Railway fares hiked, to be effective from Jan 21 midnight

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the proposed railway budget for 2013-14, Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal on Wednesday announced a fare hike that will take effect from January 21 midnight.

Addressing a press conference here, Bansal said that having hiked the railway fares now, the government will not increase the tariff in the budget.

"Train fares will be hiked from January 21 for all passengers, including the AC-1 and AC-2 tier passengers who were affected in early 2012. The hike will be two paise per km to 10 paise per km across classes. All fares will be rounded off to Rs 5, and there will be no fare hike in the Railway Budget," he said.

Justifying the hike, Bansal said passenger segment losses are likely to touch Rs 25,000 crore in the current fiscal.

"Input costs have increased immensely while rail fares have remained stagnant. In fact there was a decrease in lower class fares. Given economic slowdown, we have not been able to so far achieve this year's targets in either freight or fare side," he added.

He said that the slowdown has further impacted railways' earnings.

He further said that extra revenue earned through the fare hike will be used to maintain cleanliness and safety.

This is the first railway fare hike in ten years.

Railway fares hiked, to be effective from Jan 21 midnight

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the proposed railway budget for 2013-14, Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal on Wednesday announced a fare hike that will take effect from January 21 midnight.

Addressing a press conference here, Bansal said that having hiked the railway fares now, the government will not increase the tariff in the budget.

"Train fares will be hiked from January 21 for all passengers, including the AC-1 and AC-2 tier passengers who were affected in early 2012. The hike will be two paise per km to 10 paise per km across classes. All fares will be rounded off to Rs 5, and there will be no fare hike in the Railway Budget," he said.

Justifying the hike, Bansal said passenger segment losses are likely to touch Rs 25,000 crore in the current fiscal.

"Input costs have increased immensely while rail fares have remained stagnant. In fact there was a decrease in lower class fares. Given economic slowdown, we have not been able to so far achieve this year's targets in either freight or fare side," he added.

He said that the slowdown has further impacted railways' earnings.

He further said that extra revenue earned through the fare hike will be used to maintain cleanliness and safety.

This is the first railway fare hike in ten years.

Bodies of jawans being brought to Delhi

NEW DELHI: The bodies of two jawans who were brutally killed by Pakistan troops were being flown to Delhi.

Wrapped in the tri-colour, the bodies of Lance Naik Hemraj (29) and Lance Naik Sudhakar Singh (28), who laid down their lives while fighting Pakistani troop during a raid by 29 Baloch Regiment, were brought to Rajouri from the forward post in Poonch district today.

At Rajouri, wreaths were laid by Deputy General Officer Commanding (Dy-GOC) Brig J C Tiwari. The bodies were later taken in a helicopter to Jammu technical airport, from where they are being flown to Delhi.

While Lance Naik Hem Raj belongs to Mathura belt of Uttar Pradesh, Lance Naik Sudhakar Singh is from Madhya Pradesh.

The jawans were yesterday killed by Pakistani troops after intruding into deep into Indian Territory along Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting an outraged India to summon the Pakistan High Commissioner in Delhi to protest the "highly provocative" attack.

 

Bodies of jawans being brought to Delhi

NEW DELHI: The bodies of two jawans who were brutally killed by Pakistan troops were being flown to Delhi.

Wrapped in the tri-colour, the bodies of Lance Naik Hemraj (29) and Lance Naik Sudhakar Singh (28), who laid down their lives while fighting Pakistani troop during a raid by 29 Baloch Regiment, were brought to Rajouri from the forward post in Poonch district today.

At Rajouri, wreaths were laid by Deputy General Officer Commanding (Dy-GOC) Brig J C Tiwari. The bodies were later taken in a helicopter to Jammu technical airport, from where they are being flown to Delhi.

While Lance Naik Hem Raj belongs to Mathura belt of Uttar Pradesh, Lance Naik Sudhakar Singh is from Madhya Pradesh.

The jawans were yesterday killed by Pakistani troops after intruding into deep into Indian Territory along Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting an outraged India to summon the Pakistan High Commissioner in Delhi to protest the "highly provocative" attack.

 

Missing Indian student's mother seeks Centre's help

BANGALORE: The mother of a 19-year old Indian student missing since New Year eve from Manchester in United Kingdom today made an impassioned plea to the Centre for its intervention in locating her son.

The family of Souvik Pal, hailing from Kolkata and living here, has written to External Affairs Minister Salman Khushrid and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seeking their help, the boy's mother Mahuya Pal told reporters.

A sobbing Mahuya also sought help of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi in the matter.
"My heart is filled with grief. I am awaiting his return. I humbly appeal to the Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi to help my son get back to me," she said.

Pal, a product designing student at Manchester Metropolitan University, went missing on the night of December 31, 2012 while attending a New Year party and was last seen trudging from the party venue.

His father has rushed to UK after hearing about his son's disappearance.

Mahuya also said she would be writing to Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar seeking his help.

She said she was not suspecting any foul play because Souvik was a brilliant student and had been awarded by the Vice-Chancellor of Manchester Metropolitan University for his creativity in product design course.

"Souvik used to call us and say he was happy studying in Manchester along with good friends. It is been three months since he has been staying in Manchester and I don't think he would have had any rivalry with anybody," she said.

"When it was 12 midnight IST (on December 31), Souvik called me. He wished me and told me that he was going for a party," she recalled.

Souvik chose Manchester because of the "fantastic facilities," she added.

British Police had on January 2 informed the family that Souvik was missing and that one of his friends had filed a complaint. "We have been in constant touch with the police but we have not heard anything reassuring from them," she said.

On December 26, 2011, Indian student Anuj Bidve, 23, was shot dead in an unprovoked attack on a Salford street in Manchester by a 20-year-old Briton, Kiaran Stapleton, who described himself as 'Psycho Stapleton'.

  

Missing Indian student's mother seeks Centre's help

BANGALORE: The mother of a 19-year old Indian student missing since New Year eve from Manchester in United Kingdom today made an impassioned plea to the Centre for its intervention in locating her son.

The family of Souvik Pal, hailing from Kolkata and living here, has written to External Affairs Minister Salman Khushrid and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seeking their help, the boy's mother Mahuya Pal told reporters.

A sobbing Mahuya also sought help of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi in the matter.
"My heart is filled with grief. I am awaiting his return. I humbly appeal to the Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi to help my son get back to me," she said.

Pal, a product designing student at Manchester Metropolitan University, went missing on the night of December 31, 2012 while attending a New Year party and was last seen trudging from the party venue.

His father has rushed to UK after hearing about his son's disappearance.

Mahuya also said she would be writing to Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar seeking his help.

She said she was not suspecting any foul play because Souvik was a brilliant student and had been awarded by the Vice-Chancellor of Manchester Metropolitan University for his creativity in product design course.

"Souvik used to call us and say he was happy studying in Manchester along with good friends. It is been three months since he has been staying in Manchester and I don't think he would have had any rivalry with anybody," she said.

"When it was 12 midnight IST (on December 31), Souvik called me. He wished me and told me that he was going for a party," she recalled.

Souvik chose Manchester because of the "fantastic facilities," she added.

British Police had on January 2 informed the family that Souvik was missing and that one of his friends had filed a complaint. "We have been in constant touch with the police but we have not heard anything reassuring from them," she said.

On December 26, 2011, Indian student Anuj Bidve, 23, was shot dead in an unprovoked attack on a Salford street in Manchester by a 20-year-old Briton, Kiaran Stapleton, who described himself as 'Psycho Stapleton'.

  

Delhi gang rape: Court upholds ban on reporting by media

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court Wednesday upheld a magisterial court order for in-camera proceedings in the case of December 16 gang rape of 23-year-old girl and restraining media from reporting it.

District and Sessions Judge R K Gauba said there was nothing "illegal" or "improper" in the January 7 order of the magistrate.

“The Metropolitan Magistrate was not only within her rights, rather duty-bound to apply the provisions of section 327 (2) (conducting in-camera proceedings in cases of rape and related offences) of the CrPC to the proceedings of the case,” the judge said.

“The fact that a large crowd had entered her court room leaving no space for even the under trial prisoners to be brought in only added to the circumstances leading to passing of the order,” the judge said.

On January 7, a magistrate had restrained the media from reporting and publishing the proceedings of the case in the court noting that the courtroom was jam-packed with members of the bar and general public who were unconnected with the case and not prepared to leave it due to which the accused could not be produced before her.

The sessions court said as per section 327(2) CrPC, it is mandatory for the presiding officer to hold the proceedings in-camera in cases of rape and related offences.

Noting that the arguments of the petitioner advocates that the case is still at the stage of committal and not trial, the judge observed, “Eventually the trial court would also be required to regulate proceedings in terms of section 327 of the CrPC.”

During the arguments, Public Prosecutor Rajiv Mohan opposed the plea saying the relief sought in the petition is against the provisions of the CrPC and hence it is liable to be dismissed with cost.

      

 

  

Delhi gang rape: Court upholds ban on reporting by media

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court Wednesday upheld a magisterial court order for in-camera proceedings in the case of December 16 gang rape of 23-year-old girl and restraining media from reporting it.

District and Sessions Judge R K Gauba said there was nothing "illegal" or "improper" in the January 7 order of the magistrate.

“The Metropolitan Magistrate was not only within her rights, rather duty-bound to apply the provisions of section 327 (2) (conducting in-camera proceedings in cases of rape and related offences) of the CrPC to the proceedings of the case,” the judge said.

“The fact that a large crowd had entered her court room leaving no space for even the under trial prisoners to be brought in only added to the circumstances leading to passing of the order,” the judge said.

On January 7, a magistrate had restrained the media from reporting and publishing the proceedings of the case in the court noting that the courtroom was jam-packed with members of the bar and general public who were unconnected with the case and not prepared to leave it due to which the accused could not be produced before her.

The sessions court said as per section 327(2) CrPC, it is mandatory for the presiding officer to hold the proceedings in-camera in cases of rape and related offences.

Noting that the arguments of the petitioner advocates that the case is still at the stage of committal and not trial, the judge observed, “Eventually the trial court would also be required to regulate proceedings in terms of section 327 of the CrPC.”

During the arguments, Public Prosecutor Rajiv Mohan opposed the plea saying the relief sought in the petition is against the provisions of the CrPC and hence it is liable to be dismissed with cost.

      

 

  

Body of man found in engine of Bangalore-Kochuveli Express

KOLLAM: A body of a man in mid-50’s was found stuck on the hook in front of the engine of the Bangalore-Kochuveli Express. The body was noticed when the train reached the Kollam railway station at 8.15 am. The identity of the person has not been ascertained so far.

The engine driver told police that he saw the man standing near the track jumping in front of the train when it reached Chemmammukku over bridge near the Kollam station.

The railway employees and passengers saw the body when the train reached the station and informed the driver and the guard. The railway police reached the spot completed the proceedings and shifted the body to the mortuary of the district hospital. The railway police have registered a case.

Body of man found in engine of Bangalore-Kochuveli Express

KOLLAM: A body of a man in mid-50’s was found stuck on the hook in front of the engine of the Bangalore-Kochuveli Express. The body was noticed when the train reached the Kollam railway station at 8.15 am. The identity of the person has not been ascertained so far.

The engine driver told police that he saw the man standing near the track jumping in front of the train when it reached Chemmammukku over bridge near the Kollam station.

The railway employees and passengers saw the body when the train reached the station and informed the driver and the guard. The railway police reached the spot completed the proceedings and shifted the body to the mortuary of the district hospital. The railway police have registered a case.