Suicide attack in Afghan

At least 20 civilians and an American soldier have been killed in a suicide car bomb attack against a US convoy in eastern Afghanistan, officials said.

The attack happened near Jalalabad, the capital of the eastern Nangarhar province.

At least 55 others have been wounded and taken to hospital, officials said.

A large number of foreign and Afghan troops are battling the Taleban in the south and east of the country and are routinely targeted by the militants.

The attacker detonated an explosives-laden vehicle close to the convoy on the road between the town of Torkham, on the Pakistani border, and Jalalabad, news agency AFP reported.

The incident took place near a wholesale fresh fruit market and an animal market in an area often packed with people, it said.

“One American soldier was wounded in the bombing and he died during transportation,” AFP quoted Major John Redfield, a spokesman for the US-led coalition as saying.

There are currently 33,000 US troops in Afghanistan.

US President George W Bush has announced that about 4,500 more soldiers would be sent to Afghanistan early next year.

 

300 feared dead in Pakistan quake

300 feared dead in Pakistan quake

The army has reached some survivors but thousands still await relief

Officials say they fear that up to 300 people have in an earthquake in Pakistan’s south-west Balochistan province. Up to 50,000 people are thought to be homeless following the 6.4 magnitude tremor on Wednesday. Since the quake, there have been many aftershocks, frightening people in villages and towns across a wide area. Rescuers are still scrambling to reach thousands of survivors who have spent two cold nights in the open. See a map of the affected area The official death toll is 215, but officials fear that more people than that have died, says the BBC’s Charles Haviland in Islamabad. Many people buried their close relatives soon after their deaths, making any accurate count difficult. A health officer in Ziarat has also stressed that some remote villages have not yet been has surveyed. Aftershocks Some survivors say that many villages away from main roads have only slowly and belatedly been receiving food, blankets and tents from the relief teams sent by the government. Military helicopters are being used to reach mountainous and remote locations, where some villages have been cut off by landslides. “The earthquake destroyed our houses, but now the government’s slow response is killing us,” said Moosa Kaleem, a survivor in Ziarat, the worst-affected area, told the Associated Press news agency.

The quake crushed hundreds of vulnerable houses

“We cannot spend another night in this chilling weather, especially the kids.” Several hundred aftershocks have been felt since the main earthquake. “I know these are aftershocks and not new earthquakes, and I also know these tremors may continue for a while but it is hard to convince children that they will be safe,” Amjad Aziz, a teacher in Ziarat who has been sleeping in his car since the quake, told AP. The aftershocks have also been felt in the city of Quetta. There, hospital patients – including people injured in the quake – are lying on the ground or on beds in the open air, as staff do not consider it safe to stay indoors. The shocks are still causing widespread alarm, and some people have left the city for rural areas. Activists with hard-line Islamic organisations were first to reach some of the most remote parts with relief supplies. Among them was Jamaat-ud-Dawa, designated a terrorist group by the US government for its links to Kashmiri Muslim separatists. The same group also helped survivors of a huge quake that devastated northern Pakistan in October 2005, killing up to 80,000 people. Balochistan is home to a long-running separatist movement, but has so far been spared the level of violence seen in the north-western tribal areas bordering Afghanistan. In 1935, Quetta suffered almost complete destruction in an earthquake which claimed the lives of about 30,000 people. Pakistan sits atop an area of seismic collision between the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates, the same force that created the Himalayan mountains.

 

‘Human catastrophe’ grips Congo

‘Human catastrophe’ grips Congo

Killings, rapes and looting have been reported around Goma

Fierce fighting between government and rebel forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo has caused a humanitarian catastrophe, the Red Cross says. Diplomatic efforts are under way to end the crisis, which has threatened to spill over into neighbouring Rwanda. A tense ceasefire is holding in the eastern city of Goma, where tens of thousands fled as rebels advanced. But rebel leader Gen Laurent Nkunda has threatened to take the city unless UN peacekeepers guarantee the ceasefire. Killings and rapes have been reported in Goma and aid has not been reaching the displaced. See detailed map of the area Oxfam and other leading international aid agencies have suspended operations in the city, where a main hospital as well as numerous businesses and homes have been looted. The Red Cross’s Michael Khambatta told the BBC the priority now was providing the vast numbers of civilians forced from their homes with food, medical aid, shelter and some sort of security. Overstretched peacekeepers After several days of fighting, Gen Nkunda declared the ceasefire on late on Wednesday, and his Tutsi forces are positioned some nine miles (15km) from Goma – the provincial capital of North Kivu.

While thousands have sought refuge in Goma, many thousands more have fled into the forests, where the militias cannot find them, and the aid agencies cannot help them Peter Greste DR Congo-Rwanda border Eyewitness: ‘Chaos in Congo city’ In pictures: Goma chaos Timeline: DR Congo

He said he was opening a “humanitarian corridor” so aid could reach the thousands of people trapped between his forces and UN soldiers backing up government troops in the city. Much of the looting has been blamed on retreating Congolese troops. The UN is considering redeploying some of its 17,000-strong force in DR Congo – the world’s largest – to bolster around 5,000 peacekeepers in the city. As the tense ceasefire held early on Friday, a multi-pronged diplomatic effort was under way to resolve the crisis. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon sent envoys to both DR Congo and Rwanda as each accused the other of launching cross-border incursions. The African Union is to hold crisis talks on Friday and EU efforts have been ongoing to bring Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Congolese President Joseph Kabila together. The EU is also to discuss sending troops to the area to aid the humanitarian effort. Fleeing for the forests Meanwhile, US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer has held talks with Mr Kabila in DR Congo’s capital, Kinshasa.

Exodus as terror spreads Q&A: DR Congo conflict Country profile: DR Congo

Many in DR Congo say Rwanda supports Gen Nkunda’s forces – something Rwanda denies. In the past two months, more than 200,000 people have been driven from their homes across eastern DR Congo. While thousands have sought refuge in Goma, many thousands more have fled into the forests, where the militias cannot find them, and the aid agencies cannot help them. Gen Nkunda has told the BBC his goal was to protect the Tutsi community from attack by Rwandan Hutu rebels, some of whom are accused of taking part in the country’s 1994 genocide. Correspondents say a race for the area’s mineral wealth is fuelling the conflict as much as ethnic enmities. There are growing concerns for the welfare of 39 wildlife rangers who were forced to flee into dense forest after their headquarters in eastern DR Congo were stormed by rebels.

 

Bihari Youth killed by Mumbai Police

Mumbai Police Killed Bihari Youth in BEST Bus Rahul Raj, an unemployed youth from Bihar, who was carrying gun in a BEST bus in Mumbai, was shot dead by the police after he challenged them and opened fire. According to sources, the person was a “mentally challenged” one. He shouted slogans against MNS chief Raj Thackeray and threatened to opened fire. The Mumbai Police asked him to surrender. The scuffle continued for a while and the person opened fire, forcing the cops to retaliate. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was brought dead. The conductor of the bus was injured in the scuffle. He is being treated in Rajawadi Hospital in Mumbai. Rahul Raj had come to Mumbai on October 24 in search of job and he was in a depressed condition, according to his friends. The killing of Rahul Raj has sparked off a major controversy and it has taken a political colour. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar has termed the killing of Rahul Raj as unwarranted and demanded a proper inquiry into the incident. He accused the Mumbai Police of excess against Rahul Raj. The Union Home Ministry has sought a detailed report from the Maharashtra DGP on this issue.

 

Sensex below 8000

The much-talked Orissa nun rape case has taken an interesting turn, as the nun, Sister Meena Lalita Barwa, who had gone into hiding and refused to cooperate with the police, broke her silence and held a press conference in New Delhi. The nun, whose face and head were covered with a scarf, sobbed before the international, national and regional TV cameras while narrating her tale of horror. The nun, Sister Meena revealed that she was raped by a rioting mob in K. Nuagaon in Kandhamal on August 25. Her press conference was held under the aegis of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India. The nun had to come out in open after the Supreme Court rejected her demand for a CBI probe and asked her to cooperate with the state crime branch. With tears rolled down her cheeks and a choked voice, Sister Meena said, “I was raped and now I don’t want to be victimised by the Orissa Police. I want a CBI inquiry. The state police were present when I was brutally raped. They were friendly with the attackers and tried their best to prevent me from filing an FIR. I don’t have any trust in Orissa police. I want a CBI probe”, said the nun. The nun read from a prepared statement at the press conference held at the Indian Social Institute on Lodhi Road in Delhi. During the 15-minute press conference, she narrated her traumatic experience in details, but did not take any questions. She also said that the rape occurred in the presence of over a dozen policemen. According to her version, she was raped, paraded naked and then handed over to the Block Development Officer, who took her to K. Nuagaon police outpost. Later, when she and Father Chellan tried to file an FIR, they were discouraged by the IIC, Baliguda Police Station. She also had to undergo a medical examination around 10 in the night. The nun confirmed that the mob also misbehaved and beat up Father Thomas Chellantharayil alias Father Chellan, who was with her. She demanded an immediate CBI probe and maintained that she does not want to cooperate with the state police, as she has lost trust in them.

Students in Bihar went on a rampage during today’s Bihar Bandh. Thousands of students turned violent and tried to vandalize the Patna University. The police had to resort to lathicharge to disperse the mob. The mob also set Sheikhpura Railway Station on fire and disrupted train services across Bihar. At least 150 students have been arrested so far. The Bihar Bandh has been called by student unions in Bihar.

A group of miscreants belonging to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ransacked the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) office in Nasik, protesting against the former ABVP member Pragyan (Pragnya) Singh in the Malegaon blast. The NCP goons shouted anti-ABVP slogans and attacked the ABVP office in Ashok Stambh locality in Nasik. The miscreants damaged the furniture and the board of VHP. They reportedly blackened the face of some ABVP members present in the office. Later, VHP and ABVP workers took to the streets in protest against the attack on ABVP office. Situation is tense, but under control in Nasik.

The Mumbai ATS confirmed that only a fringe Hindu group headed by Sadhvi Pragnya (Pragyan) Singh Chandrapal Singh Thakur (38) is involved in the Malegaon bomb blast. Pragnya Singh Thakur, known as Sadhvi Purnachetnagiri has taken ‘Sanyas’ in January 2007 and reportedly formed a group of fundamentalists to avenge the bomb blasts conducted by Islamic terror groups. Sadhvi Pragnya had joined ABVP in 1993. However, she later became a fierce leader, advocating Hindu Nationalism. Sadhvi Pragnya was the head of Madhya Pradesh ABVP Unit in 2002. She was seen campaigning for the BJP in Gujarat in 2002 and 2007 elections. Pragnya also shared the stage with Gujarat CM Narendra Modi during an election campaign. She denounced the material life and took ‘Sanyas’ in January 2007. The BJP, Bajrang Dal and ABVP now deny any link with Pragnya for a long time. According to sources, Pragnya was a fighter since her childhood. If we believe her father, who gave an interview to Star News TV Channel, Pragnya always fought injustice and never tolerated anti-social activities. According to her father Chandrapal Singh, Pragnya and her sister once beat up a group of goons from Congress party when they dared to take on the sisters. Pragnya and her sister reportedly beat up those goons to such an extent that they begged for mercy before these strong girls. Sadhvi Pragnya has been a tomboy since her childhood. She dressed up like boys, kept short hairs, learned fighting skills and had a great passion for bikes. She can ride any bike including Pulsar, Bullet etc. etc. She founded the Jai Vande Mataram Jan Kalyan Samiti in 2002. Pragnya’s accomplices Shivnarayan Gopalsingh Kalsangra (36) and Shyam Sabarlal Sahu (42), who were arrested by the Mumbai ATS, were part of her network. Her speeches were fiery and full of hatred against the Islamic terrorists. The Mumbai Police believe that Pragnya had a mission of carrying out bomb blasts across the country to avenge the bomb blasts conducted by Islamic terror groups. She had hatred in her mind and followed religious fanaticism. Although she was a former member of ABVP and Hindu Jagran Manch, she had formed her own network and pursued the mission secretly. It’s surprising that she chose her own bike to carry out the blast. According to Mumbai ATS, two Army officers detained in Pune, helped her to bring RDX from Kanpur. More arrests are likely in this case, as the ATS has reached Bhopal to proceed with their probe. The ATS sources claim that they have a 400 minutes tape between Sadhvi Pragnya and her associates. The tape was compiled after analyzing Pragnya’s mobile call details. More skeletons will tumble, as the probe progresses. Meanwhile, BJP and ABVP have distanced themselves from Sadhvi Pragnya, saying she was a former member of ABVP and had no recent links with the organization. However, Sadhvi Uma Bharti and Sadhvi Ritambara have come out in support of Sadhvi Pragnya and termed the latest development as a pre-planned conspiracy to frame Hindu groups. Hundreds of people took out a procession in Jabalpur in support of Sadhvi Pragnya. They burnt the effigy of Maharashtra government for allegedly framing Sadhvi Pragnya.

At 1127 hours, the 30-share BSE Index is down 443 points at 8257. NSE Nifty is down 128 points at 2,455. Sensex @1127 hrs: The Sensex touched a low of 8,057, and is now down 447 points at 8,254. Wipro has slumped 16.7% to Rs 196. Tata Power has tumbled nearly 14% to Rs 539. DLF has crashed 11% to Rs 181. SBI and Hindustan Unilever have plunged over 10% each to Rs 1,037 and Rs 202, respectively. TCS and NTPC have shed 9.5% each at Rs 443 and Rs 118, respectively. Tata Steel has dropped 9% to Rs 162. ONGC and Reliance Communications have slipped 7.8% each to Rs 608 and Rs 178, respectively. Ranbaxy has declined 7.5% to Rs 175. HDFC Bank and Grasim are down 6.8% each at Rs 906 and Rs 982, respectively. Mahindra & Mahindra, however, has rebounded into the positive zone and is now up 1.6% at Rs 292.

Bus Hijacked in Mumbai An unidentified gunman was killed on Monday by Mumbai Police in a state transport bus after he was suspected of trying to take the passengers hostage in suburban Kurla. The incident occurred around 0930 hours inside a BEST bus in the city’s northeast suburb of Kurla, they said. “The man fired at the police in ‘Bail’ bazar area of Kurla and was shot in retaliatory fire,” Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), Rakesh Maria said. The police suspect that the gunman was trying to take the bus passengers hostage and ‘this is being verified’. He was pronounced dead at the Rajawadi hospital in Ghatkopar, police said but did not release details about him. A passenger, who also sustained injuries in the incident, has been taken to the same hospital, where his condition is reported to be critical.

 

18 killed in Bharatpur

At least 18 people including 10 children were killed and over 20 injured when a firecracker explosion took place in an illegal firecracker factory in Deeg town in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur district. According to sources, the blast caused a major fire in the area and a few nearby houses were gutted by it. The injured are being treated in a local hospital. The police are investigating the matter. Further details are awaited.

The market meltdown continues… While the Dow Jones (down 551 points) and Nasdaq (down 81 points) crashed by a huge margin tonight, the Indian market opened on a disastrous note this morning. The BSE Sensex crashed by over 450 points to go below 10,000 mark. The Sensex was trading at 9,721 points when reports last came in. The Nifty too witnessed a sharp decline in it stocks and went below 3,000 mark for the first time since July 2006. All Asian markets opened in deep red, while markets in Brazil, Chile, Russia and Europe too witnessed a slump. The crude oil prices fell further to reach $67 per barrel. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown acknowledged for the first time that the global economic downturn may push the UK towards recession.

After the pay shock from the Union Government, the Army Officers got another jolt, as the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence has recommended the abolition of batmen or orderlies for them, terming the system as a “shameful practice”. The committee urged the defence ministry to abolish the orderly or sahayak system with immediate effect. It was a practice, which existed since the colonial era. The committee said that jawans are recruited for serving the nation and not to serve the family members of officers in household work. The Parliamentary Committee termed this as demeaning and humiliating. The report of the Parliamentary Committee was tabled in the Parliament on Tuesday. The committee believed that orderlies or sahayaks were misused by many officers and were forced to do lowly work such as taking kids to schools, washing clothes and taking the dogs to walk.

MNS Chief Raj Thackeray was granted bail in Kalyan case by the Kalyan court. Raj had to pay a personal bond of Rs. 15,000 to get the bail. Raj Thackeray also granted an interim bail in Dombivali rioting case and other cases till October 24. After the Kalyan court granted bail to Raj Thackeray, MNS activists erupted into joy and celebrations across Maharashtra. Raj Thackeray will remain a free man till October 24.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has denounced the divisive politics played by MNS chief Raj Thackeray and announced that Congress will take on Raj Thackeray and politicians like him if needed. He also sent a veiled threat to Raj Thackeray and MNS workers in Mumbai, who have held the city to ransom over the last few days or months. Rahul Gandhi was addressing a press conference in Dehradun. He also stressed on the need for organizations reforms for Congress and advocated the active participation of youth in Congress politics. “I am not Congress’ Yuvraj. I don’t like such terms being used”, said Rahul replying to the questions of media persons.

The Maharashtra Cabinet approved an ordinance, which will ensure that hooligans destroying public property would be forced to compensate for the loss. The ordinance comes in the wake of ongoing violence by MNS chief Raj Thackeray and his supporters across Maharashtra. According to Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra (who is also in charge of Home Ministry) RR Patil, the ordinance will have provisions under which destruction of public property will be subject a to a hefty fine up to Rs. 25,000 and jail up to five years. The ordinance has been approved by the State Cabinet and will be sent to the Governor for ratification.

Thousands of students in Bihar came to the streets to protest against MNS chief Raj Thackeray and his tirade against the North Indians. Train and road traffic have come to an halt in several places. Several trains including the Aurangabad-Mumbai Express were stopped by angry students. Violent protests have been reported from Barh, Sasaram and Patna. According to latest reports, a group of students set Durg Express on fire in Barh. At least three AC coaches of Durg Express were affected by the fire. The security personnel have been rushed to the spot. All passengers are reportedly safe. The police had to open fire in the air to disperse the violent students in Sasaram. At least four students were injured in the incident.

Maharashtra News! Mumbai News! At least three people were killed and scores of injured in the violent clashes in Dombivali area last night. The MNS workers went on a rampage in the late night and burnt shops around the Manpada police station in Dombivali, where Raj Thackeray was stationed. The MNS activists also indulged in stone pelting and damaged over 200 vehicles. They set many houses and a hotel on fire. Clashes occurred between the locals and MNS activists, resulting in the death of three people. Raj Thackery’s wife Sharmila Thackeray, who became active after his husband’s arrest, went on a dharna or sit-in after she was denied a meeting with Raj Thackeray. Meanwhile, the Mumbai police filed an application in Vikhroli court for the cancellation of Raj Thackeray’s bail, which was granted to him on February 12, 2008. The police have charged him for rioting in Dombivali. Separate cases have been registered against Raj Thackeray in Jalgaon, Bhusawal, Solapur, Thane and Chalisgaon. Raj Thackeray’s lawyers have also filed an application in Jamshedpur court to quash the case registered against him there. Raj Thackeray will be produced in the Kalyan court after 2 PM. The Mumbai Police has decided to impose curfew in Kalyan from 11 AM to prevent any untoward incidents.

October 22, 2008 – India made history in space science today by joining the elite club of countries that have sent space missions to moon. India’s dream moon mission, Chandrayaan I was lifted off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota today at 6.22 AM (IST). This is the first time India has sent an unmanned mission to moon. Chandrayaan I was launched on schedule without any glitch. Scientists confirmed that launch of Chandrayaan I was completely successful and it is heading in a right direction. Not only over a billion people in the country, but also millions across the world witnessed India’s entry into the elite club today. Chandrayaan 1 will take 11 days to reach the moon and it will spend around two years there. People of India rejoiced at the live telecast of India’s first-ever moon mission ‘Chandrayaan I’. Everyone was looking for Chandrayaan live. Scientists at ISRO jumped off their seat after the successful launch of Chandrayaan I. Chandrayaan 1 was put into orbit within 18 minutes of its launch. Chandrayaan launch became a big milestone in Indian history. The 1,380 kg (1.38 tonne) spacecraft, Chandrayaan 1 was put into orbit by India’s home-grown rocket PSLV-C11. It was PSLV’s 13 success in a row, as it already had launched 12 spacecrafts before the Chandrayaan launch. The Chandrayaan I is shaped like a cuboid or rectangular prism. Chandrayaan I carries 11 payloads – five from India and others from foreign countries. India became the third Asian country after Japan and China and sixth nation in the world to send a unmanned lunar mission to moon. ISRO (Indian Speace Research Organization) has already planned the Chandrayaan 2 mission in 2011. Besides India, the USA, Russia, the European Space Agency, Japan and China have already sent missions to moon. According to ISRO sources, India is planning a manned space mission in 2014 and a manner moon mission in 2020. Interestingly, China has planned a manned moon mission for 2024. The Chandrayaan -1 mission was built at a budget of $86 million (Rs. 386 cr). President Dr. Pratibha Patil, PM Dr. Manmohan Singh and many other top leaders have congratulated the scientists at ISRO and countrymen on the successful launch of Chandrayaan I. There is no doubt that ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) made the country proud.

At least 14 people were feared dead and 30 injured in a powerful bomb blast in Imphal, capital of Manipur. The bomb went off around 7.20 PM in the Ragallong village on the outskirts of Imphal. The injured have been rushed to Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal. The police personnel have cordoned off the area and stepped up combing operation. The blast took place close to a Manipur Police commando complex.

 

Amitabh Bachchan has been discharged

Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel revealed that government forced Jet Airways to reverse the decision on the sacking of over 800 employees. Mr. Patel also claimed that he talked to Jet Airways Chairman Naresh Goyal and asked him to reconsider the retrenchment. Earlier, Naresh Goyal had denied of any political pressure to take back the sacked employees. Mr. Praful Patel also clarified that there would not be any lay-offs within Air India.

In a huge relief for millions of fans, Superstar Amitabh Bachchan has been discharged from Lilavati Hospital this morning. Amitabh spent 6 days in hospital after he complained abdominal pain. His condition was critical, but later he recovered completely. Amitabh was discharged from the hospital, after the doctors declared him fit. He has advised rest for a few weeks.

 

Blast hits Kanpur

At least six people were injured in a crude bomb blast in Kanpur on Tuesday evening. A blast has been reported from the city of Kanpur on Tuesday evening, when a bomb went off in the Bajaria area of Colonelganj police station. The device was reportedly placed on a rented bicycle. The blast took off at around 7 pm. Reports suggest 6 people have been injured, including a woman and two children. The area- situated in the centre of the city- is highly crowded and minority dominated. Several cracker manufacturing units are located here. It is a densely populated area, packed with slums in narrow lanes. The nature of the explosive is not confirmed, but is suspected to be of crude variant. The blast was a low-intensity one. Official details are awaited. The entire city of Kanpur has been put on high-alert, with the site being cordoned-off. The blast occurred at 6.30 PM this evening. Two of the injured are said to be critical. All of them have been admitted to a city hospital. According to police, the crude bomb was planted on a cycle. The police refused to term this blast as a terror attack and said it could be the handiwork of some anti-social elements. May be possible that after impossing the section 144 by Mayawati in Rai Barely frustrated congress workors are involved in this blast.

Privious blast in Kanpur was on August 24: Bomb making materials found from the spot Two persons were killed in an explosion in a house in the Rajeev Nagar area on Sunday afternoon. The police recovered 3 kg lead oxide, 500 g red lead, 1 kg potassium nitrate, 11 countrymade grenades, several bomb pins, seven timers and batteries from the spot. The deceased have been identified as Rajeev Mishra and Bhupinder Singh. While Rajeev was the son of S S Mishra, the landlord of the house, Bhupinder was a resident of Shastri Nagar. Mishra, a retired Kanpur Electric Supply Company employee, lives in the nearby Nankari village. He had rented a few rooms of his house to several students. Rajeev’s occupied the room in which the blast took place. As he worked in Lucknow, he used to visit the place on Sundays. According to the police, while Bhupinder died on the spot, Rajeev died on his way to hospital. Till last reports came in, the police were conducting a search in Rajeev’s residence. Bhupinder’s house was found locked. Manvendra Singh Chauhan, one of the students, said: “While everybody knew Rajeev, we saw Bhupinder for the first time on Sunday.” IG (Kanpur Zone) S N Singh claimed either low intensity chemical or countrymade bombs caused the explosion. “The recovery shows that a massive explosion was on the cards. We are trying to find the reason behind Bhupinder’s visit to the house on Sunday,” he said. According to a senior police officer, the material found could have been used for several explosions. Of the seven timers recovered, two were attached with batteries with the help of wires. The countrymade hand grenades recovered were similar to those used by the defence forces.

 

Sonu Died

Two-year-old Sonu, who fell into a 150-feet deep borewell near Agra on Thursday, was finally brought out of the borewell by the Army after 90 hours. But she was declared dead by the doctors.

The Army had to try hard to bring Sonu out of borewell. Sonu was trapped at a height of 72 feet inside the borewell. Sonu was immediately taken to the hospital, where the authorites declared him brought dead.