J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Protesters during a demonstration held at Handwara on Saturday. — Tribune photo by Amin War

Geelani claims his faction is real Hurriyat
Srinagar, July 10
Syed Ali Shah Geelani, chairman of the breakaway group of the separatist Hurriyat Conference said today that his was the “real”. He ruled out any possibility of talks with the Abbas-led faction. Moulvi Abbas Ansari had stepped down from chairmanship on Wednesday and asked Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to resume the reconciliatory and unity efforts.

Sadhus block minister’s way
Jammu, July 10
Angry sadhus today did not allow the Tourism Minister, Mr G.H. Mir, to enter the Geeta Bhavan here to inspect the lodging arrangements for Amarnath pilgrims. Mr Mir had come from Srinagar to finalise arrangements for the pilgrimage.
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Minister for amending gurdwara Act
Srinagar, July 10
The Minister of State for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Manjit Singh, has sought suggestions from district committees and social and religious organisations for necessary amendments in the State Gurdwara Prabandhak Act.

Psychiatric aid to prisoners can help reduce crime
Jammu, July 10
Mr Bengt Persson, forensic psychologist from Sweden, feels that psychiatric treatment to the inmates of the prison can help reduce crime. Mr Bengt, who is working in the Forensic Mental Health Centre of Malmo University Hospital, told this correspondent here today that about 700 persons involved in serious crime were examined every year by forensic psychiatrics in Sweden on the orders of the court. About 350 of them are detected as suffering from severe mental disorders.

Junior doctors end strike
Srinagar, July 10
The eight-day-long strike by junior doctors in the main hospitals here ended yesterday as their demand for the release of their arrested colleague was accepted.

Police patrolling of highways launched
Srinagar, July 10
The Jammu and Kashmir Police here today launched hi-tech highway patrolling to prevent accidents and provide medical assistance on the pattern of Haryana.

Protests against torture of student
Ehsan Fazili
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 10
For the second consecutive day, protest demonstrations were held at Handwara in north Kashmir today against the alleged torture of a girl student and use of force, in which at least 30 protesting students were injured yesterday.

The police fired in the air, lobbed teargas shells and resorted to a cane charge to disperse the demonstrators. Similar demonstrations were held at Kupwara, about 20 km away. Senior police and civil officers visited the spot. Students of the local college and two higher secondary schools joined the protesters.

Peoples Conference chairman Sajjad Lone visited Handwara today, condemned the police action and joined the demonstrators. He condemned the teargassing and use of force against the students at Kupwara.

Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani described the incident of the torture and the use of force as reflective of the ‘healing touch’ policy of the government. He was prevented by the police from entering Handwara yesterday and returned to Srinagar without visiting the area.

Baramula (UNI): At least 30 persons, including some police personnel, were injured in clashes between demonstrators and the police here on Saturday. The agitators were protesting the alleged torture of a girl by police personnel and other excesses by the security forces.

A violent mob threw stones at the vehicle of former minister Chaudhary Mohammad Ramzan at Chowgal Handwara, damaging the windowpanes. Mr Ramzan escaped unhurt.

The police burst teargas shells and resorted to a lathi charge to disperse the demonstrators. About 12 persons started an indefinite fast at Handwara, demanding immediate action against the policemen allegedly involved in torturing the girl.

Geelani claims his faction is real Hurriyat
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 10
Syed Ali Shah Geelani, chairman of the breakaway group of the separatist Hurriyat Conference said today that his was the “real”. He ruled out any possibility of talks with the Abbas-led faction. Moulvi Abbas Ansari had stepped down from chairmanship on Wednesday and asked Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to resume the reconciliatory and unity efforts.

Talking to mediapersons at his Hyderpora residence here today, Mr Geelani said the stepping down of Mr Abbas Ansari from the chairmanship was an internal matter of the group, which had already violated the Hurriyat constitution. Mr Geelani, considered to be a hardliner, has been opposed to the Centre-Hurriyat talks led by Moulvi Abbas Ansari.

Early last year, the four-member executive had authorised the founder-chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, to hold talks with them and other “like-minded” parties for reunification. These talks did not yield any results and had to be scuttled after some time. Moulvi Abbas Ansari’s decision to step down came over a month after his May 21 address at the Idgah here on the occasion of the 14th death anniversary of Mirwaiz’s father, Moulvi Mohammad Farooq.

Mr Geelani, who had been prevented from entering Handwara township of north Kashmir to protest against the alleged excesses against civilians yesterday, expressed dissatisfaction with the “healing-touch policy” of the Mufti-led coalition government.

Sadhus block minister’s way
Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 10
Angry sadhus today did not allow the Tourism Minister, Mr G.H. Mir, to enter the Geeta Bhavan here to inspect the lodging arrangements for Amarnath pilgrims. Mr Mir had come from Srinagar to finalise arrangements for the pilgrimage.

A large number of sadhus raised slogans against the state government and made the minister return from the stairs leading to the Geeta Bhavan from the Parade Ground. The minister, who was accompanied by several officers, returned from here.

The sadhus were annoyed over the government refusal to extend the pilgrimage to two months and lack of boarding the lodging arrangements for those who had reached here for the yatra.

Mr Mir visited various other places where lodging arrangments for the pilgrims had been made and held a meeting with officers to review the situation.

Minister for amending gurdwara Act
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 10
The Minister of State for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Manjit Singh, has sought suggestions from district committees and social and religious organisations for necessary amendments in the State Gurdwara Prabandhak Act.

The minister was presiding over a meeting of the J&K Gurdwara Prabandhak Board (JKGPB) organised here on Thursday. He said it was observed that there were flaws in the implementation of the act, enacted 30 years back. Some amendments, as suggested from time to time by members and religious organisations, had become inevitable.

He said the management of all Sikh gurdwaras in the state should be brought under the JKGPB. 

Psychiatric aid to prisoners can help reduce crime
Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 10
Mr Bengt Persson, forensic psychologist from Sweden, feels that psychiatric treatment to the inmates of the prison can help reduce crime. Mr Bengt, who is working in the Forensic Mental Health Centre of Malmo University Hospital, told this correspondent here today that about 700 persons involved in serious crime were examined every year by forensic psychiatrics in Sweden on the orders of the court. About 350 of them are detected as suffering from severe mental disorders.

However, such criminals had to undergo treatment in the hospital until they recovered. They were not set free and might stay in the hospital for a lifetime in case they did not respond to the treatment.

Even if such persons were freed after serving the sentence, they were carefully supervised outside the prison.

Mr Bengt said most of the insane criminals suffered from illusions and confusions. Many of them suffered from personality disorders and they were in the habit of abuse of alcohol and narcotics.

He finds the job fascinating and has been at it for the past about 30 years.

Mr Bengt along with his wife and son had come here to participate in the marriage of cricket player Mithun Manhas with Divya Magotra. The star cricketer, Virender Sehwag, his wife, Arti, and his mother and a brother stayed here for three days to participate in various ceremonies connected with the marriage.

Junior doctors end strike

Srinagar, July 10
The eight-day-long strike by junior doctors in the main hospitals here ended yesterday as their demand for the release of their arrested colleague was accepted.

The strike affected work in the city’s main hospitals, even leading to demonstrations by patients and their attendants. Only emergency services remained functional in the hospitals during the strike period. — PTI 

Police patrolling of highways launched
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 10
The Jammu and Kashmir Police here today launched hi-tech highway patrolling to prevent accidents and provide medical assistance on the pattern of Haryana.

Flagging off two special vehicles at the Traffic Police Headquarters here this morning, Director-General of Police, Gopal Sharma favoured patrolling for road safety, especially on the highways in Jammu and Kashmir. Special mirrors are also being installed on blind curves, on highways to enable drivers to have a view of the traffic on the opposite side. He said that ambulances were also being deployed on highways to provide emergency medical facility and transportation to hospitals.

The DG said efforts were also on to improve the training and morale of the traffic police.

IG Traffic, Ram Lubhaya said that purpose of the introduction of highway patrolling would be to ensure smooth and trouble free traffic.