Srinagar, May 10
After the police again failing to produce two accused policemen in the Wamiq Farooq killing case, a local court today directed the Srinagar SSP to form two special teams for executing the fresh non-bailable arrest warrants against the duo "without fail".

These directions were issued by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Srinagar, who had earlier on April 16 directed the SSP to initiate an inquiry against the Station House Officer (SHO) concerned for failing to execute the warrants and submit the inquiry report for the court’s perusal. During the same hearing, warrants were issued again against the accused policemen.

Wamiq, a Class VII student, was killed by a teargas shell allegedly fired by the police on January 31, 2010, near Gani Memorial Stadium in old Srinagar city. Following his death, over 100 civilians were killed in the security forces firing.

Complying with the court directions, the SSP, in his inquiry report submitted today, stated that one of the accused - ASI Abdul Khaliq - is on leave and the warrants against him could not be executed as he had gone out of the state for treatment. The accused policeman had, however, not furnished the particulars of the place he was visiting and the court took note of it in its orders.

The other accused, Special Police Officer (SPO) Mohammad Akram, is undergoing training at Subsidiary Training Centre (STC), Talwara, and the warrants against him, too, have not been executed.

Taking note of this, the Chief Judicial Magistrate in his orders observed that the principal of the centre was “bound to execute the warrants” against the accused police official.

“In this backdrop and in order to ensure the presence of both the accused persons, once again fresh non-bailable warrants are issued against them and the SSP, Srinagar, is directed to constitute special teams,” the court said in its orders.

One special team, the court said, would go to the Subsidiary Training Centre at Talwara, Jammu, and execute the arrest warrant against the accused SPO, Mohammad Akram, with the assistance of the principal of the centre and produce him in the court on the next date of hearing fixed for June 6.

Whereas the other team, the court further said, would be deputed by the SSP to the place where the accused, ASI Abdul Khaliq, was undergoing treatment after ascertaining his whereabouts and produce him before the court on the next date of hearing “without fail.”

The court also observed that the “failure” of the SSP to execute the fresh arrest warrants “would be viewed seriously” and “may entail legal action”, while also directing the SSP to report compliance of these directions by next date of hearing.

In its orders, the court of the CJM, however, observed that the IGP, Kashmir, could not be hauled for contempt of court as there were no direction issued to him. In his submissions, the counsel for the complainant family, Ajaz A Dar, had pressed for initiating contempt proceedings against the IGP for failing to produce the accused police officials.

Srinagar, May 10
Governor NN Vohra today lauded the role played by the Women’s Welfare Trust in promoting the cause of female education in the valley.

The Governor, who along with First Lady Usha Vohra today visited Vasanta Girls High School at Sheetal Nath here, said ever since Annie Besant laid the foundation stone of the school, nearly a century ago, both Vasanta and Kashyapa schools have come a long way in spreading education, particularly among the economically weaker sections of society.

Vohra said fortunately very high importance was being given to educating the girl child.

He said the Right to Education Act prescribes fundamental right status to the provision of education to one and all.

Appreciating the high quality of the cultural programme presented by the students and the staff of both the schools, the Governor announced provision of financial support of Rs 50,000 to the Women’s Welfare Trust for further promoting cultural activities in the schools.

Vohra, on the occasion, also presented Gauri Koul scholarships to three meritorious students, who had achieved top positions at the Secondary School Examinations.

He also announced that financial support would be provided to the Women’s Welfare Trust to award three more scholarships to meritorious students of both the schools.

The Governor also assured chairperson of the trust Girija Dhar that appropriate financial support would be provided to ensure both the schools function satisfactorily.

The First Lady, on the occasion, unveiled an Annual Debate Rolling Trophy instituted by the trust.

The welcome address was presented by Dr Girija Dhar. Members of the trust, besides Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Farooq Shah were also present on the occasion. 

Srinagar, May 10
Sarpanches and panches from south Kashmir continued to announce their resignations in wake of the recent attacks which left three panchayat members dead. The frightened panchayat members are planning to resign en masse in case the new government in Delhi fails to ensure their safety.

The sarpanches and panches, mostly from Shopian, Pulwama, Anantnag and Kulgam districts of south Kashmir, have resigned through newspaper advertisements.

“I, Manzoor Ahmed Dar, resident of Tark Tachloo, block Shmasipora, Anantnag, was elected as a sarpanch. But I am resigning from the post of the elected body membership,” read an advertisement in a local Urdu daily. “From now onwards, I am not associated with any political party and this is for the information of the general public.”

In the last three weeks, three panchayat members were shot dead and this has sparked a fresh wave of resignations.

On Friday, a day after the killing of a National Conference panch, Ghulam Mohammad of Wanpoh Kulgam, a dozen panchayat members went to the main mosque in Kulgam and publicly announced their resignation.

Chairman of All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference Shafiq Mir said in the last three weeks, over 400 panchayat members have resigned. Mir said they were waiting for the new government in New Delhi and if it failed to provide them security, they may decide to resign en masse in protest.

A senior official of the Rural Development Department said they had not received any resignations in the past few days.

“We do not know about the resignations. As per the panchayat rules, the resignation of sarpanches and panches have to be submitted to the concerned Block Development Officer (BDO), who is supposed to forward it to district panchayat officer (DPO),” the official said. 

Srinagar, May 10
The ruling National Conference (NC) has said 
BJP leader Nitin Gadkari’s rant against the party and the state of J&K was “half-baked and grossly ill-informed".

Reacting to Gadkari’s remarks about the State Subject Laws and Article 370 during his visit here, NC spokesman Junaid Mattu said the BJP leaders, Nitin Gadkari and Narendra Modi, should brush up their basics about the Constitutional Law of the land and the Constitution of India.

Mattu said "BJP leaders have repeatedly exhibited their astronomical ignorance about the difference between State Subjects Laws and Article 370. This dangerous misrepresentation of facts and distortion of legality and reality is aimed at intimidating the people of Jammu and Kashmir and polarising people within the state for political gains.”

Srinagar, May 10
The first-ever cadaveric organ donation pledge in Kashmir has come under cloud as director of Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura Srinagar, Dr Showkat Zargar has been served a legal notice by moderate Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s media adviser Shahid-ul-Islam.

In the notice served today, Shahid has accused Dr Zargar of adopting a biased approach by declaring a city-based goldsmith Showkat Amad Zarabi as the first ever donor of organs after death.

Shahid has claimed that he was the first person in J&K to have offered his body organs for donation, but this fact was suppressed by the SKIMS authorities.

On Friday, 56-year-old goldsmith Showkat Ahmad Zarabi, from Budshah Mohalla, Lal Bazaar, Srinagar, was declared the first Kashmiri to pledge to donate his body organs post death.

The step was also appreciated by SKIMS director Showkat Zargar and he assured full cooperation and support to all donors, saying that in the backdrop of massive awareness campaign launched by SKIMS on cadaveric transplantation, people were coming forward for the cause.

“It is submitted that on March 29, 2014, a seminar was conducted at SKIMS, titled ‘Cadaveric Transplantation’. During the seminar, HoD, urology, SKIMS, Dr Saleem Wani announced on dias the donation of human organs for the first time in J&K by my client (Shahid-ul-Islam),” Shahid’s counsel has claimed in the legal notice served on SKIMS director.

“My client (Shahid) was astonished today that Showkat Zarabi was shown as the first person in J&K (to take a pledge) to donate body organs after his death. My client was shocked at the statement of the SKIMS director”, it has been said in the legal notice.

Shahid-ul-Islam’s desire was announced on March 29, 2014 through Dr Saleem Wani, whereas Showkat Zarabi went to the SKIMS for the same purpose on April 16, 2014, after 18 days, says the legal notice.

In the notice, Showkat Zargar has been asked to rectify the official records by registering and declaring Shahid-ul-Islam as the first person in J&K to pledge his organs.

Despite attempts, Dr Zargar was not available for comments.

Baramulla, May 10
Baramulla and Bandipora towns of north Kashmir remained shut for the second day today against the pre and post-poll arrests in ‘thrashing of voters’ cases while eight more youths have been detained for their involvement in these cases.

The shutdown is being observed against the police action in which some youths have been arrested for their alleged involvement in stone throwing and harassment of voters. The locals had accused the police of ransacking three houses and said around 20 youths were under detention of the police.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, north Kashmir, Ghulam Hassan Bhat said the police would go tough against the youths involved in crimes like thrashing of voters.

Despite assurances from the senior members of the area, there was no improvement in the situation, he added.

The Police have already registered five FIRs, three in Baramulla and two in Sopore police stations, after the incidents of thrashing of voters on Thursday, a day after the polling.

Police spokesman in Srinagar today said the police had arrested eight more youths.

Meanwhile, complete shutdown was also observed in Bandipora town against the arrest of around 25 youths. Locals, along with traders, demanded release of the youths and staged a protest near Nowpora Chowk.

In Sopore town, barring a minor stone-throwing incident in the morning, life resumed partially with shops and transport working normally.

Samba, May 10
Medical employees, under the banner Jammu and Kashmir Medical Employees Federation (JKMEF), today held a protest at District Hospital complex here in support of their long pending demands.

Protesters led by Sushil Sudan, state president, JKMEF, raised slogans against the government and accused it of adopting “delaying tactics”.

The employees were demanding release of wages of 2,211 employees under family planning, finalisation of seniority list for holding departmental promotion committees, release of orders of time-bound promotions and filling of vacant posts in the Health Department.

“On one hand prices of essential commodities are rising astronomically and on the other hand the state government is sitting silent on our long-outstanding demands,” Sudan said.

“If the government fails to frame a policy for our demands we will launch a statewide protest and for any inconvenience the government will be responsible,” he warned.

Employees urged the government to look into the matter seriously and redress their demands at the earliest.

Srinagar, May 10
Five schoolchildren and an elderly person were rescued by the police from the Nehru Park and Duck Park area of the Dal Lake today, after strong winds hit the Srinagar city.

A police spokesman said the police rescued five children when their boat capsized in the Dal Lake. “Five schoolchildren who were on their way back to their respective homes from school were rescued by the police when their boat capsized in the Dal Lake near the Nehru Park due to storm ,” a police spokesman said.

Meanwhile, 75-year-old Mohammad Ramzan Sheikh was rescued by the Nigeen Police when his boat overturned in the Dal Lake near the Duck Park. “The police also helped in shifting stranded tourists in the Dal Lake to safer places,” the spokesman added.

The CRPF rescued two men in the Dal Lake near Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC).

“A boat capsized near the SKICC in the Dal Lake. A motor boat of the CRPF, which was on patrol duty, immediately reached the spot and saved two drowning men Tanveer Ahmed and Bilal Ahmed,” a CRPF spokesman said.

The windstorm, which lasted for almost an hour, disrupted normal life in the city. The power supply to various areas in Srinagar was also snapped. 

Samba, May 10
Shri Parshuram Jayanti was celebrated with religious fervour and enthusiasm today. In this regard, a shobha yatra was also taken out here. BJP state president Jugal Kishore led the shobha yatra, which began from Chohata Chowk and passed through Hari Singh Chowk, Link road, Highway Chowk, Hospital Road and main bazar, before culminating at the Bhagwan Parshuram Mandir Devika Sthan, Samba.

The celebrations began this morning at Narsingh temple. Amidst vedic rituals and chanting of hymns, priests performed Pooja of Bhagwan Parshuram, Gayatri Mata and Mata Saraswati.

A gatka party from Punjab showed its skills in Sikh martial arts while a metal statue of Bhagwan Parshuram was the main attraction for the devotees.

Ravi Khajuria, president of the Brahman Sabha, Samba, Kamal Dubey, Satish Dutta, C S Badyal, Sandeep Sharma and Manoj Kumar Sharma and others were also present.

“The police have launched rescue operation to retrieve the drowned boys,” a police spokesman said. The rescue operation was on till last reports came in. 

Udhampur, May 10
One person was arrested and 23 kg of poppy husk was recovered from his possession in Majalta tehsil of Udhampur district today.

Acting on specific information, a police party today raided the house of Rattan Lal, resident of Majalta, and recovered 23 kg of poppy husk from his possession, the police said.

Rattan Lal has been arrested and a case has been registered in Majalta police station in this regard, the police added. — OC