Manoj Bajpai in Patna for the brand promotion of a corporate house.
Please click on above heading to see the interview. - Ranjeet
Monday, April 2, 2007
Naxal attack: alert in Bihar, combing operation launched
Even as an alert was sounded across the state in the wake of audacious Naxal attack at Riga in Sitamarhi on Saturday evening, a handpicked joint police team comprising officials from Sitamarhi, Sheohar and East Champaran launched an intensive combing operation to flush out extremists from the three districts bordering Nepal. The team picked up an alleged mastermind behind the Riga incident from Sheohar district on Sunday.Sitamarhi superintendent of police MR Naik said the joint police team carried out raids on suspected hideouts of the Maoists. "We have shared information with our counterparts in Sheohar and East Champaran and follow up action is being taken," he said, adding that a hardcore activist of the CPI (Maoist), who is suspected to have masterminded the Riga attack, had been detained.Naik said that the help of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel, who are deployed on the Indo-Nepal border, had also been sought. Intelligence reports said that the Maoists escaped through Bargania (Sitamarhi), Patahi and Dhaka in East Champaran district after the unsuccessful operation."Though the Maoists had tried to carry out the operation methodically, our alert police personnel foiled their attempt to loot cash from the bank and firearms from the police station. We have suitably rewarded the five Special Auxiliary Police (SAP) personnel, who fought valiantly to thwart their attempt," the SP said.Meanwhile, an alert has been sounded across the state, including in jails. Home Secretary Afzal Amanullah said that all the police stations in Sitamarhi, Darbhanga, Sheohar, East and West Champaran, Gaya, Jehanabad, Nalanda, Bhojpur, Nawada and Aurangabad had been put on high alert and combing operation had been launched.IG (Prisons) Sandip Paundrik said that the security in the central and district jails, where a large number of Maoists were lodged, had been beefed up in view of the Sitmarhi incident. "I have directed the superintendents of jail of Gaya, Jehanabad, Bhagalpur, Nawada, Bhojpur and Beur to remain extra vigilant as many top leaders of the Maoists are lodged there," he added.During verification, the Sitamarhi district police chief found two SAP personnel absent without leave. "The two SAP jawans have been dismissed," the SP said, adding that while the extremists, said to be over 150 in number, fired over 600 rounds, the police fired just 40 round in retalisation.According to the SP, a SAP jawan, Madan Mohan Prasad, was shot by extremists while he tried to enter the police station after he came to know that the Maoists had surrounded the police station. The extremists fired upon the assistant manager of the bank when he tried to convince that he did not have the key of the strong room. Later, he was referred to the Patna Medical College and Hospital.The police recovered three cane bombs from a road bridge at Manihari. They had planted the bombs to blow up the bridge, a senior police officer said. The bomb disposal squad from Patna later defused the bombs. The SP said the Manihari Bridge was partially damaged by the extremists, which had been repaired by the local villagers. "Traffic has been restored on the bridge," he added.
http://www.hindustantimes.in/news/181_1962470,000900030002.htm
Big B may attend Bhojpuri meet
Big B Amitabh Bachchan and Mauritian high commissioner to India Mukheshwar Chunni would be among the prominent guests at the two-day International Bhojpuri Mahotsava to be held in Patna on April 22-23. The function is being organised jointly by Bhojpuri Vishwa (Bihar) and Lokras, the cultural group from Uttar Pradesh, with support from the Centre as part of its celebration of the 150th year of the First War of Indian Independence (1857) and the sacrifice of Veer Kunwar Singh. The inclusion of Bhojpuri language in the eighth schedule of the Constitution has also provided the context for it. General secretary of the organising committee Mithilesh Tiwari said the Mahotsava would be held here on April 22 and 23. On the first day, there would be a "kavi sammelan", after the inaugural function, followed by seminar and symposia on the second day, which would conclude with the night-long cultural programme in Gandhi Maidan. A delegation of the organising committee called on Chunni in the Mauritian embassy at Chankayapuri, Delhi, and solicited his participation in the Mahotsava. The delegation, led by former Bihar director general (RPF) Anil Kumar Pandey, presented invitation letter to Chunni, who gave formal consent to his participation. The other members of the delegation were Mithilesh Tiwari, RK Sinha, NN Ojha, Sanjay Sahay and Rajesh Upadhyay. According to Tiwari, CM Nitish Kumar would inaugurate the Mahotsav, while deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi would be the chief guest and culture minister Janardan Singh Sigriwal would preside. Tiwari said that the main attraction would be the biggest star of the century Amitabh Bachchan. Other prominent cine personalities include Shatrughan Sinha, Manoj Bajpai, Nagma, Shekhar Suman, Manoj Tiwari Mridul and Ravi Kishan. Among the singers would be Kalpana, Devi, Pawan Singh, Sharda Sinha, Bhagya Shri, Sweta Tiwari, Shamsher Menhdi, Baleshwar, Bharat Sharma and Dinesh Lal Yadav.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/Cities/Patna/Big_B_may_attend_Bhojpuri_meet/articleshow/1842245.cms
Tranquilliser banned in Rly hospital
The Danapur Divisional Railway Hospital has put a ban on use of alprazolam (0.5 mg), a tranquilliser, following adverse analytical reports about the quality and effectiveness of the drug. The railway hospital was in the news in October last year when it received about 20,000 tablets of alprazolam for use before their expiry on October 31, 2006. Smelling a rat, the vigilance department of the East Central Railway (ECR) seized the tablets and sent them to a reputed laboratory for analytical test. The test report clearly stated that the quality of the drug was poor, sources said. The railway vigilance then sought explanations from three senior doctors of the Danapur division regarding the sudden and bulk purchase of the drug and its instant supply to other health centres of the railways. The vigilance also recorded the statement of the three doctors at the ECR headquarters at Hajipur last month, the sources said. The vigilance sleuths are also investigating the role of railway doctors in purchasing or making an indent for such a huge bulk of medicine supply. Since the zonal headquarters at Hajipur oversees the purchase of medicines, complicity of some railway doctors, both at the divisional and zonal level, cannot be ruled out, the sources said. That apart, a Mumbai-based company supplied insulin, an important drug for keeping diabetes under control, to the railway hospital recently. Subsequent examination of the drug detected some impurities in it. Luckily, the hospital had not prescribed the drug to any patient. The railways then stopped using the insulin vials and asked the company concerned to replace them immediately. The company is yet to respond, the sources said. Besides, the railway hospital did not make much use of another drug, metrogyl syrup, which was supplied to the hospital in bulk. The expiry date of the drug was March 31, the sources said. The ECR has been incurring a huge loss of revenue either due to unused medicines lying at different health centres or their excessive purchase. During a recent raid at the Dhanbad railway hospital, the CBI unearthed a medicine scam involving purchase of near-expired medicines during 2004-2005 and 2005-2006. The CBI pointed out in its report that the medicines were purchased without the concurrence of the purchase committee members, the sources said. Chief medical superintendent of the Danapur railway hospital Dr A Prasad confirmed that alprazolam had been banned in the hospital. "The preliminary test report has revealed that there were some impurities in the seized drug," he said. The insulin vials will also be replaced soon, he added. Chief medical director of the ECR Dr R P Singh said that the matter is still under investigation. The railways will initiate proper steps only after the the receipt of the final report from the vigilance, he added.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/Cities/Patna/Tranquilliser_banned_in_Rly_hospital/articleshow/1842247.cms
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Fear of abduction, killing haunts Bihar
Fear of abduction and murder continues to haunt Bihar following the recovery of the body of a 10-year-old kidnapped schoolboy from Munger.
Prashant, a Class 2 student of St. Michael school, was kidnapped a few days back and later killed by his abductors, police said Sunday. 'We recovered the boy's body on Saturday,' said the police.
Prashant's killing led to mob fury as protesters ransacked the house of the alleged abductor and blocked roads. Munger town also witnessed a strike Saturday against the killing.
Police said that Prashant was abducted by Utsav, a Class 10 student of Munger Zila School, with the help of his friends, to teach a lesson to the boy's parents.
Utsav, who has been arrested, reportedly told the police during interrogation that he abducted Prashant after his father Pramod Kumar Pundit pressured him to pay back the Rs.200 he had borrowed from him.
'Utsav was a friend of Prashant's elder brother. He took advantage of the friendship and abducted the boy, only to kill him,' police said.
Utsav had also demanded a ransom of Rs.50,000 from Prashant's family - considered a low amount in an abduction case.
Last week, two youth were kidnapped in Patna and one in Nalanda district. Police are yet to trace them.
Ranjeet Kumar, 19, a college student, was kidnapped from Patna and his abductors have demanded a ransom of Rs.2 million from his father for his safe return. Ranjeet's father has lodged a police complaint in connection with the kidnapping.
According to the complaint, Ranjeet left for a coaching institute last Thursday but did not return.
In another incident, armed criminals abducted Amarnath alias Raju in Islampur in Nalanda district. Amarnath, 21, was abducted when he was returning from a cultural show near his village. His family has lodged a police complaint too.
The police suspect it a case of kidnapping for ransom.
Earlier, Ravindra Kumar, an officer in the Debit Recovery Tribunal, originally a resident of Lucknow, was abducted on March 19. He was found last week in the premises of the Patna Medical College and Hospital with a fractured backbone and is undergoing treatment.
The Patna High Court had early this year directed the state government to trace 144 children and 581 women who had gone missing since 2001.
The court also took note of reports that 44 of the abducted children had been killed.
'Wonder cure' for Hepatitis B, C, E cases at hand
For some, he is god. For others, he is an enigma, who claims to have a wonder cure for Hepatitis B, C and E. He administers homoeopathic medicines in folded betel leaves. Dr Heera Singh, a practising homoeopath for over a decade, has cured thousands of Hepatitis-affected people. "My mode of treatment is based on thorough research and it has no side effects. So far, I have treated over 2,500 persons," Singh said. "Though I learnt the technique of treating hepatitis cases from my father, a retired army man, who came to India from Lahore, my research helped me gain mastery over the mode of treatment," he said. Long back, his father treated people free of cost. With the passage of time, he, however, started charging Rs 25 for the medicine. "I charge Rs 200 for the first dose," Singh said, adding that he has a family to look after and that the price index has been soaring too. Manju Awashthi (55) has come from Meerut in UP for the second dose of her daughter's medicine. "I learnt about Doctor Saheb from my niece, who stays in Patna. I had taken the first dose of medicine for my daughter, who is suffering from Hepatitis C, in the last week of February. Her condition has improved a lot. Now I am here for the second dose," she told TOI.
Teachers to appear at exams in April
The human resources development department, which took up the gigantic task of appointing new teachers to bring the teacher-taught ratio in the state's primary, middle and secondary schools to 1:40, has decided to conduct examinations for them in April, both to make them abreast with their subjects and to also hone their teaching skill with self preparation. The decision in this regard was taken at the crucial meeting held on Thursday and presided by HRD commissioner M M Jha. While the examinations of the newly appointed teachers would be held in the second and third week of April, Bihar State Education Research and Training Council (BSERT), along with Bihar Education Project (BEP), would conduct the examinations of the teachers appointed in primary and middle schools. Similarly, BSERT and Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) would conduct the examinations of the teachers appointed in the secondary schools. The teacher-examinees would not be given the marks. Instead, their capacity and skill would be evaluated under grading system. The questions selected for the answer would test their knowledge in their respective subjects and also assess their teaching attitude. Among those who participated in the meeting were BSERT director Nagendra Nath and head of the examination reforms wing Ravi Bhushan Sahay, along with lecturer Gyandeo Mani Tripathi and Krishna Kant Thakur from BEP. They discussed at length the ways and means of toning up the knowledge of the teachers in the subjects and the future need. "The examinations are being conducted with two-pronged aim. On the one hand, it would make the newly-appointed teachers aware of the content of their subjects by refreshing them. On the other hand, it would yield sufficient basic information regarding the teachers themselves suggesting if they need further training, or anything else," HRD commissioner Jha said. The primary school teachers would face questions based on the curriculum of the primary schools and the related books. The mode would be similar for the middle and secondary school teachers in accordance with the level of their schools, subjects and the books prescribed. The teachers would have two papers to answer, one on each of the two-day examination. The first paper would deal in language and social sciences, while the second paper would assess their knowledge and depth in mathematics and science subjects.
'Female foeticide may cause terrorism'
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/Cities/Patna/Female_foeticide_may_cause_terrorism/RssArticleShow/articleshow/1830413.cms
Is there any relationship between female foeticide and terrorism? This question may sound absurd, but renowned population scientist Ashish Bose believes that the ever-increasing female foeticide in different states of India would ultimately lead to terrorism. If the youths are jobless and find no women to marry, they are likely to turn terrorist, he says. Addressing the students and faculty members of Patna University (PU) at Patna Science College geology auditorium here on Thursday, Bose, who had coined the popular term BIMARU states (for Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Orissa) in the 1980s, has recently coined a new term, DEMARU, for Daughter Eliminating Male Aspiring Rage for Ultrasound which has become quite prevalent nowadays in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Western Uttar Pradesh. Even the existing laws against female foeticide fail to deter the educated people of these states from indulging in this unethical and criminal activity. Bose, who happens to be a member of the National Population Commission, spoke at length about the state of health, rapid rise in population and under-development in such BIMARU states as Bihar and Jharkhand against the background of national scenario. He expressed his deep concern over the prevailing scenario and the slow process of population stabilisation in the region. He cautioned the intelligentsia against the unbridled pace of population increase and while suggesting ways for controlling population growth, he argued that both the government and civil societies would have to strive harder than ever before to save the region from demographic disaster. Earlier, inaugurating the lecture series organised by the Population Research Centre of Patna University, vice chancellor Y C Simhadri observed that among all the states in the country, Bihar recorded the fastest rate of increase in population during the last census decade (1991-2001) adding about 18 million people to India's total population (which is equal to the population of Australia). prevailing scenario of high fertility combined with the heavy burden of disease in the state are attributed to under-development, bad governance and low levels of social investment in health and education, Simhadri added. At the outset, centre director Akhileshwar Prasad welcomed the guests. Additional director J P Singh proposed a vote of thanks.
Central govt monitors construction of JPNAIIMS
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/Cities/Patna/Central_govt_monitors_construction_of_JPNAIIMS/RssArticleShow/articleshow/1835725.cms
With the completion of construction of the boundary wall of the proposed Jayaprakash Narayan All India Institute of Medical Sciences (JPNAIIMS) on the outskirts of the state capital at Phulwari, the civil work is likely to commence soon under the direct supervision of the Centre. Vice-president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat had laid the foundation of JPNAIIMS on January 2, 2004. This ambitious project will be built on the pattern of AIIMS at an estimated cost of Rs 500 crore. State health secretary Dipak Kumar said that the project is being directly monitored by the Centre. The state government has cleared the dues of farmers whose land was acquired for the state-of-the-art hospital, he added. According to sources, the state government had acquired 37.67 acres of land at Danapur Bhusaula under the Phulwari block of Patna district in 1983 for the fishery department. However, in 2003, it decided to earmark the land for the proposed JPNAIIMS. Unfortunately, about 92 farmers, whose lands were acquired, were denied adequate payment during the previous regime, the sources said, adding that the NDA government took initiative to clear their dues. State president of the art and cultural cell of the BJP Arvind Kumar said that this project should have been completed by now. Locals said that there must not be any politics in the name of development. During the NDA regime, the Centre had approved Rs 300 crore for the proposed hospital. It was then announced that the project would be completed in three years and that the Centre would spend about Rs 100 crore on its maintenance each year. The Centre recently made it clear that the project would be taken on a priority basis when much hue and cry was raised over the non-execution of the project even after the lapse of three years. Meanwhile, the Shatrughan Sinha Fans Association claimed that the project was the brainchild of Sinha. The project materialised during the tenure of then Union health minister Sushma Swaraj, it maintained.
Nitish dismisses 'misgivings'about police Act
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/Cities/Patna/Nitish_dismisses_misgivingsabout_police_Act/RssArticleShow/articleshow/1839784.cms
The state government on Saturday dubbed the "misgivings" about the Bihar Police Act, 2007 as unfounded. "The new Act is aimed at making the police more accountable, bringing about a positive change in the police force and making it more people-friendly," CM Nitish Kumar said at a press meet. He described the hue and cry raised by the opposition over it as an "opposition for the sake of opposition". "Perhaps it is because of lack of knowledge. They should have compared the new legislation with the Police Act, 1861," he remarked. The press meet sought to dismiss the four major "misgivings" aired by the opposition and even a section of the civil society that the Act violated the Supreme Court order; was draconian and that the powers of the DGP and the SPs had been reduced. Apart from the chief minister, the press meet was also addressed by top brass of the civil and police administration, including chief secretary Ashok Choudhary, home commissioner Afzal Amanullah, DGP Ashish Ranjan Sinha and advocate general P K Shahi. Amanullah gave a power point presentation on the Act which received the governor's nod on Friday. Asked if he agreed with Amanullah's presentation, the DGP remarked, "I have not contradicted anything that the home commissioner has said and there is no scope for disagreement". Amanullah gave details of the Supreme Court case Prakash Singh and others vs Union government and others in which the apex court ordered the Union government and the state government to enact a new legislation which would replace the Police Act, 1861. He said the Supreme court had ordered creation of a state security commission, selection and fixing the minimum tenure of DGP, the IG of police and other field officers. It had also ordered separation of investigation from law and order and setting up of the police establishment board and police complaint authority. He said that the Police Draft Committee, comprising the chief secretary, home commissioner, DGP, ADG (headquarters) and advocate general, had held several meetings in the last three and a half months before preparing the draft Bill. It was discussed at the cabinet meeting twice before approval. Amanullah pointed out that the new Act had 97 Sections. "As many as 83 of these Sections have been taken from the Model Police Act, prepared by Soli Sorabjee and circulated by the Centre, and 11 retained from the old Police Act. The state government has added only three Sections — Section 9, which deals with the establishment of police stations to deal with atrocities on SC/ST, Section 16, which deals with building a sophisticated network, and Section 36, which deals with human rights violation by the police," he said. The home commissioner insisted that though the structure of state security commission and police complaint authority had been altered, the spirit of forming these bodies had been retained. "Bihar has 40 police districts. Creation of separate police complaint authority would mean a huge financial burden on the state," he remarked. CM Nitish Kumar said, "We welcome any informed debate on the Act. It is always open for review if anything wrong is found in it."
'Maoists giving moral support to J&K terrorists'
The CPI(Maoist) has been giving "moral" support to Kashmiri terrorists. According to a Bihar police documents, this came to light during interrogation of Kameshwar Baitha alias Udeshwar alias Shankar alias Jaggu, a self-styled "zonal commander" of the CPI(Maoist), who carried a reward of Rs two lakh on his head and was instrumental in the killing of about 80 policemen. Baitha was arrested by Patna police in May, 2005. DGP Ashish Ranjan Sinha had then described it as a "prize catch" of Bihar police. "Kameshwar Baitha also ascertained that the CPI(Maoist) is giving moral support to Kashmiri terrorists," the police document said. It (document) also indicates that top Maoist leader Narayan Sanyal in Andhra Pradesh also admitted during his interrogation that he had introduced Kameshwar Baitha to the party. The document states that 30 of the 38 districts in Bihar are Naxal-infested and lists the districts of Patna, Gaya, Aurangabad, Jehanabad, Arwal, Kaimur, Rohtas, Nawada and Jamui as "hyper-sensitive". The "sensitive" districts are Bhojpur, Muzzafarpur, Sitamarhi, Motihari, Darbhanga, Saharsa, Banka, Bagaha and Sheohar, the document says adding that 12 other districts have been put in the category of "less sensitive". The document suggests that the Maoists are spreading their influence in Bihar and are recruiting youths mainly along the Indo-Nepal border. "Tharu boys and girls of Bagha in West Champaran district have been recruited to strengthen its cadre. They are recruiting youths from different parts of the state luring them with women," the document further states. The document also states that the CPI(Maoist) has been running training centres in the forests in West Champaran and Gaya. "Sophisticated weapons are available at the training camp," the document suggests. Other training centres are reported to be located in Kaimur Hills, Bagaha, Munger and Jamui districts. It also hints at the Maoist plan to loot banks having low security to collect money for purchase of weapons.
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