Mumbai doctors' strike enters seventh day

     Mumbai: The strike by the resident doctors of Maharashtra continued for the seventh day on Sunday as about 1,400 striking doctors refused to return to work. Nearly 300 doctors have so far been served notices and letters of termination by the state health authorities. However, notwithstanding warnings of employment cancellation, the doctors say that they are united in their protests and the termination notice would have no effect on them. The strike was called by the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) in protest against the repeated attacks by patients. The doctors say the registration cannot be cancelled by the State Government since, only the University is empowered to cancel the registration. Interestingly, the doctors on strike are running parallel Out Patient Departments (OPDs) to avoid any problem for the patients. "It's been 5 days to 6 days now we are out of the hospitals. That is why, we have started parallel OPDs keeping the benefit of the patients," a member of Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) had said on Saturday. The doctors say they have received support from different medical associations, non- governmental organizations and resident doctors from across the country. Some pharmaceutical companies are providing medicines for the OPDs.

Five cops suspended for molestation in Manipur (Go To Top)

     Imphal: Five police commandos were suspended last night in connection with the arrest and alleged molestation of a school teacher Naobi in police custody. The State Government issued the suspension order following public outcry and protest by several social organisation against the alleged misconduct of the police commandos with Naobi. Naobi, a friend of a killed insurgent Bikash, was arrested on February 21 after she had attended the funeral of Bikash. She remained in their custody for nine days during which she was allegedly tortured and molested, the sources said. She was released by Thoubal Chief Judicial Magistrate on grounds that the police could not substantiate the charges levelled against her. The five suspended personnel belonging to Thoubal District Police Station are Sub-Inspector L Chaoba, constables Md Nazir, Joseph Hmar, Punshi Singh and Rifleman Saikhom Deven. The decision to suspend the commandos was taken during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh. The Chief Minister took the decision after discussion with Governor Dr SS Sidhu. Naobi had told local media on March 2 that she remained unconscious for some days and did not know whether she had been raped or not. She alleged that she was molested for days by commandos. A medical examination had been conducted on her and its report has not yet been disclosed by authorities.

Bush leaves Pak after day-long visit (Go To Top)

     Rawalpindi: US President George W Bush left Pakistan on Saturday night for his home country after a 26-hour visit during which he held talks with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on wide-ranging issues related to terrorism, Indo-Pak peace process and improvement of US-Pak relations. Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid M Kasuri reportedly saw him off at the Chaklala Defence Airbase in Rawalpindi. Before his departure, Bush attended a banquet hosted by Musharraf where he praised the courage displayed by the Pakistan leader in fighting terrorism. Bush had arrived in Islamabad on Friday night after a three-day visit to India and held a three-hour-long meeting with Musharraf on Saturday. He visited the country despite a suicide bomb attack in which an American Consulate official was killed in Karachi on March 2. In coordination with US security officials, the Pakistani authorities had made elaborate security arrangements for the US President and First Lady Laura Bush, especially in the wake of the recent twin bomb blasts in front of the US consulate in Karachi.

BCCI to give pension to retired players (Go To Top)

     Ahmedabad: Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday announced pension to its former players -- the old and retired cricketers. Pawar, said the BCCI it would pay 25,000 rupees annually as pension to its retired players. "A certain people have laid the foundation of Indian cricket at a time when the associations and the Board did not have any financial strength, but today they are not well off. Therefore the Board had in its last meeting decided to pay 25,000 rupees as pension to such players. Those players who are no more the amount would be paid to his widow," he said, while inaugurating the new office of the Gujarat Cricket Association, here. Pawar called an emergency meeting of senior players, coach Greg Chappell and other officials, on the eve of the last day of the first test against England to discuss various controversial issues plaguing Indian cricket. He said the Board would take a final decision on these issues after taking everyone's views.

Kiran More slams door on Ganguly (Go To Top)

    New Delhi: Kiran More, Chairman of Selection Committee virtually slammed the door on the inclusion of ex- skipper Sourav Ganguly into the Indian Cricket team as long as the present selection committee exists. In an interview to a cricket website Crickinfo.com, More said: "there is no looking back on this issue (Gangulys inclusion) now". Clarifying his earlier statement after the exclusion of Ganguly from the Test squad, in which he had said that the selection committee was looking ahead, the Chairman of the five-member committee said: "We took a decision that we have to look ahead. We decided that so much has been said on this issue, that we wanted to send a message across that, this is what we are looking at". He further added: "And as far as this committee is concerned, this is what we have decided, that we will not look back at all". Meanwhile, today evening BCCI announced the 15 member squad for the second test between India and England to be played in Mohali. The members in the team are: Virender Sehwag, Wasim Jaffer, Rahul Dravid (capt), Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, VVS Laxman, Mohammad Kaif, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), Irfan Pathan, Sreesanth, Rudra Pratap Singh, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Munaf Patel, Piyush Chawla.

No one can stop Ganguly from comeback: Pawar (Go To Top)

    Nagpur: Giving the much needed boost to former skipper Saurav Ganguly, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President, Sharad Pawar has said that no one can stop the country's most successful captain from making a comeback into the national team. After an emergency meeting with the senior players, coach Greg Chappell and other officials here yesterday, Pawar expressed the hope that Ganguly would be back in the team after overcoming all his weaknesses. "... As far as Sourav Ganguly is concerned, I am sure he will overcome his weakness and will be back in the team. No one can stop him," Pawar said. The BCCI's Selection Committee apparently turned the page on Ganguly's international career when they opted for youth in the squad for the first Test against England. Following his exclusion, there have been talks that this might be the end of Ganguly's international career as middle order batsmen like Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif have used the opportunity to the maximum with some very useful innings. Ganguly, who has scored 5,221 runs in 88 Tests and a record 21 victories as Test captain, was replaced as the captain by Rahul Dravid last year.

Back to Headlines                  Go To Top