New Delhi, January 6
With the season of nursery admission progressing, parents are witnessing much chaos at most school counters. While some schools are turning away EWS candidates, saying they don't have seats, others are asking parents to submit too many documents at the time of submission of admission forms.

Parents are managing all this while applying at more than 10 schools for their children, which is leaving them exhausted, nay, frustrated.

"First, the schools charged for the admission form with the prospectus. They made it compulsory for us to buy the prospectus if we needed the form. Then, nowhere in the prospectus does it say that original documents are needed at the time of submission of forms. I have come to the school twice since yesterday with the residence proof and other documents for the submission of form. There is no clarity. I could have visited more schools in these two days, rather than completing formalities at this school," said Prateek Gakkhar, a resident of East Delhi.

Even as the government guidelines were supposed to make the admission process easier for the EWS parents, many schools are demanding four to five sets of documents just to issue a form.

Ahlcon International School has already seen 700 online registrations for EWS seats. Springdales School in Pusa Road has also received up to 650 EWS registrations.

"Parents can download the common EWS forms from the Delhi government website, but many parents are not that comfortable with the Internet. Hence, they are turning up at schools. The guard at the school today sent away many parents, saying that they don't have EWS seats," said Bindu Sarkar, a parent at one of the leading city schools.

A recent survey by online parents' forum 'admissionsnursery.Com' has indicated that nearly 50 % parents will be applying to more than 10 schools to ensure a seat for their little one this year.

During the survey, while more than 47 per cent of parents said they are likely to apply in 1-10 schools, around 44 per cent said they will apply in more than 10 schools.

"The trend shows that people are not in a mood to take any chance this time following their harrowing experience of the previous year," said Sumit Vohra, founder of the website.

New Delhi, January 6
The Delhi police commissioner today said that the Special Cell and the Crime Branch will be given unlimited resources to combat terrorism this year. This includes equipping the two elite units with seasoned officers. The Delhi police with the assistance of intelligence agencies had nabbed 23 terrorists last year.

B K Gupta, the police commissioner, said, "The war against terrorism will be on top of the agenda this year. This means that we will strengthen the Special Cell and the Crime Branch."

On October 13 last year, the Special Cell found a car parked at the Ambala Cantonment Railway Station and seized five kms of explosives from it. The Khalistan Tiger Force claimed responsibility for it, the police said.

A team consisting of the officials of Special Cell and Crime Branch was formed to tackle terrorist attacks. The team with the help of security agencies from different states busted an Indian Mujahideen (IM) module last year. The seven apprehended men were allegedly involved in the bomb blasts at Pune German Bakery, Bangalore Chinnaswamy Stadium and Jama Masjid.

The Delhi police also apprehended a woman, Soofia Kanwal and a man, Imran, both residents of Karachi, Pakistan, for their alleged links with the ISI. They were arrested at New Delhi Railway Station on December 5.

On December 22, the police nabbed a Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operative, Sarabpreet Singh and thereafter arrested his accomplice, Jaswinder Singh during a raid at a hideout in Ropar, Punjab.

These two men were following the instructions of the BKI chief, Wadhwa Singh to set up a base in Delhi. The module was targeting religious and political leaders of Punjab.

Nine insurgents of the northeast, including those of the Kangleipak Communist Party and the People Liberation Army, were also apprehended last year while they were hiding in Delhi. They had arrived in the city to extort money from businessmen and officials based in Manipur.

Furthermore, the police is focusing on upgrading its SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) unit by involving the National Security Guard (NSG). The SWAT unit has been set up to fight terrorism. This unit has bulletproof jeeps and light-armoured vehicles.

New Delhi, January 6
The crime graph of the Delhi police has risen this year in comparison to previous year. This year the total cases registered with the police were 53,353 while the previous year it was 51,292.

Commissioner of police, Delhi, BK Gupta said that there was causative factor in the change of crime graph in Delhi. Being capital of the country, Delhi had been developing at a rapid pace. The rapid urbanisation had also led to certain factors which had a bearing on the crime rate in the city. The addition of colonies like Dwarka, Rohini, etc., and thousands of unplanned colonies is a critical crimogenic factor particularly in respect of street crimes like robberies and snatchings.

Addressing annual press conference here today, he said in Delhi almost 65 per cent population lived in unplanned colonies, 11.7 per cent population lived in rural or urban villages, thus, leaving only 23.7 per cent people living in planned colonies that was an important factor of crime in Delhi.

Other factors responsible for crime as follows: socio-economic imbalance, proximate location of colonies of the affluent and the under-privileged, urban anonymity encouraging deviant behaviour, loosening of social structures and family control, adverse sex ratio (866 women-1,000 men) and easy accessibility of escape to criminal elements from across the borders.

However, if the crime rate of Delhi is compared with 1998 to 2011, some times it has downward trend and some times upward.

In 1998, the population of Delhi was 128.3 lakhs and the total Indian Penal Case (IPC) crime was 64,882. While population rapidly rose to approximately 167.53 lakhs in 2011 while the total IPC crime remained only 53,353.

New Delhi, January 6
A blanket of fog coupled with sharp showers made the morning chilly in the capital. Though the sky was partially cloudy throughout the day, Delhiites experienced light showers in the evening also.

According to the officials of India Meteorological Department (IMD), around 0.7 mm of rain was recorded in the morning. The minimum temperature was five notches above average at 12.4° C. The maximum temperature was recorded at 16.9° C which was four degrees below normal. The humidity recorded at 98 per cent in the morning.

The weathermen have predicted light rain for tomorrow as well. "The sky will remain partly cloudy with possibility of light rain in the morning," said the official.

The minimum temperature will be around 13° C and the maximum will hover around 18° C, predicted the official.

Yesterday's minimum temperature was recorded at 8.6° C, two notches below average, while the maximum settled at 19.3° C.

The dense fog in the morning led to several rescheduling and cancellations of trains running from Delhi this morning.

According to the website of the Northern Railways, around 16 trains were rescheduled due to foggy weather conditions whereas 28 have to be cancelled. Some 61 trains are running late by more than an hour due to dense fog. Some of the these trains include Hawrah Rajdhani, Bhubaneshwar Rajdhani, Yuva Express, Magadh Express, Golden Temple, Janata Shatabdi Express, Kerela Express, Bhopal Shatabdi.

Around 12 trains are partially cancelled.

New Delhi, January 6
Chaos seemed to reign at the Auto Expo today as thousands of visitors thronged auto exhibitors' stalls at the Pragati Maidan, completely overrunning the venue, and causing many exhibitors to fret over the shoddy management.

The first two days which are kept as the official business and media interaction days saw press personnel and exhibitors being physically harassed by thousands of freeloaders.

"There is no discipline here. We do not know from where all these people in their thousands come in from. Imagine what will happen when the expo is opened for the public," one of the many exhibitors at the mega event told IANS.

"More chaos, sleepless nights are in store for the exhibitors and security personnel due to the shoddy management, coupled with the unruly crowd," he added.

"The purpose of the first two days is completely defeated. We wanted the interactions to go on smoothly between media and the company officials." — IANS

New Delhi, January 6
Single women, widowed or abandoned by their husbands, gathering in the Capital from several parts of the country, urged the government today for better access to basic rights, including widow pension, ration cards, regularising employment under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.

These appeals were accompanied by heartrending testimonies of grit and fight for survival narrated by many women from Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.

Their versions have paved the way for insightful sessions to follow over the next two days in the Capital.

On the inaugural day this evening, noted developmental economist Devika Jain suggested ‘gender analysis’ to be considered for policy-making and it is this that would act as a game-changer in designing and implementing the policy at a macro level.

“We as a part of women’s movement (single women) should focus on three ideas—giving incentives for single women, bringing in inclusiveness into the movement and creating proper spaces for the section (ghettoes),” she said.

Many other activists of single women’s issues expressed their concerns in the presence of Union minister of rural development Jairam Ramesh and Planning Commission member Syeda Hamed. They said it is time to rise above the minimalist agenda of equality of women and shift attention towards the larger issues pertaining to the survival of marginalised women.

Many such women dared to share their experiences of denial of the basic rights.

Halima Begum from Andhra Pradesh, deserted by her husband 14 years ago, has been running from door-to-door for the pension, but of no avail.

“I have an old mother and a 13-year-old daughter to support. Whenever I go to the local office, I’m told that I have to get the divorce papers,” said Halima, who also had to suffer torture at her in-laws’ house after her husband had gone to Saudi Arabia.

Coming from Andhra Pradesh, Vijaya, whose husband, father and brother committed suicide following crop failure, hopes to help others like her.

“I was married when I was sixteen and within a few years, I lost my husband. My father had to repay some loan. He also died after consuming pesticide. Such was the trauma that my brother gave pesticide to all the family members finding no way out. The younger ones are still living as they understood nothing. Later, I was helped by a self-help group. I wish to help others,” said Vijaya.

Rajjo Devi from Himachal Pradesh and Chanda from Maharashtra urged the government to give single women 200 days of employment instead of 100 days a year under the MGNREGA.

Noida, January 6
The Supreme Court order dismissing Nupur Talwar's application has paved the way for trial of Aarushi's parents in the Aarushi-Hemraj murder case which had shaken the city in 2008. Residents say that the court has given some hope for the solution to the case which has been shrouded in mystery.

Former Deputy Superintendent of Police KK Gautam said today, "The CBI has given a list of more than hundred witnesses in the closure report. While submitting the report, the investigating team had said that the circumstantial evidence points towards parents, but in the absence of evidence, it cannot lead to conviction. The CBI court had taken cognizance of it and issued summons to Rajesh and Nupur Talwar to appear as accused. They had got stay from the Supreme Court last year. Today's order has paved the way for their trial."

Gautam had detected Hemraj's body on the terrace.

"The Supreme Court while rejecting Nupur Talwar's application has not given a judgement on their involvement. The court felt that if parents are innocent, it will be proved in the trial at the CBI court. They can challenge the CBI court order only once the judgement is given. They cannot seek stoppage of trial by the CBI court," said FC Sharma, advocate.

"The proceedings of Rajesh Talwar's application scheduled for Monday will also face the same order," said Sharma.

At Talwar's house in Jalvayu Vihar, sector 25, the residents were seen discussing the case today. "Now we hope Aarushi case will not remain a mystery," said a resident.

The Talwars have shifted to Delhi now and their house where the murder had taken place has been rented out. Some other family is found living there.

The Talwar family could not be contacted for comments despite repeated calls. However, their lawyers said that they will study the order and the Talwars will defend themselves at the CBI court.

New Delhi, January 6
In one of the biggest crackdowns on drunken driving in the last few years, more than 18,000 drivers were prosecuted and nearly 3,000 jailed in 2011, Delhi Police Commissioner B.K. Gupta said today.

Addressing the annual press conference of Delhi Police, Gupta said that "18,073 people were prosecuted in 2011 whereas the figure was 11,388 in 2010."

"The driving licenses of 2,212 people were suspended and 2,960 offenders were imprisoned," he added.

Bangalore, January 6
Customs sleuths arrested a Delhi-based woman for allegedly attempting to smuggle in about 31,500 computer chips (memory cards) valued at Rs 63 lakh into the country from Hong Kong, a senior official said today.

"The accused, Rosy Bhatia, 40, was trapped soon after she landed early on Thursday by a Dragon Airways flight from Hong Kong, with the chips concealed in stockings around her thighs," the official said.

Bhatia was arrested for the offence under Section 108 of the Customs Act, 1962.

"Though a local court has released Bhatia on conditional bail, she has been directed to report to the air intelligence unit for investigations when summoned," the official said.

On a tip-off from their Delhi counterparts, the sleuths confronted Bhatia after she passed through the green channel without disclosing the chips she was carrying on her body or their value in the customs declaration slip.

"When Bhatia said she had no goods to declare, we asked our women staff to conduct a body check, which led to detection of small polythene bags hidden in stockings beneath her salwar-kameez suit," the official said.

Bhatia was about to board a morning flight to Delhi with the chips that are used in the motherboards of computers and other electronic goods.

"We detained her before she proceeded to catch the Delhi flight as she would have hidden the chips in the baggage later before boarding the aircraft," the official added. — IANS

Noida, January 6
A 12-year-old boy was reportedly kidnapped from the Bisrakh area here. His father has lodged a kidnapping report today after he did not return home from school yesterday, the police said.

Aman was a Class IV student at public school at Khedi village.

"His family members suspect he has been kidnapped," said the police.

Till late evening no ransom call was received, it added. — PTI