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Curfew relaxed for four hours in strife-hit
Saharanpur
SAHARANPUR: With the situation improving in violence-hit Saharanpur, the district authorities on Monday relaxed curfew for four hours in the new city area to allow people to buy their daily need items from markets which were directed to remain open.
As the situation has shown improvement, curfew was being relaxed from 10 am to 2 pm in the new city and from 3 pm to 7 pm in the old town areas, District Magistrate Sandhya Tiwari said, "This is being done to allow people to pick up their items of daily need from the markets," she told reporters here.
Tiwari said security forces have been asked to maintain a tight vigil during the curfew relaxation hours and keep a close watch on trouble-mongers to prevent any untoward incident.
She said a lot of people contacted the authorities last night as certain rumours had been spread but "more than 96 per cent of the incidents were not found to be true".
An uneasy calm had prevailed yesterday in Saharanpur where 38 people were arrested as a political blame game erupted with BJP accusing Samajwadi Party of indulging in "vote-bank politics" and Congress blasting the UP government for "lapses".
Curfew and shoot-at-sight orders had remained in force on Sunday in the wake of clashes between two communities over a land dispute with some indulging in arson. Three persons were killed in the violence on Saturday that also left 33 injured.
22 shops were gutted or damaged and 15 four-wheelers torched in the incidents, according to Tiwari.
Meanwhile, Saharanpur Superintendent of Police Rajesh Pandey said one person who had "instigated" the violence has been identified.
"We have not arrested him yet, but we are hopeful that we will catch hold of him very soon," he said, noting that the individual has been charged with rioting, arson and conspiracy.
He said, "We will undertake a detailed investigation and only then we can say whether it is a grand design or some thing else is behind the scene."
"We are trying to get the situation back to complete normalcy," Pandey said, adding the violence took place over the disputed piece of land which was a "cause of concern".
Uttar Pradesh Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Mukul Goel had yesterday said in Lucknow, "It has been directed that action should be taken against whosoever is found guilty." Officials in Lucknow said Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has sought a report from the district authorities regarding the incidents in Saharanpur, which is nearly 170 km from Delhi and 560 km from Lucknow.
Yadav has termed the violence as "unfortunate" and said that those responsible will not be spared.
Reacting to the charges levelled by Congress and BJP, Samajwadi Party has said there was an effort to "disrupt peace in the state" and that there was "no place for communalism, anti-social elements".
Trouble began when members of one community started construction work at the site in Kutubsher area in the wee hours of Saturday, which was objected to by the other group.
Both the sides indulged in heavy brick-batting, arson and opened fire, police said.
Police had fired rubber bullets to control the situation as mobs went on the rampage, setting several shops afire.
Additional forces, including from PAC, CRPF, RAF and ITBP have been deployed in the troubled areas.
Five policemen and a city magistrate were among the injured. A constable was stated to be in serious condition in Chandigarh PGI after suffering a bullet injury. -PTI
Heavy rain alert in Uttarakhand, five dead in landslide
LUCKNOW/DEHRADUN: Ten days after heavy rains pounded Uttarakhand, the meteorological department on Monday warned of another round of incessant heavy rains in the state in 48-hours while five people were found dead due to landslide.
The rain alert has been sounded for most areas of the state including Nainital, Chamoli, Champawat, Uttarkashi and the state capital Dehradun.
Following the warning, disaster management teams have been asked to be on standby. Officials have been asked to be "extra vigilant" in areas adjacent to the rivers, many of whom are in spate owing to the rains that lashed the state July 16-17.
A massive landslide in Pangla of the Dharchula area Sunday killed five of a family. The landslide was triggered by heavy rains in the region since Saturday night.
Condition of three others, trapped in the mud after the landslide, continues to be critical at a medical facility in Dharchula, a district official informed IANS.
Chief Minister Harish Rawat, the official said, was monitoring the situation personally and has ordered ex-gratia for the families of those killed in the landslide. –IANS
Kedarnath Yatra suspended till July 29
DEHRADUN: Kedarnath yatra has further been suspended due to bad weather till July 29 after opening for a brief four hours on Sunday.
"The Kedarnath pilgrimage, which opened today after a gap of 10 days, was again suspended till July 29 due to forecast of heavy rains during the next 48 hours," said Meera Kaintura, Rudraprayag's disaster management officer.
She said that the district administration contacted the Secretary of Disaster Management Department and took the decision after that.
On July 24, the district authorities had decided to keep the Kedarnath yatra suspended till today as Rishikesh-Kedarnath National Highway was blocked at Doliyadevi near Fata and intermittent rains continued to lash the region.
The pilgrimage was also suspended on July 16 amid a MeT department warning of heavy rains in the area.
–PTI
Indian
among the pre-finalists to receive humanitarian award
HOUSTON:
An Indian humanist is among the pre-finalists of a humanitarian award
worth USD 1 million to be handed over by Gonzaga University of
northwestern United States in October.
The award is given on behalf of The Opus Prize Foundation that
recognises faith-based humanitarian work.
The Opus Prize Foundation partners with Catholic universities to
recognise people and organisations doing "very difficult work in
very difficult places," said Michael Herzog, an English professor
of Gonzaga.
Gollapalli Israel, the Indian pre-finalist is a Baptist priest who leads
the Janodayam Social Education Centre in Tamil Nadu and provides
education and human rights services to members of the Dalits.
The other pre-finalists are US based Joe Maier and Sister Teresa
Fitzgerald.
Joe Maier, co-founded the Human Development Foundation Mercy Centre in
Bangkok's largest slum and Sister Teresa Fitzgerald is the founder of
Hour Children in New York.
The prize winner will be announced on October 16.
"This is the 11th year the Opus Prize Foundation will award a USD 1
million grant, said Don Neureuther, executive director Opus Prize
Foundation.
The foundation is "very hands-off" about how each university
does that, said Gerald Rauenhorst founder of Opus Group.
"It's all about inspiring students. We do a lot at Gonzaga with
service learning and social justice. It is really easy for us to send
kids to a soup kitchen. It is hard to teach how to start an NGO in
Chennai, India", he added. –PTI
UNSC
calls for immediate, unconditional ceasefire in Gaza
UNITED
NATIONS: The UN Security Council has called for an "immediate and
unconditional humanitarian ceasefire" between Israel and Palestine,
asking the parties to implement the truce beyond the Muslim holiday of
Eid and allow delivery of urgently needed assistance in Gaza as the
raging conflict has killed over 1,000 people.
The 15-nation Security Council held an emergency meeting late last night
to adopt the presidential statement that expressed support for "an
immediate and unconditional humanitarian ceasefire, allowing for the
delivery of urgently needed assistance" in Gaza.
The statement, drafted by Jordan, "urged all parties to accept and
fully implement the humanitarian ceasefire into the Eid period and
beyond" and "calls on parties to engage in efforts to achieve
a durable and fully respected ceasefire, based on the Egyptian
initiative".
It said that a humanitarian cease-fire would allow for the delivery of
urgently needed assistance in Gaza.
The statement calls for "full respect" for international
humanitarian law and reiterates "the need to take appropriate steps
to ensure the safety and well-being of civilians and their
protection".
The Council expressed "grave concern regarding the deterioration in
the situation as a result of the crisis related to Gaza and the loss of
civilian lives and casualties." It "emphasises that civilian
and humanitarian facilities, including those of the UN must be respected
and protected".
Earlier, welcoming the broadly observed 12-hour humanitarian pause in
the Gaza conflict, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had renewed his
appeal to all parties to declare a week-long ceasefire as a prelude
to restarting political negotiations.
The deadly 20-day conflict has killed 1,030 Palestinians and 46
Israelis. –PTI
COMMONWEALTH
GAMES
Debutant
lifter Sivalingam strikes gold, Ravi fetches silver
GLASGOW:
Indian weightlifter Satish Sivalingam scripted history in just his debut
Commonwealth Games, breaking the Games record en route to a gold medal,
while compatriot Ravi Katulu took the silver in the men's 77kg event
here.
The 22-year-old Satish, the 2013 Commonwealth Championships gold
medallist, lifted a total of 328kg (149+179) to pip the 2010 CWG gold
medallist Ravi, who had to be content with a silver medal following an
effort of 317kg (142+175).
Australia's Francois Etoundi bagged the bronze with a lift of 314kg
(137+177) at the Clyde Auditorium here.
Satish's 149kg lift in Sntch lift erased the earlier record of 148kg in
the name of of Yuko Peter of Nauru while winning gold in 2010 Delhi.
India ran away with the day's honours in weightlifting as Punam Yadav
had won a bronze in women's 63kg earlier in the day with a total lift of
202kg (88+114).
India have now bettered their 2010 CWG performance in weightlifting.
India have won nine medals (3-2-4) in weightlifting, one more than the
eight (2-2-4) in Delhi.
Both Ravi and Satish performed tactically and began their snatch after
most of the other competitors had made their three attempts by keeping
the starting weight at 142kg.
Satish was the first of the two Indians to come out and he easily lifted
142kg but Ravi Kumar failed to do so at the same weight. Ravi, however,
had a clean lift of 142kg in his second attempt.
England's Jack Oliver then set the tempo for a keen contest as he lifted
142kg in his second attempt but failed to clear 145kg in his third.
Satish made another clean lift of 146kg before Ravi made an unsuccessful
attempt to go ahead by trying 147kg.
With one lift left for him, Satish went for 149kg in his attempt to
break the Commonwealth Games record and he did it yet again in style and
punched in the air in delight.
In clean and jerk also, Satish and Ravi followed the same script as they
began their attempts by keeping the starting weight high.
Indian
paddlers lose to England in men's team semis
GLASGOW:
India lost 1-3 to England in the 2014 Commonwealth Games men's team
table tennis semifinal and will have to be content with playing for the
bronze medal against Nigeria.
The country's top singles player Achanta Sharath Kamal was shocked by an
energetic Liam Pitchford, who is ranked five places below, in the
opening match here Sunday night.
Kamal fought hard but eventually lost 4-11, 11-8, 11-9, 5-11, 6-11.
Paul Drinkhall gave England a 2-0 lead after disposing off Anthony
Arputharaj 11-5, 11-8, 11-9 in the second singles.
Anthony then teamed up with Harmeet Desai and gave India hope winning
the doubles tie 7-11, 16-14, 11-8, 7-11, 13-11.
However, it wasn't meant to be for the Indians as Harmeet lost his
singles match to Pitchford 5-11, 6-11, 12-10, 12-10, 15-17.
England will take on Singapore in the summit clash. -IANS
Anaka
reaches women's plate final in squash
GLASGOW:
Indian squash player Anaka Alankamony earned a 3-1 win over Mihiliya
Methsarani of Sri Lanka to enter the women's plate final at the
Commonwealth Games on Sunday.
The 20-year-old Chennai girl won 11-4, 11-6, 11-7 to enter the summit
clash where she will take on Welsh Deon Saffery.
However, Mahesh Mangaonkar suffered a 1-3 loss in the men's classic
plate semi-final to Canadian Shawn Delierre who won 11-6, 11-4, 7-11,
11-8.
Saurav Ghosal will play his men's singles quarterfinal later in the day
against English James Willstrop. -Agencies
Child rape case: Bangalore school reopens
BANGALORE: The school where a six-year-old girl was allegedly raped reopened today, 10 days after it was shut over the outrageous incident that led to severe public protests and prompted police to issue tough guidelines for children's safety.
High-profile Vibgyor High School reopened after groups of parents visited the institution to take stock of the safety measures initiated by the management, which faced allegations of trying to hush up the July 2 incident before it came to light only after a police complaint was lodged 12 days later.
Parents seemed cautiously satisfied about safety mechanisms but there were many others who sounded sceptical, voicing anxiety over sending their wards back to the school.
Ahead of reopening, parents carried out the inspection on Sunday in the presence of local officials of education and police departments, as also senior executive of the school, which has reportedly installed about 100 CCTV cameras. Classes from Standard 5 to 10 reopened today and classes from 1 to 4 will recommence on Wednesday.
Block Education Officer SM Ramesh said background check of the school staff had been done and provided to police.
Policemen, in plain clothes and uniform, have been deployed in and around the school premises to instill a sense of security, an official said.
"I am positive that safety measures have begun to get implemented," a parent said, adding parents groups would be in touch with the management, government and police to ensure that the guidelines are adhered to.
But another parent expressed reservations, saying, "I am not convinced that it (the action now) is going to clean up the system." She said only one staff member had been arrested but there were others who could be connected with the incident but are still lurking around. She said she did not want to bring her daughter back to the school. She said those who did "injustice" to the six-year-old girl should be brought to book.
School skating instructor Mustafa has been arrested as the main accused and its Founder-Chairman Rustom Kerawalla on charge of suppressing evidence, among others.
Newly appointed Bangalore Police Commissioner MN Reddi had on July 26 announced a raft of measures for children's safety and warned of prosecution for non-compliance.
–PTI
UPSC
issue to be resolved within a week: Rajnath Singh
NEW
DELHI: Amid protests by civil services aspirants against the new UPSC
syllabus, the government on Monday said the issue will be resolved
within a week.
"The UPSC issue will be resolved within a week.
Discussions are going on," Home Minister Rajnath Singh told
reporters here.
Singh said he had held a meeting yesterday to find a way out following a
directive from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the wake of the students'
protests.
The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Minister
of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh among others.
Replying to a question, the Home Minister said the report of the
three-member government-appointed committee, which is looking into the
demands of the aspirants to change the pattern of the Civil Services
Aptitude Test (CSAT) to give level-playing field to those coming from
rural areas, will come soon.
Singh, however, remained non-committal when asked whether the civil
services preliminary examination, scheduled to be held on August 24,
will be postponed.
There are two compulsory papers of 200 marks each in the preliminary
examination. These papers are also known as CSAT I and CSAT II.
The CSAT-II paper carries questions on comprehension, interpersonal
skills including communication skills, logical reasoning and analytical
ability, decision-making and problem- solving, general mental ability,
basic numeracy, and English language comprehension skills (of Class X
level).
Students have been objecting to the level of aptitude and English
language questions being asked in the CSAT II paper claiming they are
much above the standard prescribed for the examination.
The civil services examination is conducted in three stages--
preliminary, main, and interview-- to choose candidates for Indian
Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian
Police Service (IPS) among others. –PTI
Home
Ministry denies reported bugging at Gadkari's home
NEW
DELHI: The Home Ministry Monday denied the reported bugging at Union
Minister Nitin Gadkari's residence, and ruled out any probe.
Asked about the bugging, union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said:
"There is no contradiction, Gadkari has denied it himself."
Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju too refused to comment.
"The minister himself has said the reports are speculative... How
can we comment on it?" Rijiju said when he was asked if the home
ministry would probe the bugging reports.
"There is nothing concrete in it," the minister said.
Media reports Sunday said a bugging device was found at Gadkari's Delhi
residence.
This was, however, denied by Gadkari and those close to him.
"Reports in a section of the media about listening devices having
been found at my New Delhi residence are highly speculative,"
Gadkari tweeted.
The Congress demanded a probe into the allegations, with former prime
minister Manmohan Singh saying it is not a "good omen".
"If ministers' houses are bugged, then it is not a good omen. It
should be investigated. How can it happen? It should be explained by the
government in the house," the former prime minister told reporters
at an Iftar get-together hosted by Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
BJP spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi asked why Manmohan Singh was quiet
when bugging was reported in then finance minister Pranab Mukherjee's
office.
"Why was Manmohan Singh quiet when there were reports of bugging of
his ministers," Naqvi asked. –IANS
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