Month: April 2011

Maoist hideout busted, explosives seized in Bengal

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Kolkata, April 01: Security personnel Friday unearthed a Maoist hideout in a forest in West Bengal’s West Midnapore district and recovered a huge cache of explosives and weapons the rebels were planning to use to disrupt the assembly elections, officials said.

“A huge cache of explosives, including high intensity landmines, were recovered from a Maoist hideout in a forest at Bhumishole near Maoist-affected Lalgarh,” said West Midnapore’s Additional Police Superintendent (Operation) Sukesh Jain.

Three gets life imprisonment for murder

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Jind, April 01: Three persons were today sentenced to life imprisonment by a local court in a murder case.

The district and sessions court also slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on each of them, while acquitting three women accused.

According to the prosecution, the murder was committed owing to some property dispute in which Bhim Singh’s nephew was attacked by his neighbour in the Hansraj Basti area in January last year.

The victim suffered serious injuries and had died in a hospital.

-Agencies

Omar lauds MLAs for successful budget session

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Jammu, April 01: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today lauded the MLAs for their positive and effective contribution in the conduct of business during the budget session of the Assembly.

“Current session of J&K Legislative Assembly was most successful and productive one during the last two years. I appreciated the legislators for their positive and effective contribution in the conduct of business making special reference to the role of opposition,” Omar said on the concluding day of the session.

Hero Honda’s March sales up 24 percent

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New Delhi, April 01: Two-wheeler major Hero Honda Motors Ltd Friday reported a 24 percent rise in its sales for March – its highest-ever – at 515,852 units as compared to 414,638 in the same period last year.

“Hero Honda capped 515,852 units in March ’11 – its highest-ever month sales. This is a growth of more than 24 percent in over the corresponding month in 2010 when the company had sold 414,638 units,” said the company in a statement.

Wife, son suspected of murdering retired SDO of Haryana

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Rohtak, April 01: A retired SDO of Haryana Irrigation Department died under mysterious circumstances today at his house in Chunni Pura colony here and his wife, son and five other relatives have been arrested for his alleged murder.

The kin of the deceased, who has been identified as Om Prakash Dalal, tried to dispose off his body by cremating it clandestinely, the police said.

Bengal’s law and order not satisfactory: Poll panel official

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Kolkata, April 01: Law and order situation in poll-bound West Bengal has improved but the Election Commission is not at all satisfied with it, a senior election official said Friday

“Law and order situation in the state is improving but we are not at all satisfied. A through monitoring of the situation is being conducted by the officials. In last month, three deaths of political activists and 94 incidences of political violence, resulting in injury of 120 people, were reported,” said state chief electoral officer Sunil Kumar Gupta.

Awareness about Autism a must, say experts

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New Delhi, April 01: Awareness about autism, its early diagnosis and non-discrimination with children stricken with the neurological disorder is necessary for their welfare, advise experts.

Autism constitutes 11 per cent of the diseases prevalent globally and this number is likely to reach 14.7 per cent by the year 2020.

Gujarat government submits sealed ‘secret’ papers in Haren Pandya case

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Gandhinagar, April 01: The Gujarat government Friday submitted a sealed cover containing “vital details” related to the murder of former BJP minister Haren Pandya before the state high court.

The bench comprising Justices R.R. Tripathi and P.P. Bhatt took the sealed cover on record, while observing that by doing so, it would not prejudice the case of any of the parties.

Additional Advocate General Tushar Mehta submitted before the court that the cover be kept in the court’s custody. He however said they were not relying upon the documents in the sealed cover as of now.

Headmaster arrested for molesting girl students

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Malappuram (Ker), April 01 (PTI) A headmaster of a school at nearby Tirur has been arrested for allegedly molesting some girl students.

The 48-year-old headmaster was arrested on a complaint by two girl students, police said, adding that an enquiry was on.

-Agencies

Nishank to hold talks with fasting Congress MLA

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Dehra Dun, April 01: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank today agreed to hold talks with Tehri Congress MLA Kishore Upadhayay, who is on indefinite fast in support of his demands.

Offer for talks came as a Congress delegation led by Bhanwar Jitendra Singh, an emissary of party general secretary Rahul Gandhi, called on Upadhayay at Chamba town and requested him to break his fast.

However, Upadhayay remained adamant but agreed to meet the Chief Minister for an amicable resolution of his 25 demands.

Saleh to sacrifice ‘blood and soul’ to confront opponents

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Sana’a, April 01: Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has vowed to confront with his “blood and soul” the anti-government street protests being staged in the country seeking his resignation.

Addressing tens of thousands of his loyalists in the capital city Sana’a Friday, Saleh swore to “sacrifice everything” for his loyalists.

“I promise you that I will sacrifice my blood and soul and everything precious for the sake of the great people,” Xinhua quoted the Yemeni president as saying.

He is facing mounting street protests demanding he leave power immediately,

Constable dismissed after being found guilty of killing

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Moga (Punjab), April 01: A Punjab Police constable was dismissed today for his involvement in the killing of an alleged poppy husk smuggler a fortnight ago, said the police.

Senior constable Mohinder Singh was found guilty of killing Gurnam Singh on the night of March 14 with the assault rifle issued in the name of some other police officials.

Moga SSP Snehdeep Sharma dismissed Singh on charges of ‘grave misconduct and negligence’.

Police said that after the killing, Singh deposited the weapon in the police station without informing about the shooting.

ICC lifts ban on news channels

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New Delhi/Mumbai, April 01: The ICC tonight lifted the ban on news television channels covering the world cup finals following intervention by Information and Broadcasting Ministry, but will seek legal action against them for alleged violation of media guidelines.

“…the ICC has decided to commence legal action against the companies involved and will also seek to recover damages through the courts in India rather than bar the stations from the ICC Cricket World Cup final,” cricket’s global governing body said in a statement.

No encroachments made on Wakf land since 2001: JK Govt

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Jammu, April 01: Jammu and Kashmir government today said there have not been any encroachments on Wakf land after the Wakf Board Act was enacted in the state in 2001.

Minister of State for Haj and Auquaf Ajaz Ahmad Khan told the Legislative Assembly that after enforcement of the Wakf Board Act in 2001, no Wakf land has been encraoched upon in the state and efforts are on to evict the land that was encroached prior to 2001.

The Minister was replying to a question by Zulfikar Ali in the Assembly.

Evening courts inaugurated in Noida

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Noida, April 01: In order to ensure speedy disposal of judicial cases, evening courts for Gautam Buddha Nagar district were today inaugurated at Noida Phase II.

The evening courts, which have been set up after the Uttar Pradesh government issued a notification in this direction, were inaugurated by Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court Ferdino Inacio Rebello this evening.

These courts would at present be held only at Gautam Budh Nagar, Rampur and Gorakhpur districts. If they are successful, similar courts would be held in all districts, sources said.

No conclusive view on Shunglu report, says Congress

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New Delhi, April 01: Congress today refused to give clean chit to anyone in the wake of the Shunglu committee finding fault with Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Lt Governor Tejinder Khanna in conduct of Commonwealth Games.

“There is no conclusive view on the Shunglu report. It was an Executive Committee and it has submitted its report. There is no court verdict or a prima facie illegality,” Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters here.

He said the Shunglu Committee has given its view after perusing papers regarding the conduct of the Commonwealth Games.

Six killed, 13 injured in road mishaps

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Jaipur, April 01: Six people, including a woman, were killed and 13 others injured in two separate road mishaps in Rajasthan today, police said.

Four youths were killed and 12 others injured when a jeep in which they were travelling fell off a bridge in Udaipur district.

“They were returning to their village after attending a religious fair in Jhalod area when driver of the jeep lost control over the vehicle and it fell on a dry riverbed from a bridge near Kyaria village,” SHO Ogaria Sumer Singh said.

Thousands take to streets in Syria

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Damascus, April 01: Thousands of people took to streets to stage anti-government protests Friday in various cities of Syria.

Protests erupted following Muslims’ Friday prayers in the cities of Damascus, Daraa and Banias, where thousands of marchers chanted slogans of freedom and democracy, witnesses told Xinhua.

On Wednesday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s addressed the nation and accused “Syria’s enemies” of flaming turmoil in the country.

Friday’s protests were staged in the wake of that address.

Mumbai police take charge of Wankhede stadium

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Mumbai, April 01: A day before the World Cup final between India and Sri Lanka at the Wankhede stadium, the city police which has placed a massive three-tier security cover to maintain vigil over land, air and water, has taken charge of the stadium, a senior police official said.

“Though the security arrangements were being put in place for a few days, we have taken the charge of the entire stadium today,” Deputy Police Commissioner (Operation) Rajkumar Vhatkar said today.

This means not a single person can come inside without the permission of police, said another official.

President leaves for Mumbai to watch World Cup final

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New Delhi, April 01: President Pratibha Patil Friday left for Mumbai to watch the ICC World Cup match between India and Sri Lanka Saturday.

The president, who chose to reach Mumbai at night to avoid traffic disruptions because of her cavalcade, was accompanied by her husband Devisingh Shekhawat.

“The president is on her way to watch the final,” a Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson told IANS.

She will watch the match at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium along with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Half-day, no power cuts for final match, declares Chouhan

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Bhopal, April 01: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has declared Saturday as a half working day and assured uninterrupted power supply across the state when India take on Sri-Lanka in the World Cup final.

“I am very much sure that India will win the World Cup and there would be half-day as well as no power cuts tomorrow,” Chouhan told reporters.

The chief minister made similar announcements for the India-Pakistan semifinal Wednesday, buying 1,000 MW of extra power to ensure the state could watch the match without a hitch.

—-IAns

Indian High Commission official in Islamabad missing

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New Delhi, April 01: An Indian High Commission official in Islamabad has been missing since Thursday, a day after a driver of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi was detained, sources here said. Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao has spoken to her counterpart Salman Bashir on the issue.

According to sources, the Indian High Commission official has been missing since 5.30 p.m. Thursday. He was walking home after work.

Pak, India should overcome ‘war phobia’: Gilani

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Islamabad, April 01: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Friday said that Pakistan and India should overcome “war phobia” to address their outstanding issues as a “third power” cannot come and do it for them.

“We need to give attention to the poor people of the two countries and that can happen when the war phobia ends,” Gilani said while speaking in the Senate or upper house of Parliament on his meeting with his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh on the margins of the cricket World cup semi-final at Mohali on Wednesday.

Was 110 % Confident that Sachin Was Out: Ajmal

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Lahore, April 01: Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal is still perplexed over why the Decision Review System (DRS) overturned on-field umpire Ian Gould’s lbw ruling against Sachin Tendulkar during the World Cup semi-final against India in Mohali.

Tendulkar, who scored a valuable innings of 85, was dropped four times besides surviving a close leg before call off the bowling of Ajmal, who is convinced that he had the master batsman trapped.

Carry Bebo around

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Mumbai, April 01: Says a source, “Kareena was recently appointed brand ambassador for a range of handbags. The company observed that their sales shot up after she began endorsing the product.

They were so happy that they came up with the idea of having a limited edition clutch called Bebo!”

Currently the actress is in talks regarding the bag line.

Work in progress

Says a source, “There are many aspects to be looked into including the selling and marketing as well as Kareena’s involvement including her remuneration!