Srinagar, September 11
The Eid celebrations here were marred by violence today, prompting the police to fire several rounds into the air to disperse a mob that attacked and set a police post and a police vehicle ablaze in the historic Hazratbal shrine.

The mob also set on fire the office of the Chief Engineer, Power Development Department, and the office of the Crime Branch. The chairman of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, also took the authorities by surprise when after offering Eid prayers at the Eidgah, where around two lakh people had gathered, he asked them to march towards Lal Chowk to hold a 30-minute peaceful protest.

Soon after offering Eid prayers at the Hazratbal shrine, a mob attacked the police post on the lawns of the shrine and set it on fire. It also set on fire a police vehicle parked outside the shrine.

The police said it had to fire into the air in self defence and save public property from further damage. Police sources said the attack in which several policemen were also injured was aimed at provoking them to fire at the Eid congregation so as to foment more trouble, but the police maintained calm and only fired into the air to disperse the mob.

“Activists of the Hurriyat Confernce (Geelani faction) and the Muslim League disturbed Eid prayers at the Hazratbal shrine and set on fire the Auqaf building housing policemen and a police vehicle. The mob was dispersed, but the situation continues to be tense,” a police spokesman said. He added that the administration and the police was exercising the maximum restraint.

“Activists of the Hurriyat (Geelani faction) and the Muslim League have been identified. They, in a pre-planned manner, disrupted the peaceful prayers at the Hazratbal. These elements had planned to provoke the administration and use the Eid congregation to disrupt the festivities and create the misconception that this was a popular movement,” the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, since early morning, on the call of separatist leaders, people in a large number on trucks, buses and taxis reached the Eidgah to offer prayers. Soon after the prayers, the Mirwiaz asked people to march towards the city centre in Lal Chowk to hold a peaceful sit-in.

“Mirwaiz Umar Farooq ignited the situation by leading a procession to Lal Chowk taking the advantage of the Eid congregation and vitiated the Eid celebrations in Srinagar,” the spokesman said.

However, the peaceful protest at Lal Chowk turned violent as mobs indulged in arson and violence. After the Mirwaiz completed his speech the buildings of Chief Engineer, PDD, and the Crime Branch office in the Jehangir Chowk area were set on fire by miscreants. The protesters also damaged the Clock Tower in Lal Chowk and unfurled the Pakistan flag on the top of the tower.

Earlier in the morning after prayers at various mosques, a large number of youths on motorcycles were seen holding the green Islamic and Pakistan flags and they hoisted these flags at various places, including government buildings. Geelani had earlier asked people to hold protests after the Eid prayers. There were also reports of violent protests from other parts of the Kashmir valley.

The police said the miscreants owing allegiance to separatist elements attacked police stations and government offices at a number of places. They attacked police stations at Sopore, Pulwama, Kunzer, Main Chowk, Sopore, and SP (South) office, Srinagar, and women police station, Rambagh. They also beat up a policeman with a steel rod.

Srinagar, September 11
Despite a tense situation prevailing in different parts of the Kashmir valley, a majority of people offered Eid prayers peacefully. Eid witnessed the revival of the spirit of mutual love and brotherhood and from the wee hours people were seen proceeding to the Eidgah, mosques and shrines to offer prayers.

The largest Eid gathering was held at Eidgah, where the administration had made all necessary arrangements for the convenience of the people. The PHE tankers were available at various places, traffic arrangements were meticulous and due care was taken for proper sanitation at the Eidgah and vicinity.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, amid thousands of people, offered prayers at Ziarat Syed Yaqoob Sahib, Sonawar. It was an unprecedented gathering of people at the Ziarat Sahib.

Not only the entire three stories of the Jamia Masjid of Sonawar were packed with the devotees, a large gathering was seen in the shrine, outside in the lawns, adjacent buildings and in the streets as well. The administration had made all traffic and parking arrangements for thousands of vehicles.

At the Charar-e-Sharief, a large number of devotees offered prayers at Khan-kha-Faiz-ul-Panah and the shrine of Hazrat Noor-ud-Din-Wali Noorani. The administration had made elaborate arrangements for the Eid prayers.

At the TRC ground, a large number of people offered prayers and the administration had made all necessary arrangements. At the Dargah Sharief also a large number of people had gathered from early in the morning to offer prayers. The Eid prayers were also offered at various Shia mosques like Zadibal, Imambarah Budgam and other mosques.

Srinagar, September 11
The chairman of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, said today that “the people of Kashmir wanted the right to self-determination.”

“The time for taking half-hearted steps like the partial withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) has gone. Now, the talks should focus on the bigger issues. Economic and job packages are no solution to the Kashmir issue,” Mirwaiz said while addressing Eid prayers at Eidgah here today.

“People are sacrificing their lives for the right to self-determination,” he said and urged the Centre to change its Kashmir policy.

He stressed that the ongoing movement in Kashmir was not aimed against the people of India or any religion or region, but it was the moment of the people of Kashmir for their future. He cautioned the Centre not to relate the “current uprising” with Pakistan as the ongoing agitation was indigenous.

“The time has come for India to realise the ground situation and stop looking on the uprising through the prism of Pakistan, which has nothing to do with it,” he said.

“The Government of India should tell the people of India that Jawaharlal Nehru had taken the Kashmir issue to the United Nations and promised the right to self-determination to the people of Jammu and Kashmir for deciding their future,” the Mirwaiz said. He added that the time had come to start a decisive dialogue process between India, Pakistan and “genuine” leadership of Kashmir for resolving the Kashmir issue. “The talks have to be Kashmir centric as the previous dialogues, which did not focus on the issue, did not yield any results,” he said.

JKLF chairman Yasin Malik said, “The international community needs to recognise the transition of Kashmiri people from violent to non-violent mode. It needs to act and make India understand that it cannot hold on to Kashmir forcibly.”

Srinagar, September 11
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has blamed the chairman of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, for instigating violence today and blamed him for the breach of trust.

Speaking to mediapersons after the Eid prayers, Omar said, “We had received a request from the Mirwaiz for a peaceful protest and we gave the permission. But the trust has been betrayed. The Mirwaiz and Yasin Malik abused the trust as they were given permission for a peaceful protest. They have also hurt the sentiments of the Eid festival.”

“A handful of protests in the state on Eid are very unfortunate. A small section of the crowd decided to burn the police barracks. Such incidents also weaken my case. In the face of violence it becomes difficult to move forward,” said Omar. He claimed the situation in the Kashmir valley was under control.

“The situation in the Valley is under control. The forces have shown the utmost restraint in spite of great provocation by a handful of people. This has to be looked as a confidence building measure to show the people who are inclined to carry out protests,” said Omar.

Accusing the Mirwaiz and Yaseen Malik of failing in their duty to maintain peace, Omar said, “It was the Mirwaiz’s office that approached a senior official in my government and requested for permission for a march to Lal Chowk. They were repeatedly asked that the mob would go out of control but the repeated insistence from the separatist’s camp for allowing them a political space for a peaceful march made me overrule suggestions of my police officials. However, whatever happened later at Lal Chowk could be termed as the betrayal of trust.”

Meanwhile, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said the violence was the outcome of the anger of the people who were on the streets, but he would not justify it.

Srinagar, September 11
The chairman of the hard line faction of the Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who was arrested two days ago from his uptown Hyderpora residence, was released by the police today.

Geelani, who was released by the police in the afternoon, reached home and said he would continue to stick to his five-point agenda for the dialogue process. He was arrested two days ago under Sections 107 and 151 of CrPC for instigating crowds leading to a law and order problem.

Geelani has put forth five demands before the Centre for initiating a dialogue process for the resolution of the Kashmir issue, including declaring Kashmir as an international dispute, initiating the process of complete demilitarisation of the state and commitment from the Prime Minister that “no further killings or arrests will take place in the state”.

Soon after his release, Geelani said the five-point agenda floated by him, that was also passed in the Hazratbal shrine and the Muslim majority districts of the Jammu region, was the only way forward for the resolution of the Kashmir issue. “Now, India has no choice other than to act on these five points,” he added.

Geelani said he was deliberately put behind bars on the eve of Eid. “Arresting me on the eve of Eid was one of the oppressive tactics of the government,” he added.

Jammu, September 11
The Panun Kashmir today called upon people of the state and the country to support the creation of a union territory in Kashmir for the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits.

It also invited people to attend a rally on Martyrs’ Day on September 14.

While addressing a press conference here today, Panun Kashmir chairman Ajay Chrungoo said the creation of a union territory in the Kashmir province situated on the north and east of the Jhelum had become a necessity.

“The Government of India and the Indian political class must recognise this necessity to save the integrity and sovereignty of the nation in Jammu and Kashmir and initiate a dialogue with the Panun Kashmir on the issue without delay,” said Chrungoo.

Mansar, September 11
Rekindling hopes of the aggrieved family of a young medical student from Kashmir, a six-member team of naval divers from New Delhi launched a search operation in the Mansar Lake here this afternoon to trace his body.

A final year student of Acharaya Shri Chander Medical College of Sciences at Sidhra near Jammu, Syed Zuhaib Rizvi went missing from the lakeside on May 14 this year.

“We had never expected such a difficult situation. Almost four months on, the boy remains untraced. We are dying everyday,” Rizvi’s paternal uncle Syed Afzal told The Tribune.

“The previous two attempts by the Army and naval divers from Bandipora proved futile. Now, let us hope that this effort by another team of naval divers from New Delhi would yield some results,” he added. They had brought sophisticated equipment and seemed better than the previous team and hence we were hopeful, Afzal said.

Ruling out the possibility of a foul play, Afzal said he (Zuhaib) had no financial problems, had no enmity with anyone and was good in studies. However, he used to stammer and had been under depression, which was normal these days. He was taking medicines for depression, he added.

Maternal uncle of the missing medico, Shaukat Alamgir, who was also at the spot, expressed gratitude to the state government and the police for trying everything possible to trace Zuhaib. But he ridiculed the college principal for what he dubbed a lukewarm and adamant approach in lodging an FIR with the police on May 21, after a gap of one week of the incident. “Uncertainty haunts us all the time and his mother Sofia Nissar might either become insane or die,” said Alamgir.

Zuhaib’s father, an assistant executive engineer with the Power Development Department, had died way back in 1990, leaving behind his wife, son (Zuhaib) and a daughter.

Deputy Commissioner, Samba, Mubarak Singh hoped that the fresh endeavour of the naval team from Delhi would yield some results. “If the team gets some success, at least the mental agony of the family will cease,” he said.

SSP, Samba, JL Sharma described it a case of drowning saying on the fateful day some people had seen the boy drowning from a particular place of the lake, which is spread over an area of four sq km.

Before launching the search operation, the six-member team led by Chief Petty Officer of CD-1 Jai Bhagwan offered prayers at the ancient Naag Temple on the banks of the lake. DSP SK Bakshi also briefed the team about the location from where Zuhaib’s belongings were recovered. Jai Bhagwan told The Tribune that they could go up to the depth of 55 metres (approx 165 feet) in the lake and had all requisite equipment to carry out the operation.

Jammu, September 11
The decision of Chief Minister Omar Abdulllah to approach Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for help in retrieving the body of a medical student, Sayeed Zuhaib Rizvi, who reportedly drowned in the Mansar Lake, has triggered a controversy, as political parties have charged the government with adopting double standards in treating human tragedies.

While political groups have appreciated the Chief Minister for approaching the Prime Minister for getting a team of Navy divers to locate the body of the medical student who belongs to the Kashmir valley, they lamented that no effort has been made so far to retrieve the bodies of two Dalit girls who reportedly drowned in the Chenab after allegedly humiliated by policemen in the Paddar area of Kishtwar.

The two girls, Sapna and Sangeeta, went missing from the banks of the Chenab on July 12. It is believed that both girls, who belong to Dailit families, jumped into the river as they were humiliated by the cops after they were caught with two boys of the same locality.

“For the last two months, residents of Paddar have been agitating but the government has not taken any step to locate the girls,” regretted Sunil Sharma, a local BJP leader, who is in the forefront of the agitation.

“The casual approach of the government in locating the girls speaks volumes about the different parameters adopted by the authorities in treating human tragedies,” said Sunil, adding that “it is an appreciative step that the Chief Minister has approached the Prime Minister for help to locate the missing medical student, but people of this region too deserve equal treatment.”

State president of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Tulsi Dass Langeh also expressed resentment over the alleged indifferent attitude of the state government.

“The Chief Minister has done a good job by getting a team of Navy divers to locate the body of the medical student from the Mansar Lake but similar efforts are required to locate the poor girls of Paddar,” he said and regretted the case of two young girls was being taken casually by the state government.

“We will not remain a mute spectator to the discriminatory policy of the government,” warned Bali Bhagat, state vice-president of the BJP. “We have lost all hopes from this government,” he added.

Sunder Bani, September 11
A huge billboard at its entrance says the sub-district hospital, Sunder Bani, is the first referral unit. Nonetheless, very little has changed with the change of billboard in the beginning of this year.

Without a special power supply feeder to the hospital, sources said many newly added health facilities at the hospital have been inoperative and thus problems of patients continue.

They said funds amounting to Rs 19 lakh for the special feeder were released nearly eight months ago. However, the non-clearance of the route of electric cables had delayed its commissioning. Consequently, the blood storage facility could not be operationalised while the routine work in the operating theatre and several other specialities like neonatal stabiliser were suffering due to frequent power cuts.

“Only the name of the hospital has changed over the years. The manpower, infrastructure and the equipment have remained the same and so the problems of the patients,” locals lamented.

“Many posts in different cadres are lying vacant. Besides Sunder Bani, patients from adjoining tehsils like Akhnoor, Reasi, Budhal, Kalakote and Nowshera are also dependent on the hospital,” said executive members of the All Party Coordination Committee, Capt Ramesh (retd) and Bhagwan Dass. They added that “there is an urgent need for ENT doctors and other specialists.”

“Though there is an ultrasound machine, there is no radiologist. For all major surgeries of bones, patients have to rush to Jammu. We need an operating theatre for orthopaedic patients,” they said, adding that “the hospital is short of space. Though a new block is coming up on the hospital premises for the past many years, the construction work is going on at a snail’s pace.”

“We demand the adjoining veterinary hospital be shifted from the town so that the hospital could further develop,” Capt Ramesh and Bhagwan Dass said, maintaining that at present the hospital did not have space to cope with emergency situations like accidents.

“As the hospital is close to the national highway, locals have time and again demanded a trauma centre and critical care ambulances,” they said. “There are only two sweepers for ensuring sanitation at the entire hospital,” they added.

As the work on the special power supply feeder had been in limbo, the authorities concerned must take cognisance of it, they said.

“The Army had objections over the route of power supply line so the project got delayed,” said Assistant Executive Engineer Anil Goutam. He claimed, “The work is already on and if everything goes well, the project will be complete within two months.”

Udhampur, September 11
As part of the ongoing efforts to provide a healing touch and bring normalcy in the militancy-affected areas of Mahore tehsil of Reasi district, the Rashtriya Rifles garrison located at Sarh and Mahore organised a medical camp for the people of Mahore, Sarh, Sajruand and Budhan areas today.

The camp aimed at providing medical aid to the needy population of Mahore teshil and adjacent remote villages where the medical help from the civil administration hardly reaches due to the inhospitable terrain. The medical camp was conducted by the RMO and a woman medical officer, who were assisted by two nursing assistants. A large number of patients, a majority being women and children, turned up at the camp. Cases requiring immediate medical attention were identified and given priority in treatment. Serious cases that needed further follow up were referred to the government hospital at Mahore.

Most of the patients were diagnosed as suffering from anaemia and dermatological infections. As a preventive measure, they were advised by the medical team to maintain hygienic conditions and improve the eating habits. The medical camp was highly appreciated by the local population and the civil administration which found this as a blessing in the month of Ramzan.

Army officials said more such camps would be organised at Gul, Lancha, Dharmari, Angrala, Bagga and various other remote locations, including Gulabgarh, Dandiala and Sumbar, in the near future.

Jammu, September 11
Under the banner of the Youth All India Kashmiri Samaj, Kashmiri Pandit youths held a protest rally against the state government for delay in the issuance of appointment orders for selected migrant candidates in government jobs here today. The protest was held under the leadership of RK Bhat, president of the samaj. The rally was supposed to reach the Governor House from the Press Club but it was stopped at Dogra Chowk.

The samaj demanded an announcement for the remaining 3,000 posts under the Prime Minister’s Special Employment Package with seven year’s age relaxation and one-time compensation of Rs 25 lakh in the favour of overage youth of the community.

While addressing the rally, Bhat warned that any further delay in the issuance of formal appointment orders to the migrant candidates would force the youths to intensify their agitation.

“We will intensify the agitation if our demands are not fulfilled. Our agitation will also spread to other state capitals as well,” warned Bhat. He said the government had maintained a criminal silence over the issue of appointment orders to the selected candidates while it was focusing on stone throwers and those who had crossed the border for arms training.

Bhat said, “The Prime Minister’s employment package for Kashmiri migrants was given after more than 28 months from the date of its announcement. The interviews for the selection of the candidates were conducted, the list of selected candidates was notified and the final orders of appointment were to be issued in the beginning of July 2010.”

“But under the pretext of disturbance in the Valley the appointment orders have been put on hold, making us a scapegoat of the prevailing situation in the Valley,” Bhat added.

Udhampur, September 11
Timely action by the police prevented the situation from turning ugly as the angry processionists, mainly youths, threw stones and raised slogans of azadi while the Eid procession was passing through Kishtwar town today.

Eyewitnesses said the immediate cause of provocation was the videography of the procession being done by the police. Some youths in the procession objected to it. They resorted to stone throwing and started raising slogans for azadi as the videography continued in spite of the angry objections.

SP, Kishtwar, Mohammad Haseeb Mughal reached the spot and ordered the police to stay away. This soothed the frayed tempers and the procession went on smoothly. He termed the vidoegraphy of the procession as a part of the police duty. After the procession, Hurriyat leader of the Shabir Shah faction, Moulvi Abdul Qayoom delivered a speech in which he again raised the issue of azadi.

Mughal, however, tried to brush aside the incident terming it as a non-issue for the police. He maintained that the procession passed off peacefully. Rather it was a positive development that a record gathering of more than 20,000 people was witnessed, he added.

A favourable weather added to the celebrations and people from remote areas of the district congregated on the festive occasion. He admitted that pro-azadi slogans were raised.

Jammu, September 11
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is sending contradictory signals to the masses and the Central government about the situation in the state.

While on the one hand, he is seeking the revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in four or six districts, on the other he is still continuing with the SMS ban, which directly affects the masses.

The SMS ban was imposed on the argument that people in the Valley were using it to assemble swiftly at one point and also to spread rumours about “fake” killings and “highhandedness” of cops. The SMS ban was invoked even though there was no recommendation by the Army or the police.

Yet the Chief Minister has made a case for the revocation of the AFSPA from some districts arguing that there was peace and it was not required there. But at the same time, the SMS ban remained.

The state government did not even move at the plight of the Ladakhi students in Jammu, who wanted the ban to be removed, so that they could be constantly in touch with their relatives and friends using the SMS.

Though a government announcement of removing the ban from Leh was made, it had no benefit as SMS from jammu to Leh and vice versa were not allowed while one could send and receive SMS from Leh in other parts of the country.

Raman Sharma, a noted RTI expert, feels the Chief Minister should come clean on the situation. “There can’t be both situations. He must remove the SMS ban first to tell everyone that all is well and then talk about the bigger change of the AFSPA.”

Showing statistics, he argued that the ban on SMS could have been justified, if there were no protests, violence in the Valley after that. “People are still easily assembling into a violent mob. But people of Jammu and Ladakh are suffering for no fault of theirs.”

Jammu, September 11
Dr Monika Gupta of Government Degree College (Boys), Udhampur, has been selected for the prestigious “Environmentalist of the Year Award’ for this year.

According to a statement issued here, she is one among the 15 recipients of this award, which will be presented by the National Environmental Science Academy, New Delhi.

Dr Gupta is the first teacher of the state to have been conferred with this honour in the discipline of Chemistry.

Besides, Dr Gupta has also been selected for presenting a paper at the international conference on “Advanced Oxidative Processes” to be held in Kerala from September 18 to 21, this year.

Jammu, September 11
Private schools affiliated with the state board of school education continue to violate norms by remaining open on gazetted holidays. Many private schools were open on the occasion of Jumat-ul-Vida here yesterday. Even two days ago these schools violated the norms and remained open on the day of Shab-i-Qadar.

“Though some of my friends enjoyed the holiday yesterday, I had to attend my school,” said Mohit Gupta, a student of a private school.

According to sources, the private schools, which remained functional today, were Oriental Academy, Lord Shiva Public School, Model Academy Higher Secondary School and Jain School. — TNS

Jammu, September 11
The Jammu Joint Students’ Federation (JJSF) has constituted a unit in Government Degree College, Akhnoor.

According to a statement issued here, those elected office-bearers are president--Varun Singh Chib; vice-president — Avinash; general secretary — Ravinder Singh Chib; joint secretary — Sunil Sharma; working president — Anil Sharma; coordinator —Deepak Kumar; and secretary — Rohit Choudhary; press secretary— Surinder Singh; chairman — Vivek Choudhary; and treasurer — Sunil Sharma. — TNS