New Delhi, July 12
The life of a Class XI student of Sarvodaya Vidyalaya was snuffed out while 11 persons, including eight students, were injured today when a speeding and overcrowded rural transport vehicle (RTV) overturned while negotiating a curve in the Wazirabad area of northeast Delhi.

The accident is a reminder of the government's failure to learn a lesson. Three persons, including a school student, travelling in a similarly overcrowded RTV had lost their lives on February 3 after its driver lost control near ISBT.

The transport authorities had then launched a "crackdown" on these mini-buses, which often accommodated more passengers than their capacity. The authorities had also cancelled the permit of many such vehicles.

Police said the accident occurred at the diversion near the Signature Bridge around 7.20 am.

"The RTV was speeding and passengers said it was fully packed. It overturned while taking a turn leading to the death of one Manjeet, student of Sarvodaya Vidyalaya in Timarpur. He died on the spot while a dozen people were injured and rushed to different hospitals," said a police official adding that Manjeet is resident of Sonia Vihar.

The passengers were mostly students. "Eight students of various schools and three men were also injured in the incident," said the police. The driver Bittoo and the conductor managed to flee from the spot, but Bittoo was arrested later and a case of rash and negligent driving has been registered against him.

As the designs of these RTVs are tinkered, their centre of gravity is often above the scientifically acceptable level which, in turn, makes them prone to overturning.

New Delhi, July 12
In yet another case of honour killing in the capital, the south-east district police has arrested the father of the victim girl and his security guard friend for the double murder of a couple who was found lying dead inside a park in New Friends Colony area on Saturday morning.

The victims have been identified as Hari Lal (25) and Bimal (21) who were strangulated to death by the arrested assailants for the honour of their caste and religion.

According to the police, Bimal's father Edward and his friend Ruben Joseph were arrested last night.

As per V S Chahal, additional CP (South east), the police was able to identify them by the help of SIM cards which were recovered from the pocket of Hari Lal.

Chahal added that the two were in a relationship wanting to get married.

In fact, Bimal had even arranged a meeting with her family members at B-434, New Friends Colony, an under-construction building to take the approval of marriage with Hari Lal about one and a half month ago.

The meeting was arranged through Ruben Joseph, security guard known to Edward for many years but Bimal's father Edward did not approve of the match.

On the fateful night of July 9, Edward had came to the house around 7 pm to take some items when Ruben, the security guard informed him that his daughter Bimal and his would-be son-in-law are present in the servant quarters.

"Edward reached the second floor room of the servant quarters and found his daughter and Hari Lal in a compromising position. He slapped Lal in anger who picked up a kitchen knife to attack him, whereupon Edward got hold of Lal with the help of Ruben and strangulated him with a shawl. When Bimal cried for help, Edwards and Ruben strangulated her with a handkerchief," said Chahal.

They then burnt the shawl and took out the bodies in the night and dumped them on the waste dump by the boundary wall of the adjoining park and covered these with the grass.

Lal was earlier married to one Poonam and has a son of 3 years. He was working as cast man in an iron factory and came to Delhi in search of some job.

New Delhi, July 12
There has been a substantial increase in revenue collection of Delhi government during the first quarter of financial year 2010-11.

Delhi finance minister A. K. Walia today stated that the state of collection has undergone a makeover from minus growth that is decrease of 4.67 per cent in the first quarter of financial year 2009-10 to positive growth of 33.75 per cent in respective period of financial year 2010-11.

Giving the break-up, the finance minister said that there had been around 119 per cent increase in stamps and registration fees, 230 per cent increase in entertainment tax, 37 per cent in luxury tax and also in state excise, 34 per cent in taxes on vehicles and 24 per cent in VAT collection.

Walia added that improvement in collection has become possible only because of trader-friendly approach of the government.

He stated that the percentage of growth up to June 2009 was in respect of stamps and registration fees (27.94 per cent), VAT (1.29 per cent), taxes on vehicle (7.69 per cent), entertainment tax (74.26 per cent) and luxury tax (56.66 per cent) whereas percentage growth up to June 2010 is 118.79 per cent in case of stamps and registration fees, 36.92 per cent in respect of state excise, 24.11 per cent in respect of VAT, 33.83 per cent in respect of taxes on vehicles, 230.16 per cent increase in entertainment tax and 37.27 per cent in luxury tax.

Total tax revenue collection was Rs 3063.54 crore up to June 2009, which went up to Rs 4097.40 crore up to June 2010. The collection in respect of stamps and registration fees went up from Rs 237.76 crore to Rs 520.20 crore, state excise from Rs 354.46 crore to Rs 485.34 crore, VAT from Rs 2314.12 crore to Rs 2871.99 crore, taxes on vehicles from Rs 114.35 crore to Rs 153.04 crore, entertainment tax from Rs 4.51 crore to Rs 14.89 crore and luxury tax from Rs 37.70 crore to Rs 51.75 crore, Walia added.

New Delhi, July 12
A Delhi court today convicted three Delhi police constables of killing two Uttar Pradesh residents in a fake encounter on July 31, 2006.

The three constables, who were then posted with the high-profile operation cell, abducted Zulfikar and Nazakat from Ghaziabad district and killed them in cold blood due to personal enmity and then tried to portray them as dreaded criminals.

Additional sessions judge Dharmesh Sharma held Ashok Kumar, Sudesh Kumar Rana and Surajpal guilty of several charges, including murder, abduction and criminal conspiracy.

Sharma, however, acquitted five other accused, saying that they were deceived and used by the three convicts to "execute their nefarious design".

The court did not sentence the convicts today. It is likely to do that on July 15.

The prosecution said Ashok Kumar wanted to kill the duo who was accused of killing his younger brother Digamber in 2004.

Kumar along with the two other convicts and assistant sub-inspector Pramod Kumar Tyagi hatched a conspiracy to kill the two. Tyagi has been on the run since the truth came out and has been declared proclaimed offender by the court. The prosecution with help from 68 witnesses and mobile phone details of the convicts proved that the encounter was fake.

What further nailed down the convicts was a Maruti car, which they had claimed was used by the victims. It turned out that the car was not in a running condition.

The FIR about the encounter was registered at the Timarpur police station on August 10, 2006.

Greater Noida, July 12
A woman allegedly drugged her husband at their Sector Gamma house on the night of July 6. The man has been admitted to the Kailash Hospital and his condition is critical.

The man has been identified as Ajay Kumar (28) and his wife as Seema.

On the complaint of Kumar's father Fateh Singh, the Kasna police on Saturday evening registered an attempt to murder case against Seema.

"On the complaint of Singh, a retired sub-inspector, a case under the Indian Penal Code's Section 307(attempt to murder) and 328 (administering stupefying drug with intent to cause hurt) has been registered against Seema," said Shailendra Lal, deputy superintendent of police.

However, Seema has denied the allegations.

"They are suspecting me because I used to quarrel with Him very often. I have not drugged him," she said.

"Seema claims that her husband attempted suicide. We are waiting for the victim to regain senses and give his statement," said Lal.

"Kumar, a resident of House number 69, Block-C, Sector Gamma, was on July 7 admitted to the hospital around 1.45 am in an unconscious state by his father. He was in a serious state and was put on life support system. Till Sunday evening, his condition was critical," said Dr Sannil Kapoor of Kailash Hospital.

"Heavy dose of poisonous chemical was found in his stomach. Whether he consumed it on his own or it was given to him with some food is a matter of investigation," Kapoor added.

"Kumar presently works at a shop in a mall in Sector 18, Noida. Seema left her job two months ago and is searching for a new job," Fateh Singh told The Tribune today.

"After completing his hotel management in 2000, Kumar started working at South Extension Club. There, he fell in love with Seema, who is Nepali and was a receptionist there. The two got married in 2004 against our wishes and since then they were living in a rented house in Delhi's Patparganj area," Singh said.

"However, some time after the marriage, differences developed between them. A fortnight ago, Kumar along with Seema and their two-and-a-half-year-old daughter Gungun shifted to our Greater Noida house," said Singh.

"Since then Seema used to quarrel with Ajay, pressurising him to shift back to Delhi. On the night of July 6, Seema drugged Ajay, after which he fell unconscious. She deliberately informed us three hours after the incident. We then took Ajay to hospital," said Singh.

"I live at the ground floor of our house and my two sons, Sanjay and Ajay, live in separate rooms on the first floor," said Singh.

When told that Seema has claimed that Ajay attempted suicide, Singh said, "Even if he consumed the poisonous substance on his own, she was the one who forced him to do so. She was asking Kumar to divorce her and give Rs 5 lakh as compensation, but Ajay was against it," Singh said.

Noida, July 12
Society should stop deriding the families who are affected by the cases of elopement as taunting leads to honour killings, say villagers at a workshop on anti-honour killings. It was organized by NGO Nirman at Morna village on Sunday.

Around 50 villagers from Morna, Gejha, Bishanpura, Hajipur Nithari Baruala and Sahdara participated at the workshop.

Seventy-year-old Ratan Singh Choudhary who chaired the workshop, said, "Nobody has right to kill anybody though we should look for the reasons of honour killing."

He added, "It was seen that taunts from neighbours and others force the man to carry out honour killings. People have to be sensitized so that they do not pass taunting remarks when a girl elopes."

There is a lack of awareness about 'gotra' among the youth. "They need to be made aware of the gotra and also the scientific reason of not marrying in the same gotra," said Lalit Awana, a youth from Nithari.

Mohinder Mukhiya blamed the rising cases of elopement on upbringing and unhindered freedom to girls.

"Youths should be allowed to choose their life partners. They should have this right and their family members should respect it. If the family is not satisfied with their decision, it can break relations with them. Killing is not the solution," said R.K.Gupta, a representative of Nirman.

New Delhi, July 12
The Jat community that had earlier blocked the water supply to Delhi during a protest demanding reservation at state and central levels, today upped the ante and threatened to disrupt the Commonwealth Games.

In an attempt to coerce the government into accepting their demands, the Jat leaders said that a strategy to disrupt the games would be finalised on July 28.

The national president of the Akhil Bhartiya Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti (ABJASS), Yeshpal Malik, today said that the deadline set for talks between Ministry of Social Justice and the Samiti was over on July 10.

"The deadline of July 10 has expired without any response from the government, the government has not taken our warning to disrupt CWG seriously.

"We have sent a warning to the government that cutting off the water supply to Delhi was the first step towards the disruption of the CWG. If the government does not meet out demands, we would halter the other supplies as electricity, petroleum products, gas, milk and vegetables to Delhi," said Malik.

Stating their demands, he said that the community of Jats should be included in the OBC list at the Central and State level, wherever not included.

The Jat protestors had dried most parts of Delhi by cutting off the crucial water supply to Sonia Vihar plant in Delhi from Ganganahar Muradnagar pipeline in Ghaziabad on June 13.

This pipeline supplies more than 500 cusec of water to Delhi which is about 40 per cent of the total water requirement of Delhi. It caters to about 50 lakh people in Central, East and South Delhi.

The senior vice-president of the samiti, HP Singh Parihar, said that the Jat leaders will completely cut off the connectivity of the Capital by blocking roads and rail transport if the demands are not met.

New Delhi, July 12
Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Tejendra Khanna has notified new fire safety rules for underground commercial and residential structures. The rules are effective from July 1, 2010.

According to the new rules, all underground structures will have to get fire safety certificate from the Delhi Fire Service (DFS). No underground structure will be passed by other authorities before it is cleared by the DFS.

Till now, underground buildings were exempted from any kind of clearance from the fire department, sources said.

For the fire safety certificate, Delhi has been divided into three new zones -- New Delhi Zone, South Zone and West Zone.

The New Delhi Zone will comprise east division and central division. The South Zone will have south division and south-west division and the West Zone will have west division and north-west division.

The new rules have categorised 20 types of buildings which carry the risk of fire. Earlier, it had only 10 categories of such buildings. The rules make it compulsory for residential and business buildings spread over more than 15 metre to get a fire safety certificate from the fire department.

New Delhi, July 12
Some 21 young artists from Jamia Millia Islamia University's faculty of fine arts have organised a unique exhibition showcasing paintings, prints and sculptures produced by young artists. The exhibition, titled 'Step Ahead', has the works of Jamia's young artists on display at the MF Husain Gallery and this will run till July 15.

Jamia spokesperson Simi Malhotra informed, "This exhibition showcases the talent, creativity and hard work of students who have been working on the exhibits for the past two years. The young artists have given expression to their thoughts using diverse media such as acrylic, charcoal, oil colours, sculpture, digital print and silk screen etc. The effort has been to gave nascent talent a chance and also give them much needed exposure."

The exhibition also reflects the creative work of young artists on issues of social relevance. The works on display provide an artistic comment on issues like violence against women, female foeticide, globalisation, global warming and its negative impact on nature and society, deforestation, human psychology and ecological disasters among others.

A particularly striking canvas is done in oil colours in rich reds and fawns. It gives a graphic portrait of violence against women in abstract form. Another artist has used abstract sculpture to capture a woman's sunken form showing a woman facing violence. Still another student artist has rendered a black and white charcoal graphic of a young girl and the work shows the struggle of the girl child. A particularly haunting exhibit is done in dark colours and shows the darkness and innocence of the womb even as a knife hangs poised over it, portraying a poignant picture of female foeticide.

There is an arresting piece of art on display showing global warming, there is an oil painting which shows hardbaked earth filled with sweating humanity against a light blue sky which seems to almost steam with heat. Another painting that shows approaching climatic disaster is an apt oil on canvas rendition of melting polar ice-caps and surging oceans. This is captured in the classic style and is very striking. Another arresting painting is a black on white charcoal of a forest which is all stumps with huge trees lie felled on the ground.

The collection of painting is poignant as it captures social issues and leaves the viewer thinking. Some of the exhibits on display show raw talent which on practice could become rather fine.

New Delhi, July 12
After the death of a scientist due to drinking lauki (bottle gourd) juice, doctors and health experts have warned people against intake of the juice of cucumbers, gourds, pumpkins and other vegetables of the cucumber family as it has high levels of toxins.

Sushil Kumar Saxena, 59, a senior deputy secretary at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) died on Thursday after drinking the juice. He complained the juice was quite bitter but still drank it down. Soon afterwards, he began vomiting blood and died.

Doctors said that bitter-tasting juice should be avoided.

“People should not take juices of such vegetables as they are toxic. It may lead to diarrhoea, bleeding and vomiting. Bitter-tasting juice should be avoided,” said A.K. Seth of B.L. Kapoor Memorial Hospital.

Seth said that several such cases have come up in the Capital earlier too.

However, some doctors feel that lauki juice is good for health, but advice it should be avoided if it is too bitter.

“Lauki juice is an excellent remedy for excessive thirst caused by diarrhoea, over consumption of fatty or fried foods, and diabetes. But before making a glass of this juice or from any other gourd vegetable, people should discard a vegetable which is too bitter as it may have toxin content,” says Subha Sabarwal, head of the department of dietetics at Apollo Hospital here.

According to nutritionist Saschi Sohal, vegetables like bottle gourd, cucumber, squash, pumpkin and melon are healthy, but can turn deadly if the bitter parts are not removed before eating.

“These parts have harmful substances called tetracyclic triterpenoids or cucurbitacins compound which can be very poisonous if they taste unusually bitter. It’s better to cook or avoid bitter tasting varieties of cucumber family,” she said.

“Due to increased usage of chemicals and fertilizers, the vegetables toxin level increases. — IANS

New Delhi, July 12
It poured on Monday evening, but the residents of north, west and south Delhi will have to go without water this week.

The Delhi Jal Board today said that the water supply would be affected in the next three to four days as a result of floods in the Yamuna catchment, which has led to deterioration in the quality of raw water in the western Yamuna canal. “The production of water has been affected and is likely to cause inconvenience to the citizens of Delhi. Water supply in some areas will be available at low pressure,” said a spokesperson of the DJB.

The areas affected are Shalimar Bagh, Pitampura, Lawrence Road, Ashok Vihar, Wazirpur, Sarswati Vihar, Rani Bagh, Mangolpuri, Peera Garhi, Bhera Enclave, Paschim Vihar, Madipur, Jwala Heri Village, Rohini, and Rithala Village.

The NDMC areas include RK Puram, Vasant Vihar, Moti Bagh, Vasant Kunj, Munirka, JNU, Mehrauli, IIT, Green Park and Safdarjung Enclave.