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Mumbai Blast : PM, Sonia meet Mumbai blast victims

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Thursday tried to soothe a wounded Mumbai, meeting the injured in hospitals and asking the still clueless investigators to pursue relentlessly those behind the serial blasts. Singh held a meeting with Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Congress MPs and, along with Gandhi, met the wounded survivors at Saifee Hospital and the state-run J.J. Hospital. The PM expressed solidarity with the people on a rain-soaked Thursday as the weary metropolis picked up the pieces. A statement from the PMO said: "Cannot find words to condemn the barbaric acts of terror that resulted in the senseless killing and injuring of innocent people I share their pain, anguish and anger."   "Now the task is to find out the culprits," the PM said as he vowed that those responsible for the killing of 18 people in the serial blasts would be tracked down and prosecuted.  PM, Sonia meet Mumbai blast victims    

Mumbai Blasts:Scooter Identified, Pathbreaking CCTV Footage Being Scanned

Security agencies have identified the owner of the two-wheeler in which the explosive material was planted at Zaveri bazar in Mumbai as cyber experts are looking into an email which may have some cross-border links. Union Home Secretary R K Singh said investigations into the serial blasts in the metropolis was going on and several people were being questioned based on their "previous known linkages". "This investigation is on. We have identified the scooter in which one of the bombs was planted," he told reporters on the sidelines of a function here. There are about 11 CDs (of CCTV footage) which have to be gone through, so it's a voluminous work. People who are not recognised by local people have to be put through a data base...the suspicious people are being verified," Singh told reporters. "We also have identified the scooter in which one of the bombs was planted. There are various leads based on our previous databases, various people are being questioned, so investigation is going on," he added. At least 17 people were killed and 131 injured when three blasts rocked central-to-south Mumbai Wednesday evening. The places where the terror strikes happened were Dadar, Zaveri Bazaar and Opera House.  

History of Bomb Blasts: Mumbai And Other Cities

India is facing terrists bomb attacks since past two decades. The most targeted city happens to be Mumbai, then Delhi and Hyderabad take the second and third place. Here's a list of bomb blasts in the past twenty years.         Mumbai         - 12 March 1993     - 257 killed  - 713 injured. Mumbai        - 13 March 2003    - 10       - 70 Mumbai        - 6 July 2006      209      - 700 Mumbai         - 25 Aug. 2006     - 52        - 100 Mumbai      - 26 Nov.      - 166       - 308 Varanasi       7 Dec. 2010      - 1        - 25 Pune         - 13 Feb. 2010   - 17       - 60 Assam         - 30 Oct. 2008   - 77       - 100 Malegaon, Modawasa Gujrat    - 29 Sept. 2008  - 6        - Delhi          - 13 Sept. 2008  - 26       - Ahmedabad     - 26 July 2008   - 57       - Jaipur         - 13 May 2008   - 68       - Hyderabad     - 18 May 2007   - 11       - 100 Hyderabad     - 25 Aug. 2007   - 42       - 54  And now again in Mumbai on 13 July 2011.    

Mumbai Bomb Blasts: Nationwide Condemnation

The Mumbai Bomb Blasts on Wednesday, that killed 21 and left over hundred and fifty seriously injured, has been condemned by one and all throughout the nation. The bomb blasts have also adversely influenced the Stock Market with a 145 points fall in the Sensex. By afternoon, the Sensex recovered a bit and is currently stable at 90 points down. The senior stock market experts say that this situation is likely to continue for a couple of weeks.            

Mumbai Bomb Blasts: Home Minister Speaking to Media

Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram described Mumbai Bomb Blasts as a well 'coordinated attack by terrorists'. While addressing mediapersons Chidambaram confirmed 3 blasts, 17 deaths and 131 injured, but feared that the death toll could go up. He appealed people to remain calm and maintain peace. He said the National Security Guard (NSG) hub in Mumbai, set up in the wake of 26/11 terror attack in the city in 2008, has been put on standby. The attacks were the worst terror strike in the country since the siege of Mumbai (26/11/2009) that killed 166 people 31 months ago, and government officials struggled to reassure Indians over their safety. "I want to assure everyone both in India and outside, that India will continue to work and grow and prosper," Home Minister P Chidambaram said at a news conference Thursday after an emergency security meeting. No one has claimed responsibility for Wednesday's bombings, which shook three separate neighborhoods within minutes of each other during the busy evening rush hour. The attack came just months after peace talks resumed between India and Pakistan. Indian officials have so far refused to speculate who might be behind the blasts. "We are not pointing a finger at this stage," Chidambaram said. "We have to look at every possible hostile group and find out whether they are behind the blast." A steady morning drizzle washed away bloodstains and threatened evidence at the site of the attacks, which ripped off storefronts, shredded a bus stop and left bodies strewn in the dirt of Mumbai's crowded neighborhoods and market. Investigators covered the blast sites with plastic sheets to protect the evidence, police officer Shailesh Kadam said.     Chidambaram To The Location Of Bomb Blasts In Mumbai       Home Minister Chidambaram Talking To Media - Live From Mumbai - 01       Home Minister Chidambaram Talking To Media - Live From Mumbai - 02       Home Minister Chidambaram Talking To Media - Live From Mumbai - 03  

Mumbai Bomb Blasts: High Alert in Hyderabad

In the wake of the serial blasts in Mumbai on Wednesday evening, a high alert was sounded in Hyderabad and security personnel kept a strict vigil at all important locations. Task Force sleuths intensified checking at Central Bus stand and at railway stations at Nampally and Secunderabad here among other places. A senior police officer told the media, "Following the blasts in Mumbai, we have announced an alert in Hyderabad and police personnel have been asked to remain on alert and check security at all important and crowded places."    

Fasting Students Pay no Heed to KCR

Students who started an indefinite hunger strike at OU on July 11 to press their separate statehood demand, paid no heed to TRS supremo KCR's plea to call off the stir. Realizing that the Centre was in a not so encouraging mood towards the Telangana issue, Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhara Rao on Tuesday appealed to the students of Osmania and Kakatiya varsities to immediately call off their indefinite fast. The fasting students refused to take cognizance of the appeal and vowed to continue their strike. "The Telangana agitation is meant to establish a secure future for you (students). We have put ourselves through a lot of trauma. We have to evolve more definitive strategies to take forward our struggle, which will be uncompromising and relentless. Do not spoil your health. Please heed to my request and call off the fast," the TRS chief said. Apart from separate statehood for Telangana, the students are also pressing the Centre to delete Clause 14 (f) before holding the SI recruitment exam. Moreover, the indefinite hunger strike (Telangana Vidhyarti Samuhika Amara Nirahara Deeksha) drew wide support from the parties across the political spectrum and various affiliates of the political joint action committee. As such the students were in no mood to listen to the KCR's plea.

Telangana Congress leaders begin 48-hour fast

As announced earlier, the resigned Congress leaders from Telangana region launched their 48-hour hunger strike at Indira Park, demanding the separate state of Telangana. Having failed to garner any assurance from the party high command despite their resignations from parliament and state legislature last week, the Congress leaders began the two-day fast. Despite rains lashing the city early morning, six parliamentarians, two state ministers and a few legislators along with their supporters, launched the fast at Indira Park here at 10 a.m. The leaders who sat on the fast include MPs K. Keshava Rao, G. Vivek, G. Sukhender Reddy, S. Rajaiah, K. Rajagopal Reddy, Ponnam Prabhakar and ministers K. Jana Reddy and Basvaraj Saraiah. They said more leaders would join them in the fast later.    

Telangana agitation: Second Day on OU Campus

Telangana agitation - Students' indefinite hunger strike on the OU campus enters 2nd day. Mild tension prevailed on Tuesday morning when several students tried to take out a rally to Gun Park but were stopped at the NCC gate by police and paramilitary forces. The stand-off between the police and the students lasted for about half an hour. The students called for a Chalo Assembly programme on July 15 to put pressure on the speaker to submit his resignation for the Telangana cause. Osmania University Students Joint Action Committee (OU-JAC) also called for an education bandh on Wednesday, demanding withdrawal of police forces from the campus. Meanwhile, the members of OU-JAC said that 20 more students joined the fast. The students said that some of the older members of the fasting team had already become weak and might have to be given medical care. "There are research scholars in the 35 to 45 age group who started fasting on July 11 morning. They are not doing too well on the second day of hunger strike," said an OUJAC member. About 30 students of Vidyarthi Aikya Vedika took out a rally from C Hostel to Arts College and tonsured their heads in a mock offering to Sonia Gandhi, while others held cultural programmes. ABVP called for a 'study on the road' programme on July 15 to mark their protest against the arrest of the students from the OU campus. The Vidyarthi Aikya Vedika members said "We give 15 days for the Centre to respond to the issue. The protest will be held on July 27 at Jantar Mantar."

Telangana Agitation: OU Students Hunger Strike Started

In spite of police not permitting and the Peace Committee's counselling,  students of Osmania University have embarked on an indefinite hunger strike this morning. TJAC and other pro-Telangana groups came down heavily on the police for giving permission to the students for going ahead with indefinite fast and announced their full support to the protesting students. However, number of students fasting wasn't more than few hundreds, though initially it was planned with 10,000 students.                          

Telangana Agitation: OU Students Plan Rally to Rajbhavan

As the police denied permission for going on a mass hunger strike, the students of Osmania University took out a rally from OU Campus to the Rajbhavan. Of course, the rally too didn't have the permission, as section 144 is in force in the city. The students rally was obstructed by the police near NCC Gate and stopped from going further. The situation took a violent turn when students started pelting stones on the police, who in retaliation fired tear-gas shells to disperse the agitating students. The police also took several protestors in to custody.       OU Students Byke Rally From Arts College   Critical Situation Between Students Police At OU Campus  

Telangana Agitation: OU Campus Situation - Videos

With Osmania University Students JAC planning to launch the mass fast with 10,000 students from Monday (11-07-11), the campus has been brought under virtual siege by the police. Dozens of students were arrested and the Osmania University by the police in its attempt to foil the indefinite fast by students demanding separate statehood for Telangana. The Police also arrested students, including some leaders of the Osmania University Joint Action Committee (OU JAC), on the campus and from hostels, officials said. Students coming to Hyderabad from various parts of Telangana were nabbed. Preventive arrests of students were also made in Warangal, Karimnagar and other towns to stop them from proceeding to Hyderabad. OU JAC leaders alleged that police were resorting to indiscriminate arrests and said they were determined to go ahead with the protest. Tension prevailed in the campus and surrounding areas as police erected barricades and carried out out checks of vehicles. However, police commissioner AK Khan said there was no permission for the programme. He also banned entry of outsiders into the campus on the ground that there are orders from the Supreme Court. The police chief also pointed out that prohibitory orders banning assembly of five or more people are also in force in the city.          

Jagan Vows to Free AP From Poverty

Donning a new avatar of poor man's saviour, the young Kadapa MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday set the agenda for his YSR Congress Party making bountiful assurances to the public. Promising to usher in a poverty-free state in the coming years, Jagan announced several schemes for the poor, women, widows and farmers at the first plenary of his party at his family estate in Idupulapaya, attended by over 8,000 delegates. Mentioning his father, the late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy's schemes, Jagan said his party would bring all the schemes to the doorstep of the downtrodden once it comes to power in the state. Stating that he has seen poverty from very close quarters during his recent Odarpu yatras, Jagan said his only aim is to make Andhra Pradesh poverty-free. "I would not be found wanting in my efforts to eradicate poverty in the state and my party is firmly committed to this cause," he said amid applause from the delegates. Elaborating his plans on poverty alleviation, Jagan said there were two ways to overcome poverty. "One was to ensure free education from LKG to PG for poor children and the second one to give one-acre farm land to poor households. The people of the state would very soon see the Swarna yugam (golden era) with his party at the helm," said the YSR Congress chief.  

Atleast 15 Congressmen Took Oath Alongwith Jagan

Coinciding with late YS Rajasekhar Reddy's 62nd birthday, the YSR Congress Party is holding its first ever Plenary Sessions today at Idupulapaya Estates in Kadapa district. Atleast 12 Congress MLAs and 2 MPs have attended the event at Idupulapaya and were also seen taking an oath that they would abide the policies and programmes of the YSR Congress. This is not new for the Congress members to defy party diktats to be seen with Jagan Mohan Reddy. It happened on several occasions in the past at different public functions. It has become more embarrassing for the Congress party in the state, as it is already undergoing a turmoil with 43 of its legislators from Telangana region resigning seeking separate Telangana.  

T Row: Jagan May Moot 'Three-eyes' Formula

Indications are that YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, like TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu's 'two-eyes' formula in dealing with the T row, may come out with a 'three-eyes' formula of his own. According to party sources, YSR Congress president Jaganmohan Reddy is likely to move a political resolution at the plenary blaming the ruling Congress party for the mess on Telangana issue. According to the sources, Jagan will deliver a long speech in which he will recall his father's statements on Telangana and assure the region that he will not come in the way of Telangana if the Centre decided to grant the same. During his speech which is being prepared by adviser DA Somayajulu and others, Jagan will put the onus of resolving the T issue on the Congress.  A close aide of Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the present juncture is not right time to declare one's stance, because there are several Telangana leaders, both in the Congress and Telugu Desam Party, who are ready to switch over to Jagan party. On the other hand, the Seemandhra leaders in YSR Congress Party argue that there was a dire need for a strong leader who can speak up for the cause of integrated state. Gattu Ramachandra Rao, official spokesperson of the party said "Our stand will be positive on all the three regions. We want that all the three regions be included in the deliberations about any change of geographical boundaries of the state."  

YSR Congress Party Gears up For Its First Plenary

The YSR Congress Party, founded just before the recently held by-elections in Kadapa by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, is going to hold its first Plenary Session at Idupulapaya today (08-07-2011). The first plenary session of YSR Congress party, that is to start today, gains significance in several reasons. It is to be seen how many Congress legislators turn up for the event, what is the agenda of the YSR Congress and what stand the party takes about the separate Telangana issue. According to party sources, the two-day plenary session will begin today with the meeting of central governing council, the party's decision-making body. The party chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy will make the inaugural address. The party will pass a series of resolutions covering political, economic and social issues. The party leader Bhooma Nagireddy said "We will announce a clear-cut policy on Telangana."    

Telangana Bandh: Day 2 Developments at Hyderabad

Telangana bandh secong day happenings in Hyderabad - videos                 Telangana TDP Leaders Surrounded RajBhavan       Police Arrested BJP Leaders while Rally To Gunpark  

Telangana Bandh: Day 2 Developments in Delhi

Telangana region Congress leaders, who have submitted their resignations to put pressure on the central government in taking a positive decision towards carving out a separate Telangana, are currently camping in Delhi. They are holding a multiple rounds of talks with the party high command and the central government. Here's a report about the developments that took place today (06-07-11).           Telangana MPs & MLAs Talking To Media - Live From Delhi - 01       Telangana MPs & MlAs Talking To Media - Live From Delhi - 2       Chidamabaram To Media On Telangana Issue - Live From Delhi  

Telanagana Bandh: Prof Kodandaram Arrested

On the second day of Telangana Bandh today (06-07-11), police took prof Kodandaram in to custody at Uppal Cross-roads. Prof Kodandaram was addressing a 'jai telangana' slogans raising crowd at Uppal crossroads in contravention of the prohibitory orders under section 144 of the PD Act. Professor Kodandaram tried to argue with the police officers that he was just speaking to a group of media people and in no way contravening the prohibitory orders. But police brushed off his arguments and took him and few others in to custody. Reacting on prof Kodandaram's arrest, TRS MLA K T Ramarao said that the government is not allowing Telangana people to even speak with the media. It seems the government is intending to create an atmosphere akin to 'Emergency' in the State.         KTR Response On Kodandaram Arrest