 |
4
soldiers, 5 civilians injured in grenade attack Excelsior Special Correspondent SRINAGAR, Aug 11: While as twelve militants and a soldier have died in different armed clashes in Kashmir valley since last evening, militants today eliminated a prominant counter-insurgent and National Conference (NC) activist at Frisal, in Kulgam. Besides, four BSF personnel and five civilians sustained injuries in a grenade attack at Hari Singh High Street (HSHS) this evening. Official sources in north Kashmir told EXCELSIOR that on a tip off, troops of Rashtriya Rifles 29 Bn and SOG Baramulla launched a cordon-and-search operation at Saloosa village in Pattan area late last evening. During the operation, troops destroyed the residential house of Mohammad Akbar Bhat. Two unidentified militants, believed to be cadres of Hizbul Mujahideen got killed while as one soldier, namely Naik Kastoori Lal of RR 29 Bn, also died in the encounter. A 16-year-old boy, Ghulam Hassan Shah S/o Ramzan Shah of Takia Hail sustained injuries. He was admitted at Sub District Hospital Kreeri. On another specific information, troops of RR 14 Bn, RR 15 Bn and SOG Bandipore raided a militant hideout in Boothu forest area of Bandipore today. Two militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba got killed in the fierce gunbattle. One of them was identified as Abu Abdullah. Troops, alongwith BSF-58 Bn, raided another hideout at Shokh Baba Sahib, in Bandipore forests, killing an unidentified militant. Defence sources said that in Machhil sector of north Kashmir, troops of 11-Sikh Li killed three unidentified militants at Sheerankan, close to LoC. One more militant was killed by BSF 69 Bn at Sardari Bahak, near Santokh Post, close to LoC. He has been identified as Mohammad Aman Khan of Muzzarfarabad. Officials said that he was an intruder of Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen. Third encounter in Kupwara district took place between troops of RR 32 Bn and militants at Gagal, in Lolab valley. One unidentified militant died in the clash. Reports from Budgam said that troops of RR 35 Bn and SOG Budgam eliminated two unidentified militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba or Hizbul Mujahideen in an encounter at Semsaan, in Khansahib belt, late last evening. Sources said that a fake identity card in the name of Fayaz Ahmed R/o Narwara Srinagar, was recovered from the pocket of a slain militant. An official handout identified the another militant as Abdur Rehman S/O Ghulam Hassan Bhat R/o Sanzipora, Khansahib. NC activist killed Informed sources in south Kashmir said that two pistol wielding militants of Hizbul Mujahideen intruded into the house of the most prominant counter-insurgent of Kulgam area, Mohammad Sikandar Ganai S/o Mohammad Ismail Ganai, at Frisal and shot him dead. They exchanged fire with Sikandar’s house-guards and also made good their escape in broad daylight. Sikandar’s house is located at a hillock, just 300 metres from a major Army formation. A former militant of Al-Jihad, Sikandar had surrendered before security forces in 1995. After helping troops in killing over 20 militants of Hizbul Mujahideen, he contested 1996 Assembly elections, unsuccessfully, from Homeshali Bugh and later joined the ruling NC. He was lastly NC’s vice president of Homeshali Bugh block and had recently been elected as Sarpanch. He has been gunned down in presence of eight Police guards deployed for his protection. Official sources confirmed that all the eight house-guards have been detained for interrogation and they have all been replaced by new guards. 9 injured in grenade blast This evening at 7.00 p.m, militants lobbed a hand grenade on a BSF post at Amirakadal, near Hari Singh High Street. It exploded, causing splinter injuries to one Inspector, one SI and two soldiers. Five civilians, including three women, also sustained splinter injuries. BSF observed restraint and did not open fire in retaliation. However, Editor of the vernacular weekly, Chattan, Tahir Mohi-ud-din told EXCELSIOR that, minutes after the blast, a BSF Inspector barged into his office and roughed up all of his staffers, including the Editor, without any reason. He alleged that after manhndling the Chattan employees, BSF officials picked up two employees of the weekly, namely Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Lone and Farooq Bukhari. He said that, after misbehaviour with all of his employees, both of them were whisked away to an undisclosed destination. IG BSF Kashmir Frontier, Gurpreet Singh Gill, claimed that the sentry of the BSF post identified the person who tossed the grenade. As the youngman, according to him, ran away and took shelter in the Chattan office, troops chased him and lifted him for questioning. Mr Gill, on the statement of the BSF Inspector, claimed that it was none other than the Chattan staffer, Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Lone, who had carried out the attack. Mr Gill denied that Farooq Bukhari too had been picked up by troops. He also denied the allegation that the BSF party manhandled the Chattan staff. |
|
Impressive Shobha Yatra taken out Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Aug 11: An impressive Shoba yatra of Lord Krishna was taken out in the City this afternoon in connection with celebration of the Janam Ashtami Festival falling tomorrow. Hundreds of devout Hindus from different corners of the City including men women and children participated in the Shoba Yatra that started from famous Raghunath Temple. The Lord Krishna’s chariot which was pulled by 45 devotees (Pujaris) of the temple attired in white dress was beautifully decorated. It was escorted by a number of horse riders. The Shoba Yatra started for its onwards sojourn from the famous Raghunath Temple and it after passing through Raghunath Bazar, Purani Mandi, Link Road, Jain Bazar, Panjtirthi, Old Secretariat, Pacca Danga, Raj Tilak Road later culminated in the Temple premises. Among the dignitaries who escorted the Shoba Yatra include Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, MP and senior BJP leader, Mr Vaid Vaishno Dutt, MLA Hans Raj Dogra, Chamber president, Mr Ram Sahai, Raghunath Bazar Businessmen Association, chief, Baldev Khullar and K P Sabha president, Mr T N Khosa. There was a beeline of devotees including men, women and children enroute waiting in scorching heat and humid temperature to welcome and pay their obeisance to the Shoba yatra. The entire City wore a festive look on the occasions as all the markets were decorated with buntings and welcome gates. As the chariot of Lord Krishna left the famous Raghunath Temple, the slogans like Bhagwan Krishan Ki Jai rent the air. The chariot was followed by over one dozen jhankis on decorated tractor trolleys presented by various religious and social organisations. The SSP Jammu, Mr R R Swain and other police and civil officers were also escorting the Shoba Yatra and people at various places had installed stalls for providing drinking water and eatables for the devotees. The Chariot of Lord Krishna was followed by Jhankis of Bal Sudhar Committee, Old Hospital Road Traders Association, Lav kuch kala Kendar, Kashmiri Pandit Sabha, Jammu, Bal Ekta Association, New Bal Sangam, Shiv Dharmik Mandal, Balk Shakti Mandal, Bal Shiksha Manch, Shri Geeta Mandir Samiti Bhavan, Shiv Ram Leela Club, Shri Sanatan Dharam Natak, Samaj and Shri Yog Vaidant Seva Samiti and Asha Ram Bapu Kertan Committee. This was followed by another grand Jhanki taken out by Shiv Sena Bala Sahib Thakeray. Led by the Shiv Sena leaders from Jammu attired in traditional dress a large number of Sainiks participated in it. As the procession passed through the Raghunath Bazar the slogans Garv Sai Kaho Ham Hindu Hai (say with proud we are Hindus) rented the air. |
|
Shifted to police hospital
by Crime sleuths Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Aug 11: An injured of Railway Station shoot-out, admitted in the Medical College hospital, was whisked away this afternoon to Police hospital, Gandhi Nagar by Crime Branch sleuths and put under surveillance for his doubtful credentials. Police didn’t rule out the possibility of the injured being the same person, who had managed to escape after the Tuesday night shoot-out. Police wanted name of the injured to be kept secret in view of preliminary investigations. The injured was admitted in Ward No. 1 of the Medical College. This afternoon, civil dress sleuths of Crime Branch swiftly removed him to Police hospital. All senior police officers were tightlipped over the investigations and declined to give further details. However, they admitted that injured has come under doubt of the investigating agencies and, for the purpose, was shifted to Police hospital. Police officers said the list of dead and injured was thoroughly scrutinised by a high level team, investigating the first-ever fidayeen attack at Jammu Railway Station that took place on Tuesday night. Thirteen people were killed and 35 others were injured in the attack. "We were keeping a strict vigil on one of the injured, who was short-listed from the list of 13 dead and 35 injured, right from the very beginning as he looked a doubtful person", they said. "As of now we can’t say yes or no. We can’t interrogate him at this stage. We are waiting for him to recover. But, we are sure that he is definitely a suspicious person and got himself admitted posing himself as a shoot-out victim", they added. The injured had given his residential address in the Medical College hospital record as Bihar only. "The injured, under surveillance, didn’t look like a Bihari", police sources said and added that ‘this was also one of the ground of suspicion’. While most of the injured were shifted to Medical College and other hospitals by army and police, this injured had reached Medical College in a three-wheeler and mixed himself with the injured persons. It may be recalled that one of the fidayeen, who had escaped during the shoot-out, was also injured. Army Lance Naik Suresh Kumar, who had gunned down one of the fidayeen, had also confirmed that the second fidayeen was hit by a bullet and injured. Police said it would be premature to dub the injured as same fidayeen but confirmed that ‘investigations are being carried out in this direction’. It may be recalled that a fidayeen, who was killed on the spot, was also carrying a fake identity card of Nasir Ahmed R/o Achchabal, Anantnag. Sources said the injured would be interrogated once he was declared as fully fit by the doctors. Meanwhile, Minister of State for Home Mushtaq Ahmed Lone convened a high level meeting of police and Intelligence officers at Police Control Room (PCR) this evening to review the situation in Jammu in the aftermath of Railway Station shoot-out. All senior officers of Jammu Police, Crime and Railways and Intelligence agencies attended the meeting, which lasted over two hours. Different aspects of security scenario came under review in the meeting. Police and Railways Police officers briefed the Home Minister on the investigations of Railway Station shoot-out. Lone directed police and Intelligence agencies to take all possible measures to prevent any further fidayeen attack in Jammu in future. |
|
Impartial inquiry demanded Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Aug 11: Terming recent spurt in killings of the members of minority community as ‘in-human’ and ‘barbaric’, the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP) supremo, Mr Shabir Ahmed Shah today said killings of unarmed innocent people was neither Jehad nor freedom struggle. "The way poor innocent people were massacred at far-flung backward areas of Kishtwar has shocked every human-being", he said while addressing a press conference here today. He aired apprehension that some elements, hell bent to sabotage on-going peace process, may be involved in the recent killings of the members of minority community. He demanded a thorough probe into the recent killings by some eminent intellectuals and human rights activists. "The recent spurt in killings of innocent people belonging to minority community, from Amarnath pilgrims to Doda, Kishtwar and now Railway Station Jammu, are aimed at creating a permanent wedge among the people of J&K on communal lines and derail the peace process which has begun with Agra Summit", he said, adding, "though an inconclusive summit, the hopes of the people have not yet been diminished with regard to its continuation and as a result, seeking a lasting solution in accordance with the wishes of the people, to the otherwise complex Jammu and Kashmir problem". Mr Shah, who visited Government Medical College Hospital to inquire about the conditions of those who were injured in Tuesday night’s bomb blast, strongly condemned, what he called, so-called State Government for its failure to provide proper treatment to the victims of Railway Station firing. "Governor and Chief Minister have visited the injured only to get their pictures published in news-paper. Today the victims were lying unattended with no one caring for them’’, he said and alleged the since 1947 successive state governments have been indulged in doing, what he called, ‘Dhandha’ rather than delivering good governance to the masses. He also condemned the ‘puppet’ State Government for not allowing him to visit Paddar and other areas. "I want to visit families of those persons who were brutally killed by some elements but I was not allowed by the so-called Government to do so", he said Mr Shah said that his party believed in the law of unity in diversity and peaceful co-existence. " We condemn in the severest possible terms, all these killings", he said and demanded an impartial probe to locate the culprits and accord them the punishment they deserve." Expressing grave concern over increasing custodial killings, Mr Shah said "coupled with these ugly developments, a reign of terror has been let loose in the Kashmir valley by the Task Force of State Government and para military forces, who pick up people at will and kill them in custody. All such custodial killings are later described as encounters". Stressing on the need of evolving a lasting solution of the Jammu and Kashmir problem in accordance with the wishes of the people through peaceful means, Mr Shah disclosed that he has decided to tour both India and Pakistan in the last week of August to explore the possibilities of making Islamabad Summit between India and Pakistan a success in near future. "JKDFP has considered opinion that India and Pakistan will have to play a leading role in the global development as leaders of South Asia, jointly and ensure that people of South Asia do not lag behind in the development and globalisation process as members of the world community", he said. JKDFP chief has termed Disturb Area Act as draconian law and said that declaration of Jammu as disturbed area and application of this law will not help in solving the problem. "Application of this law will harass people of Jammu and deny them the limited freedom they enjoy as compared to Kashmir. This act will be further used to distance Jammu people from each other on communal lines which can have disastrous consequences", he said. Mr Shah appealed the people in general and intellectual community in particular to rise to the occasion and play their role in changing the present atmosphere of animosity between India and Pakistan into friendship and evolving a peaceful solution to five decade long Jammu and Kashmir dispute and thus save the people from unending dance of death and destruction. |
|
Intrusion bid repulsed Excelsior Correspondent RAJOURI, Aug 11: Troops beat back an infiltration attempt, backed by Pakistan army with heavy firing, in Nowshera sector late last night killing five militants and forcing two to three others to flee back. Frustrated with the failure of intrusion bid, Pakistan army continued heavy firing on the Line of Control (LoC) in Kalsian area of Nowshera sector and didn’t allow Indian side to pick-up the bodies of slain intruders, all of whom were believed to be Pakistanis. Official sources said army jawans, deployed on a forward picket in Kalsian, noticed movement of seven to eight militants at 2330 hours last night. As the militants came within the firing range, troops opened firing. Militants and Pakistan army also started firing on the army picket. However, troops succeeded in eliminating five militants. Two to three other ultras then fled back to Pakistan taking cover of darkness and Pakistani firing. Pakistan army continued uninterrupted firing in Kalsian sub sector and didn’t allow Indian side to pick-the bodies of militants, which were lying close to the LoC till this evening. Sources said a large consignment of arms and ammunition was also lying near the dead bodies and will be recovered only after the firing stops. A part of the consignment was taken back to Pakistan by the fleeing ultras. Meanwhile, in another incident, a woman was killed and 12 others were injured when a house collapsed at village Dudasanwalla in Thanna Mandi area last night. Deceased woman has been identified as 50 year old Sakina Bi. Police said about a dozen family members of Sakina Bi and neighbours were injured when another wall of the house collapsed when they were trying to rescue Sakina. The house that collapsed due to heavy rains belonged to Said Mohd. |
|
3 arms smugglers held in Akhnoor Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Aug 11: Akhnoor police have arrested three arms smugglers and recovered arms and explosive devices from their possession. Police was investigating possibility of a nexus between arms smugglers and the militants. Arrested smugglers have been identified as Suman Kumar alias Suma and Sarfu Ram, both residents of Khour in Akhnoor tehsil and Vijay Kumar of RS Pura. Initially, police arrested Suman and Sarfu while the name of Vijay Kumar surfaced during the duo’s interrogation and he was apprehended subsequently. Police sources said Akhnoor police got an information that a consignment of arms and explosives has reached into the hands of some smugglers, putting up in Khour. The information was developed and during investigations identity of the smugglers was established. A police party of Akhnoor, supervised by Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Jagjit Singh alias Jagga, carried out raids in Akhnoor during the last two days and finally succeeded in apprehending the smugglers—Suman Kumar and Sarfu Ram last night. Both of them were subjected to sustained interrogation during which they admitted that they had hidden a consignment of explosives at a hideout. The consignment was seized by police. Vijay Kumar was arrested by police from his house in RS Pura this morning. Khour smugglers disclosed that they had given a part of the consignment to Vijay Kumar. This consignment too has been recovered by police. Total recovery made from the possession of three smugglers included one IED weighing two kg, two grenades, one Chinese Mouser with two magazines and three rounds. Some documents were also recovered from the possession of arms smugglers. Police said sustained interrogation of arms smugglers was on and some more clues were expected. Police didn’t rule out the possibility of arrested smugglers’ links with the militants. |
|
Spl powers to forces necessary: Farooq Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Aug 11: Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah today charged Pakistan for adopting a strategy to kill innocent people in Jammu and Kashmir in the name of Jehad. To give appropriate response to this nefarious strategy, it has become necessary to equip security forces with adequate powers to deal with the situation thrust upon us by the neibhouring country, the Chief Minister told to a private television channel and said that he took the decision to declare six districts of Jammu region as disturbed area with a heavy heart at Jammu after seeing the impact of brutal terrorist acts on innocent civilians. To a question, he allayed the apprehensions about the misuse of these powers and said that the Government would ensure that the powers are used judiciously to deal with terrorists sternly. He said the powers conferred to the security forces are meant to combat militancy more effectively and not to put people to any sort of inconvenience. The Chief Minister said the spurt in militancy in recent days has taken a toll of innocents. This situation cannot be allowed to continue. No Government can watch the people falling to bullets of the enemy as ducks, he said, advising Pakistan to stop abetting terrorism. ‘India’s initiative of peace process must not be construed as its weakness and if situation demand the nation has a capacity to teach a lesson to the enemy’, Dr Abdullah declared. |
|
BSF jawan dies, 4 injured Excelsior Correspondent UDHAMPUR, Aug 11: Militants attacked a BSF camp at Dharmari in Arnas last night killing a BSF jawan and wounding four others including a Sub Inspector while four militants and a Village Defence Committee (VDC) member were killed in separate incidents across Doda district overnight. Official reports received here said a group of militants lobbed four grenades on a BSF camp, located atop a hill in Dharmari area at 2140 hours last night. BSF jawans retaliated with firing. Reports said two grenades fell inside the BSF camp and exploded killing a constable and causing injuries to four others. Militants escaped after the attack and couldn’t be traced even after an operation carried out by security forces in the area. Injured jawans were evacuated from the camp and admitted in army hospital of Udhampur. Deceased jawan has been identified as Swami Raj, constable and the injured as Sub Inspector Ram Kumar, Swari Matu, R Sita Ram and P Prem Kumar, constables. One of the jawan was serious in the hospital. In the morning, security forces and police teams rushed to the spot and started an operation to eliminate the militants. However, no success could be achieved. Meanwhile, a VDC member was killed in an encounter with the militants at village Haddar in Kishtwar tehsil of Doda district this morning. The encounter followed after four militants attacked a patrol party of VDC members. Killed VDC member was identified as Sanjay Kumar son of Nek Ram, a resident of Haddar. Getting a report, army and police rushed to the assistance of VDC members. By that time, the ultras had escaped. Two militants were blown up in a house, which caught fire during exchange of firing at Halaran in Thathri area of Doda this morning. Bodies of the militants were charred and couldn't be identified. Two rifles and a radio set were recovered from the hideout in damaged condition. Another encounter took place between militants and Rashtriya Rifles, assisted by Special Task Force (STF) at village Maru in Chatru area of Kishtwar late last night. One militant was killed in the encounter. Body of the slain ultra was taken away by his associates but abandoned near a nullah in Maru. During searches, security forces recovered body of the militant. From his possession, one wireless set, one Chinese pistol with two magazines and three rounds and three grenades were recovered. Army recovered one more dead body of a militant from Darpora in Banihal tehsil, where two militants were killed yesterday evening. With this, death toll in the encounter has risen to three. Of two militants, killed yesterday, one was a fidayeen wearing a burqa. Identity of the militant, whose body was recovered today, has been established as Bilal alias Badshan Khan, a district commander of HUM. Security forces detected and defused a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at Nashri nullah between Batote-Ramban section of Jammu-Srinagar national highway this morning. Militants’ plan to blast a passenger vehicle with the IED was foiled by security forces, the sources said. Meanwhile, 15 persons sustained minor injuries when a passenger bus on Bhaderwah-Doda route met with an accident. The bus No. 9087 JK02G skidded at Dudu village. The injured have been hospitalised. |
|
Vajpayee-Musharraf meet next month From B L Kak NEW DELHI, Aug 11: A message has gone out to Islamabad, informing Pakistan President and military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf, about the Indian Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee’s plan for another round of talks with him next month. Proposed meeting between Mr Vajpayee and Gen Musharraf will be worked out on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session. Even as hardliners within the Sangh Parivar, including the BJP, want Mr Vajpayee to ignore Pakistan’s military ruler in view of the continuing Pakistan-sponsored proxy war in Jammu and Kashmir, the Prime Minister has asserted the authority of his chair and let it be known that he was for a dialogue with Gen Musharraf next month. According to sources in the Minister of External Affairs, a request has been made to ensure that Mr Vajpayee’s address to the UN General Assembly be scheduled for September 25. Pakistan’s Foreign Office is also trying to obtain dates around the same week to ensure a side meeting between Gen Musharraf and Mr Vajpayee. On finding that the hardliners within the BJP were keen on closing the doors and crying a halt to further negotiations with Pakistan until Islamabad gave up the Jihadis mentality, Mr Vajpayee put his feet down and expressed his keenness to continue the peace process begun with Pakistan. True, Mr Vajpayee has criticised Gen Musharraf in and outside Parliament on more than one occasion in recent days. But, significantly, he has not even once stated that he would close the option of talks until Pakistan demonstrated a marked shift in its position on cross-border terrorism. The Sangh Parivar and hawks in power corridors want the Prime Minister to distance himself from the dialogue. They are, in fact, opposed to the idea of a bilateral meeting between Mr Vajpayee and Gen Musharraf. Observers attach much significance to the stand taken by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The PMO is apparently, keen to continue with the talks, with the Principal Secretary Mr Brajesh Mishra, reportedly unwilling to close the doors at this stage. Mr Mishra has refused to endorse some officers assessment that by inviting Gen Musharraf the Government of India gave him an opportunity to derive a certain legitimacy to establish himself in Pakistan and internationally. Gen Musharraf has significantly, advised people of Pakistan to ignore ‘hawks’. The elements that he refers as ‘hawks’ presumably are the same whom his Interior Minister calls the Jihadis. They call themselves by name like Sipah (army), Lashkar (expeditionary force), Jaish (brigade), Harkat (movement wielding arms) and of course Jihadis (holy warrior). Pakistan’s influential English daily, "Dawn", has let it be known that most of them have their recruiting outfits, their exclusive schools to teach their sectarian doctrine and also to train their alumni in the use of lethal arms. According to the publication, Pakistan’s Interior Minister knows all about these Jihadis organisations. He has also taken note of the long string of Madrassas that these fundamentalists run. These Madrassas, he has asserted, are outside the purview of the laws and rules that regulate education in Pakistan. The Pak publication reveals that while the fundamentalists don’t abide by the normal laws, they justify their existence and their militant conduct on the basis on what they claim to be super-laws, or the laws of supra-state powers. The Jihadis are not amenable to reason. They don’t consider themselves bound by the law. Instead, they use weapons that kill and don’t hesitate to use them to kill. There is sufficient evidence to show that the Pakistan Government, on one pretext or another, continue to look the other way of rebel, yielding ground to the extremists. To that extent, the moderates in Pakistan seem to be on the defensive or are losing ground to the extremists. For over a year, Pakistan’s Interior Minister has been promising new legislation to deal with armed fundamentalists. Beyond some brave words, there is suggest he is willing, or feels confident, to do what some plainly needs to be done, urgently and effectively. Pakistan Government is seen as kowtowing to the fundamentalists, whom the outside world sees as terrorists. Thanks to this faction, Pakistan has all bust disappeared from the calculation of international investors. Even the domestic investor is holding back because the Pakistan Government is putting up such a feeble front. |
|
Acid throwers disowned as
‘Indian agents’ Excelsior Special Correspondent SRINAGAR, Aug 11: Even as the number of women with black veils in Kashmir valley is multiplying fast, three formidable militant organisations today launched scathing attacks on those who were enforcing the Islamic dress code on gun point. In separate statements, Hizbul Mujahideen asked the people to capture and punish the acid throwers, Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen described these elements as "Indian agents" and Lashkar-e-Toiba clarified once again that the organisation was not involved in the campaign of coercion. Incidents of acid throwing on women and young girls have instantly spread a wave of terror all over Kashmir valley. Though the number of victims is just two, rumours say that hundreds of women have been attacked with acid by militants. Tailormasters and cloth-sellers are busy in brisk business as an unknown outfit, Lashkar-e-Jabbar, has claimed the incidents of acid throwing and set deadline of Aug 25 for all those Kashmiri women who were not sporting the Islamic dress. Handwritten posters have been found in Ashmuqam and other south Kashmir localities, asking the males to grow an Islamic beard, wear Khan Dress and discard the use of jeans. The edict asked women to wear Burqa and put off all transparent clothes. In the wake of strong resentment to the coercive Talibanisation among the people eveywhere, Hizbul Mujahideen condemned the enforcement of Islamic dress codes on gun point. The Hizb spokesman, Saleem Hashmi, said that Lashkar-e-Jabbar was no organisation and its un-Islamic campaign was a "deep-rooted plot against the (freedom) movement. He vowed that the same would be unveiled by Hizbul Mujhahideen. He asked the people to capture all those found involved in acid throwing and punish them severely. Lashkar-e-Toiba chief Spokesman, Abu Usama, denied that his organisation had distributed and pasted any posters asking women and men to stick to the Islamic dress codes. He too described the incidents of throwing acid on girls and women as Un-Islamic and clarified that Lashkar had not launched any Jehad against women. In a separate statement, a Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen spokesman condemned these incidents and claimed that the acid throwers were "anti-movement and Indian agents". |
|
|
HARIDWAR (UTTARANCHAL), Aug 11: In a scathing attack against the NDA Government, Congress president Sonia Gandhi today said the recent series of scams had proved its "incapability" and it had lost the moral right to continue in power. Addressing the third national workshop organised by the National Students’ Union of India here, Gandhi said it is the duty of the young cadre of Congress to give a suitable reply to this "incapable" Government in the coming UP polls. "UTI scam has shattered the dreams of many people and the NDA Government has the responsibility to answer to this nation and its people", she said. Terming the Government as a failure on all fronts, she said it was unable to provide employment to one crore youth as promised when it came to power at the Centre. The opposition leader said Congress will oppose with all the strength the effort of BJP and its allies to saffronise the education system in the country. Speaking on the occasion, AICC general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad said students should not view politics as a way to accumulate money instead treat it as a means to serve the poor in the nation. Former Union Minister N D Tiwari, Uttaranchal PCC president Harish Rawat were also present on the occasion. (PTI) |
|
|
NEW DELHI, Aug 11: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Union Home Minister L K Advani and another Cabinet Minister are under "open and bold threats" of militants, a top Delhi Police officer said here today. Special attention is being paid to their security, Special Commissioner of Police (Security) R S Gupta said, without disclosing the name of the third Cabinet Minister. He said the threats to the Prime Minister and his two Cabinet colleagues had been extended through write-ups in Pakistani vernacular press. He said intelligence reports indicated that after the Agra summit, "renewed directions" have been given to Pakistan-sponsored terrorists to indulge in "acts of violence" in India, particularly close to the Independence Day. One of the focussed targets of these militants is Delhi, particularly near the Independence Day, Gupta said. He said terrorist groups like Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashker-e Toiba, Al Badr, Hizbul-Jehad-e-Islami and Muslim fundamentalist groups owing allegiance to international terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden "have been coordinating their efforts for achieving their targets". One intelligence report has even indicated involvement of women terrorists in suicide attacks, Gupta said. He said the two Hizbul Mujahideen militants arrested in Delhi recently had revealed their plans to launch suicide attacks in the Capital. (PTI) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| home | state | national | business| editorial | advertisement | sports | |