 |
|
|
SIMI activists held in Assam
Bomb hoax throws Mumbai trains out of gear
Security breach on Lalu’s train
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Terrorist handover: Congress asks BJP to apologise Left parties launch stir against price rise
Khurana levels more charges against Advani
Kalam meets MP students
460 killed in Naxal-hit states in six months
4 injured in temple
attack
Moratorium on Delhi demolitions struck down
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
SIMI activists held in Assam
Kokrajhar, July 17 Kokrajhar SP H.C. Nath informed that the two militants were arrested from Fakiragram market. A revolver and four rounds of live ammunition were recovered from them, he added. The two ultras, identified as Mohammad Hussain Ali and Mohammad Yasin Nuri, were suspected to be SIMI activists, Mr Nath said. Their arrest has once again brought to the fore the growing activities of jehadi elements in the Indo-Bangla bordering districts. The All Assam Students Union (AASU) had yesterday issued a statement alleging that 14 Muslim fundamentalist organisations were actively operating in the state and posing a threat to the state's security. The AASU maintained that these organisations had links with the ISI and Kashmiri militants and the students' body had evidence to prove it. A wide network of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) was suspected to be active in the North East, with Bangladesh and Pakistan allegedly supporting anti-India activities of this proscribed organisation. As many as 11 suspected SIMI activists were arrested in Tripura earlier, who were also suspected to have links with the Mumbai blasts of last week. Meanwhile, a report from Bahraich says that the sedition case against Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) national president Shahid Badr Falahi and 11 others was today posted to July 20 for the next hearing. The order was passed by Fast Track Court Judge R.C. Pandey on an application filed by the prosecution. Meanwhile, the judge expressed displeasure that the case number mentioned in the Government Order (GO) regarding withdrawal of the case did not pertain to SIMI. The court observed that the government counsel had filed the application without getting into the detail of the case. In 2001, the Kotwali police had lodged a case against Dr Falahi and 11 others after a SIMI seminar was held
here. — UNI
|
|
Bomb hoax throws Mumbai trains out of gear
Mumbai, July 17 Train services were halted and commuters asked to leave the premises as the bomb disposal squads searched the railway station and local trains for explosives. Services resumed after nothing was found. RDX used in blasts
Investigators have done yet another flip-flop saying that RDX was indeed used in the seven bombs that went off in Mumbai’s local trains last Tuesday. Citing reports received from the Forensic Science Laboratory in Hyderabad, K P Raghuvanshi, chief of Maharashtra’s Anti-Terrorist Squad, said RDX, ammonium nitrate and fuel oil were all used in the seven bombs. He sought to explain the changing statements saying traces of explosives found at the blast sites were very small in quantity making it difficult for forensic experts to analyse them. Heavy rains last Tuesday had washed away much of the evidence, investigators say. Sketches released
The Mumbai police has now released 50 sketches of blasts suspects based on descriptions by eyewitnesses. These sketches are being circulated at various police stations in Mumbai. Meanwhile, investigators surmise that the explosives may have all been loaded at Churchgate railway station itself with the bombers making their getaway well in time before the devices exploded. All trains in which the bombs went off left Churchgate railway station within minutes of each other packed to capacity since they were destined for Borivili or Virar 35 and 60 km away, respectively. Earlier, it was felt that the bombers may have boarded the trains en route and left behind the devices. Regular passengers had ridiculed this claim because the trains usually fill up at the starting point itself making it difficult for someone to board and exit the train in minutes. No breakthrough
The authorities have set up as many as 14 teams to probe the blasts but with little headway. Reports say even suspended police officers like Daya Nayak have been roped in since they have a good network among the underworld. However a sustained combing operation has resulted in local police stations nabbing several small-time criminals who have been absconding for a long while. Scanner on Gulf job hunters
The police are on the lookout for Muslim youth who may have gone to the Gulf countries ostensibly for work but returned after a short stint. With arrested Lashkar-e-Toiba operatives confessing to have sent several youth to Pakistan via the Gulf countries for training in bomb making, the focus is on ‘sleepers’ who may be awaiting orders to strike at the right moment. Reports collated from immigration departments indicate that at least a 100 youth may have gone abroad on short stints. Slum dwellers, who were picked up in mass interrogation drives in the past two-three days, have been quizzed about people who went abroad for a short while but returned home under some pretext or another. Bollywood vulnerable to terror attacks
The Mumbai Police and intelligence officials feel Bollywood stars are vulnerable to terrorist attacks, according to sources here. Consequently security has been beefed up at major hotels near Andheri and Juhu in suburban Mumbai where prominent Bollywood personalities live and work. Sources, however, say that no individual personality has been asked to stay away from the limelight. A few top personalities like Amitabh Bachchan and Ekta Kapoor have private security anyway. The police had earlier warned of Bollywood personalities being the target of LeT after a haul of RDX and weapons were recovered from Aurangabad earlier this
year |
|
|
Security breach on Lalu’s train
Patna, July 17 Mr Lalu Prasad today reportedly ordered the officials to enquire into the incident on Sunday, when some
miscreants cut off the hosepipe of his special train, as he was traveling to Hajipur along with other senior officials, including
DIG(RPF), Niraj Sinha. As soon as Lalu boarded the special train after attending a programme at Hajipur, the miscreants climbed on the train in the presence of the RPF and cut off its hosepipe. As a result, the train failed to move for some time till it was repaired. What was more interesting was that the Railway Minister was allegedly kept in the dark about the incident when he
enquired about the sudden halt of the train.
|
|
|
Terrorist handover: Congress asks BJP to apologise New Delhi, July 17 Congress spokesman Satyavrat Chaturvedi sought a thorough probe into the “revelations” made by Mr Jaswant Singh regarding the terrorist handover at Kandahar following the hijacking of an Indian Airline plane. He said if the account given by the former Foreign Minister in his book is incorrect then the BJP should expel him from the party and court proceedings should be initiated against him. “If no action is taken, than it would mean the contents are true,” he said. Referring to the book, Mr Chaturvedi said not only terrorists were handed over but explosives were also taken on demand of terrorists, including Masood Azhar. Mr Chaturvedi said there were references in the “autobiography” to the terrorists seeking a ransom of Rs 900 crore on which Mr Jaswant Singh had not commented. “Is it the money that was used by terrorists in their attacks on Akshardham temple, Parliament, Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, Varanasi temple and Mumbai trains... People want to know an answer,” he said. The spokesman said the government should minutely probe the “mysteries which have been unravelled” and take action according to law. Seeking to turn the tables on the BJP on its criticism of the UPA government for being “soft” in dealing with terrorism and its demand for revival of POTA, Mr Chaturvedi said there was no link between abrogation of POTA and terrorist attacks. Mr Chaturvedi said the UPA government was fully determined to tackle terrorism. Reacting to Mr Chaturvedi's allegations Mr Jaswant Singh said no money was paid to terrorists in exchange of release of passengers of the hijacked Indian Airlines flight at Kandahar. On the references made by the Congress about explosives being taken in the plane along with terrorists who were to be released, Mr Jaswant Singh said those making charges should first read the forthcoming book. He said the book had made it clear that the NDA Cabinet had unanimously rejected the terrorists demand seeking the release of 36 terrorists languishing in various Indian jails, $ 200 m and exhumation of a body of a buried terrorist. However, he declined to comment on how the Cabinet decision was changed when the government released three terrorists including, Maulana Masood Azhar in exchange of the captive passengers. Mr Jaswant Singh said the details were in the book which would hit the stands soon. Mr Jaswant Singh, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said the member who had levelled the allegations against him in 2004 had expressed his regrets in the presence of two senior Congress ministers. The BJP leader said he had told the House that he was prepared to face any probe.
|
|
|
Left parties launch stir against price rise New Delhi, July 17 “We demand urgent steps to stop forward trading in pulses, government to strengthen PDS and ask the Centre to roll back the unjust hike in fuel prices,” said senior CPM leader Nilotpal Basu. He said protest marches and demonstrations were organised across the country, including the Capital, to shake up the government from its slumber and take up issues concerning “aam admi”. The Left parties have been demanding reversal of the amendments to the Essential Commodities Act carried out by the NDA government which restrict the role of the Centre in controlling prices. Emphasising on the reversal of amendments in the ESMA, the Left parties said the numbers of the essential commodities declined from 70 in 1989 to 15 during the NDA regime. This had contributed to price rise, the parties added. Moreover, these amendments had jeopardised the government’s capability to check “reckless profiteering” in trade of essential commodities by stockists and hoarders, the parties said.
|
|
|
Khurana levels more charges against Advani
New Delhi, July 17 Talking to newspersons, Mr Khurana said Mr Advani had always kept his own interests above party or national interests. He said Mr Advani orchestrated several times the slogan “Kasam Ram ki khaten hain mandir wahin banayegen” (We swear by God Ram, temple will be built at Ramjanambhoomi site in Ayodhya) but he never talked about it when he was Home Minister or Deputy Prime Minister in the NDA government. Not only that, Mr Khurana said that Mr Advani took advantage of his position and got his name removed from the Babri Masjid demolition case, although he was the main accused. This had been proved by the Supreme Court ruling, which brought back his name in the case, he stressed. The former Rajasthan Governor met Home Minister Shivraj Patil on Saturday to hand over a copy of a letter he had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in which he demanded an inquiry into the conduct of Mr Advani when he was Home Minister. Mr Khurana had accused Mr Advani of helping some BJP leaders involved in the case and did not allow FIRs to be filed. Mr Khurana also announced that he would address a press conference jointly with Congress leader R.K. Anand tomorrow or day after on Kandahar episode in which they would expose the ‘real’ reason behind letting off the dreaded terrorists along with money in exchange of hijacked IA plane passengers. Mr Khurana, who was expelled from the BJP sometime back, released another letter which he had sent to the Prime Minister in which he had highlighted “another instance of hatching the criminal conspiracy by L K Advani and his other cohorts which led to demolition of Babri Mosque by provoking the VHP and RSS workers.” In the letter Mr Khurana had sought an inquiry how Mr Advani’s name was deleted “from the array of parties by the then Director, CBI, in the case filed in the court after the demolition of Babri Mosque despite sufficient prosecution evidence against him.” Mr Khurana said that at a meeting chaired by then UP Home Minister with senior VHP leaders, including Ashok Singhal, a unanimous decision was taken to maintain status quo of the temple and to abide by the directive of the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court. “Once all leaders agreed to abide by the decision of the Allahabad High Court and to construct the temple a little away from the disputed site, I fail to understand what prompted Mr Advani to undertake the Rath yatra.” “The only motive was to provoke the kar sevaks and to politicise the issue thereby creating havoc and communal disturbance in the country in the name of religion,” he said in the letter. Mr Khurana also pointed out that the then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao, promising all government support to the temple movement, had convened a meeting with VHP, BJP and RSS leaders about the construction of the Ram Temple. The former Chief Minister said that Mr Rao was so keen for construction of the temple that at one time he remarked “after his demise he could tell God that the construction of the temple could commence during his regime.” But Mr Advani rejected the offer. “Had Mr Advani been really interested in building Ram Temple despite the support and assurance /agreement by the Congress government and successive governments, about 95 per cent of the temple would have been built at the site,” he said, alleging Mr Advani only wanted to be in the “limelight of politics.” Mr Khurana said Mr Advani’s name was removed from the Ayodhya case by the then CBI Director who was “rewarded with a coveted post of Member, NHRC, after he attained the age of superannuation which was against the norms.” Mr Khurana also made available a copy of the agreement the then UP Government had reached with the VHP leaders, which he had tagged with his letter to the Prime Minister. The meeting which was also attended by the then Home Minister Buta Singh, had discussed all aspects of the situation arising in the wake of the VHP’s programme to perform ‘shila poojan’ in different parts of the country and carry the ‘sanctified’ bricks to Ayodhya for laying the foundation stone of the temple on November 9, 1989. In the agreement, the VHP had agreed to give prior intimation to the district authorities concerned of the ‘shila’ procession route and agree to change in routes in case the district authorities so desired. It was also agreed that the VHP and its followers would not raise any provocative slogans, which may endanger communal harmony, and as far as possible the ‘sanctified’ bricks would be carried in trucks on the routes determined by the authorities. Besides senior and responsible VHP functionaries would take the responsibility of guiding the procession and would extend full cooperation to the district authorities. The spot in Ayodhya where the sanctified bricks would be collected would be finalised in consultation with the district authorities. In the agreement, signed by at least four VHP leaders, including Mr Singhal, the VHP gave an undertaking to abide by the directive of the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court given on August 14, 1989 to the effect that “the parties to the suits shall maintain the status quo and shall not change the nature of the property in question and ensure that the peace and communal harmony are maintained.”
|
|
Kalam meets MP students
Bhopal, July 17 “The President told me to surge ahead towards my goal and to achieve something major in life.” When a Jabalpur-resident tribal vegetable vendor’s 15-year-old son Shankar Kol says these words in a voice brimming over with emotion, it seems as if the boy is already seeing a promising future courtesy today’s Midas touch by India’s ‘Missile Man’. Twenty-six kids, along with Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker Ishwardas Rohani, met Dr Kalam in the Vidhan Sabha premises. Mr Rohani said, “The meeting enhanced the meaningfulness of the President’s programme.” Dr Kalam was here to address legislators on the occasion of the Assembly’s golden jubilee and a 12-day monsoon session also got underway. The kids, some of whom work as labourers, described the interaction as simply unforgettable. This year, every one of them secured 65 per cent or higher in the high school board examination. “The President told us to emerge as doctors, engineers, scientists and pilots,” said 15-year-old Dhamendra Jharia whose father is a tailor. Mr Rohani lavished praise on the children’s teachers. Earlier, addressing the inaugural session of the 12-day monsoon session marking the golden jubilee of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly, the President suggested 11 missions for the prosperity of Madhya Pradesh to make it a developed state before 2015. The missions suggested for Madhya Pradesh are: horticulture mission, agriculture and related mission, education and entrepreneurship, global human resource, healthcare mission, water management, infrastructure development, tourist destination of the world, exclusive economic zones, e-governance and tribal development.
— UNI
|
|
|
Bangladesh Rifles opens fire on BSF in Malda
Malda (WB), July 17 Today’s firing is the second in 36 hours in the state with the first reported from Nadia district in which the BDR had fired around 50 rounds. The firing started around 1.30 pm and lasted for over two hours, the DIG, BSF, Malda sector, Mr D.V. Saraswat, said. There were no reports of any casualty on the Indian side, he added. Trouble started at Lakshminaryanpur under the Bamungola police station last night when a group of Bangladeshis smuggling cattle were chased and shot at by personnel of a battalion of the BSF. The body of a Bangladeshi smuggler, identified as a resident of Naogaon in Bangladesh and a kingpin in cattle smuggling, was found today at the spot, he said. The BSF had contacted the BDR to hand over the body, following which the firing took place, he added. The firing in Nadia took place after a near similar incident yesterday morning when another cattle smuggler was shot dead by the BSF. The man was identified as a resident of Chapra in the
district. — PTI
|
|
460 killed in Naxal-hit states in six months
New Delhi, July 17 According to the latest issue of ACHR’s “Naxal Conflict Monitor”, which was released today, Chhattisgarh accounted for 48.25 per cent (222 persons) of the killings, followed by Andhra Pradesh (66), Jharkhand (62), Maharashtra (42), Bihar (36), Orissa (16) and West Bengal (14). While the security forces killed 105 alleged Naxals, the Naxalites had been responsible for the murder of 120 persons, including 38 security personnel, 75 civilians. The ACHR condemned as “barbaric and crime against humanity” the massacre of 25 persons earlier in the day by Naxals in the Errabore relief camp. “This is a deliberate attack and the Maoists have no excuses to make which they usually do after killing innocent civilians. The culprits must be brought to justice,” ACHR Director Suhas Chakma said. He urged the Centre not to involve civilians in the conflict and ensure their safety and security. “We also request the government to create a separate ministry to oversee the development in the Naxalite-affected areas,” he added.
— UNI
|
|
4 injured in temple
attack
Ahmedabad, July 17 After the firing the attackers fled leaving behind the injured the temple officials. “I do not know why this attack took place but there could be a chance that some persons associated with the Swadhaya Parivar were behind it,” Swami Satchatanand alleged. Several persons from the temple had given statement to the police in connection with the murder case of US-based NRI Pankaj Trivedi who was clubbed to death on June 15 allegedly by a member of the Swadhaya Parivar in Ahmedabad.
— PTI
|
|
|
Moratorium on Delhi demolitions struck down
New Delhi, July 17 The court said the Delhi Laws (Special Provision) Act, 2006, was clearly passed to circumvent its orders for removal of unauthorised structures from government land and closure of illegal shops in residential areas after the MCD itself had come to the court for relief against violation of the master plan. In a strongly worded observation, a Bench comprising Chief Justice Y. K. Sabharwal and Mr Justice C .K. Thakker asked Solicitor General G.E. Vahanvati whether the legislature had power to sit over the court as an “appellate authority” when it had issued directions to implement its order. “An important legal question is involved in the matter whether the legislature can take away the right of the court to adjudicate the matter when affidavits are filed for certain relief…at least I am not aware of these types of legislations over-ruling the order of this court … prima facie this is wholly invalid and void,” the Chief Justice observed. The Bench asked the government as to what was its response to the two public interest litigations (PILs) challenging the constitutional validity of the Act granting one year moratorium on demolition and sealing. “Why should not we stay such types of power of the legislature,” the Chief Justice asked Solicitor General, who sought a week’s time to finalise the government's response. The court said the government had not changed the “master plan” for Delhi but had chosen to curtail judicial orders for strictly enforcing the earlier master plan, when there was blatant violation of it. When Vahanvati tried to defend the government action by stating that there would always be a “presumption” against the constitutionality of a legislation, the court said “these types of legislations create more confusions.”
|
| 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 | |
Videos
