Jammu, October 29
Y.V. Sharma, a local businessman, was elected president of the the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI),Jammu,last night in a poll which was conducted after nearly 10 years. Satish Gupta was elected secretary-general.

Of a total of 1508 voters,1443 were polled for various posts. Sharma secured 594 votes against 515 secured by his close rival, Rakesh Gupta, while another candidate, Romesh Chander Gupta, secured the third place with 327 votes. Of the five candidates for the post of senior vice- president, Tara Chand was elected. He secured 536 votes and defeated his nearest rival, Kailash Langar, who got 411 votes.Another candidate, Anil Gupta got 332 votes.

For the post of vice-president, Ram Saroop Gupta secured 786 votes, defeating his rival, Atul Gupta, by 164 votes.

A two-time secretary-general of the CCI, Satish Gupta, was again elected.He secured 921 votes against his rival, Kulbhushan Mohtra, who bagged 460 votes.

For the post of secretary, Manish Gupta defeated Raj Kumar and Suresh Gupta with a huge margin. Gupta secured 995 votes whereas his rivals got only 333 and 94 votes.

Deepak Aggarwal was elected treasurer and he secured 575 votes.His rivals, Sandeep Gupta, bagged 419 votes.

There were celebrations at the chambers house after the results were declared.The new office-bearers said they would work hard for the welfare of the industry and traders of the Jammu region.

Later, speaking to The Tribune, Y. V. Sharma said: “We would work hard for the welfare of the trading community who have been facing various hardships.There are various problems that the traders in Jammu have been facing.We would strive hard to redress their problems”.

He would ensure that the excise refund package that was withdrawn from the industries of Jammu and Kashmir was restored for the growth and progress of the industry in the region.

Jammu, October 29
Two dreaded Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists were gunned down in a more than 12-hour gunfight with the security forces in the Mendhar area of Poonch district today.

Speaking to The Tribune, Jammu-based PRO of the Ministry of Defence, Lt-Col Biplab Nath, said, “An encounter with the terrorists started last evening and the two terrorists were killed today.”

He said on specific intelligence input regarding the presence of two ‘hardcore’ foreign terrorists in Kataria Ban village in the Mendhar area, troops of the Romeo Force launched a joint operation with the Special Operation Group of the police.

“On reaching the village, the presence of terrorists in an isolated dhok was confirmed. The area was immediately cordoned off and kept under surveillance by the troops,” another Army officer said.

He said the security forces asked the hiding militants to surrender. But the militants started firing on the troops and an encounter ensued. The exchange of fire continued throughout the night due to which the dhok caught fire. Meanwhile, the two terrorists were killed in the encounter.

The officer said initially the two terrorists could not be identified as their bodies were charred beyond recognition. However, the two terrorists were active for around five to 10 years and were involved in several heinous crimes in Poonch district, he added.

He said the body of a slain terrorist with an AK 47 assault rifle and a pistol had been recovered. The body of the second terrorist was yet to be recovered from the smouldering rubble. “No casualties were suffered by the troops and the operation is still in progress,” he added.

The Army officer said as per their information the slain militants had been identified as Abu Omar and Babbar Khan, area commander and district commander of the Jaish-e-Mohammed, respectively.

The Army had launched a combing operation in the area to find out whether more terrorists were hiding in the place. “The search operation is still going on.

Srinagar, October 29
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah highlighted the priority sectors in the state, including roads, energy, water supply, health, education, and core sectors like tourism, agriculture and handicrafts at the meeting of economic reconstruction and revival with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here last evening.

He informed the Prime Minister that the work on the Mughal road was in full swing. The Narbal-Tangmarg road at an estimated cost of Rs 116 crore and the Khanabal-Phalgam road at an estimate cost of Rs 110 crore is under completion by March 2010, while the Domail- Katra road at an estimated cost of Rs 34.46 crore is under completion by March 2010. He informed the Prime Minister that the Nimo-Padam-Darchan road at a cost of Rs 302.4 crore, the Srinagar-Leh road at a cost of Rs 190 crore, the Srinagar-Uri road at cost of Rs.357 crore and the Batote-Kishtwar road at a cost of Rs 655 crore were in progress.

Omar informed the Prime Minister that 885 schemes sanctioned at an estimated cost of Rs 2,222 crore for the construction of 4,772-km-long road under the PMGSY should cover over 2,738 habitations.

He also informed the Prime Minister that 226 PMGSY schemes had been completed. He said the Lakhanpur-Nagrota bypass in Jammu and the Pantha Chowk-Primapura bypass was in progress. He said 20 bridges were being completed during the current year.

Omar said while the Baghligar Phase-I had been completed and DPR for Phase-II should be ready by November-end. He also informed him that the Kiru project with 600MW, Kawar with 520 MW, Pakuldul with 1,000 MW and Raple with 690 MW capacities were being taken up by the state government under the joint-venture model.

He also informed the Prime Minister that under the APDRP as many as 95 receiving stations, 4,141 substations had been renovated and modernised, while 66 receiving stations had been constructed. He requested for transfer of the Dul Hasti power project to the state as recommended by the Dr Rangarajan committee. He also said the Srinagar-Leh transmission line at an estimated cost of Rs 640 crore needed to be implemented.

Srinagar, October 29
The police today used batons, water cannon and lobbed teargas shells when striking employees of the State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) tried to march towards the Civil Secretariat here.

Hundreds of SRTC employees, who are on an indefinite strike since August 26 against government’s “failure” to address their grievances, were chased away by the police when they tried to march towards the Civil Secretariat this afternoon, police sources said.

Immediately after taking out a rally from their headquarters, the employees were stopped by the police near KMD stand in Lal Chowk and asked to disperse, but they refused and tried to march towards the Secretariat, leading to the police using batons and lobbing teargas shells to disperse them.

The police again swung into action and used batons to chase away the SRTC employees who managed to break the police cordon and reached outside the Secretariat, sources said. Six employees were detained by the police.

The employees recently submitted their resignations under VRS as part of their agitation and threatened to intensify their protest if their demands were not met before the shifting of the government seat to winter capital Jammu.

Jammu: The ongoing strike by the SRTC employees today entered 65th day. The protesting employees have been demanding release of their pending salaries for the past six months and the implementation of the sixth pay commission recommendations. They are also demanding that their GPF and CPF, which was being deducted for the past 10 years, should be deposited in their accounts. The other demands of the employees include setting up of a departmental promotion committee to look into the cases of promotion of employees above the rank of booking manager.

There are around 672 buses and 425 trucks of the corporation which stand grounded due to the ongoing strike.

The government is facing a loss of more than Rs 20 lakh per day due to the ongoing strike. The employees say until and unless the government doesn’t agree to their demands they won’t resume their duties.

Srinagar, October 29
The PDP has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take steps for the reduction of troops and immediate revocation of the Disturbed Areas Act and Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

These and other demands were submitted through a memorandum by PDP President Mehbooba Mufti to the Prime Minister who met leaders of different parties here last evening, apart from members of various sections of society. Appreciating the recent steps taken in the backdrop of renewed initiative to find an amicable resolution to the Kashmir problem, the PDP said it felt the solution to the Jammu and Kashmir problem had a strong external dimension.These needed to be addressed along with the internal dialogue process, it said. Unless, the initiative took care of both the dimensions, the state would continue to face problems , the memorandum, the copies of which were circulated to mediapersons said.

The PDP stated that now was the time that the troops were relieved of the burden of internal security which needed to be handed over to the civil administration in a gradual, responsible and responsive manner. The PDP also demanded the release of all political prisoners, including hundreds of youth languishing in various jails in and outside the state. Referring to the Prime Minister’s assurance on zero tolerance to human rights violations, the PDP submitted that it was required to be honoured.

Meanwhile,PDP patron and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has welcomed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s announcement for a dialogue with Pakistan.

He said a dialogue alone could help reach a resolution regarding the Kashmir problem. It was essential for all political forces of the country to back the Prime Minister’s initiative for peace, he added. “There has to be a national consensus on this vital issue and all parties must support the initiative as every one had done to endorse the Vajpayee’s initiative in 2003,” Mufti said in a statement here today. He added the issue was too sensitive to be used for partisan interests. The Mufti said the Vajpayee initiative, which led to crucial de-escalation, had come at a time when the armies of the two countries were in a combat position, while at present there was total calm on the borders and the Pakistani army was engaged in an all out war against terror. This diametric difference in the scenario, he said should be enough to silence the hawkish critics of the revival of the dialogue process.

Jammu, October 29
Drought-hit farmers in RS Pura are being robbed off wheat seeds that are supplied to them on subsidised rates by the Agriculture Department.

Official sources said before a few disgruntled employees of the Agriculture Department and a mill owner could divert an entire consignment of wheat seeds, a police party raided the mill, Gupta Trading Corporation, at Bagga Marh village of RS Pura, near here, today and confiscated about 27 quintals of wheat seeds.

The Agriculture Department supplies seeds to the farmers at subsidised rates for sowing. But the seed consignments have been finding its way into Gupta Trading Corp, where they were being grinded into flour and sold on the black market.

The sources said the police picked up auto-rickshaw driver Sewa Ram, Agricultural Extension Officer Janak Raj and store keeper Chain Singh. However, mill owner Satish Gupta managed to give the police party the slip.

The news about the raid spread like wildfire and Sham Choudhary, BJP MLA from Suchetgarh, reached the mill and demanded stern action against those involved in the scam.

Sham threatened that all 11 party MLAs would hold protests if the police failed to take stern action against all accused.

Vinod Bala Sharma, Director Agriculture, suspended store keeper Chain Singh and constituted a three-member panel, including the Joint Director, State Land Use Board, and the Chief Agriculture Officer.

“The panel would submit its detailed report to me within a week’s time. Those found guilty would not be spared,” she told The Tribune. The Director, who rushed to the mill, admitted that the wheat seeds belonged to the Agriculture Department.

The seeds consignment was to be supplied to the drought-hit farmers on subsidised rates, but was being diverted to the mill to be grinded into flour, she said.

A few disgruntled elements were making money at the cost of farmers. I would ensure that they get stern punishment, she added. However, despite repeated attempts SHO Kuldeep Kumar Khajuria could not be reached for his comments.

Jammu, October 29
Even as the Commercial Tax Department has opened counters on its premises to facilitate traders to file tax returns, it has also adopted strict measures to deal with tax evaders.

As per rules, the traders have to file value added tax (VAT) returns every quarter, and they get a grace period of 30 days. On failure to file VAT returns after the grace period, registration certificates of the dealers are held in abeyance.

Speaking to The Tribune, Vineeta Gupta, Additional Commissioner, commercial tax administration, Jammu, said, “The traders have to file VAT returns every quarter and in order to facilitate them so that they don’t have to stand in long queues, we have opened counters. The counters will function for three days from today onwards.” She said there were set norms to deal with tax evaders “and the department first gives them warnings”.

“In case of default, we first give them time and then issue them notices. If still they fail to file VAT returns, we hold their registration certificates in abeyance and the message is conveyed to the Lakhanpur toll plaza,” Gupta said. She added that “if the dealer is an importer, his consignment is held up at Lakhanpur and he has no other option but to file the return to get the consignment released.”

Earlier this month, the department had published a list of around 30 defaulters in the Jammu region whose registration certificates had been held in abeyance since August 1, 2009, for failing to file VAT returns for the first quarter of 2008.

Jammu, October 29
Mr Justice Mohd Yaqoob Mir of the J&K High Court while answering the question “whether an accused can claim compulsive bail or bail by default as a matter of right guaranteed under Section 167 (2)(a) of the CrPC when the chargesheet is not filed within the prescribed period and is required to be released on bail” held that “when the accused files an application for bail as no challan had been filed within the specified period, the accused must be held to have availed of his right from the legislative mandate engrafted in the proviso to sub-section (2) of Section 167 of the Code. After filing of the application, filing of the chargesheet, thereafter, will not defeat such right but in case the application is filed though after stipulated period but after filing of the chargesheet, then this right gets extinguished.”

The accused, Azhar Ahamad Tak, Kamran Rouf & Ano, were arrested on December 3,2008 in connection with an FIR for the commission of offences punishable under Sections 302, 364, 34 of the RPC. The chargesheet was presented on February 2, 2009 before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Jammu, who, in turn, transferred the same to Judicial Magistrate, (City Judge), Jammu, on the same date. Admittedly, the chargesheet was filed on the 61st day as the 60th day was a Sunday.

The application claiming benefit of bail by default under Section 167 (2)(a) CrPC was filed on the 61st day, not before the CJM, Jammu, before whom the chargesheet was filed. The Judicial Magistrate (City Judge), Jammu, on the same day without passing any order on the application, committed the case to the Sessions Judge, Jammu, where the application was pressed, but unsuccessfully. The said order of the Additional Sessions Judge, Jammu, dated April 28 was sought to be quashed before the High Court and at the same time release of accused on bail in terms of 167 (2)(a) CrPC was also prayed for.

Jammu, October 29
Udhampur witnessed a massive protest after the body of a minibus operator was recovered from Sui village, about 10 km from the town.

The body, with chopped ears and deep injuries on the head, was spotted by some persons this morning. The deceased was identified as Hanif Ali of Chakhar village. Police sources said the body was recovered from the village, near the railway bridge and was handed over to the family after a postmortem.

Carrying the body of the deceased, the protesters trooped towards the Jammu-Srinagar national highway and staged a dharna at MH Chowk. Traffic remained disrupted on the highway for about an hour. Shouting slogans against the police, the protesters were demanding the arrest of the culprits. Udhampur SSP Surinder Gupta along with other officers rushed to the spot and tried to pacify the agitating people. The enraged people lifted the blockade only after the SSP gave them assurance that the culprits would be brought to book.

Jammu, October 29
After supporting a separate Chenab valley development council for the erstwhile Doda district, the PDP has come out openly in support of a hill development council for the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.

While launching a membership drive in the two districts where the party has established its base during the last six years, PDP leaders strongly supported the demand for a separate development council being raised by some social organisations of this belt.

The PDP assured people that the party would actively participate in the on-going movement for a separate council.

Balbir Singh, general secretary, said the empowerment of regions and sub-regions was a must for equitable and balanced growth in the state.

Taking a leaf out of the self-rule document of the party, he said the party had suggested decentralisation of the decision-making power at the grassroots level to fulfill the aspirations and wishes of all regions and sub-regions.

The PDP has already supported the demand raised by some groups to create a Chenab valley development council for the erstwhile Doda, comprising Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar districts. It argued that without giving political and decision-making powers to sub-regions, equal development was not possible in the backward regions.

In the 2008 Assembly elections, the PDP had registered its presence in Poonch and Rajouri belts by capturing two seats — Darhal and Mendhar, and securing a good number of votes in Rajouri, Kalakote, Poonch and Surankote Assembly segments. Party leaders were of the view that the PDP still had to expand its base in this belt.

Keeping in view the prevailing resentment among unemployed youths of this backward belt, the PDP has demanded a comprehensive employment policy to provide jobs to the unemployed youths of the border areas. It also demanded that Poonch and Rajouri districts be connected with the railway line to remove backwardness and underdevelopment there.

Jammu, October 29
Panic gripped the densely populated New Plots area here late last evening when four criminals allegedly belonging to Bakra gang fired upon a man, who once was a close confidant of another gangster, Mohan Jheer.

Four persons fired a shot on Sanjay Dogra of New Plots when the latter was on his way to Rehari with his wife on a mobike last evening around 9 pm. The shot missed the intended target and hit the mobike’s headlamp causing panic in the area.

A panicky Sanjay Dogra fell on the road. The criminals misconstrued Sanjay as dead and fled from the spot.

The accused have been identified as Sonu Soba of Jawahar Nagar, Bino Nai of Ban Talab, Rohan of Gorkha Nagar and Mohitesh, aka Munna, of Shakti Nagar.

Official sources said the accused had come on two mobikes and had been waiting some 150 metres away from the house of Sanjay Dogra in New Plots so as to eliminate him. Soon after the incident, a police party reached the spot.

However, the reason behind the attack still remained mystery as Sanjay Dogra had distanced himself from Mohan Jheer, another gangster presently lodged in a prison, long back. Since then Sanjay had been doing a job in a cellular phone company.

It may be stated here that Bakra (Sanjay Gupta) and Mohan Jheer once were close friends and worked together, but they developed differences following some dispute.

On December 2, 2006, Sanjay Gupta, aka Bakra, was shot dead in a clinic of Dr Rattan Kudiyar in posh Trikuta Nagar locality. Subsequently, the police arrested Mohan Jheer in the broad-day light murder of the gangster.

The police has registered a case under 307, RPC, and 3/25, Arms Act, against the accused. Sarwal police post in-charge Shiv Dev Singh said, “We are conducting raids at the suspected hideouts.”

Jammu,October 29
Alleging discrimination against the minority dominated areas,a delegation of BJP leaders led by state president of the BJYM,youth wing of the party, called on Deputy Commissioner, Doda, and drew his attention to the step-motherly treatment meted out to some particular localities in the district.

During the meeting, the BJP delegation pointed out that most of the developmental projects initiated in minority- dominated areas remained incomplete due to what they alleged discriminatory policies being propagated by some officers on the directions of some politicians.

The delegation warned that BJP workers would come out on the streets if such discrimination was not stopped.

Deputy Commissioner Sharief-ud-Din assured the delegation that he would look into the allegations. Earlier, the BJP leaders held a demonstration.