White paper being issued in current session
CM admits back-door appointments by Govt

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, March 7: Chief Minis-ter, Dr Farooq Abdullah today admitted in the Assembly that a number of back-door appointments have taken place in many Govern-ment Departments during the past sometime and promised to bring a detailed white paper on the issue during the current budget session.

As soon as the Chief Minister admitted back-door entries in Government departments, a number of Opposition members were on their feet and expressed strong resentment over the appointments. Some of them demanded that appointments be cancelled.

"The Government is seized of the matter and will issue a white paper in the ongoing session to dwell in details the criteria adopted by the State Government while making recruit-ment at different levels", Dr Abdullah said.

A debate can be held on the white paper so that legislators could air their views, he said to pacify the agitated members of BJP, Congress (I) and Panthers party.

This confession of back door entries was made by the Chief Minister while retorting to allegations of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA, Mr Ashok Khajuria, who stated that large-scale appointments had been made in utter violation of rules. The allegations were leveled by the BJP MLA while raising a supplementary in the Legislative Assembly on a question of Mr Piara Singh regarding the Regional Transport Office.

Admitting that such ‘recrui-tment-drive’ had taken place in the state, the Chief Minister said, "I shall offer you tutorials on the issue of back-door appointments. If you have a son, kindly come along with him to my chamber and I shall also give him a job". Mr Khajuria, however, said he was interested in the recruitment of unemployed youths and not his son.

As soon as Dr Farooq Abdullah made this admission, the members of opposition benches including chief of BJP Legislature Party, Mr Shiv Charan, Mr Chuni Lal, Mr Bali Bhagat were on their feet and expressed resentment over the reply of the Chief Minsiter.

"The Government did not seem to be serious on the issue and is taking unemployed youth of the State for a ride. What future do the youngsters of the state have, when the Government is openly resorting to violation of recruitment norms", they alleged.

Referring to the main question of foundation stone for the new complex for the Regional Transport Officer’s office, which was laid in 1997 at Transport Nagar, the Chief Minister said, "it’s fortunate that the stones have been lying there otherwise there have been cases, when even the stones were not raced after some time".

Citing instance, he said Vice-President Mr S Radhakrishnan and Mr Hidayatullah had laid such stones at Iqbal Park, Kashmir and Convent School, Jammu for construction of some complex. But, there was no trace of these stones at a later stage.

Earlier the Transport Minister in his written reply informed the House that the vehicular traffic is increasing fast particularly in Jammu where more than 10,000 vehicles including a sizable number of commercial vehicles get registered every year.

The existing staff strength of Regional Transport Officer’s Office is not commensurate with increasing work load. In view of ban imposed on new creations due to present financial stringency, the proposal for creation of additional staff could not materialise.

This is despite the fact that the Motor Vehicles Department, Jammu is one of the leading revenue earning Department. Foundation stone for a new complex for Regional Transport Officer’s office was laid in 1997 at Transport Nagar, Jammu. But, the construction work is held up due to financial constraints.

"The work on the construction of new complex shall be expedited subject to availability of funds. The matter regarding providing of additional funds is under consid-eration of the Government", uttered the Minister.

3 AK-47 rifles recovered
3 mercenaries, guide shot dead near Samba

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 7: In a major success, army and police gunned down three foreign mercenaries and their guide in an encounter at Goran hills on Mansar road, about 15 kms from Samba this afternoon and recovered a large quantity of weaponry from their possession.

DIG Jammu-Kathua Range Dr S P Vaid said Samba police developed an information about the movement of a group of militants on Mansar road after their infiltration from across the International Border. Police took the help of army troops from Samba and CRPF and launched a massive search and combing operation at 1000 hours today.

A contact with militants was established at 1230 hours when the militants were seen hiding in a hut at Goran hills. The militants opened heavy volume of firing on the approaching army and police personnel, who took positions and retaliated.

During the fierce fight, a guide of the militants jumped out of the hideout and tried to escape. He was shot dead on the spot by the securitymen.

Three foreign mercenaries gave a tough fight to army and police for more than an hour. However, during the fierce gun-fight, all the three militants were liquidated when troops and cops blew up their hideout. They were burnt alive inside the hut, which was gutted in the fire.

Dr Vaid said there was no casualty on police or army side during the encounter, which indicates that the operation was very well-planned and meticulously executed. The police party in the operation was being led by SHO Samba police station Mr H S Gill, while army team was led by Col K S Chowdary of 20 Raj Rifles and Maj Y S Maan.

Three AK-47 rifles with 12 magazines and one Kenwood wireless set were recovered from the posses-sion of slain militants in a partly burnt condition. Over a dozen grenades and two powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) exploded during fire in the hut. The deafening sound of explosions was heard at far off places.

Bodies of the militants were charred beyond recognition but all of them were well-built and believed to be foreign mercenaries. The slain guide was, however, identified as Mohammad Iqbal son of Mohd Ayub, a resident of village Pioni in Ramnagar tehsil of Udhampur district.

Police sources said the militants were believed to have infiltrated through the International Border a couple of days back and were on way to Udhampur or Doda district. They had stayed in an abandoned hut of Bakerewals on Mansar road and had to resume their onward journey during the night hours.

The success to army and police came after a couple of unsuccessful encounters at Ramkot and Mansar during the past few days. Only last month, a group of four militants had escaped after an encounter with police at Ramkot. Another group of four militants had escaped from Samba after their infiltration from Jatwal area of Hiranagar tehsil in Kathua district.

Police have reports that Interna-tional Border of Samba was being frequently used by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) for infiltration of foreign mercenaries and other local militants. In November last year, the Village Defence Committee (VDC) had gunned down a militant at Chilla Danga in Samba tehsil.

Non-implementation of Wazir Commission
Walk-out amidst uproarious scenes in Legislative Assembly

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 7: Uproarious scenes were witnessed in the Legislative Assembly today when Revenue Minister, Mr Abdul Qayoom stated that the Government had so far not taken any decision regarding the implementation of the Wazir Commission Report.

Legislators including Mr Som Nath, BSP MLA from Samba and Mr Harsh Dev Singh, PP legislator from Ramnagar staged a walkout protesting against the non-implementation of the Wazir Commission recommendation for carving out of three more districts in Jammu region. They alleged the State Government was discriminating against the people of Jammu province and deliberately denied them their due.

Furore started when Revenue Minister, Mr Abdul Qayoom told the Assembly that as per directive of the Director-General of Census no reorganisation of district, tehsil or block set-up is to be affected till the census operation is over.

Immediately after the Minister finished his reply, the members of opposition benches including Mr Ashok Khajuria, Mr Piara Singh, Mr Somnath, Mr Harsh Dev and even Mr Jagjivan Lal of ruling party sprang from their seats and expressed resentment over the issue.

The Legislators including those of ruling party demanded immediate implementation of the recommendations of the Wazir Commission report. Opposition MLAs castigated the State Government for sitting on the report for the past 17 years and further stated that the administration was intentionally not implementing the same.

Criticising the Government attitude, chief of BSP Legislature party, Mr Sheikh Abdul Rehman said the Minister was only offering excuses for non-implementation of recommendations. "What is the relation between the directions of Census Department and implementation of the Wazir Commission Report. Actually, the administration is not sincere enough about the issue", he further added.

However, the Revenue Minister expressed the helpless of the Government to implement the report on the plea of recent directions from the Census Department.

Subsequently, the MLAs including Mr Harsh Dev and Somnath chose to stage a walk-out. However, the BJP MLAs chose not to join their colleagues.

Earlier, in reply to a question of Mr Som Nath regarding implementation of Wazir Commission’s recommendation for creation of three districts in Jammu province, the Revenue Minister said the census work is to be undertaken during 2001 and instructions are to all the states throughout the country not to change the administrative units till the census work is completed.

'Dukhtaraan has no militant connection'
DM chief contradicts DP Chief's claim

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Mar. 7: Chairperson of the separatist woman's organisation Syeda Asiya Andrabi today claimed that neither she nor her 'Dukhtaraan-e-Millat' (DM) had any connection, whatsoever, with Abu Talha, Lashkar-e-Toiba or any other militant outfit in Jammu & Kashmir. She described the Delhi Police Commissioner Ajai Raj Sharma's statement as 'absurd and unfounded'' and claimed that Police had neither raided her residence nor recovered any quantity of RDX from there.

The 38-year-old Asiya Andrabi, who founded 'Dukhtaraan-e-Millat' in 1988 and spent about two years in jail for supporting militancy, contacted EXCELSIOR on telephone and sought to clarify that her husband Ashiq Hussain Faktoo had been taken into custody by Immigration authorities on New Delhi airport on February 26 last. She said on December 13 last year, Faktoo had gone to London to see a number of his relatives there. With a genuine passport and valid travel documents he was allowed by Indian authorities to fly to Europe, she explained.

The radical woman activist further explained that her husband was detained by the Immigration authorities at Indira Gandhi International airport at 5.40 a.m. on February 26 when he returned to New Delhi by a Jordan Airlines flight. She claimed that even as nothing objectionable was recovered from his possession or luggage, he was whisked away to an undisclosed destination. While as the family members were in search of Faktoo's whereabouts. Delhi Police Commissioner held a Press Conference on March 6 and claimed that he had been arrested in Srinagar on February 27 and RDX weighing 4.90 kg had been recovered from him.

"Everybody here knows that my husband was never in Srinagar after he left for London on December 13. It's absolutely baseless that police arrested him in Srinagar and recovered from his home RDX and other things,'' Asiya said and claimed that till date nobody had ever raided her residence. "Dukhtaraan is a purely politico-religious organisation and we have absolutely no connection with Abu Talha, Lashkar-e-Toiba or any other militant outfit,'' she claimed.

According to the New Delhi datelined PTI story, the DP chief had claimed at the Monday press conference that Ashiq Hussain Faktoo as well as his wife Asiya Andrabi had been found involved in the militants' Hawala racket and cash worth Rs 40.35 lakh-part of which was purportedly to be carried to the Valley by the detained Ashiq Hussain for Lashkar-e-Toiba militant Abu Talha-was seized from the couple's conduits at New Delhi. According to Sharma, Ashiq Hussain had figured in the net after the sustained interrogation of a Kashmiri, Farooq Ahmed Kanoon. Kanoon had been arrested while receiving cash worth Rs. 40.35 lakh from three New Delhi operatives, namely Manish Thakur, Shyam Lal and Jagdeep Kumar.

According to Sharma, Faktoo confessed that he was a contact between Lashkar-e-Toiba and ISI and he had gone to London "to arrange money for terrorism and coordinate ISI's future activities.'' Sharma said that Faktoo had met Pakistan officials in London and the money had routed through Nazir Qureshi of Jeddah-based World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY).

Even as most of the police officials here maintained that a Delhi police team had visited Srinagar "but did not make raids or recoveries,'' SSP Srinagar Dr B Srinivas claimed that DP had made the recoveries from Faktoo's residence with the help of Police Station Soura. He said that accordingly a case had been registered at Soura Police Station. According to the DP chief, the explosive consignment had been received in Srinagar by Asiya Andrabi from the Lashkar commander Abu Talha.

Earlier, in February 1993 Asiya and her husband-then publicity chief of the militant outfit Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen-had been arrested by BSF intelligence sleuths at Srinagar airport when they were returning home from New Delhi. Both were later, released on bail after spending a couple of years in jail. While Faktoo has been in oblivion after his release, the Burqa-clad Asiya has been issuing pro-Islamic statements and Dukhtaraan's apparant activity has shrunk to hoisting of Pakistani flags in Srinagar on a couple of occasions every year.

Minister, MLA clash in Assembly

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 7: Works Minister Ali Mohd Sagar and Congress (I) MLA from Kalakot Ashok Sharma repeatedly had a war of wits in the Legislative Assembly today when latter was speaking on budget discussion.

Sagar was irritated when Ashok Sharma alleged that State Government had filled-up one lakh posts through back-door appointments with monetary considerations. An agitated Sagar intervened in Sharma’s speech and asked him to give a single example of corruption in the appointments.

Sagar alleged that Sharma has developed a habit of levelling ‘baseless allegations’ against the National Conference Government.

Ashok Sharma retaliated saying it was on record of the House that 400 back-door entries had been made in the Housing and Urban Development Department which the Government had admitted in reply to a question the other day.

Former Housing and Urban Development Minister Moulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari said he was ready to face any action proposed by the House if it was established that he had employed 400 persons in Housing and Urban Development Department.

Ansari alleged that a section of bureaucracy was engaged in defaming the Government to cover their own misdeeds. He said that some of the appointments were made only for three months which too have been included in the list.

However, Panthers Party member Harshdev Singh said he has a list of employees who were continuing in the services since 1996.

Sagar again objected to Ashok Sharma’s allegations about acute water shortage in several areas. Sagar said even the BJP members have admitted improvement in the water supply and added that Ashok Sharma had fallen all alone in the Opposition benches.

Taking a dig at Sharma, Sagar quipped :"your own party has shifted you on the back seat from the front row". Sharma replied :"this is none of your business".

While concluding his reply, Sharma remarked :"Pani Mein Dhoob Marna Chahta Hoon NC Government ki Performance Dekhkar". Again Sagar countered Sharma saying ‘when you say there is no water how will you die’.

In his speech on budget, Ashok Sharma described the budget presented by Finance Minister A R Rather as ‘irrelevant’ saying it carried nothing for unemployed youths, farmers and small scale traders like shopkeepers.

Referring to introduction of new corpus called ‘Roshni’, Sharma wondered where is the ‘Roshni’ (light) in the State during three and a half year of National Conference Government. There is only darkness everywhere, he quipped. Not a single new electric pole has been installed in the rural areas during the regime of present Government, he alleged.

He asked the Government to bring a white paper on all appointments made during the National Conference Government.

Ashok Sharma strongly opposed the recommendations of Godbole Committee report saying thousands of public sector employees will be rendered unemployed if these recommendations are implemented.

Forced stripteasing under the garb of ragging

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Mar 7: While the authorities have totally failed to rein the unbridled goons, ragging in schools has assumed such a dirty proportion that even professional stripteasers will put down their heads in shame at the forced stripping, as is being done in the educational institutions.

In these conditions, one is lucky to get away with the blows and abusive language, while as the unfortunate ones may even be ordered to take off their clothes and have their private parts fondled.

In one such case at Government Girls Higher Secondary School Kothi Bagh, the seniors rounded up a fresher on the very first day of her admission and took her clothes off, in one of the class rooms.

The unfortunate soul was forced to pose in different love making postures and lesbian pleasure drawn by fondling her private parts. However, when the student complained about this incident to one of the teachers, the matter was dismissed as trifle.

Shocked at this indifferent attitude of the authorities, the student has taken up the mater in her own hands. She has lodged a written complaint with the Director Schools and religious leaders like chairman of the Shariat Board at Safakadal, chairman of Madrassa Tasleemul Quran Wal Hadees at Chattabal and Mohammediya Dar-ul-Uloom, also

at Chattabal.

While it is for the authorities to act and curb this menace of ragging in Government and private schools, however, such like incidents are also being reported from other religiously oriented schools.

In one such incident, a student, Owais Ahmad, son of a Srinagar based journalist, Rasheed Ahmad was beaten to pulp and stripped at Iqbal memorial Institute, which is also considered to be religiously oriented school, enjoying excellent reputation. While as the City Police Chief and School authorities were apprised of the incident, nothing has been sofar done.

Many parents who prefer to admit their wards in religious schools as compared to the missionary schools, which are supposed to be inclined towards Christianity, these incidents have become a common phenomenon. One is surprised to find such unhealthy trends of abusive ragging even in religious schools of Kashmir which witnessed almost no-ragging earlier. May be the teachers of yesterdays were more disciplined, but the discipline is now no where as Kashmir presently hardly produces such caliber teachers .

The doctors when contacted, said that apart of being morally degraded, these incidents leave ever lasting scars on the minds of the victims which may altogether change them. Some social organisation heads blamed Satellite channels for the mess .

Services of 123terminated
341 Govt employees involved in militancy : MoS Home

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 7: The services of one hundred twenty three employees out of 341 including 31 cops who were involved in various militancy related activities have been terminated by State Government.

Informing this to the Legislative Council here today the Minister of State for Home, Mr Mushtaq Ahmed Lone said there is no police personnel under detention, underground at present for being hand in glove with militant organisations.

The Minister was replying to supplementaries to a question of Mr Javed Hussain Shah of National Conference (NC).

However, not satisfied with the reply the member said that some cops involved in militancy are still drawing salaries from the Police Department which was totally denied by the Minister.

Making a strong argument the member asked the Minister does he mean that no policeman is involved in militancy.

On this the Minister said that "we have not found any instance where a cop is on police pay roll and involved in militancy."

The member again stood up saying that he has a list of 100 people who were detained for their involvement in militancy were provided arrears and they are continuing as Government employees after undergoing three or four years jail term. He said this list was furnished by him to Chief Minister also.

Mr Shah said that he can substantiate his charges and if proved wrong will resign from the membership of the House.

Making a startling revelation the NC member said a serving Sub Inspector of Police who went Pakistan on Visa without the knowledge of Government is still working in the police Department.

On this serious concern was expressed by other members of the House and Mr Ghulam Nabi Shaheen and Miss Shamima of National Conference asked their Party colleague to reveal the name of the SI which has been kept a secret by him.

They were joined by their party colleague Mr Mohammed Aslam and Dr Nasir Ahmed also. While Dr Nasir said the Minister should provide details regarding this matter, Mr Aslam demanded half an hour discussion on the issue.

Terming the revelations made by NC member too grave, the lone BJP member Mr Daya Krishan Kotwal expressed concern over the employing of militants in Police Department. He said Government can rehabilitate the militants any where outside the Police which is a sensitive Department.

But he was rebuffed by his NC counterpart Mr Firdose Syed who said when a Naxalite responsible for explosion in Patna can become Defence Minister of India why not a militant can be provided a job in Police Department.

However, the Minister whose position became very awkward with his own Party members raising the volley of supplementaries, stood up again to say that Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah has already ordered an inquiry in the matter.

The CM who was by then in the House intervened and assured the members that his Government is not here to help the enemies of the state. He sought the full cooperation of members in throwing such elements out.

Dr Abdullah said he has ordered an inquiry through state and Central investigation agencies in the matter but till date they have not been able to reveal a single name. The CM also wondered that how these agencies are working. He said Mr Shah has provided the list to him earlier on the basis of which the investigation was ordered.

Replying to another question of Mr Daya Krishan Kotwal, Mr Lone informed the House that since 1995-96 upto 1999-2000 14,961 SPOs were engaged of which 936 are surrendered militants.

He said the highest number of SPOs has been inducted from Doda district. He said, however, two SPOs each from Kashmir and Jammu zones fled away and rejoined militancy.

He said 15 policemen and 27 civil employees were also found involved in militancy related activities and action against 23 such employees stands taken.

Similarly, four policemen and 11 civil employees from Jammu zone were also found involved in militancy related activities and action against them has also been taken.

Fake currency in J&K too
Cabinet Secretary to convene high-level Kashmir meet

From B L Kak

NEW DELHI, Mar 7: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Mr Vidyasagar Rao, has disclosed that a high-level meeting will be held soon under the chairmanship of the Cabinet Secretary to review implementation of important projects in Jammu and Kashmir.

The disclosure came in the course of his reply to a question by Mr K Rahman Khan in the Rajya Sabha. Mr Vidyasagar Rao, who referred to the announcement made in both Houses of Parliament on July 23, 1996 by the then Prime Minister about some important projects being taken up in J&K, said that follow-up action on the schemes had been initiated by the concerned Ministries and departments.

Measures announced to accelerate the process of development and normalisation in J&K included construction of 290-km railway line from Udhampur to Baramulla as national project, construction of Mughal Road as a dependable alternative link between Jammu and Valley, construction of Dulhasti and Uri hydel projects to provide relief to the power-starved State, waiving of the outstanding loans and interest of all borrowers whose original borrowing is less than or up to Rs 50,000 in small scale industries, transport, tourism and trade sectors and provision of adequate funds including additional Central assistance in order to have a good annual plan and reasonable 9th five year plan.

This apart, measures also included setting up of convention centre in Leh to give a fillip to tourism in the area, development and upgradation of Kargil airport, a special fund mechanism including external assistance for implementation of projects such as protection and development of the Dal Lake, special recruitment drive to ensure that youth of Jammu and Kashmir are absorbed to the maximum extent possible in Central establishments and private sectors and establishment of Agriculture University at Jammu, Mr Rao told the House.

In his reply to a question by Mr DP Yadav, Mr Rao stated that India had repeatedly asked Pakistan to put a stop to its unprovoked cross-border firing and its sponsorship of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere in India. The Government, he said, had also made it clear that while it remained committed to a dialogue with Pakistan, a proper environment conducive to such a dialogue required to be created. The proper environment, he added, would consist of abandonment of terrorism by Pakistan as an instrument of State policy and cessation of hostile anti-India propaganda in Pakistan. These, according to Mr Rao, "are not pre-conditions but integral parts of the dialogue process itself".

Ms Kamla Sinha wanted to know if the Centre was aware of the clandestine passage of a letter from Pakistan’s military ruler, Gen Parvez Musharraf, to Kashmir’s All-Party Hurriyat Conference leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, in the Jodhpur jail. In his reply, Mr Vidyasagar Rao said that the Rajasthan Government had already ordered a detailed enquiry by a DIG-level officer into the alleged sneaking of letter to the Hurriyat leader lodged in Jodhpur’s central jail. Mr Rao assured the House that appropriate action would be taken by the State Government on the basis of the findings of the enquiry.

Mr ID Swami, Minister of State for Home, disclosed that the Border Security Force(BSF) had alerted its forward troops and ordered them to be more vigilant in order to ensure that fake Indian currency notes were not smuggled into India from across the border. Stating that fake Indian currency notes were being fabricated in India through a variety of techniques involving use of printing presses, colour photocopiers, scanners and colour-printers, Mr Swami pointed out that fake currency was also being clandestinely inducted from across the Indo-Pak and Indo-Nepal borders.

Union Finance Ministry has constituted a committee for examining cases of counterfeit currency notes and to recommend remedial measures to be taken by the note printing presses from time to time. They committed, Mr Swami said in reply to a question by Mr Raghavji, had been asked to submit its report within two months. He said that counterfeit currency seized between 1997 and 1999 totalled Rs 4,93,32,602.

The Home Minister, Mr LK Advani, said in reply to a question by Mr Suryabhan Patil Vahadane and Mr K Rahman Khan that in order to combat counterfeiting, currency notes were also now printed with additional security features. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), he added, had created a special unit for exclusive investigation of counterfeit currency notes.

Fake Indian currency notes, according to the Home Minister, had also found way into some areas of Jammu and Kashmir, although maximum number of accused had officially been found in Uttar Pradesh-36 in November and 12 in December 1999 as against 8 in January 2000. Provisional figures dished out by Mr Advani revealed that 1914 fake currency notes were seized in the country in November last year as against 8889 notes in December 1999 and 4354 notes in January 2000. J&K accounted for 16 fake Indian currency notes in November 1999 involving 4 accused.

Militant, woman killed in Doda

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 7: Delta Force troops shot down a dreaded Hizbul Mujahideen militant Abdul Hamid (code Salman) in dense forests of Gundana in Doda district today. He was a self-styled ‘section commander’ of Gundana/Bagla area and involved in forcible recruitment of youths in the militancy.

A Defence spokesman said troops of 8 RR led by Col P Y Parvate launched an operation in Gundana forests. The militants were found hiding in the house of Batpura Lambardar Abdul Rehman Mir. Troops raided the house and gunned down the militant while his accomplice, who was badly injured, managed to escape.

A woman identified as Zanana Begum wife of Kalia Sheikh was killed in the cross-firing.

Hunt for the absconding militant was on.

Miscreants loot cashier
Cash, drafts worth Rs 12 lakh snatched

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 7: In a day-light incident, three miscreants snatched cash, bank drafts and cheques worth Rs 12 lakhs from cashier of a leading industrialist near Green Belt Park under the jurisdiction of Gandhi Nagar police station this afternoon.

Police said three miscreants, two of whom were wearing head-gears and riding on an unregistered scooter, intercepted Umesh Sharma, a cashier of M/S Devi Dass Gopal Krishan, Ware House, who was also riding on his scooter at Green Belt Park in the afternoon.

The miscreants took Umesh to a by-lane and after giving him sound thrashing snatched his bag carrying Rs 60,000 cash besides bank drafts and cheques worth Rs 12 lakh. The miscreants escaped in the scooter.

Getting a report, DySP Gandhi Nagar Sudershan Bakshi and SHO Gandhi Nagar police station V K Giri rushed to the spot alongwith police and para-military personnel and launched a massive search operation to nab the miscreants.

So far, no arrest has been made, police said, adding the accused couldn’t be identified. A case in the snatching has been registered at Gandhi Nagar police station for further investigations.

Police said Umesh Sharma was on way to State Bank of India (SBI), Gandhi Nagar branch for depositing cash, bank drafts and cheques. This was his routine, police said, adding the miscreants might have been keeping a watch on him for the past few days.

The miscreants followed him and intercepted him at an isolated place near Green Belt Park.

Jagjivan Lal again warned

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 7: National Conference MLA from Reasi Jagjivan Lal was again warned by the chair today for creating disturbances in the Assembly.

While BJP member Prithvi Chand was taking part in the debate, Jagjivan Lal was seen sitting on the front row alongwith Works Minister Ali Mohd Sagar and speaking loudly.

Deputy Speaker Malik Abdul Haider, who was in the chair, asked Jagjivan Lal, to take his seat. Jagjivan Lal said he was feeling pain and so he was sitting with Minister.

Taking a dig at Lal, Panthers Party members Harshdev Singh remarked that he (Lal) couldn’t become a Minister and so he was removing his quest by sitting with Ministers on the first row.

Deputy Speaker also endorsed the remarks of Harshdev Singh.

Few days back Speaker Abdul Ahad Vakil had threatened to throw Jagjivan Lal out of the House for creating disturbances.

 

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