NHRC to record statements of 2 witnesses
New Delhi: NHRC Chairman K G Balakrishnan on Monday directed recording of statements of two people who claim to be part of a group of woodcutters of which 20 were killed in alleged police firing in Andhra Pradesh recently. “I have directed to record their statements and we will take action based on their statements,” Balakrishnan told reporters after meeting the two. NHRC officials said the two had appeared before the human rights watchdog on their own and were not called. Asked whether the two have sought protection, Balakrishanan said a decision to give them security will be taken after recording their statements. While the NHRC had issued a suo moto notice to the Andhra Pradesh government on alleged police action, the panel has received three other complaints demanding action. Twenty people from Tamil Nadu were gunned down in a police operation in Seshachalam hill ranges of Chittoor district on April 7 even as the family members and relatives of the deceased alleged that the incident was a “planned murder” by AP Police. Several political parties have questioned the police action, saying labourers and not red sanders smugglers were killed by the Andra Pradesh STF. (PTI)
Child chocked to death after broken tooth stuck in throat
Joynagar: A pre-teen village boy was choked to death when a broken tooth stuck in his throat after a quack failed to extract the decayed tooth in this district, police said on Monday. The quack was evading arrest as the people of entire Mahishmari village under Joynagar fanned out to locate him since yesterday.The parents of the child had taken to the so called dentist after the boy complained of toothache.However, as the “medic” tried to extract the half-decayed tooth the broken part accidentally got stuck at the child throat choking him to death after some time. (UNI)
Dalit student leader shot dead
Sitamarhi: Unidentified armed criminals on Monday shot dead a dalit student leader in Bhavdevpur village under Riga police station area provoking widespread protest over the incident in the entire district.Police said that Kishori Ram, 33, an inmate of Ambedkar Welfare Hostel under Town police station, was out on a stroll early morning.However, armed criminals ambushed him and fired shots at him, seriously injuring him in the process.He was immediately rushed to Sadar Hospital, Sitamarhi, where he died in the course of treatment, police added.The reason behind Kishori’s murder was not immediately known. Police are investigating the case. As soon as students got wind of Kishori’s death in the hospital, they rushed to the hospital in large numbers and created disturbance. (UNI)
Wife, sister-in-law kill former bar association president
Dehradun: Former bar association president of Haridwar district was murdered allegedly by his wife and sister-in-law after they learned about his illicit relationship with another woman, police said on Monday. Surendra Pal Singh Virk was murdered on Saturday night by his wife Richpal Kaur along with her brother’s wife Soni and Richpal has confessed to the crime, SSP Haridwar Sweetie Agarwal said. Richpal and Soni were arrested yesterday, she added. The SSP said Richpal on Sunday informed the police that two miscreants killed her husband, who was into real-estate business since some time, and looted their house after taking her and her children hostage. But during interrogation it was revealed that she murdered her husband in connivance with her sister-in-law Soni, Agrwal said. She confessed that she tried to asphyxiate Surendra with a pillow but as he woke up Soni repeatedly hit his head with a bat, the SSP added. To make it look like a robbery gone wrong, Soni made away with some jewellery and Rs 5,000 cash, she said. Richpal planned to kill her husband after learning about his illicit relationship as she was afraid that he might disown her and her children, the SSP said. (PTI)
4 cops killed, 7 injured in landmine blast triggered
Raipur: Four security personnel were on Monday killed and seven others injured, including two of them critically, when Naxals blew up an anti-landmine vehicle in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district, the fourth attack by the ultras in three days. The blast occurred on Cholnar-Kirandul road under Kirandul police station limits when the security personnel were patrolling along a road construction route in the region this afternoon, Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, SRP Kalluri told. The mine-protected vehicle, with 11 state police jawans aboard, was dispatched from Cholnar camp to ensure security for the construction work underway in the region, located around 450 kms away from state capital Raipur, when the rebels triggered the blast leaving four personnel dead and seven others injured, Kalluri said. “Of the injured, two are said to be in a serious condition,” he said. Soon after the incident, reinforcement was rushed to the spot and the injured personnel were admitted to a local hospital, he said. A combing operation has been launched in the region to nab the attackers, the IG added. This is the fourth major attack by Naxals in the insurgency-hit state in three days. Earlier, seven STF personnel were killed and ten others injured on Saturday when Naxals ambushed them in the forests of Pidmel village in Sukma district. (PTI)