Monday, January 11, 2010

'Overweight' airhostess moves court

An airhostess has approached Delhi High Court challenging erstwhile Indian Airlines' decision to sack her for being "overweight".

The Airline (Now known as National Aviation Company of India Ltd) had last year terminated the services of the petitioner along with 10 other "overweight" air hostesses.

The petitioner, Sangita Garb (46), who served the airlines for 25 years, pleaded with the court to set aside the termination order as it is "violative" of her fundamental rights.

"The order of dispensing of the services by the authority is without application of mind, illegal, arbitrary and contrary to the services regulations and standing orders and therefore untenable in law or liable to be set-aside," advocate Arvind Kumar Sharma, appearing for the petitioner, contended.

Justice S N Aggarwal, after hearing his plea issued a notice to the Airlines and asked it to file its response by January 22 when the matter would be taken up for further hearing.

The airhostess pleaded that under the garb of the terms contained in the appointment letter, Indian Airlines, which has now merged into Air India, was trying to terminate the services on the ground of their being overweight.

Sanjay Dutt resigns as SP general secretary

Mumbai, Jan 10 (ANI): Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt has resigned as the general secretary of Samajwadi Party (SP).

The actor-turned-politician resigned a couple of days after Amar Singh, quit from all party posts of the SP.

The 53-year-old Singh was considered the right hand man of SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.

The media had reported a rift between party chief Yadav and Singh after the party''s poor show in its stronghold Uttar Pradesh, winning just 23 seats out of 80, in the last general elections.

Dutt said that he was hurt by the treatment meted out to Amar Singh by some of the party functionaries.

"Certain leaders of the party have hurt him (Amar Singh), so I also feel hurt from the fact that a man like Amar Singh, who has given his life to the party, has been meted out such treatment," said Dutt.

"So, I want to state that if he (Amar Singh) is not the general secretary of the party, then I have no right of holding the general secretary''s post. So, I want to resign and say that I will be not be the general secretary of Samajwadi Party," he added.

However, Dutt said he would remain in the party as long as Amar Singh is there.

Amar Singh had on Wednesday (January 6) announced his resignation as general secretary of the Samajwadi Party and from his other posts, citing health reasons. (ANI)

Jaspreet''s family hurt over claims of self incurred burn injuries

Melbourne, Jan 11 (ANI): Family and friends of Indian origin man Jaspreet Singh, who was set ablaze outside his home in Australia, are hurt over Victoria Police''s alleged line of investigation that Singh might have set himself aflame.

Singh is recovering in Melbourne''s Alfred Hospital after undergoing surgery for burns on his face, hands and body that he sustained on Saturday. He told police that, at 2 a.m., four men had pushed him against his car, doused him in fluid and set him alight before fleeing along the street in city''s northern suburbs.

The Australian reports that it is understood police are investigating all possible causes of the fire, including that Singh lit the fire himself.

Singh''s wife Paramjeet Kaur and his friends said they were saddened by suggestions that he was not assaulted.

"It''s really traumatic. Why would he burn himself? He was a married man with a five-year-old child," said friend Karun Singh, of the rumours.

Singh said his friend, whom he saw in hospital on Sunday, did not have financial problems and he ran a successful courier business.

On Sunday, Victorian Police Commissioner Simon Overland and Acting Premier Rob Hulls said people should not "jump to any conclusions" about the incident.

Detectives deny there is necessarily a racial element to the attack, saying the "alleged" assault is "a bit strange" and they are not ruling out anything in their investigations.

They are also searching for Singh''s burnt clothing, which could not be found at the crime scene, and are appealing for witnesses.

Neighbours'' reports have also added to the confusion. Some said they did not hear any fight, scuffle or attack, and they heard only the bang when the car exploded.

The incident made has made headlines, coming in the wake of the murder of 21-year-old Nitin Garg in Melbourne. Garg, 21, was attacked in a West Footscray park on his way to work at Hungry Jack''s in Geelong Rd on the weekend before last. (ANI)

SPS Rathore to move High Court for bail

Chandigarh, Jan 11 (ANI): Former Director General of Police (DGP) SPS Rathore, who has been charged for allegedly molesting 14-year old teenager Ruchika Girhotra, a promising young tennis star in 1990s, is expected to move the High Court on Monday for his bail.

The Panchkula court had on Friday (January8) dismissed the bail plea of Rathore.

The court had also slammed the Haryana Police for failing to provide evidences against Rathore, and for not opposing his bail petition.

Rathore has three cases pending against him in the court; all filed by Ruchika''s family and friends.
Ruchika''s family lawyer Pankaj Bharadwaj had earlier filed two First Information Reports (FIRs) against Rathore.
The lawyer had claimed that the first FIR was filed for forging documents like the inquest report and the other for illegal detention of Ruchika''s brother, Ashu, who was kept in illegal detention at the behest of Rathore and given tortures.
The third case is that of abetment to suicide against him.

Teenager Ruchika had killed herself three years after the incident by drinking poison.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is most likely to take over the case.

Meanwhile, the Haryana police have managed to track down the woman whom Rathore alleges to be Ruchika''s stepmother, Veena. There are reports that she is being interrogated by the police with regard to this case.

Rathore''s counsel and wife, Abha Rathore, had earlier, while appealing for Rathore''s bail claimed that Ruchika committed suicide because of her father''s extra marital affair. (ANI)

Indian origin MP urges New Zealand to distance itself from Oz over students safety

Wellington, Jan 11 (ANI): An Indian origin New Zealand MP has asked his government to distance itself from Australia or risk losing students from India.

Last year, 8200 students from India came to study here, a 42 per cent increase from the previous year, and the country is New Zealand''s third-largest student market, worth 2.1 billion dollars, behind South Korea and China.

National Party list MP Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi''s warning comes after an attack in Melbourne at the weekend, the second in just a week and the latest in the string of attacks against people of Indian descent in Australia.

"The trouble is, many Indians see New Zealand and Australia as one and the same," NZ Herald quoted Bakshi, as saying.

The MP said he would approach the Ministry of Education and Immigration New Zealand to discuss using an educational marketing programme to make India aware New Zealand is not like Australia.

"New Zealand is different, safe and we welcome everybody - that is the message we have to get across to India," said Bakshi.

According to Education Minister Anne Tolley, export education also supports more than 32,000 jobs, and international students pay 600 million dollars annually in fees.

Last week, India issued a state advisory warning its citizens studying in Australia to take "basic" precautions against possible attacks after a 21-year-old accounting graduate, Nitin Garg, was stabbed to death in Melbourne on January 2.

On Saturday, a 29-year-old man was rushed to hospital after being set on fire in the Victorian capital, leaving him with 15 per cent burns. (ANI)

''Sarah Palin thought Saddam Hussein was behind 9/11''

New York, January 11 (ANI): Sarah Palin thought Saddam Hussein was behind 9/11, authors of a tell-all book about 2008 US presidential election claim.

Political journalists and writers Mark Halperin and John Heilemann allege a pile of revelations about the former Alaska Governor in their book ''Game Change'', including she was possibly mentally unstable and had wild mood swings.

"One minute, Palin would be her perky self; the next she would fall into a strange blue funk," the New York Daily News quoted the authors as saying.

The book also says: "When her aides tried to quiz her she would routinely shut down - chin on her chest, arms folded, eyes cast to the floor, speechless and motionless, lost in what those around her described as a kind of catatonic stupor.

"If I had known everything I know now, I would not have done this," the book quotes Palin as saying.

Palin''s spokeswoman Meg Stapleton has dismissed the book''s claims tagging it as inaccurate gossip. (ANI)

‘Student-to-student interaction will help build Indo-Pak relationship’

Lahore, Jan 11(ANI): A group of National College of Arts (NCA) students, who recently visited India to attend the annual National Association of Students of Architecture (NASA) convention in Chennai, have said that student-to-student interaction between the two countries can help clear misconceptions in the minds of people on both sides of the border.

The group of 25 students and NCA faculty member Mahmoodul Hasan Jafri had participated in the convention, where they won the Reubens Trophy, which is awarded for the best standard of teaching and quality of students in a college.

Interacting with the media, the students said that they were delighted to win the award at the convention in which participation seemed impossible initially.

“Winning this award has not only given us exposure, but also gave us the confidence that we are not lacking behind,” The Daily Times quoted an NCA student, as saying.

They also said that students’ exchange programs between the two countries should be held on a large scale so that they could get to know each other and learn from their experiences.

Ruba Fauzan, another NCA student who was in charge of the group at the convention, said that they were treated very nicely.

“People in India are very keen to know about our film industry and are fond of our stage dramas,” Fauzan said. (ANI)

A K Antony to visit Jammu tomorrow

New Delhi, Jan 11 (ANI): Defence Minister AK Antony is expected to visit Jammu on Tuesday (January 12) to review the security situation in the region.

Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor, Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar and various other senior officials of the Ministry of Defence will accompany Antony during his one-day visit.

The Defence Minister is expected to visit the forward areas in Jammu region, and later address a meeting at the Unified Headquarters to be attended by the representatives of various forces including the State Police and Central Para Military Forces. (ANI)

Lashker-e-Taiba is still active, says Omar Abdullah

New Delhi, Jan 9(ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said here on Saturday that Pakistan based militant organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba is still active.

Referring to the last two incidents where security forces gunned down four suspected Islamic rebels in two different locations of Kashmir Valley Abdullah said LeT was involved in these incidents.

"The last two operations, both of them were actually Lashkar''s operations the militants involved were Lashkar militants, the only difference is that because of international pressure particularly the US pressure about the whole Lashkar name because of pressure the Lashkar-e-Taiba doesn''t take the credit for the operations they have carried out,” Abdullah said.

Security forces gunned down four militants within last 48 hours.

Abdullah also said that Pakistan-based militant groups have stepped up efforts to sneak into Indian borders.

"This is the part of security forces operations of carrying out surgical strikes. Whenever, we get intelligence report about the presence of these people we will do it, we have never claimed that that Jammu and Kashmir is free from terrorists, infiltration continues and whenever those attempts will take place, we will thwart them," Abdullah said.

Meanwhile, a senior Indian army officer also shared Abdullah''s view and said that militants were trying to infiltrate into the region across the Line of Control (LoC) before winter snow blocks the Himalayan Mountain passes.

"Infiltration attempts were there but all of them were foiled because the BSF (Border Security Force) and army have been alert and we have been able to foil all attempts,” Major General Surinder Nag told media.

“These are, as I stated earlier, when winter passes in the north are closed the terrorists do come down to south because infiltration is easier in plain sectors…the pressure will increase but we are ready for it,” he added. (ANI)

GPS to be installed in mail vans in North-East

To ensure smoother movement of mails and emergency aid to the drivers, Global Positioning Systems (GPS) will be installed to track the movement of mail motor vehicles in the hilly and difficult terrains of North-East.

The Department of Posts has decided to make the system operational by March 2010, official sources said.

For the purpose, 75 mail motor vehicles will be fitted with GPS devices at a total cost of Rs 12 lakh.

"This will help overcome the tough challenges posed by the hilly and thickly forested routes in the North-East and ensure smooth and timely movement of mails and parcels across the region," the sources said.

Installation of GPS devices will help the department to track location of vehicles along the pre-defined locations.

The position of vehicles will be displayed on a detailed digital map which would indicate date, time, speed, distance and the nearest post office, they said.

"The system would also have the facility whereby drivers can issue alert through SMS for detention beyond prescribed timings at post offices. Drivers can also get assistance during emergency through the system," the sources added.

Ageing IAF fleet a concern, says EAC chief

The IAF on Thursday indicated that the ageing fleet of its fighter planes was a matter of concern and hoped that the massive deal for purchase of 126 multi-role combat aircraft would come through.

"A number of older generation aircraft like MiG-21 are operating since early sixties. We have problems with the ageing fleets and their maintenance," Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Indian Air Force's (IAF) Eastern Air Command, Air Marshal Kishan Kumar Nohwar told a press conference here.

The Soviet-era MiG 21 fighters have been in operation in the IAF since 1963 and have been involved in a spate of crashes in the recent years.

Under the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) programme, IAF plans to induct 126 fighter jets at an estimated cost of 12 billion USD. Currently, trials are being conducted with aircraft of six manufacturers vying for the deal.

Besides Sukhois, Nohwar said once the MMRCA deal is through, IAF Force would deploy some of the squadrons in the Eastern sector.

Nowhar said when a country has newer aircraft; the percentage of share of human error is more than technical defect. "Presently, the ratio is tilted more towards technical defects," he said in the backdrop of frequent fighter jet crashes in the recent times.

Nohwar said it was to he credit of IAF that the ageing aircraft, particularly MiG-21s, were being maintained in "flight-worthy condition and were ready to face challenge".

"We have the technical capability to thwart any attack from any quarter. The old fleets are being replaced with newer aircraft," he said.

Ten more Bangladesh-trained terrorists surrender

With Bangladesh continuing its crackdown against militants active in northeast India, 10 more terrorists, including four women, have fled from that country and surrendered to Indian authorities this week, officials said in Agartala on Saturday.

Four All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) guerrillas fled from their camps in Khagrachari in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) in southeast Bangladesh and surrendered to the Border Security Force (BSF) in west Tripura Friday, the officials said.

The four surrendered tribal guerrillas include publicity secretary of the banned ATTF Raj Kumar Debbarma, 38, and ATTF supremo Ranjit Debbarma's private secretary Biswajit Debbarma, 36.

The surrendered militants also deposited some arms and ammunition, a computer, Bangladeshi currency and incriminating documents. They are being interrogated by senior police officials.

Six extremists, including four women, laid down their arms earlier this week after they escaped from their Bangladeshi hideouts.

"In the base camps of ATTF in Bangladesh, there are huge arms and ammunition stored but there aren't sufficient rebels to use them," the surrendered militants told police.

A senior police official said: "The ATTF is trying to buy an FM radio channel in Bangladesh. The ATTF leaders are negotiating with private parties in that country to procure the radio channels to earn money."

According to police, about 370 tribal guerrillas of the ATTF and National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT), including many carrying rewards of Rs 250,000 and with Interpol arrest warrants against them, have fled from their Bangladeshi camps and surrendered to Indian security forces in 2009.

The ATTF and the NLFT have been demanding independence for indigenous tribals and the secession of Tripura from India.

Security officials say militants belonging to various rebel groups in the northeast region have set up about 100 camps and hideouts in different parts of Bangladesh, specially Sylhet district and Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) bordering India's Tripura, Mizoram and Meghalaya states.

Two ULFA militants killed in Assam gunfight

Two hardcore separatists of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) were shot dead in a gunfight with security forces in Assam Sunday. A large haul of explosives and weapons was seized from the dead rebels, officials said.

A police spokesperson said a joint team of Assam police and paramilitary troopers were challenged by a three-member group of ULFA militants early Sunday near Khetri, about 45 km east of Assam's main city of Guwahati.

"Based on specific inputs about some militants roaming in the area, the security team went to the location and was fired upon by the militants... and soon there was a fierce gunfight," a senior police officer said.

The gunfight lasted about 30 minutes in which two ULFA militants were gunned down and the third rebel managed to escape.

"Both the dead militants were wanted in many cases and were among their hardcore cadres expert in shooting and triggering explosions," the police officer said.

Security forces recovered a huge quantity of explosives and weapons, including pistols and one AK-47 assault rifle from the dead militants.

"A hunt is on to nab the militant who managed to flee," the officer said.

The three-member ULFA group, according to the police, was probably in the area to carry out attacks and extort money.

Lapang moots Shillong-Dhaka air service

A Shillong-Dhaka air service will be among a host of issues likely to be taken up by Chief Minister D D Lapang when he meets Bangladesh Premier Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi on Monday.

Lapang has been invited by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to attend a state banquet in honour of the Bangladesh Premier at New Delhi tomorrow evening.

He said besides a bus service, a Shillong-Dhaka air service was under "active consideration" of his government and he would raise the matter with Hasina.

"We have persuaded Air India to explore the possibility of a Shillong-Dhaka flight. The deputy commissioner of Ri-Bhoi district, where the Shillong Airport is located, has been entrusted to complete the process of land acquirement for expansion of the airport at the earliest," Lapang told PTI.

Meghalaya shares mutual interest in terms of trade besides geographical and historical contiguity with the neighbouring country.

Though Bangladesh is next door, people from Meghalaya need to undertake a long journey either to Agartala where the only visa office in the North-east is located or to Kolkata.

The Meghalaya Government had on earlier occasions too taken up the matter with the Centre for setting up a visa office in the state capital.

Two former NDFB rebels, 5 others held in Shillong

Seven persons including two surrendered rebels of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) were arrested by Meghalaya police from a locality in Shillong on Monday.

Acting on a tip-off, police apprehended two surrendered rebels of the NDFB – Bipul Narzary and Khumtha Daimary - and five extortionists from three different locations in Polo and Nongmyngson in the early hours and seized a 9 mm pistol from them, a police official said.

A demand note, found in their possession, indicated that they were on an extortion mission in the state capital.

The arrests came barely two days after DGP SK Kakati had admitted the presence of NDFB militants in the jungles bordering Assam.

The Meghalaya Police had been coordinating with Assam counterparts to flush out the rebels who had set up bases in the state following a crackdown in the neighbouring state.

India succesfully test fires Astra missile

Bhubaneshmwar, Jan 11: After a slew of missile test failures in 2009, India started off the new year by successfully testing the Astra air-to-air missile.

The test was carried out at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) on the Orissa coast.


Speaking to a news agency, SP Dash the head of ITR said that the short-range missile has the capability of jamming ground radar systems.

With a range of 25km (15 miles), Astra (weapon) can be fitted into any fighter aircraft the ITR director informed.

“It was a very good flight,” Dash is quoted as saying.