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More troops to Nepal border as Maoists intensify rebellion

      Faizabad: Union Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal today said that more troops will be deployed along the international borders with Nepal as the Maoists have intensified their battle in the Himalayan Kingdom. "The interior ministry reviewed the situation and found that the SSB (Special Services Bureau) force on the India-Nepal border is not enough. In order to safeguard ourselves, to keep our border safe and to restrict Maoist entry into our territory we need to increase our force there," Jaiswal told reporters in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh. India, a key ally in Kathmandu's efforts to end the insurgency, has so far provided the Royal Nepal Army all that it needs from boots to helicopters, with arms, ammunition, anti-mine trucks, helicopters and training to troops.

New Delhi cautions US against arms deal with Pak (Go To Top)

      New Delhi: India today expressed concerns over the proposed 1.3 billion dollar US' arms deals with Pakistan urging Washington to consider the repercussion such a sale could have on its already fragile peace dialogue with the neighbour. "Foreign secretary Shyam Saran has conveyed the Government of India's strong concern at the reports of impending arms sale by the US to Pakistan. He has pointed out the repercussions of such sales on India-Pakistan dialogue which is currently poised at a sensitive juncture," MEA spokesman Navtej Sarna told reporters in the Capital.

      The Pentagon had on Tuesday notified the Congress three proposed arms deals with Islamabad, considered as a key ally in the US-led war on terror, including the sale of eight P-3C Orion surveillance aircraft valued at up to 970 million dollar. The Defense Security Co-operation Agency, which handles foreign arms sales for the Pentagon, said it also planned to sell Pakistan 2000 TOW-2A missiles and 14 TOW-2A Fly-to-Buy missiles in a deal valued at 82 million dollars. Besides, Pakistan has also requested US for the sale of six PHALANX Rapid-fire 20-millimeter guns for Pakistan surface ships, and the upgrade of six additional gun systems, a contract worth up to 155 million dollars, the Agency said. The US lawmakers now have 30 days to block the proposed arms sales, but defense officials and Congressional sources said that was considered extremely unlikely. The US dropped sanctions against Pakistan after the country backed the US' invasion of Afghanistan in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. Earlier this year, in March, Pakistan was named a major non-NATO US' ally, thereby making it easier for it to acquire its weapons.

Now `Mulakaat' in Tihar Jail through Tele-booking (Go To Top)

      New Delhi: The Tihar Jail has begun Tele-booking facility for the general public to meet their friends/ relatives imprisoned in the jail as undertrials or prisoners. The office of the Director General (Prisons) has given eight phone numbers, one each for the seven prisons inside the Tihar, and one for the Rohini Jail. Through this novel way of registering requests for interviews, the general public will be able to register their meetings, better known as `Mulakaat' in jail parlance, with the prisoners lodged in different jails. They would be given registration numbers along with the date/day/ time of the interview with the concerned prisoner by the deputed to record interviews. This would largely save the time of the people who, earlier, used to spend 8-10 hours to meet their near and dear ones. In order to get a priority number the people used to come from far off places and keep sitting for long hours before the list of all visitors was made and then they were allowed to meet one by one. For those who can't afford the tele-service, separate registers would be maintained in which five groups of at least 50 prisoners are made out by each jail so that the interviews are conducted in harmonious and even manner. The visitors would be allowed to take one vegetarian meal, one dozen or two kg fruits whichever is less, and 250 rupees cash which would be converted into jail-coupons.

Australian Army chief arrives in India (Go To Top)

      New Delhi: The Australian army chief, Lieteunant General Peter Leahy, arrived in India on Friday on a four-day official visit and was given a ceremonial guard of honour. During his visit, Leaby will hold talks with his counterpart Gen. N C Vij and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Arun Prakash. There are reports that Australian Navy, which is the strongest force in the Pacific rim area, is keen to start regular joint exercises with the Indian Navy. Besides army-to-army exercises, Australia wants to send some of its officers and men to the Indian Army Counter Insurgency Warfare School in Varangate in Mizoram.

Four RJD workers killed in Bihar (Go To Top)

      Munger: Four RJD workers, including district leader Sanjay Yadav, were killed and five others critically injured when suspected members of Krishna Yadav gang started firing at them indiscriminately, police sources said here today. The attackers, who were armed with sophisticated weapons, fired indiscriminately at Sanjay's vehicle when he alongwith his brother Pramod and colleagues was returning here from Patam village in the wee hours today, Police Superintendent J.P.N. Singh said. Sanjay, his brother Pramod, his driver and one other person were killed on the spot, whereas five others, who sustained severe gun-shot injuries were admitted to the Sadar hospital here, where their condition was stated to be critical. Raids were on at different places to apprehend the killers, police said.

Bihar constable kills two villagers (Go To Top)

      Patna: Two people - a woman and a child - were killed and five injured when a constable fired upon villagers in Begu sarai of North Bihar. Villagers have alleged that the constable Dinanath Tiwari was in a fit of drunken rage and had tried to attack them. He stormed into a house at Bagi in the town last night and attempted to rape a widow, but when the villagers protested, they were fired upon, they aid. Angry villagers have set fire to the police station and have also damaged police vehicles. Tiwari has been taken into custody, police said.