J&K officials keep over two dozen vehicles at illegal disposal of Dy Chief Minister, his staff

Why Govt makes State Accountability Commission, State Information Commission, State Vigilance Organisation and Crime Wing of J&K Police dysfunctional and fails to find men for State Vigilance Commission that has been existing on papers since February 15^th, 2011.

OFFICE OF LOOT: With total lack of accountability, a number of Ministers in Omar Abdullah’s Govt have been committing flagrant misuse of their official position and looting the state exchequer. Topping them all appears to be the Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand, who is holding portfolios of Housing & Urban Development. Believe it or not, nearly two dozen government vehicles have been placed at Dy CM’s disposal by his subordinate departments, namely Jammu Municipal Corporation, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, Jammu Development Authority, Srinagar Development Authority, Lakes & Waterways Development Authority Srinagar, Urban Local Bodies Jammu, Urban Local Bodies Kashmir, in addition to the official vehicles provided by State Motor Garages and J&K Police Security Wing.

A number of these illegally provided vehicles are officially shown to be in possession and use of Additional Secretary Mr Salmani, Ministers Special Assistant and KAS officer of 1999 batch Dr Raj Kumar Thappa and three “PROs” namely Forest Guard Keval Sharma, Higher Secondary Lecturer Prabhoo Singh and Vijay Kumar. Scandalously, petrol and diesel of all these vehicles is being provided by Jammu Municipal Corporation in brazen violation of Govt Order No: 1123-GAD of 1997 Dated 11-07-1997 that makes it clear that the Ministers’ vehicles are to be provided and maintained by State Motor Garages but POL has to be provided by his department, in this case H&UD Department.

Lakhs of Rupees are being drawn on account of fuel charges alone. As many as 414 requisitions make it clear that the Minister’s Personal Section and drivers have drawn petrol and diesel worth just Rs 1,914 in Jan 2009 and same has been hiked to Rs 41,057 in March 2010, Rs 49,460 in Nov 2010, Rs 56,142 in Dec 2010 and a stupendous Rs 65,785 in Apr 2012. Most of these vehicles have plied in Minister’s constituency of Khour.

For names and designations of all the officers involved in this loot and scoot of the taxpayers’ money, besides details of each vehicle provided, and more startling disclosures of corruption and misuse of official position in high offices watch out exclusively this blog soon.

http://aafayyaz.blogspot.com

Kashmir is and will always remain India’s integral part: Farooq

‘Delhi would never approach Hurriyat with a begging bowl’

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Sep 8: In sharp contrast to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s extra-cautious approach vis-à-vis Kashmiri separatists, National Conference patriarch and union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Dr Farooq Abdullah today asserted that New Delhi would never approach Hurriyat with a begging bowl to get it on board.

“Hurriyat will have to initiate the dialogue rather than waiting for Government of India’s invitation card. Let it be clear to them that New Delhi would never approach them with a begging bowl”, Dr Abdullah told mediapersons after paying tributes to his parents on occasion of the  30^th death anniversary of the NC’s founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah at his mausoleum at Hazratbal. His terse reaction came out when a reporter wanted to know how the NC supremo viewed the Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s expression of “willingness” to enter into a dialogue with Delhi. 

In his typical style, Dr Abdullah was quick to make it clear that a political resolution was the only way out though, according to him, “Kashmir is and always continue to be an integral part of India”. “It can never be separated from India”, he asserted.

Regarding the Indo-Pakistan foreign minister level talks, Dr Abdullah expressed hope that the two countries would initiate some important confidence building measures which would eventually pave way for Kashmir’s resolution. He said that Kashmir issue had to be resolved in the interest of peace and stability in the Sub-continent.  

Dr Abdullah said that tireless efforts and leadership of Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah had galvanized the oppressed people of the State to rise against autocracy and injustice. He said the visionary approach, which the NC founder adopted, won him appreciation and accolades not only during his lifetime but also for all time to come.

“Sheikh Sahab was a great revolutionary. When the Sub-continent was engulfed in communal flames around the Partition, it was only his resolve and determination that protected Kashmir’s secular ethos and communal harmony. That made Mahatma Gandhi see a ray of hope in Valley, contrary to a communal flare up in rest of the Sub-continent”, Dr Abdullah said on the occasion.

Earlier, referring to today’s lead item in Early Times, NC’s top brass mobilized its cadres throughout cadres over telephone between, asking hundreds of the party workers to reach Hazratbal for a remembrance meeting. Informed sources, corroborated by three District SSPs, revealed that the Central leadership in Srinagar made desperate calls to district functionaries from 0630 hours to 0730 hours to get up urgently and reach Hazratbal for a public meeting at Sheikh’s mausoleum. No such mobilization had been made till the wee hours today.

Most of the party’s senior and medium-rung leaders, including a number of Ministers and legislators, former legislators besides Dr Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah attended the congregational Fatiha Khwani at Hazratbal amid tight security arrangements.

Among others, Chief Minister visited the mausoleum and paid floral tributes to his grandfather, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, and grandmother, Begam Akbar Jehan, both buried in a public park reclaimed on the banks of Dal Lake beside the picturesque Naseem Bagh and Kashmir University campuses. Omar prayed for J&K’s peace and prosperity.

In his message, Chief Minister described Sheikh Sahib as an architect of the multi-religious, multi-cultural state and a secular and democratic polity. While underscoring significance of Sheikh Abdullah’s struggle and sacrifices for Jammu and Kashmir state, Omar Abdullah said that welfare and public empowerment was the National Conference founder’s cherished desire and goal and he made all the possible endeavours in this direction.

“Sheikh Sahib propagated and nurtured amity, brotherhood and mutual trust between various sections of the society and lived as a torch-bearer of Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Christian unity. His slogan of ‘Sher-i-Kashmir Ka Kya Irshad, Hindu-Muslim-Sikh Ittihad’ still reverberates in the hearts and minds of people and its resonance is equally felt in the mountains, valleys and planes of Jammu and Kashmir”, he said and vowed his commitment for strengthening this preaching and teaching of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah.

Omar said that Sheikh Abdullah laid the edifice of ‘Naya Kashmir’ with a clear vision of public empowerment and involvement in the formulation and implementation of development plans in accordance with the aspirations of the people and requirements of the areas. He said that his government would put in all efforts to work for realizing the progressive, peaceful and economically prosperous New Jammu and Kashmir as envisioned by Sheikh.

Omar said that the best way of paying tributes to Shiek Sahab was to follow his footprints and work together for achieving peace and prosperity for the State and strengthening the cherished secular democratic values advocated and propagated by the NC founder.

He said that the foundation laid by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah to universalize education and healthcare facilities in the State and uplift the downtrodden sections of the society by upgrading their socio-economic and education status clearly describes the love Sheikh Sahib possessed for the common people especially belonging to poorer sections of the society.

Chief Minister said that the concept of single line administration and devolution of power from central level to grass roots introduced and implemented by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah constitutes the necessary pillar in good-governance and public empowerment. He said that the revolutionary measure of land to tiller taken by Sheikh Sahib had helped a lot to fill up the gap between the haves and the have-nots and built a society on the principle of equality and justice.

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NC’s tribute of silence to its founder Sheikh Abdullah!

Leaving all the space to PDP and separatists, J&K’s largest political party has now reconciled to oblivion

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Sep 8: They call their organisation as Jammu and Kashmir’s largest political party even after reducing its base in Legislative Assembly from 58 seats in 1996 to 29 in 2008. They claim other distinctions: Being the only political outfit that has base and representation in all the three regions of the state; having maximum number of its representative, among all state parties, in Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and the state’s own Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council. They also claim that maximum of the Panches and Sarpanches elected in 2011 Panchayat elections are affiliated to their party. But, conversely, leaders of the ruling National Conference (NC) are not going to hold any congregation to remember the party’s founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah on his 30^th death anniversary tomorrow.

In fact, the process of forgetting Sher-e-Kashmir began a few years back when Government of Jammu and Kashmir withdrew gazetted holiday from its calendar over 25 years after Sheikh’s death in 1982. It was followed by cancellation of the remembrance ceremony at Sheikh’s mausoleum at Hazratbal. A tribute paying still takes place on the NC founder’s birth anniversary every year on December 5^th but the number of participants has drastically reduced in the last five years.

Even as few of Sheikh’s devotees, like late Maqbool Shah Khaksaar, mustered courage to turn up at his tombstone on occasion of his birth and death anniversaries in the worst of times from 1990 to 1995 and most of today’s Ministers and legislators did hide themselves in Jammu after publishing resignation advertisements and apologies to militants, a change in the ambience was witnessed in 1996-97. With Dr Farooq Abdullah functioning simultaneously as Chief Minister and NC’s President, multitudes of the party workers converged on Hazratbal to remember Sher-e-Kashmir on all of his birth and death anniversaries from 1996 to 2002.

Even the militants’ threats, an IED, thick snow accumulation and sub-zero temperature failed to stop thousands of Sheikh’s devotees from attending a massive remembrance event in December 1998. On one of such occasions, independent media reports put the number of participants between 15,000 to 20,000---one of the largest by the post-1990 Kashmir standards. Even after NC lost power to a PDP-Congress coalition in November 2002, Quran Khwani and Fatiha Khwani by thousands of the party supporters used to be a routine feature at the mausoleum in Hazratbal, both on September 8^th and December 5^th, from 2002 to 2007.

Enthusiasm was so overwhelming that Directorate of Information, first under KB Jandial and later under Farooq Reenzu, organized photo exhibitions at Sheikh’s mausoleum on his birth and death anniversaries even during Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s regime. Even on the Martyrs Day of July 13^th, NC would organize well-attended public gatherings at Mazaar-e-Shuhada (Naqashband Sahab) and Sher-e-Kashmir Park in defiance of militant-sponsored shutdown. This age-old practice has also been abandoned now.

Even on the Martyrs Day in 2008, when the NC was in opposition and the Hurriyat-sponsored bandh was complete during the Amarnath land row, party’s workers stuck to their ground firmly. They clashed with invading separatists, repulsing their advances and breaking doors and windows of their houses in the neighbourhood and continued to pay homage to the Year-1931 martyrs at Mazar-e-Shuhada at a three-hour-long function. It was on this occasion that head of then ruling PDP, Mehbooba Mufti, had to run for life at the venue, leaving behind her shoes. Sympathizers of militants and separatist leaders trooped into a female Councilor’s house in the evening, thrashed her and her sister but failed to force her resign.

Nevertheless, Year 2008 seems to have come as a turning point as neither NC nor any other mainstream political party has been able to hold a presentable gathering on such occasions in Srinagar or elsewhere. With some changes, the number of participants on I-Day and R-Day functions too seems to have shrunk to a trickle post-2008. Prasar Bharti’s CEO, Jawahar Sircar, who was in Srinagar last month, noticed with surprise that even the Director of Srinagar Doordarshan had sent to New Delhi only the posterior visuals of her national flag hoisting event on the Independence Day to hide her face from the viewers. It has happened first time since 1989.

Notwithstanding some lackluster shows on such occasions in the first year of Omar Abdullah’s coalition government in 2009, there was no activity in 2010. A Policeman went to the extent of hurling his shoes on the chief guest and the Chief Minister on I-Day function at Bakhshi Stadium in Srinagar. Over a hundred civilians died on streets from June 10^th to September 13^th in clashes with Police and CRPF. Around Sheikh’s birth anniversary, Chief Minister as well as his father remained clung to Iftaar parties and visits to residences of Congress leaders in New Delhi to save their regime. They spent not more than 5 minutes in a floral tribute to Sheikh at Hazratbal and went back to Delhi.

Even after restoration of peace and normality, there was no activity at Hazratbal or any other place on Sheikh’s birth anniversary next year. On September 8^th in 2010 as well as in 2011, State Information Department circulated brief four-paragraph handouts to cover Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s and Dr Farooq Abdullah’s remembrance rituals. On both occasions, bigger functions were in fact held in Jammu where Rattan Lal Gupta, Ajay Sadhotra and others delivered lengthy speeches on Sheikh at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhawan and MLA Bimla Luthra led a rally of the party workers.

“We have lately organized a big rally at Hazratbal on occasion of Madr-e-Meherban’s death anniversary on July 11^th. Now, we will be holding another on Sher-e-Kashmir birth anniversary on December 5^th. We can’t trouble people so frequently”, said a senior NC leader and former Minister. Party’s official spokesman, Tanvir Sadiq confirmed that there would be no public gathering at Hazratbal tomorrow. “Omar Sahab and others are scheduled to visit for a Fatiha Khwani in the morning. Then there would a collective Fatiha but no speeches”, Tanvir told Early Times. He said that instead of holding a major rally at Hazratbal, party workers would gather at all district headquarters and pay tributes to Sher-e-Kashmir.

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Mirwaiz confidante alleges ‘rigging’ in Bar elections

‘Urdu daily editor, Police and Revenue officers, among bogus voters’

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Sep 2: Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s confidante and a member of his Awami Action Committee (AAC), Advocate Shahidul Islam has leveled allegations of “largescale rigging and bogus voting” in the lately conducted elections of High Court Bar Association (HCBA). He has complained that despite being a licensee advocate and a genuine voter, he was among a large number of voters who were denied right to participate in the elections even as a number of ‘ bogus voters’, including editor of an Urdu daily and officers of Police and Revenue departments, were allowed to cast vote.

“I will not take it lying down. I will raise my voice and fight for my right’, Aftab Hilali Shah alias Shahidul Islam, who claimed to a member of Hurriyat Conference’s Working Committee and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s AAC, told Early Times. Once a top ranking commander of then dreaded militant outfit, Hizbullah, Shahidul Islam has distanced himself from guerrilla warfare after his arrest and subsequently release from a jail over 15 years back. Over a decade ago, he joined AAC and has been asserting as Mirwaiz Umar’s personal spokesman. He has been occasionally attending Hurriyat’s meetings on behalf of Mirwaiz Umar---the separatist amalgam’s founder-chairman and incumbent head.

Now a Police-protected Hurriyat activist and Mirwaiz Umar’s spokesman, Shahidul Islam is the first in the Valley’s entire separatist camp who has come out with serious allegation of rigging and bogus voting in the HCBA elections, held on Thursday last. Since 1990, HCBA has been an open advocate of Kashmir’s “freedom” from India and it has been reaffirming its political resolve after its elections and round-the-year by staying away from all government functions including the official ones, like swearing-in of judges, held by J&K High Court.

From 1993 to 2003, HCBA functioned as a General Council constituent of ‘All Parties Hurriyat Conference”. After Hurriyat’s split in 2003, it has been asserting as an independent “pro-freedom organisation” while issuing statements, staging demonstrations, contesting detention and charges slapped on separatist activists and militants besides organizing conferences. All the 600-odd advocates, practicing at J&K High Court in Srinagar, excluding those recruited or engaged by Government of India and Government of Jammu and Kashmir, qualify to be its members. Prominent separatist leaders, like Mian Abdul Qayoom and Nazir Ahmad Ronga, have been HCBA’s Presidents for most of terms in the last 23 years.

While talking to Early Times, Shahidul Islam alleged that the HCBA elections were being held in “completely non-democratic atmosphere”. “There’s no transparency. Even in the recent elections, electoral roll was surreptitiously changed just two days before scheduled date of polling”, Shahidul Islam lamented. He complained that a number of genuine voters, including he, were prevented from casting vote and their names were removed from the electoral roll. “Everything was hijacked”, he alleged. According to him, even the officers of Police and Revenue departments cast votes.

“A large number of bogus voters were incorporated in the list and allowed to cast vote. They included about 150 members from district bars who have been admitted as voters only on account of their loyalty and liaison to a former HCBA functionary. Many of those, who are not practicing lawyers and members of HCBA, were allowed to cast vote. They included an editor of a local Urdu daily besides a spokesman of a politico-religious organisation. I don’t want to name them as both are my good friends”, Shahidul Islam asserted. He claimed that he had completed his LL B from University of Kashmir in 1988-89, got himself registered as a legal practitioner and obtained Advocates License No: 2041/89 from the competent authority.

Nobody from HCBA could be reached for comment over telephone. However, a couple of HCBA members argued on condition of anonymity that despite having obtained license in 1989, Shahidul Islam had never practiced law in any court and thus he was not entitled to being a member of HCBA or a voter for the elections. “He practiced different things but not law”, said one of them. He claimed that the elections were held in a transparent and democratic manner under the supervision of a senior advocate who had been duly appointed as Election Commissioner by the HCBA Governing Body. “Why doesn’t he name the Police and Revenue officers who, according to him, cast votes?” he asked.

Shahidul Islam admitted that he had not worked as full-time legal practitioner but asked: “Those having completed Bachelors in Law through correspondence course are not qualified to become HCBA’s members or voters. Isn’t it a fact that a number of such individuals did cast vote in the elections on Thursday last?” He claimed that, until last year, he had voted in all the HCBA elections and nobody had ever objected to his enrolment as a voter. According to him, bogus voting took place in order to ensure victory for a particular candidate faithful to a former Bar chief.

In the annual elections held last week, senior advocate Zaffar Qureishi defeated Mirwaiz loyalist advocate Nazir Ahmad Ronga as President of HCBA with a margin of 104 votes. Mohammad Ashraf Bhat was elected as General Secretary, defeating advocate Ghulam Nabi Shaheen. Advocate Aijaz Ahmad Bedar was elected as Vice President.

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Fiancee’s murder by fiancé sends shockwaves in Shopian

10,000 people run amok; killer’s house torched, orchards destroyed

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Aug 29: Murder of a 21-year-old woman by her fiancé, nine days before their scheduled wedding, has sent shockwaves across south Kashmir as thousands of outraged residents converged on a village in Shopian and destroyed the alleged killer’s houses and orchards.

Informed sources in south Kashmir told Early Times that dead body of a 21-year-old woman, namely Tawheeda D/o Mohammad Shafi Dar R/o Ahend, Shopian, was spotted and recovered from the ferociously flowing Veshav Nallah at Rishi Nagri, over 3 Km downstream of the famous waterfall of Aharbal, last evening. Tawheeda, who was engaged to her neighbour and old classmate, namely Eetimad Hussain Dar S/o Mohammad Yousuf Dar, was missing from her home since August 17^th. Their wedding stood scheduled on August 26^th.

On August 18^th, Police had filed a missing report on the statement of Tawheeda’s family members which was finally converted into FIR No: 275 of 2012. On the family’s complaint, Police took into custody Tawheeda’s fiancé, Eetimad Hussain Dar, alongwith his father. During sustained questioning, the would-be bridegroom made a chilling revelation that he had taken his fiancée ostensibly on a picnic to Aharbal on August 17^th and killed her by pushing her into the ferocious Veshav Nallah near Aharbal bridge when she was standing on a rock, about 600 metres upsteam of the waterfall.

Eetimad disclosed during interrogation that he was not interested in tying the nuptial knot to Tawheeda though they had remained engaged and in a relationship for the last three years. He revealed that in June 2011, he had developed an affair with another girl, namely Raafi of Kamad, Dyalgam (Anantnag) and secretly executed his engagement with her.

As the date of marriage between Tawheeda and Eetimad drew closer, he planned to eliminate her around the festival of Eid on a picnic at Aharbal.

Sources said that Eetimad owned and operated a Tata-407 pick-up and his family had a flourishing fruit business and apple orchards at three villages. He had returned after killing Tawheeda and stayed at his home without disclosing his criminal act to anybody. As he was arrested and spilled the beans during sustained interrogation, he led Police to the spot where some local men from Gujjar community confirmed that Eetimad had brought Tawheeda on a motorcycle and both had enjoyed for a couple of hours near a spot in the jungle, close to Aharbal bridge.

Police launched a search for the dead body and it could not be spotted or recovered for 11 days. Finally, some residents spotted Tawheeda’s blood splattered body close to the river bank near Rishi Nagri and they informed Police. Police rushed to the spot and took the body into custody. It had begun decomposing.

As the body was being carried for post mortem and other medico-legal formalities from Rishi Nagri, Aharbal, to Shopian, thousands of residents from dozens of villages gathered and rushed to Shopian. Eyewitnesses said that over 200 trucks, buses, Tata Sumo vehicles and tractor trolleys carried the outraged residents to Shopian. On a couple of occasions, the crowds threw stones and clashed with Police.

Police sources said that they managed to conduct the post mortem and other medico-legal formalities against heavy odds and late last night the body was carried to Ahend, near Rawalpora and Kachhdora villages, in Zainapora area and handed over to the bereaved family. Emotional scenes marked Tawheeda’s arrival as she returned dead just a week before the scheduled date of her wedding.

Sources said that while Police were grappling with the crowds and managing post mortem at the district headquarters, over 10,000 residents of Ahend, Rawalpora, Kachhdara, Chowdhrigund and other adjoining villages gathered at Ahend. The furious mobs set on fire alleged killer Eetimad Dar’s residential house and its adjoining structures. Thereafter, they trooped to three or four of his orchards and felled about a hundred apple-laden trees. As the father and his son were in Police custody, others of the family had already deserted their village and taken shelter at a relative’s house at Hanjipora.

SP Shopian, Mumtaz Ahmad, admitted that Police could not protect the alleged killer’s house and orchards as it encountered a huge law and order problem at the district headquarters. Still, 30 armed personnel, headed by an Inspector, were deployed for the safety of Eetimad Dar’s family members and relatives at Hanjipora. “Eetimad is in Police custody as Tawheed’s killer. His father has been placed in protective custody”, SP Shopian said.

In the forenoon today, Tawheeda’s funeral took place at Ahend. A middle ranking Police officer said that about 20,000 people participated in the funeral and Namaaz-e-Janazah. They demanded exemplary punishment to the alleged killer.

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Minister, DGP not allowed in to attend Army function

Chib, Prasad, Sahai miss lunch with CM as JAKLI gate shut on them at old airport in Srinagar

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Aug 28: Minister of Medical Education, R S Chib, and Director General of Police, Ashok Prasad, returned to Srinagar ‘in protest’ after they were humiliated publicly and the gates were shut on them at the main entrance of JAKLI headquarters of Army at Rangreth, near the old Srinagar Airport today. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who had been invited as the chief guest, was allowed in and he attended the function, knowing nothing about the treatment meted out to his Cabinet colleague, DGP and other officials of the state government.

Highly placed authoritative sources disclosed to Early times that DGP Ashok Prasad would be communicating his ‘official protest’ to General Officer Commanding 15 Corps over the “shabby treatment” meted out to him, other senior officers of J&K Police and a Cabinet Minister ( R S Chib) by army staff at the main entrance of Jammu & Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI) at Rangreth, near old airport of Srinagar. Messers Chib, Prasad and IGP Kashmir, S M Sahai, were prevented from entering the military formation where they were going to attend lunch at conclusion of a JAKLI ceremonial function, known as Reunion Day, held after every four years.

Official sources, corroborated by eyewitnesses, said that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who had been invited as chief guest and happens to be an honorary member of the JAKLI mess, reached on time at around 1300 hours. He was, as usual, escorted by an SSG cavalcade and drove straight to the venue without any hindrance.

Minutes after the CM’s arrival, senior Congress leader and Minister of Medical Education, Youth Services and Sports, R S Chib, reached the main entrance. He was escorted by his PSOs, radio operator and two Police escort vehicles. Mr Chib, DGP Prasad, IGP Sahai, and several other state government dignitaries had also been invited for the lunch. However, the JAKLI security staff shut the gate at once and told the Minister and his security staff curtly that they could not be allowed in as they had reached “late”. Even as the Minister’s staff argued that the VIP had been invited only for the lunch and he was not supposed to attend the Reunion Day function in the forenoon, JAKLI guards did not relent.

Thereupon, SHO of Police Division Humhama, Sub Inspector Ghulam Jeelani, Naib Tehsildar who was posted as executive magistrate, and Dy SP Traffic (Rural), Gh Hyder, reached the spot. Their requests and arguments too fell on the deaf ears of the JAKLI guards. SHO was seen pulling the barriers physically but the JAKLI staff resisted his move firmly and made it clear that they would not permit anybody in. Interestingly, some civilian contractors walked in smoothly.

On this occasion, DGP, Mr Ashok Prasad, and IGP Kashmir, S M Sahai, too arrived in their cavalcades and their security staff learned that no more guests were being allowed in. They watched the scene for a while. Suddenly, DGP signaled his pilots to turn back and the entire VVIP cavalcade drove back towards Srinagar.

DIG Central Kashmir, Syed Ahfadul Mujtaba, and SSP Budgam, Uttam Chand, had already entered the premises and were both waiting for DGP after receiving Chief Minister. As they came to know that neither Mr Chib nor the DGP had been allowed in, they too left the spot hurriedly and began chasing the VVIP cavalcade, without taking the lunch.

Mr Chib did not respond to repeatedly made calls from this newspaper when attempts were made to know his reaction. DGP’s personal staff advised to “wait for some time” with the assurance that they would call back as soon as their boss would be free. However, three repeated attempts failed to evoke a response. However, senior officials, privy to what they described as “unfortunate incident”, confirmed all details of the treatment meted out to the Minister and senior officers of J&K Police.

Both, SHO as well as Dy SP of traffic on duty, confirmed that the two VVIP cavalcades returned towards Srinagar after their entry was blocked at the JAKLI entrance. “We did our best to do our duty and resolve the crisis but the JAKLI guys did not relent for over 5 minutes”, said maintained.

While as Defence PRO, Lt Col J S Brar, said that he was outside the state on leave, his junior and officiating PRO, Mr Naresh, claimed that no such incident had occurred at the event. “Aisa kuch nahi hai”, he asserted.

However, highly placed sources at Civil Secretariat told Early Times that DGP had taken “serious note” of the treatment meted out to senior Police officers besides a Cabinet Minister who had himself served in Indian Air Force before joining politics in 1983. Sources said that DGP would communicate his ‘note of protest’ to the Corps Headquarters and seek necessary corrective measures to sustain harmony between Police and security forces.

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