Complaint against railways for elephant deaths
Siliguri: Wildlife authorities on Thursday lodged police complaints against the railways, a day after five elephants were mowed down by a speeding train. The incident took place around 5.45 pm on Wednesday near the Nagrakata-Jaldhaka bridge in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district. An earlier report said six elephants were killed, but authorities later revised the figure to five. State Forest Minister Hiten Burman and wildlife officials alleged that the train was travelling at a speed far higher than the limit prescribed for the area, which is part of an elephant corridor. The forest and wildlife departments have initiated a joint probe into the incident. The railways, however, denied that the area was part of an elephant corridor. After the accident, officials said as many as 15 elephants may have been injured in the incident. A team along with three trained elephants has been sent to the forest to locate the wounded animals prior to treating them for injuries. A total of 43 elephants have been killed by speeding trains in Dooars forest in recent months. (IANS)
Three more held in Kerala
sex racket case
Kozhikode: Three more persons were arrested at Calicut International Airport, in connection with the sex racket involving teen school girls at Pantheerikkara in Kozhikode district of Kerala on Thursday. Police said the sleuths probing the case arrested prime accused Shafi Mohammed, Junaise and Sabi, who arrived from Qatar in an Air India Express flight early Thursday morning. The had trio fled the country fearing action were trapped by Keralites working in Qatar and made arrangements for their deportation on Wednesday night. The Police team which reached the airport arrested the culprits on tip off on their deporation from the Middle East. Five persons, including a woman, were arrested earlier. They were arrested following revelation of an 11th standard girl, who had attempted suicide, that she was sexually assaulted by a nine member gang, including her cousin, at two different places in the district. The investigators had stumbled upon the racket while pursuing a suicide case of 10th Standard student of Padannakkadavu High School near Peruvannamuzhi due to alleged sexual assault. (Agencies)
Six more held in Arun Jaitley phone tapping case
New Delhi: With the arrest of six more people, including three Delhi police personnel, in connection with allegedly obtaining call detail records (CDRs) of BJP senior leader Arun Jaitley, the total number of arrests in the case has gone upto to 10, police said on Thursday. Assistant Sub-Inspector Gopal, head constable Harish, detectives Alok Gupta, Saifi and Punit were arrested by the Special Cell of Delhi police, they said. The incident came to light in January with the opposition accusing the government of tapping their leader’s phone. Police constable Arvind Dabas and three private detectives – Anurag, Neeraj, and Nitish – had already been arrested. Police had charged them under sections 420 (cheating), 464 (making a false document), 467 (forgery of a valuable security), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating) and 471 (using as genuine a forged document) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and under Section 66 of the Information Technology Act. However, they were granted bail on May 30 on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh each and two sureties each of the like amount. (UNI)
Court directs registration of FIR against Haryana Minister
Gurgaon: A local court has directed Gurgaon police to lodge an FIR against Haryana Sports Minister Sukhbir Kataria and five others for allegedly forging documents for getting voter ID cards made for his near and dear ones. On a complaint filed by Om Prakash Kataria, President of an NGO Matdata Jagrook Manch, Pracheta Singh, Judicial Magistrate in her order passed on November 13 directed the City Station House Officer to book Kataria, Gurgaon Assistant Commissioner of Police Narender Kadian, booth-level officer Anita Sharma, Pawan Dabas, Sudesh Dabas and an Assistant Electoral Returning Officer under IPC and Representation of People Act for allegedly forging the documents for getting the voters cards made for their near and dear ones. She said “the offences punishable under section 420, 468 and 471 of IPC are cognizable in nature. Further, a thorough and an in-depth investigation would be required in the facts and circumstances mentioned in the complaint as there are allegations of conspiracy also”. (PTI)
Final year medical student set ablaze by chain snatchers
Kolar (Karnataka): A medical student was battling for life at a Bangalore hospital after he was set ablaze by two criminals who snatched his chain while he was on his way back home here, a senior police official said. Devaraj Urs Medical College 9th Semester student Kamalesh is in a “critical stage” at a hospital in Bangalore, Kolar District Superintendent of Police Ram Niwas Sepat said. According to a complaint lodged by his friend, Kamalesh was waylaid by two persons and his chain snatched by them. As he resisted and tried to free himself from them, they poured inflammable oil on him and set him afire, the SP said. He was admitted to Devaraj Urs Medical College Hospital here before being shifted to Bangalore. Principal of College Dr Sanikop said Kamalesh was to appear in the final examination in another two months. He said Kamalesh was not in a position to speak. Police said they were probing the case from “different angles” and formed a separate team to arrest the culprits. (PTI)
Panic buying of salt in Bihar
Patna: There was panic buying of salt in four Bihar districts following rumours which led to the arrest of three persons and left the state Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Shyam Rajak blaming opposition BJP for it. “An unsubstantiated rumour has spread in Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, Samastipur and Madhubani districts about shortage of salt in the market due to reduced supply of the commodity from Gujarat prompting the consumers to panic and buy it for Rs 70 per kg at some places,” he told reporters at a hurriedly convened press conference. Three persons were arrested for spreading rumours about shortage of salt after he directed officials of the affected districts to probe the situation and crack down on the hoarders, Rajak said. (PTI)