Centre's talks offer golden chance to end Kashmir row: Mehbooba
Srinagar, June 11: Asserting that the offer of talks to separatists and the Ramadan ceasefire were the beginning of a dialogue process, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday asked the separatists not to miss this "golden opportunity".
Speaking after inaugurating a bridge here, she said: "For ending uncertainty and providing lasting peace in the state, everyone including the separatists should come forward and respond to the Home Minister's offer of dialogue to resolve he Jammu and Kashmir issue and other problems of the state.
"I feel that somewhere efforts are being made to carry forward the political process. How far can the political process be taken will depend on how good the situation remains on the ground," she told reporters.
The Chief Minister added: "This is a golden opportunity. It does not happen very often that a very powerful Prime Minister makes such an offer. It was 18 years back that cessation of operations happened during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure.
"At that time, talks were held at the level of Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani.
"That process appears to have been repeated now, but we cannot force anyone. We hope the separatists seize the opportunity."
She expressed sadness over the continuing violence by the militants by way of grenade attacks, firing at security forces and through weapon snatching attempts.
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B'desh: Lawyer killed in clash between security personnel, followers of Hindu leader
Dhaka, Nov 26: A lawyer was killed on Tuesday during clashes between the security personnel and followers of a Hindu community leader, who was denied bail and sent to jail by a Bangladesh court, according to local media reports.
The victim was identified as Saiful Islam, a 35-year-old assistant public prosecutor and a member of the Chattogram District Bar Association, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.
Citing Dr Nibedita Ghosh, a duty doctor at the emergency department of Chittagong Medical College Hospital, the paper said that six others were injured in the clashes that erupted after Chattogram’s Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate court denied bail to prominent Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, arrested on sedition charges.
Nazim Uddin Chowdhury, president of the Chittagong Lawyers' Association, said that protesters dragged a lawyer from beneath his chamber and hacked him to death.
As Das was being taken away in a police van, he addressed the crowd through a hand mike, urging them to remain calm.
Around 3 pm, the law enforcement agencies resorted to sound grenades, tear gas shells, and baton charges, dispersing the protesters.
Deputy Commissioner of City Police Liaquat Ali confirmed one death but said they were still investigating the cause.
The Daily Star newspaper reported that at least 10 people, including journalists, were injured during the clash.
