Congress leader Digvijay Singh today criticised Nitish Kumar government in Bihar for keeping the security of Mahabodhi Temple in private hands despite intelligence warnings about terror attacks.
“If there were IB inputs (about possible terror attacks), then the state government should not have left security of a place as important as Mahabodhi temple in private hands,” he told reporters here.
Mounting an all out attack against the Nitish Kumar government, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi today began a 24-hour fast in the state capital to protest against the police firing in Bagaha and the serial blasts in Bodh Gaya “due to security lapses”.
Accompanied by Bihar BJP president Mangal Pandey and other leaders, Modi began his fast outside the Sri Krishna Memorial hall near Gandhi Maidan police station.
Speaking on the occasion, he lambasted the state government for police firing in Bagaha in which six Tharu tribal people were killed last month.
A Saudi-based Indian businessman has secured the release of a compatriot serving a jail term in the Gulf Kingdom for killing a local resident in Jeddah by paying blood money to the family of the victim.
Indian businessman Mohammed Alungal paid a sum of Rs 36,13,000 on behalf of Vinish Pappachan, who had been ordered to pay the money as diyah (blood money), Arab News reported.
One person was detained on Monday by the NIA in connection with the serial blasts at the Mahabodhi temple in which two monks were injured.
DIG, Magadh range, Nayyer Hasnain Khan said an identity card was found within the temple premises on Sunday on the basis of which the person was detained.
The NIA was interrogating him, the DIG said.
“One suspect hailing from Barachatti block in Gaya has been detained and we are questioning him. We have been analysing the footage and based on that some more people would be questioned soon,” a senior police official said.
Three held for possessing fake currency notes
(Siasat News): Task force police have arrested three persons hailing from Karnataka for circulating fake currency notes in the city and seized ‘big amount’ from their possession.
As per the details, Mohd. Tajuddin, 30, said to be the kingpin of the gang, took Rs. 92,500 from his associate Mohd. Alauddin of Gulbarga three days ago and promised to give him Rs.30, 000 in real currency in lieu of the fake notes.
All 10 people on board an air taxi died when it crashed at an Alaska airport, US aviation authorities said Monday.
The air taxi crashed at Soldotna Airport in Soldotna, Alaska, at 11:20 a.M. Local time. In addition to the pilot, there were nine passengers on board. The names of the passengers have not been released.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has sent a team to Alaska to investigate the crash of a de Havilland DHC-3 Otter.
“Your wealth and your children are only a trial, while with Allah there is a tremendous reward.”
(Quran 64:15)
A Believing man or woman continues to be tested in person, property and children in order he or she may meet Allah (SWT) free from sin. The patience and gratefulness we have for all difficulties in this life determine the amount of reward and forgiveness we will receive. The one for whom Allah intends good encounters afflictions to get it. (Bukhari)
Five children of a picnic party drowned on Sunday in Betwa river near the famous Bhojpur Shiva temple, police said.
The deceased, who belonged to Mahrishi Vidya Mandir school, had gone to Bhojpur along with 23 others for a picnic at the world heritage site.
“While there, five of them went to take a bath in the Betwa and were drowned. Efforts are on to recover their bodies,” Obaidullaganj Police Station in-charge MS Meena said.
Senior Congress leader and former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi on Sunday said that new voters would discard BJP for raising the Ram Janmabhoomi temple issue as a means of gaining power at the Centre.
“It appears that BJP is raising the Ram temple (issue) to revive hardcore Hindutva (sentiments) and polarise votes before the general elections,” Jogi told reporters at Press Club in Indore.
However, “new voters will not fall into the trap and reject it outright. An issue which influenced voters once cannot do wonders every time,” he said.
As many as 76 people were injured after a passenger train derailed Sunday in Russia’s Krasnodar territory, local media said.
The first five cars of the Novosibirsk-Adler train went off rails in the railway section between stations Krylovskaya and Kislyakovka at around 5.00 p.m.(1300 GMT), reported Xinhua citing official sources.
Over 80 people sought medical assistance, a law enforcement source said.
—IANS
Ten people were injured and many others are feared trapped in debris as a building that housed an Iranian hotel collapsed here early Monday, police said.
The building of City Light Hotel on Rashtrapati Road in Secunderabad, the twin city of Hyderabad, collapsed around 6.30 am.
Police, fire fighting personnel and rescue workers managed to evacuate 10 people from the rubble and shift them to a nearby hospital.
Witnesses said nearly 40 people might still be trapped under the rubble. Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) workers were seen clearing the debris.
–IANS
The State convention of Bharat Mukti Morcha was held at Ambedkar Bhavan Hyderabad. Mr. R.Subba Rao, member of S.C.’s, S.T.’s Commission, Maulana Abdul Hameed Al Azhari(Malegaon) revolutionary poet Mr. Gaddar, JP Raju, VL Matung, Kumar Kale, Maulana Hussain Shaheed, Prof. Anwar Khan, Malik Mutasim Khan, President of Welfare Party of AP and others addressed the gathering.
Mr. Shareef owner of Al-Makki Tours and Travels located at pillar number 86 of express way collected Rs.50 to 55 thousand from each Umra pilgrims and disappear. The pilgrim were to leave for Umra last night. They tried to contact but he was not traceable. Nearly 100 pilgrims went to the travel agents office and recorded their protest. On receiving information, Mr. Mohd Riyazuddin, Inspector of Police Tappachabutra told that the pilgrim has registered a complaint in the police station. A case of cheating has been registered against the owner and police is actively searching him.
Govt. has made a proposal to exempt VAT to the extent of 4.5% to the LPG consumers reviving benefits of direct transfer of subsidy on LPG cylinders. It is understood the Dept. of Civil Supplies has sent a proposal to the CM for abolishing VAT on LPG cylinders. It is understood that Rs.25 which is being given by the Govt. as a subsidy is likely to be abolish. This will come into effect from 1st September 2013. At present LPG consumers are paying VAT to the extent of Rs.49.50 which include the subsidy of Rs.24.50 given by the State Govt.
–Siasat News
Govt. has finalized the revised structure of fees for Engineering College students. In doing so, Govt. has put additional burden on the students. Govt. issued GO. No 57 according to which it has fixed the fees ranging from Rs.35, 000 to Rs.1, 13, 000 in 175 colleges. In this way the number of colleges charging more than Rs.35, 000 has increased. It is reported that in these 175 colleges the candidates has to bear the additional burden of fees irrespective of ranks. In respect of student belonging to SC’s and ST’s, Govt.
In memory of the assassin of fake encounter in Gujrat, Ms. Ishrat Jehan a solidarity meeting was held at Peoples’ Plaza at Necklace Road yesterday under the caption “Solidarity To Oppressed People”. A candle march was arranged yesterday. It has now been confirm that Ms. Ishrat Jehan was killed in a fake encounter. This has been stated in the charge sheet file by the police. It has also been stated that Intelligence Bureau was also involved in her murder. It seems that she was killed in the greed of getting a reward and promotion.
TDP will fare better in 2014 elections and will play an important role in the formation of Govt. in New Delhi. This was expressed by Mr. N.Chandrababu Naidu in the regional convention held at warangal yesterday. He told that TDP has played a key role more than once in the formation of Central Govt. He further told that the people of this country are vexed up with the irregularities and corruption of the Congress. The confidence in regional parties has increased and the National parties have failed to capture the trust of the people.
British astronomers have launched a new effort to find alien life among stars.
Academics from 11 institutions and observatories have set up a network to co-ordinate their Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI).
The UK SETI Research Network (UKSRN) covers a broad spectrum of research topics, including potential methods for detecting signals, the linguistic challenge of deciphering messages, the probability of an extraterrestrial civilisation interacting with Earth and the longevity of civilisations.
As many as 76 people were injured after a passenger train derailed Sunday in Russia’s Krasnodar territory, local media said.
The first five cars of the Novosibirsk-Adler train went off rails in the railway section between stations Krylovskaya and Kislyakovka at around 5.00 p.m.(1300 GMT), reported Xinhua citing official sources.
Over 80 people sought medical assistance, a law enforcement source said.
–IANS
Actor Hrithik Roshan successfully underwent a brain surgery at a hospital here today and will be discharged in a couple of days, his father and filmmaker Rakesh Roshan said.
“The surgery just got over. He (Hrithik) is doing fine now. He has been shifted to a room and will be discharged in two days,” Rakesh Roshan told PTI after the two-hour long operation.
Hrithik was admitted to Hinduja Hospital in Khar in suburban Mumbai this morning.
–PTI
Women farmers from Junagadh today sent a letter written in blood to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi urging him to talk to them over the issue of the Jetpur-Somnath national highway, an activist associated with the protest said.
“If you can talk to your brothers in Bihar, why can’t you talk to your sisters in Junagadh,” the women farmers wrote in their letter to Modi.
With a project to expand the said highway on the anvil, the National Highways Authority of India had asked the state government to acquire land for the same.
Six Maoists were killed in an encounter with the police forces near Etapalli tehsil in Maharashtra”s Gadchiroli District today.
The police, which has recovered the dead bodies of the ultras, recovered one 303 carbine, three 12 bore rifles and some cartridges from the spot.
According to reports, the incident took place after a group of ultras fired at the C-60 battalion of Gadchiroli district police, who in turn retaliated. (ANI)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Rajnath Singh on Sunday lashed at the ruling Congress Party for not having any comprehensive plan to tackle internal and external security threats.
Rajnath Singh, who was commenting on the multiple blasts in Bodh Gaya, said if the Centre had prior information about the threat to the temple provided by the security agencies then it has certainly failed to prevent a security lapse.
Prayers resumed at the Mahabodhi temple in Bodh Gaya, which was rocked by serial blasts, on Sunday evening.
The Mahabodhi Temple complex, which is one of the holiest Buddhist shrines, is
frequented by Buddhist pilgrims from Sri Lanka, China, Japan and the whole of Southeast Asian.
The temple and the Bodhi tree, under which Lord Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment, did not suffer any damage in the blasts.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Sunday condemned the serial blasts that rocked the temple town of Bodh Gaya in Bihar.
RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav said that such an attack was shocking and appalling.
“It is shocking and appalling that the place which had given Lord Buddha the Buddhatva has today become the target of the attack of terrorism and terrorist. We are shocked and we condemn this act of terrorism against the religion and the place of religion that professes utmost peace and love in the world,” said Madhav.