The Hindu : New Delhi News : Briefly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 11, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Briefly

CBI probe into MLA killing sought

Mirzapur (UP): Former Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh on Saturday demanded that the Uttar Pradesh government order a CBI probe into the gruesome killing of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai in Ghazipur on Novermber 29.

Talking to reporters here, Mr Singh said the Centre must frame a law that would necessitate a CBI probe into the killing of people's representatives.

The former Prime Minister observed that criminalisation of politics was the greatest threat to democracy.

``People must ensure that candidates with criminal antecedent are defeated in polls,'' he maintained.

75 children from

Bihar rescued

Baghpat (UP): Seventy-five children aged between 8-12, allegedly kidnapped from Bihar and forced to work in a garment manufacturing unit here, have been rescued on the orders of the District Magistrate.

A team headed by Sub-Divisional Magistrate Rajvir Singh and police inspector Naresh Chandra carried out a raid on a house in Aggarwal Mandi where the children were being held captive as bonded labourers, police said on Saturday.

They said the children were rescued from the house, which was doubling as a unit for making ladies' salwar suits.

The rescued children told reporters that they were confined to a single room and made to work on salwar-kameez sets in the unit guarded by men armed with lathis.

They were kidnapped from Bihar but had no idea of their addresses of their parents.

The administration headed by District Magistrate G D Tripathi now has the job of getting in touch with the parents or guardians of the children who were not fed properly while in captivity, police said.

DNA lab at Sagar

Bhopal: The first DNA laboratory in Madhya Pradesh will become operational at Sagar on January 26 next, Director General of Police Swaraj Puri said.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who reviewed the working of the Home department here on Saturday, was informed that Madhya Pradesh ranked among the few States utilising of Central assistance and the State had so far utilised 90 percent of the funds allocated from the Centre.

Slums gutted

NEW DELHI: At least 150 shanties were gutted in a fire that broke out in a slum cluster at Nizamuddin here on Saturday. No one was injured.

According to a Fire Department spokesperson, the call about the fire in the cluster at Sarai Kale Khan in Nizamuddin was received around 1 p.m. More than 20 fire tenders were pressed into service and it took an hour and 15 minutes to douse the flames. The residents managed to get out of the cluster just in time that prevented any injuries or loss of life. However, they could not save most of their belongings.

The Nizamuddin police have registered a case.

Award for Karan Singh

New Delhi: The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has decided to confer the National Integration Award-2005 to Karan Singh, MP.

The NCM has decided to give the award to Mr. Singh for his outstanding contribution towards promotion of communal harmony in India and abroad, the Commission said in a release here on Saturday. The award will be presented to Mr. Singh at a function being organised to observe National Minorities Day on December 19 in the Capital.

Passive smoking alert

NEW DELHI: Delhi Medical Association president K.K. Aggarwal on Saturday said passive smoking raises the risk of breast cancer, especially among pre-menopausal women.

Quoting from a study published in the "International Journal of Cancer" at a function here, Dr. Aggarwal said long-term regular exposure to passive smoking was associated with an overall 27 per cent increased risk of breast cancer among women who had never smoked.

Statement flayed

NEW DELHI: Uttaranchal Purvanchal Sanyukt Pravasi Morcha president H.N. Sharma has condemned "the reported statement of Bharatiya Janata Party leader Pramod Mahajan against the Bihari community" and sought an unconditional apology from him and his party.

In a statement, Mr. Sharma said "the silence of the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Sushil Modi, is deafening and the response of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar grossly inadequate".

UGC advisory

NEW DELHI: The University Grants Commission, All-India Council for Technical Education and Distance Education Council have jointly issued a circular asking universities and institutions to desist from the practice of offering distance education programmes without prior approval of DEC and other apex bodies.

The UGC has advised all universities to desist from granting franchising and has asked students not to pursue a professional/technical/general educational programme through distance mode without checking the recognition status of the respective universities.

Blood donation camp

NEW DELHI: Lions Club New Delhi Shakti in association with Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital will organise a blood donation-cum-anaemia detection camp at Desh Bandhu College in Kalkaji here on December 13.

Project in-charge Aruna Mehta said that last year more than 100 units of blood was collected, while this year the target was more than 150 units.

Painting exhibition

NEW DELHI: National Award winner artist Roop Chand inaugurated a painting exhibition on the theme "Serenity" at Poorva Sanskritik Kendra in East Delhi on Friday.

The painting exhibition by artist Dalip Chandolia will be on view till December 20.

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