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Nigeria mosque bombers kill 22

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Two suspected female attackers blow themselves up inside and outside a busy mosque in northeastern Maiduguri city.

People walk in front of a mosque after a bomb attack in Maiduguri in 2012 [File: Olatunji Omirin/Reuters]

People walk in front of a mosque after a bomb attack in Maiduguri in 2012 [File: Olatunji Omirin/Reuters]

by Al Jazeera

Two female bombers killed at least 22 worshippers in an attack on a mosque on Wednesday, Nigerian rescue officials say.

The attack took place on the outskirts of the northeastern city of Maiduguri – the birthplace of the Boko Haram armed group.

Abdul Mohammed of the State Emergency Management Agency told The Associated Press news agency that another 17 people were wounded in the explosions early Wednesday.

Coordinator Abba Aji of the civilian self-defence Vigilante Group said one bomber blew up inside the mosque and the second outside as survivors tried to flee.

Aji said the mosque is in Umarari on the outskirts of the city that is now the command centre of the Nigerian military’s war against Boko Haram.

While there was no immediate claim of responsibility, blame will likely fall on the insurgents.

Boko Haram has increasingly used suicide and bomb attacks as Nigeria’s military pushes the group out of territories they once controlled. Several bombers have exploded themselves in recent months at roadblocks into the city manned by the military and vigilantes.

The US military calls Boko Haram the most violent armed group in the world.

Some 20,000 people have been killed and about 2.3 million displaced since it started its violent campaign in 2009.

Children have been particularly targeted by Boko Haram and have often been the victims of sexual abuse, forced marriage, and abductions.

Siddaramaiah Government sets up anti-corruption bureau

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siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Siddaramaiah-led Congress government on Monday set up an Anti-Corruption Bureau to provide a transparent and efficient administration.

Though Karnataka was the first state to set up an anti-corruption watchdog – the Lokayukta (ombudsman) in 1984 under the Karnataka Lokayukta Act (KLA), there is also the Prevention of Corruption Act empowers police to investigate graft charge against officials.

“The KLA and PC Act are different legislations, as the former empowers the quasi-judicial Lokayukta to only inquire into complaints against public servants but does not allow criminal investigation against them and others accused of seeking or taking bribe,” an official statement said here.

Though the state government entrusted the investigation powers into corruption charges to the police wing of the state Lokayukta, the Supreme Court in the C. Rangaswamaiah versus Karnataka Lokayukta case in 1988 held that police officers probing cases under the PC Act were autonomous.

The Karnataka High Court had also held that the Lokayukta did not have the jurisdiction to supervise criminal investigation under the PC Act through its police wing on the basis of the top court’s Rangaswamaiah judgement.

The state government has therefore decided to separate the two roles by forming the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on the lines of the central government.

“The ACB will be a statutory authority to investigate graft offences, while the ombudsman’s police wing will assist Lokayukta and Upa Lokayuktas in carrying their duties under the KLA,” the statement said.

The state government has also decided to set up vigilance wings in its departments, boards and corporations with vigilance officers, as directed by the high court on February 2.

Provocative slogans were shouted by outsiders: JNU probe panel

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jnu-protest

New Delhi: Provocative slogans at the controversial February 9 event on JNU campus were raised by a group of outsiders, a high-level inquiry committee of the varsity has said, noting it was “unfortunate” that the students allowed that to happen.

It said holding of the event despite cancellation of permission was an act which amounts to “willful defiance”.

The panel has also pointed out lapses on part of the university’s security unit, saying it did not make any efforts to stop outsiders from shouting provocative slogans and stop them from leaving the campus.

“The organisers disobeyed the instructions from the administration about not holding the event. This amounts to willful defiance. It is most unfortunate that the organisers allowed the event to be taken over by a group of outsiders who created a charged atmosphere by raising provocative slogans.

“This act by outsiders has brought disrepute to the entire JNU community,” the report of the five-member panel said.

“The committee also notes that none of the JNUSU office-bearers acted with due responsibility. The office-bearers had to behave with even more restraint and caution befitting the position they hold.

“They need to rise above the politics and other differences as they represent the student community. It is unbecoming of student representatives that they should be found engaging in disorderly conduct or condoning it,” it added.

The report has two sections — findings and recommendations.

The section of findings has been shared by the university with 21 students who have been issued a show-cause notice in this connection, the recommendations have been kept out of public domain.

Highly-placed sources in the university had said that the panel, which submitted its report on March 11, has recommended rustication of five students including JNU Students’ Union president Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya who are facing sedition charge.

While the panel has identified a few students guilty of procuring permission from the university on false pretext, it has also noted that the Dean of Students (DoS) should have withdrawn the permission in writing and not by sending text message to the Chief Security Officer.

“It has to be noted that since the event had taken place in 2015 as well, the Dean’s office was not vigilant enough to anticipate and prevent this event. Security did not make any efforts to stop outsiders from shouting provocative slogans and prevent them from leaving the campus,” the report said.

The report also said that the group of outsiders had their heads and faces covered.

A meeting of the university’s top brass, chaired by the Vice Chancellor, today discussed the report following which the varsity issued show-cause notice to 21 students including Kanhaiya and Umar, who were found guilty of having violated university rules and discipline norms.

The committee was formed on February 10 to probe the event organised to protest hanging of Afzal Guru, the Parliament attack convict.

Kanhaiya, Umar and Anirban were arrested on charges of sedition in connection with the programme.

Kanhaiya was released on bail from Tihar on March 3 while Umar and Anirban are still in judicial custody.

The university had on March 11 revoked the academic suspension of eight students including Kanhaiya after completion of the probe by the five-member panel. It was decided to keep them under suspension from academic activities till the inquiry was over. However, they were allowed to stay in the hostels.

The panel, which was granted three extensions before it finally submitted its report, also faced difficulties in the probe as students refused to depose before it demanding that the inquiry be constituted afresh.

The varsity, however, turned down the demand and maintained that the students will be given three chances to appear before the disciplinary committee and, if they fail to do so, the panel will finalise its recommendations on the basis of evidence available.

The university authorities maintained that a final decision regarding the “quantum of punishment” will be taken on basis of the reply sent by students to show-cause notices by tomorrow evening.

(PTI)

Sting op: Speaker asks Ethics Committee to probe charges against TMC MPs

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Lok Sabha

New Delhi: Lok Sabha Speaker today referred the issue of some TMC members allegedly accepting bribe, as shown in a purported sting operation, to the Ethics Committee, asking the L K Advani-headed panel to examine and investigate the charges.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan made the announcement immediately after the Question Hour, a day after BJP, Congress and CPI-M came together in Parliament to attack the accused TMC members and demanding a probe into the matter.

An ethics committee in 2005 had terminated the membership of 11 MPs, 10 from the Lok Sabha and one from the Rajya Sabha, after finding them guilty after a sting operation allegedly showing them accepting bribes to help fictitious private firms.

Saugata Roy (TMC) strongly protested the Speaker’s decision, saying it was a “unilateral decision” and if it becomes a practice, then anybody will do a sting against members and inquiry would be ordered on such “unverified” contents.

However, he also said he had full respect for Advani and added that the veteran BJP member will be fair.

The Speaker, however, brushed aside his objections, saying such a reference to the 15-member Ethics Committee had been made earlier too.

(PTI)

Beef rumour: Police fulfil miscreants’ demand; arrest attacked students

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(AP Photo/Saurabh Das)

(AP Photo/Saurabh Das)

Jaipur: Four Kashmiri students were arrested following rumours that they had cooked beef in their hostel room in a private university in Rajasthan’s Chittorgarh district.

In fact the four students were attacked by a group of goons including outsiders after the rumours spread but prima facie the meat was not found to be beef.

The incident occurred on Monday night when the rumour spread that the Kashmiri students were cooking beef in the hostel room.

Soon after some students as well as locals assembled in front of the Mewar University and demanded action against them.

Police rushed to the site and arrested four students under section 151 of CrPC (Arrest to prevent commission of cognizable offences) yesterday.

“They were questioned about their role in bringing the meat to the hostel and cooking it,” SHO Gangrar Police Station Labhu Ram said.

Those arrested are Shakib Ashraf, Hilal Farukh, Mohammad Makbool and Shaukat Ali, aged between 21 to 27 years.

“We also collected the sample of the meat which prima facie does not appear to be beef. However, the samples have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for testing and the report is awaited,” he said.

Public Relations Officer of the university said meat is not allowed in the campus. “Cooking meat is against our policy.Police is investigating the case and during the initial probe, it was clear that the substance was not beef,” Harish Gurnani, PRO of the autonomous university said. He said the hostellers involved in the matter were undergraduates.

(Agencies)

IT officials raid three Karnataka MLCs including CM’s Political Secretary

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it-raid

Bengaluru: Income Tax Department has conducted raids on the residences of three Legislative Council Members, including the residence of Political Secretary to Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, on Tuesday morning in Bengaluru, according to TV reports.

Income tax sleuths have raided the house of Political secretary to Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah MLC Govindaraju and an Independent MLC D U Mallikarjun.

Also, JD (S) MLC C R Manohar, who is producing Rs 100 crore Kannada flick ”Kali” came under the IT lens early morning.

(Agencies)

RSS leader murdered in Mysuru; BJP calls for bandh

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rss-mysuru

Mysuru: The Bharatiya Janata Party and other Hindutva groups are trying to impose a forceful bandh in Mysuru on Monday in protest against the death of a BJP worker in a clash on Sunday.

Raju (30), an electrical contractor, was murdered at Lal Bahadur Shastry Circle on M G Road under Udayagiri police station limits by a gang of three persons. The incident triggered tension in parts of the city.

It is said that Raju, along with his friend Jayakumar, was drinking tea at a roadside shop, when three bike-borne people arrived and attacked Raju with lethal weapons, before fleeing from the spot. Raju, who sustained severe injuries on his face and ears, died on the spot.

According to police, Raju, a resident of Kyatamaranahalli in the city, had left home on Sunday morning to meet his friends. Following the incident, a large crowd had gathered in front of the K R Hospital mortuary demanding police to arrest the accused immediately.

As news of the murder spread, a large number of party supporters and workers gathered at the K.R. Hospital mortuary, resulting in tension for some time. Commissioner of Police B. Dayananda rushed to the spot and there were arguments between the police the party supporters.

A few people in the crowd also tried to gherao Police Commissioner. Security has been tightened near the mortuary.

Meanwhile, condemning the murder, BJP state unit president Pralhad Joshi said the BJP would support the Mysuru city bandh called on Monday. Accusing the police of failure to prevent such an incident, he demanded that the culprits be arrested at the earliest.

(Agencies)

No intention to change reservation policy: Government

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Arun-Jaitley

New Delhi: The government on Monday reiterated in the Rajya Sabha that it does not intend to change the reservation policy in the country.

The clarification came as the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party sought to know from the government about the issue, after the RSS said demand for reservation by the affluent sections of society only reflected deviation from the spirit of the Constitution.

The issue was raised soon after the house met, but Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien said the RSS is a private organisation and members should not be concerned.

“There is no difference in RSS and government,” Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav said while describing it as a “conspiracy to end reservation”.

BSP leader Mayawati alleged it was a plan for systematic destruction of reservation.

Leader of the House Arun Jaitley, however, clarified that the government has no intention to end reservation.

“The government policy is clear, reservation will continue… And the proposal you are talking about does not say what you are saying,” said Jaitley.

Mayawati, however, said that the RSS has sought reservation on economic, and not social basis.

“I want to remind the leader of the house, in Indian constitution… there are three criteria – social, education and economic backwardness. Sadly, every other day RSS is giving statement that reservation should be given on economic basis and not social,” she said, to which Jaitley immediately responded: “This is not going to happen.”

The RSS on Sunday said demands for reservation by the affluent sections of society only reflected deviation from the spirit of the Constitution.

“Reservation has helped weaker sections of the society and if the affluent sections demand reservation, it does not sound good,” RSS general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi told media persons at Nagaur, Rajasthan.

(Agencies)

Dalit youth hacked to death for marrying upper-caste girl

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Dalit

Coimbatore: A young couple, whose inter-caste marriage was opposed by their families, was Monday brutally attacked by a gang with sickles in full public view in nearby Tirupur district, resulting in the death of the husband.

When Shankar (22) and Kausalya (19), hailing from Palani in Dindigul district, were waiting at the Udumalpet bus stand, a group of armed men came on a motorcycle andhacked them with sickles before fleeing, police said.

Police rushed the profusely bleeding couple to the Government Hospital here. While Shankar died on the way, Kausalya’s condition is said to be critical, and she is undergoing treatment, they added.

The couple, said to be from different castes, had fallen in love and had got married despite opposition from their families just eight months ago and the gang was reportedly related to the girl, they said.

Further investigations are on, police added.

(Agencies)

Health Ministry bans 344 drugs including Corex cough syrup

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medicine

New Delhi: Health Ministry has banned about 344 fixed dose combination drugs, including cough syrups compositions, saying they involve “risk” to humans and safer alternatives were available.

The ban on the drugs comes into immediate effect and the ministry has come out with a gazette notification regarding the matter.

“Altogether 344 such fixed dose combinations have been banned. We have tried to bring objectivity to the issue by roping in the best of scientists to study the effects.

“Show cause notices were also issued to more than 344 companies and they were given time to make further representations after the expert committee gave their recommendations,” a senior Health Ministry official said.

“Some of them did not even care to respond. Everybody was given ample opportunity. After that, the move was initiated. It was done after much examination,” the official said.

According to the notification, the matter has been examined by an expert committee appointed by the Central government.

“On the basis of recommendations of the said expert committee, the Central government is satisfied that it is necessary and expedient in public interest to regulate by way of prohibition of manufacture for sale, sale and distribution for human use of the said drugs in the country,” the notification said.

The 344 banned drugs include the fixed dose combination of Chlopheniramine Maleate and Codeine syrup sold under the popular cough syrup brand Corex.

Following the government ban, pharmaceutical major Pfizer has discontinued manufacture and sale of Corex with immediate effect.

“This is to inform you that the Government of India vide notification…dated March 10, 2016…has prohibited the manufacture for sale, sale and distribution of fixed dose combination of Chlopheniramine Maleate plus Codeine Syrup with immediate effect.

“In view of this, the company has discontinued the manufacture and sale of its drug Corex with immediate effect,” Pfizer said in a BSE filing today.

Fixed dose combination drugs are combinations of two or more active drugs in a single dose form.

(PTI)

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