Lucknow, Feb 19 (IANS) A mentally unstable youth, who locked himself in a room in his house here Wednesday, on Friday continued to battle policemen trying to get him out for over 24 hours. The suicidal 27-year-old has been firing at the police, who now plan to sedate him.

Shamim alias Raju, son of a doctor in Bakshi-ka-Talab area on the outskirts of Lucknow, has locked himself up since Wednesday night, police said. His father Shabeer Ahmad called the police Thursday morning when Raju refused to open the door and a few constables headed by an inspector were sent to get him out.

But Raju began firing at everyone, including security personnel, friends and relatives, who tried to approach him. He has so far fired at least 18 rounds from his father's double-barrel licensed gun, injuring two policemen, including an inspector, an official said.

'We have learnt that the youth is mentally unstable...He has a phobia that people, including his relatives, will harm him,' Superintendent of Police (rural) Ashok Prasad told reporters.

'Around two years ago, the youth had a similar depressive attack,' he said.

Police tried to administer sedatives to him by mixing it in his food and drink, but all attempts proved futile as he refused to accept them.

Now the police are planning to administer some aneasthetic in a gaseous form.

'After consulting a group of medical experts, we would use some drugs that would be released in gaseous form inside the room,' Deputy Inspector General (Lucknow range) Rajiv Krishna told reporters.

'Our foremost priority is to take Raju out without doing any harm...He is not a criminal. He is a patient. We need to take full care of him,' he added.

Anaesthetic in gaseous form would be injected through holes drilled in the ceiling of the room, police said.

Raju has not made any demand, is suicidal and is not willing to talk to anyone.

'Raju is saying he will kill himself and others...we fear his suicidal tendencies could increase with the passage of time,' said Krishna.

'According to our estimate, Raju still possesses 8-10 live cartridges,' he added.

Raju also set some of his clothes on fire and fired four rounds Friday morning at fire-fighters and security personnel who tried to douse the blaze.

Raju's relatives agree that he is 'mentally unstable', but haven't given any specific reason for it. But Raju's neighbours and friends say he went into depression a few years ago after he was apparently not allowed to pursue the career of his choice.

'Raju, who did brilliantly in his M.Sc (Maths), wanted to join civil services. However, his family made him take up teaching,' his friend Pawan Singh told reporters.

'Recently he had appeared in the NET (National Entrance Test) exams, but could not qualify. At present, he is pursuing B.Ed from an institute in Ghaziabad,' Singh added.
 

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Beijing, Feb 19 (IANS) China Friday summoned the US ambassador over President Barack Obama's meeting with the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and accused it of 'grossly interfering' in the country's internal affairs and 'damaging' Sino-US ties.

Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai summoned Jon Huntsman and lodged 'solemn representations' over Obama's meeting with the Dalai Lama at the White House.

'The US act grossly interfered in China's internal affairs, gravely hurt the Chinese people's national sentiments and seriously damaged the Sino-US ties,' Xinhua quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu as saying Friday.

Ma said: 'Tibet is an inalienable part of the inviolable territory of China, and the issues concerning Tibet are purely internal affairs of China.'

China firmly opposes leaders or government officials of any country meeting the Dalai Lama, and also firmly opposes any country or anyone using the Dalai Lama issue to interfere in its internal affairs, he added.

'The Dalai Lama's words and deeds have shown that he is not a pure religious figure, but a political exile who has all along been engaged in separatist activities under the

pretext of religion,' the spokesman said.

He went on to say that the Dalai Lama's visit to the US and meeting its president grossly violated the basic norms governing international relations, and ran counter to the principles set forth in three China-US joint communiques and the China-US joint statement, Ma said.

'It also went against the repeated commitments by the US government that the US recognises Tibet as part of China and gives no support to 'Tibet independence',' he said, while stressing China's 'strong dissatisfaction' with and 'resolute opposition' against such a move.

Ma warned that anyone who attempts to use the Dalai Lama issue to interfere in China's internal affairs 'is doomed to failure'.

He demanded the US seriously consider China's stance and stop supporting anti-China separatist forces that seek 'Tibet independence'.

The US should stop interfering in China's internal affairs and make concrete actions to maintain healthy and steady growth of China-US relations, he said.

The Dalai Lama, who along with many of his supporters fled Tibet and took refuge in India in 1959, has spent the last two decades of his exile campaigning for 'meaningful autonomy' for his homeland.
 

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Beijing, Feb 19 (IANS) China Friday summoned the US ambassador over President Barack Obama's meeting with the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and accused it of 'grossly interfering' in the country's internal affairs and 'damaging' Sino-US ties.

Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai summoned Jon Huntsman and lodged 'solemn representations' over Obama's meeting with the Dalai Lama at the White House.

'The US act grossly interfered in China's internal affairs, gravely hurt the Chinese people's national sentiments and seriously damaged the Sino-US ties,' Xinhua quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu as saying Friday.

Ma said: 'Tibet is an inalienable part of the inviolable territory of China, and the issues concerning Tibet are purely internal affairs of China.'

China firmly opposes leaders or government officials of any country meeting the Dalai Lama, and also firmly opposes any country or anyone using the Dalai Lama issue to interfere in its internal affairs, he added.

'The Dalai Lama's words and deeds have shown that he is not a pure religious figure, but a political exile who has all along been engaged in separatist activities under the

pretext of religion,' the spokesman said.

He went on to say that the Dalai Lama's visit to the US and meeting its president grossly violated the basic norms governing international relations, and ran counter to the principles set forth in three China-US joint communiques and the China-US joint statement, Ma said.

'It also went against the repeated commitments by the US government that the US recognises Tibet as part of China and gives no support to 'Tibet independence',' he said, while stressing China's 'strong dissatisfaction' with and 'resolute opposition' against such a move.

Ma warned that anyone who attempts to use the Dalai Lama issue to interfere in China's internal affairs 'is doomed to failure'.

He demanded the US seriously consider China's stance and stop supporting anti-China separatist forces that seek 'Tibet independence'.

The US should stop interfering in China's internal affairs and make concrete actions to maintain healthy and steady growth of China-US relations, he said.

The Dalai Lama, who along with many of his supporters fled Tibet and took refuge in India in 1959, has spent the last two decades of his exile campaigning for 'meaningful autonomy' for his homeland.
 

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As many as 11 villagers, including a child, were killed when a group of over 200 Naxalites attacked a village in Jamui late on Wednesday night. The Left wing extremists resorted to heavy firing for over 90 minutes on the hapless villagers, reportedly in retaliation to alleged killing of eight Maoists by the villagers a fortnight ago.

Though the incident is not linked to Centre's Operation Green Hunt, the attack in Naxal-infested Jamui, bordering Giridih in Jharkhand, might well have given a strong  message to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who recently chose not to attend a high-level meeting called by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram in Kolkata. On Thursday, Kumar said the police had been asked to be on extra alert in Naxalite-hit districts, but refused to commit on any crackdown against the extremists.

"The incident seems to be purely out of revenge though we have no proof of these villagers killing eight Naxals," said DIG Amit Kumar, adding that a police post would be opened in the village soon.

The armed extremists attacked Korasi village, barely 30 km from the district headquarters, by blowing up a portion of the village school building around 11.30 pm. They then went on a rampage in the village, especially training their guns on members of the Scheduled Tribe Koda community. They also blew up many houses using dynamite and set some others on fire.

Though SCs and STs are generally dubbed as Naxal sympathisers, Korasi was an exception. Despite its close proximity to Naxal hideouts in Judheshwar and the adjoining hills, Korasi defied Naxals with their traditional bows and arrows. In 2003, Naxalites suspected this village was protecting one of its rebels. The police claimed the villagers even killed three Naxalites in 2005. On Wednesday too the villagers thwarted the attack for half-an-hour, but soon gave up.

The morning after, the village wore a deserted look with many of its residents fleeing to safer areas. Nearby, at a piece of land where a mass cremation was taking place, there was no one to grieve for the dead.

Only 25 people, mostly the aged, have stayed back to take care of their livestock. Despite the heavy police deployment most of the residents are not willing to come back.

Narayan Koda, among those who has stayed back, said: "We hid in the bushes for almost three hours and came out only after the police arrived. We wonder why we are being targeted. Naxals think we have killed their men but it is not true."

Chinta Rai said the Naxals kept saying "Is bar nahin bachoge (you will not be alive this time)". She said they made a living by selling wood collected from the jungles and hence could not even think of challenging the might of the ultras.

"Armed with just bows and arrows, we are a soft target. We kept telling the police about the Naxal threat but nobody listened," she said.
 

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Home Minister R.R. Patil on Thursday ordered a crackdown on foreign nationals, including students who are staying illegally in the state, especially in Mumbai. He also directed that strong action be taken against those who rent houses to such people or help them stay illegally by forging documents for the stay. Patil gave the directives in a meeting of Home and police officials to discuss the issue of foreigners staying illegally in India. "Several foreign nationals come to Mumbai and other parts of the state for education, health tourism, garment business and other purposes. Some of them do not return though their visa validity ends. This is a serious security concern," Patil said at the meeting. The order for crackdown assumes significance following the bomb blast at Pune-a major education hub where thousands of foreign students reside - a week ago. He said strong action needed to be taken against people who were allowing foreign nationals to stay in rented properties beyond the visa period as well as those who forge documents to help the foreigners get extended stay in the state.

The Home department will launch a joint initiative with the municipal bodies and Revenue department to find out forged ration cards and encroachments by illegal immigrants.

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Mumbai, Feb. 19 -- Bollywood actor and director Aamir Khan and his production house, Aamir Khan Productions Private Limited, have knocked the doors of the Bombay High Court challenging the show cause notice issued to them by the Competition Commission.

The commission had issued the notices to the actor for allegedly forming a cartel of film producers last year and deciding that they would not screen their movies in multiplexes. The notice was issued under the Competition Act, enacted to prevent practices having adverse effect on competition.

The Act was brought into effect to ensure that no one forms cartels that adversely affect consumers. Last April, some film producers came together and announced that they would not screen their movies in multiplexes since they were not getting a fair deal.

The multiplexes wanted 50 per cent of the revenue earned by the movies they screened. The producers opposed the demand stating that they were the ones who put in the money and the creativity in making the movie and hence were not willing to part with 50 per cent of the revenues.

After the announcement, the commission conducted a preliminary inquiry. A report was prepared, which concluded that Khan had violated the Competition Act and issued a show cause notice to the actor in December 2009.

Khan opposed the notice stating that he was merely an actor, director and not a producer. The commission then issued a show cause notice to the production house - Aamir Khan Productions Private Limited.

Khan's counsel Arshad Hidayatullah argued that the commission did not have the jurisdiction to issue show cause notice to the actor. "He does not hold copyrights to his movies.

He is merely an actor," argued Hidayatullah. Additional solicitor general Darius Khambata argued.
 

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 The two names synonymous with cartoons, for as long as one can remember, have turned 70 this year. And far from running out of anyone's mind, the parents of its current target audience remember it as the one show that they would watch along with their kids. "That's what we would connect over. I don't remember having a problem with my kids watching Tom and Jerry, because it was mostly humour," said Mala Mazumder, a housewife. The never-ending fight between the house cat Tom and the mouse, Jerry, has been a comic trademark for multiple generations reaching beyond language and nationality.

The new TJ series, however, disappoints many. Ashita, 15, says, "I don't like the fact that Tom and Jerry talk to each other. Their silent adventures were more fun." But she admits that giving up watching them in any avatar would almost amount to treachery.
 

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New Delhi, Feb 16 (IANS) There were 'indications of failure' in a police camp with 'adequate strength' being overrun by Maoists, Home Minister P. Chidambaram said Tuesday, while condemning the attack on a Eastern Frontier Rifles camp in West Bengal in which 24 security personnel were killed.

'The attack by the CPI-Maoist on a camp of the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) of West Bengal is another outrageous attempt by the banned organisation to overawe the established authority in the state. I condemn the attack,' Chidambaram said in a statement, a day after the daring attack by Maoists on the camp in West Midnapore district.

'I also conveyed my profound sympathies on the loss of lives. While there are indications of failure in some aspects, only a thorough review will reveal how the police camp with adequate strength was overrun, when there was daylight, by the CPI-Maoist,' the home minister said.

'There has been a massive loss of lives. Besides, more than 40 weapons are reported to have been looted. The leader of the CPI-Maoist has claimed responsibility for the attack and has threatened to repeat such attacks in the future.'

The attack comes barely a week after Chidambaram held a meeting in Kolkata with officials of Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal to launch an inter-state operation against the left-wing extremists.

An eyewitness said the rebels came on motorbikes and vans and triggered a landmine blast in front of the joint forces' camp.

According to eyewitnesses, there were 51 troopers inside the Shilda police camp, comprising 35 Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) and 16 State Armed Police (SAP) personnel.

Top Maoist leader Koteswar Rao alias Kishenji has claimed his group was behind the attack.

The home minister emphasised that every attack by the left-wing extremists exposed the true nature and character of the outfit.

'Their goal is to seize power. Their weapon is violence. No organisation or group in a democratic republic has the right to take to violence to overpower the established legal authority. Unfortunately, this simple truth has escaped a number of well-meaning organisations that find 'legitimacy' in the armed liberation struggle carried on by the CPI-Maoist,' he said.

Detailing the violence caused by the Maoist rebels during the three-day shutdown Feb 7-9, Chidambaram said their main targets of attack were railway property and there were a total of 11 incidents in Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa.

'Tracks were blown up, railway stations were attacked, bombs were placed on railway property and railway officials were assaulted,' he said.

'I would like to hear the voices of condemnation of those who have, erroneously, extended intellectual and material support to the CPI-Maoist. It is only if the whole country rejects the preposterous theses of the CPI-Maoist and condemns the so-called 'armed liberation struggle' that we can put an end to the menace of Naxalism (Maoism) and bring development and progress to the people in the conflict zones.'
 

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Home Secretary G K Pillai said on Monday that Pune blast that killed 10 and wounded 60, was likely executed by Pakistan trained ultras.

Pillai said investigators stumbled upon what has been coined as 'the Karachi Project', based on the interrogation of terror suspect David Coleman Headley in the US. However, Pillai did not confirm foreign hand at this stage into the attack.

Home Secretary G.K. Pillai said there was a link between Saturday's Pune blast that killed nine people and the recce missions conducted by Lashkar-e-Taiba suspect David Coleman Headley, and the government was trying to get access to him.

Two people have been arrested in connection with the Feb 13 bombing here, police said as the toll in the terror attack rose to 10 with a 24-year-old college student from Uttar Pradesh succumbing to his injuries.

Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh said two people had been nabbed Monday night but declined to give details.

Another 37 victims are currently undergoing treatment in various city hospitals; of these at least two are reported to be in a critical condition.

Addressing media-persons briefly, the police commissioner said significant clues had been recovered from the CCTV footage of a hotel opposite the German Bakery, the blast site. (With inputs from Agencies
 

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Security concerns and political shenanigans have cast a big shadow on the Indian Premier League Season 3, to be played barely a month from now.
 
In the latest development, Australian cricketers of the Deccan Chargers franchise on Tuesday asked the Maharashtra government to guarantee their security in the wake of Shiv Sena threats. An assurance was quick in coming from the Maharashtra Chief Minister, but the Australian cricketers have said they will only confirm in a week  whether they will travel to India for the IPL matches or not. (Read: Chargers' Oz players ask for a week to decide on IPL)
 
Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has promised that: "Everyone in Maharashtra is safe, provided they have come here legally. I don't see the need to respond to these questions every day. If teams have concerns we will speak to them and provide whatever is required." But will that be enough?
 
The Deccan Chargers, who won the Season 2 tournament under their Australian captain Adam Gilchrist, have indicated that they may not participate in the tournament if their four Australian players, critical in the victory last year, do not play.
 
"If the Australian players do decide not to participate in IPL 3, the Deccan Chargers may take a decision to even skip the IPL because they are the major chunk of the team. They are already hurt that the matches have been shifted out of Hyderabad,'' G.Vinod, president of the Hyderabad Cricket Association said.
 
The Deccan Chargers issued a legal notice to the IPL on Monday asking that seven matches shifted out of Andhra Pradesh be returned to the state. The Telangana crisis in Andhra Pradesh prompted the IPL to shift five matches out of Hyderabad and two out of Vizag. Ironically, among these matches is the opening match which the IPL organisers moved out of Hyderabad to Mumbai because of security concerns brought about the disruption of some cricket matches by pro-Telangana protestors. Now, the Australians are loath to play in Mumbai.
 
The Chargers' notice states that there is no confirmation or assurance from the Shiv Sena that the team's Australian players will be allowed to play without any disruption in Maharashtra. So, the Australian players have asked the Maharashtra government to guarantee their safety at the matches in Mumbai and Nagpur.
 
The Shiv Sena has made threats repeatedly and chief Bal Thackeray's said again on Monday that "Australian players cannot play matches in Maharashtra". The Sena claims this is in retaliation against attacks against Indians in Australia.
 
There are 13 matches scheduled to be played in Maharashtra, and 20 Australian players across seven teams. In fact, only the Mumbai team does not have a single Australian player.
 
The Congress has taken the fight to the Shiv Sena camp. Senior party leader Narayan Rane said: "The Shiv Sena couldn't stop Rahul Gandhi from coming to Mumbai, so let's see how they'll stop the Australian players from coming here. They can't protect themselves, how will they stop others."
 
But this weekend's terror attack in Pune at the German Bakery has also led the government to reveal that the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) has a new strategy: To target places frequented by foreigners in cities like Nagpur and Mumbai.
 
Last year's IPL tournament was played away from home in South Africa, after the dates were found to clash with the Lok Sabha elections and the government voiced its inability to provide adequate security for both the exercises together. There was palpable heartburn. This time, IPL's biggest message has been about coming back to India. So far, however, the homecoming has been far from smooth.  
 

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