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Kashmiri Pandits observe ‘Martyrs Day’
SRTC staff intensify stir
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Guv visits power project in Leh
High Court quashes acquittal plea
Farmers allege forced labour by BSF
Pakistani held for crossing LoC
Chunni Lal case
SC notice to state govt on delimitation
Girl ends life
Mirwaiz re-elected APH chairman
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Kashmiri Pandits observe ‘Martyrs Day’
New Delhi/Jammu, September 14 Hak said around 80,000 Kashmir Pandits are “living in exile in Delhi and its suburbs and all of them have expressed solidarity with the initiative”. Pikalal Taploo, a lawyer, was the first Kashmiri Pandit victim to terrorism. While in Jammu, tears rolled down the eyes of Sarla Taploo as she remembered her husband Pt Tika Lal Taploo, who was the first Kashmiri Pandit assassinated by the militants in the valley, this day 20 years ago. Kashmiri Pandits observe September 14th as “Martyrs Day” after their exodus from the land of their origin. Taploo was killed Sarla Devi, who is settled in Delhi now, had come here to attend “Amar Balidan Diwas” organised by the All-State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC) to pay tributes to those Kashmiri Pandits who attained martyrdom since 1989-90. Remembering that awful day, Sarla said, “Different groups of militants used to give life threats to him but he did not bother because he was brave man.” “Before his death, he took a promise from me that I should continue his work as a social activist and I am doing it. The BJP gave me mandate and I stood in the Assembly and General elections but unfortunately I couldn’t win the seats.” She complained, “Being a BJP leader, my husband scarified his precious life but the party members didn’t bother to look back to us. I did not have even a single penny in my pocket when I went to Delhi.” Expressing the pain, Kavita Saraf (daughter) said, “When I went out of my home, I saw my father’ body surrounded by hundreds of Muslims of our area. I can not forget that scene in my life.” “Two days before his assignation he gave a daring speech at Haba Kadal and suddenly after that we received a threat from militants to leave the valley within 15 days. On that very day one agent called him out and said that he had to go to the court for an important case. That was a conspiracy for his assignation.” The ASKPC today honoured the family members of few such persons who were killed by the militants in the valley since 1989-90 by presenting “Tika Lal Taploo Shaheedi Puraskar”. A function was held at Abhinav Theatre to mark the day. While paying rich tributes to the martyrs, Dr. Agnishekhar, convenor, Panun Kashmir, said the only solution to the successive exodus of Kashmiri Pandits is a separate homeland in Kashmir. “The government needs to address the demands of KP’s related to employment, relief and rehabilitation of all sections of the displaced community,” he added. |
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SRTC staff intensify stir
Srinagar, September 14 According to the police, the employees attempted to force their way through a police cordon which resulted into firing of shells and use of water cannons to disperse them. Some employees who were in the rally claimed that at least five of their colleagues were injured in the “unprovoked” use of the force, but cops said nobody was injured. The transport service has been badly hit by the ongoing strike. Sheikh Nuruddin, a protesting employee, said the government was not investing money in the corporation and this was causing losses. However, some officials said SRTC employees were to be blamed equally as they pushed trade-unionism and many drivers run private buses while ignoring their official duties. JAMMU: The protesting employees on Monday called upon MP Lal Singh and Relief and Revenue Minister Raman Bhalla and submitted a copy of agreement that was reached between them and former Transport Minister Hakim Mohd Yaseen in March last year. “The agreement stood for timely disbursement of salaries, GP and CP funds besides time-bound promotions as well as the regularisation of consolidated doctors,” said president of the SRTC Employees Association, Ashok Mehra. He regretted that the agreement was never implemented in reality and the plight of the employees continued to be the same for the last ten years. |
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Shopian case: JKLF holds protest
Srinagar, September 14 JKLF leaders, including Noor Mohammad Kalwal, Shakil Ahmad Bakshi and Sheikh Abdul Rashid, took out the procession in Jehangir Chowk here this afternoon while the protesters were raising slogans and holding placards. The leaders alleged that despite of the assurances, the government was not taking any adequate measures to nab those involved in the rape and murder of two women in Shopian, whose bodies had been recovered from a rivulet on May 30 last. Several leaders had been held by the police when it tried to disperse the “peaceful demonstrators”, a spokesman of the JKLF stated. |
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Guv visits power project in Leh
Srinagar, September 14 This was conveyed to Governor NN Vohra, during his visit to the project site at Alchi, about 70 km from Leh, today. The project, a run-off the river scheme to harness the hydel power potential of the Indus, would have three units of 15 MW each and produce 239.33 million units of power annually, an official spokesman said. Jatinder Singh, Executive Director, NHPC, and JK Sharma, Chief Engineer, NHPC, briefed the Governor about the project. They told him that the power generated from this project would benefit the Ladakh region. The Governor was also informed that the work on the concreting of the dam was going on in full swing and 60 per cent of it had been completed so far. Earlier, the Governor laid the foundation stone of 66/11 KV, 6.3 MVA electric sub-station at Bazgo. The sub-station would be one of the six such sub-stations being constructed in the area under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojna. The work on all the six sub-stations has commenced and is scheduled to be completed by October next year. The work on these sub-stations and the entire power distribution system in the region is being completed in two phases. For the timely completion of project, the Governor stressed that advance planning was needed to procure the required construction materials at site by fixed dates during the summer months. He said that such an approach was of vital importance for areas like Ladakh region, which have a limited working season and long distances of the places from where the materials were procured. |
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High Court quashes acquittal plea
Jammu, September 14 An FIR under sections 307/427, RPC, and section 3 of the PSS Act read with sections 7/27 of the Arms Act was registered at Kishtwar police station on information received from a reliable source on December 6, 2003, that some anti-national elements had thrown a grenade on a bunker of the CRPF causing a powerful explosion and injuries to three police personnel and civilians. This information set the police in motion and during investigation Mohammad Rafiq was arrested. Rafiq made a confessional statement before the in charge of the Joint Interrogation Centre, Doda. On the disclosure statement, seizures were made and memos were prepared and accordingly a challan was presented in the court of competent jurisdiction. The prosecution examined only five witnesses in support of its case and failed to examine other 23 witnesses listed in the calendar. Even the star witness, who allegedly recorded the disclosure statement, was not produced in the court by the police. The independent witnesses also did not support the prosecution case. Despite the fact that the prosecution was allowed to cross-examine them, nothing incriminating could be extracted by the public prosecutor during the cross-examination. Prosecution witness Zamir Hussain demolished his own statement stating that the seizure was affected without calling any independent witness, not to speak of nambardar or chowkidar of the village concerned. The seizure memo was not prepared on the spot, and was prepared at the Joint Interrogation Centre. Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir after a dignified scanning of the acquittal judgment of the trial court dismissed the criminal acquittal appeal while upholding the judgment of December 9, 2004, of the trial court. |
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Farmers allege forced labour by BSF
RS Pura, September 14 Farmers in the villages like Chak Hanso, Fatehpur Camp, Tonkana Wali, Raipur, Saidaan, Kathmarian and Abdullian allege that the BSF personnel engage them in forced labour. “Some of our fields are situated across the fence but whenever we reach out to the gates on the fence, the BSF cops deputed there get their work from them. “We are asked for cleaning the ditch-cum-bunds besides other menial jobs. They tell us that we would be allowed to work in our fields only after we have finished the job,” said an angered farmer. President of the Aarpanch Association Choudhary Dev Raj said: “Farmers have proven their patriotism time and again. Whenever war breaks out, these farmers rush ammunition to the bunkers of security forces by braving shelling from across the border. They do it without any self-interest but despite that they are being harassed.” “We doubt if it is in the notice of higher ups. We appeal to the Home Ministry to take cognisance of the matter so that farmers don’t face any sort of harassment. Farmers should be allowed to work in their fields across the border without any harassment,” he said. “My sons are stopped near the fence and asked to clear the bushes. If they keep doing the job for BSF then who will feed the cattle and look after the crop,” rued Sardar Aatma Singh of Fatehpur Camp, adding, “It depends upon the mood of BSF jawans whether they allow us to go into the fields or not.” Another farmer, Swaran Singh of Chak Hanso, said: “They ask us to clear the bandhs. Whenever farmers have to go across the fence for working in fields, they have to work for an hour or two or some times even more on the order of security personnel.” “We are allowed to work in our field from 8 am to 10 am only. The time should be increased so that we could earn more from our land most of which is lying uncultivated,” he added. “On special occasions like Independence Day, Republic Day or another day of national importance they engage us in work and do not pay anything against the work,” said Ram Dass. DIG BSF JB Sangwan denied information about any such practice. “We engage jawans in fatigue and never rope in villagers for such a work. In case, such a thing is going on, we will find it out. “Farmers are allowed to work in their fields from 7 am to 6 pm in the evening and its official timeframe,” he added. |
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Pakistani held for crossing LoC
Rajouri, September 14 Army sources said a “mentally estranged” Pakistani National, The Army authorities have handed him to the Mendhar police which is investigating the matter. DSP Rajinder Katoch said: “We have booked the person under relevant section and are investigating the matter.” |
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Chunni Lal case
Jammu, September 14 The probe was ordered after The Tribune reported the matter of human rights recently. The probe panel headed by tehsildar of the village Bani Vijay Kumar today submitted the report to Deputy commissioner. “We have discovered that the economic condition of the family is not so sound,” said the tehsildar. “Thereupon, we have asked the Department of Social Welfare to provide some sort of succour to the family. We have also impressed upon the Rural Development Department to upgrade their home,” he said. “We have also recommended for the constitution of a medical team to examine Chunni Lal. After the said committee submits its report, we would recommend for arrangement of medical treatment for the victim,” he added. Meanwhile, a team of doctors, on the direction of Deputy Commissioner, visited the home of Chunni Lal and examined him. “The DC has assured that the victim will get proper treatment,” said human rights activist Sunil Sharma who has been pursuing the matter since it was reported. “The administration has assured that action will be taken, said Sunil. |
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SC notice to state govt on delimitation
New Delhi, September 14 A Bench, comprising Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam, sought the state’s response after Panthers’ Party chief Bhim Singh questioned the validity of the Assembly’s decision not to go for redrawing
of the constituencies until 2026. The Centre had already carried out the exercise across the country, except in Jammu and Kashmir, following an agreement that the number of Parliamentary and Assembly seats in each state would remain unchanged till 2026. But the state, which was very much an integral part of India, had refused to even redraw the contours of such constituencies in the light of the census figures, he said. The state HC had rejected his petition, erroneously holding that delimitation was not a fundamental right and not part of the democratic exercise of holding elections, Bhim Singh contended. Delimitation was done to ensure that each constituency in a particular state had equal number of voters so that there was equity in representation. Over the years, huge discrepancies had crept in due to disproportionate growth in the population of various constituencies. |
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Girl ends life
Jammu, September 14 The deceased has been identified as Tamanna, aka Isha, daughter of an employee of the Power Development Department. However, in the suicide note left behind by Tamanna she clearly stated that missing girl’s mother had been harassing her since she went missing, the police said. In the note, she has accused missing girl’s mother constantly pressurising her to reveal the whereabouts of her daughter. Fed up of this, Tamanna committed suicide at her house in Janipur Colony today. She was found hanging with a ceiling fan in her room by the family members. The body after autopsy was handed over to her family. |
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Mirwaiz re-elected APH chairman
Srinagar, September 14 The election of the chairman for two years, scheduled to be held in June last, could not take place due to unfavourable situation prevailing in the valley, a spokesman of the APHC stated. The spokesman said that Mirwiaz, who is also the chief priest was unanimously elected at an executive council meeting held at the party headquarters. Those who attended the meeting under the chairmanship of Mirwaiz, included former chairman, Abdul Ghani Bhat, Bilal Ghani Lone, Agha Syed Hassan, Masroor Abbas Ansari, Mohammad Abdullah Tari and Mukhtar Ahmad
Waza. |
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