NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
US ARCHIVES
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
THE STATES
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

INTERVIEWS
'My idea of education is based on empowerment'
Sandeep Pandey -- the youngest Indian to win the Magsaysay Award -- on the unique education programme that brought him the honour.
Also See: 'Magsaysay has come too early'

'Nagas are looking for a solution within the Indian Union'
K Padmanabhaiah, the Indian government's interlocutor for the Naga peace talks, on the latest breakthrough with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isac-Muivah). An exclusive and eloquent interview.

SPECIAL
When a town in Gujarat refused to burn
The Hindus and Muslims of Dholka, barely 40 km from Ahmedabad, refused to let their town become a part of the mindless violence that swept through the state, discovers Sheela Bhatt.

TOP REPORTS
Militants enter VIP enclave in Rajouri
The area houses the residences of former MLC and National Conference leader Bashir Ahmed Lone and senior police officers.

Infiltration has come down, Advani tells RS
But the deputy prime minister said it was too early to say if the activity had stopped permanently.

India has finalised price on Hawk purchase: Fernandes
The deal for the jet trainer -- estimated to be worth about one billion pounds -- now only requires the approval of the Cabinet, which is due to discuss it next month.

BIFURCATION ROW
Mamata gives NDA 12-day ultimatum
In this period, her party will take up a series of agitational programmes, including a Bangla bandh on August 5, to focus attention on the railway dispute.

Nitish Kumar rejects Mamata's charge
'The railways itself was a victim of the Godhra incident', the minister said responding to the Trinamool Congress chief's charge that he was 'rewarded (with the Eastern Railway split)' for suppressing facts on the carnage.

PRIYA RAJVANSH MURDER CASE
Chetan Anand's sons, 2 others sentenced to life in prison
Ketan and Vivek Anand, a maidservant, and her distant relative were held guilty of the murder of film actress Priya Rajvansh two years ago.

'My sister's soul can rest in peace'
Gullu Singh, the brother of Priya Rajvansh, also said, 'She always told me that her life was in danger, and I am glad justice has been done'.

ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS
EC team visits Ahmedabad areas
The team led by deputy election commissioners A N Jha and S Mendiratta met state electoral officers before going on a tour of relief camps and violence-affected areas.

US, EU ask Pak to ensure J&K poll is peaceful
US Secretary of State Colin Powell and EU Representative for Foreign Affairs Javier Solana said Pakistan must stop supporting cross-border terrorism.

WESTERN GRID COLLAPSE
'Power restored to 90% of western India'
The chairman of the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, R P Singh, said power supply to all the essential services was resumed early Wednesday morning.

Power supply restored to railways
Movement of trains has been restored on all the important routes, the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited said.

Southern grid comes to Goa's rescue
The southern grid agreed to increase Goa's power supply to 120 MW, from the usual 85 MW that the tourist state usually draws.

FLOOD SITUATION
Toll in Bihar floods crosses 100
In Darbhanga district Bagmati river in spate inundated 13 wards while in Gopalganj town 14 out of the 20 wards were submerged.

Kaziranga National Park reeling under floods
The park has been inundated by the swirling waters of the Brahmaputra, which has left 30 animals dead.

OTHER REPORTS
Game of fortune turns hawker into millionaire!
Lingappa, who sold snacks near Bangalore's famed Cubbon Park, won Rs 20.78 million and became the first winner of the Playwin jackpot from Karnataka.

If it does not rain within a week...
To avoid a famine-like situation, the government will have to effectively distribute its stock of food grains. Its record on this front is not very encouraging, however.

Religious gatherings threaten Kerala river
A study conducted by the Centre for Earth Science Studies says the Pampa, the state's third biggest river, has reached horrifying levels of pollution and degradation.

Militants storm police station in Pulwama, kill 1
At least two militants entered the police post at Khrew in south Kashmir at around 2200 IST on Tuesday and opened indiscriminate fire.

Jammu, Ladakh students consider floating political party
Complaining that the two regions have been marginalised in the present setup, the students blame existing parties for not living up to their expectations.

Indians victims of their own civilization: Naipaul
The Nobel laureate says that Indians don't value their identity unless it is endorsed by foreigners.

Keep out of state politics: Jamir to NSCN-IM
The Nagaland chief minister asked the outfit to concentrate on the ongoing peace talks with the Centre for a solution to the Naga militancy.

Pak plans to create turmoil in northeast: Army
Lt Gen J S Verma, general officer commanding-in-chief, Eastern Command, said India's porous eastern frontiers are turning out to be a major liability.

2 women, 2 children burnt in Mumbai flat
Police had no immediate clues about the perpetrators of the crime, but did not rule out any motive, including revenge.

French foreign minister arriving on August 2
The focus of French Foreign Minister Dominique Villepin's visit, which will also take him to Pakistan, will be international terrorism.

Fresh batch of 3,083 leave for Amarnath
The cavalcade was provided with an escort, sources said, and added that security had been beefed up in Jammu too after Tuesday's grenade attack.

Left parties, RJD stage walkout on Fernandes issue
The trouble in Rajya Sabha arose after Republican Party of India member R S Gavai refused to put a question to the defence minister.

Patnaik to expand ministry on Aug 6
The chief minister is under pressure from his party legislators to induct more ministers.

Kurup to probe Kumarakom boat tragedy
Twenty-nine persons drowned when a passenger boat ferrying passengers between Muhama in Alapuzha district and Kumarakom in Kottayam district capsized on July 27.

NEIGHBOURHOOD
A morose Musharraf apologises again
The Pakistan president's gloomy face was an indication of the embarrassment he had suffered during his talks with officials in Dhaka.

'Pak should think of sea-based nukes'
Pakistan naval chief Admiral Abdul Aziz Mirza told Jane's Defence Weekly that his country is seeking to strengthen its capabilities without entering into an arms race with India.

Statute authorising Musharraf's rule to go?
It is the constitutional order from which President Pervez Musharraf derives his right to rule the country.

July 30, 2002

TOP REPORTS
India ready for military contact with Pakistan
Senior MEA officials told rediff.com that India is ready if terrorism and infiltration were part of the talks during such contacts.

Cabinet decision leaves Mamata no room to manoeuvre
The Trinamool Congress is holding a crucial meeting of its executive at 1500 IST on Wednesday to decide whether to stay in the NDA.

POWER FAILURE
Major power breakdown in western India
Besides Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa, MP, Chhattisgarh and parts of Rajasthan have also been affected.

'Indiscipline by MP caused grid collapse'
The state has been drawing excess power despite warnings of a possible collapse owing to low frequency, the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd said.

POWELL VISIT
Powell's comments irk BJP, oppn
They were particularly peeved with the US secretary of state's statement that Kashmir is on the international agenda.

Govt clears oppn's misgivings
The NDA govt's soft approach had left ample scope for foreign powers to meddle in India's internal affairs, the opposition complains.

ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS
Modi insists BJP will be voted back to power
`I am just keeping things in motion,' the Gujarat chief minister said.

It is up to EC to decide on poll timing: Modi
The Gujarat chief minister was in Delhi to apprise senior BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Vajpayee, of the political situation in the state.

J&K poll should not be priority: Shah
The Kashmiri separatist leader said that 'efforts are underway' to form a non-governmental 'Kashmir Committee' to be headed by Ram Jethmalani.

Hizb rejects Powell's plea on J&K poll
But the Pakistan-based separatist outfit welcomed the American secretary of state's statement that 'Kashmir is on the international agenda'.

Farooq, Omar to contest J&K election
It is important for the National Conference to get a clear majority in the election and hence all those who can win their seats must contest, Anantnag MP Ali Mohammed Naiyk said.

Paramilitary forces to provide security for J&K poll
Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, who seems to be taking a greater interest in J&K, is keen to relieve the army from internal security duties.

INTERVIEW
'Gujarat will not plunge into chaos again'
K P S Gill -- who was security adviser to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi until recently -- says the state is ready for a fresh election.

INDO-PAK TENSIONS
Start talking: ASEAN to India, Pakistan
A nine-page communique issued by the group also welcomed the intention of India along with Russia and China to accede to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.

US offers to help India, Pak resolve Kashmir
The state department said the American role would be that of a friend to India as well as Pakistan, trying to help both countries address their differences.

J&K REPORTS
Militants kill 2 Amarnath pilgrims, injure five
The militants hurled a grenade at a taxi carrying the pilgrims in Lazbal near Anantnag.

Army captain, 2 soldiers killed in J&K
Militants ambushed a joint party of the army and the state police in Surankot area of Poonch district.

Over 61,000 complete Amarnath Yatra
A fresh batch of 2,698 pilgrims -- 2,069 men, 305 women, 20 children and 304 sadhus -- left Jammu for the cave shrine in 155 vehicles.

OTHER REPORTS
Mamata says no to Cabinet berth
The Trinamool Congress is reviewing its association with the NDA, stung by the Union Cabinet's decision to go ahead with the Eastern Railway split.

Advani denies proposal to amend POTA
The deputy prime minister said there were enough provisions in the law as it stood to prevent its misuse.

Religious gatherings destroy Kerala's most important river
A study conducted by the Centre for Earth Science Studies said Pampa, the state's third largest river, has reached horrifying levels of pollution and degradation.

Advani to make statement on domicile row
Jharkhand's new domicile policy bars employment for those who settled there after 1932.

One dead, ten injured in gas leak
The leakage occurred in the Hindustan Antibiotics plant in Pimpri, near Pune.

Govt to split Delhi police force's duties
Personnel will be exclusively involved in investigation of crimes or maintenance of law and order.

Sukhbir dares Punjab govt to prove allegations
Arrested former minister Sucha Singh Langaha had charged the SAD general secretary with corruption in allotment of road construction contracts.

Obstacles litter the path of Staines murder trial
Three years have passed since the brutal murder of the Australian missionary and his two minor sons, but the case is still dragging on in the court of the district and session judge, Khurda.

Moves afoot to settle Manipur's legislature-judiciary tussle
The bar associations suggested that the state governor and the chief justice of the Gauhati high court also take part in a meeting called by the chief minister to deal with the problem.

HC upholds Maha MLAs' disqualification
The verdict was delivered by Justice Ajit Shah and Justice Ranjana Desai. They upheld the June 13 order of the speaker disqualifying the MLAs under the anti-defection law.

Artists shun Zubin Mehta's orchestra
The Washington Post said that influential sections of society, angry at Israeli actions against Palestinians, are pushing for a boycott of Israel.

UAE bans child jockeys for camel races
Employment of children less than 15 years has been banned.

LDF stalls Kerala assembly proceedings
It was protesting against the Kumarakom boat tragedy and the mishandling of tribal funds.

NEIGHBOURHOOD
Osama alive, hiding in Pakistan: Fernandes
Pakistan in response said the Indian defence minister was talking 'through his hat'.

Bangladesh welcomes Musharraf's 'apology'
The Pakistani president on Monday had described the events of 1971 (Bangladesh liberation war) 'unfortunate' and the excesses 'regrettable'.

COLUMN
Off the topic, on with the killing
'Let's get used to it: there will never be an end to Indians killing other Indians as we saw in Gujarat. Not as long as we let ourselves think of such massacres as "old and outdated subjects",' says Dilip D'Souza.

J&K: Pre-1953 and its implications
'Do the Abdullahs want their faces and signatures to ornament the currency notes in J&K?' says Arvind Lavakare.

SPECIAL
Controversy around Bodhgaya
Despite being granted world heritage status, angry disputes continue to swirl around the Mahabodhi temple and its attendant monastries, says Ramesh Menon.

July 29, 2002

TOP REPORTS
Sandeep Pandey wins Magsaysay Award
Pandey bagged the award in the 'emergent leadership category' for his work 'towards the uplift of the poor and underprivileged in India' through his NGO Asha.

Bollywood tapes: The underworld connection
Transcript of an alleged telephonic conversation between gangster Chhota Shakeel and four film personalities -- actor Sanjay Dutt, director-actor Mahesh Manjrekar, producer Harish Sugandh and director Sanjay Gupta.

Tapes: Court moved to restrain media
Film financier Bharat Shah and producer Nasim Rizvi filed a petition before Designated Judge A P Bhangale objecting to the print and electronic media reproducing the contents of the tape.

Powell's visit fails to thaw Indo-Pak ties
Chances of a further de-escalation on the border and a dialogue between India and Pakistan are unlikely before the elections in Kashmir and in Pakistan, feels US secretary of State Colin Powell.

Vajpayee likely to visit US in September
The prime minister may attend the 57th session of the UN General Assembly beginning September 9.

BIFURCATION ISSUE
Cabinet firm on bifurcating Eastern Railway
The meeting rejected Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee's demand to stall the division.

Mamata calls it Nitish's reward for Godhra
The angry Trinamool Congress president accused the railway minister of having helped the BJP to gloss over the Godhra incident.

J&K ELECTION
Bhat demands self-determination for Kashmiris
'When you are in East Timor you straightaway organise a referendum. But when you are in Kashmir you talk in terms of an election,' the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference chairman remarked.

Hurriyat rules out participation in J&K polls
Moulvi Abbas Ansari argued that India had rejected the basic tenets of American Secretary of State Colin Powell's suggestion.

JKLF appreciates Powell's concern on Kashmir
The outfit also welcomed the US secretary of state's statement in Delhi that 'Kashmir is on the international agenda'.

NEIGHBOURHOOD
Musharraf regrets Pak 'excesses' in '71
An estimated three million people were killed and nearly 300,000 women were raped by the Pakistani Army during the nine-month liberation war of Bangladesh.

US offers to send poll observers to Pakistan
'The United States looks forward to the holding of free and fair elections that will return the country to democratic rule', Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca said.

India vitiating peace in S Asia: Musharraf
The president of Pakistan flew into Dhaka on his first visit to Bangladesh taking an eight-hour route over China to avoid Indian air space.

'Sri Lanka-LTTE ceasefire being implemented'
The monitoring mission, comprising observers from the Nordic countries, said both parties were 'preparing for lasting peace through gradual implementation of the ceasefire'.

SUPREME COURT ORDERS
Bofors case: SC confirms stay on HC order
A three-judge bench also refused to alter the bail conditions imposed on the Hinduja brothers on the ground that these were imposed by another bench.

SC asks Cauvery panel to meet by Aug 12
The court was acting on a petition filed by the Tamil Nadu government for the early release of water by Karnataka.

OTHER REPORTS
Sonia, Pawar talk for first time in 3 years
The Congress chief called Pawar to seek his party's support for Opposition nominee Sushilkumar Shinde in the vice-presidential election.

Gill slams author of Operation Black Thunder
The former top cop of Punjab criticised the former deputy commissioner of Amritsar Sarabjit Singh for publishing an 'unauthentic account' of the 1988 anti-militancy operation.

Parliament attack: Proof against Geelani disputed
The suspended Delhi University lecturer's counsel said the prosecution tape allegedly containing his conversation with prime accused Showket Hussain Guru was 'tampered'.

Jittery BJP asks Mayawati to put off Cabinet expansion
Too many aspirants for too few slots is the reason.

UP govt seeks time to examine Ayodhya case
Union Ministers L K Advani, M M Joshi, Uma Bharti and others had last year got a reprieve when the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court quashed the case against them on technical grounds.

Parliament mourns Kant's death
Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned for the day on Monday after paying homage to Vice-President Krishan Kant, who died on Saturday.

Court rejects bail plea of 7 MPSC accused
Judge P N Deshmukh rejected the plea because investigations were at a crucial stage and the probe could be hampered if they were enlarged.

First go to jail, then seek bail, HC tells ex-minister
After being sentenced to life imprisonment in a murder case, Ramashray Sahni had managed to get himself admitted to a hospital in Samastipur, Bihar.

All-party meeting on domicile row on Aug 1
The Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha have already declared that they would boycott the meeting.

Vaiko permitted to use radio in prison
The direction by Justice V Kanakaraj followed the state government's submission that it had no objection to the POTA detainee using a radio in the high-security prison.

53,000 pilgrims complete Amarnath Yatra
More than 50,000 devotees had performed pooja at the cave shrine till Sunday, official sources said, adding that 3,000 more offered prayers at the shrine on Monday morning.

US trying to link non-proliferation with Kashmir: expert
Dr R R Subramaniam of the Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses said Powell's assertion that Assistant Secretary of State (non-proliferation) John Wolf would be accompanying Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage to India soon was indicative of this.

Music composer Sudhir Phadke is no more
The renowned composer-playback singer passed away in Mumbai on Monday in a private hospital, where he had been admitted last week after he suffered brain haemorrhage.

Money was paid at Fernandes's house: Tehelka reporter
Mathew Samuel told the Venkataswami Commission that it was paid to Samata Party's Rajasthan unit chief Gopal Pachirwal during a meeting with former party president Jaya Jaitly.

ULFA, UNLF launch 'joint operations'
The United National Liberation Front said its armed wing, Manipur People's Army with the United Liberation Front of Asom had attacked a security convoy at Jirighat area in Assam's Cachar district on July 16.

UN agencies to help Assam tide over floods
The Brahmaputra and its tributaries are continuing to rise, affecting more than 1.5 million people in 16 districts of the state.

Authorities were unwilling to use army during '84 riots: Brar
The then Commandant of the Rajputana Rifles Regimental Centre in Delhi told the Nanavati Commission that there was 'laxity' on part of the authorities to stem the violence.

Mahanta returns to Assam politics
Though he denied any attempt to topple party chief Brindaban Goswami, it is clear that the former chief minister is biding his time.

NEIGHBOURHOOD
Two pro-Al Qaeda web sites close down
They were a major source of information on Osama bin Laden, the Al Qaeda and other terrorist outfits.

'UN report finds discrepancies in Afghan raid'
US forces had removed vital evidence of the bombing raid on a wedding party in Afghanistan by going back to the scene soon after and cleaning it, The Times quoted a UN report saying.

BIHAR REPORTS
Bihar govt mulling over a ban on 'gutkha'
Sources said Chief Minister Rabri Devi has asked for the relevant documents and notifications from those states that have already prohibited the product.

Bihar doctors decide to fight criminals
The Indian Medical Association had earlier demanded arms licenses to doctors to protect themselves.

SLIDE SHOW
Goodbye, Krishan Kant
The nation bids a tearful adieu to the Vice-President, the first to die while in office.

INTERVIEW
'Gujarat will not plunge into chaos again'
K P S Gill -- who was security adviser to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi until recently -- says the state is ready for a fresh election.

COLUMNS
Married to the mob
'It's funny how the 1990s Bombay blasts case and this century's Bharat Shah case have become intertwined because of the common denominator: hoodlums,' says Varsha Bhosle.

Did the BJP sabotage Krishan Kant's chances?
'He was an intelligent man, somebody smart enough to realise his chances of making it to the top job were vanishingly slim,' says T V R Shenoy.

China: From mismanagement to collapse
'What better way to distract people's attention from economic folly and an ideologically bankrupt polity than by going to war?' says Rajeev Srinivasan.

SPECIAL
While the wise men of India talk and sleep...
...China is building a vast railway network linking Sinkiang and Tibet, which poses a strategic threat to India, writes Claude Arpi.

July 28, 2002

TOP REPORTS
Nation bids tearful adieu to Krishna Kant
Rashmi Kant, the elder son of the late leader, lit the funeral pyre in the presence of Kant's 97-year-old mother Satyawati, wife Suman, younger son Sukant, daughter Divya Handa and grandchildren.
Complete coverage

India rejects international monitors for J&K poll
US Secretary of State Colin Powell said 'outsiders' travelling to Kashmir to 'monitor' the election would give credibility to the results.

Powell asks Pakistan to prevent violence in J&K poll
'If the Kashmiris want to run and vote in the elections they should be allowed to do so without endangering their lives,' the American secretary of state said.

Musharraf says infiltration stopped
India countered Musharraf's claims saying there has been a 'spurt' in infiltration in the last few weeks.

Powell meets Vajpayee, Advani
The leaders agreed on taking forward the new momentum in Indo-US relations.

Invitation row: Advani mollifies Jaya
The Tamil Nadu chief minister is miffed at not being invited to the swearing-in of President A P J Abdul Kalam.

Row between Hurriyat, PoK government gets worse
Hurriyat leaders charged the PoK government with having failed to provide Kashmiri immigrants the rights to franchise and employment.

64 died of encephalitis in Assam in last one month
Children are most vulnerable to this disease, which is seen chiefly in rural and tea garden areas.

July 27, 2002

DEATH OF VICE-PRESIDENT
Vice-President Krishan Kant is dead
Vice-President Krishan Kant died at 0845 this morning after suffering a massive heart attack. A three-day state mourning has been declared in the country.

India has lost a great patriot: Union Cabinet
'His performance as chairman of the Rajya Sabha will long be remembered for the sagacity, dignity, and sense of purpose he brought to the proceedings,' its resolution said.

V-P's death will not cause constitutional void
The only constitutional duty the vice-president performs is as chairman of the Rajya Sabha, but there is panel to take care of his duties in his absence.

First vice-president to die in office
Krishan Kant is also one of only four vice-presidents who failed to make it to the country's highest office.

A quirk of fate for both Balayogi and Kant
Both were the first presiding officers of their respective Houses -- Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha -- who died in office in the 55-year-history of post-independence Parliament.

'I have lost a close family friend'
'My heart goes out to his old mother who sat beside Kant holding him in her arms as he rested in eternal peace', says the former prime minister I K Gujral.

Complete coverage

INDO-PAK TENSION
'Friendly countries' must keep their pledges: Powell
The US secretary of state also said the Jammu and Kashmir election should not be targeted by terrorists.

India says conditions do not exist for talks
In a brief chat with reporters before he entered into talks with visiting US Secretary of State Colin Powell, External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha said: "When conditions are conducive, we will talk."

Powell does not expect a breakthrough
US Secretary of State Colin Powell arrived in New Delhi on Saturday on a short visit as part of America's efforts to nudge India and Pakistan to resume dialogue and lower tensions.

No more concessions to India, Pakistan to tell Powell
Senior foreign ministry officials told daily Dawn that Pakistan was not willing to yield any more ground to India on de-escalation of tensions between the two countries.

EU turns down Pakistan's plea to mediate
The European Union Foreign Policy chief Javier Solana said the 15-member grouping wanted India and Pakistan to resume dialogue.

INVITATION CONTROVERSY
Chief secy's explanation does not satisfy Jaya
The Union home secretary on Friday had explained that invites to President Kalam's swearing-in ceremony were sent only to the chief ministers who had applied for them.

Karunanidhi supports arch rival Jayalalithaa
The former Tamil Nadu chief minister suggested that Delhi should send invitations to all chief ministers for swearing-in ceremonies of presidents and prime ministers.

OTHER REPORTS
Rameswaram hopes, now Kalam is President
Decades ago the district was famous for another of its son, Haji Mastaan, an underworld don in Mumbai.

Border tension speeds up defence projects: Aatre
'The defence build-up during the last 6-7 months has hastened our war preparedness', the scientific adviser to the defence minister told rediff.com.

UP ministry to be expanded on August 1
Senior BJP leader Lalji Tandon had recently urged chief minister Mayawati to fix a date for ministry expansion saying their list of members to inducted would be made available thereafter.

Mayawati to introduce reservation in treatment of patients
To begin with this would be started in the proposed Shahuji Maharaj Super-Speciality Medical Institute to be built in Lucknow.

Grenade explosion kills 3, injures 4 in Kashmir
Police said unidentified militants hurled a hand grenade on a Special Operations Group vehicle. The grenade, however, missed the target and exploded near a shop.

Bihar floods claim nearly 100 lives
The floods have claimed over two dozen lives in the last twenty-four hours in Darbhanga, Seohar, West Champaran and Madhubani districts.

MDMK may challenge charge sheet against Vaiko
The party's presidium chairman L Ganesan said their opposition was only to the 'misuse' of POTA, and not to the Act itself.

BJP rejects RSS demand for trifurcation of J&K
Party chief M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters in Tiruchirappalli that the government could consider devolution of financial and administrative powers to the people of Leh, Ladakh and Jammu.

Under attack, Bihar doctors demand arms
The latest incident was a violent attempt to extort money from renowned cardiologist A K Thakur in Patna on Friday morning.

Court refuses police permission to search Vaiko's house
The Q-Branch police said it would now file an appeal before the special POTA court at Poonamallee near Chennai.

RJD MLA held for electoral fraud
Dinesh Chowdhary, who belongs to the Kurmi caste (OBC category), used fake certificates to contest from a reserved constituency.

70 killed as Su-27 bomber plows into spectators
Over 100 were wounded when the Ukrainian Air Force jet crashed into the crowd of spectators in an airshow near Lviv city.

55 drown as boat capsizes near Kumarakom
Police said the toll was likely to rise because the boat was overloaded with about 400 passengers.

Kerala boat mishap: A tragedy waiting to happen
While backwater tourism has flourished thanks to deft marketing, ordinary people depend on the government-run old, dilapidated boats for journeying between the mainland and various islands.

Protestors confront Sadhvi Rithambara in New York
'Sadhvi Rithambara Has Blood on Her Hands,' said one placard. Another stated: 'No Money for Terrorism.'

26 Pak nationals sneak into UP from Nepal
Gorakhpur Inspector General of Police Malkiyat Singh said all police stations in the border districts have been alerted and instructed to track them.

July 26, 2002

DROUGHT/FLOOD SITUATION
Drought situation is frightening: Chandrababu
The state has received only about half the amount of rainfall it normally does.

Army intensifies relief operations in Assam, Bihar
The situation has improved in north Bengal with the water level of most rivers receding.

ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS
EU wants no disruption in J&K poll process
EU representative Javier Solana's message was directed at the terrorists who are against an election.

EC will send team to Gujarat, claims Paswan
The Lok Janashakti Party president also demanded the dismissal of the caretaker Narendra Modi government and imposition of President's rule.

NCP to contest all 182 seats in Gujarat
Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar also announced a tie-up with former Gujarat CM Chhabildas Mehta's Rashtriya Congress Janata Parishad.

J&K RELATED REPORTS
Hurriyat says PoK is worse than J&K
'The present government in PoK is worse than the Farooq Abdullah government', Altaf Qadiri, secretary general of the Hurriyat's Pakistan chapter, said.

J&K election on time: National Conference
Sheikh Nazir, the party's general secretary, dismissed all talk about postponing the assembly election as 'mere speculation'

J&K govt 'flexible' on autonomy issue
The J&K government's nominee, Gulam Mohiuddin Shah, who held talks with the Centre's interlocutor, Arun Jaitley, said, 'We are merely asking for what we had before'.

Militants kill 3 National Conference activists
Militants shot Mohammed Sultan Bhat, NC village president of Kantbagh in Budgam district, when he was returning home after offering prayers at the village mosque.

BANDHS IN JHARKHAND
Bandhs in Jharkhand affect normal life
Business establishments in Ranchi remained closed for the third successive day on Friday and people preferred to stay indoors fearing trouble.

Centre to make statement on Jharkhand domicile row
Opposition MPs said Jharkhand's domicile policy goes against the spirit of the Constitution and had led to a volatile situation in the state.

Two more areas in Ranchi under curfew
An uneasy calm prevailed in the Jharkhand capital in the wake of Wednesday's violence during a dawn-to-dusk bandh called by pro-domicile groups.

THE NORTHEAST
High court sets Manipur officials free
The order was part of the court's efforts to end the judiciary's ugly confrontation with the state legislature.

Legislature-judiciary standoff eases
The Imphal Bar Association had decided to boycott the courts following the withdrawal of security to two judges of the Imphal bench of the Gauhati high court on Wednesday.

NLFT abducts 3 Tripura govt employees
A group of armed militants abducted the trio from a health camp organised by the state government at Lefunga in West Tripura district.

ANDHRA PRADESH
5 Naxalites killed in Guntur encounter
This was the first encounter after the talks between the PW and the state government broke down on July 19.

Andhra extends ban on People's War
The government extended the ban, including on six frontal organisations, for one year from July 23.

OTHER REPORTS
Advani counsels restraint to UP leaders
In recent times, senior BJP leaders from the state have been increasingly complaining of being deliberately slighted by Chief Minister Mayawati.

Tajeshwar stands by Sarabjit's book on Punjab militancy
The publisher told rediff.com that the book was an honest attempt to describe important events in contemporary Indian history and not to defame anyone.

Jaya attacks Centre for not inviting her to swearing-in
The Tamil Nadu chief minister said inviting the Ambani brothers was like 'adding insult to injury'.

Miffed Jaya still asks AIADMK to back Shekhawat
The Tamil Nadu chief minister had criticised the Centre for not inviting her for the swearing in ceremony of A P J Abdul Kalam.

Speaker to find answers to opposition's questions
The opposition has been unhappy with Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani `inadequate' reply to the debate on Gujarat, which, it says, sidestepped 15 important questions.

Naidu rules out any BJP-AIADMK alliance
The BJP chief, however, said the Centre would continue to 'maintain good relations' with the Tamil Nadu state government.

BEML rolls out special vehicles for missiles, warheads
The vehicles, built on the Tatra chassis, will be used to transport missiles without propellants and their warheads from depots to preparation sites.

Powell arrives in India on Saturday
India will convey to the US secretary of state its 'serious concerns' about Pakistan's continued support to terrorists.

Orissa sacks 37 seniors to make way for junior doctors
The doctors whose services have been terminated had been appointed illegally through a controversial validation act.

Explosion kills seven people in Orissa
A dozen others were injured when a live shell reportedly exploded near a defence establishment of the DRDO near Chandipur in Balasore district.

Tribunal upholds forfeiture of drug lord's properties
The tribunal dismissed Iqbal Mirchi's plea that the provisions of the NDPS Act were not applicable to Indian citizens residing outside India.

Police to be more accessible to common man in UP
Among other things, major cities in Uttar Pradesh will have a police help line to ensure prompt response to crime-related complaints.

NEIGHBOURHOOD
Musharraf may withdraw 2 controversial amendments
The amendments empower the president to appoint the prime minister and reduce the term of the National Assembly.

Musharraf may face 'embarrassing moments' in Bangladesh
The Pakistani president arrives in Bangladesh on July 29 with a 30-member entourage.

FOREIGN REPORTS
American joins Bhopal victims' fight against Union Carbide
Diane Wilson, a shrimp boat captain from Sea Drift, a coastal city on the San Antonio Bay (Texas), wants people to know about the tragedy caused by Union Carbide.

NRI couple charged with public order offence
Gurbux Singh and his wife were charged following an incident outside Lord's cricket ground after India defeated England in the NatWest series final two weeks ago.

Hispanic youth arrested for Hollywood Hills murder
26-year-old Carlon Amador has been charged with arson and the killing of four Indian Americans, Gita Kumar (43), her son Paras (18), daughter Tulsi (16) and mother-in-law Sitaben Patel (63).

COLUMN
India vs China: Startling economic facts
'There is also a lot of hard data that suggests China's miracle looks more like a debacle,' says Rajeev Srinivasan.

SPECIALS
Is the India-US love fest over?
Despite the appearance of bonhomie, differences between India and the US over dealing with Pakistan are affecting ties, says retired Colonel Anil Athale.

Assam's annual sorrow
Every year, floods ravage Assam, affecting the lives of millions. Yet, political bickering and official apathy means little is being done to prevent the state's citizens from going through a harrowing time year after year, writes G Vinayak.

July 25, 2002

ABDUL KALAM TAKES OVER
Kalam's vision of a developed India
Emphasising his commitment to secularism, the President said this was the cornerstone of 'our nationhood and the key feature of our civilizational strength'.

Kalam sworn in as President
Chief Justice B N Kirpal administered the oath of office and secrecy to the 71-year-old missile technologist at an impressive function in the Central Hall of Parliament.

Left-at-home relatives cheer Kalam
Glued to the TV in Kalam's brother's house in Rameswaram, they watched with pride as the missile scientist took over the reins of the presidency.

We will miss him: Kalam's neighbours
'It is our good fortune that we could serve a man who was so much like a living god to us' said 22-year-old Hira, Kalam's personal attendant for the last three years.

'Kalam always prays here'
A stone's throw from the President's house in Rameswaram, the mosque is simple and spartan, very much like Kalam himself.

Lankan President Kumaratunga greets Kalam
She said the overwhelming mandate received by Kalam was a 'clear reflection of the great confidence and trust placed in him by the people of India'.

COLUMNS
An eleven-and-a-half-point manifesto for President Kalam
'Swear in the next ministry at a time and on a day of your choice. Choose a time, day and date that are generally considered "inauspicious." Friday the full moon 13th would be nice.'

'The freedom to err and correct is the essence of democracy'
'We represent the people of India, most of whom are poor and illiterate. We have to ponder about our responsibilities and ensure that this Parliament has responded well to the aspirations of the people.' K R Narayanan's farewell speech to Parliament.

SPECIAL
Without fear or favour
President A P J Abdul Kalam would do well to follow in the illustrious footsteps of his predecessor K R Narayanan, says Inder Malhotra.

NEIGHBOURHOOD
ISI recruiting Pakistan-based Hindus
'A training camp for 26 Hindu boys was organised at Tulvas village in Nagarparkar district of Pakistan, which borders Kutch', one highly-placed military intelligence source told rediff.com.

POWELL's UPCOMING VISIT
India to convey infiltration concerns to Powell
An external affairs ministry spokesperson said the secretary of state would not be meeting Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Don't scuttle Arrow sale to India: Pallone
The founder of the Congressional Caucus on India said American support to the missile sale would 'further solidify' Indo-US defence ties.

Powell to urge India, Pak to break the ice
The US secretary of state, who is arriving in New Delhi on July 27, will be making his third visit to India since October. He will also visit Islamabad on July 28.

RUNUP TO GUJARAT POLLS
EC may send team to Gujarat to study situation
This follows, EC sources said, the divergent views expressed by political parties on holding elections in the state.

Make independent appraisal of Guj, EC urged
A joint delegation of Left parties and Janata Dal (Secular) told the Election Commission that a large number of people were still living in relief camps in the state.

Congress wants answers to 15 questions
The party also expressed serious reservations on what it claimed were the BJP's attempt to 'intimidate' the Chief Election Commissioner.

J&K AUTONOMY, DIVISION ISSUE
Jaitley discusses devolution of powers with J&K minister
Both described the meeting that lasted over an hour as fruitful. The two sides will meet again on August 9.

Dividing J&K will be a big mistake: Shekhar
The former prime minister said it would give a boost to separatist forces, with dangerous consequences for the country.

J&K VIOLENCE
Militants threaten major strike in Srinagar
In a threat conveyed over phone to a local news agency, suspected Hizbul Mujahideen militants have vowed to carry out the strike.

Terrorist attack on BSF camp fails
The grenades fired by them fell short of the target and exploded on a busy road near the Batmaloo bus station in Srinagar, killing one person.

'No fall in infiltration along Jammu border'
Inspector General of Police (Jammu division) P L Gupta said terrorists continue to enter through the border south of the Pir Panjal mountains.

NEIGHBOURHOOD
Bhagat Singh's possessions untraceable: Pak
Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru were hanged by the British in Lahore, capital of undivided Punjab, in 1931.

OTHER REPORTS
Sangh Parivar unhappy with 'fundamentalist' tag
The RSS and the VHP along with the Shiv Sena figure in the Kerala government's list of religious fundamentalist outfits.

Alexander elected to RS from Maharashtra
The former governor polled 201 votes, while his rival Suresh Keswani could secure only 71.

Sukh Ram granted bail in telecom scam
The Delhi high court directed the former minister and two others to furnish personal bonds of Rs 25,000 each and a surety of like amount.

Cassette plays out filmdom-underworld links in court
A special court in Mumbai heard an audiocassette allegedly containing a telephonic conversation between gangster Chhota Shakeel and four film personalities.

2 high court judges flee Imphal
The judges left for Guwahati after the state government withdrew their security cover with the judiciary and the legislature heading for a clash.

Delhi's intervention in Jharkhand domicile row sought
The standoff between pro- and anti-domicile groups in Jharkhand took an ugly turn on Wednesday when a 'bandh' called by the latter turned violent, leaving five persons dead.

Split in Bihar unit of JD (U) is formalised
Four MLAs have split from the parent party to form the Janata Dal (Jay Prakash).

Shekhawat, Shinde in a straight contest
Of the 27 nomination papers filed, 19 were rejected for non-fulfilment of various criteria, Lok Sabha Secretary General G C Malhotra said.

Floods hit 4 million people in Bihar
The army has taken up relief and rescue operations in 10 districts while an air force chopper has been pressed into service to rescue marooned people.

Army chief to visit China next week
Unlike ties with Pakistan, General S Padmanabhan said New Delhi's relations with Beijing were being conducted in a civilised manner.

Powell may not last through Bush's term
Tensions with the White House and Pentagon hawks that the secretary of state has long underplayed are no longer possible to disguise, the 'New York Times' reported.

Sri Lankan peace moves 'courageous': Bush
The American president offered US 'support for Sri Lanka's pursuit of peace and in developing its economy'.

Enraged schoolboy tries to poison classmates
The 14-year-old student of a school near Ooty wanted to take revenge against his classmates.

Former Akali minister surrenders in court
Sucha Singh Langha, former public works department minister, is accused of holding assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

6 cops suspended for driving rape accused to suicide
The victim's wife had complained that he had been harassed and illegally detained by the police after being accused of attempting to rape a minor child.

124 Rajasthan MLAs fail to file I-T returns
The Income Tax department has told them to regularly file their I-T returns. The state has a total of 200 MLAs.

Welcome rains lash HP, Punjab
The Bhakra Nangal dam, one of the biggest in Punjab, had received 28.8 mm of rain till Thursday morning.

Sixth batch of pilgrims leaves for Amarnath
Sixty-one vehicles carrying nearly 3,000 pilgrims have so far returned to Jammu from the cave shrine, senior officials said.

SPECIAL
Phoolan Devi's missing trial
A year after Phoolan Devi, loved and loathed alike, was shot dead in the heart of India's capital, her trial has yet to commence, writes Onkar Singh.

Archives