L A T E S T      N E W S

Lashkar wants to revive militancy in Kashmir: Abu Jundal

NEW DELHI: With a Kashmir at peace not to their liking, the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba is planning major terror attacks in the state and elsewhere in India, Abu Jundal, one of the arrested handlers of the 2008 Mumbai attackers, has revealed to his interrogators.

Jundal, believed to be "a mine of information" on the Lashkar and its anti-India plans, also told his interrogators that the group was planning to push hundreds of trained gunmen and weapons into Kashmir.

"The group wants to revive militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly make its presence felt in urban areas," a reliable source privy to his interrogation details said.

The source said that Jundal, believed to the highest ranking Indian in the terror outfit, had stayed for some time in Pakistan-administered Kashmir before and after the Mumbai attack and became close to the Kashmiri militant leadership in Muzaffarabad.

He told his interrogators that the United Jehad Council (UJC), an amalgam of terror groups that operates out of Muzaffarabad, was making elaborate plans to push fresh groups of terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir through non-traditional routes along the Line of Control (LoC) - a de facto border that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan.

Jundal, deported to India from Saudi Arabia last month, has revealed that these groups were planning to enter Kashmir through Poonch and Rajouri in the Jammu region.

These militants, as per the Lashkar plans, will then be sent to different parts of India where they will target places of worship and other crowded spots.

"Peace in Kashmir has in particular upset the Lashkar. The Lashkar leadership has asked the UJC commander (Syed Salahuddin who also heads the Hizbul Mujahideen) to pull up its socks," the source quoted Jundal as saying.

"They (militants) are planning big strikes in Kashmir," the source added, citing Jundal's interrogation.

Sources in Jammu and Kashmir Police said that the information had been shared with them. Subsequently, security has been beefed up, particularly for the hundreds of thousands of Hindus visiting the Amarnath cave temple near the south Kashmir tourist resort Pahalgam.

Kashmir Police sources said two recent militant strikes in south Kashmir in which a soldier and two policemen were killed may be part of the latest Lashkar strategy.

Jundal, who is being questioned at the heavily guarded special cell office of Delhi Police, has told his interrogators that it was actually a Kashmiri Lashkar commander who got him into the group.

Aslam Kashmiri, a known militant commander in the custody of Delhi Police after his arrest in 2009, met Jundal in Beed district of Maharahstra in 2005 through another Lashkar militant, Fayaz Kagzi.

Kashmiri, the sources said, had been given the job of recruiting into the outfit young Indian Muslims who could be radicalised.

They said Jundal was an easy target for Kashmiri because he was highly sentimental and was mesmerised by his jehadi talk. — IANS

Guwahati molestation case: Activists put up
hoardings with photos of culprits

GUWAHATI: Four of the 11 men who molested and stripped a teenage girl outside a pub in this main Assam city four days ago have been arrested, police said on Friday as questions were raised over their tardiness in taking action on an incident that has sparked off a nationwide outrage. 

All 11 have been identified and efforts are on to trace the seven other men involved in the crime Monday night, an official said. 

The group molested and stripped the teenage girl after she came out with her fiends from the restaurant-cum-bar Club Mint on the busy GS Road on Monday night. Although she cried for help, no one initially came forward to help. 

Much later, senior journalist Mukul Kalita, who happened to pass by, stopped the youths and rescued her with the help of police who by then had arrived on the location. 

The clip of the girl being molested was also caught on camera and went viral on the net. 

"We have recorded the statement of the girl and registered a case against all those involved in the crime. We have identified all the culprits by checking the video footage captured by a local news channel," said additional superintendent of police (City) Longnit Teron. 

"Four of them have already been arrested and search is on to trace the rest. However, it is taking little time as most of the accused seem to have gone underground due to non-stop media coverage of the incident," Teron added. 

He assured the angry people that all the culprits would be arrested soon. 

The incident triggered massive reaction across the country. In Guwahati, outraged activists put up hoardings across the city with photographs of the 11 culprits and asked people to inform the police about their whereabouts. 

"We have put up hoardings in some prominent places and at all the bus stops in the city. The basic objective of putting the photographs of the culprits is to help police to bring the culprits to the book and to create an awareness so that such things do not occur in future," said Avijit Sarma of the NGO Assam Public Works (APW). 

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has expressed concern over the incident and said that a separate task force would be set up to deal with such crimes against women in Guwahati and other places in the state. 

The administration is also planning a crackdown on bars and other such establishments which are open till late night, violating government guidelines. 

But that is too little too late, said activists, questioning why the police took so long to reach the spot and why it took them four days to make the arrests even though they had the video clip to go by. — IANS

Women have right to party, says Girija Vyas

NEW DELHI: Condemning the Guwahati molestation case, former National Commission for Women chairperson Girija Vyas said on Friday that there is a need for a change in the mindset to prevent such incidents from taking place.

"This incident is such, which should be condemned to its fullest. I have not been able to sleep properly since the last night after I came to know about this incident. I realised whether we are in true sense in the 21st century where we can sit on the President's post, but even today our condition is such that any person moving on the road can tease us or misbehave with us," she said.

Vyas said this unfortunate incident should be taken very seriously not only in Assam, but in the other states as well.

"The mindset has not changed even now. Any girl has the right to attend parties. Arrests have been made into this incident. So, I can say that the government is alert. I sincerely believe that more arrests will be made in this case," she added.

Vyas further said the laws with regard to cases like these should be made more strict, and added that there is a need for promoting an awareness campaign throughout the country.

"But five questions come to the fore following this incident. The laws should be stricter. The role of the executive, the police, etc., should be increased. The mindset has not changed and there is a need for a change in the law. The civil society should take some steps, they should do something against a crime that is happening right in front of their eyes," said Vyas.

"The awareness campaign should be increased. The role of media should be increased in ensuring that the police administration passes more stringent laws in molestation cases," she added.

Vyas further said the girls should be given self-training so that they are able to deal firmly and boldly with such unpleasing incidents taking place.

"I am also writing a letter to the Women Commission so that they act upon it," she added.

A girl was molested earlier on Monday when she was returning home after attending a party at a city bar located in Guwahati's Post Office area.

The incident came to light after an amateur video of the incident was uploaded on YouTube. The video shows the mob, consisting of around 20 men, beating the girl before stripping her.

The local police, however, later arrested around four persons in connection with this case following widespread outrage following the incident in the city.

The rest accused are still to be arrested. — ANI

Agni-I successfully test-fired

Balasore (Odisha): Giving a fillip to its missile capability, India today successfully test-fired the indigenously developed nuclear capable Agni-I ballistic missile with a strike range of 700 km as part of the Army's user trial from a test range off Odisha coast.

"The trial of Agni-I missile conducted from the Integrated Test Range at Wheeler Island was successful. It met the mission objectives," ITR Director M V K V Prasad said.

The surface-to-surface single-stage missile, powered by solid propellants, was test fired from a mobile launcher at about 10.10 AM from launch pad-4 of the ITR at Wheeler Island, about 100 KMs from here, a defence scientist said.

Describing the launch as a routine user’s trial by the strategic force command of the Indian Army, he said the main objective was to train the user team to launch the missile.

"It was a practice drill. The user-team picked a missile at random from the production lot and fired it with logistic support provided by Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) at ITR," he said.

Agni-I has a specialised navigation system which ensures it reaches the target with a high degree of accuracy.

The trajectory of the missile, with an operational strike range of 700 km, was tracked by sophisticated radars and electro-optic telemetry stations located along the sea coast and ships positioned near the impact point in the downrange area.

Weighing 12 tonnes, the 15-metre-long Agni-I, which can carry payloads up to 1000 KG, has already been inducted into the Indian Army.

The last trial of the Agni-I missile was successfully carried out on December 1, 2011 from the same base.

Since the missile has already been inducted into the armed forces, it is important to conduct user trials to train defence personnel and improve their skills. PTI

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir separatist leaders were placed under house arrest and authorities on Friday imposed restrictions in old city areas of summer capital Srinagar to prevent proposed rallies in connection with martyrs' day.

Senior separatist leaders, Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Shabir Ahmad Shah and Muhammad Nayeem Khan were placed under house arrest to prevent their participation in the proposed separatist rallies.

The separatists had asked people to rally to the martyrs' graveyard to pay tributes.

A shootout at the city's central jail July 13, 1931, had killed 22 people who were protesting the release of an under trial, Abdul Qadeer.

They were then buried in which is now called as the martyrs' graveyard in the old city.

"Nobody will be permitted to disturb peace in the city. The district administration has imposed restrictions at some places to ensure safety and security," said state director general of police K Rajendra Kumar.

"We have reports that some miscreants were planning to disturb peace. There is no curfew anywhere in the city," Kumar said.

Police and paramilitary central reserve police force (CRPF) contingents in riot gear have been deployed in the old city and sensitive locations in uptown areas.

With Friday being a public holiday, educational institutions and government offices remained closed.

Sydney: Australian pace bowler Brett Lee on Friday announced his retirement from international cricket after a 13-year career, saying his body and mind were no longer up to the stresses of touring.

"It's official, I have retired from international cricket. Thanks for all your love and

support. It's been an amazing 13 years," Lee said via Twitter ahead of an official news conference.

Lee, 35, who returned home early from Australia's one-day tour of England in July with calf problems, said it was the right time to call an end to his long career.

"I woke up this morning and knew I had to call it quits today. Friday the 13th, 13 years (since his Test debut), I thought it was pretty appropriate," he told Channel Nine.

"I thought I would go over there and try and play the Twenty20 World Cup (in Sri Lanka in September), but (being) mentally and physically challenged, it would just not be worth it. So I'm walking away happy with the call I've made, " he said.

Lee said while he had enjoyed his cricket career, he was tired of being away from home for long periods and was looking forward to a different phase of his life. 

UP khap panchayat: Women under-40 can’t walk free

Lucknow: A village panchayat held in Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh’s Baghpat constituency has issued a Taliban-like decree by banning love marriages and unescorted evening walks by young women.

Reports, Friday, claimed, that the village panchayat also barred young men and women from using mobile phones on roads and in by-lanes.

The members of the panchayat, who met yesterday, also directed the women, under the age of 40, to cover their heads while stepping out of their homes and barred them from leaving their homes unescorted after sunset.

During the congregation, the members of the village panchayat said that love marriages, especially inter-caste marriages, create problems for the society and distort the social fabric. Hence, it was also decided that they will not allow love marriages in their villages, and those who disobey will be banished from the village.

While the members of the panchayat issued a Taliban-like diktat, they also condemned the practice of dowry, calling it a punishable offence.

Villagers belonging to the Asaara village in Baghpat later said that they completely accept the decision taken by the village panchayat.

The Khap panchayat members also decided that they will not allow love marriages in their villages and those who disobey will be banished from the village.