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Undertrials
clash in Tihar, six injured
Children use film to enlighten
Tantrik entices jeweller’s wife, runs away with her
Andamans to help SOS India
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Cyclists robbed of Rs 2 lakh
Open sale of narcotics in Noida
280 servicemen ‘misled’ by housing board
Enlarging the circle of love
DU comparable to the best in world: Sheila Dikshit
NGO for proper procedure to identify illegal Bangladeshis
Poet Khusro’s tomb vandalised
Feat of Bapu ‘idol’ astonishes mela visitors
Book zeroes in on spiritual journey of Turkish lover of God
Taxis may replace three-wheelers
Workshop to impart new teaching skills held
People urged to adopt orphans
Andamans to help SOS India
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Undertrials
clash in Tihar, six injured
New Delhi, February 8 The undertrial has been identified as Dilip Kumar Gupta, who had been lodged in the jail on a murder charge in Gokulpuri police station. The police said that there was a minor altercation this morning at around 7.40 a.m. between the undertrials, and Dilip inflicted injuries with a surgical blade to six others, identified as Samshul, Shayar Baig, Shamshad, Siddique, Shamba and Sunil Kumar. During the fight, Dilip also caused injuries to himself. All of them were sent to the DDU Hospital and were discharged after treatment.
Pickpocket
gang busted
With the arrest of seven women, the police claimed to have busted a gang of women pickpockets in the North district of the Capital. The police said that the women, all Marathi speaking and from Nagpur, have settled in jhuggis near various railway stations
in Delhi. One Archna Jain, resident of Prashant Vihar, complained that at least nine women surrounded her and started pushing her while she went for shopping near Prince Hotel in Fatehpuri and subsequently, she found Rs 25,000 missing from her purse. Acting on her complaint, the policemen who were present on the patrolling duty immediately, rounded the women. However, two of them managed to escape under the cover of darkness. During interrogation, the women in the age group of 25 and 45 told the police that they used to target
the women while shopping and loot their handbags and purses.
Man gets RI for taking bribe
A city court has sentenced a Defence Ministry official to rigorous imprisonment for a year and fined him Rs 15, 000, 13 years after the official took bribe to
use his influence and evict some slum dwellers from Nizamuddin. The Special Judge, Mr Dinesh
Dayal, found S. M. K. Subhani, the then Officer on Special Duty in the Defence Ministry’s Personal Grievances Cell, guilty under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Acting on a complaint by one Mohammed Salim on April 19, 1991, the CBI had laid a trap and caught Subhani red-handed
while taking the bribe of Rs 5,000. Subhani had, in lieu of the illegal gratification, promised to ensure the eviction of slum dwellers Ismail Mohammed Khokhon, Syed Islam, Mohammed Sohrab and Abdul Ali from Khasra number 554, at Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti in South Delhi, the CBI said. While the prosecution examined nine witnesses to prove its case, the defence too produced equal number of witnesses to support
its contentions. The city court had on July 17, 1995 framed charges against Subhani.
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Children use film to enlighten citizens on AIDS
New Delhi, February 8 Using the medium of film, 28 youngsters from Ryan International School, Bangalore, have taken the initiative to break down the walls of ignorance and discrimination so as to pave the way for the inclusion and acceptance of those diagnosed as HIV positive. The film, ‘I was a normal child’, is based on the life of a boy, who faced discrimination, beginning at home, after he was detected as HIV positive. The USP of the film, apart from the fact that it focuses on vital issues like HIV and AIDS, is that it has been made by the students. Right from research to photography and direction, the children have given the film their best. The country’s first film on AIDS awareness by children, however, was not a cakewalk. Apprehensions shown by parents, the doctors and the society at large were a difficult barrier to cross. “Some of the students, who were part of the group, could not go and meet the HIV positive persons on account of parental disapproval. Today, those three students and their parents, after watching the film, have not only apologised but have counted it as a missed opportunity,” said Ms. Grace Pinto, Director, St. Xavier’s and Ryan International group of schools. Taking a cue from the film, Ms Pinto said that the school in Bangalore will ensure that some of the HIV positive kids, who the students met during the filming, will finally be allowed to attend school along with the other children. “I did not want to force this decision on the children, but they surprised me by saying that we should do something for these children. So our teachers will visit these children thrice a week and try to take out the fear from them. They have witnessed the worst discrimination and we need to work with them to help them regain confidence so that we will be able to bring them to regular schools.” Realising that the initiative requires tireless efforts, these children are keen to keep up the tempo. “We had workshops, we have met HIV positive people and through this film, we have been able to create awareness. We feel bad that instead of staying with families, they stay with NGOs,” said Aishwarya, who was part of the camera crew that shot the film that was screened here today. The film, which will be shown to schools in the national Capital as part of the AIDS awareness programmes, will also be screened at the Chicago and Japanese children’s film festivals.
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Tantrik entices jeweller’s wife, runs away with her
Ghaziabad, February 8 One tantrik who had come to treat the wife of a jeweller in Loni, later enticed the woman to flee with him. Though the victim’s husband has lodged a written complaint, no case has yet been registered by the
police. Shivnath of Indirapuri Colony was a goldsmith at a jeweller’s shop in
Mandoli, Delhi. A tantrik Ramveer had a sweetmeat shop nearby. The owner of the shop where Shivnath worked, had recommended the tantrik to a number of his relations and friends, for curing their ailments. On December 17, 2004, Shivnath also took the tantrik to his house for the treatment of some throat ailment of his wife. After a week, tantrik Ramveer again visited Shivnath’s house and pretended to treat his wife for three consecutive days according to his tantrik systems. Later, the tantrik used to visit Shivnath’s house, when he would be away at his shop and the children
in school. After sometime, Shivnath’s parents and brother-in-law came to stay with him in
Inderpuri. They noticed that the tantrik and Shivnath’s wife had locked themselves in a room on the pretext of ‘tantar
mantar’ and medication. On January 19, Shivnath lodged a report in Loni police station against the tantrik that he had enticed his wife, but the police have not taken any action so far.
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Cyclists robbed of Rs 2 lakh
Noida, February 8 According to information, Narinder Soni and Lalman work in a sticker-making unit in Sector-10. They were coming on cycle after withdrawing Rs 2 lakh from ICICI Bank, Sector-18, for dispersing salary to the workers. Three men on a black motorbike had blocked their path near Jal Vayu Vihar main crossing and snatched the money bag from Lalman who was sitting on the carrier. When he resisted the loot, he was hit with a revolver butt by one of the miscreants. He started bleeding from the head. The criminals leisurely fled towards Nithari village on the bike after snatching the money. Ms Neera Chandra, factory owner’s wife lodged a complaint with Sector-20 police. SP City AK Jain immediately ordered checking of two-wheelers in the city, but the culprits could not be traced till late night. Police CO, SR Yadav said some informer in the factory could have alerted the robbers.
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Open sale of narcotics in Noida
Noida, February 8 The sale of these drugs on a large scale points to their unrestricted consumption in the city for depression, tension, etc. Some of those consume them become addicted to morphine injections daily. Young people in Noida are suspected to be using anti-depression and anti-anxiety drugs in a big way, according to sources. A few days ago, a drug addict had died in Sector-30 government hospital. He was addicted to drug injections daily. All those drugs can easily be had on the prescription of medical practitioners in the town. Since the drugs have been included in the schedule H, they can be sold from chemist shops, the Chemists Association says. But schedule X drugs can only be had from hospitals. According to district drug officer SK Pant, schedule X includes a number of medicines and drugs using opium as one of the ingredients. These are supplied to some chemists and druggists who have been given licences under the Narcotics Act. But a full record of their use has to be maintained. Dr Pant said the combination of such medicines had been prohibited while smoking or taking other narcotics. Anupam Khana of Chemists Association said many drugs have been shifted from Schedule H to
Schedule X, but the years old Narcotics Act has not been amended. He said Rivotral, Alpred and Compose which are used to reduce tension are easily available at chemist shops. Though those claims of Chemists’ Association are dismissed by the government agencies, the fact is that drugs and morphine injections are available freely in the city. According to sources, a large number of people
living in slums are habitually using these drugs as also those who work in call centres.
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280 servicemen ‘misled’ by housing board
Noida, February 8 Farm units were allotted in April 1996 to these officers, promising the completion of project, inclusive of all infrastructures by March 1998. It was proposed as a turnkey project on the eastern bank of the Yamuna in Faridabad, Haryana and in Noida, UP. But till date, the farm units/infrastructure are neither complete nor is AFNHB in a position to even indicate the projected date of completion (PDC) of the project, despite the delay of six long years, says retired Air Marshal Kuldip Rai, a past president of the All India Defence Yamuna Farms Welfare Association which still has some 226 members. No liquidated damages have been levied against the contractor/developer, though a clear provision exists in the contract, say the hapless officers who have all sunk Rs 6.50 lakh each. The AFNHB had failed to verify that the entire land of village Motipur, 35 km from Noida and 13 km from Badkal crossing in Haryana, had been notified for acquisition by the Govt. of UP vide its order No. 1730 dated August 6, 97 and forms a part of Noida. The Land and Revenue Officer, Noida, has confirmed that no permission for any construction activity had been granted in the village Motipur and if any construction took place there, it will be demolished. AFNHB had not obtained any clearance from the Noida authorities, and without an NOC, the title of land is unauthorised and any construction on this land would be treated as illegal. Moreover, the land of village Motipur falls under “Food Zone”, where all construction activity is totally banned. Chairman of Central Pollution Control Board had also confirmed that any construction activity under the Flood Zone is in violation of all existing laws. AFNHB has not obtained NOC for undertaking construction on this land. Hence, it is illegal for AFNHB to hand over such units to the allottees without NOC from the appropriate authorities. Whatever units have been constructed, there are in a semi-finished, or even worse condition, says Air Marshal Rai. It appears nobody in the AFNHB had applied its mind while formulating the project as there is no provision of electricity either in the farm units or security lights on the internal roads or periphery despite the promises made by AFNHB to provide the same earlier. AFNHB is not giving any assurance/PDC for providing electricity. It is considered totally unsafe from the security point of view, says Wg Cdr P.S. Ahluwalia, Secretary A.I.D.F.Y.
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Enlarging the circle of love
New Delhi, February 8 “In this fast paced world, we need to express our love to each other in order to strengthen and nourish our relationship”, said Mrs Sudha Gupta, Founder and Chairperson, Mother’s Pride in her speech to the 5000 strong audience attending ‘IZHAAR 2005’, the school’s 9th annual day. Through this movement, Mother’s Pride has decided to circulate over one lakh expression of love cards, so that people can express their feelings to their loved ones-be it parents, siblings, teachers, friends, relative, colleagues, celebrities, idols or even God. And the school has undertaken the responsibility of ensuring that the messages reach the people they are addressed to. For Mother’s Pride, this is the beginning of a spontaneous process in which expressing love leads to the further expression in an ever-expanding circle. The response of those attending the function was overwhelming. Those attending the function not only wrote messages but took away cards with them in order to write further messages. The Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Mr Sunil Dutt, who graced the occasion as the chief guest, confessed that he was overwhelmed with the dedication of the children to this great cause. He also praised the children and the school for generously donating for the victims of the tsunami disaster. He painted a moving picture of what he had seen in the areas affected by the tsunami disaster. He called it a matter of pride that the Prime Minister, Mr Manmohan Singh, had declined foreign aid for the tragedy because our own countrymen donated generously. Through its NGO, Sparsh, Mother’s Pride donated Rs 11 lakh to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund, so as to help the tsunami victims. The highlight of the function was the presentation of social issues through the medium of costumes and dresses.
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DU comparable to the best in world: Sheila Dikshit
New Delhi, February 8 The Delhi University is comparable to any other university in the world,
she said. Gracing the annual day celebrations of the college, Ms Dikshit reminisced her own college days and
said it was a matter of pride to be a student of the Delhi University. In his address, the Chairman of the Governing Body, sought the government’s permission to start new courses, especially in the field of Science. He also hoped for a collaboration between the Delhi District Cricket Association and the College and the establishment of a new auditorium here. Mr Toshio, a representative of the Japanese Embassy and Mr Aren Mayer of the Israeli Embassy gave away
the prizes to meritorious students. A sum of Rs 81,488 was handed over to Ms Dikshit for the tsunami relief fund by the Principal, Dr R. B. Solanki.
Downpour in the Capital
Heavy rains lashed the national Capital overnight, crossing within a few hours the average rainfall for the entire month
of February. The Met department today said about 24 mm of rainfall was recorded overnight. The average rainfall during February is 20.6 mm. However, clouds gave way to the sun as the day progressed, bringing cheer to the residents. Delhi has been experiencing heavy rainfall over the last three days, with over six mm being recorded yesterday apparently caused by some westerly disturbances. The minimum temperature, however, continued to remain four degrees above normal today and was recorded at 13 degree Celsius, the Met department said.
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NGO for proper procedure to identify illegal Bangladeshis
New Delhi, February 8 It didn’t matter that Wahid has been in the country for the last 20 years or that he had a documented proof of Indian citizenship. To the Special Task Force constituted to identify Wahid and his like, any Bengali-speaking Muslim, who “has a distinct walk and dialect”, is a suspect. And so on October 20, 2004, Hamid and his family of four, including an eight-month-old daughter, were arrested for being “Bangladeshis”. What followed was endless turmoil as the family struggled to prove their nationality. Though released on November 17, Wahid continues to plead with the FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Office) to give him a copy of his release order, which will be his only testimony should the Task Force coming knocking at midnight again. Lamenting the “inhuman” procedure adopted by the authorities for the identification and deportation of illegal residents in the country, the Citizen’s Campaign for Preserving Democracy today raised demands for streamlining the procedure. At a function organised to release a book on ‘Democracy, Citizens and Migrants Nationalism in the era of Globalisation’, it was pointed out that the government when presented with the proof of “citizenship” often turns them down on the excuse of “ being fabricated”. Justice Rajinder Sachar, while agreeing that it is indeed hard to prove one’s citizenship, said that if he were also asked to do so, it would not be an easy task, “I too was registered as a lawyer to practice in Lahore prior to 1947,” he said. Demanding that all raids and arrests should be conducted strictly in accordance with the law and Supreme Court guidelines, the role of the FFRO was criticised. “Why should the FRRO be from the police, it is after all the police who arrest the suspect and then decide his case also, this when there is no scope for an appeal also,” questioned the Vrinda Grover.
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Poet Khusro’s tomb vandalised
New Delhi, February 8 The police said the accused person entered the tomb this afternoon and broke some light fixtures and fencing of the tomb, situated in the Hazrat Nizamuddin area. However, the police said the damages were not extensive. Khusro was a 13th century Persian poet and had contributed greatly to Indian classical music. He was also the disciple of Hazrat Nizamuddin
Aulia.
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Feat of Bapu ‘idol’ astonishes mela visitors
Faridabad, February 8 Thirty-four-year-old Akshinthala Seshu Babu, aka Babu, a resident of Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh, is the person who could be mistaken as the Bapu idol. One cannot believe that a white-painted structure standing near the Chaupal in the mela is a ‘live’ idol. Babu, who has been listed in the Limca Book of Records for standing as idol for the maximum hours continuously, enjoys being an idol and it hardly matters, if one is looking at him or passes by his side. On Sunday, the idol of Gandhiji drew maximum visitors, as Babu posing as Bapu, did not move
even for a single second despite rains. While the majority of the visitors in the mela rushed for a cover, when it started drizzling, the live idol of Gandhiji did not move and it kept still till the end of the mela time. Wife of Babu, who was the only one to provide an umbrella to cover the ‘idol’ for sometime, told that she was only providing the cover to him not to save him from the rainfall, but to avoid damage to the paint that covers the body of Babu. Babu has got painted his whole body, from head to toe, in white colour and his attire include a dhoti (a white cloth). His wife claimed that Babu,
an employee of private company, has been performing such art at various places, including the Surajkund Mela, for the last several years. The extremes of temperature or weather conditions have not dampened his spirit. She also claimed that Babu does not take a break or talks to anybody, but just closes his eyes throughout the day. Claiming that he had the record of being an idol continuously for 35 hours, she said the people from the Guinness Book of World Record were also present to record his feat. Stating that Babu receives some payment for his show from the organisers, she said it was in 1993 that he started this as
a hobby. “His feat is s really an example of willpower as there is no movement of any kind for hours together, which is really surprising the people,” said Mr S. S. Dalal, a senior Haryana Government official, who had come to the mela.
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Book zeroes in on spiritual journey of Turkish
Noida, February 8 The highlights of the presentation, including the brief dance performances by Uma Sharma and Navtej Johar on Sufiana Kalam, which had created the aura of the persona of the 13th century Turkish mystic. Eminent theatre artistes also read the excerpts from the play on Rumi, Turkish lover of God, in the presence of a select group of scholars, celebrities and connoisseurs of theatre, including Prof Mushirul Hasan, Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Milia and Padma Bhushan Dr Abid Hussain. Rumi - Unveil the Sun is a tale of transformation. love, death, friendship, and social conflict. The collision of the material and spiritual world resonates throughout the story. In fact, Amrit Kent’s play, published as a book, captures the moment in Rumi’s life when he was made to realise his spiritual destiny. In his thirties, Jalaluddin Rumi was a scholar, cleric, confidant of kings and a respectable family man until the day he met Shamsuddin Tabrizi. Shams, a darvesh much older than Rumi, had been directed by his Guru to Rumi in Konya for his search for the ultimate man of God. Shams harshly shook Rumi out of his materialistic complacency and put him on the path to divine realisation. The journey together was brief but it transformed Rumi. He began to dance and sing in the streets like a crazed man but his legacy of exalted Sufi mystic poetry continues to touch hearts and minds even after seven hundred years. Rumi was born in 1207 into a family of learned theologians and succeeded his father in 1231 as professor of religious sciences. “Rumi is the ultimate Lover of God. He gave all to gain all. I immersed myself in his life and times in order to write this play, which took over three years. Rumi may have lived in the 13th century but human emotions and aspirations have not changed. Today, each one of us faces the same choices and the same struggles as Rumi did,” Amrit Kent says, the author of the book, which has been published by Angus and Grapher Amrit Kent had spent three years in researching the book and is deeply engaged with the mysticism of Rumi & Shams. She is a singer and writer who writes in English, Urdu and Punjabi and works equally successfully in the different genres of poetry, plays and novels. She has made recordings of Sikh devotional music with HVM.
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Taxis may replace three-wheelers
New Delhi, February 8 Maruti, Hyundai and TATA (maker of Indica) have been sounded to examine the prospect of bringing out affordable by-fuel hybrid cars that could take the place of the aging TSR fleet, and offer more comfort, space and safety to the passengers while being faster and more frugal, sources said. The idea was to introduce such vehicles on important road links like the Ring Road and the city-airport routes, they said. Such taxis could offer competition while providing a better alternative public transport, it was added. However, the facility would not come cheap and its fares would be more than those offered by the TSRs but less than those offered by the existing taxis, sources said. The taxis could carry advertisement boards and income from that front could help subsidise the fares, they added.
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Workshop to impart new teaching skills held
New Delhi, February 8 Speaking on this occasion, the Chairperson said that the NDMC was committed to impart quality education to children. ‘Learn while teaching’ should be the motto of a teacher, she said. The main objective of the workshop is to provide learning environment for quality education and the overall development that would enable the students to become responsible citizens. The heads of 10 schools are participating in the workshop and will interact with the Ritinjali team. The team will identify the best practices in the NDMC schools in order to develop a model, which will seek to reward innovation and efforts in improving school systems, teaching practices and methodology.
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People urged to adopt orphans
New Delhi, February 8 He said only a few people come forward to adopt orphaned children. The NGOs should come forward in a big way. Such children should be given proper education as getting proper education is their fundamental right, the minister said. Aloe vera range launched New Delhi, February 8 Dilvinder Singh Narang, MD, Ayur Herbals, said, “The beauty care and grooming industry in India is expanding rapidly with changes in social lifestyle, consciousness to look good and better buying power.”
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Andamans to help SOS India
New Delhi, February 8 Speaking on the occasion, Lt-Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Prof Ram Kapse said, “We will provide full support to SOS India in its relief and rehabilitation work in the tsunami-ravaged areas. We will help them establish a village in Car-Nicobar, southern part of the islands to provide home to 104 children in need.” On the occasion, the dignitaries were overwhelmed with the SOS India’s work in the field of child care. They also praised the ongoing relief and rehabilitation work of SOS India for tsunami tragedy victims. In their maiden visit to SOS India’s facilities at Faridabad, honorable dignitaries went to the first SOS Children village of India at Greenfields and SOS India Enclave at Sector 29. “It is easy to have a dream, but it is very difficult to realise it. SOS India is a perfect example of a dream realised for the betterment of every needy child. It is an example to the mankind and a source of inspiration to all. The SOS India’s work in the tsunami-affected areas speaks volumes of their work,” Prof Kapse added. Mr Vishnu Sadashiv Kokje, Governor of Himachal Pradesh said, “It is said that child is nearest to God. I think that who serve and strive for children are dearest to God.”
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