National Investigation
Agency to probe yesterday's Maoist attack in Bastar region of Chhattisgarh that
claimed 16 lives.
- Election Commission
meeting reviews poll preparedness in Guwahati.
- Supreme Court asks Law
Commission to look into the issue of hate speeches.
- Sahara India Chief Subrata
Roy moves Supreme Court against his judicial custody.
- Former RJD leader Ram
Kriapl Yadav inducted into BJP.
- Aam Aadmi Party chief
Arvind Kejriwal begins 3-day election campaign in Maharashtra.
- And, In the Swiss Open
Badminton tournament: Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu and Saili Rane to play their
first round matches in Women's Singles at Basel
today.
{}>><><<{}
National Investigation
Agency, NIA will probe yesterday's Maoist attack in Bastar region of
Chhattisgarh that claimed 16 lives. This was disclosed by Union Home Minister
Sushilkumar Shinde in Jagdalpur today. He was talking to reporters after paying
homage to the slain para-military and state police personnel. Mr Shinde said
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has agreed to hand over the probe to
NIA.
I have discussed
with the Chief Minister. The previous ambush in which senior political leaders
were killed, was given to the National Investigation Agency to probe. This case
will also be given to the NIA.
Mr Shinde said, the
martyrdom of these security personnel will not go waste and security forces
will fight back. Our correspondent has filed this report:
A pall of gloom
descended at the venue in Jagdalpur where homage was paid to security personnel
killed in Tuesday
Maoist attack. There were tears in eyes of everybody. With two major attacks on
security forces in Bastar during the last fortnight, Maoists have indicated
that they would try to disrupt elections. Conduct of peaceful elections in
Bastar Lok Sabha constituency will itself be a tribute to those sacrificed
their lives. With Vikalp Shukla in Raipur,
Pradeep Kumar AIR News.
{}>><><<{}
In Madhya Pradesh, police
has sounded an alert in Naxal affected Balaghat and Singrauli districts after
the yesterday' Naxal attack on security forces in Chattisgarh. These districts
border Chattisgarh. DGP Nandan Dubey has directed SPs of all the districts
bordering Chattisgarh to take all precautionary measures.
{}>><><<{}
A meeting of Full
Election Commission is underway in Guwahati to review preparations for Lok
Sabha polls in Assam.
Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath and Election Commissioners HS Brahma and
Nasim Ahmed Zaidi already met representatives of national and state political
parties. The full Election Commission will also hold discussions with all
Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police and other top officials
separately. Issues like deployment of security forces, co-ordination with
neighboring states and voters’ awareness are likely to figure in the meetings.
Polling for 14 Lok Sabha seats will be held in three phases in Assam. First
phase will take place on 7th
of April.
{}>><><<{}
The Supreme Court has
asked the Law Commission to look into the issue of hate speeches being made by
leaders of political, social and religious outfits and consider framing
guidelines to regulate such provocative statements. A bench headed by justice
BS Chauhan refused to frame the guidelines. The bench asked the commission to
look into it and give its recommendation to the Centre. The court passed the
order on a PIL by an NGO alleging that there is a need for guidelines as hate
speeches destroy the fabric of democracy and violate the provisions of the
Constitution.
The PIL had named Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh as respondents as the two
states witnessed incidents of alleged hate speeches. It had referred to the
alleged hate speeches made by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Chief Raj Thackeray
and claimed that no FIR was registered against him in the state.
The PIL had said that in
Andhra Pradesh, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader Akbaruddin
Owaisi had allegedly made hate speeches and was arrested. It alleged that after
being released on bail, he had again made similar speeches in Nanded, Maharashtra.
{}>><><<{}
Sahara Chief Subrata Roy
today moved the Supreme Court against his judicial custody. He has been lodged
in Delhi's
Tihar Jail for not depositing 20,000 crore rupees of investors' money with the
market regulator SEBI. In a new petition filed before the apex court, Sahara
Chief pleaded that the court should give an urgent hearing in the case as it
pertains to Habeas Corpus. A writ of Habeas Corpus is used to bring a prisoner
or other detainee before the court to determine if the person's imprisonment or
detention is lawful. Appearing for Roy, senior advocate Ram Jethmalani
submitted that there is some defect which needs to be cured urgently and
pleaded the court to hear him at 2
PM. A bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam said it will
hear the case after lunch if the application filed by him gets numbered by the
Registry.
The Sahara chief and his
two directors Ravi Shankar Dubey and Ashok Roy Choudhary were sent to judicial
custody on March 4 by a special bench for not depositing 20,000 crore rupees
with SEBI.
{}>><><<{}
Former RJD leader Ram
Kripal Yadav was inducted into the BJP at a function in New Delhi today. Party President Rajnath
Singh was also present there. Yadav resigned from all posts in the RJD after
denied a ticket to contest from Patliputra seat in Bihar.
{}>><><<{}
In West Bengal, the fire
which broke out at a paint factory at Nazirgunj in Howrah district this morning has been doused.
Official sources said, 31 fire tenders battled for nearly 6 hours to bring the
blaze under control. The extent of damage and cause of fire are yet to be
ascertained.
{}>><><<{}
Aam Aadmi Party chief
Arvind Kejriwal today began his 3-day election campaign in Maharashtra.
After his arrival in Mumbai today, Kejriwal took an auto-rickshaw from the
domestic terminal of the Mumbai airport to travel to Andheri station. He then
boarded the local train from Andheri to travel to Churchgate station in South Mumbai.
Mr Kejriwal’s program
also includes a private fund-raising meeting and a road show traversing the
Mumbai South and Mumbai North East constituencies. Aam Aadmi Party is expecting
a good show in Maharashtra in Lok Sabha polls
after its success in Delhi Assembly elections.
{}>><><<{}
In Punjab,
district authorities have initiated a number of steps to encourage young voters
to exercise their franchise during the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls. District
Electoral Officers are making all out efforts for the success of Systematic
Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation, SVEEP plan by asking college
principals to educate youngsters to participate in the electoral process. More
from our correspondent;
Jalandhar and
Moga District Electoral Officers have offered to honour the young first time
voters with appreciation certificates. Amritsar District Electoral Officer has
gone a step ahead and had offered to 30 per cent discount to such voters in
various restaurants of this Holy city. Amritsar
hotel industry association has joined hands with the district administration
for this democratic cause. The only thing the voter has to do is to show the
finger with indelible ink mark. Some of the students having leadership
qualities will also be made Campus Ambassadors in colleges. With the report of
Rajesh Bali from Jalandhar, this is Vasundhra for AIR News.
{}>><><<{}
Heavy snowfall across Kashmir paralysed normal life in the Valley today,
snapping its links with the outside world. Authorities have issued a high
danger avalanche warning for higher reaches of the Valley. They have asked
people not to venture on steep slopes till this evening. Power and water supply
is causing damage to more than 150 structures. The arterial Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remained
closed for the second day due to snowfall. Flights to and fro Srinagar international airport also remained
suspended for the second day but efforts are on to clear the runway for
enabling landing of flights. Officials said, authorities managed to restore
electricity supply to hospitals only this morning.
{}>><><<{}
Civil Aviation Minister
Ajith Singh has stressed the need for continuing reforms and strengthening
regional cooperation for the robust growth of the aviation sector in the
country. Speaking after opening the 4th edition of India Aviation today, he
said focus will remain on enhancing regional and remote area connectivity.
Stating that the Airports Authority of India has already identified 50 places
to develop low-cost airports, the minister has asked the industry to play key
role in developing aviation infrastructure in those areas. He also asked the state
governments to adopt innovative practices to infuse investments into the
aviation infrastructure. The Government of India jointly with the FICCI has
organised the 5-day Aviation show. A report:
With the main
theme of Enhancing Air Connectivity, the Hyderabad
International Air Show has been kicked off today at the Begumpet airport. The
five day show is expected to witness major deals signing among the aviation
majors. Several aviation issues will be deliberated upon for the next five days
amongst the stakeholders with respect to services, manufacturing, passenger
carriers, safety and technical innovations. A video conference with American
companies would be held, while a special session on helicopters would focus on
promoting heli-tourism and emergency medical services. Also, a job fair will be
conducted for the benefit of aeronautical engineering students for career
prospects. With Lakshmi from Hyderabad,
this is Mercy , AIR NEWS.
{}>><><<{}
Recovering from initial
losses, the Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange stood 32 points, or 0.2 percent
in positive territory, at 21,859 in afternoon trade, amid volatility, a short
while ago. Earlier in the morning, the Sensex had fallen 21 points, on mild
selling by funds, ahead of the industrial output data for January, and amid
weak global Bourses.
{}>><><<{}
The rupee dropped 12
paise to 61.06 against the American currency on sustained dollar demand from
banks and importers amid firm dollar overseas. The rupee had lost 21 paise to 61.15
against the dollar in opening trade.
{}>><><<{}
The Vietnam's Frontline Command announced today that
it has suspended its air search for missing Malaysian airliner's flight MH370
and scaled back a sea search as it waited for Malaysia to clarify the potential
new direction of the multi-national hunt. Malaysia
has expanded the hunt for the missing plane into the Andaman Sea,
hundreds of kilometres to the northwest of the original search radius. But it
has denied a report that the plane with 239 people on board had been detected
very far from its planned flight path.
{}>><><<{}
India's Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu and Saili Rane will play
their first round matches in the Women's Singles at the Swiss Open Badminton
tournament in Basel
today. Sixth seed Saina will take on Chisato Hoshi of Japan, Sindhu will clash with Sannatasah Saniru
of Malaysia,
and Saili will face third seeded Chinese Shixian Wang. Indian shuttlers will
also be seen in action in the Women's Doubles and Mixed Doubles opening round
today. In Men's category, Parupalli Kashyap and Anand Pawar will play their
second round matches today.
{}>><><<{}
World Number One Rafael
Nadal and Maria Sharapova have crashed out of the Indian Wells Open Tennis
tournament in California.
In the pre-quarterfinals, while Nadal was stunned by Alexandr Dolgopolov of
Ukraine, 3-6, 6-3, 6-7, fourth seed Sharapova lost to Camila Giorgi of Italy,
3-6, 6-4, 5-7. However, top seed Li Na, Agnieszka Radwanska, Petra Kvitova,
Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Roger Federer have advanced to the Singles
quarterfinals.
In the Men's Doubles
quarterfinals today, the fourth seeded Indo-Czech pair of Leander Paes and
Radek Stepanek will take on the Swiss team of Roger Federer and Stanislas
Wawrinka. In the Women's Doubles quarterfinals, Sania Mirza and her Zimbabwean
team-mate Cara Black will clash with the second seeded Russian pair of
Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina today.
{}>><><<{}
India's Ambassador to Kathmandu Ranjit Rae has emphasized the
importance of educational and health infrastructure at the grass root level for
Nepal's
overall development. He was speaking at the inaugural function of the new
college block at the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan
yesterday. The new college block has been constructed with Indian assistance
under the Nepal-India Economic Cooperation programme.
{}>><><<{}
