Ghaziabad, December 11
A senior Congress leader of Uttar Pradesh was shot in his house here by unidentified men on Thursday morning.

Pintu Tyagi, a member of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), was killed by armed men who came to his home at RDC Colony of this town, adjoining New Delhi.

According to the police, two unidentified persons rang the door bell that Tyagi’s wife, Anuradha Tyagi, answered. They requested to meet Tyagi. She permitted them in and went back to the kitchen where she was preparing tea for her husband.

A third man apparently joined them there, the police said, citing Tyagi’s wife.

Meanwhile, Tyagi came out of his bedroom and went to meet the visitors. However, within a minute, his wife heard two gunshots and rushed out, also calling their son Kunal to chase the attackers who fled the spot after shooting Tyagi.

Both mother and son chased the assailants for almost 100 metres but were unable to catch them.

They then rushed the critically injured leader to the local Yashoda Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead.

Tyagi had contested the Murad Nagar assembly seat on Congress ticket but lost to the Bahujan Samaj Party’s Raj Pal Tyagi, who is now a minister in the Mayawati government. His wife said he had no personal or business enmity with anyone.

“This is the second murder of a local politician after the brutal murder of BJP leader Raghuvir Bichhal, who was murdered a month ago. Law and order situation during the Mayawati government has deteriorated a lot,” said local MP Surendra Goel.

Ghaziabad police chief L. Ravi Kumar said the killing could be related to a property dispute.

“On the basis of the description furnished by Tyagi’s wife, the sketches of the criminals are being prepared,” he said, adding that three teams have been constituted to trace the attackers. — IANS

New Delhi, December 11
Sheila Dikshit, leader of the Congress Legislative Party (CLP), and her group of six ministers are likely to take oath of office and secrecy on December 15, sources said.

The sources said that Sheila Dikshit had informed the Lt-Governor of Delhi just after she was elected as leader of the CLP. The Lt-Governor has passed on this information to the union ministry of home affairs and invited Sheila Dikshit to prove her majority on the floor.

With the information of oath-taking ceremony, MLAs are aspiring for ministerial berth. Some of them who are close to Sheila Dikshit visited her residence asking for ministry in the government. Some are mounting pressure on her from various quarters in the party to favour some of the MLAs, sources added.

Winter session of the new Delhi Legislative Assembly is likely to be called on December 17.

There are only six posts of ministers in the Delhi government and all the communities and castes are to be considered before taking the decision. Experience is also one of the points to be taken into account before naming the ministers.

Many MLAs, including Hasan Ahmed from Mustafabad and Arvinder Singh Lovely, son of Buta Singh, former union minister, are in the race for the ministerial berth. The senior MLAs who are aspiring for ministerial berth are Subhash Chopra from Kalkaji, Kiran Walia from Malviya Nagar, Ramesh Jain from Sadar Bazar, Kanwar Karan Singh from Model Town, Tarwinder Singh Marwah from Jangpura, Narender Nath from Shahdara and Prahlad Singh Sahni from Chandni Chowk.

It is said that these MLAs are in the goods books of Sheila Dikshit.

Kiran Walia is the MLA who helped the manifesto committee to finalise the Congress manifesto for the assembly elections held on November 29.

It is said that A. K. Walia, minister of finance and planning may be replaced by Subhash Chopra. Walia is likely to be elevated to Speaker’s post succeeding Chaudhary Prem Singh, senior-most MLA in the Delhi assembly. Walia has a clean image but he was in the rebels’ group that may be a cause for changing his portfolio.

Besides Walia, Haroon Yusuf, MLA from Ballimaran, transport, food and supply minister and Arvinder Singh, education and tourism minister were also in the rebels’ group.

Hasan Ahmed may replace Haroon and Arvinder Singh who won the election from Deoli for the first time may replace education minister. Mangat Ram Singhal, industries minister may be replaced by Narender Nath, MLA from Shahdara or Rajesh Jain from Sadar Bazar. Yoganad Shastri may be replaced by Chaudhary Naseeb Singh from Patparganj. 

New Delhi, December 11
Leadership in the Delhi BJP is likely to be changed within a couple of weeks. This is being done after a demand from inside the BJP to change its leader due to the party’s defeat in the assembly elections, sources said.

A group of senior leaders in Delhi as well as in centre is holding the Delhi unit chief of the BJP, Harsh Vardhan responsible for the humiliating defeat in the elections. They are asking the party high command to change guard in Delhi keeping in mind the parliamentary elections to be held in February.

The opposition group in the party said that decision to issue tickets for the elections was taken by Harsh Vardhan. Vijay Kumar Malhotra and spokesman of the party, Arun Jaitley supported his decision.

All India general secretary Vijay Goel and senior leader of the party in Delhi O.P. Kohli opposed the names of many candidates but Vardhan stuck to his decision. It was a wrong choice, sources said.

The sources said that now high command of the party was busy considering the names for the chief of the Delhi state. Jagdish Mukhi’s and Vijay Goel’s names are considered. But Mukhi wants to retain his position as a leader of opposition.

New Delhi, December 11
The BJP seems to be losing ground in Rajender Nagar constituency from where its leader late Puran Chand Yogi had enjoyed the support of the masses since 1993, when the Capital went to polls for the first time as a legislative assembly.

The party, after Yogi’s mysterious death, had zeroed in on his wife, Asha Yogi, giving her the ticket in the hope of cashing in on the sympathy factor.

Hoping that victory in Rajender Nagar would help the party to gain its lost morale, eight legislators and MPs, including V.K. Malhotra, Navjot Singh Sidhu, M.L. Khurana and others, batted for Asha Jogi in Kathputili Colony of Pandav Nagar, Naraina, appealing people of Rajender Nagar to repose faith in the party.

The leaders admit that Rajender Nagar has become problematic due to the inclusion of new areas after delimitation.

“The redrawn map has included regions which were under Congress’ influence and were not taken care of. But, if Asha Yogi wins the seat she would surely take care of all issues of the regions,” said Malhotra.

Nurturing dreams of win, Khurana said, “We know very well to sail even in troubled waves. We do not become intoxicated in victory and frustrated in defeat.”

However, according to political experts, the success wave of the Congress might end up exercising magnetic pull on the people’s mandate, and thereby, influence the verdict in the constituency.

The campaigning for the constituency, for which voting will take place on December 13, ended at 5 pm today. 

New Delhi, December 11
Do you want to feel the thrill of holding a dinosaur’s egg and bones, a crater from the moon and the mars, saptrishi mandal meteor and stones or minerals in their crude form over 65 million years ago? Are you frustrated or pained and want to find solace?

Then Gargoti is the place for you. It gives you rest and relieves you from the worldly pressure and tension. Serenity and peace captures your personality no sooner you enter the mineral museum.

But sadly even after one month of its inauguration, the first mineral museum in the city at Rajiv Gandhi Handicrafts Bhawan on Khadak Singh Marg is unable to find much recognition among Delhiites.

Gargoti, which exhibits the finest and rarest gifts of nature formed deep inside the earth over 65 million years ago, is the only museum of its kind in Asia.

Each stone is unique and is of immense value because of its metaphysical, medicinal and aesthetic worth. They set in a positive aura and fill you with energy and charisma. These stones dispense positive energy that helps in healing, curing and maintaining a balance between mind, heart and soul.

“These crystals keep negative vibes away and protect us from evil. They make us feel more energetic,” said an official.

“It was my hobby to collect stones. And the first time I found something different and eye appealing, I felt that there exists a divine bond between the rocks and me. It was what I call my teenage love,” gushes K.C. Pandey, founder of Gargoti.

K.C. Pandey, a retired Indian Navy aeronautical engineer, started collecting stones and crystals at the age of 16.

Exhibiting stones and crystals in their crude form, this museum has minerals, including flourite, cavansite, pyrite, Himalyan quartz, emerald, topaz and amethyst. Gold in its crude form, worth Rs 1.1 lakh, is also on display.

Pandey claims it to be the oldest collection in the world. The pieces on display change the aura and give immense energy best suitable for corporate and home decor.

The theme of Gargoti is to portray natural and aesthetic reserves of the earth. It shows India is a deposit of rarest of the rare minerals and precious stones. Focussing on the crystalline form of minerals, this collection represents the multi-faceted and multi-dimensional culture of India.

These stones are a rage across the world, especially in the USA, Japan and Europe. Western countries are trying to retain the unearthed mineral treasures.

Although the international mineral community has come to appreciate Pandey’s heritage, he laments youngsters in India remain largely oblivious about this.

“These minerals can add enormous prosperity to our country’s treasure if marketed effectively. The aim to bring this museum was to explain that India itself is a hub of such minerals or stones and we need not go elsewhere to look for them,” he added.

The mineral museum at Rajiv Gandhi Handicrafts Bhawan is open for the public from 11 am to 6 pm on weekdays.

New Delhi, December 11
The two African nationals, who left behind their baggage in an auto rickshaw in Connaught Place and thus gave anxious moments to the security authorities last night, are still at large. Police has claimed to have got certain vital clues in the case and is verifying them.

The incident created panic among the Capital residents after the rumours spread that there were bombs in the two electronic safes left behind by the ‘black Nigerians’. However, when the safes were opened, police recovered some papers and dollars inside them. The New Delhi district police is probing the contents and trying to trace the two men involved in the incident. “We are investigating the matter and would be able to trace the people involved. The papers recovered from the electronic safes do not indicate anything about the nationality or names of the people but we have got some leads and are pursuing them,” said a senior police officer involved in investigation.

The auto driver has been detained and is being questioned for more details. He has reportedly told the investigators that two persons had boarded the auto from Paharganj and fled when intercepted by policemen at a barricade in Connaught Place Inner Circle. 

The electronic safes found in the auto rickshaw were not opened by the police initially suspecting them to contain bombs. NSG team along with the bomb disposal squad was then rushed in. The auto was taken to a vacant plot on Baba Kharak Singh Marg opposite state emporia where the safes were opened after cordoning off the area. 

According to police, the auto was intercepted as a part of routine procedure but the moment the men saw the cops, they jumped out from the other side and just melted in the crowd. The police is also investigating the case as one to be of drug trafficking and black dollar scam. 

New Delhi, December 11
The special cell of the Delhi police has claimed to have succeeded in busting an international drug cartel and has arrested one Nigerian national and two Afghan nationals with 2.170 kgs of fine quality heroin worth over rupees two crore in the international market. With the arrests, Alok Kumar, DCP (special cell) claimed to have neutralised a drug cartel between Afghanistan, India and African countries.

According to Kumar, SI Satender Sangwan, on December 10, received a tip off that a consignment of heroin would exchange hands in Mahabir Nagar at a specific time. Accordingly a trap was laid and the Nigerian and an Afghan national were nabbed red-handed while exchanging the consignment.

Those arrested were identified as, Mohd. Alam Noori of Afghanistan and John Chiedozie Martin of Nigeria, presently residing in Mahavir Nagar. About 1,374 gms heroin was recovered from their possession. 

Noida, December 11
The fast track court of an additional district judge has sentenced a youth to 10-year rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 for kidnapping and raping a minor girl in Harola village Noida. The youth had lured the girl to Bangalore. Court let off his father, giving him the benefit of the doubt.

According to prosecution, a widow, Sangeeta (changed name) was living in rented house in Harola. On March 3, 2007 while she had gone on her duty, leaving her elder daughter Dolly (changed name) and son Guddu at home. At 4 pm, Sanjeev living on the ground floor called Dolly to his room on some pretext and enticed her to accompany him on an all-India tour. Dolly was thus lured to accompany Sanjeev to Bangalore by boarding a train from Hazrat Nizzamuddin railway station.

When Sangeeta returned from her duty, she did not see her daughter in the house. Her neighbours told her that they had seen her going with Sanjeev. Sangeeta immediately lodged a report against Sanjeev and his father Mohinder for kidnapping her daughter. The police imprisoned Mohinder immediately.

After two months when Sanjeev had squandered all his money, he came back along with Dolly. Police immediately arrested him and sent him to jail.

After hearing the prosecution and defence advocates, additional district judge of Fast Track Courts Alok Trivedi sentenced Sanjeev to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment with Rs 10,000 as fine. His father Mohinder was released for want of clinching evidence against him.

Ghaziabad, December 11
Panic struck the entire Agarwal Market (five km from Bagpat town) last evening, as six armed men sprayed bullets on traders, killing two on the spot and wounding five others.

According to sources, six persons had attacked the houses of proprietors of Brig Mohan Bhattawale and Kishen Chand, Sanjay Kumar Khalwale at 7:30 pm yesterday. The assailants started firing as soon as they entered the house. Sumant and Kishen Chand were killed on the spot while five others were wounded.

Hearing gunshots, people began running helter-skelter. The assailants took advantage of the commotion and fled away.

All shops in the market were immediately closed. The traders jammed most of the roads in protest. The agitated people also attacked and damaged the police post in the market.

Noida, December 11
The Noida Phase-II police has arrested three dreaded criminals of a gang in an encounter. Two revolvers and two stolen bikes were seized from them. One of the bikes is reportedly priced at over Rs one lakh.

With the arrest, the police claimed to have solved a number of recent thefts in the area.

The Phase-II police has been in a state of alert in view several incidents of thefts in the area.

These men, who were traveling on bikes, were asked by the police to stop for check near Jhojha village. But they tried to escape. The police then chased them and cornered them near water tank on Jhojha road. On being surrounded, they started firing on the cops, but were overpowered.

During interrogation they have revealed that they belong to Siliguri, but were currently living in Salarpur village.

The police had once earlier also arrested them.

Faridabad, December 11
Hundreds of students of Government Senior Secondary School of Old Faridabad today took out a procession against terrorism and in memory of those who lost their lives in the recent terror attacks in Mumbai.

The students of the school along with the staff members paid homage to the lives lost in the attacks.

The procession covered a distance of about two kilometers and went through the main market and Subzi Mandi, among other areas of Old Faridabad.

The event was organised by the National Service Scheme (NSS) unit of the school.

The students of NSS, NCC and Bharat Scout and Guide units took part in the event.

Many students held placards which had anti-Pakistan slogans urging that country to give up the practice of patronising terrorism.

The in-charge of the NSS, Desraj Gola said

that the event was also organised to send a message that the people of India are one and united against terrorism while terrorists have no caste and religion.

New Delhi, December 11
A photo exhibition dedicated to HIV vulnerable communities such as female sex workers, men having sex with men, transgender, children, including those orphaned by the disease and some living with it, opened in the Capital today.

Organised in collaboration with the Karnataka Health Promotion Trust, the photo exhibition ‘The People Tree’ would run at the American Center till December 30.

“It is our way of telling people that given a chance, these communities can help in the prevention of the deadly disease,” said Vandana Gurnani, executive director, Karnataka Health Promotion Trust.

“This exhibition is a tribute to the strength of the people we have been working with,” she added.

The photos of individuals and groups were taken by leading photo journalist N.P. Jayan. “I was shaken by the sheer enormity of the issue of HIV/AIDS. It took me some time to comprehend the problem and come to terms with it. I am convinced that today terrorism, AIDS and global warming are three issues that need the attention of the world,” said Jayan.

The pictures on display also portray experiences of organisations working to fight HIV in Karnataka and Maharashtra.

“While working with the HIV vulnerable communities in Karnataka, we have experienced that it is most important to provide victims of the disease with a sense of self-respect and individual recognition. One has to fight against the stigma attached to the disease,” said Vandana.

About thirty collectives of HIV-infected sex workers reach out to 58,424 other sex workers with information, HIV prevention messages and services. The ‘men having sex with men’ community is also contributing to the collectives to learn about the disease.

Talking about her experiences of working with the HIV vulnerable communities in seven districts of Maharashtra, project director of Avert Society, an organization working in the field, Anna Joy, said, friend-to- friend counseling was the most effective way of reaching the patients.

“Individual counseling by friends is important. Also, we identified that people suffering from the infection did not have any place to go. So, we constructed community care centres,” said Anna.

New Delhi, December 11
Though the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has failed to check the stray cattle menace by way of inserting micro-chips, it is all set to use the technology to keep a tab on the movement of bullock carts in the Trans-Yamuna area of the Capital.

Bulls in the area will be micro-chipped. Bullock carts are used here for collecting silt and garbage.

According to the MCD officials, the civic body has received complaints that bullock carts here have not been doing the job properly. “We are planning to micro-chip bulls which will help us to track the movement of bullock carts,” said a senior MCD official.

According to sources, with over 813 bullock carts in the area, the procedure of chipping the bulls will cost the MCD around Rs 4 lakh.

“To keep a tab on the movement of bullock carts, we can micro-chip bulls. The condition of sanitation is going from bad to worse,’’ he added.

He further informed that bullock cart owners get some Rs 175 for four rounds a day. He alleged that they continued to get paid but have not been doing their job properly.

“We have asked the commissioner to initiate an inquiry into the matter. If bullock cart owners are doing no work, their services should be discontinued,” said Standing Committee Chairman Vijender Gupta.