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Change in mindset must to empower women, says Sonia
Intel warns M’rashtra against ‘revenge attacks’
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Om Puri held, released on bail
Prolonged boiling of milk leads to nutrition loss: Experts
K’taka to block porn sites on official computers
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Asaram fit for questioning: Police
Jodhpur/Indore, August 31 Earlier, Asaram’s supporters allegedly attacked a television reporter and a cameraman at his Jodhpur ashram leaving them injured. The police said 13 persons, including a woman, had been arrested for the attack, which was condemned by the Broadcast Editors’ Association (BEA). Asaram (72) had ignored the Friday deadline to appear before the Jodhpur police following summons. A police team will now question him at his Indore ashram and make an arrest if it was not satisfied with his defence against the allegations of sexual assault levelled by a 16-year-old girl, an inmate of his Jodhpur ashram. “We have just got information that he (Asaram) is medically fit for interrogation. A Jodhpur police team will begin his questioning in the next few hours after it goes to the Indore ashram,” Jodhpur DCP Ajay Lamba told mediaperson in Jodhpur this evening. “If we are not satisfied with the defence offered by Asaram, we will arrest him,” Lamba said after it initially appeared the police was clueless about the whereabouts of the controversial godman. The speculation about Asaram’s whereabouts ended after his son Narayan Sai claimed he was not evading the police and that he was recuperating from illness at his ashram in Indore. Lamba said the Jodhpur police got a fax from the Indore ashram yesterday in which it was stated that Asaram had a “neurological problem” after he underwent a medical examination by doctors of the Bhopal Medical College. But the Indore police later said the Indore Medical College doctors had declared Asaram medically fit for travel and interrogation, Lamba said. “We can give an official declaration of arrest only after communicating with Asaram.” Lamba said the Indore police was currently examining Asaram’s latest medical report. “If Asaram presents any concrete defence before the investigating officer, the decision (of any arrest) will be taken by him,” he added. The police has increased security near the Indore ashram in view of the presence of a large number of Asaram’s supporters. “Adequate police force has been deployed around the ashram. Senior officials are keeping an eye on the situation,” Bhanwarkuan police station in charge Ashok Tiwari said. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot condemned the attack on mediapersons outside the Jodhpur ashram. “I condemn the attack. It was an act of uncivilised people. The law will take its own course and action will be taken against all those involved in the crime,” Gehlot said in Jaipur. The police has asked Asaram’s followers who had gathered outside the Jodhpur ashram to leave. Lamba said borders of the district had been sealed and the followers would not be allowed to enter the city. “We have also asked neighbouring districts to ensure that the supporters are not mobilised,” he said. — PTI
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Victim’s father begins indefinite hunger strike
Shahjahanpur, August 31 Talking to the TNS, class XII student’s father Karamveer Singh said he was expecting the culprit to surrender by August 30. “Since he has not been arrested, I cannot keep quiet any longer. I will sit on an indefinite hunger strike outside the Shahjahanpur ashram, 40 km from the town, to ensure he is arrested.” Singh said he along with two dozen supporters had decided to sit in front of the ashram as his grievance was against the self-styled godman and his associates, and not against the district administration or the state government. Singh had been instrumental in acquiring the land and construction of the ashram. The family returned to their native place in Azizganj locality of Shahjahanpur after the incident. They are under police cover.
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Change in mindset must to empower women, says Sonia
New Delhi, August 31 Launching the Ahimsa Doots (messengers) programme of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, she said: “Women’s empowerment will not happen only by announcing policies or enacting laws. It is also important that the laws and policies get implemented effectively at the grass-roots level. It is necessary that the mindset of the society needs to be changed.” Reminding that it was on account of 50 per cent reservation for women in the panchayats that lakhs of them were able to make their voice heard, she said while on the one hand women were touching glorious heights in various fields, on the other, women suffered being victims of child marriage, female foeticide, domestic violence, dowry-related deaths and sexual harassment. The government had enacted several laws to deal with these but the laws and policies needed to be implemented, said Sonia. The UPA chairperson said a big challenge existed in according equal status to women in the society and giving up conservative thinking. A societal revolution was necessary to bring about gender equality in the society and that it was the responsibility of all women to take the first step in this direction from their homes. The government through the programme aims at spreading awareness and knowledge of legal rights of women, their economic and social growth, their safety and dignity in the society.
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Bhatkal recruited Bihar youth
Patna, August 31 Bhatkal, wanted by the police in 12 states for bombings and other terror activities over the past five years, was arrested in Raxaul in East Champaran district on Thursday. He was arrested along with Asadullah Akhtar, his terror accomplice. Bhatkal revealed during interrogation that he had recruited youth from Bihar’s Mithilanchal region, including Darbhanga, Madhubani and Samastipur districts, over the past few years, a Superintendent of Police-rank officer said. “Bhatkal confessed to recruiting young boys, mostly with poor background, in Mithilanchal to carry out terror attacks in the country,” said the officer who was part of a team that interrogated Bhatkal in Bihar soon after he was arrested. He said Bhatkal admitted that he and his associates first identified potential recruits before assigning them a specific operation. The recruits qualified for the second stage of induction, including intensive training, only if they succeeded in their task. — IANS
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Intel warns M’rashtra against ‘revenge attacks’
Mumbai, August 31 According to home department sources here, they have been warned that operatives of IM who are suspected to be still at large in the state could carry out bomb blasts during the forthcoming Ganesh festival which begins on September 9. "We have been asked to stay alert as IM operatives could carry out terror attacks to avenge the arrest of Bhatkal," a senior official said. As per standard operating procedure adopted by the anti-terror cell of the Maharashtra police, a number of Ganpati pandals in Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai and Pune have been identified for increased security. Mumbai’s famous Lalbaugcha Raja Ganesh pandal at Parel and the Dagduseth Halwai Ganpati pandal in Pune have been identified for heightened security. According to the police, the IM under the leadership of Yasin had planted bombs at Pune’s Jangli Maharaj road last year. Officials feel Yasin may have set up sleeper cells in the town that may be activated on cue from their handlers. "We would like the public to be eyes and ears of the police," Mumbai Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh said.
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Montek rules out global help to tide over economic crisis
New Delhi, August 31 He also sought to distance himself from the controversy over Finance Minister P Chidambaram appearing to put the blame for the current economic mess on his predecessor Pranab Mukherjee, who is now the President. Ahluwalia was briefing reporters on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to St Petersburg next week to participate in the G20 Summit of the world’s leading economies and emerging economies. Asked if the government proposed to go to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), he said: “I can categorically say that’s not on the agenda and I don’t anticipate in the near future either.” He said it was not true that the rupee alone had depreciated in recent months. The value of currencies of many other countries too had declined but the depreciation of the Indian currency was primarily on account of a high current account deficit. Talking about the G20 Summit, Ahluwalia, who is ‘Sherpa’ (key interlocutor) of the Indian PM for the meet, said the global leaders would come out with a ‘St Petersburg Action Plan’, detailing the steps proposed to be taken to put the global economy back on the rails. The visit is also expected to provide an opportunity to Manmohan Singh to meet with leaders from Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa, which collectively form the BRICS nations, to take forward what is called the Durban Process.
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Om Puri held, released on bail
Mumbai, August 31 “The actor was arrested after he surrendered before the police and later granted bail on a bond of Rs 10,000 today,” Senior Inspector Harishchandra Parmale of Versova police station said. As per complaint by Om’s wife
Nandita, the actor assaulted her with a wooden stick on August 22 at their suburban residence. The 62-year-old actor was booked under sections 324 (causing hurt by dangerous means), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, Parmale said. According to sources, Puri was scheduled to fly abroad tonight. As per the police case, Puri and his wife had an argument over maintenance of their flat in Versova area, after which he allegedly assaulted her with a stick. She lodged complaint on the same day. Earlier today, the sessions court disposed of the anticipatory bail application filed
Puri, as his lawyer told the court that the actor wanted to withdraw the plea. — PTI
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India announces Rs 5,000-cr financial package for Bhutan
New Delhi, August 31 New Delhi would contribute Rs 4,500 crore towards Bhutan’s 11th plan apart from extending Rs 500-crore economic stimulus package, said a joint statement issued by the two countries after talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Bhutanese counterpart Tsheing Tobgay. The meeting between the two PMs was held in a warm and cordial atmosphere, reflecting the spirit of mutual confidence, cooperation and understanding which characterise the unique and special nature of relations between the two countries, the joint statement added. The meeting was significant in the backdrop of the recent acrimony in the relationship when India withdrew oil and gas subsidies to the Himalayan nation on the eve of elections. It clearly indicated that India has not taken kindly to the friendly overtures being made by Bhutan towards China without taking New Delhi into confidence. However, Tobgay is understood to have assured New Delhi that Bhutan would do nothing that would hurt India’s strategic security interests.
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Prolonged boiling of milk leads to nutrition loss: Experts
Lonavala (Pune), August 31 Leading paediatricians and clinical nutritionists across the country say boiling milk at temperatures above 100° C over 15 minutes (routine in Indian homes) robs milk of around 70 per cent of its basic nutrients such as vitamins and proteins which don’t then reach the child consuming the milk. While milk proteins are deformed and denatured when milk is heated to the boiling point, Vitamin D and B12 which aid calcium absorption are destroyed, both these vitamins being extremely heat sensitive. Contrast this to the fact that 80 pc of child’s growth potential is achieved in the first two years of life when milk is the critical source of nutrition. Even then, around half of Indian mothers continue to boil milk not just once but thrice daily thinking they are actually improving its nutrition value and increasing its shelf life. “While the latter might be true to an extent, but the fact is milk would have lost so much value by the time it has been heated thrice that there is hardly any point keeping it on the shelf. All its water soluble vitamins would be gone so also fat soluble vitamins. Any amount of heating of milk will do it tremendous harm. Milk should never be heated to boiling point even once. If at all, it can be heated for three minutes,” Dr Kalpesh Date, a leading pediatrician and neonatologist based in Mumbai today told The Tribune on the sidelines of the Third National Health Writers and Editors Convention organised by the HEAL Foundation at Amby Valley City here. Dr Date said there was ample field evidence to suggest heating and reheating of milk was causing severe nutrition loss in children. He said pasteurized milk need not be heated and at the most it should be heated for three to four minutes. “Already some amount of heating during pasteurization process has caused some nutrition loss in milk. The rest is done at home,” Dr Date said following a dedicated session at the convention around milk safety and nutrition concerns. The ground situation is however opposite. A recent Indian Medical Association study on 3,000 mothers aged 25 to 40 years across 10 urban centres, including the four metros, showed that 49 pc consumers were boiling milk thrice; more than half (56 pc) boiled milk for over 5 minutes; 73 pc never stirred the milk while boiling (considered good during boiling). “The level of ignorance is tremendous. It is time Indian mothers realised unnecessary boiling would only lead to end of amino acids and minerals in milk,” Dr Salome Benjamin, a reputed clinical nutritionist at Nair Hospital, Bombay said. She recommended high temperature heating techniques involving aseptic processing and aseptic packaging to be broad based in India to produce 100 pc bacteria free milk with a long shelf life on account of good packaging.
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Doctors break Jagan’s fast
Hyderabad, August 31 The doctors at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), under directions from Chanchalguda Jail officials, forcibly gave intravenous (IV) fluids to Jagan as his condition deteriorated, a hospital official said. The Kadapa MP was shifted to the NIMS late on Friday night but he refused to end his fast. Jagan’s wife Bharati was by his side when the doctors administered IV fluids to him. She arrived at the hospital after the CBI court allowed her to stay with him from 8 am to 4 pm every day. Jagan, who is in judicial custody in a disproportionate assets case, was shifted from Osmania General Hospital to the NIMS amid tight security. A team of eight doctors is monitoring the condition of the leader, who may have to remain in hospital for two to three days. The doctors had advised him to take IV fluids after his sugar and blood pressure levels fell, and ketone bodies in urine rose. — IANS
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K’taka to block porn sites on official computers
Bangalore, August 31 “It has come to the government's notice. We have taken a serious view of the matter”, Karnataka IT and BT Minister SR Patil said after the CBI reported a website was used by employees to view pornography in the state secretariat. — TNS
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Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi greets US former Ambassador Robert D. Blackwill at a meeting in Gandhinagar on Saturday. — PTI Berhampur
(Odisha) Thiruvananthapuram
IMphal Bangalore Mumbai Ahmednagar
(Maharashtra)
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