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5 infiltrators, Army officer,
jawan killed Excelsior Special Correspondent SRINAGAR, Oct 7: Foiling an infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Gurez sector, Army today gunned down five Pakistani militants trying to cross over to Indian side but lost two of its personnel in the attempt. A Defence spokesperson said troops guarding the border at Gurez in Baramulla district of north Kashmir challenged the infiltrators when they were trying to sneak into the Kanzaluan area and asked them to surrender. A pitched battle followed between the two sides in which five Pakistani radicals were killed but two of Army personnel — a jawan and an officer — lost their lives. The area has been cordoned. Five AK rifles and other arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militants, sources said. Suspected militants have mercilessly killed a fresh recruit of Territorial Army as also a civilian in Kashmir valley during last night. Informed sources said that the severed head of a Territorial Army recruit, Mohammad Shafi Mir S/o Mohammad Yusuf Mir R/o Brath Kalan, Sopore, was spotted and recovered from the main marketplace of Sopore township in the morning today. Militants had reportedly kidnapped him last evening from his neighbourhood and later slaughtered him in Shalapora locality. His torso was recovered from the same area later today. Making a mockery of the Police and security forces' heavy concentration in the apple town, militants have, of late, created fresh base. A note purportedly dropped by Al-Mansoorain and found on the severed head of the soldier on leave said that the Army recruit had been killed by the militant outfit for working for the security forces. Residents complained that senior Police officials were not moving out of their fortified houses and consequently Police and security forces were losing their control fast on Sopore town and its peripheries which have been gripped by fear, though not completely captured by militants after a 12-year-long semblance of normality. Taking advantage of the incompetence of leadership in local Police, militants have launched a major drive of moral policing in Sopore town. This week itself has witnessed three incidents on three consecutive days when militants armed pistols captured some local people, stripped them and paraded them on streets in broad daylight with different allegations like promiscuity and gambling. Meanwhile, reports from south Kashmir said that the brutally tortured dead body of a civilian, Abdur Rasheed Ganai S/o Habibullah Ganai of Vesu Achhabal, was recovered from the same locality today. It was not immediately clear whether the 40-year-old had been killed by militants or his personal enemies had eliminated him while masquerading as militants. Security forces busted a hideout of the Hizbul Mujahideen at Botengo in south Kashmir district of Anantnag last evening and arrested the outfit’s two militants who were planning to plant an IED on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, he said and added one IED weighing 10 kgs was also recovered on their instance. |
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SVO detects large scale irregularities at Lakhanpur Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 7: The State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) today carried out surprise raids at Lakhanpur, entrance of the State, and detected large scale irregularities like over-loading in trucks than prescribed weight and smuggling of goods from an alternate route skipping Lakhanpur. The Vigilance officers, who were part of a special team deputed to Lakhanpur following complaints of irregularities by the truckers in connivance with staff of the Excise Department, seized relevant record and recorded statement of many truckers, official sources said. The team returned here late this evening with enough evidence in hand for further investigations in the case. During on spot investigations, the SVO sleuths found that several trucks heading from Jammu to other States were adopting a unique modus operandi of carrying excess weight which is known locally as ‘palti system’. Under this system, a truck carrying 30 to 35 quintals of excess weight download the goods before reaching Lakhanpur and shift it in a small truck. The truck crossed Lakhanpur with 90 quintals authorised weight while 35 quintal material is taken ahead of Lakhanpur in a small truck. The excess weight goods are again shifted to the truck at a place near Basohli Morh after it crossed Lakhanpur, the sources said, adding this entire operation was going on with the knowledge of staff of the Excise Department. This way the truckers as well as the local staff were earning several lakhs of rupees at the cost of State exchequer, the sources said. Another technique being used to evade tax by the trucks entering Jammu and Kashmir from other States was skipping Lakhanpur. Some trucks were found reaching Kathua via Ravi river at Mandi Mandekran, the sources said. The trucks carrying feed without any vouchers were intercepted at Kathua, they added. This way also, the Government exchequer was being duped in connivance with the local staff and truckers. Sources said the SVO team seized all relevant record and recorded statements of the accused. During the process, local staff in a bid to resist the raids held a demonstration. However, local police prevented them from obstructing the Vigilance teams. Further investigations in the case have been started. |
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Property worth crores seized,
freezed Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 7: Crime Branch Jammu today presented a challan against nine accused, some of them non-State Subjects, for having duped the depositors of Mandi Poonch of crores of Rupees after floating different agro-based Non- Banking Finance Companies illegally in the border district. While the accused have been challaned for the judicial determination, the sleuths of Crime Branch have also identified and seized/ freezed their immovable property, which has been purchased out of the public money. This includes kanals of land, a mineral water plant and a printing press etc. As per the case, in 2001, it had come to the light that one Prabakaran Plathiue, of Patambi Kerala, Virender Kumar Kansal of Chandhi Garh, Punjab, Bashir Ahmad Manhas of Surankote, Ghulam Mohd Bhat of Dayalgam Srinagar, Nazir Ahmad Bhat of Khanyar Srinagar, Safdar Hussain Mir, Faqir Hussain Shah of Kotha Surankote, Jarnail Singh Hanjra of Mohali Punjab and Shujay Amin Manhas of Surankote-Poonch floated three different agro-based Non-Banking Finance Companies under the name and style of M/s Endowment Plantation, Endowment Investment India Ltd and M/S Ocean Agro Farms Limited. While Plathiue, now expired, was claiming to be the Managing Director, Kansal was designating himself as Director Accounts of these companies. In order to cheat the innocent public of their hard earned money, the accused came with different alluring schemes to attract the depositors under collective investment schemes with high rate of interest and prompt return. A Crime Branch press release issued here by SSP Crime and Railways Sunil Sharma said that these Non-Banking Finance Companies were opened by the accused persons after violating the rules and regulations as well as guidelines of Reserve Bank of India and SEBI. A case was registered as the allegations were clear that even after the maturity date, the depositors didn’t receive a single penny. A special investigating team headed by Inspector Jagdev Singh was constituted and drive launched to nab the accused persons of various States, including Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. Most of the accused are presently on bail, said SSP Crime and Railways, Sunil Sharma. The release said that records pertaining to these three Non-Banking Finance Companies and amount of public money deposited with various banks by the accused persons were seized. About 300 depositors of these companies were examined and some of the deposit receipts produced by them were seized, the release said. It further said that after making hectic efforts by Crime Branch sleuths, the immovable properties purchased by the accused persons out of the public money were also identified at various States including and seized/freezed. This property included 270 ‘Bhegas’ of land situated at Yousfpur Athmal-Saharanpur, 35 kanals of land situated near Dera Bassi-Punjab, a United Drug Factory at Dera Bassi Punjab, a double storey building at Trikuta Nagar Jammu, a mineral water plant at Barrian, Samba, two halls- cum-shops at K C Plaza Jammu, triple storey building at Rajouri, two shops at Mandi-Poonch, a double storey building including two shops at Poonch, a building of an academy comprising 10 rooms at Surankot, a printing press and two shops at Surankot and a shopping complex having 24 shops with 32 kanals of land at Surankote. The release claimed that the investigations are on hectic pace in other cases also registered against the accused persons. |
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DB cautions CE PWD, Director Education for casual attitude Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 7: The State High Court, while expressing its displeasure for not taking effective steps by the enforcing agencies in regulating the traffic, has directed the concerned authorities to seize all 25 year old vehicles plying in the State. "Let the Transport Commissioner and all RTOs notify the registration number of such vehicles through a public notice and also furnish the list of these 25 year old vehicles to IGP/DIGs/SSPs Traffic for appropriate action, which could include the seizure of the vehicles and documents", the Division Bench comprising Chief Justice B A Khan and Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir held after considering the status report filed by various departments arrayed as respondents in the " Regulation of Traffic" case. The DB told that Transport Companies/Associations be directed to cancel the membership of the owners of such vehicles and also informed that in case of their default, they shall be held liable for contempt for disobeying the court orders. " All Companies/Associations shall be asked to furnish a list of such members, whose membership is canceled, to the Transport Commissioner/IGP/DIG Traffic, which shall be published with a caution to all companies to refrain from enrolling/re-enrolling such members", the DB held. It directed that Transport Commissioner shall also direct all RTOs to undertake surprise inspections of buses/trucks/Taxi stands/addas to seize such vehicles and documents. The DB further directed Vice Chairman, Jammu Development Authority to attend to any requisition made by SSPs-Traffic for making available some open land where such vehicles could be parked after taken over by Traffic authorities. " There are still complaints about the in-action in removing offices of Transport Companies from the commercial and residential areas of Jammu city", the DB regretted, pointing that these companies have already been allotted alternate space. The Court further regretted that red-lights and flash lights are still being used unauthorisedly. It directed the Government to issue a notification, specifying the dignitaries who are entitled to use red/blue lights and flashers. After that using these lights unauthorisedly by the people on their vehicles be prevented, it was ordered. The Court also passed certain directions to the diesel and petrol companies, while observing that there was no end to public complaints in the adulteration of petrol and diesel. It was also held that all traffic and challaning authorize be directed to make endorsement of owner’s particulars on challan prepared by them to issue a check certificate to the driver/owner of the vehicle whose documents have been checked once so as to save the time in futile checking of these vehicles. The DB also directed Jammu Municipal Corporation to re-group its resources in order to re-launch its drive to clear the pavements/footpaths of the city in collaboration with concerned SHOs. The Court took serious note of PWD authorities for failing to respond to the earlier court directions. It was pointed that a show cause notice was issued to Chief Engineer and SE Jammu to explain the position, but they stayed away from the court. Similarly it was pointed by the DB that also for Director Education Jammu, the Court could have issued arrest warrants to compel their attendance, but stopped doing so with the hope that they would avail the last opportunity to submit their explanation before the Court. Registrar Judicial was directed to issue fresh notice to them asking for their reply within three weeks. |
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BMO attached, doc suspended after protests Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 7: A Block Medical Officer (BMO) was attached, a doctor suspended and punitive action was taken against four staff members of Kot Bhalwal hospital by the authorities today after a patient died unattended due to non availability of doctors in the hospital last night leading to massive protests from the people. Official sources said the authorities have ordered attachment of BMO Kot Bhalwal Dr Muni Lal in the Department of Preventive Social Medicines (PSM) in Government Medical College, Jammu and placed Dr Jyoti Kumar, Field Demonstrator under suspension. Dr Rohit Lori has been given the charge of BMO Kot Bhalwal. Punitive action has also been taken against four other employees of the hospital including Gopal Dass, Pharmacist, Pritam Devi, Female Multi Purpose Health Worker, Baldev Singh, Nursing Orderly and Paras Ram, cook. Sources said it has been ordered that all four will forfeit their one day salary. According to reports, a patient Thakur Bhagwan Singh son of Kirpal Singh, a resident of Kot Bhalwal Mandi was brought to Kot Bhalwal Sub District Hospital last night by his family members. However, there was no doctor on spot to examine him, a result of which the patient breathed his last. In the morning, a large number of people gathered outside Kot Bhalwal hospital and subjected it to stone pelting. They observed that Bhagwan Singh died due to non availability of timely treatment by the doctors. MLA Domana and former Minister Mula Ram also rushed to the spot and talked to the concerned authorities. He called for stern action against the erring doctors, whose non availability took the life of a patient. Senior officers from Health Department, police and civil authorities rushed to the spot and talked to the protesters, who had blocked the road shouting slogans against the doctors and demanding action against them. After two hours negotiations, the people called off their protests but only after the authorities ordered attachment of the BMO, suspension of a doctor and punitive action against four others and ordered an inquiry into the death of Bhagwan Singh. Body of Singh was cremated this evening. People said the life of Singh could have been saved had the doctors been present in the hospital. They alleged that it had become a routine for the doctors to abstain from duties even during the day time. Traffic on Kot Bhalwal road remained suspended for more than four hours due to blockades raised by the people and demonstration held against the doctors. |
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UPA Govt has given new meaning
to Excelsior Correspondent PADAM (DRASS), Oct 7: Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has said that coalition Government with the help of UPA Government at the Centre and by the keen interest of Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has given a new meaning to the development processes in Jammu and Kashmir. "A gigantic Prime Minister’s reconstruction plan and scores of Centrally sponsored schemes for Jammu and Kashmir and taking their benefits to every nook and corner has generated healthy development tempo in the State. If pace of progress moves with same speed the voyage to touch the shore of prosperity looks within sight", Mr Azad said while addressing a public gathering here today. Asking the people to maintain communal amity and traditional brotherhood, the Chief Minister said that attempts to wedge the people in the name of religion, region and race by vested interests has to be foiled jointly by all. He said all eyes of the beauty lovers, trekkers, tourists, adventure sports persons and lovers of nature and heritage are focused on Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. "Peace is the key to lead every road of prosperity towards the State," he said. The Chief Minister said that the land of sufis and saints, Jammu and Kashmir has always extended hospitality and comfortable environment to every culture to flourish in amity with other presenting a beautiful mosaic of colourful traditions living together. Amidst thunderous applause and traditional gestures of love and respect expressed by the large gathering clad in Buddhist and Muslim robes, Chief Minister said "though you are living in far-off places, yet are deep in our hearts. While drafting blue print of development your aspirations for development ooze out instantly from our minds and handsome share of economy for development of remote and cut-off areas is earmarked". Mr Azad said that connectivity in the areas of Leh and Kargil being of vital importance for economic circulation, measures have already been initiated to upgrade the roads and open up the areas for development avenues. He said that upgradation of Kargil-Zanskar road and construction of several link roads in the area are significant steps in this direction. Chief Minister said that his Government has keen desire to see the Ladakh region as a hub of international and national tourism round the year. "Miseries of winter and heavy snowfall taking place in many areas of Leh and Kargil have to be converted into comforts by cultivating adventure tourism and providing necessary infrastructure. This would not only generate vast economic activities but provide ample opportunities of employment in the area", he said. Interacting with representatives of Imam Khumini Memorial Trust and Islamia School Kargil, the Chief Minister said that every effort would be made for initiating air-service between Srinagar and Kargil during winter months and added that the matter would be taken up with concerned authorities and also with Union Civil Aviation Minister. At Kargil, the CM also inaugurated additional accommodation for Government girls higher secondary school which has been constructed at a cost of over Rs.1.16 crore under Border Area Development Programme. Mr. Azad also inaugurated 2/750 KVA diesel power generating station at Kargil costing over Rs.3.82 crore funded by Rural Electrification Corporation. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister expressed satisfaction at the pace of development in Kargil district. He said massive infrastructure development effort is underway in the district with several projects coming up speedily while as many more being in the pipeline. Mr Azad appreciated LAHDC Kargil and the district administration for ensuring quality parameters in construction of buildings and accomplishing other works. Mr Azad also visited Chutuk hydel project and inaugurated a bridge and approach road last evening. During his visit to the project in August this year, he had asked NHPC for completing construction of bridge and approach road of the project by ending September. The 44 MW hydel project is slated to be completed by February 2011. Chief Minister impressed upon the authorities of NHPC to work round the clock keeping in view limited working season in the area so that this prestigious hydel project is completed within the targeted period. Mr. Azad was accompanied during the visit by Minister for Health and Medical Education Mangat Ram Sharma, Minister for School Education Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, Social Welfare Minister Haji Nissar Ali, Chief Executive Councilor LAHDC Kargil Haji Asgar Ali Karbalai, Executive Councilors for Works and Rural Development Nasser Hussain Munshi and Haji Mohammad Ishaq respectively, legislators Nassarullah and Ghulam Raza besides Deputy Commissioner Kargil and other senior officers. |
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KZF chief Neeta rang up Chopra days before killing By Sanjeev Pargal JAMMU, Oct 7: In another twist to investigations in the killing of cement tycoon and contractor Rajinder Bushan Chopra alias Raju Chopra, investigators have traced a call of a top militant Ranjit Singh alias Neeta, presently operating from Pakistan, to Chopra’s phone few days before his killing. Neeta, who hailed from Simbal Camp, near here, is the chief of ‘Khalistan Zindabad Force’. His name figured in the list of ‘top 20’ militants whose extradition has already been sought by the Indian Government from Pakistan on the ground that they were involved in militant activities across India. Neeta’s call to Chopra was not made on the day of his killing but few days before, the sources said. Investigations by the police team revealed that it was not a threatening call. Neeta reportedly wanted Raju Chopra to incorporate one of his ‘close confidant’ Simbal Camp resident, whose past was also not good, as a partner in the business of loading/unloading. In turn, Neeta had promised "protection" to Raju Chopra from the persons he was facing threats. Chopra had obliged Neeta and engaged his confidant as a partner in loading/unloading business at Railway Station, Jammu. "Neeta’s call to Chopra didn’t mean that killing of Chopra, his wife, daughter, servant and driver in his Trikuta Nagar residence on September 17 night had anything to do with the militancy", the sources said, adding the call was, however, a clear indication that a war among yesteryears gangsters, all of whom had later become top class contractors using their muscle power, had once again intensified which had forced Raju Chopra to take shelter in Neeta. But, Pakistan based Neeta, whose group has virtually no or negligible presence in Jammu at present, couldn’t give a shield to Chopra and his family. Chopra had never informed police about the threats he was facing as he was known for settling scores with his rivals on his own. According to sources, Neeta’s call to Chopra from Pakistan and his message "engage my man and rest be assured" was an evidence to believe that a war among the "old gangsters had intensified" and this can’t be ruled out as one of the reason behind his killing. "The fact that marks of burns on Raju Chopra’s wife, Madhu Chopra and daughter Saloni Chopra at their abdomen, arms and breasts, were anti-mortem (when they were alive) was a pointer that Chopra was either asked for documents or was made to sign some documents by the killers by giving marks of torture to his wife and daughter", the sources said, adding "most likely the killers took away documents of some property". Earlier, it was being believed by the police that marks of burns might have been inflicted on Madhu and Saloni post-mortem (after their death) to divert the attention of police and make it a case of "revenge of sexual exploitation" instead of business rivalry. The post-mortem report, now with police, has confirmed that the torture marks were anti-mortem. Sources said the investigators were also verifying the activities of driver and servant of Raju Chopra prior to the day of killings. There appeared to be some clues, albeit not conclusive, that one of them had been won over by the conspirators and killers but was eliminated in the end to finish all evidence. "The way the killers gained entry inside the house especially the bed-room and drawing room of Raju Chopra has made the investigators think that one of the two might have been lured by the killers due to monetary benefits but, in the end, he too had to lose his life as well as the murderers wanted to leave no clues behind", the sources said. A number of suspects including influential persons, present and former partners of Raju Chopra, his present and former staff, relatives and friends are being regularly questioned by police to gather clues. Across the State, investigators have picked up a number of well built and tall labourers and other suspects with criminal record as they believed that very healthy and young persons were only capable of such brutal killings. Four such labourers were also brought from the Valley. Police have also sounded all police stations and police posts to look for a criminal, who was involved in the killing of a contractor at Akhnoor and later another criminal inside the jail. He could also give some clues in the killings as he had become known to many inter-State gangsters after eliminating a top contractor and later using a unique modus operandi to eliminate a gangster inside the jail. He had jumped parole and was absconding. He was at large for past quite sometime and not from the days of killings. |
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Advani, Rajnath to meet Kalam today on Afzal NEW DELHI, Oct 7: Opposed to clemency for Mohammad Afzal, facing execution in the 2001 Parliament attack, the BJP has sought an appointment with President A P J Abdul Kalam for tomorrow to request that the punishment should not be commuted to life imprisonment. "He (Afzal) should be punished in accordance with the court orders. We have sought an appointment with the President for tomorrow. When we meet the President, we will tell him that any decision in this regard should lie in national interest," BJP chief Rajnath Singh said today. A BJP delegation, including Singh and senior party leader L K Advani, will also submit a memorandum to the President. Singh, who maintained that no attempts should be allowed to reverse judicial decisions in such cases, recalled that Mahatma Gandhi had requested no clemency for Bhagat Singh, who was apprehended after a bomb attack on the Central Assembly here and sentenced to death in connection with a murder in Lahore. "There is no need to grant pardon to Afzal," the BJP chief, whose party seeks to use clemency calls for Afzal as a nationalist issue after its Vande Mataram campaign ahead of Assembly elections, told a party event commemorating the birth anniversary of Valmiki. Singh also used the occasion to woo SCs and STs, the main vote-block of the BSP in Uttar Pradesh, as he demanded there should be lessons in school and college textbooks on Valmiki. The former UP Chief Minister, whose party held the Valmiki event for the first time at its headquarters, said he had ordered a survey while being in power in the state to assess the reach of government benefits for SCs and STs. (PTI) |
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Ultras can't be dubbed freedom fighters: Justice Anand KOCHI, Oct 7: National Human Rights Commissioner (NHRC) Justice A S Anand today said that to term a terrorist a freedom fighter was to insult freedom fighters. Describing terrorism and fundamentalism as grave threats to human rights in the country, Justice Anand said to call terrorists as freedom fighters was to "give an alibi to terrorism". "Freedom fighters do not hijack planes, rape women, take children hostage, burn mosques or temples. Terrorists do all this and more and yet get a cloak of freedom fighters from some countries. We have to get rid of these double standards," he asserted. Delivering the third V R Krishna Iyer National Foundation Lecture on ‘Human Rights, Challenges of the 21st Century here, Justice Anand said that fundamentalism was another form of terrorism. However, he cautioned the Governments against bending the law while fighting terrorism. "The rule of law cannot be sacrificed. This gets defeated if the State itself bends the law," he said. Observing that there was no universally accepted definition of terrorism, Justice Anand said that the United States seemed to think that terrorism was born only on 9/11. "A selective approach in dealing with terrorism will not work," he noted. Talking of other challenges threatening human rights in the country in the 21st century, the NHRC Chairman identified corruption as among the biggest. Stating that the growing menace of rampant corruption was eating into the vitals of society and posing a big threat to human rights, he called upon the people to adopt "zero tolerance to corruption". "Corruption has always been there. But, what is new is the magnitude and size of corruption. It has spread its tentacles to every sphere of national life. Unless checked, the country will have to pay a very heavy price." He said the growing politicisation of public services and criminalisation of politics need to be checked and it was upto the people to change their mindset and not elect those known to be corrupt.(UNI) |
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Excelsior Correspondent RAJOURI, Oct 7: A fidayeen, who struck at Bela Colony near Officers Colony in the heart of town here last night injuring a police constable, managed to escape during the night under the cover of darkness. Police said a massive search operation was launched by Army, police and other security agencies at Bela Colony, Officers Colony and surrounding areas in wee hours of this morning. Searches continued till late this morning but there was no trace of the fidayeen, who was spotted at Bela Colony at 8.50 pm yesterday in black dress. A police constable Daleep Kumar was injured when the fidayeen, who was reportedly heading towards Officers Colony to carry out a strike, was spotted at Bela Colony. The fidayeen was reported to have escaped under the cover of darkness sometime in the night. |
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Cop killed, 2 hurt in Gool blast Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 7: A police head constable was killed and two other police personnel including an ASI were injured when militants lobbed a grenade and opened firing on their vehicle at Moori Top in Gool area of Ramban police district this afternoon. Reports said a team of Indian Reserve Police (IRP) was returning from Deeda to Gool after disbursing pay among the cops posted at different pickets in Gool when the militants lobbed a grenade on their vehicle and followed it by firing at Moori Top along Padasan Nullah. A head constable Gulzar Ahmed was killed on spot in the militant action while ASI Dhuni Chand and Nissar Ahmed, constable were injured. The militants managed to escape before arrival of re-enforcement of security forces and police to the spot. Injured cops have been hospitalised. Three ultras, jawan killed as troops foil infiltration bid JAMMU, : Three militants were killed today when the army foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district, even as a soldier died during the operation. The ultras were killed after a fierce gunbattle between the security forces and infiltrators resulting in the death of the soldier, a defence spokesman said. A group of militants had entered the Indian territory from across the LoC in Doba-Nallah area of Sabjian belt of Poonch early today, he told PTI, adding that the troops picked up the movement of the infiltrators through their surveillance equipments. The army cordoned off the area and the militants were asked to surrender, failing which a heavy exchange of fire followed between them, the spokesman said. The operation was still on when the reports last came in from the area. (PTI) URI, : Victims of the massive earthquake that hit Jammu and Kashmir exactly a year ago staged a protest here today against the slow pace of the rehabilitation of those affected by the disaster that devastated dozens of frontier villages. Former Chief Minister and National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah and several party leaders joined the people in paying tribute to those who died in the quake and staging a protest against the Government’s alleged failure to rebuild the township of Uri. Moulvi Mustafa, a local cleric, led the prayers and sought god’s blessings for rebuilding damaged houses and infrastructure. The people gave vent to their frustration soon after the prayers, shouting slogans against the Government and alleging that funds provided by the Centre were misappropriated as many of victims were yet to receive the first installment of the relief package. Over 300 families had not received the first installment of relief for rebuilding their homes, the people claimed. Abdullah said the aid provided by the Centre was enough for accelerating developmental activities but lack of proper planning by the state government had affected the rehabilitation process. Bringing forth a woman who he said had lost her husband and home in the 7.6-magnitude temblor, Abdullah said she was yet to receive the compensation announced by the Government. "Where has the compensation gone?"he asked. (PTI) |
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