Teenager gangraped in Rewari

Rewari (Haryana), November 30: A 16-year-old teenager was allegedly gangraped in the district by three youths, police said today

The girl, a resident of Bhim Basti colony here, was on her way to her sewing training centre yesterday when she was picked up forcibly by the three youths and taken to an isolated room in a field, they said.

The trio than allegedly took turns to rape her, the police said.

Buffalo gives 31.32 kg milk, sets Haryana record

Chandigarh, November 30: A ‘murrah’ buffalo at a village in Haryana’s Faridabad district has set a new record by yielding 31.320 kg milk in the state in a day, an official said here today.

A spokesman of Haryana Animal Husbandry and Dairying Department said here this was the highest yield by a ‘murrah’ buffalo in the state so far.

He said the buffalo, belonging to Dharam Pal Nagar, was milked in the presence of sub-divisional Magistrate, senior officers of the Department, a senior veterinary doctor and village Sarpanch in a competition organised recently in Faridabad.

–Agencies

Madhu Koda arrested by Vigilance Commission,

Ranchi, November 29: Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda was on Monday arrested by the state Vigilance Commission, nearly two months after a case was registered against him in a multi-crore hawala scam.

“We have reached at a stage when his arrest was necessary. We had taken the arrest warrant from the competent court,” Inspector General of Police, Vigilance, M V Rao said.

38-year-old Koda, who is being jointly investigated by the vigilance commission, Income Tax department and Enforcement Directorate, was arrested from the Chaibasa district of the state.

No significant change in Chinese activities on border: Govt

New Delhi, November 29: Government on Monday said there has not been any significant change in Chinese activities along the Indian border in last few years and there was no commonly marked Line of Actual Control between the two countries.

“There is no commonly delineated LAC between India and China and there has not been any significant change in the Chinese activity along LAC over the last few years,” Defence Minister A K Antony said in reply to a Lok Sabha query.

TRS shutdown disrupts normal life in Andhra

Hyderabad, November 30: Normal life was thrown out of gear at several places across Andhra Pradesh today due to the shutdown called by Telangana Rashtra Samithi to protest the arrest of their leader K Chandrasekhar Rao, who continued his fast in prison.

Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport cancelled its bus services in Hyderabad and other Telangana districts like Medak, Karimnagar, Nizamabad and Warangal, leaving many commuters stranded.

Many educational institutions and business establishments remained closed in the city due to the bandh.

Senior govt officer murdered in Jammu

Jammu, November 30: A senior government officer was murdered by unidentified persons who kidnapped him from his house along with his wife in Mira Sahib on the outskirts of the city today, police said.

One Chander Prakash allegedly entered into the house of Deputy Director of Statistics department Ashok Kumar Kitchloo in Mira Sahib area and called him out along with his wife late last night. They were then abducted by some persons accompanying him, police said.

Uttar Pradesh IAS officer was depressed before suicide

Lucknow, November 30: Mystery continues to surround the suicide by Uttar Pradesh IAS officer Harminder Raj Singh two days after he allegedly shot himself dead with his licensed revolver. He was on anti-depressants for the past six months, sources close to the family said.

Some of Singh’s friends in the bureaucracy are still shocked over the death. “Harminder Raj Singh was of the type who would have definitely left behind something in black in white,” asserted a close friend who prefers anonymity. Singh’s body was cremated in Delhi Monday afternoon.

Miandad fears India will capture China market

Karachi, November 30: With the Pakistan Cricket Board dragging its heel, former captain Javed Miandad is afraid that India may capture cricket’s next big market in China.

Miandad, now a PCB Director-General and also Pakistan government’s cricket ambassador to China, has been repeatedly asking Board chairman Ejaz Butt to be pro-active to establish cricketing ties with China and is miffed at the cold response.

KCR fast ends in anti-climax: analyst

Hyderabad, November 30: By bringing his much-hyped fast-unto-death for Telangana statehood to a tame end, Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K Chandrasekhar Rao has yet again lost his political credibility, a political analyst feels.

The ‘do-or-die’ battle that KCR, a former Union Minister, launched yesterday ended up in an anti-climax but took a heavy toll ?- in the form of two young lives and damage on public property worth lakhs of rupees.

Chandrababu wants state to tackle OMC on legal front

Hyderabad, November 30: Telugu Desam Party President N Chandrababu Naidu has urged the state government to immediately file a counter-affidavit in the Andhra Pradesh High Court against the writ petition filed by Obulapuram Mining Company challenging the government?s ban on mining activity in Anantapur district.

In a letter to Chief Minister K Rosaiah here today, Chandrababu said the government should engage a senior counsel from New Delhi, well-versed with mining and forest laws, to plead the state government?s case.

48 candidates with criminal record in Jharkhand second phase poll

New Delhi, November 23: As many as 48 candidates with a criminal record are contesting in the second phase of Jharkhand assembly elections scheduled Dec 2, an analysis by a voluntary organisation said.

The study was conducted by National Election Watch (NEW). Of the 259 candidates contesting for 14 seats in the second phase of elections, affidavits of 130 candidates were analysed.

Sukhoi crashes in Rajasthan; pilots safe

Jaisalmer, November 30: A Sukhoi air superiority fighter jet of the IAF today crashed at Jetha Ki Dhani near Pokhran firing ranges in Rajasthan, but the two pilots bailed out to safety.

This is the second Sukhoi crash of the IAF, with the first reported on April 30 this year in which the co-pilot was killed.

“A Sukhoi fighter jet crashed southwest of Pokhran in Jaisailmer district today,” IAF spokesperson Wing Commander T K Singha said in New Delhi.

IAF sources said the Sukhoi had taken off from Jodhpur at 16.45 Hours for a routine training sortie and it crashed around 17.30 Hours.

Maoists kill two cadre for ‘spying’ for police

Raipur, November 30: Maoist militants killed two of their cadre Monday in Chhattisgarh, accusing them of spying for police.

The incident took place in Gangloor area in Bijapur district of the restive Bastar region, some 450 km south of capital Raipur.

The youths – Ramu and Ramesh – whom police had arrested last week but later managed to escape from custody, were killed by Maoists in a forested area Monday, officials here at police headquarters said.

–IANS

‘Higher GDP growth a positive signal for industry’

Mumbai, November 30: With the GDP clocking a healthy 7.9 per cent growth in the second quarter, bankers today said improving demand in the system is likely to push up credit off-take in the coming quarters.

State Bank of India Chief Financial Officer SS Ranjan said though the more-than-expected jump in the GDP numbers is a positive sign, it is likely to reflect in bank credit growth only by the fourth quarter.

The nation’s largest lender expects to achieve a growth of 18-19 per cent for the full fiscal and sees growth coming in mostly from corporate and retail segments.

One held guilty in Kandhamal riot case

Bhubaneswar, November 30: A fast track court in Orissa Monday convicted a person to five years in prison in a Kandhamal riot case.

“Sanjeev Pradhan has been held guilty by the court for setting on fire the house of Shravan Kumar Digal of Penagari village in Kandhamal district Aug 25, 2008. He has been given five years in jail,” said P.K. Patra, the public prosecutor.

Pradhan has also been fined Rs.7,500. Fast track court judge C.R. Das pronounced the judgment.

‘BJP-sponsored WB bandh evoked partial response’

Kolkata, November 30: The BJP-sponsored bandh in West Bengal today evoked partial response even as over 500 people were arrested from various places for blockading roads and railways, the state government said

“It cannot be said there had been no response to the bandh call. But nothing much has happened,” Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen told reporters today.

Charging the media with hyping the bandh coverage, he said the trouble was reported from “one or two” places.

To a question, he said more than 500 people were arrested in connection with the bandh.

Telangana bandh turns violent

Hyderabad, November 30: Normal life was paralysed at several places across Andhra Pradesh today as the TRS shutdown to protest the arrest of its leader K Chandrasekhar Rao turned violent with bandh supporters going on the rampage, attacking petrol pumps, shops and state-run buses.

The agitators attacked petrol pumps, shops and a retail store at Tarnaka in Hyderabad and also state-run buses at several places in Telangana districts of Medak, Nizamabad, Karimnagar and Warangal.

Obama asks Pakistan to snap ties with militant groups: report

Washington, Nov 30 (DPA) The United States has offered Pakistan an expansion of military and economic cooperation but has insisted that Islamabad ends dalliance with militant groups for its policy ends in India and Afghanistan, the Washington Post reported Monday on its website.

Citing government officials speaking on condition of anonymity, the daily paper reported that James Jones, national security advisor to President Barack Obama, delivered the offer earlier in November to Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.

Gas delivery man suffocates after cylinder catches fire

New Delhi, November 30: A gas cylinder delivery man suffocated to death in east Delhi today when a cylinder caught fire, police said.

Vijay, a delivery boy with Indane Gas, had gone to a residence in Trilokpuri to deliver a cylinder when the incident took place.

“He handed over the cylinder and was checking whether it was fitted properly. He lit a match stick and a fire broke out as there was a leakage in the cylinder. He suffered burns,” a senior police official said.

“Vijay could not escape from the room and suffocated,” the official said.

Four Maoists arrested in Orissa

Baripada (Orissa), November 30: Four Maoists from West Bengal, allegedly involved in a recent attack on JMM leader Sudama Marandi, were arrested today from Orissa’s Mayurbhanj district.

“The ultras were picked up during a combing operation in Bisusola forest in Suliapada police station area near West Bengal border,” Superintendent of Police, Mayurbhanj, Dayal Gangwar told PTI.

Parliament discussion on Liberhan report postponed

New Delhi, November 30: The discussion in parliament on the Liberhan Commission report, slated for Tuesday, has been postponed.

Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Basudeb Acharya told that the discussion on the Liberhan panel report was postponed because the Hindi translation was “not made available”.

“It is an utter failure on the part of the government,” Acharya said.

The leaders of the political parties have been informed, he said.

The Liberhan Commission report was tabled in parliament last Tuesday. The Hindi translation was not tabled as it was not ready.

Koda an actor in a movie on corruption, find director,

New Delhi, November 30: BJP today described former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, accused of money laundering and amassing disproportionate assets, as “just an actor in a movie on corruption” and said its “directors and producers” should be found out.

“Koda is just an actor. The director and producers of the film on corruption should be found out. His political linakges in the entire episode should be probed,” BJP vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.

One-year-old crushed to death under water tanker

New Delhi, November 30: A one-year-old child died on the spot after being run over by a water tanker here, police said today.

Madhusudan, the victim, had gone to Aman Vihar with his mother to fetch water from a tanker when he accidentally came under its wheels.

The driver fled from the scene, police said adding that the tanker has been impounded.

–Agencies

Lord Ram has special place in my life: Advani

New Delhi, November 30: Senior BJP leader L K Advani today confided that Lord Ram has a special place in his life and that he dreams of a “Ram Rajya” in the country with a Ram temple.

“In my long political career spanning since Independence, if there was anyone who held a special place in my life it was Lord Ram,” he said at a book release function here.

“I have even conducted two yatras in His name. While one was from Somnath to Ayodhya and the other was for good governance and for swarajya,” he said.

No passports to babies of surrogate Indian mothers, apex court told

New Delhi, November 30: The central government Monday told the Supreme Court that babies born to surrogate Indian mothers but alien biological fathers are not entitled to Indian passports which can only be issued to citizens of the country.

The government’s submission came in a lawsuit challenging a Gujarat High Court ruling asking the central government to issue passports to twins, born to an Indian surrogate mother but German biological parents.

The government has opposed the high court ruling, contending that giving a passport would declare the children as Indian citizens.