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Ruckus at MTV Roadies auditions
10 hurt; cops resort to lathi charge

New Delhi, October 3
The auditions for the MTV reality show ‘Roadies’ in the Hauz Khas area of South Delhi were cancelled today after some people vandalised the venue leading to a mild baton charge by the police. More than 10 people have been reportedly injured in the incident.

80 fined for smoking in public places
Rs 8,940 collected as fine on Friday
New Delhi, October 3
Anti-smoking squads fined 80 violators for smoking in public places across the Capital today, a Delhi government official said.

Speed governors in vehicles soon
New Delhi, October 3
To put a check on the increasing number of fatal accidents in the country, the Union Government is planning to install speed governors in all vehicles across the country by early next year.


EARLIER STORIES




A person carries deity Subadhra during the Jagannath Rath Yatra organsied by Sri Raman Vihari Goudiya Math at Karol Bagh in New Delhi
A person carries deity Subadhra during the Jagannath Rath Yatra organsied by Sri Raman Vihari Goudiya Math at Karol Bagh in New Delhi on Friday. Tribune photo

Blast victim brain dead; family to donate organs
New Delhi, October 3
Deepu had come to the national Capital in January in search of a job. He now lies lifeless in a hospital, declared brain dead by doctors, because of the injuries he suffered in the September 27 Mehrauli terror blast here. His grieving parents have agreed to donate his organs to save the lives of needy people.

Let blast accused meet lawyers and kin, court tells police
New Delhi, October 3
The Delhi High Court today directed the police to allow those arrested in connection with the September 13 serial blasts in the city to speak to their advocates and relatives.

Graziano manager gets death threat
Persons accused of lynching CEO threaten to kill him if he gave testimony against them in court
Greater Noida, October 3
After the lynching of Lalit Kishore Chaudhary, CEO of Italian multinational company Graziano Transmissioni India Pvt. Ltd, now its manager Phul Singh has received a death threat.
BJP leader L.K. Advani receives greetings from Najma Heptulla and other Muslim leaders who had gone to his residence to greet him on the occasion of Eid in New Delhi
BJP leader L.K. Advani receives greetings from Najma Heptulla and other Muslim leaders who had gone to his residence to greet him on the occasion of Eid in New Delhi on Friday.Tribune photo

Cops take away body from burning pyre
Noida, October 3
In a bizarre incident, the police on Thursday took away the dead body of a man from burning pyre. The man had committed suicide by hanging himself.

Soumya Murder
Another witness surfaces 

New Delhi, October 3
Four days after woman television journalist Saumya Vishwanathan was shot dead in South Delhi while returning home after a night shift, the Delhi police on Friday said they had been approached by a person who had apparently heard some sound while passing by the way that night.

Arushi case: Raj Kumar in Nepal, cops clueless
Ghaziabad, October 3
Raj Kumar, one of the main suspects in the Arushi-Hem Raj murder case, is in Nepal for the last one week. But the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) maintains that it is unaware of his whereabouts.

Domestic, foreign firms take part in sports goods expo
New Delhi, October 3
Chairman and managing director of India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) Sheela Bhide and director general of Sports Authority of India Sayan Chatterjee today inaugurated a three-day Sports Goods and Physical Fitness Equipment Exhibition at Pragati Maidan here.

Communal Harmony
Many Ram Lila actors are Muslims and Christians

New Delhi, October 3
In the wake of the recent blasts, fear, turmoil and anxiety, the staging of Ram Lila is the best example of communal harmony and brotherhood, as performers from across the religious divide come together to enact the life story of Hindu god Rama. Muslim, Christian, Parsi or Hindu, the criterion for selection is only good acting.

Christians submit memo to Bapu
New Delhi, October 3
In a unique attempt to attract the attention of the authorities towards the atrocities being perpetrated upon them, the Christians of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) submitted a joint memorandum to the Father of the Nation, Mahatama Gandhi on the occasion of his 139th birth anniversary yesterday.

Two-day dandiya night from today
New Delhi, October 3
A two-day special Dandiya Night is being held at the Hamsdhwani Theatre in Prgati Maidan here on October 4 and October 5 to coincide with the fifth and sixth days of the Navratras.

Indian oil awarded
New Delhi, October 3
Indian Oil, the largest energy brand in India was awarded the Oil and Gas Supply Chain Excellence Award at the second Express, Logistics and Supply Chain (Asia Pacific) Conclave organised by IndiaTimes Mindscape and Business India.







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Ruckus at MTV Roadies auditions
10 hurt; cops resort to lathi charge
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 3
The auditions for the MTV reality show ‘Roadies’ in the Hauz Khas area of South Delhi were cancelled today after some people vandalised the venue leading to a mild baton charge by the police. More than 10 people have been reportedly injured in the incident.

The Delhi auditions for the show were being conducted at NCUI auditorium, where about 4000, mostly college students, had gathered since early morning.

According to organisers, things were going smoothly, till some people barged into the auditorium and started pelting stones and breaking window panes. Posters of the show were burnt along with a bike. About 100 private security guards present on the spot could not stop the men from entering the auditorium. The organisers had to call the police to control the vandals. “Some people jumped the queue and resorted to vandalism breaking furniture and glasses. We had no option but to cancel the auditions and call the police,” said Vaibhav Vishal, associate vice-president of the shows.

He added that had the auditions not been, cancelled, unsocial elements that destroyed the venue could have caused more havoc and hurt the participants.

The situation could only be controlled after the police arrived and took to baton charge.

According to eye witnesses, many people got hurt in the melee.

As per unconfirmed reports, one of the girl participants had to be admitted to hospital.

However, the police has denied indulging in lathi charge.

“There was no lathi charge at the venue and the police only scared away the vandals,” said HGS Dhaliwal, DCP (South).

The identities of those who created the ruckus were being confirmed.No arrest has been made so far.

The organisers of the show would announce the next dates for auditions in near future. 

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80 fined for smoking in public places
Rs 8,940 collected as fine on Friday

New Delhi, October 3
Anti-smoking squads fined 80 violators for smoking in public places across the Capital today, a Delhi government official said.

“Eight anti-smoking squads conducted raids at 50 public places including restaurants, bus stands and Inter State Bus Terminals (ISBTs) across the Capital. The squads raided 289 buses throughout the day,” Delhi Tobacco Control Officer R.P. Vashisht said.

“During these raids the squads collected a fine of Rs 8,940. Eighty people — 79 males and one female were fined,” Vashisht said.

The Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places Rules — 2008, passed by the union health ministry, came into force on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

The new rules expand the definition of public places from government buildings to office buildings, hospitals, schools, colleges, railway stations, airports, bus stands, hotels and restaurants. If caught, smokers will have to pay up to Rs 200 and even the owners of the premises will can be held liable.

“The maximum number of violations were found at ISBTs — particularly Anand Vihar bus terminal. However, I am very happy that there was not a single violation found in buses,” Vashisht added.

Delhi has been implementing anti-smoking rules since 1997. According to official records, “From 1997 till July 2008, the Delhi government has fined more than 87,000 people for smoking in public places.”

“Every year, on an average, Rs 700,000 are collected as fine,” Vashisht added.

He stated that strict guidelines have been given to the squads for the implementation of anti-smoking rules.

“We have given strict guidelines to the squads and told them that no one should be harassed. We have asked them to be polite but firm,” Vashisht said.

“The squads have been told to educate those found violating the rules due to ignorance. Anti-smoking law is a social law and it is to educate and make people aware,” he added. — IANS

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Speed governors in vehicles soon
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 3
To put a check on the increasing number of fatal accidents in the country, the Union Government is planning to install speed governors in all vehicles across the country by early next year.

Speaking during a two-day conference on ‘Mobility and Safety in Road Transport’, organised by the International Road Federation (IRF) in the city today, K.H Muniappa, union minister of state for road transport and shipping, said that although the country has developed world-class infrastructure that has enhanced mobility and speed, the mortality rate on roads remain high. “India overtakes all countries in road accidents and deaths because of improper illumination, absence of railings and markings on roads, missing signs as well as lack of proper traffic management.

Based on the recommendations of various committees, it has been felt that speed control is not possible without speed governors,” said Muniappa, adding that the process of installation of speed governors would be started soon.

About 1,30,000 deaths took place on Indian roads in 2007, which is about 10 per cent of world’s total fatal accidents. Around 40 per cent of the accidents were on highways. 

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Blast victim brain dead; family to donate organs

New Delhi, October 3
Deepu had come to the national Capital in January in search of a job. He now lies lifeless in a hospital, declared brain dead by doctors, because of the injuries he suffered in the September 27 Mehrauli terror blast here. His grieving parents have agreed to donate his organs to save the lives of needy people.

Deepu, 22, a gardener, suffered grievous head injuries in the explosion at Mehrauli Serai Market, in South Delhi that left one dead and at least 24 injured.

“He was brought in an unconscious state to the hospital with severe head injuries,” M.C. Mishra, chief medical officer, AIIMS trauma centre said.

“For the first three days we did not even know his identity. He was operated upon twice but is still unconscious and is not reacting to treatment. He id brain dead and we are mechanically keeping his heart and lungs working. There is no chance of his survival,” Mishra said.

The doctors gave the information to Deepu’s parents, who reached Delhi on Thursday after a 12-hour journey from Lucknow.

“Doctors told me that Deepu is almost dead and his organs can be donated. I have agreed to donate his organs so that they can be of use to some needy people,” said 50-year-old Bhagu Lal, Deepu’s father, who works as a labourer in Lucknow.

Deepu’s mother, Rajeshwari, is inconsolable. She has been sitting by the side of her son’s bed in the hospital.

“He spoke to me over phone a day before the blast and told me that he would come home during Diwali. He has not even opened his eyes once,” Rajeshwari said.

“It is really difficult to see my brother dying in front of my eyes. I feel so helpless but I cannot do anything,” Shamsher, Deepu’s brother, said with tears rolling down. — IANS

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Let blast accused meet lawyers and kin, court tells police
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 3
The Delhi High Court today directed the police to allow those arrested in connection with the September 13 serial blasts in the city to speak to their advocates and relatives.

A bench comprising Chief Justice A.P Shah and Justice S.Muralidhar passed the direction on a PIL filed by an NGO, People’s Union for Democratic Rights, which alleged that the arrested persons were being deprived of their constitutional rights by not allowing them to consult their lawyers.

The court asked the police to allow Zia-ur-Rehman and Saqib Nissar to meet their relatives and advocates in the evening and made it clear that the police would provide similar facilities to other arrested persons also, if they make a request on similar lines.

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Graziano manager gets death threat
Persons accused of lynching CEO threaten to kill him if he gave testimony against them in court
Parmindar Singh

Greater Noida, October 3
After the lynching of Lalit Kishore Chaudhary, CEO of Italian multinational company Graziano Transmissioni India Pvt. Ltd, now its manager Phul Singh has received a death threat.

The killers of the late L.K. Chaudhary have not been identified with certainty yet, though a report has been lodged against key accused in Bisarakh police station.

In his complaint lodged with Bisarakh police, Phul Singh, a resident of Vijay Nagar in Ghaziabad, has named Sanjay, Kailash, Jaswant and Sohan Lal for threatening to kill him if he gave a testimony against them in the court. All four are wanted in Chaudhary’s murder case.

Phul Singh told the police that he was threatened on September 27.

L.K. Chaudhary had been beaten to death with iron rods, clubs and lathis by violent retrenched and disgruntled workers of the company on September 22 on the factory premises. The police had arrested over 100 persons from the premises out of which 73 workers were booked for a breach of the peace and 63 for their involvement in lynching Chaudhary. But some labourers had succeeded in fleeing. The police is still trying to nab these wanted accused.

The Italian embassy has in a letter urged the state chief secretary to resolve the case at the earliest. The embassy has warned that in case they are not provided satisfactory security by the UP government the management of the Italian multinational company will be constrained to close the factory in Greater Noida.

With the fresh threat, the matter has again assumed urgency.

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Cops take away body from burning pyre
Our Correspondent

Noida, October 3
In a bizarre incident, the police on Thursday took away the dead body of a man from burning pyre. The man had committed suicide by hanging himself.

The police had to do this, as last month it had cremated the body of an old man who had died in road accident without waiting for the mandatory 72 hours for relatives to claim it. Two police post in-charges and two other cops were suspended for the lapse.

To avoid similar punishment and embarrassment the police took away the half-burnt body of the man and kept it in the mortuary.

The body was of Gopal, 24, a resident of Mamura village,who had hanged himself from a noose on Wednesday night. He was employed in a factory in Noida’s Sector-58. Depression was said to be the reason behind the act.

The police had taken Gopal’s body for an autopsy at Antim Niwas on Thursday afternoon. After which, instead of waiting for his relatives , they called four of his colleagues and started the cremation.

However, when the senior officers learnt about, they immediately ordered the cops to stop the cremation. 

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Soumya Murder
Another witness surfaces 

New Delhi, October 3
Four days after woman television journalist Saumya Vishwanathan was shot dead in South Delhi while returning home after a night shift, the Delhi police on Friday said they had been approached by a person who had apparently heard some sound while passing by the way that night.

Vishwanathan, who was working with Headlines Today news channel, was found dead in her white Maruti Suzuki Zen car in the Vasant Kunj area around 3.30 am on Tuesday. She was returning to her home in Sector-C of Vasant Kunj.

“A person who was passing on the same road (the Nelson Mandela Road) has approached us saying that he had heard some sound apparently when Saumya Vishwanathan’s car hit the central verge on the road around 3.30 am,” deputy commissioner of police (South Delhi) H.G.S. Dhaliwal said.

“The person said the sound could have been of a bullet. We cannot reveal anything more than this as it might hamper investigations. We appeal to those who had travelled on the same road on that night to help us with information,” he added.

The police is also studying the volume of traffic on the road between 3 am to 4 am to get an idea about the number of vehicles that generally pass at the time.

Earlier, an employee of a nearby eatery, Punjabi By Nature, who was returning home on his bicycle, saw the car rammed against the divider. He told the police he saw Vishwanathan’s head inclined on the right side and the car’s ignition, air-conditioner and headlights were on.

The police said the employee of the eatery did not see the incident taking place. “He arrived only after it had taken place.”

A senior official investigating the case dismissed reports that blue paint marks on Vishwanathan’s car were due to it brushing against another car.

“The blue paints marks most likely came from the signboard at the accident side. We are now examining the footage obtained from the close circuit television camera (CCTV) installed in the parking area of her office, but nothing concrete has emerged yet,” said a senior official.

“The CCTV footage shows her getting down from the office stairs; reach the parking bay and paying some balance money to a coffee vendor. She then approaches her car and sits inside. She comes out of the car and wipes her windscreen. She again sits in the car and leaves,” the official added.

On Friday, the police again questioned her family and relatives to gather any clues to the case.

The police was also questioning one of her male colleagues with whom she had apparently broken up a few months ago. — IANS

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Arushi case: Raj Kumar in Nepal, cops clueless
Our Correspondent

Ghaziabad, October 3
Raj Kumar, one of the main suspects in the Arushi-Hem Raj murder case, is in Nepal for the last one week. But the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) maintains that it is unaware of his whereabouts.

Raj Kumar and two others are accused of molesting and killing Arushi Talwar, the 14-year-old daughter of dental surgeon Dr Rajesh Talwar and the family’s domestic help, Hem Raj, on May 15 at Sector-25 in Noida.

Raj Kumar’s lawyer Naresh Yadav said, “Raj Kumar has left for Nepal, we are in touch with him and his family members on phone.” Yadav said that the court had not put any restriction on his leaving the country.

But he is bound to appear before the investigating officer or court whenever required.

Raj Kumar’s departure will not hamper the investigations, Yadav stressed. The investigation officer (IO) had not called Raj Kumar even once after he was granted bail.

CBI press information officer R.K. Gaur said that it was yet to be verified if Raj Kumar had actually left for Nepal. If it was against the terms of the bail, it would be shared with the accused, he added.

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Domestic, foreign firms take part in sports goods expo
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 3
Chairman and managing director of India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) Sheela Bhide and director general of Sports Authority of India Sayan Chatterjee today inaugurated a three-day Sports Goods and Physical Fitness Equipment Exhibition at Pragati Maidan here.

The exhibition will remain open for the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Leading sports goods companies of the country have showcased products including cricket bats, balls and accessories, footballs, rugby balls, volley balls, tennis rackets, fishing equipment, tracking and campaigning equipment, boxing and gymnasium equipment, sportswear, fitness supplements and a lot more, said an ITPO spokesman.

Apart from Indian buyers and experts, buyers from Australia, Brazil, Chile, Japan, the Lebanon, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Africa, Spain, the USA and the UK have also participated in the exhibition.

The purpose the exhibition is to create tremendous business opportunities for domestic sellers, as India is going to host the Commonwealth Games in 2010. 

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Communal Harmony
Many Ram Lila actors are Muslims and Christians
Rashi
Tribune news service

New Delhi, October 3
In the wake of the recent blasts, fear, turmoil and anxiety, the staging of Ram Lila is the best example of communal harmony and brotherhood, as performers from across the religious divide come together to enact the life story of Hindu god Rama. Muslim, Christian, Parsi or Hindu, the criterion for selection is only good acting.

Amit Hazra, 40, who plays Laxman in a Ram Lila in the city said that his beliefs take the back seat once he puts on his robes. “I feel, talk and behave like Laxman almost during the entire period of my performance and not just on stage,” he said. Hazra added that his family in Moradabad never objected to his acting in a Ram Lila. “They in fact applaud and encourage me. Back home in my village, I am a hero and often people address me as Laxman.”

Peter Cherian also expressed similar views. Peter has been working as a production manager in Ram Lilas from the last seven years. He said that doing backstage work for Ram Lilas satisfied him.

“There are times when we are so busy with the casting that we don’t even get time to drink water for hours. As soon as it is dinnertime we eat, drink and move together. There are no religious barriers at all,” he said.

“We perform Ram Lila irrespective of our religious beliefs. A Muslim boy plays the role of Laxman and Bharat where Ram is a Hindu boy. These are occasions of social rejoice. It is their talent that ‘Bharat milap’ makes the audience emotional. The audience is not interested in knowing whether he is a Hindu or a Muslim. Art has no borders, no religion and no difference,” said coordination head of a Ram Lila group from Moradabad, Alka Rani Rastogi.

The nine-day long epic and celebration of Ram Lila is the outcome of years of hard work, devotion and passion that these artists put in to bring a wonderful enactment of the 10-day battle fought between lord Rama and Ravana.

Most of the actors who participate in Ram Lilas are Muslima and Christians.

This was realised after a visit to the Ram Lila Maidan and the green rooms there.

Dussehra celebration is incomplete without Ram Lila. In Delhi, the nine-day epic is the most spectacular site of the city. Colourful costumes, big moustaches, scary masks, maze, bow-arrows and the long tale of Hanuman is the most happening thing at this time of the year.

Ram Lila is an enactment of the mythological epic — ‘Ramayana’, the life story of lord Rama.

With innumerable stalls, merry-go rounds, giant wheels and enormous lighting arrangements, this is one of the most awaited festival of the year.

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Christians submit memo to Bapu
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 3
In a unique attempt to attract the attention of the authorities towards the atrocities being perpetrated upon them, the Christians of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) submitted a joint memorandum to the Father of the Nation, Mahatama Gandhi on the occasion of his 139th birth anniversary yesterday.

The memorandum, with copies to Bhim Rao Ambedkar, Sardar Vallbhbhai Patel, Jawahar Lal Nehru, members of the Constituent Assembly; the President, the Prime Minister and the Government of India, stated “There is pain and anguish in our voice today as we cry out to you for help.”

The memorandum was placed at the samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat by two children on behalf of the Christian community at the end of a seven-day peaceful dharna at Jantar Mantar.

The memorandum, addressed to “Respected Bapuji” said that the “nation you had helped in creating, is experiencing destruction. Citizens are standing against each other. Indian Christians are being killed. Our women, including a nun, have been raped and even burned alive.”

The memorandum claimed that more than 4,300 in Kandhamal district of Orissa have been driven away from their homes.

“About 30,000 children are facing starvation, or worse. There is no protection for us even in the camps run by the Orissa government. Water supply has been cut-off; the camps are repeatedly attacked, even bombed. The police just stands and watches”.

The Christians are being openly forced to convert to Hinduism and those who refuse are chased out or assaulted and killed, the memorandum said.

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Two-day dandiya night from today
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 3
A two-day special Dandiya Night is being held at the Hamsdhwani Theatre in Prgati Maidan here on October 4 and October 5 to coincide with the fifth and sixth days of the Navratras.

Celebrities like Shankar Sahaney, Shefali Zariwala, Aditya Narayan and Shail are expected to participate in the event.

A spokesman of the organisers said that socialite Nafisa Ali, Shahnawaz Hussain, Subodh Kant Sahay, T Subbirama Reddy, BJP leaders Vijay Goyal and Mukthar Abbas Naqvi and industrialist Naveen Jindal have been invited as guests of honour.

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Indian oil awarded
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 3
Indian Oil, the largest energy brand in India was awarded the Oil and Gas Supply Chain Excellence Award at the second Express, Logistics and Supply Chain (Asia Pacific) Conclave organised by IndiaTimes Mindscape and Business India.

M Nene, ED (supplies), Indian Oil, received the award.

Express Logistics and Supply Chain Conclave has been awarding companies in categories like ‘best logistics service provider’, ‘best shipping line’, ‘FMCG manufacturing supply chain excellence and ‘automotive mfg supply chain excellence’. 

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