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Two top Hizbul militants trapped
Id celebrated with fervour
Women offer prayers at the Idgah on the occasion of Id-ul-Azha in Jammu on Saturday. Tribune photo: Anand Sharma
Cong dissidents to launch mass-contact programme
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Sheraj belt residents resent
ropeway ban
Indian, Pak army men exchange sweets to mark Id
41 of marriage party hurt in mishap
New parameters to assess docs’ performance
Omar offers namaz at Hazratbal
Meat sellers make huge profits
Jora calls for facelift of pilgrimage sites
Students take part in the sketching competition during the Display Your Talent contest at Jammu University on Saturday.
Photo: Inderjeet Singh
26 booked under PFA Act
JWAM threatens Jammu bandh
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Two top Hizbul militants trapped
Jammu, November 28 A Hindu militant identified as
Subash Sharma has been trapped along with self-styled divisional commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen Firdous Ahmed Mattoo, alias Darkul Islam, in the Pinjrari area of
Kishtwar. Subash is a self-styled district commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen. Though the involvement of some Hindu youths in militant activities had been established earlier, this is the first time a Hindu youth had been given the command of a terrorist outfit in the mountainous belt. He has been listed as ‘A’ grade militant by the security forces as well as intelligence agencies. “This is a very serious development and we have to devise a new strategy to deal with the situation,” a senior police officer told The Tribune. He admitted that Subash had
been commanding the Hizbul Mujahideen in the mountainous district of Kishtwar. Taking advantage of the poor economic conditions of the minority community in erstwhile Doda district, the militant outfits had started luring Hindu youths by offering them money in lieu of working for them. “Subash is an example how militant groups have been luring poor people,” the police officer said. He added that Subash had joined the Hizbul Mujahideen in year 2003 after he was offered huge money. The first time the involvement of a Hindu youth in a militant outfit was established when Uttam Singh, a Hizbul terrorist, was killed in an encounter with the security forces in Doda district in 2004. Later another Hindu militant Manoj Kumar Manhas had laid down arms before the security forces on November 9, 2004. During questioning, Manoj had disclosed that many Hindu youths were working for jihadi groups. After his startling disclosure, intelligence agencies identified more than 15 Hindu youths who had been working for militant outfits as second-rung militants. But Subash is the first ‘A’ grade Hindu militant. |
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Id celebrated with fervour
Srinagar, November 28 People in thousands offered prayers at nearby mosques and Jamia Masjid saw a big gathering with virtually endless rows of people stretching over a long distance. Thousands of sheeps were slaughtered by the faithfuls as an offering to God in the memory of Prophet Ibrahim, known as Amraham by Christians, who had agreed to kill his son as a sacrifice to please God. The slaughter of animals would continue for the next two days and so would festivities. “It is a day of humility for devotees. They should know it in their hearts that everything belongs to the almighty and they should be ready to sacrifice everything in his name,” the moulvi at a mosque in Jawahar Nagar said in his sermon to Muslims. Spiritual matters took precedence over the temporal world and dignitaries, including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and many of his ministerial colleagues, joined the common man in namaz. Youngsters burst firecrackers through the day and markets were largely closed, as people celebrated the festival at home and visiting relations. Jammu: Muslims gathered at various mosques across Jammu city to offer special Id prayers, while members of other communities greeted their Muslim brethren and exchanged pleasantries and Id greetings with them. Members of the Muslim community said they felt happy to see members of other communities coming to greet them on Id. “The festival symbolises the great secular ethos of the country in general and the state in particular where members of all communities celebrate festivals with each other, be it Id, Diwali or Gurpurab,” said Mushtaq Ahmed while coming out of a mosque at Kati Ka Talab in Jammu. He said people wanted peace and happiness, but it were vested interests which were dividing the state on the communal lines. Meanwhile, reports of Id celebrations also poured in from other districts of the Jammu region, including Poonch and Rajouri districts. |
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Cong dissidents to launch mass-contact programme
Jammu, November 28 Buoyed over successful show of strength at Nagrota in which all dissidents came on a platform, this faction has decided to hold rallies in different parts of the Jammu region. “We have decided to launch a mass-contact programme to enquire about problems being faced by common people,” leader of the dissident group Abdul Gani Vakil told The Tribune. Vakil, who is known detractor of PCC president Saifuddin Soz, said this programme was not against any individual. Vakil disclosed that during their visit to the Union Capital they had informed the party high command about the prevailing confusion in the PCC. Insiders in the Congress said the PCC chief had hinted to take action against the dissidents so the rival faction had decided to start a campaign to mount pressure of Soz. Despite reservation shown by the Soz faction, dissidents organised a rally at Nagrota in which some leaders questioned the leadership of the PCC chief. The dissidents have decided to organise rallies in those constituencies which have been considered as stronghold of rivals. First rally will be held at Reasi on December 1 and second would be held at Suchetgarh in the first week of December. Meanwhile, loyalists of the PCC chief have been camping at New Delhi to inform the high command about the activities of dissidents. Leaders of the pro-Soz faction have been meeting different leaders at New Delhi to counter the campaign launched by rival faction. |
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Sheraj belt residents resent
ropeway ban
Assar (Ramban), November 28 For earning bread and butter for their families, residents of this belt have to cross the Chenab on boats, which are being sailed by untrained local youths. Being cut off from the rest of the state for the past two years, residents of this belt used to cross the Chenab through cables of the ropeway hung by locals. But after the October 30 tragedy when an Indian Air Force chopper crashed after its rotors got entangled with the cables of the ropeway, the authorities imposed a ban on carrying passengers through it. To maintain the supply of essential commodities in this belt, the authorities only allowed the
transportation of ration and other essential items through the ropeway. “We have sought opinion from experts in Goa to introduce boats in this belt,” Doda Deputy Commissioner Sharief-ud-Din told The Tribune, admitting that people faced some problems due the non-availability of means of transportation. “After the October 30 tragedy, we have imposed the ban on carrying passengers through ropeways,”the Deputy Commissioner said. He informed that the authorities had decided to construct another ropeway, especially to carry passengers. The proposed ropeway would be completed within two months. Abdul Rashid of Shallah village said: “I have to cross the Chenab daily on boat as my office is located across the river.” Like Rashid there are a large number of employees, students and labourers who have to regularly cross the river on boats to reach their destination. “ Instead of mitigating our miseries the authorities have been further compounding our woes,” regretted Sham Singh of Cheil village. |
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Indian, Pak army men exchange sweets to mark Id
Jammu, November 28 The Indian Army took the initiative and gave sweets to their Pakistani counterparts, who reciprocated the goodwill gesture. “On the occasion of Id and to convey our good wishes, our troops exchanged sweets with the Pakistani army men on the LoC,” Brigadier General Staff of the Nagrota-based 16 Corps, Brig Gurdeep Singh told The Tribune. He said it was a goodwill gesture. In an official statement, the Army said, “In the forward areas, the troops of the White Knight Corps also exchanged sweets across the border at Chakan-de-Bagh and Mendhar-Tattapani crossings to celebrate Id with the Pakistani troops. The festivities continued throughout the day by way of prayers, exchange of gifts and serving of food.” Meanwhile, the White Knight Corps of the Army celebrated Id at Nagrota with fervour and gaiety. Special namaz were offered by officers and other ranks in the station masjid. The ceremony was attended by Major-Gen RH Vardhan, Chief of Staff, Brig Umar Farook and others at the garrison masjid. All present offered special prayers for peace and prosperity during the solemn occasion reflecting the secular character of the Army. The celebrations were also held in all stations in the corps. |
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41 of marriage party hurt in mishap
Jammu, November 28 In another mishap, Joginder Singh of Rathian in Udhampur was killed and another person was injured when the Maruti van they were travelling in from Jib Thathri to Katra skidded off the road at Dhanu today. The injured, however, could not be identified. In yet another mishap, a car on its way from Pul Doda to Kishtwar fell into the Kaila Nullah on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in the Thathri area injuring its driver Jagdev Singh of Butta Satringa. The injured was later shifted to the Government Medical College and Hospital here. 4 consume poison
Four persons, including a woman, allegedly consumed poisonous substances at their respective houses in and around Jammu, the police said today. It said Sheela, a native of Uttar Pradesh, at present putting up at Sunjwan, tried to end her life by consuming some toxic substance at her house today. She was later hospitalised. Similarly, Akhil Sharma of Gandhi Nagar, Vijay Kumar of Tanda Akhnoor and Ajit of Tanda were admitted to the GMCH here after they consumed some poisonous substance. |
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New parameters to assess docs’ performance
Jammu, November 28 This was stated by Minister for Health Sham Lal Sharma. He was on a surprise visit to the Community Health Centre, Sohanjana, yesterday. He said the government was making allout efforts to improve the health infrastructure and working conditions in the hospitals and expected best services from the medical fraternity. He said no laxity, whatsoever, on the part of doctors or paramedical staff would be tolerated and officials would have to mend their ways to improve their performance. The minister also asked the medicos and paramedics to adhere to the dress code and adopt a professional approach towards patients, who came to hospitals with great expectations. Earlier, the minister paid tributes at the statue of Pt Girdhari Lal Dogra near University of Jammu on the occasion of the late leader’s death anniversary. |
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Omar offers namaz at Hazratbal
Jammu, November 28 According to a press note issued here, Omar offered Id prayers with thousands of Muslims at the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar, where he also prayed for peace, prosperity and well being of the state and the country. Among others, adviser to Chief Minister Mubarak Gul also offered prayers at the Hazratbal shrine. The Chief Minister received scores of people at his Gupkar house in Srinagar in the forenoon who visited him to great him on the occasion. Among the large number of visitors were ministers, legislators, prominent citizens, officers, mediapersons, advocates, political activists and social
workers. Omar in the afternoon flew to the winter capital and received public at his Wazrat Road residence till late in the evening. People from various parts of Jammu and outskirts thronged the Chief Minister’s house to greet him on Id. At the Idgah in Jammu, Minister for Education Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed offered namaz and greeted people. |
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Meat sellers make huge profits
Jammu, November 28 It had become difficult for poor people to celebrate festivals, as prices of all goods were touching the sky, Naziya Akhtar, a customer, at Khatikaan Talab said. Syed Aabid, another customer, said the authorities concerned should keep a check on the prices of eatables sold in the market during the festivals and penalise the shopkeepers who sell these at high prices. The livestock dealers, who had brought sacrificial goats and sheep to Jammu for sale and could not sell these yesterday, were seen with a herd of sheep and goats outside the meat shops, eyeing to sell the remaining stock to the meat sellers. “Yesterday, we sold a major portion of our stock to people and today the meat sellers purchased the remaining stock. Now, we can return home happy,” Farooq Ahmed, a shepherd, said. |
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Jora calls for facelift of pilgrimage sites
Jammu, November 28 During his visit to Utterbehni and Purmandal, the minister took stock of the facilities being provided to pilgrims and directed the authorities concerned to ensure the timely completion of ongoing works for the benefit of public. Purmandal and Utterbehni pilgrim sites receive four to five lakh devotees every year. The holy Devika river also flows through these areas known as Gupt Ganga. Jora, who was accompanied by Minister of State Nasir Aslam Wani and many other leaders and bureaucrats, inaugurated a children’s park at Utterbehni. He said a budgeted accommodation would be constructed to facilitate the pilgrims at Utterbehni. “A project report of Rs 2 crore has been submitted to the Union Ministry of Tourism and about Rs 1 crore will be spent in Utterbehni and Purmandal for creating various facilities,” Jora added. He also announced that a bridge and a footpath over the Devika would be constructed for the pilgrims. |
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Farooq wins cartoon contest
Jammu, November 28 In the cartoon competition, Farooq Ahmed and Neeraj Sharma from the Institute of Music and Fine Arts, Jammu, were adjudged first and second, respectively. In the sketching competition, Kulpreet Rana of the Institute
of Music and Fine Arts, Jammu, was adjudged first while Arjun Manhas of GGM Science College stood second. The painting competition would be held at 10.30 am tomorrow. |
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26 booked under PFA Act
Jammu, November 28 Meanwhile, the Assistant Controller challaned 57 shopkeepers, who were found violating the provisions of the J&K Weights and Measures (Enf) Act. He also realised Rs 30,200 from the erring shopkeepers. The Assistant Controller warned 20 karyana and meat sellers for the offence of not displaying the rate list.
— TNS |
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JWAM threatens Jammu bandh
Jammu, November 28 While addressing a press conference here today, Sunil Dimple, president of the JWAM, said the organisation would observe a bandh as a mark of protest against state and Central governments. He said due to irresponsible statements of Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar that the rising prices and inflation could not be controlled, had paved the way for hoarders and black marketeers.
— TNS |
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Amid religious fervour marking the festival of Id-ul-Azha, cold and overcast conditions were a dampener on a day when temperature remained way below normal.
