Maoist commander claims gunning down helicopter, Jharkhand police denies claim

From Jagran Post

22 Oct 2011

Did the Maoists gun down BSF chopper?

Ranchi: The reason behind the crash of BSF helicopter on the Ranchi-Khunti border - a stronghold of the Maoists – two days back remains to be a mystery.

Giving credence to the speculations of Maoists being behind the mishap, Maoist leader Kundan Pahan on Friday claimed to have gunned down the helicopter.

On Friday, an SMS reading “Maoist Jan Mukti Chhapamar Sena has gunned down the helicopter: Kundan Pahan” was sent to the media houses from a mobile number 9661973155.

On Wednesday, the crash killed three people including the pilot, co-pilot and a technician.

Kolad is said to be stronghold of Kundan Pahan. The message leaves several questions unanswered. Has Kundan himself sent the message or not? Do Maoists have anti-aircraft gun?

Meanwhile, the Jharkhand police have rubbished the claim.

DGP Gauri Shankar Rath said, “The naxal’s claim to gun down the helicopter is false. After a report from DGCA, the reason behind the incident would be clear.”

Special Branch IG, SN Pradhan said, “It is not possible to gun down the helicopter by automatic weapon. Only anti aircraft gun can target the helicopter.”

Imputing motive to the SMS, the intelligence sources said that since Kundan has been sidelined by the Maoists, it’s his ploy maintain his relevance by creating sensation.

http://post.jagran.com/maoist-commander-claims-gunning-down-helicopter-jharkhand-police-denies-claim-1319256457

India, bangla get ready for N-E joint ops

From Deccan Chronicle

October 22, 2011 

By MANOJ ANAND 

Correspondent 

SILCHAR

The Border Security Forces (BSF), with its counterpart in Bangladesh — Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) — has started identifying sensitive patches along the international border to start joint-patrolling to control the trans-border crime in Cachar-Mizoram Frontier of Northeast.
Talking to this newspaper, inspector-general of BSF (Cachar-Mizoram Frontier) M.L. Batham said, “We have started identifying sensitive patches on the basis of past records and by exchanging the list of criminals and their possible area of operations.”

Zahid Farooq killing: HC allows hearing in BSF court

From Kashmir Despatch

FRIDAY, 21 OCTOBER 2011 SRINAGAR: MAROUF AHMAD

Jammu and Kashmir High Court Friday dismissed the two revision petitions against the Chief Judicial Magistrate orders allowing trial of BSF men allegedly involved in the killing of teenager Zahid Farooq in General Security Forces Court (GSFC).

“The High Court has dismissed the revision petitions filed by the state and private party (family of the teenager) and orders passed by the CJM have been upheld,” Assistant Solicitor General SAID.

He said that with the orders by the single bench of the High Court comprising Justice JP Singh, the trial in the case would continue in GSFC.

BSF Continues Domination

From IndianSportsNews

Saturday, 22 October 2011 08:59

Thiruvananthapuram: BSF continued its domination even as the records remained under cover at the end of the third day's competition in the all-India police aquatic meet at the LNCPE swimming pool here on Friday.

BSF swimmers accounted for three out of the four gold medals that was at stake. Mandar Anand Rao (BSF) won the 400m freestyle race quite comfortably and compatriot Arjun Muralidharan (BSF) added another gold medal, winning the 100m butterfly event. The only gold which didn't go to BSF was bagged by Rohit Kumar (CRPF), who won the 200m breast stroke event.

At the end of the third day, BSF was leading the points table with 128 points. CRPF was in second spot with 93 followed by CISF with 33 points.

In waterpolo, CRPF entered the final with a 7-2 win over Kerala Police.
http://www.indiansportsnews.com/component/content/article/38-local-sports/6994-bsf-continues-domination.html

Facebook Plea Reopens Shikargah Road After 23 Yrs

From Kashmir Observer

Srinagar, Oct 21, KONS: The Tral- Shikargah road in South Kashmir was re-opened for traffic after 23 years on Friday, making a number of areas accessible by motor transport.

The link had been taken over by the Border Security Force (BSF) 12 years ago, and blocked for vehicular movement with barbed wire and steel barricades.

According to reports, a local youth, Irfan Ahmad Malik, had recently used the Facebook platform to approach the superintendent of police for Awantipur, apprising him of the hardships his area faced due to the closure of the road.

The police officer contacted the SHO of the area, and after consulting the commanding officer of the CRPF contingents deployed there, got the barricades removed from the road, opening it up for civilian vehicles.

The police said that re-opening of the road had been a long-standing public demand, and would benefit a number of areas like Tral, Pinglish, Charibugh and Kohnamal.

Local residents were all praise for the SP’s prompt action, saying that a number of top police and civilian officers they had approached so far had done nothing to re-open the road.

http://www.kashmirobserver.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9297:facebook-plea-reopens-shikargah-road-after-23-yrs&catid=2:local-news&Itemid=3

ULFA rebels arrested by BSF

From Nagaland Post

SHILLONG, OCT 21 , 2011 Two top rebels of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) were arrested in western part of Meghalaya bordering Bangladesh, an official said Friday. Dergrah Saronia alias Ananda Das, one of the ULFA’s central committee member after he sneaked inside India from Bangladesh, arrested late last night from Chandaboi area in Meghalaya’s West Garo Hills district, Border Security Forces spokesman Ravi Gandhi said. Based on Saronia’s revelation, Gandhi said BSF troopers arrested another top ULFA rebel Sarango Patowary of the ULFA pro-talk faction from Berangpara area not far away from Chandaboi. “Patowary was in the border to received Saronia and we are interrogating to both of them,” the BSF Spokesman said. Meghalaya shares a 443-km border with Bangladesh, part of which is porous, hilly and unfenced and prone to frequent infiltration. During the preliminary questioning, Saronia revealed that he was staying in Bangladesh’s Sherpur district. Both Saronia and Saronia have been handed over to Meghalaya Police. http://www.nagalandpost.com/ChannelNews/Regional/RegionalNews.aspx?news=TkVXUzEwMDAwNzc5OA%3D%3D-Mmxt804c%2BZc%3D

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634 policemen died on duty in one year

From The Hindu

New Delhi, October 21, 2011

PTI

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PTI Policemen pay gun-salute to their martyred colleagues on Police Commemoration Day in Mumbai on Friday.

Over 600 police and paramilitary personnel lost their lives in the past one year during operations or attacks on them with the Central Reserved Police Force, which is in the forefront of the fight against Maoists, topping the list of casualties.

A total of 634 personnel from State police and paramilitary forces like the Border Security Force, the CRPF and the National Security Guard were killed during a period from September 1, 2010 and August 31 this year, according to official figures.

Delhi CM urged to exempt VAT on items sold through Central Police Canteen

From Truth Dive

New Delhi, Oct 20(ANI): Minister of State for Home Jitendra Singh has met Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit and requested for exempting the items sold through Central Police Canteen (CPC) outlets from levy or VAT/Octroi in the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

Singh was accompanied by K. Vijay Kumar, CRPF DG, Raman Srivastava, BSF DG, Y.S. Dadwal, SSB DG, Ranjit Sinha, ITBP DG, and N.R. Das, CISF DG.

“It was conveyed by Singh to the Chief Minister that the personnel of these CAPFs perform very challenging and hazardous duties and most part of their lives is spent away from their families,” a Ministry of Home Affairs statement said.

“It was also conveyed that the exemption will also benefit the Delhi Police and other agencies like CBI and NIA,” it added.

The statement also added that Dixit has accepted the request and assured Singh to grant VAT exemption to provide relief to thousands of serving and retired personnel of CAPFs.

While briefing the media, Singh indicated that he is in touch with all the Chief Ministers of various states on this issue and eight states have already been given VAT exemption to the CPC outlets located in these states. (ANI)

http://truthdive.com/2011/10/20/Delhi-CM-urged-to-exempt-VAT-on-items-sold-through-Central-Police-Canteen.html

Inter-ministry turf war grounds para-military pilots

From DNA, By Manan Kumar | Place: New Delhi | Agency: 

Thursday, Oct 20, 2011, 9:00 IST 

Four Central Paramilitary Police Forces (CAPF) pilots are sitting idle, doing clerical work, and 10 more are expected to meet the same fate soon, thanks to lack of vision of the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) and turf war with the defence ministry and Pawan Hans.

The 10 pilots are expected to sit idle because they are currently under training at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for Scheweizer helicopters which are not used by the Border Security Force that operates MHA’s air wing.

Poor planning continues to dog MHA’s air wing, which is already suffering from heavy dearth of pilots, that it needs to fly choppers in the Naxal affected areas and far flung regions of the northeast.

First day favours Central forces

From Express News Service

Oct 20, 2011

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 50-metre-long swimming pool in Kariavattom LNCPE had a serene appearance till Wednesday morning. But when swimmers in their groove hit waters, it created ripples of zest and sporting vibrancy which went unmatched. The first day of All-India Police Aquatic Meet ended on a high note, with Central police� forces calling the shots.

The heats of 100 m breaststroke, backstroke, freestyle and 800m freestyle were held in the morning. A vibrant� crowd, including around 600 swimmers representing various State and Central forces, went all out in support of their teammates.

The first uproar from the crowd exploded when Mandar Anand Rao of BSF tapped the finishing board in a flash in the 800-m freestyle. He had clocked a time of 08:59:92 outdoing all other competitors by a big difference. Manu BM of CRPF came second and Kalicharan Mahato of BSF finished third.

Two Pakistanis apprehended off Sir Creek by BSF

From moneycontrol.com
Kutch (Guj), Oct 19 (PTI) Two Pakistani nationals were today apprehended from near the Sir Creek area on west coast of the district, while they were trying to enter into the Indian territory, BSF officials said.

The two men, who had come in a fishing trawler, were apprehended near Sir Creek, by the BSF team patrolling in the area, they said.

The duo have been brought on the shore and were being interrogated, while their boat was being searched.

Further investigation in the matter was on, officials added.
http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/wire-news/two-pakistanis-apprehended-off-sir-creek-by-bsf_602575.html

3 BSF men killed in Dhruv chopper crash

http://youtu.be/eSU1jkEPRrA
From HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times
Ranchi, October 19, 2011 

A Border Security Force (BSF) Dhruv helicopter on anti-Naxal duty in Jharkhand crashed on the outskirts of Ranchi on Wednesday, killing two pilots and a technician of the paramilitary agency's air wing on board.

The pilots, Captain SP Singh and Captain KV Thomas, and technician Manoj Swain died in the crash around 8.50am at Namkum forest near Kolad village, 40 km from the state capital, police said. 

The advanced light helicopter was going to Chaibasa from Ranchi when its engine caught fire, said a BSF official. This is the fourth Dhruv crash in the last one year in the country. 

"I saw the chopper turning upside down before it crashed with a loud noise," said shepherd Sitaram Munda who was grazing cattle nearby.

The helicopter had been pressed into anti-Naxal operations for relief and rescue work. The BSF had engaged two Dhruv helicopters in Jharkhand - where 18 of the 24 districts are Naxal-affected - around a year back.

According to a government official, a union rural development ministry team was scheduled to visit Saranda jungle, a Maoist stronghold. The helicopter took off at 8.40am for a recce and the central team was supposed to follow.

Ranchi senior superintendent of police Saket Kumar Singh said, "Directorate general of civil aviation officials have reached the crash site. There are people from Indian Air Force's Kalaikunda air base and state civil aviation department as well. They are investigating the causes of the crash."

Developed and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Dhruv is designed to meet the requirements of both military and civil operators.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/3-BSF-men-killed-in-Dhruv-chopper-crash/Article1-758974.aspx