PTI, New Delhi, 24 February : The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the CBI to place its investigation report in the 2007 Nandigram firing incident before it to decide on initiating criminal proceedings against the erring police officials in the case.A Bench comprising Justices R.V. Raveendran and A.K. Patnaik directed the agency to file its report in sealed cover within two weeks to decide whether the stay on initiating criminal proceedings against the police officials could be vacated or not.
The Bench had on 13 December, 2007 restrained the agency from initiating further proceedings in the case on the ground that a Constitution Bench was examining whether apex court and High Courts have the jurisdiction to order CBI probe or not.
But it had later agreed to hear the plea of CBI for vacation of stay after the Constitution bench held that court can direct CBI probe in a case. The court also directed the agency, which was reluctant to share its findings with the State government, to give it a copy of its report.
It however, refused to pass order on a petition filed by NHRC seeking compensation for the victims of 2nd and 3rd round of firings. The court asked the commission to approach the Calcutta High Court for this.
The High Court had directed the West Bengal Government to pay a uniform compensation of Rs 5 lakh to families of each of the 14 persons killed and Rs 2 lakh and Rs 1 lakh to those raped and injured.
Following the firing on 14 March, 2007, the Calcutta High Court had asked the CBI to inquire as to what prompted the police to open fire when thousands of villagers had gathered to protest attempts by the police to enter Nandigram. န File Photo : Raghunandan Mallick
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TTAADC's Village Committee Polls large peaceful in TripuraAgartala, 24 February : About 82 percent casting was recorded till 4pm in 4021 seats of 527 village committees under Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) which began this morning with high security.
State Election Commissioner YP Singh said here that there was no report of any interruption or untoward incident till Thursday afternoon, but the final percentage of polled votes could be clear after 8pm. He said, polling was by and large peaceful. As many as 6,71,163 voters would decide the fate of the 8525 candidates of seven different parties in the battle of the ballots in 1355 polling stations across the hilly parts of the state.
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GJM launches indefinite hunger strike for Gorkhaland state 
UNI, Siliguri, 24 February : Strengthening their agitation the GJM today launched indefinite hunger strike in the three hill sub-divisions of Darjeeling district and plains to press for a separate Gorkhaland and a CBI inquiry into the Sibchu police firing.Gorkha Janmukti Morcha activists began an indefinite hunger strike at five places a day after a prolonged bandh was called off to allow students to take the class ten board exams. GJM`s press and publicity secretary Dr Harka Bahadur Chhetry said the hunger strike for Gorkhaland, carved out of some northern parts of West Bengal, was being held in the three hill sub-divisions, the plains of Salugara and outskirts of Siliguri.
They are also demanding a CBI probe into the February eight police firing in Sibchu which claimed three lives, including those of a youth and a woman. ''Three Gorkhaland personnel(GLP) and two ex-army men are participating in the indefinite hunger strike in every place - Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong, Mirick and Siliguri - till we get justice,'' Chhetry added.
GJM spokesman Rohit Sharma said another group would move to New Delhi to sit for a relay hunger strike at Jantar Mantar from 27 February. Meanwhile, normality returned to the Hills after GJM called off its indefinite bandh in the hilly regions of Darjeeling district from Wednesday, police stated. န Photo : AFP
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Kalyan Mazumdar re-elected Secretary of East Bengal clubKolkata, 24 February : Kalyan Majumdar has been re-electedto the general secretary''s post of the East Bengal club after he beat challenger Kallol Dutta by a margin of 1299 votes here today.
The election was held on last Sunday while the countingof votes concluded late last night and the result was announced by the General (Retired) Shankar Roy Chowdhury, who was appointed as Special Officer to conduct the club election by Calcutta High Court. All the candidates who filed their nominations from the ruling group won their elections.
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Regional parties to form North East Democratic Forum: RioUNI, Botsa, 24 February : The regional parties of the North East have decided to set up common platform called North East Democratic Forum (NEDF), which will be launched in Guwahati on 18 March.
Talking to newsmen on the sidelines of a inauguration fuction of construction of a new road here, about 45 Kms from the state capital, this morning, Rio said the major regional political parties of Northeast met at New Delhi recently and decided to form the NEDF, with an objective to come together to raise a common voice for the development of the region. The Forum will take up all the regional issues, with a national outlook and to think globally.
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Coast Guard apprehends 23 poachers from Andaman SeaUNI, Port Blair, 24 February : Indian Coast Guard Ship Aruna Asaf Ali, continuing its tirade against foreign poachers, has apprehended 23 Myanmarese poachers along with two mechanised boats from shallow waters off North Reef and Paget Islands in two swift operations conducted on Wednesday night.
According to Indian Coast Guard the coast guard ship intercepted the poachers as they were attempting to sneak out to Myanamar after illegally collecting Sea cucumber from the Andaman Sea.
''The ship while maintaining enhanced vigil during EEZ patrol off Indo-Myanmar international maritime border observed a suspicious movement and appreciating that the contact was attempting to cross into Myanmar waters, the ship manouvered to cut off the poacher's escape route.
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Tripura girl 'Dipa' dreams of becoming Asia’s best Gymnast 
IANS, Agartala, 24 February : After setting a record by bagging five golds in the 34th National Games in Jharkhand, Tripura girl Dipa Karmakar now dreams of becoming the best gymnast in Asia.‘If I get suitable equipments, I can easily beat Asian girls including those of China and Japan,’ said Dipa confidently on arriving here late Tuesday evening after setting a record in the National Games.
The 17-year-old gymnast made her maiden appearance in the National Games and showed efficiency and fluency in vault, uneven bars, beam and floor exercises – on her way to five golds, including the overall crown.
Thrilled by the huge reception at airport, Dipa told reporters: ‘Tripura has a tradition to achieve success in the gymnasts. If the Tripura boys and girls get appropriate coaching, equipments and scope, they will do well even at the international events.’ ‘The credit for my success goes to my coach Bisweshwar Nandi. I have dedicated all my medals to him,’ said Dipa, who also represented India in the Guangzhou Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi last year. ‘Sunday was my life’s best moment when I became the allround individual champion in my first appearance in the National Games.’
Nandi, a former international gymnast, has coached Dipa since she was a child and feels she can go far with adequate support. ‘I have always told everybody that Dipa has huge talent and skill and can do wonders in gymnastics if she gets adequate support,’ said Nandi, a ten-time national champion.The Tripura government, the Tripura Gymnastic Association, the Tripura Olympic Association and other sports organisations are now busy giving a huge formal reception to Dipa next month after her higher secondary examination, which begins 28 February.
Deepa’s father and Sports Authority of India (SAI)’s weightlifting coach Dulal Karmakar said: ‘Tripura always has done well in India for gymnastics. On earlier occasions, several Tripura gymnasts had received medals in the national and international events.’ The proud father claimed that his daughter is determined to be one among the top gymnasts in the sub-continent.
He, however, felt that proper and modern equipment, similar to those used in China, Japan and Korea, were seriously needed to achieve the target.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar also met the golden girl and wished her success in future. ‘We would extend allout support to you in the 2012 Olympics. After your performance in the Asian Games and at the Commonwealth Games, we hope you would do better in the next edition,’ Sarkar was quoted by an official as saying to Dipa. န Photos : Parthajit Dutta
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