Srinagar, July 27
The state government has constituted a two-member commission of inquiry to probe the killing of 17 persons by security forces in Kashmir division since last month.

The commission, comprising Justice Syed Basher-ud-Din (retd) as chairman and Justice YP Nargotra (retd) as member would submit its report within three months.

This was decided at a meeting of the state Cabinet, which met here today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, an official spokesman said.

The Cabinet also decided that the review committee would look into cases of those detained under the Public Safety Act and make recommendations for their release.

It also approved a package, as a one-time exception, in favour of next of kin of those civilians who lost their lives since June 11 in violence attributable to the breach of law and order and were not found directly or indirectly involved in actual violence or instigation thereof. Under the package, the family of the victim would get an ex gratia of Rs 1 lakh and an eligible member of his/her family would get appointment on the lowest non-gazetted post or a cash compensation of Rs 5 lakh, including Rs 1 lakh ex gratia, in lieu of the government job.

A committee comprising the Deputy Commissioner and the District Superintendent of Police shall ascertain and certify the non-involvement of the deceased civilians and their next of kin, to be appointed, in actual violence or instigation thereof. Accordingly, the Deputy Commissioner concerned shall sanction the grant of ex gratia and also the appointment of an eligible family member of the deceased civilian or the payment of cash compensation in lieu of the government job to next of kin, as the case may be.

Udhampur, July 27
District Development Commissioner (DDC), Udhampur, Baseer Ahmed Khan today asked the Additional DDC to probe the delay in the finalisation of estimates of various construction programmes under the Rogi Kalyan Samitis.

The DDC gave the instruction during a meeting of the district- and block-level medical officers here today. He was reviewing the physical and financial achievements registered by the District Health Society, Udhampur, during the first quarter of the current fiscal under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).

It was decided to entrust probe into the unjustified delay in the finalisation of the estimates of construction and renovation of buildings of various health centres to the Additional DCC, who would submit his report within 10 days. Meanwhile, all the Assistant Executive Engineers of the Public Works Department concerned were directed to clear the pending estimates of various works within two days, positively.

Detailed review of various programmes including status of the Rogi Kalyan Samities, civil works, accredited social health activists’ (ASHA) immunisation programme, OPD, IPD, institutional deliveries, village health and nutrition days.

Expressing displeasure over the low percentage of institutional deliveries registered so far this fiscal by different health institutions in the district, Khan stressed upon the Block Medical Officers to activate ASHAs and make them more accountable for ensuring institutional deliveries in their respective fields of operation.

To ensure the punctuality of the medicos and paramedics at their respective stations of postings, it was decided that Block Medical Officers, Tehsildar and the SHO concerned would conduct surprise inspection and submit regular reports to the DDC.

Chief Medical Officer Kuldeep Kesar, Medical Superintendent, District Hospital, Dr Chander Prakash, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Santosh Sharma and representatives of the NGOs were also present in the meeting.

Samba, July 27
Even as the SSP, Samba, was shifted late last night, tension continued here with protesters again blocking the Jammu-Pathankot National Highway and indulging in stray violence today. There was a shutdown in the town as all banks, shops and public and private institutions remained closed.

Demanding the arrest of four absconding bovine smugglers and a compensation for vendors and shopkeepers affected by yesterday’s violence, nearly 100 protesters blocked the highway in the afternoon,resulting in the police lobbing tear gas shells to disperse them.Traffic on the highway was restored after some time.

The protesters gathered on the highway and some of them went to Samba police station to demand immediate arrest of the rest of the accused, who had stolen three bovine from the house of Sohan Singh, a farmer.They threatened that if the absconders were not arrested soon, they would not open the market. However, the police promised to arrest the absconders in a week.

Ravinder Singh, son of Sohan Singh said:”Some people belonging to a particular community have been indulging in bovine smuggling for a long time with the involvement of some senior police officers. If the rest of the accused are not arrested soon, the administration will have to face the anger of the public”. He added: “Though the minister called a meeting to find out a solution last night, no one from our family was invited. Though the SSP had been attached, nobody was ready to pay compensation to those who suffered huge losses yesterday”.

Another resident alleged that some policemen damaged rehris on the highway. Someshopkeepers also suffered losses as the cops lobbed tear gas shells at the shops and damaged the windowpanes. A senior police officer said they had called officials of the Revenue Department to assess the loss of shopkeepers and vendors and everyone would get some relief as per rules.

Meanwhile, SSP, Samba, Raghubir Singh was shifted late last night. Yesterday, the protesters had demanded the police officer’s transfer for his alleged links with bovine smugglers.Mukhtiar, an accused, who was arrested yesterday, confessed before the public in a video (in possession of The Tribune) that they were carrying out the illegal activity in connivance with the police after bribing it.Following the confession, a meeting was called by Minister for Industries and Commerce Surjit Singh Slathia and Devender Rana, Political Adviser to the Chief Minister,at the Deputy Commissioner’s office and orders were issued to shift the SSP,Samba, and replace him with SSP, Police Control Room (PCR), Jammu, J L Sharma. 

Srinagar, July 27
After a day of complete bandh, the normal life was restored today across the Kashmir valley. Shops and business establishments, schools and government offices reopened and normal traffic plied.

Protests announced by the hardline APHC, led by the detained leader, Syed Ali Geelani, against the killings since June 11 had crippled life in the Valley. It has also been demanding the release of all political detainees and withdrawal of troops from Kashmir.

All market places were crowded with residents purchasing essential commodities, eatables, vegetables and household stocks in view of the strike call for the coming days. There was hustle and bustle in the markets, leading to heavy rush of private vehicles and frequent traffic jams. While private schools and banks had reopened on Sunday last, many government offices reopened today after July 17. Attendance in many other government offices had been thin during the days of general strikes and curfew restrictions in the downtown areas.

It was a hectic day for commuters today with traffic on the road to airport plying at a snail’s pace across the bypass at Hyderpora where the construction of a flyover is on. Many passengers had become restive to reach the airport in time as they were getting late due to the slow movement of traffic on the busiest crossing at Hyderpora. 

Udhampur, July 27
Due to bad weather, security forces today stopped a search operation launched to nab the associates of the slain Hijbul Mujahideen (HM) terrorist who was gunned down yesterday in Kishtwar district.

Following the killing of the fresh recruit in the Hijbul Mujahideen ranks, Mohammad Ramzan Malik of the remote Marwah area of Kishtwar, the operation was launched last morning. However, it had to be stopped due to heavy rains and the harsh mountainous terrain.

“The operation is over without further success,” said SP, Kishtwar, Mohammad Haseeb Mughal. It was jointly launched by the Kishtwar police and the 11 Rashtriya Rifles.

The police had a secret information about the presence of the three terrorists in the Marwah area. The terrorists who escaped included the tehsil commander of the Hijbul Mujahideen and an A category terrorist Rizwan. He is reportedly injured.

Sources said for the past some months, there was a spurt in the activities of the Hijbul Mujahideen, which included the killing of Basheer Ahmed, a constable of the Kishtwar police who was very active in anti-terror operations, about three months back.

A soldier of the Territorial Army, Tariq Ahmed, was brutally attacked. Two civilians were killed on July 21. Security forces have also been receiving reports about extortions being made by the Hijbul Mujahideen’s ultras.

Jammu, July 27
Dr Ajay Chrungoo-led Panun Kashmir today appealed to the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister to shift all new posts created under the Prime Minister’s Special Employment Package to Jammu where the situation was stable as well as secure.

While addressing a press conference here, Chrungoo said the situation in the Valley appeared to be worse than that existed at the time of the massacre of Kashmiri Pandits at Sangrampora, Wandhama or Nadimarg.

“In the event of an incident both governments are liable to be charged with wilful negligence and they cannot hide behind the written undertakings being forced upon the Kashmiri Pandit candidates selected for the jobs in the Valley,” he added.

Chrungoo further said in such a situation it was difficult to understand why the state government was persisting with its policy of implementing the Prime Minister’s employment package asking the Kashmiri Pandits to agree to return to the Valley.

He appealed to the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister to realise the gravity of the situation and intervene decisively by de-linking the employment package for the displaced Kashmiri Pandits from their return to the Valley.

Chrungoo said, “We want the state and Central governments to take stock of the situation impartially.”

Jammu, July 27
The Jammu region has witnessed rainfall above normal, much to the relief of farmers and the government, this year, while last year there were drought-like conditions due to scanty rain.

The agriculture-based economy can look up now with 32 mm rainfall recorded above normal till today.

“From June 1 to July 27 the region has witnessed 344.2 mm rainfall, which was 32 mm above normal rainfall of 312.2 mm,” said Sonam Lotus, Director of the Indian Meteorological (Met) Department.

However, in 2009 the Met Department recorded 291 mm rainfall while the best rainfall of 600 mm was recorded in year 2008.

Due to the monsoon, the city witnessed a moderate rain while Katra witnessed a heavy rain today. As per the Met Department, the city witnessed 10.5 mm rainfall while Katra alone witnessed a heavy rainfall of 74.8mm.

“Bhaderwah witnessed 25 mm rain, Batote 4.4 mm and Udhampur witnessed 13.8 mm rain today,” said Sonam.

The Met Department forecast moderate to heavy rains in the next two days in the region and temperature may hover between 36°C and 40°C.’

“The temperature will comedown two to three degrees due to isolated heavy rains in the region,” said Sonam. The moderate rain brought the temperature down by around 5°C. The maximum day temperature recorded on Monday was 36°C while the temperature was 31°C today, a decline of 5°C.

Rainfall on Tuesday

Jammu 10.5 mm

Katra 74.8 mm

Bhaderwah 25.0 mm

Batote 4.4 mm

Udhampur 13.8 mm 

Jammu, July 27
The Air Force, the Army, the police, the district administration and locals joined hands and rescued at least 36 persons, who were trapped in the swollen Tawi in Jammu district and the Ujh river in Kathua district today.

The rescued included four students and seven labourers hired by a private company, ITD Cementation.

“At least, 24 persons, including four students, were rescued by the Army and the Air Force in a day-long operation from separate places of the Tawi”, Jammu Deputy Commissioner MK Dwivedi told The Tribune.

They were trapped in flashfloods near Sidhra, Satwari, Pir Khou, Har-Ki-Paudi and Dhounthly Dhakki, he added. Though 20 of the 24 were rescued after the Army pressed into service its men and boats, for the remaining four, an Air Force chopper had to be used because the water flow near the Pir Khou area was strong, said the Deputy Commissioner.

He also lauded the efforts of civil defence volunteers and the police in rescuing the trapped. “Now, strict instructions have been issued to all station house officers asking them not to allow people to venture near swollen rivers”, he said.

Near Sidhra, nine persons, including four students identified as Amardeep, Sahil, Vishal and Arjun, residents of Kunjwani and Sainik Colony, were caught in flashfloods this afternoon.

While five labourers and drivers had been loading sand and pebbles in their carriers, the four students had gone into the river for an outing when suddenly the water level started rising due to a heavy rain in the upper reaches, said a police officer. Before the students could run to safety, they were trapped in flashfloods, but the labourers pulled them onto their load-carriers, he added.

Eventually, the 115 Regiment of the Army pressed into service a team led by Major Rastogi that rescued the students and labourers. The same team also rescued five persons trapped in the river near the Pir Baba side while the Air Force helicopter airlifted four others from an island near Dhounthly Dhakki where a temple had been built on the island.

The persons airlifted to safety were identified as Lal Hussain, Shabir, Riaz and Mohammed Rafi, all residents of Ragoura village on other bank of the Tawi.

In Kathua district where the Ujh was in full spate, two locals, including Naib Sarpanch of Ghati village Prithipal Singh and a Gujjar nomad, rescued seven labourers hired by the ITD Cementation.

Early today,the labourers had gone to the riverbed along with load-carriers for mining when they were trapped in the flashfloods. Finally, the labourers were rescued around 5.30 p.m.

When contacted, Kathua district SSP Gareeb Dass said a total of 12 persons were trapped at two separate places in the Ujh river. The police with the help of locals rescued them around 5.15 pm, he added.

Meanwhile, a Defence release issued here today said eight pilgrims were stranded on a small island of the Tawi river near “Har Ki Pauri”.

Three civilians, who attempted to rescue these Kanpur-based pilgrims, were also marooned in the rising waters of the river.

Due to strong and rising water currents, rescue by boats could not be carried out. However, promptly responding to the distress call, Wing Commander Anurag Kumar, the Commanding Officer of the unit, rescued 11 marooned persons and brought them to safety. 

Baramulla, July 27
Even though she knows there will no more be knocking at the door by her son, who used to ask her to give him something to eat after returning from school, she has not let her hope die.

More than a week after her 13-year-old son, Faizan Buhroo, was drowned in a river allegedly by men of the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the police, his mother,Fareeda Begum, waits at the door of her house every evening,hoping Faizan will “return from school” and knock at the door. “I know one day my son would come back and say, mummy, give me something to eat,” she said.

On July 17, Faizan, a student of a private school, was allegedly beaten up by the police and then thrown into the river.His body was fished out two days later.

The locals and the family members alleged that the boy was on his way home from school when an unruly mob attacked the police with stones.

The police while chasing the mob caught hold of Faizan, beat him up and later threw him into the river, they alleged. But the police maintained that the boy was part of a stone-throwing group and had jumped into the river after being chased by the police.

The family said Faizan was a hard working boy and used to study hard to do big in life.

“His father works at a welding shop and could only earn enough to provide two square meals to the family.The boy at a tender age had become aware of the penury faced by them and wanted to end it, but destiny had something else in store for the family,” said Shabir Ahmed, a local resident.

A relative said though everyone in the family had surrendered to the will of God that the boy was dead, it had become hard for the mother who was unable to come to terms with the fact that her son was not alive.

“ It is really hard to convince a mother that her son is no more.Though she had seen his body, she still waits for him to return”, said Shuban Ahmed, another relative.

Srinagar, July 27
Governor NN Vohra today reviewed the status of the ongoing Amarnath yatra and expressed satisfaction over several new initiatives taken this year for ensuring improvement in the management of the pilgrimage.

The Governor addressed a meeting of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) here today. The new measures taken this year include increasing the number of registration counters of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank from 103 to 121, provision of a free accidental insurance cover of Rs 1lakh for a registered yatri, which has been introduced for the first time this year, with the entire expenditure towards the insurance premium being borne by the board.

Till last year, a yatri seeking an accidental insurance cover was required to pay Rs 24 at the time of registration. Further, with support from the state government, the shrine board had also provided the accidental insurance cover to all the registered labourers (persons carrying baggage, ponywallahs and dandiwallahs) as also to the pony owners whose pony may be involved in an accidental death.

The Governor thanked the Union Ministry of Communications for making available cellular phone connectivity at Baltal, Domel, Chandanwari, Panjtarni and Sheshnag. He said this had provided the much-needed telecommunication facility to the pilgrims and for enabling effective yatra management.