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TOP REPORTS
Foreigner issue to be more relevant during polls: BJP
Whenever the issue had been raised, the people had given the verdict that only a person born in India should occupy the post of prime minister, party president Venkaiah Naidu said.

I supported Congress, not Sonia: Jaya
The Tamil Nadu chief minister said that in her letter to the President in 1999, the reference to the 'Congress-led by Sonia Gandhi' was only to identify the party.

Bilal may be expelled from Hurriyat
The Hurriyat believes Bilal and Sajjad Lone of the People's Conference are extending tacit support to some candidates contesting the J&K assembly poll.

Nawaz Sharief withdraws nomination
`This decision is aimed at lodging my strong protest against the unethical, illegal and unconstitutional measures of [the] military regime under the garb of restoring true democracy,' a statement from his party, the PML-N, said.

Forty feared killed in Orissa boat mishap
The incident occurred when the boat, ferrying passengers from Maninathpur Ghat in Bhadrak district to Debigada Ghat near Jajpur town, hit a sandbar.

Ayodhya Muslims meet Kanchi seer
Along with the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, they have formed a trust to improve living conditiions in the twin cities of Ayodhya and Faizabad.
The Ayodhya Dispute: The Complete Coverage

NGO invited to bridge Hindu-Muslim gap in Gujarat
Salokha brought about rapprochement between the two communities in the aftermath of the 1992-93 riots in Mumbai.
The Sabarmati in Flames: The Complete Coverage

JAMMU & KASHMIR POLLS
Govt willing to consider 'legitimate' demands of Shah
But a top home ministry official ruled out the release of the senior Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani before the J&K assembly poll.

Schisms in People's Conference over participation in polls
Four leaders, including senior leader and close associate of slain Abdul Gani Lone, Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Sofi, have filed their nomination papers from constituencies in Kupwara district.

Jamaat appeals to India, Pak to start talks
The separatist outfit said the resolution of the Kashmir issue was essential for lasting peace in South Asia.

Pakistan keenly watching polls
President Musharraf held talks with Pakistan's Kashmir Committee chairman, Abdul Qayyum, on the run-up to the polls in the valley.

Ladakh Union Territory Front wins both seats in Leh district
Its nominees, Nawang Rigzin and Sonam Wanchuke Narboo, remain the only candidates in the fray from their constituencies.

EC may look into Centre's package for Pandits
Union Minister Omar Abdullah had commented that the Centre's package had been announced at a time when the model code of conduct was in force.

JKPDP candidate files nomination for second phase of J&K poll
Twenty-eight segments of Jammu, Srinagar and Budgam districts would go to the polls on September 24.
The Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Polls: The Complete Coverage

THE NAGAPPA ABDUCTION
BJP leader demands Karnataka CM's resignation
`It is shameful that Veerappan has kidnapped important persons twice in the regime of Mr S M Krishna,' Jagadeesh Shettar said.

Karnataka STF told to go slow on Veerappan
There was no talk of sending an emissary and Karnataka Home Minister Mallikarjun Kharge also denied that the government had received a second audio cassette from Veerappan.

DMK refutes Jaya's charge
The Tamil Nadu chief minister accuses DMK president M Karunanidhi of having a hand in Nagappa's abduction.
The Nagappa Abduction: The Complete Coverage

OTHER REPORTS
Five children killed in fire at Delhi temple
The fire broke out when Janmashtami celebrations were in progress in the Shakti temple at Vishnu Garden.

Delhi corporator's body recovered in UP
Congress corporator Atma Ram Gupta was murdered allegedly by a jealous colleague.

Patna court rejects bail plea of Gen Aurora
The general had filed the petition after a judicial magistrate in Patna issued a non-bailable warrant against him on charges of cheating, criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of property.

Judicial custody of Shivani murder accused extended
The court has also directed the jail authorities to shift Pradeep Sharma to a high-security cell.
The Shivani Bhatnagar Murder Case: The Complete Coverage

Suspected Naxalites kill TDP leader in Visakhapatnam district
This is the second murder of a TDP functionary by suspected Naxalites this week.

Ranvir Sena chief remanded to judicial custody
Brahmeshwar Singh will be lodged in the Beur central jail in Patna till September 13.

Reservation order: Ally forced Mayawati to backtrack
But the principal sports secretary had to go to lend credibility to her claim that she did not rescind the order under pressure from allies.

SLIDESHOW
The Week's Images
A plegde to fight corruption, the search for an elusive forest brigand, a pat on the back for hitting the bull's eye and more.

Dear Rediff:
'I suddenly see a ray of hope for India'

August 30, 2002

TOP REPORTS
Farooq gives up Ganderbal seat for son Omar
The younger Abdullah will be the new chief ministerial candidate of the National Conference while the father may move to the Rajya Sabha.

Pak EC rejects Benazir Bhutto's nomination
Her supporters called the rejection as a case of 'double standards', citing the acceptance of former premier Nawaz Sharief's nomination.

Congress releases Jaya's letter of support to Sonia
The Tamil Nadu chief minister's sole occupation is a one-point programme for liberation from major criminal cases, the party said.

Veerappan sends second cassette
It is understood to contain Veerappan's demands for the release of former Karnataka minister Nagappa.

Plan to kill Modi, Togadia unearthed
The Delhi police have arrested three members of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba in this regard. They wanted to take revenge for the 'injustices caused to the Muslims' in Gujarat.
The Sabarmati in Flames: The Complete Coverage

J&K ASSEMBLY ELECTION
Shabir Shah makes a U-turn; now says no to polls
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Shah complained that the coming elections are aimed only at giving an extension to the Farooq Abdullah regime.

228 file papers for 1st phase of polls
In the 1996 assembly election, only 142 candidates had filed their nominations for these constituencies while in 1987, there were only 116.

Panun Kashmir calls polls meaningless
Other organisations of Pandits rejected the Centre's financial package for the return of the displaced Kashmiris, terming it an 'insult' to the community.

Mirwaiz ready for unconditional talks with Centre
The former chairman of the Hurriyat appealed to all militant groups to shun violence and help in resolve the Kashmir issue through talks.

Mulayam praises Shah's efforts to resolve Kashmir issue
The Samajwadi Party chief said the Centre should hold talks with the separatist leader.

Army kills nine Pakistani intruders
The terrorists, who were carrying a large quantity of arms and ammunition, were trying to sneak into the Kashmir valley to disrupt the poll process.
The Jammu & Kashmir Election: The Complete Coverage

INTERVIEW
'If I had the power I would postpone the J&K election'
Ram Jethmalani, chairman of the Kashmir Committee, on his discussions with separatist leaders.

VEERAPPAN RESURFACES
Help promised by Centre likely to reach STF late
The central government has promised sensors, surveillance gadgets and helicopters to track down Veerappan.

Nagappa abduction: STF arrests two more
The two were arrested from the forest area where Veerappan was believed to be hiding. They were being questioned at the Gundal base camp in Karnataka.

Krishna rushes to Kamagere to review situation
He will meet abducted Janata Dal leader H Nagappa's family. There are reports that Veerappan has sent a second cassette to authorities.

Nagappa abduction creating caste divisions
The trouble began following a remark by a Karnataka minister that Lingayats should get Nagappa released by paying ransom to Veerappan.
The Nagappa Abduction: The Complete Coverage

OTHER REPORTS
Custodial death in Andhra; 5 excise personnel suspended
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has expressed anguish at the incident and conveyed his condolences to the members of the bereaved family.

Former Union Carbide chairman traced: Greenpeace
Indian authorities have so far shown reluctance to pursue Anderson, who is held responsible for the Bhopal gas leak disaster, which killed over 3,000 people.

Parallel Hindu body declares war on VHP
The Vishwa Dharam Raksha Parishad said that the VHP did nothing except collect crores of rupees in the name of temple construction.
The Ayodhya Issue: The Complete Coverage

PW owns up for August 11 landmine blast in Orissa
Seven jawans were killed in the attack, which took place in Raigada district.

Andhra Pradesh: Two farmers commit suicide
The duo, residents of Vaddupalli village in Anantpur district, were unable to repay their loans.

Majority of transporters in Bihar call off strike
They reached an agreement with the state government on their demands on Thursday night.

Another UK-Indian doctor accused of selling kidneys
Jarnail Singh of Hillfields Health Centre, Coventry, will appear before the General Medical Council, which is hearing the case of Dr Makkar, in October.

Muslim immigrants to face tougher US regulations
Immigrants and visitors from certain Arab and Muslim countries will be fingerprinted, photographed, and tracked after September 11. But civil liberties groups see this as nothing but racial profiling.

Woman raped while pursuing sister's rape case
The woman was raped by a hotel manager and his friend, who entered her room posing as CID officials and pushed her brother-in-law out.

Police station turns into a fortress for Ranvir Sena chief
Brahmeshwar Singh is being held at Patna's Sachivalya police station.

HC rejects Manisha Koirala's plea; allows release of film
Koirala had dragged the producer of Ek Chhoti Si Love Story, Shashilal Nair, to court for portraying her in bad light.

Minor kills 3-year-old child
Fourteen-year-old Vinayak (name changed) killed three-year-old Nelroy Gomes by slitting his throat for calling him a pig.

Mayawati scraps controversial sports reservation order
Sportspersons criticised the policy saying they played for the country, not for a certain caste or religion.

SPECIAL
Inspiring the murder of Indians?
A spate of murders of Indians in South Africa is being linked to a Zulu song in a country where Indians now find themselves 'not black enough', writes Ajit Bridgraj.

COLUMN
A reply to Robert Hathaway
'American meddlers, Hathaway among them, consistently turn a blind eye towards Hindu victims of Muslim violence, in India as well as in Pakistan and Bangladesh,' says Koenraad Elst.

SLIDESHOW
The Week's Images
A plegde to fight corruption, the search for an elusive forest brigand, a pat on the back for hitting the bull's eye and more.

Dear Rediff:
'I suddenly see a ray of hope for India'

August 29, 2002

SPECIAL
Mumbai: Citizen's indifference is the problem
The tragedy of India's largest city is that the people have shown a complete unwillingness to help women in distress, writes Syed Firdaus Ashraf.
Kolkata: Safe streets, unsafe offices
Fear in the cities: A rediff series.

TOP REPORTS
PM for talks on Kashmir after election
It was not immediately clear whether the Jethmalani-led Kashmir Committee was arranging a meeting of Shabir Shah with Prime Minister Vajpayee.

Parliament attack plan hatched in Pak: Court told
Assistant Commissioner of Police Rajbir Singh said Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Maulana Masood Azhar hatched the conspiracy with two of his colleagues.

Charges framed against Ansari, 8 others in USIS case
He is charged, among other things, with waging a war against the state and murder.

Back India for Security Council seat: Pallone to Bush
India already has the support of Britain, France and Russia for its case for a permanent seat in the UN council.

Trial court rejects Hindujas' plea for quashing charge sheet
The Hinduja brothers wanted the charge sheet against them in the Bofors payoff case quashed on the ground of `inordinate delay in the probe and trial'.
The Bofors Scandal: The Complete Coverage

6 suspected Al Qaeda supporters indicted in US
A grand jury in Detroit has charged Karim Koubriti, Ahmed Hannan, Youssef Hmimssa, Farouk Ali-Haimoud and Abdella, and another in Seattle has charged James Ujaama with supporting the terrorist organisation.
America's War on Terror: Complete Coverage

India flays Musharraf on infiltration
The Pakistan president's latest statement suggests that he will end infiltration only when he finds it opportune, a government spokesperson said.

No time frame given to halt infiltration: Musharraf
In an interview to BBC, Musharraf also ruled out any threat posed by 'extremists' in Pakistan to his government.

Nawaz Sharief's nomination papers accepted
It comes as a big blow for the Pakistan government, which had brought in a new rule barring convicted persons from contesting polls.

Police arrests founder of Ranvir Sena
Brahmeshwar Singh Mukhiya, who carried a reward of Rs 500,000 on his head, is allegedly behind more than 500 killings in central Bihar.

NCP dares Congress to pull out of Maharashtra coalition
`Our basic stand that a person of foreign origin should not become prime minister cannot be compromised,' NCP spokesman Nasim Siddiqui said.

People's War kills abducted constable
The Naxalites had abducted four constables and a home guard after raiding Anakapalle, Chodavaram police stations on August 23.

'Area commander' of People's War arrested
Ajay Kanu, who had unleashed a reign of terror in Jehanabad, Arwal, Gaya and Patna districts, was involved in a series of killings of policemen.

HC grants Maneklal bail in Coomar Narain case
The court has already admitted the businessman's appeal against his conviction and 14-year sentence.

VEERAPPAN RESURFACES
One more arrested in Nagappa abduction case
Madath was arrested on the charge of providing protection to Veerappan.

Advocate agrees to mediate with Veerappan
Venugopal had appeared in the Karnataka high court as the defence counsel of the alleged aides of Veerappan.

Is the STF capable of catching Veerappan?
Pot bellied officers and apparently uninterested constables hardly inspire confidence.
The Nagappa Abduction: The Complete Coverage

ASSEMBLY ELECTION
Ladakh front's nominee is sole candidate in Nobra
The National Conference is finding the going tough across the region, with even the mood in its erstwhile stronghold of Kargil turning against it.

Jethmalani, Shah hold second round talks
It was not immediately clear whether the Jethmalani-led Kashmir Committee was arranging a meeting of Shabir Shah with Prime Minister Vajpayee.

JK polls: BJP releases another list
The party, which has fielded 25 candidates for the first and second phases, is likely to contest 55 to 60 seats, BJP spokesman Sunil Shastri said.

People's Conference leaders file J&K poll nominations
Ghulam Mohiuddin Sofi and Abdul Haq Khan filed their nominations from Handwara and Lolab constituencies of Kupwara district, sources said.

Notification for 2nd phase of J&K polls issued
Nomination papers can be filed till September 5, while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is September 9.

2 militants killed in encounter in Poonch
The security forces also found the mutilated body of Teerath Ram, a villager in Doda district who had been missing since August 24.
The Jammu & Kashmir Election: The Complete Coverage

Arrest Modi for planning Gaurav Yatra: Laloo
Demanding the arrest of the Gujarat chief minister under the POTA, the RJD chief said the proposed yatra would 'terrorise' the minority community.

BJP watching opposition moves in Gujarat
`Our central leadership is aware that despite Chief Minister Modi's claims of invincibility in the impending elections in the state, we cannot afford to lower our guard,' a BJP leader said.
The Gujarat Assembly Polls: The Complete Coverage

INTERVIEW
'Kashmiri militants want peace'
'No child wants to grow up an orphan.' Sunil Dutt on his march for peace.

OTHER REPORTS
AP high court orders medical aid for ailing monkey
The `love' of its devotees is proving too costly for the animal, which has been confined to a Hanuman temple in Anantapur district.

BJP, Congress Workers Clash in Delhi
Among those hurt were AICC general-secretary Ambika Soni and BJP Mahila Morcha president Kanta Nalwade.

Jayalalithaa drops two ministers
They are C Durairaj, who had submitted his resignation following the 'child burial' episode in Madurai district, and R Viswanathan.

Laloo slams Jaya for labelling Sonia a foreigner
The RJD chief said the Supreme Court had made it clear that Gandhi was a citizen of India enjoying the same rights as any other citizen.

Bihar govt mulling over ordinance against striking transporters
The proposed ordinance will allow the state government to seize the buses and trucks of the striking transporters.

Transporters' strike in Bihar intensifies
Some transporters who had suspended their agitation have now rejoined the strike.

Search still on for Delhi corporator's body
The UP police said they are searching some specific areas in Ghaziabad district.

Cops rob passengers of Sabarmati Express
The Government Railway Police personnel looted the passengers after the latter refused to pay Rs 50 each to the cops.

No cause for worry, Sonia reassures Deshmukh
The Congress president advised the Maharashtra chief minister to get a meeting of the Democratic Front co-ordination committee convened to sort out his problems.

Vilas Deshmukh flies to Delhi
On Wednesday, 11 independent legislators had warned the Congress against taking their support for granted in the event of a change in leadership.

Congress red-faced over mistaken identity incident
Party workers present to receive actor-turned-politician Sunil Dutt at Delhi airport ended up garlanding Shabir Shah, a separatist leader from J&K.

S K Sinha gets another term as Assam governor
He had first been appointed governor of the northeastern state during the tenure of the Inder Kumar Gujral-led United Front government in New Delhi.

Patna court extends stay on telecast of Ramkhilavan
Members of the ruling RJD believe the serial portrayed Bihar, its chief minister and her family in poor light.

Mayawati's 'village uplift' plan under threat
Upset by the frequent transfers of bureaucrats, the World Bank has warned that it could pull out of the plan to improve the `Ambedkar villages'.

English vicar bans yoga classes in church hall
Rev Derek Smith said that even if followers in the West used it just for fitness, spiritual leaders in the East insisted it was inseparable from Hindu devotional practice.

CPI-M to launch agitation on September 20
The CPI-M would also observe 'Drought Relief Day' on September 20 and 'Tripura Solidarity Day' on September 30.

COLUMN
Lost opportunities
'Unfortunately, thanks to wrong priorities, misguided policies and a total absence of clear direction, we still continue to be a major importer of defence equipment,' says Admiral (retired) J G Nadkarni.

Dear Rediff:
Fight Corruption? Not Me!

August 28, 2002

TOP REPORTS
STF arrests one person for sheltering Veerappan
STF sources said the forest brigand stayed in Madanayaka's Kanchigahalli village house, paying him Rs 35,000 for it.

ISI planned attacks in Gujarat: K P S Gill
It was in the form of ordering the Kashmiri militants to sneak into the state and launch terrorist assaults, including serial blasts. The threat persists, the supercop said.

Court rules out dilution of charges against Union Carbide ex-chief
The CBI wanted Warren Anderson, chairman of Union Carbide Corporation at the time of the Bhopal gas disaster, to be tried only for negligence in place of culpable homicide.

Jayalalithaa opposes Sonia as PM
The Tamil Nadu chief minister is against a foreigner becoming the prime minister of the country.

Congress blames Jaya's `somersault' on political compulsions
But the BJP welcomed the resumption of the debate on the political status of persons of foreign origin.

India among 30 most corrupt countries: Survey
The survey by Transparency International ranks Pakistan more corrupt than India.

THE PETROL PUMP ROW
SC stays Centre's decision to cancel pumps allotment
However, the interim stay order will not be applicable to those cases where only a Letter of Intent had been issued.
The Petrol Pump Row: The Complete Coverage

Centre not to issue ordinance on allotments at present
Petroleum Minister Ram Naik said the Supreme Court's order staying the cancellation of the allotments was an interim order and the Centre would implement it.

VEERAPPAN RESURFACES
STF combing operations in full swing to nab Veerappan
The STF soldiers have cordoned off 10 square miles of the Dimbam-Gundul area of the Satyamangalam forest range till now.

Rajakumar willing to help secure Nagappa's release
The film star and former Veerappan hostage, however, clarified that what he meant was that he was willing to mediate between the governments of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Centre to give air surveillance facilities to nab Veerappan
Deputy Prime Minister Advani has promised to the Tamil Nadu government all possible help in catching the forest brigand.

Karnataka opposition leaders want negotiations with Veerappan
Janata Dal-United national vice-president Vijay Mallya feels the police operations may 'enrage' Veerappan, prompting him to harm Nagappa.
The Nagappa Abduction: The Complete Coverage

CAUVERY WATER DISPUTE
Karnataka playing foul, alleges Jaya
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa accused Karnataka of adopting a 'callous and indifferent attitude' on the issue of releasing Cauvery waters to Tamil Nadu.

Jaya walkout puts onus on SC
The Supreme Court is slated to hear the Tamil Nadu petition, seeking implementation of the Cauvery Water Tribunal award, on September 2.
The Cauvery Water Dispute: The Complete Coverage

SHIVANI MURDER CASE
Delhi HC adjourns R K Sharma's bail plea to Sept 2
Dinesh Mathur, counsel for the IPS officer, cited several Supreme Court judgments and said his client could not be termed an absconder since he was seeking legal recourse.
The Shivani Bhatnagar Murder Case: The Complete Coverage

ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS
NC candidate from Baramulla escapes militant attack
This is the first time that militants have attacked a candidate, after the notification of the assembly poll by the Election Commission.

No chance of government postponing J&K poll: Swami
`Even if a political decision is taken in this regard, only the Election Commission of India can postpone the election,' the Union minister of state for home pointed out.

Kashmir Committee chief Jethmalani calls on President
He informed Abdul Kalam of the next round of talks the Committee would have with various groups ahead of the coming assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir.

Shabir Shah hopeful of meeting Vajpayee
'I am not here on Advani's invitation,' the Kashmiri separatist leader said after the deputy prime minister refused to meet him. He said he was looking forward to the meeting with the Kashmir Committee.

Efforts on to persuade Hurriyat to join polls
A US delegation that went to Srinagar with a similar message returned on Wednesday after failing to achieve any breakthrough.

Shiv Sena to enter the fray in J&K
The party will put up candidates for 12 seats on its own while boycotting all but one seat in the Kashmir valley.

Ganderbal: The ignored 'prestigious' constituency
The constituents get to see their MLA Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah mostly on television.
The Jammu & Kashmir Election: The Complete Coverage

Basu given the task to forge opposition unity
At a dinner meeting hosted by the former West Bengal chief minister, many leaders agreed to put up a common front against the BJP in the Gujarat assembly election.

Drive to revise Gujarat voters' list launched
The special drive will include a door-to-door visit in riot-affected areas of the state by a team of election officials.

BJP fears disruption of Gaurav Yatra launch
The party is sending an advance team to Kheda district following reports that an organisation called the Bhati Sena plans to disrupt the yatra.
The Gujarat Election 2002: The Complete Coverage

INTERVIEW
'All of you want a magic wand in Gujarat'
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi says it is time to look beyond Godhra and re-establish Gujarati pride.

COLUMN
Insinuation rules
'To Modi and Togadia at this time, the only thing that matters is that James Michael Lyngdoh has a Christian name. Therefore, he is anti-Hindu,' says Dilip D'Souza.

NEIGHBOURHOOD
Pakistan reopens arrest warrants against Bhutto
The National Accountability Bureau has directed the police to arrest the former premier on her arrival, the Dawn reported.

Musharraf following in Zia's steps: Indo-Canadian professor
Democracy is not an issue in Musharraf's relationship with the US, Ashok Kapur, head of the political science department at Waterloo University, told rediff.com

LTTE names four-member team for talks in Thailand
The team's composition shows that the guerrilla group is not yet willing to send any of its key functionaries outside the island for talks.

INTERVIEW
'The police have failed to find the real culprits'
Yusuf Abdul Charkha, lawyer for the 57 accused in the Godhra case, on the defence version of the investigation.

COLUMN
Is anyone in charge in Islamabad?
'What should worry us is what might happen if Musharraf chooses to opt for a war in a bid to give the people of Pakistan another focus of hatred,' says T V R Shenoy.

EARTH SUMMIT
Earth Summit: India wants safe water for all
It is the obligation of all countries to provide safe and `reasonably priced' water to all people by adopting an approach that leaves no negative impact on the environment, Environment and Forest Minister Baalu said.

India ratifies Kyoto Protocol
`India's accession is a reiteration of its commitment to addressing and resolving various issues of global concern in a multilateral manner,' Environment and Forest Minister T R Baalu said.

More needs to be done to fight poverty, hunger: Annan
The UN secretary general said the successes achieved so far showed that the goals set out in the Millennium Declaration were reachable.

OTHER REPORTS
'5353' still a sore point with Indian troops
For more than two months now Pakistani troops occupying the post have been targeting Indian positions in the vicinity. But the Indians can't clear it because it's bang on the LoC.

Dutt's the way, Congressmen hail 'patriot' Shabir Shah
In a case of mistaken identity, Congress workers, who were apparently waiting for party leader Sunil Dutt at the domestic airport in New Delhi, garlanded the separatist leader shouting slogans like Desh ke laal, tujhe salam.

Patna Police arrests 35 students for 'disrupting' law and order
The students were protesting the 'abrupt' decision of the Magadh University to postpone their examinations.

India to promote traditional medicine in a big way: Shatrughan Sinha
The Union health minister was recently in the US and Germany to promote the same.

August 27, 2002

TOP REPORTS
Kalam is a Hindu: RSS teaches children
According to the outfit, the Indian President is a Hindu as he treats his country 'like his mother', is a patriot, reads the Bhagwad Gita, respects the statue of Nataraja and a vegetarian.

The STF was just five kilometres away
The Chamarajanagar superintendent of police was reportedly just half a kilometre away, when Veerappan was making his getaway after abducting H Nagappa.

Jayalalithaa walks out of talks on Cauvery issue
Union Water Resources Minister Arjun Charan Sethi claimed that the Tamil Nadu CM had agreed to share the 'distress' of the basin states, before walking out.

Delhi Police chief updates Advani on Shivani case
Home ministry sources said that Radhey Shyam Gupta has met the deputy prime minister twice in the last ten days.
The Shivani Bhatnagar Murder Case: The Complete Coverage

VEERAPPAN STRIKES AGAIN
Rattled Karnataka government brings Kempaiah back
Kempaiah had been transferred a few months ago without any reason being assigned though he had achieved major breakthroughs during his short tenure with the STF.

Nagappa's wife appeals to Veerappan on radio
Parimala told Veerappan in Kannada and Tamil that Nagappa has 'high regard' for him and bears no 'ill-will' against him or any 'intentions to harm him'.

Nagappa's abduction: Centre offers all assistance to Karnataka
Deputy PM L K Advani said the Centre was ready to provide paramilitary forces to help trace Veerappan and rescue abducted JD-U leader H Nagappa.

Hunt for Veerappan: TN, Karnataka to reinforce STF
They have urged the Centre to assist them with the latest equipment for surveillance and intelligence gathering.

S M Krishna cancels US trip
The Karnataka chief minister wants to personally coordinate the government's efforts to secure the safe release of Nagappa.
Nagappa Abduction: The Complete Coverage

SPECIAL
Veerappan strikes again
Two years after he kidnapped one of the greatest names in the Kannada film industry, India's notorious brigand Veerappan has struck again, abducting a former Karnataka minister, says M D Riti.

INTERVIEW
'The BJP is unstoppable'
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi tells Senior Editor Sheela Bhatt.

JAMMU & KASHMIR ELECTION
Hurriyat agrees for talks with Kashmir Committee
Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Bhat said, 'We will participate in any positive dialogue process aimed at resolution of Kashmir issue.

Panun Kashmir to boycott elections
`The conditions required for holding free and fair polls are nonexistent,' Panun Kashmir chairman Ajay Chrangoo said.

Panthers Party announces candidates for polls
While the party will contest all the seven seats of Udhampur and Poonch districts, it has announced the names of only five candidates so far.

Jammu State Morcha, BJP bicker over seat-sharing
The Morcha was demanding 19 to 20 seats, but the BJP was willing to part with only 8 or 10.

BJP announces second list
The party is fielding 12 candidates for the first phase and 13 for the second, party spokesman Sunil Shastri said.
The Jammu & Kashmir Election: The Complete Coverage

OTHER REPORTS
Gandhi attacks poll reforms ordinance
The Congress is in concurrence with the orders of the Supreme Court that candidates must disclose all relevant information, the party president said.

Kerala, AP seek consular offices of Gulf countries
This follows requests from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Bahrain to the Government of India to set up consulates in a southern Indian city.

TN minister to quit over 'burial festival' controversy
In the bizarre event, which took place last week in Madurai district, children were buried alive for a minute to fulfil vows.

Delhi corporator murdered, colleague held
Sharda Jain got Atma Ram Gupta murdered because she was jealous that he had relations with other women, police said.

Goan villagers drive out priest for performing dalit wedding
Shambhu Kale, a middle-aged priest, was forced to give up his job at the village temple and also vacate the house his father had built.

Oppn trying to defame BJP with slanderous attacks: Advani
The opposition hopes that at least some of the charges will stick, he said.

Naxalites turn on the heat in Andhra Pradesh
The PW group shot dead a police constable, beat up two executives and a watchman of a cement factory, and torched a forest range office in separate incidents.

Left tries to unite opposition against NDA
On Tuesday, the CPI-M is holding a rally in Delhi, which will be followed by a dinner for opposition leaders, towards this purpose.

Cong revokes suspension order of 3 Orissa MLAs
They were suspended for supporting former Union minister Dilip Ray's candidature for the Rajya Sabha as an independent.

India obtains guarantees on study of Asian Brown Haze
The U N Environment Programme conclusions on the impacts of the Haze presented `an alarming picture without adequate substantiation', India said.

Kailash Joshi appointed BJP Madhya Pradesh chief
He will take over from Vikram Verma, who joined the Union Cabinet on Monday.

Govindacharya may return to active politics next year
The former BJP general secretary said he had received good response to his letters questioning the government's globalisation policy.

Bangladesh bans book by Taslima Nasreen
The book, Utal Hawa, published from Kolkata was likely to disturb the socio-economic harmony of Bangladesh, a government statement said.

PAKISTAN ELECTION
Pak government draws up plan to counter Bhutto, Sharief
Members of the Sharief family, including former PM Nawaz Sharief, will be detained and deported to Saudi Arabia. But Benazir Bhutto will be handed over to the National Accountability Bureau.

Over 4000 candidates sign in for Pakistan polls
Another 9648 candidates had filed their nominations to contest the 728 seats in the four provincial assemblies of Punjab, Sindh, NWFP and Baluchistan.

Benazir accuses Musharraf regime of pre-election rigging
The former Pakistan premier also accused the government of working against her party.

COLUMN
Pakistan's devious ploy
'Musharraf has shown a disturbing determination not to act against pan-Islamic organisations active in J&K. Their objective is to bring J&K under the sway of pan-Islamism,' says B Raman.

August 26, 2002

TOP REPORTS
Govt won't pressurise constitutional bodies: PM
Vajpayee said the government had accorded the 'greatest autonomy' to investigating agencies, including the CBI.

Gujarat Polls: SC issues notices to EC, state govts
A five-judge constitution bench fixed Thursday for working out a time-table for hearing of the presidential reference on the controversial EC order.

Karnataka mum on Veerappan's demands
However, police sources said that the brigand has sought the release of prisoners known to or associated with him and languishing in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka jails since long.

Certain documents may have led to Shivani's murder
Public Prosecutor S K Saxena told a Delhi court that the killers had searched for these documents after murdering the journalist.
The Shivani Bhatnagar Murder Case: The Complete Coverage

VEERAPPAN RESURFACES
Veerappan has given audio cassette to Nagappa's wife
Senior police officials, who have heard its contents, are awaiting permission from the political leadership before making the contents public.

Karnataka CM convenes all-party meet
T Srinivasulu, the high-profile security advisor to the Karnataka government, and other top police officials rushed to Chamrajnagar district to take stock of the situation.

Pressure on Karnataka govt, JD(U) leaders in Hanur
Residents of the town are agitated over the inability of the police to prevent former minister H Nagappa's abduction.

Why did Veerappan kidnap former Karnataka minister?
Could it be be to settle an old feud, or an attempt to secure the release of Kollutoor Mani, Sivasubramanyam and Nedumaran?

Dr Rajakumar in no mood to talk about his abduction
Dr Rajakumar was in Gajanur, from where he was kidnapped two years back, just 24 hours before Veerappan abducted Nagappa in neighbouring Chamarajnagar.
The Nagappa Abduction: The Complete Coverage

INTERVIEW
'Unless Veerappan is caught or killed, this drama will repeat itself'
Bangalore Police Commissioner H T Sangliana says this time there should be no negotiation with the dreaded smuggler.

Vajpayee reshuffles Union Cabinet
BJP leader Vikram Verma was inducted as Cabinet minister. Shiv Sena's Anant V Adsul took oath as a minister of state.

Special HC bench summons PMO Ayodhya Cell chief
Shatrughan Singh has been summoned for his inability to furnish a letter sent by Prince Anjum Qadar to former prime minister V P Singh.
The Ayodhya Tangle: The Complete Coverage

GUJARAT RELATED REPORTS
Modi determined to take out Gaurav Yatra
`I am determined to take out the yatra and tell the world the Gaurav Gatha of five crore people of the state,' the chief minister said.

Two more held in connection with Godhra carnage
With the arrest of Iliyas Sikander Gileti and Shabbir, the number of people in custody has risen to 75, police sources said.
The Gujarat Riots: The Complete Coverage
Gujarat Election 2002: The Complete Coverage

J&K ELECTION
Polls to be free and fair: Governor
G C Saxena appealed to the separatist groups to prove their representative character by participating in the polls.

Polls a chance to establish peace: US
`We came with the message that the US does care about Kashmir and Kashmiris,' Lisa Curtis, a senior Asian affairs advisor to the Bush administration, said in Srinagar.

4 of cop's family gunned down in Poonch
Assembly polls are due in Poonch district on September 16. The cop Mohammad Azad is involved in counter insurgency operations.
The J&K Election: The Complete Coverage

OTHER REPORTS
NHRC issues notice on `burial festival'
The commission has asked for a detailed report from the Tamil Nadu government on last week's burial festival in Madurai, in which more than a hundred kids were buried alive to propitiate local deities.

SC adjourns hearing in pump case till Wednesday
The allotments were cancelled on Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's order of August 5 following allegations of favouritism in their award.
The Petrol Pump Row

Pak shopping for nuclear equipment, UK worried
Special high-grade metals from a UK-based company are believed to have reached an uranium enrichment plant near Islamabad, a report in the Sunday Times said.

AP Naxalites release 3 of the 4 abducted cops
The cops, who were taken hostage from Chodavaram on Friday, walked for seven to eight hours in the forest before reaching the main road.

8 Indians killed in Dubai roof collapse
They were crushed to death when the roof of an under-construction power plant in the Jebel Ali industrial area, 45 km from Dubai, collapsed.

Shopkeepers assault Uttaranchal minister for surprise raid
The minister and his team of wildlife officials were chased out of Haridwar's market for trying to raid a shop selling tigerskins and nails.

Congressmen demand withdrawal of support to Rabri govt
In their memorandum to party leaders, they said that good governance was the Congress' priority, but the same couldn't be said about the RJD.

India to set up consulates in several Afghan cities
While a consulate general had already been set up at Mazar-e-Sharif, New Delhi proposed to set up consulates in Herat, Kandahar and Jalalabad.

Ladakh Union Territory Front floated
The Front, which was formed after the main political parties in Ladakh dissolved their units, wants Union Territory for Ladakh.

BJP leader from Orissa forms new party to serve tribals
Salkhan Murmu feels that the Centre and the BJP are anti-tribal.

SPECIAL
A summit for Mother Earth
The Johannesburg summit will continue the work that began in 1992 at the Rio Summit, which has notched up quite a few successes, writes Jeet Thayil.

COLUMN
Towards Balkanisation, III: Missionaries
'I support reconversion and the dissemination of Hindu awareness because I want Hindus to remain Hindu, Jains to remain Jain, Buddhists to remain Buddhist, and Sikhs to remain Sikh,' says Varsha Bhosle.

DIARY
Ticket to Ride
Meera Guthi wants to ride. But finds there's too much mathematics involved.

August 25, 2002

TOP REPORTS
Veerappan returns, abducts former Karnataka minister
H Nagappa, who has twice represented the Hanur assembly constituency, was abducted on Sunday night from his native Kamagere village in Chamarajanagar district.

Sonia attacks BJP for fomenting communal divide
'If the leaders take to incitement and walk the path of destruction, what inspiration will the new generation draw?' the Congress president said.

Abdullah likens Gujarat situation to Partition
The Jammu & Kashmir chief minister said criticising the Election Commission at a time when the whole world was focused on the election in his state would only hurt its sanctity.

President signs electoral reforms ordinance
Abdul Kalam signed the ordinance after seeking Attorney General Soli Sorabjee's opinion on certain 'nitty-gritties'.

Pakistan will break if it gets Kashmir, says new book
All prevailing indicators show that the country is facing the possibility of a civil war, the book by a former CBI director and a journalist says.

No politician in UP's list of 'most wanted' criminals
The only alleged criminal-turned-politician to figure in the list is Varanasi's Brijesh Singh, from whom Mayawati herself perceives a threat.

India, Bangladesh to jointly fight terrorism
Dhaka agreed to expand multi-modal transport links to boost bilateral trade with India and make economic linkages a vehicle for better ties.

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