Ninth Mumbai international film festival kicks off

     Mumbai: The ninth Mumbai International film festival featuring documentary, short and animation film in the 60-minute competition section, got underway in the financial capital recently. The festival opened with a special screening of "The AFSPA 1958," a film based on the movement in Manipur seeking repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers. During the weeklong festival, documentaries from 30 countries, including USA, Croatia, Austria, New Zealand, Germany, Bulgaria and Israel to name a few will be screened. And 180 films in the national and international category will also feature at the festival. On the opening day on Friday, veteran animation filmmaker Ram Mohan was felicitated with Dr. V. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the film world.

    At the inauguration Yellow Fella a 25-minute Australia documentary film, the Oscar nominated Torzija and a 13-minute Slovenial fiction film were also shown. The MIFF is a biennial competitive event in film and video format organised by the Films Division, Asia's biggest documentary and short film producer, having to its credit innumerable films that have won laurels at home and abroad during the last fifty years. Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Dshmukh, describing the MIFF as the best platform for documentary and short filmmakers said the event had gained popularity over the years. "I feel that the directors, who make short films or documentaries, animation, this is the best place to showcase their talents. People world over look forward to this festival in Mumbai after the Berlin festival," he told reporters. The festival aims to serve as a common platform where the filmmakers from world over will meet, exchange ideas, explore the possibility of co-production and market their films. Veteran actor Tom Alter said the film festival had made its mark felt over the years. "I think the best thing about MIFF (Mumbai International Film Festival) is down the years it has become larger, many more films more people coming. Basically it has not changed much. More and more films are coming from abroad. And better and better films are coming from India; this is the change that is there in the MIFF. I think it's a great pleasure to be involved with MIF year after year" said Alter. The best film by an international director will be awarded at the end of the festival.

South African model's rape: bail to accused (Go To Top)

     Mumbai: The sessions court here on Saturday granted bail to one of the accused in the South African model's rape case that was filed in December last year. The court granted bail to Suresh Krishnani for a sum of Rs 25,000 and surety of the same amount. The accused Kishnani had filed for bail, saying that it was a case of consensual sex and not rape. However, the prosecution and the advocate for the victim have opposed Krishnani's bail plea, saying that the accused were influential and might tamper with evidence. Earlier after filing of the charge sheet in a quick time of within 35 days, the state had appointed a special public prosecutor signalling its intention for an early judgment to case. The state had appointed a dedicated prosecutor, Kiran Makasare to present arguments on the state's behalf in the court. The two accused, Suresh Kishnani and Sunil Morpani were allegedly raped the victim after picking her up from Hotel Bawa International and driving her to a hotel in Ulhasnagar on December 27, 2005. The duo is charged on several counts of the Indian Penal Code including administering a drug, kidnapping a woman with the intention of seducing her and gang-rape. The police tracked down the accused after getting vital clues from a credit card which is understood to have been used by them to pay the hotel dues. Daughter of a South African businessman had come to the city in September last year to make a career in Bollywood. She, however, left for her native country after recording her statement in the rape case. She would come down to Mumbai when the trial begins, said the police sources.

Hizbul Mujahideen conduit arrested in South Delhi (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Following reports from Central Intelligence Agency, police arrested one Nasir Safi Mir, a Dubai- based Hizbul Mujahideen conduit, from Defence Colony Market of South Delhi on Friday. An amount of Rs 55 lakh, two kilograms of RDX, one pistol, timer devices, one detonator, six rounds of cartridges were also recovered from his possession. Nasir Safi Mir (36) was arrested at about 3.30 p.m. yesterday in front of South Delhi Public School in Defence Colony Market where he had come in a luxury car to meet an acquaintance, DCP (Special Cell) Ajay Kumar told media persons. "Following reports from the Central Intelligence Agency, one Hizbul Mujahideen conduit was arrested from Defence Colony Market in front of South Delhi Public School at 1530 hours yesterday. He has been identified as Nasir Safi Mir. An amount of Rs 55 lakh, two kilograms of RDX, one pistol, time devices, one detonator, six rounds of cartridges were seized from his possession, " Ajay Kumar said. During interrogation, Mir had confessed that he was working for the Hizbul Mujahideen. "During interrogation, he has confessed that he has been working for the Hizbul Mujahideen. The amount of money was handed over to him according to the wishes of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin. Mir was planning to take the money to Kashmir where he was supposed to handover it to Jahur, a militant, and to other outfits," Ajay Kumar added.

Human chain to protest continued abductions (Go To Top)

     Patna: Hundreds of schoolchildren formed a human chain on Saturday in Patna demanding immediate government action against the abduction of a 15-year-old boy . About a fortnight ago, Nirmalendu Diwakar alias 'Banti', a student of class nine at a school in state capital Patna, was abducted in broad daylight from his car. Kidnappers smashed the window of the car, pulled out the driver and sped away to an unknown destination. Police say they are trying hard to track the abductors but the children are not satisfied. The protestors said they wanted immediate results and Nirmalendu back at the earliest.

    Saurabh Kumar, a school student, said after such frequent kidnappings, they did not feel safe. "We are not feeling safe due to these kind of kidnappings. (We feel) we can be kidnapped anywhere. I want to request (state chief) Nitish Kumar that proper steps should be taken. We don't want just sympathy. We want Banti (an abducted child) back," said Kumar. "We want to express our concern and solidarity towards the family and school," said Father Peter, Principal, St. Michael's School. After a new government took over in November last year, over 60 abduction cases have been reported forcing the state High Court to order a report from the provincial government by February 14. The court observed as shocking unresolved cases of over 11,000 abductions. Lawyers, doctors and wealthy businessmen have been the prime target of extortionists in the state and hundreds have over the years migrated to safer places or sent their children to boarding schools. Businessmen allege a nexus between kidnappers, local politicians and the state police. Analysts say the situation is so grave that over 10,000 small and big businessmen have fled the state, shrinking the states' already impoverished economy to abysmal depths.

Stone laid for Salem highway  (Go To Top)
by Jai Krishna

     Salem/Neyveli (Tamil Nadu): Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today laid the foundation stone of the four- lane100-kilometre-long Salem-Chengapalli stretch of the National Highway-47, which will cost Rs. 850 crore (192 million dollars). Without seeming to emphasise that his government was seeking to capture a sizeable portion of the Tamil Nadu votebank ahead of the May State Assembly elections through the announcement of various infrastructural initiatives, Dr. Singh, who also laid the foundation stone for two other projects, including expansion of the capacity of Neyveli Lignite Corporation's Mine-II from the present 10.5 million tonnes per annum to 15 million tonnes during his one-day visit to the state, said that world class infrastructure was crucial for the development of Tamil Nadu and the rest of the country and fresh investments would benefit the people of the region. He also laid the foundation for the project to generate additional 500 megawatt of power at the Thermal Power Station-II in Neyevli. Earlier in the day, Singh while inaugurating the golden jubilee celebrations of the Neyveli Lignite Corporation said that his government would ensure basic health facilities and eradicate poverty in a few years.

Back to Headlines                  Go To Top