Six civilians, two Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh violence

Maoist guerrillas Sunday slit the throatsof six civilians, including a village head,in Chhattisgarh’s Rajnandgaon district,while two rebels were killed in a gunfight with the police in Dantewada district, officials said.The bodies of the six people were found dumped in a forested area of Manpur locality in Uchapur village in Rajnandgaon, about 175 km from here, by villagers in the morning, Chhattisgarh Director General of Police Vishwa Ranjan said.The victims included a village sarpanch (head), Bhilsai Mandwai (36), who was abducted early this week along with five others by armed Maoists on charges of spying for the police. All the bodies were found with their throats slit.The latest terrorist act of the Maoists targeting civilians has created panic among the residents of Rajnandgaon that borders Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district. Police and paramilitary forces deployed in the district for anti-Maoist operations were yet to reach the site in a thickly forested pocket between Uchapur-Taregaon locality as they suspect that guerrillas might be waiting with a booby trap to ambush security personnel.“We are being cautious while trying to reach the site, which is close to the border with Maharashtra. Maoists had lured a police convoy to a booby trap in the same area July last year in which 29 policemen, including district superintendent of police B.K. Choubey, were killed,” a senior police official here said.In a separate incident, police killed two guerrillas in a gunfight in Dantewada’s Kirandul area, said District Superintendent of Police Amresh Mishra.Police recovered two 12-bore guns, a few tiffin bombs and posters against public sector National Minerals Development Corporation (NMDC) Ltd, which has massive iron ore mining facilities at Bailadila hills of Kirandul and Bacheli areas.Chhattisgarh has witnessed a spurt in Maoist violence in recent months with the rebels carrying out the biggest ever attack April 6 in Dantewada district when guerrillas massacred 76 security personnel. This was followed by another attack May 8 in Bijapur district in which eight Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers were killed when their vehicle was blown up by the rebels. =================================================

Serial killer found murdered in Andhra

Hyderabad, May 16: A convicted serial killer was found murdered in Andhra Pradesh's Krishna district only a few days after he escaped from jail, police said Sunday.The body of Tatiparthi Rama Rao, convicted for seven murders, was found near Agiripalli police station Saturday night. The body was identified by Rama Rao's sister Nagamani Sunday. Police suspect that the local people might have hacked Rama Rao to death. They were questioning a villager Chalapati Rao, who had caught and handed over Rama Rao to police five years ago. After he escaped from a jail last month, Rama Rao had reportedly been threatening Chalapati. The criminal, a native of Krishna district, escaped from a jail in Srikakulam district April 9 and since then police had been on the lookout for him. The 35-year-old criminal, involved in killing of seven people at Rudrakshapalli village in Khammam district in 2005, had earlier escaped from jail thrice. Rama Rao, a life convict also involved in several cases of rape, loot and theft, had escaped from Nuzvid jail in Krishna district in 2007 along with co-accused Gunja Yesobu. He was re-arrested by police in Srikakulam district Oct 4 last year. Last month, he again escaped from Pedapadu sub-jail in Srikakulam district by scaling the 21-foot high wall. Police said Rama Rao was a terror in villages bordering Khammam and Krishna districts. He along with a few associates had killed seven people, including a woman, after chasing them in Rudrakshapalli village in 2005 to take revenge for the murder of his brother.
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Three killed in Hyderabad chemical factory fire

Hyderabad, May 16: At least three people were killed and five injured Sunday in a massive fire at a chemical factory on the outskirts of Hyderabad, officials said.The fire broke out in Durga Enterprises, a factory in Jedimetla industrial area, following a blast in one of the chemical reactors. Police and witnesses said 16 workers were in the plant when the accident took place. Three workers were burnt to death and the condition of three of the injured was critical. Eight people managed to escape the mishap. Fire-fighting personnel with seven fire engines fought for two hours to control the fire. A series of blasts in reactors and the presence of chemicals like sodium sulphate and potassium sulphate made their task difficult. Officials from the industries department, after a visit to the site, said the chemical factory had no licence. A police officer told reporters that two officials of the company were taken into custody. The owner of the company is not in town, the official said.
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Andhra Pradesh Governor visits Simhachalam Temple

Visakhapatnam, May 16: Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan with his family members today visited Simhachalam Temple and performed special pujas to the presiding deity Lord Varaha Lakshmi Nrusimha Swamy.On the occasion of annual Chandanotsavam, lakhs of devotees from across the state and the neighbouring states of Orissa and Chhattisgrah thronged the temple and had 'darshan' of the deity.TTD and Endowments Officials presented silk clothes to the deity on behalf of state government on the occasion of Chandanotsavam.Hereditary Trustee of the temple and former Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju offered first puja in the temple.
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YSR Memorial Trust asks submission of 'Logo' design:KVP

Hyderabad, May 15: Chairman of the Dr Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy Memorial Trust and Rajya Sabha Member KVP Ramachandra Rao today called for entries from artists, graphic designers and advertisement agencies to design a 'Logo' for the trust.In a statement, Mr Rao said the trust would conduct several social services as per the aspirations of former Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy in whose name the trust was formed.The entries should reflect YSR's aims and aspirations on welfare of the people and developmental activities undertaken by him during his tenure.He said a sum of Rs one lakh would be given for the selected design.The last date for the entries is May 31.
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Andhra Pradesh Governor, CM, oppn leaders condole Shekhawat's demise

Hyderabad, May 15 : Andhra Pradesh Governor ESL Narasimham Chief Minister K Rosaiah and opposition leaders, including Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President N Chandrababu Naidu, BJP state-unit President G Kishen Reddy and President as Lok Satta Party today condoled the death of former vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.In a message, the Governor said ''I am shocked and grieved at the passing away of former Vice-President, which was visionary and a vibrant public spirited leader''.''Mr Shekhawat had the rare distinction as Chief Minister of Rajasthan state for three times and his 6 decade-political career in the service of nation will be long remembered'', he said.The Chief Minister, in his message, said in the passing away of Shekhawat, the nation has lost a veteran leader, parliamentarian and senior politician.TDP President Chandrababu Naidu, while expressing his grief over the death of former Vice-President, said Shekhawat was a highly respected politician in the country.State BJP President Kishen Reddy expressed shock about the death of Shekhawat.Lok Satta Party also expressed profound grief over the death of Mr Shekawat who was a self-made leader.
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