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Monday, July 5, 1999
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J A M M U C & CK A S H M I R |
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Monday, July 5, 1999 |
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Cong leader, jawan among
6 killed NHRC directive on custodial deaths
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BJP
misled nation on Kargil: Cong X-ray machines for customs' check
on border Plea to raise J&K Plan size Stocking process on in Ladakh Scribe injured in shelling Koran calligrapher felicitated |
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J&K violence SRINAGAR, July 4 (PTI, UNI) — A Congress leader, a government official and an Army jawan, were among six persons killed in separate militancy-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since last evening, an official spokesman said here today. He said militants hacked to death Haji Abdul Gani, Surankote block president of the Congress, at his native Hari village in Poonch district last evening. A prominent Gujjar leader of Surankote, Gani was abducted by unidentified militants from his house and taken to forests where he was subjected to inhuman torture, the spokesman said, adding that his orgnas were chopped off with sharp-edged weapons. Gani’s mutilated body was recovered from a cave during searches by the police, he said. He is believed to have been killed for not supporting militants’ cause. The spokesman said an unidentified militant and a security jawan were killed in an encounter at Doorus-Wani forest in Kupwara district in north Kashmir last night. The encounter took place when a party of Rashtriya Rifles was ambushed by militants during a search operation, an Army jawan was also hurt in the shootout, he said. One AK 47 rifle, three magazines, 42 rounds of ammunition and a grenade were recovered from the slain militant. Militants abducted and later shot dead a Patwari (revenue official) of Kupwara’s tehsil office near Dardpora village in the same district today. The victim was identified as Mushtaq Ahmad Mir. Militants also shot dead
an auto-driver, Riyaz Ahmad Bhat, near Saidpora-Zoonimar
in old Srinagar last evening. While body of an
unidentified person was recovered by police from
Baramulla distric today. |
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NHRC directive on custodial
deaths SRINAGAR, July 4 — The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed all district police and civil officials in the country to report any death in police custody within 24 hours to the commission. It has also expressed concern about the custodial deaths in Jammu and Kashmir. This was disclosed by Justice V.S. Malimath, member of the National Human Rights Commission while addressing a press conference here yesterday. Justice Malimath and five others were part of a delegation of the Indian Council of Jurists (ICJ) that visited the valley in view of the developments in Kargil. Other members of the delegation included Justice Faizanuddin, Mr Justice A.N. Dwecha, chairman of the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission, Justice P.K. Shyamsunder, Chairman of the National Commission of Backward Classes, Justice D.S. Tewatia and Mr Adish C. Aggarwal, senior central government counsel and convener of the ICJ. The delegation reviewed the situation arising out of the developments in Kargil. During their two-day visit the delegation members also visited the Army-base hospital where injured soldiers are undergoing treatment. They also met the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah and Governor Girish Chander Saxena. In reply to a question, the members said the condition of the displaced was a matter of concern. The delegation is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee tomorrow to apprise him of their perception of the situation. The ICJ members also disclosed that they had to abandon their visit to Pakistan due to the Kargil situation. When the peace is restored, we will definitely visit Pakistan, Justice Faizan Uddin told reporters in reply to a question. Union Law Minister Ram Jethmalani was also scheduled to visit Pakistan along with the ICJ members. The ICJ members lauded
the role of Armymen in fighting the enemy along the LoC
in Kargil and expressed their solidarity with them. |
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They bear the brunt of Kargil SONAMARG (J & K), July 4 (PTI) — Pakistani intrusion in the Kargil sector has brought untold miseries on Chittoria Rajputs of Maharashtra as they fear the continuing fighting in the border mountains would cost them their bread and butter the next year. "From time immemorial, we have been scanning the Kargil mountains every year for shilajits and gems which fetch us a good price in the plains," said 53-year old Shovan Singh of Chalisgaon. "What I am selling here is the reserve stock I had gathered from the mountains. But what will happen to me and my family next year as we have not been able to go to the mountains this year with the conflict breaking out early May," he said. Expecting a positive answer, Shovan asked "will this conflict end by August, in which case I will be still left with a month’s time to scan the hills." Emerging from far flung villages like Chalisgaon, Jalgaon and Bhusabal, they begin their journey in the month of April. They travel from Maharashtra to Jammu by train and then take a bus to Sonamarg, 85 km from Srinagar. These barren hills are full of shilajits (a black stone kind of a thing which they claim is a cure for stomach and joint aches) and gems. "One could collect very little due to the treacherous terrains and steep hills with gradients exceeding 45 degree," said Ram Singh, who is in his early twenties. After reaching Sonamarg in early May, they wait for the snow to melt and for the hill tracts to open. "We start our journey towards the hills in and around Kargil in June and try to get as much as possible by mid-August when the upper reaches of the hills start getting heavy snow and we have to return to Sonamarg," said Shovan. "Taking the routes traditionally adopted by Bakrwals (shepherds), we set up camps at heights ranging from 12,000 ft to 14,000 ft and select areas to be scanned for shilajits and gems," said 13-year old Chelu Singh of Jalgaon village who is accompanying his father for the third consecutive year. Shovan’s 12-year old son Bobby Singh, who has come for the first time this year, is a picture of disappointment. "Because of Kargil (situation), I have lost a golden opportunity to learn the ancestral trade", he said. "The daily earning of each individual of a Chittoria family varies between Rs 100 and Rs 150," said Ram Singh, who is visiting the area for the seventh time. The stay at Sonamarg and other areas comes free for them as they are prepared to pitch their tents anywhere or use verandahs of the locals as their rest place. "We make around Rs 10,000 to 15,000 selling our booty to the tourists who throng the area between July and November, when Sonamarg gets closed due to a heavy snowfall," said Ram Singh. "When we reach our villages after a period of seven months, there would be an expectant crowd of family members wanting to know what we have brought for them," said Pratap Singh, who would be 60 by the end of this year. "This is most probably my last visit. I cannot take the strain of trekking in this terrain any more," he added. The earnings are mostly spent on repairing houses and buying seeds for the crops and new clothes for our womenfolk, said Shovan, adding "and a little bit of luxury here and there." It is most likely that
the hills of Kargil would miss these Chittorias this year
with the present conflict showing no signs of an early
end. |
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BJP misled nation on Kargil:
Cong SRINAGAR, July 4 — The Congress has blamed the BJP-led government at the Centre for misleading the country on the Kargil issue and "trying to politicise" it by making "irresponsible statements". "The BJP government has only misled the country on the Kargil issue.... at first they tried to cover up the incident by saying that Pakistan was not aware of it, as if they were speaking on behalf of Pakistan", Mr K.M. Khan, Rajya Sabha member from Hyderabad and AICC observer said here on Saturday. He along with Mr Shamsher Singh Surjewala, Chairman of AICC's election authority, was here to select party candidates for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. The AICC observers also threatened to launch an agitational programme in the state against the dictatorial and corrupt policies of the National Conference government headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah. Expressing concern over the excesses committed on the innocent masses of the valley, the two AICC observers held that a large number of people in the valley were in distress. They held that a large chunk of the population in the Kargil area had been rendered homeless and there was no concrete policy to fulfil the demands of the displaced people. The two observers also referred to the apathetic attitude of the government towards the Congress party workers in the valley. They alleged that the Congress workers were not provided proper security while even the lower ranks of the ruling National Conference were provided high security. Addressing reporters at PCC headquarters here the two AICC observers claimed that the Congress alone was "in a position to save the country at this stage". They said an "unprecedented situation" had been created by "aggression" in Kargil. Mr K.M. Khan reiterated that the Congress believed in "resolving all outstanding issues between India and Pakistan through peaceful negotiations and in accordance with the Simla Agreement." He pointed out that the LoC was not negotiable. Lashing out at the BJP-led government at the Centre and National Conference government in Jammu and Kashmir, the AICC observers held that these were "responsible for present instability" in the country. They blamed the BJP for pursuing communal policies by spreading hatred between different communities. He added that the Congress under the leadership of Mrs Sonia Gandhi was committed to restore communal harmony. He revealed that a special package was being formulated for the Christians and Muslims of the country and it would be a part of the Congress party's election manifesto. Mr S.S. Surjewala said that regional-level conventions be held all over the state except the Ladakh region, to strengthen the party's base in the state. In this connection meetings of the district-level workers were held here and such meetings would also be held in Jammu to mobilise the party at the grass-root level. Mr Surjewala said, a
high level committee was being constituted to identify
problems faced by people in the state and added that some
of the state-level leaders, including the CLP leader
Mehbooba Mufti, had already launched the programme to
identify the problems of the people in distress. |
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X-ray machines for
customs' check ATTARI (Indo-Pak Border), July 4 (PTI) — The Customs Department introduced for the first time, X-ray machines at the rail head here yesterday. This would minimise smuggling by passengers travelling to and from India and Pakistan by the bi-weekly Samjauta Express running between Attari and Lahore railway stations. The Chief Commissioner, Customs and Central Excise, Delhi, Mr K.L. Verma, inaugurated four such machines at the immigration complex of the railway station in the presence of customs, police, BSF, railway, immigration and Intelligence officials. Mr Verma estimated that at least 2,000 passengers travelling between India and Pakistan through this train had to undergo physical screening of their luggage which resulted in many irritants. These machines would be able to clear the passengers expeditiously without causing inconvenience of open examination. He, however, directed the staff to remain on full alert to prevent and detect smuggling. He drew attention to the
sensitivity of the border due to Kargil intrusion and
asked the officers and staff to remain vigilant and
cautious. |
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Plea to raise J&K Plan
size JAMMU, July 4 — Mr Subash Shastri, president of National Mazdoor Conference, has urged upon the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee who is also Chairman of the Planning Commission to increase the Plan size of the state from Rs 1760 crore to Rs 2200 crore so that state government is able to pay the arrears of the pay scales given by the Fifth Pay Commission along with DA instalment due from January this year. Addressing a workers' rally at border village of Salkehar yesterday Mr Shastri said the state was facing a great financial crunch and the Kargil situation had accentuated problems of the employees in the state, who were not getting their pay dues in time. Mr Shastri pointed out
that the outlay of Rs 1750 crore for the year 1999-2000
was not sufficient to meet the development needs of the
state and thus it was the constitutional duty of the
Union Government to ensure the speedy development of the
state. |
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Stocking process on in Ladakh SRINAGAR, July 4 (PTI) — Stocking of foodgrains, petroleum products and other essential commodities for the winter months in the frontier region of Ladakh is progressing swiftly. So far, 40,000 quintals of rice, 30,000 quintals of wheat flour and 3,000 quintals of sugar besides 18.16 lakh litres of kerosene have been stocked. The entire stocking work is expected to be completed by the middle of next month, Jammu and Kashmir minister of State for Food and Supplies Ajay Sadhotra said here today. He said to complete the
transport process within the scheduled period, the Jammu
and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation would
arrange 100 trucks daily — 60 trucks for the Food
Corporation of India and 40 for the Food and Supplies
Department. |
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Scribe injured in shelling SRINAGAR, July 4 (PTI) — Journalist Rajesh Ramachandran of The Hindustan Times was injured in Pakistani shelling in the Dras sub-sector early today, official sources said here. Ramachandran, who was covering military operations, was hit by splinters when a shell fired from across the border exploded, they said, adding he received injuries on the left side of his chest. He was admitted to a
field hospital at Gurgumri, 109 km from here, and was
stated to be out of danger. |
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Koran calligrapher felicitated SRINAGAR, July 4 (PTI) — A teenaged Kashmiri boy, Irfan-ul-Haque,who copied Koranic verses in a beautiful calligraphic style when he was five was felicitated by Muslim scholars at a special function here yesterday. "This is a miracle and the Allah has promised that he would protect his book himself and so these are the signs," said Moulana Syed Gasim Shah Bukhari, a renowned scholar and a widely respected religious leaders of Kashmir. Son of a teacher, Irfan
completed his work in 11 months to join the select band
of Koran calligraphers — the work usually takes
three years for an expert. |
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