Sniffers to enter terror-hit areas

By U Sudhakar Reddy

Hyderabad, March 22: Andhra Pradesh has agreed to give sniffer dogs which can detect explosives to states grappling with Maoism and other kinds of terrorism.
Sleuths of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Gujarat will be getting the dogs trained by the AP Intelligence Security Wing (ISW) Training Centre at Moinabad in the city.
The AP Forest Depart ment will also get a dog squad for the first time to sniff out red sanders being smuggled in and out of the state. At least 60 dogs will pass out of the Intelligence Security Wing training centre this year in two batches.
The first batch of 30 trained dogs will pass out on April 3 and the second in the last week of April.
The ISW deputy superintendent, Mr N. Divya Charan Rao, who supervises the dog trainers, said that the first batch of dogs would be given to the ISW, City Security Wing of Hyderabad and police departments of various districts. "We will give the second batch of dogs to the police in Bihar, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Gujarat, Kerala and the CRPF," he added.
Police had purchased puppies from dog breeders in the city and neighbouring Ranga Reddy district for Rs 12,000 to Rs 16,000 each. They were initially given household training for six months and were then trained to sniff and detect explosives, narcotics and red sanders.
"Most police agencies want the Labrador breed as it sniffs out the explosives more effectively than other breeds," said Mr Charan Rao. "The German Shepherd and Doberman are also good." ISW that takes care of VIP security in the State and carries out anti sabotage checks before VVIP visits. It already has 11 dogs in its squad. Naxal infested districts of Telangana and city police units have five dogs each in their squads. The districts have two each.
There are 18 dogs in Greyhound squads to sniff out landmines hidden by Maoists in combing operations. The average service period of a dog is eight to 10 years and it has a life span of about 14 years.
AP forest department will form two-dog squads to sniff out red sanders hidden in trucks

Dad fights for justice for the dead daughter

By U Sudhakar Reddy
Hyderabad, March 22: A father’s tireless fight for justice neared fruition on Saturday with authorities agreeing to seek a CBI probe into his daughter’s suspicious death two years ago. Ansu Varughis, an MNC employee, was found hanging in her house at Banjara Hills in 2006. While police termed it suicide, her father, Mr A.M. Kuruvilla, alleged that it was murder.
“We have a sought a CBI probe into the case,” said the Crime Investigation Department inspector general, Mr S. Umapathi. “As of now, the case is with the CID.” Ansu’s husband, Mr Ribu John Varughis, had reportedly been harassing her for money. On June 18, 2006, Mr Varughis said he found Ansu hanging on a window bar in their flat at Banjara Saman Apartment. Banjara Hills police registered a case of suspicious death and the CID later altered it into dowry death.
The CID Women Protection Cell Deputy Superintendent, Dr B. Vittal, who investigated the case, concluded that Mr Ribu, 34, director of a media company, had been torturing his wife for dowry and was responsible for her death. Following this, Mr Varughis was arrested by the CID on December 2006. Mr Varughis married Ansu in 2000 June after taking Rs 5 lakh and 50 sovereigns of gold as dowry. But he continued to harass her, demanding that her father should buy a flat for him.
However, the investigators did not agree with Mr Kuruvilla’s allegation that Ansu had been murdered. Mr Kuruvilla told this correspondent from Chennai that the initial postmortem report had stated that there was an injury on her skull. "But there was no possibility of her suffering such an injury by hitting the window bar," he said. "My daughter was beaten up and strangled and experts had said the injury also indicated that."
Dr K. Janardhan of Osmania General of Hospital said in his postmortem report that the death occurred because of hanging but also suggested that investigators should probe the reasons for the contusion on the skull. The CID also found that the Banjara Hills police didn’t conduct its investigation as per Supreme Court guidelines on dowry deaths and recommended action against the police officers.
After Mr Kuruvilla alleged foul play another autopsy was conducted by Prof. Surender Reddy of Gandhi Hospital and Prof. Narayana Reddy of OGH. They said there were no injuries other than the ligature mark of hanging. The AP Forensic Science Laboratory report also said that there was no sign of poisoning but another expert not support the suicide theory. Next it was the turn of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, which termed it a suicide.
There were also other discrepancies. The inquest report stated there were no ornaments on the body but the photograph of the deceased showed that she was wearing a chain, rings and wrist watch. The CID also found out that the main door of the flat was locked from outside. Mr Kuruvilla, who firmly believed that his daughter was killed, continued his fight for justice. He also started a blog to present his case. The decision to hand over the case to the CBI has brought him some relief.
He has now filed a petition with the SHRC to direct church authorities to allow him to conduct the last rites of his daughter again in a proper manner. Ansu was buried in a church at Ramachandrapuram without proper Christian rituals since it was believed she committed suicide. "I want to take her remains to Kerala and bury her in our family vault at Kottayam with all the proper rites," said Mr Kuruvilla.

Footprint clue in Ayesha murder

By U Sudhakar Reddy

Hyderabad, March 9: A foot print with a deformed toe has become a vital clue for police in the hunt for the killer of B.Pharm student Ayesha Meera.
The young woman was raped and murdered in a hostel in Vijayawada in December 2007.
Sleuths who studied the photographs of the crime scene have found out that one footprint showed a deformity in the third toe.
Police sources said that there were doubts that it belonged to one of the suspects, Laddu alias Gurvinder Singh, but the investi gating officials are not ready to jump into conclusions.
The crime scene was photographed from different angles after the murder.
AP Forensic Science Laboratory experts and Crime Investigation Department sleuths came upon the deformed toe while observing the minute details of the photographs.
Initially, cops didn't pay much attention to it. But now they are feeling the heat and don't want to leave any clue unturned.
"There was a pencil lying just beside the footprint," said a CID official. "It was magnified in various angles. There was huge gap between the toes."
However, other experts warned that the examination of the footprint was not scientific.
"We can't be 100 per cent sure that it hints at a deformity," said another CID official. "There are no ridge marks such as loops and whirls."
The APFSL physics division team headed by Mr Narayana Rao will be taking the footprint of Laddu when he is brought to Hyderabad for a lie detection test
A foot- print with a deformed toe has become a vital clue for police in the hunt for the killer of B.Pharm student Ayesha Meera. The young woman was raped and murdered in a hostel in Vijayawada in December 2007. Sleuths who studied the pho- tographs of the crime scene have found out that one footprint showed a deformity in the third toe. Police sources said that there were doubts that it belonged to one of the suspects, Laddu alias Gurvinder Singh, but the investi- gating officials are not ready to jump into conclusions. The crime scene was pho- tographed from different angles after the murder. AP Forensic Science Laborato- ry experts and Crime Investiga- tion Department sleuths came upon the deformed toe while observing the minute details of the photographs. Initially, cops didn't pay much attention to it. But now they are feeling the heat and don't want to leave any clue unturned. "There was a pencil lying just beside the footprint," said a CID official. "It was magnified in var- ious angles. There was huge gap between the toes." However, other experts warned that the examination of the foot- print was not scientific. "We can't be 100 per cent sure that it hints at a deformity," said another CID official. "There are no ridge marks such as loops and whirls." The APFSL physics division team headed by Mr Narayana Rao will be taking the footprint of Laddu when he is brought to Hyderabad for a lie detection test

Minority Commission raps Andhra

‘Sanatana Dharma Parishad is against secularism’
By U Sudhakar Reddy
Hyderabad, March 7: The National Commission for Minorities has slammed the state government for banning propagation of other religions in the vicinity of 20 temples including the Tirumala shrine. The NCM in its recommendations said prima facie the ban was not in the line with the provisions of Constitution relating to freedom of religion. "The ban cuts at the very root of what minorities have the right to expect from a sensitive and caring government," the NCM said.
It accused the government of violating the Constitution by establishing the Sanatana Dharma Parishad for the propagation of Hinduism. The government should undo the legislation as a token of its commitment to secularism, he said. The commission said there were provisions in the Indian Penal Code 153 A(2) and 505 (3) to deal with the offences committed at places of worship.
The NCM said that apart from the "clear deviation" from the Constitution, the government should "seriously consider the effect such legislation will have on the sense of security of all minorities... it is causing anxiety not merely to the Christian community but to all the minorities." The NCM suggested that those opposing the legislation should take the matter to court. The AP Legislative Assembly had passed Act No. 24 of 2007 empowering the state to prohibit the propagation of other religions at select temples. The Governor gave consent on August 13, 2007.
The commission noted that the ban was originally meant for the Tirumala shrine but later applied to other temples. "It would appear that the ban will extend to some 300 square kilometres," it said.
"The government order doesn’t define the geographical limits of the notified temples where the ban will be enforced." Church authorities told the NCM that the ban violated the fundamental rights of non-Hindu citizens and feared that it would provoke right-wing Hindu groups to intimidate non-Hindus. The NCM observed that instances have already taken place. Asked about the report, the TTD central dharmik council chairman, Mr P.V.R.K. Prasad, said: "They have to think of the situation which led to this ban where the majority has to be protected from minorities."
"Is it the right thing for other religions to come and propagate on the premises of temples," he asked. The commission questioned the government on the Bill to amend the AP Charitable and Hindu Religious Institution and Endowment Act. It asked the government to delete certain provisions especially the one introducing Section 152 A. The government has control over the resources of TTD and other temples under the Endowments Act, Mr Prasad said.
"When they are controlling the resources, and the involvement of government is being accepted in managing the resources, why should not the government take up the cause of dharma pracharam," Mr Prasad said. "It is the duty of the government, the TTD and the endowments department to promote Hinduism as it is controlling the resources."

US gets most fake papers from AP

By U Sudhakar Reddy
Hyderabad, March 2: Visa consultants and individuals from Hyderabad send the highest number of false documents while applying for US visas, according to the police at Chennai’s Royapettah.
A team of Royapettah police was in the city a few days ago to investigate three cases of visa fraud. According to the Royapettah officials at least 50 per cent of the documents submitted in support of the visa applications at US consulate in Chennai are fake. A CCS official said, “Most of the fraudulent documents are originating from Hyderabad-based consultancies and agents. Several visa agents wanted in cases booked by the US consulate in Chennai are from Hyderabad.”
The fraudsters faced cheating and forgery cases. “The city has become the hub of H-1B visa fraud,” he said. “People go to the US with fake papers,” the officer said. “The search for jobs begins only after they land in the US.” The US consulate had earlier announced tough measures against fraudsters and warned that those who present fake papers will be barred for the rest of their life from entering the US.
In 2007 Task Force sleuths here busted a racket of fake visa documents and arrested a retired bank employee, Shaik Abdul Rasheed, 58, and a history-sheeter of Dabeerpura police station, Alam Ali Khan, 62. The investigation lead to a Hyderabadi based in Chennai.They allegedly prepared fake income certificates, bank balance statements, property assessment documents and experience certificates from reputed companies. Rasheed came in contact with one Raju of Tamil Nadu who used to take demand drafts in favour of US Consulate. The US Embassy has referred seven cases of fraud for investigation in 2007.

(Published in Deccan Chronicle March 3 2008)

CBI shifts focus out of AP in Masjid blast

By U Sudhakar Reddy
Hyderabad, March 1

The Central Bureau of Investigation team probing the Mecca Masjid blast has ended its probe in the city without filing a chargesheet or arresting a suspect. The investigators are now looking for inter-state terror modules that may have been involved in the blast. Officials in the bureau also said the probe had reached a “final stage” and the team couldn’t hope to find any more clues here.
The Delhi team, which worked from Purana Haveli, now has no office in the city. “The Mecca Masjid blast investigation is not limited to Hyderabad,” a senior police official said. “The blast probe is continuing in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and West Bengal. The CBI team will come here whenever it needs to.” “We haven’t filed the chargesheet and no arrests have been made yet,” said CBI superintendent of police, Mr R.S. Dhankar, who heads the team. “We keep coming to Hyderabad though the investigation is focused elsewhere at present. We have had no major breakthrough.”
Following the Mecca Masjid blast on May 18, 2007 a case was registered at the Hussainialam police station for murder, attempt to murder and criminal conspiracy, and under the Explosive Substances Act. Nine persons died and 58 were injured in the blast. Police also recovered a live bomb from the premises of the mosque. The case was soon transferred to the CBI and was taken up by Mr Dhankar’s team.The CBI started out with a goof-up, releasing photographs of a “suspect” who turned out to be a teacher. The team then raided the house of terror suspect Syed Imran Khan. Three school bags made in Gujarat, a drilling machine, a soldering iron, an engineering textbook and a mobile phone were seized from Imran but the clues led the CBI nowhere.The CBI also announced a reward for information that would lead to a breakthrough but nothing came of it. A city police official said the Special Investigation Cell that probed the blast had wrapped up its operation. “We shared whatever inputs we had with the CBI,” he added. Meanwhile, the city police that investigated the twin explosions at Lumbini Park Gokul Chat, in which 43 persons were killed, and the unexploded bomb case at Dilsukhnagar, has transferred the cases to the Central Crime Station.

(Published in Deccan Chronicle March 2)