Srinagar, August 2
The Army gunned down four heavily armed militants in the Bagus valley in Kupwara district in a fight that broke out yesterday, a defence spokesman said today. One jawan was also killed.

Two bodies of militants were recovered till reports last came in and search was on as the gunfight ended.

Official sources said security forces launched a search operation following a tip-off and an encounter ensued with militants when they opened fire on being asked to surrender. The slain militants are suspected to be from the Laskhkar-e-Toiba. In another incident, suspected militants shot dead an Army jawan outside his house in Shopian district of south Kashmir this evening, the spokesman said.

Safzar Ahmad Ganai, who had come on leave, was reportedly fired from point-blank range by unidentified gunmen around 5 pm at Reshi Nagri locality of Shopian, 52 km from here.

In another operation, the police nabbed six youths in Lolab, all around 20 years, who were on their way to cross the LOC for arms training. Kupwara SSP Uttam Chand told The Tribune that they were being questioned. The youths hailed from Tarzoo village in Sopore, a stronghold of separatists. This is first such group apprehended by the police this year.

RajourI: Troops of the Army busted a militant hideout and seized a huge quantity of arms and ammunition comprising 20 kg of RDX from the Sawjian area in Poonch district yesterday .

Two AK- 47 rifles, 20 kg of RDX, a Pika gun, a Chinese pistol, 20 grenades, 136 Pika rounds and 144 AK rifle rounds had been seized.

Jammu, August 2
Commenting upon the ongoing central university row, BJP national executive member and its former state president Dr Nirmal Singh today urged the Centre to intervene in the issue. He said the issue was flaring up, as the varsity was originally given to Jammu region. He also asked Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to hold talks with the Central University Andolan (CUA).

Addressing a joint press conference with senior BJP leader Leela Karan Sharma at the party headquarters, Nirmal Singh categorically rejected the theory of two campuses each for Jammu and Kashmir regions. He maintained that the BJP would extend full support to the CUA in the best interest of Jammu.

Advocate Leela Karan Sharma, went a step further, saying 14 central varsities across the country, including one at Jammu, was announced by Parliament, adding that none other than Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had made a commitment in this regard while attending a convocation at Jammu University here last year.

Sharma warned the Union and state governments of a similar agitation on the lines of the Jammu agitation if they failed to come clean on the issue, granting the varsity to Jammu for which land had already been identified in Badhori of Samba district.

Meanwhile, Dr Jitender Singh, a member of the Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti, hoped that the government will keep in mind the experience of the Amarnath land agitation and takes a wise decision on the issue.

He said every time they felt that Jammu was being taken for granted on each and every issue.

Meanwhile, the Central University Student’s Movement (CUSM), a body of various student organisations, was framed today by student leaders to fight for the cause of the central university.

Activists of the CUSM declared that they would stay away from any political ideology while running the agitation. They said only students and common masses would participate in the agitation.

Jammu, August 2
Retired Sessions Judge Pavitra Singh has been appointed convener of the Central University Andolan (CUA), fighting for the establishment of the central university in Jammu.

This decision has been taken at a meeting of student organisations and members from the transport and business community held at Bhraman Sabha yesterday.

“We don’t need the support of any political party for this struggle”, said Mohinderpal Singh Pandu, secretary, CUA. Pandu warned the MLAs from the region to raise their voice against this in the Assembly or come back to Jammu.

Students of various city colleges, including MAM College and Government College for Women, Gandhi Nagar, boycotted classes in support of their demand and blocked traffic for around 20 minutes.

The Central University Andolan Samiti, Samba, has also launched a signature campaign in support of the demand for opening the proposed central university at Jammu.

Meanwhile, the Jammu State Morcha (P) has flayed the state government for the opening of a ‘mere’ sub-office of the central university in Jammu and said it could not remove the resentment prevailing among the people here.

Virender Gupta, president, JSM (P), said until a full-fledged central university was established in Samba district, protests would continue, as the government was befooling the people of Jammu by applying such tactics.

The JSM (P) demanded that the state government should ensure the shifting of the entire campus of the university to Jammu and also to establish an IIM in Jammu province.

Jammu, August 2
Mystery shrouds the death of a man, who was found hanging inside a motor workshop in the bus stand area, here today.

Official reports said the body of Jasbir Singh of Makhanpur Gujjran was brought to the Government Medical College here after he was found hanging at Karan Motor Workshop in the bus stand. Investigations have been initiated.

SHO, bus stand, Parvez Sajjad said though preliminary investigations suggested it to be a case of suicide but nothing could be said before the autopsy report.

Meanwhile, the body of one Shatrughan of Chattisgarh was found near Subhash Nagar government quarters.

Jammu, August 2
The chain-hunger strike by the family members and the party activists of the slain peace activist, Hoshiar Singh, who along with his wife was killed in a “terrorist attack” last year, entered into 23rd day today.

The activists have been demanding a thorough investigation into the killings and raised questions over the police’s claim that the couple was killed by terrorists.

“If the claims of the police are genuine then why they are not coming out with facts?” Vicky Singh, son of the slain peace activist, said.

“We suspect the killings were politically motivated as they were gaining more popularity in the area, but the previous and the present government has not shown any seriousness in probing the incident,” Vicky said.

The family alleged that the duo could have been killed by the drug mafia active in the area as Hoshiar Singh had launched a campaign against it in the area.

Meanwhile, a deputation of the leaders and supporters of the Internationalist Democratic Party met legislative party leader of the JKNPP Harsh Dev Singh and apprised him about the ongoing struggle regarding the inquiry into the killings.

Harsh Dev Singh assured the deputation that he would take up the issue in the ongoing session of the state Assembly.

Jammu, August 2
A man and his daughter were killed while his wife was injured when they were reportedly knocked down by a car at the Jewel Chowk area here this evening.

The deceased have been identified as Kamal Kishore of Janipur and his six-year-old daughter Gungun.

Critically injured Sapna Gupta, the wife of the deceased, has been shifted to the Government Medical College here. The incident took place when the family was riding on a scooter and a car reportedly hit their vehicle from behind.

The driver of the car, Anil Singh of Nanak Nagar, has been arrested and the vehicle has also been impounded.

Udhampur, August 2
A girl of the Bhaderwah area has been kidnapped allegedly by a youth of Jammu. According to the police, Rajni Devi of Udharana, Bhaderwah, was kidnapped allegedly by Rajinder Kumar of Nanak Nagar, Jammu.

The police said Rajinder, who used to visit Bhaderwah for his job, reportedly had some relationship with the girl. Three days ago, he visited Bhaderwah and allegedly kidnapped the girl.

The father of the girl has lodged a complained with the Bhaderwah police in this connection.

During the past 24 hours, the police has conducted raids at Jammu and Kathua to trace the girl but of no avail.

Udhampur, August 2
Arrest of two smugglers and the seizure of sapphire worth Rs 50 lakh from their possession has exposed the tall claims of the authorities of providing adequate security arrangements in the world largest sapphire mines located at the remotest part of Kishtwar district.

Inayat Uallh and Yasir, who were arrested with fake currency on Friday, have disclosed that the extraction of precious stone has been going unabated with the connivance of some security personnel.

The extraction of sapphire from the Paddar mines has been banned since 1997 but incidents of smuggling of this precious stone are repeatedly coming to the fore.

On Thursday, the Kishtwar Police seized 45 pieces of sapphire from the possession of the smugglers, estimated at Rs 25 lakh. However, some experts disclosed today that the cost of the seized precious stones was more than Rs 50 lakh in the international market.

The police had seized raw sapphire worth Rs 35 lakh from two smugglers in January. At that time the authorities had claimed to revive the security arrangements around the sapphire mines, but the fresh incident has exposed such claims.

Jammu and Kashmir Minerals Limited (JKML) in its status papers has admitted that despite a blanket ban on the extraction and sale of raw sapphire, smuggling has been going unabated during the past two decades due to the non-availability of adequate staff and lack of security apparatus.

Earlier, this year one government official Surjit Singh of Paddar was arrested and he disclosed that with the connivance of some employees rampant extraction and smuggling of this stone has been going uncontrolled.

Udhampur, August 2
To curb the menace of black market and hoarding, Ramban Deputy Commissioner KB Magotra conducted a surprise inspection of Chanderkote, Peera, Nashri and Batote markets where he found some hoteliers using domestic LPG cylinders for commercial purposes.

The DC seized 10 LPG cylinders and directed the authorities concerned to fine the defaulters. Magotra was accompanied by Assistant Commissioner, Development, Mohd Nazir Sheikh.

Earlier, he visited Higher Secondary School, Batote, yesterday where he interacted with the staff and students, who discussed their problems with him. Magotra assured the school authorities that their grievances would be redressed and other problems would be taken with the agencies concerned.

He also held a public meeting at the Community Hall, Municipal Committee, Batote, and heard grievances of the public. Later, the DC took stock of the pace of ongoing developmental works at Batote.

Jammu, August 2
Minister for Roads and Buildings GM Saroori said today that the government would soon provide 13 new road projects for Samba district for better connectivity. Saroori said this while reviewing various schemes being implemented under the roads and buildings sector in the district.

He also asked the DDC to prepare projects for all Municipal Committees of the district on the patterns of Samba town, besides formulating projects under the Bharat Nirman Scheme to augment water supply in the district.

The minister asked the SE, PWD (R&B) to complete the construction of three culverts on Samba-Sumb road at the earliest.

Dr Javaid Rahi, national secretary, TRCF, said: “The main objective of launching the e-channel in Gojri was to share and broadcast the rich heritage of the Gujjars,” Rahi said. — OC

Srinagar, August 2
'Chhari Mubarak', the holy mace of Lord Shiva, today left Pahalgam for Chandanwari, the first halting station en route to the cave shrine of Amarnath.

Being carried by its custodian, Mahant Deependra Giri and a group of sadhus, the silver mace started its 45-km journey from the base camp in Pahalgam around 2:00 pm amid prayers. It will reach Chandanwari this evening and stay overnight there, official sources said.

The holy mace left its Dashnami Akhara abode in the heart of Srinagar on July 31 and reached Pahalgam, 100 km from here, the same evening.

Special prayers were offered at various temples, including Sureshwar temple in Srinagar, Pampore Shiv temple in Pulwama, Bijbehara Shiv temple in Martand-Tirth Mattan and Ganesh temple at Ganeshbal in Anantnag while on the way to Pahalgam.

After night halts at Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarni, the holy mace would reach the cave shrine on August 5 marking the end of two-month yatra, which commenced officially on June 15.

The holy mace is carried every year from the city's ancient temple to the shrine during the pilgrimage.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board said 1462 pilgrims left from the Baltal base camp and 585 from the Nunwan base camp this morning on their journey to the holy shrine. Another batch of 184 yatris left Jammu today for the Pahalgam and Baltal base camps. — PTI

Jammu, August 2
Friendship Day was celebrated with great enthusiasm by the youngsters in Jammu. Most of the college and school students were seen enjoying the day with their friends. The main markets of the city witnessed a huge rush of youngsters.

Meenakshi Bhat, college student, said: “I celebrated the day by watching a movie with my friends and exchanging gifts with each other.” Vandana Sharma, student, said she enjoyed the day with her friends in the amusement park in the Bag-e-Bahu Fort.

Standing with his friends, Imtiyaz Choudhary, college student, said: “Friendship is the only relation which gives you the window to let out your emotions in the best possible way. Friends are hard to find and we should preserve them for the lifetime. Friendship Day is the best medium to save it forever.”

Jammu, August 2
State president of the BJP Ashok Khajuria today strongly rejected the Union government’s proposal for an amendment to the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) in consultation with the state government.

In a statement issued here today, Khajuria said: “Union Home Minister P Chidambram has miserably failed in assessing the ground situation prevailing in the state.”

He alleged that the Centre had succumbed to the pressure put up by the PDP and the NC. He said: “Before taking any such decision, the Centre must take intelligence inputs into the consideration, besides the statement of the Army chief in which he had stated that any such move would not be in the interest of the country and the forces who had been fighting terrorism in the state.” Khajuria doubted if the state police was able to meet up the challenge of the militancy. 

Baramula, August 2
They once used to carry assault rifles and grenade launchers but have now picked up a bat and a ball to battle it out in the cricket field.

Shabir Ahmed Lone and Irfan Rasool Bhat, both arrested for alleged militant activities, captained their teams in the first cricket match for undertrials at the district jail here.

Lodged in the jail, accused of being involved in militancy and other heinous crimes, it was a day with a difference for the inmates as they got together to play the sport they liked the most.

The match held yesterday saw Team A and Team B, led by Lone and Bhat, respectively, fighting it out till a nail-biting finish the latter won by three runs.

Team B had scored 57 runs in 10 overs while Team A could manage only 54.

"This is our endeavour to make their lives better so that once they are out, they can be better citizens," Director-General (Prisons) Ashok Bhan, who inaugurated the first-of-its kind cricket tournament at the jail, said. Bhan said such kind of activities would be organised in other jails of the state too.

He said vocational courses like sewing, typing, shorthand and adult education programme would also be introduced for the rehabilitation of jail inmates.

Bhan said outdoor and indoor games for recreation of detainees would also be made available in the jails. — PTI