Deadly AK rifles to now fire rubber bullets
Newspoint Bureau:
This will soon be a reality with trial runs for firing such bullets from Kalashnikov automatic rifles to control mobs having been completed.
A decision to this effect was taken here during a meeting of senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs which has constituted a special group for analysing various methods needed for controlling violent crowds with least force in the backdrop of large-scale violence in the Kashmir Valley this summer, official sources said here today.
The sources said that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has conducted the field trials for using the weapons, first of which were introduced in 1947.
They would be seen in action soon particularly in the Valley, they said.
The use of rubber bullets will lessen the risk of fatalities while controlling crowds, the sources said.
The AK-47, a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62x39mm assault rifle, was first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. AK-47 stands for Kalashnikov automatic rifle, 1947 model.
The rubber bullets from the AK-47 rifles may not prove fatal if not fired from a close range and if they don't hit a vital organ, the sources said.
Another riot controlling device that has been cleared is the 'dazzler' which uses laser beams to disperse mobs by causing temporary blindness.
These may be handed over to security forces operating in Kashmir-like situations soon, the sources said.
The dazzler may help in restricting stone pelters as it can be used towards individuals, rendering them temporarily blind. These devices can be useful in restricting mobs between a range of 50 metres to 250 metres.
Jammu and Kashmir Police, which has been facing allegations of using excessive force for mob control, have got two new weapons in its armoury -- pump action and riot control guns -- which are non-lethal but can injure a person indulging in violence.
While the pump-action gun, popularly known as "shot gun", has been put to use, the anti-riot gun, which fires plastic bullets, has also been handed over to field units in August this year.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had requested the Centre to take immediate steps for producing a non-lethal weapon as a number of people had died when police and security forces opened fire to disperse violent demonstrators in the Kashmir Valley.
Following Omar's request, the ordnance factory at Jabalpur produced such rifles which were handed over recently to the state police.
The anti-riot gun, manufactured in the shortest possible time by the ordnance factory, fires plastic bullets which after being released from the weapon disintegrates into 40 small projectiles hitting a number of protesters.
A pump-action rifle or shotgun is one in which the hand grip has to be pumped back and forth in order to eject a spent round of ammunition and to chamber a fresh one. It is much faster than a bolt-action system and somewhat faster than a lever-action system during reloading.
Plastic bullets are hollow based plastic cylinders and are designed like a flat nose. The propulsion is provided only by the primer, and the slow moving plastic bullets may be captured undamaged and reused numerous times. Such bullets are meant to cause pain but not serious injury and can result in contusions and abrasions.
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11 die in Russian plane crash
Karachi: A Russian cargo plane crashed in a fireball into a naval residential compound seconds after taking off from the airport of the southern Pakistani city today, killing at least 11 people -- all eight crew members on board and three persons on the ground.
The Russian-made Il-76 aircraft, which came from the UAE and was headed to the Sudanese capital Khartoum, crashed near Dalmia area within the cantonment in Karachi at 1.50 am local time. It went down in a part of the naval compound where new apartments were being built.
The ill-fated aircraft came down two minutes after taking off from the city's international airport, said Civil Aviation Authority spokesman Pervaiz George. All eight Russian crew members were killed, he said.
The bodies of at least three construction workers were found in apartments being built at the site, Geo TV reported.
Recovered bodies were badly mutilated and beyond recognition, officials said, adding several people were also injured.
Adarsh case shifted to CB
Mumbai, Nov 28: Case pertaining to the theft of key documents in Adarsh Housing Society scam was today transferred to the Mumbai Crime Branch due to seriousness of the issue.
"The case has been transferred to the Crime Branch. This special wing is working on the case and have asked for the FIR details which was registered in the local police station," a crime branch official said on condition of anonymity.
The Crime Branch of the city police usually probes underworld-related or sensitive in nature cases.
A case of theft was registered yesterday by police after crucial documents from 10 files on Adarsh Society went missing from the the Urban Development Department here. Secretary of the department Gurudas Bajpe gave a written complaint to the Marine Drive police on Friday night about the missing papers.
Radia Tapes: Ratan Tata May Move SC
New Delhi, Nov 28: Critical of the "unauthorised" release of tapes of his conversation with PR consultant Niira Radia, the USD 73 billion Tata group chief Ratan Tata may move the Supreme Court tomorrow to seek action against those behind the leakage.
Tata may invoke Article 32 of the Constitution, claiming that his Right to Life, which includes right to privacy, has been breached by the leakage of these tapes.
Under Article 32, any person who feels that his fundamental rights are violated can straightaway move the highest court of the country seeking redressal of the grievance.
The petition, where Union of India is sought to be made a respondent, seeks that responsibilities be fixed on who leaked the tapes -- recorded by the Income Tax authorities in 2008 and 2009 -- that were meant for investigation.
Asked about the petition and its details, a Tata group spokesperson declined to comment.
Some of the conversations between Tata and Radia, whose PR firms have been engaged by the group, relate to personal details that could no way be part of investigation, Tata is expected to argue in the petition.
In the wake of 2G spectrum allocation scam allegedly involving Rs 1.76 lakh crore, some magazines published taped conversations Niira had with politicians, journalists and industrialists. Some of these tapes have also come up on various websites, stirring a major controversy over the alleged nexus between the lobbyists and journalists.
In an interview to NDTV on Thursday last, Tata had said that the agencies had been given a special right to be able to invade people's privacy for national security or for enforcement of law.
"So they can do so. That additional power is a very special power which has to be exercised with a sense of responsibility. The content needs to be held for prosecution purpose and not be misused, and certainly to go out to have a field day with.
There doesn't seem to be prosecution on the one end and there doesn't seem to be confidentiality on the other," he said.
"I have listened to some of the tapes and you know I am not a Delhi resident... But I wonder to the great extent if other people's phones were tapped whether we would get similar kinds of conversation. I do not know if she has the power to influence the Cabinet appointments or anything of this nature," Tata said.
Asked about who could be behind these, Tata said: "It could be enemies in the government, corporate rivals, I couldn't say. It is not a natural thing."
He was responding to a question whether corporate rivals were behind the attack on Radia-led Vaishnavi Corporate Communications, which represents Tata Group firms.
Explaining how the group decided to hire an external agency to represent it, Tata cited the allegations that the group was "hobnobbing with the extremists in Assam" and said, "every time we had tried to do anything it was a defensive move, rebutting or denying or usually we got relegated to a back-page of newspapers.
So we decided that why do we not go out and seek a firm to represent us and that's how we, in fact, came together with Niira Radia who formed this company."
Tata also asserted his group has never overturned the government policy or used Radia to make payments or to seek favours.
"We have advocated level-playing fields. We have advocated changes in policy through her or directly. But never once have we done something to exploit a political or a policy issue. Never once have we used her to make payments or to seek favours and we have had a good professional relationship with her," he said.
On Niira's conflict of interest in view of her other corporate clients, Tata said that going forward she would have to take call on business relations with his group because of her handling the accounts of Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries.
"Today, with the two sides (Ambani brothers) coming together I think there are more of a chance with conflict. Today, Niira would eventually have to make up her mind what she wants to do."
2G Probe: ED to summon officials, Raja aides soon
New Delhi, Nov 28: The Enforcement Directorate is likely to soon issue summons to some government officials, including two who were considered to be close to former telecom minister A Raja, in the 2G spectrum scam probe.
Sources said the ED, which has registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), may summon certain officials including R K Chandolia and A K Srivastava, who worked with Raja.
Chandolia, who was personal secretary to Raja at the time of the controversial spectrum allocation in 2008, was sent back to his parent department -- Indian Economic Services -- within days of new Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal taking charge.
The sources said they are likely to be quizzed on the allocation process, the alleged role played by corporate lobbyist Niira Radia and on their income tax returns and investments. The questioning would be based on information collected by various agencies including the CBI, Income Tax Department and the ED itself over the last over one year.
The questions will be about the allocation process, including the controversial first-come-first-serve basis. They said questions would also be asked about the alleged role played by Radia and her dealing with them if any.
Sources said the officials would also be asked to submit all details about their income, their annual IT returns for the last few years and details about their investments both in movable and immovable assets besides their foreign travel.
The statement given by Radia will also form the basis of their inquiry, they said. The Directorate recently questioned Radia for about seven hours during which she had given an over 20-page statement.
Meanwhile, sources said the ED, which has already issued summons to certain firms which bagged spectrum in 2008, are currently sifting through several thousand pages of documents submitted by them during the first round of questioning.
The ED probe into the case is expected to unravel the murky trail of suspected money laundering allegedly linked with the spectrum allocation.
Former telecom minister A Raja was forced to resign earlier this month after a damning report on the spectrum allocation by the Comptroller and Auditor General.
The CBI is also probing the alleged scam and had recently told the Supreme Court that they will file a chargesheet in the case within three months.
The agency had also said it will take two months to complete the investigation as it was examining transcripts relating to 5,000 calls (out of which 3,800 have been analysed), 6,000 files and 80,000 pages of documents.
B.Ed exam centres shifted in Ang
Anantnag: According to Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag, the examination centre Nos: 125, 126 and 135 of B. Ed Examinations are shifted from government Degree College Boys, Anantnag to Government Women’s College Anantnag on November 30, 2010. The examination centres have been changed due to some official functions within the campus of Degree College.
Attention BLOs of Ang
AnantnagAccording to District Election Officer, Kulgam all Booth Level Officers of the district have been directed to report in his office on November 29, 2010 for receiving necessary material and instructions with regard to preparation for Panchayat Elections and Photo Identity Cards.
Meeting of Ang BLOs on Nov 29 postponed
Anantnag: According to Assistant Electoral registration Officer, Anantnag, meeting of Booth Level Officers of Anantnag scheduled to be held on November 29, 2010 has been postponed and will now be held on December 06, 2010 at 11:30 am at Town Hall, Anantnag.
CRC conducts screening camp
Baramulla: In the interest of disabled persons, a day-long assessment screening camp was organised by Composite Regional Centre (CRC), Bemina in collaboration with Social Welfare department at Ladoora, Rafiabad today.
In all 150 such persons registered their names during the camp so that they would be provided various aids and appliances like wheel chairs, tricycles, hearing aids, crutches and artificial limbs etc in the follow up distribution camp being conducted shortly.
The Director, CRC and senior doctors examined the beneficiaries during the camp. Officers from district administration and social welfare department participated in the camp.
Soz welcomes rehabilitation policy militants
Jammu, Nov 28: The rehabilitation policy for militants returning from Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir is "a welcome and humanitarian step", the Congress' Jammu and Kashmir unit chief Saifuddin Soz said Sunday.
Talking to media persons at Satrian village in Ranbirsinghpora, close to the India-Pakistan border, about 30 km west of Jammu, Soz praised Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for "getting this policy approved after talking to the union home minister (P.Chidambaram)".
"I think this is a welcome step," he said on the sidelines of a function organised by state Medical Education Minister R.S. Chib.
Soz's praise for Abdullah is seen as a change as he is regarded as a critic of the chief minister and has been criticising him directly and indirectly for quite some time. It is also the first time since the policy was adopted by the state cabinet Nov 22 that any Congress leader has openly spoken in favour of it.
Soz said that the policy has a "humanitarian angle as it creates opportunities for the return of the youth who had gone across (the border with Pakistan). This should be seen through the humanitarian angle and not as a danger to the nation".
"There are safeguards in the policy. I think those would be adhered to," he said.
The policy entails the return of more than 3,000 Kashmiri militants and their families to the state and their rehabilitation. On their return, they would also be provided with employment opportunities....
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