0815 HRS  

6th January , 2013

THE HEADLINES:

• Five accused in the Delhi gangrape case to be produced in court tomorrow.

• Congress suggests imprisonment up to 30 years for rape to the Justice J. S. Verma committee.

• North India continues to reel under severe cold conditions.

• Sania Mirza and her American partner Bethanie Mattek Sands clinch the Women's Doubles title of the Brisbane International Tennis tournament.

• The third and final one-dayer between India and Pakistan to be played in New Delhi today.

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The newly set up fast track court in Delhi has taken cognizance of the charge sheet filed by police in the December gangrape case. The Metropolitan Magistrate took cognizance of the charge-sheet yesterday and asked the Delhi police to produce all the five accused- Ram Singh, Mukesh, Pawan Gupta, Vinay Sharma and Akshay Thakur- tomorrow. The Magistrate said Prima facie offence have been made out under sections for murder, attempt to murder, gangrape, unnatural offences, dacoity, destruction of evidence, conspiracy and other offences. These carry the death penalty as the maximum punishment.

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The Delhi Police have refuted the allegations made by the gang rape victim’s friend about the laxity on the part of police personnel in assisting the victim. Briefing media in New Delhi yesterday, Joint Commissioner of Police (South Delhi) Vivek Gogia claimed that the Police has been prompt in handling the emergency call and rushing them to Safdarjung hospital which is a multi speciality hospital designated for medico-legal cases.

Zebra 54, the other PCR Van, reached there at 10.29 PM. Zebra 54 left the spot along with the victim at 10.39 PM. Zebra 54 brought the victims to Safdarjung Hospital at 10.55 PM.

Responding to the charge that the police squabbled over jurisdiction and took two-and-a-half hours to take them to hospital, he said PCR vans are connected to police control room and are not subject to jurisdiction of police station. He also claimed that the friend of the deceased girl was discharged within few hours after first aid. He was called to the police station only for recording his statement.

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The Delhi Police have said it will not be lawful for any person to print or publish any matter relating to the case of gangrape of the 23-year-old girl without prior permission of the court.

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The BJP has criticised the Delhi Police for filing a case against a news channel which aired the interview of the 23-year-old gangrape victim's friend. Party General Secretary Ravi Shankar Prasad said this is unacceptable and an attack on press freedom.

BJP condemns any efforts to initiate police action against the channel which aired interview of a friend of the 23 year old rape victim.

Reacting to the new revelations, Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said that he will comment only after gathering more information about the TV channel report:

We have police version of the incident with us. Regarding TV Channel's report, I will not comment till I find out more about it.

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In Jharkhand, a special fast-track court for cases related to crime against women has been inaugurated in the capital Ranchi by the Supreme Court Judge Justice M Y Eqbal. This is the second such fast track court in the country after the one recently opened in Delhi. More from our Ranchi Correspondent.

With around 25 cases on the cause list in the first day of its opening, the first fast track court of Jharkhand has its hand full as 300 cases of crime against women, which are at different stages of trial in various district courts, have been transferred to this special court. Additional judicial commissioner rank officer Seema Sinha has been appointed to as the Judge of this court. The public prosecutor will also be a woman so that victims feel free to narrate their story. Rajesh Sinha, AIR News, Ranchi.

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Congress has submitted its suggestions on stringent laws for crimes against women to the Justice J S Verma Committee. While details of the suggestions given to the committee were not immediately known, the party has been favouring imprisonment up to 30 years for rapists, the setting up of fast-track courts as also redefining the juvenile act by reducing the age limit.

Party General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi said the suggestions have been given to the panel set up in the wake of the gang-rape incident in Delhi that had led to outrage across the country.

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Democracy will achieve a milestone in Uttar Pradesh, as its Legislature, whose first sitting was convened on the 8th of January 1887, completes its life journey of 125 years on the 8th of this month. To mark the occasion, a three day colorful festival kick starts today, beginning with special joint sitting of members of the UP Legislature in the Vidhan Sabha Mandap with Mulayam Singh Yadav as its chief guest. A report.

In 1887 a council with the name of 'North Western Provinces and Awadh Legislative Council' came into the existence. It convened its first ever meeting on 8th January 1887 in Thornhill Memorial Hall at Allahabad. The present majestic Vidhan Bhawan building of Lucknow, which is a beautiful piece of Indo European architecture, became the seat of the legislature in the year 1928. Records tell us that 21 lakh Rupees were sanctioned for the construction of the Vidhan Bhawan but it was built with the cost of 18 lakh Rupees only. For Morning News this is Merajuddin reporting from Lucknow.

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All of North India continues to remain in the grip of severe cold. Bone-chilling conditions disrupted normal life in the Kashmir Valley. The fringes of famous DalLake and other water bodies in the city were frozen.

In Uttarakhand, districts located in the higher reaches including Almora, Tehri Garhwal and Pithoragarh recorded sub-zero temperatures, whereas the plains remained wrapped in a thick fog cover.

In Himachal Pradesh, wild animals are being seen in residential areas due to intense cold and freezing of water. A report-

It will be a bright sunny day today in the hill state as the sky is clean in the morning, although bone-chilling cold wave still continues in nights. Temperature was recorded below minus in four cities yesterday while it dipped to 0.6 Degree Celsius in Shilma, the lowest in last fortnight. Freezing conditions in the tribal belt of Lahul and Spiti have forced Himalayan blue sheep - locally known as 'I Bex' to step into residential areas of the district. According to MET Department this cold wave will continue for the next 24 hours. Shishu Sharma Shantanu, AIR News, Shimla.

Our correspondent reports that the severe cold wave claimed 11 more lives in Uttar Pradesh, taking the death toll this winter over 140.

Chilly wind has increased the intensity of cold wave across the state. Night temperature has gone down up to 7 degrees below normal across the state. Muzaffarnagar remained coldest place with mercury plummeting to 0.3 degrees Celsius. The temperature remained around 1 degree in Moradabad,Bareilly and Agra divisions. According to Met office, dry and foggy conditions may prevail over many parts of the state in the next 48 hours. Salman Haider, AIR News, Gorakhpur.

The National Capital, Delhi, continues to shiver under chilling cold condition.

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Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal has assured the Punjabi Diaspora settled across the globe that their genuine hardships relating to their land and other civil matters would be addressed on top priority.

He was addressing the concluding session of the NRI sammelan at Phagwara in Kapurthala District, yesterday. Our correspondent has filed this report.

Besides seeking cooperation from NRIs for imparting skill training to unemployed youth in the state, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed by the state government with an NGO run by the Member of House of Lords (UK) Lord Raj Loomba for ensuring the welfare of 5000 widows in the state by imparting technical training to them. The Chief Minister also announced a scholarship for 50 economically poor students from the state for pursuing higher studies abroad. Entire expenditure on their studies would be borne by the state. Punjab Government has also decided to set up three fast track courts across the state to ensure quick dispensation of justice to the NRIs. Rajesh Bali, AIR News, Jalandhar.

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In Jammu and Kashmir, 80 thousand youth are to be recruited in government service in the coming months. State Chief Minster Omar Abdullah announced fast track recruitment of the educated youth in government service in the coming months. He was addressing a rally of panches and sarpanches in Srinagaryesterday.

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A fire which broke out at the 200-metre high TV tower in Pitampura area of North West Delhi last night, has been extinguished. The Engineer in Chief of Doordarshan, R K Sinha said that the fire broke out at 10.30 PM. Immediately after the fire, transmission was shut down. No one was injured in the incident but the fire damaged a cable which affects FM transmission.

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India's Sania Mirza and her American partner Bethanie Mattek Sands have lifted Women's Doubles title of the Brisbane International Tennis tournament in Australia . They defeated German-Czech combination of Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Kveta Peschke 4-6, 6-4, 10-7.

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The third and final one-dayer between India and Pakistan will be played in New Delhi today. With the series already out of their grasp, the Indians may experiment by giving a chance to some of their bench players in a day-night game which will start at noon. All India Radio will broadcast live commentary on the match from12.00 p.m. onwards.

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NEWSPAPERS HEADLINES

• A Delhi Court issuing 'Production Warrants' and 'Summoning' the five accused in the Delhi gang rape case, is covered extensively by the Press. "Pre-trial proceedings begin tomorrow"- headlines the Hindu. Hindustan Times reports that the 5 accused are 'stunned' by the speed at which events have moved, and fear an attack by the public - on their way to Court.
• The Indian Express reports that the sixth accused - the juvenile among the six arrested - had left his home in a village in Uttar Pradesh eleven years ago and that his mother, one of the poorest residents with only a plastic sheet for a roof on her hut, had long given him up for dead.
• Finding itself in a tight spot over allegations leveled by the gang rape victim's male friend - of a delayed and slow response by the police in the initial stages, there is "Pressure for Action on Top Officials", writes the Asian Age. "Cops Swing into Damage Control, Public still Angry" - headlines Hindustan Times.
• Papers cover the story of high drama at the residence of former Army Chief Gen. V K Singh in Delhi Cantonment, where an army signals team had gone to reconfigure the telephone exchange and recall two soldiers manning it. "V K Singh's family alleges snooping by Army" - writes the Sunday Tribune.
• Quoting official Pakistani sources, the Asian Age reports that Pakistan is all set to grant 'Most Favoured Nation' status to India and the announcement is likely to be made in the week starting Monday. Traders have been assured that some 'sensitive' items would not be allowed from India.
• "Kohli tipped for Captain if injured Dhoni sits out", writes Hindustan Times. The papers adds, Today's India - Pak match could have front runner Virat Kohli handling the responsibility of Captain.
• And finally, The Financial Express informs us that the Commonwealth Games expensive show piece - the Aerostat Balloon, (which is worth 57 crore rupees) will be sold to the Goa government for Rs 1. The Goa government plans to use it during the Lusofonia Games, to be held in November this year.