Uttar Pradesh police have busted an inter-state racket of idol smugglers after recovering 19 antique idols worth Rs.10 crore (one million) stolen from Bihar's Bodhgaya temple.
Three people have been arrested from a town in Chandauli district and police said they were going to Varanasi to sell the stolen idols to a person there.
'Acting on a tip-off, we intercepted a Tata Sumo late Tuesday in the Mugalsarai town and arrested the three smugglers along with 19 antique idols,' Chandauli Superintendent of Police M.D. Karndhar told. One of arrested hails from Bihar.link
Wednesday 20 May 2009
Father kills son for refusing to marry again
A man in a village in Bihar's Bhojpur district declined to carry out his father's order to desert his wife and marry another woman. The enraged father and other relatives beat the son to death, police said Wednesday.
Dharmendra Choudhary, in his late 20s, was killed Tuesday, allegedly by his father and other family members in Saropur village of Bhojpur district, 60 km from state capital Patna.
"Dharmendra was beaten to death by his father and others after he refused to marry again," a police officer said.
Dharmendra's father-in-law Budhan Choudhary has lodged an FIR (first information report) at the Piro police station and blamed Dharmendra's father and other family members for the killing.
Budhan said his daughter Anita Kumari married Dharmendra in 2003 and the couple had no children. "Dharmendra's family members were pressurising him to marry again but he refused time and again as he was happy with his life."
Dharmendra had a heated conversation with his father and other family members Tuesday. After that he was beaten to death.
It is common in rural Bihar for families to force their sons to marry again if the couple do not have children after three years of marriage.link
Dharmendra Choudhary, in his late 20s, was killed Tuesday, allegedly by his father and other family members in Saropur village of Bhojpur district, 60 km from state capital Patna.
"Dharmendra was beaten to death by his father and others after he refused to marry again," a police officer said.
Dharmendra's father-in-law Budhan Choudhary has lodged an FIR (first information report) at the Piro police station and blamed Dharmendra's father and other family members for the killing.
Budhan said his daughter Anita Kumari married Dharmendra in 2003 and the couple had no children. "Dharmendra's family members were pressurising him to marry again but he refused time and again as he was happy with his life."
Dharmendra had a heated conversation with his father and other family members Tuesday. After that he was beaten to death.
It is common in rural Bihar for families to force their sons to marry again if the couple do not have children after three years of marriage.link
Maoist arrested with a huge cache of arms in Bihar
A Maoist was arrested today and a huge cache of firearms including pistols, hand grenades, detonators and magazines were seized from him during a raid by the Special Task Force (STF) in a village in Bihar&aposs Rohtas district.
The Maoist, identified as Maan Dev, was a regular supplier of firearms to the CPI (M) since 1999. He was arrested from his rented house at East Mohan Bigaha village after a tip-off, district Superintendent of Police Vikas Vaibhav told reporters.
A pistol, 150 hand grenades, 5,500 detonators, 460 live cartridges of revolver, seven magazines of self loading rifles (SLR) and carbine were seized from him, police said.
Some survey maps of Patna and Kaimur- Rohtas ranges, geographical maps of Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh were also found in the house.
The raiding team also seized laser lights, CDs of past naxalite operations, compass, T-shirts and sarees for women naxalites, DVDs and naxalite literatures from Dev&aposs house, it said.
Police did not rule out the possibility of others also being involved in the arms supply racket.
Dev is a resident of Joga village in Palamu district in Jharkhand.link
The Maoist, identified as Maan Dev, was a regular supplier of firearms to the CPI (M) since 1999. He was arrested from his rented house at East Mohan Bigaha village after a tip-off, district Superintendent of Police Vikas Vaibhav told reporters.
A pistol, 150 hand grenades, 5,500 detonators, 460 live cartridges of revolver, seven magazines of self loading rifles (SLR) and carbine were seized from him, police said.
Some survey maps of Patna and Kaimur- Rohtas ranges, geographical maps of Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh were also found in the house.
The raiding team also seized laser lights, CDs of past naxalite operations, compass, T-shirts and sarees for women naxalites, DVDs and naxalite literatures from Dev&aposs house, it said.
Police did not rule out the possibility of others also being involved in the arms supply racket.
Dev is a resident of Joga village in Palamu district in Jharkhand.link
Bihar to develop Sher Shah's tomb as major tourist site
The tomb of Sher Shah Suri, the emperor who built the Grand Trunk Road from Kolkata to Peshawar in the 16th century and thus laid down the foundation of the Indian highway system, is being refurbished here at a cost of Rs.94 crore (Rs.940 million) so that it becomes one of Bihar's major tourist destinations.
Officials in the state tourism department said the surroundings of the tomb, in the emperor's home town, would be beautified; plus a luxury hotel, cafeteria and guest house would be built to attract tourists.
"The department has prepared a plan of over Rs.94 crore to develop and beautify the tomb premises," an official said. The state government has applied to the Unesco to accord World Heritage Site status to the tomb.
A famous army general, Sher Shah Suri wrested the throne of India from the second Mughal emperor Humayun and ruled for five years (1540-45) till his death. He was also a notable administrator who built resting and watering spots and joined existing roads to establish the Grand Trunk Road, which is now named after him.
His successors proved incapable of holding on to the throne, and the Mughals regained power in 1556.
Rohtas district authorities told that officials of the state tourism development corporation and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) held discussions Sunday on the projects to develop the tomb. Sasaram, about 150 km from state capital Patna, is the headquarters of the district.
Acting superintending archaeologist of Patna circle N.G. Nikose, who was also present at the meeting, assured all possible help to the department in developing the area around the tomb.
However, ASI officials made it clear that they would not allow any construction in the prohibited area of 100 metres around the tomb.
Last month, municipal authorities in Sasaram issued notices seeking explanations from all those who have constructed illegal structures in the vicinity of the tomb. The action followed orders of the district magistrate to free the tomb's premises of encroachment after the Patna High Court in November 2008 asked the ASI and the Rohtas district administration to take measures for its preservation.
Ruling on public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a Sasaram resident, who contended the state government was not taking adequate steps to preserve the tomb, the court had expressed unhappiness about the monument's condition due to years of neglect and exposure to pollution.
The ASI has long demanded removal of illegal constructions around the tomb and had also taken up the matter in the high court.
According to ASI guidelines, no construction can be allowed within a 100-metre radius of a historical monument as well as construction beyond a certain height within a radius of 200 metres. However, the rules have been violated time and again.
Also, the tank around the five-storey tomb, is filled with acidic industrial discharge.
Early this year, district authorities banned discharge of polluted water, immersion of idols and bathing in the tank. The ban was imposed early this year by the high court, after the ASI warned of the threats to the tomb as the tank's water had turned acidic, and the water level had gone down.
The historical tomb was declared a national heritage site under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, and the ASI given the responsibility for its preservation and protection.link
Officials in the state tourism department said the surroundings of the tomb, in the emperor's home town, would be beautified; plus a luxury hotel, cafeteria and guest house would be built to attract tourists.
"The department has prepared a plan of over Rs.94 crore to develop and beautify the tomb premises," an official said. The state government has applied to the Unesco to accord World Heritage Site status to the tomb.
A famous army general, Sher Shah Suri wrested the throne of India from the second Mughal emperor Humayun and ruled for five years (1540-45) till his death. He was also a notable administrator who built resting and watering spots and joined existing roads to establish the Grand Trunk Road, which is now named after him.
His successors proved incapable of holding on to the throne, and the Mughals regained power in 1556.
Rohtas district authorities told that officials of the state tourism development corporation and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) held discussions Sunday on the projects to develop the tomb. Sasaram, about 150 km from state capital Patna, is the headquarters of the district.
Acting superintending archaeologist of Patna circle N.G. Nikose, who was also present at the meeting, assured all possible help to the department in developing the area around the tomb.
However, ASI officials made it clear that they would not allow any construction in the prohibited area of 100 metres around the tomb.
Last month, municipal authorities in Sasaram issued notices seeking explanations from all those who have constructed illegal structures in the vicinity of the tomb. The action followed orders of the district magistrate to free the tomb's premises of encroachment after the Patna High Court in November 2008 asked the ASI and the Rohtas district administration to take measures for its preservation.
Ruling on public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a Sasaram resident, who contended the state government was not taking adequate steps to preserve the tomb, the court had expressed unhappiness about the monument's condition due to years of neglect and exposure to pollution.
The ASI has long demanded removal of illegal constructions around the tomb and had also taken up the matter in the high court.
According to ASI guidelines, no construction can be allowed within a 100-metre radius of a historical monument as well as construction beyond a certain height within a radius of 200 metres. However, the rules have been violated time and again.
Also, the tank around the five-storey tomb, is filled with acidic industrial discharge.
Early this year, district authorities banned discharge of polluted water, immersion of idols and bathing in the tank. The ban was imposed early this year by the high court, after the ASI warned of the threats to the tomb as the tank's water had turned acidic, and the water level had gone down.
The historical tomb was declared a national heritage site under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, and the ASI given the responsibility for its preservation and protection.link
Tuesday 19 May 2009
Engieerrs demand hike in I-T exemption
Welcoming the victory of the Congress in the Lok Sabha elections, the Bihar Engineering Services Association has demanded that the income-tax exemption be raised up to Rs 3 lakh for general salaried people and Rs 3.5 lakh for women employees on the ground that two months of their salaries are paid into the I-T account every year.
Despite a fall in the price index, the prices of essential commodities have gone up beyond paying capacities and therefore they have little in hand for other essential expenses at home, engineers feel.
Moreover, the 6th Pay Commission has categorised the pay-scale of both the assistant engineers and executive engineers under pay band-3 and those of superintending engineers, chief engineers as well as engineer in-chief under pay band-4.
The association has demanded a reform in the pay structure, according to the zonal secretary and state organizing secretary, Ram Swarath Sah.link
Despite a fall in the price index, the prices of essential commodities have gone up beyond paying capacities and therefore they have little in hand for other essential expenses at home, engineers feel.
Moreover, the 6th Pay Commission has categorised the pay-scale of both the assistant engineers and executive engineers under pay band-3 and those of superintending engineers, chief engineers as well as engineer in-chief under pay band-4.
The association has demanded a reform in the pay structure, according to the zonal secretary and state organizing secretary, Ram Swarath Sah.link
Special prelims for select BPSC candidates
The Patna High Court on Tuesday directed the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) to conduct a special preliminary test for the 48th to 52nd combined competitive examinations for state civil services for only those 94 candidates who had raised objections regarding wrong questions and answers.
A division bench comprising Justice S K Katariar and Justice K K Mandal, however, allowed BPSC to conduct the mains of the 48th to 52nd combined competitive examinations on the basis of the results of the preliminary test published earlier.
Giving the verdict on the Letters Patent Appeal (LPA) of BPSC, the division bench “modified” an earlier order of a single bench presided over by Justice Navin Sinha wherein he had set aside the entire preliminary test results and directed BPSC to hold the prelims afresh. The modified order means only a special test for the group of 94.
Pleading for BPSC, advocate general P K Shahi submitted that the 94 candidates appearing at the preliminary test held earlier ought to have raised objections soon after having gone through the questions. He added that instructions in this regard had been given in the questions.link
A division bench comprising Justice S K Katariar and Justice K K Mandal, however, allowed BPSC to conduct the mains of the 48th to 52nd combined competitive examinations on the basis of the results of the preliminary test published earlier.
Giving the verdict on the Letters Patent Appeal (LPA) of BPSC, the division bench “modified” an earlier order of a single bench presided over by Justice Navin Sinha wherein he had set aside the entire preliminary test results and directed BPSC to hold the prelims afresh. The modified order means only a special test for the group of 94.
Pleading for BPSC, advocate general P K Shahi submitted that the 94 candidates appearing at the preliminary test held earlier ought to have raised objections soon after having gone through the questions. He added that instructions in this regard had been given in the questions.link
Child protection unit in each district
In a landmark move, Bihar has notified formation of District Child Protection Units (DCPUs) to promote the interests of child, prevent violations of child rights and ensure effective implementation of Juvenile Justice Act 2000, as amended in 2006.
Bihar thus became the first state in the country to notify DCPUs in all its 38 districts and appoint an assistant director (social security) as the nodal person.
It was the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) of the Union women and child development ministry that proposed setting up of a State Child Protection Unit in each state/UT and DCPU in each district to ensure coordination of associated child protection services for vulnerable and destitute children, including juveniles.
DCPUs were set up at the initiative of department of social welfare in collaboration with Unicef-Patna. The DCPUs are statutory bodies formed under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000.
An eight-day training programme for DCPU consultants was also organized by the department of social welfare and Unicef from May 11 to May 18. As many as 40 consultants were trained on issues related to child rights and Juvenile Justice Act.
Social welfare department's principal secretary S Siddhu said, "All of us have a lot to look forward to in child protection after the establishment of DCPUs in the state. The additional human resources now available will certainly make a lot of difference to our work."
Children are languishing in remand homes and observation homes because of the difficult circumstances they faced in life. The objective is to maintain the standard of services provided in these homes, Siddhu said.
Bihar Unicef's field office chief Bijaya Rajbhandari thanked the social welfare department for initiating the innovative programme on child protection in the state.
"Unicef in collaboration with the state social welfare department is currently piloting DCPUs in 10 districts and plans to strengthen them by providing technical, managerial and monitoring support besides additional human resources," said social welfare department director Masood Hassan.link
Bihar thus became the first state in the country to notify DCPUs in all its 38 districts and appoint an assistant director (social security) as the nodal person.
It was the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) of the Union women and child development ministry that proposed setting up of a State Child Protection Unit in each state/UT and DCPU in each district to ensure coordination of associated child protection services for vulnerable and destitute children, including juveniles.
DCPUs were set up at the initiative of department of social welfare in collaboration with Unicef-Patna. The DCPUs are statutory bodies formed under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000.
An eight-day training programme for DCPU consultants was also organized by the department of social welfare and Unicef from May 11 to May 18. As many as 40 consultants were trained on issues related to child rights and Juvenile Justice Act.
Social welfare department's principal secretary S Siddhu said, "All of us have a lot to look forward to in child protection after the establishment of DCPUs in the state. The additional human resources now available will certainly make a lot of difference to our work."
Children are languishing in remand homes and observation homes because of the difficult circumstances they faced in life. The objective is to maintain the standard of services provided in these homes, Siddhu said.
Bihar Unicef's field office chief Bijaya Rajbhandari thanked the social welfare department for initiating the innovative programme on child protection in the state.
"Unicef in collaboration with the state social welfare department is currently piloting DCPUs in 10 districts and plans to strengthen them by providing technical, managerial and monitoring support besides additional human resources," said social welfare department director Masood Hassan.link
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