Kozhikode: A police team from Karnataka has recorded the statement of the Dalit nursing student, a victim of ragging now undergoing treatment at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital here, police said today.

Nineteen-year-old Aswathi was allegedly force-fed toilet cleaner by her seniors at the hostel of Al Qamal College of Nursing in Kalaburgi in Karnataka on May 9, seriously damaging her internal organs.

She was admitted to a private college in Kalaburgi after the incident, but as her condition worsened after five days, she was sent back home with another Keralite student.
She was then admitted to Thrissur Medical College Hospital in Kerala, after which she was referred to KMCH on June 2.

It took several hours for the team, led by Kalaburgi DSP Jhanvi to record her statement yesterday as she experienced breathing problems and vomiting, Sub Inspector of Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH) police station, Habib said.

Doctors at KMCH had suggested a major surgery as the chemicals of the toilet cleaner severely damaged her food pipe following which she had been admitted to the ICU.
Quoting hospital sources, Habib said it would take at least six months for the girl to recover.

Based on her statement, the city police had on June 22 registered an FIR against five of her seniors and a copy it was sent to Kalaburgi Police Commissioner for further investigation.

Cases under various sections of IPC, including 307 (attempt to murder), 36 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) and 346 (wrongful confinement in secret) and various sections of SC, ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act were registered against the senior students. The case has been transfered to Gulbarga University police station for investigation.

The Karnataka Police had on June 24 arrested three senior students of the nursing college in connection with the incident.

The Kerala Women’s Commission had earlier sent a letter to the Karnataka Women’s Commission, urging it to intervene in the matter and “take right action on the incident in which the girl was brutally harassed in the name of ragging”.

KWC Chairperson Rosa Kutty had also spoke to her Karnataka counterpart.

(Agencies)

Mumbai: A special NIA court today rejected the bail application of 2008 Malegoan blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur who had been given a clean chit by the probe agency last month.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had also not opposed her bail application. Special Judge S D Tekale rejected the bail plea in an in-camera hearing.

In her application, Pragya had contended that there was no evidence against her. Though the motorcycle used in the blast was owned by her, according to one of the witnesses, it was in the possession of Ramchandra Kalsangra, an absconding accused, she had said.

Some of the witnesses, whose statements were used to implicate her, later retracted and filed complaints of torture by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), her plea said.

Earlier, the central agency, in its charge sheet filed on May 13, had dropped all the charges against Pragya and five others, citing lack of evidence.

Nisar Ahmed Sayyed Bilal, who was among those injured in the blast, had filed an intervention application and opposed her plea.

Seven people were killed in the blast at Malegaon, a predominantly Muslim town in north Maharashtra, on September 29, 2008. Pragya was charged by the Maharashtra ATS in 2009 saying it was her motorcycle that was used to plant the bomb.

(Agencies)

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Bengaluru: Britain exiting the European Union (Brexit) would impact the Indian IT industry in the short-term owing to volatility in the exchange rate, uncertainty and terms of exit, a top industry representative said on Friday.

“The impact of Brexit will certainly be negative in the short-term on account of volatility in the exchange rates, uncertainty in the markets and the terms on which Britain will leave the Eu,” Nasscom President R. Chandrashekhar said.

Britons voted 51.9 per cent for Brexit against 48.1 per cent of ‘Remain’ vote in a historic referendum on Thursday.

The referendum turnout was 71.8 per cent — with more than 30 million people voting. This was the highest turnout at a British poll since 1992.

Terming the Brexit as a phase of uncertainty in the near term, the National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) executive said the historic move was also a mix of challenges and opportunities in the longer term.

“Europe is of prime importance for India, as it is not only the second largest market for our industry, but also contributes nearly 30 per cent of software export revenue, which is equivalent to $100 billion,” Chandrashekhar asserted.

Noting that Britain had been a gateway for the Indian industry’s investment across the EU over the decades, Chandrashekhar said a decline in value of British currency (pound sterling) would render contracts losing propositions unless they were renegotiated.

“The uncertainty surrounding protracted negotiations on the terms of exit and/or future engagement with EU could impact decision-making for large projects,” the Nasscom president pointed out.

The exit may also lead to Indian outsourcing firms setting up separate offices or operations for EU and divestment from Britain.

Mobility of skilled labour between Britain and the EU will also be affected, while changes in the financial system and banks would have a bearing due to currency impact.

“Hence we urge policy makers in Brussels and London to provide greater clarity and guidance on the next steps so as to ensure our businesses have the clarity to stay invested in Britain,” said Chandrashekhar.

According to indications, British policy makers are committed to minimise the possible negative impact of the referendum to quit the EU.

The historic development will also unleash opportunities as about 800 Indian firms, employing 110,000 people across the country, have a deeper partnership with Britain.

“In the long term, however, Brexit could lead to strengthening of Indo-British economic relationship, as Britain seeks to compensate for loss of preferential access to EU markets,” Chandrashekhar affirmed.

With Britain less dependent on intra-EU immigration into its country, it could become more open to high-skilled immigration from other non-EU countries, including India.

“Britain will be under no obligation to adopt restrictive EU data localisation norms, which it does not subscribe to in their entirety. All these factors could benefit our bilateral economic relations,” the former telecom secretary added.

(Agencies)

Mumbai: In yet another salvo at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shiv Sena today said bringing yoga to the centre stage of the world was a praise-worthy effort, but will practising the ancient form of exercise relieve people of the pain of inflation.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi deserves praise for making 130 countries perform yoga. The world bends if somebody makes it do so. Through yoga, Modi made 130 nations lay on the ground.

“What is now needed is to make Pakistan lie down forever. This can only happen with the help of weapons. Pakistan deserves a permanent ‘Shavaasan’ (a yoga position that involves lying down like a corpse),” the Sena said in an editorial in its mouthpiece ‘Saamana’.

It said that while chief ministers of non-BJP states may oppose Modi, yoga is a science that should not be opposed.

“A lot can be achieved through yoga. But, in daily life, can yoga help in relieving the pains of high inflation and corruption? It would be good if a clarification is given on this as well,” it said.

The United Nations had last year declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga.

Lakhs of people across India and abroad stretched themselves in various postures to mark the second International Yoga Day as the Prime Minister maintained that yoga is not a religious activity.

Sena, which is part of the BJP-led governments in Maharashtra and at the Centre, has been critical of BJP and the Modi government following strain in their ties since their alliance in Maharashtra collapsed ahead of the October 2014 Assembly polls due to problems over seat-sharing.

Though they did come together after the election, Sena has been reduced to a junior partner and has lost no opportunity to hit out at BJP leaders.

Recently, Sena had been critical of Modi’s remarks abroad about India being plagued by corruption, saying they “maligned the nation’s image”, and questioned if scams in BJP-ruled Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat can be attributed to others.

(PTI)