SpiceJet passengers bristle at risky mid-air manoeuvre above Indore

INDORE: In what is being termed as a risky mid-air manoeuvre and possibly a violation of standard rules, a SpiceJet aircraft at 5,000 feet was allowed to land before another Spice Jet flight hovering at 3,700 feet at Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport on Wednesday night at about 8pm.

Passengers, who came to know of the 'confusion' vented their anger on the airport authorities after landing.

According to the air traffic controller (ATC), two Indore-bound SpiceJet aircraft from New Delhi and Hyderabad were vying for space to land at the airport around the same time.

The flight that took off from Hyderabad was about 3,700 feet above the ground while the one coming from New Delhi was flying at a height of about 5,000 feet. The pilots of these aircraft were simultaneously seeking the signal to land. However, the ATC allowed the Delhi flight, flying at 5,000, to land first.

"This might have created confusion among the pilots," said airport director R N Shinde, adding that the pilot of flight flying at 3,700 feet objected to the permission given to the flight flying at 5,000 feet, and there was an argument between the pilots of both flights.

He said it was not a near miss. According to him, as per the ATC rules, if the aircraft are in sight of the controller then 'descend permission' can be given and separation may be reduced. "It was not a near miss as the anti-collision devices in both the aircraft were fully functional," the airport director said.

A SpiceJet official, however, who refused to be identified, claimed that the aircraft did not belong to SpiceJet. He said it was impossible that both the flights scheduled to land at the same time in Indore.

The irate passengers of both the aircraft sought an explanation from the director about the goof-up. However, the airport director said passengers do not understand the ATC language. "They fear that something has gone wrong."

"Directorate General Civil Aviation will conduct a probe into the incident," Shinde added.

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Gujarat polls: Cop Sanjiv Bhatt's wife Shweta to contest against Narendra Modi

AHMEDABAD: Shweta Bhatt, the wife of suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, on Friday announced that she will contest the state Assembly elections on a Congress ticket against Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi from Maninagar constituency in the city.

"Yes, I will be fighting against Modi from Maninagar on a Congress ticket," Shweta Bhatt said.

"We have moved far away from democracy in Gujarat and to restore it, everyone has to do whatever they can. Fighting election against Modi is the logical step in our quest for democracy and to curb anti-democratic forces," she said.

Shweta said she will be filing her nomination papers shortly.

Sanjiv Bhatt, in an affidavit in the Supreme Court last year, had alleged complicity on the part of Modi in the 2002 riots. He also deposed against Modi before the Nanavati Commission, probing the riots.

Bhatt, who was the Principal, SRP Training School, was later suspended by the state government.

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'Talaash': subtle suspense, tame thriller

Director: Reema Kagti
Cast: Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Rani Mukherji

Talaash, as is common knowledge, is a suspense film but isn't supported with the complementing thriller genre. While it certainly is a who-dun-it, it isn't essentially an edge-of-the-seat experience. Director Reema Kagti intentionally chooses this treatment tone to lend individuality to the murder mystery. But the cinematic gratification is largely subjective.

The film starts with a car bumping off into the sea leading to the death of a film actor. What seems like a random road accident takes the shape of a murder mystery with Inspector Shekhawat (Aamir Khan) investigating the case. In personal life, Shekhawat is unable to come to terms with the untimely death of his son, for whom he holds himself responsible, thereby leading to a strained relationship with his wife (Rani Mukherji). Meanwhile he comes across Rosy (Kareena Kapoor), a sex worker who helps him make way into the case.

While the film gets to the point from the opening sequence, it takes its own sweet time to build up the suspense behind the case. Initially you don't care much about the case because both, the victim and the usual suspects, do not revolve anywhere around the central cast. Furthermore as the mystery unveils, the identity of the perpetrators is, in a way, made apparent to the audience. So the sense of suspense (so significant for this genre) seems sporadically suspended. Until when a final revelation is made, overpowering the intermediate conspiracy.

The basic narrative essentially involves two fundamental tracks - Shekhawat's professional investigation (murder of the filmstar) and his personal exploration (death of his son). While one expects the two tracks to contribute or correlate with each other to make it seem like one whole story, they run in parallel and largely stay independent of each other. They only connect in the epilogue where one is employed for the resolution of other.

Director Reema Kagti designs Talaash as a subtle suspense drama. There are no dramatic entries, no stylized action and mercifully even item numbers are avoided (despite the looming red-light area backdrop). Kagti doesn't restrict her film as a mechanical crime investigative flick but works towards adding a human touch to the drama. While that works occasionally, you certainly are in no mood to see Shekhawat suggesting rehabilitation to Rosy with banal lines like 'yeh jagah tumhare liye nahi hai'. It just doesn't go in sync with the genre. Also the long-drawn-out bonding track between Aamir and Kareena in the second half just adds to tedium. Somewhere around this time, you just don't know where the film is heading towards.

While the pacing is intentionally slow, the writing by Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti is crisp and leaves behind enough join-the-dots clues to tease the perceptive viewer when the climactic disclosure happens. But a major letdown is that at its pinnacle, the film derives heavily from the Hollywood flick The Sixth Sense (1999). So even if the suspense might have not been predictable, there is a sense of betrayal. For loyal fans of the genre, the M Night Shyamalan film is a cult, thereby making the concluding shocker lead to a been-there-seen-that effect.

Aamir Khan is resourcefully restrained and is persuasive in his multifaceted character. While he is a commanding cop at work, he is a vulnerable man at home. Rani Mukherji is poised in her portrayal of a woman who has come out of a personal tragedy yet made to believe she is locked in it. She is wonderful in that one scene where she confronts her husband. Kareena Kapoor, despite the deliberate garish look, has an appeal but seems to be in the Chameli character hangover. Nonetheless she doesn't disappoint. Nawazuddin Siddiqui as the limp pimp is perfect in his part. Rajkumar Yadav makes for a convincing subordinate cop to Aamir.

There are some mystery elements in Talaash that will fascinate you even more on second viewing as you would be able to notice the finer nuances in the bigger scheme of things. However the bigger question is would you have the patience and proclivity to sit through the film again? Nevertheless, if you are not searching for the finest suspense film ever, Talaash is a good one-time watch!

Verdict: Good

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All sorts of idiots call me 'bhai': Salman

Salman tells us all we want to know about his alter ego and why he does not approve of Abhinav Kashyap's 'tutor'
We caught up with Salman Khan at Mehboob Studios, in between meetings, interviews and sporting a new hairstyle. Salman breezed through the 60 minutes with a cigarette he chose not to light and in great spirits. Excerpts.

How much has marriage and fatherhood changed Chulbul Pandey in Dabangg 2?
The character doesn't change. Chulbul Pandey was going through a very unhappy phase. He had a step brother, his mother was married to somebody else, his father was no more, he was in two minds about trusting his brother. Pandeyji is now a father, the head of the family. He is in a good space. But then comes an emotional jhatka, he goes back to being the old Chulbul Pandey.

Does being married and being in a happy space mean he picks up the grocery on his way home?
(Smiles) Check that out for yourself. But yes, you will see a lot of sweet bits of him.

How much of Salman is there in Chulbul Pandey?
I don't know. Just that sometimes I cannot react when I should; but Chulbul can. There are times when I should be tackling things head on, but then decide to step back, take the beating. But Chulbul takes charge.

Chulbul is full of spunky one-liners. Do you come up with them spontaneously or just stick to the script?
When you are writing it, you are writing it in the room. But when you go to the set, it's a different thing.

What's this story about you taking offense when someone calls you 'bhai?'
All sorts of idiots call me that. Even rank strangers. Not everyone has the right to call me bhai. (Gets animated, mimics a kid) Kids call me, 'aye Salman how you doing...Mr Khan... oye Salman Khan, I love it. But when some people call me bhai I think they are faking it. I hate it when some people call me Sallu. But when they call me that out of love, it shows. It's the tone that matters. Only Arbaaz and Sohail should call me bhai. Besides, my parents have given me a name, it's a superb name, Salman Khan and I prefer people calling me Salman. I think this 'Sallu' was started by Jackie (Shroff). Now he calls me Salley!

How much of Abhinav Kashyap is still there in Dabanng 2?
When Abhinav came to us, it was a very dry art kind of film. The kind of films they (the brothers) make. In fact now, his brother (Anurag) has changed his style. He has now got that masala touch. There were no songs earlier in Dabangg, and we had to change that. We kept improvising and that the film achieved a certain form is also thanks to Arbaaz. But Abhinav contributed as well.
To give him credit, he realised that if you want to make a saleable film, you need a commercial touch, you need songs. That's when Arbaaz came into the picture. But then Abhinav decided to opt out of the sequel.

Didn't you want him to come back?
I did a lot. I told him - 'I don't know who has tutored you to refuse the sequel. Meri baat mano, do the film'. I called him twice. Then his brother gave some weird interviews and all that stuff happened.

That he refused to take up your offer must have surprised you...
Yes. I was in Thailand shooting for Ready. Arbaaz told me that Abhinav simply texted him saying that he doesn't want to do it. Then the brother (Anurag) went on twitter and all that stuff happened. I thank Anurag for planting the idea that Arbaaz should do the film and he has done a good job. He has taken the film to a new level.

Dabanng had drawn very negative pre-release vibes - doob jayenge mar jaenge, industry ko duba denge etc.
But it went to become the fabulous film it was.

How did you and Arbaaz get along?
We had massive fights during both the films. Creative debates turned into arguments. It went on till one of us too a step back, calibrated our responses. See, its either black or white, tum bologe off-white hai grey hai... what nonsense!

So who wins the argument?
Whoever is right.

Reena Roy once said... (As if on cue, Sonakshi walks in)
That Sonakshi looks like her? (smiles)

No, that you are responsible for how Sonakshi looks on screen. Do you try to make your heroines look 'respectful' on camera?
(Nods in agreement) It gets very awkward. Women have these little 'oops' moments while dancing. I just say thoda sa upar kheechlo.

Have heroines ever told you what to wear ?
Ya. Why, Sonakshi was the one who approved my moustache in the movie.

How much has Sonakshi changed between Dabangg 1 and 2? (Sonakshi, next to us suddenly looks on coyly)
I think Sonakshi is going to start killing it now.

And you are open to Dabangg 3..
Of course, we have already thought about it. We will go back to his past, the making of Chulbul Pandey.

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Google a bad place for shopping: Microsoft

SAN FRANCISCO: Microsoft is trying to skewer Google as a lousy holiday shopping guide in its latest attempt to divert more traffic to its Bing search engine.

The attack started with a marketing campaign focused on a recent change in the way Google operates the part of its search engine devoted to shopping results. The revisions require merchants to pay Google to have their products listed in the shopping section.

In its new ads, Microsoft contends the new approach betrays Google's longstanding commitment to provide the most trustworthy results on the Web, even if it means foregoing revenue. To punctuate its point, Microsoft is warning consumers that they risk getting "scroogled" if they rely on Google's shopping search service.

The message will be highlighted in TV commercials scheduled to run on NBC and CNN and newspaper ads in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. The blitz also will appear on billboards and online, anchored by a new website, Scroogled.com.

The barbs are injecting more antagonism into an already bitter rivalry between two of the world's best-known and most powerful technology companies.

Google's search engine is dominant on the internet, and Bing runs a distant second. Microsoft's Office and Windows software remains an integral part of personal computers, but Google has been reducing the importance of those programs and PCs with the success of Web-based services and its Android operating system for smartphones and tablet computers.

Google doesn't require websites to pay to be listed in its main database, the index that provides results for requests entered into its all-purpose search box. A query made there for a particular product, such as a computer, will still include results from merchants who haven't paid for the privilege of being included.

But that's not the case for someone who clicks on a tab to enter Google's shopping-only section, which is designed to compare prices and offer other insights such as identifying sites that offer free shipping. Searches there are confined to paying merchants. That means results from sites, including Web retailing giant Amazon.com, aren't displayed unless they pay. Amazon has only occasionally paid to have some of its wares listed in Google's shopping section. Zappos, a site owned by Amazon, has been more willing to pay the price to be listed in Google's shopping results.

Google defends the fee-based approach as a way to encourage merchants to provide more comprehensive and accurate information about what they're selling.

"I think you just get a well-organized set of product information, ways to buy it, and really have a great experience there," CEO Larry Page said during a conference call with analysts last month.

In a statement, Google said it's pleased with the response to the new shopping system, which offers listings from some 100,000 sellers.

Google, like Microsoft, also accepts payments for ads that are triggered by specific search terms and appear to the right or on top of regular search results. Those are labeled in colored letters as ads. The same distinctions aren't made in Google's shopping section.

Since its inception in 1998, Google has tried to cast itself as a force for good while depicting Microsoft as a ruthless empire.

But Google is less cuddly now that it's established itself as the internet's main gateway -and a well-oiled moneymaking machine. The Mountain View, California, company's search engine is so influential that government regulators in the US and Europe are investigating whether Google has been stifling competition by giving special preference to its own services in search results.

Microsoft, which faced its own antitrust inquiries more than a decade ago, is among the companies that prodded the investigation of Google. This time, it's pouncing on Google for straying for from its own principles.

Google began limiting its shopping-only results to paying merchants in mid-October. The change coincides with what is expected to be the most lucrative holiday shopping season on the Web yet. The amount of money a merchant pays is one factor that influences the order of the shopping results, although Google says it still places the highest priority on each listing's relevancy to a user's request.

Google discloses that it receives payments in small print at the bottom of the shopping results page. The notice is also visible if a user clicks on a link at the top of the shopping results page, under the heading: "Why these products?"

What's left unsaid is the omission of sites such as Amazon, which tends to offer some of the best deals on the Web.

The financially driven system for determining the results in a major part of Google's search engine breaks new ground for a company whose idealistic founders, Page and Sergey Brin, once railed against the perils of allowing money to influence which Web links to show.

Brin and Page preached about the issue in academic papers that they wrote about search while conceiving Google as Stanford University graduate students. They also delved into the topic when they outlined Google's "don't be evil" creed in a letter written to potential investors before the company went public in 2004.

"Our search results are the best we know how to produce," Brin and Page wrote in the letter. "They are unbiased and objective, and we do not accept payment for them."

Microsoft contends that Google is doing a disservice to its users with the new approach, as many users may not even realize that the results in shopping search are being swayed by money.

"We want consumers to know, in contrast to the route that Google has pursued, we are staying true to the DNA of what a good search engine is really about," said Mike Nichols, Bing's chief marketing officer. "We will rank results on what's relevant to you and not based on how much someone might pay us."

Danny Sullivan, an Internet search expert who has been following Google since its inception, believes Microsoft is highlighting an important issue. "Google deserves to take its lumps on this," said Sullivan, who now works as editor of SearchEngineLand.com. "I have been surprised by how little attention this issue has gotten so far because it's a 180-degree turn for Google."

Sullivan doesn't think Bing's shopping results are pristine, either. He points to Bing's partnership with Shopping.com, which also requires merchants to pay to be in its listings. Some of Shopping.com's data is fed into Bing's shopping section. When Shopping.com gets paid by a merchant for sale funneled through Bing, Microsoft gets a slice of the revenue.

While all that is true, Bing's shopping section consists mostly of listings from merchants that haven't paid for the privilege, said Stefan Weitz, Bing's director.

That's so, Weitz said, even though Bing isn't currently accepting listings from new merchants that want to appear in its shopping results. The only way a new seller can get into Bing's shopping search engine is to sign up for Shopping.com's fee-based service. After the holiday season, Bing's shopping-only section once again will accept free listings from new merchants, Weitz said.

Like Google, Sullivan said Microsoft isn't doing a good job disclosing the role that money plays in its shopping-only results. He thinks that issue could undermine the effectiveness of Bing's anti-Google ads.

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Manisha Koirala diagnosed with cancer: Reports

Bollywood actress Manisha Koirala has reportedly been diagnosed with cancer. The actress is currently admitted to Jaslok hospital, Mumbai, where she was brought in two days ago. She will undergo treatment there, said a source.

Manisha was in Kathmandu from the beginning of November because she was doing up her new home in Nepal. A few days ago she took ill. She mentioned being down with a bout of food poisoning on a social networking platform. Post this, she fell unconscious and that's when an alarm bell is said to have gone off. And, she was immediately flown to Mumbai for further tests. Manisha's mother Sushma is by her bedside. Her father Prakash and brother Siddharth were expected to arrive in Mumbai late last night.

A close friend says that the actress has taken the news of her ill-health very bravely and she is positive she will fight it out. Our good wishes are with Manisha. We hope and pray she recovers soon.

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Rinu Srinivasan back on Facebook; Chennai college waives admission interview

MUMBAI/KOCHI: Refusing to be cowed down by self-proclaimed censors, Rinu Srinivasan has reactivated her facebook account. The plucky 21-year-old is also looking forward to studying sound engineering in a Chennai institute which rolled out the red carpet for her, admitting her to the course without a mandatory interview.

A friend of Shaheen Dhada, Rinu was dragged into the facebook controversy for 'sharing' the comment Shaheen posted on November 18, the day late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray was cremated at Shivaji Park. Rinu was called with Shaheen by Palghar police on Sunday night to present herself at the police station and tender an apology.

The science graduate was worried the controversy, and the bail conditions which restricted her movement out of the city, would affect her future as she couldn't travel to Chennai for the admission interview. However, Rinu's brother Rahul said the Muzik Lounge School of Audio Technology, Chennai, where she had applied for a two-year course in sound engineering days before the incident, decided to exempt her from the interview process. "The college has decided to admit her without an interview. She will join college in January," Rahul said.

Moreover, Rinu updated her facebook cover photo on Monday. "Rinu is back on Facebook. She reactivated her account two days back and was touched by the immense support she received from her facebook friends. Though hesitant at first, she has now started responding to messages from close friends," Rahul told TOI.

"My sister is not comfortable talking about the incident. We want to avoid any more trouble. Though she had not done anything illegal or derogatory, she was made to feel like a criminal," said Rahul, whose family originally hails from Kumarakom, in Kerala.

However, the family gave a thumbs-up to the local police who were pilloried for the incident. "We have no complaints against the police. The girls had to be detained by the police as there was a nearly 5,000-strong mob outside Palghar police station. It was done to ensure their safety and the police have been decent with the girls throughout the entire episode," said Rahul.

Rinu also approached the Palghar court on Tuesday to seek exemption from the weekly police station appearances. The bail conditions required both Rinu and Shaheen to report to the Palghar police station every Wednesday. The matter is likely to be heard on Thursday as the courts are closed on Wednesday on account of Guru Nanak Jayanti. Shaheen's family has also approached the court for exemption from appearing every week in the police station.

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Rs 17L for kindergarten seat in Tamil Nadu, parents vie to pay

CHENNAI: P Balram* was particular about the school his daughter should go to. And he was willing to go to any extent to get admission there. So, before the school could ask for a donation, he offered to set up a computer lab for 7 lakh. It was an offer the Kilpauk school couldn't refuse. Another parent got an admission for his child in a school in Mylapore by promising a basketball court that cost Rs 17 lakh.

It might sound strange, but parents are finding innovative means to make donations to schools to get seats for their children. Some are willing to shell out several lakhs for admission to kindergarten in top schools. And this has redefined capitation fee, which has now morphed into "informed contributions" and "returnable investments."

Educational consultant K R Maalathi said parents were willing to cough up huge money for such "gifts" for additional benefits. "Parents feel that it not only gets them a seat but goes a long way in promoting goodwill between students and the school management," she said.

As one school head puts it, "Unlike in other sectors, in education the recommendation is for paying more money, not less."

While the Union ministry for human resource development is drawing up a legislation to eliminate excess fees and capitation fees in schools, parents are playing along school authorities to find newer ways of money exchange for seats. Some schools have started treating parents as 'stakeholders' for a price, of course. Instead of getting loans from banks, a new age school in the city's outskirts has asked parents to lend the management any amount of money in multiples of Rs 10,000 for which the school will pay the interest rates offered by banks.

Sunitha Grace (name changed), mother of two girls studying in the school, said she had offered the school management Rs 2 lakh - a lakh for each child - towards future projects taken up by the school. "I was saving it for their education. I don't have anything to lose," Sunitha said.

Insiders say that school managements are able to offer seats to parents by giving dummy names to a small percentage of seats while allotting most seats by drawing lots. Say, a school has 250 LKG seats. Sources say 200 to 225 seats are filled by drawing lots, while the rest are booked so they can be allotted for influential persons.

"Donations," meanwhile, have been shooting up. The going rate for an LKG or pre-KG admission in a good school in Chennai can go up to Rs 4 lakh. Experts tracking trends in the industry find that even schools in tier 2 cities like Madurai and Tiruppur have increased the "donation to trust" or "contribution to building development fund" substantially. Now it's anything from Rs 20,000 to Rs 75,000.

Some schools also ask parents for around Rs 1 lakh as interest-free refundable deposit that will be given back when the child leaves school. Many times schools reserve a couple of seats for members on the school board or among the trustees of the society. While the trustees usually don't take money, middlemen who introduce parents to trustees do. "I do not like the idea of issuing more applications than there are seats. Why should we disappoint parents, and push them to pursue other means of getting a seat," said director of Paavai Group of Institutions C Satish.

(Name changed)

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Karan Johar doesn’t take me in his films: Akshay Kumar

Akshay (Khiladi) Kumar jumps in the air with glee. He's back to the phase when many of his films set records. In a relaxed mood, despite the media mayhem around him on a day when he's promoting 'Khiladi 786', Akki jokes, laughs and sportingly takes digs at himself, and at others, too.

Twenty years as an actor and people will only remember you as a khiladi. Is that okay with you?
Ya, why not? Khiladi is my identity, what's the harm in being remembered for it? With all due respect, it's the eighth film in the franchise and that itself speaks for the popularity of the title. Here I must share with you that 20 years ago, when Abbas-Mustan suggested the title Khiladi to producer Ratan Jain, he was not in favour of it. Those days, titles were long-winded and Ratan felt that a short title won't work. But Abbas and Mustan were stubborn.
Khiladi (1992) worked and, after that, people started having single word titles like Baazigar (1993), etc. Ironically, Ratan, who didn't fancy the word khiladi, went on to produce the next Khiladi film called Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994). And, as they say, from then on, there has been no looking back.

To repeat the question, are you happy being Bollywood's khiladi?
Yes, I am. The word khiladi means player in every sense of the term; it means athlete. It's wonderful to be called an athlete. What's wrong with being called an athlete and a player?

You're a player just in the movies or otherwise too?
I'm an athletic actor. I'm known for my action, I'm a guy who does my own stunts on screen. And if you are trying to insinuate that player has any other meaning, then you are wrong. I stopped playing the field when I got married. I admit that before my marriage I was a player.

In 2000, you had decided to give up on action films, right?
I was going through a transitional phase as an actor and as a person and at that stage, I was suddenly not keen to do any more action films. But they say man proposes, the Almighty disposes. So here I am after 12 years, back again with a Khiladi film and doing plenty of stunts on screen.

Have you sobered down in real life?
As I said, I sobered down the day I got married. Now it is work and family, family and work.

Has the birth of your daughter sobered you down completely?
The birth of my daughter Nitara has made me happy and it has made my world complete. I have always believed that girls are 'Lady Luck' personified. When I married Twinkle, I got all the luck from her. My mother and my sister have given me luck. I am not their benefactor; they benefit me. My daughter has also brought me tremendous luck. OMG Oh My God! was a runaway hit and I owe it to my little one.

Talking of girls, you are one actor who has changed the fortune of so many girls. You gave Katrina a new lease of life by giving her the maximum number of movies post Boom (2003) when no one bothered with her.
I can only say that Katrina is a very beautiful girl who came to Hindi cinema without knowing a single word of Hindi. She is exceptionally beautiful and one of the most hard-working people I have met. I may have supported her, but she is on top of her game today only because of her own merit and total perseverance.

You have also given Asin two back-to-back movies — 'Housefull-2' and now 'Khiladi 786'. No other hero has done that.
Again, Asin is a very deserving girl. She's pretty, she is talented. I'm not giving her anything.

Salman and you are men of the masses. Your cinema is masala fare.
If you go through the box office statistics, you will see that only cinema for the masses creates records. Why pretend to be intellectual when you are here to entertain? Of course, sometimes there comes a script that cuts across masses and classes like OMG and I'm happy to do that cinema too.

It was a pleasant surprise to see you at Yash Chopra's premiere of Jab Tak Hai Jaan.
Why do you say that? I have done three movies — Yeh Dillagi (1994), Dil To Paagal Hai (a cameo, 1997) and Tashan (2008) with Yashji and Aditya. Adi personally invited me to the premiere. Twinkle and I felt it was our duty to attend. Though I have not worked too much with Yashji, I would still have attended the premiere as a mark of respect to a legend. I also loved what Adi, who I respect and like, did for his father. It's an amazing tribute from a son to a father.

But you agree that you are not part of the Chopra camp?
I do not believe in camps. In my head, I live in a palace and I have lots of space for everyone. I don't need to belong to cramped camps.

You haven't worked with Karan Johar either. It would be nice to see you in a KJo film.
Karan doesn't take me in his films. He probably thinks I'm not good enough.

Khiladi 786, produced by Eros International, Hari Om Entertainment and HR Musik, releases December 7.

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Aid pours in for Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party on debut

NEW DELHI: After over a year of campaigning, dozens of protests and exposes against ministers, Arvind Kejriwal officially entered the political arena on Monday. Negating the perception that only big parties can draw hefty funds, the newly launched Aam Aadmi Party collected more than 1.10 crore on the day of the launch, with former law minister Shanti Bhushan alone donating Rs 1 crore.

Day one also saw supporters pitching in to keep the machinery running with collection of over Rs 1.6 lakh. Besides, many people across the country requested Team Kejriwal to open party offices in their states.

"Rahul from Toronto has offered space owned by him to open a party office. A similar request was made by a farmer in Odisha, who is ready to give up a considerable chunk of land so that we can open a party office," a member of the party said. Party leaders said they had received at least 300 requests from various parts of the country asking them to open offices on land owned by them.

Kejriwal promised to take on established parties like the Congress and BJP. Now, the fight will be between the "common man and the netas", Kejriwal told the crowd of around 2,000 people from various states.

"We are here to destabilize the corrupt government and take back power. Now netas will on one side and the aam aadmi on the other. Netas will be thrown out soon and the common man will sit in Parliament," he said.

Kejriwal also mocked the current state of politics saying he had Congressmen come and give him proof against their own men. "After the Cabinet reshuffle, a new minister from Congress called me to say I was doing a good job. He also said I shouldn't let Robert Vadra escape. Imagine the condition of these parties," he added.

Reading out from the constitution, Kejriwal underlined the tenets of his party. He said it was time the rules of the game changed. "Now netas and bureaucrats have to report to people. The constitution gives prime importance to the people of India and that should be implemented," he added. He called the people 'first class citizens' who are victims of 'third class governance'.

A feisty Kejriwal also threw in some economics about inflation into his speech, which appealed to the gathering. "People think inflation happens on its own. Very few know that inflation is a result of corruption. Gas rates are so high because the government gave away natural gas reserves to Reliance. When Reliance doubled the rates of gas, the government should have cancelled their licence," he added.

Kejriwal claimed the government waived taxes worth Rs 5 lakh crore every year on various companies but did not reduce the tax burden on common man. "If the taxes are reduced, the price of petrol would come down to Rs 50 and diesel to Rs 40." He also brought up pet issues like nursery admissions for which people pay up to Rs 50,000 as donation and the sky rocketing rates in 'five star hospitals.'

Kejriwal also spoke of the plight of farmers - sugarcane farmers who are getting a low price for their crop because of alleged involvement of ministers who own sugar mills in Maharashtra. He quoted a Swaminathan report that shows that paddy farmers are paid far less for their crop than they spend on production.

Apart from Kejriwal, one of the key speakers on Monday to strike a chord with the people was ex-NSG commando Surender Singh. He drew people's attention to the symbolism of the date '26/11.' Surender said that while on the same day in 1949, the Indian constitution was enacted, ironically it's also the day when India faced a massive terrorist attack in Mumbai in 2009.

"Today is also 26/11. It's a very important date and is symbolic of India's journey. I am glad that the AAP is being launched on this date," he said.

Surender is hearing impaired from a hand grenade explosion during the operation. He again accused the government of misuse of funds and demanded an audit of the donations received by the government for the welfare of soldiers.

Wooing people toward his 'anti-corruption' party, Kejriwal spelt out four vows for his party. "We vow that we will neither give nor accept bribes. We vow to get voter identity cards made and go and cast our vote. We vow to not take money, alcohol or any other form of bribe to cast our vote. And we vow not to cast our vote based on caste or religion." The crowd repeated the vows after him. He also vowed to send corrupt ministers to jail within six months of his party being voted to power. He said Jan Lokpal will be passed in Parliament within 15 days of the AAP coming to power.

The party has appointed an internal Lokpal that will investigate graft charges against party workers. The party named 23 members in its national executive, including Manish Sisodia and lawyer Prashant Bhushan. Kejriwal will be the national convener, Pankaj Gupta the national secretary and Krishna Kanth the national treasurer, it was announced.

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His world crumbling, Sachin Tendulkar sticks to the drill

MUMBAI: In India's second innings on Sunday, a hush enveloped the Wankhede at around 3.15 pm when Sachin Tendulkar misjudged a fuller-length delivery from England left-arm-spinner Monty Panesar, went back and was trapped leg-before for eight. It was the exact same score on which he had been dismissed in the first innings by the same bowler.

The manner of his dismissals and the run of poor scores have again raised questions on whether Tendulkar, clearly past his prime, should retire.

Sunil Gavaskar, who first set tongues wagging while analysing Tendulkar's tendency to get bowled in the home series against New Zealand, caused uproar when he told a TV channel on Sunday that it was time the 39-year-old legend discussed his plans with selectors.

It seemed a subtle way of telling him that the end was near. Tendulkar, though, seems unperturbed by all the talk around him. A good night's sleep and a blank mind seemingly helped him to get into a cocoon as he walked out for batting practice on Sunday.

While the other players just went through their regular fielding drills and other fitness related activities, Tendulkar skipped all that and summoned India's best spinner in this match, Pragyan Ojha, to bowl at him.

For a good half an hour, Tendulkar instructed him to bowl at a particular spot (just short of driving length) and at a particular speed. Ojha did as ordered by his Mumbai Indians teammate.

The left-arm spinner tried out all his variations at the batsman, who tried to perfect his defence. When the ball was pitched on a length, Tendulkar tried to work on his backfoot play. It was seemed quite intense.

Tendulkar even got coach Duncan Fletcher to go behind the nets and analyse his technique. Having noted a few points, the coach and the ward spoke animatedly.

Clearly, the manner of his dismissals at his home ground has hurt him and he is doing everything he can to fix it. While Tendulkar may not be having the reflexes of old and may be picking the ball up a bit late, one cannot doubt his enthusiasm and willingness to train.

Those wishing that he will retire in the middle of the series are mistaken. The message is clear. He won't retire now. Not like this. The greats choose their moment to go. Maybe, Tendulkar's farewell ought to be a touch sweeter.

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Google's $400 million acquisition is a hoax!

NEW YORK: A bogus news release prompted several websites to run incorrect articles about Google making a $400 million acquisition of a wireless company on Monday, the target company said.

"This was a hoax. We are investigating the source," said an emailed statement from George Strouthopoulos, chairman and chief executive of ICOA, the wireless firm Google purportedly was acquiring.

The reports began after the fake release was posted on the PRWeb site which is owned by the cloud software firm Vocus.

"This is NOT TRUE!!" Strouthopoulos said in an email. "Never had any discussions with any potential acquirers!! This is absolutely false!"

The executive added that "someone, I guess a stock promoter with a dubious interest, is disseminating wrong, false and misleading info in the PR circles."

He said the fake release appeared to come from Aruba, and added that ICOA "will report this to the proper authorities."

For several hours, reports were circulating that Google had made the purchase as part of an effort to moving into wireless communications. Google officials refused to confirm the news about an acquisition.

The Rhode Island-based ICOA saw a spike in price and volume in morning trade in over-the-counter "pink sheets" trades in stocks which are not listed on major exchanges.

The incident suggested a so-called "pump and dump" scheme in which false information is leaked, allowing a speculator to profit from rapid buying and selling. These schemes are illegal under US securities laws.

Because ICOA shares trade at just fractions of a cent, a small movement could allow a short-term trader to make, or lose millions, on these rumors.

The Securities and Exchange Commission declined to comment on the matter.

Google shares were little changed on the news, trading down 0.97 percent at $661.48 after moving as low as $659.02.

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Mile-high club: New members keep coming

NEW DELHI: Move over Viagra, getting airborne is a potent aphrodisiac for globe trotters looking for diversions on long, dreary flights. A recent survey discovered that the 'mile-high club' continues to find many takers, with numerous instances of couples entering lavatories together or snuggling under blankets.

In a survey conducted by a travel search engine, around 15% respondents from a total of 3,000 in the Asia Pacific region said they had witnessed some form of sexual conduct on an aircraft. Around 5% admitted to having actually been involved in such "incidents".

Many reported having witnessed two people entering a bathroom together, followed by much banging and squealing. In-seat 'activities' underneath a blanket were also common. There was an instance of a woman straddling a friend in business class on a Sydney-London flight while another was invited to join the mile-high club by a stranger in the line at the toilet.

More creative encounters included a suggestive lipstick message on a toilet mirror unexpectedly viewed by an elderly woman when the young man ahead of her (for whom it was intended) gallantly let her use the toilet first; a couple who hadn't locked the door tumbling out to a round of applause from the entire aircraft; an ex-cabin crew member who discovered two men in a wheelchair closet and even a couple going flat out under blankets stretched across three seats.

Indians found partners on flights: Survey

A survey by search engine Wego.com on sexual conduct in the skies also captured some interesting experiences including lacy underwear left on a seat, in-flight lap dances on a party trip, an older man carrying a life-size female inflatable doll that he purchased a seat for, and frightened passengers reporting a strange noise in the overhead locker, discovered to be an operating vibrator in a woman's handbag.

One man reported that passengers on his flight were left very distracted after two girls emerged quite ruffled from a toilet, and another said his girlfriend was so upset by the turbulence on a flight to New Zealand that she demanded he accompany her to the bathroom and 'distract' her. Incidentally, 70% of the respondents were women.

Wego general manager Jackson Fernandez said, "Several Indians who participated in the survey had encounters of the romantic kind too - they either found future partners on a flight or ended up proposing to their love with champagne and ring to boot."

Much debate surrounds the legality of amorous acts in flights, though different countries have diverse laws. There is also the question of just how visible the act is to other passengers, which can make it fall under 'public sex' laws. At least two of Wego's respondents witnessed couples being escorted by police from flights into Australia as a result of in-flight sex, yet the thrill of being caught is supposedly part of the attraction.

Overall, respondents were not offended by the act. If anything, they were rather amused but confessed to being somewhat taken by surprise.

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The end of SRK and Arjun Rampal's friendship?

The Shah Rukh Khan-Arjun Rampal friendship is over, RIP! Rumbles of discontentment have been audible for a long time. We now have it from a very reliable source that Arjun and SRK have completely distanced themselves from one another while their wives continue to be best friends.

At the proposed 40th birthday bash that Arjun's wife Mehr is organizing in Marrackesh on November 29, Shah Rukh will be conspicuous by his absence.

"And not because SRK has other commitments and cannot be at Marrackesh. This is the alibi that's being set forward for SRK's absence at Arjun's party on 29th. But the truth is, Shah Rukh is no more on talking terms with Arjun. Their wives continue to be thick pals. In fact Gauri Khan is on top of Mehr Jessia's guest list for her husband's birthday party," says our source.

Apparently Mrs Shah Rukh Khan has made it clear to Mrs Rampal that Shah Rukh is not attending the 40th birthday party.

The split between the two close friends has caused quite an awkward loyalty-issue among the friends of the two actors. Abhishek and Aishwarya Bachchan are apparently not attending Arjun's birthday party, because of Abhishek's closeness to Shah Rukh. On the other hand Hrithik and Susanne who are very thick with Arjun and Mehr would be present throughout the celebrations.

Interestingly the girl-gang comprising star-wives Gauri Khan, Susanne Roshan, Mehr Jessia, Chunky Pandey's wife Bhavna and Sanjay Kapoor's wife Maheep continue to form their girls' gang irrespective of the equation among their husbands. Sonali Bhendre who also used to be a part of the star-wives' club has now isolated herself from it.

All the ladies from the exclusive star-wives' clubs are expected to be at Marrackesh for Arjun's big 40th birthday bash on the 29th November, three days' ahead of the actual birth date.With or without their husbands.

Arjun Rampal who will celebrate a working birthday on November 276 in Kutch on location for Nikhil Advani's D Day says he's aware of the birthday bash but unaware of the guest list. "I know Mehr is planning this surprise party for me at Marrackesh which I am not supposed to know about. Who all are coming, I've no clue. I know my wife and daughters will be there."

Arjun heads for Marrackesh on 27 November to attend the film festival where three of his films Rock On, Raajneeti and Chakravyuha are being screened.

Understandably the actor who has lately come into his own, is excited "It would be a mini-festival of my best work and then the party that Mehr is organizing at Marrackesh. But that's a little way off. For the next couple of days I'm shooting some of toughest action scenes I've ever done. Nikhil Advani is shooting on the outskirts of Kutch. The location is about four-hours'drive away from Kutch. And quite gruelling."

About turning 40 Arjun asks, "Is it really meant to be special? That's what people said when I turned 30. But I guess at 40 you begin to make good use of the experiences that you've gathered over the years. Earlier you are just running around trying to find your bearings."

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Disappointed with my spinners: MS Dhoni

MUMBAI: His insistence on a spinning track boomeranging, a sheepish Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Monday said he was disappointed with his tweakers who did not adjust their pace to exploit the pitch in the lost second Test against England.

India were handed a humiliating 10-wicket loss by the English, who were expected to struggle on the spinning track that Dhoni had asked for before the game.

Instead of the host spinners, it was England's Monty Panesar who made batsmen dance to his tune and walked away with 11 wickets. On the other hand, Kevin Pietersen and Alastair Cook proved their class with hundreds on a track that seemed to terrorise other willow-wielders.

"Definitely outplayed. Monty bowled really well. All get turn, but the pace he bowled at made sure that the batsmen were on the front foot. To some extent, yes I am disappointed with our spinners. We let England bat on the back foot. We could have brought them forward," a disappointed Dhoni said at the presentation ceremony.

Dhoni had lambasted the opening Test pitch in Ahmedabad despite India's win and today he said his bowlers just could not get a hold over the pace to bowl at the Wankhede.

"All of a sudden they have to change their plan. Ahmedabad was completely different and it was a change of conditions," he said.

Dhoni said the next two Tests, starting with the game in Kolkata on December 5, would be a test of character for his team.

"When two best sides are playing, series are close. It will be a test of character in the two coming games," he said.

Dhoni's rival number Alastair Cook said he has all but forgotten the disappointment of losing the toss.

"Without a doubt, it is a great win. I can't fault the effort of the lads. I could have called heads and obviously it was an important toss. The way we bowled on that first day it was fantastic," said Cook.

Cook lauded the contribution made by Pietersen and Panesar.

"You don't need to tell KP anything and it was great to watch from the other end. Credit to the way Graeme Swann and Monty bowled. Brilliant performance. It's been interesting two weeks and we have seen ends of the spectrum," he said referring to the nine-wicket loss in Ahmedabad.

Man of the match Pietersen the hundred in the match ranks quite high in his(R personal bests.

"Now that we have won, this hundred is at the top. Yesterday I said Test hundreds feel a lot better when you win," said Pietersen.

Back in the fold after being at loggerheads with the England Cricket Board for quite some while, Pietersen lauded his teammates and the dressing room unity.

"Panesar and Swann were outstanding. Cooky didn't talk about himself, but he was outstanding. What a difference a week makes. The way boys have come back is great. Cricket wise, it is not bad now.

"Thanks to the guys in the dressing room and the management. Every day you put on an England jersey, it is special. Thanks to the supporters who have travelled, and also the Indian support. They have been great too," he said.

Asked what was the key to performing well on the Indian soil, Pietersen said, "You have to trust your defence, that is the big difference. You play sweep shots early on, it doesn't look that good."

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Sari makes a comeback in placement interviews at IIM-Ahmedabad

AHMEDABAD: The sari is back on the campus of India's premier management school. Women students at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) may go the whole nine yards during placement interviews this year.

The Indian ethnic wear has been recognised as a formal wear for business interviews held on the campus after a long hiatus, thanks to the efforts of the institute's first woman cultural representative in 52 years — Priyanshi Mathur.

The sari disappeared from placement interviews some years ago as more women students started wearing business suits, considering the convenience factor. They also wanted to present a more global image. Mathur asked the placement committee to recognise sari as formalwear and got the nod.

While Mathur wasn't available for a comment, a student from her batch said, "Business suits were not compulsory for women in the last few years, but recommended by the institute to have a uniform dress code. Suits also met global trends. But I am not sure how many will wear it for interviews."

Professor Kirti Sharda, chairperson of the placements committee said, "We ask students to come in business formals for interviews. What they consider formal is up to them."

The sari shift has come at a time when women form 17% of the students this year, compared to 11% last year. Nayan Parikh, president of IIM-A Alumni Association, Ahmedabad chapter, believes the sari is the best way of showing global companies that these are Indian women managers.

Beena Handa, an IIM-A alumnus of the 1974 batch and vice-president, Claris Lifesciences, feels that appropriateness matters over dressing Indian or western. "Almost 40 years ago, the typical image of a professional woman manager was a plain sari with a thick border. Over time, both the sari and the business suit have gained acceptance for women. A sari gives a woman grace and adds maturity to her persona. But we need to have a flexible view of the dress code now, keeping the job profile and culture of the organisation in mind," Handa said.

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Bal Thackeray 'sitting duck', Headley had said after recce

MUMBAI: Mumbai terror attack conspirator David Headley, who had surveyed most of the 26/11 targets, had also conducted a recce of Bal Thackeray's heavily-guarded residence 'Matoshree' in suburban Bandra in 2008, and found that Shiv Sena chief was a "sitting duck".

In his soon-to-be-released book, 'Headley and I', about filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt's son Rahul's unusual friendship with Headley during the latter's stay in Mumbai, author-journalist Hussain Zaidi has revealed how the LeT operative scanned Thackeray's residence with the help of Shiv Sena activist Vilas, a gym instructor.

Pakistani-American Headley frequently visited a gym in south Mumbai where Rahul Bhatt and Vilas worked out, and befriended them.

Headley, according to Zaidi, found loopholes in the late Sena chief's security at Matoshree.

The book — to be released within a week, Zaidi told PTI — also reproduces Headley's statements recorded by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Chicago.

According to Zaidi, the book tells how Headley once even visited Matoshree and photographed it for 15 minutes, posing as 'a fan'.

Post-Matoshree visit, Headley told Rahul that Thackeray was "a sitting duck".

"A small bunch of desperadoes can break that security cover and reach Thackeray. I have no idea why the police are so proud of the protection he has been given," Headley is quoted as having said.

During reconnaissance of several targets in the metropolis, the Pakistan-origin US national, who had learnt to play golf in Lahore, made a visit to Willingdon Club here too, and termed a possible strike on the posh club as "icing on the cake".

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Ind vs Eng: India stare at defeat as England take stranglehold of 2nd Test

NEW DELHI: India were staring at an embarrassing defeat in the second cricket Test against a spirited England who rode on Kevin Pietersen and Alastair Cook's brilliant centuries to gain a vital 86-run lead before the spinners tightened the noose around the hosts on Sunday.

Scorecard | Match In Pics

Pietersen (186) and Cook (122) notched up their 22nd Test centuries in a masterly exhibition of batsmanship on a turning track as England folded up for 413 just at the stroke of tea before reducing the hosts to a precarious 117 for seven at close on the third day.

After conceding a 86-run lead, India's top order batsmen surrendered rather tamely to the English spinners who exploited the conditions far better than their Indian counterparts who inexplicably lacked the sting.

Gautam Gambhir (53) and Harbhajan Singh (1) were at the crease with India just 31 runs ahead on a day which saw as many as 15 wickets fall on a Wankhede pitch giving ample assistance to the spinners. Virender Sehwag (9), Cheteshwar Pujara (6), Sachin Tendulkar (8), Virat Kohli (7), Yuvraj Singh (8) captain M S Dhoni (6) and R Ashwin (11) were back in the pavilion much to the disappointment of a huge Sunday crowd.

Monty Panesar, who claimed five wickets in the first innings, was the chief destroyer with another five-for as India's famed batsmen fell prey to the left-arm spinner who extracted a lot of spin and bounce.

The day clearly belonged to Pietersen and Cook who tilted the balance in England's favour with a record 206-run partnership for the third wicket, eclipsing the previous record of 144 between Mike Gatting and Allan Lamb in 1984-85.

Cook, who struck his second successive century, anchored the innings while Pietersen was the more aggressive partner as the pair frustrated the Indian spinners. Pietersen never allowed the spinners to settle down as he kept the score moving with a flurry of shots.

But the England innings collapsed after the dismissal of Pietersen, with the last six wickets falling for just 56 runs. Pragyan Ojha was the pick of the Indian bowlers with five for 143 while Harbhajan Singh and Ashwin chipped in with two wickets apiece.

India sliced through the England innings after Cook was dismissed. With their efforts, both Cook and Pietersen joined Walter Hammond, Colin Cowdrey and Geoff Boycott who hold the record for the maximum Test tons for England.

The duo's double century-stand assumed more significance after the last eight English wickets fell for 139 runs.

Ojha had figures of five for 143, his second fifer in as many Tests.

England lost their last four wickets in a heap, for the addition of just seven runs, once wicketkeeper Matt Prior was run out at 406.

The tourists, who resumed on 178 for two overnight, were dismissed eight minutes before tea. The England skipper departed when he edged Ashwin to Dhoni who later caught Pietersen off Ojha in the second hour after lunch.

Cook's departure before lunch triggered a collapse in which seven wickets fell in quick succession.

Once the Cook-Pietersen partnership was broken, Ojha got into his wicket taking act with a spell of three for 52 on either side of lunch during which he sent back Jonny Bairstow (9), Samit Patel (26) and Pietersen, who struck 21 fours and four sixes in his 233-ball knock in 317 minutes.

Ojha had accounted for Nick Compton and Jonathan Trott yesterday. But Pietersen was especially harsh on Ojha who foxed him twice at Ahmedabad.

Ashwin captured the wicket of Cook while Harbhajan Singh, the third spinner in the team, struck late in the session to send back Stuart Broad caught brilliantly at silly point by a diving Pujara, and then trapped James Anderson in front.

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Ponty Chadha's 'task force' worked as parallel excise department

LUCKNOW: Ponty Chadha controlled his Rs 12,000-crore liquor empire in Uttar Pradesh through his 1,500-strong private 'task force' that ran parallel to the government's excise department and maintained its own network of intelligence gathering.

The main job of the 'task force' was to protect the business interests of the group, plug holes and crack down on liquor smuggling, said sources. The force, spread across the state with headquarters in Noida, was provided with the entire paraphernalia for conducting raids and had its own intelligence network. The team members were given cash rewards for seizing liquor smuggled into UP.

And just like any government office, the department also had a well-defined hierarchy, a policy of transfer and posting, as well as punishment for non-performance.

"We too have come to know about this team but we are not sure if it is still operating," said a top state excise department official.

Sources privy to the functioning of the Chadha Group's 'excise department' said that at the district level, the force comprised a district in-charge (DIC) who was answerable for fall in sales or returns from any district. The officer was provided with an SUV and gunners from private security agencies and was responsible for the output of his team of 16 subordinates, including a CIC (city in-charge), RIC (raid in-charge), GIC (group in-charge), OIC (office in-charge) and TIC (tehsil in-charge for smaller towns). This hierarchy was followed in all the 75 districts of the state.

"The team members would conduct surprise inspections at liquor stores and distribution centres to check if only the group's products were being supplied. Team members would pose as customers at outlets to verify the price being charged at outlets," said a member of the team in Moradabad, where it operated from a rented house in Budh Vihar of Awas Vikas Colony.

The team had a well-oiled intelligence network that maintained its focus on illicit liquor being smuggled into the state and sold to outlets in border districts, said sources. The team was given a cash reward of Rs 50,000 for each truckload of smuggled liquor seized. The force was responsible for gathering intelligence, contacting the local excise and police department officials and escorting them to the seizure. While Chadha's men would get cash rewards, the excise and police department would get accolades for 'good work' without much sweat.

Sources said often these members of the task force would strike a deal with moles in the local excise department who would inform them about movement of smuggled liquor.

"The force initially had a strength of two to five persons per district which was augmented as the business expanded. There was a time when the salary for this department was secured by selling the Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) at Rs 5-15 higher than the MRP," said a member of the team.

He and other members of the force are now staring into uncertainty after Ponty's death, as their appointments were never formalized nor were they given any appointment letter.

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Support for Modi if he regrets 2002: Muslim umbrella body

NEW DELHI: An umbrella body of Muslim organisations has acknowledged "some signs of change'' in Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi's attitude, but laid down stiff conditions, including an apology and "expression of sorrow'' for the 2002 riots, before extending him support "in rebuilding Gujarat''.

The Joint Committee of Muslim Organisations for Empowerment (JCMOE) comprises 10 outfits: Jamiat-ul-Ulema Hind, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind; All India Majlis-e-Mushawarat, All India Milli Council, Movement for Empowerment of Muslim Indians, All India Momin Conference, All India Shia Conference, Markazi Jamiat-e-Ahle Hadith, Imarat-e-Sharia, and All India Muslim Educational Society.

JCMOE chairman Syed Shahabuddin noted that the BJP and Modi are giving special attention to Muslim voters ahead of the assembly elections in Gujarat, but said the community in the state and elsewhere in the country has not forgotten the 2002 massacre. He asked Modi to offer at least 20 assembly tickets to Muslims acceptable to the community, where they constitute more than 20% of the electorate instead of repeatedly announcing his faith in secularism.

"This would give the community representation according to its population (10%) in the state. Token nomination of one or two Muslims, personally known to you, will not do,'' Shahabuddin said.

"Alternatively," the former IFS officer wrote, "The Muslim leadership will advise Muslims not to divide their votes and vote massively and unitedly for one candidate, irrespective of party or religion, who is likely to defeat the BJP." Shahabuddin sought "a promise to give Muslims equitable share in the benefits of development at all levels, particularly in education and employment''.

He said Gujarat's Muslims have rebuilt their lives on their own with limited resources in the last 10 years as they have realized they have nowhere to go but to live in the state hoping to get equitable benefits in development and employment.

JCMOE also called for compensation to the families of those killed in 2002 at par with the 1984 Delhi riot victims, reimbursement of expenditure incurred by the injured in private hospitals, rehabilitation of the displaced people in camps, rehabilitation of those unable to return to their homes in dignity and security and with restoration of their property, compensation for their houses demolished during the massacre.

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Ind vs Eng: Cook and Pietersen guide England to comfortable position

MUMBAI: Skipper Alastair Cook continued to torment India with yet another gritty batting display while Kevin Pietersen returned to form with an unbeaten half-century to give England a slight advantage in the second Test on Saturday.

Scorecard | Match in Pics

After dismissing India for 327 in the first innings, England moved to a comfortable 178 for two in 65 overs before the stumps were drawn on the second day, with the visitors trailing by 149 runs.

At close, the left-handed Cook, who had scored a big century in the first Test, was unbeaten on 87. The more aggressive Pietersen was batting on 62 after a stay of 127 minutes during which he faced 85 balls and hit nine fours.

Cook batted for 251 minutes and faced 209 balls, striking a six and ten fours in the process.

The third wicket duo has so far put on 110 runs in 186 balls. For the record, Cook has batted for 960 minutes in all in the three innings he has batted during the series.

With three more days left in the second game of the four-match series in which India are 1-0 ahead, a result is on the cards on a track that is aiding the spin bowlers.

England, though, looked to have a slight advantage with a settled and experienced pair at the wicket and some more batting to follow.

On a wicket where the spin duo of Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann ran through the star-studded Indian batting line-up in which Cheteshwar Pujara (135) and Ravichandra Ashwin (68) stood out, the trio of home team spinners looked largely clueless against the determined Cook and Pietersen.

Barring the twin strike by left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha in the space of 11 balls just before tea, the home side's spin attack looked far less menacing than both Panesar (five for 129) and Swann, who ran through the tail to end up with figures of four for 70.

Cook again showed monumental patience to lead his side's reply. Anything bowled at the stumps was blocked, balls outside the off were cut while the ones outside the leg were swept. He gathered his runs mostly in singles to frustrate the Indian spinners, just like he had done for nearly 12 hours in Ahmedabad.

With a sweep shot before tea, Cook surpassed Pujara as the highest run-getter in the series. The shot, incidentally, hit Pujara on the right side of his rib cage, forcing him to leave the field and seek medical attention. He did not come out to field after tea.

Substitute fielder Ajinkya Rahane, too, had to duck at times to avoid getting hit by the England captain's sweeps. He eventually received a painful blow on his left elbow by Kevin Pietersen's powerful sweep off Harbhajan Singh.

Pietersen, who looked in a hurry in the opening game, adopted a slightly different approach. He dispatch Harbhajan with lofted shots but played cautiously against Ojha, who had dismissed him twice in the first game. The batsman was also careful against Ashwin.

Pietersen, however, survived a confident appeal for a catch off Ashwin when he was on 45 in a team score of 146 for two.

Umpire Aleem Dar, who gave a wrong decision to send back Zaheer Khan in the morning by declaring him caught in the leg trap, did not agree to the Indians' vociferous appeal against Pietersen when the ball ballooned to backward short-leg fielder Virat Kohli.

Pietersen soon raced to his half-century with a back foot cut off Ashwin in 63 balls.

He had come to the crease after Ojha struck two blows in his three-over spell late in the second session to dismiss opener Nick Compton and Jonathan Trott in successive overs.

Cook and his opening partner Compton had negotiated the spinning ball to raise the visitors' hopes till Ojha struck.

Ojha had the dogged Compton caught at slip with a sharply turning ball for 29 and then fooled Trott with an arm ball to trap the batsman leg before as England slumped from 66 for no loss to 68 for two.

Their dismissals brought together Cook and Pietersen who batted out the last session while adding 101 runs.

Neither Ojha nor off spinner Ashwin, who took four wickets in the first game, got the same amount of turn or bounce that Panesar found in the morning.

Both were also guilty of not sticking to a consistent line, with Ashwin slightly better than his spin partner till Ojha came on for a fresh spell to claim two quick wickets.

Harbhajan, playing his first Test after the disastrous tour to England in 2011, started off well by getting some turn and bounce, but later on became predictable and could not trouble the batsmen.

While Ojha was the most successful Indian bowler of the day with two for 65, Ashwin and Harbhajan gave away 54 and 47 runs, respectively, without tasting success. Zaheer Khan bowled economically in short spells.

Harbhajan was not summoned into the attack till the 25th over while Yuvraj Singh was not given a single over by skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

In the morning, England finally dismissed Pujara for the first time in three innings as India were all out 22 minutes before lunch.

Pujara was the ninth man out at 316, after batting for almost the entire day on Friday and with just half an hour left for lunch today.

It was Pujara who pulled India out of a deep hole on the first day when India were struggling at 169 for six at one stage. He was lured out by Swann and wicketkeeper Matt Prior did the needful.

Pujara's seven and a half hour vigil lasted 350 balls. He struck 12 fours.

The Rajkot-born player had made an unbeaten 206 in the first Test.

But despite Pujara's brave effort, India, resuming on 266 for six, lost their remaining four wickets for the addition of adding 61 runs with Swann sending back Pujara, Harbhajan and Zaheer in the space of 10 balls.

India's last four wickets added 158 runs, which helped them bounce back from the precarious position.

Panesar, who dismissed overnight batsman Ashwin, finished with a five-for, his first against India and 11th overall.

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India eyes Israel's Iron Dome to counter Pak, puppets

NEW DELHI: As Fajr V rockets rained down on Israel from battleground Gaza for a week, many Indian defense planners were keeping a close watch on the performance of Israel's Iron Dome, which is probably the only deterrent to these homegrown short-range missiles.

It was not just out of curiosity regarding one of the most effective systems against rockets, but also because of the possibility of India acquiring an indigenous version of Iron Dome.

Several months ago, the military scientists in the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) had suggested that India look at a joint development programme with Israeli firms to develop an Indian version of Iron Dome, which is touted as the most effective system against short-range missiles such as Fajr V rockets. The Indian scientists believe Israel's plight has several parallels to its threat from Pakistan as well as the vulnerability of its cities from terrorists.

The Iron Dome, according to reports, intercepted 87% of the rockets fired at Israel by the Hamas. The system, produced by Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and at work since 2011, is believed to have the capability to shoot down rockets and artillery shells with ranges of up to 70 km. The system has been shown to be effective against rockets or shells that might target populated areas.

In the Indian military establishment, the temptation for acquiring this new toy is explained by the fact that India is ringed by hostile neighbours. Pakistani terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) could well acquire similar capability that would threaten large groups of Indian population. Even otherwise, the strategic planners have for long been worried about the deadly effect of short-range rockets fired at Indian cities or from across the border.

Unlike ballistic missiles, against which DRDO claims to have a fairly good anti-ballistic missile shield, there is almost no protection against short-range rockets or artillery fire. DRDO is currently collaborating with Israeli firms to develop medium range surface to air missiles (MRSAMs) and LRSAMs. However, Iron Dome is in a different class all together, Israeli diplomatic sources here argue.

One of the reasons why some Indian defence planners is pushing for it is the possibility of another conflict with Pakistan, where a system like the Iron Dome might be useful to deter even conventional artillery attacks. In addition, Pakistan has developed a tactical nuclear weapon like the Nasr, which is a solid fuelled battlefield range ballistic missile. While Pakistani analysts say this was developed in anticipation of India's supposed Cold Start doctrine, some Indian sources say the Iron Dome might be an effective deterrent against this new weapon.

On the other hand, acquiring such defensive systems in anticipation of similar attacks might prove to be too much a temptation for groups like LeT. While they haven't yet developed rockets like the ones the Hamas has been using, the lure of such home-grown weaponry should not be under-estimated, say diplomatic sources.

According to sources, there have been some discussions between DRDO and their Israeli counterparts for a possible joint development of Iron Dome for India. "The Israeli team comes and works in our laboratories. Our team goes and works in their laboratories and industries. There is a learning that is taking place which was not there when we buy things and integrate with existing products... In directed energy weapons — we are focusing on fibre laser, high powered micro-waves, etc. We have also started discussions with Iron Dome for co-development (in India)," Dr W Selvamurthy, Chief Controller looking after international cooperation, told the Economic Times recently.

How it works:

* The system detects launches of rockets and quickly determines their flight path. If it is headed toward populated areas or sensitive targets, it fires an interceptor with a special warhead that strikes the incoming rocket within seconds. Rockets headed toward open areas area allowed to land.

* Currently, five Iron Dome batteries are deployed in Israel. Most are located in the south near Gaza. A fifth battery was deployed outside Tel Aviv on Saturday, two months ahead of schedule. Hours later, it shot down a rocket headed toward Tel Aviv.

*Missiles cost around $40,000 a piece. In 2010, the US provided $200 million to expand development. Additional funding is currently being considered, with $70 million already allocated for this fiscal year.

*The system is part of what Israel calls its "multilayer missile defense". It is meant to protect against the tens of thousands of short-range rockets possessed by militants in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon. Israel has also deployed its " Arrow" missile defense systems for long-range threats from Iran. The military says its new "David's Sling" system, being developed by Rafael to stop medium-range missiles, will be activated by 2014.

(Source: AP)

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Ind vs Eng: Cheteshwar Pujara props up India with second consecutive ton

MUMBAI: Cheteshwar Pujara cracked his second consecutive Test century as India recovered from a precarious situation to restore the balance in the second cricket Test against England on Friday.

Scorecard | Match In Pics

Pujara, who had scored a double century in the first match, notched up his third Test century to remain unbeaten on 114 on a turning track at the Wankhede Stadium and steered the hosts to a far more comfortable 266 for six at close on an eventful opening day.

Pujara found an able ally in Ravichandran Ashwin (60 batting) as the duo put on unfinished 97-run partnership for the seventh wicket to bail them out after the hosts were reeling at 119 for five at one stage.

Barring Pujara and Ashwin, none of the batsman in the star-studded line-up could make an impression on a track that started turning from the second session onwards and which was exploited by left-arm spinner Monty Panesar who claimed four wickets.

Coming to the crease after the second ball dismissal of Gautam Gambhir, the 25-year-old Pujara kept one end going by showing superb judgement against the spinning ball to pull India out of a deep hole after the home team opted to bat first on winning the toss.

Pujara stayed for just over six hours in which he had faced 279 balls and struck ten fours. Ashwin faced 84 for his valuable knock.

Pujara came into the game on the back of his unbeaten knocks of 206 and 41 in the two innings of the opening Test at Ahmedabad, which fetched him the Man of the Match award and paved the way for his team's comprehensive nine-wicket victory.

Panesar, who took four for 91 by the end of the day's day, was played with a lot of assurance by Pujara.

It was the Rajkot-born youngster's third 100-plus knock in his last four Test matches, having scored a maiden century (159) against New Zealand in August.

Pujara, who has been dismissed only in the warm-up game for Mumbai A after making 87, continued to prosper against the visitors with his exemplary concentration and shot selection.

He gave one chance, when on 60, when he edged Panesar but James Anderson could not latch on to it.

When on 94, England needlessly appealed against him for a catch at midwicket, which was referred to the third umpire and the replays showed the ball had bounced in front of the short leg fielder.

The early part of the day belonged to England who sent back Gambhir (4), Virender Sehwag (30) -- in his 100th Test -- Sachin Tendulkar (8), Virat Kohli (19) and Yuvraj Singh (0).

Barring Gambhir and Yuvraj, who fell to Anderson and Graeme Swann, the others were dismissed by Panesar.

Pujara and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who mixed caution with aggression before becoming Panesar's fourth victim for 29, put on a partnership of 50 runs in 128 balls.

England's hopes of slicing through the Indian tail, though, came to naught with Ashwin scoring his second fifty.

With some more batting to come in the form of Harbhajan Singh -- drafted into the eleven as the third spinner after more than a year's gap -- Zaheer Khan and Pragyan Ojha, India would fancy their chances of taking the score past 300.

In the morning and soon after lunch, England applied the screws on India and made the hosts struggle on a turning track on which the ball gripped the surface and also bounced.

Panesar, who was left out of the first Test, was the destroyer-in-chief, with a splendid spell of 23 overs on either side of lunch for the wickets of Sehwag, Tendulkar and Kohli before coming on for another spell for the wicket of Dhoni.

Anderson and off-spinner Swann packed off Gambhir (4) and Yuvraj (2) in two balls apiece.

Gambhir, who flicked Anderson to midwicket off the first ball, missed the next to be rapped in front.

After pushing India on the back foot in the pre-lunch session, England continued the good work with a two-wicket burst in successive overs in the first hour of the post-lunch session.

Panesar, who sent back Sehwag and Tendulkar in successive overs before lunch, got his third victim by dismissing Kohli.

After disturbing the stumps of Sehwag and Tendulkar with sharply turning balls, Panesar induced Kohli to attempt a drive with a ball that drifted in and turned big on pitching to take the leading edge for Nick Compton to bring off a good diving catch.

Kohli had cover-driven the left-arm bowler and his spin partner Swann for attractive boundaries in successive overs before he was lured by the crafty Sikh.

The slow bowler made the ball drift in to the right-handers and extracted sharp turn off the track.

He could have had the confident-looking Pujara too when the batsman, batting on 60 in a team score of 135 for five, edged the bowler to the left of Anderson who could not latch on to the catch at short gully.

Had it been taken India would have been in deeper trouble.

Prior to this slice of luck Yuvraj, who made 74 on his Test comeback in Ahmedabad, had departed for a second-ball duck, clean bowled by Swann. Swann had been brought on for a new spell by skipper Alastair Cook soon after the left-hander arrived at the crease, and the move paid off.

The hosts lost these two wickets in successive overs for the addition of just one run to be tottering at 119 for five and the loss of Pujara, easily the best Indian batsman against the turning ball in this match, would have been a major blow to their hopes of putting up a fighting total.

Dhoni came to the crease and started to attack the two spinners with his drives and cuts.

He was lucky on 22 in a score of 149 for five when he stepped out against Swann, missed a big heave but luckily the ball clipped the top of his pad and got deflected before wicketkeeper Matt Prior could stump the batsman.

Dhoni was later out, caught off the gloves in the close-in cordon, off Panesar. Pujara and Ashwin, however, held fort.

Even the second new ball, taken after 80 overs, did not benefit England.

Pujara pulled Anderson for a four to complete his 100 in 248 balls, before Ashwin struck the bowler for three fours in an over to race to 50 in 67 balls.

The off-spinner has hit a century at this ground an year ago, against the West Indies.

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Girl shot dead for telling man not to urinate in public

NEW DELHI: An argument over lack of civic sense again ended in murder in the capital late on Wednesday night. A 17-year-old girl was shot dead and her mother shot at in Nizamuddin in south Delhi by their apparently-inebriated, former tenant for asking him to stop urinating near the staircase of their house.

The murder took place about 10 pm at E-405, Alvi Chowk, which is 500 metres away from Nizamuddin PS. Police have identified the accused as Javed (26). A case of murder has been registered and a manhunt launched.

Binno alias Gudiya and her mother Sadmani (40) were laying the table for dinner when they spotted Javed loitering outside their house.

"They served the food and switched on the TV when Javed arrived with a companion. The companion waited at a distance while Javed stood at the stairs leading to the house and began relieving himself. Sadmani and Binno emerged and loudly asked him to leave," a neighbour said. The argument that followed soon turned ugly and Javed left for a few minutes after threatening dire consequences. "When he returned, he called them out, whipped out a 7.65 mm pistol and opened fire. Binno was shot twice while her mother took a bullet," said a police officer.

Hearing their screams, neighbours gathered. They rushed the pair to AIIMS Trauma Center. Binno was declared dead on arrival while Sadmani is in the intensive care unit, police said. "Javed has a few criminal cases registered against him including a charge of attempt to murder. His mother works as a domestic help. Sadmani, relatives said, sometimes financially helped out Javed's family when he was in jail," the officer said.

Gudiya's 14-year-old brother and father Aslam were not present when the shooting took place. Aslam was away on night duty at Vatika, a banquet hall in Pragati Maidan where he is caretaker. Police received a call from the hospital two hours later. The body was handed over to the family on Thursday afternoon following postmortem.

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Ajmal Kasab hanged: A puppet's life ends on a string

MUMBAI: Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab exited this world as stealthily as he had entered Mumbai four years ago. The lone surviving gunman of 26/11 was hanged to death in Pune's Yerawada jail at 7.30am on Wednesday in an extremely hush-hush operation.

Asked for his last wish, the 25-year-old terrorist from Faridkot village in Pakistan's Punjab province said: "Gharwalon ko milna hai (I want to meet my family members)." He was told the Islamabad government had been informed about his hanging but had failed to respond. As his hands and legs were tied, his last words, according to officials who witnessed the hanging, were: "Allah kasam maaf karna. Aisi galati dobara nahi hogi...(Allah, please forgive me, this mistake won't happen again)."

Sources said Kasab was babbling incoherently before the hangman pulled the lever at Yerawada, about 150km from Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail, his home for four years. His body was buried in a pit in the prison premises as there were no claimants. He was convicted in May 2010 by a special judge for murdering seven people directly with his AK-47 and 65 others in common intent with fellow terrorist Ismail. He was also found guilty of being part of a Lashkar-e-Taiba conspiracy that led to 166 deaths. The Mumbai high court in February 2011 and the Supreme Court in August this year upheld the sentence.

How Kasab came to be hanged as most of India slept is as dramatic a tale as the unfortunate cycle of terror he and his nine other terrorists unleashed across Mumbai landmarks on November 26, 2008.

On November 7, two days after President Pranab Mukherjee rejected Kasab's clemency petition, Shinde, home secretary R K Singh and sleuths from the Intelligence Bureau drafted 'Operation X' to execute him. "It was a top-secret operation. Only a few bureaucrats and high-ranking IPS officers were involved," Shinde told TOI.

The next day, Shinde sent the file to the Maharashtra government and advised the state home department to hang Kasab on November 21. Incidentally, R R Patil, the state home minister, went on record on Wednesday to say that Kasab's 'death warrant' had been drawn up in consultation with the additional sessions judge two months earlier, on September 11, after the Supreme Court upheld his death penalty.

Next came the task of preparing Kasab for the gallows. Mumbai police commissioner Satya Pal Singh, joint commissioners Himanshu Roy, Sadanand Date and inspector general of prisons Vinod Lokhande were handpicked to execute the plan. "All along, we were told that the world should learn about Kasab's hanging only after the execution," a top IPS officer said.

The state at one point toyed with the idea of air-lifting Kasab to the Pune prison. But a senior cabinet minister said that the plan was nixed in view of the permissions required for carrying arms on a plane. Finally, it was decided to shift Kasab in a car.

DGP Sanjeev Dayal called a handful of officers and told them that they had less than 10 days to transfer Kasab from the Arthur Road jail for undertrials to the Yerawada prison for convicts.

The operation should be airtight, he stressed. "Such secrecy was needed because we were anticipating international pressure to reconsider the death penalty," said a top government official. (TOI was the only paper to report, in its November 21 edition, that Kasab may have been secretly moved to Yerawada).

The team handpicked the officials, comprising mostly commandos from the anti-terrorist Force One, to escort Kasab out of the city. "Only a few of them were briefed about the prisoner's identity. Most of the commandos and members of the para-military units were clueless till Wednesday morning that they had accompanied Kasab," another source said.

The team then got cracking on the six-stage plan involving a posse of vehicles and a troop of commandos. The first began with Kasab leaving Arthur Road jail at 1.38am on Tuesday and the last ended at 4.34am the same morning, when he entered Yerawada.

Each stage had a different code name and the bosses were briefed about the success at the end of every leg. "We basically ensured that there were no traffic blocks on the road and no attack on him," an official added.

Investigating officer Ramesh Mahale accompanied Kasab as he was the only face familiar to the terrorist. In Pune, too, arrangements were made with the local police to ensure that the convoy reached the jail without any hitch.

"It was early morning so everything went smoothly," a source said. Senior officers monitoring the operation went to sleep only after they received information that Kasab had reached Yerawada jail safely.

While the drama was unfolding, a huge posse of policemen continued guarding Arthur Road's prized prisoner without realizing that he had left hours ago.

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Pakistan Taliban vow to attack Indian targets over Kasab

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Taliban movement threatened on Thursday to attack Indian targets to avenge the country's execution of Mohammad Ajmal Kasab, the lone survivor of the militant squad responsible for a rampage through Mumbai that killed 166 people in 2008.

Kasab was hanged on Wednesday amid great secrecy, underscoring the political sensitivity of the November 26, 2008, massacre, which still casts a pall over relations between nuclear-armed rivals Pakistan and India.

"We have decided to target Indians to avenge the killing of Ajmal Kasab," said Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan by telephone from an undisclosed location.

Ehsan demanded that India return Kasab's body.

"If they don't return his body to us or his family we will capture Indians and will not return their bodies," he said, adding that the Taliban will try to strike Indian targets "anywhere".

The Taliban, who are close to al-Qaida, are seen as one of the biggest security threats in Pakistan and are blamed for many of the suicide bombings across the country. They have not carried out major attacks abroad.

Kasab was charged with 86 offences, including murder and waging war against the Indian state, in a charge-sheet running to more than 11,000 pages.

It was the first time a capital sentence had been carried out in India since 2004. There was celebration on the streets of Mumbai and other cities as news of the execution spread, but militant groups in Pakistan reacted angrily, as did residents of his home village of Faridkot.

People set off fireworks and handed out sweets in Indian cities. Some held up photos of Kasab with a rope noose superimposed over his head.

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Ajmal Kasab sang in cell the night before

PUNE: It was only when he was being taken to the gallows that Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab lost his composure. The 26/11 terrorist, who was hanged to death at the Yerawada central prison at 7.30 am on Wednesday, remained "cool" and even "sang songs in his cell" on Tuesday night, barely hours after he was told that he would be executed the next morning, sources said.

However, Kasab hardly slept on Tuesday night. In the morning, he expressed an unusual desire for tomatoes and the jail authorities gave him a basketful. However, his last wish to meet his family could not be fulfilled. He was buried in the Yerawada jail premises itself.

Kasab was brought from Mumbai's Arthur Road jail to the Yerawada jail at 4.30 am on Tuesday in a secret operation. A convoy of six vehicles accompanied by special commandos took the Mumbai-Pune expressway to reach the jail.

Before Kasab could reach Pune, hectic preparations were afoot at the Yerawada jail for his execution with the jail staff preparing the rope to be used for the hanging and even doing a dummy trial. "Special trials were undertaken particularly to check if the wooden board on the gallows could sustain Kasab's weight," a source said. Jail authorities even shifted out all the convicts lodged in the high security 'anda' cell (an egg-shaped cell which is divided in two parts) to lodge Kasab till late Tuesday evening, when he had to be shifted to the special cell where convicts to be taken to the gallows are kept.

Kasab was medically examined on his arrival at the Yerawada jail around 5 am. "We evaluated his consciousness, orientation and physical fitness. He weighed 52.5 kg and his blood pressure was normal at 120/80. He was evaluated for his mental fitness too by a jail psychiatrist," the source said, adding that Kasab appeared quite normal and confidently answered all questions posed by the doctors. "There was no trace of nervousness in him," the source said.

Kasab was told by the jail authorities on Tuesday evening that he would be executed on Wednesday. "He barely slept that night. He was asked to get ready at 4 am. He said he wanted to eat tomatoes, so he was given a basketful. However, he took only two tomatoes and ate only one around 6 am," the source said. After that, he offered namaz, read the Quran and was given prayer beads by the jail officials.

As per procedure, Kasab took another medical examination in his cell on Wednesday morning and was declared "medically fit to be hanged". Asked about his last wish, he said: "Gharwalon ko milna hai (I want to meet my family)". He was told that the Pakistan government had been informed about his hanging but had failed to respond. Asked if he had any other wish, he replied in the negative, the source said.

Kasab was brought to the gallows at 7.20 am. Dressed in the regular jail uniform for convicts, his hands and legs were tied, his head covered with a black cloth and the noose placed around his neck. It was then that he started speaking incoherently apart from seeking divine forgiveness. Sources said that he was hanged at 7.30 am in the presence of a special magistrate, a district administration official, a doctor, a medical team and jail officials.

Minutes after the hanging, a doctor declared Kasab dead and issued a death certificate, the sources said. The jail superintendent then signed a certificate stating that the convict had been hanged and a message was sent to the home ministry about the execution.

Kasab was buried in an open space near the 'faasi' (gallows) gate on jail premises at 9.30 am. Six pits were kept ready to ensure the exact burial spot remains a secret, sources said. "The special cell is located near the 'faasi' yard inside the jail premises, about 300 to 400 metres ahead to the left of the famous Gandhi yard. The Gandhi yard is located to the left after one enters the main entrance of the jail," the sources said.

The entire preparation, including making the rope and actual execution, was done by the jail staff, some of whom were trained by the last hangman, Arjun Jadhav, before he retired in 1996.

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Ajmal Kasab hanged and buried in Pune's Yerwada Jail

PUNE: After nearly four years, Ajmal Kasab, the sole surviving Pakistani gunman involved in the Mumbai attacks, was hanged to death at the Yerawada central prison here this morning in a top-secret operation.

Kasab was buried inside the premises of Pune's Yerawada Central Jail shortly after he was hanged, Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said.

"Ajmal Kasab was hanged at 7.30am," Maharashtra home minister R R Patil said in Mumbai shortly after the hanging. Pakistan government was kept informed about the execution.

The execution in the Mumbai attack trial brought closure to many in the audacious strike by 10 terrorists of Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in which 166 people were killed. Nine LeT men were killed during the 60-hour siege which began on the night of November 26, 2008.

The prison authorities remained tight-lipped about the details of hanging performed in a well-guarded secret operation amid reports that Kasab did not have any death wish.

Kasab was executed after he exhausted all legal remedies available to escape the noose with President Pranab Mukherjee rejecting his mercy plea following the advice of the Union home ministry.

Inspector general of Prisons (Maharashtra) Meeran Borwankar refused to respond media queries on the execution of Kasab.

There was, however, no official word or briefing by the jail authorities on the last rites of the hanged convict.

Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said Pakistan was informed about the execution of Kasab.

"With the execution of Kasab, we have completed the judicial procedure of 26/11 case." Shinde said in Delhi.

The Indian High Commission in Islamabad informed Pakistan government about Kasab's hanging through letter, he said, adding Pakistan refused to take the letter, which was then sent through fax.

External affairs minister Salman Khurshid said the obligation of keeping Pakistan informed about the hanging was fulfilled.

Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, who appeared for police in the case said the hanging is a "victory" for the country.

"Due process of law has been followed," Patil said, adding that hanging was carried out after President Mukherjee rejected Kasab's mercy petition on November 8. He said Kasab did not have any death wish.

"This is a true homage to the innocent victims, including policemen and security personnel, who laid down their lives," he said.

"Attack on Mumbai was an attack on the entire country," Patil said.

"I do not think there will be any trouble (if Kasab is buried in India) because India has suffered too much and everyone.... and this country has seen the tragedy. 166 people were killed after there days fight against humanity," he said.

Khurshid said India did not get any request from Pakistan for handing over the body of Kasab.

Nikam said by hanging Kasab the country has paid homage to all those policemen and innocent persons who lost their lives.

"By Kasab's conviction and death penalty, we have proved how the entire conspiracy was hatched in Pakistan. We have set an example that India will not tolerate such attacks and the accused will be brought to justice," Nikam told reporters in Mumbai.

Nikam appeared for the prosecution in the sessions court and High Court and assisted senior counsel Gopal Subramanium in the apex court.

A group of Shiv Sena workers raised slogans 'Vande Mataram' slogans outside the Yerawada jail hailing the hanging of Kasab and demanded that simialr justice be meted out to Parliament attack case death row convict Afzal Guru.

Kasab had been lodged in the Arthur Jail Road in Mumbai ever since he was arrested immediately after the attack in 2008. He was convicted and given capital punishment by the trial court on May 6, 2010 which was upheld by the Bombay High Court on February 21, 2011.

The Supreme Court subsequently upheld the sentence on August 29 this year.

Kasab and the other gunmen entered Mumbai by boat on November 26, 2008. Carrying mobile phones, hand grenades and automatic weapons, they fanned out across Mumbai targeting luxury hotels Taj Mahal and Oberoi Trident, a Jewish centre Chabad House and the city's main train station Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus(CST). (With inputs from PTI)

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Ajmal Kasab nervous but quiet before execution, offered prayers: Jail officer

PUNE: Minutes before his execution in Pune's Yerwada prison on Wednesday, Pakistani gunman Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab appeared to be nervous but was quiet and offered prayers, a jail official said.

"From his body language, we could make out that he was very nervous. However, he remained quiet before he was taken out from his cell for the hanging," the official said.

Kasab had also offered prayers and asked if his family was informed in advance about the hanging to which jail authorities replied in the affirmative, the official said.

Nearly four years after the Mumbai terror attack, Kasab, the sole surviving Pakistani gunman, was hanged this morning at Yerwada central prison here in a secret operation.

Kasab had been made to sign his death warrant before being moved to the Pune jail on November 19.

According to official sources, a senior jail official read out the death warrant to Kasab at his cell and also informed him that his clemency petition had been rejected by President Pranab Mukherjee.

After reading out his death warrant, Kasab, who was part of the 10-member Lashkar group that carried out the dastardly attack on November 26, 2008, was asked to sign it which he did, the sources said.

Later, he was taken by the Yerwada Jail police and the local police was kept out of the loop to maintain secrecy of the operation.

Barring a couple of officers, the 200-strong contingent of ITBP, which has been guarding him since March 2009, had been kept out of loop about his transfer to the Pune jail.

The sources said the ITBP jawans continued to guard the empty high-security cell, which had been housing 25-year-old Kasab.

Ten terrorists belonging to Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) had come to Mumbai and carried out the dastardly strikes in which 166 people were killed. Nine of them were killed during the 60-hour siege which began on the night of November 26, 2008. Kasab was, however,caught alive.

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