Jail authorities said Major Nikhil Rai Handa has been asked to inform jail staff whenever he feels any kind of apprehension inside prison.

Major Nikhil Rai Handa was arrested from Meerut after Shailza Dwivedi, wife of Major Amit Dwivedi, was found dead on June 23 near Delhi Cantonment Metro station. (Express photo)

Army officer Major Nikhil Rai Handa, accused of murdering another Army Major’s wife, moved an application in a city court, alleging he was “beaten up” in a prison van en route to Tihar Jail. The alleged incident took place on July 3, when he was last produced in Patiala House Court.

Lawyer Sanjeev Sahay, who represents Handa, alleged, “He was beaten up by some inmates and it seems there is a bigger issue involved. We have moved an application raising his security concerns and asked for a separate cell and van for his transportation.”

Metropolitan Magistrate Manisha Tripathi directed jail authorities to file a reply. Deputy Superintendent of Central Jail numbers 8-9 said Handa was only “manhandled and misbehaved with”. There is no reference to any beating in the jail report. The superintendent also said the Major has been told not to come out of his ward without permission.

“Undertrial prisoner Handa was called and heard, where he informed that he was misbehaved with and manhandled by some unknown inmates in the jail van… the accused is lodged in Reception Ward meant for new inmates, and no other inmate from any other ward is permitted to enter… However, in view of his safety and security, he has been asked not to come out of his cell without permission or reason,” said the jail superintendent.

Jail authorities said Handa has been asked to inform jail staff whenever he feels any kind of apprehension inside prison. Stating that the staff has also been briefed to keep vigil for ensuring safe and secure custody, the superintendent responded, “The accused is safe and threat perception inside the jail has been brought to the notice of the jail administration till Friday.” Tihar authorities said a copy of the application has been sent to DCP 3rd Batallion for the Major’s safety, as transportation of inmates comes under them.

Handa was arrested from Meerut after Shailza Dwivedi, wife of Major Amit Dwivedi, was found dead on June 23 near Delhi Cantonment Metro station.

Heavy rain in the area caused the landslide. Tribune photo

Tribune News Service

Manali, June 29

The Manali-Leh National Highway-3 has been blocked due to a massive landslide near Marhi at Chumbak mod, nearly 30 km from here.

Heavy rain in the area for the past 24 hours caused the landslide.

The landslide occured late night on Thursday and came into light by early morning on Friday. The local administration was informed by the commuters at around six in the morning.

Border Roads Organisation (BRO) officer Avril Jain confirmed the landslide and said that the road would be clear soon.

“The road clearing operation has started and would be done soon for the traffic. Machines have been deputed along with the BRO engineering team,” said Jain.

Long queues of vehicles were seen on both sides of the highway as the landslide left more than 2,000 vehicles stranded. The police have been deployed to monitor the traffic situation. With agencies

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A mobile application, available in Android and iOS platforms, that would have the facilities for applying, paying and scheduling appointments for acquiring a passport has also been launched.

mPassport Seva App’ launched for applying & scheduling appointments for acquiring a passport

New Delhi, June 26

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday launched a new scheme under which a person can apply for a passport from anywhere in India irrespective of the place of stay.The minister also launched a mobile application, available in Android and iOS platforms, that would have the facilities for applying, paying and scheduling appointments for acquiring a passport.Under the new scheme, launched on the occasion of the Sixth Passport Seva Divas, a person can now choose the Regional Passport Office (RPO) and the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) for submitting the application. The application can be submitted irrespective of whether the person’s present residential address was within the jurisdiction of the selected RPO or not, a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement said.The police verification, if required for a specific passport, would be conducted at the address specified in the application form, it said. The passport will be printed and despatched by the RPO selected for application submission by the applicant to the address specified in the application, the statement said. — PTI

Smita Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 22

Seychelles President Danny Faure arrived in Gujarat on Friday evening even as it became clear that the proposal for a joint military base in the remote coral Assumption Islands will not find its way into the archipelago nation’s parliament for ratification.On a six-day visit, Faure will be in Delhi on Monday when he will be accorded a ceremonial reception before holding official talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Earlier, President Faure was quoted by the local media as saying the Assumption Island issue will not be discussed with PM Modi. However, Indian sources suggest the matter is on the table for quiet discussions, though public pressure will not be mounted to allow Seychelles to sort out its own domestic politics.The agreement involves India investing $550m to build a military base to be shared by both countries for up to 30 years. Following public protests on grounds of sovereignty and environmental concerns, the deal was revised on January 27 to clarify issues such as prohibition of nuclear use on the island as well as not allowing India to use the base in war. Yet opposition persists, leaving the minority government with its hands tied.“The government will not present the agreement to the National Assembly (parliament) for approval because Opposition members (who are in majority) have already said they will not ratify it,” Seychelles Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Barry Faure told Reuters just ahead of Faure’s India visit.“Hence the question of whether the agreement has been cancelled or not does arise — we will simply not take it to the Assembly,” he added.New Delhi wants to ensure safety of its vessels in southern Indian Ocean and increase strategic presence in waters as China expands its maritime footprint with its new overseas military base in Djibouti.

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 14

In a first, the UN body OHCHR (UN Human Rights office of The High Commissioner) published a report on human rights situation on both sides of Kashmir and slammed both India and Pakistan.“The 49-page report–the first ever issued by the UN on the human rights situation in Indian-Administered and Pakistan-Administered Kashmir–details human rights violations and abuses on both sides of the Line of Control, and highlights a situation of chronic impunity for violations committed by security forces,” says the report.The report asks both sides to adhere to the ceasefire agreement, and asks India to repeal AFSPA and release political prisoners, among others.It also recommends, “Fully respect the right of self-determination of the people of Kashmir as protected under international law.”In response to a question on the Report, the official spokesperson said: “India rejects the report. It is fallacious, tendentious and motivated. We question the intent in bringing out such a report. It is a selective compilation of largely unverified information. It is overtly prejudiced and seeks to build a false narrative.“The report violates India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The entire state of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. Pakistan is in illegal and forcible occupation of a part of the Indian state through aggression. We have repeatedly called upon Pakistan to vacate the occupied territories. The incorrect description of Indian territory in the report is mischievous, misleading and unacceptable. There are no entities such as ‘Azad Jammu and Kashmir’ and ‘Gilgit-Baltistan’.“Terrorism is the most egregious violation of human rights. Yet the authors have conveniently ignored the pattern of cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan and territories under its illegal control. Cross-border terror and incitement is aimed at suppressing the will of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, disrupting its political and social fabric and undermining India’s integrity.“It is disturbing that those behind this report have chosen to describe internationally designated and UN-proscribed terrorist entities as “armed groups” and terrorists as “leaders”. This undermines the UN-led consensus on zero tolerance to terrorism.“The motivated report deliberately ignores that fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution to every Indian citizen, including in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, are protected also by an independent judiciary, human rights commissions, free and vibrant media and an active civil society.“Our protest and views in the matter have been conveyed unequivocally to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. We are deeply concerned that individual prejudices are being allowed to undermine the credibility of a UN institution.“Such malicious reports cannot undermine the will of the people and the Government of India to take all measures necessary to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country from cross-border terrorism.”

Chandigarh, June 11

BJP Rajya Sabha member D P Vats has said stone-pelters in Kashmir Valley should be hit with bullets.Pakistan has started a proxy war with the country and each day our forces in Jammu and Kashmir are being attacked, the former commandant of Pune’s Armed Forces Medical College said on Sunday.”…I am of the opinion that stone-pelters should be hit with bullet,” Vats said when asked about the Jammu and Kashmir government’s decision to withdraw cases against people involved in stone-pelting incidents.Pakistan has not learnt a lesson despite tasting defeat many times in direct wars with India and is now engaged in proxy war, the retired lieutenant general told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Bhiwani yesterday.When PTI today asked him if he stood by his comment, Vats said, “I am an Army officer, the Army has been fighting a proxy war waged by Pakistan for a long time. What does my soldier fighting this proxy war on ground in Kashmir expect of me? As an Army officer, I stand by what I have said.”He also said each day bodies of soldiers killed in Kashmir are sent to their native places.”What should soldiers expect of their officers? We cannot let down their morale. They cannot be attacked and pelted with stones,” he said.Vats (69), who hails from Hisar, was recently elected to the Upper House of Parliament. He had served as the director and commandant of the prestigious AFMC, Pune.He has also served as the chairman of the Haryana Public Service Commission between May 2011 and April 2012 during the Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress government in the state. On June 1, two youths were injured after they had allegedly been hit by a CRPF vehicle during clashes between protesters and security forces in Nowhatta area here in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir.The duo was taken to SKIMS hospital at Soura here where one of them-Kaiser Bhat-succumbed around midnight. – PTI

Bijay Sankar Bora

Tribune News Service

Shillong, June 7

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“Had our youth from Punjabi Lane not put up a brave resistance, they (the aggressors) would have resorted to genocide,” recounted Gurjeet Singh, the secretary of the Harijan Panchayat Committee and president of the Gurdwara Committee at Punjabi Lane, Bara Bazar, here.“A 400-strong mob, armed with weapons and petrol bombs, came with the obvious intention to raze the colony. The police were caught offguard. But 30-40 youths from the colony, carrying swords, repulsed the attack. Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) P Pandey did a commendable job in saving us,” Gurjeet Singh told The Tribune. Punjabi lane has the oldest gurdwara in Meghalaya that was built in 1893. Over the years, because of the burgeoning population of Scheduled Caste Sikhs and other non-tribal communities, the place has turned into a ghetto. Residents come out on the street from their ramshackle dwellings, work and go back. “The process of relocation of residents from Punjabi Colony was initiated way back in 1987. All state governments since then have failed to solve the problem.

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Original land documents are with us. There have been legal issues, but court rulings have been in our favour. If they could evict us legally, they would have done so long ago. But they know they can’t and now intend to resort to force to scare us away,” the community leader said.“When our forefathers arrived here, it was a jungle. Now that the area has become a prime location, they (local Khasi tribe) want to capture it by any means. The latest violence is the handiwork of powerful politicians and some NGOs who want to set up business here. Those who came to attack were merely tools in their hands,” said Baba Joginder Singh, another community leader, who is Jathedar, North East Zone Rangreta Dal.Even as life is limping back to normal with curfew in Punjabi Lane rescheduled (2 pm to 5 am), the residents continue to remain jittery. A high-level committee formed by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to examine the long-standing demand for relocating Punjabi Lane residents held its first meeting and decided to begin the process of collecting documents. The committee chairman and Deputy CM, Preston Tyngson, said they would meet again soon.