New Delhi, November 2
A 25-year-old man allegedly committed suicide in a police station in the Rohini area of outer Delhi in the wee hours of today.

According to the police, the incident took place around 1:30 am in Vijay Vihar police station. The deceased has been identified as Vivek, a resident of Vivek Vihar phase-II. He allegedly committed suicide with a rope hung from a window bar in a lock-up of the police station.

"The victim had returned yesterday from his village in Bihar, after one and half months. There, he saw his wife Bimla with another man, Kewal, following which a fight ensued. Both of them claimed that Bimla was their wife. After which, Vivek was brought to the police station," said a police official.

According to information, neighbours told the police that Bimla was not Vivek's wife, but was married to Kewal. They alleged that she had an affair with Vivek. "Some people told us that Vivek was having an affair with Bimla. But when she ignored him, Vivek came her house and they had a fight," said the official.

According to information, Vivek was brought to the police station. But he was not beaten. "In the night, the there was another information about a scuffle and the police officials left to attend it when Vivek committed suicide. He was found hanging and was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead," said the police official, adding that the body has been sent for postmortem.

However, not satisfied with the police version, Vivek's family and neighbours raised slogans against the police and demanded action against the men responsible for his death. "Why was only Vivek taken to the police station? He was beaten up by the policemen. Fearing torture, he committed suicide. Besides, how did he manage to commit suicide in the lock-up?," questioned one of Vivek's neighbour, on condition of anonymity.

Senior police officials, including DCP Chhaya Sharma, reached the police station and enquired about the incident. The DCP has assured the family of conducting enquiry in the matter. She has assured that the errant officials would be punished.

New Delhi, November 2
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has submitted its report to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) for an independent quality inspection of two of its Commonwealth Games projects.

The two projects being probed by the CVC include the parking lot at Kushak Nallah near Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and one Railway Under Bridge (RuB) at Sewa Nagar.

According to the municipal leaders, MCD's three projects came under a cloud in the post-Games investigation done by the CVC and CBI.

Apart from the parking lot and RuB, the streetlight of various roads is also facing allegations of corruption.

"Questions were raised about three of our projects. On the project related to the upgrading of streetlight, the CBI had already filed an FIR. We had nearly a month back suspended

six officials, including two superintending engineers in this case," said MCD Works Committee chairman Jagdish Mamgain.

Regarding the other two projects, bus parking bay developed after covering Khushak Nallah in south Delhi and the RuB, questions were raised about the third-party quality inspection of the works, he said.

"The third party quality test was regularly done. We have submitted all the details about this to the CVC. We have taken action regarding one of the projects and answered the queries raised regarding the other two. We are ready to provide information, whenever needed, on any other project," Mamgain said.

The CVC, probing allegations of financial and other irregularities in Games-related works, had earlier asked the agencies concerned to submit replies to the queries raised by it.

An analysis by Chief Technical Examination Wing of CVC had found alleged financial and administrative irregularities in 16 construction and procurement projects. Six of them were carried out by PWD, three by MCD, two each by CPWD, DDA, NDMC and one by RITES, a Government of India enterprise.

New Delhi, November 2
The fact-finding committee probing the collapse of foot-overbridge (FOB) near Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, commissioned for the Commonwealth Games, has said that its fall was caused by the failure of the joint of Macalloy suspender bars. The joint was part of the design for suspension of the deck of the bridge with the main arch.

The deck is supported by Macalloy suspenders which are connected to a gusset plate on the deck and to the arch at the upper end.

The report submitted today said the designer, Tandon Consultants, had suggested use of Macalloy system in the FOB.

The report said the FOB design was checked by experts and found to be in order.

The committee has pointed out that the methodology of construction was not given by the designer. The contractor P and R Infraprojects Limited devised the procedure on its own and did not obtain the necessary approval. No substandard material has been found to have been used in the work.

New Delhi, November 2
Blueline buses seem determined to leave behind a trail of blood before going off roads from December 14.

A Blueline bus left a youth critically injured around 10 pm near Bhogal flyover in south-east Delhi.

The police said a dangerously-driven private bus hit a 20-year-old youth, Kasif. He is battling for life at a hospital.

Kasif, who is a resident of the Nizzamuddin area, was going towards New Friends Colony when a Blueline bus on route number 405 being driven at a very high speed hit his bike from behind.

Kasif fell down and was seriously injured. Locals rushed him to a nearby hospital where he is being treated. Doctors say his condition is critical.

Meanwhile, a case under rash and negligent driving has been registered against the Blueline bus driver, who was arrested a few hours after the accident, said senior police officials.

Last week on October 23, a Blueline bus crushed a 22-year-old youth-- Tarun Saini-- while he was going towards his shop in south-east Delhi around 10 am.

It was after this incident that the Delhi government decided to ban Blueline buses, also termed as killer buses for the frequent accidents caused by them.

Though Blueline operators moved the Delhi High Court against the government's decision tp phase them out, but their hopes for a reprieve were dashed as the court upheld the government's decision.

New Delhi, November 2
A Delhi court has awarded over Rs 16 lakh as compensation to the family members of a man who died in an accident in 2009.

Holding the driver of the offending vehicle guilty under the Motor Vehicle Act, presiding officer, Motor Accident Claim Tribunal, Dinesh Bhatt awarded Rs 16,69,985 to the family members of 51-year-old deceased Ramji Giri.

"A driver behind the wheels of a mechanically propelled vehicle is under bounden duty to observe necessary caution…having failed to observe such bounden duty and having struck the motorcycle of the petitioner, causing him grievous injuries, Bachan Rai (driver of the truck) was berserk and thus negligent," the court said.

It further directed the insurance company to pay the awarded sum within 30 days along with an added interest rate of 7.5 per cent from the date the case was filed till its realization.

On August 6, 2009, around 10:30 pm when Giri was going home from the Kingsway Camp side on his motorcycle, a truck being driven in a rash manner ignored the red light and hit the motorcycle.

Giri fell down on the road and died on the spot. Both the offending vehicle and motorcycle caught fire due to collision, said an eyewitness during the hearing of the case.

Giri was an employee of Jaypee Continental firm and was drawing a gross salary of around Rs 16,515. He is survived by his wife, a son and a widow of his elder son along with two minor children. He was the only breadwinner of the family.

The court also sympathized with the family of the deceased, and said "No amount of compensation can compensate the loss of a husband to the wife, loss of a father to his son. No amount of money can wipe the tears, the trauma of the petitioners and the feeling that the petitioners must be feeling each day. The trauma is for the lifetime."

New Delhi, November 2
Malawi President Bingu Wa Mutharika arrived in the Capital today on a six-day visit to India. During his stay, he will be conferred with an honorary doctorate in literature by Delhi University. Mutharika will visit the university on November 4.

Mutharika is an alumnus of DU. He graduated in B.Com. (H) from Shri Ram College of Commerce in 1961, after which he pursued PG at Delhi School of Economics.

As he expressed wish to meet his SRCC batchmates, Mutharika's alma mater arranged a meeting of alumni today where he met his old classmates over lunch.

“It is a pride for us to honour him as he was also a student of our university. Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansari will preside over the convocation on Thursday'' said vice-chancellor, Professor Dinesh Singh.

New Delhi, November 2
As the governing body of Kirori Mal College sat to discuss the expulsion of college principal Dr Bhim Sen Singh today, students and members of the Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) staged a dharna outside the college in Singh's support.

Early last week, the governing body had received a letter from the registrar, asking it to suspend Singh. The letter claimed that Singh had failed to comply with the university's orders to ensure that the semester mode was followed in the college.

However, the governing body has decided to wait for the high court's decision on semester row, before pronouncing its opinion on the administration and teachers stand-off. The body took this decision in a meeting called to discuss the letter today.

"We have decided that no action will be taken with regard to the registrar's letter before the high court's order, which is the bone of contention between the university and the teachers' union," said a governing body member.

"We will wait till November 15 by when the court will pronounce its decision, following which Justice Vijender Jain, who is the chairman of the college governing body, will consider the situation," he said.

New Delhi, November 2
A Delhi court today sentenced a man to eight years of rigorous imprisonment for injuring his mother who later died.

It also imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 on Pawan Kumar, a resident of Govindpuri.

Relying on the testimony of Kumar's father, additional sessions judge J.R. Aryan convicted him under Section 304-II (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

"We have the testimony of a father against his son and there appears no reason to disbelieve him… such a testimony is coming from the heart of a father to whom no motive or reason has been assigned in cross examination as to why he would see his son falsely implicated. The father had deposed that a few days before the incident, the accused had also beaten his wife, who was then taken away by her parents," the court said.

On November 24, 2007, Kumar assaulted his mother Ram Devi. According to the prosecution, he hit her on the head several times with a stone.

She was admitted to AIIMS, but succumbed to her injuries.

The court, however, took note of the fact that Kumar's act was not pre-planned. It accepted the submissions of the defence counsel that he was a drug addict and hurt his mother after getting irritated by her nagging for his wrong doings.

The court said, "Though the motive to kill was lacking, the accused knew that the injuries inflicted on Devi was sufficient to cause her death. So he is convicted for eight years."

The prosecution examined 14 witnesses to prove its case.

Pawan, however, denied all the allegations against him and said that he had seen his mother lying injured outside his room and raised the alarm, following which people gathered there and accused him of the offence.

New Delhi, November 2
The United Kingdom-based social welfare and charitable organisation, Sikh Forum International Invite, today announced that it would confer its annual "Sikh of the year" award on Amarjeet Singh Chandhiok, a senior advocate and additional solicitor general of India.

Chandhiok will be facilitated with the award on November 9 in the United Kingdom.

Chandhiok, who is also the Delhi High Court Bar Association president, was chosen for his contribution in the field of country's judicial system and philanthropic activities, the forum said in a statement.

"Chandhiok is providing funds to the weaker sections of society, irrespective of caste, creed and religion, for higher education. He is also providing regular financial support to law students who cannot participate in international moot court competitions. Besides, he is helping the children of Kargil war martyrs get proper education and professional training," the statement said.

The previous recipients of this award include Montek Singh Ahluwalia, planning commission's deputy chairman; former Army chief General J.J. Singh (retired) and Bangladesh war hero Lt. General J.S. Arora (retired) among others.

The award recognises Punjabi and Sikh personalities from across the world for their contribution in their respective professional fields.

Faridabad, November 2
Leaders of the ruling Congress party in Haryana and the principal opposition in the state Assembly, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), have virtually gone out of public glare and become inaccessible to their own political workers since yesterday's rallies of the two parties.

Political observers feel that there was deafening silence in the political arena, after a spell of high-profile public campaigns by leaders of the two parties. Leaders of both the parties had been campaigning to ensure mass support for their respective rallies.

Local leaders of both the parties were under the pressure to fan out in their respective areas of influence. The party leaders were seen cosying up with workers and encouraging them to take part in the mobilisation campaigns.

Local leaders, especially of the INLD, were directed by the party leadership to arrange for some vehicles from the district. INLD district chief Anita Goswami had assigned the heads of all Assembly constituencies here to arrange for a certain number of vehicles. Goswami said the party leadership had directed her to ensure that 1,000 persons attend the party's Samman Diwas rally in Gurgaon.

While some Congress leaders became unavailable to the party workers citing participation in the special session of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in Delhi today, some become incommunicado citing health reasons. The others remained inaccessible on the excuse that they had gone to pay Divali greetings to their relatives and friends.

A number of senior INLD leaders were not available on reasons varying from ill health to personal problems.

Cheesed off by the evasive tactics of his leader, an old-time Congress worker alleged that he and others were kept in good humour by his party leaders for the past few days, as the leaders needed to ensure the rally's success in Sonipat. With their purpose served, the leaders have started showing their colours, he added.

Ghaziabad, November 2
A gangster, involved in several cases of bank robbery, abduction and murder, was arrested here after a gunbattle on Monday night, the police said.

"Shiv Kumar, 36, a resident of Bondra village of Bulandshahr had a series of criminal cases registered against him in different police stations of Ghaziabad and surrounding districts. He carried a total reward of Rs.50,000 on his head," superintendent of police A.K. Vijaita said today.

Kumar was involved in the robbery at a Punjab National Bank branch in the city in 2007, where he shot dead the cashier and escaped with cash worth lakhs of rupees.

In 1998, Kumar and his accomplices had abducted and killed a bodyguard of Gajnafar Ali, a member of parliament (MP) from Bijnore, the police said. — IANS

Noida, November 2
Two persons, including an old woman, were killed in separate road accidents in Noida yesterday. In both the cases, the drivers fled abandoning their vehicles.

The police has registered FIRs in the cases and is looking for the drivers on the run.

In the first case, Panna (60), a native of Rajasthan, was hit at Rajnigandha crossing in the afternoon by a bus plying between Noida and Ghaziabad. Panna died on the spot.

On the basis of a report filed by Panna's son, the police has registered an FIR and sent her body for autopsy.

In the second accident, one Ashok Gupta of Baliya was crushed by a canter hurtling down at a fast speed from the side of Ghaziabad. The accident took place in Chhapraula village where Gupta used to sell fruit and vegetables from his cart. He also died on the spot. His body has been sent for postmortem.

New Delhi, November 2
After a pursuit of close to two months, the Central district police has managed to arrest two persons allegedly part of the group involved in the murder of a youth named Praveen. The youth and his friends were beaten up for playing cricket on September 4 close to Rock Garden in West Patel Nagar. One person was arrested soon after the incident.

According to a senior police official from the district, acting upon a tip-off, two assailants, Raju Kumar and Naresh Kumar, were apprehended two days ago from the Baljit Nagar area.

"Raju works as a pump operator in DJB and Naresh Kumar works as a glass cleaner. It is learnt that the fourth accused Shambhu has already died after getting crushed under a train at Shadipur railway track on October 15, said the officer.

According to the police, Praveen along with friends was returning home after playing cricket in Rock Garden, West Patel Nagar, when they were accosted by Ajay, Shambhu, Raju and Naresh near block 28. The accused were carrying cricket bats and stumps. They started abusing Praveen for playing cricket in the ground. "They beat up Praveen who fell unconscious as a result of injuries. Meanwhile, people gathered there and the three assailants ran away while Ajay was caught by the public. Praveen was taken to Patel Hospital from where he was referred to RML Hospital. He succumbed to injuries after a while," said the officer.