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Amarnath yatra ends; over 6 lakh pay obeisance
110 die in road mishaps across state in July
Militants open fire on search party
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Samba tunnel serious security concern: BSF
Prosecution confirms Major’s death
Cong activists hold protest against corruption
Pandits in Budgam receive threat letter
CPM pushes for universal public distribution system
Valley to get 4,800 anganwari centres
Temperature several notches above normal in Kashmir
Nearly 10 lakh tourists visited Kashmir till July
High alert in Katra after Pune blasts
Pak Rangers hand over SI’s body to Army
National-level Sikh conference in Srinagar on Aug 17
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Amarnath yatra ends; over 6 lakh pay obeisance
Srinagar, August 2 Governor N N Vohra, who is also the chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), participated in the prayers that were led by Mahant Deependra Giri. The yatra traditionally ends on Shravan Purnima, which coincides with Raksha Bandhan, after the arrival of the holy mace of Lord Shiva at the cave shrine. The mace known as "Charri Mubarak" is carried by a group of sadhus led by the Mahant from the Shri Amareshwar temple here to the cave shrine which houses the naturally formed iced Shivalingam. SASB CEO Naveen Choudhary said over 6.20 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at the shrine during this year’s pilgrimage, which had commenced on June 25 simultaneously from the Baltal and Pahalgam routes. While the yatra passed off peacefully, it remained in news due to the deaths of pilgrims. The Supreme Court also took a suo motu cognisance of these deaths and later set up a high-powered committee headed by the Governor to suggest steps for preventing the growing number of casualties among the pilgrims. A total of 88 pilgrims died due to medical reasons during the yatra while 42 others were killed in road accidents. Out of 42, seven pilgrims died within the yatra area and 35 elsewhere in the state. Meanwhile, the Governor expressed satisfaction over the smooth conduct of this year’s yatra despite heavy snowfall the preceding winter and bad weather for several weeks before the commencement of the pilgrimage. Vohra asked the SASB CEO to immediately launch a post-yatra sanitation drive on both routes. He also passed directions for cleaning up of all camp sites and preparing camp and route-wise action plan for next year’s yatra. The Governor also thanked the state government, Army, CRPF, BSF, police, BSNL, J&K Bank, Department of Posts and all other organisations concerned for ensuring a smooth and peaceful
yatra. Amarnath pilgrimage |
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110 die in road mishaps across state in July
Jammu, August 2 Around 40 tourists, including Amarnath yatris, lost their lives in fatal road accidents. A senior Traffic Police officer, who wished not to be named, said about 30 pilgrims and tourists were killed in two major road accidents, on July 14 in Ramban and on July 26 near Mansar in Samba district. “There was a commonality in these incidents. In both the cases, local drivers were driving the vehicles. Also, both the accidents took place during the night. Such incidents put a question mark on the alertness of the driver, who couldn’t get enough sleep, and preferred to cover maximum distance during the night to make a fast buck,” the officer said. He also blamed private operators, who force their drivers to travel to Jammu from Srinagar and back in a day. “The temptation of making extra money and pressure to cover maximum distance in minimum possible time is the outcome of the opening of Jawahar Tunnel in August 2009 for 24 hours travel. Drivers, particularly who drive taxis and Tata Sumos, rush to reach their destination and drive for the whole day, causing frequent road mishaps on the highway,” he said. The officer said the tourists and pilgrims preferred to hire taxis or Tata Sumos because drivers of these vehicles promised them a faster travel. Official statistics revealed that 414 persons were killed while over 3,700 persons were critically injured in 2,537 road accidents across the state till May 31, 2012. Ramban district alone witnessed about 60 deaths till July 15. Going by the statistics, over 1,120 people lost their lives in 6,644 road accidents across the state last year. In 2010, 1,071 humans lost their lives in 6,113 road mishaps. 1,126 people lost their lives in 6,006 road accidents in 2009. The state government has declared five hilly and mountainous districts comprising Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Rajouri and Poonch as accident prone and has promised a comprehensive plan to improve the deteriorating condition of roads in these districts. |
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Militants open fire on search party
Srinagar, August 2 The police said the encounter site was in Rajwar belt of Handwara area of Kupwara, about 85 km from Srinagar. It began around 7 pm following a search operation by the security forces. “As the search was going on, hiding militants opened fire on the search team,” said a police source. There was no immediate report of any casualty on either side, he said. The police said additional deployment has been rushed to the area to ensure that no militant escape the cordon during the night hours. The encounter has come a day after terrorists carried out a series of grenade attacks in Srinagar, Sopore and Kupwara. Security tightened across Valley Two teenagers have been arrested in connection with the twin Sopore grenade attacks even as security has been beefed up across the Valley after a series of grenade attacks in Srinagar and north Kashmir since Tuesday evening. The police, paramilitary forces and Army have been put on an alert across Kashmir. While the security in Srinagar was beefed up, in the neighbouring towns, Army and CRPF conducted surprise checking of vehicles as a pre-emptive measure to put pressure on militants. Meanwhile, the police in north Kashmir’s Sopore have arrested two teenagers who were allegedly involved in the grenade attacks on Tuesday in Iqbal Market and the police station in Sopore. “We have arrested two teenagers and are looking for the third one who was involved in the attack. The two were arrested after technical inputs and the CCTV footage,” said a police officer in Sopore. |
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Samba tunnel serious security concern: BSF
Chalyari, Indo-Pak Border, August 2 Talking to mediapersons here this afternoon after inspecting the site, Bansal said: “Undoubtedly, it is a serious security concern and we have been always aware of the underlying intentions of elements across the border.” “Apparently, when they could not succeed in breaching the fence and the security on the surface, they resorted to creating the tunnel,” he added. The DG averred that the BSF would find out the details as it explored the tunnel. “Thereafter, we will be able to draw our assessment and take adequate measures,” he said. On the possible involvement of Pakistan Rangers in the construction of this tunnel, the DG said he had no reason to draw pre-mature conclusions. “I will not hasten to reach any conclusion till we have more facts. We are trying to find the alignment and the extent of this tunnel. Once we have that, the conclusions will become obvious,” said the DG. On BSF’s protest with the Rangers, he said: “We have lodged a protest note describing the incident as we have found it and we have expressed our concern that this appears to be an initiative which has been started from across the international border”. “We also told them that this is definitely something which goes against the CBMs between the two countries and in the long run such attempts are likely to vitiate atmosphere on the border, said the DG. While all efforts were being made at various levels to normalise relations between the two countries, such things were not going to be helpful, he added. He, however, said that the matter would be vigorously followed up with the Rangers. To another query, the BSF DG said a tunnel 25 feet below the ground was absolutely not an amateurish task and only experts could have undertaken it. “At this stage I don’t want to make any guesses about the organisation behind it,” he said. What the DG said |
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Prosecution confirms Major’s death
Srinagar, August 2 Maj Avtar Singh, the prime accused in the alleged killing of lawyer and activist Jaleel Andrabi, reportedly shot himself dead after gunning down his two children and wife in his Selma home on June 9 in the United States. Andrabi’s family opposes the authentication, saying the court cannot rely on an authentication report based on just e-mails. The Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Srinagar, which is hearing the case, had on June 13 asked the police to produce a report authenticating Major Singh’s death. After missing the court deadline, the prosecution has now produced a letter from the CBI’s Interpol Office at New Delhi confirming Avtar’s death. The letter cites e-mail messages from the Interpol in Washington, confirming that Avtar is dead. However, the family of the slain lawyer has raised a contention, doubting the authenticity of the e-mail messages. “E-mails cannot be treated as authentic confirmation of the death of Maj Avtar Singh. The confirmation that he is dead should directly come from the police station concerned in whose jurisdiction Avtar was residing in the Selma area of California,” said advocate Hafiullah Mir, who has been pleading the case on behalf of Andrabi’s family, adding that he is gong to submit his contentions when the case comes up for hearing before the CJM, Srinagar, Rajeev Gupta, on August 29. The body of advocate Jaleel Andrabi was fished out of the Jhelum in Srinagar on March 27, 1996. He was kidnapped on March 8, 1996, by Major Singh, who served in the Army in Kashmir during 1990s. After Major Singh’s role in Andrabi’s killing became clear, he fled to Canada, from where he shifted to the USA. |
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Cong activists hold protest against corruption
Jammu, August 2 The protest against the coalition government was held at Srinagar here today. Interestingly, the Congress is a coalition partner in the government headed by the National Conference, but party the activists held the demonstration to highlight rampant corruption and mis-governance of the present regime. Earlier, Congress leaders organised protests against the failure of the government to provide basic amenities to people, but now the Congress has decided to expose corruption in the government. The activists of the Sewa Dal alleged that there was rampant corruption in the government and those at the helm of affairs were involved in corrupt practices. The activists took the opportunity to expose their own party ministers against whom corruption charges have been levelled. They alleged that the state government had started backdoor appointments in various government departments. They said this depriving educated youth of their rights. Chief convener of the Congress Sewa Dal, Srinagar, Imtiyaz Ahmed Khan said the protest, which was held today, was a beginning. He said the campaign against corruption would be intensified in the coming days. He said the Sewa Dal activists would hold demonstrations against corruption at all district headquarters after Ramadan because the government had failed to check corruption. The Congress leader alleged that ministers were involved in corruption and nepotism. “There is no check on corruption,” he said. Sources in the Congress said a faction in the party had decided to intensify the campaign against corruption, especially to “expose” party ministers, who were allegedly involved in corrupt practices. Veteran Congress leader Abdul Gani Vakil had levelled serious charges of corruption against his party colleague and Minister for Public Health Engineering and Flood Control Taj Mohiuddin. Sewa Dal also targeted Taj and other Congress ministers today. |
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Pandits in Budgam receive threat letter
Srinagar, August 2 A group of the Kashmiri Pandits from Sheikhpora, Budgam, today called upon chairman of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq at his Nigeen residence, showing him the letter which asked them to leave the Valley. “Assuring the visiting delegation, the Mirwaiz said the Kashmiri Pandits are a part and parcel of the Kashmir society. Being the majority, it is obligatory on part of Muslims in Kashmir to protect their life and honour,” a spokesman of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference said. He said the Mirwaiz termed the letter “a ploy
to malign the ongoing movement.” “It is just a conspiracy to give a communal colour to our struggle,” the statement by the Mirwaiz said. The spokesman said the Mirwaiz had told the delegation that the Pandits should stay back without lending an ear to “negative propaganda.” Earlier, on Tuesday, the Pandit delegation met hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani at his Hyderpora residence to apprise him about
the threat. “Geelani assured the delegation that the Kashmiri Pandits faced no threat from their Muslim brethren. He said some government agencies were trying hard to scare them to leave Kashmir so that the ongoing movement was known as a communal movement,” a spokesman of the hardline Hurriyat faction said. He said Geelani had told the delegation that the Kashmiri Pandits should not be scared of such ‘conspiracies’. |
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CPM pushes for universal public distribution system
Srinagar, August 2 “The government’s failure to provide ration cards to all the eligible people indicates that a majority of the poor are denied access to even the nominal existing PDS. Instead of strengthening the system, the Central government is bent upon wiping out even the existing structure,” Tarigami said while addressing the workers. The CPM leader demanded measures to strengthen and streamline the existing PDS to root out corruption and bring in accountability. He said the government should give 35 kg food grains at a maximum rate of Rs 2 a kg for a family per month. Tarigami expressed concern over the “relentless rise” in the prices of essential commodities, saying persistent rise in food prices would worsen the situation. “Over the last five years, urban poverty has been rising faster than rural poverty under the double impact of high price inflation and declining employment opportunities,” he said. Tarigami alleged that the government was not friendly to the poor and was working for the interests of the rich instead. He called for a food security legislation that meets the globally accepted definition of food security for
a household. |
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Valley to get 4,800 anganwari centres
Srinagar, August 2 Director, Social Welfare Department, Kashmir, Khwaja Bashir Ahmad Bhat said this while addressing an officers’ meeting here today. He said Rs 60 crore was spent on yearly supplementary nutrition to 6.30 lakh children below six years of age and lactating
mothers. Bhat said Rs 106 crore was being disbursed among 2.86 lakh disabled, old and infirm persons, widows and destitutes by the department every year. The department is also running nine orphanages for boys with an intake capacity of 55 and six orphanages for girls with an intake capacity of 25 in the Valley. The students are provided free of cost basic elementary education, boarding and lodging facilities. |
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Temperature several notches above normal in Kashmir
Srinagar, August 2 The maximum temperature in Srinagar was recorded at 32.5 °C, which was more than two degrees higher than the recorded maximum temperature in Jammu, officials of the Meteorological Department said. Director, Meteorological Department, Sonum Lotus said the weather, which had remained dry and hot during the last one month in the Valley, was expected to get better in the next few days. “We are expecting rain around August 4 and 5. The chances of rain are very high, but it is difficult to make predictions during monsoon. Sometimes the weather changes drastically,” Lotus said. The rain is expected to bring relief to residents of the Valley, who are fasting for 16 hours in the humid summer days during Ramadan. With the temperature crossing 30 °C since Ramadan began on July 21 and humidity hovering around 70 per cent, the people are feeling the harshness of the weather. “I felt I would fall down ,” said Aadil Masood, a resident of Srinagar, who was out in the sun and had walked a few hundred metres in the afternoon. Many people are avoiding moving out in the sun these days and prefer to remain indoors. The weatherman, however, said according to the analysis of the humidity data of 2011 and 2012, the relative humidity was less this year as compared to the last year. “The discomfort and the hot and humid temperature is due to the absence of frequent rainfall in Kashmir,” he said. The maximum temperature over the last one month has remained two to three degrees above normal on most days. The Weather Department has forecast light rain and thunder in the next two days. The department said the maximum temperature would remain around 33 °C much to the discomfort of many here. |
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Nearly 10 lakh tourists visited Kashmir till July
Srinagar, August 2 Official sources said 9.56 lakh tourists, including 22,000 foreigners, had arrived in the Valley during the first seven months. The figure does not include over six lakh pilgrims, who paid obeisance at the Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir. Only nine lakh tourists had visited Kashmir during the first seven months last year. Around 13.5 lakh tourists visited the Valley last year. However, there has been around 60 per cent decline in tourist arrival during the past few weeks. “The daily arrivals have dipped to 4,000 from seven to eight thousand,” an official source said here today. People associated with the tourism sector said the decline was a routine that happened every year during this time. “Summer break outside the state ends around June 15 following which the inflow of visitors dips. From mid-April till June-end, there is a footfall. Moreover, this is also the hottest time of the year there and thus it remains the peak tourist season in Kashmir,” said Gulzar Ahmad, a travel agent. During the peak season, many tourists had faced problems in finding accommodation as all hotels across the Valley were fully booked. The influx of tourists has so far remained unaffected by the minor spurt in militancy-related activities or incidents like the issuing of a “dress advisory” by politico-religious organisation Jamaat-e-Islami. The organisation had asked the visitors in Kashmir to adopt a “proper dress code”. While the “advisory” had found few takers, the Jamaat had later blamed the media for misconstruing its statement. The gutting of a revered Sufi shrine in the summer capital in June or the killing of a youth in north Kashmir’s Bandipore district followed by another death under suspicious circumstances last month too failed to deter the inflow of tourists. Before last year, the tourism season had been hit hard in 2008, 2009 and 2010. The government is hopeful of receiving around 20 lakh tourists this year. |
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High alert in Katra after Pune blasts
Katra, August 2 “The high alert has been sounded as a precautionary measure,” Reasi SSP Raghubir Singh said. “All the police stations and police posts have been alerted and security has been beefed up across the region. We don’t want to take any chance after the explosions in Pune,” the SSP added. Police sources said senior police officers had been asked to personally supervise the security apparatus and ensure that night patrolling was intensified in their respective jurisdictions. They have also been directed to intensify checking at important public places. "Special directives have been issued to beef up security in other religious places,” the sources added. “We have made all possible efforts to ensure proper security arrangements. The cops have been asked to check all the vehicles while patrolling on the highway,” a police officer said. Sources said night patrolling in the border villages had been intensified with the help of the village defence committees and the local police. Sources said the police had also asked the residents to inform them about any suspected movement in their area. |
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Pak Rangers hand over SI’s body to Army
Jammu, August 2 At a flag meet at the Gigrial post in Khour block at 10.30 am today, the Pakistan Rangers handed over the body of probationer SI Sushil Khajuria to the Army, said Army sources. Khajuria was a resident of Shiv Nagar, they said. After divers failed to trace Khajuria’s body over the past two days, a message was sent to the Pakistan Rangers. They handed over his body to the Army at the Gigrial post today, the Army sources said. Khajuria was posted at the Bakshi Nagar police station. His body was handed over to his family members. On July 29, the SI had gone missing under mysterious circumstances. His car was found on the banks of the Chenab in the Thati area of Gharota, Akhnoor. — TNS
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National-level Sikh conference in Srinagar on Aug 17
Srinagar, August 2 The conference is being organised by the All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee. APSCC chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina said all national leaders had given their consent for attending the first national-level Sikh meet ever in Kashmir. “The conference will be a new platform for the entire Sikh community to discuss chock-a-block crisis faced by it due to the Partition of India and Pakistan,” said Raina. The APSCC intends to issue a white paper on the issues faced by the community that would be presented to Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. — TNS
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Describing Pakistan’s secret tunnel unearthed here on July 28 as a “serious” security concern, the BSF DG, UK Bansal, today said that at a time when confidence-building measures (CBMs) were being initiated between India and Pakistan to normalise bilateral ties, such incidents might vitiate the atmosphere on the border and were not going to be helpful in the long run.
Jammu, August 2
Srinagar, August 2
Srinagar, August 2
