The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Delhi and neighbourhood

Property dealer shot near police station
Parmindar Singh

Ghaziabad, June 19
Forty-two-year-old property dealer, Zahid Chaudhary was shot dead in indiscriminate firing about 100 metres from Mussori police station, Ghaziabad at 9.30 last night.

This murder had taken place within 24 hours of a transporter having been shot in Vijay Nagar bypass.

Zahid Chaudhary’s driver Yaseen, 52, who was also critically wounded in the attack, was rushed to Delhi’s Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital. Zahid is said to be the state secretary of the Rashtriya Janata Dal. This attack is being viewed as a result of old enmity.

Last night Zahid had just got into his Qualis car along with Yaseen, at Mussori’s Krishna Dairy, when two armed assailants came on a bike from the rear and fired indiscriminate gunshots from the side glass of driver’s seat.

Hit by three bullets Yaseen collapsed in the car itself while Zahid tried to flee. But he too could not escape from the assailants’ bullets and collapsed on the ground in a pool of blood. He was shot in the chest.

While assailants sped away, a large number of people came running on the sound of the firing of gunshots. The wounded were rushed to Yashoda hospital, Ghaziabad in a critical condition. They were referred to a Delhi hospital where Zahid succumbed to his wounds during treatment.

Zahid’s father is a retired policeman. The family lives in Hapur’s Majipura area. Zahid was reportedly connected with the Bahujan Samaj Party also and had organized a programme in Hapur for those two cops who had killed some criminals in an encounter recently.

5,000 patients suffer daily due to LNJP strike

New Delhi, June 19
Nearly 5,000 patients are suffering every day as junior doctors of the state-run Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital continued their strike for the fourth consecutive day today.

“We know, the patients are facing a lot of problems. Nearly 5,000 patients from Delhi and its neighbouring states visit our hospital’s out-patients departments (OPDs) every day, and these people are suffering the most,” LNJP additional medical superintendent Anjan Prakash said.

Prakash, however, said the senior doctors are managing the emergency services. “Though OPD services were badly hit, we are managing the emergency care for critical patients,” she added.

She said the hospital administration is holding talks with the resident doctors’ association.

Over 200 junior doctors have struck work since Monday, demanding better security arrangements and availability of life saving drugs.

“It is a pity that a leading hospital does not have adequate life-saving drugs,” said a resident doctor of the hospital.

Doctors said cases of patients’ relatives attacking them are increasing and their earlier protests have not yielded any result.

“We need better security and the government and hospital administration must arrange for it,” a junior doctor said.

The 78-year-old, 1,850-bed LNJP Hospital is one of the leading healthcare service providers in the national capital, and is run by the Delhi government. But it has been in news the last few years for attacks on doctors by patients’ relatives.

Prakash said the Delhi government has already given a go-ahead for appointing 125 extra security guards. “You cannot get 125 reliable guards in one day. We are recruiting them and urge resident doctors to return to duty.”

“We are in talks with the junior doctors. We hope they will return to work soon. We don’t want patients to suffer for a longer time,” she added. — IANS

In name of Hanuman, Delhiites still feed monkeys

New Delhi, June 19
When it comes to feeding monkeys, Delhi residents would rather do it hands-on, perhaps in the hope of being blessed by monkey god Hanuman! Or so the Capital’s civic agencies are discovering while trying to implement a court order.

Special centres set up near two Hanuman temples by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to collect feed for the animals are going empty.

While many devotees say they do not know about these collection boxes — near the Hanuman temples at Connaught Place and Yamuna Bazar — the civic agencies claim that people prefer to feed the monkeys personally instead of depositing food in the boxes.

“We have fined hundreds of people who have been caught feeding monkeys in public places. But frankly, this campaign of collection centres has not been a success,” MCD spokesperson Deep Mathur told IANS.

“Religious sentiment is the biggest challenge in this campaign.”

Hanuman is revered by many Hindus as a symbol of strength and devotion. And, many believe by feeding monkeys, they are doing a service to the monkey god.

Lalu Maharaj, the head priest of the Hanuman Temple in Connaught Place, agreed, “People want to feed monkeys themselves. It is a religious sentiment.”

The collection centres were set up a year ago after the Delhi High Court banned the public feeding of monkeys as the practice was causing the animals to congregate in hordes, often resulting in ferocious attacks on people.

Such simian incidents led to nearly 25 people being injured last year. A civic official even died after falling from his terrace following an attack by monkeys.

The figure of simians on the prowl in the Capital ranges from 10,000 to 20,000. Many monkeys have been translocated to the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary on the outskirts of the Capital.

The collection centres are put up every Tuesday and Saturday when devotees throng Hanuman temples. The feed is supposed to be collected by the NDMC and the MCD and transported to the sanctuary.

But they have not received a good response.

People, however, say the collection boxes are kept in obscure corners of the temples. Prakash Kumar, who was at the Connaught Place temple to offer prayers on a Saturday, had no idea about the collection centre.

“I did not know that such a collection box existed. In fact, I still see people feeding monkeys in my area in East Delhi,” Kumar told IANS.

Mathur admitted that the campaign had not been well advertised and said that they would have to work towards educating the masses about it.

In the Connaught Place area, the collection box lies in an unnoticed corner on the temple premises, with a dilapidated board saying people can deposit food for monkeys inside.

Sarita Jha, another worshipper, said she had “heard somewhere” about the box but did not know where it was.

“I hardly see any monkeys around the Hanuman Mandir (temple) these days. Once people don’t see the monkeys, they don’t give the feed...and in any case it is out of reverence to Lord Hanuman that people want to feed the monkeys themselves. Depositing the feed in a box is not what many would like,” she said. — IANS

‘Syria has highest percentage of women in Parliament’
Tripti Nath
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 19
Syria’s first Lady Asma Akhras al Assad today said that while Syria has the highest percentage of women in Parliament, which is better than Europe, it is in the midst of a debate over the issue of reservation of women in Parliament.

In a lively interaction facilitated by the Indian Women’s Press Corps here on Thursday afternoon, the stunning wife of the Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad said, “Similar to India, we do have a national debate going on to encourage women’s participation in Parliament. Thirteen per cent of our seats in Parliament are occupied by women. It is a good solid statistic.”

Replying to a question on the position of women in the Arab world, she said, “Syria is a pioneer but increasingly no longer an exception. For many decades, we have been leading in the role of women. Our Vice-President is a woman. We have women ministers in the government.”

Offering a graphic peep into the fascinating country whose soil holds the imprints of the oldest civilisation on the globe dating back to the fourth millennium B.C., the First Lady took pride in describing the peaceful coexistence of Christianity and Islam. She said that the two religions are part of Syrian national heritage. “We see ourselves as Syrians before we see ourselves as Syrian Christians and Muslims. We are a secular State. We have freedom to practise our religious beliefs. Christians and Muslims live side by side, door to door, neighbourhood to neighbourhood. They have been like this for centuries. The oldest mosque in Damascus was made on a land given to Muslims by the Christian community.’’

The First Lady of Syria handled questions with remarkable ease. Defending the Syrian Muslim women’s choice to wear the ‘Hijab’, she said, “It is not important how we dress. What is more important is what we do with our mind. People go about as they want. We live beyond the physical appearance.”

She said that the Mufti who commands a huge following in Syria is trying to encourage women Muftis who can take up women-specific issues.

Speaking of dynastic succession in politics and her husband, she said, “He was a Practising ophthalmologist in a hospital in Damascus and leading a normal life. He became President through a national referendum. It is for the Syrian people to decide.”

Replying to a question, the Syrian President’s wife said that women are extremely safe in Syria, on the streets and in their homes. “It is probably one of the safest countries in the world. We have a society that cares for each other. It is very difficult to say what happens within people’s homes. We are encouraging non-government oragnisations to work in the field of women’s empowerment. The national debate is also happening on what services should be provided to women who need shelter. With globalisation and opening of the economy, there are many things that will come in. We are thinking ahead and looking at policies and practical measures.”

Before leaving IWPC, Assad acknowledged the memorable hospitality extended to her during her visit to India. After posing for a photograph with the IWPC office-bearers and staff, the First Lady extended women journalists an invitation to visit Syria which has 4,500 monuments spanning thousands of years of civilisation and religions.

The First Lady was accompanied by Bouthaina Shaaban, minister of expatriate, Syria.

Crime File
Tantrik held for cheating
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 19
The North district police yesterday busted a gang of two persons, who would cheat people on the pretext of solving their problems through Tantra Mantra and black magic. The two persons — Asfaq, 44 and Vishakha — have been arrested.

The gang was operating from the first floor of a house in Shastri Nagar.

The police had sent a decoy customer, through whom it was learnt that Rs 150 was charged for a ‘tabeez’ made of paper and Rs 1,100 was charged for tantra-mantra.

The decoy was also asked to bring her photograph next time.

While Asfaq would sit on the floor posing as a ‘baba’, Vishakha acted as the receptionist.

Several slips, photographs of customers, several other pictures/photographs, posters written in Arabic/Urdu language and other items have been recovered from their place.

A case of cheating and relevant provisions of the Drug and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act has been registered.

During interrogation, Asfaq has revealed that he has been in this business for one and a half years and has no qualification/degree in astrology or horoscope reading.

He also disclosed that they used to advertise through newspapers and pamphlets and used to change their office every 2/3 months.

Robber nabbed

The Vikas Puri police has arrested Harpreet Singh alias Montu of Vishnu Garden in the Tilak Nagar area in several cases of theft, robbery and carjacking.

One Swift Dezire, one WagonR and a mobile phone robbed by him with his associates have been recovered.

Harpreet had committed robbery and carjacking in the Delhi Cantt area with his associates Gurpreet Singh alias Lali and Anil D’Souza of Tilak Nagar. They used to conduct a recce on bikes or cars during night. They overtook the victim asking him about an address and then rob him on a gunpoint or knifepoint by using toy gun and Kirpan. They also used to threaten the victims not to raise alarm.

The police is looking for his associates.

2 snatchers caught

The Ashok Vihar police yesterday arrested two persons — Vinod, 30, and Gaurav, 25, for snatching.

Vinod and Gaurav are the residents of J.J Colony in Wazir Pur. According to DCP/North, while the complainant Dinesh, driver of the car of Zee News was waiting outside Gupta Complex at Neemdi Colony, the accused snatched his mobile and Rs 150. He raised an alarm and Vinod was nabbed. The money was recovered from his possession.

Gaurav was later arrested. The mobile phone was recovered from his possession.

Pickpocket arrested

The Kashmere Gate police yesterday arrested Danish, 22, a resident of Seelampur, for pickpocketing. According to DCP/North Office, Danish was arrested for picking the wallet of Ramkishan Huda, a resident of Haridwar at ISBT Kashmere Gate. He was arrested after Huda, who is an ATI with the DTC, raised an alarm about the incident.

The purse containing Rs 760 was recovered from Danish.

One held for theft

The Sabzi Mandi police yesterday arrested Satish, 24, of Kabir Basti for stealing an inverter from a shop.

According to DCP/North, the complainant Chander Prakash, who runs an STD booth in Punjabi Mohalla found his inverter missing when he opened the shop in the morning.

He then saw the accused carrying the inverter on a bicycle and nabbed him with the help of a passerby.

Patient lies unattended for 10 days at AIIMS
Akhila Singh
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 19
Surrounded by 10 other equally distressed families, ailing Suarth Kumar and his relatives have been camping at the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) for over the past 10 days.

Suarth, 20, of Nawada district in Bihar was referred to AIIMS by a district hospital after his mental condition deteriorated because of a suspected brain tumour. It took five days for the family to arrange for a stretcher for Suarth. The rains added to their woes and agonies.

“My father is a cobbler. We took some time to arrange Rs 5,000 required for Suarth’s treatment,” said his brother Bhupendra Kumar. “Even after depositing the amount, we are sitting unattended in the corner of this hospital for more than a week now.”

To escape the nature’s fury, the family erected a makeshift tent by stretching a saree. The family huddles under it for protecting itself from the sun and the rain.

Unaware of the medical procedures, the family has already deposited the blood and the money required for Suarth’s treatment.

“We have all the receipts but we do not know whom to show them to. Now, our family cannot even afford anything to eat. If Suarth gets admitted, some of us can go back to work,” said Bhupendra.

The doctors, when contacted, said that there is a perennial shortage of beds in the hospital and patients have to wait for their turn because of the pending long list. They said that Suarth would be admitted as soon as there was a bed available.

The hospital receives 12,000 patients everyday.

Six months ago as part of its expansion plans the hospital had decided to double the bed capacity from 2,200 to 4,500. But the shortage of beds continues.

Burglar lynched, police term mob ‘brave men’

Ghaziabad, June 19
In a case of street justice getting official nod, a mob that lynched a suspected burglar here in Uttar Pradesh today got a pat on the back as the police called them “brave men” and refused to file any charges against them.

According to the police, the incident occurred around 4.00 a.m. when Riyasat Ali, a resident of Vikram Enclave colony in Ghaziabad suburb of the national capital, was returning from a business trip. When he entered the colony, he saw two men attempting to break the lock of a parked car.

Ali raised an alarm, and residents of the colony gathered and overpowered one of them. The residents mercilessly assaulted the burglar before handing him over to the police. His accomplice, however, managed to flee.

The police took the burglar to the district hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The police have slapped a case of theft against the deceased. “A case under section 380 (theft) and 511 (offence punishable with life imprisonment) is being registered against the deceased,” said circle officer S.P Singh.

When asked about the mob beating that killed the man, the officer called them “brave men” and refused to take any action against them. — IANS

Lifestyle counselling reduces heart attack risks
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 19
An intensive effort to change the lifestyle of people at high risk of heart disease can help them reduce such risk factors as high blood pressure, cholesterol and smoking, said Dr KK Aggarwal, chief cardiologist, Moolchand Heart Hospital and president of Heart Care Foundation of India here.

Talking to the media, Dr Aggarwal said that a trial, called the Euroaction study, published in the latest edition of Lancet, the internationally acclaimed medical journal, compared the results of added counselling on lifestyle issues such as diet, physical activity and smoking to the usual care.

It included more than 3,000 people with coronary heart disease and 2,300 at high risk.

Half got the counselling from a team of nurses, dietitians, physiotherapists and the treating doctors. The counselling was given to families as well as individuals, the cardiologist said.

The trial included two groups of patients. One those who already had developed coronary heart disease, another those who were asymptomatic but at high risk because of a combination of risk factors that gives a high chance of developing heart disease over 10 years.

According to the trial, 55 per cent of those getting the counselling reduced their intake of saturated fat, compared to 40 per cent for those not getting the advice.

Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables was seen in 72 per cent of the counselled group, and 17 per cent of them also increased their consumption of heart-friendly oily fish, compared to 35 per cent and eight per cent in the other group.

Mock drill held for disaster preparedness
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 19
A mock drill was undertaken today at Delhi Secretariat to check the level of preparedness of various agencies and their response in case of a real disaster.

A large number of employees of the Secretariat practised steps to save their lives during an emergency.

A telephonic message had been received from the police control room at 3 pm about a bomb blast in the cafeteria area of Delhi Secretariat and emergence of small fire and smoke engulfing the first floor of the building. After receiving the message, PCR van and fire tender rushed to the Delhi Secretariat along with the team of senior officials to perform their duties.

All officials present in the building were directed to leave the building immediately.

Various teams searched every nook and corner of the building for possibility of a bomb.

A fire tender reached the cafeteria area of the Secretariat from where smoke was emitting. Fire tenders took five minutes to control the fire.

Such drills are meant to check the level of preparedness of various agencies and their response in case of a real disaster. They are organised to spread awareness and prepare the citizens in case of a disaster.

SC considers Centre’s proposed regularisation plan
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 19
The Supreme Court today took note of the Centre’s proposed plan to regularise 1,400 colonies in the Capital without making arrangements for basic amenities. It directed the Delhi government to file an affidavit regarding the steps being taken to provide basic infrastructure in those colonies.

A vacation bench comprising justices Arijit Pasayat and G.S Singhvi issued the directions when amicus curiae Ranjit Kumar informed the court that even as the Master Plan 2021 was being examined by the apex court, the government was going to regularise 1,400 colonies without making any provisions for basic amenities.

The matter will we heard again on July 7, when the court reopens after the summer vaccination.

The court was examining the Master Plan 2021, under which commercial activities are being carried out from residential areas that have been protected, bringing the sealing process in the national Capital to a halt.

Metro tunnel completed before time
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 19
The second metro tunnel at Hauz Khas was completed today at 11.30 a.m. The Delhi Metro has completed this project three weeks ahead of schedule.

This construction of the tunnel had begun in February this year. The 1,453 metre long tunnel was completed just in four months.

This tunnel is parallel to the first tunnel from Malviya Nagar to Hauz Khas, which was completed on May 31.

The two tunnels will permit movement of Metro trains that will run on the Central Secretariat-Gurgaon section of Phase-II. The section would be opened to the public in 2010.

CAIT urges ministers to rationalise conversion charges
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 19
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) in a memorandum to Union urban development minister S. Jaipal Reddy and Union minister of state for urban development Ajay Maken has demanded a reduction in the recently proposed conversion charges for industrial plots in the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

It has stated that the charges were extremely high and would wreck traders.

CAIT general secretary Praveen Khandelwal said that the DDA had proposed a conversion charge of Rs 66,528 for Central, South and Dwarka zones, Rs 43,252 for North, East, West and Rohini zones and Rs 11,299 per sq metre for Narela zone based on the current commercial rates.

This, he said, would spell doom for traders. Praveen Khandelwal added that even the technical committee of the DDA had admitted that the conversion charges were on the higher side.

Helpline on heart diseases launched
Tribune News Service

The Heart Care Foundation of India president Dr K.K. Aggarwal with model Priyanka Sharma and designer Rahul launches the Foundation’s helpline in New Delhi on Thursday. Tribune photo

New Delhi, June 19
The Heart Care Foundation of India today launched a toll-free helpline, which will answer queries related to cardiovascular prevention.

The helpline number (9958771177), was jointly released by noted model Priyanka Sharma and eminent designer Rahul Jain.

The helpline would focus on weight reduction and heart-friendly diet.

Dr K.K Aggarwal, president, Heart Care Foundation of India, informed that experts would answer queries from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on all working days.

Aggarwal said that most heart diseases are self-inflicted and can be prevented by proper lifestyle management. Reducing weight by 10 per cent can reduce the risk of a heart attack substantially.

First dengue case reported
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 19
The first case of dengue this season was reported from the Karol Bagh area today.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) staff spent almost the entire day in sanitising the area.

The MCD has claimed that it was prepared to handle the situation.

The administration has even started implementing measures to prevent the further onslaught of the virus.

The MCD team reached the Karol Bagh area and instructed its staff to clean the surroundings, which painted a sad picture of overflowing sewage and filth on roads.