‘Steal’ slur on shootout cops

Andhra Pradesh police have been accused of doing just what they should be stopping — stealing wads of cash.

Maoists claim that policemen often pocket the money left behind by their cadres after encounters and shootouts.

The police, under fire since the action against land protesters in Khammam, are now having to counter charges that their squads take away “cash bags” of rebels.

The state committee secretary of the CPI (Maoists), Samashivudu alias Praveen, went public with the charges recently, questioning the police claim that only Rs 1.65 lakh that his cadres were carrying with them had been recovered after an encounter in Medak a few weeks ago.

The police had seized more than Rs 5.5 lakh from the bag of Jeevan, a Maoist area commander killed in the shootout, Praveen said. He claimed that the money had been donated by sympathisers for “party activities” and should go back to them, not to the pockets of the policemen.

Prayers before verdicts

The blast verdicts weren’t out, but no one grudged the suspects their prayers.

Judge K. Uthirapathy had just retired to his chamber after handing a few rulings in the 1998 Coimbatore blasts. He wanted other suspects to be brought from jail so that the rest of the verdicts could be announced.

As an uneasy hush fell on the courtroom and nerves were jangled, there was a feeling of nervous anticipation all around. Just then, a chorus of Allah--Akbar pierced the lull. Some young men, the accused who were waiting for their verdicts, went down on their knees after laying towel-like cloth mats on the floor and began praying.

Such sights aren’t common in courts, more so on judgment days, but the defence and prosecution lawyers there respected the religious sentiment and let the suspects seek God’s help in those tense moments.

Course along for Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart is yet to arrive in India, but young students, in Delhi at least, appear to be queuing up to study retail management.

In less than a fortnight, 37 have applied for the first postgraduate course in retail management in the National Capital Region. The course is being offered by the Gurgaon-based Ansal Institute of Technology, in collaboration with garment chain Pantaloons.

Under the agreement between the two partners, Pantaloons will hire at least 50 per cent of the students who complete the two-year course. The institute also plans to stitch together a similar deal with Bajaj Allianz for an MBA course.

Wal-Mart recently formalised its deal with Suni Mittal’s Bharti group for a retail rollout in India sometime next year.

Ansal officials plan to cash in on the imminent entry of Wal-Mart to “draw” aspiring retail managers. “Malls and large showrooms are here to stay in India. With Wal-Mart coming in, the demand for such courses will only rise further,” the spokesperson for the institute said.

Tear jerker

Maharashtra’s Nashik has long been known to grow a lot of onions, enough to feed large areas of the country.

But this time, Mumbai, not far from Nashik, is living with a tear jerker as prices of the vegetable make it too hot to touch. In many areas of the city, it is at Rs 40 per kg.

Many leaders of the Congress, which runs the government with the NCP, said the price rise will continue unless authorities release fresh stocks in the open market immediately.

Delhi: With Janmashthmi approaching, the more religious-minded can immerse themselves in the paintings of Krishna & his gopis. An exhibition by Rajasthan-based artist Reenu Kashyap is on at Studio Vasant (ground floor), 39, Paschimi Marg, Vasant Vihar. Time: 11am to 7pm.