M A I N   N E W S

Detained ultras clash with cops in jail
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Jan 5 — At least seven detained militants and four policemen were injured in clashes between the two sides inside Kot Bhalwal Jail here today.

Reports said the police and men of the paramilitary forces carried out routine search operations in block number 9 in the jail where most of the foreign mercenaries are lodged. The militants were asked to move out of the barracks to facilitate the search. Outside the barracks, the militants began to hurl stones at the police and the paramilitary staff. The police resorted to a lathi charge. In the scuffle, at least 10 persons were injured. The militants were brought back to the barracks.

Groups of visitors, who had come to meet the detained rebels, staged a demonstration outside the jail premises against the incident. They were chased away by the police.

The authorities said the search had been carried out to ensure that no weapon or tool had been carried inside the barracks for jail break.

Such operations were routine and necessary as during the past three years, two major incidents of jailbreak had been carried out by the militants.

The authorities said the situation was under control and senior jail officers had pacified the rebels. They, however, denied reports that the police had fired shots in the air to chase away visitors and “tame” the militants.

Farooq challenges APHC
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Jan 5 — Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah today termed the All-Party Hurriyat Conference as an aimless conglomeration of rootless leaders who were not the true representatives of the state.

Taking part at a meet-the-press programme with the People’s Democratic Party Leader, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, and representatives of Kashmiri Pandits, Dr Abdullah took a dig at the Hurriyat leaders saying that their survival depended on the protection given to them by the government.

He said the Hurriyat Conference did not believe in democracy and elections to the 23-member organisation were always stage-managed. He asked Hurriyat leaders to come forward and prove their strength by participating in elections. “Saying that they were representatives of the people of Kashmir is like building castles in the air,’’ he said. Asked about the criticism of his move to hold Panchayat elections in the state when an important peace initiative was afoot, Dr Abdullah said that he would have faced criticism anyway.

He said even APHC president Abdul Ghani Lone had said that people in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir only enjoyed religious freedom but the problem was that people like Syed Ali Shah Geelani did not understand it.

Stating that killings of civilians had increased after the announcement of the ceasefire, Dr Abdullah said the Centre was assessing the situation on a weekly basis. Asked why the ceasefire had been extended despite increase in civilian killings, he said if this had not been done, people would have said that not enough time was given to Pakistan to react.

He refuted criticism by Ms Mehbooba Moofti that the state government had failed to solve the problems of the people. The PDP leader was also supported by Mr Chaman Lal Gadoo of the All-India Kashmiri Samiti and Mr J.N. Kaul of the All-India Kashmiri Samaj. To a question about the release of her sister, Ms Mehbooba said though she did not support the move, what harm did it do when the state had already released 170 militants. Referring to the release of five militants in exchange for Rubiya, the Chief Minister said two Union Ministers had threatened to sack his government if he did not release the militants.