NEW DELHI, Dec 20 (Agencies): A 50-year-old man was mauled by two royal Bengal tigers when he went too close to the tigers' enclosure to click pictures in Assam State Zoo, Sivsanagar on Thursday.
First a tigress, Divya, seized the victim's hand and soon another tiger, Govardhan, locked his jaws on the hand.
The victim, Joyprakash Bezbaruah, desperately tried to free himself but couldn't.
The two tigers severed Bezbarua's arms from his shoulder within a few seconds.
Zoo officials tried to push the animals away with sticks.
Bezberuah's wife, son and dozens of horrified visitors watched helplessly as he finally collapsed outside the enclosure wall.
He succumbed to the injuries at the Guwahati Medical College Hospital later.
Earlier a zoo keeper had repeatedly cautioned him to move behind the barrier but he had not heeded the warning.
Zoo divisional forest officer Narayan Mahanta said Bezbarua had crossed the line outside the enclosure for tigers from where visitors see the animals at Assam State Zoo.
He gave a slip to the guards on duty, who had stopped him from venturing near the barrier, and crossed to reach the last level from where the iron grills start to take photographs of tigers basking in the sun, he said.
Abu Salem remanded to judicial custody in fake passport case HYDERABAD, Dec 20 (Agencies): Underworld don Abu Salem was remanded to judicial custody till January 3 by a local court today in connection with a fake passport case.
Salem, who was brought here from Mumbai on a prisoner transit warrant, was produced before a special judge who sent him to 14 days judicial custody.
As the judge of the special CBI court was on leave, the gangster was produced before another special judge for speedy trial of cases of embezzlement of scholarship amounts in Andhra Pradesh social welfare department.
Salem was brought to the court at Nampally from Chanchalguda jail here amidst tight security.
The CBI had filed an application before the special judge, seeking the gangster's custody in connection with the fake passport case.
Salem, who is also wanted in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts case, was then taken to Mumbai where he is facing trial in a TADA court.
Sangeet Natak Akademi honour for S.K.
Saxena NEW DELHI, Dec 20 (Agencies):Eminent scholar and professor of aesthetics S.K.
Saxena will be conferred the Sangeet Natak Akademi Ratna for the year 2007 for his sustained work and outstanding contribution to the promotion of Indian art.
The decision to confer him with the Akademi's highest honour or fellowship was taken at the general council of the institute, which is the national academy of music, dance and drama, at its meeting on Dec 18.
The announcement was made Thursday.
The fellowship is restricted to 30 living personalities at any given point of time.
Apart from Saxena, the Akademi has also selected 33 eminent persons for the Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar for the year 2007.
While in the field of music, eight eminent artists, including Vidyadhar Vyas and Govardhan Mishra (Hindustani Vocal Music), Nandan Mehta, (Tabla), Ramoo Prasad Shastri (Violin), and B.
Krishnamoorthy, (Carnatic Vocal Music) were selected, artistes Sucheta Bhide Chapekar (Bharatanayam), Geetanjali Lal (Kathak) and Sadanam Krishnan Kutty (Kathakali) will be recognised for their contribution to dance.
For their work in theatre, the Akademi selected eight eminent persons, including Reoti Saran Sharma, Lalthangfala Sailo and Yumnam Rajendra Singh (playwriting) N.C.
Thakur and Harimadhab Mukherjee (direction) and Ramesh Mehta (acting).
The Akademi also selected nine artistes for their contributions and sustained work to promote traditional, folk, tribal music, dance, theatre and puppetry.
The two honours have been conferred on artistes since 1952 and while the Akademi Ratna carries a purse of Rs.100,000, the Akademi Puraskar carries Rs.50,000.
Naxal extremism is single big internal security challenge: Manmohan NEW DELHI, Dec 20 (Agencies): Prime Minister Dr.
Manmohan Singh on Thursday said that the Left wing extremism remains as the single big internal security challenge for the country, and called for using all means to overcome the menace.
"Not a day passes without an incident of Left Wing Extremism taking place somewhere or the other," Dr.
Speaking at the Chief Minister's Conference on Internal Security, Dr.
Singh said that though the notion about a red corridor from Nepal to Andhra Pradesh are 'exaggerated', Naxals' have been achieving some degree of success in enlarging their areas of militancy.
"In some states, they have also got involved in local struggles relating to land and other rights," he said, without naming the violent incidents in Nandigram, where intelligence agencies have found proof of Naxal's involvement.
He added that the Naxals seem to have developed the capability in some areas to launch frontal attacks on police forces and establishments.
"They are carefully targeting all aspects of economic activity.
They are targeting vital economic infrastructure so as to cripple transport and logistic capabilities and also slow down any development activity," he said.
Singh was expressing concerns about the threats from the Naxals, reports of three security personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) being killed in an encounter with over 100 heavily armed Maoists in east Champaran district in Bihar, poured in.
Here at the Conference, Dr.
Singh said that to tackle the Naxal menace effectively, improved intelligence gathering capabilities, improved policing capabilities, better coordination between the Centre and States and between States are needed.
'Most importantly, better leadership and resolve," Dr.
Singh said, adding, "While tackling Naxal groups militarily, we also need to choke their support infrastructure." "Inadequate, ill-equipped, ill-trained, poorly-motivated personnel cannot take on the Naxal extremists who are increasingly better equipped and organized.
We need to fill vacancies as a matter of priority.
I would also urge states to establish specialized, dedicated forces to fight Left Wing Extremism, the Prime Minister said, adding that the Union Home Ministry would provide all possible assistance to these forces.
Singh also urged the State Government to remain firm in its resolve to combat terrorism in all its aspects.
He said that the key to success in fighting terror is intelligence that needs to be 'precise and capable of being acted upon'.
"We need to improve our surveillance and preventive systems to reduce the probability of terror attacks.
This is a cost - but a cost we must learn to bear for the sake of the safety and security of our citizens," Dr.
Singh said, adding that intelligence agencies have warned of further intensification of violent activities by terror groups, who are able to network across states and even international boundaries.
"The proposition now appears to be that we are not talking about specifying any crimes as 'federal crimes' to be investigated by a federal agency.
The suggestion is to set up a Consultative Mechanism to decide on a case-to-case basis whether investigations need to be done by a designated agency," he said.
"Or have collaborative arrangements in the framework of a concurrent jurisdiction.
I would urge you to consider these options seriously," Dr.
The Prime Minister said that marginalised section of the society, which remains untouched by the vibrant growth in many parts of the country, turn out to be a fertile ground for extreme ideologies.
"I am concerned about the unevenness of our development process and the various development divides that are opening up in the country - the inter-regional divide, the rural-urban divide and the inter-sectoral divide, Dr.
"These divides and disparities lead to disaffection, large-scale migration, and discord.
I notice that in many cases, internal security problems arise out of uneven development," he added.
Democrats to pursue US-India nuke deal if elected: Steinberg NEW DELHI, Dec 20 (Agencies):Democrats will continue efforts to conclude the US-India nuclear deal, and are willing to work together towards the larger cause of global disarmament, said James Steinberg, Dean, Lyndon B.
Johnson School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas, at a session on 'Strategic Choices for the United States in the 2008 Election and their implication for US-India Relations, organised by The Aspen Institute India here on Thursday.
On the emergence of China as a global power, Steinberg said India and US should try and draw up a blueprint to engage China rather than to try and contain it.
Some Americans feel that the democratic structure and open economic policies of India has made India's rise more acceptable compared to that of China, said Steinberg.
On the political change in the US, Steinberg said, "It is important to have a sustained dialogue to build trust and confidence as part of stronger Indo-US relation.
We are on the verge of decision time in the US.
It is a very significant election as foreign policy and national security issues will play a major role in selection of a presidential candidate".
He however pointed out that the Mid-East will feature more prominently in the US election rather than Asia.
The future relationship of the US with India will depend on the inclusion of India in major policy decisions for the region as well as global issues, said Steinberg.
The US is not going to play a major role on the Kashmir issue and there has been a paradigm shift in the thought process of both Democrats and Republicans regarding the US relationship with Pakistan, he said.
On outsourcing, he said that effort will be more towards social safety and not outsourcing.
Mentioning terrorism as a global threat, he said that terrorism is a real threat for India because of its location.
India will lose much more in the conflict for being a multi-cultural state.
Focusing on terrorism has narrowed the global policy of the US, especially on Asia, said Steinberg.
On trade issues, Steinberg highlighted the growing importance of India in WTO negotiations and stated that as a growing economic power India has much more to offer to the stability of the global order.
Commenting on the global policies of the US, Steinberg said, "the failure of extending economic benefits of globalisation has resulted in the regional and ethnic conflicts, globally", said Johnson.
"In pursuit to solve the issue of Iraq, we have created more problems and therefore with Iran and other countries we have to work out on the choices and tools that think about long term strategy", he said.
Tarun Das, President, The Aspen Institute India, moderated the session and commented on the development of Indo-US relation over the last decade.
Speaking about the session, he said that this is part of the series of dialogues that The Aspen Institute India has taken up since 2002.
President to visit Andhra Pradesh from Friday NEW DELHI, Dec 20 (Agencies): President Pratibha Devisingh Patil will pay an official visit to Andhra Pradesh from December 21 to January 6.
On Friday, President Patil will visit Puducherry where she will attend the inaugural function of the 34th Jawahar Lal Nehru National Science Exhibition for Children-2007.
The President will also visit the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Auroville on Saturday.
During her visit, President will tour the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from December 26 to 28 where she will be visit the rehabilitation work sites in the Tsunami affected areas and interact with the islanders.
In Hyderabad, she will attend various programmes organised by the State Government and the Ministry of Defence, including Defence Research Establishments and the Air Force Training Institute.
Non-Gandhi PMs are forgotten heroes for Govt NEW DELHI, Dec 20 (Agencies): In a country that spares no opportunity to hail its heroes, it seems that former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri is a forgotten hero.
And the government has no qualms in accepting the fact.
In a letter addressed to the Home Ministry, RTI applicant Dev Ashish Bhattacharya wished to know how many advertisements were issued by the government to spread the message of former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri on the occasion of his birthday.
The response by the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting made his worst fears come true - not a single penny had been spent by the government.
"Why this selective treatment? Why this policy of pick and choose to spend money?" wonders Dev Ashish Bhattacharya.
But this has however been a usual practice over the years.
Many who don't wish to be named agree that only those Prime Ministers belonging to the Gandhi/Nehru family have been remembered with full honours, while others have simply been pushed into oblivion.
Anil Shastri, the elder son of Lal Bahadur Shastri, too, is appalled by this continuing tradition.
He contends that his father, who coined what is perhaps the most popular slogan of 20th century India - Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan - deserves a little more respect.
Says Shastri, "This is regrettable.
The question posed by most people is, why is he being ignored?" There are few leaders who are remembered after they have ceased to be in power and even fewer have served as idols and inspired generations.
Surely, remembering them one day in a year cannot be too difficult a task for the government.
Puri priests demand ban on entry of ISKON monks Puri, Dec 20 (Agencies):Firing another salvo against ISKCON monks, nearly hundred priests of Sri Jagannath Temple here sat on a dharna today demanding a ban on the entry of converted Hindus into the 12th century shrine.
In a memorandum to Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), Sri Jagannath Sevayat Sammilanee (SJSS) said only "Hindus by birth" should be allowed into the temple, one of the four important 'dhams' for Hindus in the country.
Earlier last week, the priests had criticised ISKON for holding "untimely" Rath Yatra and display of the Lord's picture on the website of an American online shopping outlet.
Samilanee Secretary, Harehrushna Mahasuar, said a number of foreigners under the cover of ISKCON were trying to enter the temple.
"Though their passports showed they were Hindus, in reality they hailed from other religious groups," he claimed.
Citing two recent incidents in which the priests drove out nine Indonesian nationals from the temple, Mahasuar said they were Hindus on paper.
But they were converts.
"We are sure that they had changed religion in order to get an entry into the Puri temple which is a dream for many," he claimed.
The priests also expressed their anguish over the police act of facilitating the Indonesian nationals to enter the the temple.
"We allowed them to enter the temple as their regilion was Hindu according to their pasports," said Puri Supernitendent of Police Asit Panigrahi.
President, Vice President greet nation on Id-ul Zuha NEW DELHI, Dec 20 (Agencies): Greeting the nation on the occasion of Id-ul Zuha, President Pratibha Patil today asked the countrymen to work towards progress and prosperity of the nation.
Vice President Hamid Ansari also called upon the people to celebrate Id-ul Zuha, which falls tomorrow, with compassion and serve the cause of humanity.
"On the occasion of Id-ul Zuha, I extend my greetings and good wishes to all my fellow countrymen," Patil said in her message.
"Let us on this day remind ourselves of the spirit of service and sacrifice associated with this festival and motivate ourselves to work towards progress and prosperity of the nation," the President said.
Ansari said the joy of sharing and charity associated with this festival provides succour to the poor and unites us all in common brotherhood.
Govt to conduct second census of handicraft artisans NEW DELHI, Dec 20 (Agencies):Government has decided to conduct the second census of handicrafts artisans to find out their economic status and use the inputs in policy making.
"The second census will cover 20 per cent of districts every year to generate national level estimates of the handicraft sector," Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) Sanjay Agarwal told PTI.
The first census of handicraft artisans were carried out in 1995-96, which estimated that there were about 47.61 lakh artisans mostly inhabitants of rural areas, he said.
The second census, among other things, will take stock of the number of people engaged in handicrafts sector, their production level, economic status, sources of working capital and average wage rate.
The second handicraft artisans census, for which the Ministry of Textiles today invited Expression of Interest (EoI) from public and private sector agencies, will be spread over five years and will form part of programmes scheduled for implementation during the Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-12).
The bidders, according to the ministry, should have presence in at least five states and must have conducted similar surveys at national level in the past.
According to the 1995-96 census, there were about 12.64 lakh artisans in the northern region; 11.77 lakh in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand; 8.37 lakh in West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa and Jharkhand; and 8.89 lakh in north eastern states.
Besides, there were 3.07 lakh artisans in the western region and 2.87 lakh in the southern region.
Inflation slips to 3.65 pc NEW DELHI, Dec 20 (Agencies):Inflation declines to 3.65 per cent for the week ended December 8, compared to 3.75 per cent in the previous week, mainly due to fall in prices of food articles and some manufactured items.
The wholesale price index (WPI) based inflation stood at 5.63 per cent in the corresponding week a year ago.
During the week, prices of fruits and vegetables, and pulses declined, while barley got dearer.
Among manufactured items prices of fuel and lubricants remained unchanged, while imported edible oil, coconut oil, gur, mustard oil and atta got expensive.
Prices soyabean oil, suji and rice bran oil also moved down during the week.
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