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PoK people
up in arms NEW DELHI, Oct 17: People in Kotli in Pakistan occupied Kashmir are up in arms over the presence of militants whose bloody feuds in the past about two weeks have threatened the life of the local population in the town. .....more
Buta files appeal in JMM NEW DELHI, Oct 17: Former Union Minister Buta Singh sentenced to three years rigorous imprisonment in the JMM MPs bribery case along with former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao, today filed an appeal in the Delhi High Court challenging the trial court order......more
Rajkumar’s release BANGALORE, Oct 17: Abducted Kannada thespian Rajkumar’s son-in-law S A Govindraj, who was released by Veerappan....more Major bureaucratic JAIPUR, Oct 17: In a major bureaucratic reshuffle the Rajasthan Government has transferred 36 senior .....more |
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Naidu leaves on a 10-day tour of Japan, China HYDERABAD, Oct 17: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.....more
I have a vision for MUMBAI, Oct 17: Exuding confidence that the Democratic Front Government in Maharashtra ....more EC to begin delimitation LUCKNOW, Oct 17: The Election Commission would take up very soon the task.....more
Cyclonic storm in Bay BHUBANESWAR, Oct 17: Exactly a year after a severe cyclonic storm wreaked havoc....more |
PoK people up in arms over presence of militants NEW DELHI, Oct 17: People in Kotli in Pakistan occupied Kashmir are up in arms over the presence of militants whose bloody feuds in the past about two weeks have threatened the life of the local population in the town. Pakistani Urdu press has reported that local people, who included students and lawyers, have staged protest rallies in the past week demanding that the Army should shift the militants’ camps from Kotli, shopkeepers say they will not open their shops until these camps are shifted. These protests have resutled from bloody clashes between two groups of Hizbul Mujahedin in the past two weeks, according to Urdu newspapers Jang, Ausaf and Pakistan, the clashes were sparked off on the first of this month when the chief of PoK Jamaat-i-Islami Abdul Rashid Turabi led 500 militants to capture Pir Panjal Regiment, a sub organisation of the Hizb in Sahansa (Kotli) headed by Commander Masood Sarfaraz. Turabi’s action led to a pitched battle between his men and Masood’s forces. Both sides freely used guns and rocket launchers. It is estimated about 20 persons have died in these clashes. The Hizbul Mujahedin in occupied Kashmir split into two factions when its chief commander Salahuddin decided to have ceasefire in Kashmir (the ceasefire was subsequently called off by Salahuddin). Masood and his supporters had opposed Salahuddin’s decision. Jamaat’s chief Turabi says the action against Masood was taken because of his corrupt ways, the Urdu press reported. (UNI) |
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Buta files appeal in JMM bribery case in Delhi HC NEW DELHI, Oct 17: Former Union Minister Buta Singh sentenced to three years rigorous imprisonment in the JMM MPs bribery case along with former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao, today filed an appeal in the Delhi High Court challenging the trial court order. Buta Singh, in his appeal filed in the court registry, claimed that the special judge had "erred" in holding him guilty of bribing four JMM MPs and "failed" to consider that the "prosecution had not been able to bring any incriminating evidence" against him. Singh’s counsel Satish Tamta told reporters "there was neither any direct nor circumstancial evidence to draw the inference of conspiracy" against his client. The appeal is likely to come up for hearing tomorrow. He said the conviction was entirely based on the "uncorroborated testimony" of approver Shailendra Mahato, one of the four JMM leader, who was allegedly bribed. The trial court failed to appreciate that the approver himself "is unworthy of any reliance" because he innumerable of times had been telling "lies" on the issue, he alleged. The special CBI court here had sentenced Rao and Singh to three years imprisonment on October 12 and also imposed a fine of Rs two lakh on each of them. The court had said that on failure to pay the fine, they will have to undergo further imprisonment of six months. An associate of Rao’s counsel R K Anand said that appeal by the former Prime Minister will be filed only after Anand returns from abroad. Anand has gone to Belarus as a member of an observers’ group to oversee the elections there and would return tommorrow. Singh’s counsel said that the testimony of an approver was required to pass two tests — that the approver was creditworthy and his testimony was corroborated with material evidence with reference to the allegation. However, in this case the prosecution evidence had failed to connect Singh with any offence and there was no corroboration to any of the allegations against him, Tamta claimed. He said neither a case under Section 120-B (Criminal Conspiracy) nor Sections 7, 12 and 13(2) read with Section 13 (1)(D) of Prevention of Corruption Act could be made against Singh. Referring to the JMM MPs meeting with Singh, his counsel said any appreciation of the circumstantial evidence should be consistent with the main allegation, not with any "hypothesis". The trial court has granted bail to Rao and Singh on their furnishing personal bond of Rs two lakh each and sureties of the like amount, till November eight. (PTI) |
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Rajkumar’s release
unlikely till Veerappan’s BANGALORE, Oct 17: Abducted Kannada thespian Rajkumar’s son-in-law S A Govindraj, who was released by Veerappan from captivity, said today the outlaw was unlikely to free the actor unless his demands for release of TADA and five Tamil extremists were met. Govindraj, who briefed Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna and Home Minister M Mallikarjuna Kharge on the well-being of Rajkumar in the forest, told newsmen that Veerappan was insisting on meeting his demands to free the hostages. Govindraj, who was released last night, said Rajkumar was being looked after well and was keeping good health. He confirmed that Nagappa, an assistant film director, taken hostage along with Rajkumar on July 30, escaped from the bandit’s captivity on September 28, but discounted the reported claim of Nagappa about an encounter with Veerappan’s aides before fleeing. Govindraj said the escape of Nagappa was a setback to the negotiations being undertaken by Emissary R R Gopal for the release of Rajkumar. He said negotiations were continuing and he hoped that Rajkumar and Nagesh, who still remain in Veerappan’s custody would soon be released. Govindraj said he took the permission of his father-in-law to come out of the forests as he was not keeping good health and was sufferring from high blood pressure. Govindraj ruled out the possibility of Veerappan harming Rajkumar. To a query, Govindaraj said Veerappan had not sent any message or cassette through him. Earlier, Govindaraj came by car from erode and drove straight to Rajkumar’s house. (PTI) |
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Major bureaucratic reshuffle in Rajasthan JAIPUR, Oct 17: In a major bureaucratic reshuffle the Rajasthan Government has transferred 36 senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, including four Divisional Commissioners, an official release said today. The seniormost IAS officer, P N Bhandari, hitherto Chairman of the newly established Power Transmission Corporation, has been made Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Rajasthan Industrial Development and Investment Corporation (RIICO) while the Principal Secretary Cooperative, Anil Vaish, has been appointed Finance Secretary. D C Samant, Chairman, RIICO, has been made chairman of the Power Transmission Corporation while T Srinivasan, hitherto Finance Secretary has been made Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Rajasthan Financial Corporation (RFC). The transfer orders were issued here late last night, it said. (PTI) |
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Cyclonic storm in Bay of
Bengal causes BHUBANESWAR, Oct 17: Exactly a year after a severe cyclonic storm wreaked havoc in Southern Orissa districts of Ganjam and Gajapati, people are bracing to face another killer storm following reports of a depression forming in the Bay of Bengal. The depression has assumed proportions of a cyclonic storm and remained static and sluggish since Sunday morning, 250 kms South East off Vishakhapatnam Coast. Although the Met office here has not sounded any warning for a possible cyclone, and the State Government advised the people not to panic, the people were not willing to buy their versions. Last year also the Government and the Met sources predicted that the cyclone would not hit the Orissa coast and cross over to Bangladesh through the Sagar island in West Bengal. But the memories of the October 29 super cyclone (the second one to have hit the state within a fortnight) which had caused unprecedented devastation all over the coast, claiming more than ten thousand lives and rendering over a crore homeless, were still fresh in the minds of the people. Panic purchase of essential commodities have started at many places in the coastal districts. The State Government has directed all coastal District Collectors to keep enough stock of essentials, medicines and other relief materials and kept ready civil defence personnel and volunteers. Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik held a high level review meeting here yesterday on the situation and directed the authorities to keep a strong vigil on the path of the cyclonic storm. Ganjam district alone accounts for 120 kms of the total 480 kms long coast line but is not considered cyclone-prone unlike the coastal districts of Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapada. The State Government has already warned of a heavy to very heavy rainfall in the South and coastal Orissa and possible flash floods in the next 24 hours and alerted the district collectors to take all precautionary measures in case of any eventuality. According to Ganjam District Collector G Mathiabathon the district authority is fully geared up to meet any eventuality. Villages close to the sea coast have been identified and personnel would be despatched soon to tackle any situation, he added. Ganjam district had witnessed major cyclones consecutively for two years from 1968, three years from 1971 and finally in 1999. But the last one was claimed more than 200 lives shattering the rural economy to a great extent. Over 78,000 houses collapsed and standing crop over 2.25 lakh hectares destroyed while the district virtually remained cut off and went without electricity and water for a fortnight throwing normal life out of gear for a month. Reports reaching the state headquarters here said the ganjam district has already been experiencing rains under the impact of the cyclonic storm since late last night and the Government has sought the help of choppers from the Defence Ministry to undertake relief and rescue operation. One company of specially trained orissa state armed police force had been despatched to the district and the officials asked not to leave the headquarters. Last year the cyclone had caused largescale destruction of standing crops in the coast and this year the state is already reeling under a severe drought condition due to scanty rainfall. There is an apprehension that if the storm hits the coast again it would compound the miseries of the people. For the last two days cloudy weather prevailed in the entire Orissa coast and some parts already had rains causing panic among the people. Four senior officials were asked to visit the cyclone prone districts of Ganjam, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur and Puri to review the preparedness of the district authorities. (UNI) |
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