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Day after, another infiltration bid; militant killed
Probationer woman police official found dead
Allow peaceful protests in Valley, interlocutors recommend to govt
Post offices to become multi-functional: Pilot
Justices Nargotra, Imtiyaz administered oath of office
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Govt probes an eyewash: PDP
Farmers hold fast in Hazare’s support
‘Sikh youth being denied jobs in Police Dept’
Tributes paid to Army officer
Eid arrangements reviewed
Electronic traffic signals in Jammu, Srinagar still a dream
Governor’s greetings on Janamashtami
Natrang stages political satire ‘Topian’
Govt to develop Naagar Nagar to promote tourism
Implement 73rd amendment in state: BJP
CM calls on Governor
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Day after, another infiltration bid; militant killed
Jammu, August 21 The movement of a group of four armed militants was witnessed near the LoC in the Balnoie forward belt in the Krishnagati sub-sector of Poonch district around 1 am today, an Army officer of the 16 Corps said today. The troops kept a track of the movement of the militants, who were trying to cross over, and challenged them, he said, adding that in the ensuing gun battle one militant was killed and another injured. Two others fled back. During the night, the militants dragged the body of the slain ultra to the Pakistan side, the officer said. Meanwhile, asserting that the recent US warning about the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) attacks on India had “no special intelligence value”, the Army said today that it had eliminated top commanders of the outfit, thus increasing “desperation” among the militants to infiltrate into Kashmir ahead of the winter. “The LeT and the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) are traditionally the major terrorist groups — the JeM since the year 2000 and the LeT even before that. It has no special intelligence value that the LeT or the JeM are planning to increase attacks or their activity,” General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 15 Corps Lt-Gen Syed Atta Hasnain said. Hasnain said the Army had always known about LeT’s attempts to target India. “What is important is what are we doing to counter it. Jointly, the security forces are targeting the leadership of the JeM and the LeT, and our intelligence this year has been extremely good. It is because of this that the desperation has increased among militants and they are trying to infiltrate,” he told reporters here. Warning that the LeT had the ability to “severely disrupt the already delicate” regional relations, the US State Department had said the Pakistan-based terror outfit responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks remained active in Kashmir and continued to target India along with groups like the JeM and the Hizbul Mujahideen. The GOC said infiltration attempts would continue over the next two months. “Infiltration will continue and their (militants’) mistakes will also continue and we will take benefit of their mistakes,” he said.
—PTI |
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Probationer woman police official found dead
Jammu, August 21 While her family at Lower Gadigarh here refused to speak to the media, the police claimed that Parneet Kaur (26) committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling fan in her hostel room last night. She was putting up in the NGO block in room No. 7. Sources said Parneet was alone in her hostel room last night, as her roommate had shifted to another room in view of Ramzan. “It does not seem to be a suicide case. After another woman probationer raised the alarm that Parneet was not opening the door of her room, it was broke open. When we entered the room, we saw her hanging from the ceiling fan with a bed sheet. But her feet were touching the floor. Her lips had turned a little white and the face pale. But her eyes have not popped out, as happens in such cases. Hence, it is unconvincing that she committed suicide,” said some trainee police officials at the hostel. They adding that, “She was wearing knickers. Taking her temperament into consideration, we believe that she would have worn decent clothes before taking the extreme step. Her cellphone was also found smashed in the room.” “Last night, she was mentally and physically alright. The reason behind her alleged suicide is unknown,” they said. “She led the roll call till 9pm as she was the platoon commander and was looking very upbeat,” they added. “She was perhaps the only trainee in the academy who was fully content with her life. She was very active and equally competing with men. Lately, she completed an assault (commando) course,” the trainees said. They added that her training was to complete in December. Meanwhile, the police has started inquest proceedings while the body was handed over to the bereaved family for the last rites after a post-mortem this evening. |
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Allow peaceful protests in Valley, interlocutors recommend to govt
Jammu, August 21 As per the reply of the Union Home Ministry to an RTI application filed by a media organisation, the team of interlocutors comprising Dileep Padgaonkar, Prof Radha Kumar and MM Ansari, in its recommendations, has impressed upon the government to release all those arrested for militancy-related activities, who do not have serious charges against them. Besides, they have also asked the government to expedite the cases of undertrials and the confidence building measures in the state. Among a slew of measures, the interlocutors have recommended to the government to provide more job opportunities to the womenfolk in the Central and state governments. According to a senior Home Ministry official, the recommendations are under the consideration of the authorities concerned. However, the rehabilitation policy for militants is already in place and the police in the recent times has devised non-lethal ways to handle protests, especially by stone throwers. Giving information about the perks available to the interlocutors during the course of their assignment, the Union Home Ministry states in the reply that about Rs 55 lakh has been spent on account of their salary and air travel till July 2011. The interlocutors were appointment on October 13 last year. The RTI reply further states that every interlocutor is entitled to appoint an assistant, who is paid Rs 40,000 per month. The air travel bills of the interlocutors between Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir so far are pegged at Rs 3.35 lakh. The interlocutors are expected to submit the final report by September end, however, the Home Ministry’s reply states that no deadline has been fixed for the submission of the report. |
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Post offices to become multi-functional: Pilot
Srinagar, August 21 “We are applying to the Reserve Bank of India for a licence to start banking facilities at all the post offices across the country,” Union Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Sachin Pilot told reporters here. Pilot, who launched several new initiatives of his ministry yesterday, said the post offices would also provide other facilities like insurance. “These facilities at the post office will largely benefit the rural population of the country,” The minister said all the post offices across the country would be computerised and connected through a network. On the performance of the BSNL in the state, he said the telecom service provider had added 1.67 lakh mobile phone subscribers in the past four months and was expected to add another 1.50 lakh customers by the end of the current fiscal. On the lack of telephone facilities in the border areas and near the Line of Control (LoC), Pilot said the policy of the BSNL was to provide mobile phones where landlines could not be installed and digital satellite phone terminals (DSPT) where mobile towers could not be erected. “More than 300 DSPTs have been installed in the Kashmir and Ladakh regions during the year. Most of these DSPTs function as village telephones,” the minister said. He said the communication network along the LoC and the international border was being strengthened to prevent the transmission of mobile signals from other countries to this side. Regarding the ban on the short messaging services (SMS) on pre-paid mobile connections in the state, Pilot said a solution to the issue had to be worked out by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the security agencies. Meanwhile, Pilot, in presence of Minister for Science and Information Technology, Sheep and Animal Husbandry Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, launched a course on computer concept (CCC) in the Kashmiri language here yesterday. Speaking on the occasion, he said with the launch of the CCC in Kashmiri, the level of IT literacy in the state would increase.
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Justices Nargotra, Imtiyaz administered oath of office
Srinagar, August 21 Speaking on the occasion, the Governor congratulated Justice Nargotra and Justice Imtiyaz for having accepted the responsibility of the commission. He wished them successful tenures in the commission. The Governor said for the past sometime there had been repeated references to the delay in the establishment of the commission, which, for some reasons, could not materialise earlier. He added that the State Accountability Commission, the State Human Rights Commission, the State Information Commission and the State Vigilance Commission were the watchdogs of democracy, governance and human rights and, therefore, they were of immense importance and support to the government and the people of the state. The Governor said corruption was a matter of concern for everyone in the country and he was confident that the political parties and their leaders in the state were sensitive to what was required to be done for furthering accountability and good governance in the state. He emphasised on the need for the urgent appointment of the second member of the Accountability Commission and filling the vacancies in other commissions. The Governor hoped that a model State Vigilance Commission would also be set up soon after carrying out the required amendments to the existing statute, which was enacted in mid-February this year. Those present on the occasion included Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Mohammad Akbar Lone, Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council Arvinder Singh Micky, Acting Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Justice FM Ibrahim Kalifullah and other judges of the High Court, Leader of the Opposition Mehbooba Mufti, Chief Secretary Madhav Lal, Principal Secretary to the Governor RK Goyal, other senior officers and members of the families of Justice Nargotra and Justice
Imtiyaz. |
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Govt probes an eyewash: PDP
Jammu, August 21 At a meeting here today, PDP leaders asked the party cadre to educate the masses about the inhuman approach being adopted by the coalition regime. However, the PDP decided to intensify its stir against the death of a youth in a fake encounter at Surankote and the custodial killing of a man at Miran Sahib police station. According to a press note issued by the party, the killing of innocent people had become a policy of the government and there was a need to conduct a high-level probe into all the fake encounters and custodial killings since the formation of the government. The PDP said during the past two-and-a-half years, the government had announced a number of inquiries into the incidents of custodial killing and fake encounter, but not even a single person had been punished so far. It demanded that an impartial agency should investigate all such incidents to fix responsibility. Pointing towards the case of custodial killing at Miran Sahib police station, the PDP said the magisterial inquiry announced by the state government was merely an eyewash. It alleged that instead of punishing those responsible for the man’s death, the authorities had been trying to divert the attention of the people. The PDP demanded a high-level probe into the Surankote fake encounter case.
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Farmers hold fast in Hazare’s support
Jammu, August 21
sarpanches, panches and villagers, representatives of the J&K Flower Growers Association, RS Pura Rice Growers Association, Bharatiya Kissan Sangathan, Kissan Union, Samba, Sheep and Goat Association and the Strawberry Growers Association of India took part in the fast.
Tejinder Singh, president of the J&K Flower Growers Association, said, “In Anna Hazare’s support, we are holding a one-day fast to give a message to the government that the people, especially the farmers, of the state are fed up with the prevailing corruption.”
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‘Sikh youth being denied jobs in Police Dept’
Srinagar, August 21 The APSCC at a meeting held here yesterday alleged that the Sikh youth were deliberately denied an opportunity to take part in the recruitment process for the Police Department here on Friday. “This proves that it was all done on the instructions of the coalition government,” stated APSCC chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina. He added that it showed that the government wanted the minority community to migrate from the Kashmir valley. Even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had assured the APSCC that the Sikh youth would be given priority in employment, they felt they had been betrayed, Raina said. He added that the majority community had always welcomed the Sikhs in Kashmir and extended cooperation during the crisis, but the government policies were compelling them to migrate. The Sikhs were forced to migrate from villages to cities during the militancy days when the education, health and security systems in the Valley had collapsed. Those who attended the meeting included Daleep Singh Deepak, DS Bali, Ajeet Singh Mastana and Sant Singh. |
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Tributes paid to Army officer
Srinagar, August 21 Wreaths were laid on behalf of GOC-in-Chief, Northern Command, Lt-Gen KT Parnaik. GOC, Chinar Corps, Lt-Gen SA Hasnain and other senior officers also laid wreaths to pay tributes to the martyr. Lt Navdeep was killed while fighting foreign militants on the Line of Control in the wee hours yesterday. The officer was a son of an Honorary Captain of the Indian Army. He is survived by his father, mother and a younger sister. The body of the brave officer had been taken to his home town Gurdaspur, a defence spokesman here said. |
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Srinagar, August 21 The meeting discussed various issues, including uninterrupted supply of power and drinking water, traffic management, supply of essential items and maintaining the price line, besides sanitation in Srinagar city. The Divisional Commissioner directed the officials concerned to conduct market raids regularly to curb profiteering in view of the ensuing Eid. He directed the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department (CAPD) to ready its squads for the purpose and also make ration available at various depots across the Valley. He asked the Animal Husbandry Department officials to make poultry birds available in various areas of the city. Samoon underscored the need for ensuring sanitation in and around all the shrines and mosques, including the Jamia Masjid and the Eidgah. He also directed the Regional Transport Officer and the State Road Transport Corporation to ensure transport facilities for the people on Jumat-ul-Vida, Shabi Qadr and Eid. —
TNS |
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Electronic traffic signals in Jammu, Srinagar still a dream
Jammu, August 21 For the past more than a year, the traffic police and the municipal corporations of the two capital cities have been claiming that the project is in its final stage. Even Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had given nod for installing traffic lights, yet the work has not been started. The IGP (Traffic), HK Lohia, had suggested to the government to install electronic traffic signals at various points in the two cities to control traffic congestion. A senior traffic police official told The Tribune that they had prepared a report and had submitted it to the department concerned last year. He added that they were given an assurance that the signals would be installed shortly. “We conducted a number of surveys of the two cities and the accident-prone areas were shown to the authorities concerned, yet nothing had been done so far,” said the official. Giving further details, he said earlier the non-availability of funds created hurdles in the installation of the signals, but it was decided to float tenders to invite companies, which could install them free of cost, in lieu of a right to advertise on the poles. Later, Transport Minister Qamar Ali Akhoon decided that the government would install the signals on the Build Operate Transfer (BOT) basis to regulate the traffic movement in the cities. A total of 123 crossing points have been identified for the installation of signals, of which 68 are in Srinagar and 55 in Jammu. The Housing and Urban Development Department says it has directed the municipal corporations of both cities to invite tenders and start work on the project at the earliest. The Assistant Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), Charan Deep Singh, who has been looking after the project, said, “We have received tenders from a number of companies, but have not scrutinised them as yet.” “We are keen to install traffic signals, but it will take some more time to complete the formalities,” he added. |
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Governor’s greetings on Janamashtami
Srinagar, August 21 In his message of felicitations, the Governor said the divine message of Lord Krishna enshrined in the Shrimad Bhagvad Gita exhorted the mankind to strive for the ultimate truth and to do one’s duty to the best of one’s ability without worrying about the fruits. He added that adherence to such values provided a firm foundation of a stable and harmonious society. The Governor prayed for the well being of the people of the state. |
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Natrang stages political satire ‘Topian’
Jammu, August 21 Speaking on the occasion, Natrang director Balwant Thakur said the theatre had been the most effective medium of mobilising the public opinion and in the present scenario plays like “Topian” had acquired the centre stage. Hitting out at corrupt politicians, Thakur said, “Over the years, they have changed the colours of their caps but not their mindset.” The play is based on a story of two neighbours, who pledge to change a corrupt political system. Every time they come across a politician sporting a different cap and having a different manifesto. Over the time they find that nothing is changing, the slogans of socialism are furthering the divide between the rich and the poor, quality of life is deteriorating everyday and the security of life and property is at the mercy of God. The playwright has successfully portrayed that all politicians are the same and they only change their caps and their colours just to befool the public. Syed Fardeen played the central character in the play. The roles of two neighbours were played by Rahul Singh and Vinay Manhas. Both gave engrossing performances. Lights were designed and executed by Neeraj Kant. —
TNS |
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Govt to develop Naagar Nagar to promote tourism
Srinagar, August 21 Tourism and Culture Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora gave this information during a tour to the Jora said the restoration of monuments, including Kalai from Kathi Darwaza onwards, and the beautification of the area would be the main features of the project. The ministers visited several sites and took stock of the implementation of the projects. They directed the authorities concerned to remove impediments, if any, in the way of the implementation of the projects. They also directed the authorities to formulate a rehabilitation plan for the affected families of the area. Sagar said the government was keen to promote the tourism potential of Naagar Nagar. He added that the area had a vast pilgrim and heritage tourism potential, which was being used to attract tourists. He said the creation of necessary tourist facilities and the conservation and restoration of various monuments like Dhara Shieko Hamam and Kalai would be taken up at the earliest. Sagar also enquired about the present status of the laying of a rope way from Kathi Darwaza to the Makhdoom Sahib shrine. The minister was told that the work on the Rs 3.50 crore project had been started and it would be completed within the time frame. Wani said the restoration of the glory of Naagar Nagar was the priority of the government. He added that the implementation of the mega project would give a fascinating look to the area. He said the government had a proposal for the rehabilitation of the affected families. Under the proposal, 246 families would be rehabilitated at Wanganpora, he added. |
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Implement 73rd amendment in state: BJP
Jammu, August 21 “After the elections, it is mandatory on the part of the state government to delegate powers to the panchayats so that the empowerment of the people at the grass-roots level could be achieved,” the BJP leaders said. They added that, “The BJP criticised the statement of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah that powers could not be given to the panchayats at the cost of MLAs.” The BJP leaders added that without the implementation of the 73rd amendment, the panchayats could not be empowered. MLA, Marh, Sukhnandan Choudhary, MLA, Nagrota, Jugal Kishore Sharma and MLA, Jammu East, Ashok Khajuria addressed the gathering and called upon the panchayat members to serve the people with dedication and sincerity.
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Jammu, August 21
Homage was paid to Lieutenant Navdeep Singh, who died in an encounter in which 12 militants were also killed in the Gurez sector, at BB Cantt here today.Wreaths were laid on behalf of
GOC-in-Chief, Northern Command, Lt-Gen KT Parnaik. GOC, Chinar Corps, Lt-Gen SA Hasnain and other senior officers also laid wreaths to pay tributes to the martyr.
