Kashmir's oldest hospital ‘ailing’, admin unmoved

Srinagar: The Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial hospital in Srinagar’s old town, one of the oldest hospitals of the Valley has just two doctors to attend to hundreds of visiting patients during the night hours.

If insiders are to be believed, only two doctors- one in emergency and another in Gynecology section cater to the healthcare demands of over a hundred patients visiting the hospital during night. Many of the patients, they said are referred to other hospitals in this summer capital due to the shortage of the medicos.

The ‘official apathy', as alleged by locals has cost many lives in the past.

Abdul Rasheed, a local narrated how his young son died due to the delayed treatment at the hospital.

“My son who had complications is chest was brought to the hospital for treatment. Due to the unavailability of doctors, we had to rush him to SK Institute of Medical Science (SKIMS). However, he died on the way to the hospital,” Rashid said.

“He could have survived had there been more doctors to attend him. The government’s lackadaisical approach killed my son,” he added.

Pertinently, the JLNM hospital Rainawari was established by Britishers during their rule in 1889. In 1990’s it was named after the first Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

In the month of December last year, hospital sources said that at least 12476 patients visited the hospital in which at least 4000 patients visited during night hours. On an average, they said as many as 605 patients visit the hospital daily including 100 cases in causality.

“During the summer unrest last year, the patients had to suffer a lot. About 500 patients used to visit hospital in night time because of the curfew and restrictions in place during the day,” they added.

Adding to the list of problems, sources said the dermatologist post has not filled from the last four months by the administration.

"The hospital has 11 sections including dermatology. The dermatologist post is still vacant from 11 October, 2010 after Dr Ghulam Mohammad, who earlier held the post went on a leave," sources added.

The shortage of doctors, belying the much hyped official claims has also caused strong resentment among the locals.

"The hospital is ailing. The authorities have to wake-up. They can’t let the Valley’s oldest hospital go in shambles,” Abdul Sataar of Saida Kadal told this correspondent.

When contacted, Director Health, Mohammad Amin told Kashmir Dispatch that two senior doctors attend the patients during the night.

“Keeping in view the flow of patients, we have kept two senior doctors for night shift,” he said.

Amin also denied that the post of dermatologist was lying vacant for over four months.

“A lecturer was kept on standby, but within next week a permanent doctor would be appointed for the vacant post,” he added.

KD Exclusive: Jaleel's 'Killer' Avtar Singh a 'free man': US Police

Srinagar: Selma City Police, who arrested former Indian Army Major Avtar Singh last month on charges of domestic violence in California, on Wednesday said that Singh is a 'free man' and is not under any kind of police surveillance.

"He is not in our custody, he was released on bail and since then he is a free man," Lt. Christie Ediger, a Selma Police official told Kashmir Dispatch over phone from US.

The official, however declined to comment on the Interpol's Red corner notice against Singh and whether Interpol has approached Selma Police with a fresh request to keep a vigil on him.

"I cannot comment on that aspect," she said.

A New Delhi based news paper on Monday reported that Singh, a prime accused in the kidnapping and murder of human rights activist, Jaleel Andrabi was in preventive custody of Selma Police.

The newspaper quoted Inspector General (IGP) Crime, Raja Ajaz Ali who is also Interpol's laison offcier in Jammu and Kashmir saying that 'Singh was in the preventive custody of the US police in California'.

Singh has been evading arrest since he fled India. In 2005, he was traced to Canada but soon went into hiding after his cover up was blown off. Later, he had migrated to US and is presently running a trucking business in Selma, Fresno County in California.

Earlier, Andrabi's family had also expressed apprehensions on the attempts made by the government to extradite Singh. A family member told Kashmir Dispatch that the delay on part of the government might allow Singh to run away from his present location, as he did before when he was traced to Canada in 2005.

Sources in Home Ministry told Kashmir Dispatch on Tuesday that the government has already given a go ahead for Singh extradition from US.

On February 21, a California based news channel, Action News reported on Avtar Singh’s presence in Selma locality of California. Singh who was in hiding since he left India was arrested on charges of domestic violence after his wife filed a police complaint.

Despite an Interpol red corner notice, the US State Department told the local police that it wasn't necessary to hold Singh, who let Singh free on bail hours after his arrest. However, the local police say they will still keep a close vigil on his movements after fingerprints revealed his identity and an Interpol hold for Andrabi's murder.

Major Avtar Singh of 35th Rashtriya Rifles, is accused of killing 11 persons including Andrabi. He fled India in 2005 and was living in Canada before fleeing to US.

According to the investigations carried out by a police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) on court orders, Singh along with government gunmen abducted Jaleel near Barazulla on airport road on March 8 in 1996, when the activist was driving home along with his wife.

The mutilated body of Andrabi was found in the Kursuraj Bagh, Srinagar on the banks of the Jhelum River on the morning of March 27, 1996. 42-year old Andrabi had been shot in the head and his eyes had been gouged out. An autopsy showed that he had been killed days after his arrest.

A case was registered under FIR No. 139/96 in police station Saddar, Srinagar and a case for the past 15 years is pending in the CJM Court.

JKLF hunger strike: Hundreds join Malik

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Mohammad Yaseen Malik was Saturday joined by hundreds of people including family members of those who lost dear ones to state action during a day-long hunger strike to protest ongoing raids and arrests against the youth in Kashmir Valley.

The protesters also demanded justice for people ‘martyred’ during the summer last year besides showed solidarity with people languishing in jails in and out of the state.

Besides Malik and victim families, leaders of Hurriyat Conference (M), member of bar association and people from other walks of the life joined the hunger strike at Maisuma here in civil lines.

JKLF Chairman, Mohammad Yasin Malik alleged that New Delhi was forcing ‘non-violent’ Kashmiri youth to violence again.

“Our student teenagers are arrested and labelled as stone pelters by Indian security agencies. By these tactics India is forcing them to take the gun again,” Malik said.

“The need of the hour is to safeguard and sustain the ongoing peaceful agitation to reach the right to self determination,” he added.

He said that the Indian government and its civil society should recognize it and give a proper political space to the Kashmiris.

He said that the hunger strike was joined by almost all the families whose children were killed in last year’s unrest. “Apart from these families, the protest was joined in people from intelligentsia, lawyers and from other walks of life. At least 3000 people took part in it which clearly sends out a message that this oppressive tactic of rounding up people should and as soon as possible,” he said.

Drawing parallels with current wave of demonstrations in Arab world, he said, “What is happening in Middle East is what the people of Kashmir had shown through a transition from a violent to a non-violent movement. The discourse of this peaceful way of struggling against the dictatorship was actually started by the people of Kashmir,” he said.

The Hunger strike was joined in by senior Hurriyat (M) leaders including Prof. Abdul Gani Bhat, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Bilal Gani Lone, Mukhtar Ahmad waza, Masroor Abbass, Hakim Abdul Rashid, advocate Shahid-ul Islam and others.

Advocate Zafar Shah, Advocate Nazir Ahmad Ronga, APDP Chairperson Parveena Ahanger, Dr Ghulam Qadir Allaqaband, and activists of Anjuman-e-Sheri-Shiyan and Muslim Khateen Markaz led by Yaseem Raja also participated in the fast strike

Most of the speakers stressed upon peaceful and sustain the peaceful agitation till its logical end, urging youth to desist from non-violent methods to avoid any damage to the ongoing ‘peaceful’ struggle.

Professor Abdul Gani Bhat called for a disciplined means to continue the “freedom struggle”.

He also divulged on three member interlocutors by New Delhi and stressed that there was “no fun in talking them as they only can recommend things to the decision makers.”

“The panel can only recommend while as the power to implement it rests with some other people. Our stand is to seek a permanent settlement of Kashmir so the recommendations will not serve any purpose,” he said.

“Though the final decision on talks with the panel rests with the party, there seems no fun in talking to them,” Bhat added.

Govt's priority national interest not justice, says Jaleel Andrabi's family

Srinagar: Reacting to the media reports that the government is making attempts to extradite former Indian Army Major Avtar Singh, who is wanted in the murder of human rights activist Jaleel Andrabi, his family has expressed doubts on the sincerity of the government which according to the family ‘always gives priority to the national interest over justice’.

“I don’t see it as a ray of hope. They will not do anything as it will spoil India’s global image,” said Arshid Andrabi, Jaleel’s brother and lawyer who is fighting the case in High Court since 1996.

“The Director, CBI in New Delhi is in-charge of Interpol affairs in India and to safe guard the national interest they don’t take interest in this case, that’s why instead of being in jail the accused in enjoying in a foreign country,” he said.

On February 21, a California based news channel, Action News reported on Avtar Singh’s presence in Selma locality of California. Singh who was in hiding since he left India was arrested on charges of domestic violence after his wife filed a police complaint.

Despite an Interpol red corner notice, the US State Department told the local police that it wasn't necessary to hold Singh, who let Singh free on bail hours after his arrest. However, the local police say they will still keep a close vigil on his movements after fingerprints revealed his identity and an Interpol hold for Andrabi's murder.

Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) in February 2010 had issued an Interpol red corner notice against Singh. The CJM had asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to get the warrants executed but the agency didn’t take any step to arrest or extradite him.

Jaleel’s brother and lawyer Arshid says, the Indian government got many opportunities to extradite Singh while he was in Canada and US but the Indian government didn’t show any interest.

“In 2005 the Canadian police requested the Indian government to provide details about him, since the police in Canada had located him. There was some hue and cry by Human rights groups and Amnesty International which forced Singh to shift his base to California,” said Arshid.

Adding, “In 2009 the California police wrote to the CJM court asking it to provide details about Singh but here in India, nothing was done to extradite him,” he said.

Arshid now plans to file a fresh petition before the court based on the news reports to issue orders to the government to extradite Singh.

“Yes, we will be moving court to get fresh orders in this regard,” he said.

However, a New Delhi based newspaper on Monday reported that Singh will be brought to India in next 15 days. The newspaper quoted Raja Ajaz Ali Inspector General, (IGP) Crime saying that the accused has been located in California.

“The US police informed the Interpol and in turn they communicated us. The accused is in the preventive custody of the US police in California and would shifted to Srinagar in fifteen days. We were asked by the Interpol and the US police to furnish fresh warrants against the accused and we have acquired the same from session’s court in Srinagar," the newspaper quoted Ali as saying.

A source close to the case told Kashmir Dispatch that the team is yet to take up the matter with the US Embassy in New Delhi.

Major Avtar Singh of 35th Rashtriya Rifles, is accused of killing 11 persons including Andrabi according to a US state Department report in 2002 which says court action in cases of extrajudicial killings is slow and uncertain.

According to the investigations carried out by a police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) on court orders, Singh along with government gunmen abducted Jaleel near Barazulla on airport road on March 8, when the activist was driving home along with his wife.

The Jammu and Kashmir Bar Association filed a habeas corpus petition in the High Court on March 9, and the court ordered the army to produce Andrabi. However, the army denied that Andrabi was in custody. Over the next two weeks, the court continued to grant the government extensions for replying to the petition.

The mutilated body of Andrabi was found in the Kursuraj Bagh, Srinagar on the banks of the Jhelum River on the morning of March 27, 1996. 42-year old Andrabi had been shot in the head and his eyes had been gouged out. An autopsy showed that he had been killed days after his arrest.

A case was registered under FIR No. 139/96 in police station Saddar, Srinagar and a case for the past 15 years is pending in the CJM Court.

In 1997, the investigation by Jammu and Kashmir police Special Investigations Team (SIT) confirmed that Avtar Singh is the prime accused in the Andrabi’s murder case. The CJM issued an order in the same year which stated, “Passport of Avtar Singh should be impounded and his photographs should be published in print media.”

A video grab of Avtar Singh (encircled) at his home in Selma, California, USA during a video interview with Action News correspondent Corin Hoggard.

According to the California based news channel, Singh owns several trucks and lives in Selma, Fresno County in California, USA. An exclusive video interview by the news channel correspondent Corin Hoggard showed Singh at his home. During the interview the reporter asked Singh: “Are you the same Avtar Singh who is wanted in Kashmir for the murder of prominent Lawyer Jaleel Andrabi?”

To which Singh replied, “It is alleged.”

Singh also claimed that the Islamic militants and Al-Qaeda wanted to kill him. He claimed his battalion was nowhere near the place where Andrabi was kidnapped. But because of the allegations, he's afraid he's a wanted man -- not by the Indian government, but by al Qaeda.

"If I'm exposed on this, the Islamic militants, they're already looking for me," he told the news channel.