Man smashes stolen Chennai train, 4 dead

In a serious security lapse, an unknown man “hijacked” a suburban electric train and drove it for three kilometres before ramming it into a stationary goods train early on Wednesday. The train was going at 90kmph when it hit the good train.

Four people died in the incident, including, probably, the hijacker, when the local hit the goods train at Vysarpadi Jeeva railway station. Two bogies of the train caught fire and another hit the footover bridge at Vyasarpadi station, which is 40 feet above the platform.

“We have an unidentified body of a 25-year-old man with north Indian features, we think he has done it,” railways DIG P. Sivanandi told this paper. Railway officials at the Chennai suburban terminal also saw him moving around suspiciously on April 25, 26 and 27, he said.

To read the full article, click here...
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.dc-epaper.com

Witness in Anil case dead

In a mysterious turn to the case of the alleged sabotage of industrialist Anil Ambani’s helicopter, the man who spotted sand and pebbles in its fuel tank was found dead on Tuesday on the railway track near Vile Parle in Mumbai.

According to the Andheri railway police, Air Works employee Bharat Bhorge (42), was crossing the railway tracks around 8 am on Tuesday, when he was run over by a Church gate-bound fast train near platform no four. He was dragged under the train for several meters and both his legs got cut off.

While the police has registered an accidental death report (ADR), they are also probing the possibility of a suicide as well.

The police found Borge’s Air Works identification card on him and contacted his family. His body was taken to the Cooper Hospital for post-mortem.

To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.dc-epaper.com

State varsities award invalid distance education degrees

Mr Chukkala Seethayya, a city-based graduate, was on cloud nine after he got a selection letter from the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) for the post of inspector in the customs department.

He celebrated his success with family and friends but his dreams turned sour after the commission asked him to come to New Delhi for verification of certificates.

Much to Mr Seethayya’s distress, the commission rejected the degree certificate awarded by the Dr B.R.Ambedkar Open University, a state-run institution, saying that it did not have the approval of the Distance Education Council (DEC).

To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.dc-epaper.com/

Baitullah sends 300 terrorists

Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud plans to carry out terror attacks in major cities, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Lahore, and has despatched his top five commanders along with 300 terrorists and suicide bombers to execute the mission.

The five Taliban commanders will supervise the terrorist operations planned by Mehsud and the Taliban Himayat Tehrik in these cities, sources in the interior ministry told The News daily.

The report was confirmed by the interior secretary, Mr Kamal Shah.

To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.dc-epaper.com

Rice approved use of torture

The CIA first sought in May 2002 to use harsh interrogation techniques including water boarding on terror suspects, and was given a key early approval by then national security adviser, Ms Condoleezza Rice, a United States Senate intelligence document said.

The agency got the green light to use the near-drowning technique, which has been widely judged to be torture, on July 26, 2002 when attorney-general John Ashcroft concluded “that the use of water boarding was lawful,” the Senate Intelligence Committee said in a detailed timeline of controversial “war on terrorism” interrogations released on Wednesday.

Nine days earlier, the panel said citing CIA records, Ms Rice had met with the then-director of the Central Intelligence Agency Mr George Tenet and “advised that the CIA could proceed with its proposed interrogation of Abu Zubaydah,”

To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://dc-epaper.com

Deccan to easy win - Deccan Chargers at top of Indian Premier League table

Adam Gilchrist mounted a blistering attack that completely took the spirit off the Royal Challengers and set up an easy victory for Deccan Chargers here on Wednesday.

Gilchirst made 71 off just 45 balls to take Chargers to 184-6, the highest score in the tournament. Rohit Sharma hammered a 30-ball 52 that took the game out of the Challengers’ hands even before they began to bat.

With this victory, Deccan Chargers zoom to the top of the table for IPL-2.

Gilchrist’s innings had glad tidings on another front. The Chargers captain hit five massive sixers. Each hit over the boundary meant that Amway’s Freedom Wheels programme would donate a modified bike to a child with special challenges.

To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.dc-epaper.com

Contestant throws acid on judge

A trader and an independent candidate on Tuesday sprayed acid on the additional district sessions judge, Mr B. Nagamaruti Sarma, causing him minor burn injuries.

The incident occurred soon after the court assembled and the judge had commenced proceedings.

The trader, Ake Suryanarayana, 59, climbed a window and spurted acid on the judge from a sprayer bottle.

He was caught by court staff and handed over to the police. The judge suffered burns on his left ear.

To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.dc-epaper.com

Satyam may not cut staff

Satyam will keep its name and the company will stay headquartered in Hyderabad. Staff downsizing? Well not immediately in any case. That was the message put out by the Tech Mahindra team that took over Satyam on Monday.

Tech Mahindra, a Mahindra and Mahindra group company, raised Rs 2,910 crore in less than 72 hours to complete the takeover process, the global meltdown not with standing.

Satyam Computers has 48,000 employees on its rolls, 80 per cent of them working offshore and the rest onsite. The offshore bench staff would be around 5,000, many of them with little experience.

Dispelling rumours that Tech Mahindra would change the company name and relocate the headquarters, Mr Anand Mahindra, head of the Mahindra and Mahindra group, said he has no such plans.

To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.dc-epaper.com

Deccan at full charge

Deccan Chargers trounced Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday, putting on display their inherent potential.

Chargers were never in trouble against the Riders, bowling tightly and scoring runs without a fuss.

It was sweet revenge for the Chargers: The floodlights had failed at a crucial time in their match against the Riders at the Eden Gardens last year, robbing them of a win.

The lights failed here on Sunday before the match, possibly reviving bitter memories and charging up the team for revenge.

Chargers got it right from the start. R.P. Singh took 4-22, accounting for big hitters Brendon McCullum and Chris Gayle cheaply.

To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.dc-epaper.com

South Africa gets first taste of Indian Premier League masala

Two days before the actual action gets underway, the second Indian Premier League got off to a rousing start here on Thursday with some of the best cricketers and Bollywood actors lending sheen to the gala event.

Colourful tableaux of eight IPL franchisees passed the city centre with fans lining up either side of the roads to get a glimpse of the cricket and entertainment glitterati who converged here for the carnival.

Having arranged the logistics in just three weeks after the event was shifted out of India, IPL commissioner Lalit Modi said he was happy to have overcome the challenge. “It was a huge challenge but we turned it into an opportunity,” a beaming Modi said.

“We got approvals in minutes, not even in hours. Everything went extremely smooth and it’s amazing to put everything in place in such a short time,” he said.

To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.dc-epaper.com

Women trained to cross Line of Control

Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor on Tuesday said that women were being “trained” on the other side of the Line of Control (LoC) to infiltrate into India.

“We have information that women are being trained on the other side to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir,” the Army Chief said, when asked about the possibility of involvement of women handlers in the Pulwama encounter that ended on Monday with the killing of two militants.

“It is possible that women may be involved in giving directions to the terrorists,” he added.

Gen. Kapoor said that Army was “fully prepared” if there was any information about the infiltration of women in the country.

To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.dc-epaper.com/

Poll effect begins to tell on leaders

Top leaders of all political parties are on tenterhooks ahead of the first phase of polls, the weather taking its toll on them as much as the fear of the unknown.

The sun tanned skin, sweat-stained bodies and hoarse voice of the leaders is one part of the story. The other part is the uncertainty caused by the Praja Rajyam, change in local political equations, desertions, rebellion, “unofficial” nominees, caste and religious equations, money and other factors.

The heat got to “power star” Pavan Kalyan, who fainted while addressing a meeting at Amberpet in the city. He had reached Hyderabad after a whirlwind tour of Mahbubnagar.

To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.dc-epaper.com

Four states hold poll surprise

Four major states— UP, Maharashtra, Bihar and Rajasthan — could throw up surprising results in the Lok Sabha elections, reports suggest.

Incumbency and stability are two factors which are influencing the campaign.

In the 2004 general election, AP, Tamil Nadu and Bihar had changed the power game due to pre-poll alliances of the UPA.

This time Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party could get a bigger share of seats in Uttar Pradesh, but the number two party in India’s largest state could play an important role in the postpoll jockeying for power

To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.dc-epaper.com

Group-I results to be out soon

he results for Group-I Mains are all set to be released with the Supreme Court on Wednesday upholding the decision of the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission not to implement reservations in the preliminary exam.

“We will release Group-1 final results within a week after receiving the copy of the court order and will strictly abide by the court decision with regard to Group-1 services,” said the APPSC chairman, Mr Y.Venkatrami Reddy.

The prelims were conducted in April 2008 and 9,800 candidates were short-listed for the Mains from a total of 1,57,911 candidates. The Mains were conducted in August 2008.

The APPSC had invited applications for 196 Group-I posts stating that the number of candidates to be admitted to the Mains would be 50 times the total number of vacancies available irrespective of reservations.

To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.dc-epaper.com

Chidambaram am‘bushed’

A Sikh journalist,Mr Jarnail Singh of Dainik Jagran, threw his shoe at the Union home minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, during a press conference to protest against the CBI’s clean chit to 1984 anti-Sikh riots accused Jagdish Tytler.

It started with the journalist asking him about the CBI clearing Mr Tytler in the riots case under pressure from the government.

“The CBI’s administrative ministry is not the ministry of home affairs. To my knowledge neither the home ministry nor anyministry of the government has put any pressure on the CBI,” Mr Chidambaram replied. “The CBI has only given a report to the court. It is for the court to accept or reject, or ask for further investigation by the CBI. Let us be patient,” Mr Chidambaram said.

To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.dc-epaper.com

Assam blasts kill 8

A day before the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh’s campaign visit, three powerful bomb blasts and a grenade attack rocked Assam in quick succession on Monday, killing eight persons and injuring over 50 others, including women and children.

The deadliest attack was at Maligaon, a suburb of Guwahati, where seven civilians were killed and over 45 others injured when an improvised explosive device exploded.

Sources said the Prime Minister’s public meeting at Dibrugarh on Tuesday was still on despite the blast.

The Chief Minister, Mr Tarun Gogoi, said the police had been directed to take stern measures to nab those involved in the blasts.

To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.dc-epaper.com

Indian Space Research Organisation chief faces Lashkar threat

The Indian Space Research Organisation chairman, Dr G. Madhavan Nair, and six space scientists have been provided with increased security following a threat to their lives from the Lashkar-eTayyaba.

Mr Nair, 65, also secretary, department of space, has been provided with Z-category security, while the six others, associated with Isro’s satellite and rocket units, have been placed in Y-category.

This follows the disclosure by a captured Lashkar militant, Furfur Nawaz alias Shabaz, that plans were being hatched to kidnap or assassinate the scientists. Nawaz was recently deported from a Gulf country.

To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.dc-epaper.com

Kin: Foul play in techie death

Vamsi Krishna, a twenty-six year old HR manager, who was reportedly injured at a friend’s house on March 29, succumbed to injuries on Friday.

He was injured at the residence of A. Basant Babu, at Daira Market in Musheerabad.

The HR manager of a software firm in Hitech City was a resident of Saroornagar.

“Vamsi had gone to attend a ceremony organised after the death of Basant’s father,” said the Musheerabad police inspector, Mr P.Venkata Ramana.

According to the police, Vamsi Krishna, Basant and a few other friends had consumed liquor and returned home late at the night on March 29.

To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.dc-epaper.com

102 Praja Rajyam rebels in fray, Telugu Desam men ignore Naidu

Several rebel candidates stayed in the fray from all political parties when the time to withdraw nominations for the first phase elections ended on Thursday, refusing to be swayed by the carrots held out to them.

The situation was the worst for the Praja Rajyam. The party faced more than one rebel in many seats.

According to one estimate, there are PR 102 rebels for the 150-odd seats going to the polls in the first phase. Adilabad and Medak have 14 PR rebels each.

Many Telugu Desam candidates refused to withdraw from the seats allotted to the TRS, ignoring the order of the party president, Mr N.Chandrababu Naidu, to pull out.

The former Hyderabad mayor, Mr Teegala Krishna Reddy, who filed his nomination papers from Maheshwaram, allotted to the TRS, has gone underground.

To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.dc-epaper.com

Obama admits United States folly in meltdown

US President Barack Obama admitted on Wednesday that his country had some “accounting to do” over its responsibility for the global financial crisis.

“If you look at the sources of this crisis, the US certainly has some accounting to do with respect of a regulatory system that was inadequate to the massive changes that had taken place in the global financial system,” Mr Obama said at a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street.

He added that financial regulatory systems had been “mismatched” all around the world.

To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.dc-epaper.com

Indian Premier League is back in India

The IPL has moved back to India for keeps, according to sources in the Deccan Chargers, the team owned by the promoters of Deccan Chronicle The decision will be made public in the next 36 hours after tying up the loose ends, sources said.

The schedule, from April 18 to May 24, will be more or less retained in India, sources said.

The decision was taken by the Centre hours before the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, left for London for the G-20 meet. The BCCI and the IPL franchisees have convened an emergency meet at 11 am at Mumbai on Wednesday to tie up the loose ends.

The Centre and the state governments have agreed to host IPL matches up to four days before the elections in the respective centres, and immediately after polling.

To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.dc-epaper.com