Internet access from home is rising: Study

MUMBAI, Oct 27: Cyber cafes or public access points with a 39 per cent share of users continue to be the most important internet access points in India.

This was revealed by the ‘internet in India’ study jointly carried out by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Indian Market Research Bureau International.

It is, however, doubtful as to how long this dominance will continue, since the share of cyber cafes has been steadily declining from a peak of 52 per cent in 2003. Access from home showed a marginal increase to 22 per cent from 20 per cent in 2003.

Access from home, on the other hand has steadily risen from 23 per cent in 2003 to 31 per cent in 2006 and prima facie seem to be gaining on the loss of market share by cyber cafes. One of the most significant finds of the study was that access from schools and colleges remained insignificant at 6 per cent.

This remains a major cause of concern since internet access through schools and colleges not only creates the next generation of users but also goes a long way in reducing digital and hence socio-economic divide.

The demographic break up of the data, too, reveals interesting trends. 53 per cent school going kids and 53 per cent college going students access internet from cyber cafes followed by 47 per cent of non-working women. Non-working women, significantly, account for the highest percentage of access from homes (47 per cent) followed by older men (39 per cent). Access from offices is dominated by older men and working women (41 per cent and 38 per cent respectively), a release issued by iamai said. (UNI)

IFFI to showcase plight of Kashmiri Pandits

NEW DELHI, Oct 27: Why has the world remained a mute spectator to the plight of Kashmiri Pandits?

Film-maker Ashoke Pandit, himself a victim, will be able to put this question to the world media when his work ‘and the world remained silent’is screened at the International Film Festival of India beginning in Goa from November 23.

The film that finds a place in the non-feature film section of the India panorama at the festival is a poignant tale of the destruction of Kashmiri Pandits and their displacement from the Kashmir valley following rise of militancy there.

It will be the opening film in the non-feature section.

Pandit, who received the news with surprise, told UNI over phone from Mumbai that he was very much enthused that his work would be shown to the world media at the IFFI.

"The film is the result of a constant question that has been nagging me since the 1990s when Kashmiri Pandits began fleeing their homes. The question is why the world and the civil society remain a mute spectator to the unprecedented destruction of life and the whole ethos and culture of a community for no fault of its own," he said.

"No community is more secular than the Kashmiri Pandits. They, who have lived with peace and harmony with their Muslim citizens in the Valley for centuries, suddenly find that they are no more wanted in their homes and still if they choose to stay their life and property are not safe."

"This a trauma which you have to undergo to realise," says Pandit, adding that his film tries to capture their plight and experience as an uprooted community.

He said he had faced great challenges in shooting for the film in the Valley.

"I was shooting when the Indian tricolour was being burnt at the Jama Masjid in Srinagar, I was shooting when militant strikes were taking place. It was a job full of hazards. I even received threat from militants. But I am happy that somehow, I have been able to complete my work," he said.

"What is happening in Kashmir is not linked with the religion the militants belong to, I know, but we expect the people following that religion to unite, condemn and resist in one voice the injustice to the minority community there," he said.

He said his film was not against any community but simply against the ‘’the sheer apathy of politicians, media and the civil society as a whole to the injustice done to Kashmiri Pandits’’.

‘And the world remained silent’ is the second non-feature film made by Pandit. His first was ‘Paani’, about the Mumbai floods.

He has also made a feature film in Kashmiri titled ‘Sheen’. (UNI)

Don Babloo Srivastava fears life threat from UP minister

LUCKNOW, Oct 27: A day after mafia don Om Prakash Srivastava alias Babloo Srivastava expressed threat to his life, he today named two legislators — supporting the Uttar Pradesh Government — and a cabinet ranked minister behind the "conspiracy" to eliminate him.

Talking to mediaperson after appearing in a court here, Babloo said controversial independent MLA Mukhtar Ansari and Samajwadi party legislator Amarmani Tripathi in nexus with a Cabinet Minister, hailing from an adjoining district of the state capital, have hatched a conspiracy to eliminate him in the Lucknow jail.

Mentioning the name of Mafioso Abhay Singh and Munna Bajrangi, "who have been entrusted by the trio to eliminate him," the don —presently lodged in the Bareilly central jail — said deadly arms including an AK-47 rifle had been acquired in the jail.

Mukhtar and Tripathi are both lodged in different jails. While, Mukhtar is lodged in Ghazipur district jail in connection with the BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai murder case, Tripathi is cooling his heels in Lucknow jail in the Madhumita Shukla murder case.

However, Mukhtar is presently lodged in Lucknow jail to attend the UP assembly session.

Demanding his return to Singapore following violation of the extradition treaty, Babloo alleged the Indian Government had failed to meet the condition of the extradition treaty by not providing him adequate security and stretching out the court cases against him.

In a letter to the UP Government yesterday — a copy of which was also sent to the Singapore embassy, New Delhi, the don urged adequate security to him — both while inside Lucknow jail and when travelling from central jail, Bareilly to Lucknow.

In the three-page letter, written by his counsel Harjot Singh, Babloo has apprehended he might be elimated by ISI agents or Dawood’s men.

"I am hardcore nationalist and the ISI wants to eliminate me to settle scores," the don claimed in the letter.

Further, he said because of his "nationalist approach" and determination to assist intelligence sources to finish anti-national forces in the country, both Dawood and the ISI want to eliminate him through the assistance of some ‘local influential’ group.

Claiming the Centre had given undertaking in Singapore Court during extradition hearing that his life would be secure, Babloo maintained his security had been lowered.

Babloo was extradited from Singapore in September 1995.

Making another plea, he said any attack on his life would disturb the ‘’public order" and become a threat for the law and order situation of UP. (UNI)

BJP demands observers for local body polls in Punjab

CHANDIGARH, Oct 27: The BJP today demanded appointment of senior Central or State Government officials as observers in by-elections to three local bodies at Patiala, Jalandhar and Batala to be held tomorrow.

A party delegation led by former minister Balramji Dass Tandon, which met the State Election Commissioner (SEC) C L Bains here, alleged that the party nominees were being openly threatened of booth capturing by ruling Congress members.

From all these three places, state BJP office has received complaints of misuse of official machinery and resources in favour of ruling party candidates, the delegation informed Bains.

By-elections are to be held for a ward each in the Municipal Corporations of Patiala and Jalandhar and the Municipal Council of Batala.

Besides appointment of observers, the delegation also demanded videography, deployment of CRPF and BSF personnel to ensure peaceful polling and strict enforcement of dry area norm alleging that there was free use of liquor by Congress members. (PTI)

Hidden cameras to trap big cats in the Rajaji Park

HARDWAR, Oct 27: Thirty trap cameras will be installed in the Rajaji national park to monitor the tiger population in the park.

The Deputy Director of the Rajaji National Park, Bharat Singh told UNI that ten hidden cameras were fitted in the Chilla range of the park by the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. Seven tigers had so far been caught in these cameras.

The institute will install 10 trap cameras each in Gauhari & Dhaulkhand range of the park and change the sites of the ten cameras already installed in the Chilla range.

"Later on, such cameras will also be fitted in six other ranges of the park", said Mr Bharat Singh said adding these hidden cameras will trap the movements of the wildlife and the activities of the poachers in the park. (UNI)

Dengue claims two more; 79 fresh cases in capital

NEW DELHI, Oct 27: After a brief lull, dengue cases shot up in the capital with 79 patients being admitted to various hospitals across the city and the viral claiming two more victims, taking the toll to 54.

"Two persons have died in the last 24 hours ending 11:00 am," Municipal Health Officer N K Yadav told PTI.

With 79 fresh cases reported across the capital, the total number of people affected by the viral disease this year has risen to 2,373.

A dip in temperatures over the past few days had raised hopes of subsidence of the mosquito-borne disease and the capital had seen a considerable decrease in the number of dengue cases during the Diwali weekend.

Night time temperatures hovered around 16 degrees celsius over the past week while the mercury touched a maximum of 32 degress during the day.

Experts said that the drop in temperatures will lead to a gradual natural death for the dengue virus. However, the daytime temperatures of around 30 degrees would still aid breeding of the dengue-causing Aedes Aegypti mosquito, they said.

The minimum temperature this morning was 17.4 degrees celsius.

Delhi Health Secretary D S Negi said there was nothing unusual about the increase in dengue cases. "We have seen a spurt in dengue case in October when weather conditions are cogenial for breeding of mosquitoes," he said.

Director of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) P L Joshi claimed there was decline in the density of dengue-causing mosquito Aedes Aegypti.

"In the next few days, we will be able to say surely whether dengue is in a declining mode," he said.

Of the 79 fresh cases in the capital, 42 patients were admitted to AIIMS where 178 people afflicted with the are undergoing treatment.

Another 25 patients suspected to have contracted dengue have also been kept under observation at the hospital. (PTI)

Tension prevails as farmers move towards
curfew-bound Ghadsana

JAIPUR, Oct 27: Tension prevailed in parts of Rajasthan’s Sriganganagar district where hundreds of farmers today marched towards curfew-bound Ghadsana town, carrying the body of a farmer who reportedly died of injuries sustained in a police lathicharge earlier this month.

Angered over the Government’s alleged refusal to grant ex-gratia payment to the family of Chanduram jat, who died earlier this week, the farmers carried his body from his village towards the town, which has been under curfew since October 10.

A convoy of 50 tractors and other vehicles with the agitating farmers accompanied the body, police said adding that they would not be allowed to enter the curfew-bound area. The march was being led by local Congress leaders and CPI(M) MLA Amra Ram.

Chanduram jat was allegedly injured during a farmers’ agitation for additional irrigational water on October 16 and died two days after he was discharged from the Sriganganagar Civil Hospital on his father’s request.

Authorities claimed that the situation in the district, which had witnessed fresh skirmishes between farmers and police, was under control and adequate security forces, including those from Rajasthan Armed Constabulary, had been deployed to maintain law and order.

Talks between farmers’ representatives and state authorities on the issue of compensation had ended in a deadlock last night. The Kisan-Majdoor-Vyapar Sangharsh Samiti had demanded an ex-gratia of Rs five lakhs and a job to the dead farmer’s kin.

Rajasthan Home Minister G C Kataria has made it clear that the Government would not buckle under pressure, but will order an inquiry if required.

Meanwhile, curfew was relaxed for two hours in Ghadsana from 6 am today and for three hours from 7 am in Rawala to allow people to buy essential commodities.

Kataria has also said that the victim’s family was not ready for a postmortem to establish the cause of death and attempts were being made to take political mileage out of the incident.(PTI)

Bihar Govt files case against former minister, IAS officers

PATNA, Oct 27: The Bihar Government today filed a criminal complaint against former RJD minister Jagdanand Singh and three top civil servants, including former Chief Secretary G S Kang, for allegedly transfering land of a wildlife sanctury to a reservoir in Kaimur district.

The other civil servants facing the complaint are Water Resources Department Secretary H C Sirohi and Energy Secretary V Jaishankar. They are accused of transferring the land in violation of Indian Wildlife Protection Act and Indian Forest Conservation Act.

The criminal complaint was filed in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Patna, by State Forest Conservator S K Singh, Principal Chief Wildlife Warden (Bihar) M J Mishra told PTI.

The four have been charged with illegally transferring 5.44 acres land of Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary to Durgawati Reservoir Project in in Home district of former Water Resources Minister Singh, now MLA from Ramgarh.

The complainant alleged that the four had violated laws under Indian Wildlife Protection Act and Indian Forest Conservation Act.

They have also been charged with entering into a criminal conspiracy and forging the official document in the process of denotifying 5.44 acres land of Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary to transfer the same to the Durgawati project. (PTI)

Four booked for raping minor girl

BHIWANI, Oct 27: Four youths have been booked on charges of abduction and raping a minor dalit girl in a running car in the district, police said today.

The case has been registered on the complaint of the victim belonging to Dadma village in the district, but no arrest has been made so far in this connection, they said.

In her complaint, the girl had alleged that four persons abducted her in a car and physically abused her for the next four hours.

They later left her near an abandoned road with warning, she claimed.

The girl have been medically examined and police have launched a manhunt to nab them. (PTI)

12 men die in Pakistan after drinking contaminated liquor

MULTAN, Oct 27: Twelve men have died after drinking contaminated homemade liquor in eastern Pakistan during a religious holiday, a doctor said today.

Some 29 men have been admitted to the Government Nishtar hospital in the city of Multan in the past three days from drinking the liquor, and 12 had subsequently died, said Dr Fahim Javed.

The others were still being treated, and some remained in critical condition, he said.

City Police Chief Munir Chichti said 10 people were arrested for selling the liquor.

The victims consumed the liquor in various parts of multan, one of the biggest cities in eastern Punjab province.

Although consuming alcohol is forbidden in Islam, some Muslims do drink, especially during festivals. Muslims celebrated the festival of Eid-al-Fitr on Wednesday to mark the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. Nearly three dozen people died in Multan in 2004 after drinking tainted liquor. (AP)

DVAC raids former AIADMK ministers houses

CHENNAI, Oct 27: Simultaneous raids are being conducted at the residences and business establishments of former AIADMK ministers Mainar Nagendiran and S M Velusamy by the State Directorate of Vigilance and anti-corruption from early this morning.

Nagendiran’s residence and business interests in Tirunelveli, Velusamy’s residence in Coimbatore, their houses in Chennai and the property owned by their acquaintances were subjected to raids, DVAC sources said here.

In Chennai alone, four places of Nagendiran’s interest in Abiramapuram, Raja Annamalaipuram, Purasawakkam and Secretariat Colony were raided, DVAC sources said.

The raids, which began at 7 am, would go on throughout the day, they added.

In Coimbatore, the raids were carried out at the residences of Velusamy.

One batch of the DVAC slueths started the raids at the house in Gandhimanagar, while another batch carried out raids at the house in Chengathurai near Sulur, about 20 kms from here, DVAC sources said.

The DVAC team, comprised members from Chennai and Coimbatore. However, the sources refused to divulge details of the raids.

Velusamy had held various portfolios like commercial tax, housing and backward classes in the AIADMK ministry for five yars. (PTI)

Judicial remand in Prof Sabharwal murder case extended

UJJAIN, Oct 27: A local court here today extended the judicial remand of six ABVP workers arrested for their alleged involvement in Professor H S Sabharwal murder case till November 8.

The judical remand of the six — Shashiranjan Singh Akela, Vimal Tomar, Pankaj Mishra, Sudhir Yadav, Vishal Rajoria and Hemant Dube — was extended yesterday by the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) R S Madia.

The state CID that is probing the Sabharwal murder case has charged the arrested persons under IPC and has filed a chargesheet in the case. (PTI)