Lone beaten, abused by VHP leader
Star News TV channel identified the attacker as Kalkiji Maharaj, the Kashmir state president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), a virulently militant arm of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s Bharatiya Janata Party.
Lone was being interviewed in the lobby of a Jammu hotel when he was repeatedly slapped and pushed by the VHP leader.
“You are anti-Indian. Your people are responsible for killing Hindus in Jammu,” Maharaj shouted as he struck Lone several times despite the presence of armed police.
Lone, an executive member of All Party Hurriyat Conference — was in Jammu to highlight the plight of fellow Hurriyat leader Yasin Malik, who was arrested last week.
The Shiv Sena leader began pushing Lone when the latter had finished his press conference at a hotel in Jammu and was talking to television crews. The Shiv Sena leader kept calling Lone a traitor. Lone’s personal security guard tried to intervene but he was stopped by Maharaj’s security officers.
Maharaj then walked out of the hotel shouting slogans like Jammu ke gadaron ko nikal do. Desh ke gadaron ko nikal do (throw out traitors of Jammu. Throw out traitors of India).
Lone said he was not going to register a formal complaint.
“These people have no sense. They are the same thugs from Gujarat. I pray to God that he gives them some sense. I do not want to take any action against him. I am not sure who is behind this,” said Abdul Gani Lone.
Earlier, Lone pleaded that the JKLF chief Yasin Malik should be released from detention since his health was deteriorating. He also sought Prime Minister’s intervention in the matter. However, the government responded on Monday by picking up Javed Ahmed Mir, Malik’s deputy in the JKLF ahead of a protest march he was to lead in Srinagar.
Lone’s visit to Jammu coincided with a 48-hour general strike called to protest against an attack by Muslim suicide bombers Saturday on a Hindu temple in Jammu that left at least 10 people dead.
Lone responded to Maharaj’s attack by saying groups like the Shiv Sena were responsible for blocking peace moves in Kashmir. He also reiterated his appeal for Malik’s release, saying the Hurriyat leader, who has a history of health problems, was in a serious condition in jail. “The Prime Minister should intervene to have Yasin Malik released,” he said. —JN
SHOPS CLOSED: Shopkeepers downed their shutters in Malik’s neighbourhood of Maisuma, in Srinagar, after JKLF activists said their leader’s condition at an interrogation centre was critical.
Police dismissed the report on Malik’s health as “pure rumours”.
Malik, 35, has a history of medical problems for which he has received treatment in the United States.
Tensions also remained high in occupied Jammu, where suicide bombers attacked a temple on Saturday, leaving at least 10 people dead.
18 KILLED: Another 18 people were killed on Sunday night and Monday in occupied Kashmir.
Indian troops on a search and cordon operation claimed killing three Mujahideen near the township of Patan, north of Srinagar.
Police said the dead men belonged to the Lashkar-i-Taiba.
Five Mujahideen and a civilian were killed during similar operations in the southern villages of Kulipora, Hompatheri and Mirgund.
The bullet-riddled body of a Lashkar man was fished out of a river in Baramulla, police said. He had drowned after being wounded in an encounter with Indian forces, the police added.
Three more Mujahideen were shot dead in Baramulla and Anantnag district, while a Muslim civilian was killed in the district of Rajouri, police said.
Unidentified men also shot dead the vice president of held Kashmir’s ruling National Conference party at Kachimuqam village of Baramulla district. A schoolteacher was shot dead in Kupwara district.
Two more Muslim civilians were killed in the district of Doda in separate shootouts, police said.—AFP