Delhi Police arrest wanted criminal after encounter in IP Estate

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

New Delhi, March 24 (IANS) The Delhi Police on Tuesday arrested a wanted criminal after an early morning encounter in the IP Estate area of the national capital, officials said, adding that the accused sustained a gunshot injury and has been admitted to a hospital.

According to officials, a team from the Special Staff of the Central District carried out the operation and apprehended the accused, who was wanted in connection with cases of murder and robbery, following a brief but intense exchange of fire.

“Several rounds of gunfire were exchanged, resulting in the criminal sustaining a gunshot wound to his leg. The encounter took place in the IP Estate area,” police officials said.

The accused has been identified as Ajay Kalia, a fugitive allegedly involved in multiple criminal cases. Police said that both sides fired several rounds during the encounter before he was overpowered.

Officials further revealed that an Inspector from the Special Staff narrowly escaped injury during the exchange, as a गोली struck his bulletproof jacket, preventing any harm.

“The Delhi Police had received intelligence indicating that a fugitive criminal would be visiting the area; acting on this tip-off, the Special Staff set up a trap to apprehend him,” officials said.

“Upon spotting the criminal approaching, the police attempted to intercept him; however, the accused, Ajay Kalia, opened fire on the police party. In retaliatory fire, the police shot the accused in the leg to subdue him. The criminal was subsequently captured while in an injured state,” they added.

Meanwhile, earlier on Sunday, the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police announced the arrest of a wanted sharpshooter along with an alleged arms supplier linked to the Kapil Sangwan gang, also known as the Nandu Gang.

A Crime Branch team apprehended the accused, identified as Sumit Punia, a 25-year-old resident of Mahendergarh district in Haryana. He was found carrying a sophisticated country-made pistol along with five live cartridges at the time of his arrest.

Police said that a case has been registered in the matter, and subsequent interrogation and record verification revealed that the accused had also been absconding in connection with an earlier encounter case.

Further investigation into his background and sustained questioning indicated that Punia hails from a village near that of gangster Kapil Sangwan and had known him since childhood, when the two reportedly used to play kabaddi together.

–IANS

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Congress amended Constitution for gains, says Nirmala Sitharaman in RS

New Delhi, Dec 16 (IANS) Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who initiated the debate on the Constitution in Rajya Sabha on Monday, launched a sharp attack on Congress, accusing the party of amending the Constitution repeatedly to restrict civil liberties and for their gains.

“In the last seven decades, this living document, our Constitution, has seen many amendments,” she said, alleging that the first amendment under Nehru’s interim government “curbed the freedom of speech”.

Giving details about the First Amendment, Sitharaman said, “…The Supreme Court in 1950 had ruled in favour of the Communist magazine “Cross Roads” and the RSS organisational magazine “Organizer”. But in response, the (then) interim government thought that there was a need for a first Constitutional amendment and that was brought in by the Indian National Congress (INC) and it was essentially to curb the freedom. So India, a democratic country which prides itself even today on freedom of expression saw the first interim government coming up with a Constitutional amendment which was to curb the freedom of speech of Indians and that within one year of adoption of the Constitution…”

“This First Amendment was done to harm the press and it is still affecting the freedom of media. This amendment was done by PM Nehru despite MPs being against it,” she said.

She said a critical evaluation of amendments based on four criteria: whether they were genuine, their outcomes for the people, the processes adopted, and adherence to the Constitution’s spirit, was required.

“The first Prime Minister of this country scrutinized the amending bill himself before its approval in Parliament. However, the debate in Parliament was far from smooth. Shri Syama Prasad Mukherjee remarked: ‘You can pass a law and claim to frame and form the Constitution, but now you are treating this Constitution as mere paper. You trusted the people of this country to write it, and now you come forward and stab them in the back.’ Kameshwar Singh, a member of the Constituent Assembly, also expressed disagreement, stating: ‘It is highly improper to make such changes to the Constitution.’ These actions showed an utter disregard for the Constitution, bypassing the judiciary,” she said.

“Those who are working on amending the Constitution, if they are good people outcome will be good, if they are bad people outcome will be bad,” said the Union Minister.

“Today, we hear comments from the Congress party on the judicial system, but they themselves went to great lengths in the past to undermine it. For instance, to nullify judgments, they introduced amendments. In the case of Indira Gandhi vs. Raj Narain, during the Emergency in 1975, a biography of Nehru was banned, and the film ‘Kissa Kursi Ka’ was also banned just because it questioned Indira Gandhi and raised critical issues…That’s the extent they went to bypass judicial scrutiny. Congress speaks about protecting rights and also the judicial system…how?”

The Finance Minister while lauding the Consitution and the people of India said, ” As we mark 75 years of the Constitution, it is time, I think, to reaffirm our commitment to building India, that is Bharat, which upholds the spirit and shines through this sacred document.”

“…Post Second World War, over 50 countries had become independent and had their Constitution written. But many have changed their Constitutions, not just amended them but literally changed the entire feature of their Constitution. But our Constitution has stood the test of time, of course, yielded itself to very many amendments…”

–IANS

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Delhi’s maiden Night Bazaar to come up in Connaught Place parking lots: NDMC

New Delhi, Jan 11 (IANS) Following the global nightlife trends, Delhi’s NDMC Smart City is all set to launch its maiden ‘Night Bazaar’ in Connaught Place parking lots before March-end, offering a flea market experience matching Thailand’s Chatuchak or Canada’s Richmond Night Market, an official said on Sunday.

“The groundwork is complete and the NDMC Night Bazaar will be thrown open within FY 2025-26. The shoppers will be able enjoy the experience till 1 a.m.,” an NDMC official said.

New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) Chairperson Keshav Chandra and Vice-Chairperson Kuljeet Singh Chahal, while presenting the annual Budget, reiterated the civic agency’s commitment to transformation of the urban infrastructure, aligning with Vision@2047 and future-ready needs.

The Night Bazaar will be a big leap in the national capital’s aspiration to create global standard spaces and offer a better quality of life, including an elevated, relaxed and safe pedestrianised shopping experience in the central business district till late night.

With an eye on attracting a large number of tourists, the NDMC’s blueprint for launching the city’s first Night Bazaar draws inspiration from several other global hotspots including Taman Connaught Night Market, Malaysia; Marrakech Night Market, Morocco; Forodhani Gardens Night Market, Tanzania; Huaxi Street Night Market, Taiwan; Temple Street Night Market, Hong Kong; and Bugis Street Market, Singapore.

The Night Bazaar concept has been in the air for nearly more than a decade in Delhi with earlier attempts by city planners and administrators to try the experiment at the Dilli Haat in INA or in south Delhi’s Nehru Place.

At one stage, the abandoned Super Bazar building in Connaught Circus was also considered as Night Bazaar destination but it failed to make the cut, considering the global practice of flea markets spread on ground level for night shoppers.

The NDMC’s parking lots in Connaught Place offer the ideal space for the purpose, an official said.

There will be no permission for constructing permanent structures in the parking lots which were recently shortlisted as the ideal location for a Night Bazaar with dozens of tents and fabric canopies, the official added.

After the Connaught Place parking lots were identified for the Night Bazaar, the civic agency did not renew the contract of private vendors for managing the lots with the plan to convert some of these into makeshift midnight shopping avenues.

The officials of the NDMC Smart City hope the Night Bazaar concept will also benefit from the Delhi government’s recent notification to work at shops and commercial establishments in night shifts too.

The provision came into effect with modification in the Delhi Shops and Establishment Act, 1954.

The Connaught Place Night Bazaar is also expected to improve the civic agency’s revenue and promote local trade and business, encouraging better commercial exploitation of its assets, a priority underscored by NDMC Chairperson Keshav Chandra for the Smart City team.

–IANS

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Mamata stirs up controversy with ‘conspiracy angle’ in Ajit Pawar’s death

Kolkata, Jan 28 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has insinuated a conspiracy behind the Wednesday plane crash on Wednesday that resulted in the tragic demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, and demanded a Supreme Court-supervised investigation

Banerjee had started with a post on X expressing shock at the death of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President and other passengers aboard the aircraft, but adding: “The incident needs proper investigation”.

Later, on her way to Singur in Hooghly district to attend an event, she told accompanying media persons that she has no faith in Central investigation agencies to conduct an impartial probe into the crash, thus, demanding the involvement of the apex court to unearth the truth.

Banerjee’s conspiracy theory came in relation to the alleged prospect of Ajit Pawar likely quitting the BJP-led Maharashtra government alliance, Maha Yuti.

“There is no safety and security of people of the country, even for the political leaders. I do not know what the fate of the Opposition political parties is. He (Ajit Pawar) was very much with the ruling party. But a few days ago, I came to know from social media that somebody from the other party gave a statement that Ajit Pawar is willing to leave the BJP-led NDA,” she said.

Banerjee further implied that the NCP leader was planning to return to the opposition INDIA bloc.

“What happened today…. I need a proper investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court. We have trust only in the Supreme Court and no other agency. All the agencies have been totally purchased. It is a great loss for the country,” she added.

In light of this unfortunate incident, the Chief Minister postponed her planned trip to Delhi that was set for later in the day, where she had planned a protest against the Election Commission’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Her Trinamool Congress has since picked up her conspiracy theory in a bid to spread it on social media.

“West Bengal’s Honourable Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed deep sorrow over the untimely demise of Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. She also extended her condolences to his family, friends, and well-wishers,” said a post on the Trinamool Congress Facebook page.

“However, the Honourable Chief Minister appealed that this should not be seen as a mere accident and that it needs to be investigated under the direct supervision of the Supreme Court,” it added.

Taking a cue from the leader, other party members started echoing the observation.

“Just four days ago, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had told the media that Ajit Pawar wanted to leave the BJP alliance and join the opposition grand alliance (especially with uncle Sharad Pawar). And this morning, his plane crashed, leading to his mysterious death,” wrote Arup Chakraborty, among the more vocal spokespersons of the Trinamool.

He then went a step ahead in looking up any unnatural deaths in the past

Mamata Banerjee had, earlier also, raised conspiracy theories.

During her political battle against the communists in West Bengal, she had repeatedly alleged that there were plans for her assassination.

In August 1990, when a firebrand Congress leader, Banerjee was reportedly hit on the head with a baton by a Communist Party of India-Marxist youth wing leader during a Kolkata rally. This fractured her skull, and she was inthe hospital fighting for life for over a month. In 1993, a protest organised by Banerjee, again as a Congress leader, led to violence and police firing. It resulted in the deaths of 13 people and became a significant turning point in West Bengal’s political history. The Trinamool still commemorates the incident as “Martyrs’ Day” and on several occasions, Banerjee has claimed that she was among the intended targets that day. She reiterated that charge on subsequent occasions, especially during the Singur and Nandigram movements that finally catapulted her as Chief Minister.

–IANS

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