Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Jan 24:Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today expressed disappointment over the closure of Pathribal fake encounter case by Army and said Law Department will be asked to examine this serious matter.
Omar said a matter as serious as Pathribal can’t be closed. “Extremely disappointed with the decision of the Army reg #Pathribal. Will ask the Law Deptt & Advocate General to examine options. A matter as serious as #Pathribal can’t be closed or wished away like this more so with the findings of the CBI so self evident,” he tweeted.
Army closed the case saying the evidence recorded could not establish prima facie charges against any of the five accused persons. While conveying the decision to Judicial Magistrate Srinagar, Army said. “The evidence recorded could not establish a prima facie case against any of the accused persons.”
Five persons were killed in March 2000 by Army and Police in a joint operation in South Kashmir district of Anantnag and they were dubbed as militants responsible for massacre of Sikhs in village Chittisinghpora.
CBI in 2006 indicted five Army personnel of 7-Rashtriya Rifles – Brig Ajay Saxena, Lt Col Brahendra Pratap Singh, Maj Saurabh Sharma, Maj Amit Saxena and Subedar Idrees Khan- for staging the encounter while it gave a clean chit to the Jammu and Kashmir Police.
The case was handed over to CBI in January, 2003, and the investigation agency hold officers and jawans of the 7-RR responsible for the fake encounter. The CBI in its findings had stated that these men were responsible for killing of five innocent civilians whom they said were terrorists involved in an attack on Sikhs at Chittisinghpora in South Kashmir.
CM disappointed over Pathribal case closure
Traffic cop knocked to death by speeding car
Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, Jan 24: A Head Constable of Traffic Police was knocked to death by a speeding car on the National Highway near Jakheni, here late last night.
The deceased has been identified as Vijay Kumar son of Dharma Chand of Julakha Mohalla Jammu. He was hit by speeding Xylo car, bearing registration number JK08B-8175.
The incident took place around 11.30 p.m last night and the critically injured traffic cop was rushed to District Hospital Udhampur where doctors declared him as brought dead.
The accused driver namely Zohar Ahmad of Lal Chowk Kashmir was arrested on the spot and vehicle was also seized.
Police has registered a case in this connection.
Meanwhile, a young man was also knocked to death by an unidentified vehicle at Malard Chowk Garhi. The deceased was identified as Babu Ram, son of Bansi Lal of Malard Ritti.
Absconder involved in drug trafficking case arrested
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 24: Police today arrested an absconder, who was involved in drug trafficking case and was evading his arrest for the past some time.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Doda Mohammad Sharief Chouhan said that a drug kingpin identified as Abdul Hakim alias Raju Banday wanted in a case registered under FIR number 10/14 under Section 8/21/22/25 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act with police station Doda surrendered before Court of Additional Session Judge for bail.
However, Doda Police contested the bail and on the basis of gravity of offence and circumstances involved, Court by rejecting the bail application, handed over the custody of accused to Police, SSP added.
SSP informed that police is investigating all the paraphernalia involved in drug trafficking and role of others to have conspired or abetted drug trafficking is being ascertained.
Youth electrocuted
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 24: A youth was electrocuted after he came in contact with live wires near Vivekananda Stadium in holy town Katra.
As per police sources, a youth identified as Sumit, son of Sham Singh of Muttal came in contact with 11,000 volt wire near Vivekananda Stadium, Katra.
He was rushed to Sub District Hospital (SDH) Katra, where doctors declared him as brought dead.
The body was handed over to family members after completing legal formalities.
A case under relevant Sections has been registered at Katra police station and investigation started.
Villagers protest against R&B in Mandi
Excelsior Correspondent
MENDHAR, Jan 24: Villagers from Balnoi area held strong protest against the R&B authorities for their failure to complete 5 km road length from Rajpura to Balnoi in last five years.
The villagers including Sarpanchs and Panchs of the area came out at Rajpura and started protest demonstration. They were raising slogans against the R&B Minister, Chief Engineer concerned and DC Poonch. They alleged that about 5 years back the road was sanctioned and the work started but it has been abandoned and not completed even after five years. The villagers also contacted concerned authorities on several occasions including local MLA and other leaders but the matter has remained unresolved. They warned to throng DC office and stage dharna if the district administration failed to take up the issue.
Massive searches in Akhnoor village
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 24: Army and police today launched a massive search operation at village Nathal near Kaleeth in Akhnoor tehsil following reports given by the civilians that they had spotted movement of four suspected militants.
The civilians claimed that they saw the armed militants heading toward Akhnoor through the village Nathal, which falls few kilometers short of the Line of Control.
Army and police personnel immediately rushed to the spot and cordoned off the village.
Additional SP Jammu ML Kaith said the area has been sealed and searches were being conducted to track movement of any unwanted elements.
He added that searches would be intensified with the onset of dawn tomorrow.
Katra police nabs bootlegger
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 24: In order to curb the rising menace of illegal liquor smuggling in the holy town Katra, police today arrested a bootlegger along with illegal liquor.
A police spokesman said that, police team from Katra police station headed by DySP Ghulam Hassan Sheikh during patrolling intercepted a person, who was moving suspiciously.
During checking, police recovered 20 pouches of illicit liquor and arrested the bootlegger, who has been identified as Ashok Kumar, son of Senu Ram of Bhuttan, district Reasi.
A case under FIR number 23/14 under Section 48-A Excise Act has been registered at Katra police station and investigation started.
CB raids 4 LPG dealers
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 24:- Acting on the complaints of consumers regarding shortage of subsidized LPG Gas, Crime Branch Jammu today conducted a raid on four LPG dealers and suppliers in different parts of the city here and seized their records to unearth the black marketing racket in the city.
The four gas agencies which were raided by the sleuths of the Crime Branch included Shivangi Gas and Chenab Gas, Panjtirthi, Jammu, Jammu Gas and Chenab Trading Co. Ambphalla.
According to Crime Branch a team of over 15 sleuths including three Dy SPs and eight Inspectors raided the premises of the four LPG dealers under the Supervision of SSP Crime Branch Shakti Pathak.
Crime Branch has also registered FIR No. 1/2014 in this regard.
As per the FIR an information through a reliable source was received in Crime Branch, Jammu that some dealers and suppliers of cooking gas agencies in Jammu including Shivangi Gas and Chenab Gas, Panjtirthi, Jammu, Jammu Gas and Chenab Trading Co. Ambphalla have clandestinely maintained fake and fraudulent gas connections on fictitious and non-existent names, whereby gas obtained on subsidized rates from the Government is fraudulently shown issued to the fictitious persons in the records which actually is sold in black-market on non-subsidized rates, thus causing a huge loss to the State exchequer on account of misappropriation of subsidy amount.
The Crime Branch said the fraud is being committed in connivance with some monitoring agencies as the cost difference between commercial and non-commercial gas is quite substantial.
Crime Branch said from these revelations, it spells out that this huge racket is being run by the dealers and suppliers of LPG agencies operating in Jammu with the active connivance of officers and officials of the CAPD Department, who in furtherance of a criminal conspiracy have dishonestly and fraudulently prepared the fake and fictitious list of non-existent consumers in gross violation of the norms and the prescribed rules. This is being done in order to cause consequential monetary gains to themselves and substantial loss to the State exchequer, sources added.
It said the omissions and commissions on the part of the proprietors of these gas suppliers and dealers, officials of the CAPD Department and others involved in this racket, prima facie, constitute offences punishable U/S 406, 420, 467, 468, 471, 120-B RPC R/W Section 3/7 E.C Act and Section 5(2) P.C Act Svt. 2006. Accordingly, a formal case has been registered in P/S Crime Branch. However no arrest was made so far.
Man injured in accidental fire
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 24: A man was injured in accidental fire, which went off from his gun in Shiba, district Doda.
As per reports, Aiyaz Ahmed, son of late Mohammad Hanief of Shiba, district Doda was injured in accidental fire, which went off from his gun while cleaning late last night.
He was shifted to nearby hospital and was later referred to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), where his condition was stated to be out of danger, when last reports came in.
Police has taken the cognizance.
JWAM protests against Pakistan
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 24: Jammu West Assembly Movement (JWAM) here today held a protest against Pakistan Government for arresting 27 innocent Indian truck drivers engaged in cross LoC trade in a tit-for-tat action against the arrest of a Pakistani driver carrying 114 packets of Brown Sugar in his truck, by J&K police.
The activists of JWAM assembled at Janipur-High Court Road and burnt the effigies of the Pakistan Nawaz Sharief and flags of the Pakistan for making a mess of the cross LoC trade.
Alleging that Pakistan is using the LoC trade route only to smuggles drugs, ammunition and waving fake Indian currency to this side of our Country, the activists demanded the Central Government and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to stop cross LoC trade with Pakistan for ever.
Addressing the protestors, JWAM president, Sunil Dimple said in the pretext of cross LoC trade, Pakistan and ISI is indulging in funding the separatist forces in Kashmir and supply of arms and ammunition to the terrorists for attacking Indian security forces.
Dimple urged the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to immediately stop all talks with Pakistan, which is aiding and abetting terrorism in the Jammu & Kashmir and violating ceasefire frequently.
He also demanded the Government to give a befitting reply to the Pakistan and make its best efforts for the safe release of our innocent truck drivers.