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Seven killed, 76 hurt in fresh violence
Army, CRPF men clash at Adh Kuwari
Acute shortage of essential commodities in Valley
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Women smugglers from Punjab give Jammu cops a tough time
Girl fails in BA II exam, attempts suicide
One killed, 33 hurt as bus falls into gorge
Chopra Murder Case
Sangram Singh, family centre
of attraction
Protest against water shortage, power cuts
Teachers’ forum flays education department
Rs 68.60 crore annual planfor Poonch
approved
Sikh leaders block national highway
Bathindi gets tube well
Order on physical education teacher’s appointment
MC impounds33 stray animals
4 inspectors, 3 SIs transferred
CM chairs Unified Command meeting
Arms, ammo recovered
in Kalakote
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Seven killed, 76 hurt in fresh violence
Srinagar, August 2 In south Kashmir, a youth, Mohammad Yaqoob Bhat, was killed and several others were injured when the police lobbed tear-gas shells and opened fire to quell the demonstrators in Kakapora township of Pulwama district today. The incident took place a day after eight persons, including a woman, were killed in clashes in Pampore and Khrew areas yesterday. Thousands of people held protests at Khrew today where a woman was killed in police firing and four others were killed and 25 injured in an explosion in the police station yesterday. For the third consecutive day today, traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway remained disrupted due to protests at various places between Srinagar and Khannabal. The protests were held at Pampore, Sangam, Awantipora, Beijbehara and Batengoo near Khannabal. Another youth, Bashir Ahmad Ganai, was killed in the clashes at Sangam, while Ashiq Hussain was killed and many others were injured at Chawalgam in Kulgam district. Tariq Ahmad, who was injured when a tear-gas shell hit him at Beijbehara on Saturday, died in hospital here today. In central Kashmir, protests were held at various places across Srinagar city, including Nishat, Rainawari, Bemina, Batamaloo, Hyderpora and Gangbugh, while the police and paramilitary troops strictly enforced curfew restrictions across the summer capital. In north Kashmir, yet another youth, Khursheed Ahmad Wagay, was killed in the clashes between the protesters and the police at Kralpora, while five others were injured. Clashes also took place in Handwara town. Another youth was killed in Kupwara. Another person, Arshid Ahmed Bhat, died in a stampede when an unruly mob was chased away at Sangam in Anantnag district. A miner boy was also killed in a stampede at Batamaloo in Srinagar.
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Army, CRPF men clash at Adh Kuwari
Jammu, August 2 Sources said it all started when a CRPF constable, Raghuvir Singh of A/6 Bn, who was on sentry duty at Adh Kuwari’s entrance gate, objected to an Army man (in muftis), who was talking on his mobile phone. The Army man, who belonged to CMP and was deployed at Adh Kuwari, allegedly entered into an altercation with the sentry. Soon, the situation went out of control. The sources added the Army man, who was joined by two other soldiers, and the CRPF constable had a scuffle, adding the former also snatched his INSAS rifle. On hearing about the incident, in charge of the Adh Kuwari police post rushed to the spot and after persuaded the Army personnel to return the official weapon of the injured constable. Sources said the three Army personnel were taken to the police post. In the meantime, Officer Commanding, CRPF, Rajeev Ranjan and Commandant of the 6th Battalion of the CRPF, Sanjiv Sharma, rushed to the spot but by that time an Army officer of the rank of Major along with 30 troops also reached Adh Kuwari from Katra. The sources further said, thereafter the men in uniform, deployed for the safety of pilgrims and the protection of sanctum, went berserk and started abusing the CRPF men. In the chaotic situation, a glow sign board of the CRPF was also damaged. “The volatile situation had reached a stage where the Army and CRPF personnel could have opened fire,” said a shopkeeper in Adh Kuwari. Before the situation could take an ugly turn, SP, Katra, Shiv Kumar Sharma, SDPO, Katra, Dy SP, Bhawan and SHO, Bhawan, Vijay Dhar rushed to the spot and pacified the unruly men, he added. During the clash, three CRPF personnel, identified as constables Akhil Baruah, N Premjit Singh and Brijesh Kumar Yadav had sustained injuries. Subsequently, the CRPF and the Army lodged FIRs and counter FIRs against each other at Bhawan police station. “The CRPF lodged two FIRs under the section 353, 332, 323, 147, 148 of the Ranbir Penal Code against the three Army personnel and an Army officer, while the Army, too, has lodged an FIR against the CRPF,” said a police officer.
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Acute shortage of essential commodities in Valley
Srinagar, August 2 As transporters fear coming to the Kashmir valley, the residents here are facing an acute shortage of essential commodities like vegetables, milk, fruits and medicines. “The last time the market opened was on Tuesday. It was again supposed to open on Saturday, but following the killings on Friday, the government imposed an indefinite curfew. Since then people are virtually locked in their houses, facing a shortage of everything,” said Muzamil Rashid, another government employee. In view of the shortage of essential commodities being faced by people in various localities, volunteers have started distributing these items among people stranded at various places. The volunteers distributed eatables among attendants of patients at various hospitals in the city. “We distributed eatables among attendants of patients today,” said a volunteer, who distributed eatables at Lal Ded Maternity Hospital here. “For the past two months, Friday is a Sunday here and Sunday a Friday. On Friday, there is a complete shutdown here and on Sunday when the separatists give some relaxation, schools, colleges, government offices, banks and even the university function,” said Tahira Qayoom, a school teacher. Due to the ongoing unrest, everything has changed. People are not venturing out during daytime as they fear attacks by stone-throwing mobs. They prefer travelling at night when there are no protesters. “We prefer leaving for Jammu at midnight so that we can cross the Valley in dark and when we have to return, we leave Jammu late in the evening so that we can reach here at night when there are no protests ,” said Bitu Singh, a taxi driver. People have been at the receiving end due to the continuous strikes, curfew and killing as they have been virtually confined to their houses. “Kashmir has become a virtual prison and we, the Kashmiris, have become prisoners. If we ignore the strike call, we have to face the ire of stone throwers, who beat us and damage our vehicles.We bear the brunt of the security forces, too, if we violate the restrictions or the curfew,” said Umar Ganie, a postgraduate student. “We have been virtually locked in our houses for weeks.Our children haven’t gone to school for months and their education is also suffering.Besides, the casualties are adding fuel to the fire,” said Aman Farooq, a government employee.
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Women smugglers from Punjab give Jammu cops a tough time
Jammu, August 2 A number of women have been caught in the recent past smuggling drugs, mainly intoxicating capsules, meant to be supplied to local youths. Parvon Spas, a capsule, meant for subduing labour pains, is troubling the police the most, as it is the main intoxicating drug being smuggled into the region. Women have also been involved in smuggling poppy husk. As many as seven women belonging to different districts of Punjab have been caught smuggling intoxicants, especially the “off-the-counter” drugs, into Jammu division in the last two months. Police sources say there are other women smugglers active in the region also. Drugs are leading to gory crimes. The recent kidnapping and murder of teenager Shalin Gupta allegedly by two drug addicts is one such incident. The women smugglers caught were Kulwinder Kaur, alias Sonu, Usha of Talwandi Pura and Rani of Hoshiarpur. Then another gang of four women, namely Rani, Paramjit, Bilo and another unidentified woman from Noshera in Punjab, was busted. The police said more and more women were taking to drug smuggling as recently Soma Devi, a resident of the Domana area here, was caught smuggling 12,000 capsules. “She brought the consignment from Punjab, mainly from border districts,” said Sub Divisional Police Officer Diwakar Singh. A senior officer, wishing not to be quoted, hinted at a nexus in Punjab between the police and smugglers. “Otherwise, how come they reach unchecked in Jammu and Kashmir.” Ashok Gupta, IG, told The Tribune that the Jammu police had taken up the smuggling of intoxicants as a major challenge. “We have barred chemists here from selling such capsules. The chemists are already following the norms and not selling the banned drugs. This indicates that the banned drugs, if available here, are smuggled from Punjab.” He said the policy had yielded result as 121 cases of drugs smuggling had been lodged in the first six months against about 60 in the corresponding period last year. “A whopping 63,000 capsules were seized till June this year while last year only 19,000 capsules were confiscated.” According to a police survey, every fifth youth in Jammu is a drug addict. The police said the matter had been taken up with Punjab many times but desired results were yet to surface. What the Punjab Police says
SP, Detective, Pathankot Police, says “We are aware of the problem of the availability of such capsules in Punjab. But we are not aware that smugglers are buying the drugs here and selling these in Jammu. The sale of the drugs can’t be stopped completely due to legal hassles, as the sale of capsules will have to be banned completely. However, we take action against those who store such capsules in bulk.”
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Girl fails in BA II exam, attempts suicide
Jammu, August 2 The result of BA/BSc/Bcom part-II was declared by Jammu University on July 31 and the students started getting mark sheets from the college today. It was learnt that Sonia was under constant stress when she consumed phenol on the college premises after she got her mark sheet from the college. The incident, which took place around 2 pm, shocked the college authorities, students and Sonia’s parents. While talking to The Tribune, Saleem Ahmed , a student of the college, said, “Sonia was in the college hall when she consumed some poisonous substance and fell down. Many students were witness to the incident and we immediately informed the college authorities.” The college authorities acted promptly and rushed Sonia to the Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital here and her life was saved. Expressing shock over the incident, Rehana Akhtar, Sonia’s sister, said, “One of the college professors informed me about the incident and we reached the hospital immediately. She was under shock as she had never failed in any examination.” She got 68 per cent marks in the BA Part-I examination last year, added Rehana. Naseema Akhtar, Sonia’s mother, who was emotionally surcharged, said Sonia had stopped having meals since last Saturday when she came to know about the result. “She feared that her father might react negatively after knowing about her failure. She was under stress when she went to the college in the morning,” said Naseema. Tears rolled down her (Sonia’s) eyes when she said, “Though I did a lot of hard work, I failed in the exams.”
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One killed, 33 hurt as bus falls into gorge
Jammu, August 2 The police said the driver lost control over the vehicle and it fell into about 300-400 feet deep gorge. While Shashi Kant, in his mid-forties, was killed three others were critically injured. The injured were referred to the Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu, where their condition was said to be critical. It said a rescue operation was launched immediately and other 30 injured were taken to a hospital in
Udhampur.
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Chopra Murder Case
Jammu, August 2 Sangram Singh, the main accused in the Chopra murder case, along with some accomplices had allegedly killed five persons, Rajendar Chopra, alias Raju, a cement manufacturer, his wife Madhu Chopra, their daughter Saloni Chopra, a servant and a driver on the intervening night of September 16-17, 2006, at their house in Trikuta Nagar here. Sangram was brought to the city from Guna in Madhya Pradesh under tight security yesterday, as 13 officers of the Jammu police and an equal number of Madhya Pradesh police officers accompanied him. Ashish Sapre, a sub-inspector, is leading the Madhya Pradesh police team. Though the Jammu police demanded the remand of Sangram for interrogation, the court asked the police and the accused to appear before it tomorrow, and sent Sangram to the Kot Bhalwal central prison in judicial custody. Those already arrested in the case, namely Mahesh Singh, Rusy, Vicky, Nanju, Bhawani Singh, Narain, Lalit and Sikandar, also appeared before the court today. The court fixed August 26 as the next date of hearing. They were also sent to the Kot Bhalwal prison. |
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Sangram Singh, family centre
of attraction
Jammu, August 2 A large number of lawyers and others gathered to have a glimpse of Sangram, who was sitting on a bench. After seeing the accused, everyone was asking, “Is this Sangram”? As soon as he was taken to the court, the other eight accused, including his two brothers, Mahesh and Rusy, tried to meet him, but the cops did not allow them to do so. Till 2.30 pm, a large number of lawyers and court staffers stayed outside the courtroom. Sangram’s children were heard, saying “Ghabrao mat Papa (Don’t worry, dad)”. But the cops did not allow him to meet either his wife or children who were also attracting the attention of people in the court complex while sitting on the floor. Talking to this correspondent, Sangram said:“I have not done anything wrong and I am being falsely implicated in the case. I have never visited the city before. I know only seven other persons, whose names have been included in the case as they belong to my village, Khijra in Guna district of MP”. He added: “I don’t even know Bhawani Singh, who is also an accused”. When contacted, Bhawani Singh, another accused, said: “A CBI inquiry should be ordered. Only then, will the truth come out. The police has conducted narco tests twice in Bangalore, but they have not been able to establish my link in the case.Still, I have been put behind bars. I was working at a dry fruit shop in Katra as I was born and brought up here, but the police arrested me from my in-laws’ house in Ellahabad about three years ago”. On the other hand, Puneet Chopra and Rohit, sons of the deceased, have also filed a petition in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. They are also demanding a CBI probe. |
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Protest against water shortage, power cuts
Jammu, August 2 According to a statement issued here, activists of the JWAM held dharna and blocked the road from Ambphalla to Bantalab. While addressing the gathering, president of the JWAM Sunil Dimple alleged that people of the Jammu west constituency were suffering due to an acute scarcity of potable water for the last 10 days but the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department hadn’t bothered to assess the problem. He demanded an improvement in the water supply in the constituency. Dimple warned that the JWAM would start an indefinite agitation against the PHE and the PDD Departments and would ‘gheroa’ the ministers of departments concerned.
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Teachers’ forum flays education department
Jammu, August 2 According to a statement issued here, members of the forum under the chairmanship of its president HD Qureshi, expressed concern over the “casual” and “non-serious” approach of the School Education Department and also over the failure of the Public Service Commission (PSC) in implementation of the cabinet decision. The members appealed to Minister for Education Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed for his personal intervention in the matter. Meanwhile, Qureshi extended gratitude to Zahida Khan, Director, School Education, for taking reformative steps and for her keenness to equip the institution with subject teachers in the entire province.
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Rs 68.60 crore annual planfor Poonch
approved
Jammu, August 2 The outlay comprises Rs 26.03 crore revenue component and Rs 45.56 crore as capital component. Speaking at the meeting, Chib stressed upon the need for further streamlining of the distribution of BPL ration, besides active implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. He also asked the executive agencies concerned to ensure an early completion of the university campus being constructed in the district. The minister directed the engineers to speed up the repair and renovation work on the Budha-Amarnath road so that it could be completed before the commencement of the annual yatra. Chib asked all officers concerned to ensure an effective monitoring of development works being going on in the district and seek the suggestions of the local representatives and people as well for better results. In view of a vast tourism potential of the district, the minister asked the authorities to create awareness among the youths of the area regarding various self-employment schemes being available under tourism development. He said it would not only boost the tourist infrastructure in the district but also would go a long way in tackling unemployment. Referring to the construction of a mini-secretariat at Poonch, the minister said he would take up the matter for an early release of the sanctioned funds with the authorities concerned. During the meeting, the MLAs from the district highlighted the issues of public importance of their respective constituencies and sought their early redress. Giving an account of the achievements of the last financial year, District Development Commissioner, Poonch, Kuldeep Raj Khajuria informed that of the total approved outlay for the last year, 99.98 per cent expenditure was made in the district. He also said apart from various developmental works such as the construction of the mini-secretariat building, opening of university campus and a polytechnic college in Poonch, restoration of the fort building, construction of an emergency block at the District Hospital, Poonch, and improvement works of power supply and a better road connectivity were taken up in the district. |
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Sikh leaders block national highway
Jammu, August 2 The blockade remained peaceful and no untoward incident was reported. The police, including the Deputy Commissioner and Senior Superintendent of Police, reached the spot and assured the protesters of raising their demand before the senior officers. Around 10 am, the blockade was lifted and the vehicular movement was restored on the highway. |
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Bathindi gets tube well
Jammu, August 2 The work is nearing completion and it would meet long-pending demands of residents, he said here after inspecting the discharge of the deep drill tube well at Bathindi. Bhalla said the coalition government was committed to providing all basic amenities to people of all the three regions with special focus on drinking water, regular power supply, road connectivity, health care and education at their doorsteps, adding that various initiatives were taken in this regard. He said Rs 222 crore had been spent for augmentation of drinking water facilities in his constituency by constructing tube wells, laying of water supply pipes in uncovered areas, besides the construction of over head tanks. For uplifting the socio-economic condition of the displaced persons of 1947, the Centre had approved Rs 49-crore package. Out of the total amount, Rs 15 crore had already been distributed among them by conducting public darbars in their respective colonies, he informed. He further said the government had approved Rs 50 crore for widening the Kunjwani-Satwari road, adding the road would be four-laned on modern lines. For reducing the traffic congestion on Tawi bridges, he said the government had approved Rs 150 crore for the construction of fourth double-lane bridge over the Tawi at Belicharana, adding the construction work was under execution and would be complete by 2012. He also said to ease rush in the city hospitals, an additional 500-bedded hospital would be dedicated to the people of the Gandhi Nagar constituency with all infrastructural facilities. Bhalla appealed to the people in helping the coalition government in restoring the peace and normalcy in the state. At Shanker Colony in Gangyal, the laying of water supply pipes in uncovered areas was started in the presence of the Minister for which Rs 7 lakh has been earmarked. He said the adequate drinking water supply would be discharged from Deep Nagar in Kunjwani tube well. He asked the PHE department to restore the dug up portion of the link road and internal lanes so that the locals do not face any inconvenience during monsoon.
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Order on physical education teacher’s appointment
Jammu, August 2 “The petitioner, having been proved to have been wronged by the board in not being informed about the date (s) and venue (s) of the interview, the damage done to her by the board in refusing her for being considered for selection, therefore, needs to be remedied,” ruled the court. The Board published an advertisement notice dated December 29, 2005, inviting applications for selection to various posts, including those of physical education teacher in the district cadre in Udhampur. Possessing the qualification of B.P.Ed in the Ist division with distinction, Sujata Rani applied for one of the posts. The candidates short-listed for interview included the petitioner who figured at serial 127 in the open merit category and serial no 4 in the reserved category of the SOC. The interviews of the short-listed candidates, however, were postponed until further orders by the board vide its notice dated February 5, 2007. The board, thereafter issued another notification in April, 2007, publishing the Schedule for interview of the physical education teachers. The petitioner argued that the board had deprived her of being considered for selection by participating in the interview, in omitting to follow the procedure, which it had indicated to follow vide its various notifications informing the candidates of the dates fixed for the interview. The board neither issued individual call letters nor gave wide publicity, as promised, thereby depriving her of the right to consideration for selection.
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MC impounds33 stray animals
Jammu, August 2 The stray animals were kept in the municipal cattle pound and a fine of Rs 4,170 was realised from the owners of the animals. The Municipal Veterinary Officer along with the field staff visited the areas of Ambphalla, Rehari, Janipur, Akhnoor Road, Jewel, Bhagwati Nagar, Talab Tillo, Bahu Fort, Railway Road, Channi, Trikuta Nagar, Greater Kailash, Gangyal, Nai Basti, Panama Chowk and Gandhi Nagar.
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4 inspectors, 3 SIs transferred
Jammu, August 2 Inspector Karanjeet Singh, at present posted with the District Police Lines (Jammu), has been transferred as SHO, Channi Himmat police station. Inspector Naresh Sharma, at present posted with the Special Operation Group (SOG), Jammu, has been posted as SHO, Akhnoor police station. Similarly, Sub-Inspector Rajinder Kumar, at present posted with the DPL, Jammu, has been transferred as SHO, Jhajjar Kotli police station, while Sub-Inspector Deepak Pathania, at present posted with the DPL, Jammu, has been posted as in charge of the Sarwal police post. Sub-Inspector Wasim Raja, at present in charge of Peermitha police station, has been transferred and posted with the SOG, Jammu. |
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CM chairs Unified Command meeting
Srinagar, August 2 The meeting was attended by the top brass of the Army, security forces, the J&K Police, the IB and the civil administration, an official spokesman said. Earlier, the Chief Minister, who had appealed to people to cooperate in restoring peace and normalcy, had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and discussed the prevailing situation in the Valley. |
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With no end in sight to the ongoing violence against the recent killings, seven more youths were killed and 76 others injured as the Kashmir valley was rocked by massive protests and clashes while agitated people defied curfew restrictions and targeted government installations today.
Srinagar, August 2
