The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Protests in Srinagar over Facebook posts
Protesting youth and security personnel clash in Srinagar city on Friday. Srinagar, November 18
Post-Friday prayer protests erupted in some parts of Srinagar against the alleged blasphemous posts on social networking site Facebook. A group of people carrying placards bearing Islamic slogans marched from the uptown Maisuma locality to the City Centre Lal Chowk after the prayers.

Protesting youth and security personnel clash in Srinagar city on Friday. Tribune photo: Amin War

Juveniles lodged with hardcore criminals
Inmates watch TV at Juvenile Home at RS Pura in Jammu. RS Pura, November 18
The practice of lodging juveniles in regular jails with hardcore criminals continues despite denials by the state government. All inmates at the only juvenile home of the state at RS Pura have spent many years in jails.

Inmates watch TV at Juvenile Home at RS Pura in Jammu. Tribune photo: Inderjeet Singh

Woman alleges harassment by two CRPF jawans
Srinagar, November 18
Two CRPF personnel were today detained for questioning following allegations by local residents that they were harassing a woman, a charge denied by the paramilitary force.

Couple gets life term for murder
Jammu, November 18
The Principal Sessions Judge, Jammu, Jang Bhadur Singh Jamwal, today awarded rigorous imprisonment for life and a fine Rs 10,000 each to Baba Kali Dass and Rekha Kumari for killing a person on February 14, 2003.

OBCs seek change in criteria for creamy layer
Jammu, November 18
The Jammu and Kashmir Backward Classes Union today demanded the implementation of various decisions taken in a recent meeting of the Backward Classes Advisory Board held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

Road safety measures: Panel
Jammu, November 18
Taking a serious note of over 100 persons dying in road mishaps in Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts in the past six months, a panel set up to look into the causes of the accidents today sought safety of passengers and strict implementation of road safety measures.

Blue Sapphire goes under the hammer
Jammu, Novermber 18
J&K Minerals Limited today held auction of the famous Kashmir blue saphire for the second time in the current year at Jawahar Lal Nehru Udhyog Bhawan near here.

Mall culture
Traders told to pull up socks
Jammu, November 18
The Associated Chamber of Traders Federation (ACTF) today opposed the introduction of mall culture in the country, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir, and appealed to the local traders to improve their working and ensure that quality goods are supplied to the consumers at reasonable rates.

College students may lose bus facility for want of funds
Bhadarwah, November 18
The buses provided to 35 government colleges of the state this year to provide pick-and-drop facility to students commuting daily on treacherous mountainous roads are likely to go off the road soon for want of funds. Some of the colleges, despite being given the buses, had not even started providing the facility.

Two hoots to traffic norms

Minibus operators park their vehicles on the busy BC Road in Jammu, causing traffic jams and snarls. Tribune photo: Inderjeet Singha

Two Dead in road mishaps
Srinagar, November 18
Two persons died and eight others were injured in different road accidents in Kashmir since yesterday.

Train may chug up to Banihal by next year
Srinagar, November 18
With the completion of work on the 11-km-long tunnel between Qazigund and Banihal recently, the chances for starting train services up to Banihal has increased considerably.

	BJP expels six MLAs from party for cross-voting Party seeks their ouster from House; the expelled cry ‘bias’ Dinesh Manhotra Tribune News Service Jammu, November 18 The BJP today formally expelled six MLAs from the primary membership of the party and wrote a letter to Speaker of the Assembly Mohammad Akbar Lone seeking their disqualification as members of the House for violating party’s whip during the Legislative Council elections. Veteran party leader and former Union Minister Chaman Lal Gupta was also expelled from the party on the same issue on May 31. The six MLAs had been suspended in April this year. Infighting in the already divided state unit of the BJP became murkier after today’s decision as the expelled legislators have termed this action as totally “biased” and have vowed to expose those who have been given a clean chit by the party high command to hide their “misdeeds”. Those who were expelled from the party today included Durga Dass, Master Lal Chand, Jagdish Raj Sapoli, Baldev Sharma, Bharat Bhushan and Prof Gharu Ram Bhagat. “It is a totally biased decision and we will go to public to expose the BJP leadership for damaging the party to further the interests of the ruling National Conference,” one of the expelled members Master Lal Chand told The Tribune. Lal Chand, who represents the remote Bani Assembly segment, questioned the parameters adopted by the high command to single them out as “traitors”. “We are made scapegoats to shield a corrupt leader in the party who is known to be close to the ruling NC,” he said, disclosing that all the MLAs who had been expelled from the party had called for a meeting tomorrow to discuss the future strategy. Interestingly, the party leadership had deputed spokesperson Nirmal Kamal to announce the expulsion of six MLAs from the party today despite the fact that senior leaders were in the city. The chief spokesman of the party Jatinder Singh was also present in the office. In a hurriedly called press conference, Nirmal Kamal announced the decision of expelling all six MLAs from the party. Sources in the party said the state leadership was aware that the MLAs who had been expelled from the party would hit back because they had material against the “loyalists” so no senior leader was ready to announce the decision. “The decision of the party leadership seeking disqualification of the expelled members is totally wrong because, as per directions of the Speaker on the floor of the House, I am still leader of the BJP in the Assembly”, claimed Chaman Lal Gupta, who termed today’s action as contempt of Speaker’s ruling on the case.
	State Info Commissioner takes oath of office Tribune News Service Jammu, November 18 Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra administered the oath of office to Nazir Ahmed as the State Information Commissioner in a function held at Raj Bhavan here this evening. The Governor wished Nazir Ahmed a successful tenure as the State Information Commissioner. He hoped that now that the State Information Commission was fully constituted, G R Sufi, state Chief Information Commissioner, and his team would be able to provide strong support to the Chief Minister and the state government in rooting out corruption from Jammu and Kashmir. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Minister for Transport Qamar Ali Akhoon, Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda and state Chief Information Commissioner G R Sufi were among those present at the ceremony.
	Govt appoints one-man panel to probe Yousuf case Tribune News Service Jammu, November 18 The state government, exercising the powers conferred under Section 3 of the Jammu & Kashmir Commission of Enquiry Act, 1962, has appointed a commission of inquiry consisting of Justice HS Bedi, a former judge of the Supreme Court, to probe into the death of NC worker Syed Mohammad Yousuf. The commission shall inquire into the causes and circumstances leading to the death of Yousuf and fix the responsibility for the lapses, if any, committed by any person in discharge of his duties. The commission shall perform all the functions necessary for holding the inquiry and submit its report to the government within a period of six weeks. The mysterious death of Yousuf has triggered a political controversy in the state. Opposition parties are targeting Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on the issue.
	Protests in Srinagar over Facebook posts Srinagar, November 18 Post-Friday prayer protests erupted in some parts of Srinagar against the alleged blasphemous posts on social networking site Facebook. A group of people carrying placards bearing Islamic slogans marched from the uptown Maisuma locality to the City Centre Lal Chowk after the prayers. The protesters shouted slogans against those responsible for posting the Facebook comments. They demanded action against the culprits. The police and the CRPF were deployed in sufficient strength to maintain law and order. As the protests were peaceful, the security forces did not intervene. However, later some youths gathered in the streets of the politically sensitive Maisuma locality and stoned the police and CRPF troopers. The security forces maintained restraint. A few tear smoke canisters were lobbed by the police to disperse the protesters. Another group of protesters gathered in the Sarai Bala area, adjacent to Lal Chowk, raising slogans against the alleged blasphemy. As the protesters remained peaceful, the security forces allowed the gathering. Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani, placed under house arrest by the authorities, had called for post-Friday prayer protests. Another senior separatist leader, Shabir Shah, was also been placed under house arrest as a precaution in Srinagar. — IANS
	Juveniles lodged with hardcore criminals Ashutosh Sharma Tribune News Service RS Pura, November 18 The practice of lodging juveniles in regular jails with hardcore criminals continues despite denials by the state government. All inmates at the only juvenile home of the state at RS Pura have spent many years in jails. One such inmate Abdul Jabbar (14) has spent more than two years in police lock-up and district jail. He was reportedly arrested under the Public Safety Act (PSA) for his alleged involvement in militancy related activities. “Earlier, I was sent to JIC for many days. Thereafter, the police lodged me in district jail, Kishtwar. I was brought here in July this year,” said Abdul. Rohit Kumar (15) of Doda has been here for the past two years. He is facing murder charges. “I was kept in a police chowki for a week and then shifted to a lock-up at a police station. After a fortnight, I was shifted to the Udhapur district jail for two weeks,” he said, adding, “I came here on January 29 last year”. Iqbal Deep Singh (15), an accused in a murder case had to spend two months in the Ambphalla district Jail. “I was brought here last month. At the district jail, I shared a barrack with 30 prisoners,” said Iqbal. “The J&K Police has been fond of applying the PSA, seldom invoking the state Juvenile Justice Act (JJA), 1997. Juveniles are denied access to benefits of the JJA. The judiciary in J&K is forced to intervene in every case to invoke the JJA,” says, Suhas Chakma, director, Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR). He added, “Due to the lack of juvenile homes, delinquents are routinely detained in police lock-ups”. The ACHR in a recent fact finding report states that the juvenile justice system is rotten in J&K. The report also castigates the police and demands that juveniles detained at the RS Pura home be provided expeditious trial and regularly produced before the courts.
	Woman alleges harassment by two CRPF jawans Srinagar, November 18 Two CRPF personnel were today detained for questioning following allegations by local residents that they were harassing a woman, a charge denied by the paramilitary force. Head Constable Yoginder Singh and Constable Amit Singh were nabbed by local residents of Karfali Mohalla in the interior city and handed over to the police after a woman alleged that the jawans along with two other jawans were harassing her and tried to forcibly enter her house, official sources said. However, a CRPF spokesman said the jawans had gone to buy groceries and lost their way when they were roughed up by some unknown persons. “The allegation that the jawans were involved in any act of misbehaviour with a woman is false,” CRPF spokesman M Shahidi said. — PTI
	Couple gets life term for murder Legal Correspondent Jammu, November 18 The Principal Sessions Judge, Jammu, Jang Bhadur Singh Jamwal, today awarded rigorous imprisonment for life and a fine Rs 10,000 each to Baba Kali Dass and Rekha Kumari for killing a person on February 14, 2003. The victim Baldev Singh of Rangpur Sidian was killed by the couple due to some old enmity. The police had registered a case under Sections 302/34 RPC.
	OBCs seek change in criteria for creamy layer Tribune News Service Jammu, November 18 The Jammu and Kashmir Backward Classes Union today demanded the implementation of various decisions taken in a recent meeting of the Backward Classes Advisory Board held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Addressing a delegates’ convention of the union, leaders hailed the decision of the Centre to increase the criteria for the creamy layer from Rs 4.50 lakh to Rs 9 lakh. They requested the state government to implement the same in Jammu and Kashmir as well. They also highlighted problems being faced by the OBCs in getting backward class certificates. The leaders further demanded that all major decisions taken in the meeting should be implemented as early as possible to ameliorate the plight of the OBC people. In the meeting, various demands of OBCs like the enhancement of reservation, increasing creamy layer criteria, issue of only one certificate for the state and Central government jobs and representation of OBCs in all district development boards were raised. On the occasion, Suchet Singh was re-elected the president of the J&K Backward Classes Union. He has been authorised to nominate other office-bearers.
	Road safety measures: Panel Jammu, November 18 Taking a serious note of over 100 persons dying in road mishaps in Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts in the past six months, a panel set up to look into the causes of the accidents today sought safety of passengers and strict implementation of road safety measures. “No stone should be left unturned for ensuring safety and security of passengers. The police, traffic and civil authorities must coordinate effectively to address the problem on top priority basis,” Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Committee chairman M Y Tarigami said here. The frequent road mishaps in Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban are “horrific”, he said and urged the administration to implement the measures suggested by the committee to prevent accidents in the mountainous belt. — PTI
	Blue Sapphire goes under the hammer Jammu, Novermber 18 J&K Minerals Limited today held auction of the famous Kashmir blue saphire for the second time in the current year at Jawahar Lal Nehru Udhyog Bhawan near here. Minister for Industries and Commerce SS Slathia said 63 lots weighing 18 kg approximately had been put on sale in the two-day auction. — TNS
	Mall culture Traders told to pull up socks Tribune News Service Jammu, November 18 The Associated Chamber of Traders Federation (ACTF) today opposed the introduction of mall culture in the country, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir, and appealed to the local traders to improve their working and ensure that quality goods are supplied to the consumers at reasonable rates. Yash Paul Gupta, president, ACTF, said, “The so-called foreign wholesale and retail centres being opened throughout the country are making a false impression that they will sell goods at cheaper prices so that even dealers buy from them and earn more profit. This is just to attract the public, but gradually they change their policies”. He added, “The people must understand that such big stores will render a large number of people jobless, which is dangerous for a state like ours which is already in the throes of militancy”.
	College students may lose bus facility for want of funds Raju William/TNS Bhadarwah, November 18 The buses provided to 35 government colleges of the state this year to provide pick-and-drop facility to students commuting daily on treacherous mountainous roads are likely to go off the road soon for want of funds. Some of the colleges, despite being given the buses, had not even started providing the facility. Since the J&K Higher Education Department had told the beneficiary colleges to arrange for drivers, conductors as well as bear the fuel and maintenance cost from their own resources, the college managements are finding it increasingly difficult to continue with the bus service with their meagre funds. “I don’t think we can continue with the service, started about three months ago, beyond November. The local funds available with us are grossly insufficient. Since the service began, we are just paying an honorarium to the driver. It is unfortunate that students, especially girls, will have to suffer,” said Dr Mohammad Iqbal Zargar, Principal, Government Degree College, Bhadarwah. Similar is the case at Government Degree College, Kishtwar, which has hired a driver for Rs 110 each per day. “With the high cost of fuel and maintenance considering the poor roads, it is becoming unviable to continue with this service ,” said the college principal, Dr Ramesh Dogra.
	Two Dead in road mishaps Srinagar, November 18 Two persons died and eight others were injured in different road accidents in Kashmir since yesterday. A woman died while eight others got injured in a collision between two vehicles on the Srigufwara-Pahalgam road in Annatnag district. Mohammad Maqbool Wani, who was injured in a road accident at Simthan Top succumbed to his injuries. — TNS
	Train may chug up to Banihal by next year Tribune News Service Srinagar, November 18 With the completion of work on the 11-km-long tunnel between Qazigund and Banihal recently, the chances for starting train services up to Banihal has increased considerably. Presently, the train services are operational on the 119-km railway line between Baramulla in north Kashmir and Qazigund in the south. Sources here said the Railway authorities had planned to get more than 30 coaches that would be transported to the Valley by road after these were carried to Udhampur railway station in Jammu region. These coaches would be reaching here next year, official sources said, adding that arrangements were being made for operating more services after railway lines were laid on the Qazigund-Banihal tunnel section. These coaches would be transported from Chennai, although the earlier plans of carrying some more coaches to the Valley could not materialise due to varied reasons last summer. Earlier, the coaches for the two trains operating in the valley were transported by road from Udhampur. Each of the trains has eight coaches which are operating daily. There has been an increasing demand for more trains within the Valley as the people find it efficient, comfortable and cheaper as compared to road journey. The average number of daily passengers traveling by train has increased from the initial 5,000 to 7,000, the sources said. There is usually a heavy rush of passengers during peak hours in the mornings and evenings as most of the commuters prefer to travel by train between the 15 railway stations on the section in two hours and 15 minutes.