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’84 riots: Victims hold akhand paath
25 yrs on, Block 32 Trilokpuri: Painted walls, scars within
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MARATHON
Games: 250 students, teachers hold cycle rally
Delhi dengue tally reaches 366
Intellectually challenged need grooming
Delhi plans tech-friendly industrial policy
6 killed in three accidents
2 burglar gangs busted
Police opens files of 42 criminals
Nigerian found dead
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’84 riots: Victims hold akhand paath
New Delhi, November 1 The paath was organised with the help of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, Amritsar, said AIRVRC president Kuldip Singh Bhogal. The AIRVRC invited Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to attend the paath although she did not come. Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Prof Vijay Kumar Malhotra attended the ceremony and planted a tree in the memory of the victims. Malhotra said: “We cannot forget the mass killing of Sikhs during the 1984 riots. When the BJP government came to power, Nanavati Commission was constituted to investigate the cases and punish culprits”. He wrote a letter to the Delhi mayor demanding construction of a memorial in the memory of the victims, Malhotra added. Kuldip Singh and youth leader of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) Manjinder Singh Sirsa said October 31, 1984, would be written in black words of the history. They said victims fought for justice, but to no avail. In 2005, the Prime Minister announced to distribute Rs 351 crore as compensation to the victims, but they had not got a penny hitherto. |
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25 yrs on, Block 32 Trilokpuri: Painted walls, scars within
New Delhi, November 1 But the gashes are there, underneath the surface. Trilokpuri, Block 32, is one of the areas where hundreds of Sikhs were killed during the 1984 riots triggered by the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by two Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. Over 3,000 Sikhs were killed in three days of mayhem in the Capital. It is hard to find any Sikh family here as most of them have shifted to Tilak Vihar in west Delhi – for they were unable to stay at a place that reminded them of the pogrom. Many houses owned by Sikhs were either illegally occupied or sold at throwaway prices. But, in Block 30, some Sikhs have stayed behind. I meet 70-year-old woman Harbhajan Kaur. A mother of four boys and three girls, she recounts how two of her sons - the eldest 22-year-old and the youngest 16-year-old were killed while she was returning home with them. “They took my sons and threw burning tyres on their necks. I ran back home to save my three young daughters,” Harbhajan tells me, tears rolling down her face. Her house still reflects a state of disorder. Two tiny, suffocating rooms have things carelessly strewn around. Harbhajan sits on a bed surrounded by her grandsons and daughter-in-law. My heart skips a beat as she continues - I stop taking notes. “One of my remaining sons suffered head injuries because of which he used to get fits. He died a few years later. Another one is addicted to drugs.” “Bodies were littered in drains, on roadsides, everywhere. I was terrified when I saw dogs eating flesh.” Soon Harbhajan’s non-Sikh neighbours troop in. They said she had been crying inconsolably for the past few days. Harbhajan’s family has added another floor to its house. Her grandson is waiting for the job promised by the government. “My two dead sons are feeding me today - because the first floor we built and have rented out was built with the compensation money received for their deaths,” she says. The area today is populated by mechanics, rickshaw pullers, helpers at local shops, people working as security guards and peons. Simranjeet Kaur, in her 40s, recounts the horror her neighbours went through. “My neighbours, a pregnant woman and her sister-in-law, were chased by crowd of hundreds. The pregnant woman gave birth near the railway tracks while her unmarried sister-in-law was sexually assaulted in front of her,” Simranjeet says. Sikhs, who still live in Trilokpuri, have shunned the turbans and cut their long locks. Amritpal Singh (41), who works as a mechanic, is one such man. “Three of my uncles were killed on November 1, 1984. All members of my uncle’s family and mine took shelter in a house nearby. My father had gone to Mumbai only a day ago, and I thank God for that.” “One of my sisters-in-law was pregnant and developed labour pains. As she was giving birth to the baby on the bed, my uncle and I hid under the same bed - there was no other room to go to.” A 74-year-old Sikh woman, who was washing clothes in the open points to a place where she had seen body upon body, piled up exactly 25 years ago. Even the lanes of Block 32 have hidden away the butchery. I was not even born then, but heard about the carnage from my grandfather who had given shelter to a Sikh family. I have also covered court hearings against Congress leaders, who have been accused of inciting mobs to attack Sikh families. The visit to Trilokpuri left me
shaken. — IANS |
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Sikhs protest outside Bangla Sahib gurdwara
New Delhi, November 1 Addressing the activists, president of AISSF Karnail Singh Peermohammad said thousands of Sikhs were massacred in 110 cities of 18 states in the riots that broke out after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, but the victims were yet to get justice. Karnail said the federation would launch a campaign to support the victims and their families. Giving details of the campaign, he said federation activists would pressurise authorities to punish the guilty. They would file public interest litigations (PIL) in all state high courts where massacred occurred for identification of killers, organisers and perpetrators of the massacre and reopening of riots-related cases. According to Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal advisor of Sikhs for Justice, a US-based human rights advocacy group, an international justice campaign would be launched to create awareness among the international community about the killing of Sikhs during the riots. He said a PIL would be filed in the Supreme Court asking the apex court to take cognisance of fact the government had failed to protect the Sikhs. |
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Bangla Sahib gets new langar hall
New Delhi, November 1 Dikshit was accompanied by Delhi education and transport minister Arvinder Singh. The leaders offered prayers at the gurdwara before inaugurating the hall. The Chief Minister conveyed her greetings for the festival. Message of harmony, brotherhood and kindness given by the first guru of the Sikhs Guru Nanak Dev ji was still relevant, she said. “Let this Prakash Utsav bring happiness and prosperity in the lives of Delhiites”, she said. |
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MARATHON
New Delhi, November 1 Deepchand Saharan (64 mins) and Sukanya Mall (80:11 sec) were the first Indians to cross the finishing line in the men’s and women’s section of the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon on Sunday. While Deepchand was 17th overall, 4 mins and 6 seconds slower than the winner Deriba Merga of Ethopia, on the 21-km track, Mall finished 22nd, 13 mins and 17 seconds behind world champion Mary Keitany of Kenya, who set a new record for that distance. Santhosh Kumar (65:10) and Soji Mathews (65:18) were the second and third placed Indians in the men’s section while Anuradha Singh (82:07) and Kamlesh Baghel (83:23) followed Sukanya in the women’s section. All of them are training for the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games. “We are training at the national camp in Bangalore and this was a test event for us. It will help us to see how much we have progressed. Our aim is to perform well at the Commonwealth and Asian Games,” said Deepchand, who shaved off 48 seconds from the existing Indian mark of 64.48. Santosh Kumar, who hails from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, says they need more help from the government. “It’s a very tough sport. We all have jobs and it’s not possible for us to concentrate alone on the sport. You can’t expect us to do the work in office and then train for 3-4 hours everyday. It demands complete dedication,” Santosh says. “This is a sport where if you don’t train for a month or two, then you have to begin from the scratch. It’s not like cricket or football where you can quickly get back to form after some games. But we are slowly improving. If we want to see Indian athletes perform, then the juniors need to be given proper enviornment to train so that they can match the international athletes.” Incidentally, all the three women were from Uttar Pradesh, two of them - Sukanya and Anuradha - hail from Gorakhpur. “I took to the sport while I was in school. There is no sponsor and I do not have a job. But running is my passion and I will continue to pursue it.” There were separate prizes for the top 10 Indian finishers. The top three won $4,000, $3,000 and $ 2,000.
— IANS |
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Shah Rukh adds magic to run
New Delhi, November 1 “This is the biggest moment of my life as I got to touch Shah Rukh Khan. I bunked my tuition to participate in the run just to meet him,” Prem Kumar, a student of Class XII of Delhi Public School in R.K. Puram, told IANS. Said HR official Samita Varma: “I am here with my husband since six in the morning for Shah Rukh’s autograph. I would run the whole marathon if he runs with me even for a minute.” Clad in a black t-shirt and jeans and sporting goggles, the actor was thrilled at the crowd’s response and energy. He, in fact, had to ask the participants to continue running once he was on stage with Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit at Vinay Marg. He said: “I am happy to get this opportunity. Events like these bring you together. Sports is an important thing. I have run a 100 or 200-m race, which was a short distance and I always used to win.” Shah Rukh, who turns 44, told reporters. Though I could not run this time because of my shoulder and knee injury, I’ll try to be fit and run next year. Running is a spiritual experience,” he added. Rahul Bose, Purab Kohli and Simi Garewal were also present. “We show this kind of spirit only one day in a year. We should show the same zeal and energy everyday,” said Rahul. Added Purab Kohli: “I ran the marathon for Friendicoes (SECA), Society for the Eradication of Cruelty to Animals, and completed 21 km in 1 hour, 51 minutes. I have been preparing for the Mumbai marathon to be held in January and I have been running 18 km in two hours. It feels great to see so many people running together for a cause.”
— IANS |
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Kenyan Mary sets new record
New Delhi, November 1 In the men’s section, Deriba Merga of Ethopia defended title with a timing of 59 minutes, 54 seconds. Eshetu Wendium of Ethopia took the second spot clocking 60:02 while Kenyan Wilson Kipsang (60:04) came third. Among Indians, Deepchand Saharan (64 mins) and Sukanya Mall (80:11) stood first in men’s and women’s section, respectively. Santhosh Kumar (65:10) and Soji Mathews (65:18) stood second and third in the men’s section while Anuradha Singh (82:07) and Kamlesh Baghei (83:23) followed Sukanya to the finishing line in the women’s section. Deriba overcame a knee injury to win a hat-trick of titles in India. He won the Half Marathon here last year and followed it with a victory in Bangalore earlier this year. It is also the first time that any athlete has defended his title on the course. “I wasn’t confident when I came here as I had just recovered from the knee injury, which even forced me to skip the World Championships at Birmingham,” Deriba added. “I am not satisfied with my performance as I wanted to finish the race in less than 59 minutes. Hopefully, I’ll return next year and break my record,” said the Ethiopian, who holds the course record of 59 minutes, 15 seconds. Keitany has been in great form this season and won the World Championship at Birmingham three weeks ago with a timing of 66 minutes, 36 seconds. “The course is good and I felt comfortable. Next time when I come here I will chase the world record of 66 minutes, 25 seconds,” she said.
— IANS |
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Games: 250 students, teachers hold cycle rally
New Delhi, November 1 About 200 students and 50 faculty members from nearly 15 technical institutions in Delhi, including Netaji Subhash Institute of Technology, Ambedkar Institute of Technology, G B Pant Engineering College, Jaffarpur Engineering College, Guru Nanak Dev Polytechnic, Bhai Parmanand Institute of Business Studies, Kasturba Polytechnic for Women and Meera Bai Polytechnic for Women participated in the rally. The rally commenced from Rajghat at 9 am, covering Ajmeri Gate, Paharganj, Ranj Jhansi Marg, Old Baraf Khana, Tees Hazari, ISBT, Mori Gate, G.P.O. and Red Fort before closing down at Rajghat. Congratulating DTTE for organising this rally, Sheila Dikshit said: “It will motivate Delhiites to connect with the upcoming Commonwealth Games and take up cycling as a non-polluting and healthy means of transportation.” The flagging-off ceremony was organised by Delhi Technological University (Delhi College of Engineering) under the banner of DTTE. Welcoming the chief minister, V.K. Jain, additional secretary, DTTE, said: “It is a matter of pride for all of us that Delhi will be hosting the Commonwealth Games 2010. The rally aims at creating awareness about the Games, sportsman spirit and promoting cycling as well.” The students were provided sports kits by Lotto, a sportswear brand, comprising track suit, cap, shoes and refreshments. Those who completed the rally were given certificates of participation. |
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Delhi dengue tally reaches 366
New Delhi, November 1 This year, the number of dengue cases in Delhi has taken a dip due to the warm weather conditions. The chief medical officer of the city civic body, Dr N.K. Yadav, said the spread of the disease had been contained to quite an extent this year, as last year till now, 1,070 cases of dengue had been reported. The decrease in cases could be attributed to warmer weather conditions resulting from less monsoon rains, said Dr Yadav. According to Mahavir Singh, health worker of the MCD, the spread of the disease could be further checked if people report any detection of case and mosquito-breeding around their houses. “Whenever a person is diagnosed with the vector-borne disease, 12-15 houses surrounding the patient’s house need to be disinfected. We are receiving many complaints daily, and every complaint is attended immediately. Many people don’t come forward to lodge a compliant thinking that the provision is chargeable, but this is not the case. People have to be more responsive,” said
Mahavir. |
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Intellectually challenged need grooming
New Delhi, November 1 Associated with Special Olympics Asia Pacific (SOAP), Harpreet Singh, said: “Mental disability is traumatic and it is these children, who from a tender age, bear the brunt of society mocking at them. People forget that everybody has different level of abilities.” Initially, Pallav Mehrotra (26), who has a low degree of mental disability and cerebral palsy of mild category, was a difficult child to handle, especially after his father’s demise. “His mother never accepted Pallav’s illness and considered him to be like her other two children. And it took almost two years to convince her when she agreed to send Pallav to a special school,” said director of Sneh Viklaang Prashikshan Sansthaan (SVPS), Lucknow. Pallav, who is studying at the SVPS and is good in drawing and playing cricket, was here to participate in the Special Olympics Cricket International that concluded today. The five-day cricket delight was a good platform amidst all broken strings and a medium to reach out to the general society. To Manish Choudhary (20) of Tamanna, who is intellectually-disabled and hyperactive, sports act as a medium of expression, but his family at Punjabi Bagh didn’t sound that encouraging as complained by Manish. Harpreet outlined: “Whatever you intake, you have to ventilate it, and sports gives this opportunity. Bat and ball is motivating to Manish, who also likes basketball and football.” Similarly, chairperson of Special Olympics Bharat, Air Marshall Denzil Keelor, said: “These children warrant special attention, and through sports, these can be taught the tenets of competition, victory and defeat. And this would bring about their holistic integration into the society.” Dr Rajeev Prasad, healthy athletes coordinator with SOAP, said: “Most children with intellectual disability are denied their rights even within their families. They are considered as stigmas. It is important to understand that these need special grooming and training on adaptive behavioural skills.” The director of Saarthak, an NGO dedicated towards these people, Dr Achal Bhagat, said, when the 11th Five-Year-Plan talks about inclusive society, it is important that the society should accept these as people with special needs, and give them opportunities to integrate themselves into the society. Further, to mainstream the ID section through sports, the Special Olympics would be introducing the Athlete Leadership Programmes (ALPS) on a pilot basis in the first quarter of 2010, said Dr Rajeev. The novel package would be taken with an IQ test conducted by psychologists and those, who are medically unfit showing less than 70 per cent IQ, would be considered for ALPS. Meanwhile, as per the World Health Organisation, three per cent of the global populace is intellectually challenged. |
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Delhi plans tech-friendly industrial policy
New Delhi, November 1 Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) managing director Chetan Sanghi said that first time an industrial policy is being framed for the national capital since 1982. The vision is to make Delhi a hub of clean, high-technology and skilled economic activities by 2021, he said. The government has made a draft of the policy and will be out with it soon, he said. “We are taking the expertise of Bureau of Energy Efficiency to promote all round energy saving in government, institutional, industrial and household sectors of Delhi. A memorandum has been signed between DSIIDC and BEE. The deal opens up new vista of energy saving for Delhi. It will also help industries to avail carbon credits,” Sanghi said. — IANS |
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6 killed in three accidents
Noida, November 1 A truck had crushed three persons on a bike in Chhaprala village under the Badalpur police station area in Greater Noida. The victims were returning from a marriage function. The police had rushed them to a hospital in Ghaziabad, but the doctors declared them brought dead. The victims included a father–son duo and the man’s nephew. The victims have been identified as Inder Raj (38), his son Praveen (15) and his nephew Sunny, a Class IX student. According to reports, the truck coming at a fast speed had hit the motorcycle of the victims. Because of the impact, Inder and Praveen flung in the air and landed on the road divider, while Sunny was thrown on the side of the road. In the second accident, two persons crossing the Surajpur- Kasna road were knocked down by an unidentified vehicle. In another accident, an only son of a widow was seriously injured after his bike was hit by two dumpers near Maha Maya flyover. The bike was crushed under the wheels of a dumper when another dumper rammed into the first dumper. The Sector 39 police had rushed the bikers to Kailash Hospital, where after some time, one the injured, Muketeshwar, was pronounced dead. |
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2 burglar gangs busted
New Delhi, November 1 The crime branch of the Delhi police arrested seven persons and one receiver of the stolen goods from Safdarjung Enclave,
Najafgarh, Govindpuri and Nizamuddin. “One gang of burglars had been committing thefts in offices, showrooms and houses in different areas of Delhi while the other had been stealing laptops and
travellers’ cheques of foreigners,” said a senior police official, adding the arrests were made on October 26 on the basis of “prior information”. Stolen
jewellery, branded floor tiles and other goods were recovered from the possession of one gang, while from the other gang 413
travellers’ cheques of American Express, issued in the US, Australia, Canada, Britain and other European countries were seized. Besides, three laptops, one desktop monitor, two CPUs, one billing machine and other stolen goods were also recovered. The men admitted to have committed thefts in
Najafgarh, Janakpuri, Punjabi Bagh, Kirti Nagar and Govindpuri. The electronic goods and cheques were stolen from South Extension and Green Park.
— IANS |
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Police opens files of 42 criminals
Noida, November 1 According to SP (rural), Surinder Kumar Verma, 12 police stations had opened up the files of 42 criminals in the district, which were being scrutinized closely. In September, history sheets of 24 criminals were opened, including bandits like Amit Kumar, notorious for collecting extortion from the businessmen in the district. Besides, the police had opened up the history sheets of those who had gang-raped a Dalit woman, murdered farmers in Rabupura, Jahanagirpur and professor at Pali village. Others include the murderers of the village pradhan in Rabupura and those who had looted Rs one crore in Dankore. The accused involved in making adulterated cooking oil, desi ghee and mawa are also in the list of the criminals, whose history sheets are being examined, Verma said. |
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Nigerian found dead
New Delhi, November 1 Henry (25) was found dead in his apartment in Malviya Nagar. “The body was spotted by his landlord, who immediately informed the police,” said a police official. “When we reached there, we saw froth around the mouth. Empty bottles of drugs were lying beside him. He was taken to AIIMS (All-India Institute of Medical Sciences) where he was declared brought dead,” the official
added. — IANS |
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The All-India Riots Victims Relief Committee today organised an akhand paath at Gurdwara Bangla Sahib in the memory of 1984 anti-Sikh riots victims.
The paath was organised with the help of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, Amritsar, said AIRVRC president Kuldip Singh
Bhogal.
