Tattooing and HIV: Study in AP

By U Sudhakar Reddy
Tattooing in men has been identified as one of the risky behaviours associated with the spread of HIV.
A study conducted in the state by the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences in association with the George Institute of International Health Studies (GIIHS) found that tattooing and male non-circumcision are risky behaviours among HIV infected males, apart from homosexuality, multiple sex partners and blood transfusion.
Commenting on the findings, the AP State Aids Control Society director, Mr R.V. Chandravadan, said, “using the same needles (for tattooing) is risky. We are not sure if HIV is spread by tattooing and we cannot rule out the possibility of infection. Sterilised needles have to be used for tattooing.” Regarding non-circumcision, he said, studies showed that circumcision can reduce the spread of HIV infection. “However the attendant conse quences associated with circumcision have to be studied,” he said. “It has a socio-religious implication.” The study, titled ’Risk factors associated with HIV in a population-based study in Andhra Pradesh’ was headed by Lalit and Rakhi Dandona of George Institute of International Health. The study found that among men, there was significant association between HIV and history of sex with other men, sex workers or multiple women partners, consuming alcohol before sex, recreational drug use, male non-circumcision and tattooing.
“The highest impact of reducing the HIV number per unit population was for male circumcision in Guntur,” said the study.
Among women, the study said, “the only identified behavioural factor associated with HIV was multiple male sex partners.” The researchers interviewed a population-based sample of 12,617 persons aged 15 to 49 years from 66 rural and urban clusters in Guntur district.
(Photo courtesy: howstuff works)

Lumbini and Gokul Chat blasts: Indian Mujahideen's Riyaz planted bombs

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

Riyaz Bhatkal of the Indian Mujahideen had planted bombs at Gokul Chat and Lumbini Park on August 25 last year in the city, according to a terror suspect.
Police sources said the Mohammad Sadiq Sheikh, who was arrested from Mumbai on September 23 confessed to a city police team that Bhatkal who was behind the Hyderabad twin blasts.
Bhatkal alias Roshan Khan is still absconding and he is suspected to have underworld links with Mumbai.
A senior police official said, “Sadiq said that Riyaz Bhatkal told him before the twin explosions, ‘Hyderabad me kuch karne ka hi (we will have to do something in Hyderabad)’. After twin explosion Riyaz told him: ‘Hyderabad me kaam hogai (the work is done)’.”
The terror suspect Riyaz Bhatkal, who is alleged to have planted the bombs at Gokul Chat and Lumbini Park on August 25 last year came to the city after the May 18 Macca Masjid blast.
City and state police teams are now in Mumbai grilling terror accused, Mohammad Sadiq Sheikh, who had revealed that Bhatkal placed the bombs in the city.
“The handler of Indian Mujahideen module is Amir Raza Khan of Lashkar-e-Tayyaba. Sadiq has also been trained in pakistan. Riyaz Bhatkal is native of Karnataka. After interrogation, it is emerging that Karnataka is the hub of these terror modules,” said the investigating officer.
Riyaz Bhatkal is the key operative involved in handling the explosive materials and the Hyderabad twin explosion are suspected to be a revenge act, he was suspecting that Mecca Masjid blast was the handiwork of some anti Muslim forces.

(Exclusive. The story first broke by Deccan Chronicle on September 30th 2008)

Witchcraft kills 44 in Andhra in a year

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

As many as 44 people were killed in connection with witchcraft and sorcery rites in the last one year.
Karimnagar, Nalgonda and Medak districts witnessed the most number of black magic murders according to the state crime records bureau.
In all, 211 cases were registered in connection with witchcraft in 2007 as against 182 in 2006 and 161 in 2005. Karimnagar topped the list with 41 cases in which eight persons were killed followed by Nalgonda, Medak, Warangal, Nizamabad and Adilabad.
In Medak district, an elderly couple who was accused of practising black magic was tied together and set ablaze.
Similarly, seven persons were killed in Adilabad, six in Nizamabad, and five each in Medak and Warangal over sorcery and witchcraft allegations.
Violent incidents linked to witchcraft were also reported from Visakhapatnam rural, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam. Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra districts (except for north Andhra) are relatively free of the menace of black magic rites.
“In many places, people suspected to be practicing black magic are tied to trees and beaten up,” said the Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), Mr A.K. Khan. “They are known as banamati or chetabadi.” In some instances, mobs have plucked the teeth of those who were branded as sorcerers. There have also been cases of mobs lynching alleged sorcerers.
“We are taking out awareness campaign in several districts against such superstitions,”said Mr Khan. “In many cases, it is an individual or a family versus the entire village. We should increase the scientific temperament of people to fight this menace.” Social activists and police blame movies and TV programmes for giving added strength to the superstitious beliefs of people.
“There shall be reasonable restrictions on films and programmes promoting black magic and witchcraft,” said the ADGP.
The AP Praja Natya Mandali has also asked the government to discourage TV serials were encouraging beliefs in sorcery

AP Police track hawala- terror link

By U Sudhakar Reddy

Police is trying to trace the hawala network through which terror operatives get funds from their handlers abroad.
The anti-terror agency of the state, Octopus, has got alerts from Mumbai and Delhi on the hawala connection of the Indian Mujahideen.
“We have noticed huge fund transfers to some suspects and their families from Saudi Arabia, UAE and the United Kingdom,” said a senior intelligence official.
“We are verifying them,” the official added.
He added that police was also checking the funding mechanism of organisations based in the Old City.
“We are checking fund transfers to organisations such as Darsgah Jihad O Shadhat, Therek Thafuz Shere-E-Islam, Saleem Mujahid Trust, other trusts, madrasas, and minority educational institution,” he said.
Investigations in Delhi had revealed that Indian Mujahideen terrorists had links with Dubai based hawala operators.
“Hyderabad was the hub of hundi business for years,” said the intelligence official.
“Several city youth based in Gulf countries are involved in hawala operations.” “Terrorists using hawala route for funds is nothing new,” said the commissioner of police, Mr B. Prasada Rao.

Bear attacks in Andhra Forests

By U Sudhakar Reddy

Wild animal attacks, particularly by the sloth bear, on humans are on the rise in the state.
Tribals, who venture into the deep forest to collect minor produce, are the victims in most cases. As many as 18 persons have died in the state. According to assistant conservator of forests (wildlife) Mr B. Vara Prasad, last year 15 deaths were reported in the state which included 11 elephant-related and four in sloth bear attack related cases.
In 2008, there have been three cases of fatal sloth bear attacks. Most of the attacks are reported from Nallamala forest. The state government has been sitting on the proposal to increase the compensation package to the victims.
The government had decided on a compensation package of Rs 1 lakh for the family of the deceased and Rs 20,000 for permanently disabled.
In case of minor injuries the hospital expenses are paid as per the GO that was issued 10 years ago. In 2007, the forest department proposed the state government to increase the compensation to the victims family from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh and for permanent disabled from Rs 20,000 to Rs 70,000. Karnataka is paying Rs 1.5 lakh and Maharashtra is paying Rs 2 lakh for it

SIT awaits SIMI's Nagori's questioning

By U Sudhakar Reddy

Student Islamic Movement of India leaders Safdar Nagori, Qaumruddin Nagori and Adnan will be brought to the city by Special Investigation Team for questioning.
The Special Investigation Team has decided to file petitions for prisoner transit warrant to arrest the accused in the Hyderabad conspiracy case.
Safdar Nagori, Quamruddin Nagori and Adnan were named accused in the case registered by the Gopalapuram police station.
Police says the trio came to the city thrice and met Moulana Abdul Aleem Islahi and Mufti Abu Basher and participated in several secret meetings.
They will be questioned about the twin explosions as well as the Simi network in the city.
“We want to bring Raziuddin Naser and Simi leaders together for the interrogation,” said an investigating officer.
The other accused in the Hyderabad conspiracy case, Muhatasim Billah, and Mohammed Muqeemuddin alias Yaser confessed that Nagori and Adnan came to the city along with Abdus Subhan alias Tauqeer.
Mohammed Baleequiddin alias Jaber, son of Moulana Naseeruddin, also told the police that he and his brother took part in the meeting held by the Nagori’s and Toukheer in which ways to spread jihadi activities were discussed.
In 2005, Adnan came to the city again along with the Nagoris and met Aleem Islahi and Mufti Abu Basher.
They spoke about a meeting at Ujjain and about the floating of a new organisation suspected to be the Indian Mujahideen

Ghori's IMMM inspired Indian Mujahideen formation?

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy
Anti-terror experts have claimed that the Indian Mujahideen was formed with the inspiration of AP’s Jihadi leader Azam Ghori’s Indian Muslim Mohammedi Mujahideen (IMMM).
Ghori, who was allegedly trained by the Taliban in Afghanistan, was killed in an encounter in 2000 at Jagityal in Karimnagar.
The IMMM was responsible for several blasts in the state at the behest of the Laskhar-E-Tayyaba (LeT). A senior police officer said, “We strongly suspect that hardcore activists of Simi, who floated the IM, were inspired by the IMMM.
The group was involved in four murders and exploding bombs in three cinema halls at Begumpet, Nizamabad and Karimnagar in 2000.” He added, “Ghori closely worked with another terror operative Abu Hamza. Ghori, who served the Peoples War Group, was injured in an encounter and took shelter in Saudi Arabia. He was recruited by the LeT and trained in Afghanistan.” In an earlier case, 16 IMMM operatives were convicted in a conspiracy case and sentenced to life for murdering businessman Mahaveer Prasad Modi in the city.
Meanwhile, Raziuddin Naser, son of Moulana Naseeruddin, the former chief of TTSEI, had confessed that he opted to fight US soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq. According to sources in the police headquarters, Naser’s offer was rejected by his handlers in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.
A police officer said, “Naser, who went to Saudi Arabia, left for Pakistan and received training in bomb making along with DJS chief Mehboob Ali’s grandson Najiullah. He came here in June 2007 and after the twin explosions fled to Hubli.” A city police officer probing the twin blasts said, “Naser was arrested in Hubli by Honnali police. Now the investigations are leading to Hubli and Udupi in Karnataka where the bombs were prepared. Now we have to verify all these links.”