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University staff extend strike, exams postponed
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Central Varsity
Hoteliers back protesting students
Army man’s disability was due to duty hazards: HC
Killing of Taxi Driver
5,000 jawans to join armed police: IG
Ancient sculpture of Goddess Lakshmi found
Village for special kids to come up in Ganderbal
Two BSNL towers sealed
Cong workers’ meeting
BJP flayed for questioning Guv’s role
Youth shot at in Satwari
Cop held with charas
Supplier of fake currency arrested
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Militants shoot cop dead
Srinagar, August 1 Within 30 minutes of the shooting these CRPF personnel from behind, the militants shot dead Mohammad Shafi Bhat, a policeman posted in Batamaloo police station. Both incidents occurred between 11 am and 11.45 am, within a distance of 3 km. HK Lohia, DIG, Srinagar range, said the militants had coordinated both attacks as they had often done in the past. They wanted to strike the second time soon without giving the police much time to react, he added. The militants involved in the Residency Road attack were believed to be on foot. The identity and actual number of militants involved in the attacks were yet to be ascertained, but the locals said seven to eight shots were heard in the crowded Residency Road, an upscale commercial hub, and all they could see was two jawans lying on the road and blood gushing out from their bodies. “Everybody around me ran whichever way he could and I ran into a shop. It was over in a jiffy and when we stepped out we found the jawans injured,” Aijaz War, a witness, said. Many traders closed shops and fled. Mohammad Shafi died on the spot in the busy Batamaloo area not far from the police control room and the Civil Secretariat. The CRPF personnel were without weapons, as the latest deployment rules minimise carrying of weapons during the law and order duty as part of a public relation exercise. However, such directions become a major handicap in case of militant attacks like today’s, giving jawans little chance of any retaliation, officials said. Lohia said they had got certain clues about the identity of the militants, who had made their presence felt in the capital after a long interval. The attacks follow apprehensions in official quarters over the increased movements of militants across the valley of late. Sources said incidents like these could jeopardise the government’s push for the withdrawal of special laws, which give major powers to the security forces, from districts like Srinagar and Budgam. |
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University staff extend strike, exams postponed
Jammu, August 1 The strike has been continuing for the past five days. The non-teaching and non-gazetted employees along with the class IV employees of the university are demanding the immediate implementation
of the Sixth Pay Commission’s recommendations. Surjeet Singh Heer, president of the Non-gazetted and Non-teaching Employees Union, said, “We will call off our strike only when the state government accepts our demands. For the time being, the strike will continue till August 3.” The strike has hindered the normal functioning of the university. The scheduled examinations for the postgraduate courses and the B.Ed course have been postponed till August 6. Talking to The Tribune, RD Sharma, controller of examination, Jammu University, said, “All examinations have been deferred due to the prevailing situation in the university.” Sharma said, “On the one hand, employees of the university have gone on a strike, on the other various student organisations are boycotting classes for the setting up of the central university. But ultimately students will suffer.” Ankush Chandel, a postgraduate student, said, “Though the examinations have been postponed, the situation was tense. I hope the government will soon take decisions to restore normalcy.” Charu Gupta, another postgraduate student, said, “The situation in and outside the university is totally disturbed. Our studies are suffering a lot. Keeping in view the sufferings of the students, the state government should take immediate remedial steps.” |
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Central Varsity
Jammu, August 1 Talking to The Tribune, CAU secretary Mohinderpal Singh Pandu said, “The final decision for the call will depend on the government action. We are also going to hold a meeting with different organisations tomorrow evening regarding the decision.” Pandu said on August 3, the bandh would be observed from 9 am to 11 am and August 8 would be a complete bandh. Various organisations, including the Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti, have come forward to support CAU. Suresh Ajay Magotra, Mohinder Pal Singh Pandu and Pratap Singh Jamwal were appointed as its secretaries. Meanwhile, the students of various colleges of the city boycotted their classes for the sixth consecutive day yesterday. The students boycotted classes in Science and Commerce College, MAM College, Government College for Women, Gandhi Nagar, and Jammu University. Thereafter, the students, including hundreds of girl students from GCW, Gandhi Nagar, assembled at Bikram Chowk and staged a dharna. They raised slogans against the state government and disrupted traffic at the Bikram Chowk for more than two hours. Meanwhile, Central University Andolan Samiti, Samba, under the leadership of Sunny Sambyal, Pushpinder Sambyal, Rohit Sambyal and Shivdev Sambyal boycotted the classes in Government Degree College. All the students assembled at Maharaja Hari Singh Chowk and staged a dharna for more than one hour. The protestors burnt the effigy of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. |
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Hoteliers back protesting students
Jammu, August 1 They demanded the setting up of the university in the Jammu region where the land has already been identified for the purpose, and warned the government of serious consequences if it intended to shift the university from Jammu to Kashmir valley. A meeting of the Hoteliers Association that was held under the chairmanship of its president Inderjeet Khajuria stated that the trading community was behind the students and others spearheading the agitation, demanding the government to stick to the earlier decision of locating the said university in Jammu. The association termed the setting up of the office of the proposed university in a single rented room in Jammu as an ‘eyewash’. Meanwhile, the Bar Association, Jammu, yesterday suspended the work in the high court and the courts subordinate to it in protest against the coalition government’s decision to shift the central university from Jammu to Kashmir. Bar president Sunil Sethi warned the government that if the central university was not opened and made functional in Jammu, it should face the wrath of the people of Jammu. The secretary of the Bar Association, Jammu, appealed the student community, political, social and trade organisations, including the Chamber of Commerce, to join hands ov er the issue. |
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Army man’s disability was due to duty hazards: HC
Jammu, August 1 Balbir Singh having been enrolled in the Army on October 4, 1978, was discharged from service on November 1, 2002, under Rule 13 (3)(iii)(i) of Army Rules, 1954, after having been placed in the low medical category due to disability “Hemi Parkinsonism (RT) 332”. The advocate argued that the petitioner was hale and hearty at the time of his enrolment and was found not suffering from any such disability. He remained in active service for about 24 years and had not complained about any such problem, before the authority concerned nor any symptoms, in this regard, were ever found. It is only after the petitioner remained posted in different stations and due to changed climatic conditions and because of stress and strain of the Army service that he developed this disease. On notice, the Union of India filed a counter stating that at the time of discharge from service the petitioner was placed in the low medical category. Before his discharge, he was brought before the Release Medical Board, which opined that the disability of the petitioner was neither attributable to nor aggravated by military service. Justice Nirmal Singh, while allowing the writ petition, held that “the disability of the petitioner is said to be ‘Hemi Parkinsonism (RT) 332’, which has been described as a neurodegenerative disorder characterised by a neuronal accumulation of the presynaptic protein and the environmental exposures and other aspects of daily living are said to be factors for developing this disease. The Army personnel during service remain posted in different stations having different climatic conditions and under such circumstances it is difficult for the human body to adapt to these different conditions. Therefore, in absence of any material suggesting the petitioner’s disability being constitutional in nature, the hazards of the Army service contributing to the petitioner’s invalidation out of service cannot be ruled out.” |
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Killing of Taxi Driver
Leh, August 1 Called by social and religious organisations of Ladakh, including the Ladakh Buddhist Association, Anjuman Imamia, Moin-ul-Islam Hindu Mahasabha, Moravien Church Sikh Association and the Ladakh Taxi Cooperative Association, the bandh was also observed in the Nubra valley. A large number of people took out a peace march that passed from Lal Chowk, the main market and the bus stand and later culminated at Polo Ground. Representative of all communities of Ladakh met AK Sahu, District Magistrate, Leh, and urged him to ensure a strict vigil on the Leh-Srinagar highway. They also demanded a thorough investigation into the killing and early justice to the bereaved family. Mohammad Ali, a resident of Chushot block of Leh district, was killed three days ago. He was reportedly coming from Srinagar to Leh with four passengers, two Indian and two Korean nationals. Claiming that Ali was killed while protecting two Korean tourists, the representatives of all communities urged the District Magistrate to grant some ex gratia relief to the kin of the bereaved family and a government job under SRO 43 on compassionate grounds for his act of bravery. Addressing to the gathering, PT Kunzang, general secretary of the Ladakh Buddhist Association, lamented that “we condemn the killing of a peace loving person. We are shocked to know that there is no record of vehicles and tourists at various police check posts.” Meanwhile, a post-mortem was conducted on the body and the report of was awaited. The Kargil district police said an inquiry was being conducted to ascertain the whereabouts of the Korean nationals Ali was accompanying. |
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5,000 jawans to join armed police: IG
Srinagar, August 1 On a visit to a training centre at Sheeri in Baramulla and the armed battalion headquarters of north Kashmir, Dilbag Singh inspected the premises and addressed the durbar of trainees and staff members. The training centre is one of the important training centres which would be giving training to thousands of trainees, he said. He gave instructions to the principal to gear up the entire training centre and the training infrastructure and be fully prepared to receive a batch of new recruits soon. He said the IRP-11th has recently been shifted to Sheeri for law and order duties in Baramulla district. The officers and jawans of the battalions are available in sizable number. Addressing the officers and jawans, the IG assured them that all genuine problems would be sorted out on priority and asked the personnel to be fully prepared for law and order and security duties. The government plans to replace a section of present CRPF strength in the valley with these battalions. |
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Ancient sculpture of Goddess Lakshmi found
Srinagar, August 1 An official spokesman said here today that the sculpture “is brilliantly carved in limestone (slightly brownish in colour) measuring nine inches in height and five inches in width. The deity is seated on a lotus throne, placed in between two lions. The main sculpture is enclosed in a stone frame and the top of which projects in the shape of elephant motifs, towards the head of the deity.” He said, “However, the right top of the right side of the sculpture is missing. The deity is holding a lotus stuck in her right hand, cornucopia in her left hand and shown with a smiling face and wearing a very impressive dress. The deity is also shown wearing a necklace with a typical crown mostly seen in Kashmiri sculptures. The drapery covering the lower body of the sculpture does not pass through its shoulders, but passes beneath the chest of the deity within a series of folds and falls.” “The carving and costumes of the sculpture is a pure reflection of Gandhara Art, and speaks high of the skilled craftsmanship of the ancient art of Kashmir,” the spokesman added. He said, “The preliminary study of the sculpture dates the artifact between the sixth and seventh centuries AD and places it very near to the sculptures previously found at Bijbehara, Anantnag, Kashmir. This is the only kind of artifact found from the Lesser Kokernag area of south Kashmir so far and the presence of pottery in and around the village reveals that there had been some ancient settlements that requires further examination.” “The State Archives Department appreciates the efforts of the police, particularly Kokernag police station, for the recovery of the artifact that shall be shortly on display in the SPS Museum, Srinagar, for the general public,” he said. The department has appealed to the general public that whenever any treasure trove comes to their knowledge they should inform the department to ensure the safety and preservation of the cultural treasures of the state for the posterity. |
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Village for special kids to come up in Ganderbal
Srinagar, August 1 “The village will comprise a house for special children, a school, a vocational training centre and other facilities. The village will be over 100 kanals at Tulmulla and the final approval for it is pending for over a year,” says Naushad Raza, village director SOS-Srinagar. The SOS has already set up 40 villages for special children across the country. In Jammu, the SOS village was set up in 1997. The process of setting up a SOS village at Tulmulla started on April 15, 2004. “Right now, 79 children are putting up in eight family homes here in Srinagar. Once a village comes up here, all facilities will be available under a single roof. Then the children will not be expected to run from one place to another for attending schools,” says Raza. The concept of the SOS revolves around the concept of ‘mothers’ and ‘village homes’. Mostly widows, unmarried women and divorce are preferred for the position of ‘mothers’ in the village. The basic qualification for a mother is Class XII pass. |
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Two BSNL towers sealed
Jammu, August 1 Meanwhile, another team headed by the health officer of the corporation along with food inspectors, sanitary inspectors and other subordinate staff visited various areas of the city and lifted five samples of ghee, double-tonned milk and dal of different brands. The team challaned 17cases under the provision of the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act 1954 and 22 cases were challaned under the provisions of the J&K Municipal Corporation Act-2000. A fine of Rs 500 was charged from the defaulters on the spot. The corporation has also launched a scheme for improving sanitation in the city by making arrangements for the door-to-door collection of garbage from seven selected wards. |
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Cong workers’ meeting
Srinagar, August 1 Soz was addressing the Srinagar district-level convention of the party workers held at Pamposh Hotel here today. Others who addressed the convention were Taj
Mohiuddin, Minister for PHE, Mohammad Muzaffar Parray, senior vice-president of the party, Ghulam Nabi Monga and Abdul Majid
Padder, both vice-presidents, Khem Lata Wakhloo, general secretary, and Abdul Gani Khan, district president of the
party. Soz assured the district workers that problems of Srinagar city, including the difficulties of artisans working in various fields of arts and crafts, would be resolved. The PCC president assured them that the coalition government would fulfil their demands soon. Soz also urged the workers to strengthen the party.
— TNS |
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BJP flayed for questioning Guv’s role
Jammu, August 1 A press statement said the party termed it as unfortunate outburst of senior BJP leader Chaman Lal Gupta. “It is very much into the domain of Governor to investigate into the allegations levelled against the CM on the floor of the state Assembly,” it said. PCC spokesperson Ravinder Sharma questioned whether the BJP wanted the Governor to accept the resignation on the basis of unsubstantiated and baseless allegations.
— TNS |
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Youth shot at in Satwari
Jammu, August 1 A property dealer, Dinesh Kumar, alias Raja, 28, of Narwal Pain, escaped miraculously when he was shot at by the assailants near the Technical Airport in the Satwari area around 8 am yesterday. Raja was returning home on his motorcycle after dropping his mother at the Military Hospital, who works there as a nurse, said official sources. Raja sustained a bullet injury in his right foot. However, out of the five accused, four have been identified as Gurmeet, alias Danchi, of Nanak Nagar, Pankaj, alias “Killer”, of Nanak Nagar, Babban of the Airport area and Sanchu of Gadigarh. SP City (South) Mumtaz Ahmed said police teams had been fanned out in different directions to nab the accused. He said gang rivalry as the reason behind the shooting. But official sources said the victim, too, had a criminal past and one of the accused Gurmeet, who recently had been freed from prison, had a dispute to settle with Raja. The assailants had come in a Maruti car and on a
motorcycle. |
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Cop held with charas
Udhampur, August 1 Meanwhile, the police arrested Showkat Ali of Ramban and seized 131 intoxicating capsules from his possession, while two quintals of lahan was seized from two vendors at the Padyarana area. |
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Supplier of fake currency arrested
Udhampur, August 1 Police sources said during interrogation Inayat had named Peerzada and the latter was arrested from his residence this afternoon.
— TNS |
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