LeT militant killed in gunbattle with security forces
Srinagar: A top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant was killed in a six-hour-long gunbattle with security forces in Sopore town of north Kashmir Baramulla district, police said. An encounter broke out between security forces and the LeT militant, holed up in a house Chanakhan area of Sopore, following a cordon and search operation, the police said. The lone militant was killed after exchanging fire with security forces for nearly six hours, the police said. “The body of the militant has been recovered and he was affiliated to Lashkar,” a police official said. The ultra has been identified as Abu Huzaifa, he said. Some arms and ammunition were also recovered from the gunbattle spot. (PTI)
Asaram’s witness killing: UP IPS officer demands fair probe
Muzaffarnagar: A senior Uttar Pradesh IPS officer has asked for a fair probe into the death of Akhil Gupta, a witness in the rape case against Asaram Bapu in Surat, who was shot dead on Jan 11 by two assailants here. IPS officer Amitabh Thakur sent a demand letter to Meerut zone IG, Mukul Sharma on Tuesday calling for appropriate attention to the case and stated that the investigation body should not fall prey to elements trying to convert the case into a petty issue. The case should not be reduced to one of loot or personal enmity, Thakur said in his letter, adding that the family of the deceased is under fear and mental pressure. Ashish Gupta, cousin of the deceased and the complainant in the case told Thakur that since police recovered Akhil’s money and goods after his death, there was no case of loot. He also said that there was no personal enmity of the deceased with anyone and people were trying to divert the angle of the case, the letter read. Three police teams, led by SP (City) Sarvan Kumar have been formed to apprehend the two assailants who killed Akhil Gupta last Sunday. Gupta was a cook and personal aide of self-styled Godman Asaram, who is in jail since September 2013 in connection with another case of sexual assault on a minor girl in Jodhpur. (PTI)
30 Kg polythene recovered from dead cow’s rumen
Bndi: Around 30 kg polythene was found in the rumen of a dead cow in Naina town of the district, a government veterinary official said. The 9-year-old cow was brought to the hospital on Monday and it died on the same day due to the excess quantity of polythene and other waste present in its rumen that caused fermentation and digestion process to stop, said Mukesh Kumar Meena, doctor at Naina government veterinary hospital. It is likely that the animal was consuming polythene packs and bags from roadsides for years, he said, adding animals like cows tend to feed on polythene in the absence of food. The cow was brought to the hospital by one Hemant Kumar Chauhan, secretary of Gopal Panchyat Goshala which is a government run cow shelter. Bundi Municipal Council Inspector, Rajkumar Rathore, said as per the directions of state government a drive against polythene use is being run from January 1 to January 15 across the state. Over 2.50 quintiles of polythene has been seized from various places so far and 11 cases have been lodged in the connection. (PTI)
Visa on arrival facility commences in city airport
Kolkata: The NSC Bose International Airport here has now started the facility for Visa on Arrival for tourists of 43 countries. The facility would be available based on Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), a statement by the airport director said here on Wednesday. The scheme will facilitate nationals of 43 countries to travel to India for tourism for a stay of 30 days. To avail the ETA facility, one has to apply from his/her home country online and pay the visa fee online. Once approved, the applicant will receive an email authorising him/her to travel to India and he/she can travel with a print out of this authorization. On arrival, the visitor has to present the authorisation slip to the immigration authorities who will then stamp the entry into the country. Since the system started in December last year, over 500 Visa have been issued, the statement said. The 43 countries included Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Finland, Germany, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Mexico, Myanmar, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Palestine, Papua & New Guinea, Philippines, South Korea, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, UAE, Ukraine, USA and Vietnam. (PTI)
8-yr-old madrassa student beaten up by teacher, case lodged
Barabanki (UP): An eight-year-old madrassa student was allegedly beaten up his teacher at Sahabpur village in Masauli area here, following which an FIR has been registered against the accused, police said. The incident took place on January 2 when the teacher, identified as Abdul Latif, thrashed eight-year-old Mohammad Siraj badly with sticks after removing his clothes, police said. According to the FIR filed on the complaint of Siraj’s father, the minor, who was staying in the madarssa was allegedly held captive there by Latif for two days without any food. The matter came to light on January 4 when the father, Najim Ali, went to the madrassa to take him home, SHO Brijest Pandey said. Police has launched a manhunt to nab the accused, who is absconding. (PTI)