns and villages of Gurez, Ajas, Saderkote, Safapora, Hajjan and Manasbal directly and five lakh persons indirectly.

Omar also inaugurated the 12 MW Athwatu Power Project, constructed under the Independent Power Producers Scheme, at Madumati nullah at Athwatu, 10 km from Pappchan. The project has been constructed by Magapie Hydel Construction Operation Industry Pvt Ltd with expertise of Mecamidi, France and M & Company Civil Engineering Construction at a cost of Rs 77 crore.

The Chief Minister highlighted potential of the state for such projects and said steps had been initiated to harness this potential in full. He said he would discuss with Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Farooq Abdullah, a comprehensive policy to take up smaller projects in feasible areas of the state for generating indigenous electricity for local use. “Besides generation of electricity for household utilisation, this will help in creating economic activities in the rural areas and provide greater employment opportunities to the youth,” he added.

Jammu, June 29
The main accused, who, along with three of his friends, gang-raped a woman on June 27 in Akhnoor subdivision, was arrested last night.

However, a hunt has been launched to nab the fourth accused, Ravi Kumar. Official sources said, the police last night arrested Pawan Kumar, alias Pappu, a minibus driver of Badyala Chak, who had offered lift to the victim when she was returning from a dispensary in Panjgrain.

The 24-year-old victim was taken to a deserted place in the Nud area on June 27, where Pawan Kumar and three of his friends had repeatedly raped the woman.

Akhnoor SHO Gian Chand Sharma confirmed the arrest of the main accused and said raids were continuing to arrest the fourth accused.

A case under Section 376, RPC, has been registered against the four accused at the Akhnoor police station.

Poonch, June 29
The Army foiled an infiltration bid by militants even as a solider died in the gunfight with infiltrators at PK Post in the Khari Dharamsaal area near the LoC here late last night.

Army sources said sepoy Mohinder Singh of 8 Kumon Regiment posted at PK Post in the Khari Dharamsaal area, just a kilometre from the LoC point of Chakkan da Bagh along the Poonch-Rawalkote road was killed in the hostile fire while fighting a group of 2-3 infiltrators at 9.30 pm yesterday.

They added that even as the soldier sacrificed his life in the encounter, the troopers managed to push the infiltrators back.

“Last night, while jawan Mohinder Singh was on duty, he noticed 2-3 infiltrators trying to sneak to this side. He opened fire on the infiltrators, who returned fire killing him on the spot. However, in the gunfight that followed the troopers managed to push the infiltrators back,” an army source said.

Jammu-based Defence spokesperson Biplab Nath confirmed the soldier died fighting infiltrators.

Meanwhile, the Army authorities have flown the body to his native place in Uttarakhand after a post-mortem at the Army hospital here.

Srinagar, June 29
The police today registered a case against an Army unit after hundreds of people staged a demonstration here demanding the whereabouts of a person allegedly picked up by the security forces in Anantnag district.

A case was registered against the Rashtriya Rifles (RR) unit stationed at Larkipora in Anantnag after the locals staged a massive demonstration at Check Dooru, 90 km from here, demanding the whereabouts of a youth Basharat Ahmad, who was allegedly picked up yesterday, official sources said.

However, senior police and civil officers rushed to the scene and assured the protesters that the matter would be taken up with the Army authorities. The protesters dispersed after the police registered a case against the Army. They claimed that Ahmad was innocent and had no militancy links and that he was called by the local Army unit yesterday and his whereabouts were not known since then.

Senior police and civil officials were monitoring the situation, which was tense but under control, the sources said. — PTI