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Sun, 30 December 2012
Delhi gangrape: New Year plans dropped, toned down
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20:58 Delhi gangrape: New Year plans dropped, toned down
Some hotels, clubs and business houses today dropped or toned down New Year's eve party plans, as the death of the Delhi gang-rape victim cast a shadow on revelry.
The Press Club of India cancelled its New Year's eve celebrations in New Delhi while a Congress MLC in Maharashtra Charan Singh Sapra appealed to people to stay away from merrymaking.
Following nation-wide grief and anger over the death of the 23-year-old girl, the Punjab and Haryana governments have also cancelled their planned programmes to usher in the New Year, officials said in Chandigarh.
20:57 Gangrape: BJP, Cong lock horns over special Parl session
Amid the nationwide protest over the brutal gang-rape of a 23-year-old girl, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday reiterated its demand to convene a Special Session of Parliament and amend the laws so that the harshest punishment is given to those accused of the heinous crime.
"The government needs to come quickly with a proper structured response and to reflect upon the serious concerns of the country, it is imperative that a special session of Parliament be called at the earliest which we have been demanding for some time," BJP spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad told reporters here.
Criticising the government for "converting Delhi into a chavni (cantonment)", he said this "unfair" act of authorities reminds of Emergency era and added that "a nation in shock is certainly entitled to display its sense of despair, anger and pain."
20:54 Death toll rises in Russia plane crash
he death toll from a plane crash in Moscow has risen to five, Russian state-run media said Sunday.
A flight attendant who was among the four wounded has died at a hospital, Ria Novosti reported, citing Red Wings Airlines.Families of those killed will be given 1 million rubles, which is about $33,000, in financial aid from the Moscow government, Ria Novosti reported.
The passenger plane overshot a runway at a Moscow airport on Saturday, emergency management officials said. The plane was arriving at Vnukovo International Airport from the Czech Republic when it crashed through a fence, Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations said.
20:53 Gadkari attacks Centre over Hindu migrant issue
BJP president Nitin Gadkari today attacked the Centre over its "failure" to protect the interest of Hindus in Pakistan, and announced to form a five-member committee to raise it at international forums. Gadkari met the migrants here at a camp on Jhanwar road, and spent about half-an-hour with them.
The BJP leader also announced an ex-gratia financial aid of Rs 5 lakh to them. He assured them of making a five-member team including two MPs, "which will study the nitty-gritty of the issue, so that it could be taken up on the international forums and organisations."
20:24 Gadkari attacks Centre over Hindu migrant issue
BJP president Nitin Gadkari today attacked the Centre over its "failure" to protect the interest of Hindus in Pakistan, and announced to form a five-member committee to raise it at international forums. Gadkari met the migrants here at a camp on Jhanwar road, and spent about half-an-hour with them.
The BJP leader also announced an ex-gratia financial aid of Rs 5 lakh to them. He assured them of making a five-member team including two MPs, "which will study the nitty-gritty of the issue, so that it could be taken up on the international forums and organisations."
20:01 Bad brakes cited in Moscow crash landing
Russian investigators on Sunday blamed a defective brake system for a Moscow airport crash that killed five crew members when a liner skidded off the runway and smashed into a highway.
Rescue workers recovered the flight recorders from the four-year-old Tu-204 of tycoon Alexander Lebedev's Red Wings airlines late Saturday as Russia began mourning its latest post-Soviet crash fatalities.
19:38 Egypt drops treason charges against opposition leaders
Egypt on Sunday dropped treason charges against top opposition leaders including ex-IAEA chief Mohammed ElBaradei, extending an olive branch to the leaders who had accused President Mohamed Morsy of trying to muzzle dissent.
The country's top prosecutor had ordered an investigation into accusations against the Constitution Party head Mohammed ElBaradei, Nobel Prize laureate and former head of the UN nuclear agency, along with Amr Moussa, former foreign minister and Hamdeen Sabahi, leader of the Dignity Party, of incitement to overthrow the regime of Morsy.
Moussa and Sabahy both had challenged Morsy for the presidency in a June poll, which followed the 2011 uprising against the long-time dictator Hosni Mubarak.
18:37 Dalit teenager raped, another from community molested
A teenaged dalit girl was raped, a 21-year-old from the backward community molested while a doctor was accused of attempting to rape a woman patient in three separate case from different parts of Uttar Pradesh.
The 15-year-old dalit girl was allegedly raped and held captive for 15 days by three men in Dharauli village in Sultanpur district, police said today. The girl went missing on December 14 while going to school, police said adding she was "freed" yesterday after which the matter came to the light and an FIR was registered against three persons.
17:50 Rape victim's mother collapses, doctors say now stable
Unable to bear the loss of her daughter, the 45-year-old mother of the Delhi gang-rape victim collapsed today and rushed to a city hospital where doctors said her condition was stable.
Doctors at the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital in west Delhi said the woman underwent through check-ups and was doing "completely fine" now. A senior doctor said she was suffering from grief and that is why she went unconscious for some time in the morning after the cremation.
17:21 BJP disapproves of restrictions, questions 'hurried' cremation
Holding that "a nation in shock" is entitled to display its sense of despair, BJP today disapproved of "Emergency-like" restrictions against anti- gangrape protests and renewed its demand for a special Parliament session to adopt strict laws on crime against women.
Expressing "profound condolences" to members of the victim's family and saluting her courage, the party also questioned the "hush hush" manner in which she was cremated. BJP said that a proper debate in Parliament on the issue would "certainly be able to tap upon the serious sense of distress and dismay which is sweeping the country" after the "supreme sacrifice of that young brave daughter" of the country.
16:33 Peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar marred by violence
The peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar demanding speedy punishment for the rapists of the 23-year-old girl was marred by violence today when a group allegedly belonging to BJP's student wing ABVP clashed with police on being denied permission to take out a march.
Five persons, including some members of the ABVP, were detained following the incident but were released later and the situation quickly brought under control. The incident occurred even as a group of protesters sat on a one-day hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in the heart of Capital while others shouted slogans holding placards in their hands. A group of protesters also painted slogans and graphics on sheets of paper spread on the road.
15:41
As the entire country mourned the death of the Delhi gang-rape victim, megastar Amitabh Bachchan has composed a moving poem as a tribute to her hoping that the world wakes up to the right and dignity of women.
Referring to the 23-year-old girl as 'Damini' and 'Amaanat', the senior actor's poem in Hindi and English said that long after the candle light vigil and floral tributes would end, "...the 'fearless' (nirbhayata) fire that has been ignited, shall rekindle the flames in our hearts..."
Following is the poem:
"With the passage of time, the candles shall burn out and lose their flame...
The flowers offered with devotion, shall in the absence of water, get dry and weathered out...
The voices of protest both vocal and silent, shall lose their strength...
But the 'fearless' ( nirbhayata ) fire that has been ignited, shall rekindle the flames in our hearts...
The waterless dry and weathered flowers, shall be brought to life drenched by the tears in our eyes...
With a burning throat the soul of 'Damini' and 'Amaanat', shall be voiced in the entire universe...
That I am the Mother, sister and daughter of my Bharat... Respect and dignity are my birthright possessions ..
Bharat the country is my Mother...
Forget about me, become at least the recognised worthy face of your Mother..!!"
15:37 Andhra Pradesh: Revenue officer held in rape case
A Village Revenue Officer (VRO) of Nandivada in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh has been arrested for allegedly raping his colleague, police said today. Nandivada VRO B Pandu was arrested after a rape case was registered against him last evening, police said adding the accused has been identified as one B Pandu.
The victim had joined his office as his assistant around four months ago, Nandivada police sub-inspector B Jaya Raju said.
15:03 Thatcher released from hospital after surgery
Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has been discharged from hospital after she underwent a bladder surgery early last week, a media report said today. The 87-year-old baroness had spent Christmas in a Central London hospital after being admitted earlier this month.
According to BBC, Thatcher was doing well and left the hospital yesterday to "convalesce privately." It is, however, not clear whether she is now at home. The former Conservative leader was said to be 'doing well' after the minor operation. "She's very tough. The doctors are perfectly happy. They say the operation has been completely satisfactory," former adviser and friend, Lord Bell was quoted by BBC News as saying, following her operation.
14:37 Protesters clash with police at Jantar Mantar
A group of protesters, allegedly owing allegiance to BJP's student wing ABVP, today clashed with police at Jantar Mantar during a demonstration demanding speedy punishment for the rapists of the girl who died after battling for life.
The hitherto peaceful protest turned violent at around 1 pm when a group among the protesters carrying flags and banners of ABVP tried to take out a march from Jantar Mantar to Connaught Place but police prevented them from moving ahead, following which the clash erupted.
14:04 One legislator's answer: No skirts, girls
As protests take place across India over the death of the victim of a brutal gang-rape in Delhi earlier this month, a politician in Rajasthan has proposed that skirts be banned as part of school uniforms.
On Friday, Banwari Lal Singhal, a member of the state assembly, wrote a letter to the chief secretary of Rajasthan asking the government to replace skirts with pants or salwars '" traditional leggings '" in school uniforms in his district to prevent sexual harassment.
He represents the district of Alwar and belongs to the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is the main opposition party in the national Parliament in New Delhi. (Rajasthan officials couldn't be reached to confirm they had received the letter.)
13:48 Man, son arrested for raping teenaged daughter
A man and his son were arrested for allegedly raping his teenaged daughter in Dombivili township of Thane district in Maharashtra, police said today.
According to the complaint filed by the 19-year-old victim, she was repeatedly raped by her father - Mahesh Prasad, 50, for the last two years and for the last two months, her 20-year-old brother - Hardik - had also sexually abused her, Dombivili-Ramnagar police said.
The girl mentioned in her complaint that she had been living with her father and brother after her mother divorced and went on to live separately.
13:24 Helicopter makes emergency landing in J&K
A Pawan Hans helicopter, carrying six passengers, made an emergency landing at Katra in Jammu and Kashmir today following a technical fault, Pawan Hans sources said here today. There were six passengers and one pilot onboard. No one suffered majori injuries, they said.
A Pawan Hans official said the pilot detected the technical fault in the engine and made a "precautionary landing" at Katra. Katra is a small town situated in the foothills of the Trikuta Mountains where the holy shrine of Vaishno Devi is located.
13:17 IndiGo staff mourn death of gang-rape victim
As the country mourns the death of the gang-raped 23-old-girl and protests continue to be staged, staff of the low-cost private carrier IndiGo Airlines were seen at Patna airport wearing 'Girl Power' badges in memory of the deceased girl.
13:08 Why young MPs avoid insolent India
The protests that gripped Delhi over the past 10 days may have begun as a spontaneous expression of outrage against a particularly brutal gang-rape. But somewhere along the way, they escalated into something more far-reaching and yet ill-defined.
What makes citizens of India's showcase Capital take to the streets periodically'" remember the similar response to Anna Hazare's movement last year'"to vent their dissatisfaction against the 'system' is prone to divergent interpretations. Can the unrest be attributed to the arrogance of the rulers and the wide gulf that separates them from the ruled? Is it a problem linked to breakneck urbanisation that nurtures aspiration but leads to the simultaneous breakdown of established values? Alternatively, is 'civil society' a made-in-media tamasha?
12:56 Teenager molested in bus in Delhi, conductor arrested
A teenaged girl was molested allegedly by a conductor in a bus here late last night, close on the heels of the brutal gangrape of a young woman. The incident took place in Mandi House in central Delhi at around 11 pm on Saturday and the victim is a 16-year-old girl.
"The girl had boarded cluster orange bus. When it reached near Mandi House around 11 pm, she was molested by the conductor of another bus who was travelling in the same vehicle," a senior police official said.
12:40 Taliban kills 21 kidnapped Pakistani soldiers
Twenty-one Pakistani security personnel kidnapped by the Taliban from check posts near Peshawar were gunned down by the militants today, police officials said.
The bullet-riddled bodies of the policemen were found in Jabai area of Frontier Region Peshawar, located a short distance from the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, shortly after midnight.
They were reportedly shot dead at a cricket ground. Two more kidnapped security personnel escaped and one of them was seriously injured. One of these personnel alerted local authorities, who found the bodies. The Taliban had kidnapped 23 personnel of the Levies militia after overrunning three check posts early on Thursday.
Over 200 militants armed with assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades had attacked the posts. Two security personnel were killed in the attack.
12:17 No candlelight protest for Lalli Devi
While voices were rasied against the brutal gang-rape of the 23 year-old woman who tragically died on Saturday, what about the daily occurrences of rape and assault in the lives of Dalit women?
Who will listen to the voices of the margins? Margins mean those who are not in the capital, those who are not part of the urban middle-class, and those who are not in the gaze of the TV camera. Margins mean those who are silent because they have no one to tell their stories to.
Delhi citizens rightly raised their voices against the brutal gang-rape of the 23 year-old woman who tragically died on Saturday morning. But what about the other statistically established truth? That rape and assault are daily occurrences in the lives of Dalit women? Most crimes committed against Dalits remain unrecorded because the police, the village councils, and government officials reflect the biases of the Hindu caste system. Crimes against them also go unreported because of fears of reprisals, intimidation by the police and their inability to pay bribes.
12:16 Staged villainy belied man of substance
After I had met Tony Greig a few times, the question had to be asked. Why? Why what? Why such a distance between the public provocateur and the gentle, courteous, even scholarly private man? He didn't mind being asked.
With a crinkling smile he shrugged and said something like, ''All part of the show''.
In Tony Greig's passing, it is easier to think of a great character actor than a conventional sportsman. With actors, we're not surprised by the gap between persona and person. I didn't know Tony even remotely well, but those who did described him as a warm, companionable man and an extremely funny storyteller, with the invariable rider: ''And he's nothing like you'd expect.''
12:14 An open letter to the chief minister of Delhi, Sheila Dixit
Dear Mrs. Dixit,
I have read your comments on the Delhi gang-rape. I applaud your honesty in admitting failure, in admitting the dangerous condition of Delhi for women and your determination that there must be change. In a more cynical mood, I think that it is easy for you to make these admissions considering that you are not in charge of security. However, you are in charge of the city and the mindset thriving in it makes this your responsibility. This also doesn't let you off the hook for other comments in the past.
However, this letter is about the future. You have mentioned in an interview that you have the intention to not sit idle and wait for security to happen, but to initiate a social drive to create a transformation in society. This is one of the wisest things anyone has said on the subject so far. I agree that this is the correct approach, and as a keen people watcher with an interest in women's rights, I have suggestions for transformation, if applied with integrity.
12:11 Pressured by police, gang-raped Indian teenager commits suicide
Well, here's some more terrible news for your Thursday. After being attacked and raped during a Diwali festival in mid-November, a 17-year-old girl committed suicide on Wednesday. She swallowed poison.
Of course, as is often the case, there was plenty of the police mishandling everything. Inspector General Paramjit Singh Gill, the police chief for the area, said that the teenager had been "running from pillar to post to get her case registered" but nevertheless, nothing formal was filed.
11:25 Dividing line between truth and falsehood : The Khoupum rape
The fine line dividing the truth and falsehood can mislead. Two girls were raped, allegedly by two cadres of the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF), an armed group at Khoupum in Tamenglong district in the night of October 5.
Home Minister Gaikhangam has confirmed the rape report and as a Minister primarily in charge of the law and order situation, this amounts to coming from the horse's mouth. More so since Khoupum is the birth place of the Home Minister.
On the other hand, the Information and Publicity Secretary of the outfit in question here has dubbed the two as deserters. This in essence means that they are not cadres or members of the ZUF. Two girls raped, both students, is confirmed, but the question now is whether the rapists were members of an armed group, which took up the guns on behalf of the people or were deserters.
11:09 The violence of the lambs
Well before the candles were lit this evening, the one at the centre of it all had been blown. Jantar Mantar was aglow with the light of the extinguished one '" a suffering life that had stopped to struggle in the dead of night and given on to a morning of outcry and crying, condoling and condemnation.
Well before the Singapore hospital gurney was cleared of the remains of a feast of cannibal lust, well before she returned home for her final journey, her tragedy had been robbed the courtesies of silence, her wake abducted to a raucous stage of bickering over who's to pay.
11:05 The deepest and most shameful scandal of them all
A few years ago, a friend of mine, back for holidays from her American college, stopped her car at night on Raisina Hill. She was with another young woman and the two of them decided to go look at the Rashtrapati Bhavan before heading home.
Walking back, they saw a Delhi Police patrol van parked behind their car and two policemen standing there, examining the vehicle. The women went up quickly to the cops and apologized, thinking they had broken some parking law in this high security zone.
The moment the cops saw the two women, their demeanour changed. The more senior of the cops smiled. He asked my friend whether she wanted to sell her car because he was interested in buying it. My friend replied in the negative. It was an old car, unlikely to find any buyers, but she liked it.
The cops didn't take no for an answer, they began to herd the women towards the patrol van, insisting they get in the van to 'discuss the matter'. My friend quickly realized this was not about buying her car. She broke away and dialled the number of someone who she knew was driving not far from the area. Her other friends got there quickly. Seeing the other car arrive, the cops got into their van and wasted no time in driving away. Recounting the story, my friend shivered.
"I know this is Delhi, but I couldn't believe it. This was right at Rashtrapati Bhavan, not even that late. These were uniformed cops in an officially marked van. I've been in some bad areas in American cities but I've never been more scared in my life. B******s.'
01:00 Rape victim's death: UP village grieves for daughter
A pall of gloom descended on Delhi gangrape victim's village on the Uttar Pradesh-Bihar border istrict as soon as the news of her death poured in, reports The Hindu.
Infuriated, young men cried for immediate justice and threatened violence. Elders, however, restrained them. For the most part, the grief was directed inwards: some villagers even refused to light their stoves.
Read the full story here .
Infuriated, young men cried for immediate justice and threatened violence. Elders, however, restrained them. For the most part, the grief was directed inwards: some villagers even refused to light their stoves.
Read the full story here .
00:51 Kiran Bedi offers to train Delhi cops
Former Indian Police Service officer Kiran Beditoday offered to be an honorary trainer for the personnel of the Delhi police in crime prevention.
"I have offered to be an honorary trainer for the Delhi police, officers in particular, in crime prevention...I guarantee scene will change in 90 days," she said in a tweet.
The Delhi police had received flak for not being able to prevent the gangrape of a 23-year-old girl in a moving bus insouth Delhi on December 16 night.
"I have offered to be an honorary trainer for the Delhi police, officers in particular, in crime prevention...I guarantee scene will change in 90 days," she said in a tweet.
The Delhi police had received flak for not being able to prevent the gangrape of a 23-year-old girl in a moving bus insouth Delhi on December 16 night.
00:08 10 Metro stations in Delhi to remain closed today
Ten Metro stations in Central Delhi, which were closed down today for an indefinite period, will be out of bounds for the public tomorrow as well to prevent agitators from reaching India Gate to protest the death of the gang-rape victim.
All the stations which were locked down are close to India Gate and Raisina Hill, the epicentre of the protests against the brutal gang-rape.
The stations that will remain closed tomorrow are Pragati Maidan, Mandi House, Barakhamba Road, Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Udyog Bhawan, Race Course, Jor Bagh and Khan Market.
All the stations which were locked down are close to India Gate and Raisina Hill, the epicentre of the protests against the brutal gang-rape.
The stations that will remain closed tomorrow are Pragati Maidan, Mandi House, Barakhamba Road, Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Udyog Bhawan, Race Course, Jor Bagh and Khan Market.
00:07 Rape victim's body to land in Delhi around 3 am
The body of the 23-year-old Delhi gang-rape victim was flown to the Indian capital shortly after midnight, hours after she died at a Singapore super speciality hospital.
The body was ferried to Delhi in a chartered Air India plane AIC-380A that took off around 12:30 am local time (10:00 pm IST), Indian High Commission officials said. The plane is expected to land in New Delhi around 3 am.
The body was ferried to Delhi in a chartered Air India plane AIC-380A that took off around 12:30 am local time (10:00 pm IST), Indian High Commission officials said. The plane is expected to land in New Delhi around 3 am.
00:05 Top headlines in the last 24 hours
Delhi gangrape victim's body flown to India from Singapore
Pix: Thousands light candles, pray for Delhi rape victim
Mumbai unites in grief, anger over rape victim's death
True, people have woken up. But will anything change?
As a woman and mother, I know how you feel: Sonia
Protesters at Jantar Mantar force Delhi CM to return
Yesterday's live commentary link
Delhi gangrape victim's body flown to India from Singapore
Pix: Thousands light candles, pray for Delhi rape victim
Mumbai unites in grief, anger over rape victim's death
True, people have woken up. But will anything change?
As a woman and mother, I know how you feel: Sonia
Protesters at Jantar Mantar force Delhi CM to return
Yesterday's live commentary link
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