news details |
|
|
| Sad end for City’s Business Captain Sahai | | After hours of work on Rakhabandhan holiday, CCI President found shot in head with his licensed revolver in Chamber office | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 5: In a shocking incident, leading business of the state and President of Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ram Sahai was found mysteriously shot dead this afternoon in his officers chambers at CCI Complex at the rail head. Sahai, also associated with several business and social organizations at state and national level, is survived by wife, two sons and a daughter. His death, sending shockwaves in the town, has been widely mourned by the peoples from all walks of life.
The Police are reported to have recovered a suicide note but its authenticity and contents were not immediately known. Sources said that the Police will continue its investigation any conclusive detail on whether it was a suicide or murder shall be revealed only after businessman’s cremation scheduled for Thursday 5PM.
A pall of gloom descended the down immediately after news of Sahai’s mysterious death broke out somewhere between 2:30 and 3 PM this afternoon. Inspector of Jammu Police Ashok Gupta, DIG Farooq Khan and SSP Manohar Singh reached in minutes at Chamber office even as hundreds of people thronged Sahai’s residence at Trikuta and the Government Medical College hospital where his body was immediately rushed but doctors pronounced him as having brought dead.
The Police have launched inquest proceedings in the case and preliminary investigation pointed to suicide but probe could not reach to any conclusion till late this evening. Sahai’s personal driver identified as Rocky and a security guard at Chamber office have been picked up by the Police for questioning.
Sahai was apparently a quite successful businessman and was leading a very influential social life. His identity of not only a businessman but also of a widely accepted business and social leader transcended the barriers as he was known in the select circles in India and also in parts of Pakistan. Given his business and social stature there was very little to suggest the case of suicide but Police were yet to rule out a foul play.
Based on the information gathered from security guards at Chamber office and Sahai’s driver, Jammu SSP Manohar Singh said that the businessman was at CCI office since around 12PM Wednesday and was sitting along in his office chambers on the first floor. Between 12 noon and 2:15 PM (the time around which gun shots were heard) no visitor is reported to have entered the Chamber office. Since Chamber office has only one entrance gate which did not see any entry and there was no breakage of any rear windows it was made out that Sahai was all alone for then two hours in his chamber.
There was no other office bearer in the Chamber office today and there was no staff either (except the security guard) as it was supposed to be a holiday at the Chamber office on account of Raksha Bandhan festival. Sahai’s sitting in office lonely on the holiday also points to doubts. There is another pointer also suggesting that the businessman was in some strange thoughts. By around same time (when Sahai was in office) a meeting was going on in the Civil Secretariat between a group of ministers and prominent citizens of Jammu besides students on issue of setting up Central University. Sahai has been a supporter of the cause and has always been a part of such deliberations. His absence from the meeting was conspicuous as sources confirmed that he had been invited for the meeting by the Divisional Commissioner.
There was only one clue from the security staff which pointed out to a bit of abnormal behaviour of Sahai. Quoting the security guard, SSP Singh said, “he used to drink tea very frequently while in office but this afternoon he did not ask for a cup of tea or even a glass of water”. During all the while when his was in office, he walked downstairs on only once to go to the washroom at first floor.
A little after 2 PM, the SSP said, Sahai called up his driver and asked him to drop a bag and a file to his son Rahul at his main business concern Republican Motors situated at Narwal Transport Yard. At that time, the driver told Police, Sahai was in his chair, sitting quite stable and busy in paper work.
While the driver was away to Narwal, the security guard (now joined by another guard of a nearby cellphone tower) heard a cracking noise and rushed out to see if a glass pane had broken. Nothing was immediately found and both sat back and got engaged in conversations. Meanwhile, Sahai’s driver returned from Narwal and went straight up to his room at first floor. The driver told Police that he did not find the businessman sitting in chair and instead found him lying in a sofa in pool of blood. He had sustained a gun shot in right side of his head. Sahai’s licensed revolver was found in left hand. SSP Manohar said that the revolver had capacity of seven rounds, one of them had been shot and four were intact.
Sahai’s body was immediately rushed to the Government Medical College Hospital at Bakshi Nagar where doctors pronounced him as having brought dead. His cremation shall be performed at Jogi Gate crematorium tomorrow at 5PM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
