 |
|
|
Narcotics worth Rs 2 crore seized
Stray incidents mark MCF elections Awardee’s family braving hardships
Specialised TB centre without basic facilities
UP imposes development cess from May day
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lid off several cases of auto theft, robbery
Cop’s wife, paramour get life term for murder
US to help in disaster management
Four-lane toll tax plaza at Shahdara
Mukhi demands CBI probe in smart card scam
DPS student dies in road mishap
Man robbed of cash,
cellphone
Man gets RI for cheating Feroz Khan’s daughter
Nepali ‘dhaba’ worker held for rape
|
|
Narcotics worth Rs 2 crore seized
New Delhi, April 30 The accused have been identified as Emmannuel Chikezie (26), resident of Munirka, Imtiaz Ahmed Peer, alias Peer, alias Raja, resident of Jangpura and Allaudin (47), resident of Bareilly. Acting on a secret information that a person from Kashmir was engaged in the sale and purchase of cocaine, the sleuths laid a trap near a petrol pump in Nizamuddin and nabbed the person along with a Nigerian who came to deliver the stuff. During interrogation, Imitiaz told the sleuths that he became an addict and came into contact with Afghanis and Nigerians for the sale and purchase of cocaine. In the second case, acting on a secret information that one person from Bareilly would be coming with a big consignment of heroin, the sleuths laid a trap near ISBT, Anand Vihar and nabbed the suspect, Allaudin. The sleuths also recovered two kgs of heroin from his possession. During interrogation, Allaudin told the sleuths that he used to prepare heroin himself.
|
|
Stray incidents mark MCF elections
Faridabad, April 30 The authorities, however, claimed that the election was by and large peaceful despite stray incidents. The polling began at 8 a.m. The polling had to be delayed at least two places and police had to be called to intervene to bring peace between various groups. At ward no 25 in Old Faridabad, where a mob started stone-pelting on the police after there was a dispute between a police officer and supporters of a candidate over stationing of the latter. It is reported that an SHO of a police station and about 12 persons were injured in the clash. The polling was resumed after the senior district officials, including the Deputy Commissioner and the SP, reached the spot. It is alleged that the police resorted to mild cane charge to disperse the mob. No case has been booked so far in this connection. The polling was also stopped for sometime in Jeevan Nagar after a dispute between supporters of two groups. It got resumed after sometime. Sharp protests were raised by a group of persons at Jeevan Nagar locality after a DSP slapped a supporter of a candidate during the polling at one of the booths. Some youths were reportedly rounded up by the police on charges of creating disturbance and trying to capture a booth at SGM Nagar here. However, there was no official confirmation of this incident. A similar complaint also surfaced at the booth located in the Dayanand School building in NH-I locality of the NIT here. The polling percentage remained quite brisk and above average in However, two candidates of ward no. 34 lodged complaints with the police against each other for threatening during the polling today. The local authorities, however, claimed that the polling remained peaceful without any major incident of violence and the counting of votes would start as soon as the ballot boxes reached the selected centres identified for the counting.
|
|
|
Awardee’s family braving hardships
New Delhi, April 30 His mother Sunitra Sharma accepted the gold medal presented in the physical bravery section from Air Chief SP Tyagi at a ceremony here yesterday evening. The silver medal was won by M Zahidul Haq, a Ph.D. student of Jawaharlal Nehru University, who rushed into a burning building on the campus in February last year and saved dozens of trapped students and teachers. In the category for social acts of courage, the gold medal was won by Anjlee Agarwal and Sanjeev Sachdeva, both of whom are wheel chair-bound and run the NGO ‘Samarthya’ which works to make public places more accessible for the disabled. Anuradha Bakhshi who runs ‘Project Why’ to educate 500 slum children in south Delhi was awarded the silver medal. NGO ‘Parivartan’ which is fighting corruption gets the bronze. Though Suresh’s mother is happy that his act of bravery on January 9 has finally been recognised, she is angry with the police for having failed to track down the culprits. “Police have been assuring us ever since the incident that they had solid leads and the killers of my son would be caught within days,” said Sumitra, who came to the ceremony with her eldest son Mukesh. “We have met Lt-Governor B.L. Joshi, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and senior police officials and even petitioned the National Human Rights Commission, asking for speedier investigations, but of no avail,” she lamented. Sumitra said the sum of Rs 20,000 presented along with the Red and White Bravery Award was the first financial help she had received. “We asked the government for financial aid too, but nothing has come so far,” she added. For Zahidul Haque, however, the recognition of his act was a reward in itself. “I did not do what I did—for fame. My only thought at that time was to save the trapped people,” said the student of the School of Languages who was in the National Cadet Corps for seven years.. Visibly moved by the acts of bravery, the Air Chief said he had come prepared to share some of the acts of the armed forces during the tsunami relief works. “But the bravery I have seen in uniform is no more than I have seen in the winners here. We need many more like you,” he said. Incidentally, this was the second award Anuradha Bakhshi received the same day. Earlier, she was honoured with the ‘Citizen One’ award by ‘Today’ tabloid. The Red and White Bravery Awards are presented annually in 15 states. The national-level presentation would be made here next month.
|
|
|
Specialised TB centre without basic facilities
New Delhi, April 30 Even water is not available to the patients and their family members in the scorching heat. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi which runs the hospital, does not seem to care for these amenities. An old hospital employee, on the condition of anonymity, admitted, “No water pipeline has been laid to this hospital so far by the Delhi Jal Board. He informed that during the tenure of the previous medical superintendent (MS) of the hospital, a tubewell waterline had been installed, which is hardly operational for more than half an hour every day. This is insufficient as far as the daily water consumption of the hospital is concerned, he added. “In such a situation, the patients and their caretakers have to carry their own water bottles and cans while using the toilets. Earlier, a water cooler had also been installed, but in the absence of proper maintenance, it is now out of order,” he said. A senior citizen and the president of the ‘National Development Forum’, Mr J. N. Dogra, said, “We have written to the authorities concerned a number of times, but nothing has happened so far.” “The status of most of the MCD-run hospitals is not up to the mark. Under the Five Years Plan, 18 health centres have been built in different locations in the city at the cost about Rs 1 crore each two years back by the Health Department. Interestingly, seven of these centres have not been functional,” he said. According to MCD sources, “The reason has been the shortage of staff. It has been an ambitious project where at least one such centre would be opened in every municipal ward of the MCD with all treatment facilities available under one roof.” “We are constantly trying to improve the condition of the hospital,” a senior officer of the Health Department clarified.
|
|
UP imposes development cess from May day
Noida, April 30 While one Traders’ Association has decided to oppose its imposition in the state, another parallel organisation of the traders has supported and welcomed it. The traders’ associations opposing and supporting the development tax are dominated by the BJP and Samajwadi Party cadres respectively. It is, however, felt that small traders will not stand to loose anything by the modified form of state development cess being imposed from tomorrow. The state development tax is a turnover tax, it is learnt. While turnover tax was applicable to all businessmen. According to Sunil Gupta, District Chief of UP Udyog Vapar Pratinidhi Mandal, the state government had taken the leaders of the traders into confidence before introducing the development tax which has been levied as a development cess in place of a turnover percentage tax. One per cent turnover tax could actually add up to three to four per cent in the final stage, he said. However, Charanjit Mahajan, Secretary of Yuva Udyog Vapar Mandal and Member Executive Committee of Akhil Bhartiya Udyog Vapar Mandal has openly opposed the introduction of state development tax, terming it as a dictatorial act.
|
|
Lid off several cases of auto theft, robbery
New Delhi, April 30 The accused has been identified as Tahir, alias Mahboob (19), resident of Khoda Colony. With a spurt in vehicle thefts in Mayur Vihar, Preet Vihar and New Ashok Nagar areas, the police constituted a special team and studied the modus operandi of the suspects. During investigation, the police found out that Tahir and Fayeem were residing in a rented accommodation in Khoda Colony and involved in the crimes. Accordingly, a trap was laid and Tahir was nabbed when he was found driving a Maruti car. The car was found to be stolen from Sector-24 Noida. Call girl racket busted With the arrest of four call girls and a pimp, the South-West district police today claimed to have busted a call girl racket in the Vasant Vihar area. While two girls are of Chinese origin, the other two are Indians. The pimp identified as one Ajay, alias Yogesh, alias Harish, was apprehended near Priya Cinema complex when he had come with the girls looking for prospective clients. Acting on a secret information that one person would be coming along with some girls, looking for prospective customers near Priya Cinema, the police sent a decoy customer and struck a deal. When the pimp was negotiating with the decoy, the police nabbed him along with the girls.
30 jhuggies gutted
At least 30 jhuggis were destroyed in a major fire in the wee hours in an East Delhi slum cluster. Although no casualty was reported during the incident, two heads of cattle perished in the flames. Fire sources said that a call was received at around 0250 hrs and immediately eight fire tenders were rushed to the site. The fire tenders after battling the fire for more than an hour, brought the blaze under control at around 4 am. Incidents of fire are frequent in these slums during summer when it is dry and windy.
|
|
Cop’s wife, paramour get life term for murder
New Delhi, April 30 However, the third accused, identified as one Nanhe, was acquitted, as the police did not find sufficient evidence to prove his involvement in the case. Police said the Head Constable was abducted from the police colony in Model Town on May 16, 2000, and his body was later recovered from the lake in the locality. Besides stab injuries, there were also strangulation marks around his neck, police said. Police said there used to be frequent quarrels between Virender and Babita over her dalliance with other people. The prosecution produced 31 witnesses in support of the case.
|
|
|
US to help in disaster management
New Delhi, April 30 Speaking at the launch of the Delhi Government’s “Delhi Earthquake Safety Initiative for Lifeline Buildings” programme here yesterday, the India Mission Director of the US Agency for International Development
(USAID), George Deikun, said his agency will facilitate the inflow of US expertise to improve the safety of Delhi’s residents from natural calamities. This initiative will develop retrofitting plans for five critical buildings in the city with technical support from Indian and US experts in the field. Delhi Chief Sheila Dikshit was the chief guest at the launch of the project, which proposes to retrofit five critical structures in Delhi, thereby strengthening the existing buildings and enhancing the skills of the Indian engineers. The project will be led by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority
(DDMA), the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi and supported by USAID in collaboration with the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs. The programme will be implemented on the ground by two NGOs – GeoHazards International
(GHI) from the US and the Delhi-based SEEDS. A refresher course on Seismic Evaluation and Retrofitting Design of Buildings is scheduled May 2-5, 2005, for the engineers of Delhi in-charge of the buildings identified in this project. A team of world class Indian and US experts will provide advice to the project through a peer-review process. The project would also demonstrate the effectiveness of non-structural mitigation measures in
|
|
|
Four-lane toll tax plaza at Shahdara
New Delhi, April 30 The toll tax plaza at Rajkokri Border will be integrated with the National Highway Authority of India’s project. The toll plaza at Apsara border (GT Road Shahdara) inaugurated today has brought the number of Toll Plazas thrown open to traffic in April to three. The toll plazas at Ghazipur, Tikri border and Aya Nagar will be made operational in coming May. The three remaining toll plazas at Kapashera, Mandoli and Kalindi Kunj border will be made operational by the end of June. With the construction of toll plazas it will also be possible to effectively restrain the entry of non-Delhi destined goods commercial vehicles in compliance of the instructions of the Supreme Court.
|
|
Mukhi demands CBI probe in smart card scam
New Delhi, April 30 Prof Mukhi said that the Union Government decided in 2000 in the meeting of the Transport Secretaries of the states that an affordable, economical and common information technology be adopted in the country. Keeping this in mind, he said, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways amended the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, suitably for issuing of smart cards on the basis of standardised software. Prof Mukhi said that on the basis of the amended rules, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Punjab invited tenders for issuing of optical smart card. However, after realising that the tenders were not in conformity with the guidelines, these state governments cancelled the tenders. Similarly, Maharashtra and Gujarat also invited tenders for the issue of smart optical cards, but these governments also stated in writing before the High Court, in a writ petition, that they are withdrawing the tenders of smart optical cards.
|
|
|
DPS student dies in road mishap
Gurgaon, April 30 The incident occurred at Badshapur on the Sohna-Gurgaon Road, when Vijay Kataria, father of the victim, and his daughter, who was a Standard V student of DPS Maruti Kunj, were returning from the school in a scooter. The victim was riding the pillion. Both of them had gone to the school to collect uniform with regard a school function scheduled to be orgnaised at Delhi this evening. The student was to take part in the programme. Vijay Kataria is a resident of Subash Nagar in Gurgaon city. Earlier, several accidents have been reported on the Sohna-Gurgaon Road. There are a number of crusher plants on the side of the road. The owners of dumpers ferry materials used in constructions to the crusher zones. The drivers of the dumpers are allegedly not trained. The entire stretch is a narrow road and a slight carelessness has proved fatal.
|
|
|
Man robbed of cash,
cellphone
Faridabad, April 30 Three armed-borne persons intercepted the victim and snatched his purse containing an amount of Rs 3,800, his mobile phone, a gold chain and a gold ring on knifepoint. After committing the crime, the accused fled away. A case has been booked under sections, 356 and the 379 of the IPC against some unidentified robbers, said a report. Meanwhile, the residents of Sector-49 are in state of shock after a dacoity at a house in Sector- 49 here on Thursday night. It is reported that some criminals armed with guns and sharp-edged weapons barged into a house at about 2.30 a.m. Later, the criminals made the family members in captive by locking them in a house and removed all the cash and valuables worth about 1.25
lakhs. A case has been registered but no arrest has been made so far. This is the second such incident that has been reported in Sector- 49 in the past one month.
|
|
Man gets RI for cheating Feroz Khan’s daughter
New Delhi, April 30 Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Reena Singh Nag also imposed a penalty of Rs 2 lakh on Gulam Ali, alias Zulfiquar Ali, who posed as CBI officer S. M. Khan and took Rs 1.5 lakh from Laila Rajpal and Rohit Rajpal for arranging a VIP arms licence. The court said that Rs 1.7 lakh of the fine imposed would be given to Rohit Rajpal who had lodged the complaint. Ali, a resident of Noida, was held guilty under Sections 170 (impersonating a public servant), 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery) and 471 (using a forged document) of the IPC on April 27. According to prosecution, the accused had demanded Rs 1,61,756 from the employees of Laila Rajpal and Rohit Rajpal on May 23, 2001. He also used a letterhead of the then CBI Joint Director Mr U. N. Biswas, the CBI said. It said that investigations revealed that Ali posed as a CBI officer in Delhi and other places from March 2001 to June 2001.
|
|
Nepali ‘dhaba’ worker held for rape
New Delhi, April 30 Medical examination of the woman has confirmed the rape and a case has been registered. Meanwhile, a 60-year-old man was today seriously injured after being hit by a speeding car on Rafi Marg adjoining Parliament Street in New Delhi area this afternoon. The police said that the victim who fell from the carrier of the bicycle sustained severe head injuries, while his colleague riding the bike had a narrow escape. The car, which was coming from behind, hit the front wheel of the bicycle and stopped after a distance. Later, the injured was taken to the hospital by the car driver soon after the incident at about 1430 hrs.
|
|
Services of DU physics reader terminated
New Delhi, April 30 In the EC meeting yesterday, members Rekha Dayal and Shiv Shankar Gupta protested against violation of the provisions of the university ordinances as well as norms of conduct in conferring the title of professor emeritus on Prof C.R. Babu, pro-vice-chancellor. While confirming conferment of this title on Prof Andre Beteille and Prof G.C. Narang for their outstanding scholarship, the two EC members termed conferment of this title on Prof Babu as scandalous.
|
|
No meeting of SPCA in five years
Noida, April 30 Some members alleged that the SPCA office-bearers have not given any account of Rs 44 lakh expenditure, while new demand for Rs 37 lakh is being made SPCA by the president. — OC
|
|
ITBP Director General given farewell
New Delhi, April 30
|
|
AIMIT convocation
New Delhi, April 30
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
