Category: Union Territory

Srinagar: The court of principal and session judge Srinagar Thursday convicted Riyaz Ahmad Nath- of carrying out an attempt to murder while throwing acid on a girl on January 3, last year
The court will however decide the quantum of punishment on Friday. According to the KNS court correspondent,  principal and session judge Srinagar Mohammad Shafi Khan after hearing the prayers of both the sides, held accused Riyaz Ahmad Nath convicted of carrying out acid attack on the victim. “The acid attack has disfigured the face of the victim and the same is a punishable offence under section 307 of RPC.”
 The details informed further that the court also retreated the Supreme court judgment that the sale of the deadly acids must be made under the proper guidelines in the market till the formation of the formal orders.
The court also issued directions to the district administration so that the sale of the acids be brought under the issued guidelines.
In the acid attack case the state was represented by advocate AA Teli and the accused was defended  by Advocate Mushtaq Ahmad Dar. Pertinently, a woman suffered serious burns in an acid attack on Januray 3,2013 in uptown city.
The incident took place when the 30-year-old victim (name withheld), a teacher at a private tuition centre in Barzulla locality, was on her way to the centre, where she has been teaching for over a year. A youth intercepted her and sprinkled acid over her face. The woman suffered serious burn injuries on face and arm in the attack. She was instantly removed to SMHS Hospital.
Police had arrested the accused identified as Reyaz Ahmad Nath, son of Ghulam Rasool Nath of Lone Mohalla, Chanapora. Police registered an FIR (2/2013) at Police Station Saddar and has booked Nath under various sections of RPC including 307 (attempt to murder), 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), and 354 (Assault or criminal force on woman with intent to outrage her modesty). (KNS)

Says State’s economic growth rate much better

Jammu: Saying that tax revenue in the State has witness
ed 33% increase during the span of last five years of the present coalition Government, the Minister for Finance and Ladakh Affairs, Mr. Abdul Rahim Rather today said the tax revenue which was just Rs. 2600 crore in 2009 is expected to increase to Rs. 7500 crore during the next fiscal.
Speaking at a jam packed about one hours long press conference, soon after delivering his Budget speech in the Legislative Assembly today, Mr. Rather said this steep increase in tax revenue, without levying new taxes has been possible due to the better tax management and plugging of loopholes in tax collection system, adding that he has been convening periodic review meetings of the department under his charge regularly to assess performance and ensure better budget management and fiscal discipline.
Mr. Rather said the performance of the State, on account of tax collection and budget management, has been lauded by every relevant forums at the national level including Planning Commission of India (PC), Finance Commission, Union Finance Ministry and the State’s Principal Accountant General. “Even the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has in unambiguous terms patted the State for its internal resources mobilization initiatives”, Mr. Rather added.
He said it has been the coalition government’s endeavour during last five years not to levy any tax burden on the people not, withstanding economic inflation at the national level. He said that due to effective implementation of Fiscal Responsibility & Budget Management Act (FRBM), the State has been able to be within the ambit of targets assigned by the Planning Commission adding that the State was well ahead to centre in minimizing its fiscal deficit as per the assigned targets in this regard. He said economic growth rate of the State is also better as compared to National figure, adding that the Empowered Committee of the State Finance Ministers has appreciated the State for bringing improvements in Budget management and fiscal discipline.
Briefing about the tax concessions given to various sectors, Mr. Rather said that the agriculture sector has been made more or less tax free. He said both entry tax and toll tax on fertilizers, fungicides and weedicides, which are considered important agriculture inputs, have been exempted, adding that for the first time horticulture sector especially apple, pear, cherry are being brought under the ambit of Insurance cover concession granted to Industry, trade and tourism sectors shall continue for the next fiscal, he said an amount of Rs. 3.50 cr has been earmarked for Women Development Corporation to set-up 100 more Self Help Groups (SHG) comprising 44,000 women which is expected to go a long way in upgrading the living standard of women folk.
He said a provision of Rs. 3 crore has been made in the Budget for marriage of orphan girls belonging to BPL families whereas the coverage of Beti Anmol has been extended from existing 97 blocks to all blocks. The amount to be paid for getting higher education by the poor girl candidates too has been increased from Rs. 5000 to Rs. 10,000 under this scheme. He said the tourism incentive package which was expiring on 31st December, 2014 shall be extended upto March 2015 whereas stamp duty exemption on KCC has been increased from Rs. 1.50 lakh to Rs. 3 lakh. This concession shall also be available to the Artisan Credit Cards, he added.
Mr Rather said the VAT remission for industry shall continue for another year whereas cashless system of VAT remission on purchase of raw material made from SICOP shall be adopted from the next year. Similarly, the Hotel tariff tax exemption shall continue up to March 2015. He said Rs. 1.40 crore has been earmarked for help to HIV/ AIDs cases and Rs. 2 crore for the Cancer Treatment Management Fund.
Replying to queries about stipendiary mode of engagement and New Pension Scheme, the Finance Minister said that these initiatives are aimed to contain burgeoning non-plan expenditure besides creating more employment avenues for the educated un-employed youth. Reply to another query Mr. Rather said Government is actively considering establishing press housing colonies in the State. (KNS)

Srinagar: Expressing dissatisfaction over the procedure adopted by the High Court while dealing with molestation case against a former minister of state Shabir Khan, Chairman Hurriyat conference (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Thursday stated that the incident will not be tolerated at any cost and that the protest demonstrations will be held at all mosques and shrines against the ‘heinous crime’.
While talking to KNS on the sidelines of a seminar organised by Hurriyat (M) on Thursday Mirwaiz stated that the women in the state are not safe and that the recent incident is of serious nature and must not be overlooked. “The moral degradation starts from the higher side and it is quite unfortunate that these officers are being thirsted upon the people of the state.”
Mirwaiz, who returned to valley after two weeks, stated that the people who were allegedly involved in the sex racket in the past are roaming free and those who are raising the slogans of democracy provided safe passage to the culprits. “The files are gathering dust in the state offices and no action against the accused has taken place.”
Asserting that Hurriyat (M) will not remain silent over the issue, Mirwaiz said that the protest demonstrations will be carried out so that the culprits could be unmasked at large and be brought in the public court.”
It is being felt on ground that under a planned conspiracy the chastity of Kashmir’s women folk in being attacked and granting interim bail to the accused is ‘dissatisfactory.’ Mirwaiz claimed that besides the political leadership, Kashmir’s ulemas (religious scholars) will be involved in protesting against the incident so that no such action is repeated in future. (KNS)

Srinagar: Mohammad Yasin Malik chairman JKLF has expressed his heartfelt grief and sorrow over the sad demise of Master Ghulam Aahmad Ganai (father in law of Shaheed-I-Hurriyat Khawaja Abdul Gani Lone).
According to a statement issued to KNS, a delegation led by Yasin sahib went to Sopore and expressed solidarity with his bereaved family .The delegation comprised of leaders Showkat Ahmad Bakhshi, Mir Mohammad Zaman. Mohammad Yasin Bhat and Sheikh Abdul Rashid etc. Yasin sahib met Nisar Ahmad Ganai (the son of deceased) and expressed solidarity with him and the bereaved family. JKLF has also expressed condolences over the demise of Ghulam Qadir Sofi of Fetehpora Gganderbal and Mmaster Ali Mohammad Zargar of Behrampora Rafiaabad. JKLF is praying for the departed souls and expresses condolences to their bereaved families.
JKLF has paid rich tributes to its great martyrs  Shaheed  Mohammad Yousuf alias Idrees Khan, Shaheed advocate Hussain, Shaheed Mohammad Maqbool Teli and Shaheed Ghulam Mohammad  on their martyrdom anniversaries. JKLF while remembering martyr Idrees khan who embraced martyrdom at Dargah Hazrat Bal, and martyr advocate Hussain and others who were martyred at JKLF office Maisuma by BSF, Said that the struggle of these martyrs will reach its desired goal.(KNS)

SRINAGAR: ‘Tainted’ former Health Minister of State, Shabir Khan Thursday presented himself before police in connection with his alleged involvement in sexual assault case. After getting interim relief from the Court, the former Congress Minster was directed to produce himself before the Investigating Officer handling the alleged sexual assault case.

After spending time in Circuit House, Srinagar the accused presented himself before the Police and recorded his statement in police station Shaheed Gunj.

“Khan was questioned for 75 minutes and he was allowed to leave only after the payment of Rs 25,000 as personal bail bond as was directed by the High Court,” a police official in the Shahid Gunj, Police station told Kashmir Life.

Khan was absconding from the day a lady doctor registered a case against him in police station Shahid Ganj, Srinagar.

Earlier, Khan had no answer when reporters asked him why he was evading arrest and was absconding. “Bail is the right of every citizen and soon after securing it I presented myself before the police,” he told reporters after arriving in Circuit House Srinagar from Jammu.

The Congress man who was accompanied by security guards termed the allegations leveled against him baseless and said that he is expecting justice from the Court. “My political image has been spoiled. I was not absconding but in touch with media. Who told you I was hiding but was in touch with media and my statements appeared in a section of newspapers. I talked to some media men on telephone and was not at large,” Khan said.

“It is conspiracy against me. The charges leveled against me are frivolous and false. I am 101 percent innocent. I am hopeful that Court will do justice,” he said.

When asked why he did he resign if he pleads not guilty, Khan said that he resigned on the instructions of Party so that there will be a free and fair probe into the allegations leveled against him.

Khan added and said that every citizen has a right to move a bail application and he did the same. “I secured the bail and am here to present myself before the police,” he said.

is booked under PSA and two among them has been sent to juvenile detention centre because their age is below 13 years. PSA was slapped on Arif Hussain wani on Jan 31 and he is in Udhampur Hospital in serious condition. Mehbooba said imprisonment of teenagers, who should have been in school is the real poster of present government’s performance.

SRINAGAR: Two militants were killed in an encounter between militants and the forces in south district of Shopian, Thursday afternoon.
Police said that acting on specific information, a joint operation was launched by Police, 44-RR and CRPF at Gagloora, Pinjora in Shopian district. “The joint party was fired upon by hiding militants and in the exchange of fire two militants got killed,” said adding “The identity of the killed militants is being ascertained.”
Reports said that firing is still going on in the area and police is suspecting another militant hiding in a residential house.