30 burnt alive in India bus accident

30 burnt alive in India bus accident

  May 31, 2010    Pradeep Padma

---

BANGALORE: At least 30 people, including 10 children, were burnt alive on Sunday when a bus bound for the southern Indian city of Bangalore ploughed into a roadblock and caught fire, police said.

The state-owned vehicle overturned in a ditch and its fuel tank burst into flames, engulfing the bus, the Press Trust of India news agency reported, adding about 30 other people were injured.

The bus was on its way from southern Karnataka's Gulbarga district to Bangalore when the accident happened before dawn, senior police officer Labhu Ram told reporters.

At least three of the injured were in a serious condition, he added. The driver was among those killed.

India has the highest annual road death toll in the world, bigger than the more populous China, according to the World Health Organisation, with accidents caused by speeding, bad roads, overcrowding and poor vehicle maintenance.

Police figures show that more than 110,000 people die annually nationwide on the roads.

Read More

4 Malayalees under RAW scanner

4 Malayalees under RAW scanner

  May 31, 2010    Pradeep Padma

---

Money from ISI safely handed over to Nazir
New Delhi: Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) has initiated inquiry against four Malayalee youth settled in Dubai, who have worked behind providing funds to Thadiyantevide Nazir, alleged South Indian commander of LeT. According to RAW sources these four are settled in Dubai and has been operating from there for quite some time now. It is understood that RAW has obtained vital information regarding the location and operation style of those under scrutiny.

The four youth from Kerala are highly educated and had some part of their higher education from foreign countries. They have worked as the middle men in making Nazir available the money handed over by ISI. A large part of the money is believed to have spent in Kerala to recruit youth for terror operations. Nazir had ensured the families of the youth that they would take care of the protection of those families, if anything happens to the youth.

RAW sources hinted that arrest of the four may not take place soon as co-operation from Dubai government has not been encouraging. Officials of NIA and IB got hints of the operation of this gang from Nazir, while he was grilled. The service of RAW was sought since the accused are operating from foreign land. Intelligence agencies have also initiated inquiry regarding the dispersal of money that reached Kerala through hawala market. 

Read More

Sri Sri Ravishankar escapes unhurt as gunman fires at convoy

Sri Sri Ravishankar escapes unhurt as gunman fires at convoy

  May 31, 2010    Pradeep Padma

---

Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravishankar today escaped bid on his life when an unidentified gunman shot at his car when he was returning after delivering a discourse, an ashram official said.

"I am absolutely safe," the 54-year-old founder of the Art of Living said shortly after the incident.

One of his devotees sustained a minor injury on the thigh with the bullet brushing past, ashram spokesperson Charu said.

The incident took place around 6.15 PM when Ravishankar was returning to his 'Kutir' by car after addressing a gathering at the 'Satsang', she told PTI.

"We usually have a satsang from four PM every Sunday till around six where even people from neighbouring villages join us. Sri Sri had addressed those gathered at the Satsang and completed his discourse and was returning to his `kutir' by car when the incident occurred," she said.

Sri Sri Ravishankar, who has a wide following all over the country and abroad, where he has set up centres of his organisation, said he had gone ahead with his discourse even after the incident.

Karnataka Home Minister V S Acharya said central range IG Kamal Panth has been sent to the ashram to inquire about the incident. "There is no problem... everything is peaceful there," he said.

The spiritual guru told a TV channel that he had not received any threat earlier.

Sri Sri Ravishankar has popularised 'Sudarshan Kriya', a powerful breathing technique in India and overseas.

Read More