J&K assembly defers discussion on VK Singh's charges

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly on Saturday deferred till Monday the discussion on allegations levelled by former Army chief General (Retd) VK Singh that politicians in the state were paid money by the army to get certain jobs done.

The decision was announced by speaker Mubarak Gul after several MLAs from Jammu sought the postponement of the discussion in view of Navratras beginning today.

As soon as the house assembled, BJP MLA Ashok Khajuria pleaded that the discussion on the issue, which was listed for second sitting of the House today, be deferred till Monday.

Khajuria got support from opposition PDP members and CPI(M) MLA M Y Tarigami, who said religious sentiments of the concerned members should be respected.

Law minister Mir Saifullah said the government had no objection if the Speaker deferred the discussions.

The speaker had yesterday announced the discussions on the allegations would be held today.

The issue was raised in the House by PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, who said, "Our image has been maligned by his (Singh's) allegations. I want to know when you are going to conduct the discussion."

A report in a national English daily last month claimed that a secret army intelligence unit, set up during Gen Singh's tenure as the chief of Army Staff, paid money to a Jammu and Kashmir minister to topple the Omar Abdullah-led government in 2010.

Gen (Retd) Singh has rejected the allegations that money was paid to topple the government of the day and later clarified that funds had been given to many ministers in the state right since Independence to get certain jobs done.

The ruling National Conference has demanded a CBI inquiry into the allegations. The ministers of the ruling party have also moved a privilege motion against the former Army Chief, which is pending before the Speaker for a ruling.

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2011 Advani bomb case: Panna Ismail, Bilal Malik arrested

CHENNAI: In a gun battle that lasted over 12 hours, two key suspects involved in the 2011 Advani pipe bomb case and recent murders of BJP and Sangh parivar unit leaders, were arrested from a house at Puthur in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday, a top official said.

"Panna Ismail and Bilal Malik have been arrested," Tamil Nadu DGP K Ramanujam told PTI.

With this, three of the four suspects in the cases were arrested by Crime Branch CID of Tamil Nadu Police.

Based on information from Fakruddin, who was arrested on Friday, police surrounded a house at Puthur in Andhra Pradesh, some 120 km from here, around 3am.

Tense moments prevailed in the area as a gun battle broke out between the police and suspects. Ramanujam said a police inspector was injured when he was attacked by the accused before they locked themselves in the house.

"Police had to open fire in self-defence. (one of the key suspects) Panna Ismail was injured..", the DGP said.

The injured inspector has been admitted to the Neuro ICU of the Sri Ramachandra Medical Hospital where hospital sources said his "condition is critical but stable".

Police later found out that Malik's wife and three children were also in the house and talks were held with the accused to let them out.

"Malik's wife and three children safely came out (later on)," the DGP said.

After over 12 hours, the two accused were taken to a secret place for further inquiry. However, the fourth suspect Abu Backer Siddique is still at large.

The arrest of the three key suspects, comes days ahead of BJP's prime ministerial candidate and Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi's proposed visit to Chennai on October 18.

Special Investigation Division of CB-CID Police, probing the murder of senior state unit BJP functionary Auditor Ramesh and Hindu Munnani leader Vellaiyappan, recently intensified efforts to trace four suspects in the cases and printed one lakh posters announcing a Rs five lakh cash prize each for information on them.

The four were also wanted in connection with the planting of a pipe bomb on the yatra route of BJP leader L K Advani near Tirumangalam in Madurai District.

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AAP promises assembly session at Ramlila ground for Jan Lokpal

NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party, if voted to power, will hold a special assembly session at Ramlila ground on December 29 to adopt Jan Lokpal Bill as proposed by anti-graft activist Anna Hazare, its national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said here on Saturday.

He said it would be a befitting reply to those MPs who have made mockery of the Bill during the winter session of Parliament.

"Election dates have been announced and by December 15 we will form the government and on December 29 a special session (of the assembly) would be called at Ramlila ground, where Anna Hazare was on 11-day long fast unto death for Jan Lokpal Bill, and the Bill would be adopted there," Kejriwal claimed.

He said Congress and BJP are two face of the same coin as BJP is not against Congress or Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, but they both are campaigning against AAP.

"The elections this time also is going to be bipolar. But instead of Congress and BJP being the poles, this time, Congress and BJP are one pole while AAP is the other," he said, adding if this is not the case then why BJP had not protested against hike in power tariff.

Asked whether Anna Hazare will campaign for his party and candidates, Kejriwal said he has made it clear that he is not going to campaign for him or his party.

The AAP has announced 57 candidates out of 70 assembly seats for the December 4 elections.

When asked why some of the candidates have refused to contest the elections after getting ticket, he said, "They have vacated their seats for more able candidates as our aim is to win the elections, which is very important for us."

While addressing media, party leader Yogendra Yadav, who was recently removed from the panel of University Grants Commission, said that it is going to be a poll of realignment and "elections in Delhi won't be a race of two horses."

Asked if he perceives BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's wave as a threat, he said "let's us see if his wave works in Delhi."

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Foreign cigarettes worth Rs 10 lakh seized from Mangalore airport

MANGALORE: Sleuths of the directorate of revenue intelligence (DRI) seized 1,000 cartons of foreign cigarettes worth Rs 10 lakh from eight passengers, who travelled by the Dubai - Mangalore Air India Express flight, at Mangalore International Airport at 9.30am on Saturday.

DRI sleuths found cartons of branded cigarettes — including Davidoff, Dunhill, Rothmans and Gudang Garam concealed in boxes in the luggage of passengers Abdul Rahiman, Abdul Azeez, Abdul Khader, Abdul Gafoor, Mohammed Shafi, Mohammed Kunhi, Abdul Rahman and Habeeb.

All accused hail from Kasargod district of Kerala.

Each carton contained 20 packets with a total of 20 lakh cigarettes in aggregate. Sources said that foreign-made cigarettes are sold in the black market for huge price in Mangalore, Kasargod and other places. DRI has since handed over the case to customs for further investigation.

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Samjhauta blast case: NIA court declines B-class facility to Swami Aseemanand

PANCHKULA: A special court of National Investigation Agency (NIA) at Panchkula on Saturday refused to provide B-class facility inside jail to radical Hindu activist and main accused in Samjhauta blast case, Swami Aseemanand.

Special public prosecutor NIA, RK Handa told that the NIA judge, Gurvinder Kaur that B-class facility to Swami Aseemanand has been denied after considering the arguments of jail authorities that people involved in heinous crimes are not entitled to such facilities.

Aseemanand had sought the B-class facility on the grounds that he is a postgraduate; thus he is qualified to avail of the B-class facility as per the jail manuals.

Handa further informed that the jail authorities had submitted that the accused is involved in a heinous crime against the state involving the sovereignty of the country and cannot be provided with such facility as per their regulations.

In B-class facilities, jail inmates get the facility of bedding, separately cooked food or are allowed eating home-cooked food, newspapers and magazines, exemption from hard jobs, wearing clothes other than the prisoner's dress, and having more visitors than normal prisoners.

Assemanand and another accused were booked by the NIA in the Samjhauta Express blast case, in which 68 people were killed near Panipat town in Haryana in February 2007. He is facing trial at special NIA court Panchkula. NIA has already filed chargesheet against Swami Aseemanand, Lokesh Sharma and others. Most of the accused including Aseemanand are confined in Ambala jail.

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Andhra Pradesh law minister quits over state bifurcation decision

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh law minister Erasu Pratap Reddy on Friday resigned from the post and also from primary membership of Congress in protest against the Union Cabinet's decision to bifurcate the state.

He tendered his resignation to governor ESL Narasimhan on Friday afternoon.

Erasu was one of the dozen ministers who had submitted resignations to chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy in the first week of August following the July 30 decision of the Congress' Central Working Committee to divide AP.

The chief minister, however, did not accept the resignation and asked the ministers to wait for some more time and continue the fight for a united state till the end.

The Union Cabinet's decision on Thursday night left all the ministers red-faced and they publicly vent their ire against the Congress high command.

Erasu on Friday met the governor at the Raj Bhavan, minutes ahead of an emergency meeting called by the chief minister to discuss the future course of action, and submitted his resignation.

"The Congress' decision to bifurcate AP is against democracy," Erasu said, coming out of the Raj Bhavan.

"The Congress will be totally wiped out in Seemaandhra region," he said.

Last week, animal husbandry minister P Viswarupu quit his post as well as the Congress party over the state bifurcation decision.

His resignation was accepted by the governor on the advice of the chief minister.

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Geetika Sharma suicide case: Gopal Kanda surrenders, denied extension in interim bail

NEW DELHI: Former Haryana minister Gopal Kanda on Friday surrendered before a Delhi court upon expiry of his month-long interim bail in the Geetika Sharma suicide case.

He was taken into custody after being denied further relief.

The sitting MLA from Sirsa in Haryana, Kanda surrendered at 10am before additional sessions Judge MC Gupta, who rejected his plea for extension of interim bail, which expired today. He is facing charges of having abetted the suicide by the former airhostess.

The court will now hear Kanda's plea for a regular bail on October 10.

Kanda was granted interim bail on September 5, after nearly 13 months in custody, to attend the Haryana Assembly session on condition that he would show his attendance in the House.

The court had directed that he surrender before it on October 4 at 10am.

Kanda had sought extension of bail citing various obligations which he had to attend to in his constituency.

Kanda's co-accused and employee, Aruna Chadha, is out on interim bail till November 15 to attend religious and family events.

Chadha was arrested on August 8 last year while Kanda had surrendered before police 10 days later on August 18. The trial in the case began this year on May 27.

Chadha and Kanda are accused of abetting the suicide of 23-year-old former airhostess Sharma who was employed in Kanda's MDLR airlines.

They have also been charged with forgery for cheating and harming the reputation of the victim and under the Information Technology Act for sending fake e-mails to her.

The former airhostess was found dead on August 5, 2012, at her Ashok Vihar residence in north west Delhi. In her suicide note, she had said she was ending her life due to "harassment" by Kanda and Chadha.

Police had in its charge sheet said Kanda was obsessed with the victim and was putting pressure on her to come back to his company.

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Delhi court gives Tunda's custody to Hyderabad Police

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Friday allowed a plea of Hyderabad Police seeking custody of LeT bomb expert Abdul Karim Tunda in connection with a case lodged against him and others in 1998 on charges of waging war against India.

Additional sessions judge Dharmesh Sharma allowed the plea after the special cell of Delhi Police, which is investigating various cases involving Tunda, said they have no objection to Hyderabad Police's application.

"The application moved by Inspector B K Rao (of Hyderabad Police) is allowed. The superintendent, Tihar Jail, is directed to hand over the custody of accused Abdul Karim Tunda to B K Rao and his team after proper verification tomorrow to enable the police officials of Hyderabad to produced the accused before the special court Hyderabad," the judge said.

The special investigation team of Hyderabad Police had moved the court on October 1 seeking Tunda's custody after the accused was remanded to judicial custody till October 15 in connection with a 1997 bomb blast case lodged against him here.

During the hearing, advocate M S Khan, who appeared for Tunda, told the court that Hyderabad Police should be directed to produced Tunda here after his custodial interrogation gets over there and the accused should be allowed to take prescribed medicines during the remand.

At this juncture, the court asked Rao about it and he said that they would produce Tunda here after his custodial interrogation is over.

"In view of the undertaking (of Rao), the special court Hyderabad is requested that after investigation qua accused Abdul Karim Tunda is over, he be send back to Delhi as he is required here for investigation of several pending cases by the special cell of Delhi Police," the court said.

Rao also told the court that they would take Tunda to Hyderabad by air.

The Hyderabad Police had moved the plea before the court seeking Tunda's custody, saying that a production warrant was issued against him by a court in Nampally in Hyderabad in connection with the case lodged against him and others.

The Hyderabad Police, in its plea, had said that a case was lodged on July 2, 1998 on a complaint that "ISI activities are going on in order to wage war against the government and to create unrest in India and to cause damage to internal security of India and to Hindus and their properties on a large scale."

It had said the case was lodged under various sections of the IPC, the Arms Act, the Explosives Substances Act, the Passport Act and Foreigners Act.

It had said that of the 29 accused, 17 have been arrested while the remaining 12 including Tunda were on the list of absconders.

"Hence, it is prayed that this court to pass orders with a direction to the Central Prison, Tihar Jail, New Delhi to hand over the accused by name Abdul Karim alias Tunda ...to produce him before the court of XII additional chief metropolitan magistrate, Nampally ...," the plea had said.

It had said that Tunda is a "hardcore terrorist" of LeT module and they need his custody in connection with the case.

70-year-old Tunda was arrested from the Indo-Nepal border at Banbasa on August 16. He was earlier remanded to police custody for questioning in connection with 37 bomb blast cases across the country.

Tunda is one of the 20 terrorists whom India had asked Pakistan government to hand over after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. He is the first on the list to be arrested.

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PM felicitates kin of 20 bravehearts who lost lives in Uttarakhand

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday felicitated kin of 20 bravehearts who lost their lives during relief and rescue operations in flood-ravaged Uttarakhand.

At a special function organized on the occasion of 9th foundation day of NDMA, the Prime Minister felicitated family members of the 20 bravehearts belonging to Indo Tibetan Border Police, National Disaster Response Force and Indian Air Force, who died in a helicopter crash during rescue operations.

Rs 2 lakh has been given to family members of each of the victim.

Home minister Sushilkumar Shinde, minister of state for home affairs M Ramachandran and National Disaster Management Authority vice-chairman M Shashidhar Reddy were present on the occasion. The Prime Minister is the Chairman of NDMA.

Later, addressing a session, NDMA member V K Duggal said the floods in Uttarakhand were unprecedented and an eye-opener and the disaster indicated the vulnerability and risk profile of the Himalayan states.

Duggal said the ecosystem was very fragile and required appropriate skill building at various levels, apart from strengthening of early warning system ensuring last mile connectivity.

Uttarkhand minister Yashpal Arya said the effort for rehabilitation, reconstruction and recovery was challenging and would require collaboration between different stakeholders to be able to address all concerns appropriately.

UN resident coordinator in India Lise Grant complimented the efforts of the Centre and said India was one of the five countries which was demonstrating progress with respect to addressing disaster management in a holistic manner in the past decade as per a recently conducted UN survey.

In a session on 'Extreme Weather Events', participants focused on how best science and technology can be leveraged to address the gaps that exist at present while dealing with disasters.

Chairing the session, NDMA vice-chairman Reddy stressed on the need for better observational and forecasting capabilities.

He said there was a need to move away from the approach of small incremental increases and focus on total requirements in terms of highest standards.

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CBI questions retired IAF deputy chief in AgustaWestland case

NEW DELHI: CBI on Friday questioned a retired Air Marshal of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in connection with the VVIP helicopter deal.

Sources said that the officer, ex-Deputy Air Chief JS Gujral, was examined as a witness in the case.

Gujral had retired as an IAF commander a few years back. As deputy IAF chief, he was in charge of procurements.

CBI is inching towards filing its chargesheet in the case as it has got almost all the documents from Italy, which are now being studied, sources said. The agency managed to get the complete tranche of records, received from Italy, translated into English.

Sources said the records were being analysed by sleuths who would decide on the charges to be pressed against the accused named in the FIR, including former Chief of Air Staff, SP Tyagi, and his three cousins.

CBI had named 13 individuals in the FIR, including Tyagi and European middlemen Carlo Gerosa, Christian Michel and Guido Haschke, in connection with the alleged bribery.

Italian agencies had arrested the then CEO of AgustaWestland, Giuseppe Orsi, for alleged bribes given to Indian middlemen to clinch the deal.

The supply of 12 VVIP helicopters from AgustaWestland had come under scanner after Italian authorities alleged that bribes were paid by the company to clinch the deal.

The Italian prosecutor who carried out the preliminary inquiry alleged that the CEO of Finmeccanica, the parent company of the UK-based AgustaWestland, had used services of middlemen to bribe Indian officials.

The probe agency has alleged that during his tenure as IAF chief, Tyagi and, "with his approval", Air Force "conceded to reduce the service ceiling for VVIP helicopters from 6,000m to 4,500m as mandatory (although) it had vehemently opposed the same on grounds of security constraints and other related reasons".

"Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa managed to send Euro 5.6 million through Mohali-based IDS Infotech and Chandigarh-based Aeromatrix Info Solutions Private Ltd to India and kept the remaining amount of about Euro 24.30 million received from AgustaWestland with themselves in the account of IDS Tunisia," according to the FIR in the case.
Both the Indian companies have denied any involvement in the bribery scandal.

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Threat to blow up Haridwar railway station allegedly by LeT

HARIDWAR: A letter purportedly by terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba has threatened to blow up Haridwar railway station and temples in the city on December 29, police said on Thursday.

In the letter to Haridwar Railway Station Superintendent Gopal Krishna Das, a man introducing himself as LeT area commander Karim Ansari issued the threat saying the outfit will blow up the Haridwar railway station and temples in the city on December 29, police said, quoting the letter received by the railway official.

Several such threats have been received over the past few years, every time threatening to blow up the railway station and temples through a letter addressed to the station superintendent.

With the postal stamps on the letters received in the past not readable, police could not ascertain the place from where they originated.

However, this time the name of Jalandhar Cantt is clearly readable on the postal stamp, prompting the local vigilance department to launch an investigation to find out if the threat is real or just a hoax as in the past.

Station Superintendent Das said the number of CCTV cameras installed at the station has been increased following receipt of the letter.

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Asaram aide Shilpi sent to eight-day judicial custody

JODHPUR: A local court on Thursday sent Shilpi, a key aide of Asaram Bapu and co-accused in the case of alleged sexual exploitation of a teenage girl, to eight-day judicial custody.

Shilpi, the warden of Asaram's 'ashram' in Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh, had allegedly conspired to send the girl, who was a student there, to Asaram in Jodhpur.

After the district and sessions court order, her counsel moved a bail application in the same court and it will come up for hearing on Friday.

"We moved a bail application in the court immediately after that (the order of judicial custody)," said her counsel.

Shilpi's counsel said that as the police did not seek any extension in her police custody, the court sent her to judicial custody.

Shilpi had surrendered before the court here on September 25 after Rajasthan high court had rejected her anticipatory bail plea on the same day.

With this, all five accused in the case, including Asaram himself, have been sent to judicial custody and they will be produced before the court on October 11.

Besides Asaram, the other accused in the case are Shiva (attendant of Asaram), Sharad Chandra (director of the Gurukul), Prakash (Asaram's cook) and now Shilpi.

Police, which has so far collected all evidences relating to the allegations of the girl, is likely to file the chargesheet in the court in two weeks, a police officer associated with the investigation said.

"Now with all the accused in jail and investigation of the case wrapped up, we will sit down to prepare the chargesheet, which we are hopeful of filing in the court in the next two weeks," the officer said on condition of anonymity.

He did not rule out possibility of Shilpi turning into a government witness.

Meanwhile, Asaram's counsel on Thursday withdrew a request regarding providing him 'special food' in the jail.

Asaram's request to allow his lady doctor Neeta to attend him in jail will be taken up by the court on Friday.

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FIR against HDFC Bank, others for cheating retired bureaucrat

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police has informed a court here that, as per its orders, an FIR has been lodged against HDFC Bank along with unknown persons for allegedly cheating a retired bureaucrat of over Rs 13.6 lakh by making withdrawals from his bank account and also forging his wife's signatures.

Police was directed by the court to register an FIR on the complaint by Ramendra Nath Poddar, who retired from the post of joint secretary and was legal advisor in the ministry of law and justice, under relevant provisions of the law and to investigate the matter throughly.

"Having heard the submissions and perused material available on record, in my considered opinion, the allegations as levelled by the complainant disclose the commission of a cognisable offence, which requires investigation by police.

"Therefore, SHO police station Preet Vihar is hereby directed to register the FIR in the present case under the relevant provisions of law, investigate throughly and after completion of investigation, file the report under Section 173 CrPC at the earliest," said additional chief metropolitan magistrate, Kuldeep Narayan.

Poddar, who was also a former acting chairperson of the Appellate Tribunal for Foreign Exchange, has alleged that Rs 4,20,690 was illegally withdrawn from his bank account with HDFC Bank's Preet Vihar branch through credit/debit/ATM card by some unknown persons.

The complaint, filed through advocate Tarun Goomber, said that the amount was withdrawn from different locations and in different cities, though he had never applied for any credit/ debit/ATM Card.

It was also alleged that Rs 9.41 lakh were taken out from another account, jointly operated by Poddar and his wife, by forging her signatures on false cheques.

The complainant had sought registration of an FIR against the bank, its officials and other private persons for offences including cheating, forgery, using of forged documents, criminal breach of trust and criminal conspiracy.

"It is alleged that unknown accused persons in connivance with bank officials have misappropriated hard-earned money of the complainant... and despite making written complaint to the SHO concerned, police have not taken any action so far," Goomber argued while seeking registration of the FIR.

The complainant came to know of the fraud when, in August, he went to the bank to get a fixed deposit of Rs 9 lakh but officials there told him that there was insufficient balance in his account when it was, on the contrary, supposed to have more than the adequate funds.

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2 killed in Nepal ultra-light aircraft crash

KATHMANDU: Two people, including a Chinese tourist, were killed on Thursday when an ultra-light aircraft crashed in bad weather in Nepal's resort town of Pokhara.

Pilot Stephen Shrestha and a Chinese national died when the ultra-light aircraft crashed after slamming into a hill near the Shanti Stupa in Pumdibhumdi village in Pokhara, 210 kilometres west from here, according to police.

Ultra-light aircraft is popular among tourists for sightseeing in the Pokhara Valley and the Annapurna mountain range.

The bodies have been sent for postmortem. It was raining and the sky was cloudy when the accident took place, eyewitnesses said.

The ultra-light aircraft belongs to Avia Club Nepal, which has started the flight since 1997.

Over 5,00,000 tourists visit Nepal every year, mostly from neighbouring India and China, and tourism is one of the major contributors to the economy of the impoverished Himalayan nation.

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Malaysia Airlines offers special fares from Chennai, Bangalore to Australian cities

CHENNAI: Malaysia Airlines has introduced special fares from Chennai and Bangalore to Australian cities as part of a tourism promotion campaign along with Tourism Australia.

The fares starting from Rs 44,999 from Chennai and Bangalore, Rs 46,999 from Mumbai and Hyderabad and Rs 51,999 from Delhi will be on sale till end of this month for the travel period valid till April 30, 2014.

The move comes after leisure travel to Australia has been on an upswing in recent months with a consistent increase in the number of Indian travellers. There were 10,900 visitors from India during July 2013, bringing the total for the first seven months of the year to 95,900. This is an increase of 6.3 per cent when compared to the number of passengers in the same period in the previous year. Leisure arrivals during this period increased by 15 per cent.

Azahar Hamid, regional sales vice-president, South Asia and Middle East, Malaysia Airlines, said, "India has always been a major source market and Malaysia Airlines keeps introducing new promotional fares and value added service, be it new Indian menu or onboard entertainment or increased baggage allowance . We provide seamless connections from six Indian cities to Australia via Kuala Lumpur."

Nishant Kashikar, country manager, Tourism Australia, said, "The offer by Malaysia Airlines will provide a boost to leisure travel from India during the upcoming holiday and wedding (honeymoon) season. Malaysia Airlines offers excellent connections to Australia. We look forward to continuing this association pursuing the common objective of strengthening visitor traffic on the India-Australia route through joint promotion activities."

Malaysia Airlines offers connection to Australian gateway cities like Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney from six Indian cities. In addition to the competitive fares, the airline also allows baggage allowance of 40kg in business class and 30kg in economy class.

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Obama postpones Malaysia trip over US shutdown: State media

President Barack Obama has postponed a visit to Malaysia due to the US government shutdown, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was quoted as saying by state news agency Bernama on Wednesday.

Obama was set to visit Malaysia for an address scheduled for October 11 as part of a four-country swing through Southeast Asia including regional summits in Indonesia and Brunei.

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Sons of soil shun Dandi, villagers turn westwards

SURAT: Dandi in Navsari district was not known to many until Mahatma Gandhi took out his Salt March to this coastal village in 1930. Gandhiji shook the foundation of the British Empire through his Satyagraha against the imposition of tax on salt and thousands of people took part in it. Hundreds and hundreds may have visited this village also. However, a lot has changed in Dandi in the past 83 years. A large number of villagers are now settled abroad and many are waiting to go from Dandi.

Of the 350 houses in the village, 80 remain locked permanently throughout the year. These houses get opened in November-December when their NRI owners visit Dandi during vacation. The village had a population of around 1,200 residents. Of this at least 100 families now have migrated to different countries. Besides, 100 youths from the village have taken up jobs in West Asia. Almost one-third of the village remains closed throughout the year, said Parimal Patel, sarpanch of Dandi village.

Dandi is synonymous with Salt Satyagraha. The same 'salt' and poor irrigation facilities have made agriculture difficult in the village. There is problem of high salinity in Dandi and the village doesn't get water for irrigation, Parimal said.

"Agriculture is not possible in Dandi and there are no other employment options in the village for the youth," said Dhirubhai Patel, who runs a school on Gandhian philosophy in Dandi. Dhirubhai's two sons and a daughter are settled in Canada.

"My husband had to struggle hard as a farmer. We could hardly meet our basic needs. Finally he took a job in Abu Dhabi two years ago," said Pragna Patel. Her husband Praful, 42, has now taken up a contract job. Hemlata Patel's husband Hitesh, 40, a farmer in Dandi, took a job in South Africa recently on a monthly payment of Rs 15,000. He could not earn enough from farming. These men return home every two to three years.

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Two Pakistani army officials killed in quake-hit area of Balochistan

ISLAMABAD: Two Pakistani military personnel were killed on Wednesday and another injured in an IED blast while they were carrying out relief efforts in quake-hit areas in Balochistan province.

"The personnel were distributing tents, ration and other relief materials at Mashkay in Awaran when the IED blast took place killing two and injuring one," military officials told PTI.

The security personnel have earlier also come under attack while carrying out relief operations in the quake-hit areas, a stronghold of Balochistan nationalists.

On September 27, militants fired on a helicopter carrying relief goods to Mashkai. The helicopter of National Disaster Management Authority chairman Major Gen Muhammad Saeed Aleem was also targeted with rockets on September 26, while it was on its way to Mashkai for earthquake relief work.

The first earthquake had hit Balochistan on September 24, killing at least over 500 and injuring hundreds more. Another quake furthered the damage when it struck the area on September 28.

Security officials said the worst-affected district Awaran is highly risky for carrying out relief operations.

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Baluchistan separatists threaten more attacks in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: A prominent separatist commander in Pakistan's mineral-rich Baluchistan threatened on Wednesday to step up attacks on security forces after at least two soldiers were killed in a roadside bomb in the vast and lawless region.

The renewed threat by ethnic Baluch rebels adds a layer of complexity for the new government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a country already plagued by a growing Taliban insurgency.

Baluchistan has seen a spate of attacks since a major earthquake last week which rebels say prompted the army to send troops to remote areas under the guise of aid delivery.

"They (army) are directly involved in the large-scale killings of Baluch men," Allah Nazar, head of the Baluch Liberation Front, told Reuters by telephone from a secret location in Baluchistan. "They want to crush us and make money from the disaster relief."

More than 500 people died in the Sept. 24 earthquake in a remote part of Baluchistan serving as a stronghold for insurgents and where security forces have almost no presence.

The rebels, who have killed many civilians and members of the security forces, are fighting for independence from Pakistan. They accuse the central government of stealing the province's rich mineral deposits and the security forces of widespread human rights abuses.

The army denied involvement in any killings.

"We are there to provide relief for the local people. We will continue the relief work for our Baluch brethren even if attacks continue," said Major General Samrez Salik, who oversees the relief operations.

On Wednesday, two soldiers were killed in a roadside bomb near Awaran, a town near the quake epicentre. The military said they were there to distribute humanitarian aid.

Army units came under fire in five separate incidents throughout the day. Last week, two rockets narrowly missed a military helicopter and there have been several attacks on convoys carrying aid.

"We claim responsibility for Wednesday morning attack on troops near Mashkay. We will step up such attacks in coming days," said Nazar. "We cannot expect relief from the helicopters which routinely fire rockets at our villages".

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Uttar Pradesh riot victims demand speedy justice

NEW DELHI: A group of victims of the Muzaffarnagar riots in Uttar Pradesh and Muslim religious leaders from 14 states Wednesday demanded speedy justice and adequate compensation.

At a demonstration organised by the All India Imams Council, the victims shared their tales of horror with the heads of their community who in turn promised them cooperation and succour.

"My father and I were in our mosque when we were attacked by a dozen men. They slashed our hands and legs but we were lucky enough to escape," said Abdul Sattar, 45, of Baghpat.

Sattar has vowed never to return home. "We are afraid we will never return home," he said.

Describing the living condition in the relief camps set up by the government to shelter the thousands who fled their homes after the riots, Sattar spoke of lack of cleanliness, proper food or drinking water.

All India Imams Council national president Usman Baig promised the victims "full cooperation and any kind of assistance".

"We've set up four teams for fact-finding, relief, surveying losses and (to provide) legal help to the victims," Baig said.

"The UP (Uttar Pradesh) government failed to protect the people. The SP ( Samajwadi Party) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were hand-in-glove in disturbing the communal harmony," he said.

The riots claimed 48 lives and rendered more than 43,000 people homeless in Muzaffarnagar and neighbouring areas.

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Goa legislative assembly to go paperless from upcoming session

PANAJI: The forthcoming Goa legislative assembly session will begin on a green note this time when the six-day-long proceedings will run through trials of being nearly paperless.

"The trials of having paperless legislative assembly procedure will begin from the forthcoming session. The session will not be entirely paperless but trials are beginning for sure," state legislature secretary N B Subhedar told PTI.

The state legislative wing has already begun the process to train the members in the e-assembly concept wherein they will learn to send questions online and receive replies in the e-format, doing away the usual hard copy format.

Subhedar said it will take time to convert the assembly into paperless as large number of written questions are raised and government and private member bills tabled.

The forthcoming assembly session would be held from October 9 to October 17.

Goa legislative assembly had experimented with paperless concept when governor BV Wanchoo read his session opening address on HD screen in January.

Chief minister Manohar Parrikar had announced during the last assembly session that all the MLAs would be given iPads as an important step to go paperless.

The questions and answers would be loaded on the iPad and legislators can refer to them during the discussion on the floor of the house.

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India's stealth frigate INS Sahyadri set sails for Australia

MELBOURNE: To boost naval ties with Australia, India's newly commissioned INS Sahyadri — a guided missile stealth frigate — will participate in the International Fleet Review (IFR) to be held in Sydney this month.

During the IFR from October 4, the Shivalik-class multi-role frigate will participate in various exercises scheduled by Royal Australian Navy (RAN). It will also showcase India's indigenous capabilities in building frontline warships.

INS Sahyadri's participation in the IFR will serve to reinforce naval ties, and also contribute towards enhancing interoperability with the RAN and other participating navies, said an official statement.

The overarching aim of the visit is to strengthen the bonds of friendship and camaraderie between India and Australia who are pursuing a common destiny of peace and prosperity, the statement said.

Besides, the ship will make port calls at Fremantle and Jervis Bay, it said.

INS Sahyadri, commissioned in July last year, has a team of 24 officers and 250 sailors on board.

It's long range anti-ship missiles, medium and short-range surface to air missile augmented by the medium-range gun and close in weapon system provide a formidable shield against air threats.

With two integral multi-role helicopters and anti submarine rockets, the vessel is also capable of thwarting sub-surface threats.

The ship's sensors provide an external surveillance umbrella ensuring early detection and classification of threats in all three dimensions — air, surface and sub-surface.

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Congress corporator alleges discrimination in Narendra Modi's constituency

AHMEDABAD: The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) board meeting witnessed an uproar after its youngest corporator Shahjad Khan alleged the BJP of discriminating the minority areas on the stretch from Isanpur cross-roads to Behrampura falling under chief minister Narendra Modi constituency Maninagar.

Khan, coporator from Danilimda, alleged that the road between Isanpur to Behrampura was in bad shape. He claimed that despite several requests and representations to the authorities, they had failed to react. Khan stated this stretch, which is a minority-dominated area in the assembly constituency of Maninagar, was being ignored.

This was enough for the BJP MLAs to be on their feet. However, Khan later made a statement that he would be forced to collect funds from the people and get the roads resurfaced.

AMC commissioner Guruprasad Mohapatra stated that the issue would soon be resolved. He said that a survey and estimate had been done and soon work will begin in the stretch. This was probably the first time that the AMC commissioner had to intervene and make a statement.

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Mauritius-bound flight from Chennai cancelled after technical snag

CHENNAI: A Mauritius-bound flight with 200 passengers on board had to return to its parking bay at Anna International Terminal here on Tuesday after the pilot noticed a technical snag ahead of its take off, airport sources said.

The Air Mauritius flight was scheduled to leave for its destination via Bangalore at 8.30am.

All the passengers have been accommodated at various hotels in the city, the sources said, adding that the flight is expected to resume its onward journey on Wednesday.

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Air India flight to Muscat cancelled after pilot felt uneasy

AHMEDABAD: Air India flight to Muscat had to be cancelled on Sunday night after the pilot complained of chest pain while the flight was still on runway. The scheduled flight AI-985 Ahmedabad-Mumbai-Muscat had to be cancelled at the last minute after pilot Manju Kumari reported difficulty in flying.

Thirty-five year old Manju Kumari was immediately taken to Apollo hospital where she was given the necessary medical care. Admitted as outdoor patient, she was discharged on Monday morning as it was a minor muscular pain.

As many as 39 passengers who were travelling by the Air India flight were shifted to other flights. "Those who were to go to Mumbai were sent through the Air India flight and the passengers for Muscat were sent in the Emirates flight", said Air India official.

Later in the night, the captain and rest of the crew finally took the flight AI-985 to Mumbai. "As it was a scheduled flight there were fewer passengers. Our team made the necessary arrangements for all the passengers", added Air India official.

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HC quashes appointment of 1983 physical training instructors teachers of Haryana

CHANDIGARH: As many as 1983 Physical Training Instructors (PTIs) working in various schools of the state education department Haryana have to lose their job, as a division bench of the Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday upheld the orders of a single bench of the HC that had quashed their appointments.

While pronouncing the judgments, division bench headed by Justice Surya Kant has also imposed a cost of Rs 50000 on Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC), Rs 10000 on Haryana government and Rs 10000 on the candidates who had filed appeal against the single bench orders. They have been told to deposit the cost within a period of one month.

All these PTIs were selected by the HSSC in 2009 during the tenure of Bhupinder Singh Hooda led state government.

A single bench headed by Justice Augustine George Masih of the HC had quashed their selections on September 11 last year after finding massive irregularities the selection process.

The bench had also passed strictures against the Chairman of the commission, Brigadier (Retd) Nand Lal Punia, a close relative of Haryana CM, observing that the HSSC was nothing but "one man show" during these selections. Justice Masih held that "stunning revelation" from the perusal of the record was the Commission had eight members, apart from the chairman. "But at no stage, has Commission assembled or met to take any decision in or during the process of selection. All the decisions pertaining to the selection process have been taken by the Commission chairman alone"

The state government, HSSC and all the selected candidates had filed an appeal before the division bench of the HC against these orders.

Importantly, HSSC issued notice on December 28 for selection of 1983posts of PTIs in the education department of the state. The criterion laid down in the notice too was followed with the fixing of January 21, 2007, for holding the written examination.

However, later the HSSC decided not to hold the written examination and directly conducted interviews for these posts.

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HC quashes appointment of 1983 physical training instructors of Haryana

CHANDIGARH: As many as 1983 Physical Training Instructors (PTIs) working in various schools of the state education department Haryana have to lose their job, as a division bench of the Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday upheld the orders of a single bench of the HC that had quashed their appointments.

While pronouncing the judgments, division bench headed by Justice Surya Kant has also imposed a cost of Rs 50000 on Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC), Rs 10000 on Haryana government and Rs 10000 on the candidates who had filed appeal against the single bench orders. They have been told to deposit the cost within a period of one month.

All these PTIs were selected by the HSSC in 2009 during the tenure of Bhupinder Singh Hooda led state government.

A single bench headed by Justice Augustine George Masih of the HC had quashed their selections on September 11 last year after finding massive irregularities the selection process.

The bench had also passed strictures against the Chairman of the commission, Brigadier (Retd) Nand Lal Punia, a close relative of Haryana CM, observing that the HSSC was nothing but "one man show" during these selections. Justice Masih held that "stunning revelation" from the perusal of the record was the Commission had eight members, apart from the chairman. "But at no stage, has Commission assembled or met to take any decision in or during the process of selection. All the decisions pertaining to the selection process have been taken by the Commission chairman alone"

The state government, HSSC and all the selected candidates had filed an appeal before the division bench of the HC against these orders.

Importantly, HSSC issued notice on December 28 for selection of 1983posts of PTIs in the education department of the state. The criterion laid down in the notice too was followed with the fixing of January 21, 2007, for holding the written examination.

However, later the HSSC decided not to hold the written examination and directly conducted interviews for these posts.

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Meerut violence: Over 3600 booked, Sangeet Som's supporters give call of another panchayat

LUCKNOW: The Meerut police on Monday lodged cases against 3,605 people including BJP MLA Sangeet Singh Som's wife and brothers for violating prohibitory orders and organizing panchayat in Khera village under Sardhana area on Sunday, which led to clashes between villagers and police, leaving over 20 people injured.

The situation continued to remain tense as defiant supporters of the BJP MLA from Sardhana gave call of holding another panchayat on October 10 if their demand to withdraw cases against villagers and to release Som were not met by then. Som has been arrested and booked under the National Security Act on charges of inciting recent communal riots in Muzaffarnagar in which 62 people were killed and over 50,000 displaced.

He allegedly gave provocative speeches as well as shared and circulated fake CD which triggered the riots.

Inspector general of police (law and order) RK Vishwakarma told reporters that total 10 FIRs have been lodged in connection with Sunday's violence in Meerut. People have been booked for rioting, damaging government vehicles, vandalism, attempt to murder and arson. While 106 people have been named in the FIRs, over 3,500 are unidentified.

So far, 27 people have been arrested. Those booked include Son's wife Preeti, brothers Sagar and Prem as well as personal assistant Chandrashekhar, who organised the panchayat. Sagar has also been taken into custody. Heavy police force has been deployed in the village after the clash to deal with any untoward incident.

However, the action has not been able to deter Som's supporters and BJP workers. The Sunday panchayat was fo 24 villages under Sardhana assembly constituency dominated by the Thakur caste. Now, according to reports, a panchayat of 84 villages has been called on October 10 in which all castes have been invited. Large number of women will also take part in the panchayat. Som's supporters also demanded arrest of politicians of other political parties accused in the case.

Over 20 politicians have been booked for inciting Muzaffarnagar riots. BJP MLA Suresh Rana has also been booked under the NSA. BSP MLA Noor Saleem Rana was arrested but was later granted bail. However, other accused including BJP MLA Bhartendu, BSP MP Kadir Rana, BSP MLA Maulana Jameel Ahmad and former Congress minister Saeed-uz-Zaman have not been arrested so far.

When asked about BJP state president Laxmikant Bajpayi 's allegation that one Maulana Nazir, who was also booked in connection with riots, but instead of arresting him, officials recently escorted him on a state aircraft for a meeting with chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, Vishwakarma said he can't reply as he is not aware of the entire matter. Regarding allegations of selective arrests and targeting of BJP leaders, he said that every accused will be arrested soon.

Earlier, during the day, Bajpayi had released copies of FIR and alleged that Maulana Nazir, who has been booked for riots was brought along with other Muslim clerics to Lucknow on a state place for a meeting with chief minister and SP president.

Regarding the call to hold another panchayat on October 10, Vishwakarma said that the decision to allow or ban the event will be taken by the Meerut district administration depending on the circumstances. "As far as I know the policy of the government is not to allow any event which can escalate tension and cause violence," he said.

When asked that violence erupted in Meerut after district officials refused to take memorandum being given by the locals, Vishwakarma said that since the panchayat was banned by the administration, the visit of officials to take memorandum would have mistaken as legitimizing the gathering.

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Meerut violence: Over 3,600 booked, Sangeet Som's supporters give call for another panchayat

LUCKNOW: The Meerut police on Monday lodged cases against 3,605 people including BJP MLA Sangeet Singh Som's wife and brothers for violating prohibitory orders and organizing panchayat in Khera village under Sardhana area on Sunday, which led to clashes between villagers and police, leaving over 20 people injured.

The situation continued to remain tense as defiant supporters of the BJP MLA from Sardhana gave call of holding another panchayat on October 10 if their demand to withdraw cases against villagers and to release Som were not met by then. Som has been arrested and booked under the National Security Act on charges of inciting recent communal riots in Muzaffarnagar in which 62 people were killed and over 50,000 displaced.

He allegedly gave provocative speeches as well as shared and circulated fake CD which triggered the riots.

Inspector general of police (law and order) RK Vishwakarma told reporters that total 10 FIRs have been lodged in connection with Sunday's violence in Meerut. People have been booked for rioting, damaging government vehicles, vandalism, attempt to murder and arson. While 106 people have been named in the FIRs, over 3,500 are unidentified.

So far, 27 people have been arrested. Those booked include Son's wife Preeti, brothers Sagar and Prem as well as personal assistant Chandrashekhar, who organised the panchayat. Sagar has also been taken into custody. Heavy police force has been deployed in the village after the clash to deal with any untoward incident.

However, the action has not been able to deter Som's supporters and BJP workers. The Sunday panchayat was fo 24 villages under Sardhana assembly constituency dominated by the Thakur caste. Now, according to reports, a panchayat of 84 villages has been called on October 10 in which all castes have been invited. Large number of women will also take part in the panchayat. Som's supporters also demanded arrest of politicians of other political parties accused in the case.

Over 20 politicians have been booked for inciting Muzaffarnagar riots. BJP MLA Suresh Rana has also been booked under the NSA. BSP MLA Noor Saleem Rana was arrested but was later granted bail. However, other accused including BJP MLA Bhartendu, BSP MP Kadir Rana, BSP MLA Maulana Jameel Ahmad and former Congress minister Saeed-uz-Zaman have not been arrested so far.

When asked about BJP state president Laxmikant Bajpayi 's allegation that one Maulana Nazir, who was also booked in connection with riots, but instead of arresting him, officials recently escorted him on a state aircraft for a meeting with chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, Vishwakarma said he can't reply as he is not aware of the entire matter. Regarding allegations of selective arrests and targeting of BJP leaders, he said that every accused will be arrested soon.

Earlier, during the day, Bajpayi had released copies of FIR and alleged that Maulana Nazir, who has been booked for riots was brought along with other Muslim clerics to Lucknow on a state place for a meeting with chief minister and SP president.

Regarding the call to hold another panchayat on October 10, Vishwakarma said that the decision to allow or ban the event will be taken by the Meerut district administration depending on the circumstances. "As far as I know the policy of the government is not to allow any event which can escalate tension and cause violence," he said.

When asked that violence erupted in Meerut after district officials refused to take memorandum being given by the locals, Vishwakarma said that since the panchayat was banned by the administration, the visit of officials to take memorandum would have mistaken as legitimizing the gathering.

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Elderly Nepalese man claims to be world's shortest person

An elderly Nepalese man who is just 41 centimetres (16 inches) tall is stepping up his campaign to be recognised as the world's shortest person.

Master Nau, 73, who is confined to a wheelchair, recently flew from his remote village southwest of the capital Kathmandu to press his request to be recognised in the Guinness World Records.

Wearing sunglasses and clutching his citizenship card, Nau was greeted at Kathmandu airport by photographers and the media.

Now back home in Bhairahawa village, where he lives with his youngest brother's family, life has returned to normal.

"I am very happy," Nau told AFP in a barely audible voice over the phone on Monday.

Nau is staking his claim as the shortest person in an "immovable" category, which according to the Guinness World Records recognises a person who cannot walk.

His rival, a Taiwanese man, who holds the current record in the category, stands 68 centimetres.

Officials from Guinness World Records have said Nau could qualify for the record, according to world record enthusiast Thaneshwar Guragain, who has taken up Nau's claim and is corresponding with the organisation.

Nau's niece Seema Sheikh said he leads an active life. "He is fond of travelling and likes to meet people and talk about life," Sheikh told AFP.

"He also likes hot and delicious food and loves to listen to Hindi and Nepali songs. We often hire a rickshaw to take him to the market because he loves it," she said.

"But whenever he goes out, people stop to look at him. Soon a small crowd would gather, which makes it difficult."

A fellow Nepalese man, Chandra Bahadur Dangi, 74, holds the current record for the world's shortest man in the "movable" category. He measures 54.6 centimetres tall.

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MPs seek PM's intervention to end harassment of IFS officer

NEW DELHI: A group of MPs and an activists' outfit have demanded Prime Minister's intervention into the alleged harassment of an Indian Foreign Service officer, who had unearthed a forestry scam in Haryana involving top politicians.

The MPs — Basudev Acharia (CPM), Prabodh Panda (CPI), Kushal Tiwari (BSP), Rama Devi (BJP) — have written letters to the Prime Minister seeking fixing of accountability on those harassing the officer and ordering a CBI probe into this.

Sanjeev Chaturvedi, who is currently posted as the chief vigilance officer in the AIIMS on deputation was allegedly harassed by Haryana government for reportedly unearthing muti-crore forestry scams preventing the destruction of a wildlife sanctuary in Haryana in 2010.

In their letters, the MPs said that Congress president Sonia Gandhi had written to the government seeking "justice" for the officer but the personnel department had "misled" the PM and did the opposite.

Executive director Anupam Jha of Transparency International India, in his letter to the Prime Minister, also echoed their views.

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Private chopper carrying five missing in the hills near Mumbai

MUMBAI: A helicopter belonging to a private company went missing while on a Mumbai-Aurangabad flight near here early on Sunday, officials said.

The chopper is reportedly carrying at least five passengers. It took off from Juhu airport around 7.45am on Sunday morning, and was scheduled to reach Aurangabad at 9.30am.

A police official in Thane said a search party is being organized to trace the chopper in the remote and inaccessible hills near Murbad, where it is feared to have crashed.

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Clash at Meerut mahapanchayat in support of arrested BJP MLA Sangeet Som

MEERUT: Villagers clashed with police on Sunday in Khera village here after defying prohibitory orders to hold a mahapanchayat against slapping of NSA on BJP MLA Sangeet Som in connection with the Muzaffarnagar violence.

One person was injured in the clashes and nearly 60 people have been arrested, police said. The mahapanchayat was convened to protest the slapping of National Security Act (NSA) against BJP MLA Sangeet Som, they said.

"One person was injured and 50-60 people have been arrested," Meerut divisional commissioner Manjit Singh said.

The clashes broke out when rumours spread that some women were injured in caning by police at the venue, the village head said. Irate villagers started pelting stones on the police personnel deployed there, he said.

Police fired warning shots in the air and used teargas to bring the situation under control. Some official vehicles were also damaged and set on fire by irate villagers, he said.

The local administration had refused permission for the mahapanchayat, organized by Som's supported at Janata Inter College, and imposed prohibitory orders in the village.

The district administration, had on Saturday, claimed after talks with leaders of the Mahapanchayat that they had agreed to postpone it.

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US drone kills three in Pakistani tribal region near Afghan border

MIRANSHAH: A US drone strike killed three militants on Sunday in a restive Pakistani tribal region near the Afghan border, officials said.

The attack took place in the Dargamandi area, seven kilometres (four miles) north of Miranshah which is the main town in the North Waziristan tribal region.

The area is a bastion of militants linked to the Taliban and Al-Qaida. "A US drone fired two missiles on a militant compound, killing three rebels," a senior security official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Another local official confirmed the attack and casualties. However, an intelligence official in Miranshah put the toll at four.

The area targeted by the drone is said to be the stronghold of Afghanistan's Haqqani network, a guerrilla faction linked to the Taliban.

US drone attacks are deeply unpopular in Pakistan, but Washington sees them as a vital tool in the fight against militants in the lawless tribal areas along the border with Afghanistan.

The Pakistani government has repeatedly protested against drone strikes as a violation of its sovereignty.

But privately officials have been reported as saying the attacks can be useful in removing militants from the country.

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Bombs hit capital of Iraq Kurdish region, 4 killed

ARBIL: Bombings killed four people in the capital of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region on Sunday, officials said, a rare attack on an area usually spared violence plaguing the rest of the country.

Nozad Hadi, the governor of Arbil province, told AFP that four members of the Kurdish asayesh security service were killed.

A high-ranking security official said four car bombs had exploded near the asayesh headquarters in Arbil, while another said the first blast was a suicide car bomb, while an explosives-rigged ambulance was detonated when people gathered at the scene.

An AFP journalist heard three blasts in Arbil, and heavy gunfire. Smoke could be seen rising in the air, as ambulances raced to the scene.

While much of Iraq is plagued by near-daily violence that kills hundreds of people each month, the three-province Kurdistan region in the country's north has largely been spared the deadly unrest.

Sunday's blasts were the first to hit Arbil since May 2007, when a truck bomb exploded near the same asayesh headquarters, killing 14 people and wounding more than 80.

Iraqi security analyst Ali al-Haidari told AFP that he believes the Arbil blasts were linked to fighting between jihadists and Kurds across the border in Syria.

"The attack is linked to the differences between the Kurds and Al-Nusra Front," Haidari said, referring to a jihadist group that operates in Syria.

"Today's attack is Al-Nusra Front's revenge against the Kurds inside Kurdistan," he said.

Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region has become increasingly embroiled in the bloody conflict raging across the border in Syria.

Clashes last month between Kurdish forces and jihadists seeking to secure a land corridor connecting them to Iraq pushed tens of thousands of Syrian Kurds across the border, seeking refuge in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Region president Massud Barzani has threatened to intervene in the Syrian conflict to protect Kurdish civilians, although officials have since backtracked on those remarks.

The blasts came a day after results were announced for the region's parliamentary elections, which saw an opposition movement in second place ahead of Iraqi President Jalal Talabani's party.

Iraqi Kurdistan enjoys a high level of autonomy from Baghdad, and the regional parliament has passed laws on a wide range of issues.

Kurdistan also operates its own security forces and visa regime.

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