Posts published in “National,Defence/Security”

Bhubaneswar, July 5 (IANS) The Odisha government has raised questions over the air travel bills of newly-appointed Governor Professor Ganeshi Lal and sought details on the issue.
The General Administration department has sought an explanation over the Governor's visit to Sirsa, Haryana, via New Delhi and back to Bhubaneswar from June 10-13 by using a jet aircraft and a helicopter.
In a letter written to the Special Secretary to the Governor on July 4, Deputy Secretary in the General Administration department Indira Behera asked for the reason for hiring the two aerial vehicles.
"It may be kindly intimated the reason and circumstances for hiring of a helicopter for use of the Governor and deviation in the approved schedule of the flight and whether approval of the competent authority has been taken for the purpose or not (sic)," the letter read.
As per the invoices of M/s Pinnacle Air Pvt Limited mentioned in the letter, the cost of hiring the aircraft has been estimated at Rs 41.18 lakh.
Similarly, an amount of Rs 5 lakh has been incurred for the Governor's visit to Sirsa from New Delhi in a chopper on June 10.
Behera also requested the Special Secretary to the Governor to sign the necessary user's certificate and return this for necessary by the state government.
IANS<br>cd/qd/sed/vm

Kolkata, July 5 (IANS) City football giants East Bengal on Thursday roped in Quess, one of Indias leading business services providers, as its investor.<br> <br>The two sides inked an agreement, under which the I-League outfit will now be known as Quess East Bengal FC Pvt Ltd (QEBFC).<br> <br>"We were thinking of few other options after our association with UB Group came to an end last month. When this company approached us with a partnership proposal, we found them the most suitable among all candidates," East Bengal Secretary Kalyan Majumder told mediapersons here.<br> <br>In May, East Bengal had ended their two-decade-long association with Bengaluru-based United Breweries Group. <br> <br>There were talks of East Bengal taking part in the Indian Super League (ISL) from the upcoming season with their new investors coming on board.<br> <br>Asked about the development, East Bengal official Debabrata Sarkar said: "No decision has been taken regarding that. We have a meeting tomorrow. This is not the time to talk about that. We will let you all know once we make some headway."<br> <br>However, Ajit Isaac, chairman and managing director of Quess Group, said they have not put any pressure on the club regarding ISL.<br> <br> "There is no pressure from us. But we will definitely like our team to be part of the best forum," Isaac told IANS when quizzed about the same.<br> <br>There were reports that East Bengal had approached the All India Football Federation (AIFF) regarding the confirmation of their ISL participation if they manage to strike a sponsorship deal and satisfy all the required financial criteria.<br> <br>The red and gold brigade finished fourth in the I-League last term and reached the final of the Super Cup where they lost to Bengaluru FC.<br> <br> <br>Neither East Bengal officials, nor Isaac, divulged any details about the quantum of money pumped in by the new investor.<br> <br>--IANS<br>dm/ssp/ajb/vm

Bhopal, July 5 (IANS) Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stand on treating selling 'pakodas' (fritters) as a proper job, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Thursday touted making and selling 'achar' (pickle) as a lucrative employment opportunity.
"I advised the wife of one of my friends to make pickles, she made it a profession and now within two years, her company has a turnover of Rs 2 crore," he told reporters here.
In response to another question, the Minister of State for Agriculture termed the weather and the market as the two biggest enemies of farmers.
He also ruled out any cut in prices of diesel, which farmers use to operate pumps for irrigation.
--IANS<br>hindi-vd/him/

New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) The message of the importance of peaceful coexistence of humans and nature will reverberate at Ojas Art Gallery here, as artist Abhishek Singh will paint live on a mural-sized canvas an artwork called "Vrikshadootam".
With the central theme depicting the "stories of the environment and the absolute need to protect, nurture and preserve the same", the artwork will be painted live from July 8 to July 15 at the gallery by the New York-based storyteller and graphic novelist.
The paintings will be on display from July 15 to 20.
Seeking to build an interactive narrative through his art, Singh has earlier painted "Shiva in Varanasi" -- a public art project on the ghats of Varanasi. The paintings were displayed on boats in the Ganga for people to experience and observe.
The current project touches upon the issue of environment.
"I wanted Abhishek to create an artwork that talks about the importance of the environment and the necessity and urgency to preserve the same employing his unique storytelling style combined with mythology and ecological issues," Anubhav Nath, Director of Ojas Art gallery, said in a statement.
Singh's artworks have been exhibited at Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Asia Society Texas Center, Houston, and Middlebury College Museum of Art, Vermont. His most recent live drawing was for the Frenec Hopp Museum of Asian Arts, Budapest, in May.
--IANS<br>sj/vd/him/

By Sanjeev Pal
New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) Investigators in the mysterious deaths by hanging of 11 in Delhi's Burari neighbourhood are convinced that it was a case of mass suicide in a ritual practice by the family suffering from a shared psychological disorder, a police officer said on Thursday.
<br>The officer said the final closure report will be prepared after getting the viscera and detailed autopsy of the 11 bodies. But little is expected to emerge out of these reports.
"The Crime Branch has sent its case report to Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik who is all set to close the case and submit the final closure to the Home Ministry," the officer told IANS.
This comes five days after 11 bodies -- seven females and four males -- were recovered from a two-storey house on July 1. Ten of them were hanging with their hands tied, mouths gagged and eyes covered with cloth pieces.
The eldest in the Bhatia family -- which was mainly into grocery and plywood businesses -- was found lying dead. An autopsy report concluded that Narayani Devi, 77, had also died of partial hanging.
Crime Branch chief Joint Commissioner Alok Kumar told IANS that CCTV footage from the premises opposite the Bhatia house helped investigators to concluded that it was a case of mass suicide.
"The video footage showed the family bought goods five stools and bandage from shops close to their home and used them in the ritual These goods were found from the spot where all 11 bodies hung," Kumar said.
He said the handwritten notes apparently written by Lalit Bhatia and his niece Priyanka detailing the ritual practice were being treated as suicide notes.
These notes were recovered from the house and the ritual was performed almost as mentioned in those entries, he said.
Kumar said no occultist or a godman has been found involved in the chilling deaths that shocked the city.
"No evidences were found of any animosity with the family," the Crime Branch chief said. "The case is almost clear. It is a suicide pact by all family member."<br> <br>Kumar said investigators have concluded that Lalit, 45, who ran the plywood store, used to dictate how the rituals were to be undertaken and Priyanka, 33, would note it down in a register.
Lalit and other family members believed that Lalit was taking instructions from his father Gopaldas, who died 10 years ago.<br> <br>"As per the register entries, Lalit was possessed by the spirit of his deceased father. This is a kind of mental disorder. We also took help of psychological experts. They also concluded that it is a case of shared psychological disorder which turned a ritual practice into a mass suicide," the police officer said.<br> <br>The investigators have also concluded that Lalit and his wife Tina tied the hands and legs of other family members before all of the them hung themselves from an iron grill on a ceiling of a corridor to perform a ritual prayer on the night of June 30.
They believed they won't die and Gopaldas would come to meet them and bestow them with salvation.
The family had even cooked white grams for the next morning breakfast which was kept in a bowl and curd was also refrigerated.
Priyanka, who was all set to get married to a Noida-based software engineer in December, had even kept her dress ready to go to office the next morning.
The family, according to police, was deeply ritualist and superstitious.
Lalit had met with an accident four years ago and had lost his voice after a plywood sheet fell on his head. However, he regained his speech one day, believing that it was his dead father who helped him in a dream.
Priyanka, according to police, was finding it difficult to get a match. But she was made to worship a Banyan tree after which she got engaged to the Noida man.
Like his late father Gopaldass, who was in the Indian Army, Lalit gave all family members training in discipline, code of conduct, rehearsals of dos and don'ts during ritual practices.
As per an entry in one of the registers seized from the house, he also instructed family members to stand upright like soldiers after morning prayers for increasing mental strength.
--IANS<br>sp/sar/vm

Mumbai, July 5 (IANS) Moving swiftly, the Mumbai Police tracked and arrested, from Gujarat, the man who threatened to rape Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi and her 10-year-old daughter, an official said here on Thursday.
The accused, identified as Girish Maheshwar, 36, is a resident of Bavla industrial town, around 30 km from Ahmedabad.
The threats were issued by Maleshwar on Sunday on Twitter from his handle @GirishK1605 - now barred - to Chaturvedi and her minor daughter, living in Mumbai.
The 38-year-old Congress spokesperson promptly retweeted the rape threats and even tagged Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, the Mumbai Police and others on the matter.
Rajnath Singh later directed the Delhi and Mumbai Police to take action.
"Despite having a picture of Lord Ram as his profile picture, the accused did not hesitate from making such remarks. I hope Mumbai Police will take action. They have called me and have initiated action," Chaturvedi said.
The police in Goregaon lodged a complaint on Tuesday under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, Information Technology Act, and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and launched investigations.
Within 48 hours they zeroed in on the accused holed up in Bavla in Ahmedabad district from where he was nabbed with assistance by a team of Delhi Police late on Wednesday and brought here (Mumbai) on Thursday.
A relieved Chaturvedi on Thursday thanked both Rajnath Singh and Mumbai Police for the action initiated in the matter.
"I would like to thank Mumbai Police, Delhi Police, especially IPS Madhur Verma and CP Delhi. Also my gratitude to Rajnath Singhji for taking this up," she tweeted this afternoon.
Following an outrage on social media and in political circles since the accused issued threats to harm Chaturvedi's minor daughter, the tweet was subsequently brought down.
--IANS<br>qn/vd/him/

New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) Union Minister Vijay Goel on Thursday led a march from the Red Fort to Fatehpuri Masjid here to highlight the AAP government's alleged apathy in saving the heritage in the national capital.
Old Delhi's iconic Chandni Chowk market place and adjoining heritage buildings would soon become unrecognisable because of the city government's apathy, Goel said.
"In coming days, it will become hard to recognise Chandni Chowk as the area has become a victim of underdevelopment," said Goel, who has represented Chandni Chowk for two terms in the Lok Sabha in the past.
Goel also attacked the BJP-ruled Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for allegedly allowing illegal constructions in the Chandini Chowk area.
The Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation said that the famous structures of historical significance had been allowed to turn into "commercial complexes or residential buildings".
Accompanied by around 50 Bharatiya Janata Party workers, who shouted slogans of "Save Heritage-Save Chandni Chowk", Goel criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for "not allowing development in our area".
"Instead of providing good governance in Delhi, they only know how to protest."
--IANS<br>sm/sar/tsb/vm

New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) Strong growth in network expansion led to double-digit growth in India's domestic air passenger traffic for the 45th consecutive month in May, even as the rise in demand came down in the last few months, a global airline association said on Thursday.
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), India's domestic air passenger volume measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) was the highest among major aviation markets like Australia, Brazil, China, Japan, Russia and the US.
As per data, India's domestic RPK in the month under review rose by 16.6 per cent in May compared to the corresponding month of the previous year.
However, on a sequential basis the growth had come down from April's rise of 25.7 per cent.
"India's domestic traffic rose 16.6 per cent year-over-year, which was down from 25.7 per cent in April. Passenger volumes in India have fallen back in seasonally-adjusted terms in recent months alongside some mixed signals on the economic front," IATA said in its global passenger traffic results for May 2018.
"Notwithstanding this, May was India's 45th consecutive month of double-digit annual RPK growth. Demand continues to be supported by strong growth in the number of airport connections within the country: some 22 per cent more airport-pairs are scheduled to operate in 2018 compared to last year."
India's domestic passenger traffic growth was followed by that of China at 11.9 per cent and Russian Federation at 8.6 per cent.
In terms of capacity, India's domestic available seat kilometres (ASK) -- which measures available passenger capacity -- climbed higher by 18 per cent in May, followed by that of China's 12.5 per cent growth and Russian Federation at 7.5 per cent.
--IANS<br>rv/him/vm

By Troy Ribeiro
Film: "Sicario: Day of the Soldado"; Director: Stefano Sollima; Cast: Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin, Isabela Moner, Jeffrey Donovan, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Matthew Modine, Catherine Keener, Elijah Rodriguez and David Castaneda; Rating: **
<br>After a brief introduction about human trafficking and the drug cartel menace at the US-Mexico border, the film opens with two self-immolations. Both acts are visceral and chilling, indicating scant regard for life. This lays the foundation of the narrative of this film, "Sicario - Day of the Soldado", directed by Stefano Sollima.
Several scenes, with the CIA operative Matt Graver (Brolin) and the DEA, follow to establish the US endeavour to eradicate the threat or menace. When a top secret mission goes awry, Graver is put on the dock by the Secretary of Defense (Matthew Modine), forcing him to provoke a war between the cartels.
Why? Because that will help stop the transportation of drugs, illegal immigrants and terrorists across the Mexican border.
Graver does so by hiring attorney-turned-gangster hunter Alejandro Gillick (Benecio del Toro) and a few other mercenaries to stage the kidnapping of Isabel Reyes (Isabela Moner, a cartel boss' teen daughter. This sets off a sequence of events that almost immediately spirals out of control.
The premise of the tale seems forced with a convoluted plot. After the clear cut, good-guy versus bad-guy dynamics of the opening act, matters become vague and fluid in the film's mid-section when Miguel (Elijah Rodriguez), a 14-year-old US citizen helps a low-end trafficker get people across the border as a warm-up for becoming more deeply involved with a Mexican Cartel.
There is no doubt that the multiple strands twist together to give us a complex tale.
Oscillating between action and emotional drama, by the end, the film feels more like a by-product of the original than a sequel, because the story stands on its own, albeit a by-the-numbers Mexican cartel drama brimming with guns, gore and guys.
While this film does not touch the right chord, it definitely makes way for a third edition.
On the performance front, Emily Blunt who was in the first edition is conspicuous by her absence.
Returning as leading men, del Toro and Brolin do their best to make the film watchable.
Their scenes together are some of the highlights of the film. While Elijah as Miguel gives an intriguing performance as the blank faced adolescent, the teenager Isabela Moner clearly steals the show with her naturally dynamic and endearing performance.
She balances Alejandro's emotionally laden back-story, with the right amount of dramatics. And her scenes with him, likening to a father-daughter relationship, are intense and relatable.
Cinematographer Darius Wolski's frames, captured from various angles and lens are commendable. His visuals are aptly complimented with composer Hildur Gudnadottir's eclectic background score.
Overall, despite being interesting and unpredictable, the film lacks the grit and ingenuity of its original - Sicario, which in Spanish means a hitman. This one definitely misses the mark.
--IANS<br>troy/nn/vm