New Delhi, November 8
Traffic diversions related to the movement of US President Barack Obama across various venues in the New Delhi district and the Rajghat today caused inconvenience to commuters as they had to take different routes to reach their destinations.

Diversions at several places also led to confusion and chaos on roads, with minor jams reported on the arterial stretches, especially in and around the India Gate area.

The US President had a hectic schedule this morning, starting with his ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, followed by a visit to the Rajghat, talks with the Indian Prime Minister at Hyderabad House and, later, addressing the Indian Parliament. Amidst this schedule, the US President returned to the Maurya Sheraton Hotel twice, before returning for the state dinner hosted by President Pratibha Patil at Rashtrapati Bhawan. Due to this criss-cross within a radius of 6 km, the Delhi traffic police had to make vast traffic diversions which delayed thousands of office-goers in the morning.

According to a traffic police official, there were some minor jams and delays because of the US President's movement, but things remained under control. "Not many jams were reported. Things were much better than what we had expected," said the official, adding that people seemed to be more aware about the diversions today, than seen in the past, despite wide publicity.

New Delhi, November 8
Metro officials will inspect the line between Badarpur and Sarita Vihar tomorrow for the safety clearance, a requirement before operation of the new line commences, raising hopes that thousands of new residents would get to enjoy the comforts of the Metro services soon.

Metro rail safety commissioner RK Kardam will lead the team of officials on the inspection tour on the 5-km stretch, which is part of the larger Central Secretariat-Badarpur standard gauge route.

Official sources said the work was complete and they were ready to run the services once the safety officials gave them the nod. "Everything is ready. It is up to the safety team now. However, we can't say when it will be inaugurated because we have to factor in a few things before arriving at a date," an official said.

DMRC had rescheduled the opening of the 5-km stretch after it missed the Commonwealth Games deadline.

The new line would help thousands of people living in Badarpur and the nearby Faridabad in Haryana to travel in more comfort to Delhi. "I work in ITO and it's like a nightmare for me to travel everyday in a crowded bus. It is much worse in summer. I am looking forward to travelling in the Metro," Shankar Gupta, a courier employee, said.

New Delhi, November 8
The BJP has lodged a complaint with the police station, Parliament Street, appealing to the Delhi police to initiate action against the scamsters of the Commonwealth Games.

The complaint that bore the signatures of Vijay Goel, national general secretary of the BJP, Kirti Somaiya, senior BJP leader and Vijay Jolly, vice-president of Delhi BJP, was registered today.

The complaint said the initial bids of the Games projects cost Rs 289 crore in November 2003, but the government spent more than Rs 70,000 crore.

The BJP appealed to the Delhi police and the CBI to begin criminal proceedings against the culprits.

The complaint questioned, "When there are already prima facie discrepancies in so many contracts, then why the government cannot straightaway register cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the IPC rather than setting up more committees."

To supports its allegations, the BJP leaders have attached copies of cabinet notes mentioning the role of PMO, cabinet, Group of Ministers, Expenditure and Finance Committee and the ministers concerned.

It said, "All the major proposals were first processed by the ministers concerned, then EFC and PMO. Subsequently, they were approved by the cabinet. The Games were allotted to Delhi on November 11, 2003, but the detail estimates were considered and approved by the cabinet on March 15, 2007. Since then, the PMO, GOM, EFC and the cabinet approved all the cost escalations."

New Delhi, November 8
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has urged the Delhi government to declare Chhath puja a public holiday for Poorvanchal people. If not possible, it should be declared a restricted holiday because over 50 lakh people in the city celebrate this festival.

People of Poorvanchal keep fast for two days and worship the sun at various river banks during Chhath puja.

Delhi BJP president Vijendra Gupta said that he had been demanding from the Delhi government to declare the three-day festival, Chhath, a public holiday for many years. But this longstanding demand of Poorvanchalis has not been met yet.

Gupta also sought sufficient security and traffic arrangements at Chhath ghats. The government should ensure proper supply of power, water and transport at the ghats. Besides, it should organise health camps at the ghats for devotees.

Meanwhile, BJP volunteers have started cleaning the ghats and arranging for proper water and power supply. They are also monitoring health services at the ghats and are ensuring security for devotees. The saffron party workers will perform 'karseva' for 24 hours on November 12 and 13.

Gupta demanded from the government to ply sufficient number of special trains for Bihar. He also sought that arrangements for worship be made in MCD and DDA parks, additional water should be released at Wazirabad ghats, free parking at ghats, public toilets, provision of tents for women, beds, durries, polythene sheets, lighting, drinking water, medical facilities, free transport service, mob control and disaster management teams.

People from Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh celebrate the festival.

This festival starts on November 10. On November 12, obeisance will be paid to the setting sun. The next day people will worship the rising sun.

New Delhi, November 8
A city court has awarded over Rs 7 lakh compensation to the family of a man who died in a road accident in 2005.

Holding the driver of the offending vehicle guilty under the Motor Vehicle Act, presiding officer of the Motor Accident Claim Tribunal Swarna Kanta Sharma awarded Rs 7,64,400 to the family of the 20-year-old deceased Irshad Khan.

"A driver behind the wheels of a mechanically-propelled vehicle is bound to observe necessary caution to avoid striking other vehicles, persons and users of the road. Having failed to observe such duty and having struck the car of the petitioner, causing him fatal injuries, Manoj Kumar (the driver of the truck) was berserk and, thus, negligent," the court said.

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

On January 6, 2005, when Irshad was on his way to Bengal with his brother Hasan Khan, a truck being driven in a rash and negligent manner came from the opposite side and hit their car at Naya by-pass road in Moradabad. The impact was such that Irshad, who was driving the car died on the spot, while his brother received serious injuries. Irshad was a driver and earned around Rs 5,000 per month.

The court relied on the testimony of his brother Hasan Khan who said that the accident took place due to the mistake of the offending vehicle. Moreover, the police investigation also supported his statement.

Irshad is survived by a wife and an 8-year-old son.

The court also sympathised with the deceased's family and said, "No amount of money can compensate the loss of a husband to a wife, loss of a father to his son. No amount of money can wipe the tear and trauma of the petitioners."

New Delhi, November 8
A Delhi court today directed the Delhi police to provide copy of the chargesheets filed against the chief of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) group, Jagtar Singh Hawara, in cases related to the twin blasts in Satyam and Liberty cinema halls here in 2005.

Chief metropolitan magistrate Vinod Yadav asked the Delhi police to give Hawara the documents as he could not come for trial in the Capital due to his pending cases in Punjab.

The court has fixed the matter on November 22 for scrutinizing the documents.

Hawara was brought to Delhi from a jail in Chandigarh on October 25 after the court issued production warrants against him.

Facing life imprisonment in the assassination case of Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, the accused was directed to be lodged at high-security cell in the prison.

Apart from the cases of 2005 blasts here, Hawara is also accused of escaping after breaking the Burail jail in Punjab.

A total of nine suspected terrorists of the banned outfit BKI are facing trial for criminal conspiracy and other offences related to twin blasts.

Two persons were killed and scores of others injured in the explosions.

New Delhi, November 8
With the chill arriving in the national Capital, the weather department has predicted a shallow fog and midst tomorrow morning.

While the maximum temperature is expected to settle at 31 degree Celsius, the minimum is expected to settle at 17 degree Celsius. The might also see a partly cloudy sky tomorrow, with sunrise at 6:40 am, while sunset is at 5:31 pm.

The temperatures today, however, hovered between 31 and 16 degree Celsius. While the maximum settled at 31.5 degree Celsius, the minimum settled at 16.4 degree Celsius. The maximum temperature today was recorded one degree above the normal, while the minimum was recorded three degree above the normal for this time of the year.

New Delhi, November 8
With the arrest of three persons, the Delhi police has claimed to have solved the murder of a man. The three men allegedly murdered the victim on November 6 in Neb Sarai.

The accused have been identified as Manoj, alias Mangtoo (21), Sumit (19) and Kishan (21).

The arrest was made after investigations were taken up in a murder case, in which a man was allegedly found dead near Tigri. He allegedly had more than 17 stab injuries. The deceased was identified as Javed, a senior police official said.

Intelligence was developed and it came to light that the deceased was last seen with Kishan, Irfan, Sumit and Manoj. Raids were conducted at their residences, but all were absconding. Later, the accused were arrested today from the Neb Sarai area, on a tip-off. Irfan is absconding.

Forty-five days ago, Kishan had purchased a mobile phone for Rs 5,000 from Javed. As the phone turned out to be defective, Kishan returned it to Javed and demanded his money back. Despite several reminders, Javed did not return him the amount. Rather, Javed along with his brother allegedly beat up Kishan and his friend irfan.

This provoked Kishan to take revenge and he along with his other friends conspired to eliminate Javed, said a senior police official.

"On Divali night, the accused called Javed and they had drinks. When he became unconscious, they took him to a room in Tigri and stabbed him to death," the official said.

Kishan works as a sweeper. He has previously been arrested by the Ambedkar Nagar police for allegedly being involved in two cases of snatching. He was released on bail in September, after spending three months in jail.

While Manoj and Sumit are local ruffians of Tigri, the police said.

The police is trying to nab Irfan.

New Delhi, November 8
The Central district police has arrested five persons for allegedly consuming alcohol in a public park in the Baljeet Nagar area last night.

According to the police, the accused have been identified as Sanjay, Manoj, Sannu, Jitender and Balwan, all residents of Baljeet Nagar.