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Integrated plan required to combat Naxalism: Rajnath

LUCKNOW: A comprehensive integrated action plan was required to solve problems like naxalism, separatism, terrorism and his ministry was working on it, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said.

"Whether it's naxalism, separatism or terrorism, a comprehensive integrated action plan is needed and my ministry has started work on it. We accept the challenge and based on this efforts will be made to take balanced action," Rajnath said.

He said that efforts which were required to tackle big problems before the country was not taken in the past.

"The integrated action plan could not be chalked out. We have started work on it and we have faith to achieve success," he said.

The Union Minister said that the party has decided to work as per the thinking of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee that a friend could be changed, but not a neighbour.

"After independence it was for the first time that heads of SAACRC countries were invited for swearing in ceremony. By doing this we have given a clear message to have a cordial relation with them. Normally it takes one to one and a half years. We have talks with the SAARC heads and they want to maintain good relationship with India," he said.

Rajnath said that the people have given the BJP mandate and they have expectations as well.

"The person who has become the PM Narendra Modi has a dynamic and imaginative personality. I am sure that in the next five years the government will prove true on the expectations of the people," he said.

The Union Minister said that the government was not celebrating as it was shocked with the untimely death of Gopinath Munde.

"He was a popular leader and we planned to project him as the Chief Minister in Maharashtra assembly elections," he said.

Regarding development of his parliamentary constituency Lucknow, Rajnath said that an action plan would be chalked out in 100 days responsibility of which has been given to former vice-chairman of Lucknow Development Authority Diwaker Tripathi.

Earlier the Union Minister said that the newly elected NDA government was committed to rid the country of current problems, but the system which has paralysed could not be changed in one or two years and there was a need to give time for this.

"I want to assure that as far as security of the etire country is concerned then whatever the government is required to do, we will do that. All efforts will be made to rid the problems through which the country is passing," Rajnath, who is on his first visit to his parliamentary constituency after being sworn in as Home Minister, said while addressing workers.

"But it is also true that we cannot do this work in one, one and a half or two years. The system has become so paralysed in the previous regime that it will take time to set it right. Give us time. You have seen that comparably BJP ruled states are doing better then others," he added.

Rajnath expressed his gratitude to the people of Lucknow for making him victorious with huge margin.

"I express gratitude to the people and party workers. I express gratitude to youths, our mothers and sisters," he said.

Earlier, the Union Minister was given a grand welcome on his arrival at Chaudhary Charan Singh airport here. - PTI 

Six injured in suspected militant attack in Kashmir

Srinagar: At least six persons, including four policemen, were injured in a suspected militant attack today near a hospital in Shopian district of south Kashmir.

"Unidentified gunmen fired upon a police party near district hospital in Shopian town this afternoon, resulting in injuries to six persons including four policemen," a police spokesman said.

He said while three policemen and two civilians, who received bullet injuries in their legs, were admitted to Bone and Joints hospital, another policeman, who suffered bullet injuries in the abdomen was undergoing treatment at SMHS hospital here.

The spokesman said a police team from the District Police Lines was on a routine check to a minority guard picket in Bonpara village, 52 kms from here, when the gunmen opened fire from assault rifles.

The policemen fired back but the attackers managed to escape, taking advantage of the panic which followed the firing, the spokesman said.

He said a hunt has been launched to nab the gunmen involving in the firing.

No militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. PTI

US yet to finalise dates for Modi visit

WASHINGTON: The U.S. has said that no dates have been finalised yet for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Washington visit.

“On Prime Minister Modi’s possible travel to the United States — nothing to announce on dates,” U.S. State Department deputy spokesperson Marie Harf told reporters.

“As President (Barack) Obama and Secretary (of State, John) Kerry have both said, we look forward to welcoming the Prime Minister to Washington, just don’t have any dates yet. I know there are a lot of reports out there about dates, but we don’t have dates yet,” Ms. Harf said in response to a question.

Modi has accepted Obama’s invitation for a meeting in late September and the dates are being finalised, official sources in New Delhi had said earlier this week.

In New Delhi, a spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry on Friday said Obama was among the first foreign leaders to make a congratulatory call to Modi during which a specific invitation was made.

“We have received a specific date for the visit (from the U.S.). We are now in contact with the U.S. to work out mutually convenient date for Prime Minister to be in Washington for a summit-level meeting,” the spokesperson said.

However, he did not give dates and only said it will be in the month of September, at the time around the U.N. General Assembly. - PTI

Modi hailed as new 'fashion icon' by American media

WASHINGTON: Narendra Modi, who was unwelcome here only a few years ago, is now a "fashion icon" to the American media. After his stunning electoral triumph, three major US publications — Time, New York Times and the Washington Post — have lauded the new Indian Prime Minister's dressing style from his "trademark Modi Kurta" to his tunic.

The New York Times in an article titled 'A Leader Who Is What He Wears' says that "even by the standards of a world that has seen blogs devoted to Michelle Obama's dress sense, the pre-election makeovers of Francois Hollande and Dilma Rousseff, and the canonisation of Nelson Mandela's shirts, the image-craft of India's new prime minister, Narendra Modi — and its fashion fallout — has been something of a case study." 

It says that even by "India's standards where leaders have perhaps understood the use of clothing as a communication device better and longer than any of their international peers...Modi stands out. Literally and strategically." 

The Washington Post also lauds Modi's dressing style, saying, "Move aside, Michelle Obama. The world has a new fashion icon. And no, it's not Vladimir Putin, despite his fitness regimen — it's India's new prime minister, Narendra Modi." "Narendra Modi is apparently the next big thing in Indian fashion," the Time magazine said in an article yesterday.

"With his shortened tunic, or 'Modi Kurta,' Narendra Modi is becoming as celebrated for his style sense," it says. - PTI

BSF jawan lynched, man killed in clash near Indo-Bangla border

AGARTALA: A BSF jawan was lynched after a man was killed in firing by border guards as they came under attack from villagers while chasing smugglers close to the Indo-Bangladesh border in Tripura, but the villagers gave a different account of the events.

When the BSF personnel were chasing smugglers last night, villagers of South Ramnagar attacked the border guards with lathis and choppers, BSF DIG B S Rawat said today.

The BSF personnel initially fired in the air to disperse the mob and then opened fire in self defence in which a villager, Ismail Mia, was killed and ten persons were injured in the village two kilometre from the border, the DIG said.

"Our jawans opened fire in self defence in which one villager died and ten others were injured. In a retaliatory attack, one BSF jawan, Sandeep Kumar, was lynched by the local inhabitants," Rawat said.

Superintendent of Police (Police Control) Uttam Bhowmick said "Ismail Mia died of bullet injuries. So it is presumed that he was killing in firing by the BSF." Asked about the lynching of the BSF man, Bhowmick said "He had head injuries and cut marks on his body." West Tripura District Magistrate Abhishek Singh, who visited the area, said a magisterial level inquiry was ordered into the incident.

"The result would be known after the inquiry is over.

Stern action would be taken if anybody is found guilty. No one will be spared," Singh told.

Bhanu Mia, the son of the villager who was killed, lodged an FIR lodged at the West Agartala police station against the border guards in which he said that the villagers were sitting near a pond following load-shedding when two BSF personnel on patrol came up to them and an altercation followed.

Local CPI(M) MLA Ratan Das alleged that septuagenarian Ismail Mia was hit with the butt of a rifle and shot dead.

The jawans then allegedly opened fire in which 10 villagers were injured, Das said.

The injured were admitted to the G B Pant Hospital, hospital sources said.

Minority Welfare minister Shahid Chowdhury also visited the area and said that the injured would be povided free treatment. - PTI 

HC upholds sessions court order in Zee-Jindal case

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has upheld a sessions court's order directing the city police to conduct further probe against Zee Group Chairman Subhash Chandra, Zee editors Sudhir Chaudhary and Samir Ahluwalia for their alleged Rs 100 crore extortion bid from Congress MP Naveen Jindal's firm.

A bench of Justice Sunil Gaur passed the order while dismissing Chaudhary's plea against the Additional Sessions Judge's (ASJ) January 6 order by which the ASJ had held that the magisterial court's view on applicability of the penal provisions in the case shall have no effect.

The high court also observed that the observations made by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) in his September 13, 2013 "were uncalled for" and that the ASJ had aptly held that probe would be carried out unswayed by the CMM's view.

The CMM had refused to take cognisance of the charge sheet filed in the case saying there were "material lacunae" in the investigation and had directed further probe in the matter. He had also observed that the offences of both extortion and cheating cannot be simultaneously made out against the accused.

The CMM's order was challenged in a sessions court by the police on the ground that the magistrate at the stage of taking cognisance proceeded to discuss merits of the case "contrary to established legal norms".

The Crime Branch of Delhi Police had last year filed a charge sheet against Chandra, Chaudhary and Ahluwalia under various provisions of the IPC, including sections 384/511 (attempt to extortion), 420/511 (attempt to cheating), 120 B (criminal conspiracy) and 201 (destruction of evidence). - PTI

Criminals loot Rs 18.9 lakh from LIC manager

ARARIA (Bihar): Unknown gunmen today looted Rs 18.9 lakh from an LIC branch manager at Forbesganj in Bihar's Araria district, police said today. Police officials said the incident happened when Somnath Mitra was taking the cash from his office at Sadar Bazar area to deposit it at the Bank of Baroda branch located in the same building. A peon from his office was also escorting him.

"Four armed men were waiting outside the LIC office. They overpowered Mitra at gunpoint before he could reach the bank located a floor below, and fled with the bag containing the cash," Forbesganj SHO Vipin Kumar said.

The SHO added other accomplices of the criminals were waiting on the road with their motorcycles, and all of them sped away in different directions.

Police has launched a manhunt to nab the looters. They are also investigating whether the criminals had prior knowledge of the movement of cash from the LIC office. - PTI

No respite from heat wave in Pb, Hry; Hisar hottest at 46.5

Chandigarh: Intense heat wave conditions prevailed in Punjab and Haryana today with Mercury touching 45 degree Celsius mark at most of the places in both states.

Maximum temperatures rose by several notches above normal in various places in Punjab and Haryana with Hisar being the hottest place in both the states as it sizzled at 46.5 degree Celsius, up by five degrees above normal, Met department said here.

In Haryana, Ambala recorded a high of 44 degree Celsius, up by 4 degrees above normal, while Narnaul settled at 42 degree Celsius.

Chandigarh recorded maximum at 44.4 degree Celsius, up by five notches above normal. It was the third highest temperature recorded in the Union Territory in the month of June in the last 10 years.

Previously, in 2012, the city recorded highest at 45.6 degree Celsius and in 2007 it was second highest at 45 degree Celsius in the month of June.

In Punjab, Amritsar recorded maximum of 46 degree Celsius, shooting up by five degrees above normal while Ludhiana and Patiala sizzled at 45.5 degree Celsius and 45 degree Celsius respectively.

Met department in its forecast said heat wave will continue and weather will remain dry in the neighbouring states in next 24 hours. PTI

Mentally challenged woman burnt after gang rape in Tripura (LEAD)

Agartala: In a case of horrific brutality, a mentally challenged woman was burnt to death after being gang raped in Tripura, police said Saturday.

"Alorani Deb was gang raped by three men. They then burnt her to death in Harina village in southern Tripura Thursday night," a police spokesman told reporters here. The village is located about 155 km from here. 

The woman, 42, a mother of two, was mentally challenged.

Police arrested the three culprits, all construction workers, and a probe is on.

Various political parties, including the ruling Communist Party of India- Marxist, have demanded exemplary punishment to the culprits.

-Indo-Asian News Service

Akal Takht Jathedar asks SGPC to probe into clash

Amritsar: Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh today asked Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee to initiate a probe into yesterday's violence that took place inside the Golden Temple.

Jathedar, while talking to reporters here, asked SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar to submit a report after completing the probe into the incident.

Jathedar said some "unscrupulous elements" attacked employees of SGPC.

When reporters pointed out that one of the SGPC employees had brandished naked sword at Golden Temple complex, Jathedar of Akal Takht said, "such aspects will not be ignored during course of investigation." Meanwhile, Punjab Police ADCP Parampal Singh said out of the 28 accused, 21 were arrested in connection with the yesterday's violence at the Golden Temple.

Rest of the accused would be nabbed soon, he said.

Two groups yesterday clashed inside the Golden Temple premises, leaving at least 12 persons injured after a ceremony organised to mark the 30th anniversary of Operation Bluestar.

The situation took an ugly turn when one of the Akali Dal factions led by Simranjeet Singh Mann along with his supporters tried to raise pro-Khalistani slogans from the rostrum of Akal Takht.

Mann was was prevented from delivering the speech by SGPC Task Force, following which clash broke out between Mann's activists and SGPC Task Force. PTI