Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, June 5: A 45-year-old labourer, Ghulam Ahmad Malla son of Abdul Gaffar Malla of Chesham Manasbal was critically injured after he was hit by a shooting stone while working in a stone query at Manasbal in Ganderbal district.
A police spokesman said he was shifted to SKIMS Soura Srinagar where he succumbed to his injuries.
Labourer dies
Thousands of Pandits leave for Kheer Bhawani
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 5: Thousands of Kashmiri Pandits and devotees of Mata left for annual Kheer Bhawani Mela to be held at holy shrine of Mata Kheer Bhawani at Tulmulla in Ganderbal district of Central Kashmir tomorrow.
Around 42 SRTC passenger buses carrying the devotees will reach the destination late to night under the security cover to participate Kheer Bhawani annual mela tomorrow and pay their obeisance to Goddess.
Besides, the pilgrims who left for holy shrine in free transport provided by the Government for them, a large numbers of pilgrims are also visiting the Kheer Bhawani in their own cars and taxis.
It is significant to say that this year a large number of Kashmiri Pandits, boycotted the free transport of the State Government.
The protesting Pandits alleged that at their residences in Jagti Township in Jammu they have 16 hours of curtailment amid the sweltering summer, which is an injustice to them. They explained that expenditure on passenger buses can be utilized for providing the facilities in the camps.
Meanwhile authorities have also made elaborate arrangements at the Shrine for the pilgrims tomorrow. Various social organizations have installed their camps for voluntary service to the yatris. Even some political parties and local social organizations of Ganderbal have also installed their stalls to greet the Yatris and provide them all assistance.
“This is a great occasion for us and Muslim brethren are waiting anxiously to greet their Pandit brethren on this day”, said Mir Ghulam Rasool senior leader People’s Conference and a trade unionists whose party has also installed a stall at Tulmulla to greet pilgrims.
The migration of the minority Pandtis was a great big loss to the people of Valley who crave for their return, he said and made an appeal to the Government to preserve their all religious places by fulfilling the community’s demand regarding passage of Shrines Bill. Mir also demanded that pilgrimage be started to other Hindu shrines of Kashmir on the pattern of Kheer Bhawani and his party will extend all support and assistance for the same. He also demanded that the Government should remove all encroachments from religious shrines of Pandits and restore their pristine glory.
Couple among three injured in road accidents
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 5: A couple was among three persons injured in road accidents at different locations.
As per police sources, Rajinder, a resident of Katra and his wife Ria were injured in two cars collision near Panthal in tehsil Katra.
The duo was rushed to Sub-District Hospital (SDH), where both were responding to the treatment, when reports last came in.
A case in this regard has been registered at police station Katra and investigation started.
Meanwhile, one person was injured, when the car bearing registration number JK21-9134 he was driving rashly turned turtle near Stadium Morh in Channi Himmat.
The injured identified as Vikash Gupta, son of Ashok Gupta of Peer Mitha was shifted to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), where after first aid he was discharged in the evening.
A case under FIR number 53/14 under Section 279 RPC has been registered at police station Channi Himmat and investigation started.
Passenger killed after matador hits bus
Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, June 5: One passenger died after a bus in which he was traveling was hit by a matador bearing number JK08C-3072 from back side at Gurah Kalyal on Ramkote -Billawar route this morning.
The matador was chasing the bus which was on its way to Billawar and after reaching Gurah Kalyal the matador hit the bus from backside resulting in the injury of one passenger namely Om Parkash, son of Paras Ram of Derli Billawar. He was shifted to Billawar Hospital for treatment where he succumbed to his injuries.
The matador driver fled from the spot after accident. The Billawar Police has registered a case against the driver and launched man hunt to arrest him. The matador was seized by the police.
3-day Maha Yagya begins
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 5: A three day Maha Yagya started at Kailash Dham Chinore here with Kalash pooja this morning.
The Maha Yagya is being organized by Kailash Dham Trust every year on Zesht Ashtami in the Ashram. A team of religious scholars from Haridwar have been specially invited by the Trust to perform this unique type of Maha Yagya said Prof A K Ogra one of the Trustees.
He said the Maha Yagya will culminate tomorrow with puranahuti and serving of Prashad to devotees. Thousands of mantras will be recited during the Maha Yagya for world peace and brotherhood, he added.
The Ashram was agog with religious festivities for early morning with large number of devotees thronging there to participate in the hawan.
The devotees were served prashad today also.
Prof Ogra said that Maha Yagya is every year conducted in the Ashram and he complimented the Sarpanch Chinore and district BJP president Akhnoor Sukhdev Singh Jamwal for his cooperation and support in making arrangements for the Maha Yagya.
The Maha Yagya will culminate on June 7 with Pooja archana.
Mithali requests BCCI for more women’s Tests
Hyderabad, June 5:
India’s top woman cricketer Mithali Raj has urged the BCCI to organise more Test matches for the national women team, which is set to play its first five-day match in eight year when they tour England in August.
The Test match in England will be their first since 2006.
Mithali, 31, has played 148 ODIs since making her debut in 1999 but has featured in only eight Tests.
“We are touring England in August and we are playing one Test. Though I have scored 214 in a Test match, I am playing a Test after eight long years. It is sad that there are so few Test matches in women’s cricket and I hope the Boards come together and organise more Test matches for women,” said the former women’s captain here.
“As an experienced cricketer, I would take some time to prepare my temperament and preparation needed for Test cricket,” she said last evening on Day 2 of the Sports Journalists’ Federation of India’s annual convention at the Rajiv Gandhi Uppal Stadium.
The right-hander stressed that the takeover of Indian women’s cricket by the BCCI had proven to be beneficial but also had its flip side like a short-duration domestic season.
“I would say it’s good but there is a flip side to it also. The domestic cricket is organised well and we get access to facilities like the National Cricket Academy. There are also monetary benefits like you get paid, but the flip side is that the domestic cricket is very short. I believe that you need to play more domestic matches to produce more players,” she said.
She also asked BCCI to follow the example of the other Boards and offer centralised contracts to the Indian women players. “As far as I know we are the only team which does not have a central contract with the national board. I don’t know what is holding it up but it would be good if it happens because it would give security to players, who do not have a secure job,” she added. (PTI)
GCE Srinagar organizes Annual Cycle Race
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, June 5: Government College of Education (GCE), MA Road Srinagar, organised its Annual College Cycle Race for men and women, here today.
For men’s section, the Race started from College Main Gate to Nishat Gate at 6:15 am, while for women’s section, the Race started from Nehru Park to Nishat Gate at 6:30 am Around 38 students participated in event and all the students ran enthusiastically to vie for the top honours.
Prof B A Bhat, Fazal Illahi and Arshad Sauleh highlighted the importance of the sports activities for overall personality development.
The race was organized by the Department of Physical Education under the supervision of Mohammad Ayub, Physical Director and Daljeet Kaur, Assistant Physical Director.
Tanveer Ahmad (M Ed) bagged first position in men’s section, while the second and third position was claimed by Muhammad Ibrahim (B Ed) and Ishfaq Majeed (B Ed). Ulfat Ara (B Ed) won first place in women’s section, while Aneesa Showkat (B Ed) and Sameena Akhter (B Ed) claimed second and third spot respectively.
24 pilgrims injured in bus accident near Shiv Khori
Excelsior Correspondent
REASI, June 5: At least twenty four (24) pilgrims were injured, three of them seriously when a bus carrying them to Shiv Khori in district Reasi over turned on the road near Kattari Kanda under Taryath police jurisdiction this afternoon.
Reports said the mishap took place around 4.15 pm when the bus No. RS05AP /1497, loaded with Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims was on way to holy cave of Lord Shiva at Shiv Khori from Katra. About 36 passengers were on board. As the vehicle reached near Kattari Kanda T-junction, about 8 kms short of Shiv Khori, the driver lost control after brake failure. He tried to stop the bus and hit the vehicle on the side hill. The vehicle after striking against the hill was over turned on the road.
Immediately after the mishap, the locals of the area and police party from Taryath police Post reached there. This spot Kattari Kanda falls under Taryath in Kalakote. All the pilgrims hail from Mathura city in Uttar Pradesh. They were on pilgrimage to Katra Mata Vaishno Devi and Shiv Khori.
The police shifted seven injured persons to nearby Taryath Community Health Centre (CHC) while three seriously injured were referred to Govt Medical College Hospital, Jammu. They were identified as Indira Devi ( 53) wife of Vikay Kumar of Mathura, Sudha (42), wife of Brij Mohan and Ambika (45) from Mathura. Fourteen others were admitted to Pouni Hospital in district Reasi.
Those admitted to CHC Taryath are identified as bus driver Randhir Singh, Jeetu (18), Jitender Singh (40), Fuleshwar Singh (45), Prem Chand (30), Jeeta (35) and Gunjan (18).
Fourteen others undergoing treatment in Pouni Hospital are- Vijay Upadhyaye (55), Dharyam Singh (70), Sunita Devi (55), Jamuna Parsad (50), Parkash Bagil (28), Radha Mohan (40), Gayatri Devi, Pardeep ( 2 yrs), Manish Upadhyaye, Pankaj Sharma (25), Satyajeet (45), Himmat Kaushik (22), Rekha Prasher (15) and Pawan Upadhyaye –all from Mathua city in Uttar Pradesh.
Leopard traps in barbed wire at LoC, dies
Excelsior Correspondent
MENDHAR, June 5: A leopard got trapped in barbed wire fencing in Pathari Galli area of Mendhar, on the Line of Control in Mendhar area of district Poonch today.
Reports said the Army jawans during patrol noticed a full grown leopard trapped in the barbed wire fencing on the LoC near Pathari Galli during morning. The wild beast was trying to get free but was unable to help him out. The jawans informed senior officers of the unit. They then contacted Wild Life Department Officials and Range Forest officer Mendhar.
The team from Mendhar reached there in Compartment No. 144 for helping the trapped animal. During the operation, the wild beast got scared and tried to flee but in the process he started bleeding profusely and died. Later, his body was removed and disposed off in presence of Magistrate after on the spot postmortem.
J&K Bank plans to exit PNB MetLife Insurance
MUMBAI, June 5:
Jammu & Kashmir Bank is planning to exit PNB MetLife Insurance by selling its 5 per cent stake in the life insurance joint venture, an official said today.
“Initial talks to fully exit the insurance business by selling the entire 5 per cent stake in PNB MetLife Insurance are on and it may help raise over Rs 500 crore,” the official told.
Bank Chairman and Chief Executive Mushtaq Ahmed had last October said the lender was considering to fully exit the investment. He had hinted the bank would wait for the right pricing to sell out.
Ahmed was not immediately available for comment on the possible stake sale.
PNB MetLife India Insurance Company Limited (PNB MetLife) is a joint venture between MetLife International Holdings Inc. (MIHI), Punjab National Bank Limited (PNB), Jammu & Kashmir Bank Limited (JKB), M. Pallonji and Company Private Limited and other private investors, with MIHI and PNB being the majority shareholders.
In 2012, the bank had cut its stake to 5 per cent by selling 6 per cent in the insurance venture and raised Rs 190 crore.
State-run Punjab National Bank holds 26 per cent in the venture, while US-based MetLife has 26 per cent stake.
The Srinagar-headquartered lender, held majorly by the State Government, acts as a corporate agent selling policies of the life insurer. (PTI)