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Suspected LeT terrorists to undergo forensic test
Bomb hoax call disrupts train services
More CCTVs at railway stations
Mulayam backtracks on SIMI statement
UP poll: Mayawati takes lead, V.P. Singh joins in
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19-yr-old Meerut massacre trial stumbles again
Lalu Prasad against third front
No regulatory mechanism on GM food
SC turns down Shahbuddin’s plea
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Suspected LeT terrorists to undergo forensic test
Ahmedabad, July 15 The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of the Gujarat police had sought the court’s permission to put the two through forensic tests to obtain any information on the Mumbai blasts, ATS officials said. The ATS of Gujarat is working in close coordination with its Mumbai counterpart in tracking down the suspects in the July 11 bombings. Metropolitan Magistrate H.K. Shah granted permission to the state Anti-Terrorist Squad to bring the suspected terrorists, Mohammad Amir Shakil Ahmed Shaikh and Saiyed Aqik Jafruddin, both residents of Aurangabad, to Gujarat for detailed forensic tests. The two terrorists will undergo narco analysis, polygraph and the brain-mapping tests at the directorate of the Forensic Sciences (DFS) here. The two, arrested with 17 others by the Maharashtra police on May 9, are presently lodged in the Aurangabad jail and will be brought to the city at the end of this month. The ATS had recently brought the two on a transfer warrant from Maharashtra to grill them for information regarding the Kalupur railway station blast on February 19 after a bomb kept inside the Mumbai-bound Karnavati express train exploded next to a canteen on the platform here. Twentyfive persons were injured in the blast.
— PTI
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Bomb hoax call disrupts train services
Mumbai, July 15 The call was received by railway control room today at around 3.17 pm. Shortly afterwards the bomb squad was rushed to the railway station and train services between Andheri and Bandra railway stations were suspended. Train services between north and south Mumbai were effectively cut off till 6.00 pm when services were partly restored. The shut down threw long-distance trains out of gear as well with trains coming to Mumbai Central delayed by several hours. Rather than take chances, the police searched Mahim railway station as well. More than 300 persons had been taken into custody for questioning this morning from adjoining areas.
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More CCTVs at railway stations
New Delhi, July 15 “We will arrange for closed circuit TV surveillance, sniffer dogs and metal detectors at all important railway stations,” Railway Minister Lalu Prasad told mediapersons here on Thursday. Ministry officials said that CCTVs had already been installed at nine stations and the target was to extend this surveillance to 49 other stations this year. He said that his ministry was exploring all possible means to beef up security for rail passengers.
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Mulayam backtracks on SIMI statement
Lucknow, July 15 Denying ever having given a "clean chit" to SIMI, Mulayam Singh Yadav asserted that the government should have proper evidence before establishing a link between any social or religious organisation and terrorism. Going a step further, his brother Shivpal Yadav issued a written clarification saying, "We are against terrorism and any organisation that patronises terrorism. Such organizations must be identified and strict action be taken against them". This is seen as a reaction to the strongly worded letter sent by Governor T.V. Rajeswar to the Chief Minister on Friday. In the letter, he had sought clarification from the government on the issue. The Governor sought justification for the withdrawal of cases registered against the SIMI chief in the state and the reported move to withdraw more cases against the state SIMI chief presently lodged in Kanpur jail. A BJP delegation led by BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi presented a memo to the Governor demanding dismissal of the SP government which they charged of being "soft on terrorist organisations" by ignoring increasing terrorist activities in the state and patronising anti national outfits. Charging the Mulayam Singh government of taking terrorism lightly, the memo pointed out that the state government answering a BJP raised question in the Vidhan Sabha had itself accepted that 34 districts in the state were sensitive from the point of view of terrorism. Irrespective of this, if he still appeared sympathetic to them, it amounted to patronising them, said Joshi. Mulayam had reportedly made a statement in the media that SIMI had no involvement in the terrorist attacks in Ayodhya and Varanasi. He also said the Central government should have concrete evidence before connecting SIMI with the Mumbai blasts. Similarly, a delegation of UPCC led by Satyadev Tripathi also flayed Yadav of "politicking" on the
Mumbai blasts.
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UP poll: Mayawati takes lead, V.P. Singh joins in
New Delhi, July 15 Though officially the Assembly election in UP is about seven months away, but with Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav sending enough signals of a snap poll, Ms Mayawati lost no time in announcing her party's first list of about 200 candidates which includes even some sitting Samajwadi and BJP MLAs. The BSP, which has been wooing Brahmins for the last two years, has given 20 per cent tickets to this community and Ms Mayawati has also ensured that Muslims are adequately represented in her party. While observers are predicting a straight fight between the BSP and SP but the political scenario in the country's biggest state is becoming increasingly complex with former Prime Minister V.P. Singh taking an active interest in the state's politics. Mr Singh, who enjoys considerable clout as he is popularly called 'Mandal messiah', has been leading demonstrations and addressing rallies which are well attended. In a move which is bound to make an impact on poor Muslims, the former Prime Minister today shot a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanding separate quotas for backwards Muslims and the most backward classes in the government's scheme of reservations. In his letter, Mr V.P. Singh said, "It is more than 16 years that the Mandal Commission's recommendation have been implemented but the backward Muslims who are mentioned in the Mandal Commission have hardly received any benefits". "The Rajbhar and Kol communities of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and few other states are originally tribals, therefore they should find a place in the ST list," he said. The letter aiming at Muslims and most backward classes of OBC is infact targeted against Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav who is accused of having worked for the benefit of his own Yadav community. V.P. Singh's Jan Dal cannot be taken lightly as he is aiming both at Muslims and backwards whose votes are going to play a significant role in deciding the fate of the SP which till now was enjoying the patronage of these communities. The SP's game is also being spoiled by the Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav who has reached an electoral understanding with Apna Dal that enjoys considerable following in eastern and some parts of central UP. The JD (U) chief is also going to attract those Yadav votes which are disillusioned with Mulayam Singh.
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19-yr-old Meerut massacre trial stumbles again
New Delhi, July 15 Additional Sessions Judge N.P. Kaushik issued notices to Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary, the state's Law Secretary and Special Secretary (Legal Cell) asking them to explain the undue delay in presenting the case property and statement of eyewitness Zulfiqar Nasir, one of the six survivors of the massacre. "This is the oldest case pending in Delhi and the prosecuting agency is still slow in prosecuting the matter. The case property or records relating to the case have still not been made available to this court," the court said in its letter addressed to the Chief Secretary. Taking a strong view of the "unnecessary delay", the court has also summoned Additional SP, Crime Branch CID, Meerut, in-charge of the probe into the alleged massacre, on July 22, when the case would be heard next. The case property, including rifles seized from the accused and blood-stained clothes of the victims and survivors, recovered as part of the investigation and sealed, was also not produced in court today. About 100-odd family members of the 42 victims had come all the way from Hashimpura district in UP to be present on the first day of the trial. "We are disappointed that the trial in this case has failed to commence. This case, which has already been waiting to start for almost 19 years, deals with custodial killing of a communal nature," Vrinda Grover, counsel for 'Legal Advisory Committee for Hashimpura Case' - an association set up by the family and victims of the alleged massacre to fight the case, said.
— PTI
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Lalu Prasad against third front
Patna, July 15 RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav reportedly cleared his stand disfavouring the idea of a “third front” to some senior leaders in his party. Of late, the third front idea was being mooted by the Left parties, particularly the CPM, by joining hands with either UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav or TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu. He was reportedly of the view that any effort to strive for a third front now, an experiment which had failed many times in the past including in 1977 and 1989, would only weaken the UPA and help the BJP to gain ground.
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No regulatory mechanism on GM food
New Delhi, July 15 The PIL ,moved by environmentalist Vandana Shiva before a three-judge Bench, headed by Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal ,stated that there was sufficient data available to prove that many soya products, edible oil made of it, canola, pringles and potato chips sold in the market have GOMs, hazardous for human health. The Court treating the matter as urgent and serious, issued notice to the Union Government, seeking its reply to the issues raised in the PIL. Ms Shiva has pointed that while all the developed countries have banned Genetically Modified (GM) products, India with a huge market potential, was being used as a “dumping ground” by multi-national companies for such products. “No systematic and regulatory or legal framework is in place in the country to test, evaluate and regulate GM products and their effect on human health… and if such products are allowed to be introduced by import and production in India, there is a risk that the lives of people will be threatened by severe health hazards as the GMOs are known to carry viruses and antibiotic resistance genes which can cause serious illness and even cause death as in the case of genetically engineered L-tryptophan,” the PIL said.
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SC turns down Shahbuddin’s plea
New Delhi, July 15 The new Bihar government's move to have the trial of Shahabuddin inside the jail was approved by the Patna High Court. The decision was challenged by Shahbuddin in the apex court. However, a Bench of Mr Justice A.K. Mathur and Mr Justice Dalveer Bhandari declined his plea in the form of a
PIL. The Patna High Court had issued a notification for setting up of the special court on May 20 in view of the state government's decision to hold trial against Sahabuddin within the jail. He is facing about 40 criminal cases, including murder, extortion, kidnapping, intimidation, cheating and fraud, election violence and cases under the Arms Act. Shahabuddin, presently lodged in judicial custody, was facing the heat of the law enforcing machinery perhaps for the first time after change of government in Bihar. He had all these years enjoyed the patronage of RJD boss Lalu Prasad with police not daring to take act against him.
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L.K. Advani condemns Mumbai blasts. (
