1400 HRS

28.10.2013

     

THE HEADLINES:

• One Army Junior Commissioned Officer killed in firing near Line of Control in Uri sector in Kashmir valley.
• Delhi Police gets custody of Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal for 15 days for interrogation in yesterday's blasts in Patna; Center asks all states to maintain high alert and tighten security during the festive season.
• In Odisha, flood situation continues to be grim; Relief operations pick up pace following some respite from heavy rains in Andhra Pradesh. 
• Armed Islamist rebel groups in Syria not to attend upcoming Geneva-II peace talks.
• In Dubai, Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Suraksha Yojana, a pension and life insurance fund scheme for Indian workers launched.

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In Kashmir valley, one Army Junior Commissioned Officer, JCO was killed in a firing incident near the line of control in Uri sector. Our Correspondent quoting army sources, reports that the firing took place at Bhim post near the Kamma bridge. According to a Defence spokesman, the Pakistan side opened fire resulting in critical injuries to JCO Prakash Chand. He said, the injured JCO was rushed to an army medical facility where he succumbed to injuries. The spokesman said, the matter has been taken up with the Pakistani authorities on the hotline.   

Our Correspondent reports that due to the tension on the line of control over this incident, the Srinagar-Muzzafarabad bus service has been suspended for today.

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Delhi Police Special cell has been granted custody of Indian Mujahideen's co-founder, Yasin Bhatkal, for 15 days, for interrogation in connection with yesterday's Patna serial blasts. Bhatkal was produced in a Delhi court today. Earlier, National Investigation Agency, NIA had also sought his custody. Bhatkal, a key suspect in several terror blasts since 2008, was arrested in a joint operation by the Central intelligence agencies and the Bihar police two months ago. 

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The Centre has asked all states to maintain high alert and tighten security during the festival season. The alert comes in the wake of multiple blasts in Patna yesterday. The Home Ministry directed five poll-bound states to beef up security in election rallies, especially those being attended by top leaders.

In its advisory, the Ministry also asked the States and Union Territories to keep strict vigil on sensitive places, markets, religious sites, railway stations, bus terminals and other vital installations. 

Meanwhile, the investigation has begun into the Patna serial blasts which rocked the state capital yesterday. Central investigation agencies, NIA and NSG teams reached Patna and began investigation with the help of Bihar police. According to police sources, 13 suspects have been detained after the serial blasts. Police Sources said that all of them are being interrogated by the NIA and Bihar police and some lead has been found through interrogation. The Indian Mujahideen, IM operative, Tahseen Akhtar alias Monu is also being suspected as the mastermind behind the Patna serial blasts. Quoting police sources, our Patna Correspondent reports that Akhtar hails from Samastipur district of Bihar and is involved in several terror activities and NIA had announced a reward of 10 lakh rupees on him. 

Meanwhile, the toll has gone up to six following the death of a bomber who was seriously injured in the explosion while setting up a bomb. Presently, 38 out of the 83 injured are undergoing treatment at Patna Medical College and Hospital where five are in a critical condition and others have been discharged. Additional Director General of Police (Law and order) S K Bharadwaj said that a day after the serial blasts, security has been tightened in the city and additional security forces have been deployed at all important places including the crowded markets.

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BJP President Rajnath Singh has said, there was a security lapse at the venue of Narendra Modi's rally in Patna, which witnessed serial blasts. Talking to reporters in New Delhi today, party President Rajnath Singh said, since the rally was being addressed by BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate, extra precautions should have been taken.

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The CPI(M) has strongly condemned yesterday's serial blasts in Patna. In a statement issued in New Delhi today, the Polit Bureau of the party said, these cowardly attacks once again highlighted the urgent need to strengthen intelligence against terror attacks.

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In Assam, one hardcore National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Sangbijit faction) was gunned down in the wee hours today in Sonitpur district. Sonitpur SP said, a joint team of police and the army retaliated when two militants shot at them at Daichang Giri under Chariduar police station. While one cadre succumbed to injuries another managed to escape. Police recovered pistols and grenades from the slain militant. Yesterday also, one NDFB cadre was killed in Sonitpur district in an encounter.

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In Odisha, the flood situation continues to remain grim today, mainly in the worst-hit Ganjam district. A twelve-member Inter-Ministerial Central Team is scheduled to visit the cyclone and flood-affected areas of the state from today. The team will make an on-the-spot assessment of the damages caused due to cyclone Phailin and the subsequent floods that have affected lakhs of people in the state.  More from our correspondent:

        The Inter-Ministerial Central Team will be divided into two groups and will visit the most cyclone and flood affected districts like Ganjam, Puri, Balasore and Mayurbhanj during its four-day stay in Odisha. The state government is likely to submit a supplementary memorandum to the team led by joint secretary of union ministry of home affairs and seek central assistance for restoration works in affected areas. Earlier this month, the state government had submitted a memorandum to Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami in Bhubaneswar requesting the Centre to provide 4,242. 41 crore rupees in form of grant to rebuild homes and power infrastructure that were affected during Phailin cyclone and floods. PRAKASH DASH/AIR NEWS/BHUBANESWAR.

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In Andhra Pradesh, relief operations picked up pace following some respite from heavy rains today. Flood in Nagavali came down this morning providing relief to local authorities and people in Srikakulam District. Rescue personnel are making all out efforts to repair a breach developed in a reservoir on Nagavali River. However, hundreds of villages remained marooned and thousands of people were still in the relief camps as flood water is yet to recede completely.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy and Union Tourism Minister Chiranjeevi are touring the rain affected areas today. Torrential rains which lashed 16 districts in the state, claimed 49 lives and rendered about 35 thousand families homeless. More from our correspondent:-

 Relief operations are underway in full swing with 19 teams of the National Disaster Response Force and 8 teams from the Navy swung into action in rain affected areas. However, hundreds of villages remained marooned while over 2 lakh 20 thousand people are taking shelter at 384 relief camps set up at different places. Efforts are being made to restore rail and road transport which was hampered after the long stretches of rail tracks and roads washed away in flood water. Meanwhile, 580 medical teams are providing assistance in rain hit areas to prevent spread of diseases. Lakshmi, AIR News, Hyderabad. 

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In Madhya Pradesh, the full bench of the Election Commission will arrive in capital Bhopal this evening to take stock of preparations for the state legislative assembly elections to be held next month. Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampat, Election Commissioners H.S. Brahma and Dr. Naseem Zaidi will hold a meeting with representatives of six recognized national parties today. The Commission will review election preparations at a meeting with divisional commissioners, Inspector Generals of police, district election officers and SPs tomorrow. This will be the second visit of the commission to the state.  Polling will take place in Madhya Pradesh on the 25th of November. The nomination process will begin from the 1st of November.

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An important meeting of the state BJP election committee is being held in Bhopal today. According to state BJP President Narendra Singh Tomar, the committee will consider the names of probable candidates for the upcoming state assembly elections.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party announced its third list of 14 names for the state assembly polls. BSP had already announced names of more than 150 candidates.

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In Assam, road blockade and bandh has affected normal life at several places. Three sister organizations of Asom Gana Parishad have called a 12 hour bandh to protest the alleged failure of the Assam government to maintain law and order and contain price rise. Commercial vehicles are off the road at some places but private and government vehicles are operating in Guwahati. Train services have not been affected due to the bandh. Security has been tightened in view of the bandh.

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The Delhi Government has deployed 125 mobile vans to  ensure the availability of onion at 600 places in the capital. The selling price of onion has come down from 60 rupees to 55 rupees a kg. During the last few days, the arrival of onion in the capital has increased substantially from Rajasthan, Karnataka and other states. Official sources said, the enforcement and market intelligence wing have been kept on alert to overcome any attempt at hoarding.

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The armed Islamist rebel groups in Syria have said no to attending the upcoming Geneva-II peace talks and warned that attending peace talks or negotiating with the regime, would be an act of betrayal. In a statement, 19 Islamist groups have said that Geneva-II conference is neither the people’s choice nor the demand of the revolution. They said that it is another conspiracy to abort the revolution. They have also warned that anyone who went to such talks would be committing treason, and would be answerable to the Islamist’s courts. The statement was read out by Suqur al-Sham brigade chief Ahmad Eissa al-Sheikh in a video posted online.

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Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Suraksha Yojana, a pension and life insurance fund scheme for blue collar Indian workers, was formally launched for the gulf region by the Union Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs, Vyalar Ravi in Dubai today. The scheme will cover 5 million overseas blue collar Indian workers who have the Emigration Clearance Required (ECR) category passports in 17 countries.  More from our West Asia Correspondent:

          The Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Suraksha Yojana ,MGPSY is aimed at helping the workers to save money for their retirement.  The scheme provides home and a life insurance cover worth  Rs 1lakh  during their work abroad. The Indian Government will contribute up to Rs 2,000 per year for male workers and Rs 3,000 per year to women workers for up to either five years or until the worker returns home, whichever is earlier. This will flow into the Pension and Life Insurance  account of each eligible subscriber. The workers have to contribute between Rs 1,000 and Rs 12,000 every year towards the pension fund and Rs 4,000 towards the return and resettlement fund. Atul K Tiwary, AIR News, Dubai.

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In Bangladesh, On the second day of the BNP led Opposition's 60-hour shutdown today, strikers resorted to more violence and arson. In the capital Dhaka, BNP and Jammat-Shibir activists took out processions, hurled crude bombs and blocked highways. Five were killed and hundreds injured across the country on the first day of the strike yesterday called to press the opposition demand for a non-partisan caretaker government. More from our correspondent:-

        Brandishing sticks, BNP and Jamaat-Shibir activists took out processions and blocked the Dhaka-Chittagong highway with burning tyres, and exploded crude bombs before they were chased by the police. Narayanganj highway was also blocked with felled trees and logs. Awami league office  in Dhaka at jatrabari was torched amidst shouting of slogans. Insecurity on the streets and dangers of commuting have forced  authorities to postpone the annual examinations conducted by Cambridge International Board, putting hundreds of students to great hardships. Police have arrested hordes of activists and mobile  courts are trying miscreants and sentencing them to jail terms. Melinda dias for AIR news Dhaka.

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President Pranab Mukherjee has called for water conservation in the country. He said, the strategy for water management should be to reduce, recycle and reuse. Mr Mukherjee was inaugurating a three-day second India Water Forum 2013 in New Delhi today. He said, the irrigation system has to encourage the judicious use of water.

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The Vigilance Awareness Week is being observed from today. The theme of this week is Promoting Good Governance - Positive Contribution of Vigilance. 

In his message on this occasion, President Pranab Mukherjee has said that good governance is of utmost importance to ensure that the benefits of development schemes reach the common masses, particularly, the under privileged sections of the society.                           

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Opening in the green in morning trade, the Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange erased almost all its gains to trade at 25 points higher, at 20,708, a short while ago.