Army tastes porter deaths backlash

Srinagar: Bandipore town in north Kashmir erupted on Sunday in mass protests over the death of five residents, prompting the administration to clamp curfew, reports our correspondent.

The five were said to be hired as porters for a search operation in the upper reaches of Bandipore in which the army killed six militants and lost three soldiers. A defence spokesperson said the five civilians died in crossfire during an encounter.

“These youths were hired as porters to clear the debris at the site of the encounter in Aragam forests. As there was a lull in militant fire for a considerable duration, a party was sent in. But one of the militants opened fire, killing three of them on the spot and injuring another,” PTI quoted defence spokesperson Colonel Dharamadhikari as saying.

He added that one or two militants ran out of a cave firing blindly at another party of porters, killing two of them.

Villagers of Aragam, near Bandipore, however, alleged the army took the slain persons as guides during the search yesterday and killed them.

“The army will never indulge in such things,” Colonel Dharamadhikari told PTI. “There is no truth in the allegations.”

The villagers tried to storm the local army camp in the morning when they were told the bodies were inside. Thousands poured into the streets and shouted anti-establishment slogans while they carried the bodies in a procession to Bandipore.

The crowd turned violent, damaged the local police station and torched vehicles, prompting police to fire warning shots. The police later lobbed teargas shells and wielded batons when the mob refused to leave the police station.

High court rejects Mallika plea

Ahmedabad (PTI): Gujarat High Court has rejected dancer Mallika Sarabhai’s petition seeking quashing of an FIR registered against her in a cheating case.

Justice S.D. Dave rejected the petition after hearing arguments of additional public prosecutor A.Y. Kogje and Sarabhai’s advocate on Saturday.

Kogje submitted that on the perusal of the FIR it was clear that the offence has been made out and it should be investigated rather than quashed.

Police had registered an offence under Sections 420 and 490 of the CrPC against the dancer in October after a complaint by one Manushi Shah, who alleged that Sarabhai had cheated her by not repaying a sum after a cultural tour to the US was cancelled.

4-year term for Indian in Dubai

Dubai (PTI): One of the four Indian youths arrested last year on charges of drug abuse has been sentenced to four years in jail by a court here, a media report said.

Prasad Divadkar, 25, has appealed against the conviction and the court of appeal is expected to give its ruling later this month, the Gulf News reported.

He, along with three friends — Farhan Azmi, the son of Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azim Azmi, Shaan Uttam Singh, the grandson of film producer G.P. Sippy, and Bonito Chhabria, the son of automobile designer Dilip Chhabria — was arrested in Dubai in October.

Dry days reduced

Jaipur (PTI): The Rajasthan government has restricted dry days, when the sale of liquor is banned, to three national holidays to attract foreign tourists, official sources said. According to the new excise policy, only January 26, August 15 and October 2 will be dry days in the state.

Molestation arrests

New Delhi (PTI): Delhi police have arrested 16 people, including one who had represented India at an Asian Games, in connection with molestation of three Delhi University students about a fortnight ago. All the arrested people are from Haryana and are wrestlers at an akhara based in Maurice Nagar in north Delhi, police said on Saturday. The police launched a massive manhunt following a complaint regarding the molestation on a university special bus on January 24, they said.

Vaiko poll act salvo

Chennai: MDMK leader Vaiko has described the NDA’s decision to amend the Representation of the People’s Act (RPA) as a “murder of democracy”, reports our special correspondent. The move was “worse” than the Prevention of Terrorism Act, Vaiko told foe-turned-friend DMK leader M.K. Stalin on Sunday.

Antic delays trains

Chandigarh (PTI): Some children placed coins and stones on the rail tracks, delaying trains on the Ambala-Ludhiana section of Northern Railway on Sunday. A search was carried out after the driver of the Dhanbad-Amritsar Kisan Express reported a strange noise. A police officer said it was a prank.

February this year has five Sundays, a rare occurrence in the shortest month of the calendar. The phenomenon occurs only once in every 28 years, said Dr Sathiyamoorthy, the former head of the department of statistics at Annamalai University.