Gurgaon, October 31
A priest of a Shani temple in Naharpur village, here, was allegedly killed by some assailants on Friday night.A woman and two others were also injured in the incident.According to the Gurgaon police, two men on a motorcycle came to the under-construction temple and started firing indiscriminately.

The Gurgaon police said at that time of incident, the priest,Mukesh, was offering prayers for one Kanta Devi and her son Shivkant at the temple.

Mukesh was shot while trying to save Kanta Devi. He was rushed to hospital, but was declared bought dead.

After firing, the goons immediately fled the spot.

According to sources, there is a dispute between two criminal gangs— Kaushal and Chelu— over the land where the temple is being built. Kaushal gang wants to acquire the land worth crores.

To save the land from Kaushal gang, Kanta Devi had decided to build the temple on it. Due to this, the gang had already given death threats to Kanta.

Bijender Singh, station house officer of the Sadar police station said Kanta’s family had already lost many members because of th disputed land.

Mehar Singh, a relative of the priest, said the killing was the result of the enmity between the two gangs.

The police said it had registered a case against the Kaushal gang and started investigation.

Faridabad, October 31
Congress MLA from Nuh Aftab Ahmad feels if political leaders do not lift their standards, they as well as the people whom they represent will find themselves at the mercy of the bureaucracy.

Ahmad who is the third generation representative from his family in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha said India followed high principles of democracy.

only problem is the interpretation of the provisions of the Constitution whose signature tune is democracy in the polity. He said that people swear by the Constitution when it comes to the exercise of their own Rights but do not follow it when it comes to discharging duties.

Ahmad, whose constituency is in Mewat district, said that youngsters of the state would have to be at the vanguard for all kinds of reforms to make the society strong. Ahmad, a young MLA, said that the people of Haryana had rejected older politicians.

He said the youths of the country, especially Haryana, were convinced with the leadership of Rahul Gandhi.

He maintained Rahul Gandhy had infused more vibrancy in the Congress.

He laid stress on providing enough education, job and irrigation facilities in the Mewat region to make the area more progressive. This would facilitate youths to participate in democratic processes.

Ahmad’s father Khurheed Ahmad was elected to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha in 1962 and to the Haryana Vidhan Sabha in 1968, 1977, 1987 and 1996.

He was also elected to the Lok Sabha from Faridabad in 1999.

While his grandfather Kabir Ahmad was elected to the Haryana Vidhan Sabha in 1975 from Nuh and from Taoru in 1982.

New Delhi, October 31
The Tuglaq Road police has lodged a unique FIR yet again.The police station covers Lutyen’s Delhi, the area that primarily houses the VVIPs of the country. This police station has been famous for filing complaints related to theft of pets of these VVIPs.

In fact, once a loss of parrot was also reported. Apart from animals and birds hunt, the police station is known for registration of FIRs regarding killing of Mahatama Gandhi and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

However, notching a new path in vehicle thefts, the Tuglaq Road police managed to register a case related to a theft of a toddler’s bicycle this year. It may seem improbable to those aware of reluctance of the police to lodge FIRs. Nonetheless, they also know that this is possible when reports are concerned with ministers.

According to information, the FIR regarding theft of the bicycle of a four-year-old boy was lodged a few months ago and the police had spent several weeks to trace the cycle.

“He is not an ordinary boy. He is the grandson of Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and the bicycle was reported missing from house No. 2, Krishnan Menon Marg, the official residence of the minister,” a police official from Tuglaq Road police station said.

According to the FIR, which was lodged by the minister’s additional private secretary, Mahesh Sharma, the bicycle went missing from the back gardens of the minister’s residence. It also mentions the make of the bicycle- Horax (imported).

Although the police had failed to tell the exact cost of the bicycle, according to a Noida-based kids’ toys shop owner, it could be between Rs 7,000 and Rs 20,000 depending upon the model.

The sleuths of the police station spent considerable time to trace the stolen vehicle but had failed to catch the thief so far. “It is definitely the work of rag pickers and we caught hold of many. Bahut peete par pata nahi chala,” the police official said. 

New Delhi, October 31
The Delhi wing of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers today staged demonstrations at more than 50 places in Delhi against the Delhi government’s recent decision to increase the fares of DTC buses.The demonstrations were organised at prominent places of various assembly constituencies. 

Many important leaders of the party, including BJP Delhi pradesh president Om Prakash Kohli, Vijay Kumar Malhotra, leader of the party in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Subhash Arya, pradesh office bearers, district presidents, legislators and councillors, also joined the protests and addressed the demonstrators.

The protesters burnt an effigy of Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit at Akshardham temple and obstructed the traffic by staging a dharna in the middle of the road.

Addressing demonstrators, Kohli condemned the “anti- people” steps taken by the Delhi government. He said that the common man in Delhi was suffering under the Congress rule.

“First, the Delhi government withdrew the subsidy on power, then it hiked DTC fares and now the prices of milk have been increased. The Congress government has failed to curb price rise and this is increasing the burden on the common man. The Congress which had claimed to be for the common man at the time of elections has been exposed,” said Kohli.

Soon the water supply charges would also rise, he added.

Addressing demonstrators at a programme organised near Andrews Ganj flyover, Vijay Malhotra said the Sheila Dikshit government was an economic burden for the common man.

“The losses incurred by the Delhi Transport Corporation could have been reduced by preventing mismanagement in the corporation and making it more efficient, but the government failed to do so. Instead, it passed on the burden to the commuters.”

“Increasing bus fares to make up for the losses incurred by the DTC is not justified,” said a protestor.

Criticising the Congress government, Subhash Arya, while addressing a programme at Subhash Nagar Chowk, said, “The common man has become victim of the wrong economic policies of the government.”

Several demonstrators at Subhash Nagar Chowk and Karol Bagh were arrested.

New Delhi, October 31
A Delhi court today allowed the Delhi police to conduct narco-analysis test on top Maoist leader Kobad Ghandy.Chief metropolitan magistrate Kaveri Baweja allowed the plea of the Delhi police after going through a medical report submitted by a panel of doctors, stating that Ghandy was medically fit to undergo the test.

The court had last week asked a team of doctors from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to ascertain whether Ghandy was fit to take the test.

“There is no evidence to suggest that the accused cannot withstand narco-analysis test,” said the report.

The report, however, recommended that the “invasive” test be conducted under strict medical supervision as the accused was suffering from hypertension and other ailments.

The police had on October 20 filed an application before the court to allow it to conduct narco-analysis test on Ghandy on the grounds that he was not cooperating in the investigation.

The plea was strongly opposed by Ghandy’s counsel Rebecca M. John who said that it would violate Ghandy’s constitutional right under which an accused cannot be asked to be a witness in his own case.

Ghandy’s counsel had argued that since the matter relating to the validity of narco-analysis test had been referred to a larger bench of the Supreme Court and was awaiting verdict, the court should also wait for the final judgement before forcing the accused to undergo the test.

New Delhi, October 31
In an effort to familiarise the youth better with the contributions of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, AICC organised a two-day photo exhibition and film screening observing the 25th death anniversary of Indira Gandhi today.

The exhibition organised at the Ramleela maidan with around 150 photographs from the leader’s life and a documentary attracted the youth particularly.

While the exhibition witnessed Delhi’s Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit’s presence, it also saw huge inflow of MLAs and other party leaders throughout the day.

However, school tours remained one of the main highlights. Students from various schools along with teachers flocked the venue. Most students found the documentary on Indira Gandhi most fascinating.

Ankit, a student of NP Boys Senior Secondary School, said: “It doesn’t feel that she has not been there for the past 25 years. These pictures are stimulating enough to bring back these moments back to life.”

“Students are asking us all types of questions. They are keen to know the background of pictures that interest them,” said Professor Nath, NP Boys.

While the displayed photographs depicted various times from the leader’s life, the documentary captured Indira Gandhi giving a “pep talk” to Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi among other interesting facets.

Aarti, a student of Lady Irwin College, said: “Students of women colleges talk mostly about women empowerment. I think Indira Gandhi is the best example anyone can put forth hitherto. I am seeing some pictures for the first time and the experience is thrilling.”

Whereas Mamta, a housewife, said: “Sonia Gandhi looks young in these pictures. Some pictures of a younger Indira Gandhi are enticing. The documentary is wonderful as my children can see what they had missed when they were not around.”

The organisers said they were satisfied with the public response and that they look forward to more people tomorrow.

New Delhi, October 31
Demanding justice, some families of the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots on Saturday protested outside the Karkardooma court here, which was hearing a case related to the savagery in the Capital 25 years ago.

“It has been 25 years since the riots took place. If the government wants, we can easily get justice. But the government itself does not want to support the cause,” said Baburam Dukhiya, who runs an organisation for riot victims in Tilak Vihar.

“If the government cannot punish everyone at least they should punish main culprits like Congress leaders Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler. Court takes suo motto actions on so many things. Can’t anyone see what is going on with this case,” Dukhia added.

Carrying placards and posters demanding justice, about 150 Sikhs from many parts of the capital protested outside the court.

They shouted slogans such as ‘Punish the guilty of 1984’ and ‘We want justice’.

Riot survivor and auto rickshaw driver Santosh Singh said: “My uncle was killed in front of me, in front of my house. I had cut my hair that time and for years it remained that way. I didn’t get any compensation. I just want justice for me and my community.” Another protestor Jagjivanjot Singh said: “We have a Sikh prime minister. He should pass a resolution in parliament where government officially apologises to our community.”

The people also planted trees, brought from Punjab, in the nearby areas as a gesture to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the riots. — IANS