Anantnag, May 1
A 60-year-old man was stabbed to death while he was asleep at the Sokha Sarai area of Shopian district in south Kashmir, the police said.

The deceased has been identified as Fazuludin Khantana, a resident of Thana Mandi Hasplote, Rajouri.

“He migrated to Sokha Sarai for the summer season to graze his cattle,” a police source said.

He said Fazuludin had an altercation with one Mohammad Aslam Chichi, a resident of Rajouri.

“The altercation took place on Monday after Khatana’s cattle strayed into the grazing area of Aslam,” the source said, adding the dispute was resolved amicably at that time.

However, around 2 pm on Tuesday, Aslam, along with another person, allegedly stabbed Khatana with an axe when he was sleeping, killing him on the spot.

“The police came to know about the incident around 4 pm and the dead body was taken to Shopian Sub-District Hospital on Tuesday evening,” the police said, adding that the post-mortem examination of the body had been conducted and the family of the deceased had been informed.

“The accused is on the run,” read a police statement. A case bearing under Section 302 of the RPC has been registered.

The police said it had launched a massive hunt to nab the culprits.

Shepherds from many areas of Rajouri district cross over the Pir Panjal range into Shopian district in summer to graze their cattle.

These shepherds have amicably demarcated grazing areas among themselves to avoid any problems.

Srinagar, May 1
The ruling National Conference (NC), its coalition partner Congress and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPIM) held rallies to mark the May Day here today.

While the NC held a function at its Nawa-i-Subh headquarters, the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) held a rally at Eidgah in downtown Srinagar. The CPIM held a rally at the Sher-i-Kashmir Park and later, took out a procession. However, the protesters were not allowed to move beyond the Polo View Road.

Addressing the Nawa-i-Subh rally, senior NC leader and Panchayati Raj Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar talked about the contributions of party founder late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah towards the working class.

He said the party would continue to address problems of workers.

At Eidgah, JKPCC president Prof Saifuddn Soz urged the gathering of artisans to develop a healthy work culture. He also urged the bureaucrats of the state to develop a positive work culture, saying they should go out of their offices and visit far-flung areas at least once or twice a month.

Soz assured artisans present on the occasion that he would work towards addressing their grievances. He underscored the need of setting up a place where local artisans could display their works throughout the year. Representatives of various groups of artisans and other Congress leaders also spoke on the occasion.

At the CPIM rally which was held under the banner of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), party state secretary Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said there was a need for unity among the working people for resisting the “anti-working class policies of the government”. “There is no room for any illusion and only the united struggle of workers can force the government and employers to concede to their genuine demands,” he said.

He said, "The woes of labourers, who are engineers of economic prosperity, are on the rise."

The rally was attended by Anganwadi workers and helpers and members of the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA), Power Development Department (PDD), Horticulture Non-Gazetted Employees Union, Kashmir Constructional Workers Union, Agriculture Daily Wagers and Casual Workers Union and other unions. The participants later took out a procession carrying banners, placards and shouting slogans from TRC Ground. They demanded concrete measures to contain price rise, creation of employment opportunities and strict enforcement of basic labour laws.

Srinagar, May 1
Over a week after launching a drive against violators of traffic rules in the city and other areas of the Kashmir valley, the drive has lost its steam ahead of the Durbar Move to the summer capital next week.

The drive, after a week-long awareness programme, was launched early last week. The focus of the drive was to ensure wearing of seat belts, wearing of uniforms by drivers of buses and reservation of seats for ladies in buses. The drive aimed at checking mobile phone usage while driving and wrong parking of vehicles.

Hundreds of challans were issued and a huge amount of fine was realised in the first week of the drive. However, many commuters said the drive had lost its intensity during the past couple of days.

Officials, however, maintained that there was no lowering of guard against traffic violators. They said in view of the arrangements for the re-opening of the Civil Secretariat and other offices in the summer capital on Monday, certain changes were taking place.

They said the drive would continue to ensure strict adherence to traffic rules.

The Traffic Police today regulated vehicular movement on the busy Residency Road and the MA Road in the civil lines area in view of various rallies in connection with the May Day. “The traffic on the two roads plied normally as the rallies were held away from the roads,” said a commuter.

According to Traffic Police officials, the drive was also being introduced in downtown areas, particularly the Nalla Maar Road which passes through the old city.

As part of the drive, Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and the district administration will soon launch the second phase of the anti-encroachment drive on footpaths. Most of the footpaths near the central Lal Chowk and Budshah Chowk have been cleared for the convenience of pedestrians.

“The footpaths have been cleared of vendors. Pedestrians can move on footpaths, due to which roads have become free of congestion. However, a lot needs to be done with regard to the re-opening of the Durbar Move offices here next week for six months of the summer season,” said Mohammad Amin, a city resident. The police and the civil administration are gearing up for hectic activity in summer months when the seat of the government remains in the summer capital. 

Srinagar, May 1
With the arrest of eight men, the police claims to have busted an inter-district gang of burglars who operated across north Kashmir and in some parts of south Kashmir.

A large number of stolen goods has been recovered from the burglars, a police spokesman today said.

He said policemen in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district intercepted a vehicle at a checkpoint and found tools which they thought could be used for breaking into a house.

They arrested the driver of the vehicle and during the questioning, he revealed the names and addresses of his seven accomplices.

All of them have been arrested, the spokesman said. The spokesman said the gang had been operating in Bandipora, Baramulla, Sopore, Kupwara and Anantnag districts. “Large quantity of stolen hardware items, fertilizers and pesticides were recovered from their possession. The recovered stolen goods are worth about Rs 10 lakh,” the spokesman said. He said the gang “meticulously” stole pesticides and fertilizers from orchards and committed burglaries in shops at night. “The gang used to carry out the crimes using gas cutters, hexa cutters and crowbars,” the spokesman said.

The gang was planning to loot a gold jewellery shop in Anantnag when they were arrested.

Sopore, May 1
Despite the authorities spending a whopping amount of Rs 1.29 crore to illuminate the dark roads of this apple town, streetlights have gone dysfunctional within a year after they were commissioned.

In the first phase of the project, streetlights were installed from Chanakan Bridge to Iqbal Market, including the Main Bazaar and the Tehsil Road, Sopore, but most of them are not functional.

“After spending crores of rupees it is unfortunate that the streets have gone dark,” said Imtiayaz Ahmad, a local resident. “We suspect that the streetlights were commissioned for minting money only,” he alleged.

The traders of the town said they were contemplating filing a criminal complaint against officials concerned.

“Streetlights in Sopore remained functional for only six months after they were commissioned and now only a few of them are functional. We took up the issue with the Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla, and he assured that the lights would become functional. However, that has not happened,” said Mohammad Ashraf Ganai, president of a traders’ association in Sopore.

“We have now decided to file a criminal complaint against the government officials who were involved in installing these sub-standard lights,” he said.

Sopore Sub-Divisional Magistrate Mohammad Hanief Balkhi said he had taken up the issue with the Power Development Department.

“The Power Development Department will make the street lights operational very shortly and they will be handed over to the local civic body for maintenance,” he said.

Anantnag, May 1
A meeting, presided over by the Deputy Development Commissioner (DDC), Anantnag, was held today at Town Hall, Pahalgam, to review the arrangements for the smooth conduct of Amarnath Yatra 2013.

Reports said senior officials from civil, police and security agencies were a part of the meeting.

During the meeting, availability of various facilities to the pilgrims was discussed.

The issues that were discussed at length included establishment of medical camps, sanitation, availability of essentials, traffic management plan, drinking water facilities, telecommunication and repairs of roads en-route to the Holy Cave.

“It was decided in the meeting that medical camps will be established after every two kilometres en-route to the Holy Cave so that better medical facilities can be made available to the yatris,” reports revealed.

Special public call offices will be established at Mir Bazar, Nunwan, Pahalgam, Chandanwari, Sheeshnag and Panjtarani halting stations.

DDC, Anantnag, Dr Farooq Ahmad Lone also inspected the offices concerned to ensure proper sanitation and cleanliness at camping sites in the towns.

He also directed the officials to install sign boards, regarding Yatra 2013, at different locations for the convenience of the pilgrims.

The DDC directed the concerned officers to upload information regarding different utilities on the website of the Anantnag District Administration.

“The DDC directed the officers of the JKTDC to ensure adequate accommodation for the employees deployed during the course of the Yatra,” reports said.

Dr Lone stressed upon the officers to put in arrangements in advance and ensure coordination among the officers for the smooth conduct of the Yatra.

Later, DDC visited Chandanwari to take on spot inspection of the track clearance. He also visited Nunwan base camp to review the progress of arrangements.

Srinagar, May 1
Welcoming the reappointment of NN Vohra as the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir for the second term, the Kashmir Hotels and Restaurant Association (KHARA) today urged him to work for further promotion of the hospitality sector in the state.

“We welcome the Government of India’s decision to appoint NN Vohra as Governor of J&K for another term. This will benefit the tourism sector further as Vohra has worked for the promotion of this sector earlier also. He has also worked for the economic development of the state,” KHARA president Showkat Chowdhary said in a statement issued here.

Chowdhary urged Vohra, who is also the chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), to promote sustainable pilgrim tourism while taking into consideration the fragile ecosystem of the state.

“The Amarnath Yatra is the best example of pilgrim tourism and Vohra should take more steps to ensure that the pilgrimage is regulated more efficiently without taking its toll on the state’s fragile environment. We want pilgrim tourism to be promoted while handling the environmental issues very carefully,” said Chowdhary.

He also urged the Governor to take into confidence the local stakeholders, including tour and travel operators, for the promotion of the pilgrim tourism.

“Local tour operators should also be taken on board while allotting helicopter seats for Amarnath Yatra. The benefits of this pilgrimage should also go to the local stakeholders,” said Chowdhary.

Srinagar, May 1
The Inspector General of Police (IGP) (Kashmir range) today chaired a police-traders’ meeting here in Srinagar, in which many prominent traders from Srinagar took part.

Speaking on the occasion, the IGP said the priority of the police force was to provide a secure environment in the province.

“My priority is to provide a secure environment in the province and my success in this regard can be measured by the number of successful business days you have”, IG Abdul Ghani Mir said while addressing the representatives of traders’ bodies, a police statement said.

Mir, while highlighting the traders-police partnership for overall benefit of society, said drug addiction among the youth had emerged as the biggest social menace and the society had to come forward to eradicate this threat.

“Militancy had taken a toll on our previous generation and now drug addiction is posing a threat to the present one. The onslaught of drug addiction needs to be fought collectively in which schools, teachers, parents, traders, druggists and chemists and the police has a vital role to play”, the IGP said.

Police on its part, he said, had taken various measures and was looking forward to take new initiatives to eradicate the menace.

The IGP stressed upon police officers to take effective measures to contain the acts of burglaries that are a threat to the trader community.

“In this direction, the process of installing CCTV cameras at various vulnerable places has been started”, he said.

The President, Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Association, Mohammad Yasin Shah, in his address, said he had firm faith in the initiatives of police-public interaction that had always been promoted by the traders’ federation since 2011. He said the police was the face of the Government and so the behaviour of police with the general masses should be comforting.

The meeting was attended by DIG South, Vijay Kumar, DIG North, JP Singh, DIG Central Afad-ul-Mujtaba, DIG Traffic Jagjit Kumar, all District Senior Superintendents of Police, Superintendents of Police and all Zonal SPs of the District Srinagar. Among trader federation, other who attended the meeting were Senior Vice-President Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, Secretary General Bashir Ahmad Kongposh and the representatives of district traders bodies.

The representatives of traders’ bodies of Kupwara, Baramulla, Sopore, Ganderbal, Anantnag, Shopian, Lal chowk and Regal Chowk also attended the gathering.

Srinagar, May 1
Days after a militant attack left four cops dead, the J&K police organised a police-public meeting in Sopore town of north Kashmir.

The meeting was held at Police Station, Tarzoo, in which prominent citizens of all mohallahs and Auqaf presidents of various mosques participated. Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Sopore, Mushtaq Ahmad chaired the meeting. Station House Officer (SHO) Manzoor Ahmad was also present in the meeting.

“All the participants paid respects to the four personnel who laid their lives in the recent incident,” a police spokesman in Srinagar said.

The participants highlighted their problems and also suggested some measures to check drug addiction in the area, he said.

The participants demanded early completion of the bypass bridge in town.

“The public representatives also raised issues of traffic problem here and demanded deployment of traffic cops at bypass crossing,” he added.

The representatives also expressed their satisfaction with the drive against drug peddlers and also suggested some measures that can be taken, with the help of Sopore police in this regard, besides, expressed their concern over early bail granted to narcotics offenders.

“The participants also highlighted their concern over non-clearance of passport of children of militants who want to perform Haj,” he said.

SDPO Ahmad and SHO Manzoor Ahmad gave a patient hearing to the grievances and suggestions of the public.

“They assured the participants that steps in these directions will be initiated at the earliest,” he said. 

Srinagar, May 1
The Agriculture Department of Kashmir valley has intensified its campaign against dealer selling spurious pesticides. The department today seized a large quantity of spurious pesticides during raids at various places.

“In its continuous drive to check the sale of spurious pesticides and fertilisers in Valley, law enforcement wing of Anatnag raided the godowns of M/s Agro Service Centre, Mehdi Kadal, Anantnag, where pesticides were seized,” a spokesman of the Agriculture Department said.

The spokesman said while inspecting the godowns of M/s Rightway Pesticides and Fertilisers, Takayabal Bijbehara, the concerned inspector found the dealer violating the Insecticides Act 1968 and selling various pesticides without license, cash memo and registration and with labelling defect.”

“The dealer was asked to stop the sale of the pesticides,” he said. The spokesman said further raids were continuing in other districts of the Valley to ensure the regulation of quality pesticides, fertilisers and seeds. “The farmers are also advised to ask for cash memo while making purchase of such pesticides, fertilisers and seeds from the dealers,” he added.