Accidents & Disasters – Newsletter for December 9, 2010

Three crude bombs recovered in Allahabad

LUCKNOW – Panic gripped a residential area of Uttar Pradesh’s major city Allahabad Thursday after three live crude bombs were recovered from a garbage trolley, within two days of a bomb blast in Varanasi, police said.

“Acting on a tip-off, we recovered the crude bombs from the garbage bin in the Bahadurganj area. A team … Read more »».

CVC launches website to fight corruption

NEW DELHI – On the International Anti-Corruption Day, the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) launched a new portal ‘VIGEYE’ where citizens can upload videos or audios on any act of corruption directly from their mobile phones Thursday.

The new citizen-centric initiative of the CVC will enable even common man to carry out a sting …. Original article  : CVC launches website to fight corruption.

Nepal villagers try to set Indian border guard ablaze

KATHMANDU – A mob in a southern village of Nepal clashed with a group of marauding Indian border patrol guards Thursday and tried to set one of the men ablaze.

Surendra Kumar Chaudhary of Seema Suraksha Bal (SSB) had a narrow escape from being burnt alive in Tikoliya village in Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal’s …. Original source  : Nepal villagers try to set Indian border guard ablaze.

Helicopter crash kills three in Mexico

MEXICO CITY – At least three people were killed when a police helicopter crashed in Mexico, Xinhua reported Thursday.

According to police, the Bell 412 helicopter with 11 people on board crashed Wednesday when it was going to a prison in the town of Villa Aldama in eastern Veracruz state.
… Read more >>>.

Eight killed in rains, Panama Canal shut down

PANAMA CITY – Days of heavy rain have left at least eight people dead in Panama, while the Panama Canal authority was forced to shut down the short-cut ship passage that connects the Pacific Ocean to the Caribbean and Atlantic oceans.

President Ricardo Martinelli said the deaths were caused by flooding as rivers overflowed their … Read more : Eight killed in rains, Panama Canal shut down.

From jail to stage – reforming prisoners through cultural therapy

KOLKATA – Once hardened criminals and now do-gooders for all of society, Nigel Akkara alias Vikki and Debashis Chakraborty bring to life in more ways than one the old age story of robber Ratnakar who metamorphosed into sage Valmiki.

Leaving behind long years spent in jail, Vikki now runs a business while Chakraborty is a … Original source on Gaea Times at : From jail to stage – reforming prisoners through cultural therapy.

Three killed in Mexico violence

Cancun (Mexico), Dec 9 (IANS/EFE) Three people were found brutally murdered in this Mexican resort city, where a UN climate summit is going on amid heavy security.

In two separate incidents Wednesday that bore the hallmarks of organised crime, three men — aged 25-30 — were shot dead after being tortured, according to police reports.
…. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Panama Canal shut down due to rain

PANAMA CITY – Days of heavy rain prompted the Panama Canal authority to shut down the short-cut ship passage that connects the Pacific Ocean to the Caribbean and Atlantic oceans.

Officials Wednesday said visibility was too limited to manoeuvre ships through the locks.
Catastrophic downpours have flooded the entire region between Venezuela and Costa Rica … Read more >>.

Delhi teenager commits suicide

NEW DELHI – A 17-year-old boy committed suicide in his house in southeast Delhi Wednesday, police said.

Shubham, a Class 10 student, was found dead today (Wednesday) evening in his house in Jasola Vihar, a police official said, adding that it was a case of suicide.
“We are still investigating the case and trying to …. Source article  : Delhi teenager commits suicide.

Rs.50 lakh stolen from clerk’s house, recovered

NEW DELHI – Two people were arrested for looting Rs.50 lakh from a government clerk’s house in west Delhi, police said Wednesday. The money has been recovered.

Two bags, carrying Rs.29 lakh and Rs.21 lakh respectively, were recovered from Mukesh Todi and Vikas. Mukesh was arrested from Seemapuri area in east Delhi and Vikas … Read more »».

14 killed in Andhra rains, standing crops damaged

HYDERABAD – Heavy rains in Andhra Pradesh in the past two days have claimed 14 lives and damaged crops over 3.7 lakh hectares, causing great misery to farmers already reeling under the impact of recent cyclones.

Rescue workers Wednesday recovered 12 bodies from a stream near Vinukonda in Guntur district as heavy rains swelled …. Original article  : 14 killed in Andhra rains, standing crops damaged.

Six gunmen killed in Mexico

Mexico City, Dec 8 (IANS/EFE) Seven gunmen were killed in a clash with army troops in northeast Mexico, officials said.

The gunfight took place at the Santa Lucia ranch in Mexico’s Tamaulipas state, the Defence Secretariat said Tuesday.
Soldiers assigned to the 8th Military Zone, based in the border city of Reynosa, were attacked Monday … Read more : Six gunmen killed in Mexico.

Saudi man sentenced to ‘prayer calls’ instead of whipping

RIYADH – A court in the Saudi district of Badr sentenced a man Wednesday to perform prayer calls at a local mosque for one month, Saudi newspaper al-Riyadh reported.

The man had been convicted of covering up details of a theft and was given the sentence as an alternative to the standard punishment, whipping.
In …. Source  : Saudi man sentenced to ‘prayer calls’ instead of whipping.

New courts needed to try economic offences, says apex court

NEW DELHI – The Supreme Court Wednesday favoured setting up of special courts to try cases of economic offences involving the violation of laws like the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

The apex court bench of Justice G.S. Singhvi and Justice A.K. Ganguly said that it was not prudent to burden judges with cases …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : New courts needed to try economic offences, says apex court.

Delhi man, four accomplices held for father’s murder

NEW DELHI – A 29-year-old man was arrested for allegedly killing his father to inherit his wealth, police said Wednesday. Four of his accomplices were also arrested.

Nikesh Gupta, 29, Lalit Yadav, 22, Lal Bahadur, 40, Gaurav Kumar, 23, and Mohammad Adil, 23, were accused of murdering businessman Jai Bhagwan Gupta, Nikesh’s father, in …. Original source  : Delhi man, four accomplices held for father’s murder.

CBI seizes papers in daylong raids on Raja, family, aides (Roundup)

NEW DELHI/CHENNAI – The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Wednesday seized “incriminating documents” after searching the houses of disgraced former telecom minister Andimuthu Raja in New Delhi and Chennai as well as those of his relatives and aides over the 2G spectrum row.

A few hours after the day-long raids began, CBI Director A.P. Singh … Read more »».

Malaysia to hang Indian for drug trafficking

GEORGE TOWN – An Indian man convicted on charges of drug trafficking in Malaysia will be hanged, a media report said Wednesday.

Bahurudeen Mohamed Yusoff Ghaney was caught at the Penang International Airport with 10 kg of ketamine last year. He was travelling from India.
Ghaney, 41, broke down when High Court judicial commissioner Mohammed … Original source on Gaea Times at : Malaysia to hang Indian for drug trafficking.

Meghalaya Police up vigil to prevent information leakage

SHILLONG – Alarmed over police officials joining rebel groups, Meghalaya Police have stepped up internal vigilance to prevent leakage of information to rebel groups, police said Wednesday.

The step was taken after deputy superintendent of police Champion R. Sangma and constable Roster Sangma joined the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA), one of the five …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Meghalaya Police up vigil to prevent information leakage.

CBI raids Raja, family and aides (Fifth Lead)

NEW DELHI/CHENNAI – The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Wednesday recovered incriminating documents during searches at the Delhi and Tamil Nadu homes of former telecom minister A. Raja, his close relatives as well as four of his associates in connection with the 2G spectrum probe, an official said.

In a sweeping coordinated operation, the CBI …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : CBI raids Raja, family and aides (Fifth Lead).

Two cops killed in road accident

RANCHI – Two policemen were killed and four injured when their vehicle hit a tree in Jharkhand’s Simdega district Wednesday, police said.

The incident took place near Thethaitangar village, 120 km from Ranchi.
… Read this article on Gaea Times at : Two cops killed in road accident.