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S Pasricha appointed Maharashtra police chief

     Mumbai: Director-General of Police S Pasricha has been appointed as the new head of the Maharashtra Police. Pasricha replaces K K Kashyap, who retires from service today. He has served a large part of his service in Mumbai, and is an expert in traffic management. A 1970-batch IPS offier, Pasricha is recipient of the Police Medal (1989) and the President's Police Medal (1995).

Dawood aide arrested in Surat

     Surat: Gujarat police on Friday produced a key aide of an underworld don wanted in connection with the 1992-93 serial bomb blasts that rocked Mumbai. Officials said Ijju Sheikh was arrested from a hotel in Bombay where he was hiding since Thursday. A police team from Gujarat's Valsad district picked Sheikh up on the basis of specific information that it had received. The police claimed that Sheikh may have wanted to return from Dubai after feeling insecure. "Dubai is not safe for the underworld. Some have shifted to Pakistan some to India. So, it could be possible that due to insecurity he must have wanted to come back to India. Ijju Sheikh is wanted in connection with two cases one of Umargaon and Porbandar and if there are other then we are investigating," a police official said. Sheikh is reported to have smuggled in the RDX used in the 1993 Bombay bomb blasts from the Gujarat coast on instructions from Dawood. Over 250 people were killed and more than 700 injured in a series of bomb blasts which rocked Bombay on March 12, 1993. The stock exchange was among properties targeted in the country's commercial capital. Eighty-six accused including Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt are being tried by the special anti-terrorism court in Bombay. Police say the serial blasts in the country's financial hub were in retaliation for the demolition of the 16th century Babri mosque in northern Ayodhya town on December 6, 1992. Police suspect mafia don Dawood Ibrahim, the main accused, is in hiding in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi. He is on the top of the 20 men India wants Pakistan to extradite; Islamabad denies the presence of any Indian national in the list, on its soil.

3 militants among 5 killed in Kashmir  (Go To Top)

     Srinagar: Two Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militants and a Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) ultra were among five people killed in the Kashmir valley early this morning. Official sources said today that the two Hizb militants were killed in an encounter at Katnal Salar. Two AK rifles and other arms and ammunition were seized from the slain militants. A LeT militant was killed in a similar encounter at Chowkibal on Friday night. Sources also confirmed that two people had been killed by unidentified gunmen in Baramulla last night.

Emergency lifted in Nepal  (Go To Top)

     Kathmandu: An emergency imposed by Nepal's King Gyanendra on February 1, was lifted on Saturday. According to a notice released by the Royal Palace, the state of emergency was lifted as per Article 115 (11) of the Constitution according to which a state of emergency needs to be approved by the House of Representatives within three months for further extension. The King's imposition of emergency had invited international criticism and many international donors cut assistance, including military aid to Nepal. The King also issued an order as per Article 127 of the Constitution to give continuation to the powerful Royal Commission for Corruption Control, which was formed in mid- February. The King's order was issued to legalize the RCCC at a time when its constitutionality has been questioned. The announcement of the lifting of emergency came hours after the King Gyanendra returned home from an official visit to China, Indonesia and Singapore. During the visit the King attended the Asian-African Summit in Jakarta and Boao Conference in Peoples Republic of China. Upon his arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport the King said that during talks with Heads of States and Heads of Governments, he explained to them that "Nepal had given priority to the fight against terrorism and the Nepalese people's aspiration for restoring peace", according to Radio Nepal. The King added that he was influenced by his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the Asian-African Summit. "I have taken the views expressed by Singh seriously", the King told reporters at the airport. The King added that he discussed economic issues with the Chinese President and economic cooperation between Nepal and Tibet. King Gyanendra had imposed the emergency after dismissing the government of former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, and suspended fundamental rights and press freedom in the Himalayan kingdom. While the lifting of emergency was expected, many are seeing it as the impact of international pressure. However, the Nepalese political parties are skeptical about the move, and are waiting for signs that this will mean the beginning of a political process. Meanwhile, the parties have not yet cancelled the planned May Day demonstrations against the King.

Crown Prince Paras had a hand in lifting Nepal emergency  (Go To Top)

     Kathmandu: Nepal's Crown Prince Paras may have had a hand in helping his father, King Gyanendra, to decide on lifting the nearly three-month-long emergency across the Himalayan kingdom today. According to informed sources, the crown prince, once regarded as the enfante terrible by the people of the kingdom because of his rowdy and braggish behaviour, appeared visibly happy on seeing his father after the latter's return from a foreign trip that took him to China, Indonesia and Singapore. Crown Prince Paras was the first among the line of dignitaries to greet the King with a smile, hugging and shaking hands with him at the Tribhuvan International Airport. He also touched the feet of his mother, Queen Komal, on their return, even as the world got to know of the emergency being lifted. There is a view now in Nepal that the crown prince has matured and moved away from his infamous errant ways that once left a majority of the Nepalese public with a lot of reservations about King Gyanendra.

      In the past, Paras Shah, has earned a good deal of notoriety. When Gyanendra was being crowned king in 2002 after his brother's tragic death, the public shouted slogans denouncing Paras. Paras, now 30, was then believed to have hit and killed a popular singer with his car, alleged to have hit a policeman with the butt of a gun, and been involved in several drunken brawls, besides acquiring a reputation as a womaniser. There was a time when most Nepalese saw him as a trigger-happy drinker. In the case involving the killing of a popular singer, a petition was signed by over 600,000 people and submitted to the late King Birendra to have him investigated and put in jail for his misdemeanour. An investigation was carried out - but no action was taken against Paras. Since 2002, the crown prince has taken deliberate steps to undergo a image makeover, keeping a low profile and attending socially acceptable dos etc. He is married to Himani Singh who belongs to a princely family in Rajasthan. According to a notice released by the Royal Palace, the state of emergency was lifted as per Article 115 (11) of the Constitution according to which a state of emergency needs to be approved by the House of Representatives within three months for further extension. The King also issued an order as per Article 127 of the Constitution to give continuation to the powerful Royal Commission for Corruption Control, which was formed in mid- February. King Gyanendra had imposed the emergency after dismissing the government of former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, and suspended fundamental rights and press freedom in the Himalayan kingdom. While the lifting of emergency was expected, many are seeing it as the impact of international pressure.

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