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BJP flays working group’s report
Missing Youth Case
Mark-sheet Tampering |
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UT Status for Ladakh
Mayor without voter card
Body of NC leader recovered
Driver held on kidnapping charge
25 pc decline in terrorism incidents, says Koda
Militants kill 4 CRPF jawans in Sopore
Govt employees strike work
Omar sanctions
3,000 posts for Kashmir migrants
Mirwaiz invited to meet Pak MPs
Five chargesheeted for selling migrants’ house
Qureshi discharged from hospital
PDD told to operationalise Pampore Gas Turbine
SI held for assaulting woman doctor
Govt failed to provide basic amenities, says Mehbooba
NSS holds debate on child rights
Hideout busted
Road accidents on the rise in valley
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BJP flays working group’s report
Jammu, December 30 BJP state president Ashok Khajuria addressing the protesters said the party rejected the Sagir Ahmed’s report. “It is a planned report procured by the NC-Congress coalition government. The BJP has been demanding delimitation in the state for long as Jammu has more population, more area and difficult terrain as compared to Kashmir, but Kashmir has more Assembly seats, which is total discrimination and injustice with Jammu.” He said timely delimitation was also a part of healthy democracy and by endorsing the deed of the NC to freeze it till 2026, Sagir Amhed had attempted to murder democracy in order to please the Congress and the NC. He declared that the party would not sit quiet on the issue and agitate till it was not rejected by the government as well. Prof Chaman Lal Gupta said, “Today questions are raised over accession of the state. In fact, accession is complete and the BJP will not allow any one to reopen the issue of accession. The question of reopening accession or diluting the integrating bonds with the rest of the country would amount to turning clock back and bowing before fundamentalists and decisive forces who have no faith in secularism.” “The government should stress on issues of public importance and long-pending demands of all refugees and migrants who are waiting for justice as their human rights have been violated in the absence of citizenship rights,” he added. Member of party’s national executive committee Dr Nirmal Singh said the party would not accept the quiet diplomacy. “There should be transparency in the talks with the separatists,” he said. |
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Villagers block highway over police inaction
Tejinder Singh Sodhi/Tribune News Service
Jammu, December 30 Ashok Singh (28), son of Sardar Singh, a resident of Chan Khatrya village, had gone to Googad village in Samba district on December 25, but did not reach there and had since been missing. His relatives alleged that they had approached the nearby police station to lodge a missing person complaint, which the police refused to do saying the incident did not happen in its jurisdiction. Ashok’s relatives along with area residents met the SSP and the Deputy Commissioner, Kathua, and apprised them about the case. They were assured of police action in locating Ashok. However, dissatisfied with the response of the administration the villagers blocked the highway for several hours and removed the blockade after the administration assured them that action would soon be taken. Sources said a few years ago Ashok Singh had an affair with a girl of Googad village and he had gone to meet the girl after receiving a call from her. But his relatives say since then he had been missing and the police had refused to file a missing complaint. “We looked for him everywhere, but could not trace him. The Hiranagar police refused to register a complaint and asked us to file the complaint in Samba as Ashok went missing in Samba. But the Samba police also refused to register a case. Hence, we were compelled to come on the road and block the highway,” said one of Ashok’s relatives. He said Ashok was working as an agent with the Matador Union at Londi Morh in Kathua district, but he had not been to office for the past five days. Police sources said the Hiranagar police had registered a missing report and the copy of which was sent to the Samba SHO. The case was under investigation in both police stations.
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Students gherao Controller of Exams
Tribune News Service
Jammu, December 30 The protesters alleged that the Controller of Examinations was responsible for tampering with the marks and mass copying in BEd exams this year. NSF president Vikas Sharma said marks tampering and BEd mass copying cases exposed the corrupt practices going on in the functioning of the university. He further said the NSF strongly opposed the proposed opening of a police post on the campus. Meanwhile, Jammu University Research Scholars Executive Association (JURSEA) president Rakesh Chib denounced the varsity administration for not doing anything to punish the culprits. Earlier, the protesters held a rally that started from the Fountain Plaza and after passing through campus, culminated in front of the Controller of the Examination Wing.
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Working group’s rejection of demand ‘politically motivated’
Tribune News Service
Jammu, December 30 Addressing mediapersons here today, HBCA president Tashi Targis said the rejection of their demand for the UT status for Ladakh was politically motivated. “The report seems to be prepared under the influence of the Congress and the NC, as the ruling allies have taken an anti-Ladakh stand and never uttered a single word in the last 25 years for fulfilling the long pending demands of Ladakhis,” he alleged. He urged all political parties to support the cause of Ladakhis. “The 62 years of independence has proved meaningless for the people of Ladakh, as successive governments in the state failed to mitigate their,” Targis said. Taking a dig at the recent statement by Minister for Tourism and Culture Nawang Rigzin Zora that Ladakh gets its due share in development, the HBCA president said the minister could not mislead the people of Ladakh. He said like Kashmir and Jammu, Ladakh was also a part of the state and if some funds were allocated to Ladakh, same was done for Kashmir and Jammu and hence this could not be treated as some sort of special package or concession. “It is the duty of every elected government to take care of the needs and demands of people living in all regions. The state government has failed to extend additional funds or mega projects for Ladakh, which is contrary to the official claims,” he added. Besides the UT status, the Ladakh residents are also demanding the inclusion of the Bhoti language in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, reopening of the Kailash Mansarovar road via Leh-Ladakh and freeing Tibet from the illegal occupation of China. Meanwhile, advocate Surinder Singh, a member of the working group and former president of the Bar Association of Jammu, also derided Justice Sagir Ahmed’s recommendations. “It (report) has frustrated and disappointed many sections of society. It is also highly biased,” he said. Surinder Singh demanded two more meetings of the working group with all representatives and then the submission of a supplementary report within a stipulated time frame.
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Mayor without voter card
Jammu, December 30 The Mayor, exasperated at the tardy pace of work of issuing voter cards, said less than half the number of voters in his joint family had voter cards. Further inquiries revealed that as many as 76,695 voter cards prepared by the MC could not be distributed because they contained several errors, Mayor Gupta’s card is among these.“These voter cards are having several discrepancies and it would take a long time for correcting those and their subsequent distribution,” revealed an officer, wishing not to be named. Worried over delay in the distribution of voter cards, the Mayor said it might cause problems during the MC elections. According to sources in the Municipal Corporation, in year 2008, the Election Wing of the corporation had applied to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) for preparing 1,22,787 voter cards, but it had received only 74,588 voter cards till date. A total of 76, 695 cards have discrepancies. “When we receive remaining voter cards from the CEO office, we will disburse them immediately among the electorate,” said the MC official. A majority of old voters did not have voter cards and a survey for the new electorate had still not been done. |
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Body of NC leader recovered
Jammu, December 30 The police said today that Sheikh’s body was recovered from the avalanche site by the rescue team after a day long search operation. Sources said Sheikh was quite popular in his area and was an active worker of the NC. He was elevated to the post of block president of the party in Kishtwar district. |
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Driver held on kidnapping charge
Jammu, December 30
The truck driver and woman have been kept in the police custody. Meanwhile, Reetu Manhas of Gajansoo has been admitted to the GMC, Jammu, after she consumed some poisonous substance. —
TNS |
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25 pc decline in terrorism incidents, says Koda
Srinagar, December 30 The police with the help of security forces had killed nearly 50 commanders of different outfits this year, Khoda said, adding that while conducting search operations to flush out hiding militants, utmost care was being taken to save life and property of people and respect human rights. “The security force withstood the stress of prolonged fight against terrorism. It continually improved its ability to track down and confront hardcore militants and at the same time ensuring that least inconvenience is caused to the people,” the DGP stated. Khoda also referred to the appreciation of the police force by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in his address at the conference of Directors General of Police, held in New Delhi. “This was a moment of great joy and pride for all ranks of the force,” the DGP stated. He said Union Home Minister P Chidambaram had also lauded the efforts of the police during his visit to the state in October. The police had also accomplished the big task of providing peaceful atmosphere for the Lok Sabha elections with unprecedented turnout of voters this year, Khoda said. Referring to police personnel who lost their lives while fighting militants, the DGP said a number of welfare schemes had been launched for their families. Over Rs 7.73 crore had been released and paid to the families of the policemen killed in the violence while many other schemes had been launched for the welfare of serving and retired police officers and jawans, the DGP stated. |
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Militants kill 4 CRPF jawans in Sopore
Srinagar, December 30 A CRPF spokesperson said three groups, each having two jawans, of 177 Battalion were on the RoP duty, job to keep the road safe throughout the day, and militants suspected to be either hiding in the nearby apple orchard or have arrived from that side opened fired on the jawans from assault rifles. The incident occurred in the afternoon and three jawans were killed while the fourth died in a Srinagar hospital. To rub salt into the wounds, the militants took away the dead jawans’ weapons. The martyred personnel have been identified as AK Upadhyay, head constable, P Prabhakaran, SS Dass and Kuldip Singh, all three jawans. Sopore and its outlying areas like Warpora are a bastion for militants and support for them runs deep among the locals, who owe their political allegiance to Islamist and pro-Pakistan leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani. The security forces, especially the CRPF, who are the most vulnerable due to their day-long stationary duties on road, have faced several attacks in the last fortnight. Eight jawans were injured in two grenade attacks and coordinated militant attacks were carried out yesterday, which, though, did not cause any casualty. Official sources have blamed Abdullah Uni, a Pakistani commander of the Lashkar-e-Toiba in the area, for regrouping militants and orchestrating these attacks. Despite almost falling in the security forces’ trap three times, he managed to escape. In one such escape, he killed a jawan, who had gone to him for identification. |
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Govt employees strike work
Srinagar, December 30
The employees are demanding other benefits, including increase in the retirement age from 58 to 60 years and regularising the services of daily wage workers and ad hoc workers. However, the day passed off peacefully as there were no public protests. Jammu: Work in government departments and hospitals remained affected here today following the strike call given by the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC). Protesting government employees have been demanding the implementation of the agreement signed between their representatives and the state government in August. Their demands included 40 per cent cash arrears as per the Sixth Pay Commission’s report, pension benefits after 25 years, enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60 years and regularising the services of daily wage workers. “The government had assured us that these demands will be fulfilled within two months, but nothing had been done so far,” the protesting employees said. The functioning at hospitals also bore the brunt of the strike. However, emergency services were exempted from the strike. Paramedical staff and other employees held demonstrations at their respective hospitals and raised slogans in favour of their demands. Backing the strike call, various trade unions and employee associations held protests at various offices in Rajouri and urged the state government to fulfil the agreed upon demands. The protesting employees holding candles held a demonstration at the Deputy Commissioner’s office under the leadership of chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Teachers Forum for Rajouri and Poonch region Shahbaz Khan. Shahbaz called upon the employees to remain united and press the government to fulfil their demands without any further delay. Meanwhile, the Jammu Provincial Power Employees Union has extended support to the strike call given by the Employees Joint Action Committee strike call on January 12. President of the union Shakti Gupta appealed to the employee unions to fight for common rights on a platform. |
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Omar sanctions
3,000 posts for Kashmir migrants
Jammu, December 30 Omar also approved the authorisation of Administrative Secretary, Power Development Department, for the appointment of the chairman of SPVs with the approval of the minister concerned. A media release issued today said the SPVs formed would be subsidiary to the J&K State Power Development Corporation and these would be responsible for undertaking all pre-construction activities relating to project implementation, including statutory clearance, environment impact assessment and studies. Meanwhile, Omar approved 3,000 posts for unemployed migrants of Kashmir. He said the posts would be in various departments, including education, social welfare, relief organisation, engineering, finance, tourism, health and revenue in the Kashmir division. |
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Mirwaiz invited to meet Pak MPs
Srinagar, December 30
The APHC leaders would meet the visiting Pakistan leaders on January 6. Among other issues, the resumption of dialogue on the Kashmir issue would be taken up in the meeting, the APHC spokesman said here today. A greater significance was being attached to the meeting between the separatist leaders and Pakistan parliamentarians, who are expected to discuss other related matters, including the prevalent political situation in the state and the human rights issue. The visiting Pakistan leaders include Farooq Ahmad Naik, chairman of the Pakistan Senate, and Fehmeeda Mirza, Speaker of the Pakistan parliament, the spokesman added. |
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Five chargesheeted for selling migrants’ house
Srinagar, December 30 The Crime Branch of the Kashmir police while investigating the case unearthed the fraud committed by the accused, revealing that Manzoor in league with his brother Mohammad Yousuf Malik sold the house belonging to Chuni Lal Koul and other co-owners on forged documents to complainant Abdul Ahad for Rs 11.25 lakh. The actual owners had not executed any sale deed in respect of the house, the police said. The two brothers had in connivance with Ram Dass Khajuria, Rakesh Kumar, Ashok Kumar, then managers of J&K Bank branch on the Link Road, Jammu, opened six fictitious bank accounts in the names of the co-owners of the migrant property in order to encash the bank drafts issued by the complainant in favour of the co-owners, the police said. |
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Qureshi discharged from hospital
Srinagar, December 30
He underwent surgery for injuries in his head at the SKIMS. He would undergo
continuous treatment under the supervision of physiotherapists and neurologists,
sources said.
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PDD told to operationalise Pampore Gas Turbine
Srinagar, December 30
He was also informed that the power supply from 105 MW Lower Jhleum Hydro-electric Project was not presently available due to the ongoing renovation and modernisation works after its 30 years of running. The generation of 105 MW from the Upper Sindh Hydro-electric Project-II has also stopped due to forcible shutdown because of damages due to the water conductor which is being restored at spill channel. The Chief Minister, who arrived here this afternoon, directed the Power Development Department (PDD) to immediately make operational all three units of the Pampore Gas Turbine from 5 pm today, to help mitigate the difficulties due to power shortage in the valley, an official spokesman said. Reviewing the power scenario, he had directed the PDD for putting in every effort to shorten the gap between the availability and demand of electricity in the valley during winter, including operationalisation of the Pampore Gas Turbine to augment the current power generation by 75 MW. He directed the early completion of restoration and modernisation works of the two main projects and asked the PDD to take all measures for improving the power supply distribution. |
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SI held for assaulting woman doctor
Srinagar, December 30
The police said he assaulted the woman doctor as arguments heated up and misbehaved with other staff, who tried to restrain him. The centre’s staff informed the local police, which took the drunk SI into custody. The police said Mustafa had been arrested and booked under relevant sections of the IPC. |
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Govt failed to provide basic amenities, says Mehbooba
Srinagar, December 30 She said the power scenario had worsened every passing day after the present government took over. She pointed out that ministers made announcements about improvement in the power scenario, which had not been followed up by the department with increased curtailments. The rural areas were the worst hit as electricity there remained off for weeks together, she added. She said the announcement made about creating a transformer bank proved yet another false promise by the government as many villages were reeling under darkness because of the damaged transformers. She said ration had virtually vanished from government depots and the people had to come on streets to fight for routine services expected of a government. |
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NSS holds debate on child rights
Jammu, December 30
The volunteers interacted with orphans and held coaching classes, emphasising on moral values. There are over 100 orphan children in both niketans, including 31 girls, and 70 per cent of them hail from militancy-affected areas like Doda, Kishtwar, Bhaderwah and Udhampur. The volunteers headed by Rohit Wali and Ashutosh Sharma, both NSS Commanders, took the inmates of the niketans to the Manda Wild Life Park. Capt Parshotam Sharma, in charge of both niketans, concluded the debates highlighting the ills of society and propounding suitable measures. —
TNS |
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Hideout busted
Jammu, December 30 During the search operation, 87 rounds of AK rifle, 50 rounds of PIKA gun, one AK Baynot and one magazine were seized, the spokesman said. —
TNS |
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Road accidents on the rise in valley
Srinagar, December 30 Abdul Rashid Wagay, Showkat Ahmad Wagay and Shabir Ahmad Wagay, all residents of Soudnara-Bandipora, were badly injured when they were hit by a tipper at Hajam Check, 35 km from the city centre, on Monday. All three had been admitted to the Bones and Joint Hospital and a case had been registered. According to the Media Centre, Zonal Police Headquarters, Srinagar, five persons were injured in road accidents on Monday. A person was killed and nine were injured in road accidents on Sunday, it added. Similarly, three persons lost their lives and eight persons were injured in road accidents over the past one week. Abdul Rahman, Taja Bano and Shahnaza were hit by a tipper at Khanpur, Baramulla, last week. “As we were walking along the road, a tipper hit three of us. Shahnaza was killed,” Rahman said. He said: “The authorities should wake up and take the issue seriously. Reckless driving needs to be checked.” One person was killed and seven others were injured when two private vehicles collided at the Bypass Bemina on Sunday. Imran Awan of Chount Waliwar, Ganderbal, was killed when a vehicle hit him on December 21. An Army bus hit a vehicle at Kutta Mood, near 504 Camp Pattan, Baramulla, injuring two persons. The Army vehicle was seized and a case was registered. A case was registered against a vehicle that hit and injured Army jawan NK Krishna of 7-Madras Camp Hamrey on the National Highway near Hamrey Pattan, Baramulla. |
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Jammu, December 30
