Srinagar, July 9
A helicopter ferrying pilgrims to the Amarnath shrine crashed near the holy cave, killing a woman yatri from Madhya Pradesh and injuring five others, early this morning. The woman heading towards the cave shrine on foot died when she was hit by the rotary blades of the helicopter, while four other pilgrims on board and the pilot were among the injured.

According to the police, a chopper of Himaliyan Airways, while on way from Baltal to the holy cave, could not land at the helipad due to technical reasons and crashed in between upper and lower Bazar in the holy cave area, resulting in injuries to four pilgrims and the pilot around 7.20 am.

Kalawati (50), a resident of Amla Khapakatiya in Madhya Pradesh, was trekking towards the shrine from the lower Bazar when she was hit by the blades of chopper and died on spot. Those injured were hospitalised and the body handed over to her legal heirs.

Chief executive officer of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) said the injured were brought to Baltal where the condition of two yatris OP Aggarwal and Tej Pal Singh, residents of UP, was stated to be stable. Two other pilgrims, Rajesh Kumar and his wife Vandana, from Kolkata and pilot Captain Parminder Singh, were airlifted to the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, Srinagar.

The cause of the incident is being investigated by a team comprising deputy director, Air Safety, and assistant director, Air Safety, being deputed by the director general, Civil Aviation, New Delhi.

The site of incident has been cordoned off and the yatra is progressing smoothly on both Pahalgam and Baltal routes.

Expressing shock over the incident, Governor NN Vohra has directed the chief executive officer to review all existing arrangements relating to the operation of helicopter services, including the site of the existing helipad close to the holy cave.

Meanwhile, two of the five passengers travelling in the ill-fated helicopter displayed their determination by insisting on proceeding to perform darshan after receiving first aid.

The spokesman of the SASB said OP Aggarwal and Tej Paul Singh, both from UP, received first aid at the Baltal base hospital, while three others, including the pilot of the helicopter, were flown to Srinagar for treatment.

After disruption of the heli-services, in the wake of accident, the Baltal-holy cave service resumed in the afternoon.

A spokesman of the shrine board said that10638 yatris performed darshan at the holy cave yesterday. He added that 4832 pilgrims left from the Nunwan Base camp and 3123 from the Baltal for the cave holy cave this morning.

He said another batch of 1652 yatris left Jammu for the Nunwan and Baltal base camps today.

Udhampur, July 9
The Ramban Police today arrested an over-ground worker (OGW) of terrorist organisations operating in the district and seized an amount of Rs 2.9 lakh of hawala money from his possession.

SP, Ramban, Mubassar Latiffe told The Tribune that the worker, identified as Roshan Din of Cherwari (Trigam) in Banihal, had brought this money from the valley and was to hand it over to his master Abu Musa, district commander of the Lashkar-e-Toiba, for carrying out subversive activities.

He was arrested along with the hawala money at a special police checkpoint established by the SDPO, Banihal, and the SHO, Banihal, near the Jawahar Tunnel when he was travelling in Tata Sumo. A case has been registered. The interrogation of Roshan Din is likely to give more leads about the terrorist network in the district.

Abu Musa has reportedly been facing shortage of the money and this consignment was meant for him to further strengthen his base.

Jammu, July 9
The police today arrested two persons for a shootout and a stabbing incident late last evening in which a person was killed and two others, including a woman, were critically injured at Mokhey village in RS Pura tehsil.

A hunt was on to nab two others involved in the crime, official sources told The Tribune. They said Rohan Sharma of Mokhey village and another accused had been arrested. Two groups clashed at Mokhey village over an old rivalry last evening and exchanged gunshots also.

The sources said in the melee that ensued one of the members of the rival group managed to snatch the weapon from Jagdish Chib, alias Babli Chib, of Fatu Chack and fired upon him resulting in his instant death.

It all began when Babli Chib and his associates intercepted Rohit Sharma, his brother Rohan and cousin Jyoti Sharma, all residents of Mokhey, outside Sharmas’s residence.

The sources said Babli and his associates, who were travelling in an Esteem car, intercepted Sharmas, who were going out in their Santro car, and Babli allegedly opened fire on Rohit Sharma. Rohit sustained a bullet injury in his chest and fell unconscious.

However, Rohan and his cousin Jyoti overpowered the assailants and after snatching the weapon from Babli, they shot him dead.

They said hearing the gunshots Rohit’s aunt Vimla Devi rushed to the spot and tried to avert the bloody clash. They added that one of the assailants from the Babli group attacked the woman with a sharp-edged weapon, inflicting head injuries on her.

The sources said both groups were in the business of flour mills and had clashed a couple of months back over the same dispute. A senior police officer said though main accused Jyoti, Sunil and Manohar were still at large, two other accused, including Rohan, had been arrested.

Meanwhile, Rohit and his aunt Vimla Devi have been admitted to Government Medical College here.

Srinagar, July 9
Two Srinagar-based journalists, including a reporter of NDTV, are at the receiving end of the police for reporting the murder of a youth of Maisuma and the Shopian incident.

Fayaz Bukhari of NDTV had quoted some relatives and protesters saying the police was involved in the murder of Asrar Mushtaq Dar, 20, whose body was found on July 7 evening, triggering protests in Srinagar. Bukhari said he gave versions of both sides in his story, which included that of the police also.

“Bukhari was threatened by no less than DGP Kuldeep Khoda on July 8 for his reporting allegations of the family of Asrar that the youth disappeared from police custody,” a body of Kashmir-based journalists said. The SHO of a police station asked Bukhari to appear in the station and when a journalists’ body called up a top state government official, he said they would arrest Bukhari.

“The working journalists condemn this attitude of the police authorities towards members of the fourth estate. The police attitude is detestable to say the least,” a statement from the journalists’ body said.

Another journalist facing flak from the government is Rasheed Rahi, who runs a Srinagar-based news agency, CNS.

The police has lodged an FIR against Rahi accusing him of creating panic over the Shopian incident in which two women were allegedly raped and murdered. Rahi was called and harassed by the police at Khothibagh police station, the body said.

Udhampur, July 9
Even as the police has maintained silence over progress in the bank robbery case, cops have reportedly rounded up as many as six suspects to get a breakthrough.

Interrogation of the suspects has been going on but the police has so far failed to get any clue. DIG, Udhampur-Reasi zone, Ghulzar Singh Slathia, who has been officiating as DIG, Doda-Ramban, today rushed to Kishtwar and convened a meeting with local officers to further investigate the matter.

The DIG along with a team of forensic science experts visited the spot and collected some evidences from the premises of the bank.

Sources said the cops interrogated some of the bank employees as it was widely alleged that robbery was not possible without involvement of some insiders.

Meanwhile, 20,000 customers of Kishtwar branch of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank have been facing hardships as functioning of this branch has been stopped after the robbery. The customers of this bank could not withdraw money as the authorities have also stopped payment of all ATM holders of this branch.

Sources said during the past 24 hours, the cops conducted raids at many places to get a lead in the case.

Jammu, July 9
Bringing to the fore the inhumane face of the police, a Jammu-based businessman, who had been to Kashmir recently, alleged he was tortured and illegally confined for several hours by cops at Lal Bazar police station in Srinagar.

Taking cognizance of the matter, the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has registered a complaint and asked the DGP to file reply to the commission over the issue.

Complainant Gopal Arora of Janipur said the SHO of Lal Bazar, Srinagar, along with Sheikh Mushtaq, proprietor of the Sheikh Trading Corporation, and Khurshid Ahmed, marketing manager of the corporation, allegedly kept him captive for several hours and extorted money from him.

Gopal had been supplying soft drinks in the valley through Khurshid Ahmed, marketing manager of the Sheikh Trading Corporation, Baramullah. “I was not into the business for the past one and a half month but I had about Rs 2 lakh due from the corporation,” he said.

Recalling his ordeal, Gopal in his complaint maintains that he along with his wife toured Srinagar on June 28. “On June 29, I called upon Ahmed, who took me to the Srinagar city, but on the way Mushtaq was standing with some police personnel. They intercepted my vehicle and took me to a police chowki. Later, they shifted me to Lal Bazar police station.”

“The SHO kept me in wrongful confinement and asked for Rs 30,000 against my release,” he alleged. ”However, the SHO took Rs 5,500 from me before he let me go in evening,” he said.

“The police also seized the documents of my vehicle and directed me to give Rs 20,000 to Mushtaq by June 30 after getting a document signed in Urdu from me,” he said.

“During the illegal confinement I was not allowed to take necessary medications as I m suffering from hypertension,” he said. “I am still getting threatening calls on my mobile phone,” he alleged.

“It’s an apparent case of the police excesses. We have asked the DGP to file a report of the incident with the commission. Notices have also been served to SHO Mustaq and Khurshid and they are required to appear before the commission on July 15 for hearing at sub-office, Jammu,” chairman of the SHRC Bashir-ud-Din said.

Jammu, July 9
After the Income Tax Department last month raided the palatial house and four flour mills owned by Kasturi Lal Mahajan of Gandhi Nagar here, Mahajan and his two sons, Amit and Sumit Mahajan, have surrendered Rs 5 crore as undisclosed income to the department.

“Scrutiny of the impounded documents is still going on and we expect that more concealments might come to the fore,” a senior IT officer told The Tribune .

There were complaints against the flour mill owner that a major chunk of the flour made from wheat received from the FCI for grinding was being sold in the open market whereas it was meant for the CAPD Department.

“They had cheated the FCI as their flour mills had the contract to grind the FCI wheat which they were supposed to supply to the CAPD Department. However, a major chunk of the flour was being sold in the open market,” he said.

The businessman owns four flour mills in Jammu and Udhampur, besides a restaurant in the city. The money so earned was being invested in real estate.

The father-son trio had also started a construction company and purchased a huge chunk of land in various localities across the city, where flats were being constructed.

Srinagar, July 9
My son was tortured to death. What is happening to us? Is this a land of human beings? This was the cry of Mushtaq Dar, father of Asrar Mushtaq Dar (20) whose body was found dumped with several injury marks on July 7 night. 

He made an emotional appeal to the government for speedy investigation and rued that the police could have acted more promptly when he reported to Maisuma police station about his missing son on July 3.

“The officer entrusted with the investigation was trying to locate my son and also involved with lots of other cases. The police seemed more worried about the law and order problem than finding my son,” he told mediapersons, exhorting Chief minister Omar Abdullah for solving the case soon.

There have been certain claims, mostly from protesters, about police complicity in Asrar’s murder but his family refrained from making any such allegation while officials claimed that there is no evidence to such effect.

Certain mobile numbers the victim had sent several messages and made calls to before going incommunicado on July 2 evening remained switched off. Officials said their investigation had made headway and that they would crack the case.

Mourners in droves visited Asrar’s, the eldest of the three brothers and studying in second year in Islamic College, residence and sorrowful wails of women pierced through the eerie silence which has enveloped the streets in Maisuma since yesterday amidst infrequent booms of tear gas shells fired by cops on protesters.

A heartbroken father, Mushtaq, a government employee, consoled by his kin narrated his son’s last day in the house before he ostensibly left for gym, never to be seen by his family again.

“We have no enemies. Why should somebody kill a 20-year-old happy youth and in such a brutal manner?” his uncle Bilal Ahmad asked.

In less than two weeks, Asrar would have celebrated his 21st birthday on July 22. His family instead has been left mourning for their lives as the unceasing cycle of violence in the valley claims one more life.

Jammu, July 9
The Students Scholars Joint Action Committee today held a protest against the discrimination against Jammu. Various students associations like the Progressive Students Association and the Panther Students Union also participated in the rally that started from the Central Library of the university and culminated on the main road.

The protesters blocked the main road and raised slogans against the district administration.

While addressing the rally, Varinder Singh Chib, a member of the committee, said the administration was discriminating against Jammu by trying to shift the Central university to the valley.

He also condemned the demand of the university professors about the enhancement of the retirement age saying it would increase unemployment in the state.

Srinagar, July 9
People took to the streets in Kupwara over the mysterious death of a girl, as they said a jawan of the Territorial Army, who hails from the locality, tried to rape her and then ‘killed’ her.

SSP Uttam Chand said they had arrested Ashiq Hussain Pir, the accused jawan, on the charge of murder and would decide whether to press the rape charge against him or not depending upon the girl’s medical report.

The incident occurred late last night and acting swiftly the police nabbed the culprit, defusing the crisis.

The jawan and some accomplices barged into the 20-year-old girl’s house and tried to assault her sexually. Her cries alerted the family and the neighbours and they came rushing making the accused to flee. However, they found the girl dead.

Official sources said the autopsy report had found “cardiac arrest” as the reason behind her death. Even if she died of heart attack, the police said they could prosecute the accused for abetting her death.

Meanwhile, the PDP has expressed concern over the disturbing law and order situation in the state, particularly the death of a girl in Kupwara last night.

A meeting of the party legislators, senior leaders and functionaries presided over by patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was convened here today to discuss the situation. A party spokesman said the meeting discussed the long term vision of self rule of the party to find a lasting solution to the problem.

Addressing the meeting, senior party leader Muzaffar Hussein Baig explained various elements of the self rule document, which he said had gained acceptability at sub-continental level as a viable and dignified option. As a prerequisite, he maintained it was necessary to first demilitarise civilian areas and withdraw the AFSPA to create an atmosphere of confidence and security among the people. 

Jammu, July 9
A Division Bench comprising Justice JP Singh and Justice Sunil Hali of the J&K High Court at Jammu set-aside the conviction and imprisonment of Balwant Singh and others for having murdered their aunt by setting her on fire.

After making dying declaration, Kishi Devi succumbed to burn injuries on October 23 (2003) at her house in Thanole village. Her statement, which was recorded by head constable Abdul Rasid on the same day, revealed that finding Kishi Devi alone, the appellants trespassed the field, where she had gone for mowing grass.

The statement stated that Bhajan Singh caught hold of her and Balwant Singh gagged her mouth with a cloth. Mohinder Singh, Puran Singh and Balwant Singh set her on fire.

An FIR was registered on the basis of the communication sent by Rashid that inter alia contained the statement of Kishi Devi.

Pursuant to investigation carried out by the head constable, a final police report was laid down. The report was committed to Additional Sessions Judge, Reasi, who convicted and sentenced the accused to life imprisonment under Section 302/34, RPC, and fine of Rs 10, 000 and imprisonment for one year under Section 447, RPC.

The appellants projected their innocence on the ground that the dying declaration had been fabricated after the death of Kishi Devi, who had succumbed to burn injuries before the police reached her house, and pleaded that there was no sustainable evidence on record to justify appellants conviction.

The Division Bench, while allowing the appellants appeal and setting aside the trial court’s judgment, observed: “There is no evidence on records about the state of mind of the deceased at the time when her statement is stated to have been recorded. The evidence indicates that Kishi Devi had made her statement in Dogri. However, the dying declaration indicates it to have been recorded in Urdu and, that too, in typical style incorporating words which one would usually find in FIRs, police challans etc. According to some of the prosecution witnesses, the actual words, Kishi Devi had spoken in Dogri, are not there in the dying declaration.”

The Division Bench observed: “The whole case has been investigated by head constable Abdul Rashid, who himself was the complainant in the case. Though he had indicated for deputing some experienced officer for the investigation, yet the SHO concerned appears to have ignored the request, leaving him free to investigate the case. Being the complainant in case, he should not have investigated the case because such a course suspects fair and impartial investigation from which the present case too suffers.”

Sadhu Padaw (Pahalgam), July 9
The policeman on the forefront near a steel bridge on the Handanwari road rues the unrelenting pressure from pilgrims to the Amarnath cave shrine, while regulating traffic on this 16-km-long stretch of motorable road. This road from Pahalgam leads to the 32-km-long track to the cave shrine through major halting stations at Sheshnag and Panjtarni.

It was around 11 am yesterday and the ‘cutout time already over at 10-30 am with the passage of 4,650 pilgrims’ for their movement to the cave shrine. About six minibuses and light vehicles had already reached the spot, 2 km from Pahalgam on their way to the cave. “We go by the directions of the higher authorities and do not allow (pilgrims) after the cutout time,” said a police officer on the check post. But scores of pilgrims had already arrived here on their way to the shrine, making profuse pleas to let them go. “We are only 11 persons and may please be allowed to move ahead,” pleads one of the young yatris in a minibus. “They will not be allowed as the day’s quota is full,” remarks the policeman.

This check post about 2 km from Pahalgam regulates the movement of pilgrims allowed after fulfilling the requisite formalities at the Nunwan yatra camp. So far, over 60,000 yatris had arrived at the Nunwan base camp here from Jammu since the yatra began on June 25, said Ghulam Jeelani, camp officer. The camp provides accommodation to about 6,000 persons apart from civil, police and security personnel. “After the Met and track clearance and the deployment of the ROP is got the pilgrims are allowed between 5 am and 8 am so that all of them cross Sadhu Padaw by 10 am,” the police officer told the Tribune.

The transport arrangements for the pilgrims include 150 Sumos and 35 minibuses from the camp to Chandanwari so that all of them reach Sheshnag by the evening. Around 4,000 pilgrims were allowed every day depending upon the available intake capacity of over 5,000 pilgrims at Sheshnag, he added.

“All those arriving here have two options of staying in the camp or in hotels outside,” he said.

But the hoteliers lament that a few pilgrims were allowed. During the past six months, over 85,000 tourists had come.

Udhampur, July 9
Following the failure of the party to keep its flock together, five of the six BJP councillors today resigned from the membership of the Katra Municipal Committee alleging mismanagement and nepotism.

With the resignation of the five BJP councillors and the failure of the party to file nomination papers on the last day today, the victory of Amrish Magotra as chairman of the MC is certain, as he is the only candidate to have filed papers for the post.

“The election of Magotra as chairman of the MC will be formally announced on July 14,” Executive Officer (EO), Katra MC, Ravi Kumar told The Tribune. He informed that the announcement was just a formality as Magotra was the only candidate for the election scheduled to be held on July 14.

Though the BJP councillors alleged corruption and financial irregularities in the committee, sources said the party was sure to lose the election of the chairman as one of its members had already defected to the Congress. In the 13-member MC, the Congress has a simple majority with seven members while the BJP has six members.

The strength of the BJP was reduced to five, as one of its members Madan Lal Heera had sought the support of the Congress to become the MC chairman last year. With the support of the Congress, the dissident BJP councillor remained the MC chairman for one year.

On Thursday, the BJP members had procured a nomination form for the post of chairman. Today, instead of depositing the form, the BJP members resigned smelling defeat, as one of their colleagues was already hobnobbing with the Congress members.

Party sources said no BJP member had come forward to contest the election of chairman. Instead of joining the electoral fray, the party councillors decided to resign.

Interestingly, only five months’ tenure of the present MC is left. 

Jammu, July 9
BSNL subscribers in the state are a worried lot these days, as they have been getting exorbitant bills. Ever since the Union government gave a go ahead to cellular services in the militancy-affected border state, there has been a widespread expansion in the mobile services and almost all major cellular service providers established their ventures in the state.

However, despite a stiff competition from the rival companies, the BSNL subscribers are getting exorbitant bills.

“I have been using the Rs 725 plan offered by the BSNL in which most of the calls are for free. I get a bill of Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,500 every month. Last month, the company waived the Rs 199 monthly rental of GPRS from the bills of subscribers using the Rs 725 plan. But to my utter surprise, my phone usage in the past 10 days has been shown above Rs 3,700,” said a BSNL subscriber.

He added, “I went to lodge a complaint with the customer care unit of the company, but nobody listened to me there.” A large number of BSNL subscribers have the same complaint.

“I faced the same problem with my mobile phone bill last month. I got an SMS that I had exceeded the credit limit. When I approached the office first nobody was ready to listen to my problem,” said Prince, another subscriber.

The General Manager, BSNL, Jammu, said, “If anybody has a problem with the bills, he should pay the amount as the bill is generated in Chandigarh. After paying the bill, the subscriber can ask for an itemised bill and then we can look for the discrepancy.”