Failure!

After spending 50 hours as ‘prisoners of war’ , the abucted police officer Atindranath Dutta returned home on Friday (October 22) after West Bengal governmentvagreed to release 14 women earlier arrested by the Police.This ends the 50 hour long hostage drama. In the forests of Domohini in Lalgarh, Maoists handed over Dutta to media persons.In exchange 14 elderly tribal women, suspected to be Maoists, were released on conditional bail by a Midnapore court.
The oficer in charge of a police station Dutta was abucted by armed Moaist cadres on Sept.20 afternoon.Maoists also looted weapons from the police station.They killed two police personnel and also looted a nearby bank.The OC belongs to the Sankrail police station in West Midnapore ,one of the three Maoists infested districts of West Bengal.
On Sept.21, the wife and parents of the abucted police officer met the chief minister of Bengal.Bengal goverment took some some measures for the early release of the abducted police officer who was abucted .
Earlier in West Bengal, two Police constables, Siteshwar Prasad and Shishir Kanti Nag, who were abducted on September 26 by Maoists demanding the release of Chttradhar Mahato, were set free late in the night of Sept.26 at Jamtalghera in West Midnapore distric.A leader of Moists backed organisation PCPA,Chhtradhar was arrested by Policemen who posed as journalists on Sept.26.
On July 30,the Maoists abducted two Policemen, Sabbir Molla and Kanchan Bauri, Assistant Sub-inspectors of the State Armed Police.They were part of the team who were part of the joint forces engaged in anti-Maoists operations in Lalgarh.They are not yet released by the Moasists.On June 18, Bengal government launched a counter-offensive against the Maoists or Naxals.Central security forces and a unit of Commando Battalions for Resolute Action (COBRA) led by Bengal police started counter offensive.On June 19,The Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram asked West Bengal to ban the Maoists.On June 23,the spokesperson for the Maoists in West Bengal, Gaur Chakraborty, was arrested by the calcutta police.Counter offensive is going on in Maoists infested Lalgarh and surrounding areas without much success.
On September 30,Six Maoists cadres abducted Police Inspector (Special Branch) Francis Induwar, posted in the Khunti District of Jharkhand,neighbouring state of Bengal .Later Maoists claimed that they carried out the beheading of Police Inspector. On Oct. 6,the Jharkhand Police found the beheaded dead body of the abducted Police Inspector Francis Enduwar.
Total affected districts in India are 195 affected states 16,highly affected districts 58,less affected districts 54.Highly affected states Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.India’s Home Minister P Chidambaram has made it clear that security forces would engage Maoists groups.The Indian Air Force (IAF) in the operations against Naxals or Moasists hideouts in the states of Chattisagarh, Jharkhand also not ruled out.They will be assisted the Border Security Force ,Central Reserve Police Force,Indo-Tibetan Border Police and the state police forces.

Killing Spree

Pic.courtesy:OHERALDO

The Goa police arrested the killers of Evita Rodrigues, Syron Rodrigues and Chandrakant Talwar.They were arrested near Panna in Madhya Pradesh.They were involved in the murders of three women at Corjuem (Aldona), Merces and Socorro in Porvorim.Ten people, including seven women, a seven-year-old boy and a four year old girl,had found dead in suspicious circumstances in the last few weeks. Two bodies were found dead on Morjim beach,the burnt body of another victim was found few hours later in the state capital of Goa, Panaji. The bodies of two more women were discovered and a 50 year old man and a 35 year old women were found dead in Mandovi river,Panaji.
This type of killing is nothing new in Goa,the tourist state of India.On May 12,2009,Goa’s serial killer Mahanand Naik was arrested on charges of murdering 7 women and raping one, over a period of 15 years.His first victim was Darshana Naik(1994).Later,serial killer Mahanand Naik confessed of killing two more young girls in Goa.A serial killer who was known for his confidence and ruthlessness:BTK Strangler was responsible for a series of seven murders in Wichita, Kansas,USA in the early 1970s (1974 to 1986. ).BTK, which stands for ‘Bind, Torture, Kill,’ is the name the killer (Dannis Rader) gave himself.

Save female foeticide

Social scientists has emphasised the need for a shift in the mindset of society towards women in order to improve the skewed sex ratio in the state of Haryana.Owing to a skewed sex ratio in Haryana, marriageable youths are finding it difficult to find brides.There are Several instances where brides have been purchased for money have been reported from various parts of the state.The ratio of girls in comparison to the boys has been miserably falling in the states of Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan.According to social scientists, it’s unfortunate that when 2009 is being celebrated as a year of the girl child.Skewed sex ratio in some parts of Haryana has forced parents to go for ‘barter system’ in marriages in order to find brides for their sons.A recent incident in Hisar district of the state where a minor girl was being married to Nathu Ram of Kuleri village, in exchange of the girl’s maternal uncle.This is called barter system.But the timely intervention of the administration,the girl was saved.The government of Haryana claimed that efforts of the government had succeeded in bringing about some improvement in the gender imbalance. In the northern states of India, female foeticide being an age old practice.Effective measures against illegal practices of sex determination tests and abortions are being taken by the successive governments of Punjab and Haryana For example, Fatehgarh Sahib district of Punjab now has 845 female per thousand males.But as per the 2001 census, the number of females was just 761.In previous years, the numbers were 868 (2008) 798 (2007),769 (2006).But, social activists feel that there is an urgent need to start a mass movement against female foeticide.
Pic. courtesy:www.hinduvoice.co.uk

Maoists infested Gadchiroli

A police party of nearly 40 personnel came under heavy fire from 200 Naxals or Maoists at about 1 PM local time near Laheri police station of the Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district yesterday (Oct.8) killing 20 police personnel.The police personnel, who were outnumbered by the heavily armed Maoists, retaliated .Their encounter lasted for nearly three to four hours in an area adjoining the Maoist infested Bijapur district of Chattisgarh.Recently. Maoists beheaded a police intelligence officer near Ranchi,Jharkhand.
on May 21,16 Police personnel, were killed during a three-hour long encounter with a group of heavily armed Maoist cadres near the hills of Hatti Tola in Gadchiroli District.The encounter took place when a team of 16 member Police team led by Inspector Ashok Aiyyar were clearing the Dhanora-Murumgaon road of the Gadchiroli District, which was blocked by the Maoists during their two-day long general strike call from May 20 in the Bhandara, Gondia and Gadchiroli.On April 6, 14 CPI-Maoist cadres and three security force personnel were killed during a three hour-long encounter between a group of 300 Maoist cadres and security force personnel at Mungner village of Gadchiroli District.On February 1,15 Police personnel including 5 women constables, were killed by the Maoist cadres when a Police patrolling party visited the Maoist infested forest area of Morke village in the Gadchichiroli District.Gadchiroli, Chandrapur and Gondia Districts are the Maoists infested areas of Maharastra.

Government vs rest

Film director Aparna Sen and others with Chhtradhar Mahato. Pic. Courtesy: Outlook

Bengal intelligentsia has condemned the warning of the chief secretary of the Bengal government that backers of the be arrested Maoist backed leader of People’s Committee Against Police AtrocitiesChhatradhar Mahato be also punished under the same.Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.Recently,two personnel who went to interview the Maoist backed PCAPA leader posing as journalists.
After the arrest of the leader of PCAPA ,Maoists have intensified their activities in West Bengal.Bengal police also arrested an important CPI(Maoist) leader from Chinsura, the district headquarter of the Hoogly district.A few days ago, a suspected Maoist think tank Khobad Ghandy was also arrested.On Oct. 2, 16 civilians, including five children, were shot dead by suspected Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) activists.
Trouble started (Nov.2,2008) when two union ministers and chief minister of Bengal, Buddhadev Bhattacharya narrowly escaped from an explosion.Investigations by the police revealed that the Lalgarh squad of the Maoists were behind the attack .Three of the six people arrested in connection with the Lalgarh blast in West Midnapore District were school going boys.On Nov.9,a tribal outfit had set a series of conditions against the arrests of ‘innocent villagers’ to the District administration.Local people cutoff 25 out of 100 villages in Lalgarh,disconnecting them from the rest of the district.They also cut off the last road connecting Lalgarh to the rest of the state.Maoists threatened an armed resistance in the area.On Nov.14,Pulishi Santrash Birodhi Jonosadharoner Committee(Committee to protest against Police atrocities) a new outfit was formed.Inaction of Police helped to spread out the violence and anarchy.Maoists backed PSBJC also boycotted the general election in Lalgarh areas.
Paramilitary forces led by Bengal police started offensive against Maoists on thursday(June 18) in Lalgarh.Marxist government of Bengal try to take back Maoist-controlled Lalgarh and surrounding areas.Large number of Paramilitary forces led by Bengal police.Central Reserve Police Force(CRPF)’s COBRA unit specilizes in jungle warfare are also involved in this operation.
On September 21,2004, three left-wing Extremist groups to form a new outfit,the Communist party of India-Maoist(CPI-Maoist).After the merger, CPI-Maoist’s area of operation extended from Nepal, Bihar,Jharkhand to forest regions of Central India.Maoists also active in Andhra Pradesh in the South and West Bengal(three distriicts)in East.According to Maoists,their immediate intention is to advance ‘new democratic revolution’ in India.Maoists want to overthrow’the semi-colonial, semi-feudal system under the neo-colonial form of indirect rule, exploitation and control’.
Last year,the Loksabha (House of the people) passed the twin terror bill.National Investigation Bill and the Unlawful Activities(Prevention)Amendment Bill.
The salient features of the Unlawful Activities(prevention)Amendment Bill,2008:
Makes the definition includes acts done with intent to threaten or likely to threaten unity,integrity,security or sovereignty of India or in any foreign country.It also includes radioactive,nuclear or substances.Kidnappings and abductions any person to compel government to do or not to do something.Punishment would be death or life with fine,in any other case five years to life and fine,including in case of explosive substances.Courts to presume that offence has been committed if weapons found in possession or fingerprints recovered.Investigating officer vested with all powers,definition of cash extended to included ATM,debit cards.Charge sheet in 180 days.But court can restrict it to 90 days.No bail for foreign nationals,barring exceptional reasons.

Arrogant!

Anchor of a popular crime show in India

Every TV stations of Calcutta has its own Crime based programs.After much success of “Khoj Khabar”,all major TV stations promote crime programs in a big way.But,they follow the same pattern.,same kind of anchoring,melodramatic voice over,same style of reporting.Reporters often cross their ‘limit’.Each of us must decide for ourselves what our limits are in covering a story-the scope of our Journalistic ethics.While covering a story,we should always know how not to hurt people.Attitude is involved in any kind of story.After all we should brake the notion that those of us in Electronic media are arrogant,highhanded and disrespectful.In fact,we must remember,that Journalists enjoy the same kind of privileges where manners are concerned.Always treat people the way you like to be treated.
Anchors in these crime shows behave like political leaders-reformers.Reporters often ‘punish’ low ranking police havildars constables but seldom touch senior police officials,Bureaucrats or politicians.On the other hand,I like to mention a daily crime news program telecast on a national TV channel where they expose corruption in high places by using spy cameras but never cross journalistic ethics.They also play the role of community Television.They show us that if we have enough footage,cutaways-follow the LS-MS-CU structure,we can establish a story in a mere 180 seconds or 240 seconds.Over all it’s a very smart production-from visualisation to presentation they try something different.I wonder why every crime program in Bengal drag a single story as long as 22 minutes(after deducting commercial times).

Our Bapu

Today (Oct. 2) India celebrates the anniversary of the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi who is the Father of the Nation.Mahatma Gandhi’s campaign of peaceful resistance brought an end to British rule leading to Indian independence. He was Born on Oct. 2,1869.Prayers,Ceremonies are offered at venues including Rajghat ( the Gandhi samadhi ) in Delhi and other parts of the country.In America, there are several statues of Mahatma Gandhi including Union Square, New York, Martin Luther King, Jr. Center.One of the finest statues of Mahatma Gandhi in Calcutta since Independence is in Chowranghi -park street intersection.This statue was unvailed by then Chief Minister of West Bengal Bidhan Chandra Roy on Nov.30,1958.This was the work of eminent sculpture Devi prasad Roychowdhury.The height of the statue is 11ft. and 8 inches.The base on which the statue is standing is 13ft.
During the construction of the underground railway project (Metro) in calcutta the statue was removed temporaly to Mayo road and Dafrin Road crossing.Later the statue of former Prime Minister Jawharlal Nehru was unvailed at this place (Dec.9 1989).