Army's operations fail in Bandipore, Shopian
9 soldiers, 2 militants, civilian killed

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Nov 25: With two of the joint operations of Army and J&K Police failing and a number of holed up militants escaping in Bandipore and Shopian, as many as 9 soldiers have got killed and two more injured. One civilian and two militants have also died in these operations.

Informed sources told the EXCELSIOR that the overnight gunbattle between militants and security forces at Rampur, Bandipore, claimed four soldiers of 2-Grenadiers and one Constable of SOG Bandipore, namely Farooq Ahmed, even as two more soldiers were left wounded and all the holed up militants managed to escape from the cordoned area. As already reported, Army and SOG Bandipore had launched the cordon and search operation over a specific information on Friday afternoon. Three soldiers had sustained injuries in the initial round of firing from the holed up militants.

Sources tonight said that two soldiers and an SOG constable got killed last evening while two more soldiers died in the gunbattle today. One civilian, namely Bashir Ahmed Shah S/o Ghulam Nabi Shah, who was reportedly an employee of Fisheries Department, also got killed in the same operation. Two of the injured soldiers were said to be under treatment at a military hospital. Officials said they were not certain whether the holed up militants had managed to escape or they were still hiding in the village.

On the other hand, residents believed that two to four militants had managed to escape and one was still hiding at an unidentified house in the locality. Defence sources confirmed the death of four soldiers, one police constable and one civilian and said that two of the injured soldiers were under treatment. They said that the troops would maintain the cordon and go for house-to-house search in the morning on Sunday.

Sources said that over another specific information, troops of Rashtriya Rifles 62 Bn launched a cordon-and-search operation at Neeldora village in Shopian-Kulgam belt of south Kashmir late last night. When the people were being evacuated to safer places this morning, the holed up militants came out of their hideout and directed high volume of gunfire on troops. Even as one militant got killed, at least six of the holed up militants managed to escape while killing four soldiers of RR 62 Bn, including a JCO, and looting a soldier's AK-47 rifle.

Defence spokesman at Headquarters 15 Corps, Lt Col A K Mathur, confirmed the death of four soldiers, including a Subedar, and said that Army suffered casualties in its constraint to observe restraint as an exchange of gunfire during evacuation of the civilian population could have taken a high toll of civilian lives. He said that Army still managed to eliminate one of the dreaded militants, namely Sayyar Ahmed Chopan alias Hamaas Bhai S/o Ghulam Nabi Chopan R/o Chak Cholan. Official sources claimed that Hamaas was a "District Commander" with Harkat-ul-Mujahideen who had, among others, killed a slain Pakistani militant Omar's young widow, namely Muddassara of Shopian earlier this year.

Spokesman of the militant organisation Al-Mansoorain Aamir Mir told the EXCELSIOR over telephone that cadres of three outfits, namely Al-Mansoorain, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and Al-Badar Mujahideen were in a meeting when troops swooped on the hideout at Neeldora at 0430 hours. He said that the gunfight continued for four hours and ten soldiers, including a Major, got killed against a "District Commander" of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen. He claimed that all the militants but one managed to escape and reached safely back to other hideouts. He said that the militants of the same three organisations had clashed with Army at Rampur in Bandipore and all of them had managed to escape while causing heavy damage to security forces.

On the other hand, a Harkatul-Mujahideen spokesman told a local news agency over telephone this evening that 8 militants of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Toiba were present in the village last night when troops launched an operation. He said that only one militant got killed and seven more managed to escape, while looting a slain soldier's gun. He said that three soldiers had got killed in the operation by this afternoon. Officials, however, confirmed the death of four soldiers and one militant.

Meanwhile, troops of Rashtriya Rifles 44 Bn launched yet another operation at Shah Latoo village in Shopian area this evening. Informed sources said that one militant got killed while another managed to escape.

'Kashmiri ultras being humiliated'
18 militants surrender after return from PoK

BARAMULLA, Nov 25: Eighteen militants trained in different camps across the border over the years surrendered before the troops after their return from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

We want to lead a peaceful and honourable life now, the militant said after their reunion with family members at a special surrender function organised by the Army here today.

Emotional scenes were witnessed when Abdul Gafar, who had crossed over to PoK in 1993 met his family members.

Besides feeling humiliated in PoK where Kashmiris are not being considered humans, we were also feeling home sick, they said.

Two of the militants, who stayed in Pakistan and PoK for more than 10 years said they were missing everything there.

They said initially everything was good but now Kashmiris are not being trusted.

Gaffar, a resident of Lolab Valley in the frontier district of Kupwara said he and others crossed over to PoK in 1993 to receive arms training there.

He said after getting the training in Boyee camp, we were told that we have to kill people in Kashmir.

Gaffar said his elder brother was killed by militants in 1996 without any reason.

Pervez Ahmad, a resident of central Kashmir district of Badgam expressed similar sentiments and said what was going on in Jammu and Kashmir was not a "jehad" (holy war).

Gaffar and Pervez said the top leaders of different militant organisations are enjoying life in PoK and Pakistan. Their children are in good schools and some of them have married twice, militants said.

About their surrender, they said they came in different vehicles towards the border after escaping from the camp alongwith arms and ammunition.

We had already expressed our desire to surrender to security forces through our family members, they said adding that they were in touch with their family members.

"Our dream to lead a normal and honourable life will be fulfilled now, they said adding they feel sorry for the past.

Hailing from different areas, including Baramulla, Badgam, Srinagar, Doda and Kupwara the militants surrendered 10 AK rifles, eight pistols and other arms and ammunition before the troops in the presence of a large number of people and district administration officials.

The militants said that only those associated with the Pakistan based tanzeems are being treated well in the camp. Others, they said, had to beg for a living.

The Kashmiri youths, still in different camps, are feeling isolated and discriminated by the leaders.

They alleged some top militant leaders were killed in the Kashmir valley on the directions from across the border.

Those in Pakistan and PoK are not in favour of restoration of peace in Kashmir as they are enjoying life there, the militants said.

A senior Army officer said each militant will be helped to start a new life under the surrender policy of the Government.

He said the militants will be handed over to police for completing the legal formalities before they join their families.

About 100 militants, belonging to different militant organisations have surrendered before security forces and police since January this year. (UNI)

Trapped on phone by a girl, slain with 5 bullets
Bakra shot dead inside doc's house
*3 murders in Jammu on single day

By Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Nov 25: Sanjay Kumar alias Bittu alias Bakra, who had surrendered before police in 2000, was gunned down by two criminals inside the house of a reputed Endocrinologist and HoD Medicines in GMC Jammu, Dr Rattan Kudiyar at Trikuta Nagar, Jammu this morning.

Bakra, 38, son of Suraj Prakash, a resident of Mast Garh in Old City was trapped by two criminals using a girl by giving him a call on his Cellphone No. 9419141104 and shot dead using two weapons—a pistol and a shot gun in the lawn of Dr Kudiyar’s house within seconds after his arrival in his Santro car No. 8117 JK02B at 9.15 am.

IGP Jammu Dr Shesh Pal Vaid said Bakra was telephonically called to Trikuta Nagar by a girl. "It was a trap laid for him", he remarked, adding efforts were on to identify the girl/woman. Bakra was reportedly trapped by the criminals using a girl, who had been talking to him on his phone for past fortnight. Efforts were on to trace the girl and apprehend the killers.

Incidentally, three murders took place in Jammu district since last evening. And, in all three cases, the accused were at large.

Police sources and eye-witnesses told the Excelsior that two criminals, one of whom was suspected to be Mohan Cheer, originally a resident of Reasi and presently putting up at Tali Morh, New Plots and his associate over-powered Bakra, as he entered the house of Dr Kudiyar in Mini Market, Trikuta Nagar after reaching there on receiving a call from the girl that she was ill and wanted to get herself examined from Dr Kudiyar. The mysterious girl, while frequently talking to Bakra on telephone had won his confidence, as a part of gangsters plot to trap him. Even yesterday, she had made a call to Bakra.

Today’s site of broad day light murder was hardly 100 metres away from the house of Rajinder Bushan Chopra alias Raju Chopra, who along with four others including his wife and daughter, were murdered by still unidentified criminals on September 17 night.

SSP Jammu Mukesh Singh, who was quick to reach the spot along with SHO Trikuta Nagar Inspector Purshotam Mengi, said two weapons had been used in the crime which included a pistol and a shot gun, which indicated that both assailants were equipped with weapons.

One of the accused over-powered Bakra, who too was carrying a licensed revolver, and fired three shots on him with a pistol as soon as he entered the doctor's house and started searching for the girl, who was not present anywhere. As Bakra fell down in lawn of the doctor’s house, the second accused fired two shots on him with a shot gun to ensure that he was killed on spot.

Both of them escaped from the spot on a scooter. An eye-witness told police that the scooter had 142 as first three digits of the number with JK02F. The number 142 JK02F was, however, listed against a three-wheeler, sources said, adding either number plate of the scooter was fictitious or one of the digit had been erased from the plate.

Sources said Bakra was overpowered by one of the criminals and his associate first fired shots to ensure that Bakra didn’t manage to retaliate as he too was in possession of a licensed revolver.

A shot gun tied with wooden and a mobile telephone were found from the spot. While the criminals took away their pistol with them, they left the shot gun, which was larger in size than pistol, at the spot. Calls made and received from the mobile phone are being traced.

Doctors in the Medical College said Bakra had sustained five gun shots—two at head, two between neck and shoulder and one on left arm. All five bullets had hit him on left side which indicated that he fell down on the lawn after his feet got stuck in a flower pot with his right side down. There were minor signs of scuffle at the spot including a slightly torn jacket and marks on the back of Bakra.

After completion of legal formalities, body of Bakra was shifted to Medical College hospital for post-mortem and then handed over to his family. He was cremated late this afternoon at Jogi Gate cremation ground.

Dr Kudiyar said he was attending on the patients when he suddenly heard gun shots. "I immediately left the clinic and rushed down. Within fraction of seconds, the shoot-out was over and the assailants had left the spot. I couldn’t recognise them", he added.

The HoD Medicines in GMC Jammu clarified that neither Bakra nor his father were his patients.

Bakra was scheduled to take his ailing father to New Delhi tomorrow for treatment for which he had also booked railway tickets.

Sources said Bakra never moved alone even after he had shunned the "undesirable activities" after his surrender before present IGP Jammu Dr Shesh Pal Vaid, then DIG Jammu, in 2000. As he was involved in several activities prior to 2000, he had a licensed revolver and preferred to stay indoors. He moved along with one or two youths. It was only after receiving call of the girl that he went alone to the doctor's house.

Bakra was scheduled to go to Samba today for registration of land. He went to Trikuta Nagar in his grey colored Santro car.

On spotting his car, both criminals, who were waiting for him, became alert and chased him as he boarded off. He ran inside the doctor's house for cover but was overpowered and killed.

Police said the house of Mohan Cheer, who was recently bailed out by the court after his arrest by the Anti-Goonda Squad two months back and recovery of two country made pistols from his possession, was raided by the police and Anti-Goonda Squad this afternoon but he was absconding which gave fuel to the speculations about his involvement in the murder.

Mohan Cheer was a member of erstwhile Sikandar alias Billoo gang, which had old rivalry with erstwhile Bakra gang. Billoo was murdered inside Ambphalla jail by Sanjay Kumar alias Sanju of Akhnoor, who has now jumped parole.

Police said identity of Cheer’s associate, who helped him in the crime, is being ascertained. However, police was looking for two criminals, Raju and Pangu but their involvement was not yet clear.

Sources said Bakra had last made a telephonic call from his mobile telephone to one of his associates, Naresh alias Raju Topi at Nanak Nagar minutes before his killing. He wanted to enquire about the location of Dr Kudiyar’s house.

Prior to Bakra’s arrival, a mysterious youth, suspected to be one of the killer, had also taken two rounds on stairs of Dr Kudiyar, where he was examining patients, to ensure that Bakra hadn’t managed to get entry inside.

A PCO owner told police that before killings he too had observed movement of two youths outside the PCO.

Police said Mohan Cheer was also involved in the twin murder of Parveen Singh Slathia and Bhola Nath, activists of BJP and Awami League respectively on May 22, 1998 at Singh Cafeteria in Udhampur town. He was arrested but acquitted during trial. An appeal against the acquittal was pending before the High Court.

Police have rounded up several youths, linked with erstwhile gangs. They are being questioned to ascertain identity of killers and their hide-outs.

Police denied charges by Bakra’s associates that he was called to Trikuta Nagar by an Inspector of the SOG.

Bakra’s murder came within two and a half month of five gruesome killings of cement tycoon Rajinder Bushan Chopra alias Raju Chopra, his wife, daughter and a servant and a driver in Chopra’s house at Trikuta Nagar. In Chopra’s case, the accused hadn’t been identified so far.

Two more murders took place in Jammu district overnight.

A seven year old boy Suraj Prakash was found murdered in the fields at village Jandhar Melian under the jurisdiction of RS Pura police station.

While there was no injury mark on the body of boy, police apprehended that he had either been sexually assaulted or an attempt had been made to commit unnatural offence on him which led to his death. He was missing from his house since last night.

SSP Border Rajinder Gupta, after visiting the spot, said four suspects have been taken into custody in connection with the murder of boy. Detained suspects include two ‘saansis’, a tribe known for brutalities.

Investigations were on in the murder case and efforts are being made to apprehend the accused, Mr Gupta said, adding post-mortem on the boy was conducted by a Board of Doctors in RS Pura hospital.

A 58 year old man Dhian Singh son of Budhi was beheaded by some unidentified persons at Dharap under the jurisdiction of Gangyal police station. Police said a murder case has been registered and a search was on for the accused. His sons will be called for questioning tomorrow.ÿ

Partial bandh in Valley over Geelani-Omar call against land lease
Just one trip to London made Dilawar
auction Gulmarg: Omar

From Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Nov 25: With a partial shutdown in Kashmir valley over the coalition Government's move of auctioning land at Gulmarg to non-state subjects, National Conference today asserted that it would forcefully agitate the burning topic in the forthcoming budget session of Legislative Assembly and Council in January. It also claimed that none of the party's Governments since 1947 had ever allotted land in Jammu and Kashmir to any non-state subjects.

A call for complete Kashmir bandh, which had been given by Chairman of the radical faction of the separatist Hurriyat Conference and supported by the State's largest mainstream political party National Conference (NC), evoked a mixed response as business remained shut in certain localities of the capital city and other district headquarters. Shops and business establishments were seen closed in Civil Lines and some other areas but business as well as passenger transport services functioned normally in half of the city and many towns in the Valley. There was hardly any impact of the call for shutdown in dozens of major towns in Valley. Shops and business established functioned as usual even in the uptown localities of Maharaja Bazar, Dalgate, Rajbagh, Jawahar Nagar, Batmaloo and other places.

Even as attendance was not very thick, all the Government offices and educational institutions functioned as usual. Reports from Baramulla, Handwara, Kupwara, Budgam and other towns said that more than half of the passenger bus services functioned normally. Most of the Government offices and educational institutions paid little attention to the call for shutdown which had been also supported by several militant organisations. Geelani had called for the shutdown to register a strong protest of Kashmir valley against the Congress-PDP coalition government's move of allotting land to non-state subjects at Gulmarg on lease basis.

With the key player Geelani still camping in Jammu, NC found it opportune to stage a comeback at the farmhouse seat of Tangmarg where it had been completely wiped out by PDP leader Ghulam Hassan Mir in the Assembly elections of October 2002. Interestingly, neither Mir nor his loyalists in the PDP were seen anywhere in Tangmarg today. On the other hand, a local assortment of activists, under the umbrella of the newly formed Gulmarg Development Council, had occupied the centrestage of the new 'resistance movement'. Shahid Masood Bukhari, a local functionary of Sajjad Gani Lone's faction of the separatist People's Conference, delivered a hard-hitting speech against what he calls "fresh move of occupation and colonisation".

With varied political affiliations, activists of the new organisation looked initially reluctant to accommodate the incoming NC brigade. However, in a few moments NC's President Omar Abdullah, Abdur Rahim Rather, Dr Mehboob Beig, Shameema Firdaus, Nasir Sogami, Irfan Shah and Abdul Kareem Wani, were part of the rally. Shahid Masood complained that most of the political parties, who were making a lot of politics over Gulmarg in Srinagar, Jammu and Delhi, had stayed away and not even joined today's dharna at Tangmarg. He welcomed the NC delegation and appreciated that party's concerns for the people of Gulmarg and Tangmarg.

Addressing a 5,000-strong gathering of common people, mostly associated with tourism-related trade in Gulmarg-Tangmarg belt, senior NC leader Abdur Rahim Rather announced that his party would forcefully agitate the controversial Gulmarg auctions in the forthcoming session of Legislature in Jammu in January next. Dr Mehboob Beig also made a brief speech. In his key speech, Omar asserted that NC would never allow any Government to lease out J&K's land to non-state subjects. Responding to PDP leader and Minister of Tourism, Dilawar Mir's allegations, Omar claimed that none of NC's Governments since 1947 had ever allotted land to non-state subjects in the State. He sought to make it clear to Mr Mir that everybody mentioned by him in the last few days---from the owners of Grand Palace Hotel and Batra Medical College to the Nedous---was a state subject.

Omar disputed the expediency of creating further hotel infrastructure in Gulmarg with the claim that most of the hotels had no occupancy. He said that a survey conducted in Gulmarg by a foreign consultancy group had opposed further constructions beyond Tangmarg.

"My father was infamous for frequently visiting London. But the fact is that he did never sell off or auction any part of this State. Dilawar Mir Sahib went just once. As soon as he returned, he went for auctioning Gulmarg to outsiders. We don't know what will happen to this State if he goes there for another trip", Omar said in lighter vein.

Working group on CBMs completes deliberations
Recommendations to be sent to PM: Ansari

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 25: Even as the Principal opposition party -National Conference boycotted two days marathon crucial meetings, the working group on Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) today completed its deliberations and the recommendations will be convened to Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh for taking up these suggestions in the next Round Table Conference.

Working group on CBMs is the first among five groups, which has completed its deliberations. Five working groups were constituted as Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh had made these announcement after second round table conference at Srinagar on May 25, 2006.

Talking to media persons, chairman of working group on CBMs, Mohammed Hamid Ansari said that after thorough deliberations all representatives agreed on the set of recommendations. "Suggestions and recommendations of this working group will be conveyed to the Prime Minister so as to deliberate on next round table conference’’, he said and added that apart from some specific issues, some additional questions were also discussed during the deliberations. "Issues of the West Pakistani refugees of 1947, refugees of 1965 and 1971 wars were also discussed during the deliberations despite being the fact that these issues were not incorporated in the task assigned to this group’’, Mr Ansari said.

Pertinent to mention here that on the opening of the Darbar in Jammu earlier this month, Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad had announced that issue of granting citizenship rights to West Pakistani refugees will be deliberated in one of the working groups constituted by the Prime Minister so as to evolve a consensus among all political parties. He had announced to solve this issue once for all.

Mr Ansari made it clear that job of the working group was confined only to deliberate upon certain issues and to make some recommendations but final decision will be taken in round table conference.

Replying to question, Mr Ansari said that it was not possible to divulge outcome of two day meeting in detail as the report has to be first presented to Prime Minister but broadly speaking consensus has emerged with regard to all issues.

"Most of the participants were of the opinion that ‘zero tolerance’ on human rights as announced by the Prime Minister should be maintained at any cost’’, he said and added all the participants were of the view that there should be no rights violation case.

When asked about view point of the participants on policy for return of those youth, who have gone to Pakistan, Mr Ansari said that all members were unanimous that doors should be opened for those who wish to return to Kashmir from PoK. "First of all we should give them offer and modalities will be formulated later’’, he said, adding, "participants were of the view that an opportunity should be provided to those who have expressed their desire to return’’.

He, however, made it clear that those involved in heinous crimes would be dealt with law of the land.

On the question of the return of displaced Kashmiri Pandits to their native places in Valley, Mr Ansari said that it was duty of the State to create conducive atmosphere for their dignified return as it was their fundamental right.

He announced that their working group was assigned the task to find out measures to improve conditions of persons affected due to militancy in the State, schemes to rehabilitate all widows and orphans affected due to militancy, evolving solution to issue relating to relaxation of conditions in favour of Kashmiri youth who have gone to PoK, employment opportunity for displaced Kashmiri Pandit community and measures for protection of religious and cultural heritage of Kashmir.

1500 new assesses expected from all districts
IT teams to camp at Distt Hqrs of Kashmir for PAN, returns

By Mohinder Verma

JAMMU, Nov 25: Initiating yet another people-friendly step, Income Tax Department has decided to conduct week long camps for issuing Permanent Account Numbers (PANs) and subsequent filing of Income Tax returns by the prospective tax payers in all the districts of Kashmir region and remote ones of Jammu province from next month.

The decision was taken keeping in view lack of such facilities in districts other than Srinagar in Kashmir region and make addition of large number of new assesses in the tax payers base.

Disclosing this to the EXCELSIOR, Income Tax Commissioner J&K Virender Singh, who is currently on tour to Kashmir valley, said that the Department would first organise a week long camp for issuing PAN in the offices of Deputy Commissioners and after a gap of two to three weeks, the camp for filing Income Tax returns would be organised.

"At the initial stage such camps would be organised in all the districts of Kashmir region barring Srinagar and then in remote districts of Jammu region like twin border districts of Rajouri-Poonch and Doda", Mr Singh informed.

To a question, he said that from each district of Kashmir the Department was expecting minimum of 1500 new returns and upto March, 2007 atleast three camps each for issuing PAN and filing of IT returns would be organised for the benefit of the prospective tax payers.

It is for the first time after almost a decade that the prospective tax payers of the militancy affected districts have expressed their readiness to contribute in the development of the State by way of joining the main-stream of the honest tax payers, the IT Commissioner said while pointing towards the encouraging response from the traders in all the districts of Kashmir region during interactions.

For conducting such camps, teams of officers of the Department from Jammu will assist the Department’s officers posted in Kashmir valley, he further said and added that even facilities for obtaining TIN would be provided during the camps.

Disclosing that most of the Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) of the Government Departments in Kashmir region don’t have TAN for Tax Deduction at Source (TDS) and lacking information about the same, the IT Department officers will also assist them in this regard so that they would be able to strictly comply with the TDS provisions.

While camping in the District Headquarters, the IT Department teams would also help the new assesses in filing IT returns. For such facilities at the District Headquarters, the Deputy Commissioners of Kashmir region have also made a request to the IT Department as they are of the opinion that organising such camps would go a long way in making addition to the tax payers base in the State.

Meanwhile, IT Commissioner interacted with traders and DDOs in Srinagar, Budgam and Baramulla districts for the last three days and apprised them about their legal obligation of filing IT returns. In all the three districts, the IT Department received overwhelming response from traders as well as DDOs, who assured the Department to file correct IT returns.

In the interactive sessions, the Deputy Commissioners also participated and updated their knowledge about provisions of Income Tax Act. ITO TDS Rajesh Raina, who was accompanying the Commissioner, made a power point presentation on TDS provisions.

The interactive sessions were organised by Additional IT Commissioner Farhat Qureshi and his team.

JKBL's loan scheme for farmers

Excelsior Correspondent

Srinagar, Nov 25: Jammu and Kashmir Bank chairman, Dr Haseeb Drabu today introduced a new loan scheme for small and marginal farmers.

Introduced under the name and style of "JK Bank All Purpose Agri Term Loan," the scheme has been tailored to meet the credit requirement for carrying out activities under sectors like horticulture, sericulture, animal husbandry, plantation, fisheries etc., at cheaper rate of interest ranging from 9.5% to 10.5%.

It lays more emphasis on small and marginal farmers of rural and semi urban areas. The objective is to provide easy finance to needy farmers through regular channels of finance and to wean away them from non-banking intermediaries. For that purpose the product has been designed in such a way that hitherto unbanked customers get an easy access to banking services and hassle free financing through this scheme.

A spokesman of the Bank said that all persons engaged in agricultural and allied activities in semi urban and rural areas can get a loan amount up to Rs. 1.00 lakh against third party guarantee or hypothecation of assets created. The loan under the scheme is given for purchase of assets like farm equipments, bullocks etc.; creation of assets (orchard development, Dairy development, Poultry development etc.); or any other activity under agriculture, horticulture, sericulture, animal husbandry, plantation, fisheries etc.

Dr Haseeb Drabu, Chairman of the Bank,while speaking on the occasion said, "as part of our strategy, we will be concentrating on J&K and having prime focus on agri-business activities. Lending to agriculture and other allied sectors makes a pure business sense as this product apart from catering to the different requirements of people involved in agri-businesses shall also ensure meeting bank’s commitment to the society in J&K besides compliance to regulatory requirements."

He stated that the bank will come up with products and services that have more local relevance and suits to the local requirements. The strategy that the bank will be using in future will also prepare it for 2009 when international standards, commonly known as Basel II will come in vogue. "We will be increasing volumes in these lines of credit and the credit portfolio shall be aligned so that bank moves from strength to strength," he said.

Executive President of the Bank, Mushtaq Ahmad, while speaking on the occasion urged the branch managers to extend the hassle free facility to all existing and prospective customers and improve their credit portfolio in the State.

Shahrukh's company violated TDS

MUMBAI, Nov 25: A search conducted by the Income Tax Department on actor Shahrukh Khan’s entertainment company Red Chillies Entertainment has revealed alleged violation of Tax Deducted at Source (TDS), IT sources said here today.

There has been a violation to the extent of Rs 10 lakh and the exact amount is being worked out, the sources claimed.

The actor and officials of his company were not immediately available for comments.

The IT officials had on November 23 carried out a survey of Red Chillies at the actor’s premises in suburban Bandra here.

Red Chillies, of which Khan and his wife Gauri are Directors, is a production house and has produced the films "Main Hoon Na" and "Paheli", in which he also acted.

The company, while hiring studios for shooting, allegedly did not deduct TDS while making payments in some cases, sources said. (PTI)

An ode to a brave soldier

TIRUCHIRAPALLI, (TN), Nov 25: "Mummy, I will get you a Vir Chakra", the last words uttered by Major M Saravanan to his mother, before leaving for Kargil war, still reverberate.

To register patriotic fervour and commemorate the selfless sacrifice of the brave soldier in the minds of young, a monument is getting ready at Rountana in the city here.

Commissioned into the first battalion (infantry) of Bihar Regiment in the year 1995, Major Saravanan, hailing from Tiruchirapalli city, rose to the rank of Major for his credentials.

During the Pakistan sponsored Kargil invasion in 1999, Major Saravanan volunteered to capture a strongly held enemy point in the Batalik sub-sector in Jammu and Kashmir.

On the night of May 28, 1999, Major Saravanan and his troops launched a fiery assault on point 4268, Jubar Hills at a height of 14,229 feet on enemy position. (UNI)

Tout in recruitment arrested

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 25: A middle-man, who charged money from the gullible youth for providing them question paper of written test for recruitment as Sepoy in the Army, was arrested from Akhnoor late this evening.

Fifteen youth, who were studying the question paper after receiving the same from the middle-man in a house, were also taken into custody.

Police sources said that on a specific information, a team of Military Intelligence (MI) and SHO Akhnoor Police Station Sub-Inspector Jamroodh Hussain under the supervision of Additional SP Jammu Shakti Pathak and Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Akhnoor Atul Sharma conducted a raid in a house at Akhnoor and arrested a middle-man and 15 candidates. Several copies of the question paper allegedly to be given to the candidates for the written test tomorrow were also seized.

The middle-man alongwith the students were taken to Akhnoor Police Station and were being subjected to questioning till late tonight. "Though we are not in a position to confirm the exact amount received by the ‘tout’ from the candidates it was expected that it could to be in thousands of rupees", the police sources said.

The middle-man identified as Chander Parkash, son of Amar Nath of Palma, Rajouri himself approached some gullible youth and assured them that by way of studying the question paper, he was possessing, the candidates would be able to pass the written test.

"Before taking them to a house, where the question paper was delivered, he charged money from the candidates", the sources said.

A case has been registered in this connection and further investigations were going on.

Rajnath to be re-elected BJP chief

NEW DELHI, Nov 25: The stage is set for the formal election of BJP president Rajnath Singh for a full term tomorrow with former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and senior party leader L K Advani endorsing his candidature for the top post.

Both Vajpayee and Advani will be present at the party office here when Singh files his nomination tomorrow, a party official said.

There appeared to be no challenge to the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, who took over the reins of the party on December 31 last year from L K Advani, who was virtually forced by the Sangh to quit in the wake of the Jinnah row.

The election has come within a month of the party’s spectacular showing in civic elections in Uttar Pradesh, Singh’s home state, and ahead of the State Assembly elections that are expected to be his real test. (PTI)

Rajnath gets a renewed three-year term as BJP president

NEW DELHI, Nov : Driven by the BJP’s desire to re-establish itself in the Hindi heartland of Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal and Punjab, Rajnath Singh today got a renewed three-year term as party president when he was elected unopposed this noon.

BJP National Returning Officer O P Kohli announced Mr Singh’s election as the BJP president after finding all the 15 nomination papers proposing his name were in order half an hour ahead of the deadline meant for closure of nomination papers.

Mr Kohli announced Mr Singh’s name as BJP president after affirming that these papers would not be withdrawn even though there was ample time for withdrawal of nomination papers.

Expressing his happiness about Mr Singh’s relection, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said the president had completed his 11 month tenure in the first phase successfully and is moving on to the second phase and the prospects for this term too would be bright and honourable. "I congratulate him on this occasion and he has my fullest cooperation", Mr Vajpayee said.

Leader of opposition L K Advani said Mr Singh’s tenure had been successful in terms of winning byelections in Madhya Pradesh and Bihar and local body elections in Uttar Pradesh. He hoped the BJP’s dream of realising a ‘great India’ will be realised under Mr Singh’s presidency.

Acknowledging the party reposing faith in him for a second time after a ‘satisfactory’ 11 month term, Mr Singh said he would continue to work under the guidance of senior leaders like Mr Vajpayee and Mr Advani with cooperation from party leaders.

Mr Rajnath Singh said the nation was going through challenging times with the prices of essential commodities hitting the skies and the Government relegating handling of national security and terror instances to the backburner for achieving its appeasement policy with the hope of garnering minority votes.

He said the results of the byelections in Madhya Pradesh and Bihar and the urban local bodies polls in Uttar Pradesh had shown that people viewed BJP as the only party that could take the country out of the present crisis.

About the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), he said every partner was free to pursue its beliefs and ideology and no party had deserted the opposition alliance. He hinted that more parties would be joining the NDA in the near future.

Answering questions about his new team, Mr Singh said there would be new faces and those who can do good work would be entrusted with responsibilities and it would be a crucial fight ahead in the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal and Punjab.

Asked if he would visit Jhandewalan , the headquarters of RSS, before carrying out work allocation, Mr Singh said he had no hesitation in proclaiming that he was a proud Swayamsevak. However when it came to work, there was no interference from the RSS in BJP’s functioning.

He also announced that the party would launch its election campaign rally in UP on December 24 at Lucknow on the eve of the birthday of Mr Vajpayee .

The party has already scheduled the meetings of National Executive and National Council at Lucknow on 22, 23 and 24. The council will ratify Mr Singh’s election as BJP president.

In the BJP presidential elections, one set of nomination papers were filed on behalf of the BJP Parlimentary Party signed by Mr Vajpayee and leaders of opposition L K Advani and Jaswant Singh and Vijay Kumar Malhotra, Murli Manohar Joshi and Sushma Swaraj and other senior party MPs to the NRO at the party headquarters.

The states which had proposed Mr Singh’s name were Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Asom, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal and the UT of Dadra and Nagar Haveli. (UNI)

Pakistan ‘eagerly waiting’ for PM’s visit: Kasuri

NEW DELHI, Nov : Pakistan today said it is "eagerly awaiting" a visit by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that could provide an opportunity for the two countries to work on resolving key issues like Kashmir, Siachen and terrorism.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri, who met BJP leader and former External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha here this morning, said the improvement of relations between the two sides requires bipartisan support in both countries.

"We are eagerly waiting for the Prime Minister’s visit. Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has already visited New Delhi and now it is Singh’s turn. Whenever there is a high profile visit, the bureaucracy in both countries works hard to make it a success," he told reporters after the hour-long meeting.

"All aspects of all issues, which have emphasis in India like Kashmir, Siachen or the anti-terror mechanism, will come up for discussion and there will be an earnest effort to find a resolution to all these," said Kasuri who is in India on a private visit to attend the wedding of the daughter of Union Minister Mani Shankar Aiyer.

Emphasising that he has always promoted Indo-Pakistan relations, Kasuri said, "I also know that the nature of our relations is such that it would require bipartisan support, both in Pakistan and India.

"...So it has been my endeavour that I have tried to interact with all parties."

Kasuri recalled that it was during the tenure of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA Government that "both the countries started the (peace) process".

Kasuri said he had told Sinha that there was a need to maintain the "momentum (of the peace process) regardless of whether one is in power or is in the opposition".

The Pakistani Foreign Minister will meet External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee over lunch tomorrow.

He will also meet former Prime Minister I K Gujral and former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh during his stay in the capital. (PTI)