LAHORE: The death toll in the horrific suicide attack that shook Pakistan minutes after the popular flag-lowering ceremony at Wagah climbed to 61 on Monday, even as security agencies arrested about 20 suspects from the Indo-Pak border area.

Ten women, eight children and three security personnel were among the 61 people who have died in the attack that took place yesterday when a suicide attacker detonated a powerful bomb at Wagah.

Over 100 people were injured in the incident and are being treated in different Lahore's hospitals where emergency has been declared.

The blast took place when a large number of people were returning after attending the flag lowering ceremony at the main Indo-Pak land border crossing, which is heavily guarded by the Punjab Rangers.

A young suicide-bomber blew himself up near the main exit gate of Parade Avenue at 6.03 pm (local time), causing colossal devastation.

"The death toll of the devastating suicide attack at Wagah border has risen to 61. The condition of some injured is still critical and the doctors are battling to save their lives," Punjab Emergency Services Rescue spokesman Jam Sajjad told PTI.

About 43 bodies have been handed over to the families while the remaining are yet to be recognised, Sajjad said.

"We have sought the help of the National Registration Database Authority (Nadra) for recognition of 18 bodies," he said.

The law enforcement agencies have launched operation in the residential areas in Wagah and taken about 20 suspects into custody, Lahore police spokesman Niyab Haider Naqvi said.

"A joint investigation team of police, rangers and intelligence agencies have started its probe into the incident. The army and rangers along with police will provide security to Ashura processions in Lahore and they have been put on high alert in the wake of Sunday's attack," he said.

Punjab Interior Minister Col (Retd) Shujah Khanzada said the target of the suicide bomber was the venue of the flag hoisting ceremony.

"The suicide-bomber wanted to reach the Parade Avenue to cause maximum devastation but he blew himself up near the entrance of the main gate after failing to reach the Parade Avenue," he said.

At least three militant factions have claimed the grizzly bombing. Al-Qaeda affiliated militant group Jundullah, a splinter group of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), was first to claim responsibility of the attack.

Shortly afterwards Jamaat-ul-Ahrar said its bomber Hafiz Hanifullah carried out the attack. Later, a lesser-known Mahar Mehsud group also claimed responsibility for the bombing.

(According to a preliminary investigation report submitted to the Inspector General Police Punjab, Mushtaq Ahmed Sukhera, the suicide-bomber, believed to be in his early 20s, had been staying in the Wagah border area since many days.

"It is also suspected that the handlers of the suicide-bomber were also present near the blast site to ensure the execution of their plan," the report says.
At least 15 to 20 kilogrammes of explosives were used in the blast with some of the explosives in the attacker's suicide jacket and the remaining being carried by him.
The blown-up parts of the bomber have been collected and sent for DNA and forensic tests.

Meanwhile, Jammat-ud-Dawah's subsidiary Falah-e-Insaniat shifted nine dead bodies to its headquarters at Chauburji and one of its leaders led the funeral prayers for the deceased before handing over the bodies to the families.

"We have allowed the Falah-e-Insaniat to take the bodies of nine victims to Jamia Masjid Al-Qadsia Chauburji on the request of their families as they wanted to offer their funeral prayers there," Lahore's Mayo Hospital official Maqbool Ahmed said.
Punjab Law Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman has termed the suicide blast a "security lapse".

"Carrying out a suicide blast at the Rangers headquarters is definitely a security lapse and very much alarming," he said, adding that the investigation agencies would have to look into how the suicide bomber managed to cross the security tiers and reached near the main entrance of the Parade Avenue.

A warning had been issued to the security agencies five days ago that "suicide bombers might target their buildings," an official of the home department told PTI.

"It seems all the focus of security has been shifted to protect Muharram processions and Wagah border became a soft target of the terrorists," he said.

An intelligence report had mentioned anti-Shia banned outfits -- Tahrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Lashkar-e- Jhangvi - might target Shia processions, important personalities and buildings of security agencies.

There would be no flag-lowering ceremony at Wagah for the general public for three days, a Punjab Rangers spokesman said.

"The decision has been taken to mourn the killings of the Sundays attack," he said, adding that India's BSF also told the rangers that it would also not invite the public for the ceremony for three days. -PTI

Land trade between India, Pakistan halted after Wagah blast 

ATTARI: Land border trade between India and Pakistan was halted on Monday following a suicide bomb attack at Wagah in Pakistan that left 60 people dead Sunday evening.

Customs officials here said that there was no trade activity from either side Monday following's Sunday's blast that left over a 100 injured. The blast took place at Wagah, just 500 metres from the international border gates between both countries.

They said that the trading activity is likely to remain suspended for another two days.

Hundreds of trucks from both countries carry products, including fruits and vegetables, through the land border trade.

Security on the Indian side remained on high alert following the blast.

The Retreat ceremony done by border guards, Border Security Force (BSF) in India and Pakistan Rangers in Pakistan, has been suspended for three days after a request from the Pakistan side following the explosion. -IANS

CHENNAI: Dealing a blow to the struggling Congress, its senior leader and former Union Minister G.K. Vasan today quit the party and announced his decision to float a new outfit in Tamil Nadu.

Blaming those who were entrusted with the affairs of Congress in Tamil Nadu for failing in their duty to strengthen the party, Vasan announced at a crowded press conference here that he and his supporters have decided to resign from the Congress.

"We are starting a new party. The name of the new party and its symbol would be announced soon at a rally to be held in Tiruchi shortly", he said.

Vasan said the approach of the AICC in Tamil Nadu was not satisfactory in achieving its goal, which prompted him to resign from the party.

"To achieve the goal in Tamil Nadu, there should be a different direction, a different approach from the AICC, which we are not satisfied. We are having a new path .... We feel it will be a victory path", he said in stout defence of his new move.

The decision by Vasan to disassociate from the Congress, brings to end to his 14-year-long association with the grand old party following the merger of the Tamil Manila Congress floated by his father G.K. Moopanar.

Former Tamil Nadu unit Congress president B.S. Gnanadesikan, who resigned the party post last week, was also present with Vasan. 

CHANDIGARH: The first session of the newly elected 13th Haryana Assembly commenced here today with pro tem Speaker administering oath to the 90 legislators.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was the first to be administered the oath by the pro tem Speaker Raghbir Singh Kadian.

He was followed by the Ministers, including Cabinet Ministers Ram Bilas Sharma, Capt Abhimanyu, Om Parkash Dhankar, Anil Vij, Narbir Singh, Kavita Jain, and Ministers of State Bikram Singh Yadav, Krishan Kumar Bedi and Karan Dev Kamboj.

Abhimanyu took the oath in Sanskrit, while others, including the Chief Minister, took it in Hindi.

Being the sole agenda for the day's session, the process of administering the oath would continue till later today.

The BJP which came to power in Haryana on its own, occupied the treasury benches, and the Congress which had ruled the state for nine years, was seated on the Opposition benches along with the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), which emerged as the largest Opposition party.

Earlier last month, 48 years after the formation of Haryana in 1966, the state got its first BJP-led government headed by first-time MLA Manohar Lal Khattar who was sworn in by Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki with nine member Council of Ministers.

60-year-old Khattar is also the first Punjabi and a non-Jat in 18 years to become the Chief Minister of the state.

Khattar is the fifth non-Jat Chief Minister of the state.

Earlier, B.D. Sharma, Rao Birender Singh, B.D. Gupta and Bhajan Lal were the other non-Jat Chief Ministers of Haryana, with Bhajan Lal holding the office from 1991 to 1996.

After Bhajan Lal's exit, Bansi Lal, Om Parkash Chautala (twice) and Bhupinder Singh Hooda (twice) were the Chief Ministers of the state.

In the October 15 Assembly polls, the saffron party won 47 seats while the rest were shared by INLD 19, INC 15, HJC-BL two, one each of BSP and SAD and five Independents. — PTI

NEW DELHI: Delhi appears to be heading for fresh polls with the Bharatiya Janata Party, the single largest party, giving clear indication of not forming a minority government in the national Capital and prefer election.

Top sources in BJP said the party has already taken “an in principle” decision of not taking power and top leadership has already conveyed to the city unit to make preparations for polls soon.

“The party has decided to decline any offer of government formation. We will prefer going to polls,” a top Delhi BJP leader said.

The political situation in the national Capital was discussed at a meeting of top BJP leaders on Sunday evening, where it was dominant view that the party should go for polls.

Government sources said the Lt Governor, who is holding talks with all three parties — BJP, Congress and AAP — to explore government formation, will take a final decision on the political situation by this evening.

The last date of filing of nominations for bypolls in three Assembly constituencies in Delhi is November 5 and if there was no possibility of government formation, then LG may recommend dissolution of Delhi Assembly “at the earliest” so as to avoid the bypolls, they said.

BJP sources said RSS has also conveyed its view that BJP should not form government adopting any “unfair means“.

Earlier in the day, Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay called on Jung and the party described it as as an “informal” meeting.

Upadhyay is understood to have conveyed BJP’s view on the political situation to Jung.

Meanwhile, BJP Central leadership has imposed a gag order on party leaders asking them not to speak to the media without authorisation. — IANS

IPL probe: Mudgal committee submits final report to SC 

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court appointed Justice Mukul Mudgal committee on Monday submitted its final report of its investigation into the allegations of betting and spot-fixing in the 2013 edition of Indian Premier League (IPL).

The committee, which investigated the allegations against sidelined BCCI chief N. Srinivasan, who is still the International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman, and 12 others submitted the report in a sealed cover. 

An apex court bench headed by Justice TS Thakur, before which senior counsel Raju Ramachandran submitted the report Monday, said that it will be taken up for hearing as scheduled November 10.

In the course of the last hearing, the court gave the Justice Mudgal committee another two months time to complete its probe. 

Delhi Police were the first to bust the scandal after they arrested three Rajasthan Royals cricketers - S. Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan - in a midnight raid in Mumbai.

Mumbai police also unearthed betting links after they arrested Gurunath Meiyappan, son-in-law of Srinivasan, and Bollywood actor Vindu Dara Singh.

In October last year, the Supreme Court appointed a three-member committee, headed by former High Court judge Mukul Mudgal and comprising additional solicitor general L. Nageswara Rao and senior advocate Nilay Dutta.

The court told the panel to conduct an independent inquiry into the allegations of corruption against Meiyappan, India Cements, and Rajasthan Royals team owner owner Raj Kundra and also asked them to look into the involvement of players.

In March, the Supreme Court suspended Srinivasan as BCCI president following two reports submitted by Mudgal Committee and a sealed envelope containing 13 names in February. 

The court in its interim order stated that Srinivasan be replaced by former cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Shivlal Yadav. 

Gavaskar was given charge of IPL affairs while former Test spinner Shivlal Yadav was entrusted with non-IPL issues. 

The Supreme Court, in May, gave the Mudgal committee greater powers to investigate the contents of the sealed envelope that it had provided the apex court along with the report. 

A group of investigators headed by senior IPS officer BB Mishra assisted the Mudgal Committee, which was given the power to probe, search and seize relevant documents and record evidence, though not the power to arrest. 

The court had said that the Mudgal panel would also be assisted by Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai police and it will not reveal anything regarding the investigation to others and the media and will maintain absolute confidentiality.

The Mudgal panel, which was asked to submit a report by August-end, seeked a two-month extension to complete its probe, which was granted by the Supreme Court.

In another setback for the BCCI, the board was forced to postpone its Annual General Meeting (AGM) after the Supreme Court Sep 1 ignored pleas to reinstate Srinivasan as its president. 

The court also referred to an earlier order by Justice AK Patnaik saying Srinivasan "could not come back as BCCI president as long as the probe is on".

The BCCI will have its eyes fixed on Supreme Court's next date of hearing Nov 10 that could very well decide Srinivasan's future as a cricket administrator. — IANS 

Sikhs take out parade in Californian city of Yuba 

YUBA CITY (CALIFORNIA): Thousands of devotees across the US turned out for the Nagar Kirtan (35th Sikh Parade) to mark the anniversary of the coronation of Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of Sikhs at Yuba City in California on Sunday.

Led by the Punj Pyaras or the five Sikh clerics, the religious parade was taken out about 125 miles from the San Francisco Bay Area.

Yuba City has developed into a trading and service centre. The city is known for having a sizeable Sikh community.

Each year, on the first Sunday of November, Sikhs from the United States, Canada, India, the United Kingdom and the rest of the world commemorate the receiving of the Guru Granth Sahib in 1708 by the Sikhs.

At the gurdwara, built in 1969 on the 500th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, Sikh devotees thronged in large numbers to pay their obeisance to the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, while displaying their political, social and economic strength in the states.

Tajinder Singh Dosanjh, a senior member of the committee, said over 85000 devotees from US and other countries had assembled for the parade . He said it helps people to meet each other and offers a platform to Sikhs to discuss their issues.

Flower petals were spread all around from a helicopter hovering above ceremonial dais and the path of the parade. The devotees attended a free langar (community kitchen) on the roadside. Many US Congressmen attended the parade.

Dr Pritpal Singh, coordinator American Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee, said that such a gathering not only showed the Sikh community's social bounding, but also demonstrated its political and economic strength in the state.

Sikhs leaders said such gatheringso help to spread awareness about the achievements of the community in the United States, especially after the Wisconsin Gurdwara killings. –Agencies

MUMBAI: Actor Sadashiv Amrapurkar, who twice won the Filmfare awards for his captivating performances in "Ardh Satya" and "Sadak", died early Monday after he was hospitalised following a lung infection, his daughter said.

Sadashiv Amrapurkar was hospitalised at the Kokilaben Dhirubai Ambani Hospital here.
"He passed away at 2.45 (a.m.)," Rima Amrapurkar told IANS. 

"His cremation will take place in his hometown Ahmed Nagar tomorrow. Today (Monday) his body will be kept at the Bhaidas Auditorium for the people to pay their last respect," his daughter said.

Sadashiv, 64, is survived by his wife and three daughters.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the actor's death.

"We will remember Sadashiv Amrapurkar as a versatile actor, popular across generations. RIP. My deepest condolences to his family," Modi tweeted.
During his career, Sadashiv won two Filmfare awards -- in 1984, he won the award for the best supporting actor for "Ardh Satya" and in 1991, the best villain trophy for his portrayal of a ruthless eunuch in "Sadak". 

The actor is also known for his scintillating performances in "Mr India", "Aankhen", "Ishq", "Coolie No. 1" and "Gupt: The Hidden Truth" among others. –IANS

PITHORAGARH: Border trade worth over Rs 3 crore took place between India and China this year through Lipulekh pass in Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand, according to final figures released by Dharchula sub-division of the district on Monday.

Indian traders imported goods worth Rs 2,14,71,707 from Taklakot Mart in Chinese territory of Tibet while they sold goods worth Rs 19,12,0515 to their Tibetan clients.

"The imported goods include Pashmina wool, raw Tibetan wool jackets, shoes, and animal skin, besides several medicinal herbs while exported items include tobacco, sugar candy, jaggery (Gur) and items of daily use," said Pramod Kumar, designated trade officer and SDM of Dharchula.

According to the official, a total of 273 persons, including 89 traders and their helpers had gone to Taklakot mart in western Tibet to transact business. — PTI