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20 feared dead as Matador falls into Chenab
Army foils plot to disrupt Amarnath yatra
Varsity declares second merit list
Candidates search their names in the second merit list at University of Jammu on Friday. Tribune photo: Anand Sharma
BSF lodges protest with Pak Rangers
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Beri Rakh forest Achilles’ heel of security forces?
Overflowing Chenab poses threat
Due to the recent rain, the water level in the Chenab touched the upper stairs of a ghat behind the Akhnoor Fort on Friday. Tribune photo: Anand Sharma
Amarnath pilgrims with special haircut
Amarnath pilgrims show their special haircut resembling religious symbols at the Aggarwal Sabha in Jammu on Friday. A Tribune photograph
Amarnath Land Agitation
Congress pays tributes to Tilak
Finish revenue-related jobs in time frame, officers told
Security personnel stand guard at a barricaded road in Amarakadal in Srinagar during restrictions on Friday. Tribune photo: Amin War
Jammu Joint Students Federation holds protest
Labourers hold protest
Teenager commits suicide
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20 feared dead as Matador falls into Chenab
Jammu, July 23 The Matador was on its way to Kishtwar city from Thathri , about 220 km from Jammu, when the driver lost control over the overloaded vehicle which fell into the river. Two youths, Kuldeep and Vinod, appeared to be the only survivors. The police said 16 persons were identified so far, but no body had been recovered so far. The identification was based on the claims of their relatives, who had reached the spot as the news of the accident spread. SP Haseeb Mughal said he would wait till the bodies were recovered before confirming the number
of deaths. Kuldeep Kumar, who was travelling on the rooftop and escaped with bruises, said the Matador was overloaded with passengers as not many modes of transport to Kishtwar were available in late evening hours. He said he jumped to safety when the vehicle fell off the road. Vinod Kumar, a carpenter from Bandora village, who was travelling in the vehicle said he did not know how the driver lost control. “I don’t know what happened and how I came out. As the Matador fell into the river and passengers were tossed around,I was pushed out with a jolt and swam to safety,” Vinod said, trying to compose himself. “I don’t know the exact number of persons in the vehicle but it might be between 22 and 25. There were persons standing on the aisle as well as sitting on the roof top,”the 23-year-old carpenter said. Road accidents cause more deaths than the militancy in this region of the Jammu division. Nearly 3,500 persons were reportedly killed in the last five years in road accidents in the division.A majority of these accidents have taken place in Doda. |
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Army foils plot to disrupt Amarnath yatra
Jammu, July 23 According to reports, the troops recovered a huge cache of ammunition, explosives and equipment from the Aramnakh area, about 2 km south of Nachlana on the highway. The cache included 34 detonators, 36 PIKA rounds, 12 anti-personnel mines, nine remote-controlled IED boxes, 36 IED circuits, five RPG charges, 35-metre safety fuse, one UBGL grenade, 15 metres of Cordex wire, one hand grenade and one radio set. The arms and ammunition kept in a gunny bag were found by the security forces from a hollow space in a tree during a search operation. The reports said the main motive of the militants in all probability was to plant these explosives and IEDs to disrupt the ongoing Amarnath yatra and vehicular movement on the strategic highway. Meanwhile, no fresh batch of pilgrims was allowed to leave for the Shri Amarnathji holy cave shrine from the base camps in Jammu and Lakhanpur today because of the inclement weather and slippery roads in the Jammu region. However, as weather improved, thousands of pilgrims who were stranded for the last 24 hours at Batote, Udhampur and Ramban, were allowed to move towards their respective destinations Pahalgam and Baltal. The pilgrims entering from Punjab were also stopped at the Lakhanpur Toll Plaza and were not allowed to go ahead. Even many pilgrims from Jammu, who moved in their own vehicles or cabs to reach Pahalgam and Baltal, were stopped at Nagrota near Jammu, from where they returned to Jammu after a long wait of five hours around 11 pm. “The decision has been taken in view of the bad weather and the pilgrims will be allowed only after getting the reports of clear weather,” a senior official of the state Tourism Department said. He added proper staying arrangements have been made for yatris at all the base camps. “To provide free food to pilgrims, langars have been set up the camps and all other facilities are also being provided to them,” he said. However, the pilgrims had a harrowing time, as they had to wait for nearly five hours in their vehicles to get the clearance from the police, which they did not get. “We reached Jammu yesterday by train and hired a cab this morning to reach Pahalgam, but when we reached Nagrota, the police stopped and ordered us to move back to Jammu, citing poor weather conditions,” said Hitesh Singla, a pilgrim of Sangrur in Punjab. The pilgrims, who were stranded at Ramban yesterday, lodged a protest against the civil administration by blocking the National Highway for some time today.
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Varsity declares second merit list
Jammu, July 23 Like the first merit list, the cut-off percentage remained high in the second merit list as well, thus leaving a large number of hopeful candidates disappointed. The cut-off percentage was again high for science courses as compared to arts courses. In physics and chemistry departments, the cut-off percentage was 75.71 and 78.33, respectively. The cut-off percentage in other departments were: Political science (64.9), history (62.04), commerce (66.94), education (63.76) and for M.Ed (66.11). Similarly, in English, Punjabi, Hindi and economics departments, the cut-off percentage was 58.71, 55.52, 61.28 and 64.61, respectively. All departments saw a large number of candidates searching their names on the merit list. Those whose names appeared on the merit list were happy while others were disappointed. Ajay Gandhotra, a candidate, said, “I have attained above 60 per cent marks in science subjects but they seems useless now. The merit is very high even in the second merit list. Earlier, I was expecting my name to figure in the second merit list but now I am doubtful that my name will appear even in the third merit list.” |
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Ceasefire Violations
Jammu, July 23 A BSF jawan, Balram Singh, son of Rajeshwar Singh, a native of Jharkhand, had sustained injuries on the Jabowal border outpost. Sources said at the commandant-level flag meeting on the octroi post in the RS Pura sector, the BSF commandant concerned lodged a strong protest with his counterpart, Wing Commander Zulfikar Ali of the 2nd Chenab Rangers. But the Pakistan Rangers feigned ignorance to any ceasefire violation by their troops on July 21 on two posts in the Arnia area, they added. Sources, however said the BSF officials asked their counterparts to avoid misadventure on the border. The ceasefire violation on July 21 was the ninth by Pak troops in the past three weeks. At the Chak Phagwari post in the Akhnoor sector, two BSF jawans were killed in recent times in such violations. |
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Beri Rakh forest Achilles’ heel of security forces?
Jammu, July 23 Spread over a vast area, some 4 to 5 km from Mendhar town, locals said the thick forests having natural caves and bunkers had always given an advantage to the militants. It may be recalled here that from July 11 to July 19 the security forces comprising the Army, CRPF and the Special Operations Group (SOG) had launched one of the biggest anti-terrorist operations in Beri Rakh forests. In the nine-day operation the security forces killed two militants while Major Amit Kumar Thenge sacrificed his life in the line of duty and 14 others, including Major Shekhawat and Col Ajay Katoch, were injured in the gun-battle with the surviving ultras. “The adjoining forests of Chajla, Bhati Dhar, Suian, Thera Topa and Drana provide Pakistan ultras an extra area to dodge the security forces,” said a local. “After 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan no one enters this jungle where even during day time darkness prevails because of a thick growth of Granda trees,” he said. Despite laying siege, the security forces could not trace the surviving ultras, believed to be three in number. In this forest the success eluded the security forces whenever they launched a counter-insurgency operation, the locals said. He recalled how two years ago 7 Kumaon Regiment, too, had to return empty-handed in a similar operation. The regiment, however, lost a Junior Commissioned Officer in the operation. At least eight to nine units of Rashtriya Rifles, 9 PARA commandos, CRPF jawans and SOG personnel were deployed in the latest operation but the surviving ultras remained elusive to them, he said. Locals here say unless air strikes were carried out in such operations, success would continue to elude the security forces in Beri Rakh, he added. Regarding three surviving ultras, he said the locals felt that they managed to escape from the forest. SSP, Poonch district, Manmohan Singh said for the first time such a big operation was launched in Beri Rakh. “Though we did not find any bunkers in the dense jungle, natural caves were there,” he responded when asked if the area had bunkers made during the wars with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971. He said the surviving ultras might have managed to escape as it was raining heavily on the intervening night of July 17 and 18. Sources said the security forces had suggested to the administration to raise permanent structures around the forests to keep a constant surveillance. “If the forest area was left neglected anymore, it could prove disastrous,” they said During the operation the troops had to move cautiously in the jungles to avoid possible booby traps.
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Overflowing Chenab poses threat
Akhnoor/Jammu, July 23 Though there was no rain today, officials of the Meteorological Department said it was a temporary relief as a downpour was expected in the next few days. In Akhnoor, the Chenab was touching the upper stair of ghats made along the Akhnoor Fort bank. “A few days ago, the water level was very less, but after yesterday’s rain, it seems to be in spate. The government should immediately take some steps otherwise some major incident will take place here,” said Mohammad Rafiq, a Gujjar, who was grazing his cattle near the river. Meanwhile, in Kathua, where water had entered a number of villages, causing a huge loss to the property and crops,the situation improved a little but link roads remained affected by the flash floods, as they developed a number of cracks. Officials of the civil administration remained busy for the entire day, taking stock of the loss due to heavy rains yesterday. However, no casualty was reported and the roads were opened for the traffic. Pawan Kotwal, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, said, “We are prepared to tackle any flood-like situation arising in the near future. Special teams have been put on duty to control any odd situation at any hour in the region. Army teams have also been deputed with the state police for launching rescue operations.” He advised the public that they should not build their houses near the rivers or they should not encroach upon the government land for these purposes, because generally these people become the victims of floods. He added yesterday too it had been observed that people who had encroached upon the government land near the rivers became victims of the floods.
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Amarnath pilgrims with special haircut
Jammu, July 23 Seven pilgrims from Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh, wearing orange T-shirts and shorts, can be seen in the city with special haircut resembling religious symbols. These members of the Bhole Nath Sabke Saath Sewa Sanstha, Allahabad, have become a centre of attraction for people here, as the locals are enquiring about their symbolic haircuts. Terming the symbols as a matter of faith, the Shiva devotees say, “We are seven persons who have hair styled on religious symbols and we have been doing it during the Amarnath yatra since year 2005.” Talking to The Tribune at the Aggarwal Sabha near Vivekananda Chowk, Sri Om Sahu, one of the devotees, said, “We want to complete our pilgrimage by carrying Lord Shiva on our head. That’s why we have got our hair cut in a special style.” He said it was not an easy task to have a special haircut like this. “One has to sit for hours before a barber. I sat for six hours to get a Shiva Lingam style hair on my head,” said Sahu. These seven devotees, who reached the city yesterday with 50 companions from Allahabad, today visited all city temples as the yatra was suspended due to inclement weather conditions. Another devotee of Lord Shiva, Dheeraj Sahu, also having a special haircut, said, “Our barber is a Muslim guy, but he cuts hair styling these symbols on our heads and that too free of cost. He has been making these symbols for the past six years without charging anything.” He further said due to their special haircut everyone in Allahabad recognised them. As due to poor weather conditions they were not allowed to move ahead of Nagrota today, they would leave for Pahalgam tomorrow.
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Amarnath Land Agitation
Jammu, July 23 Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti, a conglomeration of different social, religious and political organisations, organised the main function to remember those killed during the agitation and honour their families at Geeta Bhawan here today. The samiti, which spearheaded the agitation in Jammu, is dominated by various organisations of the Sangh Parivar, but the BJP preferred to hold a separate function to remember the ‘victims’. Though leaders of the samiti maintained a silence over the attitude of the BJP, sources said various constituents of the Sangh Parivar had taken a serious note of the party’s action. “Instead of organising a separate function, the BJP should have attended the main function as it is a member of the Sangh Parivar,” a samiti leader said. He pointed out that for quite some time the BJP leaders had been trying to distance itself from the samiti. The samiti paid floral tributes to those killed during the agitation. It termed the victims as ‘martyrs’ who died for the cause of the nation. It also honoured their families at the function. The samiti also availed of the opportunity to iron out differences with those constituents that opposed its Jammu bandh call on July 3. Differences had cropped up among various constituents of the samiti following the bandh call for July 3 and today these differences were ironed out. Interestingly, some leaders of the BJP were present in the function but in their individual capacity. Brig Suchet Singh (retd), convener of the samiti, while paying tributes to the ‘martyrs’, said the Amarnath land agitation was a historical agitation. He said the samiti would continue its struggle against anti-national forces active in different parts of the state. The BJP on the other hand organised a separate function that was presided over party president Shamsher Singh Manhas. Party leaders paid floral tributes to those who lost their lives during the agitation. Thirteen persons, namely Manjit Kumar, Ramesh Kumar, Kuldeep Verma, Sunil Singh, Yugal Kishore, Sunny Padda, Sanjeev Singh, Narinder Sharma, Dr Balwant Khajuria, Deepak Kumar, Bodh Raj, Jaswant Singh and Girdhari Lal, died during the two-month long agitation. |
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Congress pays tributes to Tilak
Jammu, July 23 While paying tributes to Tilak, Sharma dwelt on the history of the Congress and the role of Bal Gangadhar Tilak during the freedom struggle. He said Mahatma Gandhi described Lokmanaya Tilak as father of the India’s destiny. He was the first to embrace “Swaraj” as the national goal. He asked the Congressmen to follow the path shown by Tilak. Addressing the meeting, secretary of the AICC, Capt Praveen Davar (retd), said Tilak was the “tallest” leader of the freedom movement before the beginning of the Gandhi era. He highlighted the events of Tilak’s life and role played by him in the freedom movement. Gurmukh Singh, addressing the gathering, said Pt Jawaharlal Nehru had described Lokmanaya Tilak as “indomitable Tilak”. He further said Lokmanaya Tilak was a practical man and also believed in strength of the common man. Hari Singh, Ravinder Sharma-MLC, Swarn Lata, Mula Ram, Girdhari Lal Chalotra, Kanta Bhan, Om Chopra, DS Langeh, Chuni Lal Bhat, Manmohan Singh, Uttam Singh, Lalita Sharma, Raj Bakshi, Sukh Dev Singh, BB Gupta, Kirtan Singh, VK Sethi, Inder Sehgal, Sunil Kumar, Harkekat Singh Sasan, Bhagwan Singh, Talenter Singh, Jagdish Dogra and others also addressed the function.
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Finish revenue-related jobs in time frame, officers told
Udhampur, July 23 Jain was addressing a meeting of revenue officers, girdwars and patwaris of Udhampur district to review the functioning of the Revenue Department here today. Deputy Commissioner Baseer Ahmed Khan, Additional Deputy Commissioner NI Parae, Assistant Commissioner (Revenue) Gurvinderjeet Singh, SDM, Basantgarh, Amit Sharma, tehsildars and naib tehsildars of Udhampur, Ramnagar, Majalta and Chenani were present. Jain called upon the field staff of the department, especially patwaris, for maintaining a roznamcha (daily activity register) as this would reflect their performance and the ground level work being undertaken by them on a daily basis. This would also enhance the efficiency level as the non-maintenance of the roznamcha would testify evasion of field duties, he added. Jain also instructed the tehsildars to check the records of the field staff frequently and ensure that no vague entry of girdawari etc. are made by them in the register. He also asked them to conduct regular administrative inspections of subordinate offices and a proper inspection note be prepared for the follow-up action. Terming the patwaris and girdwars as important functionaries of the Revenue Department, Jain instructed them to maintain an updated revenue record and always be present in their respective jurisdictions so that people could get the relevant revenue record from them without difficulty. Briefing the Financial Commissioner with a power point presentation, Deputy Commissioner Baseer Ahmed Khan gave a detailed account of various revenue related activities and new initiatives of the district administration. He also put forth some demands, which include the filling of vacant posts of tehsildar, naib tehsildar, girdwar and patwari for the smooth functioning of the Revenue Department.
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60 injured as protesters, police clash
Srinagar, July 23 Restrictions were imposed in Srinagar and other major towns of the Valley, including Anantnag, Pulwama, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipore and Sopore, in view of separatists’ proposed march to the Khanqah Moalla shrine here on the occasion of Friday prayers in protest against the killing of at least 17 persons during the past over one month. Most parts of Srinagar remained under restrictions to prevent the march while clashes were reported from various areas, including Hyderpora and Nishat here, after the Friday prayers. Clashes between protesters and the security forces were also reported from Pulwama, Baramulla and Kupwara districts. Tension continued to grip Kupwara where several persons were reportedly injured in The SHO of police station, Pattan, 27 km from here, in Baramulla district was injured when a shot was fired at him during protest demonstrations this afternoon. He was taken to hospital, the police said, adding that it exercised utmost restraint. Several others, including a DSP, were injured in Pulwama district during clashes after the Friday prayers. Educational institutions, banks and many government offices remained closed here today. The government has been continuing its efforts to reach out to people and restore normalcy in the Valley. The process has begun with the visits of ministers to the troubled spots of Baramulla, Sopore and Anantnag that was followed by the visits of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Meanwhile,APHC chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq who continued to be under house arrest, has condemned the police action. |
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Jammu Joint Students Federation holds protest
Jammu, July 23 The protesters demanded concession in fare for students in accordance with court order in the rural as well as urban areas. The protesters boycotted the classes in Government Maulana Azad Memorial (MAM) College, Government Gandhi Memorial (GGM) Science College, SPMR College of Commerce and in Government Degree College, Paloura. While addressing the students, Varinder Singh, JJSF activist, said the hike in transport fare was a burden on the student community and particularly on the students who belonged to poor families. In GGM Science College, Sahil Choudhary and Abhay Sharma said that if government failed to implement concession in fares for the students, then the student community would come on the road. — TNS
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Labourers hold protest
Jammu, July 23 For more than two hours, the labourers held a demonstration and shouted slogans against the authorities. Some leaders of CITU also joined the protesting workers and warned the authorities they would launch an agitation if the labourers were retrenched. After the demonstration, the authorities called some of the leaders for discussions. During the deliberations, the authorities assured the workers that contractors, who had assigned the job of loading and unloading, would engage the same workers. Over 300 workers engaged in loading and unloading job at Jammu railway station were denied entry in the state after the job was assigned to some |
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Teenager commits suicide
Jammu, July 23 The police said the deceased, Ajay Singh, had consumed some poisonous substance last night and was taken to Shri Maharaja Gulab Singh Hospital in Jammu, where he died this morning. The police has initiated inquest proceedings in this incident. |
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Jammu University released the second merit list for admission to postgraduate courses today. The third merit list would be declared on July 27.
Akhnoor/Jammu, July 23
Jammu, July 23
By organising a separate function to pay tributes to those who died during the two-month long Amarnath land agitation in year 2008, the BJP has apparently distanced itself from the Sangh
Parivar.
