J&K Police suffer 'worst ever loss' in SI's death

○Dramatic encounter in Bandipore exposes too many chinks in the counterinsurgency armour

○ Close shave for SHO Bandipore, Dy SP Operations

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
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SRINAGAR, Oct 7: Lashkar-e-Tayyiba's Kashmir operations chief Abu Qasim on Wednesday struck the deadliest blow to the counterinsurgency grid of the Jammu and Kashmir Police by eliminating a Sub Inspector responsible for arrest and killing of over a hundred top notch militants in the last 10 years. SI Altaf Ahmad of Zanglipora Kulgam, who acted as head of a crack counter-insurgent unit of the J&K Police since 2006, was shot dead in a dramatic encounter near Gund-e-Dachhin village of Bandipore when he was tracking the LeT chief alongwith a group of eight militants in north-east of the Valley.

According to the well placed officers in J&K Police, SI Altaf left on a high profile operation with seven of his SIT South men in civvies in two civil light motor vehicle after receiving tip off about Qasim’s passage through Bandipore alongwith his six to nine militants. SSPs of Srinagar and Bandipore coordinated the operation of tracking down Qasim and his group.

At Gund-e-Dachhin, a village between Garoora and Nadihal, on Srinagar-Bandipore Road, SHO Bandipore Gazanfar Hussain came out of his civil vehicle and commanded the driver of a Tata-207 pick-up van to halt. SI Altaf and Dy SP Operations Bandipore also came out. As the driver slowed down but refused to stop, Gazanfer took out his pistol and warned him that he would open fire if he didn’t take the command.

Suddenly, unknown number of militants from the back jumped out with their AK-47 rifles in their hands. SHO and Dy SP had a narrow escape as they escaped but Altaf, who was fully exposed, became an easy target of the militants. He was critically injured. After the militants escaped, a reinforcement rushed to the spot and evacuated Altaf to a local hospital. He was later airlifted to Army’s 92 Base Hospital in Srinagar where he succumbed to injuries.

Officers who had groomed Altaf into Special Operations Group of J&K Police from 2006 told STATE TIMES that Altaf's death was equal to killing of 200 SPs. "We are all shaken and shattered. He was a Policeman of amazing operational and intelligence generating capabilities, unmatched in entire Police force", a senior Police officer said. He added that Altaf's death had caused "unimaginable, irreparable loss" to Police's counter-insurgency grid in entire Kashmir valley, particularly in Central Kashmir.

"Without fear of contradiction, I can say more than 50% of our counter-insurgency operations had been planned, executed and led from the front by Altaf in the last 10 years. From Muzafar Dar to Nisar Wani alias Gazi Misbahuddin and upto last month's operation in Ladoora Sopore, he was responsible for arrest and killing of over 200 militants including more than 100 top notch militants. He was the man who arrested once the most wanted militant Rayees Kachroo---the killer of nine Army soldiers in an IED blast. When Rayees managed to escape from custody, Altaf killed him within a few months in a fierce encounter. We can say he had almost completely wiped out Hizbul Mujahideen", another senior officer of high profile operational background said.

Yet another officer of SOG background claimed that Altaf's death was an unprecedented loss to J&K Police in the last 15 years. "Arrest and killing of almost all the high profile militants after 2006 were exclusively to his credit", he asserted. One more senior officer revealed that another equally----or a little lesser important-----asset of J&K Police was eliminated by militants in Srinagar district earlier this year.

Director General of Police K. Rajendra Kumar told STATE TIMES that Altaf's performance and contribution to peace could not be quantified. "He was a Policeman of outstanding qualities, capabilities and courage. He was the master of our most important operations. It's a great setback to Police but we will come out of it and fight terrorism with our unflinching commitment to restoration and maintenance of peace", DGP said.

In a special message to J&K Police, DGP later said: Today we lost one of our most outstanding and expert officers in Counter Insurgency , SI Mohammad Altaf, in an encounter. The intelligence was generated by him and was personally leading the Operation in which he attained martyrdom. An exemplary brave police officer with the heart of a lion and intelligence of exceptional nature who had a passion for hard work and launched relentless ops against terrorists in which a number of top terrorists were neutralised during the last decade or so. My salute to the Martyr. His martyrdom should further strengthen our resolve to wage relentless battle against terrorism and uproot this scourge from our State to bring total peace in the state".

Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, former CM and National Conference acting President Omar Abdullah, DGP Rajendra Kumar and other senior officers of J&K Police paid floral tributes to Altaf at a special wreath-laying function at PCR Srinagar.

Sources said that after completing graduation, Altaf had joined J&K as a Constable in 1998. In 2006, he was inducted into SIT---- SOG's parallel counterterrorist unit headquartered at Police Station Rajbagh. Then SP South Swayam Prakash Pani, currently on deputation with NIA, played key role under Rajendra, Shiv Sahai and other senior officers in establishing the SIT. Altaf headed it for 9 years. For his outstanding performance, he was granted four out of turn promotions to the rank of SI. However, sometime back, State Home Department had turned down the recommendation of Altaf's elevation to the rank of Inspector.

Sources said that the Police top brass were probing if there were any SOP violations in Wednesday’s operation. "There may an inquiry why only four of the12-member SIT team were carrying weapons and there were few BP vests", an officer said. "If it was an undercover operation, we don't know why the SHO, who is otherwise a very intelligent and competent officer, did expose himself and the Police party in civvies".

END

[Published in today's STATE TIMES]

NC on boycott after suspension of 2 MLAs, 2 MLCs for rest of autumn session

○ Mayhem in Assembly as Speaker disallows NC's motion for discussion on Article 35A

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
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SRINAGAR, Sep 6: National Conference on Tuesday declared boycott to the rest of the autumn session in both Houses of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislature after the entire Opposition created mayhem in Assembly over the Speaker's negative treatment to an adjournment motion seeking discussion on Article 35A of the Constitution of India and four of the NC's members were suspended.

With the beginning of the Question Hour on the second day of substantive proceedings, entire Opposition in Assembly got up to support NC's demand for a special discussion on the State government’s response to a petition that has been filed in Supreme Court by an RSS-linked NGO seeking scrapping of Article 35A.

Article 35A of the Constitution of India provides legal and constitutional protection to the special privileges enjoyed by the Permanent Residents of the State of Jammu and Kashmir in terms of acquisition of immovable property, settlement in the State and right to scholarship and employment even if inconsistent with the fundamental rights. The NGO, namely 'We The Citizens' has challenged the law with the argument that the special privileges available exclusively to the Jammu and Kashmir State Subjects were ultra vires of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India. It has maintained that these rights and privileges were also inconsistent with the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948.

A Supreme Court bench has admitted the petition and asked the Jammu and Kashmir government to file its response by November 3.

Speaker Kavinder Gupta, followed by Minister of Law and Parliamentary Affairs Basharat Bukhari, contended that NC's adjournment motion had been turned down for a technical compulsion. Both made it clear that Assembly could not hold a discussion on the subject under Rule 58 Sub Rule 7 as it was sub judice in the apex court.

The Opposition MLAs in one voice rejected Speaker's and Law Minister’s argument and insisted that the scheduled business be adjourned and a discussion allowed on the government’s response to the petition filed in the Supreme Court. While as NC's Ali Mohammad Sagar confronted the Speaker, labelling him as "not impartial", Devinder Singh Rana had a virtual altercation with the Minister.

"We are here to safeguard and protect the Article 370 and Article 35A," Mr Bukhari said, amid thumping of desks by the treasury benches. "Question Hour is meant for raising issues of public interest in the House. Please stop creating disruptions," he stressed. "Go and read the rules. What are you shouting for? By creating this melee, you are only wasting the precious time of this House," Bukhari grumbled on the Opposition. He alleged that the Opposition was not serious in its demand as it wanted nothing but disruption.

"They only want to disrupt the house. It is not necessary to adjourn the Question Hour. Article 35A is sub-judice and there are rules which must be followed," he said.

The Speaker's and the Law Minister’s sustained refusal evoked belligerence from the opposition. Members of NC, Congress, CPM, PDF and independent MLA Engineer Rashid trooped into the well while shouting slogans, questioning Speaker's "partisan behaviour" and tearing off documents. Question Hour proceedings continued on Speaker's direction but hardly anything could be heard in the din.

A number of the agitating MLAs pulled out microphones of the Ministers' tables, stood up on benches, pulled and pushed watch and ward staff, shouted slogans and displayed banners. Attempting to physically prevent Speaker from holding the proceedings, NC's Altaf Ahmad Wani and Abdul Majid Bhat Larmi were dragged out by the marshals and subsequently suspended for rest of the session. In a similar ruckus in Legislative Council, Chairman ordered suspension of NC's MLCs Ali Mohammad Dar and Showkat Hussain Ganai.

Thereupon NC staged a walkout in protest in both Houses. Leader of the Opposition and NC President Omar Abdullah held a meeting of the Opposition members in Deputy Speaker Nazir Gurezi's chamber. While as Congress maintained that it would come up with its decision by the evening, NC decided to boycott proceedings in both Houses of the Legislature for rest of the session. Omar announced the boycott through his Twitter handle. He subsequently alleged that the four NC legislators' suspension was "dictatorial practice of the PDP/BJP combine".

"By suspending only JKNC's members in both houses the Govt has betrayed its true intention--to divide the rank of a united opposition", Omar tweeted. He added: "Mufti Syed confessed his unease to his colleagues at seeing the opposition close ranks over the last two days, especially today over 35A".

END

(Publushed in today's STATE TIMES)

Health Minister says Police are hand-in-glove with drug mafia in J&K

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

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SRINAGAR, Oct 6: Ebullient BJP leader and Minister of Health and Medical Choudhary Lal Singh on Tuesday caused an unprecedented embarrassment to his own government by claiming that Police were hand-in-glove with drug mafia in Jammu and Kashmir and the menace of narcotic trafficking could not be curbed until the Police officers are made accountable. 

Turning the faces of his own colleagues red after many of the PDP-BJP coalition showered praises on Police, Lal Singh said while speaking on a resolution moved by PDP's Javed Hassan Baig in the Assembly: "DG is listening. I don't care if anybody gets angry with me. Fact of the matter is that the drug trafficking owes its existence to indulgence of a section of Police". 

"After Punjab, it is the youth in the state of Jammu and Kashmir who is becoming target of the flourishing drug mafia", Singh added.

He said it is the duty of the police department to expose the nexus and track down the source if they are serious in their fight against chekcing drug menace in the state.

Referring to Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Singh said as Health Minister alone he cannot check the growing menace of drug trafficking. "I need active support of the Police department".

"Police Department comes directly under your charge. I want to make it clear as Health Minister I am working hard to check the drug menace. I can create de- addiction and rehabilitation centres but unless the police department cracks its whip and breaks the backbone of this trade, drug peddlers will flourish in the state and hand over poison to our young generation", Singh asserted.

He said all the drugs enter the state via Lakhanpur in Jammu and despite knowing this, government had failed to track down the culprits and bring them to justice. The minister said that there was need for the government departments to work in close coordination. “De-addiction initiative needs cooperation from all the stakeholders,” he said.

Responding to the points of discussion brought out by other members in the house, Singh claimed those who thought unemployment was the root-cause of growing incidents of drug menace were wrong. He said that the youths found taking the drugs purchased their regular doses by spending hefty amounts of money. They looted jewellery, were involved in chain snatching incidents and other goods such as mobile phones. He said unless strict measures are taken to curb the drug menace it would be difficult to save the youth from falling in the trap.

“There is a lot of work to be done as far as this menace is concerned. You can’t blame a poor drug addict for the problem. The problem lies somewhere else,” Singh asserted.

END

Speaker doesn't allow beef motions, Opposition doesn't allow him to run House 

●Amid ruckus, NC MLAs call Kavinder 'RSS man'

●I am proud to be RSS man: Speaker

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

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SRINAGAR, Sep 5: Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed pandemonium with the beginning of business for the weeklong autumn session on Monday even as Speaker Kavinder Gupta disallowed Opposition's two adjournment motions for a discussion on the demand of scrapping the law that makes cow-slaughter and consumption of beef punishable by 10 years of imprisonment. The Opposition in turn labelled the Speaker as an "RSS man" and did not allow him to operate any proceedings----forcing him to adjourn the House for a day.

In all, Speaker had received five adjournment motions. One of the motions seeking urgent discussion on the situation created by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court order, dated September 8th, for enforcement of section 298-A, B, C and D, had been jointly filed by a number of the National Conference members who included Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mohammad Akbar Lone and Mian Altaf Ahmad. Another adjournment motion of the same substance had been moved jointly by CPM leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami and independent MLA Hakeem Mohammad Yasin. 

Speaker informed the House that he had disallowed both the beef-related motions under Rule 58 sub rule 7 that does not permit such discussion on a matter pending for hearing before a judicial court. He clarified that the three Bills on the same subject would come up for consideration on October 8, the scheduled date for private members' Bills.

Besides, PDP's Anjum Fazili, Javed Hassan Baig and Shah Mohammad Tantray had moved a motion to discuss rise in incidents of domestic violence and brurning of women. Congress MLAs had jointly moved two separate motions for revocation of the hike in service tax of helicopter services for Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine pilgrims and the government’s failure to provide relief to the flood victims of September 2014.

Speaker said that he has disallowed all three of these motions as it was a brief sessions of one week and the members could avail other tools (like 30 minutes discussion and 150 minutes discussion) to agitate these matters. He implored the agitating members to let him run the scheduled business without seeking any adjournment.

However, even before the Speaker's announcement, all the Opposition members got up on their toes and created a ruckus. After the first 7 minutes of disruption, Speaker adjourned the House for 15 minutes. As the members of NC, Congress, CPM and some independent MLAs including Engineer Rashid and Hakeem Yasin did not relent, Speaker ordered another adjournment for one hour.

When the Speaker returned at 12.02 p.m, entire Opposition joined the course of anti-BJP, anti-PDP and anti-RSS slogans. Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed as well as NC Chief Omar Abdullah were in attendance. The NC brigade led by Sagar labelled Speaker Gupta as an "RSS man" while forcefully alleging through slogans that the BJP-PDP coaltion was running the "RSS agenda" in Jammu and Kashmir.

On one tumultuous occasion, NC’s Devinder Singh Rana shouted on Speaker, asking him to clarify whether he was a BJP MLA or an RSS man. Speaker retorted: "I'm proud to be an RSS man". This incensed the entire Opposition and members of different parties trooped into the well. They stood up on tables, tore off papers and continued with slogans against the coalition and the Speaker. 

Two of the NC's belligerent MLAs, Altaf Wani alias Kaloo and Abdul Majid Mir, were dragged out by the watch and ward staff. One of the marshals was injured in the scuffle. Failing to restore order for 33 minutes of mayhem, Speaker adjourned the House for full day.

While as most of the Ministers and MLAs of the Treasury Bench maintained calm and did not confront the Opposition, PDP's Anjum Fazili was one-odd MLA who was seen trying to retaliate.

Later speaking to STATE TIMES, the Opposition MLAs asserted that they would not allow any of the scheduled Business even on Tuesday and subsequently until Speaker sustained the adjournment motions and allowed a special discussion on the beef and cow-slaughter issues.

END

[Published in today's STATE TIMES]

J&K MLA disrupts Assembly proceedings over beef ban

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
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SRINAGAR, Oct 3: Independent member from Langet, Engineer Sheikh Abdul Rashid, on Saturday disrupted beginning of Assembly's autumn session while asserting that cow-slaughter and beef consumption should be decriminalised in the Muslim majority State of Jammu and Kashmir.

As soon as Speaker Kavinder Gupta picked up the obituary references at the beginning of the week-long session, Rashid began shouting that Mufti Mohammad Sayeed-led PDP-BJP coalition was pushing the RSS agenda of banning cow-slaughter in Jammu and Kashmir. He asserted that Jammu and Kashmir was a predominantly Muslim-majority State and no government or political party could proscribe beef which was Halal in Islam and consumed by the Muslims.

Rashid directed his anger even on Speaker Mr Gupta, alleging that the House's Presiding Officer was "biased" against the members seeking a debate on the three opposition Bills demanding lifting of the 1862 ban

With the beginning of the session when speaker Assembly Kavinder Gupta started reading obituary references, MLA Langate Engineer Rashid stood up from his seat with a placard in his hand reading ‘No interference in religious affairs’ tried to make it to the well of the house but was prevented by the marshals, however he continued to disrupt the speaker till the end.

Rashid shouted that J&K was a Muslim majority state and nobody there would be allowed to dictate RSS terms to the masses. “When Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Shareef can speak on any issue in the UN General Assembly, why can’t we speak here on this beef ban issue? We are also elected representatives,” Rashid shouted.

Asking Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed to clear his stand on the beef ban issue, Rashid said, “PDP- BJP is carrying forward RSS agenda here. PDP must clear its stand on the beef ban issue.” According to him, Speaker was not letting him speak on the subject. "Allow me to speak or else ho and join RSS or VHP", Rashid shouted on the Speaker while staging a walkout in protest.

None of the other 88 members of the House however supported or confronted the maverick MLA who has his origin in late Abdul Gani Lone's Peoples Conference.

Substantive business in both Houses of the Legislature is scheduled to begin on Monday. According to well placed official sources, Speaker has admitted the three pro-beef Bills from NC's Ali Mohammad Sagar and Akbar Lone besides CPM leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami and the independent MLA Engineer Rashid. The Bills are likely to come up for consideration and passage on October 8th which is being fixed for discussion on 10 private members' Bills.

While as BJP is demanding blanket ban on cow-slaughter and consumption of beef with strict enforcement of the law originally adopted by Maharaja in 1862, its coalition partner PDP has publicly taken the pro-beef stand identical to that of the opposition National Conference and other opposition Muslim MLAs Engineer Rashid, Hakeem Yasin and Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami.

END

Govt. strategises to kill pro-beef Bills in Assembly on Oct 8th

◆ 3 Bills in Assembly and 2 Bills in Council being pushed to fag end of session

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
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SRINAGAR, Oct 1: Even as the PDP-BJP government is attempting to foil a discussion on the proposed legislation on scrapping of a law that makes cow-slaughter in Jammu and Kashmir punishable by 10 years of imprisonment, the ruling coalition has devised a parallel strategy to kill the opposition's five private members Bills in the bicameral Legislature on October 8th and 9th. Probably the shortest duration autumn session is beginning on October 3rd and ending on October 10th.

On admitting a petition from the J&K Government on Wednesday, Supreme Court of India has fixed next Monday for the first hearing. The Mufti government has contended that the September 8th order from a Division Bench of the J&K High Court in Jammu followed by a Srinagar-based Bench’s notice were “in conflict with each other” and being "exploited by vested interests" for generating a political turmoil and alienation.

While as the Jammu DB, on a PIL filed in 2014, has ordered Director General of Police to ensure enforcement of section 298 A,B,C and D of Ranbir Penal Code against anybody indulging in slaughter or trade of bovine animals or anybody possessing or consuming beef, the Srinagar Bench on a counter PIL has issued notices asking J&K Government why the 1862 monarchical law be not scrapped.

With nobody knowing what the Supreme Court would order on Monday, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s government, in complete coordination between the coalition partners, has initiated parallel attempts to ensure that there was no discussion on the five explosive Bills having potential of splitting the lawmakers on religious lines. A potential embarrassment either to BJP or to PDP, who have diametrically opposite stands on the three opposition Bills, could foreseeably lead to a political crisis including fall of the government.

While as BJP has sponsored a campaign to end cow-slaughter with strict enforcement of the 15 3-year-old law, PDP has adopted a pro-beef posturing in tune with the sentiment of its all-Muslim constituency in Kashmir and Jammu. All but one of BJP's 25 MLAs are Hindus while as all of PDP's 28 MLAs are Muslims.

Two of the private members Bills have been jointly filed in Assembly by the opposition National Conference's Ali Mohammad Sagar and Mohammad Akbar Lone. Two more of almost same substance have been moved separately by CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami and independent MLA Engineer Sheikh Abdul Rashid. In Legislative Council, two identical Bills have been filed separately by NC’s Bashir Ahmad Veeri and Qaisar Jamsheed Lone.

All the ruling and opposition parties are meeting here on Friday to discuss their respective strategies and floor management during the 8-day-long session which would have just 6 days of substantive business.

Well placed authoritative sources revealed to STATE TIMES that rather than disallowing the three Bills in Assembly and two more in the Council, government was now in favour of admitting the same but strategically at the fag end of the session-----on October 8th in Assembly and on October 9th in the Council. Speaker is expected to place as many as 10 private members’ Bills for consideration on October 8th. The last three could be the pro-beef Bills filed by Sagar, Lone, Rashid and Tarigami.

In a possible pandemonium, the one-odd day fixed for the private members' Bills could pass without substantive discussion and voting. Similar situation could be created in the Upper House on October 9th.

The private members' Bills cannot be taken up on the next day under Business rules.

On the other hand, sources said, NC and other opposition parties would stress on preponement of the discussion on the private members' Bills with a strategy to place PDP and BJP in a tough situation. NC's planning to aggressively target not only the government but also the presiding officers of the two Houses became clear on Thursday with Omar Abdullah’s tweets. The Leader of the Opposition lashed out at Speaker Kavinder Gupta's interview in which he told NDTV that the pro-beef Bills were being moved with ill intentions to polarise the MLAs on religious lines.

END

Dy CM among 69 who missed flights due to Srinagar traffic jam

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
______

SRINAGAR, Sep 29: Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Prof Nirmal Singh was among the 69 Jammu and Delhi-bound passengers who missed their flights on Tuesday due to a massive traffic jam on Srinagar-Airport road.

Sometime around 11.30 a.m. residents of Galwanpora village staged a dharna and blocked traffic at Hyderpora on the airport road, officially known as Indira Gandhi Road. They demanded supply of drinking water to their neighbourhood with the complaint that officials and engineers of Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department had failed to keep their promise of providing to them drinking water from a stable source.

The people on dharna complained that nobody in the government had responded to their demands and complaint in the last one week even as Police had assured them eight days ago that the PHE engineers would address their problem within a week's time.

"Left with no alternative, we have gathered here to communicate our just and genuine demand to the Government in the language it understands. We won’t withdraw until we get water", Ghulam Rasool Bhat of Galwanpora told STATE TIMES.

Entire vehicular traffic on Srinagar-Airport road, that also leads to Budgam and over two dozen major towns, came to a standstill due to the squatting of the angry residents of the area on periphery of the summer capital. Jammu and Delhi-bound passengers, who included elderly women, handicapped men and scores of young children, were seen coming out of the stranded vehicles and rushing towards the airport desperately while making efforts to catch their flights.

"It seems that there's no government in place in this State", a middle aged woman passenger carrying her heavy luggage complained.

It was only after 90 minutes of the anarchical situation that some Police officials and incharge DC of Srinagar reached the spot to mollify the demonstrators with the assurances that drinking water would be provided to the locality.

After about three hours of mayhem, authorities succeeded to convince the demonstrators for calling off dharna. Traffic was diverted to airport via National Highway Bypass and Rawalpora. It resulted in further jams on the Bypass. By the time traffic was restored, scores of passengers had missed their flights. Twenty of them were accommodated by Go Air in its late afternoon flights subsequently but around 50 returned to Srinagar disappointed. Some of the passengers were seen weeping over the predicament they were forced to face due to the authorities' failure to meet the demonstrators on time.

SSP Anti - hijacking at Srinagar Airport Manzoor Ahmad Dalal told STATE TIMES that Deputy Chief Minister Prof Nirmal Sigh and three of his staff members missed their Jammu-bound Air India flight 822 as they failed to show up by its departure time of 2.25 p.m. "Now Honoursble Dy CM will travel to Jammu tomorrow. He is booked on one of tomorrow's flights", Mr Dalal said. He said that one or two passengers do routinely miss a flight but it was for the first time in the last over one year that 69 passenger failed to show up. Dy CM reached airport at 2.45 pm when the flight had been pushed back on the tarmac.

In all, officials said, that 69 passengers missed their flights. However, Go Air managed to accommodate 20 of its no-show passengers in the afternoon flights subsequently. Of the 49 passengers who returned to Srinagar, 25 were booked on Indigo flights, 11 on SpiceJet, 9 on Jet Airways and 4, including Dy CM, on Air India.

Sources said that DGP K. Rjendra Kumar pulled up many of the Police and Civil officials for their failure to respond to the situation on time. While as SSP Srinagar Amit Kumar pleaded that Hyderpora was the jurisdiction of Budgam district Police, officials said that DC Srinagar Farooq Lone was currently on mid-career training. SSP Traffic Srinagar Maqsood-uz-Zamaan said that he had just returned from Hajj and had not yet joined his duty.

Phone of DIG Traffic Alok Kumar was continuously switched off. Unconfirmed reports said that he was himself among some senior officers who arrived in from Jammu or Delhi, got stuck in the jam and walked a distance to come out of the mess.

END