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Showing posts from August 24, 2008

Who killed Swami Lakshmanananda Maoists OR Christian missionaries

Maoists deny role in VHP leader’s murder Staff Reporter Source: The Hindu ‘Some wayward cadre lured by some committed the crime’ Copy of the letter sent to VHP and Bajrang Dal leaders Maoists also deny role in the murder of VHP activists at Jalaspata BERHAMPUR: The letter claimed that some wayward cadre of the Maoist outfit were lured by nefarious elements to commit the crime. Meanwhile naxal sympathizers of Orissa have also claimed that Maoists had no hand in the murder of the VHP activists at Jalaspata in Kandhamal district. A copy of the letter was sent to the State joint secretar

Who killed Swami Lakshmanananda?

August 28, 2008 17:38 IST source: Rediff.com Who killed Swami Lakshmanananda? Not the Maoists, everyone except some senior state government authorities maintain. Even the top brass of the state police say it is improbable that Maoists were responsible for the murder of the Swami and four others at his remote ashram in Orissa's Kandhamal district on Saturday night. A senior state police officer said the modus operandi of the murders do not provide substantial evidence that the Maoists may be involved. Here are the facts of the murder after preliminary investigations: On Saturday, the ashram was celebrating Janmashtami, when around dinner time, a group of 30-40 armed assailants surrounded the place. Eyewitnesses said about four of the assailants carried AK-47s and many others had country made revolvers. Two of the four home guards stationed for security had gone to eat and only two of them were guarding the premises. The assailants tied down the two guards, and gagged them. T

Why Kashmir is up in flames ?

Source: Rediff.com Colonel Dr Anil A Athale (retd) August 29, 2008 A s someone who has been active in resolving the Kashmir issue since 1990, recent events did not come as too much of a surprise. Many observers have commented that the situation is back to the days of 1989-1990. They are only partially right, on the surface it does appear so, but there are major differences. How the situation is similar and yet different is an important issue since the Indian response has to be based on sound analysis lest we repeat our past mistakes. Public memory is short but it is the job of analysts to remember the past and bring it to public notice. Rollercoaster public opinion in the Kashmir valley The first thing to understand about the people of the Kashmir valley is that their views are fickle and can see radical changes. In 1947, in the wake of the tribal invasion led and masterminded by Pakistan, the valley welcomed the Indian Army [ Images ] with open arms. One of INPAD's members,

Chinore wakes up to terror 28 Aug 2008, 0157 hrs IST,TNN

source: TOI JAMMU: "I wonder why political parties and human rights proponents insist on the human rights of terrorists while common people don't even seem to have the right to live" — this from Sohan Lal Sharma, who witnessed the encounter between security forces and fidayeen that jolted Chinore on Wednesday. "I'll never forget this black Wednesday. I was on a morning walk around 5.30am with friends when we heard what sounded like gunshots," recalls Sohan, a student of MSc (Information Technology). Perplexed, they looked in the direction from where the shots were heard. When they couldn't quite get a hang of what had happened, they returned to their morning exercises, thinking it could have been crackers. Half an hour later, Sohan says his mobile phone rang. "It was for a friend. His mother had called on my phone and, sounding distraught, asked us to get back to our homes quickly. Apparently, she had heard the news that terrorists had sneaked in

Jammu: Rescued hostages recount incident

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Jammu: Rescued hostages recount incident 28 Aug 2008, 0943 hrs IST,AGENCIES sources: TOI One of the hostages and the surviving child, recollecting the fearful incident. More Pictures JAMMU: It was a trauma they would have never imagined to came across. Fear could be seen on the faces of the seven hostages, including four children, who were held captives by the suspected LeT militants for 19-hours before being freed in a military operation on early Thursday. ( Watch ) Billu Ram, the owner of the house in which the terrorists were holed up, and his family members were rescued following the gunbattle that lasted till late Wednesday. However, a neighbour, his son, and a teacher present in the building were killed by the three terrorists, who were later shot dead by army personnel. "The first to be brought out was Sarita, the wife of Billu Ram. She was injured. After that, his four children were rescued," a police officer said. The youngest of the children was Vipin

Accused bombers led dual lives

Accused bombers led dual lives 28 Aug 2008, 0458 hrs IST, Prashant Dayal,TNN source: TOI AHMEDABAD: When a team of crime branch of city police reached Tavdipura of Bharuch to nab Sajid Mansuri, in connection with the 26/7 serial blasts, he had one wish - not to be arrested in front of his wife and children. Sajid is emerging as the key strategist in the Ahmedabad, Surat and Jaipur bomb plots. The terror accused who have been arrested till date had been living a double life. In most cases, the police found that their family members were completely in the dark about their Jihadi sides. Sajid's apparent shame for his arrest may seem in sharp contrast to his terrorist activities, but his wife seemed unaware about her husband's mission. Just 45 days ago, Sajid had come to stay in Bharuch. He hid his past and lived under the cover of a dealer of phenyl and floor-cleaner acid. On the day of his arrest, Sajid had gone out to treat his wife and children to some ice-cre

Exiles in ghettos keep fire blazing SANKARSHAN THAKUR Agnishekhar Muthi (Jammu), Aug. 24: They live eight, often ten or twelve, to a room. To call th

Exiles in ghettos keep fire blazing SANKARSHAN THAKUR Source: telegraphindia.com Agnishekhar Muthi (Jammu), Aug. 24: They live eight, often ten or twelve, to a room. To call them rooms is a stretch; hovels is more appropriate — barely six by eight, the asbestos ceilings knocked low over them, a vast and suffocating narrow-laned warren. They do with temporary power pulled on illicit lines, they have little access to water, they share unsanitary community bathrooms. They live marooned in the putrid discharge o

AP, K'taka engulfed by terror networks

Source: TOI HYDERABAD: In what can only be described as an increasingly frustrating feeling, the Andhra Pradesh police has been able to establish that there is a clear link between the terror elements operating in neighbouring Karnataka and those active in Andhra Pradesh soil including Hyderabad, but has not been able to identify and destroy them. Based on evidence gathered from the twin blasts in Hyderabad last year and on the interrogation of a few arrested persons in Karnataka, the state police conclusively believes that sleeper cells are present in the neighbouring state with elements from the state in active collusion. "The aim of these groups, whether Huji or LET or Simi, is clear. Bangalore and Hyderabad are being chosen as targets because by hitting them, a scare and panic can be conveyed to the US and the West as these two cities are housing those countries’ biggest IT operations," said an official. Raziuddin Nasir, a Hyderabad resident, and his accomplice Hafiz Kh

‘Vote-bank politics aiding terror’

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‘Vote-bank politics aiding terror’ Monday August 25 2008 04:58 IST Express News Service CRY AGAINST TERROR: (From left) Andhra Bhoomi editor MVR Sastry, former head of RAW’s counter-terrorism wing B Raman, former Lok Ayukta Justice DJ Jagannadha Raju and former DGP TS Rao at a seminar on jehadi terrorism held in Hyderabad on Sunday. HYDERABAD: A seminar on ‘Tackling jehadi terrorism’ was held at the Osmania University Law College here today under the auspices of Social Cause, a civil society organisation, on the eve of the first anniversary of the twin blasts at Lumbini Park and Gokul Chat Bhandar in the city. Former director-general of police TS Rao, who was the moderator, said religious fundamentalism, entwined with vote-bank politics, was fuelling jehadi terrorism. "Despite concrete evidence that SIMI and other jehadi organisations had involvement in terror acts, some political parties ar

After one year of twin blasts in Hyderabad, victims are still suffering

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After one year of twin blasts in Hyderabad, victims are still suffering Press Release Sourc: khabarein.info Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee, while expressing deep sorrow for the victims of the bomb blasts at Hyderabad, said that the even after one year of the blasts, government failed to provide the medical facilities and any help to the persons injured. The promises made by the government are only for the namesake, which have not been fulfilled. The condition of the persons injured in the blasts is worse than the dead. An example of such case is of 27 years old youth named Shiva Reddy, who after completing M.Tech from Anwal-ul-Uloom College, worked as design engineer at Vijay electrical company. On 25th August 2007 While returning from work he met two of his friends, “Uday and Badushah” near Gokul chat. The owner of the chat asked them to either come inside the shop or move away from there. So, they went inside the Gokul chat. They were taking the token from the owner,

Blasts still haunt victims 24 Aug

Blasts still haunt victims 24 Aug 2008, 0328 hrs IST,TNN Source TOI HYDERABAD: Life has come to a standstill for Jeelani Begum. It has been a year since she lost her only son, Akramullah Khan, 19, but no day passes without her crying for him. Akram, a good-natured youth, was her only hope to take the family name forward and lead a dignified life. His head constable father Asadullah Khan would ask the boy not to take the risk of eating at any roadside eatery. His father's fears came true on August 25, 2007. He stopped the auto he was commuting with his two sisters at Gokul Chat. "He took a parcel of chat and was making the exit when the blast had occurred," Asadullah Khan, who has five daughters, recollected all the happenings of the day, which are still afresh in his mind. "I tried to stop him from going out on that day, but he did not listen," Khan added. Jeelani Begum, Khan's wife, who is weighed down by her son’s loss, cannot ignore worldly worries. A

Naxals Attack Spiritual guru:: Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, 4 others killed in grenade attack in Orissa

Source: Odissatoday.com Bhubaneswar ( Orissa) : In a sensational incident Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his close aids have been killed in a grenade attack by the suspected Maoists at around 9 PM at Jalaspotta Ashram, in Tumudi Bandh area in the tribal dominated district of Kandhamal in Southern Orissa on Saturday night. According to the sources the suspected Maoist have hurled grenade on the Ashram resulting killing of five persons including Ashram chief, Swami Laxmananand Saraswati. The other victims include two inmates of the ashram and all the victims have dead at the spot. RSS has decided to block all NH running through the Orissa as mark of protest over the killing on Saturday night, sources said. Meanwhile RDC Southern range Satyabrta Sahu, DIG Southern range, RP Kothe have rushed to the spot as the tension flare up in the district following this incident. Additional security forces 12 CRPF platoon have also been moved to the spot to prevent any unpleasant incid

‘Even Muslims support us’

Source: dnaindia.com The land row has triggered off communal passions in Jammu. What is your view? It is a canard being spread that the Jammu agitation is a communal struggle. For the last 46 days, there has been no communal violence. One incident at Kashtiwar needs to be probed. Muslims support our struggle because they feel an injustice has been done to people in Jammu. Is it a struggle of Jammu versus Kashmir? People in Jammu are nationalists and we carry the tricolour in our hands. In Kashmir, people openly unfurl Pakistani flags and chant anti-India slogans. Still, the Centre believes in appeasement and ignores Jammu. The perception in Kashmir is that you have enforced economic blockade? There is no economic blockade. It is an attempt by separatists in Kashmir to divert the attention from the real issue for their vested interests. — Professor Narendra Singh, member of the Shri Amarnath Sangrash Simiti (SASS)

A word of caution for SS

A word of caution for SS Written on August 22nd, 2008 in IDP By K.N. Pandita Sangarsh Samiti’s (SS) call for strike has entered 54th day. It is a long and unprecedented event in the history of Jammu. Congress has come out with a warning asking SS to wind up the agitation. How should this be interpreted? Tactically, SS is at some slight disadvantage. The agitation started with opposition to the withdrawal of land allocation order by the government. The catalyst to mass movement was Governor Vohra’s insult to Jammu people. That was New Delhi’s brief for him.. Even Congressman, Mr. Mangat Ram is reported to have told the Governor that Jammu stir would not last more than two or three days. Politicians with short vision have tremendous capacity for self delusion. The SS focused on the land - deal issue w

Requiem for unsung soldiers Sathya Saran

Source: www.dnaindia.com High up in the Himalayas, in windy Drass, which is in Kargil to be exact, are two Army-run spots that could well become tourist highlights for travellers passing that way.. The Kargil War Memorial is one of them. Inscribed on the pink Jaipur stone wall that is bracketed by pretty stone trellises and a series of lamps, are the names and battalions of the many brave men who died while saving their motherland from the enemy. Common enough an idea as a memorial, but there is more. The now peaceful memorial that seems a haven of quiet, with only the wind whistling in the nearby trees, is directly behind the mountains that were once enemy-occupied territory. Framing the memorial and dwarfing it by its sheer magnitude, the peaks rise rugged and tall. They are close enough to the road that we have travelled, and which links Kashmir to Ladakh, as a national highway, to be vital as protectors of the link. And it was these peaks that were in May 1999, the year of the Karg