 |
|
6 schoolchildren killed as bus rams into train
Army nurses file habeas
corpus
India, UK discuss
security
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
EU poser to Pak a damning
indictment
Bilkis case accused threatened me, says CBI
official
PMT leak: DEO
arrested
Seeking votes for
accountability
Mr Javed Abidi, an Independent candidate from the New Delhi constituency and chairman of the Disabled Rights Group, releases his manifesto at a press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday.
—Tribune photo by Mukesh Aggarwal GRAPHIC: Phase III Battlefield Talks on for alternative secular government: CPM Cong to intensify
campaign
SC clarifies guidelines on sexual harassment
Custodial death: NHRC tells UP Govt to pay
relief
Publicity in liquor vends’ case concerns Punjab
Govt
SC seeks report on law for linking rivers
|
|
6 schoolchildren killed as bus rams into train Kolkata, April 27 According to reports received at the state government headquarter at Writers Buildings, the private chartered bus, carrying the school students of the Jalpaiguri-Duars tea estate areas, was involved in the accident while crossing an unmanned level crossing between Kenot and Banarhat around 11 in the morning. The students were returning home after attending the morning classes. The school bus crashed near the track amidst cries and uproar of the fear-stricken children on board. Three children, aged between six and 10 were killed on the spot along with the driver. Two more children later died at the Birpara hospital, bringing the death toll to six. The condition of five injured children at Birpara hospital and two at Banarhat hospital was stated to be critical. Immediately after the accident, local people and the leaders of different political parties campaigning in the area, gathered at the place and squatted on the track, obstructing the train movement. They blamed the railways for not manning the level crossing which led to the tragic incident. They alleged that ,of late, there had been a series of accidents at the level crossing in which not only the people were killed but the elephants which often came out of the reserved forest, also had been the victims. The NF railway authorities, however, squarely blamed the bus driver for crossing the unmanned level crossing without noticing the train coming from the other direction. An official spokesman regretted that it was not possible for the railways to arrange proper manning at all level crossings, which would involve an expenditure of several hundreds crores. |
|
|
Army nurses file habeas
corpus
New Delhi, April 27 The High Court has ordered the Union Government to respond by tomorrow. The 11 nurses, whose alleged detention has led to the habeas corpus, had refused to wear the new uniform, a beige colour safari suit, for their formal induction into the Army and their commissioning was called off. The Army headquarters was at present holding a court of inquiry against the nurses. On April 15, there was a standoff between the young nurses and Army authorities after the former refused to wear the new uniform, and came in olive green uniform. The nurses alleged that they were detained, and refused food and water for several hours. Almost similar scenes were witnessed a few days later yet again when the Army asked them to come in new uniform for induction. Giving a new twist to the controversy, yesterday two nursing officers moved the habeas corpus petition before a two-Judge Bench of Mr Justice D.K. Jain and Mr Justice Sikri of the Delhi High Court. Advocate for the petitioners CN Sreekumar argued that the trainee nursing officers should be immediately ‘released’, paid compensation for the harassment and paid full salaries for the last several months during which they had not been commissioned for not wearing the new beige coloured uniform. Sreekumar said that the nurses were kept under detention by the Army authorities and were not given served food on April 15. And that under the pretext of the ongoing Court of Inquiry they were still being harassed and not being inducted into the Army as officers. The nurses and Army had been on a warpath for several months now over the change of uniform for the junior nurses. The decision was taken on the basis of complaints from doctors and other regular officers who argued that the nurses, though given Army ranks, were not equal to them. There was also an ongoing case over the issue. Army nurses claimed that they were officers by all counts and should be allowed to wear the olive green uniform. Behind the entire controversy was the shortage of qualified nurses in the Army and the greener pastures available for competent nurses abroad. In fact the young nurses, who were just beginning their careers, had been on an aggressive mode against the authorities. It was speculated in the military circles that they wanted to quit the Army rather than be here as second class officers. Once they leave the service, there were immense opportunities available to them, because they were usually better trained than their civilian counterparts and had better command of English, a sure passport for nurses to the West. |
|
India, UK discuss
security
New Delhi, April 27 As the two-day meeting of the important Indo-UK Defence Consultative Group got under way, sources here said although the discussions for the setting up of the joint force headquarters were still in the preliminary stage, some progress was expected to be made on the issue. India and the UK are keen on setting up the joint force headquarters as there are fields where the two countries contribute together and having the headquarters would help in better coordination and approach. It will function as a task force and is expected to have a strength of over 100 personnel, but will neither have military assets nor troops under its control. Among other things the consultative group is also expected to finalise details for the holding of the next round of naval exercises. The last round of naval exercises between the two countries began off the coast of Chennai on April 17 last. With the commercial deal for the purchase of advanced jet trainers (AJTs) for the IAF having been signed just last month, the working out of the finer details of the deal will also be on the agenda of the group. This is the eighth round of meeting between the two countries with the initiative for the setting up of the committee taken during the government of Mr P.V. Narasimha Rao in 1994. The meeting is held every year alternately in India and Britain since the first meeting which took place in 1995. A 10-member UK delegation, led by Mr Kevin Tebbit, Permanent Under Secretary for Defence, arrived here yesterday. The other members of the delegation include Air Vice Marshal David Hobart, Assistant Chief of Defence Staff, Brig Ian Rees, Defence Adviser, British High Commission (BHC), Mr Patric Ressen Jones, Adviser Science and Technology, Gp Capt Ian Draper, Adviser BHC, and Lt Cdr Duncan Foster, Assistant Defence Advisor, BHC. The Indian delegation is headed by Defence Secretary Ajay Prasad with other members being Mr Ranjit Issar, Additional Secretary, Mr H.C. Gupta, Additional Secretary, Department of Defence Production and Supply, Air Vice Marshal P.K. Barbora, Assistant Chief of Integrated Defence Staff , Air Vice Marshal S.C. Malhan, Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Mr C.R. Mahapatra, Joint Secretary, Acquisition, Ministry of Defence, and Mr Anup K. Chatterjee, Director, DRDO. The group will also discuss greater familiarisation between the Indian and British armed forces by encouraging the provision of increased opportunities for interaction and training, develop the potential for collaborative defence equipment and research projects with a view to drawing maximum mutual benefit from the respective technological and industrial capabilities and promote cooperation between the defence industries of the two countries. Earlier, Mr Kevin called on Defence Secretary Ajay Prasad. He also called on Air Chief Marshal S. Krishnaswamy, Chief of Air Staff, and Lt-Gen S. Choudhary, Vice Chief of Army Staff. |
|
EU poser to Pak a damning
indictment
New Delhi, April 27 Diplomatic sources here told The Tribune this evening that the development was the most embarassing one for Islamabad since the eruption of “Khangate” — as the disclosures about proliferation activities of Pakistan’s disgraced scientist Dr A.Q. Khan are known. European Parliament resolution “urgently requests further information from Pakistan regarding the nuclear test of 30 May 1998 in Baluchistan which showed traces of plutonium and which is thought by some to have been a joint test for a North Korean nuclear weapon.” It draws attention to the serious concerns of the international community about Pakistan’s role in the proliferation of nuclear weapons “with the allegations and evidence against Pakistan hardening day by day”. The resolution has another powerful indictment of Pakistan: “While acknowledging that President Musharraf has been right in insisting upon a detailed investigation and that he is right when he claims that the Khan incident happened because of the secretive nature of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons programme, highlights the fact that President Musharraf (and the rest of the world) should also recognise that nuclear proliferation happened because the nuclear programme was under the — totally accountable — control of the army. European Parliament resolution also makes the following observations about Pakistan: Though President Pervez Musharraf vowed to crack down on terrorism and the jehad culture and had banned many extremist groups post-September 11, 2001, “these (groups) have simply resurfaced under different names and their leaders have not been prosecuted under the Anti-Terrorism Act”. |
|
Bilkis case accused threatened me, says CBI official
Ahmedabad, April 27 Investigating officer of the case K.N. Sinha filed an affidavit in a court in Dahod district saying “some of the accused had threatened him” when the agency officials had gone to the Sabarmati Central Jail to photograph them as per the court’s directives. The CBI has so far arrested 14 persons, including three policemen, a local BJP leader and an advocate and have filed chargesheet against 20 that includes two doctors of a local hospital in Limkheda taluka of the region and four more Gujarat Police officials. On April 19 the CBI filed a detailed chargesheet in the case before a special fast-track-court in Ahmedabad which granted the agency permission to photograph the 14 accused who are in judicial custody. Meanwhile, a local court in Dahod district today deferred to May 1 the hearing on the bail application of 14 persons accused in the Bilkis case. The bail hearing of the 14 accused was deferred as the CBI could not submit all required documents. A local court also issued non bailable warrants against the two doctors recently after they failed to appear and sought their presence before the court on April 30. The CBI also pointed out several flaws in the probe conducted by the Gujarat police including that a Head Constable and one of the two DSP’s incharge of the case had “deliberately dumped 60 kg salt over the dead bodies of Bilkis’ relatives” to “destroy evidence”. —
PTI |
|
PMT leak: DEO
arrested
New Delhi, April 27 Sleuths arrested Laxmi Sharma, a District Education Officer (DEO) of Ganganagar, Rajasthan, on the charge of playing the role of a “conduit” in luring parents of nine students for purchasing the papers. Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) B.K. Gupta said Laxmi’s daughter Ankita was among the students appearing for the test. Laxmi had allegedly struck a deal with Banni Singh Gautam, “coordinator” of the racket, for roping in parents in return for monetary benefits. Mr Gupta said Ankita was one of the 13 students found with two accused when a crime branch team raided a house in a East Delhi locality on April 10 to detect the leak hours before the examination on April 11. Laxmi had placed an advertisement in Ganganagar six months ago inviting students for admission. Laxmi, who struck a deal with Gautam, assured sure admissions in medical courses. In fact, she was to receive Rs 2 lakh per student from Gautam, who has been arrested. The sleuths have also detained CBSE’s security guard Shravan, who is accused of bringing clients to Hemant Sharma, a computer operator in the Controller of Examinations office, who allegedly leaked the papers. The police has also decided to move court against Sachdeva P.T. College owner Sudhir Sachdeva as he failed to respond to two notices asking him to join investigations. A hunt is also on to nab Manoj Thakur, associate of Parimal Thakur, who also allegedly purchased papers from Hemant Sharma for which a team has been deputed to Bihar. |
|
Seeking votes for
accountability
New Delhi, April 27 Addressing a press conference at Indian Women’s Press Corps here, Mr Abidi appealed to the voters to exercise their franchise to bring about a change in the lives of more than fifty million disabled citizens. He said the electorate should vote for equality, “which is not a part of our lives” despite being a constitutional guarantee. “As a disabled Indian, I understand how limiting a life of inequality can be,” he said. He asked people to vote for accountability. “How many people remember that Mr Vajpayee has been a Member of Parliament from this constituency in 1977 and 1980? Did he repay the voters after becoming the Prime Minister? Or did Mr Advani do anything meaningful for the people of this constituency after becoming the Deputy Prime Minister? he asked. |
|
Talks on for alternative secular government: CPM New Delhi, April 27 CPM Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechuri said here today that talks were already on among the secular parties, including the Congress. CPM General Secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet, his CPI counterpart A B Bardhan and other leaders were likely to hold a meeting with DMK supremo M Karunanidhi in Chennai on May 1. “Whether a single party is supported by other secular forces to form government or the secular parties themselves do it together..., one thing is clear that there will be an alternative government at the Centre and it will come about following the defeat of the NDA,” he told reporters. The question of leadership would be decided after the elections depending upon the respective strengths of the secular parties. “Who will lead the government will depend upon the number of seats these (secular) parties get,” he said. Asked whether the support of NDA partners would be taken who could ‘desert’ the BJP-led alliance after the polls, Mr Yechury said “we don’t think that would be necessary. Their (NDA partners’) numbers will not be required”. To a question about a scenario in which the BJP would strive to win over support of some secular parties in its bid to form government, he said, “Since the BJP and its allies will be defeated, it will be difficult for those defeated to garner enough support. Remember that seven secular parties deserted the NDA before these elections. Many more will be biting the dust now”. Claiming that the Left parties would together get about 55 seats, the CPM leader said no alternative government formation would be possible without their support. “The elections are not between two poles — BJP and Congress. There is a sizeable chunk of seats where the ‘third’ forces matter. You cannot ignore the ‘third’ force while painting a picture of the national polity”, Mr Yechury said. To repeated questions on the issue of leadership of an ‘alternative’ formation, he said an alliance with the Congress could not be formed before the elections, but after polls “we will try to form the alternative government”. “There are some parties with the Congress and some are with the Left. Our effort will be to minimise the differences among these two platforms. There will be no obstacle on the question of who the leader will be”, he said. Asked about the ‘foreign origin’ issue, he said these elections were almost a ‘referendum’ on it. |
|
|
Cong to intensify
campaign New Delhi, April 27 Party managers are instead focussing their energies and attention on the next two phases of elections which, in their reckoning, are the most difficult for the Congress. They have, therefore, decided to adopt a targeted approach and concentrate all their “forces” on 100-odd Lok Sabha seats where, it believes, the Congress is in contention. While Sonia Gandhi will intensify campaign, she will be assisted by her children Rahul and Priyanka, who are slated to canvass independently. The party’s strategy committee, headed by senior leader Manmohan Singh, which met today is learnt to have acknowledged that Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and the rest of Uttar Pradesh headed for elections on May 5 and 10, are the real challenge as the Congress is at its weakest here. Party sources said going by present trends, its vote share in UP could go up to 20 per cent while its tally of seats could improve only marginally from the present eight to 12 or 15. According to the party’s internal assessment, the Congress could hope to better its tally of eight seats in Rajasthan but Madhya Pradesh, where it got nine seats last time, is a trouble spot as party cadres here are yet to recover from the rout in the assembly elections. Working on the assumption that the BJP has reached a saturation point in these two states, the Congress strategy is to go in for a “damage limitation” exercise and try to retain its present numbers here. |
|
|
SC clarifies guidelines on sexual harassment
New Delhi, April 27 A person could be awarded punishment for sexual harassment on the basis of such a report, a Bench of Mr Justice S Rajendra Babu, Mr Justice K G Balakrishanan and Mr Justice G P Mathur said. The clarifications was issued by the court in an order yesterday on a petition by social activist Medha Kotwal Lele, who said that the requirement of entirely a new probe after the complaint committee findings, was creating a lot of delay in deciding the harassment cases. And in many cases, the guilty persons go unpunished for several years, the petitioner said. Hitherto the committee report was treated as a mere finding of preliminary investigation to be followed by another probe by an inquiry officer to be appointed by the organisation. The court also issued fresh notices to various educational institutions asking them to explain if they were following the guidelines laid down by it in the Vishaka case in 1997 as most of the complaints of sexual
harassment were coming from universities and colleges. |
|
Custodial death: NHRC tells UP Govt to pay
relief
New Delhi, April 27 The undertrial prisoner, Sher Mohammad was arrested on February 22, 1996. The SPof the Badaun police station intimated his death to the commission the next day. It was reported that Sher Mohammad fell ill and was sent to the district hospital at Badaun on February 23 but died on the way to the hospital. It was also stated that the District Magistrate of Badaun had ordered a Magisterial inquiry on a complaint by Sher Mohammad’s brother. On March 13, 1996, the Commission issued notice and asked the state government to reply within six weeks. The magesterial inquiry report stated that Sher Mohammad was beaten up by the SHO and had died as a result of police torture. The post mortem report stated that the death was caused by shock and haemorrhage due to injuries in police custody. The commission then issued notice to the Chief Secretary, UP to show cause why “immediate interim relief” be not given to the next of kin of Sher Mohammad. |
|
Publicity in liquor vends’ case concerns Punjab
Govt
New Delhi, April 27 “Even when an application relating to the PIL is not numbered for hearing before the Supreme Court, there had been media briefings on it,” Punjab’s Advocate General Harbhagwan Singh said today. Such publicity should not be encouraged on the part of any party to the case after the court had taken coganizance of the case, he said adding that “similar publicity was made regarding the filing of the PIL in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.” |
|
SC seeks report on law for linking rivers
New Delhi, April 27 A Bench of Mr Justice Y.K. Sabharwal and Mr Justice B.N. Agrawal asked the Centre to submit a progress report within four months clarifying as to what steps had been taken by it regarding its October 2002 suggestions for enacting a legislation on inter-linking of rivers. The direction was issued by the court for preparing feasibility reports of 30 identified river links across the country. |
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | National Capital | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
New Delhi, April 27
Videos
