Fresh violence erupts in Kashmir

Zulfikar Majid, Srinagar: September 18, 2016, DHNS

Fresh violence broke out in Kashmir on Saturday after the pellet-riddled body of a 13-year-old boy was found. 

The body of Nasir Shafi of New Theed Harwan in Srinagar was found near a  reservoir in the area on Friday night, locals said, adding that the Class VII student was chased by security forces during clashes. They claimed the boy’s body bore marks of torture.

After news of Shafi’s death spread, people took to the streets, staging protests, which continued through the day on Saturday.

A police official said they were ascertaining the cause of death. With this, the toll in the ongoing unrest in the Valley, which erupted after the killing of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8, reached 83.

More than 1,000 people have sustained injuries during this period, with over 800 being hit in the eyes by pellets.

With the latest incident, violence, restrictions and strike continued unabated for the 71st consecutive day. In central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, a man was critically injured after security forces reportedly opened fire at protesters, reports said. Scores of protesters were injured during the day-long clashes in several areas of Ganderbal.

A police officer was among the 10 injured as clashes erupted in Bijbehara area of Anantnag district. The victims include sub divisional police officer Bijbehara Tanveer Ahmad, who was hit on the face by a stone.


In Shopian district, at least 10 people were wounded after security forces resorted to pellet firing and tear-smoke shelling to break up the rally in Chakoora and Harmain villages of the district, reports said.

In south Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam, which have remained the epicentre of the unrest, the army recently deployed an additional brigade comprising three artillery battalions.

Sources said more troops are on their way to help contain the violence.  A police official said that curfew was imposed in the towns of Budgam and Pulwama in view of a march call issued by separatists.

Stone-pelters arrested

He said nearly 100 stone-pelters have been arrested from different areas over the past three days. Meanwhile, dozens of journalists held a silent protest outside the Press Enclave in Srinagar against the  government’s decision to suspend Internet services in Kashmir. 

Hyderabad varsity student hangs self

HYDERABAD, Sep 18, 2016, DHNS:

A first semester student at the Sarojini Naidu School of Arts and Communication, University of Hyderabad, was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his hostel room on Saturday.

The student, N Praveen Kumar, suicide comes months after Rohith Vemula, a second year research scholar, committing suicide on the campus alleging caste discrimination.
Praveen was found hanging by his roommate, also classmate, when he returned from the painting studio. The roommate found the room locked from inside. When Praveen did not open the door despite several knocks, his roommate alerted other hostel inmates. Together they managed to open the latch through the ventilator.

Praveen was immediately shifted to the University Health Centre.  “He was brought to the health centre but there was no pulse. Duty doctor K Gangadhar gave CPR and sent him in ambulance to Citizen Hospital where he was declared brought dead,” said chief health officer Dr Ravindra Kumar.

Police recovered two note books from his room, along with a laptop, a tab and two mobile phones. In one of the notes, Praveen wrote a few lines about his feelings, loneliness and the troubles he faced academically.

Naveen’s father, N Narasimhulu, a BSNL employee, said that his son is not weak hearted and demanded a thorough probe. Praveen’s brother N Naveen also said that his brother had no financial problems either.

Over 30 killed due to pellets since 2008

Srinagar, Sep 18, 2016, DHNS:

As many as 30 people have lost their lives after being hit by pellet gunfire and tear-smoke shells during clashes over the past eight years in Kashmir.

Official records reveal that 17 people were killed by pellet guns during the 2010 and 2016 unrests, while 13 civilians lost their lives after being hit by teargas shells in vital parts of their body during the period. In the ongoing unrest, 11 civilians have been killed by pellet gunfire, while three have lost their lives after being lobbed by teargas shells, the records state.

During the 2010 protests, when pellet guns were used for the first time, six people lost their lives due to the use of the “non-lethal weapon”.

This has raised questions on the use of the non-lethal weapons by security forces while dealing with protesters in Kashmir. “The fatalities by non-lethal weapons are showing an alarming increase and this is a matter of serious concern,” a former police officer, requesting anonymity, told DH.

He said authorities have not learnt any lessons from the 2008 and 2010 agitations as people continue to get killed and maimed due to the use of pellets and teargas shells. “Authorities need to not only find benign methods of crowd control, but also train forces so that they are able to handle street protests and use riot-control weapons properly,” he suggested.

Now, BJP sets eyes on Manipur

Guwahati, Sep 18, 2016, DHNS:

Congress downfall in Arunachal paves way

Buoyed by the successful dislodging of the Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh by its ally Peoples’ Party of Arunachal (PPA), the BJP brought its Congress-mukt Northeast campaign back on track. 
With five Northeastern states going to the polls in the next two years, the BJP’s anti-Congress platform in the region — North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) — is now focusing on Manipur where it is rapidly building its support base.

“Our priority in the Northeast is Manipur,” NEDA convener Himanta Biswa Sarma told DH in Guwahati.  “We have a very strong organisational build-up in Manipur. There is strong anti-incumbency and dislike for the 15-year-old Congress regime. While a senior Congress leader has joined us, it is not like we will open the gates for everyone,” Sarma, also Assam finance minister, said.

He said the BJP will contest the elections alone in Manipur, where the situation is similar to that of Assam prior to this year’s polls with the Congress government losing grip over the state.

Sarma made it clear that the BJP will not have any seat-sharing arrangements with ally Naga People’s Front (NPF), whose four MLAs in Manipur resigned recently. NPF, a constituent of NEDA, is also a BJP ally in NDA.

“NPF has a close relationship with us. But our alliance with NPF is restricted to Nagaland,” Sarma said.  NPF had contested last time in Manipur in the Naga-dominated areas where it did well. Sarma said they are free to contest this time, but the BJP would not have any alliance with them in Manipur since its own organisation is fast developing.

“We will also not induct any NPF supporter or leader in our rank until our national leadership changes their position on this,” he added.

Observers believe that the BJP wants to cash-in on issues concerning the dominant Meitei community in Manipur. NPF has backed the concept of greater Nagalim, which calls for integrating all Naga-dominated areas of the Northeast, an idea supported by the NSCN(IM), which signed a peace deal with the Centre in 2015. Meiteis are opposed to the Naga expansion and the BJP therefore had to distance itself from the Nagas to increase its support among the dominant community. 

Embraer deal: CBI registers preliminary enquiry

NEW DELHI: September 18, 2016, DHNS

The CBI has registered a preliminary enquiry into charges that a bribe was paid to an agent for the supply of three air-borne surveillance aircraft worth $208 million from Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer. 

The enquiry was registered against unknown officials in the defence ministry and others based on a request from the Centre. The decision to register an enquiry, which is a prelude to registering an FIR, was taken after scrutinising documents, including minutes of the meeting in which it was decided to purchase aircraft for Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) from Embraer in 2008. 

The probe agency will seek documents from stakeholders in and outside the country, including from Brazil, to probe the deal signed during the UPA regime. A defence agent based in the UK is believed to have midwifed the sale of the surveillance platform.

A newspaper in Brazil had exposed the defence deal scam, which it had reported on the basis of an investigation carried out by the justice department of the United States. The probe is also meant to establish whether Embraer paid bribes to obtain contracts abroad with Saudi Arabia and India.

After the reports surfaced, the DRDO also sought a report from Embraer, which is facing a probe in Brazil. According to the defence ministry, crucial decisions on the purchase of the Embraer aircraft were taken by the Indian Airforce in 2006. S P Tyagi, who was the then IAF chief, will be interrogated in this case. Tyagi is also being probed in the AugustaWestland VVIP chopper deal.

Centre steps in to resolve Mahanadi river water row

NEW DELHI: September 18, 2016, DHNS

The Union government on Saturday stepped in to resolve the dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh over the sharing of the Mahanadi river water.
In a meeting chaired by Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti and attended by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik, it was decided to form a committee to examine the controversial dam projects in both the riparian states to check whether rules were violated during their construction.

The committee headed by an Officer on Special Duty in the Ministry of Water Resources will submit the report to the Centre in a week’s time.

It was also decided to set up a gauge station by the Central Water Commission at a point where the Mahanadi river enters Odisha.

Odisha, which has demanded that Chhattisgarh stop all types of construction in the Mahanadi basin immediately, expressed its unhappiness over the outcome of the meeting, as Chhattisgarh refused to halt the works.

Odisha accused the upper riparian state Chhattisgarh of illegally constructing a number of dams and barrages across the Mahanadi river without intimating it. The meeting of both the states was convened in the wake of the Cauvery row between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

“I have called a meeting of the Cabinet in Bhubaneswar on Sunday. We will decide what steps to take. We will leave no stone unturned in the interest of the people of Odisha,” Patnaik told reporters after the meeting.

Building of barrages on the Mahanadi river by Chhattisgarh will affect the drinking water and irrigation facilities and sanctuaries in Odisha and the constructions should be stopped forthwith, he said.

Downplaying Odisha’s opposition, Raman Singh said the quantum of water, which flows from Chhattisgarh to Odisha’s Hirakud Dam, can fill the reservoir “five times”.

After Singur, another land battle stares at Mamata

Kolkata: Sep 18, 2016, DHNS:

Even as the dust on Singur is yet to settle, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has run into a group of angry protesters who want compensation to vacate land in Kolkata’s southern fringes. 

With the land’s present market value stated to be around Rs 4,300 crore, the protesters  are demanding suitable relocation, leaving the “pro-people” state government in a fix.

The trouble over the 145-acre plot, which raised its head in the last 48 hours, is being led by around 350 women who claim to be living there for the past three decades. The land, which has faced its own share of legal disputes, belonged to the estate of a landlord, but it was vested by the state government after the zamindari system was abolished in 1954.

The original owners challenged the government’s move in the 1970s, winning the case at a single bench of the Calcutta High Court.

While the landlords sold the land to a realtor group even before the government could challenge the verdict, a division bench of the high court ruled in favour of the state in March this year. Over the years, however, squatters filled up the land with farming plots, fishery ponds, tenements and a football ground. Trouble started after state land reforms department officials started installing peg markers on Thursday to stake claim.

In protest, local residents, who refused to be identified as illegal occupiers, formed a human chain and stopped the government employees.

Nirmala Bodhak, who led the protest, said: “This is our land and we’ll do everything to protect our claim. We’ll leave only after the government offers suitable compensation and relocation.”

In a first, women take part in tiger dance

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 18, 2016, DHNS:

In a first, four women broke into a male bastion by participating in the annual Pulikali (tiger dance) event.

The event, where hundreds of people paint their bodies in dots and stripes and wear masks of tiger and leopard faces, is part of a two century-old tradition during Onam festivities.

Three of the participating women represented Viyyur, one of the 10 teams, each with a maximum of 51 members. A group of women also doubled up as cheerleaders. Percussion artistes and tableaux accompanied the participating teams in the processions as they entered Thrissur town.

The last leg of the Onam celebrations on Saturday was marked by two popular annual fixtures – Uthrittathi vallam kali (boat race) at Aranmula in Pathanamthitta district and Pulikali in Thrissur.

About 50 palliyodams (snake boats) raced in Aranmula with thousands cheering from the banks of river Pampa. The finals were held in two batches. Snake boats from Mallapuzhassery and Thymaravunkara emerged winners in the event.

The annual regatta is held in connection with the anniversary of the installation of the idol at the Parthasarathy temple in Aranmula.

The week-long Onam celebrations will conclude with the annual pageantry at Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.

Trouble not over for SP as workers stage protest

LUCKNOW, Sep 18, 2016, DHNS:

Mulayam Singh Yadav on Saturday found his residence being sieged by Akhilesh Yadav’s supporters demanding removal of Shivpal Yadav as state party chief and reinstatement of Akhilesh. 

The septuagenarian SP leader may have succeeded in resolving the biggest crisis in his family by brokering truce between Akhilesh and Shivpal, but found his own authority dented as he was forced to witness what is possibly the biggest crises of his 50-year political career.

It was unprecedented to see supporters shouting slogans denouncing Netaji’s  decisions and even threatening to sit on a dharna if their demands were not met.

Among the agitators were several prominent SP youth and students’ wing leaders, who held placards reading “Chacha ko hatao” (remove Shivpal as state unit president).

Youth leaders like Rajpal Kashyap, Sunil Singh and others threatened to tender their resignations if Shivpal was not removed.

Scuffle broke out when Shivpal’s supporters reached the place learning about the protest.

A visibly shocked Mulayam told the agitating workers that he would not tolerate such “tamasha” (demonstration).

Mevani, Cong leaders detained in view of PM's Gujarat visit

Ahmedabad, Sep 17 (PTI)

Face of the Dalit agitation in Gujarat, Jignesh Mevani, was detained by police at the city airport ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's arrival here, police said today.

Mevani was detained at around 8 PM yesterday, after he landed at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport here from Delhi. The Prime Minister arrived at the airport around an hour later as part of his Gujarat tour.

Meanwhile, Dahod Police also detained 20 Congress workers and three party MLAs and one AAP worker ahead of Modi's rally in the tribal district held this morning. According to police, these detentions were aimed at ensuring that law and order is maintained.

While Mevani was released late last night, Congress workers and leaders were let off this afternoon, police said.

"Mevani was detained as part of the preventive measure. He was released later, " a police official seeking anonymity said.

After receiving information about his detention, a large number of dalit leaders, associated with Una Dalit Atyachar Ladat Samiti, reached the city crime branch headquarters and staged a demonstration as he was kept there during detention.

"We staged a demonstration as Mevani was held by police without any reason. He was released late last night at around 2 AM," Mevani's close aide, Subodh Parmar said.

Mevani has been leading the agitation against the state government following the Una dalit flogging incident that had taken place in July. He had recently organised several protests over the issues.

Modi, who arrived here at around 9.15 PM last night, was first felicitated by state BJP leaders at a ceremony at the airport upon his arrival. Later today, he addressed a rally in Limkheda town of Dahod district in the morning and one at Navsari this evening.

Ahead of his arrival in Dahod, police detained at least 23 Congress MLAs and workers to prevent them from causing any "trouble". Those detained include Congress MLAs from Dahod district - Chandikaben Bariya, Vajesang Panada and Mitesh Garasia. Former Congress MP from Dahod Prabha Taviad was also among the detainees.

"These Congress leaders were detained as they had planned to disrupt the PM's event. Apart from these 23 Congress leaders, we also detained one AAP worker ahead of the rally. All of them were released later," Police Sub Inspector of Limkhedal, P H Vasava said.

Delhi govt panel 'rules out' chikungunya as primary cause of deaths

New Delhi, Sept 17, 2016, (PTI):

The committee set up by the Delhi government to review cases of death attributed to dengue and chikungunya complications has "ruled out" chikungunya as the primary cause of fatality and said it was "co-morbid conditions" in its patients which led to their deaths.

Hospitals in the city have reported at least 15 deaths this season due to complications triggered by chikungunya which has also affected over 1,700 people in Delhi.

The committee in its report, which was released toady by the Delhi government, has, however, only reviewed nearly 20 cases. Review of some of the cases are still awaited, for "lack of documents" from the hospitals.

Doctors say that chikungunya is not a life-threatening disease in general, but in rare cases leads to complications that prove fatal, especially in children and elderly persons.

Ever since the first death due to "chikungunya complications" was reported, there has been a debate as to whether chikungunya can prove fatal or not.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain has also repeatedly said that according to medical literature, chikungunya cannot kill, and therefore people need not panic.

Most of the victims were old people, and had some sort of medical history, he said. The review report includes some of the fatalities reported at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Apollo Hospital and Hindu Rao Hospital and AIIMS.

"While we are saying that chikungunya cannot kill we are not taking it any less seriously. We want people to know that Delhi government is adequately prepared and, our hospitals and mohalla clinics are equipped with testing facilities and fever clinics. So, no need to panic.

"Also, these patients who were tested positive for chikungunya had co-morbid conditions, like hypertension, diabetes, or kidney problem. And, so these co-morbid conditions led to their death and not chikungunya per se," a top official said.

Two elderly persons, both aged above 70 and belonging to Delhi, died on September 15 of chikungunya complications at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, seventh to have died at SGRH in the last one week.

Out of the 15 deaths, Apollo Hospital has reported five, while AIIMS, Hindu Rao Hospital and Pushpawati Singhania Research Institute recorded one death each.

However, family of Gulab Chand Gupta (70), from Lajpat Nagar in south Delhi, who died of on September 12 of acute febrile illness with septic shock and multi-organ failure, claimed, "he was fit and had no medical history."

IMA President-elect and cardiologist Dr K K Aggarwal says, "chikungunya can lead to death if complications are triggered in brain. But, generally, co-morbid conditions lead to death in chikungunya fever."

"People should drink enough fluid and wear full-sleeved clothes and should not allow stagnation of water in coolers and other places, as aedes mosquitoes breed in clear water," he said.

J&K: Militants attack Army's battalion hq, 10 Army men injured

Srinagar, Sep 18, 2016, PTI:

Terror struck an Army camp in North Kashmir's Uri town when militants stormed a battalion headquarters in the wee hours today, leaving at least 10 Army men injured.

Intense firing was going on with reports about presence of three militants inside the Army camp which is located barely few metres away from the Army's Brigade Headquarters in Uri town, 102 kms from here, official sources said.

Helicopters from the Army's 19 divisional headquarters in Baramulla have been pressed into service and so far 10 Army personnel with burn and bullet injuries have been evacuated from the encounter site, the sources said.

The attack comes two years after militants had carried out a similar type of attack at Mohra in the same area. Ten security personnel were killed in the attack that took place on December 5, 2014.

It is believed that the attack was the handiwork of a freshly infiltrated group of militants who could have entered along the Salamabad Nallah into the town. The entire area has been sealed off.

Explosion rocks busy NYC neighbourhood; injures 25

New York, Sep 18, 2016, PTI:

Around 25 people were today injured in an explosion that rocked New York's busy and upscale neighbourhood also frequented by tourists, hours before world leaders arrive here for the high-level UN General Assembly session.

The explosion - which came hours after a pipe bomb went off in a garbage can in New Jersey - occurred in the Chelsea neighborhood at 23rd St. and 6th Avenue, a busy residential and commercial area frequented by tourists and city residents, around 8:30 pm (local time) yesterday.

The Fire Department of New York tweeted that 25 people have been injured and have been taken to hospitals in the area. Authorities said "none appear to be life-threatening at this time".

Personnel from the New York Police Department, FBI and counter-terrorism agencies are on the scene where restaurants and shops have been evacuated and subways in the area have been shut down. Mayor Bill de Blasio was also headed to the scene.

Assistant Commissioner for Communication and Public Information at the New York City Police Department J Peter Donald tweeted that authorities are responding to a report of an explosion at 23rd St. and 6th Avenue in Manhattan.

"We will update you w/more when we have it," Donald said.

The explosion came hours after another explosion went off in a garbage can in a New Jersey beach town yesterday morning. Three pipe-bomb-type devices wired together were found near the boardwalk in Seaside Park, according to CNN. No injuries were reported and a four-block area was evacuated for most of the day, authorities said.

Security is already tight in the city as nearly 190 world leaders, including President Barack Obama, will arrive in the city for the about week-long high-level annual UN General Assembly session, beginning tomorrow.

Obama has been appraised of the explosion in New York City, a White House official said. "The president has been apprised of the explosion in New York City, the cause of which remains under investigation. The president will be updated as additional information becomes available," a White House official said.

CID gives clean chit to George in DySP case

Bengaluru/Madikeri: Sep 18, 2016, DHNS:

The Criminal Investigation Department is said to have given a clean chit to former minister K J George and two IPS officers in the case related to the suicide of Deputy Superintendent of Police M K Ganapathi in July.

Sources, however, said the details of the CID’s final investigation report, submitted to the Judicial Magistrate First Class Court at Madikeri in Kodagu district on Saturday, have not been made public.

CID investigation officer Sridhar handed over the 500-page report to Judge Annapoorneshwari. Sources said a ‘B’ report had been filed in the case citing lack of evidence over harassment charges levelled by Ganapathi  against George and IPS officers Pronab Mohanty and A M Prasad before he committed suicide. Prasad was the then ADGP (Intelligence) and Mohanty IGP (Lokayukta).

Nehal, son of Ganapathi, had filed a private complaint in court accusing George and the two IPS officers of being responsible for his father’s death. Based on the complaint, the court had directed the police to file an FIR against the three. Later, the high court ordered the CID to conduct a probe.

The CID DySP had sought time before the JMFC court judge to complete the investigation. Based on an appeal, the court had directed the CID team to file the final investigation report by September 19. The agency has submitted its report two days in advance.

Sources in the CID said a ‘B’ report was filed in the case as there were no evidences against the three accused. Except Ganapathi’s statements to a local news channel in Madikeri, there is no other evidence, they said.

“We cross-examined 70 witnesses, including the members of Ganapathi’s family and the staff of Vinayaka Lodge where he committed suicide. There is no reference to any harassment by them in the two diaries found at Ganapathi’s home and office,” CID sources told DH.

The report is said to have mentioned that George never spoke or met Ganapathi after being moved out of the Home department.

An officer said the CID report pointed out that Ganapathi worked under Prasad for three months in 2008. After that there was no communication between the two. In case of Mohanty, the deceased officer never worked under him.

The CID report is also said to have mentioned that Ganapathi was under depression after being moved out of the executive post following charges of dereliction of duty, fake encounter and misuse of money recovered in a theft case.

Reacting to the CID report, Ganapathi’s wife K K Pavana said she would decide on the next course of action after the court hearing on September 19. Pavana said she was fighting a lonely battle. “Initially, everyone was with us. Now, there is nobody to support us. I have worked hard during the CID investigation. It is also affecting my children’s studies,” she said.

AAP hits back at Jung's summon to Sisodia

NEW DELHI: September 18, 2016, DHNS

The AAP government and Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung are once again at loggerheads, this time over the outbreak of chikungunya in Delhi. 

A day after Jung summoned Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to return to Delhi from Finland as the city is facing chikungunya outbreak, two AAP ministers “rushed” to the LG’s office on Saturday and questioned his absence. The ministers charged that the lieutenant governor summoned Sisodia when he himself was on leave.   

However, the LG's office immediately rebutted the charge stating the ministers had arrived “without prior intimation”.

“Secretary to the LG met the ministers since the LG's office is operational on all days of the week. However, they neither submitted any letter, nor gave any representation to the LG,” it said in a statement.

“It is regrettable that at a time when Delhi is facing such a serious public health crisis, the elected government is choosing to politicise the issue instead of providing succour to the public.” it added.

Health Minister Satyendar Jain and Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra said Jung had “faxed” Sisodia late on Friday night.

The LG had asked Sisodia to cut short his education trip to Finland, to which Sisodia tweeted, “Studying Finland’s schools is not a sin while working day & night to fix the problems of our schools in Delhi.”

On home turf, Modi woos tribals on 67th birthday

Sunil raghu, Sep 18, 2016, Limkheda (Gujarat), DHNS:

The Arts College at Mota Hathidara of Limkheda town in Dahod district of central Gujarat had all the trappings of an event to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Being his 67th birthday, there was a massive 67-feet cutout of Modi (a novelty in these parts). There were school children and local artistes performing to songs in praise of Modi: “(He is) son of Hira ba, ruler of Delhi. Hail Modi, Hail Modi…” and “Duniya mein danka bajaay diyo re, Rahul ko paani pilaay diyo re…” (The one who has left his mark on a global stage and left Rahul (Gandhi) huffing.

Traditional theatre (bhavai) was used to inform the audience about steps the state and Central governments had initiated for their welfare. And finally there was a young tribal boy, who delivered a speech in English to highlight how he had benefitted from schemes launched during the Modi regime in Gujarat and after.

“Did you ever imagine a tribal boy would deliver a speech in English, that too at a function to celebrate 67th birthday of our beloved prime minister?” said BJP state president Jitu Vaghani.

But he could not elicit any response from the 80,000 strong crowd plus hordes outside the venue. The police had to block the Jhalod-Limkheda highway to control the surging crowd. However, the massive gathering seemed indifferent to the presence of a number of stalwarts on the dais and refused to join in raising patriotic slogans that generally resonate events of the BJP and its governments.

It was after repeated cajoling and requests that a section of the crowd joined the chorus. The BJP, through this event, was hoping to win over the tribal electorate in the region, especially at a time when the Patels and Dalits were up against the party. Speeches by former chief minister Anandiben Patel and her successor Vijay Rupani were also focused on highlighting the achievements of their governments and efforts the BJP was putting in for the upliftment of the tribals.

Nevertheless, they failed to set the tone. The crowd, it appeared, had come only for one man – Modi. Thousands had trekked or driven down from nearby villages of the five tribal districts to see their prime minister in flesh and blood, a first for them in over a generation.

CBI registers case in Rajdeo Ranjan murder case

New Delhi, Sep 15, 2016 (PTI)

 CBI has taken over investigations in the murder of journalist Rajdeo Ranjan as it registered a case today against unknown assailants.

The move comes four months after Bihar Government recommended a CBI into the murder of Ranjan, bureau chief of Hindustan--a Hindi daily.

A team of agency sleuths will leave shortly for Siwan, the sources said.
The sources said name of former RJD MP Shahbuddin who has been released recently on bail was under the scanner of Bihar Police which was probing the case till recently.

The case has again come into limelight as a photograph appeared of absconding suspects Mohammad Kaif and Mohammad Javed with Shahbuddin after his release from Bhagalpur jail on Saturday last on bail granted by Patna High Court.

They said it is suspected that the killing was the handiwork of some influential persons.

CBI sources said they have taken over the investigation in the murder case which has been registered under the IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy, murder and arms act.

According to the rules, CBI takes over same FIR which has been registered by the state police. However, the sources said, the investigation of the agency are completely free and it may arrive at any conclusion which may or may not be in concurrence with the state police.

"The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered a case under section 302, 120-B, 34 of IPC and section 27 of Arms Act against unknown assailants relating to alleged murder of senior journalist Rajdeo Ranjan on the request of Bihar Government and further notification from Government of India," CBI Spokesperson said.

She said CBI has taken over the investigation of the said case which was earlier registered vide FIR no. 362/2016 dated May 13, 2016 at Police Station Siwan town, Bihar on a complaint from wife of deceased.

The state government had issued a notification requesting the CBI to take over the investigation of the murder case on May 16.

Girl killed as iron pillar falls in visitor's gallery of Indo-Pak border

Attari (PB), Sep 15, 2016 (PTI)

 A nine-year-old girl was killed here today when an iron pillar of an under-construction building fell down and hit her head in the visitor's gallery of Indo-Pak border, police said.
The incident occurred when an electric cable got stuck in the machine which was demolishing a part of old building near the Swarn Jayanti Gate at Indo-Pak border and brought down the iron pillar killing Sarinandana on the spot, they said.

The victim had come here from Kerala along with her parents to watch the evening parade of two neighbouring nations and was standing near the construction site when the mishap took place, police said.

Another person, Billa Singh (40) was injured in the incident and has been admitted in the hospital where his condition is stated to be critical.

Notably, construction has been going on for the last few months to extend the visitor gallery in order to accommodate the increasing flow of visitors at Indo-Pak Attari border.

Each day around 30,000 visitors across India, visit here to enjoy the evening 'Beating Retreat Ceremony' conducted by the border guarding forces of India and Pakistan.

NSG membership priority for India: MEA

New Delhi, Sep 15, 2016, (PTI)

Noting that NSG membership is a priority, India today said there should not be any differences between it and China on issues such as development and clean energy, a day after Beijing said it is yet to form a position on the accession of any specific non-NPT country into the elite nuclear club.

"The two sides have had a substantive and pragmatic exchange on the issue of NSG membership, which is a priority for India because of our plans for civil nuclear energy.
"On certain issues such as development and clean energy, there should not be differences between the two sides," MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said at his weekly briefing here.

China and India this week discussed issues of mutual interest in the area of disarmament and non-proliferation with a focus on India's entry into the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

He added that the two countries have agreed that both sides should approach these issues with mutual sensitivity to each others' concerns and priorities.

"The exchange was useful in enhancing understanding of each other's perspective and will be continued," he said.

Swarup said the two sides were also of the view that a process has been set in motion after the Seoul NSG plenary on the issue of membership and they should support this process.

"This can demonstrate to the whole world that India and China approach such issues with strategic maturity and are working together to narrow and resolve any difference of view. This is urgent and timely," he said.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hua Chunying told media in Beijing yesterday that India and China are "yet to agree on accession of any specific member into the group".

She said this referring to Tuesday's first round of talks between the two countries on India's admission into NSG, which controls global nuclear commerce.

The talks came nearly two-and-a-half months after China scuttled India's NSG membership bid.

Asked about China's argument that energy issue is no longer a bilateral matter between it and India, Swarup said on issues such as development and clean energy or terrorism for that matter, given the positions that have been taken, there is a strong bilateral dimension.

"That is why we had this dialogue. The understanding of the two sides is that this is both a bilateral and a multilateral issue. There is no contradiction," he said.

In the June Plenary of NSG in Seoul, despite strong American support, China stonewalled India's bid to join the group on the grounds that it was a not a signatory to the NPT.  

SC asks Parsvnath builders to deposit Rs 12 Cr in four weeks

New Delhi, Sep 15, 2016 (PTI)

 Supreme Court today directed Parsvnath Buildwell Pvt Ltd to deposit Rs 12 crore within four weeks as interest bearing short term deposit for delaying in giving possession of flats to home buyers in its Ghaziabad project.

A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and C Nagappan asked the counsel for 70 home buyers who had approached the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) to seek instructions on whether they would agree to the proposed deadline of December 2017 given by the developer and the quantified monthly rent.

"We are inclined to direct the appellant to deposit a sum of Rs 12 crore before the Registry of this Court within four weeks hence. The said amount shall be kept in an interest bearing short term deposit in the UCO Bank, Supreme Court Compound, New Delhi," the bench said.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal appearing for the developer said if the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) re-validates the relevant plan, the building can be completed by the end of December, 2017.

The bench refused to agree with the contention and said the present litigation has nothing to do with the re- validation of the plan submitted by the appellant to the Ghaziabad Development Authority.

"That is in the different realm altogether," the bench said.
Sibal further said if the developer gets the plan re-validated, it will be in a position to construct and can hand over the flats to the home buyer and till then it will pay the equivalent rent to each of the depositors.

Advocate M L Lahoty appearing for petitioner told the apex court that GDA has cancelled the approval given to the firm for this project.

The bench asked Lahoty to inform the court after seeking instructions from the home buyers whether they agreed to the deadline of December 2017 to get the flats handed over, rent and the pro-rata interest accrued on the deposit. It posted the matter for further hearing on October 18.

Akhilesh replacing tyres of damaged cycle: Rahul

Allahabad, Sep 15, 2016 (PTI)

With Akhilesh Yadav at war with his uncle Shivpal Yadav, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi today took a dig at him, saying the Chief Minister was trying to change the image of his government by "replacing tyres of his damaged cycle" but it was too late.

Making speeches during his yatra here with an eye on next year's Assembly polls, Gandhi said Akhilesh cannot accomplish much in the remaining few months.

"Akhilesh Yadav is trying to change the image of his government. He is trying to replace tyres of his damaged cycle," the Congress leader said, in an apparent referrece to the SP's election symbol cycle and removal of tainted ministers from cabinet by Akhilesh.

"But he should realize it is too late. Four-and-a-half years have been wasted," he added.
Akhilesh recently removed the state's Chief Secretary, who was considered close to his uncle Shivpal Yadav, on charges of corruption, leading to chain of unpleasant developments in the ruling family clan.

Contending that Akhilesh government had performed badly, he said, "here one does not need to worry while touching a damaged electricity cable since no current flows through these."

The Congress leader also targeted the Narendra Modi government, accusing it of having "betrayed" people on the promises made during elections and providing benefits to big businessmen while ignoring the needs of farmers and jobless youths.

Gandhi said the Modi government has waived loans to the tune of Rs 1.1 lakh crore of big business houses.

"When we were in power, the Manmohan Singh government had waived Rs 74,000 crore for debt-ridden farmers. This reflects our prirorities as well as those of the ruling BJP," he said.

"The current regime appears unconcerned about the problem of unemployment. It must be noted that the annual budgetary outlay by this government for the employment generation scheme is about Rs 35,000 crore, which is just a quarter of the amount that businesspersons have been exempted from paying towards loans," the Congress leader said.

Raising his recently coined slogan, he said, "janta trast, Modi mast" (the people are in distress while Modi is making merry).

Taking on ruling Samajwadi Party chief, Gandhi wondered "why Mulayam Singh Yadav maintains a studied silence whenever the opposition parties launch an attack against the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre".

He said Congress, along with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U), Lalu's RJD and Mulayam had at one point of time decided to jointly fight communal forces represented by the BJP.

"But just ahead of the crucial Bihar assembly polls held last year, the SP walked out of the alliance, apparently in a bid to benefit the BJP," he said, adding "Though both parties may keep pretending to be locked in an ideological fight.

Cabinet to take up Budget overhaul; Session likely from Jan 24

New Delhi, Sep 15, 2016 (PTI)

The proposal for Union Budget overhaul, including merging the Railway Budget with it and preponing the date of its presentation to January end, will be taken up by the Cabinet next week, while the Budget Session may be advanced by a month to January 24.
Early presentation of the Budget will ensure that all legislative work is completed before the beginning of the new fiscal, from April, and funds allocated to various ministries start flowing in from the first quarter.

While early convening of the Budget Session may become a norm in the years to come, the Winter Session of Parliament is likely to be convened on November 12 this year to get the supporting legislations for the GST rollout approved early.

The Finance Ministry is overhauling the Budget making exercise which may see scrapping of the current practice of presenting a separate budget for the Railways as well as shifting to multi-year outcome based budgeting, sources said.

Till now the Budget Session was convened in the third or fourth week of February, and the Union Budget presented on last day of the month. This led to the legislative approvals taking place in two phases spread between February and May.

In order to get all tax proposals as well as expenditure on schemes kicking in from beginning of new fiscal on April 1, the Budget Session of Parliament is likely to be convened on January 24, sources said.

The Economic Survey, which presents the state of economy, is likely to be presented on January 30 and the Union Budget on January 31.

Appropriation as well as finance bill would thus get approved in the following two months, sources said.

Keen to meet the April 1 target to rollout the landmark Goods and Services Tax (GST), the government may advance the Winter Session by a fortnight to November 12 to get supporting legislations passed, leaving sufficient time for the implementation of the new indirect tax regime.

The Winter Session is normally convened in the third or fourth week of November but this year the government is looking at starting the month-long session immediately after the end of festive season.

An early Winter Session will help the Central GST (CGST) and Integrated GST (IGST) legislations, which will pave the way for GST, to get approved within November or latest by early December, sources said.

India suggests to Pak ways to expedite Mumbai attack probe

New Delhi, Sep 15, 2016 (PTI)

 Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar has written to his Pakistani counterpart suggesting ways to expedite trial in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack case in the neighbouring country but is yet to get a response.
Jaishankar wrote the letter on September 6 which was hand-delivered by the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad on September 9, MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

Swarup said that if Pakistan is serious about bringing to justice the perpetrators of the attack, it must act on the suggestions as the entire strike was planned from Pakistan, was carried out by Pakistani nationals and all evidence are in Pakistan.

Noting that the trial in Pakistan has not progressed expeditiously although it will be eight years soon since the dastardly attack, Swarup said, "In order to bring the guilty to book, our Foreign Secretary has recently written to his counterpart in Pakistan suggesting ways in which the trial could be expedited through cooperation through the legal channel."

He said the step was prompted by the delay in bringing to book the persons in Pakistan responsible for the Mumbai terror attack.

"As you know, the entire attack was planned from Pakistan, was perpetrated by Pakistani nationals, all the evidence are in Pakistan, but eight years have passed and trial is happening at a snail's pace," he said.

Swarup said the country's focus is to check terrorism and the government wants to bring the Mumbai case trial to expeditious conclusion.

"We are prepared to offer suggestions on how it can be done through the proper legal channels," he said.

Asked if India has heard back, he said, "No".
On September 9, a former Lashkar operative arrested by Pakistan for his involvement in the 2008 terror attack was acquitted.

Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency said that "no allegation has been proved against" Sufayan Zafar, who was accused of financing Rs 14,800 for the attack and providing Rs 3.98 crore to co-accused Shahid Jameel Riaz prior to the attack.

Zafar was hiding after being declared proclaimed offender in the Mumbai case. He was arrested early last month from his hideout in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

A resident of Gujrawala district of Punjab, approximately 80 km from Lahore, Zafar was among 21 absconding suspects wanted in this high-profile case.

Six suspects -- Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younus Anjum -- have been lodged in the Adiyala Jail, Rawalpindi, since 2009 for abetment to murder, attempted murder, planning and executing the Mumbai attacks.

Prime suspect Lashkar-e-Taiba operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, believed to be the mastermind of the Mumbai attacks, is in hiding after getting bail over a year ago.
166 people, including many foreigners, were killed in the 2008 Mumbai attack carried out by 10 Lashkar terrorists. Nine of the attackers were killed and lone survivor Ajmal Kasab was captured and later hanged in 2012.

SC verdict is 'heart breaking' Soumya's mother

Thiruvananthapuram, Sept 15, 2016 (PTI)

 The decision of the Supreme Court to commute the death sentence awarded to Govindachamy, who had raped and murdered 23-year-old Soumya in February 2011 after allegedly pushing her out of a moving train, was 'heart breaking', the mother of the victim, said.
"My daughter was done to death so cruelly. This is a heart breaking verdict", Sumathy, Saumya's mother, told reporters at her home at Shornur in Palakkad district this morning soon after the verdict, commuting the death sentence to seven year jail term after dropping the murder charge against him.

Describing the verdict as the 'failure' of the state prosecutor to 'properly' represent the case in the Apex Court, Sumathy said she would not give up her fight to get justice for her daughter, who was the only breadwinner in her family and that she would file a revision petition.

"I will file a revision petition. I will continue to fight until I get justice. I will meet the Chief Minister and tell him my pain", a sobbing Sumathy said.

Saumya, working in a shopping mall in Ernakulam, was travelling alone in the ladies compartment of Erakulam-Shornur passenger train on the night of February 1 2011 after work when she was attacked by Tamil Nadu native Govindachamy and died six days later.

"I was waiting all this while hoping my daughter will get justice", Sumathy said.
Pointing that there was much evidence against the accused, she said his hair was found from Soumya's body and her nails had his skin parts. "Isn't that the biggest evidence?"

The prosecution case was that Soumya, travelling alone in the ladies compartment on Feb 1, 2011, had been attacked and pushed off the train by the one armed accused. He also jumped off, carried her on her shoulders at a wooded area at Vallotholnagar near the rail tracks, brutally raped and murdered her.

The Thrissur Fast Track court had awarded death sentence to Govindachamy on Nov 11, 2011, nine months after the rape and murder of Soumya, which shook the state's conscience.

A division bench of Kerala High Court had confirmed the sentence, observing that the incident had sent 'tremors' in society and 'shook the collective conscience of the community'.

The bench, comprising Justices T R Ramachandran and B Kemal Pasha, had held that the court was not expected to shut its eyes and close its ears to the cries of society for justice.

PM wants all steps for GST rollout to be completed before Apr

New Delhi, Sep 15, 2016 (PTI)

 Targeting to roll out the ambitious GST on April 1 next year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed that all steps required in this direction should be completed before that date.
He has also said that GST Council would need to have intensive meetings to be able to make timely recommendations relating to its mandate, including proposals relating to Model GST laws, GST rates, goods and services that may be subjected to or exempted from GST.

The directive and the observation came at a meeting Modi chaired here yesterday to review the preparedness for rollout for GST and to ensure that there is no slippage on the date of its implementation from April 1, 2017,

The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and senior officials of the Prime Ministers Office and Finance Ministry.

"The Prime Minister reviewed the progress made on various steps needed for the rollout of GST relating to preparation of Model GST laws and rules to be framed, establishment of IT infrastructure for both Centre and States, training of officers of Central and State Governments and outreach for awareness of trade and industry," said a PMO statement issued today.

"The Prime Minister directed that all steps must be completed much before 1st April, 2017," it said.

The government is keen to implement the biggest tax reform since Independence from April 1 so as to ensure a smooth rollover to the changed tax structure from the beginning of the new fiscal and avoid mid-year alterations.

The first meeting of the GST Council, which will be headed by Finance Minister, will be held on September 22-23, and the panel is to give its recommendations on the tax rate and other provisions within 60 days.