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Govt
sanctions ex-gratia From Tashi Morup SRINAGAR, June 27- Twenty passengers were killed and 72 others injured, ten of them seriously, in a tragic road mishap near Khardungla on Leh-Nobra road today. Three of the injured are foreign tourists. According to a message received from the Deputy Commissioner, Leh, the SRTC bus, on its way from Nobra to Leh fell 300 feet deep into a gorge at South Polo, 50 km from Leh near "India Gate" point, when the driver reportedly lost control over the vehicle while negotiating a curve on Khardungla—Leh stretch. There was a shriek after the bus hit something and lost control, said Stanzin Rangdol from Rdongsa, who was one of the least injured sitting at the back seat. The bus had left Panamik at about 6 am. Norboo said, about 10 people were sitting on the bus roof. And 21-year-old Ziv from Israel, who was also sitting at the back, said, the bus rolling down had some pauses also. The incident site is a steep incline of boulders and crushed rocks, which had blood and blacken oil stains and belongings strewn all over before the crushed bus hanged over boulder with its least affected rear downward. JK-01-A 7387 Number Plate and rest of the rear portion was relatively intact compared to the badly crushed fronts. The bus conductor from Zanskar was also killed while the driver was seriously injured with multiple fractures. Gift packs of apricot and sweets, children books, jerry cans, blankets, shoes, bags were lying all over. The police, Army and para-military reached the incident site soon after getting the wireless message from a passing by police and CRPF officials. They swung into action helping out the injured stuck in the rocks and bringing them up. ‘Chetak’ Air force helicopters were pressed into service for the rescue and relief operations. Several injured passengers have been retrieved and shifted to Sonam Narboo hospital and army hospital, Leh for treatment. Fiftythree injured have been admitted in Sonam Narboo hospital and 19 in Army hospital. Rescue operation has been completed by 3 p.m. A medical team with ambulances halted the vehicles carrying injured to give them emergency treatments. Men and women with multiple fractures cried out in pain "inject me the painkiller, please". Many of them were unconscious. At the SNM hospital hundreds thronged hearing about the incident. All the district officials and leaders visited the hospital. Entire medical staff was there to serve. ITBP jawans and many locals had turned up to donate blood. All the wards had injured surrounded by doctors and others. And a ward had two little girl and a five-month old baby, who miraculously escaped the tragedy with just minor bruises. Jigmet Angmo (9) carrying her little baby brother five-months-old Urgyan from Kuri in Nubra were with her mother in the bus. And Tsetan Dolma studying in first standard was with her grandmother. Earlier Kushok Thiksey visited the incident site. LAHDC Chairman Thupstan Chhewang and councilors, MLA Tsering Dorjay, former MP P Namgyal, Lassu Shafi, Tsering Samphel and many leaders and youth arrived at the hospital besides hundreds of people including relatives of the victims. The Acting Chief Minister, Mr Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Shah has expressed grief and sorrow over the tragic accident in which several passengers lost their lives. Mr Shah has asked the authorities to provide best possible medical facilities and other necessary assistance to the injured. The Minister for Transport and Information, Mr Ajatshatru Singh while expressing shock over the mishap has also called for necessary relief measures to prevent further loss of lives. Meanwhile the Government have sanctioned ex-gratia of Rs 25000 in favour of the kins of each killed in the accident. The Chief Secretary, Mr Ashok Jaitly said that Rs 5000 has also been sanctioned in favour of each injured in the accident. |
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4 committees to be
set up shortly Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, June 27: Putting at rest all rumours, general secretary and spokesman of the Pradesh Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), Dr Nirmal Singh today disclosed that State president of the party, Mr Daya Krishan Kotwal will constitute four key committees in the first week of July. Addressing a press conference, Dr Singh made it clear that as State working committee has passed the resolution in the presence of the national president Jana Krishanamurthy so there was no question of again getting approval. "State committee has passed the resolution, empowering Kotwal to constitute four committee, so question of getting this resolution rectified in the next executive committee meeting does not arise", he said while reacting to news-item published in a section of press. Dr Singh disclosed that party president Mr Daya Krishan Kotwal has started process to constitute committee to reactivate the party as Assembly elections will be held in the State very soon. Dr Singh hoped that decision of the State executive committee to empower Mr Kotwal to constitute committees will strengthen party at grass root level. Stoutly denying the reports that there was dissension in the meeting when resolution was passed, Dr Singh said admitting that though some leaders have raised objection but resolution was passed with unanimous voice. Spokesman of the BJP expressed serious concern over increasing militant activities in the State. Dr Singh asked the State Government to take effective steps to strength security scenario in the State especially keeping in view the Amaranth Yatra. Coming down heavily on State Government for meting out step-motherly treatment with Jammu and Ladakh regions, Dr Singh regretted that State Government has been deliberately ignoring these regions. He said that development works in Jammu and Ladakh regions have stopped without any reason. Giving details of other decision taken in the executive committee meeting, Dr Singh said that committee has expressed deep concern over policies of the Valley centric ruling elites which have totally marginalised and excluded the people of Jammu and Ladakh from all the State’s political and economic process. The ruling elites has cleared the entire Valley of all the Jammuities and Ladakhis and also of Kashmiri Pandits. Dr Singh disclosed it was demanded in the executive committee that there was urgent need for essential steps being taken to see that both Jammu and Ladakh regions of J&K State get ensured of fast economic development and progress. State executive committee demanded that a special economic package should be announced for these two regions. It was also demanded in the State executive committee meeting that State Government should have to create conducive atmosphere so that Kashmiri Pandits can return to their homes and live dignified life. BJP State executive committee has also passed a resolution in which it was demanded that Dogri being mother tongue spoken by ten millions of people predominantly residing in Jammu province and four districts of Himachal Pradesh state namely Chamba, Kangra, Dharamshalla and Mandi and two districts of Punjab namely Gurdaspur and Hoshairpur should be included in the 8th schedule. Mr O P Gupta, general secretary of the party was also present in the press conference. |
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13 clusters identified in
Badgam, Srinagar By Avtar Bhat JAMMU, June 27: After getting the Centre’s nod, the State Government has given the final shape to the return plan of Kashmiri migrants to their homes and hearths in the Valley. And if all goes well then the first batch of migrants will most probably be rehabilitated in next few months. This decision was taken recently in a high level official meeting held in the Summer Capital. The meeting was chaired by Revenue and Rehabilitation Minister, Mr Abdul Qayoom in which Financial Commissioner, Revenue, Commissioner Cum Secretary Revenue, Relief Commissioner, Migrants Jammu, Mr Dilip Singh and Deputy Commissioners of all six districts of the Valley participated. The Government has also formulated an economic package for the families intending to return. This package which is bereft of employment, however, assures all financial sops and incentives for the rehabilitation of the displaced community. However, the Centre has not agreed the employment package for the displaced community especially in the State Government departments in view of the prevailing financial crunch. But it has asked the State Government that migrant youth can approach to Centre for employment in various Union Government departments. Disclosing this to Excelsior, Relief Commissioner, Mr Dilip Singh said that at initial stage the two districts of Srinagar and Badgam have been identified for the return of 166 displaced families. They will be settled in 13 clusters eight in Srinagar and five in Badgam districts he said, adding 120 families will be rehabilitated in Srinagar and 46 in Badgam district. He said these 120 families are the part of the 2200 migrant families for whose rehabilitation a package was prepared by the Government and in case all ends well then the remaining 2080 families will be shifted in next move. He said Narsingh Garh and other security areas besides Manigam village has been identified for the first batch of 120 families that will return to Srinagar at initial stage. Likewise, in Badgam district Azad Basti Natipora, Sangrampura and Nagam have been identified for the return of the 46 families that will return in initial stage. The Relief Commissioner however maintained that the return move will be based on the willingness of the families and there will be no coercion on the part of the Government. He said the move is based on sincerity and commitment of both the Centre and State Government. A financial package has been formulated for those who are willing to return, he said ,adding for the repair of the houses 50 per cent of the estimated cost to the tune of one lakh rupees will be paid to each family willing to return. Besides, for the gutted houses double the ex-gratia will be paid and those families who have not taken the ex-gratia for their gutted houses will be paid Rs three lakh i.e three times the amount. He said besides this each family will be provided Rs 50,000 as incentive in three installments for repairs of their houses. Out of this, two installments of Rs 20,000 each will be paid at registration time and after starting the construction work respectively and remaining Rs 10,000 will be paid after six months. Besides, the families will be paid the cash assistance and relief on the same pattern as at Jammu for one year, Mr Singh, said adding the Government employees will be paid the leave salary for three months and later they will be posted as per their choice by the heads of Departments. He also maintained those Government employees who will be posted at district headquarters away from the proposed clusters will be provided a secured free of cost accommodation there. He said the members of trade and business community will be provided every sort of assistance for establishing their business ventures. This includes loans upto Rs 10,00,000 at the interest rate from two to 12 per cent. The loans outstanding against the members of business community will be waived off he declared. The orchardists will be paid Rs 3,000 as interest free loan per canal and they have to repay it from two to seven years, while the business loans are to be repaid from a period of two to six years. To monitor the rehabilitation process a Coordination Committee will be set up in each district with the concerned Deputy Commissioner as its Chairman with SP, SE and two representatives of the community as its members. The Naib Tehsildars, BDOs or the other Government officers equal to their rank will be the camp officer while additional DCs will be the nodal officers and the concerned DCs will be over all incharge. He said the move is based on the 2,200 families who have been first identified for their rehabilitation in different parts of the Kashmir valley. But once any family returns it will loose the migrant status and will not be enrolled as migrant if it decides to leave the Valley after putting up there for some time. He said the further process will be initiated on the basis of this move if it succeeds. The Relief Commissioner said he has received a number of phone calls from the migrants putting up at Udhampur that they are willing to return. One Makhan Lal a representative of Non camp migrants at Udhampur has shown his willingness. He said a meeting of the Relief officials will be held on June 28 which will be followed by an interaction with the migrant families intending to return. He said these families will be briefed about the move besides the package framed by the Government and in case there will be any doubt left in them a meeting with concerned DCs will also be convened with them. He said the move is the off shoot of Core Committee plan submitted to Central Government for approval in 1997. But it was not taken up in hand due to the huge financial involvement. Later a small package formula for 68 clusters was submitted to Central Government and after receiving the nod from New Delhi the ground work was started. While commenting on the proposed move, Mr M K Talashi, NC Minority Cell leader termed it an exercise in futility. He while expressing apprehensions said such a move is slated to boomerang before its initiation. The economic package will not solve the issue as migrants have fled from the Valley due to the fear of terrorism and till they will not be provided proper security they can not return to their homes and hearths. He demanded that the migrants be provided the minority status and settled at district headquarters in the Valley, keeping in view the prevailing situation there. |
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India conveys reservation on Hurriyat-Musharraf meet ISLAMABAD, June 27: India has officially informed Pakistan that it is not willing to permit Hurriyat Conference leaders to meet President Pervez Musharraf during his forthcoming visit to India. The Indian reservations on the Hurriyat leaders’ efforts to politically resurrect themselves by meeting Musharraf at New Delhi has been conveyed at the highest level in Islamabad during mutual consultations between the officials of the two countries to prepare ground work for the forthcoming summit meeting between Musharraf and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, official sources said here. The Indian stand to keep the Hurriyat leaders out of the broad parameters of the crucial summit assumed significance in light of yesterday’s assertion by the Pakistani President that he would try his best to meet them during his stay in India. Obviously, keeping the Indian reservations in mind Musharraf during his interaction with senior editors of Pakistani newspapers said while he continued to make efforts to meet the Hurriyat leaders, it however, was not his endeavour to go for a confrontation with Indian leadership on the issue. After Hurriyat leaders failed to pressurise India to permit them to Islamabad for discussions with the Pakistan Government as well as the Jihadi groups and caught unawares by the last month’s move by India to invite Musharraf, they tried to regain the lost ground by announcing their intention to meet him in New Delhi. Later, the Hurriyat leaders modified their stand by seeking meeting with Musharraf and Vajpayee by sending similar letters to both the leaders. In response, Vajpayee has already reiterated his suggestion to the Hurriyat leaders to meet the Centre’s interlocutor on Kashmir K C Pant. Knowing the Indian stand on the issue, Pakistan mission in New Delhi tried to arrange a meeting in an ‘innocuous’ way by proposing to invite the Hurriyat leaders to a "high tea", which the Pakistan mission planned to host on July 14. It has now been clarified here India has even turned down that suggestion stating it was not acceptable. However, the issue of Hurriyat-Musharraf meeting was reportedly discussed prominently at the meeting between Pakistan Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar and one of Hurriyat leaders Mirwaiz Umer Farooq in Mali during the course of the ongoing OIC Foreign Ministers conference there. While it was officially confirmed here that the two had a two-hour meeting, the details of the same are not known. Meanwhile, Pakistan High Commissioner to New Delhi Ashraf Jehangir Qazi has arrived in Islamabad for consultations with his Government ahead of the summit. (PTI) |
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SP Pulwama has narrow
escape Excelsior Special Correspondent SRINAGAR, June 27: One constable got killed and three others injured when militants ambushed SP Pulwama, Mukesh Singh, in Kellar forest area of Pulwama district today. In other militancy-related incidents across Kashmir valley since last evening, one BSF soldier, three militants and a child are reported dead. Official sources told EXCELSIOR that militants ambushed the cavalcade of SP Pulwama, Mukesh Singh, in Kellar forest area of Pulwama district this afternoon. Even as the SP’s security guards and escort personnel repulsed the attack effectively, constable Mushtaq Ahmed of Dachhi, Uri, got killed and three more constables sustained injuries. They were identified as Mohammad Ashraf of Drusoo, Mohammad Shafi of Bandipore and Ajaz Ahmed Shah of Uri. All the three were rushed to hospital for treatment. Sources said that the SP had a very narrow escape. No militant outfit calimed responsibility though the area has been a bastion of Hizbul Mujahideen. Militants had laid the ambush just 500 metres from Kellar Police Station. Reports from Baramulla said that two men of BSF 41 Bn, on ROP duty, sustained critical injuries when an explosion occurred underneath them while they were taking lunch at Kesar Morh, near Pattan, today. They were identified as constables Hembrum and H Patnaik. Later Hembrum succumbed to injuries. It appeared that militants had laid the mine at a spot where BSF’s ROP men take their lunch daily. Sources said that troops of Rashtriya Rifles 2nd battlion eliminated a militant in an encounter at Rajpora, in Pattan area. He was identified as Hizbul Mujahideen’s Nazir Ahmed Lone S/o Mohammad Sultan Lone R/o Tappar Payeen, Pattan. One AK-56 rifle was claimed to have been recovered from the spot. However, residents disputed the official version and claimed that the militant was "killed in custody". Reports from south Kashmir added that troops of Rashtriya Rifles 7th bn killed a Hizbul Mujahideen militant in an ambush at Brari Angan, Achhabal. He was identified as Bashir Ahmed Mir S/o Ghulam Rasool Mir R/o Halan Nowbug, Kokernag. At the main market of Kulgam, militants fired upon constable Abdul Qayoom, late last night. He sustained injuries and was rushed to a hospital. One civilian, namely Ghulam Mohi-ud-din of Kulgam, also sustained injuries in the shootout. He too was rushed to hospital. Reports from Qazigund said that militants directed a heavy attack on the residential house of a prominant counter-insurgent commander, Abdur Rasheed Dar alias Khursheed Alam of Furrah, at Devsar. While as Khursheed Alam was not present at his home, militants opened indiscriminate gunfire, resulting in death to his 7-year-old son, Faizan Ahmed Dar. His sister, Aamina Gauhar, escaped with critical injuries. She was rushed to District Hospital of Anantnag. "Supreme commander" of Jammu & Kashmir Ikhwan, Sheikh Tahir, condemned the attack and killing of an innocent girl in the shootout. In a statement, he said that the militants’ mentor across the border shall have to be accountable for the killing. Tahir vowed to continue the attacks and eliminate the killers of Faizan Ahmed Dar. Delayed reports from Kupwara said that troops had eliminated yet another unidentified militant at Poshwari Indra Behak, in Machhil area of LoC, on Sunday/Monday last. Here in the capital city, one boy, namely Gul Bhat S/O Ghulam Mohammad Bhat of Zaldaggar drowned in river Jhelum at Habbakadal. last evening. |
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J&K an integral part of India: Sonia NEW YORK, June 27: Asserting that Kashmir was an integral part of India, Congress president Sonia Gandhi has asked Pakistan to stop cross-border terrorism and "vigorously" curb forces of religious fundamentalism and obscurantism. Jammu and Kashmir, including Ladakh, is "inextricably woven" into the fabric of India’s pluralistic heritage and Indian constitution has "sufficient in-built flexibility to accommodate the legitimate democratic aspirations of Indians living in the Valley," she told a joint meeting of the Asia Society and the Council of Foreign Relations yesterday. Conceding that there was no easy solution to the Kashmir issue, she asserted that India would not "countenance another partition based on religion." She pointed out that elections to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly were due next year, and urged Pakistan to take effective measures to restore democratic institutions and norms in the part of the State that was under its "illegal occupation." Expressing support for the upcoming summit between Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, she said India was committed to "meaningful negotiations" with Islamabad to resolve all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir. "We must have demonstrable, verifiable and enforceable confidence-building measures to avert the risk of a nuclear and missile conflict," Gandhi said and asked Pakistan to stop cross-border terrorism. The elections in Kashmir, she told the meeting, "offers an opportunity of demonstrating the extraordinary resilience of the Indian democracy and its capacity for transforming yesterday’s agitators to today’s rulers." On Sino-India relations, she said continuous transfer of missile and nuclear technology from China to Pakistan was the "greatest worry to us." Stressing on the need to curb religious fundamentalism, she said, India had serious concerns about what was happening in Afghanistan and its damaging effect on the subcontinent. "The United Nations has a vital role to play in bringing Afghanistan back into the international mainstream," she told the meeting. India and China, Gandhi said, have had a "chequered" relationship. But since the normalization process begun in 1970, the two countries have signed confidence-building measures and regular bilateral visits by the leaders have taken place. "China is seeking to learn from us how we created it revolution while we attempt to understand how China has succeeded in attracting huge amounts of foreign investment, particularly from diaspora," she told the audience which included Indian-American investors. (PTI) |
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NEW DELHI, June 27: Union Minister Omar Abdullah called on Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee this evening and conveyed the positive response of people of Jammu and Kashmir towards the forthcoming Indo-Pak summit, official sources said. Omar returned here today from Srinagar after an extensive tour of Kashmir valley where he had a narrow escape when militants made an abortive bid on his life. The Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industries told the Prime Minister during the 20-minute-long meeting that there was an "air of expectation in the Valley and people are looking with high hopes" on the summit level talks, the sources said. "The people of the State are aware that miracles cannot happen from the first meeting but are hopeful that some ice will break," Omar told Vajpayee in their first meeting after the Prime Minister’s knee surgery. (PTI) |
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NEW DELHI, June 27: Founder of JKLF and hijacker of an Indian Airlines plane Hashim Qureshi, has requested Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to freeze the Kashmir issue for 20 years after which Kashmiris should be given the right to choose their future. "The two countries should formally accept freezing of the Kashmir dispute for two decades after which the residents will be allowed to choose their future," he said in a letter to the two leaders, a copy of which was made available to PTI. He also said "both the countries should stop supporting terrorist activities on their soil and take additional measures to curb activities of such organisations known for promotion of terrorism." Qureshi said foreign mercenaries should withdraw from both the sides of Kashmir immediately and efforts should be made to bring back all those who had migrated out of the State after the onset of militancy. Qureshi, presently languishing in a jail, said if the two countries agreed to these suggestions, "Pakistan will get an opportunity of recontructing its economy and repay foreign debts to the tune of 52 billion dollars while India will save on the huge military expenditures in the Valley." The founder of JKLF said if the two leaders failed to make some headway at the summit talks, Kashmir would head towards becoming another Afghanistan. Qureshi, who returned to India after two-decade of self-exile last year and expressed support to the peace initiative of Vajpayee, said "if this opportunity is lost, then the sub-continent is doomed. There will be no end to the suffering and destitution of people." Taking a dig at Pakistan, he said "what happened in Afghanistan? in the name of religion and sect, the Afghans turned their homeland into ruins." He has written similar letters to the Union Home Minister L K Advani, External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh and their counterparts in Pakistan. (PTI) |
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Summit talks may be guided by Shimla pact, Lahore declaration NEW DELHI, June 27: With expectations again rising on path-breaking moves during the July 14-16 Vajpayee-Musharraf summit, the two leaders may well be guided by the comprehensive blueprint for good neighbourly relations outlined in the 1972 Simla agreement and the 1999 Lahore declaration. Under the historic Shimla agreement, signed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on July two, months after the 1971 war, India and Pakistan undertook to abjure conflict and confrontation and work towards the establishment of durable peace, friendship and cooperation. The accord, often referred to in Indo-Pak talks, contains a set of guiding principles which include respect for each other’s territorial intergrity and sovereignty, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs and putting an end to hostile propaganda against one another. The two sides had made a mutual commitment to the peaceful resolution of all issues through direct bilateral approaches. They also agreed to uphold the inviolability of the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, terming this as the most important Confidence-Building Measure (CBM) between the two countries and a key to durable peace. "Pending the final settlement of any of the problems between the two countries, neither side shall unilaterally alter the situation and both shall prevent the organisation, assistance or encouragement of any acts detrimental to the maintenance of peaceful and harmonious relations," reads Article 1 (2) of the accord. In steps to reverse the consequences of the 1971 conflict and to initiate the process of establishment of durable peace, it was agreed that Indian and Pakistani forces shall be withdrawn to their side of the International Border. Article 4 (2) of the Simla agreement said both Governments agree that in Jammu and Kashmir, "the LoC resulting from the cease-fire of December 17, 1971, shall be respected by both sides without prejudice to the recognised position of either side. "Neither side shall seek to alter it unilaterally, irrespective of mutual differences and legal interpretations," it said adding significantly "both sides further undertake to refrain from the threat or the use of force in violation of this line". The agreement, signed 29 years back, said representatives of the two sides would meet to discuss modalities and arrangements for the establishment of durable peace and normalisation of relations, including a "final settlement" of J and K. Formulations with identical thrusts figure in the Lahore declaration signed by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Pakistan Premier Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on February 21, 1999, when Vajpayee undertook the bus journey to the Pakistani metropolis. The two sides agreed to intensify their efforts to resolve all issues, including that of J and K and refrain from intervention and interference in each other’s internal affairs. A new element in the Lahore accord was the nuclear dimension of the security environment of the two countries. Under the declaration, New Delhi and Islamabad agreed to take immediate steps for reducing the risk of accidental or unauthorised use of nuclear weapons. Following this up, Foreign Secretaries of the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding agreeing on a series of measures for promoting stable environment of peace and security. It was agreed that both will abide by their respective unilateral moratorium on conducting further nuclear test explosions "unless either side, in exercise of its national sovereignty decides that extraordinary events have jeopardised its supreme interests". Interestingly, then Pakistan Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz and External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh met a month later in Nuwara Eliya in Sri Lanka on the sidelines of the SAARC ministerial meet and agreed that the stalled composite dialogue process would be resumed in May, 1999 in New Delhi and Islamabad. The Pakistani intrusions in Kargil in May that year blocked prospects of early resumption of talks. While leaders of the two countries have been guarded in their comments and steered clear of promising major breakthroughs at the summit-level talks, media hype and speculation of dramatic turnaround in Indo-Pak ties persist. (PTI) |
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Bridegroom, SPO succumb to
injuries Excelsior Correspondent UDHAMPUR, June 27: A Village Defence Committee (VDC) member and a Special Police Officer (SPO), who were injured in a late night attack by the militants on VDC man’s house at Tondua Mohalla on the outskirts of Doda, succumbed to their injuries early today. The VDC member Om Parkash son of Lalu Ram was scheduled to tie the nuptial knot today. His death came exactly on the day of his marriage turning celebrations in his house into the mourning, courtesy Pakistan-sponsored militants and failure of administration to protect the lives of innocent citizens. Reports said Om Parkash and Ram Singh son of Thakur Singh, a SPO, who were admitted in the district hospital late last night, succumbed to the bullet injuries and grenade splinters sustained by them in militants’ attack, this morning. Two other injured Shakti Devi wife of Balwant Thakur and Darshana Devi, 12, wife of Mool Raj, who were attending a pre-marriage function in Om Parkash’s house, were also injured. However, their condition was stated to be ‘out of danger’ in the district hospital. They were likely to be discharged shortly. As reported, two to three militants had attacked the house of VDC members at 2150 hours last night when celebrations of Om Parkash’s marriage were in full swing. They switched off the lights, lobbed two grenades on the house and opened heavy firing causing injuries to four persons including the bridegroom and fled away. Police said the investigations pointed out towards the involvement of local Hizbul Mujahideen militants in the attack. They had prior information of VDC member’s marriage and straightway attacked his house. Two grenades fired by the militants fell in premises of the house and couldn’t reach the room, thus, minimising the casualties, police said, adding ‘had grenades fell inside the rooms, the casualty figure could have been higher as a number of family members, relatives and neighbours of Om Parkash had gathered in the house for celebrations’. A pall of gloom fell in the house of VDC member, whose ‘barat’ was scheduled to take off from his house this evening. Instead, it was the dead body of Om Parkash that reached his house in the morning after post-mortem in the district hospital. A number of family friends and relatives, who had to join the ‘barat’ of Om Parkash, had to join his funeral procession. Sound of drum-beats that would have taken place in the ‘barat’ were converted into the slogans of mourning. The VDC member was cremated this evening. A large number of people, wailing and sobbing, from different parts of Doda joined the funeral of Om Parkash. Anti-militancy and anti-Pakistan slogans also rented the air repeatedly during the procession. Body of deceased SPO Ram Singh was also cremated this evening. He had come to attend the marriage of Om Parkash. Several civil and police officers and prominent political activists including local BJP and Congress (I) leaders also joined the cremation of VDC member and SPO. There was strong resentment among people of Doda against the killing of VDC member on the day he had to become the bridegroom. Shops in Doda and adjoining areas remained closed today against the incident. People also protested the failure of district authorities in protecting the lives of minorities. |
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Sarpanch
shot dead in Surankot Excelsior Correspondent POONCH/RAJOURI, June 27: Militants gunned down a Sarpanch in Pathan Mohalla of Surankot early today while three militants and a civilian were killed today in continued operation at Laa in Thanna Mandi and Surankot areas. Reports said two to three militants entered into the house of Sarpanch Mohd Sarwar Khan son of Mohd Sadiq Khan at Pathan Mohalla in Morha Bachai area of Surankot at 0200 hours today and dragged him out. They whisked away the Sarpanch to a surrounding forest area and shot him dead. Body of the Sarpanch, who had been elected to Panchayat in the recent elections, was recovered from the forests at 0430 hours today. Body was handed over to family of Sarpanch this morning after post-mortem. Local people of Morha Bachai have resented the killing of their Sarpanch. Defence sources said troops continued operation against the militants in Laa area of Thanna Mandi for the third day today killing two more militants. A group of 15 to 20 militants was in operation in Laa. In the initial encounter on Monday, four army jawans were killed and six others including a Major were seriously injured. This morning, troops gunned down two militants including a guide without suffering any casualty. Slain militants have been identified as Zaffar Iqbal son of Zalal Hayat, a resident of Mandi Bahauldin, Pakistan, an active member of Al Badar outfit and Nussar Ahmed son of Mohd Hafiz of Darah, Thanna Mandi. Nussar was a guide of the militants. A civilian Nissar Ahmed was also caught in exchange of firing between militants and army and got killed. Another civilian Babu Hussain son of Abdullah, a resident of Laa was injured in the cross-firing and has been hospitalised. His condition was stated to be stable. Sources said other militants have escaped from Laa. Army, however, continued searches to eliminate them. In another incident, army and Poonch Police launched a search operation at village Malan in Surankot at 1700 hours today. When security personnel were in the process of laying a cordon in the village, they were fired upon by the militants. Troops retaliated and gunned down one militant. A hideout of the militants has been surrounded by army and efforts were being made to eliminate other ultras. The killed militant was identified as Abu Ashraf of Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit. Recovery made from him included two kg of RDX, one pistol with one magazine and 15 rounds, two magazines and 45 rounds of AK rifle, 11 UBGL grenades, four hand grenades and two rucksacks. |
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Arrested militants came to Delhi on Pant’s invitation NEW DELHI, June 27: The six alleged Jammu and Kashmir Islamic Front (JKIF) activists, who were arrested here last week, had apparently come to the Capital following an invitation from Centre’s interlocutor K C Pant to the leader of their frontal organisation Jammu and Kashmir Mass Movement (JKMM) for talks on the Kashmir issue. Security sources said an invitation letter dated May 27 from Pant to JKMM chairman Ali Mohammed Bhat was recovered from the six arrested. "... Keeping in view your concern for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, I take this opportunity to invite you for a discussion. I am asking my office to contact you to fix a mutually convenient date and time for a meeting," Pant’s letter to Bhat said. The sources said the six — Feroz Ahmed Mir, Mohammed Sayeed Tantray, Mohammed Manzoor Mir, Mohammed Lateef Hajaam, Abdul Rashid Gojri and Inderjit Singh alias Bali — had come to Delhi to fix an appointment with Pant. The six were arrested from Ballimaran area of Central Delhi and Rs 15 lakh was recovered from their possession. Delhi Police has said the money was sent in the name of JKMM and the six had received it through hawala channel to fund militant activities of JKIF in Jammu and Kashmir. A copy of the letter written by Bhat in response to Pant’s invitation has also been recovered from the six. In the letter, Bhat has favoured negotiations as a way of bringing lasting peace in Jammu and Kashmir but added that only three way talks could do that. Bhat, however, has welcomed the coming Indo-Pak summit but said Kashmiris should be involved at the decision-making level. He has said two-way talks could be fruitful only if the international community stood a guarantee. Meanwhile, a Delhi court today issued notice to the ACP, special cell of Delhi Police on an Enforcement Directorate (ED) plea seeking custody of the documents and Rs 15 lakh seized from two of the six Jammu and Kashmir Islamic Front activists arrested here last week. Issuing the notice, Metropolitan Magistrate A K Sarpal asked the ACP to report on June 29. The investigating officer would be present on that date along with the case file. The court also sought details of the amount seized from the JKIF men and asked the cops to specifically mention objections, if any, against the release of the seized money. Chief Enforcement Officer R K Ajmani had yesterday moved the court seeking direction to the police authorities to hand over the said documents and the money seized from Feroze Ahmad Mir and Md Sayed Tantray alias Yusuf. "These persons are involved in hawala transactions and they have contravened section 3 of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA)," the application filed through counsel Navin Matta said. The court is yet to look into the matter. Earlier, Metropolitan Magistrate D K Sharma had on June 22 allowed an ED official to interrogate Mir and Tantray in this connection. The six JKIF activists are currently lodged in Tihar Jail after three days of custodial interrogation. Police had claimed that with their arrest, it frustrated attempts by JKIF to revive its militant activities in and outside Jammu and Kashmir. JKIF, an offshoot of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, has now been making desperate attempts to revive its cadre and carry out militant activities in the State and in the national Capital, police had said. However, with the disclosure that the arrested JKIF men had come to Delhi on Pant’s invitation, the case seems to have taken a new turn (PTI). |
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Barnai, Darmal villagers protest against black out Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, June 27: The villages of Darmal, a portion of Gurrah Keran, Barnai, Anuradha Puram and Dina Nagar have plunged into complete darkness after the Power Development Department disconnected the power supply to the area this afternoon. The action of the Department evoked a strong protest with people coming on road side shouting slogans against the Department. A strong crowd of over 200 villagers held a demonstration on Akhnoor road in protest against the Department’s action. The agitated people demanded action against the officer responsible for willfully disconnecting the power supply to the entire area affecting a population of over 5000 people. The people warned agitation in case the power supply was not restored during the night. They blamed the PDD for the problem saying that instead of removing the power supply line from a local factory the Department disconnected the supply to entire area without any justification. This way the entire population of the area has been punished for no fault of theirs which they warned will not be tolerated at any cost. However, the Executive Engineer Division Third Mr Mohan Singh said that the Department was forced to disconnect the power supply to the area after a local factory owner snapped the power supply lines to a nearby Basti in the locality two days back on the plea that the lines were running over his factory. He however maintained that the power supply will be restored to the area in the evening. But the power supply according to reports was not restored upto 10 pm in the night. |
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Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, June 27: True to the style of Bollywood, burglar struck a ready garments shop in the main Bazar Bishnah and decamped with over Rs 30000 in cash besides other articles. According to reports the burglars reached the top of the three storey building housing M/s Narendra Garments, owned by Mr Khairati Lal, on the ground floor, from an adjoining house with the help of a wooden bridge, broke open the Mounty of the building and scaled down to the ground floor to commit the theft and later made good their escape. It may be recalled that police continues patrolling in the Bazar throughout the night and none could notice as to what was happening atop the shop. thefts have also occurred in the town earlier but none has been nabbed so far. |
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