Police steps and awards

[sajiv]

Dial '1090' to tip off police, says DGP

HYDERABAD: People wanting to tip off the police about election malpractices, including distribution of money to lure voters, may dial a toll free number '1090' which would be answered by personnel of district election offices set up by the Police Department from Thursday.

The number '1090' which is already allotted to police for its 'crime stopper' service would be simultaneously used for election work, Director-General of Police A.K. Mohanty told a press conference here on Wednesday.

He said the phone number would be common to all districts, except in the limits of Cyberabad Police Commissionerate where calls would have to be made to 23000389 or 9490617461.

The functioning of the district-level offices would be monitored by the police headquarters here whose own control room number is 23232363.

Reward for informants
Mr. Mohanty said the SPs in the districts were asked to reward people if their information yielded fruitful results.

He added that the police had so far seized Rs. 20 crore in the drive against people shifting money for elections. It did not include Rs. 88 lakh which was recovered from the house of a Village Revenue Officer at Nandyal.

Mr. Mohanty expressed satisfaction that the drive against pumping of money in elections yielded good results. The police also booked over 11,000 cases of liquor distribution and arrested 9,053 persons.

Anil Kumar row
Asked why Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy's son-in-law Anil Kumar was not sent to court following his arrest on the charge of distributing pamphlets in a church about the Congress government's achievement, he said the decision was taken by Khammam SP as he was convinced that Anil Kumar would submit himself to legal scrutiny in future.

[sajiv]

Police launch unique campaign to prevent thefts

HYDERABAD: "Don't ignore this small pamphlet. Please read it carefully." Guess who is delivering these pamphlets at your doorsteps in Chikkadpally? It's not the political parties who are distributing these to woo citizens.

In fact, the job is being done by police personnel and they have taken up a door-to-door campaign for the last one month to prevent thefts in Chikkadpally and surrounding areas. Since March 10, constables are knocking the doors of every house, including those staying in apartments and distributing pamphlets listing out do's and don'ts for averting thefts.

Despite hectic election bandobust duty, policemen are visiting colonies and taking acknowledgement receipts from house owners along with their phone numbers.

A series of suggestions on preventing property offences such as house burglaries, attention diversion cases, vehicle thefts and chain snatching incidents are being highlighted.

Emphasis is laid on averting thefts in apartments asking flat owners to appoint security guards for maintaining a constant vigil on visitors.

Women have been asked not to believe strangers approaching them in the guise of police officials. There have been a spate of incidents of impostors escaping with gold jewellery by diverting their attention.

"We are educating people on taking precautions," said Chikkadpally Detective Inspector B. Anand, who mooted this unique concept.

[sajiv]

Call up 1091

The police have arranged a toll-free number 1091 for people to lodge complaints regarding violation of code like distribution of cash or liquor.

[sajiv]

Moral police hack Pink Chaddi on Net

The names of 59,000-odd members have vanished

Not much has happened despite complaints

to Facebook

BANGALORE: The online group on the Facebook network that catapulted the Pink Chaddi Campaign to new heights has been hacked repeatedly in the past two weeks and renamed with racist and misogynist tones. Even after several complaints to Facebook administrators, not much has happened.

Hackers have vented their fury on the Facebook group which captured the world's attention with an imaginative and subversive campaign which entailed a puckish sense of humour and a big point made to the moral police.

The famous Facebook group, Consortium of Pub-going, Loose and Forward Women, which had become the face of the real and virtual revolution against rightwing moral policing in the State, was bizarrely rechristened by hackers as "A good Bong is a dead one."

Other names included the "Nathuram Godse Appreciation Society", "Burn Graham Staines Society" and "Pro-aversion" society and featured pornographic pictures and lewd commentary.

The group encouraged women to send pink chaddis to the Sri Ram Sene to protest the infamous Mangalore pub attack and its threats against those celebrating Valentine's Day.

In what was widely acknowledged as a successful campaign, the pink chaddi idea effectively took the wind off the saffron sails.

Campaign over, the group's activities subsided. The recent hacking disrupted the site and the names of a staggering 59,000-odd members have vanished.

Despite a month of sending of emails to Facebook about the group being hacked continuously,

Nisha Susan, creator of the group, who also started the Pink Chaddi Campaign, has received no response from Facebook. "We got automatically generated emails from Facebook saying that they were looking into it, and then emails saying that Facebook could not be hacked," she said.

Account disabled
A few days ago, her account was disabled by Facebook, because as the creator of the group she was seen as abusing her account.

"It does not take too many people to hack the group; it could even be one person," said Ms. Susan, who is amused at the erratic content by the hackers.

For example, "A good Bong is a dead one" attacks many Bengali women in the group. Calling themselves the Ravana Sene, the hackers threaten: "You will never recover this group and life in India will get increasingly harder as groups like Sri Rama Sene see that it is more fun to be like Ravana Sene", apart from obscenities.

The last time Ms. Susan was able to access it there were 135 administrators. "It means the trolls have taken over," she says.

]\Meanwhile various other groups supporting the Pink Chaddi campaign and the Consortium have sprouted, created not only from India, but also by people from the U.K.

"I think the hackers might have been laid off, which is why they have so much time on their hands," says Ms. Susan, who doesn't think that there is a need to panic. "We can create another group," she said simply.

New campaign
Soon another campaign initiated by her will kick off. "This is Indian Culture" campaign will have people posting videos of them doing what they think is Indian culture and will be hosted online.

[sajiv]

Driving licence racket busted

TAMBARAM: Central Crime Branch of Chennai Suburban Police has busted a racket that has been operating for the past few years .

Disclosing this to reporters at his office in St. Thomas Mount, S.R. Jangid, Chennai Suburban Police Commissioner, said that the CCB team was acting on specific information that a group of people operating from Kodambakkam were selling forged registration certificates and drivers' licence to gullible people. The CCB team managed to nab the kingpin, K. Kalyanasundaram, operating from a house in Bharati Eswarar Colony, Kodambakkam Fifth Street. It later arrested his accomplices Zakir Hussain and Subburaj.

Mr. Jangid said that Kalyanasundaram hailed from Mayiladuthurai and in the past 10 years, had come into contact with mediators working in different government departments.

With the help of Lakshmaman, he is reported to have issued several forged documents from Regional Transport Office in Chetpet and alleged to have kept in his possession, rubber stamps of officials of the Transport Department in different offices all over Tamil Nadu. Kalyanasundaram, Mr. Jangid said, used to issue forged fitness certificates and national permits among other duplicate documents.

Mr. Jangid said that Zakir Hussain and Subburaj were involved in several cheating and forgery cases all over Tamil Nadu. The CCB team was also searching for their accomplices.

[sajiv]

Inspector gets doctorate

Coimbatore: P.N. Rajan, an Inspector of Police (Crime) at the Kuniamuthur Police Station, has bagged a doctorate in Psychology from the Bharathiar University.

Recruited into the Tamil Nadu Police force in 1997 as Sub-Inspector, Mr. Rajan completed his M.Sc in Psychology from Madras University and M.Phil in Education from Azhagappa University.

In 2003, he undertook his P.hd in Psychology from Bharathiar University and completed the same in 2007.

He was guided by the Professor and Head of the department of psychology of Bharathiar University, V. Ganesan and Government Arts College Professor, T. Srinivasan.

He received the doctorate at the convocation function held at the university recently.

[sajiv]

CBI clean chit for ex-cop

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation has given a clean chit to former Delhi Police officer Amod Kanth accused of illegally allowing retention of 37 extra seats on the balcony of Uphaar cinema which blocked the gangway that proved fatal at the time of the fire tragedy in which as many as 59 people were suffocated to death on June 13, 1997.

A Session court here that conducted the trial in the case had at the time of pronouncement of the judgment in 2007 asked the CBI to further investigate offences in terms of Section 173 ( (further investigation) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) alleged to have been committed by some public servant but who were left out by the investigating agency during its investigation of the fire tragedy case.

The court had passed the order on an application by the Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) seeking summoning Mr. Kanth to face trial for culpable homicide not amounting to murder for his alleged culpability in the deaths in the tragedy.

AVUT had alleged that Mr. Kanth knowingly allowed the Ansals, owners of the cinema hall, to retain 37 seats on the balcony in violation of the safety rules.

The application alleged that the retention of the seats by the hall owners blocked the right hand side vertical gangway by the side of the wall and the exit on the right hand in the rear of the balcony of the hall, which denied the viewers in the balcony a safe and fast exit through the right hand side staircase leading to the deaths.

The evidence laid before the lower court during the trial of the case clearly demonstrated that Mr. Kanth, the then DCP (Licensing), "deliberately and knowingly" turned a blind eye to the safety rules as laid down in the Delhi Cinematographic Rules, 1953, by permitting the cinema hall owners to retain the seats, the application alleged.

Mr. Kanth granted the permission on the basis of his personal knowledge and satisfaction after visiting the hall as he took no technical advice or approval or no-objection from the authorities concerned, the application alleged.

The CBI in its investigation report said: "No criminal acts were found against any of the officials of any departments other than the 16 persons who were charge-sheeted by it."

District and Sessions Judge I. K. Kochhar, will take up the investigation report for consideration on May 13.

[sajiv]

Traffic police acquire materials

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Traffic Police acquired materials worth Rs.4 lakhs for regulating the growing traffic in the city. The materials purchased include: 350 cones, 200 LED batons, 200 safety helmets and 300 reflective jackets for traffic cops.

The equipment was purchased with funds given by the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation. Police Commissioner N. Sambasiva Rao and DCP (Traffic) P. Viswa Prasad, who formally released the materials on Monday, said that the cones would be utilised to regulate the movement of vehicles in high traffic zones.

[sajiv]

Training on security gadgets

DHARMAPURI: Police personnel in Dharmapuri district were given training on how to handle security gadgets.

Superintendent of Police R. Sudhakar explained the operational nuances of the gadgets at the District Police Office in Dharmapuri on Wednesday. Special Branch Inspector N. Suryamurty, DSPs Shahul Hameed, Mohan and Panchavarnam and other officials participated.

[sajiv]

Police conduct search at PDK office

Coimbatore: An attempt by the City Police to conduct search at the office of Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (PDK) at Gandhipuram on Thursday night led to tense moments and commotion.

A police team entered the Periyar Padippagam near the bus stand in search of inflammatory compact discs to be purportedly used for election campaign. The raid was objected to by PDK activists as they maintained that the police neither had a search warrant or a copy of the advance intimation. Attempts by the police to prevent the media from entering the premises led to heated exchanges.

Senior counsel for PDK, Bhavani B. Mohan said that legally established procedures had not been followed in conducting the search and added that a defamation case would be filed against the City Police. The police, using a laptop, examined some of the CDs in the presence of PDK activists.

[sajiv]

Promotions in police force

Thiruvananthapuram: Inspector-General (IG) of Police T.P. Senkumar has been promoted as Additional Director-General of Police (ADGP).

He is currently Managing Director of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation.

Mahesh Kumar Singhla, Kerala State Electricity Board (Vigilance Chief), and P. Chandrasekharan, Police Modernisation, have also been promoted as ADGPs.

S. Gopinathan, Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) of Police, is the new City Police Commissioner of Thiruvananthapuram.

He replaces Ravada Azad Chandrasekhar who has been promoted as IG and posted at the State Crime Records Bureau.

R. Sreelekha has been posted as IG, Crime Branch. Tomin Thachankery has been posted as IG, Police headquarters.

Surendran has been promoted as IG.

M.R. Ajith Kumar has been promoted and posted as DIG, Crime Branch.

K. Natarajan and T.J. Jose have been promoted as DIGs.

[sajiv]

Policemen on election duty allege raw deal

WARANGAL: The policemen who went on duties to different parts of the State from the district cry foul over the raw deal meted out to them.

In a statement issued here, the policemen said in all 1,547 including 560 Home Guards were sent to election duties to Guntur district by paying Rs. 150 as travelling allowance. The authorities did not bother about the welfare of the policemen on duties and they could not meet their expenditure with the amount given to them. When they returned on April 24, they were all asked to report to duties immediately or face punishment. "When Mr. Aravind Rao was the Superintendent of Police, he took utmost care of the employees but now nobody bothered about the plight of lower level staff in the department in the district," they said. The policemen wanted the SP V. C. Sajjanar to take action against the officials who failed to treat the lower cadre well.

[sajiv]

CB-CID team to probe disappearance of Jeeyar

MADURAI: The Madras High Court Bench here on Tuesday directed the Director-General of Police to constitute a team of CB-CID officials to probe the alleged disappearance of Lakshmana Ramanuja Jeeyar (83) of the Purushothama Lakshmana Ramanuja Jeeyar Mutt at Srirangam in Tiruchi district since January 30.

A Division Bench, comprising Justice M.Chockalingam and Justice R.Mala, passed the interim order on a habeas corpus petition filed by Swami Govindaramanuja Dass, president of the International Sri Vaishnava Dharma Samrakshna Society.

The police team was ordered to produce the Jeeyar on or before June 10.

[sajiv]

CBI seeks time

New Delhi: The CBI, which asked the Interpol to drop Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi from the list of most wanted persons, on Thursday sought two months from a Delhi court to decide on the further course of action against the Bofors case accused.

[sajiv]

Police to update website on missing children

SALEM: The Salem city police have decided to update the website on the missing children ( www.missingchildsearch.net) with the cases registered in the city.

A decision in this regard was taken up during the anti-trafficking committee meeting organised by the Child Line and Police Department here on Thursday.

Accordingly, all the missing children cases registered by the police in the city would be updated in the website. The information would help track the children, who went missing, quickly. The work would be taken up in association with Child Line (1098), the emergency phone service for children. It was also decided to intensify patrolling in the railway station, old bus stand and new integrated bus stand to prevent trafficking of children and women.

Support
Police would also initiate steps to eradicate begging and extend support for the anti-begging drive.

The committee members decided to place the Child Line complaint boxes in the police stations in railway station, old bus stand and new integrated bus stand.

They also planned to rehabilitate the families living near a bridge in Sevvapet.

It was also decided to display the emergency response phone number 1098 in traffic umbrellas in the city.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Y. John Nicholson, Young Women's Christian Association Chairperson Suriya Benjamin, general secretary Ruby Thiyagarajan, Don Bosco Anbu Illam Director Fr. Xavier, members of the Child Line and senior officials were present in the meeting.

[sajiv]

Government to strengthen police force

BANGALORE: The State Government has decided to recruit 9,431 police personnel, including sub-inspectors, to strengthen the police force.

Home Minister V.S. Acharya told presspersons here on Tuesday that a decision had been taken to recruit 1,800 City Armed Reserve (CAR) and District Armed Reserve (DAR) constables, 4,200 Civil Police constables, 375 sub-inspectors and 25 intelligence personnel.

Dr. Acharya, who held a review meeting with department officials on Monday, said 2,853 vacancies in the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) and 177 vacancies of reserve sub-inspectors would be filled. A final notification inviting applications for filling vacancies in the CAR and the DAR would be issued in a month.

The department would conduct endurance, physical, written and medical tests for all categories of appointments.

There would be interviews for candidates applying for posts of sub-inspector and reserve sub-inspector. All appointments would be completed in nine months from the date of the final notification issued inviting applications, Dr. Acharya said.

There was a shortage of personnel in the Police Department owing to the establishment of more police stations and creation of an intelligence security wing, the Minister said.

The Cabinet had decided to give more teeth to the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act to contain crimes such as terrorism. A Bill would be introduced in the coming session of the legislature to discuss the pros and cons of the Act. An Ordinance would be issued only if the session was not held in June or July, he said.

Dismisses allegation
Dr. Acharya termed "rubbish" allegations made by Congress leaders on the State's financial position and said the fiscal position of the State was healthy and much better than that of other States.

The Government would bring in changes to enable conversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes, which would increase revenue from stamps and registration of properties, he said.

[sajiv]

CBI nabs SCR staffer

HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad branch of CBI has arrested R. Munaiah, local purchase clerk in the district manager's office, SCR at Guntakal, in Anantapur district. He was 'caught' while demanding/accepting a bribe of Rs.1,200 from the complainant for clearing the pending bills.

[sajiv]

Police licence needed for rallies, protests

BANGALORE: A police licence is needed for meetings and protests in Bangalore where more than 250 people are expected to participate and for processions involving more than 25 people.

This is stated in the Licensing and Controlling of Assemblies and Processions (Bangalore City) Order, 2009, which was notified by the State Government on May 20. "The order has come into effect, but we will enforce it from June 1," said Commissioner of Police Shankar M. Bidari on Wednesday.

The notification comes following widespread criticism after the rally organised by the Janata Dal (Secular) on the Palace Grounds on November 17, which caused a massive traffic jam. Several schoolchildren were traumatised after being caught in it on their way home. This led to the High Court directing the city police to take measures to prevent recurrence of such events that would cause difficulties for the general public.

Civil rights organisations and a section of the intelligentsia have opposed the notification as there are grounds for misuse on partisan considerations.

According to the notification, protests and public meetings, where more than 250 people congregate, have been included in the definition of an assembly. Permission is needed if more than 25 people are expected to participate in rallies and processions. But this does not include concerts and indoor meetings.

[sajiv]

Better facilities for petitioners at Suburban Police Commissionerate

TAMBARAM: A refurbished hall with adequate facilities greets people who visit the Chennai Suburban Police Commissionerate in St. Thomas Mount for submitting grievance petitions.

Ever since the creation of the Commissionerate in July last year, Suburban Police Commissioner S.R.Jangid has been receiving petitions from people living in the jurisdiction of all 39 police stations in St.Thomas Mount, Ambattur and Madhavaram police districts.

Till now, the petitioners were made to sit under a shamiana. Over the past nine months, improvement of basic facilities was given a thrust that has resulted in better amenities.

The entrance leading to the Commissioner's office too has been completely renovated. Old tiles have been replaced with swanky ones and massive roofing with fibre glass material has been provided, so that the daily, one-hour grievance meetings in the afternoon can be held under shade. Plastic chairs have been replaced with steel-moulded chairs with cushion.

The petitions pertain to a host of problems faced by people. Grievances related to marriage and land disputes, cheating by private financial institutions and individuals and law and order problems top the list of petitions that are compiled by a team of police personnel.

The petitions are forwarded to the officers concerned – be it an Inspector, Assistant Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner of the Police district concerned – based on the gravity of the offence alleged by the petitioner.

"We receive anywhere between 50 and 100 petitions everyday and in most cases, the grievances are resolved in two days to the satisfaction of the petitioner," Mr.Jangid said. In certain cases, there might be no ground for police action. "Some petitioners come to the Commissionerate if they are not satisfied with the action taken by the local police station," Mr.Jangid said.

The grievance meetings are held every day between 12.30 p.m. and 1.30 p.m., except on Sundays. However, if petitioners turn up during odd hours their complaints are accepted, he added.

[sajiv]

CBI search concludes

Searches on the properties of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) official P. Prasad by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) concluded on Saturday.

The CBI launched a search at the VSP Liaison Office, where Prasad is an assistant manager, on a tip-off that he had amassed huge properties disproportionate to the known sources of his income.

The CBI officials found 17 properties, the registration value of which was found to be Rs.1.30 crores.

The searches on Saturday revealed that Prasad had gold worth Rs.3 lakhs to Rs.4 lakhs but he had purchased it by taking loans.

When contacted, CBI SP G. Nageswara Rao said that Prasad would only be treated as a 'suspect officer' pending completion of the investigation.

[sajiv]

Foundation stone laid for police station

TIRUNELVELI: The foundation stone function for the construction of Thatchanallur police station was held here on Thursday.

As the Thatchanallur police station is functioning on a rented building, it was decided to construct a permanent building at the cost of Rs. 31.86 lakh. After Tirunelveli MLA N. Maalairaja persuaded one Pitchaiah Pandian here to give 32 cents on Ramaiyanpatti Road for the construction, the bhoomi puja was performed.

Mr. Maalairaja laid the stone in the presence of Assistant Commissioner of Police, Tirunelveli, Gnanaseharan, and Inspector of Police Bargunam.

Tamil Nadu Police Housing Corporation Executive Engineer Arumugam and Assistant Executive Engineer James participated.

[sajiv]

Delhi Police commended for Madani's arrest

Lashkar leader last visited Pakistan in mid-2008

Mohammad Omar Madani remanded to 14 days' police custody by court

Five diaries seized from Madani containing contact numbers of LeT operatives

NEW DELHI: Mohammad Omar Madani, the alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba head in Nepal arrested by the Special Cell of Delhi Police on Thursday, was on Friday produced in a court that remanded him to 14 days' police custody.

Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram confirmed on Friday that Madani had links with the LeT and Jamat-ud-dawa chief Hafiz Saeed.

"The man arrested in New Delhi does have links with Hafiz Saeed. The arrest of this person is a measure of the good intelligence and good investigative work done by our police and intelligence agencies. In fact, we should compliment the Delhi police for this," he said.

The police purportedly seized five diaries from Madani containing contact numbers of scores of LeT operatives in Pakistan, Nepal and India, including that of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, and also the mobile phone number of Hafiz Saeed used by him before he was put under house arrest in Pakistan following the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. A matrix of codes was also allegedly seized.

According to Joint Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) P.N. Aggarwal, Madani last visited Pakistan in mid-2008 and met Hafiz Saeed, Lakhvi and other top militants. During that trip, he was directed to recruit at least two educated persons — one computer literate and the other a graduate — in Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai.

He was asked to befriend fishermen in the Konkan region and the Malabar coastal area of Kerala and was also told to do "talent hunt" in Jharkhand. This apart, Madani allegedly disclosed he was asked to associate himself with those working in the fireworks' factories to train them in assembling improvised explosive devices.

The LeT leadership also directed Madani to recruit a courier for transfer of funds from Jammu to Kashmir and set up a madrassa in the jungles along the Indo-Nepal border from where newly trained militants could be sent to India. According to the police, one of the Madani's brothers also works for the LeT in Qatar.

[sajiv]

Police call a halt to 'mobile phone driving'

TIRUPATI: 'I hate using the mobile while driving', one sticker on the front windscreen alerts the driver. 'I am driving. Please do not call me', the sticker on the rear alerts the other vehicle users.

This is the result of the novel initiative launched by the Police department to curb mobile phone driving. Though the government had announced a fine of Rs. 500, it hardly proved to be a deterrent for the errant drivers. Changing tack, the cops have now got down to educating the public before cracking the whip.

Awareness camps were conducted simultaneously at ten places in the city on Wednesday, where drivers were invited and explained the consequences of wielding the mobile phone while driving.

Valuable information on the rise in accidents due to cell phone driving, fall in concentration levels while speaking on the move etc. was provided to the participants.

TTD Chief Vigilance and Security Officer P.V. Ramakrishna was the chief guest at the event, which was jointly organised by '108' ambulance service and MG Brothers. Additional Superintendent of Police R.N. Ammi Reddy referred to the general belief among the drivers that using hands-free devices would not distract their driving and said that it still would interfere with their attention on the road.

Over 3,000 drivers were covered during the five-hour drive.

[sajiv]

CBI probe sought

KOCHI: The Kerala Muslim Jamaat Council has demanded an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigations into the police firing at Cheriathura in Thiruvananthapuram, which killed six persons. A. Pookunju, general secretary of the council, told presspersons at the Ernakulam Press Club on Saturday that the council would approach the Kerala High Court if the State government did not order the investigation.

[sajiv]

Book traces course of reforms

Thrissur: "Globalisation and Market Outcomes: Strategic Evidence" written by

Collector V. K. Baby traces the course of reforms in various economic environments in the county, Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac has said. The minister released the book here on Saturday by handing over the first copy to Revenue Minister K. P. Rajendran.

Such industry-specific studies with wider policy implications were significant, Mr. Isaac said. The book looks into the impact of policy regimes in controlled, partly controlled and decontrolled economic conditions.

Mr. Baby examines the empirical evidence of the linkages between liberalisation and industry performance through the behaviour of price-cost margin.

Using the structure-conduct-performance model, the book examines how the structures influence the performances and how industry performances have impacted upon structure via new investment.

[sajiv]

Now distributed security approach to curb cyber crime

A new approach to online security, based on distributed sanctions, could help prevent cybercrime, fraud and identity theft, according to a report.

Susan Brenner, of the University of Dayton School of Law, and Leo Clarke, of the Thomas M. Cooley School of Law, have suggested that the government could control cybercrime by making anyone accessing cyberspace to employ reasonable security measures but without infringing on civil liberties.

The researchers explained the law repeatedly fails to tackle the modern phenomenon of cybercrime, where criminals operate virtually through distributed networks and exploit a multitude of loopholes in software and hardware, making use of social engineering.

And the primary reason why the old legal system fails to combat cybercrime is because the criminal can be anywhere in the world, and can commit many thousands of crimes just with the help of an Internet connection.

According to the researchers, a new paradigm is now needed to cope with this changing landscape of criminal activity.

And the new paradigm cannot rely on sanctions, but instead, it must turn the distributed nature of cybercrime on its head.

They suggest that a new model must shift the focus of law enforcement from reaction and punishment to deterrence and prevention and to do so requires something akin to community policing but in the virtual world.

The researchers explained that individuals must recognize that they are their own front line defence against cybercrime, but the critical community structures on the internet doesn't make them alone in building and maintaining their defences.

They argued that a new generation of cybercrime prevention laws would require citizens, organizations, and companies to identify and obtain the tools necessary to prevent cybercrime, to install these tools and keep them updated, and to use them in an effective manner to prevent identity theft, anonymous email relaying, and the expansion of zombie networks of infected computers.

But, the laws do not provide a prescription for deciding which tools are effective or how this might be policed.

Still, by inverting the usual prevention and sanction approach, the individuals' expectation of law enforcement becomes their responsibility to avoid being a victim.

The study has been published in the International Journal of Intercultural Information Management. (ANI)

[sajiv]

City police to organise sports meet from June 20

Staff Reporter

MADURAI: The Madurai City police is organising sports meet on June 20, 21 and 22 at the Armed Reserve Ground in connection with the 150th year celebration of Tamil Nadu police.

The Commissioner, K. Nandabalan, said the police had organised kabaddi, volley ball, football and running race in association with District Amateur Kabaddi Association.
Open for all

The meet is open for all and those teams and individuals interested to take part in the games and athletic events should register their names with the Deputy Commissioner, Armed Reserve (City police) on 2538305 and 2528491 before 7 a.m. on Saturday.

College students can also participate in 100 metres, 200 metres and 400 metres race.

[sajiv]

Public, police sports meet from today

TIRUCHI: A public-police sports meet will be conducted in the city in connection with the 150th anniversary of Tamil Nadu Police.

The competitions will be held on June 21, 22 and 23. Volleyball matches for men and women separately will be held on June 21 at the St. Joseph's College ground here, while Kabbadi matches for men will be organised on June 22 and 23.

The Kabbadi players have been asked to assemble by 2 p.m. on June 22.
More information

More information could be obtained from Assistant Commissioner of Police (Fort) 98424- 11688; Inspector Fort 98946-77088; Sub Inspector 98947-96690, a police press release said.

[sajiv]

Police trace location of six stolen babies

District Crime Branch has registered three cases on child theft

TIRUNELVELI: The police have traced the location of six stolen babies, according to Superintendent of Police Asra Garg.

Based on the information provided by founder of controversial Valliyoor-based orphanage, Anbu Illam, Rajan during interrogation, the police could detect the whereabouts of six children, who were stolen from the hospitals by Rajan's associates.

"We've received complaints from a group of parents from Dindigul, Udumalpet, Madurai, Tiruchi, Coimbatore and Thanjavur on child theft and the special teams have traced the whereabouts of some of the stolen children. Based on the complaints received, District Crime Branch has registered three cases on child theft," Mr. Asra Garg said.

The SP also said the police had got vital clues in this connection.

[appu.s8501]

good information about police steps..

hope, sajiv is trying to be a police man so only giving police based
information.

expecting reference...lol

[sajiv]

CBI questioning continues

BANGALORE: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers have continued questioning of Forensic Science Laboratory Director B.M. Mohan and other FSL personnel for the second day on Tuesday.

The CBI team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Nanadakumaran Nair is here in the city in connection with the alleged manipulation of compact discs containing narco analysis of three accused in the Sister Abhaya murder case. The Ernakulam Magistrate has directed the CBI to question all concerned persons and retrieve the original recordings of the narco analysis by July 6.

The CBI officers questioned Dr. Mohan and also visited the FSL office in Madiwala. The officers are yet to question Ms. Malini, who is away from the city.

[sajiv]

Criminal case against UAS VC

Bangalore: A criminal case has been filed against University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) Vice-Chancellor P.G. Chengappa and three officials in connection with a student's suicide.

J.K. Ramesh, a second year B.Sc student at Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra (GKVK), consumed poison on Wednesday and his classmates alleged that he was ill-treated by Dr. Chengappa, Dean Nanjappa and two hostel wardens.

The Yelahanka police have registered a criminal case against Dr. Chengappa, Dr. Nanjappa, hostel wardens Ramakrishna Parama and Brahma Prakash under Section 306 of Indian Penal Code. "The victim's father Jamdarappa has filed a complaint against the vice-chancellor and the three officials," Sirigowri, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Yelahanka Sub-Division), told The Hindu here on Thursday.

Meanwhile, friends and relatives of the victim and activities of non-governmental organisations staged a demonstration in front of GKVK on Thursday demanding action against the accused officials saying Ramesh did not create a problem as was being portrayed by the university administration. They alleged that the wardens forced Ramesh and other students to pose before camera with empty liquor bottles and extracted confession letters from the students that they had consumed liquor.

When the university reopened after vacation on June 16, the two wardens reportedly found empty liquor bottles in Ramesh's friend's room where Ramesh, a day scholar, was staying.

They brought this to the notice of the higher-ups and subsequently, a disciplinary committee was constituted to take action against Ramesh. The committee was to have met on Wednesday, but had not informed Ramesh's parents about it, the classmates said.

On Thursday, a non-governmental organisation, SICHREM, filed a complaint with the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission and requested it to investigate the case.

[sajiv]

CBI questions former FSL official Malini

Bangalore: Officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) here on Friday questioned the former Assistant Director of Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) S. Malini in connection with the narco analysis conducted on the three accused in the Sister Abhaya murder case.

According to CBI sources, a team visited the FSL premises on Friday and interrogated her.

The CBI is looking into the alleged tampering of three compact discs (CDs) containing the narco analysis of Fr. Thomas Kottoor, Fr. Jose Puthrikayil and Sister Sephy in the Abhaya case.

Ms. Malini had conducted those tests and the Ernakulam magistrate has directed the CBI to find the original recording. The CBI had been waiting to question Ms. Malini who had been away from the city for the past five days.
Time sought

Her absence also forced the agency to seek time to submit its progress report on its efforts to trace the original recording.
Others questioned

Earlier, the CBI officials questioned FSL Director B.M. Mohan, scientific assistant Praveen, a receptionist and a peon of FSL.

[sajiv]

Police in pursuit of systematic means to tackle cyber crime Law & order

The police believe that two new rules drafted by the Centre will help deal with cyber crime, writes Biju Govind.

The proposal of the Department of Information Technology under the Union Ministry of Communications and Information Technology to introduce two rules will help curtail the rising number of Internet crimes, according to senior police officers.

These are the Information Technology (Directions for Interception, Monitoring and Decryption of Information) Rules, 2009 and the Information Technology (Directions for Interception, Monitoring and Decryption of Information) Rules, 2009.

They said the proposed rules generally give an impression that they infringe upon the privacy of the individual following the enforcement of the orders for interception or monitoring or decryption of any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer resource.

However, these orders will be given by the competent authority concerned who is the Union Home Secretary, Secretary in-charge of Home Department in a State government or Union Territory.

Only in any unavoidable circumstances, such order will be issued by an officer, not below the rank of a Joint Secretary at the Home Department at the Centre and State government respectively.

The agency authorised by the competent authority will designate one or more nodal officers not below the rank of Superintendent of Police or Additional Superintendent of Police or an officer of equivalent rank to authenticate and send the requisitions conveying direction for interception or monitoring or decryption to the designated officers of the intermediaries concerned or person in-charge of computer resource.

Such requisition have to be delivered to the designated officer of the intermediary concerned by an officer not below the rank of Inspector of Police or officer of equivalent rank, according to the proposed rules.

Besides, the contents of intercepted or monitored or decrypted information will not be disclosed or reported in public by any means, without the order of the competent court.

Officers in north Kerala said cyber crimes usually pertained to sending obscene Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) and Short Messaging Service (SMS). These cases are charged under Section 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 67 (publishing of information which is obscene in electronic form) of the Information Technology Act.

However, Internet-related crimes such as phishing, e-mail spam, piracy, data theft using Internet services have increased.

Besides, the law needed to be more stringent in cases relating to e-mail threats, explicit messages through instant messaging services, ATM card fraud and spoofing, they said.

[sajiv]

Police personnel allege threat from granite dealer

Claim they are being coerced to sell plots

MADURAI: A group of police personnel owning residential plots at Sri Meenatchi Nagar, at Thirumogur near here have moved the Madras High Court Bench here alleging that they were being threatened and coerced to sell their plots to a granite dealer.

A Division Bench, comprising Justices V. Ramasubramanian and D. Hariparanthaman, ordered notice to the Collector, District Environmental Engineer, Director of Geology and Mines and P.R.P. Granites. The Judges directed the petitioners to submit approved layout of the plots and other documents by July 21.

In 2000, the then Police Commissioner S.R. Jangid had formulated a scheme of allotting house sites to police personnel for outright purchase.

As many as 370 persons purchased the plots spread over 27 acres situated in seven different survey numbers. While most of the residents were currently serving the Police Department, a few had retired. While some of them had constructed houses, the rest had left the plots vacant for future use.

Now, representatives of P.R.P. Granites "are threatening us with dire consequences... and intimidating us to vacate the place and hand over the possession to them... We are living under threat to our life," the police personnel said and alleged that the Collector did not act upon a representation submitted on June 11.
"Illegal" quarrying

Their affidavit also stated that the granite company was "illegally" quarrying stones within 300 metres of their residential plots by obtaining a licence from the Deputy Director of Geology and Mines in contravention of Rule 36(1-A) of Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1959.

The police personnel sought a direction to the Collector to restrain the company from quarrying within 300 metres of Sri Meenatchi Nagar.

[sajiv]

Programme for police

Udhagamandalam: About 50 police personnel including Inspectors, Sub-Inspectors and head constables benefited from a two-day short term refresher programme which concluded here on Tuesday.

Topics dealt with included latest developments on the investigation front, maintenance of records, bomb detection and stress management.

[sajiv]

CBI arrests SBI officials in Vijayawada

Vijayawada/Visakhapatnam: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday arrested 10 persons, including businessmen, bank valuers and a former document writer, on charges of committing fraud while obtaining loans from the State Bank of India's Patamata branch in Vijayawada. The total amount involved was Rs.1.05 crore.

The accused were produced in the court of the Third Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CBI court) and Magistrate M.V. Ramesh ordered 14-day judicial custody to them.

SP of CBI (Anti-Corruption Branch) G. Nageswara Rao said in Visakhapatnam that a case was registered in August 2005 against the then chief manager of the branch M. Rajendra Kumar and the then deputy manager C. Prakash Reddy for allegedly entering into a criminal conspiracy with Bhimavarapu Sudhakar Reddy alias V. Dharma Rao, proprietor of Wonderers in Vijayawada; P. Suresh, proprietor of Grand Fashions, Vijayawada; V. Lakshminarayana, proprietor of Hi-Tech Electronics, Vijayawada, and approved valuer of the bank M. Sai Durga Prasad, for recommending sanction of nearly Rs. 60 lakh to each firm, based on "non-existing collateral securities".

The bank officials had allegedly released the loans without visiting the firms and verifying the collateral securities in a proper manner. The loan accounts later became non-performing assets and after some time the borrowers and the bank entered into a one-time settlement.

Even as the loan amount was repaid, the CBI continued its investigation and produced V. Lakshminarayana, said to be the kingpin of the scam, in the court a few weeks ago. He was granted bail.

On Tuesday, the sleuths produced B. Sudhakar Reddy, proprietor of Grand Fashions of Nellore, Lagadapti Mahesh Kumar alias Ponnam Suresh, M. Sai Durga Prasad, proprietor of Wonderers, Vijayawada, Potluri Lakshmi Ratna Prameela, bank's panel valuer in Vijayawada, Tirukkovalluri Srimannarayana, former document writer of Vijayawada, Bellamkonda Siva Brahmeswara Rao, Madala Nageswara Rao of Vijayawada; Kalikonda Jayadutt of Vijayawada; Kancherla Sudeesh of Lifeline Solutions, Hyderabad, and Kancherla Rajesh of Hyderabad.

[sajiv]

Police set to enter high-tech era

The Kerala Police are all set to enter a new era of communication network with the implementation of the Virtual Private Network project soon.

[sajiv]

MYSORE: The city is limping back to normalcy after sporadic incidents of violence that rocked parts of Udayagiri and N.R. Mohalla last week and left three people dead and at least 18 injured.

No fresh incidents of violence had been reported from any part of the city after Thursday's demonstration held in defiance of the prohibitory orders by supporters of Popular Front of India forcing the police to resort to lathicharge to quell the mob.

However, prohibitory orders under Section 144 will be in force till July 13.

Meanwhile, senior police officers, including Additional Director-General of Police (Intelligence) Kempaiah, Inspector-General of Police (Southern Range) J.K. Gaonkar, ADGP (Law and Order) A.R. Infant, City Police Commissioner Sunil Agarwal, and Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) V.S. D'souza took stock of the situation.

Mr. Kempaiah said a special team would be constituted to study and ascertain the involvement of different groups or organisations in the violence that rocked Mysore.
Plea to public

He appealed to the public not to pay heed to rumours and said the existing strength of security personnel was adequate for Mysore while the Rapid Action Force (RAF) would continue to camp for a few more days.

The police claimed they had secured vital clues and were pursuing it and would not spare any effort to arrest those instigating violence.

Deputy Commissioner P. anivannan said the authorities would continue to maintain vigil on one hand and make efforts to build bridges between communities to diffuse the tension.

He said another round of meeting with religious leaders and Muslim clergies would be convened either on Sunday or Monday to discuss a few issues raised by them to clear misconceptions about the administration. The clergy on Friday had spoken about injustice meted out to the community members and the Deputy Commissioner said they would look into their grievances and sort it out.

Mr. Manivannan said the exercise would help instil confidence among the minorities as corrective action could be initiated to set right the wrong or efforts made to clear the misconception that might have alienated a section of people.

[sajiv]

New DIG assumes office

B. Bala Naga Devi assumed charge here on Sunday as Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Coimbatore Range. She succeeds P. Sivanandi, who has been promoted as Inspector-General of Police and posted as Coimbatore City Police Commissioner.

Ms. Bala Naga Devi was DIG Narcotics Intelligence Bureau prior to the present posting and had served as Superintendent of Police in the Nilgiris in 2003-04. The DIG said she was not new to Coimbatore as she had already served in the Periyanaickenpalayam Sub-Division as a trainee Assistant Superintendent of Police in 1996.

The focus now was on reducing accidents and crimes. The law and order situation in the Coimbatore Range was good, she said. The DIG said she would soon inspect Tirupur, the Nilgiris, Erode and those areas in Coimbatore that were in the Coimbatore Range. Ms. Bala Naga Devi wanted officials to be humane to those approaching them lodge complaints.

[sajiv]

CBI to probe files case

LUCKNOW: The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday ordered the CBI to take over the investigation into the case of missing files on the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri mosque land dispute and complete it within two months.

[sajiv]

CBI arrests bank manager

MADURAI: Sleuths of Central Bureau of Investigation on Saturday arrested the Senior Manager of a nationalised bank branch at Kalayarkoil in Sivaganga district on bribe charge. The bank appraiser was also arrested and remanded to judicial custody.

CBI sources said that the manager had demanded Rs. 2 lakh bribe out of the 35 per cent subsidy of Rs. 10-lakh loan under a Khadi and Village Industries Commission programme. Based on a complaint, the sleuths of Anti-Corruption Bureau laid a trap and arrested the duo. The manager had instructed the complainant to hand over the money to the appraiser.

[sajiv]

Police begin audit of migrant labourers

Builders told to furnish details of workers

Police stations open separate register to record details

Move to issue photo identity cards to workers

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The police have asked builders in the city to furnish details of migrant labourers working in their construction sites.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Law and Order, M. Gopalakrishnan, said the city police stations had opened a separate register for recording the details of migrant labourers in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

The photograph, fingerprint, mobile telephone number (if any) and original address of the labourer will be recorded in the register. Builders should inform the police about the import of migrant labourers and also when their employment period ends.

The builders have been asked to issue photo identity cards to the workers. They should also tell the police where the migrant labourers are housed. The Thumpa police station has the highest number of migrant labourers in the city.
Random survey

A random survey conducted by the State Police Special Branch in 2008 had found that a considerable number of migrant labourers claiming to be from Bihar and West Bengal where actually illegal emigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh.

The study had raised concerns that extremist elements and those fleeing the law in other States could seek refuge in migrant labour camps in the State.

The police have decided to bring residents living in high rise buildings in the city under the community policing scheme by recruiting them into the neighbourhood watch scheme.

Official sources said they were intelligence reports that empty parking lots in relatively less occupied high rise buildings in the city were being used to hide vehicles smuggling illicit spirit. Certain gangsters were using these buildings, which guarantee a certain amount of privacy and anonymity, for their illegal operations.

The intelligence reports have prompted the police to evaluate the security in high rise buildings. Security of apartment complex is not in the hands of any single occupant. A high rise home owner may often find it difficult to distinguish tenants from visitors, an official said.

There are more than 70 apartment complexes in the city. Many of them, particularly the old ones, lack manned security desks, burglar alarms, video surveillance and intercom systems.

The security men are insufficiently trained. Flat-dwellers often use them for running errands. Security boxes are left unmanned for long hours. In certain apartment, doors lack security chains or peep-holes. Interaction among neighbours is limited in high rise apartments.

Most of the apartments are largely empty during working days. Tenants often go out without properly securing their apartments or alerting the security. The police said that many object to their visitors being challenged by security men.

[sajiv]

Free crime alert service

HYDERABAD: After successfully launching the SMS (9010100100) service, the city police on Monday launched free crime alert service for the convenience of people. The service was launched with the help of a media company. The alerts will cover the modus operandi pertaining to attention diversion cases at banks, burglaries, robberies, snatchings, pseudo policemen, cell phone and e-mail abuse, counterfeit currency, chit fund frauds and property purchase frauds.

"It's a free service. Depending on the situation, the crime alerts will be released to more than 20 lakh mobile users in twin cities," police officials said. If anyone wants to receive these alerts, they can type CA and send SMS to 9010100100.

[sajiv]

Coimbatore: In an effort to open up a channel of communication between public and the police, city police have installed complaint boxes in almost all the colleges.

People could drop in complaints pertaining to cases of ragging, eve-teasing and drug abuse.

The identity of the informant would be kept confidential.

Commissioner of Police, Coimbatore City, P. Sivanandi on Wednesday at a meeting of the heads of colleges said that complaint boxes would be put up in all education institutions to minimise incidents of ragging, eve-teasing and drug abuse.

By Thursday noon, the city police officials had completed installation of complaints boxes in almost 98 per cent of the institutions.

In the remaining colleges, the boxes would be installed by Friday afternoon.
Action

Inspectors of the respective police stations would have the keys for the complaint boxes. The boxes would be opened at regular intervals and the complaints would be brought to the notice of superior officers.

Also, the action taken on such complaints would be followed up, Mr. Sivanandi said.

Coimbatore East Sub-division had installed 29 complaints boxes in all the institutions by noon, said K. Gopalasamy, Assistant Commissioner of Police.

City Police are planning to introduce lane discipline from the flyover till Chinniampalayam on Avanashi Road from August 1 to reduce accidents and travel time.

A study on the finer aspects of introducing the lane system was already on, Mr. Sivanandi said.
Other measures

Deployment of policemen from Law and Order and Armed Reserve at the traffic junctions and on busy arterial roads during the peak hours had been appreciated.

Mr. Sivanandi said that presence of policemen ensured disciplined movement of traffic and kept criminal elements at bay.

He added that policemen in plainclothes would be travelling in buses to nab bag-lifters, chain-snatchers and eve-teasers.

In addition, Mr. Sivanandi said that personnel had been put on duty and relatively new motorcycles had been parked at 20 places where two-wheeler lifting was high.

[sajiv]

CBI chief reviews Satyam case

The Director of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Ashwani Kumar on Thursday reviewed the progress of investigation in the Rs. 7,000 crore Satyam Computers fraud with the Multi-Disciplinary Investigation Team (MDIT) of the agency.

He was closeted with the MDIT head V.V. Lakshminarayana, Chief Investigating Officer A.Y.V. Krishna and other officials of the team at Dilkusha guesthouse for over 90 minutes. Sources said Mr. Kumar was explained the steps the MDIT proposed to take to press its letter rogatory through the Ministry of External Affairs and the Interpol. He was also informed about the hurdles in execution of the court order allowing lie detector and brain mapping tests on former Satyam chairman B. Ramalinga Raju, his brother Rama Raju and former chief financial officer of the company Srinivas Vadlamani. Though two weeks passed since the court directive, the trio are yet to be picked up from jail for tests.

The delay was on account of a revision petition filed by the accused in the High Court and the lack of brain mapping facility in Hyderabad. On the other hand, the High Court has sought objections to the revision petition from CBI on Friday. In these circumstances, Mr. Kumar heard the views of MDIT officials on seeking extension of time beyond the eight weeks ordered by court for completion of the tests.

[sajiv]

CBI conducts search on premises of Emigration officials

CHENNAI: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials on Friday conducted simultaneous search operations on the premises of Emigration officials in Chennai, New Delhi and other places.

Cash and documents worth about Rs. 1.5 crore were seized.

According to sources in the agency, searches were also conducted in the office and residence of a top official in the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs at New Delhi.

The operation was based on the inputs given by R. Sekar, the Protector of Emigrants, Chennai, arrested by the CBI's Anti-Corruption Branch here early this week on charges of corruption.

Service Agent for Emigration Anwar Hussain and Andhra Pradesh Students and Parents' Welfare Trust Chairman Ravindra Babu were also arrested.

"We represented to the court that Rs. 2.02 crore cash had been seized so far and an extension of police custody was required for recovering more cash.

"The court has allowed extension of custody for Sekar and Anwar Hussain. Ravidra Babu was remanded to judicial custody," a CBI official said.

"Since they claimed that a share (of the bribe money) also went to other officials, we conducted searches that led to the recovery. We have also seized several documents pertaining to emigration of people in the last one year. We are also probing an input that a large number of gold coins were given to a top official in New Delhi," the official added.

[sajiv]

CB-CID recommends action against 35 officials

CHENNAI: The Crime Branch-CID police have written to the State government recommending disciplinary action against 35 officials in connection with illicit stone quarrying in the Nilgiris district.

Additional Director-General of Police (CB-CID) Archana Ramasundaram told The Hindu on Monday that this included two Revenue Divisional Officers, three Regional Transport Officers and an Assistant Director of Mines.

"This is a case of gross negligence on the part of the officials concerned, which resulted in extensive damage to the environment in the ecologically sensitive Nilgiris district...it is a biosphere reserve area. Though there were glaring lapses, the available evidence was not adequate to initiate criminal proceedings. Hence, we have recommended departmental action."

The case pertains to a writ petition filed by Elephant Rajendran of the Defence of Environment and Animals. The Madras High Court had directed the CB-CID to take over the investigation.

Ms. Ramasundaram said the agency had taken over 16 cases and formed three special teams for investigation. The focus was also on the infrastructure, explosives and machinery used to carry out illicit mining.

"We arrested 22 persons and 14 cases were charge-sheeted. Eleven vehicles, explosive substances and other equipment used for mining were seized. There were about 15 major stone quarrying sites operating illegally. The dealers who supplied explosives were also arrested," she said.

Sources in the agency said no licence had been issued after 2003 for mining in the district. But, more than 100 stone-quarrying sites were operating.

"The authorities concerned imposed meagre penalty on the accused. The officials took no tangible steps to prevent the quarrying," an investigator said.

In a related development, he said the State government had issued orders authorising Divisional Forest Officers and the police (not below the rank of n Inspector) to file complaints and take action under the provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957.

[sajiv]

CBI probe demanded into fertilizer deals

BANGALORE: Farmers have urged the State Government to order a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged irregularities in the purchase and supply of fertilizers worth Rs. 400 crore by the Karnataka State Co-operative Marketing Federation.

In a memorandum to Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, farmers have alleged that the federation chairman, S.L. Dharme Gowda, and a few directors of the federation have diverted fertilizers to the private market. The Government had released Rs. 400 crore to the federation to purchase fertilizers for the kharif sowing season.

[sajiv]

Police for Chennai to nab gang cheating poor girls

SALEM: A special police team left for Chennai on Friday to nab a gang, which has been involved in a racket which lure poor Dalit girls from Mettur and surrounding villages to the city on the pretext of getting them jobs in medical shops there.

Using an elderly woman of the locality as the 'enticer', the gang, according to police sources, recently took a 15-year-old girl from Mathaiyankottai near Mettur to Chennai under the ruse of getting her a sales girl job at a medical shop there and allegedly forced her into immoral activities.

The victim lodged a complaint with the Mettur police after she escaped from their clutches.

On instructions from Salem Superintendent of Police V.M. Mayilvahanan, the police registered a case in this connection under Sections 366 and 376 of Indian Penal Code and arrested the woman from the village.

She was later remanded to judicial custody. The special team had gone to Chennai to arrest the criminals behind the incident.
Team

A fact-finding team from Madurai-based non-governmental organisation, 'Evidence', termed the condition of the young victim as 'pathetic'.

She had undergone medical check-up in the Salem Government Medical College Hospital.

Exploiting illiterate girls from poor Dalit families had become common in the area, the fact-finding team noted and suggested that basic livelihood resources should be created for poor Dalit families living below the poverty line with immediate effect.

Village committees should be sensitised against such crimes in their localities.

It also wanted stringent action against those who had perpetrated the crime on innocent victim.

"Those involved in the heinous crime should be arrested and brought before justice," said Vincent Kadir of 'Evidence'.