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2 killed in UP on Dussehra

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Two minors were killed and one woman was injured in accidents and violent clashes reported from many parts of Uttar Pradesh during the idol immersion procession of Goddess Durga, police said on Saturday.

A minor girl and a teenage boy died while a woman sustained bullet injuries during the Vijaya Dashmi festivities late on Friday.

At least a dozen persons have been injured in similar incidents, a government official told IANS, adding that most of the violence was reported from Agra, Kaushambi and Sultanpur.

A seven-year-old girl was run over by a tractor during an immersion procession at Kusa village in Jaunpur. She died on the spot. While a 15-year-old boy, identified as Lokesh of Kutiliya village drowned in a pond during the immersion at Khuljan Devi Dham pond in Pratapgarh.

Anita Singh, 35, sustained bullet injuries during celebratory firing by revellers in the Vikrampur village of Pratapgarh district.

In Sultanpur, there were clashes in Kurebhar area. Police reinforcements was rushed to control the mob.

In Kaushambi, the situation went out of control when immersion procession revellers in Nara village accidentally threw some dry colours on a mosque wall.

Protests turned violent leading to injuries to at least four persons. Stones were pelted from both sides, a police officer said.

There was tension in Badaut of Bagpat district. Clashes broke out after two girls who had come to witness Dussehra Dusshera effigy burning at the Digambar Jain College complained of misbehaviour by some men.

“There was a minor scuffle and the accused were immediately taken into custody,” a police officer said.

In Khandauli area of Agra, clashes broke out after disagreement over the route of the procession in Nagla Asha.

All injured have been admitted to hospitals and police is patrolling the violence hit areas.

UN orders withdrawal of Sri Lankan peacekeeper accused of anti-Tamil atrocities

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The commander of the Sri Lankan contingent in the UN peacekeeping operations in Mali has been ordered back home after a review of his human rights record, according to Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The decision to send Lt. Col. Kalana Priyankara Lankamithra Amunupure back was made after new information about him was received by the UN, Dujarric said on Friday,

Besides the usual vetting for all peacekeepers, “there were some extra procedures done with the Sri Lankan contingents”, he said.

Amunupure was reportedly involved in atrocities against Tamils during the civil war in Sri Lanka when tens of thousands of civilians perished and the UN has said that war crimes were committed.

A human rights group, International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP), said in an April press release from London that it had sent the UN a list of 56 paramilitary Special Task Force (STF) personnel who should be barred from serving as peacekeepers because of their human rights record.

It said they “are either alleged perpetrators or were involved in frontline combat in the final stages of the war when the UN says system(ic) crimes were committed by security force units”.

While ITJP kept the names confidential, its Executive Director Yasmin Sooka, said at that time: “One STF officer who appears currently to be serving in a UN peacekeeping mission in Africa is alleged to have ordered summary executions of Tamils in the East of Sri Lanka in 2006-7.”

Sooka said her organisation had a “substantial database of evidence” of human rights violations and was ready to help UN investigations.

ITJP also released a report in April about human rights violations and extra-judicial killings by the Special Task Force “based primarily on the testimony of Sinhalese insiders who worked for the unit in the past and on the testimony of former Tamil paramilitaries, who worked with them”.

Of Sri Lanka’s 682 peacekeepers, about 200 are deployed in the West African nation with the operation known as UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali.

IANS

PKL: Pune registers first win at home-leg

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Puneri Paltans defeated Jaipur Pink Panthers 29-25 to register their first win in home-leg of the Pro Kabaddi League here on Friday.

Pune’s defence led by Ravi Kumar, who picked six crucial points in tackles, was the major difference between the two sides in front of a packed home crowd.

Pune rode on 18 tackle points to ensure they remain on top of the table in Zone A.

It was Jaipur’s second defeat of the season as they remain at the bottom of Zone A points table.

Jaipur started with a 3-1 lead in the first three minutes as their defence started off swiftly.

Akshay Jadhav made a two-point raid in the sixth minute as Puneri Paltan tied the match at 4-4. Both teams traded tackle and raid points in the next couple of minutes as it was 6-5 in Jaipur’s favour after nine minutes.

Jaipur led 10-5 after 14 minutes and it was then that Pune started their flurry of super tackles.

It was an evenly contested first-half where defenders played a bigger role than raiders. Puneri Paltan forced three super tackles in the first-half.

It was surprising for the gallery that in the first-half, Nitin Tomar couldn’t score a single raid. At the end of the first-half, it was 13-12 in the favour of Pune.

Pune forced another super tackle in the 22nd minute to lead 15-13. The fifth super tackle for Puneri Paltan came in the 25th minute as they led 17-15.

Nitin Tomar’s first point came in the form of a tackle, with Puneri Paltan leading 20-15 after 32 minutes. Two minutes later, Jaipur trailed 18-21 as they sent Tomar to the bench again.

Pune equalled the record of most super tackles in a match in the 35th minute to lead 23-18.

Deepak Hooda scored two crucial raid points as Jaipur Pink Panthers inflicted the first all-out of the match in 38th minute as they cut the lead to just one point.

The host had their defence to thank for as they managed to pick important tackle points throughout the match.

After losing their first home game on Thursday, Pune finally carved out a win, thanks to their superb defenders.

Ians

‘Anonymous Facebook ads influenced nearly 10 mn British voters’

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An anonymous political campaign on Facebook has reached nearly 10 million voters, asking them via advertisements to oppose British Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal, the media reported on Saturday.

According to The Guardian, it was discovered by the digital campaign group 89up, which shared the details with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s (DCMS) panel into fake news.

“In adverts micro-targeted to individual constituencies, voters are exhorted to tell your local MP to bin Chequers,” said the report.

“This advertising is designed to specifically influence MPs,” 89up said.

All that is known about the campaign is what can be found on its website, Twitter and Facebook accounts.

“Going by the name Mainstream Network, the group writes and publishes news stories on its website with an almost exclusively pro-Brexit slant, shared on its social media accounts,” the report added.

“Over the last couple of weeks, I received a flood of about 50 emails – some quite abusive – urging me to ‘chuck Chequers’ and vote for out-and-out Brexit,” Labour MP Paul Farrelly was quoted as saying

The news comes at a time when Facebook is reeling under a couple of massive data breaches including the Cambridge Analytica scandal that impacted 87 million users earlier this year.

Facebook says it has set a goal of bringing a transparency feature for political ads — now available in the US and Brazil — to the UK and India by March 2019.

With the new ad architecture in place, people would be able to see who paid for a particular political ad.

Facebook has also set up a War Room to reduce the spread of potentially harmful content.

Facebook faced flak for not doing enough to prevent spread of misinformation by Russia-linked accounts during the 2016 US presidential election.

IANS

ISL: Mumbai bag bragging rights in Maharashtra derby

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Mumbai City FC registered their first win of the current Indian Super League (ISL) season and it came at the expense of their Maharashtra rivals FC Pune City at the Mumbai Football Arena here on Friday.

A maiden goal in Mumbai colours for Modou Sougou (25th minute) and a penalty from Rafael Bastos (45th) sealed Mumbai’s 2-0 win, their first at home in four attempts in the Maharashtra derby.

After a fairly uneventful start, Mumbai drew first blood through Sougou. The Senegalese forward made no error with an emphatic finish from close range after Paulo Machado’s cross had rebounded off the crossbar.

At the other end, Emiliano Alfaro was starting to look threatening for Pune and the Uruguayan vociferously appealed for a penalty after going down under Subhashish Bose’s challenge, to no avail.

However, a spot-kick would be awarded at the other end eventually in the dying minutes of the first session. A scrappy phase of play found Mumbai’s attackers with a numerical advantage over Pune’s defenders. Bastos attempted to set Sougou through on goal but the Senegalese was brought down by a challenge from behind from Chhuantea Fanai.

The referee had no hesitation in blowing his whistle for a penalty. Bastos stepped up for the penalty and made no mistake from the spot, sending Vishal Kaith the wrong way.

Pune came out with some much-needed urgency after the break. However, it were the hosts who should have extended their lead around the hour mark when Machado surged forward on a mesmerising run. The Portuguese’s attempt after cutting in from the left flew inches wide off the target.

Miguel Angel Portugal threw on Marcelinho as he sought to get his side back into the game and the Brazilian almost made an instant impact with a snapshot from the edge of the area where Amrinder Singh was alert enough.

Alfaro almost reduced the deficit in the 65th minute with a sharp turn and shot in the 65th minute following a cross from Golui. But his effort agonisingly scraped the crossbar before going out of play.

Jorge Costa shored up the hosts’ defence as they looked to protect their two-goal lead with Pune’s attackers being thwarted repeatedly despite coming forward in numbers.

There would be another spot-kick awarded in added time, once again to the hosts. A quick breakaway saw Arnold Sissoko skip past the Pune defence before he was hacked down in the box by Gurtej Singh. Lucian Goian stepped up to take the penalty but his effort was saved well by Kaith who guessed the right way.

Tantri, TDB disagree over emergency shutdown of Sabarimala shrine

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Travancore Devasom Board (TDB) member K.P.Shankara Das on Saturday disagreed with the Sabarimala Tantri family’s threat to close the temple doors if any woman within the barred age group arrive for darshan.

“It’s the Supreme Court that has directed that women within the age group of 10 to 50 will be allowed within the shrine’s sanctum sanctorum. Hence all are duty bound to adhere to it,” the former legislator told the media here:

“It is not fair to say that the temple will be locked. Moreover the protest staged on Friday by temple staff and the Tantri (chief priest) was wrong and an explanation will be demanded,” he said.

Frenzied protests and threats to close down the temple forced two women on Friday to return from Sabarimala on the third day of unrest as Kerala Police declined to escort a third woman to the hill shrine.

The Tantri family and members of the Pandalam royal family considered closing down of the temple if further attempts were made by women from the barred age group.

Chief Priest Kantararu Rajeeveru later on Friday confirmed that he would have no other choice but to close down the temple, if the age old traditions of the temple was violated.

On Saturday, Rajeeveru garnered more support. Malikepuram temple chief priest Anish Nampoothiri said he could not find fault with the Lord Ayyappa temple Tantri’s statement, and that no action could be taken by the TDB against the Sabarimala staff.

On the fourth day on Saturday there has been no report of any women between the age of 10 to 50 attempting a trek to the hilltop shrine

Pathanamthitta District Collector P.B. Nooh told the media here that he has not got any request from any woman for darshan at the temple on Saturday.

Security has been further tightened around the shrine which will close its doors on October 22.

The TDB would be submitting a detailed report about the happenings in and around the temple both to the Supreme Court and the Kerala High Court next week.

Ians

Magisterial probe ordered: CM on Amritsar tragedy

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Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said on Saturday the Jalandhar Divisional Commissioner will conduct an inquiry within four weeks into the Amritsar train tragedy in which 59 people were crushed by a speeding train.

The Chief minister also said that nine of those killed were yet to be identified, while 57 other Dussehra revellers were injured as the Jalandhar-Amritsar Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) passenger train mowed them down at Jora Phatak here.

Earlier, the toll was reported to be 60.

Amarinder Singh, who reached the accident site on Saturday from Delhi, said the inquiry will look into all aspects, including whether the train followed the signals and if there was any trespassing.

“It’s a terrible tragedy we all accept it. Inquiry will find out who is at fault and who is not. I cannot prejudge an inquiry. Let them come up with the report. I have given four weeks for the inquiry to be completed,” he said.

He said while the Railways were also probing the issue, the state government will hold its own inquiry.

“This is not a time for making allegations. The tragedy needs to be dealt with in a proper manner. All parties should come together at this time of grief,” he said.

On Friday, 700 people watching a huge Ravan effigy go up in flames amid exploding crackers spilled on to the tracks at Jora Phatahk when the passenger train heading to Hoshiarpur from Amritsar came hurtling down around 7 p.m.

Most people reportedly could not hear the hooting of the train due to the exploding crackers.

Asked why the Chief Minister reached Amritsar after 16 hours of the tragedy, he said, “I was supposed to go to Tel Aviv. I came from New Delhi to Amritsar.”

He also said he did not want the administration to get busy making arrangements for his visit.

He was accompanied by Cabinet Ministers Braham Mohindra and Navjot Singh Sidhu.

IANS

Favourites India to start World Cup preparation with WI series

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Hot favourites India will look to start their preparation for next year’s 50-over World Cup in style and iron out the weaknesses in the side when they take on lowly West Indies in the five-match ODI series starting here on Sunday.

India will play 18-odd One-Day Internationals (ODI) before the World Cup in England.

Among the issues they would want to address, India’s middle order is a problem especially the number four position where many have been tried but with little success.

Explosive wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant is expected to make his ODI debut, following his exploits in tests.

The 21-year-old Pant, who cracked a ton at the Oval in his debut series against England, continued his rich form with consecutive scores of 92 against the West Indies in the two-match Test series.

This series will also see skipper Virat Kohli making the return to the fold after taking a break during the Asia Cup which India won.

Former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni will once again be under the pump as he has time and again struggled to replicate his old form.

Dhoni was far from his best in the Asia Cup, scoring 77 runs in four innings with an average of 19.25 and a strike rate of 62.09.

With Pant now also making the team regularly, Dhoni will be under more pressure to perform.

India have struggled to find a proper No.4 batsman and this will also present an opportunity to Ambati Rayudu, who is expected to bat at the position, to stake a claim in the side more regularly.

Rayudu and will look to carry forward his fine form of Asia Cup where he scored 175 runs, averaging 43.75 from six innings.

India will also have the services of all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja in the lower-order and in the absence of injured Hardik Pandya, he will have to step-up.

Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal will once again be expected to wreak havoc with their spin while fast bowlers Mohammad Shami and an in-form Umesh Yadav will share the workload in the absence of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah, who have been rested for the first two ODIs.

The tourists are expected to put up a better show in white ball cricket unlike the Tests.

But the withdrawal of big-hitting opener Evin Lewis from the ODI series citing personal reasons is a body for the side which is already missing Chris Gayle and Andre Russell.

To make matters worse, coach Stuart Law, who is into his penultimate assignment with the team, will not be allowed in the dressing room in the first two ODIs due to a breach of ICC’s code of conduct.

West Indies will bank on veteran Marlon Samuels, captain and all-rounder Jason Holder and pacer Kemar Roach.

The squad features three uncapped players — opener Chandrapaul Hemraj, all-rounder Fabian Allen and pacer Oshane Thomas.

Squads:

India: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ambati Rayudu, Manish Pandey, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Khaleel Ahmed, Lokesh Rahul, Umesh Yadav.

West Indies: Jason Holder (captain), Fabian Allen, Sunil Ambris, Devendra Bishoo, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Kieran Powell, Ashley Nurse, Keemo Paul, Rovman Powell, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Oshane Thomas and Obed McCoy.

IANS

Amritsar train tragedy: Railways deny responsibility

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Hours after 60 people were crushed to death by a train while watching the burning of a Ravana effigy here, the Railways on Saturday said it was not responsible for the tragedy.

Northern Railways spokesperson Deepak Kumar said in a statement that the event was organised in an area which does not belong to the railways.

It also said that neither the area administration nor the organisers informed it about any Dusshera ceremony at the spot.

“Therefore granting permission from the Railway’s does not arise,” he added. No information about the event was given to the railway authorities by the civil administration.”

He said at the time of the incident on Friday evening the gates of the manned level crossing were closed.

A senior Railway Ministry official, however, admitted that the loco-pilots of the Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) Jalandhar-Amritsar Passenger train did not apply emergency brakes.

“He informed the station master at Amritsar about the train hitting the crowd immediately after the accident,” he said. He told the Amritsar official that the incident happened some 340 metres from an interlocked level crossing.

The official agreed that the gateman should have communicated to the nearest station about the assembly of a large crowd near the railway crossing that had spilled over on to the tracks.

The station master should have been informed and he should have alerted the loco-pilots.

On Friday, a 700 strong crowd was watching a huge Ravana effigy go up in flames amid exploding crackers when on the Joda Phatak tracks near Dhobi Ghat the Jalandhar-Amritsar DMU passenger train heading to Hoshiarpur from Amritsar came hurtling down around 7 p.m.

In just 10-15 seconds it left behind a heap of crushed and dismembered bodies.

Doctors at the Civil Hospital said that the death toll could rise as some of the injured were critical. Many killed were migrants from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

The Punjab government has declared state mourning on Saturday and all offices and educational institutions would remain closed, an official spokesperson said, adding that a probe has been ordered.

Video clips posted on the social media showed some people who had apparently seen the approaching train trying to run away as train came mowing down all on its path.

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal who was in the US, cancelled all his engagements and was set to return.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh announced Rs 5 lakh compensation each to the kin of the deceased and cancelled his proposed Israel visit to rush back to Amritsar.

The Chief Minister would visit the accident spot on Saturday later.

President ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi condoled the deaths on Twitter late on Friday.

The Prime Minister also announced Rs 2 lakh compensation each to the families of the dead and Rs 50,000 each to the injured.

IANS

Sri Lankan to sue Australia police after ‘terror’ charge dropped

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The lawyer of a prominent Sri Lankan student who was accused of plotting to assassinate Australian politicians said he will sue police after prosecutors dropped terrorism charges on Friday.

Mohamed Kamer Nizamdeen, 25, was arrested in August and accused of writing in a notebook plans to kill then-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and then-Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.

Police also alleged the PhD student possessed plans to carry out a “lone wolf” attack on several public places, including the Sydney Opera House, and he appeared to have links to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group.

Nizamdeen, a respected business student at the University of New South Wales, spent four weeks in jail after being charged with making documents to facilitate terrorist acts.

He was kept in solitary confinement in a maximum-security prison along with convicted murderers.

Prosecutors withdrew the charges in Sydney’s Central Local Court on Friday. He had been released on bail in September after police admitted an expert concluded it could not be proved the plot was in his handwriting.

‘Unforgivable circumstances’
Nizamdeen’s lawyer, Moustafa Keir, told reporters outside court his client would apply for legal costs and sue the police.

“What authorities have done to this young man is absolutely unforgivable,” Kheir said.

“We will be seeking justice for him in the NSW Supreme Court. It’s a terrible experience, as a young man who has done everything right in life, he has gone through supermax jail in unforgivable circumstances.”

After Nizamdeen’s arrest, family members and hundreds of supporters in Sri Lanka held protests urging a swift and fair investigation.

Nizamdeen comes from a prominent Sri Lankan family. His uncle Faiszer Musthapha, the country’s sports minister, insisted his nephew was innocent.

Aljazeera

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