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Violence in Bihar, Jharkhand polls: ten killed

     Patna/Ranchi: Incidents of violence marred the third and final phase of elections in Bihar and Jharkhand. At least ten people have been killed, said reports. Till last reports came both the states witnessed nearly 35 per cent of polling. Four people were killed in Raghunathpur, in Siwan, while making bombs today. A close confidant of the controversial Siwan MP, Vikram Kunwar is an Independent candidate from the constituency. In another incident, three people were killed in Gosaitola village in Mokama in Patna district - one in a gun battle with security personnel and two in clashes between rival groups. Another two people have been reportedly killed in Hajipur constituency. One person was killed in Muzzafrpur. Reports of problem have come from Biharsharif, Mokama, Maharajganj and Siatmarhi in Bihar.

     The Congress candidate from Jharia, in Jharkhand was arrested, while the JD (U) candidate from Mashrakh and MP Prabhunath Singh's brother, Kedar Nath Singh was also arrested. In a gruesome incident, ahead of the third phase, Mao rebels beheaded a man in Giridih for not following their whip. The man, 25-year-old Jeevan Lal Mahto, 25-year-old youth was killed on Tuesday in Tigrakala village of Giridih district - about 230 km from here - for defying the Maoist poll boycott call even as the state held its third and final round of polling Wednesday. Problems in the EVM s were reported from different parts of Bihar and Jharkhand. EVM machines were snatched in Muzzafarpu from the election officials. Similar problems were reported from Nalanda, Danapur, Gaighat and Minapur.

     Bomb explosion took place in two constituencies of Bihar even as voting was underway for 93 assembly constituencies today. Bomb was exploded at a booth near Brahampura locality in Muzaffarpur town to intimidate the voters, however, no one was hurt in the incident. Another explosion took place behind a polling station in a school in Danapur, near Patna, before the polling started. Defective EVM machines were reported from various parts of Bihar. Besides Muzaffarpur, Chapra, Hajipur and Motihari, reports of faulty EVM came even from the Veterinary College campus booth, where the RJD chief Laloo Prasad and Chief Minister Rabri Devi were to cast votes. However, they were replaced on time. In the volatile constituency of Chapra, RJD minister Udit Rai was taken into custody for sometime before being allowed to vote after his bodyguards were withdrawn by the SP (Saran) Shobha Ahotkar. Long queues of voters were seen in front of several booths in the state capital and Muzaffarpur, Hajipur and Chapra. In Jharkhand also polling was reported to be nearly 35 per cent, till the last reports poured in.

      Earlier, police informed that a jawan of the special task force (STF) was killed and three others were injured in a landmine blast near Jhumra hills in Bokaro in the wee hours of Wednesday. "The incident occurred around 2 a.m., when one of the jawans on patrolling duty stepped on the explosive in the area under Mahuatand police station," informed the Superintendent of Police, Anil Palta. However, reportedly, the polling in Bokaro was going on peacefully. Polling started in both the states, today morning, amidst shoot- at-sight orders against booth capturers. Helicopters were patrolling the sensitive areas. Borders have been sealed near the Indo-Nepal dividing line to prevent any entry of Maoist rebels in Bihar. "We have taken the same security steps as in the first and second phases of polling. We are taking this third phase in all seriousness. We have covered all booths with our forces and we hope that there won't be any problem," said Shivaji Mahan Kaire, DGP, Jharkhand. A record 500 companies of para-military forces have been deployed in different constituencies to ensure free and fair polls.

     A total of 2.01 crore electorate will exercise their right in Bihar for the 93 seats, while in Jharkhand an estimated 64.51 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise to choose their representatives from 28 seats up for grabs in the final phase. As many as 1,329 candidates are in the fray for Bihar's 93 constituencies, while in Jharkhand the number of candidates is 532. Police has arrested over 26,000 anti-social elements in Bihar in the most keenly watched elections in the recent times. Out of the 93 seats in Bihar, RJD is contesting in 86, BJP 43, JD-U 50, Congress 33, LJP 74, BSP 92, CPI and CPI-ML in three each. Among the key contestants from the two states are Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, JMM rebel Stephan Marandi, opposition leader in Bihar assembly Upendra Kushwaha, Bihar Congress chief Ram Jatan Sinha and Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Shankar Dubey.

     Leader of BJP, and state NDA convener Nand Kishore Yadav, Former Minister Veena Sahi of the Congress, JMM Chief Shibu Soren's son Hemant Soren, Shibu Soren's elder son Durga Soren, Jharkhand HRD Minister Pashupati Nath Singh of BJP, RJD minister Awadh Bihari Chaudhary and Sadhu Yadav's wife Indira Yadav are other candidates, who are being watched keenly. However, to hold a free and fair round of polls, the administration has issued externment orders of many politicians. RJD MPs Mohammed Shahabuddin, Sadhu Yadav, RJD MP and Union Minister Akhilesh Prasad, LJP MP Suraj Bhan Singh and RJD MP Raghunath Jha have been externment. The spate of externment started with the DMs of Siwan and Gopalganj ordered externment of Shahabuddin and Sadhu Yadav from their respective constituencies, fearing poll violence and disturbances.

Bilkis Bano's cross-examination begins (Go To Top)

     Mumbai: The on-camera cross-examination of Bilkis Bano, one of the key witnesses of mass murder and rape case during the 2002 Gujrat riots, began today in Mumbai. After the court hearing, Public Prosecutor R.K. Shah said: "We have started cross-examination of the statements which have been taken by Police, Central Bureau of Investigation. When and where were they taken, we have started cross-examination. And, what were the statements that she had made, those questions were asked." Bilkis Bano, who had alleged that a mob of 500 people had attacked them and at least three women, including her sister, were gang raped on March 3, 2002 during the religious riots, had yesterday identified 12 accused. Bano and her husband Yakoob Patel are the only survivors in the family of 16 members, the rest were burnt alive during the communal riots. More than 1000 people had died in communal killings after 59 Hindus were burned to death in a train by a mob at Godhra Railway station.

ULFA now has no support in Assam by Gaurav Srivastava (Go To Top)

     Guwahati: There was time when the United Liberation Front of Ahom (ULFA) was seen as the saviour of the people of Assam, but today after years of bloodshed caused by unremitting and wanton violence, the mood among the Assamese is one of complete rejection. The desire for peace and normalcy is so overwhelming, that the Assamese now see the ULFA as completely antithetical to their way of life. Now with the cadres reportedly deserting ULFA ranks enmasse because of what is being termed as its anti-people activities, the militant outfit ha in the recent past taken recourse to carrying out random attacks, which is being completely out of character with the ULFA credo. "Off late they have been indulging in random attacks. This has not been the character of the ULFA earlier. Now, we have seen a number of bomb explosions at public places, several of these bomb attacks the ULFA has claimed responsibility also. For example there is a controversy about the Dhemaji blast (August 15, 2004), but the security agencies insist that they are sure that it was handiwork of the ULFA where at least six school children lost their lives. So, these kinds of activities have not been appreciated by the masses and that has taken ULFA away from the mainstream of Assamese social life," claims Wasbir HUssain, an Associate Fellow with the Institute for Conflict Management in New Delhi

      Pranati Bhatta is one of the many victims of the violence. She lost her husband late last year in a bomb blast in Guwahati. Now, all she has for company is her husband's photograph and her loneliness. Its been more than three months now since her husband was killed and her eyes have not dried up as yet...She can't believe that fate can take such a cruel turn...Her two children are so shocked that they struggle speak normally... "The People of Assam don't support this kind of activities of killing people through bomb blast. Whatever they did on Independence Day was condemned by everybody. Those who have joined ULFA should come back and lead a normal life," says Pranati "Earlier people used to be excited by hearing the name of the ULFA. But their activities for the last two and three years have been against the interests of the society. Like the Dhemaji blast last year where several school children lost their lives. These kinds of activities are lowering the popularity of the ULFA," she adds. The pressure on the ULFA is both from within and without. Some of their cadres have reportedly found refuge in neighbouring Bangladesh, though Dhaka has denied the existence of such camps on its territories repeatedly.

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