Suspicious bag found as Advani is in city

SHILLONG, Sept 29: A bag containing suspicious materials was found near the Raj Bhavan here today when unprecedented security arrangements have been made for the visit of senior BJP leader L K Advani here.

The bag, discovered at around 12 pm on a footpath, was taken to the Special Branch headquarters for examination, police said.

Police were yet to confirm whether it contained explosive materials.

Advani, who is on a day-long visit here, was meeting religious leaders at a city hotel when the bag was found, the sources said.

An email-threat to eliminate Advani prompted the police to arrange a multi-layered security cover with strict surveillance along the routes his motorcade would travel and virtual sealing of the places he would visit.

The BJP prime ministerial candidate landed at the Air Force helipad in Upper Shillong at around 9.30 am.

Advani will attend a number of programmes, including a public rally and a meeting with Chief Minister Donkupar Roy, here. (PTI)

CPI(M) asks Govt not to operationalise nuclear deal

NEW DELHI, Sept 29: The CPI(M) today asked the Government not to operationalise the Indo-US nuclear deal as the bill on the issue passed by the US House of Representatives has incorporated the Hyde Act as well as other binding conditionalities.

"So the obvious thing for the Government of India is not to operationalise the deal. It is still not late, the Government can reconsider it," party General Secretary Prakash Karat said in an interaction with women journalists at the Indian Women’s Press Coprs (IWPC) here.

Maintaining that the new bill did not have any assurance on fuel supplies of reprocessing, he said, "the latest bill has brought in not only the provisions of the Hyde Act but also other conditionalities".

He said US President George W Bush has made only a political commitment and since he would be out of office in January, "these issues are not going to be overcome by any presidential statement".

Going back to the withdrawal of support from the UPA Government by the Left parties, the CPI(M) General Secretary said the Prime Minister had assured that the Government would go before the Parliament on the deal after coming back from the IAEA and the NSG meets but has not done so.

"The UPA Government cannot say that the July 22 trust vote was a referendum on the deal as the Government had not gone to the IAEA till then," he added.

Karat said his party was not against a civilian nuclear deal with any country, including the United States, but wanted India to ink agreements with other countries like Russia and France without such conditonalities.

"The passport the Indo-US deal has given us is an American passport and we do not want that," Karat said, adding it should be a multilateral effort which the Government is not going ahead with due to US pressure.

On his party’s stand on nuclear weapons, he said it was not possible to talk about nuclear weapons in the abstract. (PTI)

Two fierce encounters in Kashmir, one militant killed

SRINAGAR, Sept 29: Two fierce encounters are going on at two places in the Kashmir valley in which one militant was killed, while the Ganderbal encounter ended last evening in which seven militants and a soldier were killed.

A police spokesman said troops of 28 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and police launched a joint search operation at Gojul in the frontier district of Kupwara today following a tip off about the presence of the militants.

As the security forces cordoned off the area, militants opened fire, in which one militant was killed so far.

One AK rifle, 4 magazines, 160 rounds, 2 hand grenades and one wireless set were recovered from the slain militant.

The operation was still going on when the reports last came in, he said.

He said another encounter ensued during similar search operation conducted by 42 RR and police at village Shahabad, Awantipora, in Pulwama district today. Details were awaited.

A defence ministry spokesman said the four-day encounter on Ganderbal-Bandipora heights concluded last evening in which seven militants were killed.

One soldier also lost his life during the encounter, he said. (UNI)

Deputy Commandant, 3 CRPF men
killed in landmine blast

RAIPUR, Sept 29: Four CRPF personnel, including a deputy commandant, were today killed and two others injured in a landmine blast suspected to have been triggered by Maoists in Bastar in Chhattisgarh.

Senior state police officers said that the ultras blew up a CRPF road opening party vehicle killing the Deputy Commandant Diwakar Mahapatra, his driver L Kore Singh and two jawans-N K Jha and S D Burman.

"The road opening party was on its way to Chitrakoot where President Pratibha Patil, currently in the state, was to pay a visit," a CRPF spokesman in Delhi said.

As the vehicle reached Mardoom in the interior of Bastar district, the Maoists triggered the powerful blast, he said.

One of the injured was airlifted to Raipur for treatment, he said.

The officers said extra reinforcements have been rushed to the blast site, 30 km from Chitrakoot, and a combing operation was on.

Those killed and injured belonged to the 41 battalion of CRPF. (PTI)

Tourist molestation case: Police collect ‘crucial’ evidence

CHANDIGARH, Sept 29: Chandigarh Police today said they have collected samples which can provide "conclusive evidence" in the alleged molestation and rape of a German tourist here.

The samples collected in connection with the alleged molestation and rape of a 20-year-old girl from Germany were sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) here for "conclusive evidence", Sector 17 SHO K S Pannu said.

"Police have sent the samples to the CFSL for conclusive evidence (of possible rape)," Pannu said, adding that a report was expected soon.

The German tourist in her complaint to police had alleged that she was gangraped by six youths after being kidnapped from the parking area of hotel Taj on Saturday night.

Pannu said the city police have intimated the Embassy of Germany in New Delhi about the incident. "If need be, police will go to Germany as well," he said. (PTI)

BDO, storekeeper shifted for procedural irregularities

JAMMU, Sept 29: Jammu and Kashmir Government today shifted a Block Development Officer (BDO) and a storekeeper for irregularities in execution of development work in Udhampur district.

The BDO and the storekeeper were reportedly involved in purchase of sub-standard cement and procedural irregularities while executing development work in the district, officials said.

The director of Rural Development Department (RDD), J L Bhagat today issued order of attachment of Gordi block BDO Atul Khajuria with the department’s directorate at Jammu with immediate effect, they said.

The director also ordered attachment of storekeeper Suranm Chand with ACD Udhampur, they added.

The steps were taken after preliminary probe conducted by Assitant Director Udhampur Pawan Singh in which he established prima-facie involvement of these officials in the "scam".

In the probe report, Singh said 900 bags of inferior quality cement were purchased and only 360 bags issued for various development work in Barmeen area and Gordhi block this year. (PTI)

Sikhs as central characters new formula for Bollywood?

CHANDIGARH, Sept 29: Turbaned Sikhs as central characters seem to the flavour of Bollywood films these days.

After Akshay Kumar donned the role of a Sikh in "Singh is Kinng", which has done reasonably well at the box office, it’s now the turn of Salman Khan and Saif Ali Khan, who will be seen in turbans.

Salman is playing the role of a Sikh soldier in the upcoming multi-starrer film "Heroes" while Saif Ali Khan is busy shooting in Patiala for "Chhote Nawab" opposite Deepika Padukone.

Actor Mangal Dhillon says Sikhs should be proud of these characters.

"Akshay did very well in ‘Singh is Kinng’ and that seems to have prompted filmmakers to have their main characters as Sikhs. The positive thing about this trend is that turbaned Sikhs with beard are being cast as central characters and all Sikhs should be proud of this," says Dhillon, who has acted in many Bollywood films and television soaps.

"It is also a sharp contrast from the past when Sikhs were often portrayed as clowns, jokers or alcoholics.

"It clicked for Sunny Deol in films like ‘Gadar-Ek Prem Katha’ and ‘Jo Bole So Nihaal’ and it has been the case again in ‘Singh is Kinng’. And so other top actors are hoping their films in this avatar will be successful," he says.

"In ‘Heroes’ Salman also grew his beard to sport a real look. His respect for the turban made him stay away from cigarettes," says Dhillon.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) feels that it’s a good trend if Bollywood has finally decided to show Sikhs in a "positive manner".

At the same time, it suggests filmmakers should avoid showing anything which hurts the sentiments of the community.

Recently, the SGPC and the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee had raised objections about Akshay being shown as a Sikh with a trimmed beard in the promotional campaigns of "Singh is Kinng".

These scenes were later removed.

The Sikh’s apex body would be more happy if Bollywood makes serious films on Sikhs, who have made great sacrifices for the country from time to time, an SGPC spokesman says.

Actor and satirist Jaspal Bhatti says it is good to see Bollywood making films with turbaned Sikhs as the heroes.

"It’s good that we have left behind the time when Sikhs only used to be shown in films as objects to be laughed at. Barring a few exceptions, no Sikh with his headgear was given any meaningful role. I thought I was lucky to have played a complete Sikh character in ‘Aa Ab Laut Chale’," says Bhatti.

Both Dhillon and Bhatti believe that Bollywood will stick on to this new found success formula as long as the films earn profits. (PTI)

SRK tells youth to shun terrorism,
maintain communal peace

MUMBAI, Sept 29: After recent terror attacks across the country, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has appealed to the youth to shun terrorism and violence.

The actor was speaking at a ‘Davat-e-Sehri’, a function organised prior to the fast observed during ‘Roza’, held by Mumbai Congress President Kripashankar Singh in the early hours of Sunday.

Shah Rukh also appealed to people to mantain communal harmony.

"The fact that Singh has been organising a ‘Davat-e-Sehri’ proved that Islam and Hinduism preach brotherhood and peace," the actor said.

"Ramzan is a holy month and God answers our special prayers during this period. The 27^th day of Roza is a day of piety," Shah Rukh said.

The actor said he was not able to observe Roza for the entire month of Ramzan.

"I could manage only seven days. It was not possible due to my erratic work schedule," Shah Rukh said.

Singh, who is also an MLA from suburban Santacruz, said he had been organising ‘Sehris’ for the last seven years because he does not get time to participate in ‘iftaars’ as part of the community gathering. (PTI)

Picturesque Wayanad luring tourists

KOCHI, Sept 29: Home to exotic legends, ancient ruins, mysterious mountain caves, aborigine tribes, tree house and wild life, Kerala’s picturesque Wayanad district is aiming 20 per cent increase in its tourist traffic this year.

During 2008-09 about eight lakh tourists are being targetted against 6.5 lakh visitors who came to the hill district in 2007-08. The number of tourist traffic in 2006-07 was 4.8 lakh, tourism department sources said.

"However, the aim is to attract quality visitors to the region," Wayanad Tourism Organisation (WTO) General secretary K Vancheeswaran said.

Twentyseven Hill resorts, homestay owners and Government certified Ayurvedic Massage centres came together to form a consortium-Wayanad Tourism Organsiation (WTO) in 2000 to jointly promote the destination as it was a little known tourism spot, he said.

Now the WTO’s aim is to protect the destination from ‘onslaught’ of too many tourists and hotels and resorts. "There is need to safeguard the destination as otherwise it would be killing Wayanad," he said.

With the demand for rooms rising in the district, the Wayanad Tourism Organisation is keen on promoting homestays as the availability at present is around 400.

Tourism could be used as a source of additional revenue in this plantation district, he said.

Dominated by the western ghats, one of the world’s last surviving tracts of tropical biodiversity, Wayanad has extensive stretches of wilderness.

The district promises to be the gateway to Kerala for the other parts of the country and is accessible by road.

Relics and edicts found in various parts of Wayanad speak of an important pre-historic era. Isolation has enhanced development of a unique way of life, traces of which survive intact among Wayand’s tribes even now, according to Tourism department sources.

The famous Edakkal caves have grabbed worldwide attention with its etchings instilling the interests of archaeologists and historians. With at least three distinct sets of petroglyphs, the earliest thought to date back over 3000 years, it is assumed that the Edakkal caves had been inhabited at various stages in history.

The district also has the largest number of aborigine people in Kerala. Wayanad also has ‘Seeta temple’, ‘Lava Kusha temple’, the only temple dedicated to the sons of Lord Rama, and ruins of many Jain temples.

According to Sibraj Raveendran, Managing Director of Edakkal Hermitage resort, ‘miserable’ experience in his cofee and pepper plantations drove him to utilise the family property for tourism seven years ago. Since the last four years, the tourists flow has been very encouraging, he said.

The resort has six cottages and a tree house while another three cottages are under construction. There is a natural cave in the property which has been converted into a dining area where 100 candles are lit each night for the visitors to dine, making it an unforgettable experience for the guests.

"The Edakkal caves needs to be promoted sensitively. We are working on the caves so that it can be adequately represented. We want to improve the quality of the experience of the visitors," he said.

Banasura hill resort is expected to be launched in December this year with 20 rooms and 14 cottages. With an aim to promote ecofriendly tourism, the entire resort is made of mud, laterite soil and wood, Managing Director T Shankar said. (PTI)

OBC quota: SC says vacant seats
cannot be carried forward

NEW DELHI, Sep 29: The Supreme Court today said that seats remaining vacant after implementing the 27 per cent OBC quota in Central Educational Institutions have to go to General category candidates in the same academic year and cannot be carried forward to be filled later.

Though no formal order was passed in this regard, the apex court, during a brief hearing was not in agreement with the Centre’s stand that the unfilled OBC seats can be accumulated for three years before being alloted to General category.

"Our judgement has clearly said don’t allow seats to be vacant," Justice Arijit Pasayat, who was the member of the Five-Judge Constitution bench decision on the 27 per cent OBC quota, said.

"That (leaving the seats vacant) will go counter-productive. The anxiety was to see that seats should not go waste," he said.

The remarks came when Solicitor General G E Vahanvati was referring to the judgement on the issue written by another member of the bench, Justice Dalveer Bhandari.

The Solictor General said that suppose every year nine per cent seats are increased to give effect to 27 per cent OBC quota, only the vacant seats accumulated at the end of third year would be filled by the General category.

However, the bench was surprised by the stand of the Centre to fill the left-over vacancies in a staggered manner and said "till three years you will wait to fill that vacancies."

After the brief hearing, the 5-Judge bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, which on April 10 had upheld the validity of the controversial law providing 27 per cent quota for OBC, said it will hear in detail on October 14, the issue relating to it.

When the hearing commenced, senior advocate K K Venugopal, appearing for anti-quota petitioners, said that the issue of cut-off marks has been settled and institutions have accepted that the difference in cut-off marks for OBC candidates and General category students will be not more than five to 10 marks.

He said it has been left to the individual institution concerned to decide the difference in cut-off marks, i.e. either difference can be of 10 marks or five marks.

While maintaining that merit should not be totally sacrificed, Justice Pasayat and Justice C K Thakker (both wrote one judgement) were of the view that the difference in cut-off marks for the two categories cannot be more than five marks.

Justice Bhandari had extended the permissible difference between the two categories to 10 marks.

The bench on September 15 had observed that huge difference in the cut-off marks would be "counter-productive" to the excellence of the educational institutions.

During the hearing, the bench was informed that the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has started the process to fill the vacant OBC seats with General category students and IITs have not diluted the cut-off marks fixed for the OBCs to fill the left over seats with the General category applicants.

Vahanvati said that no General category candidate below 172 marks, the cut-off for the OBC, was given admission in the remaining seats left vacant after the implementation of the act and in JNU 54 such seats have been filled and still there are 29 vacant seats.

The apex court on September 15 had clarified that seats remaining vacant after the implementation of 27 per cent OBC quota in Central Educational Institutions like IITs and IIMs will go to General category candidates and it would be "desirable" not to have huge difference in cut-off marks. (PTI)

I am fascinated by India: Amanda Peet

NEW DELHI, Sept 29: For "A Lot Like Love" actress Amanda Peet India remains a fascinating country and the Hollywood star wishes to explore it.

Peet is playing the character of an FBI agent in the "The X-Files: I Want to Believe" which was released in India last week.

"Whatever I have known about India leaves me totally fascinated. I really want to explore India," Peet said in an email interview.

And a visit to Taj Mahal is on top of her wish-list. "I would love to spend time visiting all the famous historical places especially the famous Taj Mahal. I have heard a lot about India’s ancient civilisation and rich cultural heritage," she says.

Peet has worked in hits like "Something Gotta Give" opposite Jack Nicholson, "A Lot Like Love" opposite Ashton Kutcher and in "Syriana" with George Clooney and Matt Damon.

The actress says she would like to try a Bollywood film if she is offered a good script.

"Why not, if the project is good I will definitely give it a thought," Peet said.

When asked wether she had watched any Indian films, Peet said, "I have heard a lot about Bollywood. But to be frank I have not seen much of the films. They have quite a huge fan following in US especially some Bollywood actors I know of are very popular here."

Talking about her character in the current film based on the popular X-Files series, Peet says, "I play FBI Agent Dakota Whitney who is using a psychic on a case and needs verification about whether the psychic is authentic and so I seek the help of Scully and Mulder."

The actress found the film script to be very scary and that made her mind. "I found it really unsettling and really scary," she added.

Peet’s character in the film seeks out old FBI agents Dana Scully and Fox Mulder to help in the investigations.

She hopes that after her romantic roles, her Indian fans would like her in this new character as well.

"I thank all my fans in India for giving me fabulous support and expect that they will like me in the X-Files as well where I play an FBI agent," she said.

Talking about her upcoming films, the actress says she is working in four to five films.

"My ‘Five Dollar a Day’ where I am playing Maggie and ‘What Doesn’t Kill You’ are ready to release. Than there are ‘Safely Glass’, an untitled project and ‘2012’ in production stage."

Peet hopes to take a break after completing the shooting of all these films.

"Once I am done with all these films, I would just want to chill and spend some quality time with my family. After all those are the moments I live for," she adds. (PTI)

UP ATS nabs IM terrorist Arif

LUCKNOW, Sept 29: In a major catch, the Anti-terrorist Squad (ATS) of the Uttar Pradesh police today arrested an Indian Mujahideen (IM) terrorist Arif, involved in Ahmedabad, Delhi and Lucknow blasts.

According to senior police sources, Arif, a resident of Azamgarh, was nabbed in the state capital this morning.

Arif is said to be one of the members of the terrorist group which planted explosives in New Delhi and Ahmedabad serial blasts recently. Besides, during preliminary interrogation, Arif, a close associate of Tariq Kazmi, has admitted to his involvement in the serial bomb blasts in three civil courts of UP in November last year.

Meanwhile, UP ATS has contacted its couterparts of Delhi and Gujarat for further leads.

Arif would be produced in the court later in the day. (UNI)