3 security men hurt in blast
SRINAGAR, Aug 2 — Panic gripped the exhibition crossing area here today as a grenade, thrown by militants, exploded and injured at least four persons, including three security personnel, officials sources said.

Shabir Shah, 12 others arrested
SRINAGAR, Aug 2 — Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party President Shabir Ahmad Shah and 12 of his followers were taken into "preventive custody" at Qazigund, 80 km from here, in Anantnag district today, official sources said.

DD unable to tackle PTV propaganda
SRINAGAR, Aug 2 — Despite the fact that the Centre has recently announced a Rs 430-crore package to improve AIR, DD services in the state to counter Pak disinformation campaign in a befitting manner, the fact remains that Srinagar Doordarshan Kendra has still not been able to launch its campaign against Pakistan Television, which is being received in Kashmir very clearly, due to lack of funds.

Better weapons sought for VDC members
JAMMU, August 2 — The State unit of the Janata Party staged a demonstration here today to press for treating members of the village defence committees at par with soldiers of Kargil as far as ex gratia relief and other benefits were concerned.

Stranded yatris leave for Pahalgam
UDHAMPUR, Aug 2 — The Amarnath yatris who were stranded here yesterday due to the closure of the national highway, proceeded from Udhampur and Ramban to Pahalgam.

3 security men hurt in blast
Major killed in Poonch encounter

SRINAGAR, Aug 2 (PTI) — Panic gripped the exhibition crossing area here today as a grenade, thrown by militants, exploded and injured at least four persons, including three security personnel, officials sources said.

The blast occurred at 11.45 am when a grenade thrown by the militants at a moving Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) vehicle hit it and exploded. Three jawans and a passerby were injured in the explosion.

Panic gripped the entire area immediately after the blast as agitated security personnel beat up shopkeepers and smashed windscreens of a number of vehicles, besides assaulting drivers and passengers.

Meanwhile, the body of a surrendered militant, who was working as a counter-insurgent, was recovered from the Koimoh area in Anantnag district early today.

The victim’s body bore bullet injuries and torture marks, the sources said, adding he might have been killed by militants.

JAMMU: An Army Major and seven militants were among 11 persons killed in militancy-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since Sunday, official reports said here on Monday.

The reports said Major Sushil Aima and five Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed and two jawans injured in a fierce encounter in the higher reaches of Loran in Poonch district of Jammu division.

Major Aima, who gunned down three ultras on the spot, succumbed to bullet wounds later. Two more militants of the same group were shot dead by troops after a prolonged encounter.

In another encounter, one security force personnel and a militant were killed at Dhundak in the Surankote area of Poonch during a search operation today, the reports said.

One foreign mercenary was killed in an encounter with security forces at Kareti village of Doda district last night.

The militants also killed a surrendered militant in Doda town. He was identified as Abdul Rashid, who ran a shop in the town.

Another encounter took place between the police and militants at Chingas in Rajouri district last night.

At least four persons, including three security force personnel, were injured when militants lobbed a grenade at a moving CRPF vehicle near the exhibition crossing in Srinagar today.

Shabir Shah, 12 others arrested

SRINAGAR, Aug 2 (PTI) — Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP) President Shabir Ahmad Shah and 12 of his followers were taken into "preventive custody" at Qazigund, 80 km from here, in Anantnag district today, official sources said.

Mr Shah had gone to launch an "awareness programme" from Qazigund to Tangdhar asking people not to participate in the general election, the sources said.

Prior to arrest, Mr Shah told a public meeting in the town that "I have not come for votes or notes (money) but to awaken you about conspiracies to defeat international efforts to resolve the Kashmir issue."

Apparently referring to Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party President Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, he said: "self-styled representatives cause harm to Kashmir by participating in the poll".

"Elections are meaningless for Kashmiris as they are not being held to decide their future," he said.

The police tried to disperse Shah’s public meeting but were resisted by his followers, leading to their arrest.

The JKDFP has condemned the police action and Mr Shah’s arrest. The arrest was an act of "frustration" on the part of the administration which "does not allow real representatives of people to meet them", it said in a statement.

Official sources, meanwhile, said that authorities had been asked to deal with the situation sternly and not allow the Hurriyat Conference to go ahead with its anti-election rallies.

"We will not allow the Hurriyat to weaken the democratic process in Kashmir and stern action will be taken against those who try to foment trouble," they said.

The warning comes in the wake of the Hurriyat’s programme to step up its campaign for poll boycott.

A code of conduct for J&K police
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Aug 2 — Without questioning the propriety or necessity of any law duly enacted the police in Jammu and Kashmir should enforce the law firmly and impartially, without fear or favour, malice or vindictiveness.

This is one of the clauses of the 13-point code of conduct prescribed by the state government for the police in Jammu and Kashmir. The code has been published in the monthly bilingual police newsletter released recently. The copies of the newsletter have been circulated among all the ranks of the police.

The police, according to the code of conduct, should recognise and respect the limitations of their powers and functions and not usurp the functions of the judiciary and sit on judgement. While containing any situation of disorder, the police should, as far as possible use the methods of persuasion, advice and warning. And when use of force becomes inevitable the police should use the minimum and required force.

The police should always keep the welfare of the people in mind and be considerate and sympathetic towards them.

They should always be ready to assist the people irrespective of their wealth and social standing.

The police should be ready to sacrifice their lives in protecting those of others and never lose their calm in the face of danger, scorn or ridicule. Courtesy, dignity and courage should not be lost sight of. As members of a democratic and secular state the police should not only demonstrate their integrity, honesty and clean private life, but assist people in promoting brotherhood.

A couple of senior officers, who were approached for their comment on the code of conduct, said with a smile, that the police could observe the code provided the politicians allow them. They cited two instances in support of their argument. In case of transfers and promotions politicians interfere in the department's activities which is a hurdle in honouring the code of conduct.

DD unable to tackle PTV propaganda
From Our Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Aug 2 — Despite the fact that the Centre has recently announced a Rs 430-crore package to improve AIR, DD services in the state to counter Pak disinformation campaign in a befitting manner, the fact remains that Srinagar Doordarshan Kendra has still not been able to launch its campaign against Pakistan Television, which is being received in Kashmir very clearly, due to lack of funds.

Sources said Information and Broadcasting Minister Parmod Mahajan, who had recently visited the state, had issued instructions to both radio and television stations at Jammu and Srinagar, respectively, to launch an aggressive campaign against Pak propaganda. But the coffers of the local Doordarshan kendra are empty at the moment and officials, are awaiting funds to start counter propaganda programmes. As almost every house in the Kashmir valley has been glued to PTV which is being beamed by the cable operators freely, there is an urgency to start counter propaganda programmes from Srinagar Doordarshan also because in post-Kargil period, Pakistan has installed very high power transmitters near the border areas.

Better weapons sought for VDC members
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, August 2 — The State unit of the Janata Party staged a demonstration here today to press for treating members of the village defence committees (VDCs) at par with soldiers of Kargil as far as ex gratia relief and other benefits were concerned.

According to the president of the party unit, Mr Randeep Singh Parihar, VDC members killed in operations against militants deserved the same treatment as jawans fighting the enemy. The party also demanded that the VDC members be given better weapons and ammunition and imparted training in handling of sophisticated arms. It also urged the government to release the wages to the special police officers and VDC members.

Political activists and student leaders participated in the demonstration and protesters burnt an effigy of Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah accusing him of failure on all fronts while running the government.

The party demanded a cash relief for migrant families. It urged the government to pay Rs 5,000 per month to each migrant family so that the displaced people were able to meet their day to day requirements.

It called for government intervention so all students who had passed 10+2 examinations were given admission to B.A., B.Sc and B.Com courses in the colleges affiliated to Jammu university.

Stranded yatris leave for Pahalgam
From Our Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, Aug 2 — The Amarnath yatris who were stranded here yesterday due to the closure of the national highway, proceeded from Udhampur and Ramban to Pahalgam. As many as 3268 yatris in 120 vehicles left here and about 150 yatris from Ramban. Today is the 10th day of the yatra and the number of Amarnath yatris has reached 25000 so far.

No yatri was allowed to proceed for the Amarnath cave from Jammu due to the heavy rush of yatris at Udhampur, Raban and Pahalgam.

The pilgrims who are returning from the yatra said that no ice had been formed on the main Shiva lingam in the cave.

Some of the yatris who were returning from the Baltal route to Jammu were held up between Kangan and Sonamarg. They were rescued by the Army and kept in Army camps. They appreciated the Army's role in helping them.