New Delhi, April 24
Tension was whipped up in a North-West Delhi locality today after a mob attacked a police post and damaged several vehicles, alleging that a person was beaten to death by policemen of the area.

Angry residents took to the streets this morning, alleging that the police had beaten up Kamaluddin, resulting in his death, a charge strongly denied by the police who claimed they had not detained or arrested him.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Manish Aggarwal, the police received a call about a man throwing stones at passing vehicles in the Prem Nagar area of Sultanpuri.

He claimed when the police personnel reached the spot they found local residents thrashing Kamaluddin. They rescued him and rushed him to a hospital where he was declared brought dead.

The police described Kamaluddin as a mentally deranged person and claimed one autorickshaw driver, Rajender, was injured in stone throwing by him. Rajender had been admitted to a hospital, the DCP added.

Angry residents of the locality said they saw Kamaluddin being taken away by the police.

The next they heard was that he had died, sparking rumours that the 22-year-old was beaten to death by the police. The mob damaged a few motorcycles and police vehicles parked outside the Prem Nagar police post by pelting them with stones and even setting them on fire. “The situation is under control now and we have arrested some persons in this connection”, Mr Aggarwal added.

Police pickets have been set up in the area and patrolling intensified top prevent any further trouble.

New Delhi, April 24
About 50 Pakistanis have been arrested here for staying in the country without valid travel documents after they publicly burnt their passports to protest against their government.

The Pakistanis, including 19 women and seven children, burnt their travel documents during a demonstration here yesterday to protest what they called as their government’s support to Islamic terrorists, police said.

We have arrested 31 men and 19 women under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act (for staying in the country without valid documents). The children were not arrested but were allowed to be with their parents, a senior police officer said.

The Pakistanis also burnt their national flags and effigies of President Pervez Musharraf and Muttahida-Majlis-e-Amal leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman during their protest march at Jantar Mantar, police added.

The protestors, who had crossed over to India through the Wagah border, were also seeking asylum here. Police said they were also verifying the travel details of these people to find out when they had arrived in the country.

Some of these people had entered the country just two weeks ago. Some had arrived earlier. We are verifying the records, the officer added.

New Delhi, April 24
The final draft notification of the supply code and performance standards issued by the DERC has come in for a lot of criticism from resident welfare associations (RWAs), power sector experts and legal and consumer sector activists.

“To begin with, it is inconceivable in any country that the regulator introduces a performance standard after the contract is due to expire or up for renewal. How does the commission explain evading this responsibility for five years? “ asks Ravinder Singh, a power sector activist.

Advocate Laliet Kumar has pointed out that the DERC has allowed DISCOMS to retain security deposit at 6 per cent whereas the electricity act clearly states that any such deposits must be maintained at bank rates.

He has also pointed out that the DERC stipulates that 50 per cent of new development charges to be billed to consumer, which begs the question, why should a consumer pay for the augmentation of infrastructure since the DISCOM will use for other consumers as well. The DISCOMS have already taken huge subsidies under the pretext of supply augmentation and electrification of new areas.

On the paltry sums stipulated as penalties in case of non-conformity with standards, RWAs are simply offended. “The prescribed penalties are worse than a rap on the knuckles. They are pennies compared to what these companies have made in the last five years – no wonder they don’t take the DERC too seriously,” said Varinder Arora of Kiran Vihar.

“May be the DERC should take direction from TRAI – just today they have prescribed a whopping Rs 500 to Rs 1000 for a mere unsolicited mobile phone call,” added Atul Goyal, United Resident Joint Action Committee, coordinator for West Delhi.

Sanjay Kaul, president, People’s Action said, “a cursory reading of the supply code and performance standards manual reveals the truth about the document”. 

New Delhi, April 24
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today registered a case against a former top Delhi Jal Board (DJB) official in connection with alleged discrepancies in awarding of a contract for renovation of water pipes in the Capital.

The case was registered against Mr Rakesh Mohan, former Chief Executive Officer of the DJB. The investigating agency has found out irregularities in awarding of a tender for the project in 2005.

CBI officials said raids were also being conducted at around 15 places in the Capital and in neighbouring Haryana as part of its investigation into the case.

New Delhi, April 24
Concerned over the safety of girl students in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD)-run schools, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) is proposing to ask the civic body to set up sexual harassment cells to avoid such incidents in the future.

The DCW’s decision comes in the wake of a recent case of alleged molestation of a girl student by the Principal of an MCD school in Pushp Vihar.

There were no gender sensitisation programmes or any cells to deal with such cases in MCD schools. Thus, the girl students were always at the risk of exploitation, DCW Chairperson Kiran Walia told reporters here. “In view of the growing number of such cases, it was pertinent to set up sexual harassment cells, which will act as a deterrent”, she said.

Ms Walia had recently drawn the attention of the Capital’s legislators to this incident in the Delhi Assembly.

“The lapse needs to be rectified at the earliest. On our part, we will suo motu offer to hold gender sensitisation workshops in the MCD schools as done in DDA and NDMC-run schools, the DCW Chairperson said. 

New Delhi, April 24
More than 10 years after the police registered a case of dacoity against the driver of a commercial vehicle who helped a man in getting robbed by four persons, a city court has finally acquitted him in the case.

Shakil, who was driving an autorickshaw on the night of September 18, 1996, was implicated in the matter when a man robbed by unknown offenders claimed in an FIR that the driver had links with the robbers.

The driver, however, challenged this allegation in court and contended he was the one who took complainant B. M. Gupta to the latter’s friend’s house after the incident and then drove them to police stations for getting a complaint registered. The court accepted Shakil’s plea and put an end to his long ordeal by exonerating him of the offence.

If the accused is one of the culprits then he was also in a position to run away, but instead of running away from the spot, he had taken the complainant to the latter’s friend’s house and then went along with them to the police stations, Additional Sessions Judge Rajneesh Kumar Gupta said in his ruling.

Describing Shakil’s behaviour as the right conduct, the judge said it went to show that he was not in any way connected with four persons who committed the alleged offence and there was no material evidence to prove his participation in the act.

Absolving Shakil, who still drives an autorickshaw for a living, the court noted there was an inordinate delay of 22 days in the lodging of the FIR against him.

The prosecution had failed to explain the delay in the registration of the FIR, which made the case of the prosecution doubtful against the accused, it said.

The prosecution had alleged Shakil had aided four youths in robbing Gupta and his wife of a watch and two gold rings on September 18, 1996, near the ISBT here when they were travelling in his auto.

Faridabad, April 24
Killer trucks and rash traffic on congested roads, where discipline on wheels is hardly an issue with a majority of the drivers, have given Faridabad a notoriety it can do without. Several persons have lost their lives in various road accidents here and nearby areas in the past few days. Most of the accidents just end up as news items for the local media.

A 23-year-old youth died in a sensational incident which could have been avoided easily if there was less carelessness and some common sense on the part of the driver of a truck carrying water bottles of a mineral water plant here.

According to reports, a young and enterprising youth, identified as Prashant, working in a firm in New Delhi, was on his way to his office. His friend was on the pillion on his motorcycle. On the Surajkund road a few days ago, Prashant’s motorcycle was hit by a truck.

Prashant and his friend were thrown down by the impact. As they were about to get up, the driver of the truck perhaps got panicky. Without looking back to see what had happened, he reversed the truck and pressed on the accelerator to flee from the spot. This action proved fatal for Prashant, who was overrun by the truck. The truck wheels crushed his abdomen. He could have escaped with minor injuries if the truck driver had managed to have some amount of sense after he hit them, claimed his friend, who also got injured. He was lucky as he had fallen a little away from the way of the truck driver. But, he said, his friend’s death could have been avoided if the driver had shown some common sense. He termed Prashant’s death a deliberate one.

Demanding that the driver of truck should be booked for murder, a relative of Prashant, residing in Sector 16 here, said this incident had left the family totally shocked and inconsolable. He said the police should put speed governors on the Surajkund road, which had become dangerous for a majority of the people travelling to Delhi, who thought of it as an alternative to the congested Mathura Road.

Members of the RWAs of Sector 21-B, 21-C and 46 here have demanded curbs on the movement of dumper trucks on the Surajkund road, which, they claim, have emerged as main killers on the roads due to rash driving. These monsters on road claimed several lives in a year in the district, said a local resident.

Meanwhile, at least four persons died in various road accidents in the past two days in the city. A similar number of persons lost their lives in the district in the period between Friday and Sunday last.

Gurgaon, April 24
A complaint of sewerage blockade took an ugly turn today as the residents allegedly beat up two officials of Public Health Department for not attending to their long-pending complaints.

Around 30 persons, including women of Prem Nagar, led by area’s Municipal Councillor Daleep Sahni, reached the public health office and protested against the officials for not cleaning the sewerage blockade and installing the manhole covers in Prem Nagar.

Mr Sahni informed that the residents of the area had been repeatedly complaining to the department for the last two months but the officials did not pay attention.

Two officials, Mr Rajesh Bansal, Sub-Divisional Engineer and Mr Narender Kaushik, Junior Engineer today misbehaved with the women and shouted at the complainants that their problems would be sorted out whenever the staff of the department became free, alleged Mr Sahni, adding that the officials directed the gathering to leave the department.

Both the sides got agitated, resulting in the chaos. Some of the persons got minor injuries.

However, Mr R K Garg, Executive Engineer of Public Health informed that an FIR had been lodged against Daleep Sahni and unknown persons for deterring public servants from discharging their duties. Rajesh Bansal had suffered serious injuries and was hospitalised, mentioned Mr Garg. Mr Rupesh Kumar, president of a charitable hospital located in the heart of city, added that the officials of the Public Health Department were used to ignoring the complaints of the masses as the hospital had been getting water supply mingled with sewerage line.

Ghaziabad, April 24
BJP’s councillor and former president of Mahanagar Ghaziabad, Vijay Mohan, was severely beaten up by Ghaziabad police.

The cops had rained lathis on him and other workers while most of the BJP workers had gone in a deputation to meet the SSP. They met the SSP to protest against police failure in arresting the killers of BJP activist Pankaj Varma. Varma was shot dead in Rajinder Nagar, Ghaziabad on Friday.

BJP workers had gone to meet the SSP Navin Arora to demand early arrest of Varma’s assassins on Monday. Senior BJP leader and four-time MP, Dr Ramesh Tomar had led the BJP delegation. After waiting for some time in CO police office, the delegation was ushered in SSP’s chamber, but for quite some time SSP Arora continued talking to people already sitting in his room.

Protesting at this, Dr Tomar said he was four- time MP of Lok Sabha. At this SSP Arora said he was already hearing the public and would attend to them also in due course. This answer had irked the BJP workers and a heated argument ensued with the SSP.

The SSP asked all but Dr Tomar to leave his office. As slogan-shouting BJP workers went out, the SSP told his staff to pacify the slogan-shouting activists. As cops pushed the BJP workers, including Dr Tomar and a few other leaders, some of them exchanged blows. Police from different police stations of Ghaziabad were summoned. Many BJP workers slipped away and collected at Dr Tomar’s residence in Kavi Nagar.

In the meantime, some cops reached Dr Tomar’s house and beat up concillor, Vijay Mohan, with lathis and dragged him to a police station where he was placed under arrest.

SO Kavi Nagar police station Pankaj Lobaniya said the councillor was placed under arrest for creating a ruckus with the SSP.

Irate BJP workers had lodged a complaint with the District Magistrate and have sent a written complaint to the state Chief Secretary and DGP police, demanding action against the police.

The PRO of SSP office Chhote Singh meanwhile lodged an FIR against two dozen BJP workers for creating commotion in SSP’s office. Besides former MP Dr Ramesh Chand Tomar, a number of candidates who have contested in the UP Assembly recently have also been named.

The case has been registered against the BJP leaders and workers under Sections 147, 148, 332, 353, 504 and 506 and Criminal Amendment Act.

New Delhi, April 24
Parsvnath Developers Ltd has bagged Rs 160 crore worth project from Delhi Metro Rail Corporation to develop a prestigious integrated shopping mall and Metro station at the Games village complex on the banks of the river Yamuna.

This is the second DMRC project after Azadpur Metro Station for which Parsvnath Developers has been awarded to construct the Metro station with shopping mall, a company release said today.

Situated opposite to the Akshardham Temple where the Commonwealth Games will be held in 2010, this village complex will be developed by the government to facilitate the Commonwealth Games.

The project, sprawls over an area of 7.30 acres, will be completed by the mid of 2010, before the commencement of Commonwealth Games.

New Delhi, April 24
The Union Ministry of Environment and Forest has accorded environmental clearance to Pragati Power Corporation Ltd for the proposed enhancement of capacity from 1000 MW to 1600 MW at Bawana. Pragati Power Corporation Ltd has withdrawn the earlier proposed power station at the Nizamuddin Bridge area to avoid further increment in concentration of oxide of nitrogen (NOX) near the thickly populated and vehicle-run area of ITO. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee has been approached to revise their “consent to establish” this enhanced capacity of 1600 MW.—TNS

New Delhi, April 24
In a major attempt to help diminish the ever-increasing urban-rural divide, the NGO Goonj has brought children from the Capital and 150 rural kids from over 10 states together. The main idea behind the interaction is to create an exchange of resources and ground realities between the two groups of children. The rural children will be in Delhi till Wednesday when many of the groups start returning.

The experience being provided for the two groups of children is largely invaluable, for rural children the exposure to the Capital and to children here is a unique opportunity for their development. On the other hand, children born and bred in the Capital will get a first-hand exposure to their rural counterparts which will provide them with an hitherto-unknown insight to India’s diversity and the life of children in rural areas.

Children at Goonj are bonding beautifully and there is creditable concern and determination among the urban children to help their rural counterparts and this is evident in their interactions. Some 50 schoolkids from Delhi have helped Goonj in gathering resource material for children from the hinterland. They have donated old books, toys, water bottles, etc.

“The response from the children has been overwhelming and they have been very generous with their possessions in a bid to reach out to the rural children. Take the case of water bottles. There have been donations of over a 1,000 water bottles after city kids realized that rural children have to walk long distances in the heat to reach their school,” said a teacher present at Goonj.

New Delhi, April 24
Several residents of the All India Government Employees Co-operative House Building Society, Kiran Vihar, in East Delhi have written a letter to the Lt- Governor of Delhi, Mr Tejendra Khanna, as well as the Chief Minister, Ms Sheila Dikshit, for implementation of the DDA’s order for removal of illegal encroachments.

People have encroached on a DDA vacant plot near house no 1 in Kiran Vihar but the authorities concerned are not taking any interest in getting it vacated.

Despite repeated reminders to the DDA and various assurances given by it, the encroachments had still not been removed, complained residents in the letter.

Residents have urged Mr Khanna to intervene and get the encroachments removed.

DDA officials have failed to implement their own orders and get their own land vacated despite the Supreme Court order that each inch of government land has to be vacated.—TNS