Vishwaroopam to release on January 25, finally

Vishwaroopam to release on January 25, finally 

Vishwaroopam was originally scheduled to be first released on DTH today

There's good news for Tamil superstar Kamal Haasan's fans. His next film Vishwaroopam will finally be released on January 25 across at least 500 screens in Tamil Nadu.

Mr Haasan had earlier cancelled his dream premiere of the film on DTH scheduled for today, following opposition from theatre owners who apprehended huge revenue loss.

However, it is not clear yet whether the film will be released on DTH soon.

The statement by Mr Kamal Haasan merely says: "I appreciate the exhibitors and distributors brethren for having understood my vision of creating a new revenue stream for the film producing community through DTH".

The actor also told NDTV, "Yes they are with me, we are postponing the release date not only to facilitate the DTH platform but also to resolve the issue and take my brothers along with me in this sojourn. I seem to have convinced them."

On Wednesday, Mr Haasan had said he was contemplating a simultaneous launch as suggested by a few friends.

The Rs 95 crore rupee project is Kamal Haasan's most expensive film ever. DTH accounts for three per cent of television viewers and by tapping the DTH avenue the actor had planned to generate a revenue of around 150 crore.

A few days ago Mr Haasan had sought police action following threats from a few groups to sabotage his DTH plans. Without naming anyone, Mr Kamal had said "I'm sending legal notice for 13 people on this".

Earlier, Salil Kapoor, COO, of Dish TV told IANS, "We have a communication (from Rajkamal Films) about the postponement of movie release on DTH platform and in theatres."

"In line with the postponement of the release date of the movie Vishwaroopam (Tamil & Telugu)/Vishwaroop (Hindi)' across theatres and on the DTH platform by Rajkamal Films, we have stopped taking bookings for the movie premiere that was scheduled for Jan 10, 2013 at 9.30 p.m. on Airtel DTH," Shashi Arora, CEO-DTH/Media, Bharti Airtel was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the company.

Asked about the money paid by the subscribers to watch the movie on January 10, Mr Kapoor said: "We will go by what our customer want us to do. If they want a refund, we will refund the money."

Both Airtel and Dish TV are silent on the number of bookings they received for the movie. (With IANS inputs)

 

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9 million thanks, Sachin Tendulkar tells his Facebook fans

9 million thanks, Sachin Tendulkar tells his Facebook fans 

New Delhi: Undoubtedly one of the most widely followed Indian celebrities on Facebook, Sachin Tendulkar's fan following on the social networking site has crossed nine million and it's still counting.

"9 million thanks!!! Thank you for making me feel so special," Tendulkar posted on his facebook account.

Tendulkar had joined Facebook last September and within hours, had a staggering four lakh likes to his name.

The cricketer started his Facebook innings with a video message welcoming everyone to his official page.

"I'll like to welcome you to my facebook family. As a child I always dreamt of playing cricket for India and I chased my dream of winning the World Cup for 22 years. It wouldn't have been possible without your support. I wanna take this opportunity to thank all of you for having prayed for me and wish well for me," he had posted the first time.

"I look forward to sharing my experience with you, join me on my facebook so that we both can share this experience and go through this journey together."

The page gives a time line of important events in the cricketer's life right from when he was born on April 24, 1973 to the World Cup win in 2011 to taking oath as a Rajya Sabha member.

The page is managed by Seven3Rockers.

Tendulkar, arguably the greatest batsman in contemporary cricket, recently retired from One-day Internationals, bringing the curtains down on a glorious career spanning 23 years during which he re-wrote record books with his phenomenal feats.

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Kingfisher shares snap 5-day losing streak on Mallya's letter 

Kingfisher Airlines shares snapped a five-day losing streak on Thursday. The stock saw buying interest after chairman Vijay Mallya wrote to employees about a limited restart of the grounded carrier.
Mr Mallya said his UB group has committed funding of approximately Rs. 650 crore for a limited re-start plan aimed for the beginning of 2013 and the company was in discussion with multiple investors to secure a deal for the debt laden carrier.
At 10.15 a.m., Kingfisher shares traded 2.6 per cent higher at Rs. 13.80 on the BSE. Other aviation stocks - Jet Airways and SpiceJet - traded with losses.
Kingfisher shares have lost over 6.5 per cent in the last week even as markets have hit a two-year high. The stock has fallen 12 per cent in the last month since December 11, 2012.
In the letter to employees, Mr Mallya detailed the steps the company has taken to re-start operations.  (Read full text of letter)
Kingfisher's licence expired on December 31, and a request to extend that will not be granted unless the suspended carrier can come up with an "acceptable" revival plan. The airline had submitted a revival plan in December, but that did not provide details of how it will fund operations.
Kingfisher has tried unsuccessfully to raise cash for more than a year, but there has been no breakthrough yet. Kingfisher, once India's second-largest airline by domestic market share, has been grounded by the aviation regulator for its failure to come up with a viable plan of financial and operational revival after a labour unrest in October led to the airline announcing a lockout.
Kingfisher Airlines has an exposure of Rs. 7,000 crore exposure to a consortium of 17 banks, led by State Bank of India, and debts of around Rs. 8,000 crore.

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Rahul Dravid to MS Dhoni: Quit T20I and CSK captaincy, remain Test skipper 

But Dravid believes India does not have anyone to replace the wicketkeeper-batsman, who led the country to the 2007 Twenty20 World title besides the 2011 ODI World Cup. Dravid also said that Dhoni should change his approach slightly. 

New Delhi:  Former India skipper Rahul Dravid has thrown his weight behind the beleaguered Mahendra Singh Dhoni, saying that he is the "only man" capable of leading the Test team but should quit Twenty20 captaincy to avoid becoming "stale".

"Not only is Dhoni the only man to lead India in Test cricket, he is still capable of doing the job well. What it will require from him is a change in the way he captains, a recognition that he can't do everything all the time, and the willingness to ask for and accept help," Dravid said.

"Dhoni has got to recognise that he can't continue to captain and play all the time, because it is making him stale... To start with, Dhoni could easily give up the India T20 and Chennai Super Kings captaincies...He needs to take breaks between captaining and keeping and playing," he wrote in his 'ESPNCricinfo' column.

"He should certainly play ODIs and T20s for India, because he is invaluable to the side. Giving up a couple of captaincy roles might give him more time in the main India job and the freshness to keep doing it. It would also give India an opportunity to perhaps give someone like (Virat) Kohli a chance to be T20 captain, break him into the job and see how he goes," he said.

Dhoni's captaincy was criticised after India's recent home Test debacle against England followed by the ODI loss to arch-foes Pakistan.

Even though he is in decent form with the bat, several former players feel Dhoni has shown signs of fatigue as captain.

But Dravid believes India does not have anyone to replace the wicketkeeper-batsman, who led the country to the 2007 Twenty20 World title besides the 2011 ODI World Cup. Dravid also said that Dhoni should change his approach slightly.

"He has had a good run, and will be recognised as India's most successful captain, and he now has a chance to extend it. Other than his leadership qualities, there is the fact that there are no alternatives to Dhoni at this stage," he pointed out.

Dravid said opener Gautam Gambhir could have been a possible captaincy candidate but his lack of form in Tests has put a question mark on that.

"At one point we felt Gautam Gambhir could take over the job. In 2008-09, Gautam showed he could definitely play at the international level and in all formats. His captaincy of Kolkata Knight Riders in the last IPL was excellent.

"Yet what goes against him today is the fact that he has not scored too many Test runs in the last three years, and he averages under 32. Also, unlike Dhoni, Gautam does not have a second skill to back up his batting, even if that skill is being an excellent slip fielder," explained the batting great, who accumulated over 24,000 in international cricket for India.

"Still, Gautam's batsmanship and experience remain very important for the team, and giving him the captaincy at a time like this would be a burden on him. Before anything else, he has to get his Test batting back on track. If he does, he still has age on his side," he said.

As for promising Virat Kohli's chances of leading India, Dravid said the youngster needs more time to evolve.

"Virat Kohli is the only other alternative leader, and he ticks the box of being an automatic selection in all three formats. Yet I believe it's a little early for him. At the moment, he is a growing, developing cricketer.

"I would love for him to get the job after the next overseas cycle is done, with the end of the England tour in September 2014. If he can keep his form and develop till then, it will be a good time for him to take over. He is a long-term prospect as batsman and captain, but giving him the Test captaincy at this stage might be risky," he explained.

Dravid said Dhoni, if he still has the zeal, should continue to lead the side in its transition phase and quit when the side settles down.

"Between the home series against Australia next month and the end of that England tour, there are 15 Test matches.

"At the end of those 15 Tests, if Dhoni can have turned things around for Indian cricket, have had a couple of good overseas tours, and can then hand over the captaincy to the next man, that would rank among his greatest achievements," he said.

"He would have taken the responsibility of leading a team in transition and left it in a better state."

Dravid praised Dhoni for leading by example and showing tenacity in adversity.

"What I like about Dhoni is that he is a leader by example. We saw this in the Nagpur Test match - and not merely from his second-innings 99. In Nagpur, because the wicket was slow, Dhoni came up to the stumps to Ishant Sharma, who was bowling at 140kph.

"To do that was gutsy, because it had "break your finger" written all over it. Dhoni was willing to take that chance, and to me, in some ways, that shows leadership. Sometimes he promotes himself up the batting order at critical times - the World Cup final was a good example," he recalled.

"He is willing to play through niggles and injuries. That provides an example for others in the team to follow. When he bats with the tail, he plays his shots, can improvise, and shows he is not there to protect his own runs or his wicket," he said.

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In letter to Kingfisher employees, Vijay Mallya shares revival plan 

Kingfisher Airlines chairman Vijay Mallya has told employees that the grounded carrier is aiming for a limited re-start utilizing seven aircraft. In a letter to employees, the first since Kingfisher's operating license expired, Mr Mallya detailed the steps the company has taken to re-start operations.

Mr Mallya said his UB group has committed funding of approximately Rs. 650 crore for a limited re-start plan aimed for the beginning of 2013 and the company was in discussion with multiple investors to secure a deal for the debt laden carrier.

Mr Mallya said the company was addressing some of the overdues that needed urgent attention, but there was no mention of unpaid salaries. On Wednesday, Kingfisher Airlines employees had threatened the management to pay all their pending dues or they would go to court with a winding-up petition. (Read: Kingfisher employees may move court with winding-up petition)

Kingfisher Airlines shares snapped a five-day losing streak. (Read)

Kingfisher, once India's second-largest airline by domestic market share, has been grounded by the aviation regulator for its failure to come up with a viable plan of financial and operational revival after a labour unrest in October led to the airline announcing a lockout.

Kingfisher Airlines has an exposure of Rs. 7,000 crore exposure to a consortium of 17 banks, led by State Bank of India, and debts of around Rs. 8,000 crore.


Read full text of letter:

Subject: Update

Dear Colleagues

I would like to wish you all a happy new year and take this opportunity of sharing important information with you.

1. Re-Start - we have submitted a detailed restart plan to the DGCA which is in two parts. The first part deals with a limited re-start utilising 7 aircraft ramping up to 21 aircraft in 4 months. The second part is a full scale rehabilitation of our Airline growing to 57 aircraft within 12 months of recapitalization. Both plans contain detailed information on key assumptions and funding requirements including payment of outstanding salaries to employees.

2. Funding - The limited re-start plan which we target for the beginning of the 2013 summer schedule requires funding of approximately Rs. 650 crores which is committed to be provided by The UB Group and associates.

3. DGCA - we have met with the DGCA and are in the process of submitting additional data and no-objection letters from key vendors as required by them. The factual position is that the Civil Aviation Regulations provide for a time period of upto two years to renew an Airline's scheduled operating permit from the date of expiry. We are on safe ground here. We will make all necessary efforts to satisfy the DGCA in order to secure renewal of our AOP.

4. Banks - we are meeting with our consortium of banks regularly and keeping them fully informed every step of the way. They have requested our urgent attention to certain overdues which we are addressing with them. The banks have been very co-operative and patient. There has been no discussion at all on recall of loans, enforcement of securities, etc.as reported in the media. On the contrary, the banks have expressed their keen desire to see Kingfisher fly again.

5. Prospective Investors - we have been in discussion with prospective strategic as well as financial investors for over a year. A large part of any investment decision hinged upon the Government's policy of FDI in Aviation by foreign Airlines. This new dispensation was announced on September 14, 2012 until which time discussions were stalled. The Aviation Industry in India is a seriously complex one including high costs resulting from excessive taxation and monopolies. Investors need to be convinced about the long term prospects of their proposed investment in Kingfisher and this takes time. Please rest assured that we are in discussion with multiple investors and remain confident that we will secure a deal.

6. Media - as you know, the media has continued their negative reporting on Kingfisher. I would urge each one of you to be particularly careful in any interaction you may have with them. Unfortunately, considerable management time is spent correcting or clarifying media reports than in transactional discussions.

I appeal to each one of you to stand together in solid support of your organisation. We need to single mindedly focus on being back in the air and to win back the confidence of our loyal guests.

Best Regards,

Vijay Mallya

Member of Parliament

Chairman and Managing Director

KINGFISHER AIRLINES LIMITED

A UB Group Company

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Narendra Modi's marketing savvy will headline 'Vibrant Gujarat Summit' 

Surat: Turning a single state with a long tradition of entrepreneurship and a solid political majority into an investor-friendly economic powerhouse is one thing.

Replicating that experience across a diverse country of 1.2 billion would be a tougher prospect for Narendra Modi, whose leadership of booming Gujarat state has led to his being touted as a potential candidate to become India's next prime minister.

While Modi wins praise even from critics for cutting red tape and making government more responsive and predictable, many ingredients for Gujarat's run of growth were in place well before he took office in 2001."It is like an icing on cake sort of thing. You have a nice cake and Modi has done a lot of good icing," said Rakesh Chaudhary, director of Pratibha Group, a textile manufacturer in Palsana on the outskirts of Surat.

Industry in Gujarat is helped by a long coastline and plenty of barren land that is easy to turn over to factory use.

The power that comes from a long-standing and heavy majority for his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state also gives Modi an advantage that he would not enjoy on a national stage marked by fractious coalition politics.

Despite a controversial past - Modi is accused by critics of not doing enough to stop or of even quietly encouraging religious riots in 2002 that saw as many as 2,000 killed, most of them Muslims - he has established a reputation as an economic reformer in part by building on the strengths of Gujarat and marketing them heavily.

Modi's marketing savvy, aided by the Washington lobbying and public affairs firm APCO Worldwide, will be on display at the biennial "Vibrant Gujarat Summit" that begins on Friday.

Initiated by Modi in 2003 to attract investment after the violence and an earthquake in 2001, the event is attended by thousands of corporate officials who pledge billions in investment, although in reality only a fraction has seen the light of day. Of 12.4 trillion rupees in investment proposed at the 2009 event, just 8.5 percent had been spent as of November 2011, according to state government data.

"Under Modi's regime, there has been significant improvement in infrastructure growth, significant improvement in industrialisation, as well as agriculture," said Jahangir Aziz, senior Asia economist at JPMorgan. "But what has been overplayed is initial conditions were actually pretty decent in Gujarat."

Higher office?

The stocky Modi, who favours traditional Indian attire and a clipped white beard, plays down any prime ministerial ambitions.

But his popularity in Gujarat - the BJP won 115 of the state assembly's 182 seats in a December election - has fuelled speculation that he could lead his Hindu nationalist party in 2014 against the Congress party, which has been beset by corruption scandals and overseen a sharp economic slowdown.

"His economic record in Gujarat is obviously something which matters a lot to the middle classes. That, coupled with strong leadership," said Swapan Dasgupta, an analyst with links to the BJP who expects Modi to be the party standard-bearer in 2014.

Critics say that while Modi has indeed encouraged investment and helped bring reliable electricity and law and order, double-digit growth has not been shared broadly enough. In the five years through March 2010, some states - including Tamil Nadu and Karnataka - did better at bringing down poverty levels.

"Big business people get a lot from the government and scheduled caste people (minorities) get a lot, but people like us who are in between get nothing," said Bhupendra Thakkar, 50, who earns 6,000 rupees a month selling fruit near Surat's decrepit railway station.

Friend of business

Modi lured Tata Motors to the state in 2008 after the company's plans to build a factory for its low-cost Nano car were thwarted by farmers in West Bengal.

Ford Motor Co and Maruti Suzuki are also building plants in Gujarat - high profile investments that carry the added benefit of acting as marketing tools.

In the seven years through March 2011, Gujarat's economy grew an annual 10.08 percent at constant prices, against 6.45 percent in the eight years through March 2002 (Modi took office in October 2001), which was still ahead of the all-India average of 6.16 percent. A handful of states, including Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, clocked bigger gains over the same recent period.

By comparison, policy gridlock at the national level has contributed to a drop-off in corporate investment, putting India on track to record its slowest annual growth rate in a decade.

Accustomed to getting his way, Modi, 62, could struggle to negotiate the coalition politics that have become the norm at the national level and have hindered attempts at reform by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Congress-led administration.

"Policymaking has benefited from the fact that the BJP has had absolute majority in the state legislature - an advantage it certainly will not enjoy in the federal parliament," said Anjalika Bardalai, an analyst with the Eurasia Group in London.

Modi has also been able to leverage the business acumen of Gujaratis, a group that has long been known for trading and entrepreneurship and includes a prosperous global diaspora as well as billionaires such as Adani Group chief Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani, who controls Reliance Industries, India's most valuable company.

"Modi might not be as successful as he has been here because the business mentality is unique to Gujarat," said Chandrakant Sanghavi, chairman of Sanghavi Exports International, a diamond trader and processor. "It could be prevalent in other states but the ratio may be less.'' 

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Two trains collide in Switzerland, several injured: police 

Geneva: Two passenger trains collided at a train station in northern Switzerland on Thursday morning, injuring several people, according to police, as media reported at least 30 had been hurt.

"There are injuries. We are not commenting on the number or severity of the injuries," a local police spokeswoman in the canton of Schaffhouse told AFP. 

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'Goondaism' in West Bengal, says Governor MK Narayanan after political violence

 Kolkata: West Bengal governor MK Narayanan has said the political violence going on in the state was a kind of goondaism and not political culture at all. The Governor's strong statement on Wednesday night was prompted by several incidents of violence involving political workers over the last few days.

Mr Narayanan said, "The last two-three days have been distressing and disturbing. We should not tolerate this kind of violence that's taking place. I believe it is the responsibility of the administration to ensure that law and order is maintained." The Governor, who is a former national security advisor, is known to speak in measured terms. He is also seen as supportive of the administration and his intervention is being seen as significant.

"I understand his comments are a very strong message to the Trinamool Congress and the state government. The ruling party should take the message in right earnest and try to correct itself because it is the responsibility of state government and the ruling party to maintain peace and normalcy," CPI leader D Raja said today. The ruling Trinamool is yet to react to the Governor's stern comments.

On Sunday, a 70-year-old CPM leader Rezzak Mollah was beaten up allegedly by a local Trinamool leader, Arabul Islam, in Kanta Tala in the South 24 Parganas district. Then, on Tuesday, CPM and Trinamool supporters, including Arabul Islam, clashed with guns and bombs on the outskirts of Kolkata on Tuesday, leaving at least 40 people injured. Vehicles were burnt and several people landed in hospital, including Arabul Islam. A CPM supporter has bullet wounds.

There were protest rallies and meetings held by both the Trinamool and the Left yesterday and many more are planned. Even former Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya of the CPM joined the Left's protest march in Kolkata for about 10 minutes yesterday. Today, the Congress, now in the Opposition the state, will hold a protest rally in Kolkata.

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India asks Pak to probe 'barbaric and inhuman mutilation' of jawans 

 

New Delhi: India summoned the Pakistani High Commissioner in Delhi this morning over yesterday's attack in Kashmir, in which Pakistani troops crossed the Line of Control and killed two soldiers; one was beheaded.

Both sides exchanged strong words today but warned against the escalation of the crisis.

Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid said that at today's meeting, Pakistani envoy Salman Bashir, was told that the attack is "unacceptable." India has asked Pakistan to investigate the "barbaric and inhuman mutilation" of the dead jawans, Lance Naiks Hemraj Singh and Sudhakar Singh.

Pakistan has denied India's allegations and offered a United Nations inquiry, which is unlikely to be accepted by India. Mr Bashir told NDTV this evening that preliminary investigations show that Pakistani troops did not enter Indian territory or kill Indian soldiers. He said it's imperative for both sides to "de-escalate the tension."

Sources in the Indian government say that if Pakistan does not agree to an enquiry, New Delhi will consider the suspension or cancellation of a new and more liberal visa process introduced recently by both countries to exhibit improving relations.

While a statement by the Pakistani government has warned against "negative propaganda", the Pakistani army has also denied that its troops were responsible for yesterday's attack. "Indian authorities were informed that Pakistan has carried out ground verification and checked and found nothing of this sort happened as being alleged by India," a Pakistani military official  told reporters.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, appearing on a local television channel, described India's allegations as "absolutely unacceptable" and reiterated the offer of an investigation by UN observers.

Pakistan blames India for violating the Line of Control and ceasefire on Sunday by raiding a Pakistani army post. Islamabad says a soldier died in that attack. India has refuted the accusation.

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India pieces together details of Pakistan's grim attack on jawans 

New Delhi: India has severely reprimanded Pakistan for Tuesday's killing of two soldiers in Kashmir. One of them was beheaded. India summoned Pakistan's High Commissioner Salman Bashir and lodged a strong protest on Wednesday. 

Islamabad has retaliated by denouncing India's allegations as unfounded; a statement warned against the dangers of spreading "negative propaganda".

Both sides also emphasised on record that it is essential to prevent the crisis from escalating.

Sources said India has told Pakistan that repeat of the attack will lead to serious consequences which Pakistan "will have to bear". New Delhi has also told Islamabad that the mutilation of the bodies of soldiers is against the established rules of engagement of any professional army.
 
Prepared for Pakistan's denial, India has pieced together the grim details of the audacious attack on Indian territory.

According to details reaching New Delhi, a seven-member patrol of the Indian army was moving near Mendhar, about 220 km north of Jammu, in thick fog at 11 am in an "area domination exercise". The patrol was ahead of the fence along the Line Of Control (LoC) but within demarcated Indian territory. Lance Naik Hemraj and Sudhakar Singh were leading the patrol.

"They (the patrol) faced fire almost immediately," sources told NDTV. The firing continued for about an half hour. The mutilated bodies of the soldiers were recovered nearly an hour later by the Indian Army.

India believes that Pakistan's 29 Baloch Regiment led the attack and that troops from the elite Special Services Group (SSG) killed the Indian soldiers.

Pakistan too has accused Indian troops of crossing the Line of Control on Sunday (January 6) and raiding one of its army posts. It says a Pakistani soldier was killed in the firing. India has denied the accusations.

Pakistan alleges Indian troops crossed the LoC into the Haji Pir Pass sector - that stands across India's Rampur sector - killing one Pakistani soldier. Haji Pir pass was returned to Pakistan after 1965 India- Pakistan war.

India maintains that it had not crossed the LoC but had retaliated after being fired upon by Pakistani soldiers without any provocation.

Besides this latest incident, what is worrying New Delhi is the steady increase in the instances of  violation of the November 2003 Cease Fire Agreement along the disputed Line of Control (LoC) and the well-demarcated and accepted International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir.

The number of recorded ceasefire violations in 2012 stood at 117 as against 60 the year before and only 57 in 2010. Top Indian Army officials say that in December 2012 alone there has been as many as 10 cases of ceasefire violations along the LoC and four infiltration attempts by terrorists.

India is not viewing the rising violations of the Cease Fire Agreement with Pakistan in isolation. New Delhi feels it is influenced by America's Af-Pak policy and the impending US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2014, a senior official said.

With its western flank secured after the withdrawal of the US-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), India believes, Pakistan will have more resources to spare and that these will be used against India. "Pakistan will also assert itself against India and J&K would be the focal point", the official added.

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Woman home guard molested on Delhi bus, attacker beaten up 

New Delhi: A 25-year-old woman home guard was molested inside a Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) bus in New Delhi on Wednesday, police said. The accused was thrashed by a mob, hospitalised and later booked.

The incident took place in a low-floor bus in east Delhi's Madhu Vihar area.

Police said the accused, Ranjit, 32, was handed over to police after he was beaten up by other passengers on the bus.

His leg had a fracture and he was taken to Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital, said a police officer. He was discharged after treatment and booked for molestation.

The incident took place after the home guard, in uniform, boarded a bus plying between Anand Vihar and Mehrauli to go to a police station where she was posted. As soon as the bus reached Indraprastha Extension, the accused started misbehaving with her.

When she resisted, he even threatened to abduct her, said the officer.

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'Amanat' case: no police officer should escape accountability, says court

 

New Delhi: The Delhi Police apologised unconditionally to the Delhi High Court today for submitting an inadequate report on the status of its investigations into the brutal gang-rape of a student on a moving bus last month. The six men who allegedly assaulted her sexually also beat her male friend and her with an iron rod before throwing the naked couple onto the road.

Yesterday, the court asked why the police appears determined to protect officers responsible for the many lapses that facilitated the attack on the student on a bus that had tinted windows, which is illegal, but managed to clear several police check points. The judges asked yesterday why the most senior officer, Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar, should not be held accountable for the failure of the police in protecting the student.

Once again, the judges said today, "We want to know the names of officers (involved) so that we know whether the government is taking action against those who erred. We want to know the name of the officers because no one should escape accountability."

The court also said that the city needs more than the 600 police vans that patrol the city. It said vehicles on the road must be checked carefully for buses or cars with tinted windows, which is not permissible in Delhi. The court also said that the functions to be performed by police vans must be carefully reviewed. The student's friend had said that when the couple was lying injured on the road, officers who arrived in patrol vans wasted time arguing about jurisdiction and which hospital the couple should be moved to.

The crime has incensed and shamed India, prompting an urgent review of laws to punish sexual offenders, and multiple inquiries into how to improve policing in Delhi.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit is among those who has suggested that Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar must accept responsibility and resign, but he has refused to quit. The Delhi Police reports not to the chief minister, but the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, and is supervised by the Union Home Ministry.

The government has set up a committee headed by retired High Court judge Usha Mehra to fix accountability for the attack on Amanat (NOT her real name). Separately, the ministry has ordered an inquiry into allegations by Amanat's friend that when the couple was lying injured on the road, police officers who showed up wasted time arguing about jurisdiction and which hospital the couple should be moved to.

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'Rape of grown-ups understandable but not of minors': Chhattisgarh BJP leader stuns with remarks 

Raipur: A BJP Member of Parliament from Chhattisgarh has said that rape of grown-up girls and women might be understandable but people should be hanged for a similar assault on infants.

MP Ramesh Bais said rape of minor is a heinous crime and those who commit such crime should be hanged.

"The rape of grown-up girls and women might be understandable but if someone does this to an infant, it is a heinous crime and the offenders should be hanged (barabari ya bade logo ke sath balatkar samajh me ata hai, lekin nabalig bachhiyo ke sath is tarah ka jaghanya apradh karma. Inko to fasi par latka dena chahiye)", Mr Bais told reporters referring to the rape case involving minor inmates of a government-run residential school in Kanker district of the state.

The state's main opposition party Congress criticised the remarks and said any assault on women, whether she is a child or a grown-up, is a heinous crime.

Congress spokesman Shailesh Nitin Trivedi said, "Assault on anyone is a heinous crime. The statement (of Bais) is objectionable and we condemn this".

Mr Bais said the incident like the one in Kanker happened in several places but they were not reported.

"Just terminating the employees will not bring back the honour of the victims. The accused in the case should be given stringent punishment", Mr Bais said.

"The incident of Delhi-gang rape has rocked everyone to think over such crimes. The incident of Chhattisgarh is a matter of shame," the MP said.

The MP also suspected the involvement of senior officials and claimed that for the past several months the girls were being sexually assaulted and the concerned officials were unaware of it.

The incident of sexual assault on minor inmates of the government-run residential school for tribal girls in Jhaliyamari village of Kanker district came to light last Sunday.

So far six people, including two teachers, have been arrested in connection with the crime.

According to police, the medical examination has confirmed rape on nine inmates out of 40 who are living in a hostel.

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Bomb found in body of jawan killed in Naxal encounter in Latehar 

Ranchi: A bomb has been found inside the body of a CRPF jawan killed in an encounter with Maoists earlier this week in Jharkhand's Latehar district. Doctors performing an autopsy on the body in Ranchi today, detected metal and then called in a bomb disposal squad which confirmed that a bomb had indeed been placed inside the jawan's body.

The bodies of five of nine Central Reserve Police Force or CRPF men killed in Monday's fierce gun battle were missing for two days. They were found yesterday in a search operation. Two of the bodies had explosives tied to them, a top Jharkhand police officer said. There was an explosion while one of them was being moved, killing three people, including two villagers helping the securitymen.   

The police officer also said that the two other bodies found yesterday did not appear to be have bombs either inside them or strapped on them.
 

Officers said using the bodies of dead jawans to strap on bombs was an old Maoist technique used by them to inflict more casualty.

Fourteen people, including 12 jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed during the Latehar encounter.

The encounter took place near the Bhelwahi hill-top, about 100 km from Jharkhand's capital, Ranchi. Police sources say the Maoists were able to inflict so much damage because of their fortified location - they were strategically positioned on the top of the hill.

Around 16 injured police personnel are being treated at Apollo hospital on the outskirts of Ranchi.

Jharkhand's caretaker Chief Minister Arjun Munda condoled the death of the security personnel and civilians. Accompanied by Jharkhand Police Chief G S Rath, Mr Munda met the injured personnel at the Apollo Hospital on Wednesday.

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'Bharat Mata ki Jai' were the last words of Lance Naik Sudhakar Singh

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Sidhi, Madhya Pradesh: Thirty-year-old Sudhakar Singh returned to his village today, not striding into his small home as usual, but in a coffin draped in the Indian Tricolour. His father collapsed as the martyred soldier's body reached the village in an Army vehicle.

Lance Naik Sudhakar Singh was one of two jawans killed by Pakistani troops near the Line of Control in Kashmir on Tuesday. At his Dadhiya village, in eastern Madhya Pradesh, his fellow-soldier Sandeep Singh, who accompanied the body, described the martyr's last moments. Sudhakar's last words before he fell prey to bullet wounds, were "Bharat Mata ki Jai (Glory to Mother India)," he said. He remembers the martyr as a great leader and good friend.

Lance Naik Sandeep Singh said Sudhakar was always the one who took the initiative in the group, guiding the rest. That morning too, he said, their small party of soldiers was on its way on routine duty, when Pakistani troops opened fire on them. Sudhakar Singh, he said, rushed ahead and fired back, bearing the brunt of the attack and saving the rest of the group. His buddy, Lance Naik Hemraj Singh was also killed.

The dreaded news of the young soldier's death was delivered to his family on Tuesday, within minutes of television channels reporting that the two jawans had been killed. Sitting on a chair, surrounded by family and well-wishers, his father said his brave son would tell him not to worry about his safety. "He would tell me, 'Death is inevitable for all of us'," Sachidanand Singh said, his voice uneven. (Read)

At their home, the pride of place is reserved for a colour photo of Sudhakar Singh, in uniform, holding his rifle. The father of a 4-month-old baby boy had served in the Indian army for 11 years.

It was a poor farmer's life that compelled Sudhakar Singh to join the army, his brother says.  "There was no money.  Not enough to feed everyone.  There was no choice. If we could afford it, we would have educated him more and forbidden him from joining the army."

His last letter to his father arrived in October last year. Sudhakar wrote that he was missing his family and wanted to visit home soon.

His friend, Lance Naik Hemraj Singh was cremated in his Shernagar village in eastern Uttar Pradesh's Mathura district, yesterday. Hemraj, 32, too left behind three very young chidren. His small village, which has sent 15 men to the armed forces, is fiercely proud of its brave son. Lekhraj Singh, Hemraj's uncle, who has served as a hawaldar in the Indian Army is proud that his nephew laid down his life in defense of the country. "Two of his companions came from Agra and gave the news that my nephew had lost his life for the country. We felt extremely sad that he is no more, but we are proud that he has become a martyr," he said

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