The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Amarnath yatra begins amid security Suhail A Shah Anantnag, June 28 The first batch of pilgrims left for the Amarnath shrine from the Nunwan base camp in Pahalgam amid tight security arrangements this morning. The yatra was flagged off around 5.30 am by Minister of Tourism Ghulam Ahmad Mir, who was accompanied by Anantnag District Development Commissioner (DDC) Farooq Ahmad Lone. As many as 2,990 pilgrims left the base comp at Nunwan and proceeded to Chandanwari. However, the number of pilgrims who crossed Chandanwari towards the holy cave is yet to be confirmed by officials. Having undertaken the sacred journey, pilgrims were in an upbeat mood. “I’m really happy that I’m among the first ones who’ll reach the holy cave,” said 50-year-old Pradeep, a resident of Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh). “We are really thankful to the shrine board for their immaculate arrangements,” he said. Talking to mediapersons after the flagging-off ceremony, Mir termed the yatra as the biggest example of communal harmony. “The government is very dedicated towards ensuring the smooth conduct of the Amarnath yatra. This year, we have deployed an extra number of vehicles to ferry pilgrims,” Mir said, adding that the number of medical camps had also been increased in the area for a hassle-free journey for the pilgrims. Unregistered yatris sent back Srinagar: The police on Friday sent 12,000 people, who were either not registered for the yatra or were scheduled to arrive later, from Pahalgam and Manigam. The Anantnag police said 8,000 unregistered people and pilgrims registered for a later date had been sent back from Pahalgam. The district authorities of Ganderbal said about 4,000 such people had been sent back from Manigam on the way to the Baltal base camp. The police reiterated that pilgrims should register themselves as per the guidelines of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board and visit only on the specified date of their registration schedule. The pilgrims were also requested to stay on the specified yatra routes only - ‘P’ for the Pahalgam route vehicles and ‘B’ for the Baltal route vehicles. Bad weather disrupts Guv’s visit Srinagar: Governor NN Vohra’s visit to the holy cave was disrupted due to bad weather. Vohra, who is the chairman of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), was scheduled to participate in “pratham darshan and pooja” early Friday morning and visit both the base camps, at Baltal and Nunwan. However, the helicopter carrying him and Navin K Choudhary, CEO of the shrine board, could not go beyond Sonamarg due to bad weather and poor visibility. The Governor, who has been monitoring the yatra arrangements, thanked the state government, Army, Central Para Military Forces, police and other agencies concerned for their support and cooperation. He has reiterated the need for effective supervision and a close day-to-day monitoring by the camp directors and functionaries involved in the management of the yatra.
	One injured in grenade attack on CRPF bunker Srinagar, June 28 A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel was injured when suspected militants threw a hand grenade in north Kashmir’s Sopore town, 45 km from here. The police said militants threw a hand grenade towards a CRPF bunker near the bus stand in the town, which missed the target and exploded on the road with a bang. “One CRPF man of 179 Battalion received a splinter injury and was rushed to the Sub District Hospital in Sopore,” a police officer said. “The CRPF man received a minor injury and has been discharged from the hospital,” he added. —TNS
	Vohra sworn in J&K Governor for second consecutive term Ehsan Fazili/TNS Srinagar, June 28 N N Vohra was sworn in as the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir for a fresh term at Raj Bhawan here this evening. He was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court MM Kumar. The Governor was presented a guard of honour by a contingent of the Jammu and Kashmir Police. Chief Secretary Mohammad Iqbal Khandey read out in Urdu and English the Warrant of Appointment of the Governor, which had been issued by the President of India on May 1, 2013. Those present on the occasion included First Lady Usha Vohra, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, Assembly Speaker Mubarak Gul, Chairman of the Legislative Council Amrit Malhotra, ministers, state Congress chief Saifuddin Soz, MPs, legislators, judges of the High Court, Vice Chancellors, senior civil, police and security forces officers, political and social activists and prominent citizens. With this, Vohra becomes the 13th Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. He had taken over as the 12th Governor on June 25, 2008. He is the first Governor of the state to continue for the second consecutive term.
	Vohra’s faith in dialogue has worked for J&K Arun Joshi/TNS Jammu, June 28 This evening when NN Vohra took oath as Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, he became the first Governor of the state to have been sworn in for the second consecutive term. The Centre has reposed confidence in him at a time when the state is passing through a critical phase after having come out of the over two-decade-long violence and agitations. Peace is still fragile, it needs consolidation. At the same time it needs the common man’s faith in the system. Some objectives have been achieved, others are yet to be scaled. Vohra had come to the state on June 25, 2008, when it was gripped by communal passions and the regional divide had widened by miles. By his continuous efforts, centered on dialogue, he brought the situation to such a pass that not only did peace return but Assembly elections were also held before the end of six months of Governor’s rule. Immediately after he took over, then Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad resigned as his government had lost majority support. The Azad Government’s decision to divert 100 acres of land to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) for building facilities for pilgrims had set off an agitation in the Valley which was brought to an end by rescinding the order. The reversal of the order triggered a counter-agitation in Jammu. Azad had done this when Lt Gen S K Sinha (retd) was Governor of the state. The Jammu agitation ignited another agitation in the Valley. The state then came under Governor’s rule on July 7, 2008. By his sagacity and push for the dialogue, Vohra brought peace back to the state and the 2008 Assembly elections attracted more than 60 per cent participation of the voters. Even after defusing the situation in 2008, the road ahead turned out to be tough as street protests erupted in Kashmir in 2009 and 2010. The Governor through his knowledge of the state and its people advised the government without making any attempt to override the elected government. The state saw two peaceful years in 2011 and 2012, and the panchayat elections with over 80 per cent polling further strengthened democracy at grass-roots level. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah took the plunge and there were pleasantly surprising results for the people of the state. The basis was laid in 2008 Assembly elections. For Vohra, the challenges have not diminished but multiplied as there are vital tasks ahead. The state is still struggling to recover its full strength as a completely peaceful place. His advice that there should be closed-door deliberations on the contentious issue of the revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in a manner that demonstrates mutual respect for the Army and the elected Chief Minister played a crucial role in keeping things under check. This time one of the challenges is to channelise the energy of youth and make them partners in the development of peace and progress of the state. That’s one of the critical areas. The future challenges also include addressing the issue of radicalism that is eating away the vitals of society and the state cannot remain immune to what is happening in the neighbhourhood. The challenges are both internal and external and those would have to be addressed with extra care. His unshaken faith in dialogue is the best recipe to resolve the issues.
	Kedarnath chopper crash ITBP officer’s body reaches Jammu Ravi Krishnan Khajuria Tribune News Service Jammu, June 28 Wrapped in Tricolour, the mortal remains of ITBP officer Bhim Singh - one among 20 brave hearts who laid down their lives while trying to save pilgrims in the flood-ravaged Uttarakhand - were brought in a special IAF aircraft here this evening from Dehradun. Bhim Singh of the 8th NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) was among 20 rescuers - five from the Indian Air Force, six from the ITBP and nine from NDRF - on board the MI-17 chopper that crashed in Uttarakhand on June 25. As soon as the Dornier aircraft landed at the Technical Airport here at 7.08 pm, ITBP men led by Inspector DN Uttam took out the coffin from the aircraft and placed it with all due respect in an ITBP vehicle that left for Singh’s native village, Bobiyan, in Hiranagar tehsil of Kathua district. Bhim Singh’s brother Rajender Singh, who is also from the 8th NDRF and who arrive here in the same aircraft, said his brother, as part of the rescue team, saved 4,000 to 5,000 pilgrims who were stranded in the flood-hit Uttarakhand. “On one such sortie, he and other rescuers were returning from Kedarnath after delivering wood for the cremation of pilgrims when their chopper hit a mountain and crashed. He was a noble man, who rescued several pilgrims and sadhus,” he said. Inspector DN Uttam said, “The remains of the officer will be kept at the Sub-District Hospital, Hiranagar, tonight and tomorrow morning, they will be taken to his house in Bobiyan before being cremated with full police honours at around 11 am.” “They were seven brothers, out of whom five were in the ITBP. One of them had retired while Bhim Singh sacrificed his life and now three are serving with the ITBP,” said Uttam. He said Singh had joined the ITBP in 1983 and had been promoted as Inspector in 2010-11. “Besides being a philanthropist, he was an avid judoka (judo practioner),” said the ITBP officer. The officer is survived by his wife Renu Devi, daughters Priyanka (18) and Priya (16) and son Lalit (14). On behalf of the civil administration Additional Deputy Commissioner of Kathua, Rahul Sharma, Hiranagar Tehsildar Amit Bhagat, Naib Tehsildar Ditt Kumar, SP (North) Rajeshwar Singh were present at the airport. However, local MLA from Hiranagar constituency Durga Dass was conspicuous by his absence. The Kathua ADC said no compensation to the deceased’s family had been announced so far by the civil administration. Yesterday, DNA samples of Bhim Singh’s family members were taken by an NDRF team and sent to Dehradun for identification of his body. A braveheart Bhim Singh joined the ITBP in 1983 and was promoted as Inspector in 2010-11 Singh of the 8th NDRF was among 20 rescuers on board the MI-17 chopper that crashed in Uttarakhand on June 25
	Tarigami calls for serious efforts to restore state’s autonomy Tribune News Service Srinagar, June 28 Communist leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami has asked the ruling National Conference to make serious efforts to restore Autonomy to the state. “It is appreciable that the political leadership of the state has taken a strong exception to Communal BJP’s call for the scrapping of Article 370, but it is our considered opinion that serious efforts be made by the same leadership to facilitate restoration of eroded autonomy in its original form would have been much more significant,” Tarigami said in a statement here today. He said it was an admitted fact that while “fascist forces” had always been trying to scuttle the constitutional guarantees to the state, the successive secular regimes in the country have also been responsible for the denial of autonomy and spoiling the spirit of Article 370. “Even the limited assurance given in the agreement of 1974, was not fulfilled. There was a reference in the 1974 agreement to-sympathetically considering amendments or repeal of some category of central laws extended to the state after 1953 as the state legislature decides-even this was not done,” Tarigami rued. “The stoic silence maintained in this regard and the skin-deep faith in their demand for the restoration of this Article of faith is reflected by the lack of conviction to work and press for this demand more vociferously after a regime in Delhi contemptuously turned down the state legislature’s resolution on the restoration of the eroded autonomy,” he added. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday had criticised the BJP leaders for calling for revocation of Article 370 of the constitution warning that any such attempt will have to be done “on our dead bodies”.
	Death of 3rd Indian prisoner in Pak jolts Jammu families Ravi Krishnan Khajuria/TNS Jammu, June 28 The death of a third Indian prisoner in less than six months in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail has shaken the families who have their relatives languishing in the same prison. Zakir Mumtaz, 50, belonged to Amritsar. He reportedly died under mysterious circumstances at Jinnah Hospital on June 27. The incident follows fatal attacks on Chamel Singh of Molu Pargwal in Akhnoor sub-division on January 15 and on death row convict Sarabjit Singh, who died at Jinnah Hospital on May 2. Mumtaz was arrested on the charges of crossing the border illegally on August 3, 2011, and was also kept at Kot Lakhpat Jail. Urmila, wife of Kuldeep Singh – arrested on charges of spying on December 16, 1992 — said, “Mumtaz’s death in the same prison should be an eye-opener for the Indian authorities. They must take up the plight of Indian prisoners with Pakistan.” Urmila lives in Budhi Village in Kathua district. “For some years I received letters written by him from the prison. Not any more. This trend of murdering Indians is really giving me sleepless nights,” she said. Bishno Devi, wife of Om Prakash of the same village, said her husband who was “launched” across the border remains “missing” since June 4, 1998. “In 2002, I came to know about his arrest in Pakistan. I have been told by another Indian prisoner, Swarn Lal, who returned from Pakistan’s Kot Lakhpat prison that he had seen my husband there. But he said my husband had lost his mental balance. The death of a third Indian in the same prison appears to be a bad omen,” said Bishno. The apparent tit-for-tat murderous attack on Sanaullah Haq, a Pakistani prisoner inside Kot Bhalwal Jail in Jammu on May 3, is a disturbing trend and must stop. It’s time the Indian government intervened,” said Vinod Sawhney, president of the Jammu Ex-Sleuths’ Association.
	Security to panches: NHRC summons Union Home Secy, state Chief Secy Tribune News Service Jammu, June 28 The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has summoned the Union Home Secretary and Chief Secretary, J&K, to appear in person before it on September 24 after the Central and the state governments have failed to submit a detailed report over the issue of security to over 33,000 elected panches and sarpanches in the state. During the hearing of the petition filed by a Jammu-based RTI activist, Raman Sharma, who had sought security for 33,000 panchayat members of the state, the Commission took serious note of non-compliance with its earlier order on submission of the “requisite reports” on security threats to panchayat members. In its earlier order, the Commission had warned the Union Home Secretary, Chief Secretary and Director General of Police of J&K to submit a detailed report over the issue of security for over 33,000 panches and sarpanches or face Section 13 of the human rights Act under which the NHRC can compel personal attendance of any officer or official. The petitioner had submitted that in spite of life threats to panchayat members by Hizbul Mujahideen chief Salahuddin, the state and the Central governments did nothing to provide security to the elected panchayat members. Taking cognisance of non-compliance with ts directive, the Commission has directed the Home Secretary, Government of India, and the Chief Secretary, Government of Jammu & Kashmir, to appear in person before the Commission on September 24 along with the requisite reports. The order also says that if the reports from both the governments are received on or before September 17, the personal appearance of the officers would stand dispensed with. Six panchayat members have been killed by unidentified gunmen in different incidents and scores of others have submitted their resignations since the panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir in June 2011.
	Mughal rally flagged off from Srinagar Tribune News Service Srinagar, June 28 Minister of State for Tourism, Home, Industries and Commerce, Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo, flagged off the fourth Mughal Car Rally from world famous Royal Springs Golf Course, Srinagar, today. As many as 25 vehicles and nine motor cycles are participating in the extreme category and 30 vehicles in the enduro category. The extreme rally is the fast-paced event with professional drivers, whereas the enduro is a slow-paced event. Under the extreme category (Leg-1), the rally will pass from Srinagar-Pulwama-Shopian-Srinagar today whereas under the enduro (Leg-1) category, the rally will pass through Srinagar-Pampore-Pulwama-Dubjain-Pir-Ki-Gali, Bafliaz-Thanamandi-Rajori-Akhnoor-Jammu. Tomorrow, under the extreme category (Leg-2), the rally will pass through Srinagar-Khanabal-Qazigund-Veerinag-Kokernag-Daksum-Simthan-Pass-Srinagar, whereas under the enduro (Leg-2) category, the rally will pass through Jammu-Reasi-Mahore-Gool-Ramban and return via the national highway to Srinagar. "The participants of the rally also include foreigners from Germany, USA and Austria. The car rally will pass through 84-km-long Shopian-Bafliaz stretch of the Mughal Road and Anantnag-Simthan-Kishtwar road stretch,” an official spokesman said. The rally has been sponsored by the J&K Tourism Department, J&K Bank and Himachal Pradesh-based Himalayan Motor Sports with a view to promote adventure Tourism.
	Militant gives policemen the slip at Kulgam hospital A live hand grenade recovered from the building Suhail A Shah Anantnag, June 28 The police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) today cordoned off the District Hospital, Kulgam, and evacuated patients and doctors after a militant hid inside the building. However, the unidentified militant managed to flee the building leaving behind a live hand grenade, which was later seized by the police. Sources said the man ran inside the building after he was asked for an identity proof by policemen outside the hospital. “Some policemen were frisking people on the road outside the hospital. When they asked the man to show his identity card, he ran into the hospital compound,” said a source. The police said the hospital building was soon cordoned off and patients, attendants as well as doctors were evacuated. “The police combed the building thoroughly, but the man managed to flee. We found a live hand grenade on the first floor of the hospital,” a senior police official said. He said the police was on the lookout of the militant in the area. “He might have managed to sneak out of the hospital while we were evacuating the patients,” he said. “While the functioning of the hospital resumed, the police and the CRPF were actively looking for the militant in the area,” said a source.