Temporary hospital at relief camp for riot victims
Muzaffarnagar: A temporary hospital has been established at a relief camp for Muzaffarnagar riot victims in Loee village, days after the Supreme Court took “serious” note of deaths of over 40 children in such camps. Two doctors, including a lady doctor, and their staff have been posted at the temporary hospital, District Magistrate M K Koshal Raj Sharma said here on Tuesday. Around 71 women are pregnant in the camp and six out of them have reached the maturity stage, he said, adding that one ambulance has been provided to take these women to hospital. There are around 283 children in the Loee camp, he said, adding that milk powder has been given to these children. The apex court on December 12 directed the Uttar Pradesh government to immediately take remedial measures at the relief camps to meet the threat of winter. (PTI)
DMK might face polls with existing allies, says Karuna
Chennai: Days after ruling out an alliance with Congress or BJP for next year’s Lok Sabha polls, DMK chief M Karunanidhi on Tuesday repeated his stand and indicated that his party might face the polls with existing allies. “Yes. We will contest (the elections) along with alliance parties who are already with us,” he told reporters who asked him if DMK would face the elections without aligning with one of the national parties. With Congress no more a member of the DMK-led alliance in the state following their split in March this year over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, the southern party is now supported by existing allies like Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and IUML. To a question on aligning with BJP, he said “we have not made any decision on inviting BJP (for a tie-up).” In a morale-boosting announcement to supporters, Karunanidhi had on Sunday informed the DMK general council that the party will not forge electoral tie-up with Congress or BJP for next year’s Lok Sabha polls.(PTI)
SP tells TV channels not to show Kamal Farooqi as its leader
Lucknow: Samajwadi Party on Tuesday said that Kamal Farooqi has been expelled from the party and asked TV channels not to use the party’s name while inviting him for debates. “Farooqi was expelled from the party but he is still participating in TV debates as party representative. Channels should not use SP’s name with him while inviting him on debates,” SP National General Secretary Ramgopal Yadav said in a press release issued here. Farooqi, who was party’s secretary, was sacked on September 5 over his controversial remarks on Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal. Farooqi had said Bhatkal may have been arrested because he was a Muslim. He had later apologised for his remark, stating that his comments were misunderstood. Congress and BJP had slammed Farooqi for his comment, calling it ridiculous. (PTI)
Labourers’ palms chopped off
Bhawanipatna (Odisha): In a gruesome incident, palms of two labourers were chopped off allegedly by labour agents at Belpada forest of Odisha’s Balangir district, police said on Tuesday. The two labourers, who hail from Kalahandi district in the state, are in a critical state since the incident on Sunday. The two had got themselves admitted to the hospital on Monday,the police said. The two labourers, identified as Nilambar Dhangada Majhi and Bialu Nial were among the 12, including five woman from different villages under Utchla gram panchayat of Jaipatna block in Kalahandi district. They were taken by two agents about a fortnight ago with the assurance to provide them work in Raipur in neighbouring Chhatisgarh, according to a complaint lodged by victims’ relatives. At Raipur, however, the two agents Bimal Rout and Parshu Nayak handed over the two labourers to another person, Parme Rout who asked them to go to Hyderabad from there. “After reaching Raipur, we were asked to go to Hyderabad. We did not agree and escaped the agent’s clutches. While 10 of us managed to flee and returned to our village, Majhi and Nial got caught,” one of the labourers said. The two men were taken to Nuapada district, kept confined in a village and subsequently taken to Belpada jungle where the agents demanded that they repay the advance taken by all the 12 labourers. When they pleaded their inability, the agents allegedly cut off their palms, the police said. The other labourers, who have meanwhile reached their villages, have alleged that they were getting threat calls from the agents demanding refund of the advance money given to them. A case was registered with the police and a manhunt has been launched to find out the guilty, inspector-in-charge of town police station here Satya Kumar Nanda said. (PTI)