TRACED: Interpol has finally confirmed to the court that Major Avtar Singh, a territorial army major responsible for the abduction and murder of lawyer and human rights activist Jaleel Andrabi lives in California. A letter from Unites States National Central Bureau has been provided to the CJM Srinagar seeking documentary evidences of his involvement besides fingerprints which are pre-requisites for his extradition. It also requires formal request for extradition. Andrabi disappeared on March 8, 1996 and his corpse was fished out 19 days later from Jehlum at Padshahi Bagh in Srinagar. A Special Investigation Team of police that probed the case held Major Singh of TA-103 responsible.
ALLEGED: A Chennai woman T Sharmila has registered an FIR against S R Sameul, an IPS officer currently commanding IRP-13 for duping her into marriage by claiming that he was a Hindu and a vegetarian. She also accuses him of cruelty and taking dowry. The FIR was registered on the directions of Madras High Court. Sharmila and Sameul hail from Paramakudi in Ramanathapuram district. Sharmila had resigned as a bank official to pursue civil services examination. The marriage took place early 2009 which was Sameul’s second marriage. He is facing the prospects of getting arrested.
ARRESTED: Police have arrested Ghulam Mohammad Dar of Brakpora for abetting the suicide of a young woman from Islamabad. A teacher, he had lured the woman by promising to get her employment in the government. He allegedly sexually exploited her using sedatives and anti-anxiety drugs. The woman ended her life and her body was recovered on December 17.
ARRESTED: Sub inspector Mustafa of IRP-10 was detained by Budgam police for misbehaving and assaulting a female doctor and her staff during night hours at PHC Budgam. He had come to the PHC for treatment to his injuries that he had sustained while in an inebriated condition. Threat by doctors to go for a strike accelerated police action against their own man.
DIRECTED: Home Ministry had directed police that all complaints that a police station receives should become FIRs immediately. Directions to this effect are being sent by the MHA to all state governments in wake of the Ruchika Girhotra case. The government, in the proposed amendment to the CrPC, wants to make it mandatory for Station House Officers to give reasons for registration of a case as well as non-registration of case after receiving a complaint. It is not immediately known if the directions will be applicable to J&K as well where in last twenty years a large number of complaints were directed against the counter-insurgency grid.
DIED: One of Kashmir’s popular singers Abdul Rashid Farash died of brain haemorrhage at the age of 42 (December 12, 1967 – December 30, 2009). He is survived by his wife and two daughters aged nine and three. Farash gained popularity with his famous number, Mout’e Tchuro Karith Khali Kam Khane Taye and his profressional career coincided with the rise of militancy. Termed by some as a ‘tragedy singer’, he was very popular with the younger generation. The sudden death left his friends, fans and well wishers in gloom. He was supposed to record his latest number within two days that would have got him recognition by Radio as category A singer. Farash’s last on stage performance was on December 13 when he performed in a program organised to commemorate the death of legendry singer Ghulam Hassan Sofi.
MET: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had a meeting with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Wednesday last. He also handed over the Justice (retd) Saghir Committee report on the centre-state relations to him. Omar also apprised him of the status of the “quiet talks” with the separatists as well as overall security situation in the state.
INVITED: Pakistan High Commission has invited Kashmiri separatists for a meeting with Senate Chairman, Farooq Ahmad Nayak and Speaker National Assembly, Dr Fehmida Mirza on January 6, in New Delhi. Invitations have gone to Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Mohammad Yasin Malik along with their colleagues. The two senators are on a six-day visit to India in connection with Commonwealth Presiding Officers Conference.
SUGGESTED: Home Ministry has told the cellular operators in J&K to come up with fool-proof verification systems for subscribers if they wish to get the prepaid services revived in the troubled region. Home Minister P Chidambaram says the ban can not be revoked unless he is personally satisfied with the alternative verification system. In Kashmir it has triggered a joke that he is keen to solve Kashmir issue at the earliest but is busy with the mobile telephony issue.
