Month: March 2012

MBT worker attacked by MIM worker

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MBT worker Mr Mohammed Afzal Taj R/o of Moosa Nagar (Incharge MBT Moosa Nagar) Under Azampura division was attacked by MIM workers namely Mohamed Khaja @ Chowa Khaja, Mohammed Aleem @ City Aleem, R/o of Kaladers, Syed Ibrahim @ Mohsin Peer, Mohammed Farooq @ khodi Farooq,Mohammed Waheed (Contractor) and other ten workers. The attackers warned Mohammed Afzal Taj not to work for MBT; this is the second time that the same MBT worker being attacked by MIM worker, previously Mohammed Afzal Taj’s house was burnt while he was sleeping along with his family.

–MBT Press Release

Russia introduces life sentence for drug dealers

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Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has signed into law a bill stipulating life sentences for selling drugs especially in large quantities, according to presidential website.

The new law also stipulates confiscation of property obtained as a result of drug trafficking.

Punishment for selling drugs in prison or penitentiary facilities and public places has also been toughened.

The law will come into force 180 days after being published.

Previously, drug dealing was a crime punishable by maximum 20 years in prison.

Military ties with India growing : US

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Ties between the US and Indian militaries are growing, a senior defense official said Friday, noting recent bilateral security talks between the two countries reaffirmed the partnership and the growing US interest in advancing it.

Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Policy James Miller joined Indian Defense Secretary Shashi Kant Sharma in co-chairing the 12th annual US-India Defense Policy Group dialogue in New Delhi Feb 21 and 22.

Five killed, three missing in Chilean plane crash

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Five people were confirmed dead while the other three onboard remained missing Friday after a light plane crashed Thursday in Chile, said authorities.

Chilean Defense Minister Andres Allamand had previously confirmed three deaths but authorities later said the rescuers had found five bodies, Xinhua reported Saturday.

The minister added that the Air Force and Navy had found the aircraft’s fuselage in Piedra Blanca sector, near Quellon, a port located in Chiloe island.

The one-motor Piper aircraft crashed soon after taking off from Melinka, 1,370 km south of capital city of Santiago.

Polling begins for UP elections’ last phase

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Polling for the seventh and last phase of Uttar Pradesh’s staggered elections in 60 assembly seats spread across 10 districts began Saturday at 7 a.m.

The total electorate numbering 18,227,281 (men 10,024,588, women 8,201,987 and others 706) will seal the fate of 962 candidates, including 100 women candidates, in the fray.

The political parties contesting in this phase are Bahujan Samaj Party, Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, Samajwadi Party and others.

Teachers brand 5-yr-old boy for bed-wetting

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In an extreme case of corporal punishment, two teachers of a boarding school in Ranip – NK Ashram Shala have been accused of branding and beating up a five-year-old student, Vishal, for bed-wetting and vomiting.

The incident took place on Thursday morning. The boy told his parents that his teacher Anil thrashed him with a cane when he saw Vishal had wet his bed in the night. “The brutal assault left welts on his buttocks,” said Bapunagar police officials who are probing the case.

Minor ‘sacrificed’ by tantrik

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A minor has been allegedly killed by a tantrik in Rampur Thariyava village of the district, police said. Jaichand Lodhi, a primary student, was missing since February 27.

This morning the victim’s clothes were found from a tubewell. The tantrik was earlier caught in a similar case, police said. The child’s body was recovered from a nearby pond.

A case against the man was registered, police said, adding that protesting villagers surrounded the police station and pelted stone.

–PTI–

Bank Manager in ACB net

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The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) today caught red redhand Nalgonda District Mariyalal Branch AP Grameena Vikas Bank Manager M L Prasad Rao at Kushyaguda here when he demanded and accepted Rs 23,000 as illegal gratification from the complainant. The Bank Manager allegedly collected the bribe from Complainant E Dayakar Reddy for showing official favour of returning the original documents, pattadar pass books and title deeds which was pledged for obtaining a loan, a ACB release said here. The release said the complainant has already paid the entire loan under one time settlement.

HC stays defamation proceedings against ‘The Hindu’

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The Madras High Court today stayed all further proceedings before a sessions judge here in the defamation complaint filed by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa against a leading national daily over publication of a report on her food habits. Passing the interim orders on petitions filed by then Editor-in-Chief of ‘The Hindu’ N Ram and reporter B Kolappan, Justice S Rajeswaran dispensed with their personal appearance before the principal sessions judge and ordered notice.

Now, Swamy too joins Telangana Row

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The cause for a separate Telangana state won a new champion on Thursday as president of Janata Party Dr Subramanian Swamy pledged to file a petition in favour of formation of Telangana state. Addressing a gathering at the national convention on social justice and new states at the Taramati Baradari on Thursday, he said, “The government went back on the promise made by home minister P Chidambaram in 2009 of initiating steps to form a separate state. It is a breach of trust by the government and I am willing to file a petition in the high court or if need be, at the supreme court.”

Urdu restored as eligibility criteria in MANUU

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Subject to immense pressure Maulana Azad National Urdu University [MANUU] has amended its rule making knowledge of Urdu language necessary to apply for teaching posts. The controversy started when MANUU on 27 February 2012 issued a notification making Urdu knowledge not obligatory for teaching posts in the university and instead a new rule was drafted which allowed the recruited teachers to clear a certificate course in Urdu from any recognized institution within a prescribed period after taking charge as teaching staff in the university.

Corporate schools not violating rules, says Parathasarathy

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Secondary Education K Parthasarathy on Friday denied that several corporate private schools were violating the prescribed government norms and regulations.

Replying to question raised by M S Prabhankar rao, Rudraraju Padma Raju and K Dileep Kumar in the Legislative Council during Question Hour, he said that the government has regulated the fee structure for private recognized schools.

Child kidnapping cases on the rise: Sabitha

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Home Minister P Sabitha Indira Reddy on Friday admitted that there was a rise in the cases of kidnapping of children in the State.

Replying to a question raised by Praja Rajyam Party MLAs B Satyananda Rao and V Vanga Geetha, the minister said as many as 2110 children have been kidnapped in the State. Of them, the police has rescued 2,068 children from the kidnappers, till now.

YSR Cong demands polls for cooperative societies

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YSR Congress Party on Friday demanded the State Government to hold elections to cooperative societies, which serve as a backbone to farmers, and refrain from emulating TDP government by running the administration with special officers and ex-officio members.

“The twin recommendations of Vaidynathan Committee that cooperatives should have government patronage and elected representatives should be followed in the true letter and spirit,” party spokesperson Gattu Ramachandra Rao told reporters here.

Botsa, CM to launch by-polls campaign from March 11

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Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana on Friday announced that chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and he himself would take part in the campaign for the by-elections from March 11-15.

Talking to media persons at Gandhi Bhavan, he said that the schedule for Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha and Tirupati MLA K Chiranjeevi for the by-elections campaign would be finalised soon. He predicted that Congress party would win the by-elections with a huge majority and the Opposition Telugu Desam party would get third position.

Hike customs duty on cigarettes to 150 per cent: ASSOCHAM

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Industry body ASSOCHAM on Friday called for increasing customs duty on cigarettes and placing their imports in the restricted list to curb contraband trade which is resulting in estimated revenue loss of more than Rs 2,000 crore in unpaid duties and foreign exchange outflow.

Multinational companies are seeking to expand their business in developing countries like India due to declining sales in their home markets. They either set up operations in target countries through direct investments or imports, thereby creating a legitimate umbrella for distribution and demand creation activities.

Left parties hail Standing Committee probe into NREGS scam

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The left party leaders on Friday thanked the State Government and Assembly Speaker Nadendla Manohar for appointing Standing Committee to probe into massive irregularities which took place in the implementation of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Group – II interviews from Saturday

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The Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission on Friday announced the interview schedule for qualified candidates of Group II.

The interviews will be conducted from March 3 to March 30 from morning 10 to 5 pm. The commission has sent individual interview letters for 1,203 qualified candidates shortlisted for 1,020 posts including 607 executive posts.

Fulfill the promises made with Telangana employees, demands BJP

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Bharatiya Janata Party state president G Kishen Reddy on Friday demanded that the State Government fulfill the promises it made with the Telangana employees at the time of ending the general strike.

Talking to media persons at Assembly media point, he criticised the government for not taking steps to honour the promises despite submission of several memoranda on the issue. He said that the government was not responding on the issue and resorting to harassment tactics on employees who participated in the strike.

Fire safety measures in place at corporate hospitals: Sabitha

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Home Minister P Sabitha Indira Reddy on Friday informed the State Legislative Assembly that the State Government has taken safety measures for the prevention of fire accidents in corporate hospitals.

Replying to a question raised by Congress MLA J Ramesh and others during Question Hour, the minister listed out the measures being enforced on corporate hospitals for prevention of accidents.