Won’t leave village, want to stay like before: Iqlakh’s brother

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October 8, 2015

We want to live like before, Dadri lynching victim Mohammad Iqlakh’s eldest brother said on Thursday, stressing that the family has no plan to permanently shift out of Bishada village although it may move out for “2-4 months” if required.

Gautam Buddh Nagar District Magistrate Nagendra Prasad Singh also said that the family will continue to be in Bishada where it is getting round the clock police protection.

“As you can see, our family members have not shifted anywhere and do not intend to do so either. We are very much in Bishada,” Iqlakh’s brother Jamil said at his residence, which is adjoining Iqlakh’s home.

Jamil said that they will never leave Bishada permanently where 5 generations of his family have stayed. “If needed, we may go somewhere for 2-4 months but who knows of the future,” he said.

On report that Iqlakh’s son Sartaj had moved the family to Delhi, Jamil said, “He (Sartaj) is saying certain things out of concern but that does not mean he will go beyond my words”.

The DM said that the family has not shared any plans with him regarding moving out immediately, although “Sartaj is concerned about their safety”.

Days after a man was lynched for allegedly consuming beef, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav has finally broken his silence on the Dadri outrage. He claimed that the incident was a conspiracy hatched by three persons of a specific party.

“Those behind Muzaffarnagar riots were involved. We will take stern action against culprits once names are clear. Even if we have to sacrifice the government, we will take stern action against the culprits once the names are clear,” Mulayam said.

He also appealed to the people to cooperate and maintain harmony. “This is for the good of all,” he said.

‘If Rashid holds 1000 beef parties, we will thrash him thousand times’

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Afternoon Voice

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October 8, 2015

The BJP MLAs who thrashed Independent MLA Engineer Rashid over holding a beef party have warned him against carrying out such bashes in the future.

Rahid, MLA from Langate, had hosted a beef party on the lawns of the MLA hostel here. As per reports, guests were served beef kebabs, ‘ristas’ (meat balls) and beef patties.

BJP MLAs said that when they came face-to-face with Rashid today morning in the assembly they questioned him about the beef party.

Rashid responded by saying that he would organise a thousand more such parties in Kashmir. One BJP MLA also claimed that Rashid specifically mentioned “cow beef party”.

Hearing such a statement, the BJP MLAs allegedly lost their cool and assaulted Rashid.

“What he did was a violation of Constitution of J&K. He said in the Assembly that he will hold 1000 more parties like this,” BJP MLA Ravinder Raina asserted.

Another BJP MLA added that Rashid had hurt the sentiments of Hindus, who are a minority in Jammu and Kashmir.

The MLAs later warned that Rashid would be thrashed all 1000 times if he went ahead and held 1000 beef parties.

The beef row first erupted after a division bench of the High Court in Jammu directed the state to strictly implement the ban in the state as per the law.

Remain alert to prevent terror

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Afternoon Voice

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October 8, 2015

On 6th October suburban commuters of the city faced a real nightmarish experience. This incident brought back the memories of the 2006 Mumbai bomb blasts which claimed the lives of 209 people. The 6.47 pm CST-Badlapur train was approaching the CST platform as passengers (including me), rushed into the coaches to grab a seat. Luckily, I got the window seat in one of the rear-end First Class coaches. After occupying the seat, I noticed a medium sized black bag just beside me. Initially, I thought that somebody might have kept the bag to reserve a place for “himself” or his friend.

Subsequently, the coach was filled with passengers and I started inquiring with my ‘neighbours’ about the bag and its owner? There was no response and everybody disowned the bag. For a moment all of us were afraid and we didn’t know what step we should take. I somehow mustered courage to open the bag for checking its contents. The boy seated beside me and others too helped me in this search operation. Later we found some medical reports, visiting cards, spectacle box, a water bottle and a big sized vertical / cylindrical shaped lunch box. Above all, there was no wallet or any contact number which we could trace for calling the owner of the bag.

I always carry phone number of railways, police, ambulance etc. to act in an emergency situation. After dialling the first number I didn’t receive any response. Later, I dialled the emergency number 182 but I was unable to connect. Then I tried the third number as a railway official attended the call as I narrated to him about the incident. He inquired with me about the details of the train, showed concern and assured of necessary action. By then we had already crossed Dadar station. Since the coach was overcrowded everyone panicked. A gentleman suggested that we should not wait for the arrival of the police and instead throw the bag out of the train. Later the bag was thrown on the railway tracks.

The commute between CST and Matunga (where the bag was thrown) was indeed a nightmare. And I could notice that every passenger was worried as they rightly thought about the consequences should an unfortunate “event occur. Everybody was thinking about the ‘Mumbai suburban train blasts incident. Few days back accused responsible for committing this crime were awarded death sentences.

I nonetheless appreciate the manner in which passengers showed serious concern as they came together and cooperated in the actions that followed. Most of the times, it’s we the commuters who should be more concerned about the security and safety around us. Every one of us should remain vigilant to avert terror incidents. We should not hesitate to take actions and decisions in a judicious and an expeditious manner.

Krishna Kumar

Daniel Craig: I’d Rather “Slash My Wrists” Than Return as James Bond

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Afternoon Voice

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October 8, 2015

Daniel Craig, the British actor who will be appearing as James Bond for the fourth time in “Spectre”, has told an interviewer he would rather slit his wrists than play 007 again.

“I’d rather break this glass and slit my wrists,” Craig, 47, told an interviewer for a entertainment magazine, when asked over breakfast if he would sign up for the role again.

“No, not at the moment. Not at all. That’s fine. I’m over it at the moment. All I want to do is move on,” Craig said in the interview.

The magazine says the interview was conducted in July, just after filming on the 24th Bond film was completed.

Craig said that living up to the image Bond has to project is onerous, and he had put everything into the latest one.

“Every idea I’ve had for a Bond movie, I’ve stuck into this one. It’s gone in. The Bond bank is dry. If you’re asking me what would I do with another Bond movie? I haven’t a clue. Go into space? Let’s do it! They already did it. Let’s do it again.”

“Spectre” will be released in India on 20 November 2015.

Don’t ask me where I get energy from says Amitabh Bachchan

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Afternoon Voice

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October 8, 2015

Amitabh Bachchan may get a lot of compliments for working round the clock with energy equal to any young actor, but the megastar hates the “exaggerated praise” people pour on him.

The 72-year-old Shamitabh actor said he wants to lead a normal life, short of glorified applaud. “Yes, I work late. I work often enough late. I work in the morning at afternoon and at evening till night. I worked in one till late and then another till later. Yes I work. I work because I work. So what?

“So get off my back and stop those embarrassing expressions of ‘Where do you get that energy from or the will at this age to keep working’,” he wrote on his blog. Bachchan, who enjoys a great fan following, added he is like any other person of his age.

“I need no dissuasion… I need no exaggerated praise, nor alarmed exemplification of attributes… I need a will of normalcy, of norms pertained by everyday existence, of non wondered awe and glorified praise. My values and conditions are the same with all. I am but just as another.

Would definitely like to have a child: Salman

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Afternoon Voice

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October 8, 2015

Salman Khan will turn 50 this December but is still one of the most eligible bachelors in the country. One question that has been raised time and again is – When will Salman get married? And perhaps, even the man himself doesn’t have a concrete answer.

However, the hunk of a superstar has expressed his desire to have a kid. In an interview to a leading magazine, October edition, Salman spoke about a number of things, one of them being- marriage.

Salman was honest enough in admitting that he is the most difficult person to be with. He said he will not marry unless he is hundred percent sure. According to him, one must marry only if he/she can bring happiness to someone. Nonetheless, he would like to have a child! But to have a child, a woman comes into the picture.

The ‘Dabangg’ Khan’s fans would certainly like to see their ‘Bhaijaan’ get married.

But will Salman ever settle down? Only time will tell.

We are not opposing artists but Pakistan

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Afternoon Voice

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October 7, 2015

The Ghulam Ali concert was called off after Uddhav Thackeray and Mayors held a meeting with the show’s organisers.

The concert of leading Pakistani Ghazal singer Ghulam Ali scheduled to be held in Shanmukhananda Hall on October 9 has been cancelled after Sena raised objections against it. Sena always had reservations against Pakistani artists performing in the country. Earlier it had opposed the singer Atif Aslam’s performance in Pune. It had protested against the inclusion of Pakistani television host and cross dresser Begum Nawazish Ali and actor Veena Malik in a reality show. Sena has always adopted an aggressive stand against Pakistan and held it responsible for ceasefire violations across the border. The party’s cine wing, Chitrapat Sena, has declared that they won’t let any Pakistani artist perform in India.

Shiv Sena’s national spokesperson Sanjay Raut said that Sena will oppose cultural and sporting relations with the neighbouring country so long as it refused to curb terrorism. He said, “We are not opposing Ghulam Ali but we are against Pakistan. We will continue to oppose such shows until Pakistan stops sponsoring terror activities from its soil.”

The protests are in relation with the tense ties between Indian and Pakistan, following the continuous and incessant ceasefire violations by Pakistan and the cancellation of the National Security Advisory meeting, this year.

In a letter to the management of the Shanmukha-nanda Hall, Shiv Sena’s film wing “Chitrapat Sena” said if it went ahead with the programme featuring the artist from Pakistan they would have to face the “anger of Shiv Sena and the patriotic people.”

“Through this letter, we want to convey to you that if you invite Pakistan artist to the show you will have to face the Shiv Sena’s wrath… Which is why we ask you to prohibit the Pakistan artist from coming to the programme, or else you will have to face the anger of Shiv Sena’s and the patriotic people of the country,” Chitrapat Sena Vibhag Pramukh Mangesh Satamkar said in his letter.

The party would also protest and stop a similar concert scheduled in Pune on October 10 as part of a tribute to late singer Jagjit Singh on his fourth death anniversary.

The 75 year old Ghulam Ali, has sung for many Indian films and has also performed at a concert in Varanasi earlier. The BJP has so far, not reacted to the Sena’s decision to protest against Ali, but the party seems determined to stick to its stand, no matter what its coalition partner says.

On Tuesday, the Shiv Sena, through its mouthpiece Saamana, urged the Centre to display guts and attack Pakistan in retaliation to the cross-border attacks on Indian soldiers and civilians.

Inefficient investigation will lead to one more Talvar

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Vaidehi Taman

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October 7, 2015

After watching Talvar movie and non-stop coverage on Indrani Mukerjea, I somewhere doubt these police findings and investigations. Earlier police claimed that they have evidences to prove Indrani’s crime and then the forensic reports did not support the claim. The high profile case that hit the headlines with all sorts of stories, evaporated with time. Even today, the motive of murder is yet to be established. Police has failed and the case has been transferred to CBI. The Mumbai police had initiated a probe into the twist in the Sheena Bora murder case — the forensic results of the bone samples exhumed from Pen in Raigad and the bone samples sent by the Raigad police in 2012 are not matching. Sheena’s mother Indrani Mukerjea and two others are accused of murdering her and subsequently dumping the body in the forests of Raigad.

Doctors at the BYL Nair Hospital, who conducted the forensic tests on the samples, submitted a report to the Khar police expressing the suspicion that the samples received could have got mixed up and may not belong to the victim. The Pen police station which did not register a case upon finding the remains, later suspected to be Sheena’s, sent a right humerus, two teeth, a burnt skin patch and strands of hair to JJ Hospital in 2012. However, the forensic team of Nair Hospital, which later examined these samples, found that the bone samples did not match.

CBI took over the investigations from the Mumbai Police and Indrani admitted to hospital, these events raise lots of speculations and suspicion. Police has recorded her statements of recent happenings and actual reason behind her hospitalisation. While some reports said Indrani attempted suicide others point towards drug overdose. Question here arises that, if Indrani attempted suicide (which she denies) then how this much quantity of drugs reached her? Was she under the medication, if yes then who prescribed her that drug? I am sure that doctors must be aware of the consequence of the overdose of such drug.

Mukerjea regained consciousness and was “out of danger” as she responded to the treatment. She was sent back to jail. Indrani, was all of sudden rushed to JJ hospital from Byculla jail in an unconscious condition after she allegedly took an overdose of anti-depressant pills. Indrani’s urine samples from Hinduja Hospital laboratory confirmed that level of benzodiazepine – an anti depressant – was found to be high.

She is doomed. Even before any tangible evidence comes to light, even before a court hearing, before she makes any kind of statement, she has already been judged. The case has been a bonanza for the TRP hungry news channels. The story has captured the attention and imagination of a nation. How can a woman kill her own daughter, we wonder. How depraved, how deranged, how cold blooded and calculating can a woman be! What can you expect from a woman who would selfishly abandon her young children? We allow ourselves a delicate shudder of horror, wallowing in the vicarious pleasure this incident has brought to our tepid lives.

But this is a not a soap opera. It is a real murder investigation. A life has been taken. Murders happen every day. Since the beginning of mankind, humans have been killing each other for a variety of reasons. The motive could be as banal as money or as exalted as love. We understand that. It does not make news. What is more difficult to condone is a woman killing in the name of ambition and greed. If we look at her actions through the societal lens of what a woman should be, what she should not do, Indrani Mukerjea is already guilty. Soon, the truth will be out. If she is proven to be guilty, she fully deserves punishment under the court of law. I cannot condone any murder and nor do I have any sympathy for someone who can take a human life or instigate another to do so.

Indrani Mukerjea, accused of killing her daughter Sheena Bora, she is in judicial custody, was arrested on August 25 by the Khar police. Her former driver Shyam Rai and ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna have also been arrested. According to officials, Indrani fainted and a team of doctors from J J hospital visited the jail to check her medical condition. J J Hospital reports confirm, she had some sort of toxins in her body. Forensic tests were carried out before confirming what made her unconscious.

Deepening the mystery over what led Indrani Mukerjea’s collapse inside the Byculla prison, relying on the Forensic Science Laboratory’s (FSL), her blood samples did not show excessively high levels of Etizolam or Mirtazapine. While Etizolam belongs to the Benzodiazepine class of drugs that are used as an anxiolytic — medication to curb anxiety — Mirtazapine is a new class of anti-depressant that is generally used for depressed patients with significant sleep problems. Indrani was reportedly prescribed Etizolam (0.5 mg) and Mirtazapine (7.5 mg).

Meanwhile, the probe underway at the Byculla jail is yet to yield any additional information. The jail authorities recorded statements of nearly 40 inmates lodged in the same barrack as Mukerjea. In addition, the statements of three prison guards, who had direct access to her along with the prison doctors, will also be recorded shortly.

Let see, how this mystery comes to an end or again some Talvar like innocents may fall victim to the inefficient investigation.

Court allows CBI to quiz all accused of Sheena Bora case in jail

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Afternoon Voice

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October 7, 2015

Media magnate Indrani Mukerjea, her former husband Sanjeev Khanna and driver Shyamvar Rai, all accused in the sensational Sheena Bora murder case, will be questioned in jail by CBI with a Mumbai court Wednesday granting 12 days permission for it.

This comes almost a month after the Maharashtra government transferred the murder case to the CBI after much dithering on the supervisory role of then Mumbai police chief Rakesh Maria, who was heading the probe before he was suddenly shunted out.

The Metropolitan Magistrate court had reserved till today its order on CBI’s plea to quiz the three accused in jail.

“The application is allowed,” said R V Adone, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Esplanade court.

The court said that CBI can interrogate the trio till October 19 (the day when their judicial custody ends) and if the probe agency feels the need for further questioning then it may move a fresh application on that day, he said.

Seeking permission to quiz the accused, the CBI had told the court that it had only recently taken over the probe from Mumbai Police which is why interrogation of the trio was necessary.

The central agency also told the court if permission for interrogation is not given, it will have to rely on the investigation conducted by local police.

The agency had sought at least three weeks to interrogate the accused in jail.

Indrani’s lawyer Gunjan Mangala told the court she does not have any objection to her client being interrogated by CBI investigators in the jail.

Khanna’s lawyer Shreyansh Mithare, too, said he is not opposed to interrogation if there is any new ground but Rai’s counsel Shrinivas Bhave objected to the CBI plea, saying the investigation in the case was over.

On October 5, the Metropolitan court had extended the judicial custody of all the accused till October 19.

Last evening, Indrani was discharged from J J Hospital and shifted to Byculla Women’s Prison, where she is lodged under judicial custody since last month.

On Friday, the 43-year-old had fallen unconscious in the jail due to suspected drug overdose and rushed to the state-run JJ hospital.

After Indrani’s hospitalisation, conflicting reports had emerged on suspected drug overdose in prison. While one report said she had overdosed on anti-depressant pills, the other said it did not any trace of overdose.

Yesterday, Vijay Satbir Singh, Principal Secretary (Appeals and Security) had said that since Indrani is mentally and physically fit now, her statement will be recorded either in the night or this morning to ascertain the circumstances under which she collapsed in jail.

Indrani reportedly told the Byculla jail authorities that she had not attempted sucide as speculated and remembered feeling giddy before fainting.

Newly-appointed IG (Prisons) Bipin Kumar Singh is heading the probe into the episode.

“She has completely recovered now and is safe and sound. The crisis is over. It is now for the inquiry officer to record her statement at his convenience. Whatever she tells authorities will be included in the report that is to be sent to the state Home Ministry,” Vijay Singh told PTI.

Indrani and the two other accused were arrested in August-end on the charge of murdering her daughter in April 2012 and disposing of the body in a forest in Raigad district, about 84 km from here.

Maharashtra’s brand ambassador for tigers Big B bats to save big cat population

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Afternoon Voice

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October 7, 2015

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who has been appointed as Maharashtra’s brand ambassador for tigers, has appealed people to save the big cat’s rapidly dwindling population.

Beginning the endeavor, the 72-year-old actor took a jungle safari in Sanjay Gandhi National Park in suburban Mumbai last evening along with ministers and politicians.

“I will consider myself worthy as a brand ambassador when tiger preservation and securing their safety becomes successful. If my voice or face can provide anything good to this initiative, I will pledge myself for it,” Bachchan said.

The “Piku” star took jungle safari and he had a great time.

“I have been in Mumbai for 65 years. But the safari showed me images that I have never seen before. And these are the things that makes me work for it. What makes me proud is that in the middle of the city, there is a national park which is a miracle and we have to save it.”

Bachchan revealed Maharashtra is home to the largest number of tigers in India.

“When we were moving from 19th to 20th century, the tiger count was 40,000. In 2008, it reduced to 1411. The movement that started after that has made it reach 2226 in number,” he said.

On the occasion, Big B launched two Safari buses at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. The event has been organised as a part of ‘Wildlife Week’ celebrations and it was attended by Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar.