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Kashmir avalanche death toll rises to 83

     Srinagar: Rescuers pulled out dozens of bodies from the snow on Monday in Kashmir as the death toll from avalanches almost doubled to 83, police said. This was region's heaviest snowfall in two decades. Most of the bodies found on Monday were of villagers of southern Anantnag district. Four road workers were killed separately by an avalanche on the region's main highway. More people are reported missing in the four worst hit villages in southern Kashmir, a police officer said. The death toll had been 42 on Sunday. "Avalanche warnings are obstructing the process of clearing the Jammu and Kashmir National Highway for traffic, however, the men and machines of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) are working hard," added the spokesman. In the meantime, long stretches of the National Highway, from Banihal to Patnitop have been cleared of avalanches and landslides. Fourteen-km stretch between Qazigund and Jawahar tunnel has been covered under medium avalanche warning, and the BRO was planning to trigger artificial avalanches to clear the road at the earliest.

      Relief supplies have been dropped by the Indian Army at the southern entrance of the Jawahar tunnel on the Jammu-Srinagar highway. The recent spate of snowfall has turned the basic amenities into luxury for most of the residents here. They have been spending life under virtual house arrest since it started snowing in the Kashmir valley. In the meantime, weather has cleared in Srinagar. It is being hoped that bringing air-supplies will be easier now.

Sena protest against Indo-Pak cricket series (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Dozens of Shiv Sena (SS) activists today took to streets in the Capital to protest against the upcoming cricket series with Pakistan. The slogan-shouting activists sought scrapping of the series being held after a span of six years. "We demand that Pakistan team should not be allowed to come here until Pakistan stops sponsoring terrorists. But still if the Indian government goes ahead with the decision of hosting the series then we will hold protests across the country wherever Pakistani team arrives. We will try and restrict them from playing," said Jai Bhagwan Goel, president of the Delhi wing of Shiv Sena. SS president Bal Thackeray has also threatened to stop the Pakistan cricket team, slated to arrive on Feb 28, from playing in the country. SS is opposed to any sporting ties with Pakistan, accusing Islamabad of aiding an armed separatist revolt in Indian Kashmir. Earlier this month, the activists attempted to damage pitches at stadiums in Mohali and Kanpur, which were, however, foiled by the police. The party activists have earlier also dug up the pitch at New Delhi's Ferozeshah Kotla stadium before Pakistan's last test tour in 1999.

SC to Zaheera: 'Provide details of your accounts' (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: The Supreme Court today asked Zaheera Sheikh, the prime witness in the Best Bakery case, to provide details of her accounts to the court. The apex court gave Zaheera four weeks time to file the details of her assets in the wake of her allegedly changing her statements twice after taking bribe. It also extended the time of high-level committee appointed by it to probe the authenticity of allegations and counter-allegations by Zaheera and social activist Teesta Setalvad in the case to three months. Zaheera took a U-turn when she said that the fast-track court that acquitted all 21 accused for lack of evidence on June 27, 2003 had given her the justice she wanted. The prime witness in the Best Bakery case had also charged Teesta Setalvad with threatening her and forcing her to make statements under duress. She also alleged that Setalvad had held her captive and not allowed her to meet her family. She said she was made to sign legal papers and the matter was taken to the Supreme Court against her wishes. The case involved the killing of 14 people when the Best Bakery in the Hanuman Tekri area of Vadodara was attacked by a large mob and razed to the ground.

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