Jammu, June 20
With the state government allegedly turning a blind eye to militancy-affected families of the Jammu region, Madhya Pradesh-based NGO Sangani Group, in collaboration with the Tehreek-e-Insaaf, distributed relief material among 100 such families at Mubarak Mandi here today.

Jammu migrants, as they are called in common parlance, have been staging a dharna at Mubarak Mandi since 2005, demanding government relief on a par with internally displaced Kashmiri Pandits.

Every affected family was given clothes, blankets, notebooks, pens, pencils, medicines and 10 kg of flour. General secretary of the Tehreek-e-Insaaf Ravinder Raina said militancy-affected people of Jammu had no food, shelter or clothes.

He accused the state government of, what he called, ignoring 12,000 migrant families and about eight lakh militancy-affected people in the Jammu province.

Raina alleged that despite repeated requests, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had not spared time to listen to the grievances of militancy-affected families of the Jammu region.

Militancy victims of the Jammu region were on the brink of starvation, but the government had failed to mitigate their sufferings, he alleged.

Raina reiterated the demands of militancy-affected people of Jammu regarding the constitution of a high-level panel to assess the losses suffered by such families of Kishtwar, Doda, Ramban, Reasi, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch districts.

He demanded an economic package for the affected people and reservation for their wards in various educational institutions, especially professional colleges.

President of the Sangani Group Mamta Sharma said the relief material was distributed among the poor families of militancy victims as their livelihood and education of children had been badly affected.

“Though this small relief cannot adequately compensate their losses, this is an effort initiated by the NGO to provide some assistance to these families,” she said. She promised to carry on with the charity for militancy-affected families of the Jammu region in future as well.

Katra, June 20
Four passengers were killed and four injured when the vehicle they were travelling in skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge at Hengni on the Ramsoo-Banihal road in Ramban district today.

The mishap occurred in the afternoon when the driver of a Tavera bearing registration number JK 03C 1843 on its way to Srinagar from Jammu lost control over the vehicle while negotiating a sharp curve.The Tavera fell into a 100-foot deep gorge in the jurisdiction of Banihal police station.

As per officials, the police rushed to the spot and started rescue operations. The occupants of the vehicle were rushed to the nearest hospital at Ramsoo where four persons were declared brought dead.The other four injured were shifted to Government Hospital, Banihal.

The deceased were identified as Sunder Lal of Shastri Nagar, Jammu, Ajaz Ahmed of Kukarnag, Kashmir, Mohammad Sultan of Hazratbal, Srinagar and an unidentified person. The injured were identified as Azmina Begum and Sultan of Shalimar, Srinagar, Imtiyaz Ahmed of Nawakadal, Srinagar and Shambu Nath of Channi Himmat.

Katra, June 20
Though Katra, the base camp of the Vaishno Devi shrine, is not on the route of the Amarnath yatra, traders and hoteliers here are looking forward to do better business this time when the annual pilgrimage commences on June 29.

Around 80 per cent of the Amarnath pilgrims coming from all parts of the country make it a point to visit the Vaishno Devi shrine as well while returning from the holy cave shrine after darshan of the ice lingam. The Shiv Khori shrine, 85 km from Katra, is another destination of the pilgrims.

It may sound strange to know how the curtailed duration of the yatra could benefit almost all sections of the population in and around Katra which is in one way or another depends on pilgrimage. It also takes the wind out of the logic of those protesting against the reduced number of yatra days.

As per the schedule released by the Amarnath Shrine Board, the yatra will commence from June 29 and culminate on Raksha Bandhan on August 13. This means 46 days of pilgrimage. Those protesting the schedule demanded the yatra should be of 60-day duration.

A leading dry fruit seller, Ram Kishore, argued that for the last about 4-5 years, the first month of Amarnath yatra had been witnessing a huge rush of pilgrims. This coincided with the summer vacation in May and June. “This is the time when educational institutions are closed and people undertake pilgrimage to Vaishno Devi. So, the convergence of pilgrims on both holy destinations, especially in June, created an acute shortage of accommodation in Katra. This meant pilgrims would not stay here and it would result in a loss of bulk of the business,” he said.

Since normally the vacation ends almost in the beginning of July and the rush decreases accordingly, the business community feels that the beginning of the Amarnath yatra at the end of this month could mean longer business days this year. “As the Amarnath yatra is scheduled to culminate on Raksha Bandhan on August 13, we expect to do better business till then. It had not been the case for the past some years,”, said Ajay Gupta, a shopkeeper.

Raman Sharma, a hotelier, is excited about the prospects of full occupancy till August. “Often, it is misunderstood that the more the rush,the better the business. But let me tell you that accommodation is most crucial to businesses in Katra. What is the use of that rush which we cannot handle. For instance, I cannot increase the number of rooms in my hotel. So, I believe the scheduling of the Amarnath yatra this year from the end of June is a wise decision as it would ensure convenient and longer stay of pilgrims here which means better business for all sections,” he said.

Srinagar, June 20
Expressing satisfaction over the successful completion of the panchayat poll in the state, the state Congress president,Saif-ud-Din Soz, has said that the coalition government has fulfilled the promise to hand over power to the people.

Addressing a gathering of newly elected sarpanches and panches in Pulwama and Baramulla districts, Soz said the Congress was committed to devolving powers to grass-root level functionaries and strengthening rural institutions to ensure the development of the rural areas. He asked elected representatives to work with dedication, commitment and missionary spirit to fulfill the aspirations of the people who had voted for them. He asked them to shoulder greater responsibility and ensure justice to the people and achieve new goals.

Soz said that the coalition government was committed to providing better facilities to the people and during the past two-and- a-half years, a lot of work in all the sectors had been done. He said special emphasis had been laid on the improvement of basic issues like road connectivity, education, health and social welfare.He said the administration had been made responsive to the people. He called for a close coordination between people and government functionaries for ensuring speedy allround development. He asked the panches to fix the priorities of their areas and finalise plans in close consultation with the officers as per the requirements of the people at the ground level.

Soz was accompanied by Congress leader and Minister for Health, Horticulture & Floriculture Sham Lal Sharma on his visit to Pulwama district while the Revenue Minister and Congress leader, Raman Bhalla, accompanied the PCC chief during his visit to the Pattan area of Baramulla district. 

Srinagar, June 20
The PDP today demanded complete withdrawal of restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir."Since the people of the state and especially of the Kashmir valley have once again given peace a chance even in the face of most draconian measures and provocations, there is no reason for the government to continue with the extraordinary restrictions," PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said in a statement here.

Mehbooba said the restrictions were still continuing as the government was apparently feeling "insecure" as it had "failed to bring to book" the culprits responsible for 120 killings and the resultant economic loss.

“It has ironically gone after those who were protesting against the atrocities or trying to give expression to people's anger against the excesses," she said.

Urging the government to immediately restore full liberty to the media to function as an independent and effective part of a democratic set-up, the PDP president said the gag was continuing while human rights activists and writers from the rest of the country had been deported or prevented from entering the state.

Demanding the release of political prisoners and the youth who were arrested on charges of stone throwing, Mehbooba said no government, except the most dictatorial one, would arrest the complainants who were demanding justice for the victims.

Alleging that the career prospects of more than 5000 youth had been jeopardised by filing FIRs against them, she said the cases must be withdrawn so that they could pursue their studies. — PTI 

Jammu, June 20
Following the recovery of a femur bone of a minor boy, the Samba police has decided to send DNA samples of a missing boy’s mother, his paternal aunt and that of the femur to either the FSL, Hyderabad, or the CFSL, New Delhi.

“We have collected DNA samples of a woman, Veena Devi, whose son has been missing since March 30 this year, and the boy’s paternal aunt because his father had died years ago, along with the DNA sample of the femur,” Samba district SSP Israr Khan told The Tribune.

According to him, an officer has been assigned the task of taking the samples to either the FSL, Hyderabad, or the CFSL, Delhi, after fulfilling legal formalities.

On May 8, the Samba police had found the femur, apparently of a minor boy, near a graveyard in Vijaypur on the Jammu-Pathankot national highway. A dog was found carrying the bone.

Since the place was close to the graveyard, it was presumed that some dogs might have dug it from there. However, subsequent digging of the area around the place led to the recovery of an entire human skeleton within 4m radius.

What prompted the police to initiate an inquiry was the fact that a nine-year-old boy, Shubam Sharma, of Swankha Morh in Vijaypur had been missing from the area since March 30 this year.

“We have contacted both the laboratories and after fulfilling the legal formalities, the DNA samples will be sent to one of them,” said the SSP.

“Since Shubam’s late father Kaka Ram Sharma of Swankha had left a sizeable property in the name of his son, we strongly feel that the minor was murdered and his body buried in the area,” police sources said.

On April 2, Veena Devi, widow of Kaka Ram, had reported at Vijaypur police station that her son Shubam Sharma was missing.

The Samba police has reportedly already identified some suspects, but has decided to keep their identity secret till the DNA reports are available.

Jammu, June 20
With eight days to go for this year’s Amarnath yatra, the CRPF has deployed 49 additional companies.The annual pilgrimage will begin from June 29 this year“A total of 49 companies have been deployed and the security men are familiarising themselves with the area,” a CRPF spokesperson told The Tribune.

While 47 companies of the CRPF have been pulled out of reserved companies for the pilgrimage, two companies comprising women constables have especially come from outside the state to assist for the smooth conduct of the yatra, he added.

They had been deployed from Jammu to Pahalgam, Chandanwari, Panjtarni, the cave shrine, Baltal, Manigam and Ranga Morh, said the spokesperson.

Approximately, 6,615 jawans, including women constables, would be on duty in the yatra area till August 15 when the pilgrimage ended.

Nearly, 11 companies had been deployed from Kathua to Ramban in the Jammu region while the remaining 38 would guard the pilgrimage on the other side of the Jawahar tunnel in Kashmir up to the twin tracks of Baltal and Pahalgam, he added.

The Army, the BSF and the Jammu and Kashmir police would work in tandem with the CRPF to ensure hassle-free pilgrimage. 

Jammu, June 20
It was celebration time at the Nari Niketan in Mendhar tehsil of Poonch district as one of its inmates, 19-year-old Gulshan Kausar, tied the nuptial knot with Farooq Ahmed, son of Ghulam Ahmed of village Kalani in Mandi Tehsil, on June 18.

Both the bride and the bridegroom are of Kashmiri origin.

Gulshan Kausar lost her father to militancy in 2002. Her mother Arshi Begum is physically challenged. Abject poverty forced the mother and the daughter to take shelter at the 
Nari Niketan.

Despite facing numerous hardships, Gulshan Kausar wanted to study. She has passed Class XII examination and also learnt stitching and knitting. Marriage was a distant dream for the destitute girl. However, the dream came true with help and support of the Army unit located at Mendhar.

A suitable alliance for the girl was found in Farooq Ahmed, who has also studied up to Class XII and runs a small business. The nikah was solemnised at the Nari Niketan in the presence of civil and Army officials, besides a large number of local people.

It was an emotional moment for the inmates of Nari Niketan and its warden Charanjit Kaur.

“I am grateful to the Army for providing unstinted support to the Nari Niketan and making the dream of an orphan girl come true,” Charanjit 
Kaur said.

Arjan Ara, an inmate of the Nari Niketan, said, “Because of the Army’s support, the Nari Niketan is a home away from home for poor orphans like us. I am very happy for my friend Gulshan who is starting a new life today thanks to the help and support of the Army and the Nari Niketan.” 

Gurez (LoC), June 20
“If someone falls ill here during the winter, we have no option but to dig a grave for that person,” this was how Nisar Ahmed, a resident of Tulial village in the Gurez sector, described the dismal health care scenario in the area.

With only one sub-divisional hospital (SDH) to cater to the entire Gurez sector, it becomes difficult for the local residents to get any medical help in the winter when the area remains cut of from the rest of the Valley.Even reaching the SDH becomes difficult during the period.

“In the months of winter, the area remains covered under 10 to 15 feet of snow and it becomes difficult for us to even move out of our houses, leave aside taking the sick to the hospital. There is hardly any traffic movement on the roads,” said Bashir Ahmed Maploo, a resident of Achora village.

The chopper service of the Indian Air Force is the only hope for the critically ill patients during those months, residents say. “But everybody is not lucky enough to be carried in an IAF helicopter as sometimes it becomes impossible for even the helicopter to take off due to extreme weather conditions,” Maploo said. Even during the summer, getting proper health care facilities is not easy in the area. Doctors do not regularly report for duty at the local hospital, people allege.

“Many people die here in the absence of proper health care facilities. One of my neighbours first lost her mother and then her only son as they could not get proper health care facilities,” said Naseema, a resident of Markoot village.

Though the Gurez sector is situated less than 100 km away from the district headquarters of Bandipora, in the absence of any road link, it takes more than 10 hours to cover the distance. In the absence of a woman doctor at the local hospital here, expecting mothers have to face a lot of problems. “There have been many cases of expecting mothers dying during delivery,” said Naseema.