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| 3 killed, 8 injured as militants strike in Srinagar, Sopore | | Incidents will happen as there are 245 listed militants still in Valley: IGP | | |
AHMED ALI FAYYAZ
SRINAGAR, Mar 16: Striking in a big way simultaneously in Sopore and the business hub of Lalchowk in Srinagar, militants today left three persons dead and eight others wounded. Those killed in today’s broad daylight attacks on Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) included the PSO of Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Sopore and two salesmen.
Informed sources told Early Times that at least two pistol wielding militants fired upon a patrol party of CRPF 132 Bn at the crowded business street of Kokerbazar in close vicinity of Lalchowk. Two CRPF personnel and three civilians were injured in the shootout. They were quickly evacuated and rushed to hospital where one of the critically injured civilians breathed his last. Reportedly a salesman at a shop, he was identified as Khursheed Ahmed Parray S/o Abdul Gani Parray R/o Hawra, Khansahab, district Budgam.
Police and CRPF conducted searches but failed to get any clue with regard to identification and whereabouts of the militants, believed to be two in number.
Somebody, who claimed to ... | |
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FRONT PAGE STORIES |
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| Kashmir’s Political Future: Clash between Geelani and Malik - I | | | |
RUSTAM
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Mar 16: On Sunday, the supporters of Syed Ali Shah Geelani attacked JKLF chairman Yasin Malik and his supporters in Sopore. The following day, the supporters of Yasin Malik attacked the office of Geelani and shouted slogans against him. The clash between the two separatist leaders has been described by some as a clash between two personalities, who, like other separatist leaders, including APHC chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, are seeking to expand their support-base in Kashmir. Some media persons have also described the clash between the two as an indication that Kashmir may witness a civil war.
They are partly right and partly wrong. It is true ... | |
| | | | State’s second family to be the first victim of PR Bill | | | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 16: State’s second family will be the first victim of Permanent Resident (Disqualification) Bill if it is passed by the legislature. Former Chief Miiuster’s daughter and the incumbent Chief Minister’s sister has married an outsider. The Bill, if passed, shall relieve her of permanent resident status. Can she inherit from her father’s estate in such an eventuality?
The former Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah declared his assets before contesting the Parliamentary elections last year. The assets are worth over Rs 9.7 crore. Farooq Abdullah’s wife, as per the provisions of Muslim Personal Law shall inherit 1/8th share. Rest has to be divided among O... | |
| | | | Resumption of Dialogue with Pak Difficult: Rao | | | | Agencies
WASHINGTON | MAR 16
Voicing concern over Pakistan's inaction against perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks, including Hafiz Saeed, India today warned that its restraint should not be confused with weakness and said it is "very, very difficult" to resume composite dialogue at present.
"... Please realise that there are groups in Pakistan that continue to follow an agenda of violence, of hatred," Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said at the Woodrow Wilson Centre in response to a question from a Lahore-based Pakistani national who asked why India was refusing to restart the composite dialogue with Pakistan which itself was a victim of terrorism.
"I did not want to bring the name of Haf... | |
| | | | Devotees celebrate Navratra amid tight security in Jammu | | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 16 :
Faith can move mountain and it became evident today when sea f devotees thronged to Holy Shrines and Temples associated with Goddess Durga (the ultimate Shakti) to seek her blessings apart from giving serenity of the soul, but also to realise goals in individual lives on the first Navratra.
This realisation becomes more stronger when one watches the 'Bawe wali mata’ shrine, witnessing long queues, notwithstanding, devotees who are determined to have the glimpse of the Mata’s idol on the first Navratra.
Large number of devotees thronged the different temples in Jammu to offer special prayers and pay their obescience to Godess Durga on the occasion of fi... | |
| | | | Security beefed up at Vaishno Devi | | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Mar 16:
As the nine-day Navratra festival began today, security was further beefed up in and around the highly reverred Vaishno Devi cave shrine which witnesses heavy rush of pilgrims during these days.
Additional police and para-military troops were deployed in and around the holy Katra town, police sources said.
"We have a very good liaison with army and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and all the teams are out. The traffic coming from Jammu will be checked at Mori and the traffic coming from Uddhampur is being checked at Kaithal and Sarli," the sources added. Sources said all the pilgrims were being frisked properly with metal detectors.
"We... | |
| | | | Infiltration bids continue in J-K, says BSF IG | | | | Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Mar 16:
BSF Inspector General Baljit Singh Tuesday said regular infiltration attempts were being made by militants from Pakistan occipied Kashmir (PoK) to give impetus to the otherwise waning militancy in the
state.
The troops were, however, vigilant enough to foil any infiltration by them, he said while talking to reporters here today. "The other side is desperately trying hard to infiltrate some militants because the situation, as far as the security situation was concerned in the Valley, was absolutely coming to normal and Pak wants to keep the pot boiling by sending more militants," Singh added.
"But forces, including army, BSF, CRPF and J-K pol... | |
| | | | Non-issuance of voter ID cards smack of scam | | | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar16: Even as the Municipal elections are drawing nearer, the authorities seem in no hurry to issue election identity cards to those voters who could not get the important document during the assembly and parliamentary elections held last year.
According to informed sources, the cards of thousands of voters have been withheld for `security reasons’. The sources said the election cards issued previously were used by anti-national and anti-social elements. All such cards, they said, were cancelled. The authorities at New Delhi urged the state government to issue fresh identity cards to the voters after proper scrutiny to prevent their misuse by unscrupulous el... | |
| | | | | Police launch psychological warfare to tame stone pelters | | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 16: Realizing that use of force had yielded no results, the police intend to launch psychological and `spiritual’ warfare to tame the stone pelters. The police intend to rehabilitate the habitual stone pelters by helping them open their own shops. They will also be taken to the holy city of Ajmer.
According to reports, the director general of police (DGP) has divulged details of the programme in a letter addressed to Inspector general (IG) Kashmir range last month.
In the first phase, the habitual stone pelters shall be identified in the Srinagar, Anantnag and Baramulla districts. The police intend to help them earn their livelihood by opening small bus... | |
| | | | GREF staffer killed, six hurt in mishap | | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Mar 16:
A GREF employee was today killed and six others were injured when the Tata Sumo in which they were travelling skidded off the road at Kancha Morh in Rajouri and fell into a deep gorge.
The ill-fated sumo (2193/JK-11) was on its way from Rajouri to Kandi Budhal. Police said the mishap occured at about 12.45 pm when the driver failed to negotiate a sharp curve as a result of which the vehicle
plunged into a gorge.
One person lost his life in the incident, while six others survived with critical injuries, the police added.
The dead was identified as GREF employee Nathu Singh, son of Bharat Singh of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Oradesh. The injured were h... | |
| | | | Mufti’s support to women reservation a political gimmick | | | |
EARLY TIMES REPORT
Jammu March 16
Former Union Home Minister and ex-Chief Minister of Jammu Kashmir, Mufti Muhammad Sayed’s overtures on Women Reservation Bill may land the otherwise shrewd politician into trouble.
Expressing happiness over the women reservation, Mufti feared that the implementation of the Bill may adversely affect the Muslim reservation. Mufti’s stand may not be received well by the minority community especially in the Valley who still have the memories of early 80s fresh in their minds.
Political compulsions often force politicians to play the communal card and Mufti is no exception. However, being a shrewd politician, Mufti has played the card rightly at the ... | |
| | | | 119 National Highway projects are on in J&K, says Minister | | | |
EARLY TIMES REPORT
NEW DELHI, MAR 16: Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways RPN Singh today stated in the Lok Sabha that the Centre has been funding as many as 119 highway projects in Jammu and Kashmir.
Only Karnataka, Uttrakhand and Mahrashtra were ahead of the border State of Jammu and Kashmir in National Highway projects undertaken by the Centre as per the figures provided by the Minister to the members of the Lower House.
Giving countrywide details of such projects, he pointed out that the Union Government made an allocation of Rs 55,533.04 crore for development of National Highways across the country during last three years, or since 2006-07 to the curre... | |
| | | | Salahuddin caught on camera preparing suicide squads | | | | Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Mar 16: Syed Salahuddin, the commander-in-chief of Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Hizbul Mujahideen, has been caught on camera at a terror launch pad in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) exhorting his squad of suicide attackers to cross the line of control and attack the security forces in India.
In the video, accessed with a national news channel, Salahuddin is seen indoctrinating his suicide attackers, armed to the teeth with destructive weapons like rocket launchers and Kalashnikov rifles.
"Go to India, wage Jihad. You will be fighting in the most inhospitable weather conditions. You will be killed there but your martyrdom will be supreme," screams Sye... | |
| | | | Nationwide Manhunt for Journo Friend of 'Pepsi Bomber' | | | |
NEW DELHI | MAR 16,
A nationwide manhunt has been launched to nab a Kashmiri journalist who is alleged to be an accomplice of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Bashir Ahmed Baba alias "Pepsi bomber", arrested by Gujarat police recently.
Teams of central security agencies have been sent to help police nab the journalist who is alleged to have provided support to Baba several times, official sources said today.
The scribe used his contacts and allegedly helped Baba to work in the guise of an NGO worker and set up base in Gujarat, they said.
The journalist is said to have played a crucial role in helping Baba in sending youths to Pakistan for terror training besides helping the Hizbul m... | |
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