Vice President,&Prime Minister Condoles the Death of Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat

(PIB NEWS) The Vice President of India Shri M. Hamid Ansari has deeply condoled the sad demise of the former Vice President of India Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. In his condolence message, he has said that Shri Shekhawat had a glorious record of service to the country and the people in his many years in public life. He earned the respect and admiration of the people for his dedication, sense of public service and innate simplicity. His services to the country shall always be remembered,

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh has condoled the demise of former Vice President of India, Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.In a message to his wife Smt. Suraj Kanwar Shekhawat, Dr. Singh recalled Shri Shekhawat’s contributions to the country. Following is the text of the message from the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh: “It is with a great sadness that I learnt of the passing away of your husband, Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. Shekhawatji was one of the tallest leaders that Rajasthan has produced. His life epitomized hard work and commitment to the public cause. His early years were difficult. Poverty forced him to quit school after which he found a job as a police constable. Indeed, it is a tribute to his leadership qualities that he overcame the disadvantages of his early life to carve out a sterling career in public service. Shekhawatji's persona was one of rare charisma. Together with a few others, he defined a whole era in the Bharatiya Janata Party. His many qualities of head and heart included a liberal outlook and generosity of spirit. As a social worker and a public figure, he always stood up for his principles. It was an exceptional courage of conviction which led him to condemn the 1982 Deorala incident of Sati at a time when few in his party and State were willing to speak out against it. Shekhawatji excelled in all positions he held. His three tenures as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan will be remembered for his sympathy and sensitivity to the problems of the poor and the disadvantaged and his administrative acumen. As the Vice-President of our country he worked to uphold our Constitution and our secular ethos. The void that Shekhawatji has left behind will be very difficult to fill. On this said occasion, I join the people of India in conveying my heartfelt condolences to the members of his family, friends and innumerable others who looked up to him”.
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Cash reward for information on Hyderabad attack gunmen

Hyderabad, May 15: Hyderabad police Saturday announced a Rs.5 lakh reward for information about the assailants who shot dead a police constable in the old city Friday."Any person(s) who provides information that leads to detection and apprehension of the accused will be rewarded with Rs.5 lakh by police immediately. The details of those who give information will be treated as top secret and will never be shared with anyone," a statement released by Police Commissioner A.K.Khan Saturday night said. Earlier Saturday, police said Viqar Ahmed, a suspected terror operative, has been identified as one of the attackers. Police suspect that two to three assailants committed the crime. Evidence available at the crime scene indicates that an organization Tehreek Ghalba-e-Islam has claimed responsibility for the attack, the police chief said. The same organization claimed responsibility for killing a Home Guard official May 18 last year. "These assailants could be living in your localities under pseudonyms, moving suspiciously, taking shelter in hotels/lodges or any place of public gathering," the police commissioner said. (photo by R S J Thomas) 
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Suspected terror operative identified in Hyderabad shooting

Hyderabad, May 15: Viqar Ahmed, a suspected terror operative, has been identified as one of the attackers in Friday's shootout here in which one policeman was killed, police said Saturday.Viqar was identified as the assailant after investigators recorded statements of witnesses and analysed a CD left behind by the attackers. Considered tech-savvy, Viqar typed a letter contained in the CD. Tehreek Ghalba-e-Islam, an outfit allegedly floated by Viqar, owned responsibility for the attack saying it was carried out to take revenge for the police firing after blast at the Mecca Masjid May 18,2007.A constable was shot dead by two gunmen in Shahali Banda area of the old city Friday even as the police were on high alert ahead of the third anniversary of the bomb blast at the historic mosque. Wearing a mask, Viqar was riding pillion on a motorcycle. His associate was driving the two-wheeler wearing a helmet. Some suspects were also picked up since Friday night in the old city by the special teams formed to track down the culprits. Police Commissioner A.K.Khan said a red alert has been sounded across the city in view of the blast anniversary. He advised policemen to remain vigilant. Viqar, said to be a former member of banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), was also blamed for gunning down a policeman in a similar attack May 18 last year. The last rites of slain constable U. Ramesh were conducted in his native Chittoor district with full state honours. Senior police (photo officials paid tributes to the policeman whose wife is also a police official. (photo by RSJ Thomas) 
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SIT entrusted to probe killing of APSP constable case

Hyderabad, May 15: The city police today entrusted the case of sensational killing of Andhra Pradesh Special Police (APSP) constable yesterday by suspected ISI agents to the Special Investigation Team (SIT).Confirming the handing over of the case, top police officials of the SIT here said the entire department was on the look out for the culprits as the police had started investigation into the incident.Police said some eyewitnesses had identified the photographs of Viqar Ahmed alias Vikaruddin, an ISI operative, who was most wanted by the police in several cases.One APSP constable was killed and two were injured when some suspected ISI agents fired at them at a hotel near Hussaini Alam in the busy old city area here yesterday.The victim U Rmesh (32) belonged to 11th Battalion of Andhra Pradesh Special Police (APSP) at Madanapalli in Chittoor district.The three unidentified scooter-borne suspected ISI agents fired at the constables who were on duty there.The injured constables were admitted to Osmania General Hospital.Available inputs suggested the most wanted terrorist Vikar Ahmed alias Vikarrudin and some other suspects were behind the incident.
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Policeman killed in Hyderabad shootout

Hyderabad, May 14: Two assailants on motorcycle opened fire at a police picket here, killing a police constable and injuring two others on Friday.

The two attackers came on a motorcycle and opened fire on the picket in Shahali Banda, about a kilometre from the Charminar and Mecca Masjid, in the Old City area. The assailants fled after the attack.Ahead of the third anniversary of the blast at the Mecca Masjid, which is on May 18, the policemen were deployed as part of the security arrangements. Andhra Pradesh Special Police Constable Ramesh died while being taken to the Osmania Hospital while two other policemen were being treated for their injuries. Hyderabad Police chief A.K. Khan said that Viqar Ahmed alias Viqaruddin alias Ali Khan is the main suspect behind the attack. Police have put up barricades at several points in the city and started checking vehicles and frisking people. On the second anniversary of the blast in 2009, a policeman was killed and another injured in a similar attack at Falaknuma area of the old city.
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CBI submits report on Andhra CM Rajashekhar Reddy's copter crash

New Delhi, May 14: More than eight months after the fatal copter crash that killed Y S Rajashekar Reddy, and four others, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today submitted its report on the likely causes of the death of the then Andhra Chief Minister.The report was submitted to the Government of Andhra Pradesh and District Magistrate Kurnool today, said the CBI here adding that the crash which took place on September 2 last year at around 0923 hrs also killed the CM's Principal Secretary P Subramanyam, his Chief Security Officer A S C Wesley, along with pilot Group Captain S K Bhatia and co-pilot Captain M S Reddy.''The CM was on his way to attend an official function 'Rachabanda' (Village corner) in Chittoor District.'' The State-owned Bell-430 VT APG helicopter left the Begumpet Airport at 0838 hrs but disappeared from the Air Traffic Control (ATC) screen at Shamshabad at 0923 hrs, after travelling about 94.1 nautical miles from Hyderabad's Begumpet Airport. The wreckage of the helicopter, along with the bodies of all the five deceased, was later recovered from a hillock 'Chirumanu Chiruthagundam Thippa' in Nallamalla Reserve Forest in Kurnool District (AP).A case in this regard was registered at Atmakur Police Station under section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Code on September 3, 2009, and a Preliminary Enquiry registered at CBI, Hyderabad, on September 11 following a request by the state government. The ''detailed and exhaustive enquiry'' carries accounts of several witnesses, and the assistance of experts from the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), Bangalore, Institute of Aerospace Medicine(IAM), Bangalore, Central Forensic Laboratories, Hyderabad, New Delhi and Chandigarh, Rotary Wing Society of India, Delhi, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad, National Remote Sensing Center, Hyderabad, Zen Technologies Ltd, Hyderabad among others.
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Andhra Pradesh capital in grip of intense heat wave

Hyderabad,May 14: The 400-odd year-old state capital of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, which was once well known for its favourable weather conditions suitable for the people, is now in the intense grip of heat wave conditions with the mercury touching 45 degrees Celsius, surpassing earlier highest record of 43.3 degrees Celsius reported three-decade ago.For the fourth consecutive day today the state capital experienced scorching heat, rendering the streets virtually deserted.Most people remained indoors to escape the heat while those on the roads covered their heads with scarves and caps. The weather office has attributed the heat wave conditions in Hyderabad and other parts of the state, especially Telangana, to the northwest winds and maintained that the hot weather conditions were mainly due to the dry winds generated in Rajasthan and blowing through Maharashtra. Further the weather office has predicted that the severe heat wave would continue for the next four to five days. However, unconfirmed reports further claimed that 25 people last their lives due to severe sun-stroke for the last 48-hours in the state. But there was no official confirmation on sun-stroke deaths in the state.
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Cop shot dead in Hyderabad, terror attack suspected

Hyderabad, May 14: A policeman was killed and two others were injured when two people on a motorcycle opened fire at a police picket in Hyderabad Friday. The police suspect involvement of a terror operative Vikar Ahmed in the incident.  Eyewitnesses said two people on a motor cycle opened fire on the picket in Shahali Banda, about a kilometre from the historic Charminar and Mecca Masjid, in the Old City area. The policemen were deployed as part of the security arrangements ahead of the third anniversary of the blast at the Mecca Masjid (May 18). The assailants fled after the attack. Constable Ramesh, of the Andhra Pradesh Special Police (APSP), died while being taken to Osmania Hospital while two other policemen were being treated for their injuries. Police chief A.K. Khan told reporters that involvement of Vikar Ahmed alias Viqaruddin alias Ali Khan is suspected. Police have put up barricades at several points in the city and started checking vehicles and frisking people. The incident sent shock waves as it came despite the continuing search operations by police for over a fortnight amid intelligence warnings of possible terror attacks and close on the heels of the arrest of a terror suspect. On May 3, an alleged terror suspect of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), Mohammed Zia-ul-Haq, 34, was held for planning to cause explosions in the city. Last year, on the second anniversary of the blast, a policeman was killed and another injured in a similar attack when assailants opened fire on police at Falaknuma area of the old city. The police commissioner said the incident appeared to be linked to the anniversary of bomb blast at the Mecca Masjid. "Yes. We do see similarities with last year's incident," he said. Ahmed was also blamed for attack on policemen in Santoshnagar area in 2008. Two policemen were injured when Ahmed and two others accompanying him opened fire as police were trying to arrest them. "We can't say for sure that he is behind today's incident, but we suspect his involvement and also of other suspects who are at large," Khan said. Police had been on the lookout for Vikar after the Mecca Masjid blast. A resident of Old Malakpet area in the city, he was also associated with a city-based rightwing group Darsgah Jihad-O-Sahadath (DJS) Police suspect that Vikar, who had gone to Gulf a few years ago for job, got training in the terror camps abroad. He reportedly visited Oman, Qatar and Bangladesh and developed links with some terror groups. On May, 18, 2007, a bomb blast during Friday prayers in the 17th century mosque killed nine people. Five people died in the subsequent police firing on protestors outside the mosque. (photo by R S J Thomas)
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Cop shot dead in Hyderabad, high alert in city

Hyderabad,May 14:A policeman was killed and two others were injured when two people on a motorcycle opened fire on a police picket in the old city of Hyderabad Friday. A high alert has been sounded across the city.The incident took place this evening near Volga Hotel in Shahali Banda area, about a km from the historic Charminar and Mecca Masjid. Eye witnesses said two people on a motor cycle opened fire on a police picket deployed as part of the security arrangements ahead of the third anniversary of the blast at the historic Mecca Masjid (May 18). The assailants fled after attacking the policemen. Constable Ramesh, of the Andhra Pradesh Special Police (APSP), died while being shifted to Osmania Hospital while two other policemen were being treated for their injuries. Police have put up barricades at several points in the city and started checking vehicles and frisking people. The incident sent shock waves as it came despite the continuing search operations by police for over a fortnight amid intelligence warnings of possible terror attacks and close on the heels of the arrest of a terror suspect. Last year, on the second anniversary of the blast, a policeman was killed and another injured in a similar attack when assailants opened fire on police at Falaknuma area of the old city. Police believed Viqaruddin, an alleged terror operative, was involved. Two policemen were injured Dec 3, 2008 in the attempt to arrest Viqaruddin, when one of the two people accompanying him opened fire at the policemen. The trio managed to escape. The bomb blast during Friday prayers in the 17th century mosque May 18, 2007 killed nine people. Five people died in the subsequent police firing on protestors outside the mosque. Police May 3 arrested an alleged terror suspect belonging to the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT). Police said 34-year-old Mohammed Zia-ul-Haq was planning to cause explosions in busy areas of the city.
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Heat wave claims 26 lives in Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad, May 14 : The severe heat wave in Andhra Pradesh Friday claimed 26 lives, taking the toll to 44 in two days, officials said.Almost the entire state is in the grip of a heat wave with the temperatures hovering five to six degrees Celsius above the normal for this time of the year. Hyderabad and most parts of Telangana region were almost like a furnace. As many as 26 deaths due to the heat wave were reported Friday from 14 of the 23 districts in the state. The scorching heat Thursday claimed 18 lives. Ramagundam in Khammam district Friday recorded 49 degrees Celsius the highest this season. Adilabad district also recorded 47 degrees. In Hyderabad, the mercury soared to 44 degrees Celsius. The Met Office has warned that the temperature in most parts of the state would remain between 45 to 47 degrees Celsius till the monsoon sets in. The sweltering heat has severely affected normal life in some districts. The streets wore a deserted look as people preferred to remain indoors. In Hyderabad, Chief Minister K.Rosaiah reviewed the situation with top officials of health and disaster management departments. He expressed anguish at the reported sun stroke cases.He directed the departments to take all precautions and steps needed to save people from the scorching heat. Rosaiah asked officials to create awareness among the people to prevent heat strokes by adopting various preventive measures. He also directed district collectors to ensure supply of safe and pure drinking water in all the villages.
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APPA to take more activities journos' benefit: Chairman

Hyderabad, May 14 : Andhra Pradesh Press Academy (APPA) Chairman Tirumalagiri Surender today said the Academy would gear up with several activities for the benefit of the journalists and the media in the state.Speaking during an interactive session with the Editors and Senior Journalists in the print media to seek their suggestions on the implementation of the various activities taken up by the Academy, Mr Surender, who was recently appointed as Chairman of the Academy, said the Academy proposed to help the media to create a self-regulatory mechanism to follow ethics and improve the quality of media.Apart from the existing activities of the Academy, it was decided to develop an online knowledge centre by making the existing website more meaningful.It was also decided to appoint Media Committee to coordinate with the media management and professional organisations and create data bank on full particulars of all the journalists working throughout the state, he said.
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BJP demands white paper on financial position in AP

Vijayawada May 14 : Expressing concern over the deteriorating financial position of Andhra Pradesh, Central Committee Member and senior BJP Leader Indrasena Reddy today demanded the State Government to release a white paper on the state's financial position. Addressing a press conference here, he claimed that the state's financial position was so poor that it was unable to implement welfare schemes. ''The declined financial position has forced the government to either dilute the welfare schemes or do away with them. The government is planning to scrap the fee reimbursement schemes and withdraw Rs 25 subsidy being given on domestic gas cylinders,'' he alleged.He alleged that while the farmers were not getting remunerative price for their produce, the prices of essential commodities were spiralling day by day.''All the things reflect the corrupt policies and misgovernance of the Congress-led state government,'' he said.Expressing dissatisfaction over the way in which the Sri Krishna Committee, which was constituted by the Centre to know the views of various political parties and organizations to carve out separate Telangana state, he said ''Sri Krishna Committee is visiting the state like a holiday trip.'' ''The Committee is asking various senior leaders irrelevant questions. I do now know how it will be helpful for the formation of separate T-state,'' he added.
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Gujarat NRE to invest Rs.1,000 crore for plant in Andhra

Kolkata, May 13 : Metallurgy coke producer Gujarat NRE Coke plans to invest Rs.800-1,000 crore for a plant in Andhra Pradesh, a top company official said Thursday."We are waiting for the land. We plan to build a one-million-tonne coke plant over there with 60 megawatt (MW) power capacity," Arun Kumar Jagatramka, managing director, told reporters here. The project work is expected to begin by December 2010 and end in 2013, he said. With commissioning of the new coke plant, the production capacity of the company would touch 2.25 million tonnes. About coking coal prices, he said prices would touch USD 240-250 per tonne during the second quarter (July-September) from USD 200 per tonne now. About low-ash metallurgical (LAM) coke, he said high demand would push up the price which is around USD 500-550 a tonne now. The company produced 900,000 tonnes of LAM coke last fiscal and is expecting to produce 1.1 million tonnes this year. Jagatramka expected the turnover of the company to touch Rs.2,000 crore in the current fiscal (2010-11) from around Rs.1,500 crore in 2009-10. Asked how much the Australian operations of the company will be hampered as the government there plans to introduce a 40 percent Resource Super Profits Tax on big mining companies that have benefited from burgeoning Chinese and Indian demand for minerals and energy, he said: "It is a draft proposal. It will take another 6-9 months for the blueprint to be ready." "Our company will not be affected as such as we would get deductions for capital investments," he added.
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MCI chief should be punished severely:ISOT

Hyderabad, May 13: The members of the Indian Society of Organ Transplantation(ISOT) today demanded that the Centre take stringent action against the President of Medical Council of India (MCI) and Indian Medical Association(IMA) Dr Ketan Desai who was arrested by the CBI on corruption charges.Addressing a press conference, President of ISOT Prof A Gopal Kishan said the ISOT in its meeting resolved to strongly condemn the alleged corrupt practices of Desai who had brought disrepute to the medical profession as well as the country.He urged the Centre to pursue all criminal cases booked against Dr Desai and leave no loophole.The meeting also resolved to ask Desai to voluntarily quit from all posts including MCI, President elect of World Medical Association, Membership of Royal College of Surgeons as well as teaching, he added.He urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to initiate strong measures to cleanse corruption and also to enact suitable law to restrict the tenure of President and Vice-President of MCI to one term of two to three years.He said the meeting also decided to request the Union Government to scrap the present MCI and bring in a suitable ordinance incorporating every measure to prevent such misconduct in future.He alleged that Desai had amassed money mainly by granting permissions and later recognition to newly-established medical colleges throughout the country without adhering to stipulated norms regarding infrastructure and faculty. He used the money power to maximum extent to retain the presidentship for 14 years.To retain the top position in MCI he flouted the rules and even threatened those who resisted, he claimed.
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Andhra Pradesh reeling under scorching heat, temperatures rise

Hyderabad, May 13 : Andhra Pradesh is reeling under scorching Sun with heat wave conditions prevailing various places and maximum temperatures increasing at all over the state.According to weather office here today, heat wave conditions prevailed over Telangana, isolated parts of Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema.The maximum temperatures rose at one or two places over Telangana and Rayalaseema and changed little over Coastal Andhra Pradesh. They were significantly above normal over remaining parts of Rayalaseema and at one or two places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh.The highest maximum temperature of 47 degrees Celsius was recorded at Rentachintala.The weather office predicted that heat wave conditions might continue to prevail over Telangana and in the districts of Cuddapah, Chittoor of Rayalaseema and isolated parts of Coastal Andhra Pradesh during next two days.However, isolated rain occurred over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema.Isolated rain or thundershowers would occur over Rayalaseema and Telangana and might occur over Coastal Andhra Pradesh.
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Gold worth Rs.1 crore robbed from Andhra Bank

Hyderabad, May 12: In a major bank heist, robbers broke into an Andhra Bank branch in Warangal district of Andhra Pradesh and took away gold ornaments worth over Rs.one crore.Police said the robbers entered the bank at Guduru, about 75 km from Warangal town, Tuesday night through the back entrance, broke open the lockers and looted the valuables. The robbery came to light when the bank staff came Wednesday morning. Bank officials told police that the gold was kept in the bank by depositors who availed gold loans worth Rs.65 lakh. The robbers did not open another locker which had Rs.10 lakh cash. The bank did not have an alarm system or CCTV cameras, which made the robbers' job easy. ================================================

Sri Krishna Committee wants to know people's pulse on T-issue

Hyderabad, May 12 : Justice B N Sri Krishna, Chairman of the committee appointed by the Centre on the Telangana issue, said the committee's main purpose was to know the people's pulse on Telangana.Addressing a press conference along with the members, Justice Sri Krishna said the committee had heard the views of various political parties, groups, individuals and NGOs and trade sector during the three-day stay in the city which concluded here today.He said the committee had received number of representations from various groups and all were meaningful and excellent inputs.Asked how the committee consider the number of groups in each political party, the Chairmain said ''there is no need for committee to educate the political parties. Committee don't bother about the number of groups in each political party. The main purpose of the committee is to hear the views of the groups and take representations from them, whether it is ''pro-Telangana or anti-Telangana''.The committee would again come to the city on a three-day visit from May 17 and hear the views from various individuals and groups, including students' JAC and others.
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Hyderabad records 45 degrees, highest in 20 years

Hyderabad, May 12 : Hyderabad is in the grip of an intense heat wave, with temperature Wednesday shooting up to 45 degrees, a record in 20 years.

According to the Hyderabad met office, the mercury soared to 45 degrees a day after crossing 44.5 degrees, which was the highest in 11 years. For the third consecutive day, the Andhra Pradesh capital experienced scorching heat, rendering the streets virtually deserted. The city Monday recorded 44 degrees, the highest temperature of the current season. Most people remained indoors to escape the heat while those on the roads covered their heads with scarves and caps. The continuing two-hour electricity shutdown in the city further added to the woes. "The weather has become unbearable. I never felt such heat in Hyderabad," said Ramakrishna Reddy, a young software engineer. The met office has attributed the heat wave conditions in Hyderabad and other parts of the state, especially Telangana, to the northwest winds. According to S.V. Rao of the Hyderabad Meteorological Centre, the hot weather conditions were mainly due to the dry winds generated in Rajasthan and blowing through Maharashtra. Ramagundam and Paloncha in Khammam district became a furnace Wednesday with temperature touching 49 degrees, the highest this season. Ramagundam in the past had recorded 50 degrees. Several other towns in Telangana region recorded temperatures of over 45 degrees. It was 45.6 in Adilabad and Nizamabad, and over 44 in Karimnagar, Warangal and other districts. The temperature is five to six degrees above normal in most parts of Telangana and two to three degrees above normal in Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra. The worst may not be over for Hyderabd as the weather office has forecast that the severe heat wave would continue for the next four to five days.
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Togadia questioned by SIT probing Gujarat riots

Pravin Togadia, the general secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), was questioned for three hours Monday by a Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat.Togadia arrived at the SIT office accompanied by sadhus and supporters in tow.When asked about the questions posed to him by the SIT, Togadia said: “I was asked whether I had come to Ahmedabad during the communal riots. I told then where would I go, to Pakistan?”According to Togadia, the SIT also asked him who all he met during his visit to Ahmedabad during the riots.“I met crores of hindus, I met sadhus. If I don’t meet them, will I meet Imam Bukhari (Jama Masjid cleric)?” Togadia said.Togadia also slammed the apex court appointed panel.“There is no enquiry ordered on 57 ‘Rambhakts’ (Ram devotees) burnt to death in the Sabarmati Express train carnage, while we are being harassed. For the SIT, this case file is the Bible, Gita and the Koran. We have only god with us and nobody else. But I will definitely give a fitting answer to all this,” he added.
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India an indispensable ally: US ambassador

Fighting terrorism was “a challenge” for both the US and its “indispensable ally” India, US Ambassador to India Timothy J. Roemer said Tuesday, adding that the 26/11 Mumbai carnage reminded him of the 9/11 terror attack in New York.“India is one of the most important allies of the US, and an indispensable one for the US. I want to reinforce our commitment to the US-India strategic co-operation, which is an important pillar of our indispensable partnership,” said Roemer.Roemer said that as part of this co-operation, the US will help India by giving it access to David Headley, the Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Taiba operative who has admitted his role in planning the 2008 Mumbai attacks.The ambassador said he was reminded of the 9/11 terror attacks that targeted the twin towers of World Trade Centre in New York.“Back then, we never got any direct access to the mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. We want to ensure India gets access of Headley,” Roemer said.In his third visit to Mumbai, Roemer recalled how he had visited Mumbai for the first time only seven months after the terror strikes with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton mid-2009.“It was my first act as Ambassador-designate in India. At that time, we chose to stay in the historic Taj Mahal Palace & Tower Hotel. It was a deliberate choice to remind the terrorists that despite the carnage they caused, they did not succeed in their efforts to lower our spirits,” Roemer said.The ambassador paid homage at the 26/11 Police Memorial at Police Gymkhana in south Mumbai and interacted with the policemen present there.“This visit is to underscore the respect we pay to the martyrs of the 26/11 terror attacks,” Roemer said.The US ambassador stressed that “Pakistan needs to do more to deal with the terrorism originating from its soil”.He also assured that the arms and ammunition provided to Pakistan would be used only for internal purposes.“We will make sure that these arms are used to counter internal terrorism and conflict. We will ensure that these are not used as a means to attack any other nation,” he said.
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