| Operation
Lalgarh: 22 villages freed from Maoists New
Delhi: The "Operation Lalgarh" entered sixth day as the security forces reclaimed
22 of the 42 villages controlled by the Maoist guerillas. The police took control
of the National Highway 6 and 60, which passes through the forested area of Jahtika
connecting Lalgarh. Taking note of the incidents happening in Lalgarh, the National
Human Rights Commission has expressed great concern over reports of security forces
using locals as human shields, and warned that in case of human rights violations,
appropriate action will be recommended against them. The NHRC expected that the
security, police forces, and officials will not act or order actions, in contravention
of law and human rights norms by which they are bound in the ongoing operation.
Meanwhile, Maoist sympathiser and writer P Varvara Rao demanded the ban on CPI
(Maoist) to be rolled back with immediate effect. Reacting to the ban imposed
on the Maoist outfit by the central Government under section 41 of the Unlawful
Activity (Prevention) Act1967, the revolutionary writer said "banning a political
party does not serve any purpose, banning a political party means, banning its
ideology. This will not stop the violence." Maoists
ready for talks and cease-fire Top New
Delhi: Putting a moderate step a day after the imposition of ban by the central
government, the CPI (Maoist) said it is ready for talks and demanded to pull back
the forces from Lalgarh. Speaking to media Gaud Chakraborthy, a spokesperson of
the Maoist organisation, expressed his group's intention to declare ceasefire.
Reacting to this the Union Home Ministry ruled out calling back the forces from
the trouble-hit district of West Midnapore in West Bengal. Meanwhile on the second
day of the 48-hour bandh called by the CPI (Maoist) in protest against the police
action in Lalgarh, the ultras continued their violent activities in Bihar, West
Bengal and Jharkhand amidst strong presence of the security forces. The activists
of the red brigade blew up a mobile tower and a community centre near Gaya in
Bihar, torched the CPM office in Jhargram in West Bengal, and blew up a Panchayat
office in Palamu Saridi in Jharkhand. According to the Bihar police, the red ultras
entered Jhikatia village in Aurangabad district around midnight and blew up a
community centre using dynamites, no one was hurt in the incident. In a separate
incident, the Maoists blew up a mobile telephone tower belonging to a private
mobile company at Kharasi village in Gaya district, close to Bihar - Jharkhand
border. They also left notes indicating that, this act was in retaliation to police
action in Lalgarh. Significantly, despite the heavy presence of the forces the
Maoists attacked the CPM office in Jhargram town barely 50 kilometres from trouble
torn Lalgarh. These incidents indicate the Maoist's attempt to show their presence,
beyond Lalgarh in West Bengal. Maneka,
Varun, Sonia pay tributes to Sanjay Gandhi Top New
Delhi: Homage was paid to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's son Sanjay
Gandhi on his 29th death anniversary at his memorial 'Shantivana' in New Delhi
on Tuesday. BJP leader and Sanjay Gandhi's widow Maneka Gandhi, her son and Pilibhit
MP Varun Gandhi, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Senior Congress leader Moti
Lal Vora led a host of distinguished persons who paid homage to the late leader.
Maneka paid floral tribute to her late husband while Varun placed a bouquet of
flowers at the memorial amidst a prayer meeting, which was held on the occasion
Sanjay Gandhi had died on this day in 1980 in a plane crash. BC
Khanduri resigns as Uttarakhand chief minister Top New
Delhi: BC Khanduri on Tuesday resigned as the chief minister of Uttarakhand,
it is believed that senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders had asked him to resign
following party's rout in the Lok Sabha elections in the state. BJP president
Rajnath Singh said that the party has accepted Khanduri's resignation. According
to party sources, the BJP decided to replace Khanduri after a meeting of senior
leaders at L K Advani's residence, which was also attended by party president
Rajnath Singh. The BJP high command had decided to replace Khanduri after the
party's rout in the Lok Sabha elections in the state. The names of state Minister
for Tourism and Parliamentary Affairs Prakash Pant and Health Minister Ramesh
Pokhriyal are doing the rounds as possible front-runners to replace Khanduri.
The BJP in Uttarakhand has been in turmoil after it lost all five Lok Sabha seats
in the state and dissidents led by senior leader B S Koshiyari landed in Delhi
to press for Khanduri's removal. Militants
kill labourers in Agricultural University of Manipur Top Imphal:
Students and teaching faculty of Manipur' s Central Agricultural University recently
conducted a sit-in to display anguish over a violent incident. Two gunmen made
their way inside the Central Agriculture University campus and shot six labourers
engaged in construction work at the university. Three of them died on the spot,
while others sustained bullet injuries. The incident has created a sense of fear
among students and staff. Denouncing the violent act, students and the teaching
staff staged a sit-in protest. "Such unfortunate incidents that too within the
campus, in front of student hostel is very unfortunate. It shouldn't have taken
place. We all are very concerned about it because students are coming here from
different parts of North East for study purposes. Such incidents would definitely
affect their morale. That can affect their studies," said S.N.PURI, Vice Chancellor
of Central Agriculture University. "We condemn the killings. Such incident disturbs
the academic atmosphere of this campus. We do not want those things happen. We
want a peaceful academic atmosphere," A. Herojit Singh , Associate Professor of
CAU. Students were busy preparing for Bachelor of Science in Agriculture examination
that was scheduled for June 22 when the incident occurred. The killings at the
university have caused concern among the people of the State who have been appealing
that educational institutions should be made a militancy free zone. The incident
has also caused fear and panic among students staying in the hostel. "Now they
are killing the laborers. After sometimes, they may kill us also. That is why
we want safety for all of us," said Susmita, a student. CAU It has been pointed
out to the militants who claim to represent the interests of the people that they
are causing by targeting educational institutions. Tata
motors announce first 1,00,000 Nano buyers Top Mumbai:
Tata Motors on Tuesday announced the first 1,00,000 lucky buyers of the popular
small segment car 'Nano', and said that the names have been selected through a
random computerised process. "Tata Motors once again places on record its gratitude
to the people of India for according such a warm welcome to the Tata Nano, as
also to all its preferred financiers, dealers and partner companies for their
stupendous effort in helping the company launch the Tata Nano," a statement released
by the company said. The delivery of vehicles will begin next month. The selection
was made through a random computerised process after the bookings closed on April
25. Earlier, during the period of April 9-25, about two lakh bookings were made
across Tata Motors dealerships and State Bank of India (SBI) branches. According
to the statement, the selected applicants will be contacted individually and the
delivery will begin next month and continue till the last quarter of 2010. Six
killed in Washington subway crash Top Washington:
Two subway trains crashed into each other at the height of the evening rush hour
on Monday, killing at least six people and injuring several others. A female driver
of one of the trains is among the dead. A six-car train rear-ended the second
train, which had stopped on the tracks near the northeast border of Maryland.
ADC fire department spokesman said both trains were ripped open and smashed together,
forcing rescue workers to cut some people out of what he called a "mass casualty
event." DC Mayor Adrian Fenty said 70 people were treated at the scene while some
went to local hospitals, two with life-threatening injuries. "The scene is as
horrific as you can imagine. One car of the train was completely squeezed on top
of the other," the Daily News quoted Fenty, as saying. "There was no immediate
explanation for the collision, which was the deadliest in the 33-year history
of Washington's Metro system, Fenty said. The section of track where the crash
occurred was aboveground, and the weather was clear. Alice Miller watched the
horrific scene on the outskirts of her backyard and spoke by cell phone to her
injured daughter, Karen Miller Long, 46, who was in the rear car. Emergency crews
were pulling people out of the cars while dazed and bleeding survivors sat on
the ground nearby, and uninjured passengers walked along the tracks. Hours after
the 5:05 p.m. accident, firefighters were still "cutting through the train" to
free passengers, said Metro General Manager John Catoe. Taliban
using stolen US made infrared patches to ward-off air attacks Top Lahore:
Several Taliban insurgents are making use of special US made infrared patches
to prevent themselves from being targeted by American aircraft. The Taliban fighters
are using the patches, which emits 'friendly signals' to ward-off attacks by the
US drones, The Washington Times has revealed. The patches, which are designed
to avoid fire during night-time battles, were stolen by the insurgents during
raids on US supply convoys in Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is also feared that
suicide bombers could utilize the patches to get closer to the US army bases in
the region. But, what is more startling and disturbing is that these custom made
patches can be ordered over the internet for a mere 10 dollars each. The US Government
Accountability Office (GAO) is also alarmed over such developments. The GAO, in
its investigation recently, had found out that the patches could easily be bought
using fake names with only a valid credit card. "An enemy fighter wearing these
infrared flags could potentially pass as a friendly service member during a night
combat situation, putting US troops at risk," the GAO report said. "Based on our
conversations with the Department of Defence, terrorists have used US uniforms
and the infrared patches to get close to US and allied forces on the battlefield
and at bases. This is more of a potential suicide-bomber risk," the GAO's assistant
director of forensic audits, Jonathan Meyer said. US Senators have also raised
concerns over the issue, terming it as a matter of 'grave concern'. Bart Stupak,
chairman of House Energy and Commerce oversight and investigations subcommittee,
said he is particularly alarmed that such patches are sold domestically, and are
being manufactured by China too. "It is rather simple technology. We not only
sell this on the domestic market here, and they sell them to anybody, but you
can get them from China, and the Chinese will sell them to others. They have been
used by the enemy in the war. It's of grave concern because you don't know who
is friendly or not," The Daily Times quoted Stupak, as saying. However, a retired
four-star general, Jack Keane, said that the whole issue was being overrated.
"Since the beginning of warfare, people have been dressing up as the enemy to
infiltrate," he said. We certainly have done this in the past to our enemies,
and our enemies have done this to us," Keane said. |
