LIVE! Bihar flood toll touches 440; Assam, WB situation improves

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Sat, 26 August 2017

Bihar flood toll touches 440; Assam, WB situation improves

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21:24 Bihar flood toll touches 440; Assam, WB situation improves

Bihar continued to reel under floods with the toll mounting to 440 and 1.71 crore people still affected, while the situation in Assam and West Bengal has improved.

Araria district accounted for 95 deaths followed by Sitamarhi, 46, and Katihar,40.

The flood waters, however, have receded in some places, prompting many to return to their homes. The number of relief camps also dropped to 262, in which 1.65 lakh people were staying, a release by disaster management department said.

The flood situation in Assam improved as 2.03 lakh people is six districts were affected by the deluge against yesterday's 2.67 lakh flood-hit people in seven districts.

In the backdrop of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's conviction in a rape case, religious leaders today called for a crackdown on "money-launderers masquerading as godmen".

"Incidents like these send across a very strong message about India and its spiritual heritage. We have long demanded that the government investigate and act against godmen whose empires may have undergone a meteoric rise," said president of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, Swami Narendra Giri.

Giri said, "Many money launderers are masquerading as godmen. They belong to no religious tradition, mutt, or akhara. People with big money become followers of these so-called cult leaders with the intention to get their black wealth converted into white".

In a separate interaction with newsmen, Devi Prasad, chief priest of the renowned Sharda Devi Temple at Maihar in the neigbouring state of Madhya Pradesh, hailed the court verdict against the Dera chief.

A protest planned tomorrow against lynchings and assaults in recent months has been postponed to September 10 in view of prohibitory orders in New Delhi.

Violence and arson spilled over to the national capital from neighbouring Haryana after self-styled godman Guru Ram Rahim's conviction in a rape case yesterday, forcing the Delhi Police to clamp down prohibitory orders till September 8.

The 'Say no to hatred' protest was planned by the campaigners behind the 'Not In My Name' movement. Various events were planned across the city as part of the protest.

BS Sandhu, Haryana Police Chief, said that 36 people have been killed and 269 people have been injured.

Out of the injured, 212 people were civilians. Property damage was also noted at 18 public and private locations in Haryana. He also said that about 3,000 to 4,000 people were at the Dera Sacha Sauda ahram in Sirsa and they are vacating gradually.

He added that 24 vehicles were impounded by police in Panchkula. Also, five pistols (79 rounds), two rifles (52 rounds), an AK 47, three petrol bombs, iron rods and hockey sticks were also recovered.

There are also reports coming in that intelligence agencies allegedly believe that Dera supporters planning to disturb law and order situation to in Delhi by entering the national capital via unmarked vehicles. Barricades have been put in place at the borders to avoid the same.

Putting an end to the rumours surrounding Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar's expulsion in wake of the Ram Rahim verdict flare-up, BJP sources have confirmed that Khattar stays put.

In a meeting chaired by Amit Shah with BJP general secretary (Haryana) Dr Anil Jain and senior leader Kailash Vijaivargiya, it has been decided that Khattar will not be summoned to Delhi either- for any clarifications.

On the violence that engulfed parts of Haryana, Amit Shah said, "Keeping in mind the significance of Dera, the violence is handled well."

This comes amid reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP National President Amit Shah met on the intervening night of Saturday to take a call on Khattar's chief ministerial journey.

19:13 Saina loses in semi- finals

Saina Nehwal was unable to book her place in the womens singles final of the World Badminton Championships after falling to Japan's Nozomi Okuhara in three sets -- 21-12, 17-21, 10-21.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan today came down heavily on BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj for defending Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who was convicted in a rape case, saying his words exposed the "inhuman face" of the Sangh Parivar.

In a Facebook post, he said, "The BJP leader's question of who was right whether crores of people who revered Ram Rahim as God or the woman who accused him of rape, was a 'challenge or cruel mockery' towards womanhood."

Maharaj had supported the Dera chief, who was yesterday convicted by a CBI court in a rape case, and had described him as a "simple person" yesterday.

"Sakshi Maharaj, who described a culprit accused of raping a minor girl as a great soul, has exposed the inhuman face of the Sangh Parivar. The attempt to protect the culprit by insulting the victim is a criminal offence," Vijayan said.

The chief minister also alleged that BJP-RSS leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, were supporting Maharaj through their "silence".

The hearing to decide the quantum of punishment to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who was convicted in a rape case by a CBI court in Panchkula on Friday, will take place inside the Rohtak district jail on Monday.

CBI court judge Jagdeep Singh, who on Friday pronounced Ram Rahim guilty, will be flown to the Sunaria jail in a helicopter and set up his makeshift court there. The punishment can be a jail term not less than ten years but may even extend to life imprisonment.

In an order, the Acting Chief Justice and other judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, told the jail authorities and the additional chief secretary of Haryana government to make all the necessary arrangements and to ensure the judges security.

Earlier, the CBI judge had planned to hold the hearing via video-conferencing in order to avoid a repeat of the violence that erupted in Panchkula after the conviction.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu today condemned as "unacceptable", the large-scale violence in Punjab and Haryana triggered by the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a rape case.

He also said "some people" incited violence in the name of religion, language or region and the challenge to rid the country of discrimination and inequalities remained.

"Some people incite violence in the name of caste, religion, language and region. They provoke people into acts of violence. Such acts are not acceptable in a democracy," Naidu noted, referring to the widespread violence that led to the death of over 30 people in Haryana.

Parts of Punjab also saw violence and arson after the conviction of Ram Rahim by a CBI court in Panchkula.

Haryana Deputy Advocate General Gurdass Singh Salwara has been sacked.

The Deputy Advocate General was seen assisting the rapist godman by carrying the luggage of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who was convicted of raping two of his followers on Friday.

Haryana A-G Baldev Mahajan confirmed that the deputy A-G has been sacked and said he had recommended the termination on seeing the video.

He said that the deputy A-G had accompanied the convicted godman after claiming to be his relative.

The law officer was in his uniform when he picked Ram Rahim Singhs bags. Mahajan, however, claimed that had the deputy A-G been in plainclothes, it would not have amounted to impropriety.

17:21 Gorakhpur deaths: 2 more doctors suspended

Two doctors of BRD Medical College Hospital, including in-charge of the encephalitis ward Dr Kafeel Khan, have been suspended in connection with the death of children in Gorakhpur earlier this month.

In-charge of the 100-bed AES ward, Dr Khan and in-charge of Anaesthesia Dr Satish have been suspended after the state government's approval, principal of the medical college Dr P K Singh said.

The probe committee headed by Chief Secretary Rajive Kumar had recommended initiating criminal action against the then principal of the medical college, Dr Satish, Dr Khan and M/s Pushpa Sales Pvt Ltd.

With this, seven persons have been suspended following the deaths of over 60 children in the state-run hospital due to alleged lack of oxygen supply.

Besides the then principal, Dr Rajiv Kumar Mishra, three employees of the hospital and a pharmacist have also been suspended, Dr Singh said.

Punjab CM Amarinder Singh briefed the media on Saturday and said the state government was prepared well in advance for any violence by the Dera supporters.

He said the DGP and his team had maintained the law and order well and said there were 52 minor incidents of vandalism reported in the state.

Singh said that seven of those killed in the violence in Panchkula on Friday were from Punjab, and 42 people have been injured in the state.

He also said that internet services will remain suspended till Monday and a final decision on transport services will be taken after Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's sentencing.

The special Central Bureau of Investigation court in Panchkula on Friday pronounced Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a rape case.

With the news flashing all over, a name, which a very few people might have heard before is flowing on social media. Journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati, who ran a local daily Poora Sacch, was the journalist who exposed the rapes of two women at Dera headquarters in Sirsa in 2002.

Read full story HERE

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not spared as a furious court today reprimanded Haryana and the central governments over the deadly rioting by self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim's followers after his conviction for rape. "He is the Prime Minister of not the BJP but of India," said the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The court was responding to the centre's lawyer saying that yesterday's violence was a matter of the state. "Is Haryana not a part of India? Why are Punjab and Haryana treated like step children?" the court questioned.

Earlier, the ML Khattar government in Haryana confronted sharp words as the court said: "You let a city like Panchkula burn for political motives."

After Ram Rahim's conviction, thousands of his supporters massed near a court in Panchkula went berserk, burning cars, damaging property and targeting residents. The violence spread to other towns in Haryana and parts of Punjab.

Congress has demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar after violence in Haryana following Ram Rahim's conviction in a rape case by Panchkula court claimed over 30 lives and injured 250.

Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in a press conference today said, Khattar government is directly involved in the mayhem.

"Manohar Lal Khattar should take moral responsibility of the entire episode and should resign from his post. If he refuses to do so, then the Central government should impose President's Rule in the State", said Hooda.

Just a day before the last episode of Game of Thrones Season 7 set to hit the screens, the HBO hackers calling themselves as Mr Smith have leaked the climax of the ongoing season, thus ending the suspense that kept the millions of fans on toes.

According to Mashable, the hacking group which stole approximately 1.5 terabytes of data from HBO have released, what they call, a sixth wave of leaks that contain confidential plot summaries and details of how the season will end.

In response, HBO has said the hackers may continue to drop bits and pieces of stolen information in an attempt to generate media attention. Thats a game were not going to participate in, HBO was quoted as saying.

The hacking group demanded approximately $6.5 million worth of Bitcoin from HBO but that demand has not been met so far.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor today said Haryana Chief Minister M L Khattar should be sacked for his government's "complete failure" in controlling the violence following Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's conviction in a rape case.

There has been a "transcended failure of governance", the Congress leader said, a day after a Panchkula court's guilty verdict against the Dera Sacha Sauda chief triggered widespread violence in which 31 people were killed.

The Haryana government's inability to maintain law and order in a situation of predictable chaos was to be blamed, Tharoor said.

"The lack of management of predictable crowd violence, where anyone could see people gathering with weapons in advance of the verdict is the major reason behind what has happened," Tharoor said.

"Ultimately it is the chief minister and his cabinet who are responsible for the law and order situation in the state. It is a complete failure of the government and the CM should be sacked for it," he added.

BSP president Mayawati today demanded immediate dismissal of the Khattar government over the violence in Haryana, saying such "shameful surrender" to votebank politics needed to be condemned.

In a statement, she expressed deep anguish over the loss of lives in the state after the frenzied followers of the Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh went on a rampage within a few hours of the pronouncement of the judgment by a CBI court in the 2002 case.

"The Khattar government should be immediately dismissed for its absolute laxity and involvement leading to large-scale violence after the conviction of the Dera Sacha Sauda chief on rape charges," Mayawati said.

"This kind of shameful surrender for politics of vote needed to be condemned by all," she said.

Mayawati alleged that the votebank politics of the BJP and the criminal negligence of the Manohar Lal Khattar government was responsible for the loss of lives.

The military is not going inside the Dera. "There is no such plan as of now," said Rajpal Punia, GOC, 33 Division Hisar in response to questions of the army entering the headquarters which has been housing more than 1,000 followers.

Fifteen Dera supporters have been arrested since last night, the police said. Dera centres at Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Kaithal and Panchkula have been sealed.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy called on to initiate a probe to identify the miscreants, who vandalised the property after conviction of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in rape case and said law needs to be enforced to keep a check on all the religious institution of the country.

The violence is unexplainable. If they are devotees of a truly religious person, why should this violence take place? Either these are violent acts, which should be banned or there is an infiltration. Who are behind the violence, it must be found out, Swamy said.

It was more than 10 years after their rapes that the two survivors finally recorded their statements before the judges in 2009 and 2010. These first-hand accounts of the sufferings of the two sadhvis eventually sealed the fate of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, leading to his conviction on Friday.

In their depositions on oath before CBI judges, the sadhvis had given the sequences of events, narrating horrifying tales of how the "powerful Baba" used to rape them and other women of the dera inside his 'gufa' (a customised underground chamber that was his personal residence).

Read full story HERE

13:56

JUST IN: Haryana chief secretary says Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's 'Z plus' security withdrawn after his conviction in rape case.

Also read: These babas have Z-category security

13:45 Forces ask Dera followers to vacate Sirsa headquarters

Security forces, including the army, asked an estimated one lakh followers of Dera Sacha Sauda to vacate the controversial sects headquarters in Haryanas Sirsa on Saturday, a day after violence over the conviction of its chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a rape case singed the state and left 31 people dead.

Lakhs of followers of the 50-year-old cult leader went on the rampage in Panchkula, where a CBI court convicted Singh in the 15-year-old case, and other places of Haryana -- setting vehicles on fire, damaging residential and business properties and waging pitched battles with security forces.

Meanwhile, Canada and United Kingdom governments has issued a safety advisory for its citizens in India following the conviction of Ram Rahim, saying tensions remain high in Punjab and Haryana, and various other areas.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh today reviewed the security situation in north India, particularly Haryana where violence following the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda chief in a rape case has claimed 31 lives, officials

said.

Top officials, including Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and Intelligence Bureau chief Rajiv Jain, gave detailed presentations about the situation in Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and chiefs of paramilitary personnel were also present at the meeting.

The home minister was apprised about the steps taken to maintain law and order and restore peace, said an official privy to the development.

While Panchkula and Sirsa were "very tense", the situation in the rest of the state was "tense but under control", the minister is believed to have been told.

At a time when our elected leaders genuflect before self-styled godmen of every ilk, it took a court to take a stand. The self-styled 'Messenger of God', "Pita-ji of Bling" Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh of the Dera Sacha Sauda was convicted of rape by a Panchkula court today. Then, some towns in the states Punjab and Haryana saw his crazed followers attempting to deliver on their threat to "wipe out India" if their beloved cult leader was convicted.

Read full column HERE

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has lashed out at the Manohar Lal Khattar government in Haryana, saying it let Panchkula burn for political gains.

It says the government seemed to have surrendered to violent followers of the Dera Sacha Sauda after their leader Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was convicted of rape by a CBI court.

The Khattar administration is under fire for letting the mob of Dera followers build up in Panchkular at least 72 hours before the verdict.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh tweeted on the current situation in Punjab."Just been briefed by DGP, situation peaceful, curfew lifted in 3 districts, relaxed in all others this morning. State on alert for 48 hrs," he wrote.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police in Panchkula was today suspended by Haryana government, a day after 31 people died in the district in violence

triggered by the rape conviction of self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

IPS officer Ashok Kumar, DCP Panchkula, has been put under suspension with immediate effect, an official order said.

During the period of suspension, he will report to the office of DGP, Haryana, Panchkula, it said.

Officials sources claimed that the senior police officer has been blamed for failing to get prohibitory orders under Section 144 effectively implemented in Panchkula.

Dera Sacha Sauda followers went on a rampage yesterday following conviction of Ram Rahim Singh by a CBI court in Panchkula in rape case.

It was 11.30 am in the Punjab and Haryana High Court Friday when Haryanas Advocate General B R Mahajan claimed that except for two spots, a public park and a community hall, most of the crowd of Dera Sacha Sauda followers had been evacuated from Panchkula.

Hearing this, the High Court directed the state not to shy away from using any kind of weapon to deal with persons indulging in arson, loot and violence. Three hours later, after their chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was convicted of rape by the Panchkula CBI court, this very crowd went on a rampage, torched more than 70 vehicles and damaged six government buildings setting off a police-public clash that left, until midnight tonight, at least 30 dead and hundreds injured. And a beleaguered state government scrambling for cover.

Todays violence, given its sudden flare-up and intensity, was startling but hardly surprising. When Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar appealed for calm a few minutes before the verdict, it was clearly too little, too late.

Read full story HERE

A day after violence over the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh killed 31 people, the Haryana administration has sealed two of the sects ashrams in Kurukshetra, while 15 Dera followers were detained from its Sirsa headquarters.

Security forces are on high alert today in Panchkula as an uneasy calm prevailed in the district, the epicentre of yesterday's violence triggered by the rape conviction of self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

Meanwhile, the people of Haryana said that the violence is a reuslt of the failure of the government. The Dera supporters should never have been allowed inside the state and Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Home Minister Rajnath Singh should both resign, they said. The people want president's rule to be imposed in Haryana.

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi in connection with its money laundering probe against him and others.

Officials in the agency said Qureshi was arrested late last night after he was called for questioning in the case.

The meat exporter has been arrested under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and will be produced before a court today, they said, alleging that he was not cooperating in the probe.

He has been questioned multiple times in the past by the agency which is probing Qureshi after it registered two FIRs under the PMLA.

Haryana's Director General (Prisons) K P Singh has rejected reports of special treatment and an attendant being provided to jailed Dera Saccha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim.

He said the Dera chief is lodged in Sunaira jail and not in a guest house, as reported by some news channels.

"Some channels and papers reporting on special treatment to Ram Rahim. I clarify he is in Sunaria Jail, not in a guesthouse," Singh said.

"Ram Rahim Singh is being treated as normal prisoner. No attendant provided, no AC in the cell he is lodged in." the DG (Prisons) said.

Meanwhile, Section 144 CrPC still imposed in Rohtak where Dera chief has been lodged in a jail. -- ANI

Photograph: PTI Photo

09:40 Now, Trump's counter-terrorism adviser quits

President Donald Trump's counter-terrorism adviser Sebastian Gorka has resigned.

Two administration officials told CNN that an outspoken and combative defender of President Donald Trump's national security agenda, Sebastian Gorka, has left his position as a White House counter-terrorism adviser.

Gorka submitted his resignation to retired Gen John Kelly, the White House chief of staff, on Friday, CNN reported a White House official as saying.

The official said it had become clear to Gorka that he would not be allowed to have a meaningful role going forward.

Gorka, a former Breitbart staffer and Steve Bannon ally served as a deputy assistant to President Donald Trump.

His departure comes one week after Bannon left the administration to return to Breitbart, and follows a spate of firings and resignations at the White House.

The news, which came late Friday evening, was widely expected in the West Wing.

Gorka was one of Trump's most prominent cheerleaders, frequently hitting the airwaves to defend the President's policies and public statements.

Gorka's work for Trump goes back as far as 2015; Federal Election Commission filings showed that Gorka was paid $8,000 that October to be a policy consultant for the Trump campaign.

Gorka also was a member of the White House's Strategic Initiatives Group, which he described as a focal point for task forces collaborating with people outside government.

His resignation adds to a long list of high-profile departures from the White House, including chief strategist Steve Bannon, chief of staff Reince Priebus and press secretary Sean Spicer.-- ANI

One person injured in Sirsa yesterday, has succumbed to injuries, taking the death toll to three in Sirsa and overall death toll in the violence to 31.

There is no report of violence since last night in Sirsa, which houses the Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters, police said, asserting that the situation is under control in the district.

While 28 people were killed in Panchkula, the epicentre of the violence, two died in Sirsa yesterday in the violence triggered by Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim's conviction in a rape case by the Panchkula CBI court.

"The law and order situation is under control as there has been no report of violence since last night," said a senior police officer.

Last night, Army carried out a flag march in the area to maintain law and order.

The normal life has come to a standstill due to curfew-like restrictions imposed by the authorities to prevent any untoward incident.

Two companies of Army and 10 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed.

Police personnel have asked locals to stay indoors. -- ANI, PTI

IMAGE: Police baton-charges a supporter of Dera Saccha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim who was indulging in violence after the latters conviction in Panchkula on Friday. PTI Photo

09:04

Pulwama DPL Encounter: Terrorists have been localised into 2 blocks. Efforts to evacuate people in progress. Intermittent firing on.

08:21 One policeman killed in Pulwama enounter

DPL Pulwama encounter update: One policeman has succumbed to injuries.

The encounter is underway.

More details awaited. - ANI

Two security personnel were today injured in a pre-dawn terrorist attack on the district police lines in Pulwama district of Kashmir.

The terrorists opened fire on DPL Pulwama at around 4:30 am, resulting in injuries to a Central Reserve Police Force jawan and a policeman, a police official told PTI.

He said the security forces retaliated and cross firing was going on till last reports came in.

Extra forces have been rushed to the area, he added.

2-3 terrorists are believed to have been hiding inside DPL. The encounter is on. -- PTI, ANI

Image for representation only.

Prohibitory orders were imposed in all but two districts of Delhi, nine districts of Uttar Pradesh and a district of Rajasthan following widespread violence in Haryana and other places after the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda chief in a rape case.

Official sources said no casualty has been reported from Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, adding that no curfew has been imposed in these regions.

According to a spokesperson of the home ministry, Section 144 of CrPC has been imposed in nine districts of Uttar Pradesh namely Meerut, Saharanpur, Samli, Muzaffarnagar, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha, Bulandshahar, Baghpat and Hapur.

Under the section, assembly of four or more persons is prohibited. The situation in Uttar Pradesh is under control, the spokesperson said.

According to the command room in Delhi, section 144 CrPC has been imposed in all districts of the national capital, except central and north districts, he said.

In Rajasthan, as per state DGP control room in Jaipur, prohibitory orders have been imposed in Hanumangarh district, the spokesperson said.

Besides, three to four unidentified persons set ablaze office of station master at Bohra railway station in Kota rural district, where the situation is now under control, he added.

Maverick self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was convicted of rape by a court in Punchkula, triggering widespread violence and arson in Haryana where 30 people were killed and over 250 injured.

00:21 445 trains cancelled over Dera violence

As many as 445 trains have been cancelled due to the law and order situation in Punjab and Haryana as Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was convicted in a rape case, officials said.

"485 train services have been affected (due to the violence). Of these, 445 stood cancelled," Neeraj Sharma, spokesperson, Northern Railway, said.

The railways said the accumulative figure for cancelled trains on six days, since August 23 till August 28, was at 445.

Malout and Balluanna railway stations in Punjab were partially burnt by angry followers of the Dera chief, officials said.

"Two stations have been affected and we are still getting inputs on the extent of damage. No injuries have been reported so far," Sharma said.

Before the court verdict, the 50-year-old Dera head had appealed to his followers to maintain peace.

At least 30 people have lost their lives in the violence after the verdict was announced.

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