Four naxals held in Chhattisgarh
Raipur: Four naxalites were arrested during a search operation in Maoist-hit Kanker district, police said on Sunday. The cadres were nabbed by a joint contingent of BSF (Border Security Force) and local police from a forest under Siksod police station limits of the district on Saturday, a senior police official said. A combing operation was being conducted by the security forces since Friday night in the Chhindbhat forest area, which is around 200 kms away from Raipur. On getting a tip-off about the presence of naxals, they rounded up the four, who admitted to being involved in the movement during interrogation, he said. Those arrested were identified as – Meghnath Dhruv (27), Piyar (23), Suklal (24) and Ramuram Usendi (30), he said. They were wanted in several cases under Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act, destroying public property and many other offences, the official said, adding that the four were being interrogated. (PTI)
MPs seek PM’s intervention to end harassment of officer
New Delhi: A group of MPs and an activists’ outfit have demanded Prime Minister’s intervention into the alleged harassment of an Indian Forest RPT Forest Service officer, who had unearthed a forestry scam in Haryana involving top politicians. The MPs–Basudev Acharia (CPI-M), Prabodh Panda (CPI), Kushal Tiwari (BSP), Rama Devi (BJP)–have written letters to the Prime Minister seeking fixing of accountability on those harassing the officer and ordering a CBI probe into this. Sanjeev Chaturvedi, who is currently posted as the Chief Vigilance Officer in the AIIMS on deputation was allegedly harassed by Haryana government for reportedly unearthing muti-crore forestry scams preventing the destruction of a wildlife sanctuary in Haryana in 2010. In their letters, the MPs said that Congress President Sonia Gandhi had written to the government seeking “justice” for the officer but the Personnel Department had “misled” the PM and did the opposite. Executive director Anupam Jha of Transparency International India, in his letter to the Prime Minister, also echoed their views. (PTI)
Woman Maoist cadre arrested
Koraput (Odisha): A woman Maoist cadre allegedly involved in several offences was arrested in Odisha’s Koraput district, police said on Sunday. The 27-year-old woman ultra, identified as Jurka Praska, was nabbed from a forest in Narayanpatna area on Saturday, Koraput Superintendent of Police Awinash Kumar said. “We were tipped-off about her movement in a forested area near Muslimunda village in Narayanpatna. She was a member of the group of Maoists that murdered Siba Madingi of Jogi Palur on August 11, 2012, and Sukra Huika of Odiapenta village on June 12, 2012,” he said. A country-made gun was recovered from the Maoist. (PTI)
Violence over RAF jawan molesting school girl
Darjeeling (WB): A Rapid Action Force constable allegedly molested a school girl in Darjeeling, triggering angry protests by locals and students who fought a pitched battle with police. The police fired three warning shots in the air and lathicharged the protesters to disperse the mob which threw stones at the securitymen and attacked the police outpost at Singmari here last night, police said. The locals gheraoed Darjeeling police station last evening as the news of a RAF constable, Arun Pramanik, allegedly molesting a Class XI student of Ghum Girls’ School, sources said. Pramanik, who was arrested immediately, pleaded innocence, officials said. Angry locals and students blocked roads and set two buses on fire in Darjeeling and Kalimpong last night. Twenty-five people were arrested this morning for the violence. A 12-hour general strike across the hills is being observed since the morning. Shops and other business establishments have downed shutters and most of the roads in the town wear a deserted look. CRPF and RAF jawans have been patrolling the streets of Darjeeling to maintain peace and contain violence, sources said. Meanwhile, Jyoti Kumar Rai, an elected member of GTA (Gorkha Territorial Administration) and close aide of GJM chief Bimal Gurung was arrested early Sunday morning in connection with an old case relating to torching of a police outpost at Pokhribang. (PTI)