New Delhi/Jammu, November 15
After evading arrest for nearly a decade, Hizbul Mujahideen's self-styled divisional commander Mohammed Abdullah referred to as “Mr Surrender”, was arrested in Delhi early today.

Mohammed Abdullah Chechi, alias Abdullah Inqualabi, a resident of Pak-occupied Kashmir (PoK), had come to Delhi last week to "activate some sleeper cells," a senior police officer said.

He was arrested in a joint operation by the Jammu and Kashmir and the Delhi police from Deer Park in South Delhi and police claimed he was nabbed after a brief exchange of fire.

Abdullah was known as "Mr Surrender" as he used to contact several senior police officials with a proposal to surrender while carrying out his nefarious activities.

Abdullah crossed over from PoK to Rajouri in theJammu region in 2000 and got married to a local girl to hide his identity, a senior official said.

Delhi police officials stated that "as soon as he alighted from his vehicle, we tried to catch him. He tried to escape and went inside the park and we chased him. In a bid to escape, he opened fire. Three-four rounds were fired." A pistol was recovered from him, the police said.

He was produced in a local court which remanded him in 14-day police custody.

A team of the Rajouri police headed by a DSP assisted the Delhi police and the central security agencies in nabbing the accused.

During initial questioning, Abdullah told the investigators that he had come to the national Capital to find a hideout as the Jammu and Kashmir police was searching for him, the official said.-

Meanwhile, the police said after the arrest of Mohammad Abdullah, it would be able to solve a number of criminal cases pending against him in the state.He was involved in the killing of at least 20 persons in the state.

Terming the arrested militant “ as a great threat”, the IGP, Jammu Zone, Ashok Kumar Gupta said here today Abdullah had been involved in anti-national activities since 2000 and nearly 13 criminal cases were registered against him at various police stations in the state. “ The cases registered against him included murder and kidnapping. He has killed more than 20 civilians”, added Gupta. The militant had attacked the Draman police post in Rajouri in 2005 and killed three special police officers (SPOs).

The militant was earlier active in the Peer Panchal Range comprising Budhal, Dharmasal, Kalakot, Shopian, Mahore and Gulabgarh, stated the IG, and disclosed he was the chief of a militant outfit,Peer Panjal Regiment, which he later merged with the Hizbul Mujahideen.

Explaining the reason behind the militant shifting his base from the state to Delhi, the IG said: “As we have gunned down or arrested a number of his associates, he changed his base to Delhi and we were also keeping a track on his movement, which led to his arrest”. The arrested militant also killed one of his own associates in 2008 on suspicion that the latter had illicit relations with his wife, who is a resident of Jammu.

The state police would file an application in a court to get the custody of Abdullah from the Delhi police as he was wanted in a number of cases here, said the police officer.

Kud (Udhampur), November 15
Finally, the poor condition of the existing Patwarkhana at Kud, about 38 km from the district headquarters of Udhampur, on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, has caught the attention of the state government.

In deference to the public demand, Revenue Minister Raman Bhalla, accompanied by the Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur, today visited Kud to inspect the existing Patwarkhana on way to Khotri, where he inaugurated a new revenue complex. He issued instructions to the officers of the R&B Department, Udhampur, to immediately prepare a comprehensive project for the construction of a modern revenue complex comprising Patwarkhana, a conference hall, a guest house and facilities for lambardars at the site.

It happened as Udhampur Deputy Commissioner Baseer Ahmed Khan made a strong case with the state government for the makeover of the existing complex, which was in such a bad shape that the Patwari concerned had been operating from the Purani Tehsil, Chenani, about 10 km from Kud. All revenue records had been shifted here more than 10 years back.

This had caused hardships to the people of the area comprising five revenue villages, catering to a population of about 10,000. “We have been unnecessarily going to Chenani for revenue-related work for the past several years. It consumes almost the whole day. The area people have for long been demanding the construction of the new office complex so that they do not have to waste their time and money,” said Romesh Chander, a shopkeeper.

Tehsildar, Chenani, RK Anand told The Tribune that this temporary arrangement of shifting the place of work to Chenani was made as the infrastructure for the purpose at Kud was unsafe. It had not been repaired or renovated since it came into existence before Partition. “Its worsening condition left no option but to shift the office operations to Chenani. Keeping records in rooms, which do not have windowpanes, involved risk,” added Anand.

Jammu, November 15
Governor N. N. Vohra has stressed the need for urgent steps to create the required infrastructure and training facilities for Scouts and Guides to foster discipline and character- building among the state youth.

This, he said, would also facilitate national- level Scouts and Guides camps being organised in Jammu and Kashmir.He observed he had discussed the matter with R.S. Chib, Minister for Sports and Youth Services, last year and would do so again this month.

The Governor was interacting with a group of Scouts and Guides who, along with functionaries of the J&K State Bharat Scouts and Guides, called on him at Raj Bhavan here today in connection with the Annual Flag Day.

The Governor stressed the need for taking the activities of Scouts and Guides to the remote and far-flung areas of the state and bringing more boys and girls under its ambit, as the spread of this movement would contribute in a big way to the harmonious personality development and promotion of solidarity among the youth in various regions in the state.

He enquired about the activities of the organisation, the training schedules and the awards bagged by them at the state and national levels.

Vohra, who is also the Patron of the J&K State Bharat Scouts and Guides, made a contribution to the Annual Flag Day Fund and wished them all success in their mission. He called upon all sections of society to contribute generously to the Annual Flag Day Fund, for facilitating enhanced Scouts and Guides activities in the state.

The State Commissioner, J&K State Bharat Scouts and Guides, I. D. Soni, briefed the Governor about the activities of the organisation.

Srinagar, November 15
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had a five-hour-long interaction with about 3,000 persons during an “Awami Mulaqat” regarding development in Kupwara district of north Kashmir today.

After inaugurating a public health engineering (PHE) complex, the Chief Minister met the delegations as well as individuals and issues pertaining to the development of Kupwara, Handwara, Langate, Sogam, Rajwar, Keran, Machil, Wilgam, Kalaroos, Kralpora, Qalamabad, Qaziabad, Trehgam and other areas were highlighted.

The Chief Minister assured the people that he was fully committed to the development of Kupwara district so that its backwardness came to the minimum level and a new chapter of all-round progress and prosperity was opened.

He earmarked hundreds of crores for the PHE, Education, Health, Irrigation, Local Bodies,R&B, Floriculture, Rural Development, Agriculture and Horticulture departments.

Long queues were seen outside the Dak Bungalow where the Chief Minister was meeting the public. Omar gave a patient hearing to the people, an official spokesman said.

Earlier , accompanied by the Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, the Chief Minister inaugurated the PHE complex constructed at a cost of Rs 1.95 crore.

Srinagar, November 15
The hardline Hurriyat Conference chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, has sharply reacted to the views of interlocutors on a road map for resolving the Kashmir issue, which they said, would be made in nine months.

“There is no need to make any new road map for the resolution of the Kashmir issue. In simple terms, the people of Kashmir want azadi,” Geelani stated here today. He was reacting to the statement of the Centre’s interlocutor,Prof Radha Kumar, who, along with another team member, MM Ansari, was talking to mediapersons here yesterday. If the Indian leadership was faced with any difficulty on this, they should read India’s freedom struggle, Geelani pointed out.

He said the road map for the resolution of the issue had been made long ago with the involvement of the world community and the “two neighbouring countries” of India and Pakistan. In this connection,he referred to the resolutions on the UN charter, which had been signed by the leaders of both India and Pakistan. Geelani held that the appointment of the interlocutors was “delaying tactics” and a way out to ease the “growing international pressure” on the Government of India to resolve the issue.

Earlier, Geelani had here yesterday said he was ready for an “open discussion” on the five-month turmoil in the Kashmir valley, which had resulted in the loss of 115 lives since June 11. He also extended an open invitation to all those depicting only one-sided picture of the situation and expressed his readiness to discuss the issue in its historical perspective. Geelani’s faction had been spearheading the agitation by issuing periodic protest calendars over the past few months.

The current calendar between November 9 and 20 had only two days of strike ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, contrary to the previous calendars. It is being observed that the withdrawal of protests has been made in view of the growing public resentment against the continuing strikes, which have adversely affected all spheres of life.

Srinagar, November 15
A visiting team of the Peoples Intervention Group from New Delhi has demanded the initiation of a political dialogue and an end to repression at the hands of state and central security forces to create an environment for a peaceful solution of the Kashmir issue.

The team of Janhastakshep, the Peoples Intervention Group, which met a cross-section of people, including the separatists, during the past three days, at the end of its visit today made six recommendations for the restoration of normalcy in the Valley. The team included Prof Amit Bhaduri (JNU), a former diplomat, Madhu Bhaduri, a Supreme Court lawyer, VK Ohri, Prof N Bhattachariya, Prof Ish Mishra and Pankaj Singh.

Talking to mediapersons before their return, the team members gave six recommendations to the state and Central governments. They felt that in order to restore normal life in the Valley and for a purposeful dialogue, the state and Central governments “must immediately stop repression and create an environment for a peaceful solution to the Kashmir issue”. 

Jammu, November 15
The protesting Home Guard jawans, who have been staging dharnas for the past four years outside the office of the Divisional Commissioner here, today served a seven-day ultimatum on the government.

They have been getting a paltry wage of Rs 410 a month.

“Enough is enough. Now, we have served a one-week ultimatum on the government. If it fails to take a decision by November 22 and announce the regularisation of our services and raising of our wages, 2,000 Home Guard jawans along with their families and children will take to the streets,” Kamla Sharma, president of the All- J&K Home Guards Welfare Association, told The Tribune.

“On November 14, our agitation here completed four years, but ironically, none at the helm of affairs has come to sympathise with us,” she said.

“We (Home Guard jawans) perform the same duties as the regular staff in the Police Department do, but we only get a wage of Rs 410 per month. This is too meagre for us to make both ends meet,” she added. Kamla also referred to their counterparts in neighbouring Punjab where she claimed “Home Guard jawans get a salary of Rs 13,500 per month”. Lashing out at the state government, Kamla said, “We also have a right to life and right to basic amenities, including education to our children.”

She also castigated the government for what she claimed “double standards” of those at the helm of affairs. “This government has a rehabilitation policy of doling out Rs 5 Lakh each for militants, who surrender, for those protesters who were killed while pelting stones at the security forces, but it does not have a policy for Home Guard jawans,” she said. Kamla claimed that nearly 2,000 Home Guard jawans had completed 18 years of service but till date no state government ever thought it right to either regularise their services or hike their wages.

“We cannot afford to send our children to schools because of our meagre wages. The LPG cylinder costs us Rs 370 like other people and we also purchase essential commodities on same prices as other people do. For God sake, tell us from where should we sustain our livelihood,” she asked.

The Home Guard jawans launched their agitation on November 14, 2006, but since then none had come to us, said the association president.

She expressed regrets that nothing yielded out of a move by the then Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, who had constituted a committee in 2007 appointing the DGP, IGP, Home Guards, Commissioner/Secretary, Home Department, and the Finance Commissioner to look into their demands.

Jammu, November 15
Taking a strong note, state BJP spokesperson Dr Nirmal Kamal said today that the interlocutors appointed by the UPA government to find ways to establish peace and normalcy in the state had still not mended their ways and were continuing to create confusion with regard to their role in the state.

He said on their second visit to Kashmir, the interlocutors were still harping on the same tune, which met with sharp criticism from many organisations and political parties. Keeping in mind the futility of the exercise, the non-seriousness and unbridled mandate given to them, the BJP had decided not to meet them.

The apprehensions were not unfounded. The same was being reflected in the confused statements being given by the interlocutor, Prof Radha Kumar. She did not hesitate from saying “our interlocution is centred on the political resolution to the Kashmir issue. We will be able to come up with a road map or a framework to resolve the Kashmir dispute,” said the BJP spokesperson.

The objectionable part was that the mandate given to them was more than required, Nirmal said. The appointment of the interlocutors was made as part of the response to one of the eight points reached after the all-party delegation’s visit to the state, she said. She added that the interlocutors were to find out a solution to the ongoing turmoil in the Valley and chaos in the entire state due to continuing agitations.

But the statement given by Radha Kumar explicitly pointed out the extra mandate given to them to find out a road map or a framework to resolve the Kashmir dispute, which clearly contradicted the national policy that there was no Kashmir dispute and if ever there was any that was with regard to the occupied Kashmir only, the BJP spokesperson said.

The mindset of the interlocutors with which they started meeting people and the loud statements given by them, reveal that the Central government should have given them a definite mandate, setting parameters within which they should operate while interacting with people in the state, she said.

Nirmal said the BJP had warned the interlocutors not to cross the limit and concentrate on the task assigned to them. The Union government should also make public the parameters under which they had been deputed, she added.

Udhampur, November 15
An international conference on Mitochondria Research and Medicine (ICMRM-2010) concluded today at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU) on the note that such events could go a long way in facilitating fruitful interaction between students and eminent scientists.

Around 150 delegates apart from 10 speakers from India, the USA and Austria participated in the conference which was organised at the Matrika auditorium.Chairing the concluding session, Vice-Chancellor, SMVDU, Prof R.N K Bamezai noted that the conference served the purpose of providing an excellent platform to young and budding scientists to pursue their ideas in the area of Mitochondria with renewed commitment and enthusiasm.

Secretary, Science and Technology, J&K, MK Dwivedi was the guest of honour.

Expressing satisfaction over the successful conduct of the first-ever international conference organised by the university, the Vice-Chancellor exhorted the faculty and students of various institutions to peruse intergraded approach to innovative research which led to social development. In his address, Dwivedi too endorsed the view of the VC to expose the students to scientists from all over the world. “Pooling resources from the national and international institutions coupled with our own resources for strengthening our S&T base was the need of the hour”, he added.

Prof Keshav Singh from the Roswell Park Cancer Institute, USA, said in the face of many challenges, it was important for the young students to continue to pursue the innovative ideas. Giving his own example of working in the area of Mitochondria, he said there was hardly any activity in this area world over.However, since then the critical mass in this area had gone up considerably and this momentum required to be maintained.

On this occasion, the best paper award in the oral category went to Gousia of IIIM, Jammu, while the second and third prizes,respectively, went to Shelly, Jammu University, and Nahid from CCMB, Hyderabad.The best poster award went to Arpita, IIIM, Jammu, the second prize to Govindraj, CCMB, Hyderabad, and the third prize went to Irum, IIIM, Jammu.

A special workshop by Prof Erich Gnaiger, Innsbruck Medical University, Austria, on "Problems and Solutions in Mitochondrial Respiratory Physiology” was held in the evening.

Jammu, November 15
The First Lady,Usha Vohra, today described the 21st century as an era of children and called upon parents and teachers to inculcate values of hard work, honesty and truthfulness among the younger generation to equip them to effectively face their future responsibilities of nation-building.

Addressing a Children’s Day function organised by the Vasudhaiva Kutumbhakam Welfare Society at Government College for Women, Gandhi Nagar, here today, Usha impressed upon the children to put in hard work to achieve excellence in their lives.

She added that nothing was impossible to achieve in life provided one set the goal and then worked hard to achieve it, with dedication and sincerity of purpose.

Paying homage to Pt Jawaharlal Nehru on his birth anniversary, which is celebrated as Children’s Day, she recalled the signal contribution of the first Prime Minister of India, both during the prolonged freedom struggle and, later, after Independence, in laying a firm foundation for the progress and prosperity of free India. She stressed the vital need for reviving the erstwhile ethical values, honesty and spirit of service to the nation and systematically inculcate them among the children.

She lauded the work done by the Vasudhaiva Kutumbhakam Welfare Society in facilitating the education of the children belonging to the less-privileged sections of the society.

She presented a cheque of Rs 50,000 to the society on behalf of Governor N. N. Vohra for carrying out its activities.

She gave away the prizes to the best adjudged students of a drawing competition organised by the society last month, as well as to those who had excelled in academics. She also offered meals to the children, which had been arranged by the society on the occasion.

Earlier, on arrival at the function, the First Lady was received by the functionaries of the Society, the Principal of the College, Prof Nalini Kohli, and the students.

Jammu, November 15
A one-day conference of the Provincial Power Employees Union was held today under the chairmanship of Shakti Gupta.

According to a statement issued here, in the meeting, Gupta appealed to the state government for the fulfilment of long-pending demands of employees of the Power Development Department (PDD).

The demands include benefits of SRO-149 to all ITI and non-ITI

employees of the PDD, regularisation of all daily wagers under the SRO-64 of 1994 and also release of their unpaid wages, release of wages of daily wagers, two-and-half-day salary to all non-gazetted employees, and merger of the survey and commercial wing with the M&RE wing of the department.

Jammu, November 15
The J&K State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has upheld the verdict passed by a divisional consumer forum in which pediatrician Ramesh Khajuria was directed to give medical reimbursement to Sidhank, a minor, for his negligence. He has further been directed to pay Rs 1 lakh to the parents of the child for physical and mental “harassment”.

A Bench comprising Justice (Retd) GD Sharma and BL Saraf, member, while confirming the award paased on May 22, 2008, dismissed an appeal by the doctor and also imposed a fine of Rs 3,000 on him for engaging the respondents in an unwanted litigation. The reimbursement amounts to Rs 77, 479.

Sidhank was born to Dalbir Kour on August 22, 2003, and after two days, was taken by his father, Gurdev Singh, and aunt for medical check-up to Khajuria’s clinic. Sidhank was diagnosed to be suffering from jaundice and was called for further medical check-up on August 26, 2003.

When they came on that day, they had to wait for the doctor.While they were waiting, a loose door over 6.5 ft long and 3.5 ft wide size, inclining towards a wall, fell upon the baby.

A fracture in the baby’s skull was detected on scanning and the child was taken to All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, where he was operated on October 21, 2003, and was discharged on October 27, 2003.

The commission, while dismissing the consumer appeal filed by Khajuria, observed, “We have no hesitation in holding that an injury occurred to the infant in the room that was used by the appellant as waiting room for his parents. An act of negligence has been committed by the appellant while giving his professional service to the consumer, which should have been without any fault, shortcomings, imperfection and inadequacy in quality from the very beginning up to the end when the patient was on his premises.” 

Jammu, November 15
Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand today launched the website of Jammu and Kashmir Housing Board.

The website, www.jkhousingboard.com, will host all necessary information with regard to projects, loan schemes, achievements as well as other key data, sought by the public from time-to-time.

Speaking on the occasion, Tara Chand said with the launch of the website, the housing board had gone a step nearer to its targeted customers and now all required information could be had by the click of a mouse.

He said the website would facilitate general public by saving them from the hassle to visit board office every now and then.

On the occasion, Managing Director, Housing Board, Dalip Thussoo, gave detailed resume of various features of the website, which include exhaustive account of procedures, achievements, projects, contacts, loan schemes and facility to download brochure and other related materials.

Later, the Deputy Chief Minister also inspected the board office and went through various sections. During the inspection, he instructed officials concerned for proper maintenance of the official record.

Udhampur, November 15
Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Raman Bhalla today inaugurated revenue complex at Khotri (Patnitop) in Ramban district.

The newly constructed complex facilitates easier access for the people of the area to revenue-related work.

Addressing revenue officers of the district and the public on the occasion, Bhalla said allout efforts were being made by the government for the creation of revenue-related infrastructure in every nook and corner of the state. He reiterated his government’s commitment to provide people friendly administration in the state of Jammu and Kashmir by providing easiest facilities in solving revenue-related issues at the doorstep.

Constructed at a cost of Rs1.51 crore by the Public Works Department (R&B) Division, Ramban, the complex has a Patwarkhana, kitchen watchman’s room with toilet facilities at the ground floor, a conference hall, bathrooms, pantry, VIP rooms and dinning hall.

Maintaining that computerisation of the revenue record is under speedy progress, he added that with the completion of computerisation it would be easier for the people to trace their land records. The distribution of revenue passbooks to the farmers was also a step in this direction.

Bhalla said that government was keen on constructing revenue complexes, including Patwarkhana, niabhet and tehsil building, revenue record rooms, Namberdars and Chowkidars offices with all modern facilities on the available revenue land in every district of the state.

About shortage of the revenue staff, the minister informed that most of the vacant posts of Tehsildar, Naib Tehsildar, Girdawar, and patwaris had already been filled and posted in their respective places. The shortfall especially in the case of patwaris would be made up shortly, he added.

He also issued instructions to the Deputy Commissioner, Ramban, to process the pending land acquisition cases on a priority basis. At the same time, he stressed on early completion of the buildings of Mini-Secretariat, a Degree College and ITI complexes in Ramban district. He also asked the revenue officers to prepare a comprehensive report of the colonies where wartime refugees of 1947,1965 and 1971 were putting up so that these could be regularized under section 254-C of the Revenue Act.

Regarding compensation to drought-hit families of the district, Bhalla instructed the revenue officers to submit a detail list of the affected families so that the required relief could be disbursed among them for which the Centre had already released Rs 156.79 crore. 

Jammu, November 15
Activists of the National Secular Forum (NSF) today staged a protest in the campus of University of Jammu to express dissatisfaction over its functioning.

According to a statement issued here, the NSF activists took out a rally in the campus and gheraoed the Vice-Chancellor’s office.

The activists condemned the ‘anti-student’ attitude of the varsity. The protest demonstration continued for two hours.

While addressing the protesters, NSF president Vikas Sharma alleged that the university had not probed into the matter of misuse of funds by the Directorate of Distance Education (DDE) so far.

He said the DDE was misusing student funds by holding classes for MA Sociology and English in auditorium hall after paying a huge sum of money, thus, unnecessarily raising a question on the intentions of the administration.

Sharma alleged that the DDE management was not engaging any faculty members for the personal contact programme and had appointed outsiders to swindle the funds.

Udhampur, November 15
MLA Harshdev Singh inaugurated a block-level Kisan Mela-cum-exhibition at Ramnagar here today.

The exhibition was organised by the Agriculture Department under the Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA), Udhampur.

Lauding the efforts of the department for holding the exhibition at Ramnagar, which is a remote tehsil of the district, the MLA said it would be useful for the farmers to boost agriculture production on modern scientific patterns.

He expressed hope that youths would greatly benefit by adopting new agricultural practices and, thus, make this occupation economically viable.

Singh also urged upon the field staff of the department to provide all incentives to the farming community in time in order to make agriculture development programmes result-oriented.

At the camp, officers presented detailed accounts of different activities of their departments that included horticulture, fish farming, floriculture, goat rearing, poultry farming, bee keeping, cocoon and mushroom cultivation etc.

Among others, Chief Agriculture Officer, District Horticulture Officer, farmers and other officers of various departments were present on the occasion.

Jammu, November 15
To celebrate Children’s Day, the Rotary Club of Jammu Tawi, in collaboration with Hindustan Petroleum (HP), organised drawing competition at Bal Niketan, Ved Mandir, here today.

Students from Class I to V participated in the competition.

The president of the Rotary Club, Dushyant, distributed drawing sheets and colours to the students.

HP Regional Manager Goel was the chief guest on the occasion.

In the end of the function, gifts and prizes were distributed among the students.

Dushyant extended gratitude to the staff of Bal Niketan and HP for their co-operation in organising the competition.