Srinagar, October 8
Miscreants today resorted to stone throwing on the security forces near the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Shopian and near the police station in Pulwama.

At certain places, the police had to resort to lobbing of tear gas shells and cane charge to disperse the mob.

A police spokesman said miscreants made attempts to disturb peace at a few places in the Valley, which were thwarted by the security forces.

“Miscreants resorted to stone throwing at security forces’ deployment at the Galwanpora, Hyderpora, Sheikhpora and Humhama areas of Budgam district. The miscreants were later chased away by the forces,” the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, in view of a strike call given by the chairman of the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the authorities reimposed the curfew in various parts of the Kashmir valley today.

The separatist leader had called for a protest after the Friday prayers.So, as a precautionary measure, the authorities reimposed the curfew.

Meanwhile, normal activities resumed in rest of Srinagar and other major towns as shopkeepers opened their shops and public and private vehicles were again on the roads early in the day.

However, the traffic was suspended on the Srinagar-Kralapora road after residents of the Channapora locality of uptown Srinagar blocked it in protest against the arrest of nearly a dozen youths on the charges of stone-throwing by the police over the past one week.

The police immediately swung into action and persuaded the protesters to disperse, assuring them that the arrested youths would be released after questioning, the sources said.

The authorities reimposed the restrictions in MR Gunj, Safakadal, Rainawari, Nowhatta, Khanyar and Batamaloo. Similar restrictions were put in place in Baramulla town, Delina, Palhalan, Pattan, Kunzar and the Tangmarg areas of Baramulla district, Kupwara town, Trehgam, Kralpora, areas of Kupwara district, Handwara town, Chotipora, Kulangam and other areas of Handwara district.

Jammu, October 8
Stepping up its campaign against Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for his “controversial” remarks in the Legislative Assembly, the BJP today submitted a memorandum to Governor NN Vohra through Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, demanding immediate dismissal of the present government and registration of case against the Chief Minister for “preaching” secessionism.

“Without wasting time, the Governor should dismiss Omar Abdullah as he has become a threat to the integrity of the country,” said Shamsher Singh Manhas, BJP state president, after submitting the memorandum to the Divisional Commissioner.

BJP sources said the party leadership, with consultation of various bodies of the Sangh Parivar, had chalked out the course of agitation to take up this issue among the masses.

While targeting the Chief Minister for challenging the accession of the state to India, the BJP wants to corner the Congress on this emotive issue as the people of Jammu region, from where the Congress has won maximum assembly seats, have shown their anger against Omar’s speech.

“Very much like Amarnath land, accession of Jammu and Kashmir is an emotive issue for the people of Jammu and the party has decided to rake up the issue to put the Congress in defence,” a senior BJP leader told The Tribune, adding that the Sangh Parivar had asked the party to aggressively take up this issue.

“By stepping up campaign against Omar Abdullah, we want to target the Congress as our fight is with this party in Jammu region,” he said.

Manhas said, “Let all our MLAs return from Kashmir, we will devise a strategy to counter Omar’s gameplan to secede Jammu and Kashmir from India,” he said.

The BJP observed that Omar’s statement in the Legislative Assembly tantamounted to an act an abuse of power entrusted to him under the Constitution of State as well as under the Constitution of India.

In the memorandum, the BJP stated that Omar Abdullah had crossed all limits by raising question mark over the complete and irrevocable accession of the state to India.

“The entire nation is shocked over the irresponsible statement made by Omar Abdullah,” the memorandum stated and pointed out that the Congress, which is coalition partner of Omar Abdullah, has endorsed this secessionist statement.

The Jammu State Morcha, too, has condemned Omar’s statement and termed it as highly provocative, anti-India and pro-secessionist.

Jammu, October 8
Nine boxes containing suspicious material were found at the end of a flyover, near the MLAs Hostel and the Civil Secretariat, at Mahatma Budh Marg here today.

The spot from where the boxes were recovered is located near the historic Raghunath Temple, which has been attacked by militants twice in the past. An abandoned motorcycle and an Indica Car were also seized from the spot, sources said.

Though the police neither denied nor confirmed it as an explosive material, it blocked all roads leading to the Civil Secretariat and the MLAs’ Hostel.

Meanwhile, the bomb squad reached the spot and took away the suspicious boxes. Senior policemen, including the DIG (Jammu-Kathua range), Farooq Khan, reached the spot. Khan said: “We have seized the boxes and have sent these to the laboratory to confirm whether there was any explosive material or not.”

Traffic virtually came to a halt on the ever-busy Indra Chowk, Jewel Chowk, BC Road, Bikram Chowk, Dogra Chowk and many other parts of the city. Meanwhile, the police picked up a few persons for questioning.

Today being the first Navratra, there was a heavy rush in markets and after the recovery of the boxes,panic gripped the city.

Till the filing of this report, it was not established that whether the material was explosive or not.

Jammu, October 8
Schools and colleges functioned normally here despite the bandh call given by the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) in protest against the recent remarks of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

Almost all private and government schools and colleges of the city remained open and witnessed complete attendance.

However, majority of schools and college students and even principals ignored the bandh called by the JKNPP. “Our school functions normally. In our school, most students come from far-flung areas, they too were present today,” said Ankita Sharma, a student of a government school.

Rohit Gandhotra, a student of a private school, said: “All my friends were present in the school today. Our class witnessed cent per cent attendance.” Besides schools, the bandh had no impact on colleges as well. The colleges also functioned as usual.

Government College for Women (GCW), Gandhi Nagar, Government Degree College, Paloura, and GCW, Parade, witnessed 100 per cent attendance.

Meanwhile Government Maulana Azad Memorial College, Government Gandhi Memorial, Science College, Government Sri Pratap Memorial Rajput College of Commerce witnessed around 90 per cent attendance.

“There was no impact of the bandh on the functioning of the college. Our staff and all students are present in the college,” said Dr Kiran Bakshi, Principal of GCW, Parade.

Jammu, October 8
On the first day of Navratras today, a large number of devotees thronged the famous Raghunath Temple and Bahu Fort Temple to get the blessings of the nine forms of the Goddess.

All temples have been decorated to attract the devotees during the Navratras and the security has also been beefed up for the the nine-day long festival, which will conclude on Dashera.

The security forces have been put on alert and nakas have been laid in and around the peripheries of the city, especially around religious places. Additional forces have also been deployed to keep a check on the anti-national and anti-social elements.

All SHOs have been instructed to maintain a strict vigil and surveillance in their areas. Besides this, special nakas have also been installed to frisk vehicles plying on city roads.

The traffic police has also launched a special drive to check the violators of traffic norms and have installed nakas in the outer areas. All vehicles entering the city are being checked.

Top cops and officials of the civil administration also remained busy for the entire day in discussing the arrangements for Navratras.

An SHO said special instructions had been issued to cops to remain present on their duty till midnight. The patrolling parties have also been directed to patrol the crowded areas. Cops in civil dresses have also been deployed in the busy markets to keep an eye over suspicious elements.

Jammu, better known as the City of Temples, attracts lakhs of devotees during Navratras from across the country. A large number of devotees of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi holy cave shrine also pass through the city to reach Katra.

To thwart the security breach, additional cops have been deployed at the railway station and bus stand to provide round-the-clock security to the devotees of the visiting city.

A senior police officer said, “We have beefed up the security in almost every part of the Jammu region. All senior cops have been directed to personally monitor their areas.” He also appealed the public to immediately give the information of any suspicious element to the police on calling “100”.

Jammu, October 8
Barring some pockets where the party has a stronghold, the bandh call given by the National Panthers Party (NPP) to protest against Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s remarks in the Legislative Assembly on the accession of the state to the country evoked little response. 
Keeping in view the beginning of Sharad Navratras today, main opposition party BJP and the Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCI) have distanced itself from the bandh call.

NPP activists tried to enforce the bandh at a couple of places in Jammu city but they were chased away by the police.

At Gandhi Nagar, they burnt the effigy of Omar Abdullah.

Party workers also tried to block movement of traffic at Vikram Chowk but, again, they were chased away by the police.

At Samba, shops and business establishments remained closed at some places. The NPP also took out a rally in the town raising slogans against Omar Abdullah.

Interacting with newsmen, party president and MLA, Udhampur, Balwant Singh Mankotia cautioned the people against the dangerous

gameplan of the Chief Minister, who, according to him, had been trying to fulfill the agenda of the Hurriyat Conference.

“We strongly condemn the anti-national, anti-India and communally provocative statement of Omar Abdullah in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday,” Mankotia said, adding by speaking in this manner he had violated the oath of office as the Chief Minister.

He demanded that Omar should be dismissed as he had triggered the fire of separatism soon after taking over as the Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, the NPP has written a letter to Chief Election Commission and demanded disqualification of Omar Abdullah from the electoral roll in the state as he has “violated” the oath he took as an MLA to hold allegiance to the Constitution.

Srinagar, October 8
The Panthers Party today submitted a petition to the Assembly Speaker, urging the remarks made by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on the Kashmir issue be expunged even as the opposition BJP boycotted the session for the second consecutive day.

All three members of the Panthers Party - Harsh Dev Singh, Balwant Singh Mankotia and Yash Paul Kundal - entered the Assembly at the end of Question Hour this morning. They had boycotted the proceedings yesterday along with 11 BJP members after being marshalled out of the House following the ruckus over the Chief Minister’s remarks.

Both parties demanded that Omar Abdullah’s remarks on the situation in the state be expunged.

Speaking on the issue soon after the party members returned to the House after Question Hour, Harsh Dev Singh said the opposition did not subscribe to what the Chief Minister had stated. Omar’s remarks that the state had acceded to the Union of India but not merged with it, were “not acceptable to us?,” Singh commented.

He added Section 3 of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir made it clear that the state was an integral part of India. The Chief Minister’s remarks gave it a new dimension, Harsh Dev Singh said.

“We feel that these words (of Omar) are not correct and we do not subscribe to these”, the Panthers Party leader pointed out.

Singh held that members from different parties in the Assembly were strong supporters of an equitable development of the Kashmir, Ladakh and Jammu regions. “When we raised these issues, there was no response from the government,” he said and added even other pertinent issues like the Central University of Jammu and the list of the names of candidates selected for KAS raised by other members too did not get any response from the government.

Udhampur, October 8
The theft of an idol of Lord Krishna at Ghauri Shanker Mandir on the outskirts of Kishtwar town has sent the police into a tizzy.

It has launched a massive search operation to trace the stolen idol. The town witnessed a peaceful bandh in protest against the theft.

As per the police, the theft was brought to its notice a day after it was committed on the intervening night of October 6 and 7.

All six SPOs on duty at the temple have been removed from the service for dereliction of duty. The main cause of worry for the police is recovery of a skull cap from the spot. “It shows that the incident might be the handiwork of some anti-social elements trying to disturb the communal harmony in the area,” said a senior officer.

Besides the idol of Bal Gopal made of astdhatu (eight metals), cash offering of Rs 4,000 is also missing. As soon as the incident came to light, all senior police, CRPF and Army officers, including the Brigadier, 9 Rashtriya Rifles, the DIG, Doda-Kishtwar Poilice Range, MK Sinha, DC, Kishjtwar, BR Bhagat, SP, Kishtwar, Dr Haseeb Mughal, Additional SP, Kishtwar, Kulbir Singh and Deputy SP, Operation, Ashok Singh, rushed to the spot.

Subsequently, the administration sounded alert and all routes leading to Kishtwar were blocked and search started to find any clue. All communally sensitive areas of the district were sealed to prevent any untoward incident. The investigating officials believe the 2.5 kg idol was stolen by the thieves thinking that it was made up of gold. It was actually purchased by the head priest of the temple for Rs 3,100 from Vrindavan in 2000. Interestingly, the gold ornaments on the remaining idols were intact.

Since the construction work of the temple is going on, the labourers from outside the state are also working in the temple. Efforts were on to trace some of them as their homes were found locked when the police reached their rented accommodation in the town during the investigation. The police, however, is investigating the case from all angles.

Members from the minority community of Kishtwar observed a peaceful bandh as a mark of protest against the thefts at religious places in the district. An idol, which went missing mysteriously two years back from Purana Mandir, was recently traced from a nearby forest area.

Terming the incident purely a theft case, president of Sanatan Dharam Sabha, Kishtwar, Raj Kumar Badyal issued an appeal to people of Kishtwar to maintain peace and communal harmony. A special puja and havan will be organised at the temple for early recovery of the idol. Youth Congress leader and advocate Shiekh Nasir Hussain urged the police to trace the idol as soon as possible.

Jammu, October 8
A team of Health Wing of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) today inspected 140 food establishments to check the quality of food items being sold in the city, especially during Navratras.

According to a statement issued here, 47 defaulters were booked under the provisions of the J&K Municipal Corporation Act, 2000, and a fine of Rs 11,300 was charged from the defaulters.

The team inspected food establishments like sweet shops, milk and milk products’ shops, cooked food dhabas, restaurants and cheese shops in areas near Bikram Chowk, Nehru Market, Ware House, Jewel, Talab Tillo, Bakshi Nagar and Bahu Fort.

The team destroyed 50 kg of substandard milk, about 15 kg of stale cooked food and 30 kg of sweets unfit for human consumption.

Besides this, the Municipal Veterinary Officer conducted a drive against milk adulteration in areas of Talab Tillo, Muthi, Roop Nagar, Paloura, Subash Nagar, Rehari Colony, Sarwal and Panthirthi.

In the drive, the team lifted 86 milk cans, out which 12 milk cans were sent to the laboratory to check the quality of the milk.

The team also destroyed a milk cane, which was found of sub-standard quality. A fine of Rs 2,200 was charged from erring milk vendors.

The team also lifted 13 stray cattle from these areas. These animals were impounded in the Municipal Cattle Pound. An amount of Rs 2,990 was charged as fine from their owners.

Jammu, October 8
The All-Party Migrants Co-ordination Committee today condemned the statement given by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday. According to a statement issued here, Vinod Pandit, chairman of the APMCC said it was unfortunate that some political parties were for autonomy and self-rule.

Pandit added land that was forcibly snatched in the name of land to tillers, for which no compensation was given to Kashmiri Pandits and Rajputs, should be given back to them.

Pandit asked all nationalist forces to unite and defeat the secessionists forces which were in different garbs.

Speaking on the recent developments, advocate Arun Kandroo emphasised on addressing the issues of all sections of society, including Gujjars, Bakarwals, Sikhs, Ahmadies in the Valley and residents of Jammu and Ladakh regions.

Srinagar, October 8
The opposition BJP and the J&K National Panthers Party staged a dharna in front of the state Assembly here today in protest against Omar Abdullah’s remarks on the Kashmir issue in the House on Wednesday.

While the J&KNPP took part in the proceedings today, 11 BJP members continued the boycott for the second consecutive day.

Sitting on the dharna,the BJP members expressing serious concern about the remarks of the CM on the state’s accession, said they would continue to boycott the House tomorrow also.They took strong note of the remarks and threatened to launch an agitation in Jammu against the state government. The Assembly session , which began on September 30, is scheduled to conclude on Monday before the Durbar shifts to Jammu this month.

The Speaker deputed two senior members -Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar and CPM member M Y Tarigami- to impress upon the BJP members to attend the proceedings, but they failed to do so.

Earlier,Tarigami raised the issue in the Assembly and urged the Speaker to allow the opposition members to enter the House. “I have already requested them and hope that they will come back”, the Speaker, Mohammad Akbar Lone said. He added that the members were welcome to come back to the House, if they maintained discipline.

Srinagar, October 8
A deputation of prominent citizens of Gurez, Jawaldara and other adjoining areas of Gurez led by MLA, Gurez, Nazir Ahmed Gurezi today called on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and appreciated him for taking personal interest in the development of the area.

The announcement made by him that the NHPC would ensure employment to local people and development of local infrastructure at the Kishan-Ganga project was highly appreciated by the delegation.

The Chief Minister assured them that he would also ensure that power projects automatically spent 2 per cent of the total cost of the project on the development of the area. He also said appropriate steps would be taken for an employemnt drive in the area.

Omar was told about large number of families who were recently displaced because of a snowstorm had not yet been settled. Omar said he would advise the officers concerned in this regard.

The Chief Minister also gave a patient hearing to the demands for a helicopter service from Srinagar to Gurez throughout the year.