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Infiltration bid foiled in J&K, two militants killed

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border-india-pakistan

Srinagar: The Army on Friday foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Gurez sector in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, killing two militants.

“An infiltration bid has been foiled in Gurez. Two terrorists have been killed,” Defence Spokesman Lt Col N N Joshi said.

He said post midnight, the alert troops posted on guard duty along the LoC intercepted the militants while they were trying to sneak into the Valley from across the border.

“An encounter erupted and during the exchange of fire, two terrorists were killed,” Mr. Joshi said.

The spokesman said two AK-47 rifles have been recovered from the site of the encounter.

“The search operation is going on,” he said.

The identity of the militants has not been ascertained so far, the spokesman said.

(Agencies)

High Court bans sale of beef in Jammu and Kashmir

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beef-export

Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has imposed a ban on sale of beef in the state.

The HC directive came on Wednesday but was widely reported in the media on Thursday.

A division bench of the J&K HC passed the order while hearing a public interest litigation against cow slaughter.

The court also directed the state DGP to instruct local police officials to ensure that the ban is strictly imposed.

The court has also ordered the police to take strict action against those who violate the ban.

(Agencies)

Bandh in Kashmir on flood relief issue, traders arrested

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Bandh-Kashmir

Srinagar: Several leaders of trade bodies were detained here to thwart planned protests against alleged inadequate rehabilitation efforts for victims of last year’s floods in Kashmir, which observed a shutdown today.

The Opposition National Conference, which had given the call for bandh besides the separatists on the first anniversary of the floods that left nearly 300 persons dead and caused massive destruction, hit out at the Mufti Sayeed Government for the crackdown, saying it was scuttling legitimate democratic protests.

Police took into preventive custody leaders of Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) including Mohammad Yasin Khan and Showkat Chowdhary in a pre-dawn swoop ahead of their planned protest at Lal Chowk. Several separatist leaders including moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, were also put under house arrest.

A police official said the area around Lal Chowk’s historic Clock Tower has been sealed and no one will be allowed to proceed in that direction.

Police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in numbers to prevent any law and order situation, the official said.

KEA had called for a shutdown today to mark the first anniversary of the floods and was also planning a symbolic protest.

NC leader and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah slammed the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir government, saying they had made “tall promises” of providing relief to the people “but till this day, we have got nothing”.

He warned that such actions will only alienate the people and accused the ruling PDP of “sabotaging” the relief package for the state.

“In a series of midnight raids Mufti Syed has ensured the arrest of all the Trade Body leaders. Their crime? Unhappiness over flood relief.

“All these people wanted to do was register their dissatisfaction at the absence of any meaningful flood relief. Shame on Mufti the Dictator,” Omar said in a series of tweets.

He also took a dig at Mufti Mohammed Sayed Government’s plan to mark the floods anniversary as revival day.

“If Mufti Sb was so sure people were going to celebrate as his Govt has planned today he wouldn’t have ordered these arrests (sic),” Omar tweeted.

“Shows just how desperate they are for their “celebration” to succeed,” the NC leader said on microblogging site Twitter.

The opposition National Conference marked the day by holding a blood donation camp. Omar inaugurated the camp by donating blood.

Meanwhile, normal life came to a standstill across the Valley due to the shutdown call by traders bodies, mainstream parties and separatists.

Business establishments, shops, schools and other educational institutions remained closed due to the strike while most of the public transport was off the roads.

Kashmir University has postponed all the examinations which were scheduled to be held today.

The attendance in government offices was thin while the roads wore a deserted look.

Shahidul Islam, a close aide of the Mirwaiz, and JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik were also placed under house arrest.

A Hurriyat spokesman said Mirwaiz and Islam were put under house arrested early this morning.

Barring for few days, hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has been under house arrest since his return from New Delhi in April this year.

The previous state government headed by Omar had sent a rehabilitation package of Rs 44,000 crore to the Centre but so far the state has received only Rs 5,000 crores, including the Rs 1,100 crore which was in the state Disaster Relief Fund kitty when the tragedy struck last year.

Omar said that a large chunk of the money was deducted by the Centre even before it reached the state.

“They took money for many things in the name of the floods. But those, who suffered losses, did not get anything. Helicopters were used (but) the money was taken from us. Their boats were used here, but the money was taken from us.

“The funds meant for liabilities under Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Programme were taken in the name of floods. Additional special plan assistance, which is given to us by the Planning Commission every year to balance our plan, that money was also added to the flood account and taken,” he said.

(Agencies)

4 guerrillas, 1 army jawan killed in encounter in J&K’s Handwara

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Pakistani-troops-fire

Srinagar: An Indian Army soldier and four guerrillas were killed in a night-long gunfight in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district, an official said on Thursday.

“Security forces, including troops of the army’s para regiment, Special Operations Group of state police (SOG) and CRPF, surrounded Vilgam (Handwara) village late Wednesday following information about a group of guerrillas hiding in the village,” a police officer told IANS here.

“When the guerrillas were challenged they resorted to firing at the security forces triggering the encounter in which four militants and an army soldier were killed,” he added.

He said search operations were still on in the area, adding that the identity of the militants was being estsablished.

It must be recalled that an army soldier and a separatist guerrilla were killed on Wednesday in Ladoora village of the same district.

(IANS)

Soldier, guerrilla killed in Kashmir gunfight

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Pakistani-troops-fire

Srinagar: A soldier and a Hizbul Mujahideen guerrilla were killed in a gun battle on Wednesday in a village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district, officials said.

Security forces surrounded a house in Ladoora (Rafiabad) village early on Wednesday morning after learning that militants were hiding there. This triggered a fierce gun battle between the two sides.

The soldier from the Rashtriya Rifles and a militant died in the gun battle, a police official told IANS.

The slain militant was later identified as Riyaz Ahmed, a resident of Sopore. Officials later said he was the only militant holed up inside the house.

(IANS)

Another Pakistani terrorist caught alive

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encounter-story

Srinagar: Another Pakistani terrorist was caught alive on Thursday following a fierce gunfight in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district, making him the second terrorist from Pakistan to be held this month.

The terrorist was identified as Sajjad alias Abu Ubadullah, 22, a resident of Muzaffargarh district of Balochistan, Pakistan, a senior police official said.

Sajjad was caught a little over three weeks after Pakistani terrorist Naveed was arrested on August 5 following a terror attack on BSF troopers on the Jammu-Srinagar highway. Naveed had taken three people hostage who overpowered him.

It was not immediately known how Sajjad was caught.

The gunfight started on Wednesday afternoon after the army intercepted a group of militants in Toot Mar Gali of Nowgam sector in Kupwara. They had sneaked into India from Pakistan.

Three separatist guerrillas were killed by the security forces on Thursday.

“The gunbattle is still going on,” a senior police officer told IANS.

The militants managed to break the cordon after being challenged by the army, triggering a gunfight on Wednesday on the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC) that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan.

(IANS)

Separatist leader Shabir Shah detained at Delhi airport

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Shabir-Shah

New Delhi: In a new twist ahead of Indo-Pak NSA-level talks, Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Shah, was today detained on arrival at the Delhi airport and will not be allowed to meet Pakistan’s National Security Adviser Sartaj Aziz here tomorrow.

As soon as he deplaned, central security agencies along with Delhi Police asked him about the place where he would be staying in Delhi and later drove him there.

The separatist leaders were told that “restrictions have been imposed on their movement in the national capital” ahead of talks between Aziz and his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval, official sources said.

Shah along with two other separatist leaders Mohammed Abdullah Tari and Zamir Ahmed Sheikh will stay in a south Delhi guest house and the trio will remain confined to that place only.

His associate Zamir told PTI that they were being taken to the guest house which they had booked and the officers politely told Shah that the team was free to go back to Srinagar.

While leaving Srinagar, Shah had said the he would like to meet Aziz. “Today we are going to ask the people of India whether former Indian Prime Minister A B Vajpayee, their leader L K Advani or Manmohan Singh were wrong. During their tenure, they never blocked us from meeting Pakistani officials when they came to India…

“Kashmir is an important issue…Pakistan’s stand is clear. They are saying that they will come for talks and present whatever they want to say. India can also put forward its argument but Kashmir issue must be included,” he insisted.

Shah, who parted ways with moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference last year and formed a separate unit, was yesterday placed under house arrest and not allowed to go for Friday prayers.

The top separatist leaders have received an invite from Pakistan High Commission in Delhi for a reception being hosted for Aziz, who is scheduled to arrive in Delhi tomorrow afternoon to hold talks with Doval on Monday.

The Pakistan High Commission’s invitation to hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani and other separatist leaders to meet Aziz has upset New Delhi but Pakistan has stuck to the line that such meetings were “routine”.

(Agencies)

Detention drama in Kashmir ahead of NSA talks

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Kashmir-Hurriyat

Srinagar: Top Kashmiri separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, were today put under house arrest only to be released within hours in actions that were linked to their proposed meeting with Pakistani National Security Advisor Sartaj Aziz in Delhi on Sunday.

Early this morning, police put restrictions on the movement of the several separatist leaders including moderate Hurriyat Chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Maulana Mohammad Abbas Ansari, Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai, Shabir Ahmad Shah and Ayaz Akbar.

Security personnel were deployed outside the Hydrepora residence of Geelani, the hardline Hurriyat chief who is already under house arrest. JKLF Chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik was taken into preventive custody from his Maisuma residence and lodged at police station Kothibagh.

Officials were tightlipped on the reason for the detention but there was speculation that it could have been done to give a message to Pakistan that its engagement with separatists leaders was not welcome, especially at a time when their National Security Advisors are to meet.

But, in a U-turn the authorities lifted the curbs on the leaders, again without giving any reason. “All the separatist leaders, who were detained or put under house arrest this morning, have been released,” a top police official said on the condition of anonymity.

However, Akbar, who is spokesman of the hardline faction of Hurriyat, said while other leaders were released, Geelani was still under house arrest.

“We are unable to make out the purpose behind putting the leadership under house arrest and then releasing them within two hours. All we can say that it is unfortunate,” Akbar told PTI soon after his release.

Police conducted early morning raids to detain the second rung separatist leaders also but they too were halted.

Pakistan High Commission in Delhi has invited Geelani for a meeting on August 24 with Aziz, who will be in the national capital for talks with Indian NSA Ajit Doval.
Moderate separatist leaders have also been invited for a reception being hosted by the High Commission in New Delhi for the visiting Pakistani official on August 23.

India had cancelled Foreign Secretary-level talks with Pakistan in August last year after its envoy invited separatist leaders for consultations ahead of the meeting in Islamabad.

Criticising Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, opposition National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said the state governments had never detained Hurriyat leaders in the past to prevent them from visiting the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi.

He claimed the India-Pakistan talks were being held “under international pressure” with both countries hoping the other will pull out.

“Shelling, Infiltration, terror attacks & now Hurriyat arrests, clearly no side wants to talk & yet neither side has the guts to call it off,” the former chief minister said in a series of tweets.

“I’ve never seen an Indo-Pak dialogue where both sides are so keen to sabotage it. India & Pak competing to give reasons to call off talks. It’s so obvious that Ufa & now these planned NSA talks are under international pressure with both Ind & Pak hoping the other will pull out,” he said.

The Congress too took a jibe at the Centre, saying the Prime Minister must answer if India is under pressure of some “foreign power” to hold talks to Pakistan notwithstanding “all these provocations by Pakistan”.

“The Prime Minister of India needs to answer this question as last time when Pakistan High Commission invited the Hurriyat, Government called off the talks,” party leader Manish Tewari said.

BJP leaders in Jammu and Kashmir said the Hurriyat Conference should not be allowed to hold talks with Pakistani officials.

“People of Jammu and Kashmir have elected a government. Hurriyat people are murderers of democracy. We will not allow them to talk to Pakistan,” BJP MLA Ravinder Raina said.

(PTI)

Tremors felt in Kashmir valley, Delhi, parts of north India

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earthquake

New Delhi: Earthquake shook buildings in New Delhi on Monday afternoon.

People were seen coming out of buildings in Delhi.

Tremors were also felt in Kashmir valley and other parts of north India.

Panic-stricken people ran out of homes and offices as buildings swayed in Kashmir.

The epicenter of the magnitude 6 quake was 88 kilometers (54.68 miles) from Feyzabad in Afghanistan, at a depth of 209 kilometers (129.87 miles), the US Geological Survey said.

The tremor was also felt in various parts of Pakistan including Islamabad, Faisalabad, Mianwali, Peshawar and Sargodah.

So far, there was no report of any loss to life or property.

(Agencies)

‘Not an Indian by birth’, Geelani says getting Indian passport ‘compulsion’

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Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani (Photo: AFP/File)

Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani (Photo: AFP/File)

Srinagar: Earlier, Geelani had told a news agency that he left the nationality column blank in his online application for the passport.

Senior separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani Friday said that getting an Indian passport for travelling abroad was a compulsion and that he was “not an Indian by birth”.

After stepping out of the passport office at Boulevard in Srinagar, Geelani told waiting newsmen that “I am not an Indian by birth. It’s a compulsion that we have to travel with an Indian passport.”

Earlier, Geelani had told a news agency that he left the nationality column blank in his online application for the passport.

Police sources said that the octogenarian leader was released from house detention early Friday morning and that he was allowed to proceed to the passport office to complete the formalities.

Geelani, according to Hurriyat Conference, applied for the passport to see his ailing daughter in Saudi Arabia.

Geelani’s application for a passport had created a political furore which saw coalition partners, BJP and PDP, bitterly divided.

While the state unit of the BJP demanded an ‘apology’ from the leader for his ‘anti-national’ activities, PDP had said that it was a ‘humanitarian issue’ and that the Hurriyat leader should be issued a passport.

(Agencies)

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