Palash Kumar, a New Delhi-based journalist with the Asian Age newspaper, died Saturday following a road accident in Rajasthan that left his wife and daughter seriously injured, police said.
Palash Kumar, 37, his wife Manisha and their five-year-old daughter Mallika were going to the Sariska wildlife sanctuary when a truck hit the journalist's Honda City car in Alwar district, a police control room spokesman told IANS.
Manisha and Mallika suffered serious injuries, the spokesman said, and were rushed to a hospital in Alwar.
'Palash Kumar died while being operated upon,' a doctor at the Vinayak Lifeline hospital said.
The accident happened around 10.45 a.m. in Papri area near Kishangarh. 'It was a head-on collision,' a police official said from Alwar town. The impact left the car completely mangled.
Palash Kumar, who has previously worked for Reuters and AFP, was driving the car.
The police said another child, identified as Gayatri, was also travelling in the car, was also injured. 'We are trying to find out whether she is a family friend's daughter,' the police spokesman said.
The two children were in a critical condition late Saturday after undergoing two surgeries, attending doctors said, adding that Manisha's condition was stable and she was in the intensive care unit.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Poor woman sells child for husband's memorial service
A poor Hindu woman in Bihar sold her infant son to raise money to perform the 'shradh ceremony' (memorial service) of her husband. But she was arrested before she could hand over the child to a childless couple, a police official said Tuesday.
Parvati Devi (name changed)-- in her early 20s and a resident of Patwa Toli in Gaya town, about 100 km from here -- said she was forced to sell her 45-day-old son due to abject poverty.
Chandrasekhar Prasad Sinha, Civil Lines police station officer-in-charge, told IANS on phone Tuesday that she was arrested along with two people, including Nurmani Surdas, her neighbour, who paid her Rs.10,000 to purchase her son.
"The police arrested them when they arrived in the Gaya district court premises Monday to prepare legal documents to hand over the child to Surdas," said Sinha.
Her husband Rajkumar Sao, who was from a backward caste, was killed when he fell from a train a few days ago. After his death, she decided to perform his 'shradh ceremony' by selling her child.
She told the police that Surdas had given her Rs.10,000 for her child.
Parvati Devi (name changed)-- in her early 20s and a resident of Patwa Toli in Gaya town, about 100 km from here -- said she was forced to sell her 45-day-old son due to abject poverty.
Chandrasekhar Prasad Sinha, Civil Lines police station officer-in-charge, told IANS on phone Tuesday that she was arrested along with two people, including Nurmani Surdas, her neighbour, who paid her Rs.10,000 to purchase her son.
"The police arrested them when they arrived in the Gaya district court premises Monday to prepare legal documents to hand over the child to Surdas," said Sinha.
Her husband Rajkumar Sao, who was from a backward caste, was killed when he fell from a train a few days ago. After his death, she decided to perform his 'shradh ceremony' by selling her child.
She told the police that Surdas had given her Rs.10,000 for her child.
Ganguly looking forward to Sri Lanka series
Feeling fresh after a month-long rest, former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly is now looking forward to the three-Test series in Sri Lanka beginning July 23.
'The month-long rest has helped me to reinvigorate. I've resumed practice from Tuesday,' Ganguly told reporters here.
On his inclusion in the Test squad, he said: 'I was always there in the squad. So, there is no question of a comeback. I was only out of cricket for a month after the Indian Premier League (IPL).
'I hope to play well. Everyone who is selected will want to give his best. I hope it will be a good series,' Ganguly said.
The talismanic left-hander said it was too early to comment on India's prospects in Sri Lanka. 'The Lankans are a good side. We have to play well.'
Ganguly said he would not have any problem gelling with youngsters like Rohit Sharma and Pragyan Ojha.
Asked to comment on India's debacle in two consecutive One-Day International (ODI) finals, he said: 'I was not there in the squad. So, I would not like to comment.'
'The month-long rest has helped me to reinvigorate. I've resumed practice from Tuesday,' Ganguly told reporters here.
On his inclusion in the Test squad, he said: 'I was always there in the squad. So, there is no question of a comeback. I was only out of cricket for a month after the Indian Premier League (IPL).
'I hope to play well. Everyone who is selected will want to give his best. I hope it will be a good series,' Ganguly said.
The talismanic left-hander said it was too early to comment on India's prospects in Sri Lanka. 'The Lankans are a good side. We have to play well.'
Ganguly said he would not have any problem gelling with youngsters like Rohit Sharma and Pragyan Ojha.
Asked to comment on India's debacle in two consecutive One-Day International (ODI) finals, he said: 'I was not there in the squad. So, I would not like to comment.'
Chennai court rejects former Kerala minister's plea
A Tamil Naidu court Wednesday rejected a request from former Kerala minister P.J. Joseph to exempt him from personal appearances in a two-year-old molestation case on health grounds.
Joseph had allegedly molested a woman journalist during a commercial flight from here to Kochi in 2006.
Joseph was forced to quit his ministerial post following a probe by a senior woman police officer who said the allegations needed a judicial review on the basis of prima facie evidence.
The charge-sheet was filed against Joseph in May this year.
The next hearing of the case has been posted for Thursday.
Joseph had allegedly molested a woman journalist during a commercial flight from here to Kochi in 2006.
Joseph was forced to quit his ministerial post following a probe by a senior woman police officer who said the allegations needed a judicial review on the basis of prima facie evidence.
The charge-sheet was filed against Joseph in May this year.
The next hearing of the case has been posted for Thursday.
Market ends day with hefty gain
The Indian equities market ended the day with a hefty gain on the back of heavy buying in capital goods, metal, realty and banking stocks.
The market surged in the early trade on positive cues from global markets on the back of sharp fall in crude oil prices to $136 from the all-time high of $146 per barrel.
All the sectoral indices ended the day in green.
The market started on a firm note and remained positive till the end of the session.
The 30-share benchmark of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) sensitive index (Sensex) opened at 13,581.41 points, touched a high of 13,998.48 before closing at 13,964.26 points. It went up by 614.16 points or 4.60 percent at the days close.
The National Stock Exchange (NSE) S and amp; P Nifty, which opened at 3990.90 points, closed at 4157.10 points. It went up by 168.55 points or 4.23 percent.
The BSE Midcap index, which closed at 5,470.68 points, went up by 154.69 points or 12.91 percent.
BSE Smallcap index which closed at 6,789.88 points went up by 227.69 points or 3.46 percent.
The market breadth was positive. On BSE, 2,130 shares advanced, 529 declined and 67 maintained status quo.
The gainers of the day were Reliance Infrastructure at Rs.835.45 went up by 10.66 percent, Jaiprakash Associate at Rs.173.30 gained 10.00 percent, and Tata Motors at Rs.404.55 went up by 7.49 percent.
The market surged in the early trade on positive cues from global markets on the back of sharp fall in crude oil prices to $136 from the all-time high of $146 per barrel.
All the sectoral indices ended the day in green.
The market started on a firm note and remained positive till the end of the session.
The 30-share benchmark of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) sensitive index (Sensex) opened at 13,581.41 points, touched a high of 13,998.48 before closing at 13,964.26 points. It went up by 614.16 points or 4.60 percent at the days close.
The National Stock Exchange (NSE) S and amp; P Nifty, which opened at 3990.90 points, closed at 4157.10 points. It went up by 168.55 points or 4.23 percent.
The BSE Midcap index, which closed at 5,470.68 points, went up by 154.69 points or 12.91 percent.
BSE Smallcap index which closed at 6,789.88 points went up by 227.69 points or 3.46 percent.
The market breadth was positive. On BSE, 2,130 shares advanced, 529 declined and 67 maintained status quo.
The gainers of the day were Reliance Infrastructure at Rs.835.45 went up by 10.66 percent, Jaiprakash Associate at Rs.173.30 gained 10.00 percent, and Tata Motors at Rs.404.55 went up by 7.49 percent.
Three killed in gang rivalry in Delhi
In the third shootout in the national capital in as many days, two motorcycle riders shot dead a 30-year-old man standing near a police station early Wednesday but were immediately gunned down by the victim's friends.
Police said Sahim Chowdhury was near the Seelampur police station in northeast Delhi when the assailants fired at him. Three bullets hit Chowdhury and he collapsed on the street.
And like in a Bollywood movie, his friends opened fire in retaliation and killed the assailants.
Chowdhury and the attackers were rushed to the Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital where they were pronounced dead.
'It was a fallout between two criminal gangs,' Deputy Commissioner of Police Jaspal Singh told IANS. 'Chowdhury was known to be involved in illegal activities. We have registered a case and will soon arrest his friends. Investigations are on to identify them and to verify if they opened fire in self-defence.'
On Tuesday, Mahesh Kapoor, 52, an employed with a Nokia Priority showroom on Vikas Marg, was killed when he was returning from a bank after withdrawing Rs.135,000. The assailants fired in the air before escaping.
Late Monday, two brothers were gunned down in Ballimaran area of the walled city when their neighbours called them out of their house and fired at them.
Police said Sahim Chowdhury was near the Seelampur police station in northeast Delhi when the assailants fired at him. Three bullets hit Chowdhury and he collapsed on the street.
And like in a Bollywood movie, his friends opened fire in retaliation and killed the assailants.
Chowdhury and the attackers were rushed to the Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital where they were pronounced dead.
'It was a fallout between two criminal gangs,' Deputy Commissioner of Police Jaspal Singh told IANS. 'Chowdhury was known to be involved in illegal activities. We have registered a case and will soon arrest his friends. Investigations are on to identify them and to verify if they opened fire in self-defence.'
On Tuesday, Mahesh Kapoor, 52, an employed with a Nokia Priority showroom on Vikas Marg, was killed when he was returning from a bank after withdrawing Rs.135,000. The assailants fired in the air before escaping.
Late Monday, two brothers were gunned down in Ballimaran area of the walled city when their neighbours called them out of their house and fired at them.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Delhi journalist dies in road accident
Palash Kumar, a New Delhi-based journalist with the Asian Age newspaper, died Saturday following a road accident in Rajasthan that left his wife and daughter seriously injured, police said.
Palash Kumar, 37, his wife Manisha and their five-year-old daughter Mallika were going to the Sariska wildlife sanctuary when a truck hit the journalist's Honda City car in Alwar district, a police control room spokesman told IANS.
Manisha and Mallika suffered serious injuries, the spokesman said, and were rushed to a hospital in Alwar.
'Palash Kumar died while being operated upon,' a doctor at the Vinayak Lifeline hospital said.
The accident happened around 10.45 a.m. in Papri area near Kishangarh. 'It was a head-on collision,' a police official said from Alwar town. The impact left the car completely mangled.
Palash Kumar, who has previously worked for Reuters and AFP, was driving the car.
The police said another child, identified as Gayatri, was also travelling in the car, was also injured. 'We are trying to find out whether she is a family friend's daughter,' the police spokesman said.
The two children were in a critical condition late Saturday after undergoing two surgeries, attending doctors said, adding that Manisha's condition was stable and she was in the intensive care unit.
Palash Kumar, 37, his wife Manisha and their five-year-old daughter Mallika were going to the Sariska wildlife sanctuary when a truck hit the journalist's Honda City car in Alwar district, a police control room spokesman told IANS.
Manisha and Mallika suffered serious injuries, the spokesman said, and were rushed to a hospital in Alwar.
'Palash Kumar died while being operated upon,' a doctor at the Vinayak Lifeline hospital said.
The accident happened around 10.45 a.m. in Papri area near Kishangarh. 'It was a head-on collision,' a police official said from Alwar town. The impact left the car completely mangled.
Palash Kumar, who has previously worked for Reuters and AFP, was driving the car.
The police said another child, identified as Gayatri, was also travelling in the car, was also injured. 'We are trying to find out whether she is a family friend's daughter,' the police spokesman said.
The two children were in a critical condition late Saturday after undergoing two surgeries, attending doctors said, adding that Manisha's condition was stable and she was in the intensive care unit.
Increase in tourists to 'God's own country
The number of tourists flocking to 'God's own country' is increasing by the year. While Kerala saw an 18.41 percent increase in foreign tourist arrivals last fiscal, the growth was 7.70 percent for domestic holidayers.
'At the end of the last fiscal, a total of 554,921 foreign tourists and 6,879,885 (6.8 million) domestic tourists visited Kerala,' Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told the state assembly Tuesday.
Eco-tourism projects in the state had 1.4 million tourists as their guests, Balakrishnan said in a written reply to questions raised by opposition legislators.
The state has been successfully promoted as a tourism destination through the projection of the catch-phrase 'Kerala - God's own country'.
The tourism industry in Kerala has not only brought in increased revenues for investors over the years, but has also created a large number of jobs. The tourism revenue at the end of the last fiscal went up by 25.28 percent, touching approximately Rs.110 billion.
Balakrishnan said the biggest problem the industry faces is a shortage of rooms. While there are 8,800 rooms in the four- and five-star category, there are 6,500 rooms in the one- to three-star category. In addition, there are 300 rooms in the heritage section.
'The central government has now sanctioned 65 new three-star hotels. The state government is also offering 10 percent subsidy on investments in the tourism sector and also offers special rates for electricity for the tourism industry,' the minister said.
To boost the industry, the state government has also decided to appoint organisations of non-resident Keralites (NRKs) working outside India as tourism brand ambassadors to promote the state as a tourist destination.
Around two million Malayalis are settled outside India.
'At the end of the last fiscal, a total of 554,921 foreign tourists and 6,879,885 (6.8 million) domestic tourists visited Kerala,' Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told the state assembly Tuesday.
Eco-tourism projects in the state had 1.4 million tourists as their guests, Balakrishnan said in a written reply to questions raised by opposition legislators.
The state has been successfully promoted as a tourism destination through the projection of the catch-phrase 'Kerala - God's own country'.
The tourism industry in Kerala has not only brought in increased revenues for investors over the years, but has also created a large number of jobs. The tourism revenue at the end of the last fiscal went up by 25.28 percent, touching approximately Rs.110 billion.
Balakrishnan said the biggest problem the industry faces is a shortage of rooms. While there are 8,800 rooms in the four- and five-star category, there are 6,500 rooms in the one- to three-star category. In addition, there are 300 rooms in the heritage section.
'The central government has now sanctioned 65 new three-star hotels. The state government is also offering 10 percent subsidy on investments in the tourism sector and also offers special rates for electricity for the tourism industry,' the minister said.
To boost the industry, the state government has also decided to appoint organisations of non-resident Keralites (NRKs) working outside India as tourism brand ambassadors to promote the state as a tourist destination.
Around two million Malayalis are settled outside India.
BIG 92.7 FM launches 'Astha Chamma'
In its endeavor to take the strong association between Tollywood and Radio in the next level, BIG 92.7 FM, Hyderabad’s no.1 station and Art Beat Capital’s producer Ram Mohan P today innovatively launched the music of their romantic comedy Telugu film titled ‘Astha Chamma’. RJ Shekar along with the casts Swathi, Nani, Director Mohana Krishna Indraganti and Music Director Kalyani Mallik at the press of the button played the first song on-air exclusively for BIG FM listeners thus marking the first ever digital audio launch of a movie in Tollywood. The music is available only on BIG 92.7 FM.
BIG FM listeners were enthralled when the movie star cast Swathi and Nani snipped and played few comedy junctures of the movie live at BIG FM studios. Actors Srini and Bhargavi play the second lead role in the movie. The movie is a romantic comedy driven by lots of humor and entertainment.
BIG 92.7 FM has exhaustive on-air and on-ground plans for ‘Astha Chamma’ in order to create unprecedented buzz. BIG 92.7 FM has started the promotion of the movie by exclusively premiering teasers of the music starting June 23. The Station will feature interviews with the cast and crew of the movie and also run contests for its listeners across Hyderabad, Tirupathi and Vishakapatnam.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Ashwin Padmanabhan, Station Director, BIG 92.7 FM, said “After our association with big hits like Happy days, Athidhi and Krishna, we are extremely excited to launch Astha Chamma. The movie perfectly links with BIG 92.7 FM Hyderabad’s humorous and ‘bindaas’ positioning. We are approaching the association with the objective of delivering value and exclusivity to our listeners as well as the producers of the movie”.
Says Producer Mr. Ram Mohan P, “With the advent of Radio Stations, Ring Tones on mobiles, iPods and MP3 players, the way music is heard is completely transformed from the traditional audio cassette and the CD formats. By launching the music through the BIG FM, we hope to get in listeners excited about our songs first. BIG FM follows a very structured manner of picking up what their listeners would love. We at Art Beat Capital want this venture to be a "win win" game for everyone. After all, "Ashta Chamma" is a game!
BIG FM listeners were enthralled when the movie star cast Swathi and Nani snipped and played few comedy junctures of the movie live at BIG FM studios. Actors Srini and Bhargavi play the second lead role in the movie. The movie is a romantic comedy driven by lots of humor and entertainment.
BIG 92.7 FM has exhaustive on-air and on-ground plans for ‘Astha Chamma’ in order to create unprecedented buzz. BIG 92.7 FM has started the promotion of the movie by exclusively premiering teasers of the music starting June 23. The Station will feature interviews with the cast and crew of the movie and also run contests for its listeners across Hyderabad, Tirupathi and Vishakapatnam.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Ashwin Padmanabhan, Station Director, BIG 92.7 FM, said “After our association with big hits like Happy days, Athidhi and Krishna, we are extremely excited to launch Astha Chamma. The movie perfectly links with BIG 92.7 FM Hyderabad’s humorous and ‘bindaas’ positioning. We are approaching the association with the objective of delivering value and exclusivity to our listeners as well as the producers of the movie”.
Says Producer Mr. Ram Mohan P, “With the advent of Radio Stations, Ring Tones on mobiles, iPods and MP3 players, the way music is heard is completely transformed from the traditional audio cassette and the CD formats. By launching the music through the BIG FM, we hope to get in listeners excited about our songs first. BIG FM follows a very structured manner of picking up what their listeners would love. We at Art Beat Capital want this venture to be a "win win" game for everyone. After all, "Ashta Chamma" is a game!
ViScope - a stethoscope that shows heart beats
Diagnosis is set to become more accurate now with the launch of ViScope 100, an innovative auscultation device that enables doctors to 'see' heart beats.
HD Medical Group Ltd officially launched the device here Tuesday.
Arvind Thiagarajan, chief inventor of ViScope, told reporters that with this device, doctors could see the heart beat.
The display device shows graphically the heart beat in the form of waves similar to a ECG graph.
According to Thiagarajan, the visual device could be plugged to a computer and a print-out could also be taken. A doctor could also zoom in on to a particular spot for a careful study.
K.Thirumurthi, a nuclear medicine physician at Madras Medical Mission, who has tested the equipment, told IANS: 'Seeing the sound makes a lot of difference in arriving at a conclusion. It takes a long time for a doctor to actually master the art of hearing the heart.'
'The general practitioners may miss to read/hear correctly the heart sound which may turn out to be costly for the patient.' With a devise like ViScope, things were smooth, he added.
According to him, ViScope, which has an improved technology in comparison to stethoscope, could replace the traditional device.
However, the high price of the device, at Rs.30,000, poses challenges to the marketing plans of HD Medical.
'The price has to be brought down at least by half so that general practitioners can also buy the instrument,' Thirumurthi said.
HD Medical has tied up with BPL Ltd to market the product nationwide.
'We are targeting to sell around 50,000 units by the end of 2009 and earn around $10 million. We will be looking at the primary health centres and the various telemedicine projects,' HD Medical chief operating officer and vice-president Vijay Simha said.
HD Medical Group Ltd officially launched the device here Tuesday.
Arvind Thiagarajan, chief inventor of ViScope, told reporters that with this device, doctors could see the heart beat.
The display device shows graphically the heart beat in the form of waves similar to a ECG graph.
According to Thiagarajan, the visual device could be plugged to a computer and a print-out could also be taken. A doctor could also zoom in on to a particular spot for a careful study.
K.Thirumurthi, a nuclear medicine physician at Madras Medical Mission, who has tested the equipment, told IANS: 'Seeing the sound makes a lot of difference in arriving at a conclusion. It takes a long time for a doctor to actually master the art of hearing the heart.'
'The general practitioners may miss to read/hear correctly the heart sound which may turn out to be costly for the patient.' With a devise like ViScope, things were smooth, he added.
According to him, ViScope, which has an improved technology in comparison to stethoscope, could replace the traditional device.
However, the high price of the device, at Rs.30,000, poses challenges to the marketing plans of HD Medical.
'The price has to be brought down at least by half so that general practitioners can also buy the instrument,' Thirumurthi said.
HD Medical has tied up with BPL Ltd to market the product nationwide.
'We are targeting to sell around 50,000 units by the end of 2009 and earn around $10 million. We will be looking at the primary health centres and the various telemedicine projects,' HD Medical chief operating officer and vice-president Vijay Simha said.
Markets maintain gain in afternoon trade
Indian equity markets extended their gain early Wednesday afternoon.
At 12:30 p.m., the 30-share benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the Sensex, was up by 216.31 points or 1.67 percent at 13,177.99. It had touched a high of 13,224.26 earlier.
At the same time the broader based S and amp;P CNX Nifty index of the National Stock Exchange was up by 52.50 points or 1.34 percent at 3,948.95.
However, the market breadth was negative. On BSE 697 shares advanced, 1,796 declined and 53 remained unchanged.
At 12:30 p.m., the 30-share benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the Sensex, was up by 216.31 points or 1.67 percent at 13,177.99. It had touched a high of 13,224.26 earlier.
At the same time the broader based S and amp;P CNX Nifty index of the National Stock Exchange was up by 52.50 points or 1.34 percent at 3,948.95.
However, the market breadth was negative. On BSE 697 shares advanced, 1,796 declined and 53 remained unchanged.
Seven guerrillas, army officer killed in Kashmir
Seven guerrillas and an army officer have been killed near the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir in an intense gunfight that started two days ago, officials said here Wednesday.
A defence spokesperson said a group of heavily armed guerrillas had sneaked into the Indian side of the LoC, that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan, in the Tangdhar sector of Kupwara district, 106 km from here, Monday evening. A massive flushing out operation was started in the area by the army that is still continuing.
'So far, seven terrorists have been killed in this ongoing engagement between the army and the intruders. One junior commissioned officer also lost his life while eliminating the terrorists,' the spokesperson said here.
A defence spokesperson said a group of heavily armed guerrillas had sneaked into the Indian side of the LoC, that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan, in the Tangdhar sector of Kupwara district, 106 km from here, Monday evening. A massive flushing out operation was started in the area by the army that is still continuing.
'So far, seven terrorists have been killed in this ongoing engagement between the army and the intruders. One junior commissioned officer also lost his life while eliminating the terrorists,' the spokesperson said here.
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