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BJP backs arrested encounter specialist
JKLF fires another salvo against moderate Hurriyat
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PDP seeks minister’s resignation
Intel agencies give cop’s dossier to Home Ministry
Militant hideout
busted in Pulwama
Govt ropes in ASHA workers to motivate families to get tap water
No regulatory mechanism to monitor religious schools in state
British Woman’s Murder
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BJP backs arrested encounter specialist
Jammu, June 5 The BJP has decided to rake up his arrest at the state as well as national level to expose the alleged pro-separatist policy of the National Conference-Congress government for “petty political gains”. “We will take up this issue at the national level because this arrest reflects the dangerous game plan of the state government to demoralise the nationalist forces, especially in militancy-plagued areas,” alleged BJP national executive committee member Nirmal Singh while interacting with mediapersons here today. “We will not allow this regime to accomplish its nefarious designs,” he asserted, adding that the party would raise the issue in the coming meeting of the national executive at Goa on June 8. “Being a counter-insurgency specialist, Sonu was working on a plan to trap a dreaded terrorist of the LeT but he was implicated before he could accomplish that task,” Singh alleged. Sources said some local BJP leaders had already brought the matter to the notice of national president Rajnath Singh. A team of local BJP leaders from Doda district has rushed to New Delhi to brief the central leadership, including senior leaders of Sangh Parivar, about the development. The party has deputed two of its state general secretaries, namely Bali Bhagat and Kavinder Gupta, to Doda to participate in a dharna on June 6 against Sharma’s arrest. The sources said the BJP had decided to give a call for a strike on June 7 in the erstwhile Doda district, comprising Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar districts, to oppose the arrest. Unconcerned about the ramifications of supporting a police officer arrested for having “links” with militants, there is a feeling among BJP leaders that the issue could help the party regain its lost ground in the erstwhile Doda district, the sources said, adding that the party had decided to mobilise members of the Village Defence Committees (VDCs) of the Doda belt. Ridiculing the police for arresting its “own valiant officer on the statement of a former militant”, Singh said: “As militancy has almost been wiped out in Doda district, some sympathisers of militants are desperately trying to revive it but officers like Sharma are the biggest hurdle in accomplishment of their nefarious designs.” |
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JKLF fires another salvo against moderate Hurriyat
Srinagar, June 5 The JKLF accused Aga Syed Hassan - an executive member of the moderate Hurriyat headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and the leader of the Anjuman Shar-e-Shia - of playing a “major role” in splitting the united Hurriyat Conference. The Hurriyat Conference, an amalgam of separatist parties, split into hardliners led by Syed Ali Geelani and moderates led by Mirwaiz and others in September 2003. The JKLF
operates outside the fold of either of the Hurriyat factions. “It was Anjuman Shar-e-Shia leader Aga Syed Hassan who played a major role in dividing the united Hurriyat. After declaring Mirwaiz as a traitor, he joined Geelani’s faction,” the JKLF stated in a press release. “Within six months, he left Geelani and joined the Mirwaiz-led Hurriyat faction,” it said. The JKLF statement, issued by its Budgam district chief, also defended the party saying, “We do not believe in issuing
statements for freedom and casting votes to earn benefits.” The JKLF also accused Hassan of changing his stance for “monetary benefits” and alleged that he had been “directly and indirectly” participating in every election held since 1995. “We have not used this freedom struggle to build huge mansions, buy cars worth crores of rupees and construct big shopping malls and commercial centres,” the separatist group stated as it locked horns with the leaders of the moderate faction. Infighting within the separatist camp started on Sunday when JKLF chief Yasin Malik was barred from speaking at an event at the University of
Kashmir which was organised by the moderate Hurriyat faction. Malik had blamed the moderates, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, of conspiring to bar him from speaking at the event and shot an angry statement accusing the leaders of the Hurriyat faction of being “hypocrites”. “There are a lot of things which are buried in our hearts and for the sake of national interest, we are keeping curtains over it,” the JKLF statement read. The JKLF stated the moderate Hurriyat leader
had invited a “pro-Indian politician” and a state minister to inaugurate his shopping complex. |
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Slapgate: Police files review petition with CJM in Kichloo case
Jammu, June 5 The CJM on Monday had directed the police to register an FIR against Kichloo for slapping the chief executive officer (CEO), Kishtwar Development Authority (KDA), Riyaz Ahmad Choudhary, on April 18 in full public view at Kishtwar, minutes before Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s visit to the area. However, the police failed to register an FIR Sources in the police department said the police through this petition was trying to apprise the CJM about the work done regarding the case during this period. “The complaint registered by the KDA CEO earlier was a non-cognisable case which didn’t require registration of an FIR. However, now in his second attempt, the CEO has tried to make it a cognisable case,” the police stated in its petition. “Even the non-cognisable offence was not proved and the CEO is trying to fool the court and the police,” a police official said. The five-page review petition document has asked the CJM to review his direction and go through the stand of the police as well. The case is becoming a direct fight between the police and the CEO. Earlier, Choudhary had an upper hand after the CJM directed the police to register an FIR against Kichloo but the police is trying to get the direction
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PDP seeks minister’s resignation
Srinagar, June 5 “The Chief Minister should have dropped the MoS immediately after the incident. It has now been established that morally weakened Omar Abdullah, who faces a more serious accusation against himself and NC patriarch Dr Farooq Abdullah, is in no position to enforce accountability in his Cabinet. The minister should immediately resign for the police to conduct a fair investigation,” the spokesman said. “Till Kichloo holds the home portfolio, it is obvious that the purpose of the investigation, which the court has ordered, cannot be fulfilled,” he said. Kitchloo had slapped the Chief Executive Officer, Kishtwar Development Authority, Riaz Ahmed Choudhary, in Kishtwar district on April 18.
— TNS |
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From police ‘guide’ to decorated police officer
Jammu, June 5 Being a native of this belt, Sharma was aware of the topography of the region. In 1996, he became a member of the Village Defence Committee (VDC). Sharma came into the limelight during the Chapnari killings (massace of 25 Hindu villagers by militants) on June 19, 1998. One of the terrorists involved in the massacre was reportedly tracked down by the security forces with the help of the Army the very next day. When the then Union Home Minister L K Advani along with the then Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah had visited the massacre site, officers of security forces introduced Sharma to the visiting VIPs and admitted that he had masterminded the elimination of the militant involved in the massacre. Sharma was appointed Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) in the police for his courage and anti-militancy activities. Without any proper training, Sharma had started an anti-militancy operation in the Doda belt. Two years after his appointment, he was sent for proper training in 2000. Thereafter, he was deputed with the Special Task Force (STF) for anti-militancy operations. Since 2000, he has been involved in anti-insurgency operation and was credited with killing more than 70 militants, including some foreign mercenaries. During a fierce encounter in 2007, Sharma was gravely injured and his eye was also damaged. A self-styled divisional commander of the Laskhar-e-Toiba was eliminated in the encounter. Earlier in 2004, he had received bullet injuries in his leg. He has been presented with various gallantry awards, including DGP’s Medal for Distinguished and Meritorious Services and Army’s Medal for Counter Insurgency Operation. Sharma was the lone recipient from the state for President's Police Medal on August 15,
2011. — TNS know the cop
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Intel agencies give cop’s dossier to Home Ministry
Jammu, June 5 The Union Home Ministry has been informed about the development and a dossier of the police officer has also been sent, intelligence sources confided in The Tribune. While the SI remains arrested along with his head constable bodyguard, several contradictory theories have started surfacing. If a source is to be believed, the SI, who has been arrested for allegedly planning a grenade attack on Thatri police station in connivance with five militants, in fact had a very important video clip in his possession pertaining to the January 8 killing of two Indian soldiers in the Balnoi sector of Poonch district. “The video clip showed two Pak militants executing the killing. The SI had asked his contacts to bring them back here in the state to eliminate them. The contacts in turn wanted to carry out some minor militant activity to win the confidence of the two ultras responsible for killing the soldiers,” said the source. Accordingly, the grenade attack was planned, added the source. However, IGP, Jammu zone, Rajesh Kumar said he had no such information with him. “The investigations are being conducted by the Doda police and the information would be shared at the right time,” he said. When asked about the casualties and injuries in the grenade attack, the IGP said: “The grenade didn’t explode”. Superintendent of Poilce, Doda, Mohammed Arif Reshu said, “We have found him involved in the grenade attack and that is why he has been arrested. Commendations and medallions don’t rule out possibilities of going astray.” When asked if he had any information about the video clip, Reshu also said there was no such information with him. The arrest of the decorated police officer has also gone viral on social networking site Facebook. If majority of the Facebook users called it a trap and tirade against the SI, some also smelt a
rat. Case file
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Militant hideout
busted in Pulwama
Anantnag, June 5 “We
carried out a search operation. However, the militants had either
escaped or had not visited their hideout for quite some time,” a
senior police official said. Giving details of the hideout, the police official said it had been constructed behind the bathroom of a house. “A
cupboard led us to a concealed room and then a basement,” said the
official, adding, “We have destroyed the hideout.” Four Army men
and a militant were killed in a militant ambush in Buchoo village of
Tral on May 24. Meanwhile, several search operations were carried out throughout Anantnag town of south Kashmir today in the wake of two grenade attacks in the town within a span of three days. A
grenade was hurled at a police post in the Sherbagh area of Anantnag
town on June 2. Another one was hurled at an army vehicle outside the
Deputy Commissioner’s office in the Lal Chowk area of the town,
injuring five civilians and a policeman. “The security has been
beefed up in the area after we busted the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen module
responsible for the June-2 grenade attack on the police post,” said a
senior police official. |
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Govt ropes in ASHA workers to motivate families to get tap water
Srinagar, June 5 “We have thousands of ASHA workers working in far-off places under the Centrally sponsored National Rural Drinking Water Programme. We are giving them Rs 75 for motivating a household to get a connection,” state Public Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma told The Tribune. “The incentives will encourage them to work harder and in turn, we will be able to provide tap drinking water to rural families, which will bring down diseases spread due to contaminated drinking water,” he said. Unclean drinking water is the main cause of diseases such as cholera, typhoid and hepatitis. A majority of rural households across the state are dependent on ponds, streams, nullas and offshoots of rivers, which have been found to be containing both microbiological contamination and chemical contamination. Water samples drawn by the state Health Department in the past showed that 8 out 10 samples contained high coliform content, especially in the rural districts of the state. Officials said the step to involve ASHA workers would, to some extent, help in facilitating clean drinking water to rural households. These workers will identify households without tap water in their respective areas, fill forms and submit them in the PHE department. The department will then facilitate water connections to these households. |
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Shiv Khori cave shrine needs more security
Ransoo, (Reasi), June 5 The police, which is supported by the CRPF here, neither frisk pilgrims nor check their belongings at the base camp and then at the cloak room outside the cave shrine. On an average, 3,500 to 5,000 pilgrims visit the cave shrine every day and last year more than 19 lakh pilgrims had visited
the shrine. This year, the Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board (SSKSB) is expecting the figure to go beyond 25 lakh. “Yes, militancy had remained at its peak in Reasi district from 1990s to 2010. I still remember that four militants were also killed on the Pouni-Ransoo route in 1996-97. We also feel that foolproof security system should be put in place here,” said an official of the SSKSB. They pull up their socks during the Amarnath pilgrimage and Shivratri festival only, he said. He said the issue had been raised several times before the higher ups, but to no avail. “Though we have got two police stations in Ransoo and Pouni, everyone knows about the level of militancy in Reasi district, he said. Arindam Ray, a pilgrim from West Bengal, said, “I am taken aback by the security arrangements here vis-a-vis Vaishno Devi shrine. They police and the CRPF didn’t bother to frisk us and check our baggage”. However, Raghubir Singh, SSP, Reasi, refused to comment when asked about the laxity on the
part of policemen deputed at the shrine. terror incidents in reasi district
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No regulatory mechanism to monitor religious schools in state
Srinagar, June 5 With the exposure of fake faith healer Gulzar Ahmad Bhat, the functioning of religious schools in the state has come under the scanner. The state government is yet to furnish guidelines to the district administration and the School Education Department for monitoring such institutions. Secretary, School Education, Hirdesh Kumar said there were no guidelines with the School Education Department as yet for the registration and regulation of religious schools in the state. “Religious school education doesn’t come under the formal education sector. It is true that religious schools function in the state without registration but we have no directives as yet to register these schools. Religious education is treated as informal education and hence not regulated,” Kumar told The Tribune. He said the School Education Department can act against a particular religious school only if it receives a complaint against it. As far as registration of such schools is concerned, he said those religious educational institutions which are run by religious trusts/bodies could seek registration from the department. “If any religious trust runs these schools, they can seek registration from us,” Kumar said. He said corrupt practices of these institutions could also be monitored by the respective district administrations. “The district administration along with Chief Education Officer in each district may take note of such religious schools which are reportedly run on suspicious grounds,” he added. The Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Shailendra Kumar, however, said the onus of regulating religious schools lies with the School Education Department. |
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British Woman’s Murder
Srinagar, June 5 The charge sheet was presented by the prosecution to the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Srinagar, on Wednesday, who has now committed the case for trial to the Sessions Court in Srinagar. The accused Richard De Witt, 43, is currently being treated in a government-run psychiatry hospital after being declared a schizophrenic by doctors. De Witt was arrested by the police on April 6 near Qazigund on the Srinagar-Jammu highway on suspicion of murdering the 23-year-old British tourist Sarah Groves in a houseboat on the Dal Lake in Srinagar on the same day. De Witt had booked a room in the houseboat adjacent to Groves’s and had gone missing soon after the crime, abandoning his belongings in the houseboat room. “We presented the charge sheet against Dutch national Richard De Witt before the CJM court yesterday for murder under Section 302 of the Ranbir Penal Code, which has now committed the case for trail to the Sessions Court, Srinagar,” said Chief Prosecution Officer Afaq Ahmad. The formal trial will be initiated by the Principal District and Sessions Court, Srinagar, where the matter is posted for further consideration on June 15. |
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