The indefinite Jammu bandh, called by the Shri Amarnath Sangarsh Samiti (SASS) demanding restoration of 800 kanals of forest land to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), continued for the second week. Huge rallies and protest demonstrations were taken out across the Jammu region. On August 1, the protestors went on rampage in several parts of Jammu and Samba districts burning government and police offices, despite the imposition of curfew. Authorities on August 1 called out the Army in sensitive areas as two protestors were killed and 26 others, including a dozen cops, were wounded in police firing and petrol bombs lobbed by the mob at Samba town1. People also defied curfew at several places on August 2 attacking properties of prominent political leaders.

Earlier on July 31, India took up with Pakistan the issue of recent ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, during a meeting between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries in Colombo2.

Meanwhile, the US Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, in an interview to the Wall Street Journal on July 28, noted that Pakistan had tolerated or in some cases funded the Mujahideen in Kashmir, and stressed that such efforts were counterproductive. He was talking to3.

• 1. “Two killed, 26 injured in firing, clashes at Samba; mob torches offices, attacks PS, DC’s house,” Daily Excelsior, August 02, 2008, at http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/web1/08aug02/news.htm#1
• 2. “India takes up ceasefire violation with Pak”, Kashmir Times, August 01, 2008, at http://kashmirtimes.com/news2.htm
• 3. “Pak funding Mujahideen in Kashmir is counterproductive: Obama,” Kashmir Times, July 29, 2008, at http://www.kashmirtimes.com/news4.htm