The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Disappearance of 4 foreigners Rights panel serves notice on former Punjab DGP Majid Jahangir Tribune News Service Srinagar, APRIL 17 The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) today issued notices to former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, P S Gill and Senior Superintendent of Police Ashkoor Wani in the kidnapping and disappearance of four foreigners from the tourist resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir in 1995. Four foreign tourists — John Childs and Don Hutchings of the US and Keith Mangan and Paul Wells of England — were kidnapped on July 4, 1995, during a trekking expedition in Pahalgam in Anantnag district by the Al-Faran, an offshoot of the now defunct Harkat-ul-Ansar. Four days later, on July 8, two more foreigners — Dirk Hasert of Germany and Hans Christian Ostro of Norway — were kidnapped. Childs managed to escape on July 8 while Ostro was beheaded. The other four were never traced and are believed to have been killed. P S Gill and Ashkoor Wani have been directed to file a personal response on an application filed by a human rights group which demanded a “comprehensive” investigation into the kidnapping and killing of the tourist by the Al-Faran militant group. “There are allegations against the then IGP, Kashmir, P S Gill, and the then SP, Anantang, Ashkoor Wani. The duo are directed to file a personal response in the matter,” the Division Bench of the SHRC said on Tuesday. The bench also asked the J&K police chief, the state crime branch and the Deputy Commissioner, Anantang, to furnish all reports about various investigations in the case before the commission by May 28. Gill had served as IGP, Kashmir, when the kidnapping incident took place. He later became the police chief of Punjab and after his retirement joined politics by joining the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). He contested elections from Moga constituency unsuccessfully. Wani is at present posted as SSP, Poonch. The application for a comprehensive investigation into the kidnapping and subsequent murder was filed by the International Peoples Tribunal on Human Rights on Kashmir, after a recent book by European investigative journalists Adrian Levy and Cathy Scott-Clark claimed that the foreign tourists, except one, were murdered by state-sponsored gunmen.
	Every child must have access to education: Guv Tribune News Service Jammu, April 17 Governor NN Vohra today emphasised the need for doing everything possible to enlarge educational opportunities to every child. He was speaking at the annual day function of Bal Bharti Public School being run by SOS Children’s Village, Channi Rama, here today. Governor NN Vohra’s wife Usha Vohra was also present on the occasion. Referring to the good work being done by SOS Children’s Village, the Governor observed that it was laudable how responsible elements of society had got together to provide educational opportunities to children affected by militancy, orphans, destitute and those belonging to underprivileged sections of society. He added that due to poverty and various other adverse factors, a large percentage of our children never went to school or were school dropouts. In this context, he said it was very important to take locality-wise initiatives for providing educational facilities to all the children. The Governor lauded the work done by Bal Bharti Public School for the promotion of education among children belonging to the underprivileged segments of society for the past 12 years. He announced Rs 1 lakh for the children from local slum areas and Rs 1 lakh for providing scholarships to bright children of the school. The Governor and his wife gave away awards to those who have rendered selfless service to Balgram and Bal Bharti Public School. The Governor and his wife were presented mementos on the occasion. Earlier, the Governor and Usha Vohra inspected the dormitory, computer centre and vocational centre for girls. They interacted with the management and members of the governing body of SOS Balgram and the children and inquired about the facilities being provided to them in the institution. In his welcome address, Dr Krishan Lal Gupta, president, SOS Children’s Village, dwelt on the history and evolution of Balgram and the facilities being provided to the inmates. He said in all, 87 children were being provided free boarding and lodging facilities at SOS Children’s Village. Urmil Arora, Principal, Bal Bharti Public School, presented the annual report of the institution. She said 161 students from Class I to X were receiving education in the institution.
	Employees stage protest, call for strike on May 8 M Aamir Khan/TNS Srinagar, April 17 Work in government offices remained affected today due to a strike called by the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), an amalgam of various employees’ bodies, even as the police sprayed dyed water to disperse the procession of protesting employees here in the city. The agitating government employees gathered in large numbers outside the Exhibition Ground near Jehangir Chowk and raised slogans against the authorities for not implementing the promises made to them. Talking to reporters, JCC leader and Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC) president Abdul Qayoom Wani said: “The government has failed to honour the agreement made with us. We will continue to fight for our rights and also intensify our protests if our demands are not met.” The JCC called for another strike on May 8 and 9 and a protest demonstration outside the civil secretariat on May 7 if their demands are not met by then. The amalgam also termed today's strike a “complete success”. Later, the protesters tried to take out a procession towards the civil secretariat but the police personnel deployed on duty there sprayed dyed water from a water cannon to disperse them. Several protesters were also taken into preventive custody. The police action on the JCC protest caused a traffic jam in and around Jehangir Chowk. Due to the use of water cannon, the roads outside the Exhibition Ground turned purple.
	Omar-led govt most corrupt: Mehbooba Darshan Bharti Poonch, April 17 A day after she minced no words in castigating her political rival Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in Rajouri, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti today described Omar-led coalition government as most corrupt and power hungry. She also said people of the state had no viable option other than the PDP. Addressing a public rally at Surankote today, she said most ministers in the NC-Congress government were corrupt and had amassed property worth millions of rupees through illegal means. Even chief patron of the National Conference (NC) Farooq Abdullah is involved in the Jammu Kashmir Cricket Association scam, running into crores of rupees, she said. When corruption has become the order of the day under the present government, how could an MLA of the same government be honest, she asked. Launching a scathing attack on the coalition government for its alleged failure to curb corruption, she said during the past three years corruption in the state had crossed all limits. “Daily wagers and employees are not getting their salary, but ministers are earning bucks by making back door appointments in various government departments,” Mehbooba said. A candidate from the general category gets just two marks out of 20 in an interview, but a blue-eyed candidate gets above 18. The present government has made a mockery of the system, she added. She urged the people to choose the PDP as an alternative, which had an agenda for the development of the people. “The PDP made Jammu and Kashmir a bridge between Indo-Pak talks where as the NC always used the state as a tool to get power and funds.,” said the PDP president. The PDP had a plan to provide roads, schools and hospitals etc to people of far flung areas and it never thought of earning through illegal means. The present government has direct relations with big contractors, from whom they get 50 per cent share, she said. She also condemned the NC and Congress for indulging in caste-based politics in the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch.
	News Analysis Recall of AFSPA, a reality or mirage? Arun Joshi/TNS Jammu, April 17 Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is “ cautiously optimistic” about the recall of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from some parts of Jammu and Kashmir, but given the resistance of the Army, it looks more or less like a mirage at the moment. On Monday, when Omar was making a passionate plea at the Chief Ministers’ conference on internal security for “reducing the footprints of the security forces” and repeal of the AFSPA, in New Delhi, a senior Army commander in the Kashmir valley insisted that there was no change in the Army’s stand on the issue. That is, the AFSPA is needed for counter-insurgency operations. Almost at the same time on Monday, when Omar was saying that “there is a distinct change in the security environment in the state, there is a good case for reviewing the continuation of the AFSPA from areas and districts which are not affected by the insurgent and terrorist activities,” the GOC of the Valley-based 15 Corps, Lt Gen S A Hasnain, told reporters in Srinagar that “there was no change in the stand of the Army.” “We look at comprehensive security”, he said. The Army is vehemently opposed to the recall of the AFSPA, as it cites functional requirements in fighting insurgency. It has stakes in ensuring that the situation doesn’t revert to the bad old days. Omar is conscious of the difficulties ahead. “I am cautiously optimistic,” he told The Tribune after the conference. He has based his assessment on the concluding remarks of Home Minister P Chidambaram that all the issues raised at the conference would be addressed. Besides, he has a success story of the most peaceful year of 2011 in Kashmir since 1989. But, till such time as Omar and the Army persist with their contradictory approaches, the AFSPA or reduction of troops from the state will remain a mirage. For Omar, the recall of the AFSPA, which provides an impenetrable shield to the security forces fighting terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, has become a great test of his political credibility. Since October 21 last year, when he declared that “ black laws” would go within “ a few days” , the debate on the AFSPA is in sharper focus than ever before. So far, apart from the peace of last year, his unique selling point has been the panchayat elections, with almost 80 per cent voters’ participation, and the Public Services Guarantee Act. But, it is conceded even by Omar himself that these achievements have not got registered with the people as much as they should have been. But, if the AFSPA is removed even from a few select areas — 20 out of 22 districts in the state are under the AFSPA — Omar’s ratings would go up. Political slogans turning into reality matter more than anything else to the people in the Valley, where he is also facing stiff competition from the main Opposition PDP. If the developmental activities are combined with the political achievements, that’s a sure recipe for winning the confidence of the people in Kashmir.
	JSM: Interlocutors’ recommendations Kashmir-centric Tribune News Service Jammu, April 17 Expressing concern over the contents of the “leaked” report of interlocutors, the Jammu State Morcha (JSM) has cautioned that “Jammu and Kashmir would become a republic within the Indian republic if the recommendations (of interlocutors) were accepted and implemented”. “The recommendations, if accepted and implemented, shall make Jammu and Kashmir state a republic within the Indian republic and that is what the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) want. Ultimately, the state shall be driven away from the Indian Union,” JSM state president Virender Gupta said. Gupta, who chaired a meeting of the morcha here yesterday, expressed “great dissatisfaction” on the report of the interlocutors’ team headed by Dileep Padgaonkar that appeared in a section of the media. He alleged that the report was Kashmir-centric and ignored the aspirations and issues concerning the people of Jammu and Ladakh. The Centre had appointed three interlocutors on Kashmir, comprising noted journalist Dileep Padgaonkar, academician Radha Kumar and former Central Information Commissioner MM Ansari on October 13, 2010, to suggest a political solution for addressing the internal dimension of the Kashmir issue. The panel submitted its report to the Centre last year, after visiting almost every major town and city of the state. The report has not been made public yet but a section of the media carried a news article on its contents last week.
	PDP, BJP propagating divisive politics: NC Jammu, April 17 The ruling National Conference (NC) has launched a scathing attack on the opposition PDP and BJP for propagating divisive politics in the state and working in tandem with each other to divide the state on regional and communal lines. Devender Rana, political adviser to Chief Minister, regretted that both the PDP and the BJP were pursuing divisive politics without bothering for consequences and ramifications, which their politics was likely to have on the unity and integrity of the state. He said the NC was committed to preserve the unity and integrity of the state and was ready to make all sacrifices to uphold the pluralistic culture and ethos of the state. He said those parties, which were playing regional and communal cards should refrain from their nefarious designs, because such machinations were likely to disturb peace in the state that had been restored with great effort of the Omar-led coalition government. Rana, who was addressing a series of public meetings at Kanna Chadgal Lower, Kanna Chadgal Upper panchayats in Dansal and Nadore in the Nagrota Assembly constituency, said peaceful and stable Jammu and Kashmir was required for the welfare of the people of the state. He said if the process got somehow derailed at this stage, it would not be good for the state, country and subcontinent. Addressing the gatherings at these places, Rattan Lal Gupta, provincial president of the NC, Jammu province, said the people of the Kandi areas were facing difficulties because of scarcity of drinking water and road connectivity. He urged the state government to provide special package for development of the Kandi areas in the state. Meanwhile, spokesman of the NC Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo asked the PDP and the BJP to revisit history to realise the contributions and sacrifices made by the ruling party for upholding and strengthening democratic institutions in the state. Kichloo said the party kept democracy alive in the state when all other political forces had surrendered. “It was NC workers and leaders who faced the brunt and sacrificed their lives and property only for the cause of democracy, brotherhood, peace and development,” Kichloo said. He added the party had revived the hopes and trust of the people in democratic institutions through good governance, transparency and accountability. — TNS
	Governor inspects work at Mahadev Temple Our Correspondent Katra, April 17 During his day-long visit to Reasi town, Governor NN Vohra inspected the ongoing work for restoring the pristine glory of the ancient Mahadev Temple at Reasi today. He issued instructions for speeding up the work to complete it within next three months. He also directed the officials concerned to beautify the complex by planting ornamental plants and shrubs. Mahadev Temple is the most prominent temple in Reasi town and is believed to be 300-year-old. Over the years the temple has gained prominence due to a strong belief of people in the Lord Shiva. The local people have contributed to the development of the temple. A large number of devotees visit the temple during Maha Shivratri. Navin Kumar Choudhary, Chief Executive Officer, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board; Mandeep K Bhandari, Additional CEO; Sheetal Nanda, Deputy Commissioner, Reasi, and other officials concerned were present on the occasion.
	Four killed in road mishaps in Ramban Our Correspondent Batote, April 17 Four persons, including two brothers, were killed in two separate road accidents on the national highway in Ramban district since last night. Police sources said Ratan Singh Raju was crushed by a Srinagar-bound truck last night. Ratan was standing on the hill side near his petrol pump. The truck driver fled, leaving behind his truck. In another incident, three persons, including two brothers, died when their Srinagar-bound truck rolled down a 50 ft gorge at Chamalwas in Banihal during the early hours today. The three persons who died in the accident have been identified as the driver of the truck, Gopal Dass, a resident of Udhampur, and Sanjay Kumar and his brother Ramesh Kumar, both residents of Ramnagar in Udhampur. Meanwhile, two Bakerwals were seriously injured when they were struck by lightning at Nathatop today evening.The two Bakerwals were identified as Abdul Rashi and Mohammad Younus, a resident of Dooru, Anantnag.
	Protest against Power Dept Villagers demand replacement of worn-out poles Ranjit Thakur Rajouri, April 17 Residents of the Danhore Jarala area of Rajouri district today staged a protest against the Power Development Department (PDD) for not replacing old worn out poles and dangling power transmission lines for the past four years. Despite several requests to the authorities concerned to replace worn-out poles and rectify dangling power wires in the village to avert any untoward incident, nothing has been done in the past four years, said district president of the Awami National Conference (ANC) Mushtaq Bhat. “These wires and poles pose a threat to residents, especially children, during the rainy season,” Bhat said. Over 100 families belonging to the Scheduled Caste live under constant threat, but the PDD has totally turned a blind eye to the problem of the people, he added. Power transmission lines usually snap during storms and rainy season, posing a serious risk of getting electrocuted, he said. Irked by the indifferent attitude of the PDD, the residents of Dhanore Jarala today staged a protest in the village and asked the authorities to repair these poles and wires at the earliest. Executive Engineer of the PDD, Rajouri, Maqbool Choudhary admitted that wires and old electricity poles should be repaired or replaced. We have formulated a project for the village to repair the damaged power lines and poles and it will be completed within two months, Choudhary added.
	Army jawan commits suicide in Poonch Poonch, April 17 An Army jawan allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with his INSAS service rifle at 7.30 am in Poonch district today, sources said. The jawan has been identified as sepoy Ashok Biple of the 27 Madras Regiment. He was posted at the Malti post on the Line of Control. He was shifted to Military Hospital, Poonch, where he died, the sources said. A case has been registered and the Army has also initiated a court of inquiry into the incident, they added. — OC