Mass shooting in UK, 12 killed

In Britain's deadliest mass shooting since 1996, at least 12 people were killed and 25 others injured on Wednesday when a taxi driver went on a rampage in rural north-west England before turning the gun on himself.
The Prime Minister, Mr David Cameron told the House of Commons that "the government will do everything it possibly can to help the local community and those affected."
The lawmakers are "alarmed and shocked" by the shootings in the Lake District, he said.
At least 12 people have been killed and 25 others injured in 11 different locations in the Lake District, the police said.
The police have found the body of 52-year-old Derrick Bird near Boot, Cumbria. The shooting incident is described as Britain's deadliest mass shooting since 1996.
A police spokesman said, "Police have seized a gun from the scene and are now working to formally confirm the identity of the deceased and the number of people injured or dead." The gunman apparently killed himself later.
People across the popular tourist destination had earlier been cautioned to stay indoors after the shootings which began in Duke Street in Whitehaven.
At the scene of the shooting, a body lay covered by a black blanket outside a taxi rank guarded by police officers.
A Cumbria Police spokesman said, "There are a number of fatalities and police are working to identify the individuals and inform relatives."
Ambulance crews are in attendance across the area. One witness said the gunman drove up alongside him at traffic lights by Whitehaven police station.
Ms Alan Hannah, 68 of Great Broughton, said "As I turned past the police station, I saw all these officers running out and realised something major was going on so I moved over to the right-hand lane.
"Then a car pulled up on the left, stopping at the lights. I saw a man with a large shotgun and his windscreen was smashed. I drove through the red light to get into Lowther Street and get out of the way. I got home safely but was very shaken."

PC hints at use of air fire on Maoists

Policemen stood in grief and anger at a special ceremony held on Wednesday at Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, to pay homage to the 76 CRPF men killed by Maoists even as the Union home minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, told reporters there that the government may have to reconsider its policy of not using the Air Force in the fight against Naxalites.

[Naxals fired at a CRPF camp in Dantewada district late on Wednesday night, defying stepped-up security after Tuesday’s bloodiest-ever attack against the security forces, PTI reports. The Naxals fired four rounds at the CRPF camp in Palampalli village and security personnel promptly retaliated, the Chhattisgarh DGP, Mr Viswa Ranjan, said.]

In New Delhi, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, said all options, like using air power in the fight against Maoists, are “reviewed” from time to time. “I think the policy has to be reviewed practically from time to time, learning from experience. We are too close to the event to take a view that the existing policy needs to be modified,” he stated.

In Gandhinagar, the IAF Chief, Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik, said he was not in favour of the use of air power in anti-Naxal operations but added that the IAF would be ready to join operations against the Naxals if a decision is taken.