10 killed, 41 injured as bus skids into gorge

Excelsior Correspondent

KATHUA, Feb 18: Ten persons were killed while at least 41 got injured, some of them seriously when a bus skidded of the road and fell into a deep gorge at Bharmal Galla, about 8 kms from Basohli on Bani-Basohli road in district Kathua this afternoon.

Reports reaching here said the mishap took place at around 1.15 pm when the ill-fated bus No. JK02G/ 1495 was on its way to Bani from Basohli town. A local 307 mini-bus started moving ahead of bus, picking up passengers enroute. Both the vehicles raced for several kilometers on this single road.

As the mini-bus dropped a passenger at Bharmal Galla on this narrow road, the bus driver tried to overtake the mini-bus. The driver lost control and the vehicle landed into a 150 ft deep gorge. Six passengers were killed on the spot while 45 injured in the mishap.

A message was flashed to Basohli police station and the rescue operation was launched after the SHO Basohli alongwith ambulance and Medical team rushed to the spot after an hour. The villagers of the area also reached there and joined the rescue operation. Ambulance from nearby Mahanpur Medical Centre was also pressed into service besides district headquarters Kathua. It took long time to the teams in rescue operation as it was difficult to move down the gorge and take out injured and dead bodies. SSP Kathua J P Singh and ASP Benam Tosh coordinated the operation.

Four more persons succumbed to their injuries while being shifted to Basohli hospital. All the injured were removed to Sub-District hospital Basohli in Ambulances, police and civil vehicles. Entire Sub-Divisional Administration was associated with the rescue as Deputy Commissioner Kathua Sarita Chauhan herself reached the spot to supervise the operation along with Chief Medical Officer.

While, 13 seriously injured including bus driver Bablu, resident of Palai village near Basohli, were further referred to GMC Jammu, 28 others were undergoing treatment in Sub-District hospital Basohli. Several local volunteers thronged the hospital to donate blood after the accident. They also rendered cooperation in the rescue operation.

A police spokesman said that out of the 10 persons killed in the accident, only six could be identified till late this evening. They are-Mohd Sharief, son of Nek Mohd, resident of Kharana, Bharu, wife of Lal Hussain resident of Marta Nagrota, Loon Begum, wife of Veer Mohd resident of Bhoond, Bassari Begum, wife of Ghulam Qadir, resident of Bani, Sapna Devi, daughter of Balwant Singh resident of Kharana in Basohli and Shakeela (3), daughter of Veeru Gujjar, resident of Bhoond. Four others were later identified as- Krishan Chand, son of Dulla Ram resident of Bani, Veena Devi, wife of Kaka Ram, resident of Bani, Thakur Dass, son of Nathu Ram, resident of Bhoond and Ravinder Singh, son of Late Hans Raj, resident of Sandar village.

Thirteen seriously injured referred to GMC Jammu from Basohli hospital were identified as bus driver Bablu, son of Prem Chand, resident of Palai (Basohli), Bimla Devi, wife of Veer Chand, resident of Bani, Abbas Wani, son of Chirag Din resident of Bani, Hans Raj , son of Kunj Ram resident of Shara, Mohd Iqbal, son of Mohd Din resident of Duggan, Shumo Begum, daughter of Roshan Din, resident of Bani, Hakumat Sharma, son of Nek Ram, resident of Basohli, Baz Singh, son of Tej Ram resident of Mandli, Rekha wife of Rasal Chand resident of Bani, Mohd Qasim, son of Jamal Din, resident of Bani, Jia Lal resident of Hutt village and Showkat Ali resident of Loang village in Bani.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has expressed profound grief over the loss of precious human lives in the tragic bus accident in Basohli. Mr Azad conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved families and prayed for speedy recovery of the injured in the accident. He issued instructions to the Head authorities and the District Administration to provide best possible medicare to the injured for their early recovery.

MLA Bani and former Minister Prem Sagar Aziz has also condoled the death and expressed sympathies with bereaved families.

11 killed in violence, low turnout in Pak polls
Trends do not augur well for Musharraf

ISLAMABAD, Feb 18: Zubaida Jalal, a former minister in Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s cabinet, was defeated in today’s Parliamentary polls, according to one of the first unofficial results reported by TV channels.

In initial trends which does not augur well for Musharraf, his close confidante Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, was trailing in a prestigious seat in Rawalpindi as counting of votes was underway in Pakistan general elections.

The Election Commission is yet to officially announce the turnout or any of the results though TV channels have been reporting unofficial trends in National and Provincial Assembly seats across the country.

Initial reports showed mixed trends with Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Nawaz Sharif’s PML(N) doing well in Sindh and Punjab respectively. Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) was faring well in Karachi, early trends showed.

Sharif told an Indian TV channel that he was happy with the election trends.

Yaqub Bizenjo, who belongs to the Balochistan National Party-Awami, defeated Jalal. Jalal was Education Minister during Musharraf’s three-year rule during 1999-2001. She was appointed Education Minister and later Minister for Social Welfare after the 2002 Parliamentary elections.

She had contested elections as an independent candidate for the National Assembly seat of Kech-Gwadar in southwestern Balochistan province.

Ruling PNL-Q’s Rasheed, a seven-time winner from his constituency and a former Railway Minister in the Musharraf Government, is trailing PML-N’s Javed Hashmi in one of the two prestigious seats in Rawalpindi.

According to other unofficial results aired by the TV channels, PPP’s Najmuddin Khan won from Dir district in the North West Frontier Province.

Earlier, a low turnout of about 35 per cent was recorded in the general elections in Pakistan today in which at least 11 people were killed in sporadic poll-related violence.

The polling, held under the shadow of suicide bombings and rigging fears, was largely peaceful save clashes between supporters of rival political parties at some places in Punjab, Sindh and the restive North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

Reports said at least seven people were killed in Punjab, three in Sindh and one in NWFP while more than 50 were injured.

Counting for the elections began nearly as soon polling closed and the results are expected to start emerging by midnight and trends should be clear tomorrow morning.

Election Commission sources said an estimated 35 per cent voter turnout was recorded.

Violence-wary voters preferred to stay away from the polls following a bloody election campaign ravaged by a spate of suicide attacks including the assassination of former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto which led to the deferment of the polls, originally slated for January 8.

Three blasts occurred in the Swat valley but there were no reports of any casualty. A blast rocked a polling station in Khar at Bajaur agency in the restive northwestern tribal area bordering Afghanistan.

After casting his vote in Rawalpindi, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf told reporters that he was committed to the "politics of reconciliation’’. "We must come out of this confrontationalist approach and get into a conciliatory mode. I myself will remain committed to politics of reconciliation with everyone,’’ he said.

The election is being seen as a Litmus Test for the beleaguered President with the possibility of the polls returning a "hostile parliament’’ which could impeach him from office.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice (Retd) Qazi Muhammad Farooq expressed satisfaction over the polling.

The polls failed to evoke enthusiasm in the people with many Pakistanis, disillusioned with "corrupt politicians’’, violence and rigging allegations, making a conscious decision to not participate in the electoral process.

Polling in the NWFP and the garrison town of Rawalpindi was conspicuous by the lack of response from the voters.

Karachi witnessed a better voter turnout because of the presence of the Muhajir Quami Movement (MQM) in the poll arena.

With the International Community closely scrutinizing the electoral process in Pakistan, election observers from the US and European countries visited various polling stations in the federal capital and the garrison town of Rawalpindi.

According to analysts, with none of the the main parties — the PPP, the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) and Nawaz Sharif’s PML (N) expected to secure a majority, a coalition between two of the three is likely.

An alliance between the PPP and the PML(N) would spell trouble for President Musharraf with former premier Nawaz Sharif intent on ousting him from office.

The President has rejected allegations of rigging and repeatedly emphasized that the polls would be free and fair.

On the eve of elections yesterday, PPP Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari struck a conciliatory note, saying his party would form a broad-based Government if it came to power.

Although the sympathy vote is likely following Benazir Bhutto’s assassination in December, the PPP is not likely to win a majority in the 272-seat National Assembly.

An unprecedented security cover enveloped Pakistan with more than 80,000 personnel of the armed forces deployed across the country to help the civil administration and the police in maintaining law and order.

More than 81 million voters were eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the fate of more than 7200 candidates in the fray for 269 seats of the National Assembly, out of 272, and 570 seats of the provincial assemblies.(Agencies)

‘Land can be given to outsiders on lease’
J&K has to open up for development: Azad

GULMARG, Feb 18: Clearing the air on buying land in Jammu and Kashmir controversy, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today said there was nothing wrong in offering land on lease to outsiders for development purposes.

"We are not selling the land to outsiders, but it could be provided to them on lease for the development of infrastructure," he said adding that Jammu and Kashmir has to open up to achieve all round development.

"We can not remain in isolation and have to take benefit of technological advancement for progress and prosperity", the Chief Minister said after inaugurating the fifth national winter sports games here.

Mr Azad’s clarification came after Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig, Incharge Tourism, had a few days ago in Delhi, said that there was a wrong notion that outsiders can not take land in the State. The statement had generated a controversy.

Under the law, no outsider can buy land in Jammu and Kashmir for his personal use but it could be offered on lease for developmental activities.

Referring to election in Pakistan, Mr Azad hoped that democracy would be restored in that country as it would help restore peace in the region. He was also confident of achieving peace with Pakistan.

Mr Azad said the State Government would host a major international sports event in Gulmarg next year in which many international sports personalities were expected to participate.

Mr Azad said the State is fortunate enough to have enchanting natural beauty as also a rich cultural and religious heritage which makes it a crown of India.

Jammu and Kashmir offers a variety of experiences for the tourists which no other part of the world can offer so much, he added.

He requested the participants and tourists, including those who had come from abroad, to act as ambassadors of Jammu and Kashmir and share their experiences with people of their area.

Tell the people how peaceful, beautiful and hospitable Jammu and Kashmir is, he said and expressed the hope that this would encourage others to visit the State and go back with pleasant memories.

Mr Azad said Kashmir has been the pioneer and backbone of Indian tourism because it offers more than just scenic beauty.

He said more than 40 kinds of handicrafts are being made even today.

The Chief Minister said tourists who come to Jammu and Kashmir want to take back a Kashmiri carpet, a world famous shawl, a beautiful wood or paper machie product.

He said our famous chefs called waazaas can make 40 to 50 different types of meat dishes. Tourists, he added, are also fascinated by the experience of living in houseboat and sailing on shikara boats.

"We welcome tourists from every part of the country and abroad", he said and added that it was a matter of great satisfaction that Gulmarg has always remained peaceful even during the turmoil of which the State is emerging out now.

He said Gulmarg had a reason to be peaceful for it is the Valley of flowers and flower is a symbol of peace and love.

Mr Azad said it was the poet-king of Kashmir Yousuf Shah Chak who would come here with the legendary poetess Habba Khatoon and it is he who in 1581 first called this place Gulmarg meaning a meadow of flowers.

Mr Azad invited the tourists to visit this place in spring and summer to have a real view of the meadow of flowers which is also an attraction for the golfers as it is one of the highest, famous and oldest golf course in the world.

The Chief Minister said Gulmarg is a unique resort not only because of its location and surroundings but also because it is only one hour drive from the international airport of Srinagar.

He said no other ski resort of this grandeur can boost to be so close to an international airport and also be so easily accessible.

Earlier, Mr Azad declared open the 5th national winter games-2008 in which about 500 sportspersons, representing 18 teams from different parts of the country, will participate.

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi, besides a number of Ministers, senior bureaucrats and a large number of people, including a good number of foreigners, were present on the occasion.

Earlier, sportspersons from host Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Chandigrah, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, ITBP, BSF, Navy, Dmas Manali, Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering, Army and MSI took part in the march past.

Olympion Gul Mustafa lit the games flame.

The torch, which was flagged off by the IOA president Suresh Kalmadi at New Delhi on February 12 and handed over to veteran Jammu and Kashmir Olympian Gul Mustafa, reached here after travelling through Dehradun, Shimla, Jammu and Srinagar.

The formal competitions will be held from tomorrow morning.

Sky diving, Kashmiri songs and other colourful programmes marked the opening of the games.

Mr Azad and Mr Kalmadi released a white pigeon as a symbol of peace on the occasion.

Probables for the 2010 Canada Winter Olympic games will be selected during the National Winter Games at Gulmarg.

Mr Kalmadi said this during the opening ceremony of the games here.

Mr Kalmadi said Gulmarg has the highest down hill ski point connected by Gandola cable car in the world.

It has best slopes in the world, he said and thanked the organisers for making all arrangements for the games-2008.

He said out of 5 national winter games held so far, Gulmarg hosted three times.

The probables selected during the games will be trained within and outside the country, he said, adding we will give our sportspersons training so that they could make the country proud in the 2010 Canada games. (Agencies)

7 more bodies recovered
3 buried under fresh snow avalanche in Uri

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Feb 18: Three persons were buried alive under a fresh snow avalanche in Uri sector while as security forces recovered bodies of three soldiers and four porters, who got buried under snow avalanche on January 8 in the same area. Five persons including two Army jawans were still missing.

Reports said that three people were buried under an avalanche when they were collecting firewood at Mochi Naka in Uri sector last evening. On getting information about the snow avalanche, other villagers swung into action to recover the bodies.

After hectic efforts, body of one Abdul Jamal Naik was recovered while search was on for other two identified as Abdul Aziz Naik and Mohammad Ramzan Hajam, till this evening.

The authorities had already warned people living in upper reaches to avoid going out of their houses unnecessarily because of the threat of snow avalanches following heaviest snowfall. "But to ward off chill the people have been venturing to come out of their houses to collect the firewood", the sources said.

Meanwhile, a Defence Ministry spokesman said that after slight improvement in the weather conditions, the Army alongwith police and locals launched a fresh operation to recover the bodies of four soldiers and seven porters, who were buried under a huge snow avalanche in Uri sector on January 8.

After a long search of the entire area, the troops finally recovered the bodies of three soldiers and five porters. However, one Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), one soldier and three porters continued to remain missing so far.

He identified the recovered bodies of Army personnel as Lance Naik Raja Bhau and Lance Nail Gawde Deepak, both of 9 Maratha Light Infantry. Four of the porters have been identified as Ghulam Mohd Malik, son of Dilawar Malik, Zahoor Mir, son of Ali Mir, Manzoor Ahmed Lone, son of Abdul Ahad Lone, all the residents of Mian village and Abdul Rashid Mir, son of Rahim Mir of Hill Pathri.

One soldier and a porter are yet to be identified, the spokesman said.

"We are still looking for two soldiers including a JCO and three more porters", the spokesman said, adding the entire Rajpoot Tikri near the Line of Control (LoC) was under more than 15 feet of snow which was the main reason behind the delay in recovering the bodies of those buried under the snow avalanche.

He said that police and civilian helped troops to bring the bodies to the base camp where they were identified. The bodies will be handed over to their relatives, he further said, adding the bodies of soldiers were airlifted to headquarters of 15 Corps.

"Normally we send bodies to their native places for performing the last rites. However, in this case the relatives of the dead soldiers will be brought here to participate in the last rites as the bodies got mutilated badly for remaining under the snow for 40 days,’’ the spokesman said.

He said that the defence authorities have already sanctioned Rs one lakh ex-gratia to the next-of kin of each porter killed in the incident.

Meanwhile, there was still no trace of a Norwegian woman skier who was missing since January 8 in snowbound Gulmarg heights.

Success still eludes the rescue teams from Army, High Altitude Warfare School, police and tourism who are searching the entire belt to locate Francesca Rongne, an official spokesman said.

"The rescue teams could not trace her in the heights", he said, adding "this is for the second time that Francesca Rongne went missing in Gulmarg during the past two years as last year she returned after taking shelter in a snow cave for several days following snow storm".

The body of the skier may be traced only when the snow melts later this month, he further said.

Despite snow, yatra up by 27,000
Natural cave to remain open this month

By Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Feb 18: Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) has decided to keep natural cave shrine, which leads to sanctum sanctorum of Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Trikuta hills, open for remaining days of this month or till the pilgrimage crossed 12,000 per day.

Presently, 7000 to 8000 yatris are visiting the holy shrine daily and having darshan of the Goddess in the form of three natural pindies through old and historic cave.

"We will keep the natural cave open at least for the remaining period of February. The period could extend to initial days of March till the yatra crossed 12,000 mark", Additional CEO, SMVDSB, Manoj Kumar Dwivedi told Excelsior.

He said about 10,000 pilgrims can easily have darshan from the natural cave per day but "we will extend the number upto 12,000". However, he added, when the yatra crossed 12,000 mark, the old cave will be closed and pilgrims will have darshan of the Goddess through new tunnel.

"It is most suited time for the people intending to have darshan through the natural cave to undertake pilgrimage", Mr Dwivedi said.

This year till yesterday, 4.52 lakh pilgrims have visited Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, an increase of 27,000 over the corresponding period last year.

In the month of January, 3.37 lakh yatris had darshan of the natural pindies. The number was up by 46,000 as compared to the figures of January last year. However, in February, the yatra went down due to heavy snowfall and rains at Bhawan and other places. During first 17 days of this month, only 1.15 lakh yatris have visited the cave shrine, a downfall of 20,000 as compared to corresponding period last year.

As against an average arrival of 8000 pilgrims per day to Katra, base camp of the shrine, during the month of February in 2007, the average arrival this year has come down to 6500. During hostile weather for about 10 days, the yatra had come down to 4000.

This is for the first time that yatra in the month of January has crossed 3 lakh figure. Previous best figure in the month of January was in 2007 when 2.89 lakh yatris had visited the Bhawan. In January 2006, the number was 2.59 lakh.

Despite downfall in pilgrimage in February, there was an overall increase in yatra by 27,000 till February 17 this year in comparison to same period last year.

Going by the increase in pilgrimage every year, the Shrine Board authorities were expecting yatra to cross 1 crore mark in next two years.

Last year, the yatra had, for the first time, crossed seven million mark and stood at 73.50 lakh. In 2006, the yatra had missed seven million mark by 50,000.

With an eye on one crore pilgrimage, the SMVDSB has started concentrating on catering, sanitation, accommodation, yatra slips and third tunnel to ensure that pilgrims are not subjected to any inconvenience despite rush.

Maintenance of roads yet to receive Govt's focus
R&B gets Rs 35 cr against Rs 425 cr requirement

By Mohinder Verma

JAMMU, Feb 18: Although Government claimed to have been laying much emphasis on road network in the State, yet, it has failed to pay much needed attention towards the maintenance of all sorts of the roads including those connecting major cities and towns.

This can be gauged from the fact that as against the requirement of Rs 425 crore per annum for the maintenance of roads by the State’s Public Works Department (PWD), only Rs 35 crore are being provided thereby resulting into either poor maintenance or neglect of majority of the roads.

Official sources said that around 17000 kilometres of roads (6500 kilometres in Jammu region, 8500 kilometres in Kashmir and 2000 kilometres in Leh) are being maintained by the Public Works Department every year and for the job an amount of Rs 425 crore is required.

"For one kilometre of road an amount of Rs 2.5 crore is needed by the PWD for proper and complete maintenance throughout the year but only Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 are being provided to the Department leaving enough scope for neglect of majority of roads particularly in the districts other than those of capital cities and remote areas", the sources revealed.

Even Minister for Roads and Building, Jugal Kishore, considers the allocated amount as ‘meagre’ and says that the maintenance part needed to be given more attention while formulating annual plans for the Department.

"The sanctioned amount of Rs 25,000 to Rs 20,000 is not enough if we have to ensure proper maintenance of 17,000 kilometres of roads across the State, the responsibility of which lies on the Public Works Department", he said when contacted by EXCELSIOR.

Meanwhile, sources said that despite being aware of its ability to unconnected villages with roads in a year, the Government was dreaming to provide road connectivity to all 1954 left-over inhabited villages in the State through all weather or fair weather roads by 2009, the job which is not considered as tough but impossible.

Out of total 6417 inhabited census villages in the State, 4403 were connected by all weather or fair weather roads at the end of March, 2006 and 2014 inhabited villages remained unconnected, official data available with EXCELSIOR revealed.

Though the rural connectivity remained top priority of the State Government yet in 2006-07 the Government could connect only 46 villages through road network making an aggregate of 4463 while 1954 villages were yet to be focused for connectivity.

Despite being aware of its capacity to provide road connectivity in one year, the Government has started aiming to provide connectivity to all the left over villages by 2009 under Bharat Nirman Scheme which is being implemented through Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)—a Centrally sponsored scheme.

The objective of the PMGSY programme was to provide connectivity by way of an all weather road to the unconnected habitations in rural areas in such a way that the habitations of 1000 and above population were to be covered in three years since its implementation and all unconnected habitations having population of 500 and above by the end of 10th Five Year Plan. Likewise, the areas and tribal areas with population of 250 persons and above were to be covered during the same period.

But, the official report revealed that out of 419 ongoing PMGSY projects only 71 schemes have been completed by August 2007. Moreover, the 413 kilometres of road length sanctioned under Phase IV in April 2006 and 1152 kilometres road length sanctioned under Phase-V in March 2007 were yet to be completed by the Government.

Keeping in view the snail’s pace movement on the projects and ability to connect villages in a year, the target to connect all the left over villages by 2009 seems to be impossible.

Admitting that connecting all the left over villages within a period of one year will be a challenging task, the Minister for R&B Jugal Kishore Sharma said that State Government may approach the Centre for relaxations in the time-frame of implementation of PMGSY scheme keeping in view the fact that in Jammu and Kashmir several clearances particularly from the Forest Department were required in the backdrop of Supreme Court as well as State High Court directions.

270 airlifted to Marwah, Wadwan

Excelsior Correspondent

KISHTWAR, Feb 18: A total of 270 stranded people were airlifted in the Indian Air Force (IAF) choppers from here to remotest areas of Marwah, Wadwan and Nawapachi today.

Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar, Shaheed Anayatullah said that keeping in view the problems being faced by the stranded people, Indian Air Force (IAF) was requested to press its choppers into the service for the remotest areas of the district.

The IAF immediately deployed two MI-17 choppers and a total of 270 stranded passengers were airlifted to Marwah, Wadwan and Nawapachi in 11 sorties of two choppers, he said.

An equal number of people mostly patients, students and employees were also taken back from these remote areas in the choppers, Mr Anayatullah said, adding that IAF would continue its services tomorrow as about 135 passengers were still stranded at Kishtwar.

Of the remaining 135 people, 95 belongs to Marwah and remaining of Dachhan and Wadwan, the Deputy Commissioner said and added that the Government has made all possible arrangements for the stranded people at Kishtwar.

He disclosed that in most of the areas the power as well as water supply has been restored and efforts were on to provide essential services to the left over areas.

The Deputy Commissioner disclosed that Minister for Power, Babu Singh had personally reviewed the situation in the district some days back and issued necessary directions for early restoration of the power supply to the affected areas.

Musk deer captured

SRINAGAR, Feb 18: A musk deer, who had come down from the forest following heavy snowfall recently, was captured by police in the outskirts of the city early this morning, official sources said.

They said personnel of Nigeen Police Station recovered a three-year-old musk deer at Kundanhpeth Habak Shanpora.

Later, the captured musk deer was handed over to wildlife authorities at Dachigam.

This was for the second time, any wild animals was caught before attacking people in the Valley.

Last week people at Anchidora in south Kashmir district captured a leopard in the village.

More than two dozen people's were killed and about 40 others wounded by wild animals in the Kashmir valley during the past one year.

However, in retaliation, people also killed four wild animals in the Valley during the same period. (UNI)

Wife, son held for cop's murder

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 18: Police today worked out blind murder of a police head constable and arrested five accused including his wife and son.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Border, Rajinder Gupta said that on February 2, 2008 body of a police head constable identified as Madan Lal, son of Mir Chand of Swankha Morh was recovered from a link road leading towards village Salmeri.

Subsequently, a case was registered and inquest proceedings under Section 174 CrPC were initiated to ascertain the cause of death. Since the body of cop was recovered under suspicious circumstances, a special team comprising SHO Vijaypur Police Station, Inspector Arun Jamwal and Incharge Police Post Supwal, SI Sanjiv Chib was constituted under the direct supervision of Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Samba, Ram Singh Charak.

During the course of investigation, Shano Devi, wife of the deceased was questioned and it came to fore that she had drawn a huge sum of amount from the joint accounts of her and the deceased from Post Office, Vijaypur and a bank branch at Swankha Morh.

The relations of the cop alongwith his wife became estranged when he came to know about the withdrawal of huge amount by his wife without taking him into confidence, the SSP said, adding after several days of repeated altercation, Shano Devi decided to eliminate her husband.

She alongwith her son Suraj Singh alias Kaka approached Shashi Kant, son of Kali Dass of village Rarian and presently running a shop near the house of the cop, Jyoti Sharma, son of Rattan Sharma of Gurah Morh, Rajinder Kumar, son of Romesh Chand of Rarian, Mangal Dass alias Mangu, son of Ram Ditta of Rarian and a deal was struck with them that Rs 2 lakh will be paid by her for the killing of her husband. Even an advance to the tune of Rs 50,000 was paid by her to Shashi Kant.

As per the plan, the accused murdered Madan Lal on February 1 and threw the dead body alongwith cop’s motorcycle on link road approaching village Salmeri. Later, head of the deceased was crushed under the tyre of a van.

Following the disclosure of the Shano Devi, police conducted raids at different places and arrested four accused including deceased’s son. During interrogation, all the arrested accused confessed their crime.

SSP said that accused Mangal Dass was still absconding and a hunt was on to nab him.

High alert in New Delhi

NEW DELHI, Feb 18: An intercepted Telephone Call from somewhere on the Indo-Nepal border to Pakistan today in which a mention was reportedly made about attacking "rajdhani" and "benares" saw Delhi being put on high alert and police stepping up vigil.

The input provided by an external intelligence gathering agency about the telephone call was immediately shared with the Delhi Police, Ministry of Railways and Uttar Pradesh Government prompting the authorities to call for a general alert.

"We also received an input that some militant outfits are planning to create terror in the National Capital by targeting some prominent locations and based on that we have taken necessary security precautions," Joint Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Karnal Singh told.

The input was general in nature but police has stepped up security in Delhi so as not to take any chance, Singh said, adding, "there is nothing to panic. Personnel have been alerted. We are keeping a close watch."

The Railways also swung into action and stepped up vigil on its "rajdhani" trains across the country, sources said.

An alert was also sounded in the holy town of Varanasi.

However, no one was picked up or questioned by any police force.(PTI)

Ex-Armyman's links being probed

PUNE, Feb 18: Intelligence sleuths have started probing the links of Shailesh Jadhav, an ex-Armyman arrested by Pune police for involvement with the ISI.

Data retrieved from Jadhav’s computer at his Satara office by a team of Pune police was expected to throw light on the activities of Jadhav, who has been accused of providing shelter to another ISI agent Sayed Desai, who had fled from here last month.

Police stumbled upon Jadhav, owning a transport business in Satara, when they were actually looking out for Desai, a convicted ISI agent who was awaiting deportation to Pakistan after completion of his jail term at Yerawada here.

The Satara-based Jadhav’s dramatic arrest at Pune railway station when he was about to board a train for Jodhpur on Saturday night has brought into focus the deep rooted network of ISI which seems to have penetrated the interior Maharashtra in addition to Mumbai, sources said today.

According to senior police officials, the 29-year-old Jadhav, who was court-marshaled by the Army for financial irregularities during his posting at Jodhpur, had spent some time with Desai in Yerawada jail in 2004 when the latter was an undertrial facing charges of passing on classified information about the Khadki ordnance factory here to ISI.

While Jadhav-from whom police have recovered some classified documents pertaining to Jodhpur Army base-has been booked under the Official Secrets Act, the 50-year-old Desai, whose deportation formalities are still underway, continues to be at large. (PTI)

PPP, PML-N leads in Pak polls, no party set to get majority

ISLAMABAD, Feb 19: In a crushing blow to President Pervez Musharraf, the Pakistan People's Party and the Pakistan Muslim League (N) -- the main political forces ranged against him-had today established leads in the general elections but neither of them was expected to gain an absolute majority, making the formation of a coalition government imminent.

The PPP of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, riding on a sympathy wave, was emerging as the single largest party followed by PML-N of another former premier Nawaz Sharif.

Elections were held for 269 of the 272 seats in the National Assembly.

Another 70 seats in the 342-member strong National Assembly are reserved for non-Muslims (10) and women (60), which are allocated to parties according to the votes they poll.

Of the 221 seats in the National Assembly from where results were available, the PPP had won 74 while the PML-N 62. The PML-Q got 31, MQM 17, ANP 10 and the MMA has won two seats.

Independent candidates have won 20 seats.

Elections were simultaneously held for the four provincial assemblies of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and North West Frontier Province.

Benazir's party won the maximum 51 seats in its stronghold of Sindh. The party got 64 seats in Punjab, seven in Balochistan and 14 in NWFP.

As expected the PML-N got the highest 95 seats in its citadel of Punjab and two in NWFP. The party is yet to win a seat in Sindh and Balochistan.

The PML-Q, which probably paid for its proximity to the beleagured former military ruler, was doing comparatively better in provinces having won 53 seats in Punjab, seven in Sindh, 14 in Balochistan and 5 in NWFP.

The MQM, which might play a crucial role in government formation, in the event of no party getting an absolute majority, has won 28 seats in Sindh and was yet to register a win in other provinces.

The ANP has won the highest 28 seats in NWFP while the party got two seats in Sindh and one in Balochistan.

The MMA got six seats in Balochistan, five in NWFP and one in Punjab.

The 64-year-old former Army General faces impeachment if the new government is formed under the banner of Mr Sharif, who was ousted by Gen Musharraf in a bloodless coup in October 1999.

Many stalwarts crashed to the ground with two PML-Q prime ministerial candidates-PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi-losing from their respective constituencies.

Among other prominent leaders who faced defeat were former Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid, former National Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain, former Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri and MMA chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman.

A low voter turnout of 35 per cent was recorded in polling yesterday amid heightened fears of violence. At least eleven people were killed in sporadic poll-related violence. Counting for the elections began nearly as soon polling closed at 1700 hrs.

President Musharraf expressed satisfaction that the polls were completed in a "free, fair and transparent" manner as "promised" by him.

He said it was time for "political reconciliation" and urged all the candidates to accept the results "gracefully".

MQM chief Altaf Hussain expressed his willingness to have a dialogue with either of the two main opposition parties to form a coalition Government.

(UNI)