Day: February 19, 2012

FARRUKHABAD, Feb 19 (IANS): Louis Khursheed, Congress leader and wife of union Law Minister Salman Khursheed, had a narrow escape Sunday evening as a group of people pelted stones at a polling booth here, from where she is contesting the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, for allegedly promoting bogus voting.

The protesters charged her with `facilitating voting by her supporters` inside a booth at a primary school in Bibiganj after the 5 p.m. deadline.

As the gates were closed for voting and the people who had queued up were taken in, a group of Bharatiya Janata Party and Bahujan Samaj Party workers gathered near the booth and started shouting slogans.

The protesters even pelted stones at the polling booth where Louis Khursheed was standing. They accused her of trying to influence voters and promoting bogus voting.

Farrukhabad Superintendent of Police Mohit Gupta said that an incident had been reported from Bibiganj and he had asked officials to investigate the matter.

`Such reports have come to me and I have asked Louis Khursheed to send me a formal complaint so that the matter may be looked into,` Gupta said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/khursheeds-wife-attacked/

KOLKATA, Feb 19 (IANS): The efforts of the West Bengal administration, led by the state`s first woman Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, to play down an Anglo-Indian woman`s complaint of being “raped at gun point” after late night partying on fashionable Park Street have raised the hackles of rights bodies and eminent people.

After a series of twists and turns, police claimed to have cracked the case by arresting three youths Saturday, throwing egg on the face of top government functionaries who had doubted the veracity of the woman`s complaint.

A manhunt has also been launched for the prime suspect, who is said to have fled the state.

The incident has raised serious questions on law and order, as it is the latest in a chain of murders as well as shootings and snatchings – many of them in broad daylight – in Kolkata and adjacent areas. There has even been several incidents of packets containing body parts being unearthed.

The alleged rape victim, who is a mother of two and a call centre employee, claimed that while coming out of a posh night club in the wee hours of Feb 6 she was offered a lift by an acquaintance in car.

As the car was about to start, some more people entered it, and she was later raped inside the moving vehicle and then thrown out into the streets.

However, the woman`s claim that the acquaintance was one Lavi Gidwani created confusion as immigration records showed he was in Canada from Jan 2. Later, the woman told a television channel that the man had first introduced himself as Rahman Khan and then gave his name as Lavi Gidwani.

Besides, police mobile call records of two other alleged culprits – Sharafat Ali and Azhar Ali – showed they were far from the spot at the time of occurrence of the alleged crime.

Deputy Commissioner of City Police (Crime) Damayanti Sen Thursday said the “victim” seemed “confused” and “certain technical discrepancies” had to be sorted out before police could come to a conclusion.

Police finally took the erased video footage of the night club on the day of the alleged incident to a cyber lab and nailed the alleged culprits, who were the not the ones originally identified by the woman. It was found that the arrested trio were Ruman Khan, Sumit Bajaj and Nasir.

“One person in the presence of others raped the woman. All of them used fake names while introducing themselves to the woman. So she got confused. The people whose names they took and who were mentioned by the victim initially were not present at the time of the crime,” said Sen.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had claimed Thursday that the incident was “cooked up” to “malign the government”.

Trinamool Congress leader and Sports Minister Madan Mitra went further. While talking to a TV channel, he not only did he question the morality of the woman but went on to say that the complaint was fabricated to extort money.

“She has two children and so far as I know she is separated from her husband. What was she doing at a night club so late in the night?” he asked.

At the state secretariat, a government spokesman even asked whether she was involved with an escort service and referred to an old case of cheating against her father.

What was also shocking is that some police officers had mocked the woman when she went to file her complaint at the Park Street police station. An inquiry has been ordered into the alleged indecent behaviour of the policemen.

West Bengal Women`s Commission chairperson Sunanda Mukherjee, who was handpicked for the post by the chief minister, took exception to the comments made by government functionaries.

“If any woman claims she has been raped then the rule is it has to be looked into with utmost seriousness. None of us have the right to say the allegation is right or wrong when investigation is on,” she said.

Writer Suchitra Bhattacharya said: “No woman will falsely claim that she has been raped. And the character of a woman should not be dragged into the issue. There is a Supreme Court ruling on this.”

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/rape-case-shows-mamata-in-bad-light/

IMPHAL, Feb 19: A special master class on psycho-physical aspects of acting conducted by Lin Pei Ann and Chongtham Jayanta Meetei of EX-Theatre Asia, Taiwan concluded today at Kay Pee Studio Complex, Kwakeithel Thokchom Leikai, Imphal.

The master class was organized by Mamikon Academy, Manipur and EX-Theatre Asia, Taiwan as an extension programme of the participatory project on film production, 2012 under the sponsorship of Manipur Film Development Corporation (MFDC).

The closing ceremony was graced by Dr RK Nimai, commissioner of art and culture, Dr K Sobita Devi, managing director of MFDC and Wareppa Naba, president of Theatre Centre, Manipur as the chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.

Addressing the gathering, Dr Nimai stressed on the need of “professionalism” in every field of work, which may be in art, culture, sports or academics.

He maintained that the state is rich in art and culture, however lack of professionals is a major drawback in bringing up the indigenous art forms to the international arena.

Nimai said that a Russian ambassador once appreciated the Manipuri dance as the best classical dance of India. He also appealed to the young actors to work dedicatedly in their field to uplift the standard of Manipuri theatre and cinema.

Wareppa Naba stated that theatre is the mirror of the society. Acting is a specialized field which needs both expertise in both academics and aesthetics.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/master-class-on-psychophysical-acting-by-taiwanese-director-concludes/

IMPHAL, Feb 19: As in other parts of the country, polio was administered at various parts of the state today.

The central security forces also provided assistance to various civil departments in administering pulse polio in the state today.

According to a PIB release 5/9 Gorkha Rifles under the aegis of Red Shied Division assisted the state health department to carry out pulse polio immunisation in Gothal, Kwakta and Saiton villages.

Further according to the statement approximately 250 children were given the polio drops.

In Ningthoukhong area 6/8 Gorkha Rifles under the aegis of Red Shield Division and local PHC, jointly organised a Pulse Polio

camp where around 145 children from were administered with polio drops.

The statement has stated that this is the first such jointly organised camp by Army and civil authorities in the area.

Meanwhile, in Maram 5 Assam Rifles also organised the Pulse polio immunisation drive, the statement added.

The pulse polio program was organised by SMO 5 AR deputy comdt T NK Ching who was assisted by Nb/Sub P K Choudhary of the Battalion alongwith a team of nursing assistants.

The statement has also added that the vaccination drive had commenced from 6:30 am and continued till 3pm in the evening during which a total of 449 children were administered with the polio drops.

Meanwhile, the commandant 69 BN CRPF in a press statement has informed that his battalion had also organized a pulse polio immunization programme at Mantripukhri during which hundreds of children below 5 years of age were administered polio drops.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/pulse-polio-immunization-camps/