Noida, July 30
Noida farmers today suspended the agitation for three months. This was announced after the authority agreed to their demands except hike in compensation at a meeting with Noida chairman Balwinder Kumar and UP minister Jaiveer Singh at UP guesthouse in Okhla.

"The authority has agreed to our demands, including on abadi land and developed plots. It has agreed to regularize the abadi land as it existed today in villages. The authority has also promised to give developed plots to 15 villages by August 30. For the rest of villages, they have asked for three months," said Mahesh Awana, spokesperson, Kisan Sangarsh Samiti.

Initiative was taken by the Gautam Buddha Nagar MP, Surinder Singh Nagar, to resolve the issue. He had sent an invitation to farmers who assembled at Indira Gandhi Kala Kendra.

Farmer representatives were then taken to Okhla for discussion. The meeting started at 2 pm and ended at 4 pm. Around 5 pm, farmer representatives and the Noida chairman returned to Noida.

"Development activity will not be affected now as the agreement has been reached," said Balwinder Kumar, Noida chairman and CEO.

"Farmers whose land was acquired between 1976 and 1997 were not given the 5 per cent developed land. Now the authority has announced a special plot scheme for them," said Surinder Singh Nagar.

However, a group of farmers has disapproved of the agreement. They said unless the authority gives it in writing, they will not accept the offer. They have threatened to move the court.

Meanwhile at Baraula village, pradhans from 54 villages held a panchayat and decided that any agreement reached would be put forward at the panchayat on Sunday and then given approval only after getting a written assurance.

Greater Noida, July 30
Greater Noida farmers agitating over land takeover by the Uttar Pradesh government today supported the central government's draft acquisition bill and said it would ensure that their livelihood was not snatched away on the pretext of development.

For land owners and those whose livelihood depends on land, the draft bill calls for a subsistence allowance of Rs 3,000 per month per family for 12 months and Rs 2,000 per month per family as annuity for 20 years, indexed to inflation.

The proposed provisions for compensation in the rural and urban areas would ensure peasants' survival but the earnings of the farmers would not match those of the urban elite, said a farmer.

"The new bill ensures that it would not be possible for the officers to snatch our livelihood under the pretext of planned development," he said.

The thrust of the draft National Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2011, unveiled yesterday, is on compensation based on market value, not less than twice that in the urban areas and not less than six times in the rural areas. It also ensures a job in projects, or compensation of Rs 2, 00,000, for a family member of land-seller and tenant.

"The new bill provides us some relief but compensation is very less. For example, either a grant of Rs 2 lakh or a job for one person from the family of land seller, it is absolutely mismatched," said Satya Pal Chaudhary, a leader of the Dehat Morcha, on whose suit the Allahabad High Court quashed the land acquisition at Shahberi village. — IANS

New Delhi, July 30
In a case of road rage witnessed so often on Delhi roads, a 28-year-old man returning home after seeing his father at the hospital was brutally stoned to death by three persons in the Shahdara police station area of east Delhi last night.

According to the police, the incident was reported from Loni Road around 11.30 pm and all the three accused have been arrested for the murder of Tarun, resident of New Ashok Nagar.

Tarun was on his Discovery bike after meeting his father at GTB Hospital when his two-wheeler touched one Anshu Tyagi (21) near Shyam Lal College on Loni Road. Anshu abused Tarun following which an argument ensued between the two.

"Anshu Tyagi was accompanied by two other persons who then got together and started beating up Tarun. One of them then picked up a stone lying nearby and hit Tarun repeatedly on his head. The trio fled leaving him lying in a pool of blood. One of the eyewitnesses informed the police and a PCR rushed Tarun to nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead," said a police official, adding that raids were carried out throughout the night.

Apart from Anshu Tyagi, the police has arrested Lucky Tyagi (22) and Somnath (31) while investigations are on whether they were accompanied by some other people.

"We arrested Anshu last night itself while Lucky and Somnath were arrested in the wee hours of today," said the official, adding that the accused were drunk at the time of the incident.

Anshu is resident of Ghaziabad and all the accused live nearby.

Tarun worked in a private company and his father Satish is undergoing treatment at GTB Hospital for some infection. Ironically, Tarun's body was taken for a postmortem at the same hospital a few hours later.

New Delhi, July 30
The southeast district police has apprehended a 25- year-old Nigerian, Nnadi Chjibuzor Nicholas, for allegedly cheating a Govindpuri resident by making him believe that he had won a huge prize money and that it would be given to him after paying some charges.

While the complainant, Vishwajeet Biswas, paid Nicholas around Rs 54,000, he got suspicious when he demanded another Rs 1,90,000. Biswas then lodged a complaint with the police.

According to Ajay Chaudhary, additional CP (southeast), on July 7, Biswas received a message on his mobile phone from an international mobile number, stating that he had won a prize of Rs 5,60,00,000. The sender of the message had directed Biswas to contact him on the number. He was also asked to send some documents, including the particulars of his pass certificates of classes X and XII, a copy of his and his father's voter ID cards, ration card and a passport size photograph, to an email address.

"Biswas was informed that a representative of the prize-giving company would come to India on July 11 to give him the money. But the representative will have to pay Rs 19,500 to the custom office at the Mumbai airport, and so he was directed to deposit the said amount in an account with HDFC Bank. After Biswas deposited the money, the accused again contacted him and asked him to deposit another Rs 35,000 for anti-terrorist/drug clearance certificates. Biswas deposited this amount also on July 11," said Chaudhary. The accused then called again and demanded Rs 1,90,000. This time, Biswas refused to pay up and lodged a complaint with the police.

According to the official, as part of a strategy, a bundle of fake notes was prepared and Biswas was asked to call the accused and ask him to collect the money personally. The accused was asked to come to Select City mall at Saket, where he was arrested," said Chaudhary.

New Delhi, July 30
A 55-year-old man was killed while five others were injured when a jail van ferrying undertrails from the Tihar jail to the Rohini district court hit a divider and rammed into a bus stop at Madhuban Chowk in Outer Delhi, this morning.

According to the police, the deceased has been identified as Arun Kumar.

The incident took place around 11 am. The eyewitnesses reported that the van, which was being driven at a high speed, lost control. There were 50 undertrails in the van at the time of the accident.

"The injured were rushed to Bhim Rao Ambedkar Hospital where doctors declared one man dead. Others were allowed to go after first aid," said a police official. The driver of the van, ASI Braham Singh, has been arrested.

New Delhi, July 30
Fed up of her husband's alcoholism, a 35-year-old woman and her brother allegedly strangulated him in Najafgarh on July 14.

The woman, Kanta, was arrested yesterday after the post-mortem report of her husband, Anil, confirmed murder. Her brother (also Anil) is absconding.

Kanta tried to pass off Anil's death as natural due to heavy drinking and even arranged a quick cremation. However, the police seized the body and send it for postmortem. The doctors declared that the injuries found on Anil's body were inflicted manually by a thick blunt object. He was then strangulated, they said.

On sustained interrogation, Kanta confessed to have murdered Anil.

Kanta told the police that Anil was a drunker. On July 14, he sold off her mobile phone and 50 kg wheat to buy liquor. When she objected, he abused and bashed her up in front of her younger brother. "The brother-sister got furious and planned to eliminate Anil. Kanta, with help from her brother, pulled inebriated Anil inside the house and beat him up with a baton. To ensure that he was dead, they then strangulated him.

Kanta then tried to dispose of the body convincing the neighbours that Anil had died due to heavy drinking," said AK Ojha, DCP (southwest).

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi, transport minister Arvinder Singh Lovely and chief secretary PK Tripathi during a function to inaugurate the Guru Tegh Bahadur memorial in New Delhi on Saturday. Tribune photo: Manas Ranjan Bhui

Along with the Chief Minister and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi, the dais was captured by the officials of Delhi Tourism. This surprised the Sikhs present at the function as the DSGMC president represents 15 lakh people of the community in Delhi. He had installed hoardings at various places giving an impression that the memorial function of Guru Tegh Bahadur was organised by the gurdwara committee. Sikhs present at the function wished to have a glimpse of their committee leader seated on the dais, but they were disappointed.

Paying lip service

While the CPI activists in a rally held recently chanted slogans "Dilli sarkar murdabad", passers-by said in a low voice, "party ko paise

do, paise do". They laughed at the rally saying that it had become a ritual of the political parties to take out rally once or twice a year, showing their presence to the government and others in power.

They collect finance from their loyal workers by organising rallies and dharnas. Even the police personnel who were escorting the rally said this was all drama. The political parties take out rallies during elections, parliamentary sessions and other such occasions. They are not

serious about taking up the issues of the people and only pay lip service. They show their strength to the government by organising rallies and dharnas.

Mosquito rules the roost

With the rains back to the Capital over the last week, major universities providing on campus accommodation are worried about the increasing mosquito bites that the students have been reporting. Most colleges are taking all the measures possible to avoid any dengue case. Be it JNU, DU or Jamia, all major universities are struggling hard to avoid an outbreak.

Meanwhile, students have a fan page on Facebook, flaunting pictures of their mosquito bites.

"These aren't mosquitoes. They appear to be something else. They leave freakish marks on the body, which are very hard to get rid of. We thought of having some fun out of the situation, and hence started this page on Facebook. We already have more then 4,000 members," said Suman Verma, one of the residents at JNU.

Missing children

In sync with the common trend, the Delhi police seems to be following different yardsticks for the rich and the poor when it comes to acting upon cases related to missing children.

The panelists of a public hearing pertaining to the issues surrounding "missing children" almost remained silent when the parents of such kids expressed wide dissent against the Delhi police's apathy towards the poor.

When complaints against the police poured in, additional commissioner of special protection unit for women and children K Choudhary, having little to defend his force, assured the complainants that the guilty would be punished.

Then came strong words from the member of the National Advisory Council, Harsh Mander, who said that all the instances highlighted here show a dereliction of duty and lack of accountability on the part of the police.

(Contributed by Syed Ali Ahmed, Shaurya Karanbir Gurung, Jyoti Rai, Ananya Panda )

New Delhi, July 30
A 29-year-old driver allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree in the RK Puram area of south district last night.

Satish Kumar found hanging from a tree around 8.30 am near Ring Road at Sector-12.

"Satish stayed at Dashgrha village. While no suicide note was recovered from the spot, there seems to be no foul play. The body has been kept at AIIMS for post mortem," said a police official.

His family members have been informed and the reason behind the extreme step is being investigated.

In yet another incident, a 39-year-old man, allegedly depressed over family disputes, committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling fan in the MS Park area of north-east district last night.

According to the police, the deceased has been identified as Rajesh. No suicide note was recovered from his possession.

Rajesh is survived by his wife Rekha and two sons.

New Delhi, July 30
At the birth centenary of the late R Venkataraman (RV), the eighth President of India, commemorated in Delhi today, eminent political leaders praised him for being an excellent parliamentarian who possessed a constitutional morality and understood the aspirations of the public.

Vice-President of India Hamid Ansari, Punjab Governor Shivraj V Patil and Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, attended the event.

Hamid Ansari said that RV followed Gandhian values. "India's several founding fathers were deeply committed to public institutions. They were also committed to the constitutional morality of the public," said Ansari.

In addition, he said that RV had an extraordinary career in the public realm.

Shivraj Patil acknowledged RV's excellent career and his ability to understand the aspirations of the people belonging to both the rural and urban areas.

"He helped trade unions, industrialists and especially entrepreneurs to establish their businesses in Tamil Nadu. Venkataraman took out the best from the past and present to achieve a good future," said Patil.

New Delhi, July 30
Next time you get booked for drunken driving by the traffic cops, you might be sent to attend the meetings of a group called Alcohol Anonymous (AA) that helps people with drinking problems.

Impressed by the ideology of AA, the Joint Commissioner Delhi Traffic Police who was invited as special guest in a recent conference of the group said that he will suggest the errant drivers caught on the road to attend the meetings of the group.

Joint Commissioner Satyender Garg told the gathering about his drive to book drunk drivers and felt that he could link AA members with the alcohol-checking teams of the traffic police.

"I am really impressed by the sharing of this meeting and the traffic police can look forward to working in close cooperation with the AA members as this might ease the problem of drunken driving on Delhi roads. It would involve sending drunk drivers to AA meetings," said Garg.

The Delhi traffic police has recently prosecuted 161 people for drunken driving during a special drive. As many as 1,713 prison terms have been awarded this year for this offence. In as many as 51 cases, the prison terms have been for over 10 days. Also, 40 per cent of the road accidents in the Capital are attributed to drunken driving.

The conference aimed at mobilizing professional support to bring more victims of alcoholism under the fellowship of AA. The group, which comprises men and women addicted to alcoholism, hold regular meetings to share their experiences with anyone seeking help with a drinking problem.

"Our statistics say fifty per cent of the schoolchildren have tasted alcohol, out of which 10 per cent have a predisposition to become alcoholic," said Jagjit Singh, an anonymous name of a member of AA who is a retired doctor.

The other special invitees of the conference were Justice Anil Kumar and Dr Nimesh Desai, head of IBHAS (Shahdara mental hospital). Justice Anil Kumar and Garg both thanked the members for giving them an insight into AA.

"I would definitely discuss the matter with fellow judges to see how we can take the help of AA," said Justice Anil Kumar.

Five AA members from New Zealand, Australia, Thailand and Sri Lanka had also participated in the meeting.

Helpline Nos: 9811908707, 9810912534, 9312286721.