The Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, has asked the police to ramp up security for public representatives and be on the alert to thwart attacks by Maoists.
He gave these directions while reviewing the security situation in the wake of the Maoist attack in Visakhapatnam on Monday. Maoists had gunned down the vice-chairperson of the Zilla Parishad, Mr U. Somalingam, at his house in Choudupalle.
The security of MLAs and ministers in North Andhra has already been stepped up. The ministers, Mr Botsa Satynarayana, Mr Dharmana Prasada Rao and Mr Balaraju were asked to be on alert. Public representatives have also been asked not to go to remote areas.
The intelligence IG, Mr Mahender Reddy, and the Commissioner of Police, Mr A.K. Khan, took part in the review meeting. The police officers explained to the Chief Minister how the Maoist attacks took place in Vishakapatnam in the past two days. The state government has also decided to ask the Union home ministry to provide a helicopter to the state for shifting injured persons in emergency situations. “We will be talking to the Union home minister on this,” said the state home minister Ms P. Sabita Indra Reddy.
Showing posts with label attack. Show all posts
Showing posts with label attack. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Friday, April 2, 2010
Vatican lashes out against sex abuse coverage
Cardinals rushed to Pope Benedict XVI’s defence on Holy Thursday amid accusations he played a role in covering up sex abuse scandals, as an increasingly angry Vatican made a stinging attack on the U.S. media for its coverage.
The mood between the church and the media has become increasingly bitter as the scandal buffeting the 1 billion—member church has touched the pontiff himself. On Wednesday, the church singled out the New York Times for criticism in an unusually harsh attack.
Western news organizations, including The Associated Press, have reported extensively on the burgeoning scandal, and new revelations have emerged on an almost daily basis.
Venice’s Cardinal Angelo Scola expressed solidarity with Pope Benedict in his Holy Thursday homily in the lagoon city, describing him as a victim of “deceitful accusations.” He praised the pope as seeking to remove all “dirt” from the priesthood.
Warsaw Archbishop Kazimierz Nycz said the church should take notice of individual tragedies and treat sex abuse cases very seriously, but at the same time he criticized the media for “targeting the whole church, targeting the pope, and to that we must say `no’ in the name of truth and in the name of justice.”
The church offered its highest—level official response yet to one of the most explosive recent revelations regarding sex abuse - a story the Times broke on the church’s decision in the 1990s not to defrock a Wisconsin priest accused of molesting deaf boys.
It was the latest in a series of attacks on the press. Last week, L’Osservatore Romano, denounced what it said was a “clear and despicable intention” by the media to strike at Pope Benedict “at any cost.”
In the article posted on Wednesday on the Vatican’s Web site, Cardinal William Levada, head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, wrote: “I am not proud of America’s newspaper of record, the New York Times, as a paragon of fairness.”
Cardinal Levada, an American, said the newspaper wrongly used the case of the Rev. Lawrence Murphy to find fault in Pope Benedict’s handling of abuse cases.
A Times spokeswoman defended the articles and said no one has cast doubt on the reported facts.
“The allegations of abuse within the Catholic church are a serious subject, as the Vatican has acknowledged on many occasions,” said Diane McNulty. “Any role the current pope may have played in responding to those allegations over the years is a significant aspect of this story.”
The mood between the church and the media has become increasingly bitter as the scandal buffeting the 1 billion—member church has touched the pontiff himself. On Wednesday, the church singled out the New York Times for criticism in an unusually harsh attack.
Western news organizations, including The Associated Press, have reported extensively on the burgeoning scandal, and new revelations have emerged on an almost daily basis.
Venice’s Cardinal Angelo Scola expressed solidarity with Pope Benedict in his Holy Thursday homily in the lagoon city, describing him as a victim of “deceitful accusations.” He praised the pope as seeking to remove all “dirt” from the priesthood.
Warsaw Archbishop Kazimierz Nycz said the church should take notice of individual tragedies and treat sex abuse cases very seriously, but at the same time he criticized the media for “targeting the whole church, targeting the pope, and to that we must say `no’ in the name of truth and in the name of justice.”
The church offered its highest—level official response yet to one of the most explosive recent revelations regarding sex abuse - a story the Times broke on the church’s decision in the 1990s not to defrock a Wisconsin priest accused of molesting deaf boys.
It was the latest in a series of attacks on the press. Last week, L’Osservatore Romano, denounced what it said was a “clear and despicable intention” by the media to strike at Pope Benedict “at any cost.”
In the article posted on Wednesday on the Vatican’s Web site, Cardinal William Levada, head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, wrote: “I am not proud of America’s newspaper of record, the New York Times, as a paragon of fairness.”
Cardinal Levada, an American, said the newspaper wrongly used the case of the Rev. Lawrence Murphy to find fault in Pope Benedict’s handling of abuse cases.
A Times spokeswoman defended the articles and said no one has cast doubt on the reported facts.
“The allegations of abuse within the Catholic church are a serious subject, as the Vatican has acknowledged on many occasions,” said Diane McNulty. “Any role the current pope may have played in responding to those allegations over the years is a significant aspect of this story.”
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Hours after ceasefire offer, Maoists attack CRPF camp
Hours after offering a conditional 72-day ceasefire to the Centre and West Bengal government, Maoists attacked the Kantapahari camp of the Central Reserved Police Force camp in West Midnapore district, leaving one person dead.
The attack took place late last night in the Naxalite stronghold of Kantapahari.
Superintendent of Police Manoj Verma said Maoist-backed People's Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA) members assembled near the Kantapahari camp of the forces and fired, prompting the jawans to challenge them.
In the ensuing gunbattle, one person, believed to be a PCPA member, was killed.
"The PCPA members, with a number of Maoists among them, obviously had plans to attack the Kantapahari camp but the jawans were alert and repulsed them," Verma said.
More forces have been despatched to the area. Unconfirmed reports said the deceased has been identified as Lalmohan Tudu, a PCPA activist.
The attack came hours after Maoists made a conditional ceasefire offer asking the government to halt the offensive against them for 72 days and involve mediators for talks.
"State governments and the Centre should not indulge in violence between February 25 and May 7 and concentrate on development of tribal areas which will be reciprocated by Maoists," top Maoist leader Kishenji said over phone from an undisclosed place.
The attack took place late last night in the Naxalite stronghold of Kantapahari.
Superintendent of Police Manoj Verma said Maoist-backed People's Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA) members assembled near the Kantapahari camp of the forces and fired, prompting the jawans to challenge them.
In the ensuing gunbattle, one person, believed to be a PCPA member, was killed.
"The PCPA members, with a number of Maoists among them, obviously had plans to attack the Kantapahari camp but the jawans were alert and repulsed them," Verma said.
More forces have been despatched to the area. Unconfirmed reports said the deceased has been identified as Lalmohan Tudu, a PCPA activist.
The attack came hours after Maoists made a conditional ceasefire offer asking the government to halt the offensive against them for 72 days and involve mediators for talks.
"State governments and the Centre should not indulge in violence between February 25 and May 7 and concentrate on development of tribal areas which will be reciprocated by Maoists," top Maoist leader Kishenji said over phone from an undisclosed place.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Indian-origin businessman killed in UK gang attack
An Indian-origin shopkeeper in the Yorkshire town of Huddersfield has been killed while trying to repel members of a teenage gang who were trying to rob him.
Gurmail Singh, 63, suffered head injuries and fell to the ground during the scuffle at his shop, and died of his injuries at the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary on Sunday.
A group of passers-by tried to prevent the gang of four leaving the shop but they eventually forced their way out after a struggle.
The police is treating his death as murder.
The gang, all in their teens and wearing dark hooded tops and tracksuit bottoms, went into his shop on Friday night.
A group of six passers-by heard a commotion inside the building and went to help. Although none of them was injured, they were unable to prevent the gang from fleeing into the night.
Detective superintendent David Pervin, who is leading the investigation, said: “Mr. Singh was a well-known and popular local businessman who had been in this area many years. I appeal for anyone with information to contact us as a matter of urgency.”
A police spokesman said: “In terms of the witnesses, we can confirm this was a group of six people who heard a commotion at the shop and went to help.”
Neighbour Ian Davison said there was a drugs problem in the area that was “getting out of hand”.
Singh’s death had left the local community shocked, he added.
Gurmail Singh, 63, suffered head injuries and fell to the ground during the scuffle at his shop, and died of his injuries at the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary on Sunday.
A group of passers-by tried to prevent the gang of four leaving the shop but they eventually forced their way out after a struggle.
The police is treating his death as murder.
The gang, all in their teens and wearing dark hooded tops and tracksuit bottoms, went into his shop on Friday night.
A group of six passers-by heard a commotion inside the building and went to help. Although none of them was injured, they were unable to prevent the gang from fleeing into the night.
Detective superintendent David Pervin, who is leading the investigation, said: “Mr. Singh was a well-known and popular local businessman who had been in this area many years. I appeal for anyone with information to contact us as a matter of urgency.”
A police spokesman said: “In terms of the witnesses, we can confirm this was a group of six people who heard a commotion at the shop and went to help.”
Neighbour Ian Davison said there was a drugs problem in the area that was “getting out of hand”.
Singh’s death had left the local community shocked, he added.
