New Delhi, February 7
Asia’s largest prison complex, Tihar Jail, housing the most dreaded criminals and terrorists of the country, has finally started the process of installing mobile jammers in its prisons this month. As a result, the dreaded criminals and gangsters running their gangs with the help of mobiles from within the prison would be a thing of past.

The step in this regard began with the installment of the first mobile jammer in prison number 3. According to jail officials, out of the total 10 prisons (comprising Tihar Jails), only 4 prisons have been provided with the mobile jammers costing about Rs 56 lakh. “Four mobile jammers had been installed on a pilot basis to block signals emanating from the network of CDMA/GSM mobile towers. They would be able to block any mobile connectivity within the radius of 100 metres,” said a Tihar official.

Earlier, the Tihar think-tank was thinking of putting a jammer large enough to cover the entire Tihar Complex, but the plan was changed as it would have blocked the mobile signals in the nearby government flats as well.

The authorities say that they would be able to put jammers in all the remaining prisons as well as the Rohini Jail complex by the end of this year.

The four prisons in which jammers have been fitted are high on priority and house some of the most heinous criminals of the country. More than 350 hardcore criminals, including many terrorists, are lodged inside these jails.

“Even terrorist Mohammad Afzal Guru who has been sentenced to death in the Parliament attack case is housed in one of these prisons,” said the official.

After the recent Mumbai terror attack, security has become the prime concern of the jail authorities. A jail functionary said that to further strengthen the security and surveillance on the activities of prisoners as well as jail staff, they would be installing 200 new cameras to cover all barracks and high security cells. As per sources, the jail authorities have demanded INSAS assault rifles from the government after intelligence inputs warned of a possible terror attack to free some militants. “After reviewing its security, the Tihar Jail has sent a proposal for 100 INSAS assault rifles to the home ministry,” said a senior police official.

The sprawling jail complex is guarded by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Tamil Nadu Special Police and Delhi Armed Police. The jail houses over 11,500 inmates despite a sanctioned capacity of 6,250, causing a huge load on the infrastructure as well as the securitymen. 

New Delhi, February 7
Taking serious note of the last night’s accident involving an employee of the Metro who was dragged by a train with his fingers stuck in the door , the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation constituted a committee to look into the mishap.

Managing director of the DMRC E. Sreedharan has ordered a high-level enquiry committee consisting of general manager (operations), additional general manager (rolling stock) and advisor (traffic) to look into the details of the incident and to come up with recommendations to prevent happening of such incidents in future.

A metro employee was dragged by a metro train from Rajiv Chowk to New Delhi railway station last night while trying to close the door of a crowded compartment.

The incident occurred at Rajiv Chowk station at around 7.30 pm when a 22-year-old customer facilitation agent (CFA) Satender Kumar Jaiswal trying to close the door of a crowded compartment got his fingers stuck between the doors.

“Kumar was rushed to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital where he was discharged after first aid and is now recuperating at Ayushman Hospital,” said DMRC officials.

CFAs are deployed at Rajiv Chowk and Kashmere Gate stations during peak hours to prevent incidents of pushing and shoving.

The officials said that metro coaches have door obstruction detection mechanisms, which immediately detects any obstruction beyond 15 mm.

“The CFA who was pushing the crowd inside the coach to clear the door way, was pushed from behind by the crowd and his fingers got stuck in the closing door. The door closed on his fingers since they were less than 15 mm,” said Anuj Dayal, spokesperson, Delhi Metro.

Narrating the incident, DMRC officials said when the train reached the end of platform the victim clung on to the door and pushed his hand further inside the train to escape from being hit by the railing instead of pulling it out.

“With his left hand inside the train, he got hold of the door with his right hand outside and didn’t fall on the track,” said DMRC officials.

New Delhi, February 7
Over hundred local women leaders from four different states shared experiences and picked up skills on leadership from Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit here today.

District-level leaders from Haryana, Bihar, Rajasthan and Gujarat were in the Capital as part of a five-day workshop on women empowerment organised by the People for Research in Asia (PRIA).

The participants, who are taking lessons in advanced training on governance and democratic processes, had enlightening discussion with the Chief Minister.

“Women leaders have to fight on two fronts— inside the house with the family and outside the house with the rest of the world,” said Sheila Dikshit.

She added, “The most important struggle is at home. But once the family is convinced nobody can stop you from achieving your desires.”

Excited on meeting the Chief Minister, women representatives asked the secret of Dikshit’s hat trick.

“It is the duty of leaders to work for the welfare of the people who have voted them into power and should not be afraid of anyone while discharging their duties. If you discharge your duties with utmost honesty, you would become successful leaders,” said Dikshit.

“Most of the challenges come after winning the elections and taking over the position. We do not know how to deal with the administrators, who refuse to take us seriously,” asked Bhanu Ben Chenwa, former dalit sarpanch of Darul village in Gujarat.

Replying to her question, Dikshit said that there were democratic ways of registering one’s complaints. “One can write to higher officials. You should not loose confidence in yourself and should stand by what you believe in,” said Dikshit.

Sarpanch of Jahanabad in Bihar Sheila Devi, who initially wanted to become a teacher, said she had to face a lot of difficulties because of being a woman representative.

“Everyone has to face challenges. The real challenge lies in fighting with them and not loosing confidence. You should be dedicated in whatever you do,” said Dikshit.

Out of a total of 10,000 women, the PRIA selected almost hundred representatives for training in governance systems, application of provisions enshrined in the Indian constitution, gender sensitisation, budgets, planning, media interface and communication skills enhancement modules.

“Participants who come from the states of Bihar, Rajasthan, Haryana and Gujrat have undergone grooming and training workshops earlier on state- levels in their respective states before being selected for the national-level workshop,” said Rajesh Tandon, president, PRIA.

New Delhi, February 7
Most of the international as well as domestic flights of various airlines got disrupted due to dense fog which suddenly descended on Indira Gandhi International Airport in the morning today.

The flights were diverted to Jaipur, Amritsar and Mumbai due to heavy fog. Around 34 domestic and three international flights departing from the airport were rescheduled while others were delayed by up to three hours.

However, a Delhi-Bangalore flight of a private airlines was delayed by seven hours due to the fog followed by congestion and a technical snag in the aircraft.

The plane could not take off at seven in the morning as the visibility dropped to fewer than 50 metres due to fog which enveloped the airport suddenly around 6.30 am.

The passengers had boarded the plane when the fog descended on the airport and spent nearly seven hours in the aircraft when it finally took off at 1.30 pm, sources at the airport said.

The fog began to descend on the airport at around 5:30 in the morning. But within an hour, a thick blanket of fog enveloped the airport and visibility dropped to fewer than 50 metres from 400 metres, while the runway visibility from 2,000 metres to 100 metres, said the airport officials.

“Some of the early morning flights managed to take off as per their schedule. Some of the flights got stuck at the taxiway as well as at the apron, with the passengers on board,” he said.

Gurgaon, February 7
The Haryana power distribution corporations, the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) and the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) have decided to launch the “Surcharge Waiver Scheme” for all categories of consumers in urban as well as rural areas with immediate effect. The scheme will remain open till March 31.

Anurag Agarwal, managing director, DHBVN, said here today that the scheme would be applicable to only those connected and disconnected consumers who were defaulters on December 31, 2008. Cent per cent surcharge of such consumers would be waived on liquidation of total outstanding principal amount in lump-sum.

He mentioned that the defaulter consumers whose theft cases are pending in courts will also be covered under this scheme. However, they will have to give an undertaking for withdrawal of their cases from the courts. Those cases would not be covered under the scheme where consumers were detected stealing power for the second time. In case of wrong billing, the bills would be corrected as per the prevailing instructions of the Nigam.

Agarwal said that in case of disconnected consumers, reconnection would be made on payment of the outstanding principal amount. Such consumers shall have to pay reconnection and other charges as per prevailing instructions of DHBVN.

Addressing a meeting of senior officers of the DHBVN, Agarwal said that the field officers should ensure that all defaulter consumers in the state get benefit of surcharge waiver and there should be no connected defaulter by March 31 in the state. All the general managers (Operations) would be required to give certificate to this effect at the end of the period of the scheme.

Agarwal asked the field officers to hold camps in villages and go up to the doors of the defaulter consumers. The Haryana Ex-Services League would also form special teams of ex-servicemen to go to villages to persuade and educate the consumers about the scheme and to collect the payment of bills.

He announced that power development works, including replacement of iron poles, setting up of additional transformer, extension of distribution system, etc., of an amount of Rs 1 lakh would be executed within two months in a village which becomes non-defaulter.

Faridabad, February 7
The Haryana Janhit Congress (BL) headed by Kuldip Bishnoi on Friday got a jolt when its state secretary and former mayor of the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad (MCF) Devender Bhadana along with his supporters joined the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

Bhadana announced his decision to join the BSP in the presence of party’s nominee for Faridabad parliamentary constituency, former cricketer Chetan Sharma. Sharma, while welcoming Bhadana in the BSP, said that the party will be strengthened with the presence of leaders like him.

Bhadana, who was in the INLD during the time of its government in the state, was removed from the post of mayor of MCF as he fell off with the then Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautal. He also had to quit the INLD.

Subsequently, he unsuccessfully contested from Faridabad parliamentary constituency in the last general election as a nominee of the Haryana Vikas Party. He had joined HJC only a few months back.

Bhadana is a Gujjar leader and BSP feels that his joining the party would help it to make further inroads in his community, which has a good presence in Faridabad parliamentary constituency.

Ghaziabad, February 7
Six motorcycle-borne men robbed a jewellery shop in the evening today. They decamped with jewellery worth Rs 30 lakh. It took just three minutes to rob the shop.

Robbery took place at Radha Krishan Jewellery shop at Chiranjiv Vihar in Ghaziabad. Shop owner Sanjay Verma, said, “Around 6 p.m., a man came and inquired about some stone. We told him it was fake and not real. Later, he asked for the rate of original stone. While I was looking for the ratelist, three persons with pistols in hand snatched the keys from the drawer and overpowered us.”

“They took away cash of Rs 1.50 lakh from the box. They packed all the jewellery in bag and eloped within 3 minutes. Their two other accomplices kept the motorcycle on outside the shop,” said Verma. “The value of the robbed jewellery is worth Rs 30 lakhs,” he added.

SP Anant Dev said, “Dog squad was pressed in operation and fingerprints have been taken. On the basis of description of youths given by shop owners and others, we have got some clues to the robbers.”