Udhampur, July 5
Even as the government has been finding it difficult to pacify the agitation which has been started after rape and murder of two women in the Shopian area, another woman has charged cops with raping her.

This time, an aged woman of the Marmat area of Doda district has alleged that a constable of the Special Task Force (STF) of the Jammu and Kashmir police has raped her during search operation. Following his complaints, 85-year-old Zaitun Begum, a resident of Godhri Mangota village, has been brought to Marmat for medical examination, after a team of senior police and civil officers rushed to the spot.

“We have taken cognisance of the complaint and brought the woman at the nearest medical centre for examination to ascertain the truth behind the allegations,” a senior police, who was camping at the spot, told the Tribune and informed that medical examination was conducted this afternoon.

According to reports, a team of the STF raided Batan Mohalla on late Friday evening after getting information about the presence of some militants in this locality. During the search operation, the STF men allegedly misbehaved with some women of the locality. As no militant was found in the locality, cops returned the same evening. It was alleged that residents of that locality provided food and shelter to the militants on Thursday night.

On Saturday afternoon, people resorted to protest demonstration and alleged that the STF men had misbehaved with women and raped an aged woman. As the protest flared up, assistant commissioner, revenue, tehsildar and SDPO police rushed to the spot on Saturday night to inquire into the case.

“It is too early to arrive at any conclusion,” said SDPO and adding that the police had been waiting for the medical examination reports to pursue further in this case.

Srinagar, July 5
In a confidential report, the state police has accused moderate Hurriyat Conference leader Shabir Ahmed Shah of having links with Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Toiba.

In the report to the state Home Department, the police has suggested some pro-active measures to curb the anti-national activities of separatist leaders like slapping the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act on pro-Pakistan leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

In its report, the police alleged that Shah was in constant touch with Furqan of the Lashker-e-Toiba and used to take orders directly from him, official sources said.

The report, sent to the Home Department to confirm the Public Safety Act on Shah, has accused him of hatching a conspiracy with LeT cadres to destablise peace in the state.

The name of Furqan first surfaced during the probe of Hurriyat leader Sheikh Aziz's killing. He was shot dead in North Kashmir during the "Muzzafarabad Chalo" march (in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir) by militants.

During investigations, it came to light that Furqan was in constant touch with Shah on a mobile not registered in the name of the separatist leader, the police claimed in its report. Shah was also accused of receiving funds from abroad through hawala which was, in turn, handed over to Lashkar cadres through overground workers, who have also been picked up by the police, the sources claimed.

The police also claimed to have gathered electronic evidence, including some e-mails, pointing towards his involvement in Lashkar-e-Toiba's nefarious designs to destabilise the functioning of the state government.

Shah, who has been in custody of the state police for the past six weeks, also acted as a go-between to bridge the differences between Geelani and moderate Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, the sources claimed.

This, according to the report, was being done at the behest of Lashkar-e-Toiba which wanted a united platform for the separatist leaders.

Besides Shah and Geelani, host of other separatist leaders, including Nayeem Khan, Aysa Indrabi, Mohammed Saleem Nanaji and Ghulam Nabi Sumzi -- majority of whom are Geelani supporters, have been detained. — PTI

Udhampur, July 5
Alleged stabbing of a constable in the police station triggered protest demonstrations in Doda town as family members of the victim demanded that the police officer who has allegedly stabbed the cop should be brought to book. Vehicular movement remained disrupted in Doda town due to protests.

However, Hemant Kumar Lohia, DIG, Doda-Ramban range, told The Tribune that the constable of the Doda Police had cut his belly with a blade in the police station bathroom and later blamed some police officers for stabbing him. He admitted that the injured constable had been involved in a duping case.

Imtiyaz Ahmed, injured constable, was picked up by the police as some persons, including two scribes, of Doda town lodged a written complaint against him.

In the complaint they alleged that the constable had collected about 25 lakh from them in lieu of providing them some costly material, which is available in the far-flung areas of Doda district.

Sources disclosed that some higher-ups were also involved in this “mysterious” business. As some influential persons had reportedly invested in this unknown lucrative “business”, the constable was arrested by the police for interrogation and registered an FIR in the case.

The constable received injuries in the police station this morning and was shifted to the Doda hospital. As soon as his family members got information, they rushed to the hospital and later staged a dharna in front of the deputy commissioner’s office.

Jammu, July 5
Not caring two hoots for norms and merit, the Rural Development Department (RDD) has reportedly promoted at least 80 non-gazetted officers into gazetted cadre as block development officer (BDO).

According to official sources, the recent government order No. 144-RD of June 17 grossly violates the norms stipulated in Sadar-e-Riyastat Ordinance (SRO) 515
of 1977.

Despite the fact that SMSes were dropped to the mobile number of RDD secretary Mohd Sayeed Khan and minister concerned Ali Mohammad Sagar last Monday to know their version of news report, they did not even respond to phone calls.

Finally, queries were rushed to the secretary concerned on his official e-mail ID on June 30, but still he did not replied exposing the state of bureaucracy and accountability of the state government. Apart from it, repeated attempts were made for a week to contact him on his official and residential numbers as well, but he was not available for the comments.

The career of as many as 57 RDD, also called community development and national extension services officials of the 2004 and 2007 KAS cadre, has suffered a setback due to out of turn promotions. “The department has been discouraging young officers which is against the statement of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who had recently stressed for encouraging them to take the reins of the state,” sources said.

Sources said the promotion policy makes it mandatory that one must be a graduate and working in the capacity of agriculture extension officer in the Agriculture or Horticulture Department with at least five years of experience in extension work or a panchayat inspector in selection grade or a panchayat supervisor or an assistant registrar in the Cooperative Department or a headquarter assistant in the same department.

Contrary to it, panchayat supervisors having TDC qualification have been promoted besides several headquarter assistants who are just matriculation or PUC pass.

The order that gives benefit in retrospection from September 2003, promotes even those candidates who were made panchayat inspectors in the year 2005. Similarly, junior agriculture assistant, who doesn’t fall in the category, were also promoted against the rules along with panchayat inspectors of grade II and a Mukhya Sevika.

Another case wherein norms were clearly violated depicts that even a candidate who was promoted as panchayat inspector in grade-I in 2005 has been further promoted as BDO with effect from 2003.

Similarly, the headquarter assistants appointed in the year 2005 have been promoted as BDO, again with effect from 2003.

Sources rued, “Most of the candidates that have surfaced in the promotion list hail from Kashmir - it’s an act of discrimination with the candidates of the Jammu region.”

They again blamed the ‘lax approach’ of the department maintaining that seniority list for the candidates directly recruited as BDOs in 2004 and 2007 was not prepared yet. “The lists are supposed to be completed within six months,” they added.

Jammu, July 5
The ruling NC has described the PDP as an outfit averse to peace, economy and development in the state.

“Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram and Union External Affairs Minister SM Krishna have initiated measures to restore peace in the state and good bilateral relations with Pakistan, but the PDP is bent upon ruining peace, economy and development of the state,” NC’s provincial president Rattan Lal Gupta said here.

“The PDP has an anti-people and anti-development attitude. It is in league with vested elements and creating confusion among the people, besides deliberately creating hurdles in the smooth functioning of the coalition government in the state,” he said.

Stung by the humiliating defeat in the 2008 Assembly elections and a dismal performance in the 15th Lok Sabha elections, the PDP was trying to ruin peace, economy and development of the state, Gupta said.

Instead of playing the role of a constructive opposition the PDP had been resorting to negative politics with the sole motive to exploit the sentiments of the people.

Srinagar, July 5
A teenaged boy who had gone missing from Larkipora in Dooru a week back and whose disappearance, blamed on the Army by family members, had sparked protests in Anantnag district, has been recovered.

He was found near Jaibal, 1 km from his home, last evening in a state of unconsciousness, his family members said, claiming that he was dumped by his kidnappers there. The police, however, believes that the family is hiding information.

The Army may not have anything to do with his disappearance. SSP Showkat Malik told The Tribune that there were various “theories” related with his disappearance a week back and recovery but he would not like to comment before questioning him.

Basharat Ahmad’s family admitted him to hospital, claiming that he was seriously ill, but inquiries from the police said he bore no injury marks and doctors, too, did not find anything seriously wrong with him.

Local sources said the boy seemed to have gone on his own and his relation with a girl might be a factor. However, the boy’s family has kept the truth in wraps.

Anantnag had remained shut for a couple of days as his family and separatist supporters alleged that the Army was responsible for it. He was called to a Rashtriya Rifles camp and had gone missing after reporting at the camp.

Rajouri, July 5
Making a fool of the police, militants last night placed their dummies before escaping from the area just before the police could launch an operation at Arangi Dhok in the Thannamandi area. The latter, after firing indiscriminately on dummies, flashed message to their higher ups that they had eliminated two militants in an encounter.

Police sources said on specific information about the presence of militants in the area, special operation group of the police and the police led by SHO Bashir Choudhary under the supervision of DSP Thannamandi launched a search operation in the area.

However, sources said before the police party could reach the area, which is four trek from Thannamandi town, not only did the militants, believed to be three to four, managed to escape from the area, but they played a trick to fool the police by placing the dummies at the spot.

“As soon as the police reached the spot, they spot a group of two militants (dummies) and started indiscriminate firing on those. Since the police didn’t face any retaliation and dummies continued to remain in the same position, it thought that it had killed two militants. In a hurry, the higher ups flashed a message to media and police control room at Rajouri without confirming that those they gunned down were militants or dummies, an intelligence source said. “However, they latter checked their target and found that they had fired on the dummies and not the militants, but till then it was too late,” the source said.

Jammu, July 5
Resentment is brewing up amongst farmers of the region as their representatives were not included in the pre-budget discussions.

Delayed monsoons have already cast shadow on the prospects of better yield, so they have been looking forward to sops from the state and the Centre.

As compared to the industrial sector, agriculturists allege that the farm sector is being given a raw deal. They alleged that it was the only the state wherein several taxes were levied on agricultural equipments, fertilisers, seeds and other related goods.

“The farmers have to pay sales, excise and toll tax on all implements and material used in the agricultural production activities,” Choudhary Dev Raj said. He said: “The price of a tractor is 30 per cent more than what is in the neighbouring state of Punjab. Huge taxes are imposed on the farmers in the state.”

“Rate of interest on farm loans is too higher that no one dares to avail them. There is no insurance cover in case the crop fails due to several reasons,” he said.

Choudhary said the farmers were being made target of exclusive policy of the state and the Centre. “It is unfortunate that since 2005 no industrial incentives were given to flower growers in spite of the fact that state like Himachal, Uttaranchal and Rajasthan provide huge matching grant to their farmers equivalent to 40 per cent for irrigation, 30 per cent for poly houses construction and 25 per cent for planting material. Against this our state has no such scheme to benefit us despite a huge expansion potential,” Tajinder Singh, president of the J&K Flower Growers Association, said.

Srinagar, July 5
No batch of yatris was allowed today to proceed to the Amarnath shrine cave either from Pahalgam or Baltal base camps due to inclement weather, a Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board official said.

Rain and over 3 inches snow fall in Sheshnag, Mahagunas Top and the holy cave areas and consequently, the slippery condition of the tracks caused the suspension of the yatra.

The spokesperson said a number of patches on the Baltal route had been affected by landslides and strict access control was being exercised to regulate movement of yatris returning from the holy cave after darshan. He said 5,684 yatris performed darshan at the holy cave shrine on Saturday.

The spokesperson, however, said 3,588 pilgrims left from Jammu to Pahalgam and Baltal base camps this morning. No Yatra would be permitted from Jammu tomorrow to enable the board authorities to clear the backlog in Baltal and Nunwan camps.

He added that any decision to allow yatra on either of the two routes tomorrow would be taken in the light of obtaining weather and track conditions and as such intending pilgrims were being advised to keep adequate flexibility in their travel programme and to extend full cooperation to the board and the law and order agencies in enforcing regulations and measures aimed at ensuring complete safety of the pilgrims.

PTI adds: Meanwhile, two seriously ill patients were airlifted from Panjtarni along the Pahalgam route by the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB).

The pilgrims, Shekhar Chand of Madya Pradesh and Abi Nawrang of Haryana were taken on a chopper to the Baltal base camp and provided treatment, the sources said.

As many as 22 persons, including 20 pilgrims, have died since the commencement of the yatra this year.

Jammu, July 5
A loophole in the state government order of banning use of polythene bags in Jammu division has become big enough to destroy all efforts in making the region polythene free.

While the use of polythene carry bags has almost ended in the city, the polythene is still being dumped in the drains and garbage as liquor manufacturing companies have not stopped use of selling liquor in polythene pouches. Also, the factory packed snacks in polythene is in circulation without any check.

The volume of the polythene litter generated by the liquor companies is awful. A liquor contractor said as estimated 50 lakh pre packed pouches were sold in Jammu division per month.

The environment-conscious liquor contractor said this vital form of polythene use had been missed by the Pollution Control Board and the Municipal Corporation, who were happy seizing polythene packets from rehri and vegetable vendors.

“We sell one lakh cases of liquor, mostly country-made in pouches of

180 ml, 375 ml or even half a litre. The factory-packed liquor is cheaper than the bottled one leading to higher sale. A 375 ml pouch costs Rs 5 less than the bottled quantity of equal measure,” the liquor contractor said.

The State Pollution Control Board seems aware of the issue but is looking towards the government for a solution.

State Pollution Control Board regional director Brij Manohar Sharma said as per the Sadar-e-riyasat Ordinance 182, the government had banned only polythene carry bags and not the packaged material.

“We would take action as per the government orders on the packaged material.”

Jammu, July 5
Demanding immediate action against the public schools that continue to charge exorbitant fees, various organisations and parents today warned the state government of calling a Jammu bandh if it continues to remain a mute spectator.

Various organisations like the Nirbhow Nirvair Organisation (NNO), Shiv Sena Hindustan, Bhai Nishkam Seva Society, AISSF and the Sikh Welfare Society along with a number of parents held a demonstration at Digiana.

The protesters burnt an effigy of Education Minister Peer Zadha Mohammad Sayeed and blocked the national highway to spur the minister and the school education director into action.

NNO president Harjeet Singh said the schools should charge the annual fee/ charges as per CBSE guidelines that fix these at 15 per cent of the total annual tuition fee instead of 50 per cent being charged.

All organisations, including parents, appealed to the Supreme Court to intervene in the matter.

Jammu, July 5
The love story of an inter-caste couple, who had kept their court marriage under wraps for over a year, went awry today after the girl’s body was found under mysterious circumstances at her parental home this morning, while her husband allegedly poison in the afternoon and was stated to be critical.

The matter was reported from Bhalwal Brahmna village in Akhnoor when the body of Seema Sharma (23) with some injuries on her throat, indicating that she was strangled with a wire, was found in her room at 7.30 am today.

While the father of the girl has been alleging that she has been murdered by her husband, Tarsem, the police was investigating if the father of the girl killed her for ruining the family honour.

Reports said Seema was in love with Tersem Lal for quite some time. They reportedly entered wedlock around one year ago, but kept it a secret as the girl’s family was opposed to cast affiliations of the boy.

Having selected another boy, Vikram Sharma, to be her bridegroom, the family of the girl had fixed July 3 for marriage. She disclosed to her family that she was already married. Consequent upon this, her younger sister, Anita, was married to Vikram on the scheduled date.

Tarsem, reports said, visited the family of Seema yesterday and asked his family to send her off with him. When Seema refused to leave her family, there was a reported verbal duel and squabble between the two parties.

Meanwhile, Tarsem took an extreme step to terminate his life this afternoon after consuming some poisonous substance. He was rushed to Government Medical College Hospital, Jammu, where he is battling for life.

“A case has been registered and we are probing the matter,” said SHO Gian Chand.

Jammu, July 5
The PDP has alleged the NC-Cong coalition government led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to have failed on all fronts of governance as it had turned out to be a damp squib.

Senior PDP leader and party spokesman AK Sawhney said the graph of development in the state has touched an all-time low in the tenure of Omar Abdullah as Chief Minister.

He said the cases of human rights violation, killings and law and order problem in the valley had also risen.

He urged the union government to take note of the situation slipping out of hands of the government.

Sawhney said the civilian killings in the state had undone the peace building efforts of PDP patron Mufti Mohd Sayeed as Chief Minister of the state. “Such incidents go against the peace building efforts in the state,” he said.

Sawhney said the Jammu region in particular was suffering for water and electricity as there was an acute shortage of water in Jammu.

He said during many press briefings the Chief Minister said he would not say anything as his actions would speak.

“Neither the Chief Minister does anything for the betterment nor does he say anything in this regard,” said spokesman.

He said a catastrophe broke out with the Shopian incident and the Chief Minister was ill-advised and wrongly briefed, which exposed his control over the administration. “The Chief Minister, who is in charge of the law and order as he is the Home Minister of the state and is heading the unified command, cannot shy away from issues that have set the entire state on fire and try to hide behind the silence,” Sawhney said.