Three Indians attacked by 70 locals in Australia

M
elbourne, Sept 15 (PTI) After a brief lull in attacks on Indians in Australia, three members of the community were "brutally bashed" by a group of around 70 youths, including women, who were attending a birthday party in a bar here after making racist remarks against the trio.

26-year-old Sukhdip Singh, who arrived here a month ago on a spouse visa, his brother Gurdeep Singh and uncle Mukhtair Singh were attacked by the group when they were playing pool in a bar in Epping suburb on Saturday.

"At around 11'o clock my brother-in-law Sukhdip was playing pool along with his family members when they were attacked by around 70 locals who were attending a party," the victim's relative Onkar Singh told PTI.

"They were quietly playing and were trying to avoid trouble even after these locals were trying to provoke them by passing comments," he said.

Share

Blogger Widgets

Mystery surrounds Satyam grant by Victoria Government

M
elbourne, Sep. 15 (ANI): The Government of Victoria’s decision to give a grant to Indian software giant Satyam Computers now Mahindra Satyam despite failing a federal government litmus test for funding is shrouded in mystery.

The grant by Victoria controversially enabled the original firm to embark on the 75 million dollar Geelong IT project.

Mahindra Satyam canceled the project, which was to have created 2000 jobs and contributed 175 million dollars in economic activity for Victoria, last week.

Federal Innovation Minister Kim Carr last year unveiled the 24 million dollar Geelong Investment and Innovation Fund (GIIF) established after Ford Australia decided to restructure its manufacturing operations in the region.

The fund was made up of 15 million dollars in Commonwealth funding, six million dollars from the Victorian government and the remainder from Ford.

According to a spokeswoman for Senator Carr, department officials had initial conversations with Satyam on whether the company would be eligible for the scheme and Satyam was told that it did not meet the criteria for the GIIF.

In Freedom of Information documents obtained by the Victorian state opposition, Treasurer and ICT minister John Lenders approved an undisclosed amount of cash advance to Satyam as part of its "investment attraction package".

A spokesman for state opposition treasury spokesman Kim Wells said the discrepancy was "mysterious".

"The state government is saying one thing and the federal another," Wells said.

A spokesman for Lenders could not explain why Satyam was given Victorian taxpayer dollars despite the GIIF saga. (ANI)

Share

Blogger Widgets

Recovery of mobile phone provides a ray of hope for Aarushi''s parents

N
ew Delhi, Sept 15 (ANI): A day after the Delhi Police''s crime branch reportedly traced murdered teen Aarushi Talwar''s mobile phone, her parents on Tuesday said its recovery provides a ray of hope for bringing the murderers to justice.

Talking to reporters, Aarushi''s father Rajesh Talwar said, "The recovery of the mobile phone is a ray of hope for us that the culprits will be caught. We have been praying since last year."

Aarushi''s mother, Nupur Talwar, said: "Aarushi''s cell phone being found is like a ray of hope that has come in after a year and a half. We''ve been praying and hoping against hope that something comes up. I hope everyone prays for and is with us."

When asked about the CBI role in probing the case, Rajesh Talwar said: "I will not make any claims regarding lapses made in probing the case. I just hope the case is cracked soon and those responsible for the gruesome act are brought to justice. Let the agency probe the case without any interference."

Meanwhile, the CBI said that it would not reveal more information regarding the case to the media.

On Monday, the Delhi Police and the Crime Branch found Aarushi''s mobile phone in Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh. The phone had been missing since May 18, 2008. (ANI)

Share

Blogger Widgets

External Affairs Ministry denies Chinese firing across LAC

N
ew Delhi, Sep.15 (ANI): A spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday denied a media report about two ITBP jawans being injured due to firing from across the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

"A media report about two ITBP jawans having been injured due to firing from across the LAC (Line of Actual Control) has come to notice. The report is factually incorrect," said the MEA spokesman.

The denial comes after intelligence sources had revealed that two jawans of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, were injured in bullets fired from the Chinese side.

This was the first incident where bullets have been fired since the landmark 1996 Sino-India agreement in which both sides pledged not to open fire, no matter what the provocation, as a part of confidence-building measures.

The firing reportedly took place in Kerang in northern Sikkim a fortnight ago but has been kept under wraps. It was confirmed on Monday by a highly-placed intelligence source, Times Now reports.

Sources cited this as yet another instance of China''s maintaining pressure on the 2.1 sq km area of `Finger Point'' in northern Sikkim. Last year, China had sent a vehicle-mounted patrol into this area, penetrating 1 km into Indian Territory. (ANI)

Share

Blogger Widgets