12 killed, 53 injured as bus rolls down into gorge

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 12: Twelve people were killed and 53 others injured, six of them critically, when their bus rolled down and fell into deep gorge at Dodoj in Rajouri district this morning.

Official spokesman said that the ill-fated bus bearing registration number JK02H-9443 was on its way from Parori to Darhal when met with accident. The driver of the vehicle lost control over the vehicle reportedly due to snag in the engine of the vehicle resulting into vehicle rolling down.

Soon after receiving information, Army personnel reached the spot and gave first aid treatment to the injured, who were later rushed to hospital in private and Army vehicles. Due to the condition of the bus, a large number of passengers remained trapped in the vehicle but due to the coordinated efforts of Army personnel and traffic police the injured were shifted to hospital timely.

It was due to the prompt action by Army and Traffic Police that most of the injured were shifted to hospital in time. The doctors—CMO Darhal Dr Shamim Ahmed and Dr Iqbal Malik worked very hard to treat the patients despite heavy rush of the victims.

Eight passengers died on the spot and two others succumbed to their injuries while being shifted to District Hospital Rajouri. Other two critically wounded passengers succumbed to their injuries in the hospital. The condition of six of the injured was stated to be critical when reports last came in and they were referred to Government Medical College Hospital Jammu for specialised treatment. The deceased have been identified as Khursheed Begum, wife of Ghulam Rasul, Makhan Bhanu, wife of Mohd Afiz, Sabbar, son of Lal Hussain, Mohd Arif, son of Akbar, Mohd Hussain, son of Sattardin, Baggi, wife of Samasdin, Farida, wife of Samasdin, Masira Begum, wife of Mohd Bashir, Haikim Bi, wife of Mir Hussain, Imran Izar, son of Mohd Azam of Thannamandi and Aftab Ahmad, son of Abdul Ali.

The injured have been identified as Altab Hussain, son of Mohd Abdullah of Parodi, Mohd Sadiq, son of Mohd Aram of Dodaj, Mohd Rajaq, son of Hakimdin of Panihad, Izaz Aliman, son of Mohd Azam of Thanamang, Sabina Kausar, daughter of Mohd Nasir of Dodaj, Sokat Ali, son of Ghulam Hussain, Mohd Aarf, son of Gulam Qadir of Mudun, Mohd Aslam, son of Noor Hussain of Parodi, Mohd Tariq, son of Mohd Yaqub of Dodaj, Mohd Rafiq, son of Mohd Jamil of Madun, Fazal Hussan, son of Mohd Amin of Sabji, Ghulam Rasul, son of Mohd Alam of Parodi, Abdul Shah, son of Ghulam Rasul Shah of Sokad, Gulam Sarbar, son of Yakimdin of Parodi, Abdul Shah, son of Gulam Rasul Shah of Sokad, Gulam Sarbar, son of Yakimdin of Parodi, Ali Begum, wife of Mani Hussain of Thanmarg, Rataj Begum, daughter of Manj Hussain of Sodaka, Wasim, son of Munsi of Sokad, Gaffur Bukhari, son of Manjoor Hussain of Parodi, Sagnfta Anzam, daughter of Manjoor Hussain of Parodi, Mustafa Rahani, son of Gulam Hussain, Mohd Sabbar, son of Mohd Mustaq, Mohd Ashiq, son of Nasir Hussain of Sokad, Marian Khatoon, daughter of Gujjar Hussain of Sabji and Javed Iqbal, daughter of Gujjar Hussain of Sabji, Jabina Kausar, D/o Noor Mohammed, R/o Panihad, Mohammed Sabar, R/o Parodi, Mohammed Sarif, S/o Shah Mohammed of Karkari, Roshan Bi, W/o Faiz Hussain, Paanihad, Manjoor Hussain, Ghulam Hussian, R/o Sabji, Asad Ahmed, S/o Mohammed Hussian R/o Kalakot, Sahid Begam, W/o Manjoor Hussian, R/o Parodi, Farjana Kausar, D/o Mohammed Iqbal, R/o Doda, Sumitra Devi, W/o Shayam Lal, R/o Akhnoor, Mohammed Sakur, DS/O Gulamdin, R/o Nauseragali, Nasir Hussian, S/o Alimdin, R/o Panihad, Sirsad Begum, D/o Dalmer Hussian, R/o Parodj, Mohammed Kabir, S/o Alamdin, R/o Madun, Johra AKtar, D/o Nasir Hussian, R/o Parodi, Gulfkar, S/o Mohammed Iqbal, R/o Parodi, Liyaqat ALi, S/o JanMohammed, R/o Parodi, Shamim Mehmood, S/o Mohammed Bashir, R/o Madun, Mohd Alam, S/o Barkat Hussian, R/o Parodi, Rusida Aktar, D/o Mohammed Aziz, R/o Johar Nagar, Mohd Azam, S/o Mohd Bashir, R/o Chardin Nad, Noor Hussain, S/o Gulam Hussian, R/o Tarkasi, Khedan Hussian, S/o Mohammed Afis, R/o Jabbar Naka, Tosib Ahmed, S/o Baitulla R/o Thanamang, Gultaj Begum, W/o Abdul Aziz, R/o Chokian, Gulam Azam, S/o Wali Mohammed and Sabaj.

Massive protests in Doda town
Imam, civilian killed; 6 injured

Excelsior Special Correspondent

RAMBAN, Feb 12: People today took to streets in Doda town holding a massive demonstration in protest against the killing of an Imam by a team of Special Police Officers (SPOs) at village Chapri in Gath area of Doda district this morning.

In another incident, a civilian was killed and five others were injured in exchange of firing between the militants and security forces at Deedha in Gool area of Ramban police district today.

Reports said some unidentified persons kidnapped an Imam Mohd Hafeez Pir son of Zaffar Pir, a resident of Chapri in Gath area of Doda district early this morning. Another person Akhter Hussain was also kidnapped.

The accused took both of them to village Parbati where they fired shots on them leading to killing of the Imam and serious injuries to Akhter Hussain.

Assailants later escaped from the spot.

As the news of Imam’s killing spread, the people gathered at Chapri and marched to Doda town alongwith dead body of the Imam. Shouting slogans against the police, they forced closure of the shops and blockade of the traffic. They were demanding stern action against the accused responsible for the killing.

The protesters blamed four SPOs for the killing whom they identified as Mohd Akhter, Mushtaq Ahmed, Mustafa and Ghulam Qadir. They demanded that all of them should be arrested and a murder case registered against them. The version of police in the killing was not available.

The protests continued till late tonight when the reports last came in. Police and civil officials assured the agitated people that they would inquire into the circumstances leading to the killing.

Injured Akhter Hussain has been admitted in the district hospital.

Killing of the Imam also evoked protests in Gath area.

Meanwhile, an encounter took place between the security forces and the militants at village Deedha, about seven kms from Gool in Ramban police district this morning.

While the militants, who had taken shelter in a hideout, managed to escape, six civilians were injured in the firing. One of them, identified as Ghulam Hussain son of Abdul Gani R/o Deedha, succumbed to his injuries.

Five injured were airlifted to Jammu and admitted in the Medical College hospital. They have been identified as Manzoor Ahmed son of Abdul Majid, Mehandia son of Alia Gujjar, Surya son of Ismayil, Billal Ahmed son of Shamas Din and Gulzar Ahmed son of Dawood, all residents of Deedha.

Defence sources said the additional columns of Army have been dispatched to the area to search the escaped militants.

Our Rajouri correspondent adds: An Army jawan Rajinder Paul was injured in an encounter between the Army and the militants at Alfa Gate near Panjpeer post under the jurisdiction of Rajouri police station this morning.

The injured jawan has been hospitalised.

The militants, however, managed to escape.

Letter to Hurriyat chief: How did he glorify my father’s killer?
Sajjad calls Mirwaiz hypocrite over attending
Rafeeq Lidri’s funeral

From Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Feb 12: In a significant development in the Valley’s separatist camp, Peoples Conference (PC) chairman, Sajjad Gani Lone, has taken strong exception to the Awami Action Committee (AAC) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s act of attending the funeral of the slain Al-Umar Mujahideen commander Rafeeq Lidri. He has not only called the Mirwaiz "hypocrite" but also attributed motives to his act of getting late Abdul Gani Lone from United States of America for participation in a rally that ended the senior Hurriyat leader’s life on May 21, 2002.

Informed sources close to the Hurriyat chief disclosed to this newspaper that Sajjad Lone has made it absolutely clear to Maulvi Abbas Ansari that nothing short of a public apology would hold the PC back from quitting the separatist conglomerate. Sajjad has described the Al-Umar chief commander, Rafeeq Lidri, as the killer of his father and the PC founder Abdul Gani Lone and asked how Mirwaiz attended his funeral and called him a martyr at Iddgah last week. Rafeeq Lidri had been killed by Srinagar district Police in an encounter during the night intervening Feb 5th and 6th at Koolipora (Khanyar) in the capital city.

In a strongly worded letter, a copy of which is exclusively available with EXCELSIOR, Sajjad Lone has raised a question as to how the Hurriyat would face the world community after glorifying the killers of Kashmiri leaders. The letter, written and delivered on the Hurriyat chief Maulvi Abbas Ansari today, has demanded "a plausible explanation" from the Mirwaiz who had attended the Al-Umar Mujahideen operational chief’s funeral on Feb 6 and described him "a great martyr of Kashmir’s freedom movement". Sajjad has written the letter to Ansari to express the "deep anguish, pain and humiliation inflicted on us by the actions of our coalition partner, Maulvi Umar Farooq".

"My late father, our late leader and your late colleague Abdul Gani Lone was killed at a rally in Iddgah on 21 May 2002, which he was attending on the invitation of Maulvi Umar Farooq. Subsequent investigations by the government and private investigations held by us zeroed in on the role of Rafeeq Lidri. This fact was shared with Maulvi Umar Farooq just months after Lone Sahib’s death during his visit to our home. There was complete unanimity that Rafeeq Lidri indeed had played the pivotal role in the killing of Mr Abdul Gani Lone", Sajjad has written to Ansari.

"Rafeeq Lidri was killed in a Police encounter recently. In a blatant display of disrespect to the memory and martyrdom of our late leader, Shaheed Abdul Gani Lone, Maulvi Umar Farooq audaciously glorified Rafeeq Lidri as a martyr. The victim and the killer can’t both be martyrs. We have no confusions about the martyrdom of our late leader. Maulvi Umar Farooq will have to decide on the identity of the martyr".

"This incident of the glorification of the killer of our leader raises bigger questions and erodes the credibility of our assertions of unequivocal condemnation of violence. The politics of duplicity and hypocrisy may help some ungrateful leaders at the local level, but the costs incurred by the Kashmiri nation are massive. How do we intend to defend our stance against violence in front of the international community and in the recently held historical talks with New Delhi, when we don’t spare our own colleague and start glorifying the killer?", asks Sajjad whose brother Bilal Gani Lone was in the 5-member Hurriyat delegation that initiated talks with the Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani in New Delhi on January 22 last.

"The actions of Maulvi Umar Farooq have hurt the sentiments of the followers of our late leader, Shaheed Abdul Gani Lone, and filled them with a sense of outrage and indignation. They have begun to raise questions and search motives behind the desperate requests made by Maulvi Umar Farooq to our late leader to attend the fateful rally—forcing him to cut short a visit in USA and come back and attend a rally where his name did not even figure on the speakers’ list. The suspicions, the sense of outrage will have to be mollified", Sajjad has written demanding the former Hurriyat chairman to "come out with a plausible explanation to defend the wisdom of his actions".

"We are all vulnerable to bullets and it is time to show some respect to our dead colleagues who had the courage to say what they believed in and braved the bullets of the killer. Death due to violence has visited Maulvi Umar Farooq’s home as well in the form of the martyrdom of our late leader Saheed Maulvi Farooq Sahib. I have consciously maintained a distance from any individual even remotely connected with the ghastly crime. This is not a favour but a biding by my religion, society and norms of civilised behaviour. We did not expect replication from Maulvi Umar Farooq, but least expected was the glorification of the killers of our leader", Sajjad has written in the highly explosive communication.

While as attempts to talk to Ansari failed as there was continuous busy tone from his telephone, Sajjd Lone refused to make any comment. He invariably said that he would neither confirm nor deny having written this kind of a letter to the Hurriyat chief. However, sources close to Ansari said that Sajjad Lone’s special messenger reached Nawakadal with two armed guards and delivered the sealed letter on the Hurriyat chief. Later, Ansari had a detailed conversation with Mirwaiz over telephone.

Both Sajjad Lone’s PC and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s AAC are key constituents of the Hurriyat executive council headed by Abbas Ansari. Earlier, in 2003, Hurriyat split into two factions as the Jamaat-e-Islami representative Syed Ali Shah Geelani took a hard stand over PC’s "proxy participation" in the Assembly elections of September 2002. He alleged that the PC fielded a dummy candidate in the form of its senior activist, Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Sofi, from Handwara. Sofi won the election and became a Minister in Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s government. When then Hurriyat chairman, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, disagreed with the Jamaat representative and he refused to expel PC from the amalgam, Geelani revolted and launched his own faction.

Even as the PC and the AAC are both in Ansari’s faction, they have developed serious differences with regard to the slain Al-Umar chief. The Al-Umar top brass, including its Pakistan-based supremo Mushtaq Zargar and Rafeeq Lidri, have been the followers of the Mirwaiz family. The PC circles have been openly saying that Rafeeq Lidri and two Jaish-e-Mohammad militants had gunned down Abdul Gani Lone at the Iddgah grounds on May 21, 2002. That day was the 12th anniversary of Mirwaiz Umar’s father, Maulvi Mohammad Farooq, who had been shot dead by militants at his Nageen residence in 1990.

Transporter dies in police custody

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 12: An aged transporter today died in the custody of Pacca Danga police station.

Reports said 65-year old transporter M L Gandotra was forcibly lifted and packed off in a police Gypsy by SHO Pacca Danga police station Inspector Vijay Paul Singh when he allegedly refused to give side to the SHO’s vehicle at Rani Talab at 12.30 pm.

The SHO shifted the transporter toPacca Danga police station. The

reputed transporter, shocked by the police behaviour, suffered a heart attack in police custody. Later, he was shifted to the Medical College hospital where he was declared as brought dead by the doctors.

Police said Mr Gandotra was suffering from the heart disease and had undergone angiography in New Delhi few days back. However, he had responded to the treatment and was well now.

Body of Mr Gandotra was handed over to his family this evening after post-mortem in the Medical College.

Family members and other people resented the behaviour of SHO Pacca Danga which led to the killing of Mr Gandotra. They have demanded stern action against him.

Meanwhile, a magisterial inquiry is likely to be ordered into the incident, police said.

Ship laden explosives may strike UK

LONDON, Feb 12: Terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden, is allegedly in possession of 15 ships laden with lethal chemical and ‘dirty bomb’ containing depleted uranium waiting to strike the British Parliament and other sensitive targets, media report said today.

"The ship could ram cruise liners, oil rigs or enter ports on missions of destruction," according to a report published in leading English daily ‘The Mirror’.

The paper said a private memo titled, "next terror attack waterborne? has been sent to police chiefs by UK’s Met’s marine unit.

The memo states that financial services major Lloyd’s have been roped in to help MI6 and the CIA trace vessels bought by Al-Qaeda from a Greek shipping magnate having links to Osama bin Laden.

"Al-Qaeda has reportedly taken possession of 15 ships, forming what could be described as the first terrorist navy. The ships fly the flags of Yemen and Somalia where they are registered-and are capable of carrying lethal cargoes of chemicals or a dirty bomb," the memo said.

Alarmed by the report British Government is reportedly checking vessels with flags of Senegal, Liberia and the Caribbean island of St Vincent in the Indian or Pacific Oceans and routinely patrolling the Thames to protect Parliament, MI6, and other possible targets.

The Royal Navy, special forces and the yard’s anti-terrorism squad are looking for "unusual" shipping movements near Britain’s oilfields and oil refineries, the newspaper said.

US intelligence experts believe an Al-Qaeda ship carried explosives used to bomb two US Embassies in Africa in 1998 so was the case in the Bali bombing. (UNI)

Veeri shifted to Home; portfolios allotted

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 12: Chief Minister Mufti Mohd Sayeed has allotted the portfolios to the newly inducted Cabinet Minister and nine Ministers of State and in a minor reshuffle, allotted new portfolio to Minister of State for Education, Mr AR Veeri.

Mrs Suman Bhagat, who was the only new Cabinet Minister inducted in the coalition Cabinet today, will hold

the charge of Fisheries, Floriculture, ARI, Training and Grievances.

Amongst the nine Ministers of State, Mr Sarfaraz Khan has been allotted Haj and Auqaf, Ghulam Hassan Khan, Social Welfare, Dr Ghulam Nabi Lone, Education and Usman Majid Planning and Development.

Raman Bhalla will be MoS Consumer Affairs, Public Distribution and Transport, Yohesh Sawhney Youth Services, Sports and Technical Education, Dr Ramesh Chander Sharma, Revenue and Relief, Jatinder Singh Finance and Manjit Singh Law, Parliamentary Affairs, Labour and Employment.

Minister of State for Education, Mr AR Veeri will be the new Minister of State for Home, an official spokesman said here this evening.

PM’s second meeting with Sai Baba

PUTTAPARTHI (AP), Feb 12: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had a one-hour long audience with spiritual leader Sai Baba, the second during his two-day visit to this spiritual town, before emplaning for Delhi this morning.

Official sources said Vajpayee met Sai Baba at his abode, Prashanti Nilayam, where the Prime Minister stayed overnight and had a 15-minute audience soon after his arrival amidst unprecedented security here yesterday.

In the wake of activities of outlawed People’s War Group in the Naxal-hit Ananthpur district, police had thrown a thick security blanket and "sanitised" the entire route from the airport to Prashanti Nilayam.

Bomb disposal squads were deployed and round-the-clock patrol held as part of beefed up security.

During Vajpayee’s stay here, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam leader Chandrababu Naidu also had a 45-minute meeting with him yesterday.

Meanwhile, Naidu had a "darshan" of Sai Baba here this morning. (PTI)

RBI Governor hopes buoyancy in economy will continue

PATNA, Feb 12: In view of low inflation and consolidation of growth in GDP, India was poised to contribute significantly to the world output, RBI Governor Y V Reddy said today.

"We had indicated a 6.5 to 7 per cent GDP growth with an upward bias for this financial year. We revised the outside base last year and at this point of time we feel the growth prospect of the GDP can be more compared to what we had estimated and this is good news," Reddy told reporters after a meeting of the Central Board of Directors of the RBI.

Asked if the current growth rate of GDP was likely to continue next year, Reddy said, "this year’s growth pegged by various agencies at 7 to 8 per cent is largely due to a turnaround in agriculture, but we should not underestimate the impressive gains which are being observed in the manufacturing industry".

"Though we cannot put an exact number (about growth in GDP), there are indications, both global and domestic, that there will be fairly respectable and strong growth next year also and India would be among the countries which will significantly contribute to the world output," he said.

Reddy ruled out the need of effecting any change in the existing interest regime in the near future.

Reddy said he expected the rate of inflation to come down further.

"We had indicated an inflation rate of 4 to 4.5 per cent and had removed the downward bias. I expected it to come down even further by mid-January. But in the present situation, I think it will end up near where we had originally estimated."

"Given the GDP and inflation scenario, which are, by and large, in the same framework which we had originally indicated we don’t see any reason to change any of the measures already in operation," Reddy said in answer to a question as to whether RBI intended to effect any changes in its monetary policies, including bank interest.

Asked if the prospects of early general elections would have any impact on the economy, he said "some people talk of electoral uncertainty, currency uncertainty between Euro, dollar etc. And there are others who talk of fundamental savings-investment imbalances in the world. But I believe that given the condition of domestic economy and financial market there is no need at this stage to review our policies’’.

Queried about the Bihar Government’s demand for raising the credit-deposit ratio, he said "we are in the process of launching a combined effort by RBI, commercial banks and the Government to`improve the credit offtake in rural areas".

In her talks with the RBI Governor and other directors yesterday, Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi had stressed the need for raising the CD ratio which was 25 per cent against the national average of 57 per cent.(PTI)

Varun Gandhi to join BJP

JALGAON, Feb 12 : Apparently referring to Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi joining Congress recently, BJP general secretary Pramod Mahajan today said that with Varun Gandhi, son of late Sanjay Gandhi joining BJP on Monday, half of the Congress will be with the BJP.

"With Varun joining BJP, half of the Congress will be with us while half will be with them (Congress)", Mahajan said while addressing a public meeting at Chalisgaon, near here, after launching the Atal Sandesh yatra.

Mahajan also declared candidature of Union Minister of State for Rural Development M K Anna Patil from Erandol in the district.

" Atal Bihari Vajpayee became the Prime Minister at all the three times when Patil was elected to Lok Sabha and this is the only reason why Vajpayee told me to declare Patil’s candidature", Mahajan said. (PTI)

Mohan MS Dental, Harbans Gandhi Nagar

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 12: In another reshuffle in the Health and Medical Education department, the Government today ordered transfers and postings of three Medical Superintendents.

Dr Mohan Singh, Deputy Medical Superintendent, SMGS hospital, has been promoted and posted as Medical Superintendent, Dental hospital in place of Dr Harbans Sharma.

Dr Sharma has been transferred and posted as Medical Superintendent Gandhi Nagar hospital vice Dr Kailash Kohli.

Dr Kohli has been transferred and posted as Deputy Director (Headquarters), Health, Jammu.

The post of Deputy Superintendent, SMGS hospital, has been kept vacant for the time being.

LeT militant killed in Valley

SRINAGAR, Feb 12: A Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant was killed in an encounter with the police in the Kashmir Valley last night, an official spokesman said today.

He said militants opened fire at a police vehicle at Dewan Bagh Bijbehara in south Kashmir last night. Police returned the fire.

The body of a Lashkar-e-Toiba militant, identified as Khalid, was recovered near the site of the encounter today. However, no weapon was recovered from the slain militant.

Militants broke into the house of one Mohammad Sher at Manakote and opened fire upon him. He was admitted to hospital with a bullet wound, he added.

Panic gripped Civil Line areas today when a group of security personnel in two private vehicles arrested three youths under suspicion from a shop.

Official sources said the security forces had come from Pulwama.

Security forces also recovered one AK rifle, 57 rounds of ammunition, two UBGL, two pistols and three magazines with 56 rounds at Masjid Gali in Gurez last night. (UNI)

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