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CISF jawan found dead in Rashtrapati Bhawan

     New Delhi: A 29-year old Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) constable, Krishna Kumar, was found dead in Rashtrapati Bhawan early this morning. According to the police, Kumar, who was on guard duty, had bullet wounds on his upper torso and head. He appeared to have been killed by a bullet shot from his own revolver. However, it is still unclear that whether he committed suicide or it was a case of accidental firing, a Rashtrapati Bhawan spokesperson said. He said that Kumar, who had just returned from his home after leave was found dead by his colleagues behind Bal Vatika in the outer periphery of the President's Estate, this morning. He was rushed immediately to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital where he was declared brought dead.

New Delhi invites Hurriyat leaders for talks on Sept 5  (Go To Top)
by Ashok Dixit/Bilal Butt

     New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has invited leaders of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference for talks on September 5. The Hurriyat delegation participating in the third round of talks will be led by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq. The talks are being held just nine days before the Prime Minister meets Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf in New York on the sidelines of this year's U.N.General Assembly session. Reports from Srinagar said that the Hurriyat leaders are travelling to Baramullah and Kupwara this evening and that they would meeting tomorrow (Thursday) to decide the future course of action with regard to resumption of the stalled dialogue process with the Centre. The Hurriyat had earlier demanded that the Prime Minister send a letter of invitation to them for the talks to be held. But that demand seems to have been toned down now by the separatists.

      According to sources, Congress leader Saifuddin Soz conveyed the Prime Minister's invitation verbally to Hurriyat leaders. Separatist leaders Shabbir Shah and Yasin Malik, however, have declined the invitation to participate in the talks with the Centre. The second round of the talks between the Centre and the Hurriyat leaders was held on March 27 and 28, 2004. The focus of those deliberations was on the alleged human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir, the Centre's steps to curb such violations and the Hurriyat demand for the release of more political detenus. The meeting took place with then Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister L.K.Advani. The March 2004 meeting was preceded by a first round of talks on January 22 at which several incidents of security forces-related rights violations, including the one at Bandipora, were taken up. Advani had then issued instructions to the security forces to observe "zero level" human rights violations and deal with the violators in a strict manner. In between March 2004 and September 2005, the Hurriyat leaders met Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf during his visit to Delhi between May 16 and 18, 2005. They were then firmly told that their participation in the composite dialogue process in so far as the Kashmir issue was concerned was dependent on them getting an invitation from the Indian Government. They were also told that it was necessary for all factions espousing the Kashmiri cause to unite under one umbrella for either Pakistan or India to consider their participation in the dialogue process with any degree of seriousness.

     The Hurriyat leaders subsequently got permission from the Indian Government to travel to Pakistan-administered Kashmir in the month of June this year. They, however, managed to get permission and invites from the Pakistani authorities to visit Karachi and Islamabad, where they met a cross-section of people to garner their opinions on the Kashmir issue. That visit lasted for about a fortnight, a visit that was not taken to kindly by the Indian Government, which said then that the Hurriyat had exceeded their brief. The Hurriyat's willingness to continue the dialogue with the Centre indicated that both sides were keen on keeping the "engagement" alive.

Manikchand owner Dhariwal allowed to travel abroad (Go To Top)

     Mumbai: Special judge A P Bhangale has allowed the owner of Manikchand Guthka Rasiklal Dhariwal to travel abroad, except to Abu Dhabi and Karachi. The special court has also told the police to return his passport on the personal bond of Rs one crore. Dhariwal's lawyer Rajendra Shirodkar informed that the Guthka king would be able a travel abroad after signing a bond of Rs one crore. He would also have to provide all information regarding his travel details to the investigation officer. Dhariwal, along with the owner of Goa Guthka J M Joshi, is accused of having links with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. CBI had alleged before a special court that both persons, who run Guthka business, had reportedly been in touch with Dawood Ibrahim to help him in setting up Gutkha business in Pakistan. When the case was filed, the local court had accused them of having links with the underworld on the basis of prima facie evidence. But later, the Bombay High Court had put an interim stay on the special court's order. Earlier, they had appeared before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) following the warrants issued against them by the court when they were in Dubai.

Congress MP Maken demands Sheila Dikshit's resignation (Go To Top)

       New Delhi: At a meeting between Delhi Members of Parliament and former chiefs of Pradesh Congress Commmittee, the Congress Member of Parliament from New Delhi Ajay Maken demanded Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's resignation for the controversial electricity scenario in the capital. According to the report, Maken opposed State Government's proposal to pay subsidy to the private electricity suppliers, and held Sheila responsible for mishandling the electricity issue and demanded her resignation. It is believed that Maken opposed the subsidy idea saying it was illogical for the State Government to bear a burden Rs 200 crores by providing subsidy to the Discoms that are already making operational profit, and moreover, it would ultimately be bore by the public. Reacting on the demand, the State Power Minister offered to resign instead of the chief minister. The meeting, which was called to review the performance of the State Government as well as to have a discussion over the power controversy, was not attended by the Chief Minister. But State Finance Minister A K Walia and Power Minister Haroon Yusuf attended it on behalf of her. Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee's working committee members also attended the meeting. Yesterday, the Delhi Congress Legislature Party had passed a resolution for a complete rollback of the power tariff hike in the Capital. A proposal to give subsidy to the Discoms that would be passed on to the consumers was also forwarded by the State Government.

Tripura guerillas now using porn to fund their struggle (Go To Top)
by Pinaki Das

      Agartala (Tripura): Militant leaders in remote Tripura are reportedly forcing their cadres to perform in pronographic films to raise money for their campaign for freedom and a separate state. Police said surrendered militants of the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) confessed that the leaders not only sexually abused tribal girls recruited into their group, but also used them and male guerrillas to produce scores of porn films, which were sold in India and its neighbouring countries. "We have pronographic CDs with young women and men of All Tiger Force featuring in these movies and we have identified a boy who is in fact a self-styled Corporal," said Ghanshyam Murari Srivastava, chief of Tripura police. Srivastava said police after raid have recovered scores of pornographic CD from various parts of the state and two persons have been arrested. DVDs found at NLFT bases in India and Bangladesh were dubbed in Burmese, Bengali, Thai and Hindi, which means they were being marketed in the region. NLFT rebels told police they were paid to film the rape scenes in remote areas of the jungle with young and adult women and men. They also admit to abusing young women and men they recruited to their struggle. The guerillas said the money made from the films went to support their separstist campaign. The National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) was formed on March 12, 1989, with Dhananjoy Reang (former Vice-President of the Tripura National Volunteers) as its chairman. Reang after being expelled from the NLFT in 1993 formed a separate outfit, the Tripura Resurrection Army (TRA), but surrendered in the year 1997. After Reang's removal, Nayanbasi Jamatiya became leader of the outfit and later Biswamohan Debbarma took over.

      However, another split occurred in September 2000 following differences between the Halam and Debbarma tribal members of the NLFT. Thus, the Borok National Council of Tripura (BNCT) was formed by Jogendra alias Joshua Debbarma. Personal ambitions of the leaders and parochial religious considerations are believed to have caused yet another split in 2001 when Nayanbasi Jamatiya and Biswamohan Debbarma parted ways from the parent outfit to have factions of the NLFT under their respective leaderships. A fourth split is said to have occurred in June 2003 when Biswamohan Debbarma was deposed allegedly at the behest of NLFT's patrons inside Bangladesh and Mantu Koloi was placed as the leader of that faction. Debbarma is reported to have subsequently set up separate camps on the Tripura-Bangladesh border with his followers. The NLFT was outlawed in April 1997 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, following its involvement in terrorist and subversive activities. It is also proscribed under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), 2002. According to the State police sources, community-wise break-up in the NLFT is as follows. Debbarma- 40 per cent, Jamatiya- 30 percent, Reang- 10 per cent, and others- 20 per cent. About 90 per cent of the top ranking NLFT cadres are Christians. The purported objective of the NLFT is to establish an independent Tripura through an armed struggle following the liberation from Indian neo- colonialism and imperialism and furtherance of a distinct and independent identity. The headquarters of NLFT is located at Sajak, a camp in the Khagrachari district of Bangladesh. Approximately 65-armed NLFT cadres are permanently stationed in seven huts at the headquarters. Another NLFT camp is in the Mayani Reserve area, also in the Khagrachari district.

Over 40,000 jihadis threatening European security (Go To Top)

     Islamabad: A terrorism expert has said that over 10000 active Al Qaeda activists in the UK and 31000 other Islamic militants in Germany posed a threat to European security. Rolf Tophoven, in his paper "The European Network of Al Qaeda", said a relatively small minority of European Muslims were very much capable launching Jihad against their host countries. The findings were presented at the three day seminar on "Global Terrorism" organized by the Institute of Regional Studies. Quoting a confidential British study and another by the German Verfassungsschutz (Office for the Protection of Constitution, Tophoven said that the study provided ample evidence of militant Islam getting firmly entrenched in Europe. "Both figures demonstrate that militant Islam is firmly entrenched in the European heartland," the Dawn quoted Tophoven as saying. Besides these, Tophoven also pointed out an important branch of Al Qaeda under Zarqawi in Europe functioning under the name 'Ansarul Islam', which was, "increasingly promoting a pan-Islamic image." He said that European Intelligence agencies were also worried about the expansion of Islamic terror in the erstwhile Communist countries of Eastern Europe namely, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania and the Czech Republic. He said that while Austria was a hub for the communication among Islamic extremists, France had become a key recruitment groups for jihadis to fight Russian forces in the break-away republic of Chechnya. London, he however said was the central logistic basis and the perfect hiding place for a large number of terror masterminds, adding that London was described by jihadis as the nerve centre for recruitment.

Sarabjit's sister to visit Pak to lobby for his release (Go To Top)

     Lahore: Sarabjit Singh's sister Dilbir Kaur is likely to apply for a Pakistani visa to visit the country and lobby for her brother's release from Kotlakhpat Jail, where the Indian national is being held, after the Supreme Court upheld his death sentence following spying charges against him. Quoting a BBC radio report, the Daily Times said that the Indian government has asked Dilbir to apply to the Pakistan High Commission, so as to meet her brother in Pakistan, and also lobby for his release. She reportedly said that the Pakistani government had the wrong man, and it would be easier to do something for her brother in Pakistan. "I know I can do something better vigorously and enthusiastically in Pakistan, more so than what I could do in India," the paper quoted her as saying. She further said that she was "very hopeful" of doing something positive for the release of her innocent brother. The Pakistani authorities nabbed Sarabjit in 1990 from somewhere near the international border, after he strayed into the neighbouring country in an inebriated condition. Incidentally, the time of his arrest coincided with serial bomb blasts in Lahore in which nearly 20 people were killed. The trial court identified him as one Manjit Singh and awarded him death sentence for allegedly having a role in the blasts. Earlier this month, the Pakistan Supreme Court upheld the trial court and the Lahore High Court judgements awarding him the death sentence.

Indian trader gunned down in Dhaka (Go To Top)
by Nazrul Islam

     Dhaka: Unidentified assailants on Wednesday gunned down an Indian trader who had been staying in Dhaka for business purposes, police said. Witnesses and police said Majid Alam, 45, the owner of New Delhi based-M N Industries, was gunned down by the assailants at Banani in the city when he was approaching a car in which his local agent was waiting. Police detained the local agent, Ahsan Habib Amzad, who was mediating a deal for 100 metric tons of rice from India. Alam arrived in Bangladesh on August 27 to inquire into his firm's participation in the tender invited by the Ministry of Relief and Disaster Management, police said. Police said Majid had an Indian passport (No. Z 21391678) and was a boarder at the Heritage Inn in Banani. The passport also bears his address 1312/A Chiranjib Tower, 43 Collin Palace, New Delhi. Alam was shot in the head and was declared brought dead at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH). The body has been kept in the morgue for an autopsy.

640 dead in Iraq stampede (Go To Top)

     Baghdad: At least 640 people have been killed in a stampede on a bridge in Baghdad as they were on their way to the Kadhimiya Mosque for an important religious ceremony. Iraqi Interior Ministry sources said that the incident took place after rumours circulated of a suicide bomber preparing to blow himself up on the bridge. Earlier, at least seven people died in three separate mortar attacks on the crowd. One hospital said it had received at least 100 bodies by 2 p.m. (IST). A crowd was passing through the old Kadhimiya District of northern Baghdad to attend a major Shi'ite religious ceremony. The Kadhimiya Mosque is a major Shi'ite shrine. The crowd was celebrating the martyrdom of Musa Al-Kadhim, a revered religious figure among Shi'ites. Iraq's Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari has declared three days of mourning for the dead.

Sachin to miss Zimbabwe test series (Go To Top)

     Mumbai: Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar has pulled himself out of the next month's Test series against Zimbabwe due to not being match-fit prior to the series, informed S.K.Nair, Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. "Tendulkar has returned to light net sessions but he does not feel confident. He is strong enough but not yet ready to return to the rigors of test cricket batting," said Nair. Tendulkar had undergone a surgery in May this year at London to get rid of elbow-injury. After the surgery, doctors had advised him for a 16-week rest before taking up the game again. The 32-year-old Mumbaikar had returned to net for batting practice on August 16 under the supervision of Indian team physio John Gloster. Following this he was tentatively named in the squad for the test series against Zimbabwe. Though the BCCI had said that he would have to pass the fitness test before joining the rest of the team for the two-Test series beginning on September 13. Tendulkar will be replaced by uncapped Maharashtra opener Dheeraj Jadhav. Tendulkar, among the game's premier batsmen for a decade, had struggled with the tennis elbow injury for almost a year before eventually deciding to undergo surgery. He has suffered from a spate of injuries over the last two years in his back, toe, finger, ankle and elbow, attributed mainly to wear and tear caused by non-stop cricket.

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