JAMMU: Six people, including a policeman, were killed in two separate accidents in Reasi and Ramban districts , police said.

Four people of a family, including a policeman, were killed when a car they were travelling in skidded of a bridge and rolled down into a gorge in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Reasi-bound car skidded off Tonia bridge and rolled down into 40 feet deep gorge, a police official said, adding that bodies of head constable Mohmmad Rasheed (48), Razia Begum (55), Mohmmad Zabir (35) and his wife Parvez Akhtar (30) have been recovered.

The deceased belonged to Rajouri district.

In another accident, a couple died, when a car in which they were travelling, skidded off the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and rolled down around 500-feet from road near Rattan- Bass area in Banihal tehsil of Ramban district this evening, officials said.

The couple died on the spot as car was badly damaged in the accident, they said, adding that, police has identified one of them as Irfan Ahmad Sheikh of Safa Kadal, Srinagar.

Relatives of the deceased couple have been informed by police and they are reaching Banihal hospital to claim the bodies, they said. (AGENCIES)

POONCH : Goods worth over Rs 80 lakh were traded today across the Line of Control (LoC) at Chakan-Da-Bagh crossing point here, officials said.

As many as 24 trucks rolled out from the Trade Facilitation Centre (TFC) here to PoK, they said, adding, these trucks carried bags of bananas and cumin worth Rs 63,34,000.

From PoK, three trucks carrying bags of almonds and herbs worth Rs 16,88,400 entered India, they said.

Officials from both sides monitored transportation of these goods twice during the day. (AGENCIES)

DRASS: Army is “fully geared” to take on the challenges and the Government is totally committed towards ensuring that its needs are met, outgoing Army Chief General Bikram Singh today said as he paid tributes to the Kargil War heroes.

“As Chief of Army Staff, I want to assure you that your army is stationed at the border and has the ability to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country,” said Singh, who was here to take part in events to mark the 15th anniversary of Kargil War. The day is observed as ‘Vijay Divas’ .

“As you know that I am hanging my boots on July 31 and I thought what better way of saying goodbye to the profession than coming here and laying a wreath,” Singh told reporters.

Asked if things have changed in terms of deficiencies in the army since Kargil War, he said, “Yes, things have changed. Let me tell you all the armies have deficiencies. It is not only that the Indian army has deficiencies.

“But things are being made up. The present Government is totally committed towards ensuring that our needs are met. Our deficiencies are met. So let me assure you that your army is fully geared to take on the challenges. I personally guarantee you that,” he said.

Replying to a question, Gen Singh said the life of a soldier has improved since the Kargil incursions took place in 1999.

“It has improved by leaps and bounds in a very distinct manner,” he said.

“The aspirations of the force with regards to the security needs are being addressed by the Government. Let me assure you that the present Government is definitely committed towards ensuring that the aspirations of our soldiers are met,” he said.

On ceasefire violations by Pakistan, the Army Chief said, “As you very well know that this kind of firing has been on and this thing has been happening almost every month and every year, but let me assure you that your soldiers are taking necessary action whenever required.”

Asked about the absence of senior army officers, who were part of Kargil war, from the function today, Gen Singh said he cannot comment on it as they might have had prior commitments.

“Look I cannot comment on that. It is possible that they are abroad, they are busy. They might have prior commitments. But let me assure you that each one of those officers has a commitment towards this cause,” he said.

Gen Singh later interacted with war widows present at the function and distributed gifts among them. (AGENCIES)

SRINAGAR: Militants today shot at and critically injured a policeman in Anantnag district, police said.

Constable Altaf was shot at from close range by the militants at Goriwan chowk in Anantnag town, 55 km from here, this evening, they said.

The cop was hit by a bullet in the chest and has been referred to a hospital here in a critical condition, they said, adding that no militant outfit has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

A hunt has been launched to nab the attackers, police said. (AGENCIES)

SITAPUR (UP), July 25:
An Indian Airforce helicopter crashed in Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh today killing seven people.      Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajesh Krishna told UNI here that the crash took place at Pandit Purwa village in Ataria area at around 1700 hrs.
Mr Krishna said that the IAF chopper ALH-370 crashed on the agricultural field when it was carrying 7 people including pilot and co-pilot from Bareilly to Allahabad.
Eye-witness say that they have seen the chopper crashing on the ground with a big fire erupting from the spot. Senior district and IAF officials have rushed to the spot along with fire- brigade. (AGENCIES)

SRINAGAR : A suspected overground worker of Lashker-e-Toiba outfit was arrested and a pistol and two grenades were recovered from him in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said today.
Parvaiz Ahmad Khuroo, a resident of Chanpora village of Sopore, was arrested by a joint party of police and Rashtriya Rifles during a checking at Baba-Teng near Pattan, 27 km from here, last evening, a police spokesman said.
“Khuroo was moving suspiciously and was subsequently arrested. A Chinese pistol with a magazine and five rounds and two hand grenades were recovered from him,” he said. (AGENCIES)

NEW DELHI :  Grant of most favoured nation (MFN) status to India by Pakistan will open up unhindered direct trade between the countries and also help in reducing transactions cost, Parliament was informed today.
“If MFN status is granted by Pakistan to India, it will open up unhindered direct trade between the two countries. Trade would then take place bilaterally at significantly lower cost. It will also restore Pakistan’s international commitment under WTO of reciprocity to MFN status,” Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
She said that India will also gain considerably by restoration of direct trade connectivity with Pakistan which is estimated to raise the country’s exports quite substantially.
“Experts believe total bilateral trade can rise to the level of USD 10-12 billion in the years to come,” she said.
Pakistan is yet to grant the status to India. India granted the status way back in 1996.
“At present trade between India and Pakistan takes place through UAE and Singapore to the tune of USD 3 billion as reported,” she added.
The two-way commerce between the countries stood at USD 2.72 billion.
Pakistan has decided to postpone grant of Non- Discriminatory Market Access (NDMA) status to India due to lack of consensus at home.
NDMA is a nomenclature chosen by the Pakistan government to avoid political ramifications at home of giving India the MFN status.
India’s main exports to Pakistan include sugar, man-made filaments and chemicals, while its imports comprise mineral fuels, among others.
In a separate reply, Sitharaman said the government has not decided its policy on permitting foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail trade.
“No decision on FDI in multi-brand retail trading has been taken,” she said, adding that FDI inflows of USD 273.61 million have been recorded by the government since allowing FDI in retail.
As per the current policy, 51 per cent FDI is permitted in multi-brand retail trading. When the UPA-led government announced the policy, the BJP had strongly opposed.
However, 100 per cent FDI is permitted in single brand retail under automatic route.
In another reply, Sitharaman said the textiles ministry’s export target of USD 45 billion for 2014-15 has not been revised.
On Special Economic Zones (SEZ) she said, as on July 22, the Board of Approval has cleared 69 requests for de-notification of SEZs. (AGENCIES)

JAMMU :  Panic gripped the bordering belt of Jammu  after the recovery of eight ‘live’ bombs from a nullah on city  outskirts, police today said.
Bombs were recovered, this morning, from a nullah in village Ratiyaan of Miran Sahib area on city outskirts.    Meanwhile, an eyewitness said the bombs were ‘live’ and taken into custody by the Army.
The recovered bombs were ‘live’ or ‘rusted’ is yet to be ascertained, police added.
“The bombs were recovered during de-silting of a canal after rains,” police said and added that Bomb Disposal Squad of Army and police are on the spot to defuse the devices. (agencies)

NEW DELHI :  Fifty soldiers lost their lives in Siachen Glacier due to climatic conditions and avalanches in the last three years while 16 soldiers died while serving in UN peacekeeping operations during that period, Lok Sabha was informed today.
In written replies, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said the government was aware of the “strategic importance” of Siachen Glacier and requisite forces have been deployed in that area on basis of the “threat perception, ground situation and other operational needs”.
50 soldiers were killed in the last three years upto July 20 in Siachen Glacier owing to landslides, floods and avalanches and climatic conditions, he said.
Siachen was once the world’s highest battlefield where Indian and Pakistani troops were constantly engaged in skirmishes till 2003 when ceasefire was declared.
India maintains more than 3,000 troops on the glacier where Indian posts have been built at altitudes upto 23,000 feet.
Jaitley said India has deployed 7,148 troops in UN peacekeeping operations. “16 troops have died there in the last three years.”
The Indian contingents are deployed in Congo, Lebanon, South Sudan, Golan Heights, Sudan, Ivory Coast, Iraq, East Timor and New York. Six Indian soldiers were killed in Congo, two in Lebanon and eight in South Sudan.
To another query, the minister said the government has ordered a study into the stress level encountered by young officers of the Army and has also asked the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to develop methods to mitigate it.
“A lab of DRDO undertook a study on ‘Factors Causing Distress among Young Officers of Indian Army’ with objectives to study the level of distress prevailing among the young officers; the casual factors that create distress among young officers and deplete their resources to cope with it and to suggest remedial measures to manage stress among young officers,” he said.
The minister said the report was submitted in April 2014 and the DRDO lab has already developed ‘Suicide Risk Assessment Test’ to identify at-risk personnel which has already been handed over to the Army. (AGENCIES)