New Delhi, December 6
A northeast call centre employee escaped sexual assault by two Africans at Saket in south Delhi, the police said today.

The victim who works at a Noida-based call centre was going to her house on December 1, after collecting her debit card from a bank in Saket when two Africans allegedly intercepted her and tried to drag her to an isolated place.

"They were passing lewd remarks. First, she ignored them, but when the accused men caught her by her arms, she raised an alarm. The accused abused and slapped her, threatening her of dire consequences," said a senior police official.

Two policemen patrolling in the area heard the victim crying for help and rushed to the spot. Seeing the policemen, the Africans fled leaving the woman.

A police team along with the woman surveyed the Saket area, but the culprits could not be found, the official said.

New Delhi, December 6
A young woman was slapped and molested for refusing a drink from the son of a businessman at a late night party here, police said today.

The suspect is being questioned, a police officer said.

The complainant is the daughter of a south Delhi businessman who had gone to the party thrown by her classmate who was getting married.

"A young man at the party offered her a drink which she refused. He became furious but she left the party with her bodyguard," said the official.

While waiting for the car, the young man tried to catch her by her hand but her guard intervened.

The suspect's friends then beat up the guard.

"The complainant alleged that the youth tried to molest her and slapped her. She said he tried to drag her into his car. He let her go only after the guards of nearby farmhouses intervened," the officer said. — IANS

New Delhi, December 6
A youth who went on attacking girls with a surgical blade as he was spurned by his girlfriend and some other girls was arrested, according to the police today.

DCP, outer Delhi, Chhaya Sharma said Vishal, 19, was the main accused behind at least five cases of attack by blade on girls in Mongolpuri.

Leading a frustrated life, he had been disowned by his family over two years back due to his wayward ways.

His girlfriend broke up with him a month back when he tried to get intimate with her. Some other girls also rebuffed him, some even beat him up, Sharma said.

“It seems he is not mentally stable. He also cut his hands at many places. He had no guilt and believed that he was teaching girls a lesson,” the DCP added.

His partner in the scary crime was Rohit, 26, who would ride pillion on the bike driven by Vishal. Rohit taught him how to use the blade effectively.

The DCP said Rohit had a criminal background and both would drink and gamble.

They first injured three girls on November 12 and attacked two more girls on December 2 and 3, prompting a large number of residents to protest against what they alleged was police inaction.

Different police parties then led trap on three roads, which the accused used, and apprehended them late last night.

New Delhi, December 6
French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s celebrity wife Carla Bruni today interacted with HIV positive people at the government-run Safdarjung Hospital and examined their conditions, including treatment and counselling.

A goodwill ambassador with Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and a noted model before her marriage to Sarkozy, Bruni is learnt to have interacted with doctors and counsellors and asked them about the measures to help HIV positive people.

She had lost a close family member to AIDS and felt strongly about spreading awareness about it. She said she was happy to work for HIV positive and AIDS patients.

Bruni also visited the Naz Foundation-run home for HIV positive children at East of Kailash in south Delhi and interacted with around 27 children who welcomed her with greetings and handwritten cards. The children sang for her in Hindi, English and French as well. She being a musician herself promised to send them her latest album. She arrived at the hospital around 11.30 am and spent close to an hour and 15 minutes.

Sources said she spoke to counsellors on various measures that needed to be taken to integrate HIV positive people with the mainstream society and how they could be made to contribute to its development.

She shared her experience as the goodwill ambassador and said she was aware of the trauma such people underwent. It was very important to make them get over their shock and counsel them to live a normal life.

Draped in a shawl, she was earnest in her interaction with people and told them that there was no reason for them to feel negative and shared with them her experiences of HIV positive people, hospital sources said.

She enquired from them about their family members, their ambitions and how they led their day-to-day life.

Bruni also visited the Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) centre and the out-patient department (OPD) of the hospital.

New Delhi, December 6
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today said the city government is considering enhancing the minimum wages of Delhi Home Guards and Civil Defence in view of their courageous role during odd hours. They also played an important role during the Commonwealth Games 2010 in Delhi.

The Chief Minister expressed confidence that Home Guards and Civil Defence would continue to render their services with dedication.

Speaking at the 64th Raising Day Celebration of Delhi Home Guards and Civil Defence, the Chief Minister said that the Civil Defence and Home Guards volunteers have contributed immensely towards the successful conduct of Commonwealth Games 2010. 

In order to prepare for the ever-increasing challenges of the complex security scenario, several training programmes such as community-oriented policing service, traffic and disaster management programmes have been conducted in its Central Training Institute, she added.

New Delhi, December 6
The Delhi Cabinet today took a few decisions to simplify the process of granting monthly pensions to the elderly, handicapped and widows.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said that the departments of social welfare and women and child development had been facing difficulties in verifying applications received for the grant of old age, widow and handicapped pension due to inadequate number of Anganwadi workers. Besides, the Anganwadi workers are part-time employees. Therefore, the process gets delayed and applicants have to visit government offices many times.

Keeping in view the inconvenience the aged, handicapped and widows face, the government has decided to modify the process, Dikshit said.

She said that the process of sanction would not affect the beneficiary adversely.

Besides, the Cabinet has given its nod for setting up of a 750 MW gas-based Pragati Power Project Phase-II at Bamnauli. It has also decided to award contract to BHEL. The Cabinet has also approved the appointment of NTPC as project management consultant on terms and conditions similar to Bawana Project.

Once commissioned, the Bamnauli Project will help in supplying uninterrupted power to IGI Airport, Dwarka and other nearby localities apart from making the Capital more power surplus, she said.

New Delhi, December 6
The Delhi government today decided to make tourism department the nodal department that would facilitate grant of licenses to entrepreneurs who wish to open restaurants with bar.

The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting.

Saying that the decision would overcome delays in grant of licenses, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said obtaining licenses and no-objection certificate (NOC) from various departments was difficult. Unless the first department cleared the project, the other department was not able to process it.

Restaurants intending to operate in Delhi need health trade license from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and Delhi Cantonment Board, Eating House Registration from the police department and NOC from the fire department.

However, from now on, the tourism department will function as the nodal department and the applicant will have the facility of applying to all departments concerned simultaneously and separately.

The departments will scrutinise the applications and conduct required inspections, without waiting for the approval of other departments. Four officers are being posted in the department in diverted capacity till regular posts are created.

The Cabinet has also decided to set up a coordination committee under additional secretary or special secretary (tourism) and an apex committee under principal secretary (tourism) for monitoring the new process to avoid any delay and obstacle.

New Delhi, December 6
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) today announced to disburse Rs 15 crore among municipal students belonging to the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe community as scholarship.

The scheme was announced in February this year and March 31 was the deadline to distribute the scholarship. It was only after the intervention of the national SC/ ST Commission, which recently wrote to the corporation to order an inquiry, that the civic agency took action in the matter.

The number of beneficiaries will be about 1.5 lakh and the provision for fund has been made out of non-plan fund, said Mahinder Nagpal, chairman of education committee.

"Rs 3 crore will be disbursed among minorities' students in MCD schools. Of which, around Rs 2 crore have already been given. A total of 20,000 students have already been benefited by the scheme. By the disbursing of the remaining amount, nearly 10,000 students will be benefited," said Nagpal.

Nagpal added that this year, the corporation had constructed 645 classrooms in 45 primary school complexes.

"Apart from these 645 classrooms, construction is going on in 41 municipal primary school complexes. The construction is expected to be completed within 3 to 9 months," said Nagpal.

He added that a decision to provide porta-cabins in schools had been taken. They were expected to be completed in over six months. "The engineering department has been asked to expedite the construction process and remove the malba, after dismantling the old portions of the buildings which are in dilapidated condition and cannot be used for school structure," he said.

New Delhi, December 6
The national Capital saw a chilly and misty beginning to the week today with the day temperature settling below the average. The fog cover even restricted sunlight.

The city has witnessed the season's coldest day so far, with the minimum temperature dropping to 7.9 degree Celsius, one degree below the normal.

It is virtually an early cold wave in the Capital, as the lowest temperature of the season comes after a day when the mercury had dipped to 8.2 degree Celsius.

"There was shallow fog in the morning, but the sky cleared during the day. The maximum temperature settled at 23.9 degree Celsius today," said an official of the India Meteorological Department .

Weather officials have forecast a foggy morning for tomorrow, with the maximum and minimum temperature expected to be around 23 and 8 degree Celsius, respectively. The weatherman has said that the day temperature is likely to remain constant for the next two to three days.

The humidity level oscillated between a low and high of 45 and 95 per cent, respectively, today.

The fog during early morning hours today also enveloped the Indira Gandhi International Airport leading to delay in some flights.

Due to lack of sun, the day remained nippy throughout and people were seen at many places wearing thick woolens. Doctors have also advised people to take adequate precaution as chances of cold affecting them in the early days are high.

New Delhi, December 6
Come winter and the night life becomes nightmare for the homeless in the national Capital.

Despite the efforts made by the government and civic agencies, homeless people can be seen braving the cold by sleeping on footpaths and on the roadsides every night, especially in the areas like Subhash Park, Jama Masjid Park, Yamuna Bazar, Ring Road and Raja Garden.

Many homeless people spending nights outdoors die due to severe chill.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has failed to ensure a safe place for them. The MCD is already operating 27 night shelters. Of them, 17 are permanent and eight are temporary shelters which are run till March 31.

Apart from the MCD, non-government organizations also maintain some of the night shelters in Delhi.

However, the civic agency, on the directions of the Supreme Court to ensure adequate shelter for the homeless, had opened 37 new night shelters in various parts of the city early this year. This brought the total number of night shelters run by MCD to 64 in the municipal area that constitutes 90 per cent of Delhi.

"We have opened the 37 new night shelters in compliance with the directions of the Supreme Court. Their total capacity is about 5,000 people. We start some new shelters this time also," said an MCD official.

Shelters like the one run by the NGO in Chandni Chowk have facilities of first aid, coolers and a TV.

The MCD-run Delhi Gate night shelter houses about 22 homeless, but lacks the basic facilities available in the shelter houses maintained by NGOs.

The new night shelters have been opened in the permanent structures of the existing community halls of the Slum and JJ Department.

"MCD provides blankets, mats, drinking water and public conveniences at these shelters. The services are free of charge during winter," said the officer.

Noida, December 6
The police has arrested a 25-year-old man for allegedly raping his sister in Chotpur village here on Sunday night.

"The arrested accused has been identified as Rajesh Jatav of Chotpur village in the Sector 58 police station area. He works as a labourer," said superintendent of police H.N. Singh.

"The victim is his 15-year-old sister. On Sunday, both were alone in the house when Jatav raped her. Jatav committed the crime under the influence of liquor and drugs," said Singh

The police said that their mother and brother had gone to their home village when the incident took place.

"Hearing her screams, neighbours rushed in their house and nabbed Jatav. They thrashed him and handed him over to the police," said Singh.

"A rape case has been registered against him at the Sector 58 police station. He has been arrested. The victim was admitted to the district hospital where her medical examination was conducted. The report is awaited," said Singh.

New Delhi, December 6
The Delhi police has arrested a man for allegedly raping a seven-year-old girl on Sunday evening, the police said.

The accused has been identified as Ramanand (20), resident of Handan Chowk, Asaf Ali Road. The police has registered a rape case against him, confirmed senior police officials. The incident took place in the evening around 6:30 pm.

The victim was playing along with her friend outside the house when the accused came and took the girl with him inside a room which was near to the victim's house.

He then allegedly raped her and then rushed

out. He was traced by the residents of the area and handed over to the police.

Meanwhile, the victim went under medical examination which confirmed that she had been raped.

Noida, December 6
With arrest of one person, the Noida police has claimed to have solved the murder of a multi-national company employee. The victim's body was found in the bushes in Salarpur on November 13.

"On November 13, a body of a man was found in Salarpur bushes. He was identified as Danvir Singh, an employee of a multi-national company. A murder case was registered against three persons by the victim's brother," said Rajesh Kumar Singh, SHO, Sector 39.

"On Monday, a man named Mukesh Kumar was arrested with the deceased's mobile phone from the Bhangel area," said Singh.

"The accused revealed that he had killed the victim as he had illicit relations with his (accused) sister. He along with his two friends planned murder," said Singh.

"On November 11, they called Danvir Singh to a house in Salarpur for a party. They made him drink and then strangulated him to death. They hit his face with stones, so that he could not be identified. Thereafter, they locked the house and went out of the city," said Singh.

"After two days when they returned, they took the body out of the house and dumped in the bushes," said Singh.

New Delhi, December 6
Five conmen decamped with designer clothes worth Rs 2.5 lakh from the boutique of former model and activist Nafisa Ali at Meharchand Market near Lodhi Road.

Ali said today that the incident occurred in broad daylight on December 3 when five persons, including three women, turned up at her shop as customers and asked to be shown different clothes. She was not present at the time.

Two of them asked a sales girl to wear a dress they had chosen, claiming she had the same physique as that of their daughter.

When she came out of the trial room, she saw three persons going outdoors.

They said they would come back after taking measurement of their daughter, the FIR read.

They had apparently stolen clothes and deposited them in the van they had come in. It was only realized later that quite a few clothes were missing. The police has registered a case.

The absence of CCTV cameras in the shop has hampered the probe. "The first thing I am doing today is to install CCTV cameras. It's a new shop and I thought I would put up cameras after earning some profit," Ali said.

New Delhi, December 6
The number of men entering the women's special coaches in Metro trains has dropped significantly.

The change has arrived, after the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) deployed women enforcers' team in the coaches. Regular passengers in the coach attribute the change to the recent drive where police teams pulled men out of women coaches and slapped fines on them.

"Initially, the coach was overcrowded as men would keep coming in. Now, we don't let anyone in, until it is urgent. The other day, a man was travelling with his son and could not enter the general coach. He sought our permission to enter the coach reserved for women. We allowed him in and he shifted the coach on the next station. But, anyone acting smart and entering the coach to eye women or act mean are fined or pushed out immediately," said Neeti Choudhary, a sales executive.

"Some girls travel late at night. At times, drunk men would enter the coach. We thought that separate coaches would help, but the situation only got worse. If anyone had to eve-tease, they would straightaway drop in the women's coach. Now, with women officers guarding the coach, safety has increased and men are not allowed to enter. We feel much safer," said Shobhna Bhattacharya, a housewife.