MUMBAI: With nearly 10 people dying on the railway tracks in Mumbai every day and many among them falling off overcrowded local trains, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday came down heavily on the Railways.

The court asked the Railways to prevent unlimited boarding on trains to reduce overcrowding on a particular train during peak hour.

It also asked the Railways to ensure policemen are posted at sensitive stations to prevent entry in crowded trains. The Maharashtra government has also been asked to consider changing office timings to prevent overcrowding in suburban local trains at peak hour.

The court’s suggestions came while hearing a Public Interest Litigation or PIL on the issue. The court also asked the Railways to replace the bare steel rods at the entrance of bogies with rubber surfaced installations so that the hands of commuters do not slip and they do not fall off the trains while travelling on footboards.

A division bench of Justice Naresh Patil and Justice SB Shukre made the suggestions to the State and Railways to curb the spike in number of accidents taking place on local trains in the city, which are considered the financial capital’s lifeline.

The court went on to ask whether the cost of human life is more important or not while suggesting the change in working hours. Last year, 3,425 people died on the tracks. This year that figure has already crossed 3,000.

MUMBAI: Mumbai builder Kamal Yadav’s cellphone has saved his life, literally. On Tuesday night, the builder was shot at by a group of people. The cellphone in his trouser pocket stopped the bullet, and Mr Yadav sustained only a minor injury.
Mr Yadav, 45, the police said, had gone to a bar in Dombivli near Mumbai. On his way to the toilet, he ran into Jitendra Mhatre, another builder. Though Mr Yadav apologised, Mr Mhatre continued abusing him.

The matter did not end there. When Mr Yadav stepped out, after finishing his dinner, Mr Mhatre and his four friends followed. The police say they assaulted Mr Yadav, and Mr Mhatre pulled out his gun and fired four rounds.
While one round was fired in the air, two others whizzed past Mr Yadav’s cheeks, narrowly missing him. The fourth bullet, however, hit his mobile phone and grazed his thigh.

Mr Yadav was rushed to the hospital. Mr Mhatre has been booked for attempt to murder and the weapon has been seized.

MUMBAI: The family members of artist Hema Upadhyay, who was killed along with her lawyer last week, suspect the role of her estranged husband Chintan Upadhyay in the double murder and want the police to probe it.

The deceased artist’s cousin brother Deepak Prasad told mediapersons yesterday that he and his other family members “strongly suspect Mr Upadhyay’s role behind the conspiracy to kill Ms Hema and her 65-year-old lawyer Harish Bhambhani”.

Mr Prasad also said that the motive, as cited, of the prime accused Vidhyadhar Rajbhar and his men to kill Ms Hema and her lawyer for Rs. five lakh was not true, as she had financially helped Vidhyadhar in the past and never asked him to return her money.

He also alleged that some years back, Mr Upadhyay had threatened Ms Hema that he would kill her and could go to any extent to do that.

Meanwhile, a senior police officer, who is probing the case, said, “When a body is recovered and identified, police immediately take the statements of the deceased’s relatives to get their version.”

“In this case too, we had taken the statements of the deceased’s relatives. Ms Hema’s relatives have accused Mr Upadhyay of hatching the conspiracy to kill her,” he said.

Based on the statements of Ms Hema’s relatives, Mr Upadhyay was constantly grilled for four days by several police officers in connection with the twin murders, said the officer.

The deceased artist’s husband still remains a “suspect” in the case, he said, adding the motive behind the murder is yet to become clear.

However, without proper evidence, police cannot arrest anyone based on mere allegations, he further stated. Only after the arrest of the Vidhyadhar, who is on the run, the police could get a clear picture about involvement of Mr Upadhyay, if any, the officer said.

He also said that Ms Hema’s relatives were trying to build pressure on the investigating team by approaching the media and expressing their views which they have already mentioned in the statements given to police.

Bodies of noted installation artist Ms Hema,43, and her lawyer Harish Bhambhani wrapped in plastic and packed in separate cardboard boxes were found dumped in a drain in suburban Kandivali on December 12.

The 16-year-old girl, who was arrested by the Anti-Terror Squad before she could join the Islamic State in Syria, has revealed that the terror group is planning to launch a massive assault on the Indian sub-continent by 2020. During her interrogation, the girl claimed that IS is planning to expand its area of control beyond Syria and Iraq and preparing grounds to target India by 2020. According to reports, the girl claimed that 8 to 10 men were in touch with her within India to carry out IS’s nefarious plans. The girl also said she was in touch with nearly 200 men from countries like Srilanka, Singapore, Canada, Kenya and Europe, who have shown interest in joining IS ranks. The girl was arrested from Pune as she was planning to leave the country to join the Islamic State.

The arrest came after the ATS began tracking the conversation exchanged between the teen and her sources from other countries. According to the ATS, the teen developed her interest for the terror group four months back on the internet. Gradually, she came in contact with a person from Sri Lanka and several others from other countries on Facebook, Twitter, Telegram and through emails. Through constant messages, the IS finally managed to convince the girl to join the terror organization in Syria next year. The group also reportedly promised to provide her with medical education. A man named Sirajuddin, who remained in contact with the teen, has been arrested from Jaipur. Officials say that Sirajuddin was an IS recruiter and an Indian Oil Corporation staffer, who would coax youngsters on social media to join the terror group. Police officials claim that there was a steady change in the teen’s lifestyle in the past few months. The girl slowly switched from wearing jeans to burqa and a hijab. The girl belonged to good family and had done her schooling from a convent school.

Yesterday Mamata Banarjee declared Kalimpong as a new district. This move is seen as major political plank by Mamta Banerjee targeting the 2016 elections. However this was initiated by Kalimpong MLA Dr Harkha Bhadur Chettri. Dr Chettri who after a bitter showdown with Gorkha Janmukti Morcha had resigned from the party but retained his MLA post.

Kalimpong a major agricultural area was deprived of funds allocated under GTA. It will be beneficial for the people of Kalimpong district to be allotted their own funds and development plans chalked out.

Darjeeling had been bifurcated and Kalimpong is going to be the new district. Mirick will be a new sub-division now. This is done with political aim, to weaken the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s organisation.

For the Kalimpong district to fuction however will take a year. The legal formalities
for creating the offices of the DMs, SPs and sub-divisional officers would reqire time.

Bimal Gurung head of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration was the first to congratulate for the formation of a new Kalimpong District. He was heavily banking on Kalimpong for 2016 elections with his frequent visits to kalimpong during the landslide in September.

The main agenda of the Gorkhas for the formation of Gokhland seems to have take a back seat at the moment. Mamta has played her cards well with the formation of Kalimpong district. It has didvided the Gorkhas into two major camps, one of Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha and the Trimool Congress. CM Banerjee has formed different ethnic boards to win the support of the Lepchas, Thapas and Gurungs who pre-dominantly have a majority in the hills.

Gorkhas from different parts of India have again started their stir for a separate state Gorkhaland in New Delhi. The Gorkhas of India have long been living in Darjeeling under West Bengal. West Bengal has badly neglected Darjeeling in terms of development or in socio strata. Many such agitations for separate state Gorkhalnd have taken place in the past with no concrete results. The lack of good leadership, lack of proper communications with the centre and awareness with the rest of India has made this movement into a whirlwind. The only consolation is the Gorkha Territorial Administration GTA under the leadership of Bimal Gurung.

When Punjabis are from Punjab, Biharis from Bihar then why not Gorkhalis from Gorhaland is the common question in everybody’s mind of Darjeeling District. To realise their dream of Gorkhaland the people blindly supported BJP MP S. S. Ahluwalia.

Unfortunately MR Ahluwalia talks of Gorkhaland in the hills, once he comes down to the plains there is no mention of Gorkhland. PM Naraendra Modi during election campaign in 2014 had committed that he would look into the matter and would sympathise with the demand. Now the central leadership does not want a divison of Bengal.

Mamta Banerjee on the other hand has created a number of ethnic boards to keep the people diverted for the main issue. Recently CM Banerjee is now initiating a new district that is Kalimpong District. These are tactics by the CM to avoid the demand of Gorkhland.

Presently when the centre is all out defending itself of CBI raids in the CM’s office in Delhi what response would be Gorkhas get this time around is yet to be seen.

(17 Dec) DeC 16 braveheart named in public. New Delhi : Three years after a 23-year-old paramedical student was gang raped and brutally assaulted in a moving bus in the national Capital, triggering a massive public outrage, the mother of ‘Nirbhaya,’ the name given to the brave heart by the media, has identified her daughter. ”My daughter was Jyoti Singh and I am not ashamed to name her,” she told a gathering. Making it clear that she wants the message to go out that she is proud of her daughter who is now remembered for her grit and courage, Asha Devi made it clear that rape victims should not hide their names. ”It is the offenders who should be ashamed and hide their names. I want to tell everyone that my daughter’s name was Jyoti Singh. From today, everyone should know her as Jyoti Singh,” she said as her eyes welled with tears. Nirbhaya, in the days after the gruesome assault, became the mascot of the fight for women’s safety and security. The parents, Asha Devi and BadriSingh Pandey, also demanded that the juvenile convict, allegedly the most ”brutal” of the six offenders, and scheduled to be released on December 20, should not be freed as he was a threat to the city.

“On the third death anniversary of our daughter, we are seeing the release of the juvenile convict. Where is justice in that? I do not know whether he is 16 or 18 I only know that he has committed a brutal crime and there should be no age limit for punishment,” Asha said. She further demanded that the five accused, including the juvenile convict, should be sentenced to death, fast-track courts be set up in the country to offer speedy justice to sexual assault victims, amendments to the Juveniles Justice Act be passed and the Nirbhaya fund be used for setting up high quality forensic labs in all states.

Celebrities like Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi and various women’s groups had converged at the Jantar Mantar to pay homage to Nirbhaya. The Jantar Mantar bylanes, after the incident, had virtually turned into a public memorial for her, with people flocking from all parts of the city to light up a candle or offer a prayer in her memory. On Wednesday also, candle light vigils and prayer meetings marked three years of the heinous gang rape that left a nation benumbed. Shabana Azmi said: “They (Jyoti’s parents) have changed the rape discourse in the country. We need to ‘shift the blame, shift the shame’.” In Parliament, actor-politician Hema Malini said the “juvenile” convict should be given the same punishment as the other rapists, who have been sentenced to death. “The juvenile did more harm than the others. He has a devilish mind. He will not be corrected in rehabilitation. He should be punished so that everyone fears the law of the country,” Malini, a BJP parliamentarian, said in the Lok Sabha. Main input PTI and NDTV.

Two suspected operatives of a jihadi organisation, who were allegedly planning to carry out attacks in Delhi during Christmas and New Year, were detained by the Special Cell of Delhi Police today.
The two suspected operatives are believed to be natives of Sambhal district in Uttar Pradesh.
Police refused to disclose the names of the operatives and the organisation they belong to.
Special Cell teams are conducting search operation at several places across UP, tracking other potential operatives of the jihadi outfit, said a police officer, PTI reported.
The two youths detained by the police were already under the Special Cell’s scanner.
However, they disappeared around two years ago, following which they are suspected to have crossed the border and attended training camps in Pakistan and Afghanistan with their associates, the officer said.
The two youths were detained today from Delhi following intelligence input suggesting there presence here.
The police have also got certain leads suggesting that the duo, along with their associates, were allegedly planning strikes in the national capital during Christmas and New Year season, the officer said.
It is also believed that the duo attended training facilities allegedly set up by LeT, the officer added.
Earlier this month, the Special Cell had registered a case in connection with the presence of two suspected LeT operatives who allegedly infiltrated from PoK and were seen in the national capital, where they are allegedly hatching plans to target high profile individuals.

The SC order would spell relief for those planning to buy ordinary diesel cars as the National Green Tribunal had in its December 12 interim order brought them also under the ambit of the ban. This definitely is a huge setback for those who were gearing up to own a diesel SUV or a luxury sedan in Delhi. Taking its crusade against the toxic air in the national capital to new heights, the Supreme Court, holding that the “rich cannot be allowed to pollute the environment”, said on Tuesday that it would ban registration of diesel vehicles with engine power of more than 2000cc till April 1, on a trial basis. The court is likely to pronounce a formal order on Wednesday. “Why should rich people move around in expensive diesel cars causing pollution when they can afford petrol cars? Here, life of people are at stake and you are more worried about the dealers? You are selling cars to the rich, while the common man suffers”, Chief Justice T S Thakur told lawyers of car dealers association who pleaded for some more time before the order is implemented, to sell off the existing stock. On the other hand, the SC order would spell relief for those planning to buy ordinary diesel cars as the National Green Tribunal had in its December 12 interim order also brought them under the ambit of the ban.

Being the superior court, SC’s order will override any direction passed by the NGT. The court also indicated to the Delhi government, MCD and toll contractors that it would double the environment compensation charge from the existing Rs 700 to Rs 1,400 for light vehicles and from Rs 1, 300 to Rs 2,600 for two-axle trucks, three-axle trucks and four-axle trucks that enter Delhi and spew poisonous fumes. Though the toll contractors and MCD said the present charges have resulted in 30 per cent decrease in the entry of non-destined trucks to Delhi, the judges were of the view that the fine would be a “proper deterrent” only if it was doubled. The bench said the government shall use the money to improve the environment, augment public transport, improve roads and make extra facilities for pedestrians and cyclists as was mentioned in its earlier order. “Trucks take alternate routes when entering Delhi just to save toll tax. In the process, pollution caused by such traffic inflicts heavy cost on the health of the residents of Delhi. If you are not destined for Delhi, then don’t come. If you come, be ready to pay the heavy tax”, the bench said. The Supreme Court is also likely to suggest alternatives routes which can be taken by such non-destined trucks and ask toll operators at city’s nine entry points to display them prominently for the benefit of the truck drivers. The Chief Justice-led bench said it would not allow the plying of trucks and light commercial vehicles registered before 2005 through Delhi and also make it compulsory for all taxis in the national capital to convert to CNG.

The court was acting on detailed recommendations submitted by amicus curiae (senior advocate assisting the court on an issue) Harish Salve and NGO Centre for Science and Environment represented by its Director General Sunita Narain. The court was also hearing a PIL filed by Arvind Gupta, an economist who sought complete ban on diesel vehicles in Delhi. In his petition, Gupta said:

“The data available from WHO shows that Indian cities are almost 10 times more polluted than the other cities of the world, which is a serious infraction of the fundamental rights of the citizens of India. The WHO estimates that more than two million people die every year from breathing in tiny particles present indoors and outdoors due to air pollution. PM10 particles, (particles of 10 micrometers or less) can penetrate into the lungs and may enter the bloodstream. They can cause heart disease, lungcancer, asthma, and acute lower respiratory infections.” Also read: Odd-even plan: Delhi govt to issue permits to 10k new autos to ease travel Haryana pollution panel slaps notice on Delhi Metro

NEW DELHI: India today said it can undertake operations against the ISIS terror group under a UN flag if the global body adopts a resolution in this regard. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who has returned after a crucial meeting with his US counterpart Ashton Carter in Washington, also said that India has been sharing intelligence on the ISIS and it will be enhanced. “We have made it clear that if there is a UN resolution and if there is UN flag and a UN mission, then as per India’s policy to operate under UN flag, we will participate,” Parrikar told reporters here at India Gate after laying wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti on Vijay Diwas. He was replying to questions on the possibility of India’s participation in operations against the ISIS. Asked specifically if India will operate against the ISIS under the UN flag, he said, “that depends on whether UN takes a resolution”. India had earlier this month, along with major world economies, participated in the first-ever global meeting held in Paris to discuss and evolve mechanisms to combat the clandestine and largely undetected terrorist financing network of the Islamic State terror group.

Indian security establishment suggests that around 20 Indians are currently fighting for ISIS in Iraq-Syria. They include two youths from Kalyan in the outskirts of Mumbai, an Australia-based Kashmiri, one youth from Telangana, one from Karnataka, one Oman-based Indian and another Singapore-based Indian. Last year, a youth from Kalyan had returned home after spending about six-months with ISIS. He was arrested upon arrival in Mumbai. Among the six Indians, who fought alongside ISIS and got killed were three Indian Mujahideen terrorists, including Sultan Ajmer Shah and Bada Sajid, who had joined its ranks after being in Pakistan, two from Maharashtra and one from Telangana. On September 15, the UAE deported four Indians suspected to have links with ISIS. The UAE had also sent back in September a 37-year-old woman, Afsha Jabeen alias Nicky Joseph, who was allegedly involving in recruiting youths for ISIS. In January, Salman Mohiuddin of Hyderabad was arrested at Hyderabad airport when he was preparing to board a flight to Dubai on way to Syria via Turkey. So far, 17 young men, mostly from Telangana, have been prevented from travelling to Syria, ostensibly to join ISIS.