New Delhi, September 3
An apparent victim of road rage, a 30-year-old Blueline bus driver died after he was beaten up by four people in West Delhi over a broken rear view mirror of their car.

The incident took place around 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday at main Rohtak road.

Mahabir Singh, bus conductor, told the police, “The incident occurred last evening (Tuesday) when the Blueline bus was returning to Old Delhi railway station. At main Rohtak road, a Chevrolet Optra overtook the bus and stopped in front of it.”

“The car driver then pulled out the driver, Mukesh Kumar and while pointing out to the broken rear view mirror on the left side asked him — who will pay for it?” the conductor said.

The car was being driven by Naveen Kalra, a chemist by profession.

“The conductor told us that the car occupant claimed that it was their bus that had broken the mirror. A heated argument took place. Kalra made a few calls and within minutes three more people arrived at the spot,” a police official said.

The conductor said they were not armed but they surrounded the driver and suddenly started beating him.

He tried to intervene but fled after they threatened him. The conductor then informed about the incident to a police control room (PCR) van.

“By the time the PCR van reached the spot, the accused had run away with his friends and the bus driver was lying unconscious. Mukesh was taken to the Sanjay Gandhi Hospital,” the official added.

Mukesh was later shifted to the Maharaja Agrasen Hospital where he succumbed to injuries late in the evening.

“All his injuries were internal and there were no external injuries. We are waiting for the final post mortem report to ascertain the cause of death,” said the official.

“The conductor had noted down the number of Naveen’s car. Kalra, who is a resident of Vikas Puri, has been arrested,” the official said. — IANS

New Delhi, September 3
A class X student was run over on Wednesday by a privately operated Blueline bus while boarding it in North East Delhi.

A mob then vandalised the bus and manhandled the driver. Sanchit Gupta, 16, came under the rear wheels of the vehicle when he tried to board the running Blueline bus plying on route number 236 between Anand Vihar to Nangloi at Shastri Park T-point around 7.30 am.

Gupta, a resident of the New Usmanpur area, was taken to the Guru Tegh Bahadur (GTB) Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

After the accident, a mob, comprising students and passers-by, smashed the windowpanes of the bus and vandalised it.

They also beat up bus driver Karmveer, who had to be rescued by the police. Karmveer, a resident of Nangloi, was admitted to the GTB hospital.

The police said that after primary treatment he was arrested and a case of rash and negligent driving was registered against him.

Manish Gupta, Sanchit’s father, works in a private company and his mother Sunita
is a schoolteacher.

As the news of accident reached the victim’s HM DAV Senior Secondary School in Daryaganj area, students from many schools took to the roads and pelted stones at many Blueline buses in the Kashmiri Gate and Seelampur areas, damaging over 20 vehicles. — IANS

New Delhi, September 3
A 14-month-old test tube baby has successfully undergone a critical liver transplant surgery at the army hospital here and doctors said that he was one of the youngest children to undergo such an operation in the country.

A team of 20 doctors and paramedics carried out an ‘in situ’ surgery to extract the liver from an army officer’s dead wife and transplant half of it in the baby boy, authorities at the Army Research and Referral Hospital here said on Wednesday.

The technique of ‘in situ’ involves dividing the donor liver during retrieval into two parts, so that two patients can be benefited from one donor organ.

The 14-month-old boy was conceived by in vitro-fertilization technique commonly known as test tube technique and is “amongst the youngest liver transplant recipients in the country”, the hospital said.

The condition of the baby is fine and he is recovering well, doctors at the hospital said. The baby was born with congenital absence of bile ducts, causing acute jaundice since birth.

The hospital said doctors transplanted the second half of the donor liver in a 26-year-old soldier, suffering from end-stage liver problem. — IANS

Ghaziabad, September 3
A woman lawyer practising at the Patiala House Courts in New Delhi has alleged that she was raped at gunpoint by a colleague in Himachal Pradesh’s Manali town after she went there with him thinking they were to get married, the police said today.

The lawyer has lodged a complaint at Sahibabad police station.

In her complaint, she said that Raj Kumar, who practiced law with her in the courts, told her the marriage had to be solemnised outside Ghaziabad as his parents were opposed to the match.

When they reached Annapurna hotel in Manali on June 20, she was welcomed by his three friends — Mukesh, Aswani and Vikas.

When she asked why they were there, Raj Kumar said that he called them there as witnesses to their marriage.

During the night, Raj Kumar raped her at gunpoint with the help of his friends and assured her that the marriage would be solemnised next morning.

But next day, he refused and said that he would marry her in Ghaziabad. After reaching Ghaziabad, he threatened to kill her.

She claimed that when she verified his credentials from the Bar Council of India, she could not find any registration of his name.

The police has registered a criminal case under Sections 366, 376, 506 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code against Raj Kumar, Mukesh, Aswani and Vikas.

S.P. Singh, circle officer border, said that one person has been arrested while attempts are being made to nab the others. — IANS

New Delhi, September 3
The police has claimed to have unravelled the mystery behind the murder of Karol Bagh businessman Ajay Gupta who was found murdered in Ghaziabad on August 18.

A woman and two men have been arrested for the crime. Two credit cards of the victim have been recovered.

The three had allegedly killed the businessman for obtaining his credit cards as he often boasted of huge cash in his account.

A special cell of the Delhi police identified Dheeraj Kumar of Vaishali in Ghaziabad who disclosed of having provided a SIM card to a couple on fake ID proof.

The couple had called up Ajay Gupta from that number.

However, Dheeraj did not know anything about the whereabouts of the couple.

The couple was traced with the help of their car, which was parked near Shyam Lal College yesterday.

The car was tailed and Vikram and his wife Lalita Khatri were apprehended.

They disclosed that they had come in contact of Ajay Gupta a year ago. He used to visit them occasionally.

He often boasted of huge wealth. He said that he had lakhs of rupees in his various bank accounts and had credit cards of several banks.

The couple wanted to earn easy money and, therefore, hatched a conspiracy to eliminate Ajay Gupta. Dheeraj, a property dealer, helped them get a rented flat.

Dheeraj arranged a mobile number for them on fake ID proof for a handsome amount.

On August 17, Lalita called up Ajay Gupta and asked him to meet her near Ansal Plaza in Vaishali.

When he came she took him to the flat and drugged him. Vikram strangulated him.

They dumped his body on the side of Kanawni Road in Ghaziabad and left the Wagon-R car of the victim in the Khatoli area.

They then left for Haridwar. They made payments at petrol pumps from the credit cards of Ajay Gupta.

New Delhi, September 3
Students are nonchalant if not downright cool in the face of hectic election campaigns currently under way on campus, as Delhi University gears up in a massive way to prepare for elections which will be held this Friday.

All the drama of a varsity election is visible on DU’s campus right now.

The campus is plastered with posters both handmade and printed. Party workers can be seen canvassing from college to college and classroom to classroom.

Also, there are parties flinging charges against each other, the ABVP tearing apart the NSUI’s tenure of one year at press conferences, in meetings with students, in the canteen etc.

Ardent party workers are holding press conferences to get their message across to the city. It could be a mini Lok Sabha election unrolling.

Let’s not forget the court cases, aspirants getting evicted, candidates facing court notices. All the drama of a full-fledged university election with its politics is there.

Political parties and politicians are coming out in support of different candidates of either the ABVP or the NSUI.

However, ordinary students are feeling jaded and there is a lack of enthusiasm which is growing as the campaign reaches a desperate pitch.

Says Nalini Singla, a third year student, “Neither I nor my friends are overly interested in this election. It barely affects us. Besides, it is too political. The candidates from different parties come to our college talk of issues and after they are voted to power they forget about us. It’s typically like a national election.”

Radhika Sharma, a second year student from Kirori Mal, says, “What do they do for us? Do we have more hostels? Is it any easier commuting to and from DU? Many of us have to live together outside the varsity and it is not safe in Delhi. What we need is really more hostels in DU especially for girls.”

Lalit Mathur, from SRCC, says, “It is a rather politicised election and a bit disappointing. I guess I’ll vote but it’s more out of habit than anything. It’s not like they have been able to produce anything much for us. I guess if they manage to get representation in the executive council and get the students a voice there, then that might be something. We desperately need more hostels here at DU and if DUSU manages one, that would be an achievement. So far they are a bit disappointing.”

“He was never a leader of the black sections in America. Most of the people, who voted for his nomination were white. But I would still be disappointed if he is not elected the president as he would still mark a change,” he said.

New Delhi, September 3
The PNDT Act has been in force for many years, but the fact is that a majority of people living even in the country’s Capital are unaware that any such law, which says that female foeticide is a crime in the eyes of law, exists.

What is more shocking is that even if they know such a law is there, they just
do not care.

A recent study conducted by the Centre for Social Research (CSR) suggests age-old customs and family traditions are the two major reasons that drive people in the very urban Delhi towards committing the shameful crime of sex selective abortion.

In the past 20 years, India has lost around 10 million girls thanks to rampant female foeticide. India has one of the lowest sex ratios in the world with 933: 1000 sex ratio in 0-6 year age group.

Shockingly, as per the CSR, latest Lancet research suggests that the NCR region has just 762 girls for every 1000 boys, much less than the country’s sex ratio.

The CSR study supported by the ministry of health and family welfare has covered three areas from Delhi—Punjabi Bagh, Narela and Najafgarh—with low sex ratio. Narela has a sex ratio of 828:1000, Punjabi Bagh 842:1000 and Najafgarh 841:1000.

As many as 38 per cent of respondents in Punjabi Bagh, 71 per cent in Narela and 13.5 per cent in Najafgarh admitted that old customs and family traditions were the two major reasons for son preference and female foeticide.

Surprisingly, if this is the condition of the violation of law and inhuman activities practised in the Capital then what would be the ground reality in states like Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat that have abysmally low sex ratio.

CSR director Ranjana Kumari said that the society and medical fraternity should wake up to the problem before it is too late.

“Only collective force of citizen partnership can help combat the problem in society. The medical fraternity should also strongly oppose female foeticide and practitioners who are still carrying out these activities should be blacklisted,” she added.

The CSR study is clear that while no ultrasound clinics, doctors or hospitals accept that they conduct such activities, on conditions of anonymity a couple of clinics and nursing homes in each area admitted their involvement in sex selective abortions.

Several doctors said that it is usually quacks and unregistered medical practitioners who perform such sex determination tests.

Gurgaon, September 3
The deputy commissioner of Gurgaon has warned of a suitable legal action against individuals or groups for not cooperating in checking dengue in the district.

The development comes in the wake of increasing onslaught of dengue in Gurgaon and the official failure to rise to the occasion.

It is not clear what kind of action can be initiated in this regard as the Municipal Corporation is yet to incorporate bylaws entailing penal action on the pattern of Municipal Corporation, Delhi, that has provision of fine.

The DC Deepti Umashankar told The Tribune that the administration might resort to some suitable action under prevailing provision to maintain public health and safety.

“Do not take it as some coercive action but this will be done in case the public cooperation is not forthcoming. Primarily we want that people should realize their duty to keep environs especially houses free from any conditions that may facilitate breeding of mosquitoes,” she said.

On its part, the administration recently called a meeting of residents’ welfare associations, NGOs, industrial associations, group housing societies to elicit their cooperation to curb the killer disease.

It has already started awareness campaign besides starting a dedicated helpline. But still the disease continues to spread.

As the number of dengue patients here has increased to 320. Three dengue deaths have been reported from here.

The administration has also asked HUDA and MC to provide 40 workers each exclusively to tackle the disease.

Fogging is being done in the dengue-affected areas.

The health department today again carried out fogging in Rajiv Nagar, Sector-10, 10-A, 4 and 15 where new cases were reported.

New Delhi, September 3
The Delhi government has released a contingency fund of Rs 50,000 for hospitals to help tackle dengue and malaria cases in the national Capital.

Delhi health and social welfare minister Yoganand Shastri announced this after senior officers of the Delhi government, MCD and NDMC reviewed the dengue situation in the city.

The minister said that 34 hospitals in the Capital were fully equipped to handle dengue cases.

Besides sufficient drugs and platelets were available to deal with any eventuality.

All hospitals had been instructed to keep sufficient stock of medicines and a separate ward for dengue patients.

The government was also providing “alija kit” to hospitals on priority basis, he said.

The health minister has also instructed the MCD and the NDMC to check check mosquito breeding specially at construction sites and vacant plots.

He has also asked health officers to involve RWA’s and local communities in anti-dengue programmes.

The review meeting was convened last evening following reports of suspected dengue cases from different parts of the Capital.

So far there have been 86 cases of the dreaded mosquito-borne disease.

New Delhi, September 3
Heart Care Foundation of India with the Delhi government and various heart hospitals launched a sudden cardiac death prevention campaign for the coming MTNL Perfect Health Mela.

Apart from the mela partners, officials from the NDMC, MCD, BPL, OBC and LIC were also present on the occasion.

Padma Shri Geeta Chandran also joined the Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) campaign as a special guest.

Dr Trehan, chairman of Global Health and Geeta Chandran launched two main devices, an audiovisual stethoscope and a cost-effective AED machine.

“Most cardiac deaths occur in the first hour of heart attack. Cardiovascular diseases account for more than 35% of all deaths in India,” said Dr K.K.Aggarwal, president, Heart Care Foundation of India.

New Delhi, September 3
There is no mention of Delhi in the Rs 55,000-crore Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM) sponsored by the Union urban development ministry for the development of urban infrastructure in 63 small and big cities.

This fact came to light during the assessment of the scheme by the urban development ministry, said Delhi unit chief of the BJP, Harsh Vardhan.

This shows inefficiency and anti-people working system of the Sheila government.

In 2005, a scheme by the urban development ministry was started in which 63 cities, including Delhi were selected.

Construction work in the field of infrastructure for 62 cities except Delhi is progressing and some of the works are going to be completed soon whereas in Delhi construction for only 2320 low-cost houses in Bawana, Narela and Bhaurgarh has been started.

Harsh Vardhan said the Delhi government had forwarded 42 detailed project reports to the ministry out of which 23 were rejected for not fulfilling required conditions.

Out of this 18 projects were of the PWD of Delhi government and five were related to Delhi Jal Board.

The BJP leader expressed surprise on the fact that the government had been sitting on these projects for the last two years and had not forwarded them to the urban development ministry for approval.

Six projects of the MCD are pending with the ministry.

They are: redevelopment of Jama Masjid, traffic management of civic centre area, improvement of the corridor of SP Mukherjee Road and widening of Rani Jhansi Road with grade separator.

The new product will be introduced at 261 selected branches of the bank.

Gurgaon, September 3
To ensure inclusion of the deserving families in the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category, the district administration, on the directions of the state government, has started the process of accepting claims and objections for the purpose.

The deadline for completing the process is September 30.

Though the genuine poor families were given two chances for inclusion of their names in the eligibility lists yet if any deserving poor family was left out, it still has the chance to apply in the office of the Gurgaon ADC by September 30.

During the process, the names of the families found ineligible for BPL status would be deleted from the list on receiving objections.

As per deputy commissioner Deepti Umashankar, the claims and objections received in the ADC office so far were entered into computer and then sent to the Block Development and Panchayat Officer concerned (BDPO) for verification about the BPL status of the families.

She said till now 424 claims and objections had been received in the ADC office.

Of the 92235 families residing in the rural areas in Gurgaon, 22211 families figure in the BPL list already published by the government.

The ADC Abhe Singh Yadav said that in order to make the process of BPL list error-free, his office had started computerization of claims and objections received.

The decision to add or delete the family’s name in the BPL list would be taken by the government on the basis of the verification report by the BDPO concerned.

Ghaziabad, September 3
Six unidentified armed dacoits critically injured a trader on Tuesday midnight and looted cash, jewellery and other valuable articles from his house in Ghaziabad.

The criminals took out Rs 35,000 in cash, 50 silver coins, one gold chain, 3 DVD players and some expensive clothes.

“When we resisted, they hit me. As I raised my hand in defence, they hit me hard with a rod and broke my right arm,” said trader Pawan Kumar. — IANS