Srinagar, February 11
Life was paralysed across the Kashmir valley today in response to a bandh call given by the JKLF in connection with the 27th death anniversary of the founder of the organisation, Mohammad Maqbool Bhat, who was hanged in Delhi’s Tihar jail on this day in 1984.

At least five persons, including two policemen, were injured in clashes between JKLF supporters and the police in the Maisuma area of Lal Chowk. The clashes took place after reports of an attack by BJP activists on JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik, who escaped unhurt, in Ajmer on Friday. Malik had challenged the BJP to hoist the National Flag at Lal Chowk here on Republic Day as part of its Rashtriya Ekta Yatra and had also planned a counter-march.

Several leaders of the organisation,including its vice-chairman, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, and his supporters were detained by the police after a demonstration in the Maisuma area here. The protesters condemned the attack on Malik.A number of leaders of the JKLF (R) faction were prevented by the police from taking out a march from the Abi Guzar area to Lal Chowk.

There was a shutdown in other major towns of the Valley also in response to the bandh call. Shops and business establishments were closed and public transport was off the road. There was a thin attendance in government offices and banks while private vehicles and autorickshaws plied normally in several areas. 

Jammu, February 11
Minister for Social Welfare Sakina Itoo met Governor NN Vohra at Raj Bhawan here today and discussed several important matters concerning the welfare of the differently-abled persons in the state with him.

The issues discussed included the need for conducting a Census of differently-abled persons to ascertain the level and type of disability along with the details of the age and area of such persons for ensuring a targeted intervention for their welfare. A provision for specially-designed buses for facilitating their mobility in Srinagar and Jammu and in various districts and effective implementation of the state government’s policy of providing reservation in jobs for them were also discussed.

Sakina informed the Governor about the Central share regarding the honorarium payable to anganwari workers, which was pending and also briefed him about various other measures planned for securing the larger welfare of the differently-abled persons in the state.

The Governor emphasised the need for a special focus on healthcare and educational facilities for the differently-abled persons. He added that the implementation of programmes and policies aimed at their welfare required a constant review and monitoring in coordination with other departments like education, health and rural development.

Sakina said the Social Welfare Department would soon forward a comprehensive proposal to the Union government for securing necessary funding for undertaking a survey of all differently-abled persons in the state so that targeted intervention programmes could be planned and implemented in coordination with other departments concerned.

She said the survey was being contemplated to be conducted by the anganwari workers who would be specially trained for the purpose by the resource persons from the Composite Regional Centre, Srinagar, and the Health Department.

The Governor complimented the minister on the keen interest she was taking for improving the lot of the differently-abled persons. He urged her to have an up-to-date database of the differently-abled persons, who had been provided employment in 2010 under the state government’s reservation policy for them.

The Governor also gave her a copy of the letter issued by the state government to all Deputy Commissioners and the Director, Census, for ensuring that the enumerators took special care to record complete disability-related details during the course of the Census. He thanked the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, for having these instructions issued after he wrote to him in this regard.

Jammu, February 11
The Sangarsh RTI Movement has requested Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and state Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather to make a budgetary provision for the awareness and implementation of the RTI Act in the state.

Balvinder Singh, convener of the movement, said: “We urged the Chief Minister and the Finance Minister to provide funds in the Budget exclusively for RTI-related activities”.

He said the Chief Minister had shown transparency by appointing GR Sufi as the first Chief Information Commissioner.

He alleged that during the last year’s Budget, the state government did not make any provision for creating awareness among the masses.

Maintaining that the RTI Act was in the initial stage, he said the state government must initiate steps to make the masses familiar with the Act, especially in the rural areas. 

Sunjuwan (Jammu), February 11
For the last about three years,the Army has adopted different parameters in its recruitment rallies across the Jammu region which has 10 districts.

While it has fixed the eligibility criteria of matriculation with a minimum of 45 per cent marks for candidates belonging to four districts of Jammu, Kathua, Samba and Udhampur, it has waived the percentage condition for candidates belonging to six other districts of Reasi, Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri and Poonch.

“For the posts of jawan (general duty), the Army Headquarters in New Delhi has fixed the eligibility criteria of matriculation with minimum 45 per cent marks for candidates from Kathua, Samba, Jammu and Udhampur districts, while matriculation only has been fixed as the criteria for candidates belonging to six other districts of Ramban, Reasi, Kishtwar, Doda, Rajouri and Poonch,” said the Deputy Director-General (DDG), Recruitment, (Punjab and J&K), Brig Vinod Raizada, while responding to questions of mediapersons here today.

He was,however, quick to add that the eligibility criteria had always been the prerogative of the Army headquarters. “We get the guidelines from the Army Headquarters in New Delhi and this relaxation to the candidates from the six districts has not been given by us. It is not our discretion. Experience gained over a period of time in various recruitment rallies might have been responsible for the concession to the six districts,” he said.

On alleged scams and cases of impersonation in the Army recruitment rallies, the DDG enumerated the measures that had been initiated to weed out the menace. “We have an open system and we have our own intelligence wing, which can go anywhere to look for the shortcomings in the recruitment process. Besides, once a candidate qualifies the physical test, we take his thumb impression, specimen handwriting and photographs. It is just like having a bio-metric authentication,” said Brig Raizada.

“To check allegations of scams, besides ensuring crowd control during the rallies, we give prior information to the deputy commissioners, SSPs, Transport Commissioner and traffic police officers,” he said. The Army conducted its recruitment rallies district-wise to regulate these. “What happens within the four walls of the cantonments is our responsibility, but we do take the assistance of the civil administration, the police and the Deputy Commissioners concerned to ensure hassle-free rallies,” he added.

Earlier, giving the details of the recruitment rally being conducted for the 10 districts from February 4 to February 12, Brig Raizada said nearly 25,000 candidates appeared in the physical test, and out of these 3,500 had been short-listed.

“This time the response is overwhelming. However, it has not been much in the technical category where candidates must have passed the Class XII examination with physics, chemistry and mathematics as mandatory subjects,” he said. He added that the ongoing recruitment rally in Jammu district had the highest turnout with nearly 9,000 candidates appearing in the physical test.

Jammu, February 11
The Jammu Joint Students Federation has demanded a special employment package for the Jammu region.

In a statement issued here yesterday, Sahil Choudhary, senior leader of the federation, said in order to overcome the unemployment problem in the region, the state government should announce a special employment package for the youth so that they could get some relief.

He said the literacy rate in the region was comparatively better than that in the Kashmir valley.

He urged the government to restore incentives to the industrial sector as it would create new employment avenues.

Jammu, February 11
The Kalidhar Brigade of the Army opened a computer laboratory having four computers and a video projection system at Government Higher Secondary School at Kangri near Bajabain in Sunderbani tehsil today. It also handed over furniture to the school authorities.

At an impressive ceremony organised by schoolchildren on the school premises, Brig Y Dimri, Commander of the Kalidhar Brigade, inaugurated the computer lab and handed over furniture to the school authorities.

This school is the only higher secondary school in the border areas adjoining Kangri, Jhula and Seri. It has about 400 students, but it lacks even basic things like furniture. — TNS

Jammu, February 11
The Adbi Kunj organised a multicolour prose and poetic meet at its literary centre here today.

According to a statement issued here, the meet was presided over by freedom fighter and writer Muni Lal Puri, while renowned Urdu poet from Ludhiana, Sagar Sialkoti, executive member of the International Sahir Literary Society, Ludhiana, and general-secretary, Nav Rang Literary Society, Ludhiana, was the chief guest.

Sham Talib, president of the organisation, presented a tribute-cum-resolution, in which he paid rich tributes to Ved Pal Deep, renowned Dogri poet and prominent journalist on his 16th death anniversary.

Talib read a special Urdu paper “Deep nahin bujha”.

The other collections of the prose session included an Urdu satirical story “Kursi ki jang” by Muni Lal Puri and a Hindi satirical story “Aur unhon ne jo farmaya” by MS Kamra.

Another special item of the session was an Urdu Safar-Nama, “Safar-e- Pakistan” by Dr Majid Anwar Alghazi.

The poetic session was started by an Urdu Ghazal “Saans ghut jati hai taza hawa chahiye zindgi bakhash de woh sada chahiye” of poet Ved Upal.

Another special presentation of the session was an Urdu poem on the Tawi.

The other poets present on the occasion included Muni Lal Puri, Dr Bharat Bhushan Gupta, Rajeshwar Bhakhari, Sanjeev Kumar, Jaswant Singh, Dr Majid Khan, MS Kamra, Rajeev Kumar, Wahid Musafar, Ved Upal, KL Dewana, Romesh Rahi, Ayudhya Rani Ghamkhar and Sagar Sialkoti.

Srinagar, February 11
Two bodies were recovered from the avalanche-hit area of Shangus in Anantnag district on the third day of the rescue operations today.

The bodies of Ghulam Qadir Wani and Abdul Ahad Wani, residents of Thimbran village, were recovered, the police said, and added a search was on for Javed Ahmad Koka.The three had gone missing in the avalanche-hit Thimbran area near Shangus on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, with an increase in the day temperature, people in the Kashmir valley today got some respite from the bone chilling cold.

The maximum temperature in Srinagar was recorded at 11°C, whereas the minimum was recorded at 4°C.

Meanwhile, the authorities today closed the Jammu- Srinagar national highway, the only surface link between the valley and the rest of the country for vehicular traffic to carry out the repair of certain patches of the road that was washed away by the flash flood, triggered by heavy rain on February 9, in the Ramban area.

As per the officials of the Traffic Control Room, Srinagar, the highway will remain closed for two days from today as a 20-feet portion of the highway was washed away at the Kunfur Nallah.

“The highway has been closed for two days to carry out the repairs and is likely to be reopened tomorrow ,” said the spokesman.

Udhampur, February 11
The Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban Police Range organised a talent hunt programme “Chhoona Hai Aasmaan” yesterday at the Dak Bunglow, Ramban, to provide a platform to the budding singers of the area.

Muddasir Butt of Thathri, Doda, was adjudged the best singer in the senior category while Mohammad Shoaib of Ramban was declared the best singer in the junior category. Tabassum Aara was given a consolation prize in this category. In the open category, the best singer award was given to Hanzulla Hussain of Banihal.

MK Sinha, DIG, lauded the performance of the young singers and added that the police under the guidance of DGP Kuldeep Khoda had come out with an innovative idea of providing a platform to the youth living in the remote and backward areas of the state to exhibit their talent.

Anil Magotra, SP, Ramban, reiterated the commitment of the police to encourage the youth by engaging them in constructive activities.

He said more such programmes would be organised in future in the jurisdiction of the Range. As many as 18 budding singers from the Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban Police Range participated in the talent hunt programme.

Jammu, February 11
A road mishap victim, who sustained injuries five days ago, was declared dead at the Government Medical College and Hospital here today.

Rajesh Kumar, son of Mohan Lal, a resident of Mangyal Ballu village in the Khour area was brought to the hospital after being hit by a vehicle at the Narwal area here on Sunday.

The police said the boy was severely injured, adding he died around 5 am today.

The body was handed over to the family of the deceased after conducting a post-mortem.

A case has been registered at Narwal police station.

Jammu, February 11
The police recovered the body of a Class XI student of Model Academy here from the banks of the Chenab in the Pargwal area of the Akhnoor sector last night.

Abhimanyu Sharma, 17, a resident of Reshamghar Colony, had been missing since January 11 after he left his house for tuition. His family had also lodged a missing report at Bakshi Nagar police station.

The police said the police control room (PCR) here was informed about the body. The PCR conveyed the message to the Bakshi Nagar police, which shifted it to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) around 2:30 am. It added the body bore no injury marks and the cause of the death was being ascertained. Abhimanyu’s schoolbag was also recovered from Akhnoor a week after he went missing.

As the news about the boy’s death spread, a large number of people came to the mortuary at the GMCH, where the body was taken for a post-mortem.

“Abhimanyu’s family had represented in its complaint that he left home on January 11 to deliver a meal to his maternal uncle at Bahu Temple. From there he started for tuition, but did not reach there,” said Surinder Khadyal, SHO, Bakshi Nagar police station. He said Abhimanyu’s maternal uncle, Amit Kumar, ran a shop at Bahu Temple and the boy along with his mother had started living with him after the death of his (boy’s) father.

Meanwhile, sources said Abhimanyu’s father was employed in the Animal and Sheep Husbandry Department and died 15 years ago. Earlier they lived at Aklay village near Satwari. They added that Abhimanyu’s mother was given a government job on compassionate grounds. His elder sister was studying in a medical college in Srinagar.

As soon as the news about the boy’s death reached Model Academy, a large number of students rushed to his house to console the bereaved family. “Abhimanyu was a brilliant student and had secured a merit in Class X. I am shocked at his death ,” said Sushil, a classmate. The body was handed over to the family after a post-mortem and the last rites of the deceased were performed in the evening.

Jammu, February 11
Giving birth to a girl child cost a woman dear, as her husband allegedly assaulted her with a baton at Harnam Kund village in the Domana area here last evening, sources said.

They said the woman, Reeta Devi, wife of Gopal Dass, gave birth to a girl child a few days ago, which was against the wishes of her husband. Reeta had married Gopal about two years ago.

The police said the woman suffered injuries on the head and legs and was brought to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) here, where her condition was said to be critical.

Bishan Singh, investigating officer: “I am not aware of the case and have just reached the GMCH. I received the information about it from the Police Control Room (PCR) around 8 pm.” However, no arrest has been made so far.