The NEWS you like - June 2017

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PAGES: 68 VOL.5 | ISSUE: 5 | JUNE 2017

Permit me to speak from Mecca Masjid

Tellapur (Medak Dt): Victims of Redtape

The News You Like | June, 2017

VOL:5 I SSUE:5 I JUNE, 2017 `30

Editor SUDHAKAR

Special Correspondent D Bal Reddy

Senior Correspondent Mallesh Babu Mattipati Yanadi Reddy

Reporters M.Praveen Kumar, P Vishnuvardhan Reddy

Photographers M Vijay S Sridhar, Shair Ali Baig

Cover & Layout T. Srinivasa Rao

General Manager Mohd Nizamuddin

Chief Executive (Marketing) Venkata K Ganjam (GK) Aravind K Balan (OSD, Delhi)

Chief - Business & LifeStyle K. Bharath Reddy

Marketing Associate M. Akhil Raj Shaker

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Phone: 98481 33363, 97011 41377. email: 24thenews@gmail.com thenewscoordinator@gmail.com Printed, Published And Owned By Ramya Sree , Printed At S.M.S. Press, H.No.11-38, Pragathi Nagar, P&T Colony, Saroor Nagar, Dist Ranga Reddy – 60, Published At The News Publications, H.No.334, B, Prajay Sai Gardens, Keesara Mandal, Dist - Ranga Reddy, Telangana Editor : Sudhakar

Note: Focus/Infocus features are marketing initiatives

Any legal disputes comes under the jurisdiction of courts in Hyderabad

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EDITORIAL

n 23 May, the union government issued rules regulating the cattle market. The regulations seem to have affected the country even before they have been implemented or even read. Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal protested though most people did not read or understood the rules.

Congress party activists went further and slaughtered a calf in public and distributed the meat to spectators of this perverted cruelty.

Kerala has no licensed slaughterhouses except the ones for export, so god knows what they were getting upset about.

West Bengal and Tamil Nadu also protested– because they are the ones who run the most illegal cattle markets in India and supply pregnant, sick, diseased and baby animals to Bangladesh and Kerala respectively.

Some strong opinions have been expressed by political leaders and students unions but are devoid of legitimate content because almost none of these have observed or even seen livestock markets. Unfortunately, what gets conveyed and leads to mass hysteria is just political rhetoric. The context and provisions of the rules have been slaughtered in the process.

To understand the need to regulate the livestock markets we should know what happens with the animals sold for meat. The farmer usually sells his discarded cattle for meat in intermediary markets to commission agents. These agents buy a dozen or so and take them to bigger markets and sell them to bigger agents. After many such transactions in many intermediate markets, at some point they are congregated, stuffed into trucks and taken to other states to be sold to bigger contractors.

The interstate movement of cattle requires extensive permissions from Animal Husbandry or Revenue Authorities.

While none of this is followed, a system of hafta exists and police check posts simply let the overloaded trucks pass for a fee in blood money. There is an organised cattle trafficking mafia that operates in every state in India.

The cruelty issues for cattle slaughter are huge. After having taken into account cruelty and grave issues such as the threats of cattle smuggling and their implications on people and animals, the drafting committee framed the rules.

(Sudhakar)

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INDEX

The News You Like | June 2017

Charges framed against LK Advani, 10 others

Senior BJP leaders L K Advani, M M Joshi and Uma Bharti were on Tuesday charged with criminal conspiracy in the 1992 Babri mosque demolition case by a special CBI Court in Lucknow.

Intelligence, city police 8 orchestrate pro-government demonstration at Dharna Chowk In an apparent attempt to please political bosses, a couple of oicials in the intelligence department in association with a couple of oicials in the city police have allegedly orchestrated progovernment demonstration at Dharna Chowk on May 15.

Honour killing: Naresh was killed 23 and burnt to ashes by father-in-law police officers suspended for links with Nayeem 18

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INDEX

The News You Like | June, 2017

Woman transport official engages bouncers to extort money, booked 25

Here is a woman officer from the Telangana Transport Department, who dares to break the rules. She engages bouncers allegedly to extort money from the transport operators.

KCR tries to woo police officers into working for his party

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Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on May 19 showered Telangana police with praise in an apparent attempt to woo the police officers into working for his party in the coming elections. He was addressing the police officers conference held at HICC at his instance.

Rajinikanth hinting he may enter politics

BJP expanding across the country, says Amit 36

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RECOGNITION

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Telangana police receive FICCI Smart Policing Awards

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elangana police on May 25 received FICCI Smart Policing Award 2017 in five categories - two separate initiatives besides three special jury awards out of 133 entries from various state police forces and central armed police forces.

Director General of Police, Anurag Sharma received the award for the initiative - smart passport verification process, while Assistant Commissioner of

Police, Cyber Crime, KCS Raghu Vir received the award for cyber Forensics Lab initiative in the category of Cyber crime.

The Special Jury Award for Smart Police Officer, awarded to Hyderabad City Police Commissioner, M Mahender Reddy was received by Additional Commissioner of Police, T Murali Krishna.

Another Special Jury Award for Finger Print Identification and Network System was presented to Suryapet district superintendent of

police, J Parimala Hana Nutan, while Special Jury Award for Smart Innovative Policing was also conferred upon Telangana police.

The awards were presented by Meenakshi Lekhi, MP, Delhi, Y K Modi, Chairman, FICCI and G K Pillai, Former Home Secretary of India during the ninth edition of the annual conference on home land security held at the FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers Of Commerce and India), New Delhi.

CITY NEWS

The News You Like | June, 2017

TRS Corporators extort money from people

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t has been the practice of GHMC Corporators to levy private tax on any construction work taken up by the residents of Hyderabad.

The corporators threaten plot owners through the official machinery by way of creating hurdles on the pretext of violations or some other thing. Further, the corporators and their henchmen call the plot owners through proxy numbers and threaten with dire consequences if the ‘private tax’ was not paid to them before going ahead with the construction.

But in a latest incident, TRS Corporator from Chaitanyapuri, Jinnaram Vitttal Reddy crossed all limits and physically assaulted the construction workers in Hanuman Nagar area of Chaitanyapuri as the plot owner Vikrant refused to pay the private tax.

TRS Corporator from Chaitanyapuri, Jinnaram Vittal Reddy reached the construction site in

Hanuman Nagar under Chaitanyapuri police station limits on the evening of 26 along with his followers and asked the construction workers to stop the work.

When relatives of the site owner Vikrant tried to intervene, the Corporator and his followers manhandled the workers and also a relative of the site owner and threatened them with dire consequences if the work was continued without paying the private tax.

Vikrant told media persons that the Corporator had been demanding Rs 10 lakh as private tax and threatened him several times that he would stop the work if the tax levied by him was not paid.

Soon after the incident, Vikrant along with the victims reached Chaitanyapuri police station and lodged a complaint. However, police did not register the case immediately allowing the Corporator to compel the complainant withdraws the case.

But police had to register a case as the complainant insisted for FIR

and also because of the pressure mounted by the media.

While this is the first incident in which police registered a case against a Corporator for demanding private tax, similar practice has been going on across the city. For instance, TRS leader Rammohan Goud from Vanasthalipuram, whose wife is a Corporator had also convened the meeting of contractors and builders in his area and demanded private tax threatening that he would make their lives miserable if his demands were not met because he would be the next MLA of LB Nagar. When news of this emerged, Municipal Administration Minister, K T Rama Rao had to reprimand Goud.

Same is the case with a woman Corporator who is allegedly collecting private tax even from scrap dealers. It appears that voters are fed up with the corrupt and illegal practices of TRS Corporators and they are only looking for next elections to give a befitting message to the TRS leaders.

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DHARNA CHOWK

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Intelligence, city police orchestrate pro-government demonstration at Dharna Chowk

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n an apparent attempt to please political bosses, a couple of officials in the intelligence department in association with a couple of officials in the city police have allegedly orchestrated progovernment demonstration at Dharna Chowk on May 15.

The handful of officials went to the extent of deputing some police personnel in plainclothes to take part in the pro-government protest leading to sharp criticism from all corners after videos and pictures of the police personnel in plainclothes holding placards emerged.

Lake Police Inspector K Sridevi was one of the police personnel among the pro-government demonstrators. Following criticism, her

services were withdrawn from Lake Police and attached to the central zone control room.

However, sources in the police department said the pro-government demonstration was orchestrated by a handful of officials in the intelligence wing and the city police.

Ever since the Telangana government decided to shift the venue for protests to the outskirts of the city citing law and order problems, there have been protests against the decision. Some groups have even approached the High Court against the decision. But the ‘morning walkers group’ or the ‘locals’ were never in the picture. The police never made a mention that either the walkers or the locals wanted the Dharna Chowk to be shifted, the

sources said.

Further, the city police never gave permission to any one after March to hold protest at Dharna Chowk. Suddenly, the walkers group and locals came into the picture a few weeks ago and the police permitted both the groups – the group that wants shifting of Dharna Chowk and the groups that have been protesting against shifting of Dharna Chowk – to stage protests on the same day which gives rise to suspicion, sources said.

Granting permission to two opposite groups to hold protests on the same day at Dharna Chowk and compelling some lower level officials to take part in the pro-government demonstration in plain clothes lends support for the theory

DHARNA CHOWK

The News You Like | June, 2017

that it was orchestrated by the police department itself, the sources said.

Elaborating further the sources said, two officials close to the political bosses are calling shots in the intelligence wing though they are not heads of the department.

Those two officials in association with two senior officials of the city police elaborately planned the progovernment demonstration.

However, their plan failed as the local TRS leaders could not mobilize locals for the pro-government demonstration.

Had the local TRS leaders managed to mobilize huge number of locals, the police personnel in plain clothes would have remained backstage boosting the morale of the TRS cadres. Unfortunately, the local leaders failed to execute the plan designed by the handful of police officials thus bringing disrepute to the department, sources

said.

Now that the police design has been exposed, all the senior officers are tight lipped making the lower level officials scapegoats.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Central Zone, Joel Davis, who had no role in the plan, had to issue a release as a cover up.

The release said that police personnel in plain clothes were deployed at Dharna Chowk on Monday since two protest programmes were organised. Lake Police Inspector, Sreedevi was also drafted for surveillance duty to watch over any anti-social elements at Dharna Chowk. “It has come to our notice that during the bandobust Inspector, Sreedevi, was found holding a placard among the protestors. An enquiry has been ordered for taking further action in this regard.

Pending enquiry she has been withdrawn from the duties of Lake

Police with immediate effect and attached to the Central Zone Control Room,� the DCP said.

However, it appears the city police need eternal time to complete the enquiry which is evident from the fact that though couple of weeks have elapsed but the enquiry has not been completed, which clearly shows that the lower level officials were only playing the character they were given but the screenplay and direction was being done by somebody else.

It also shows how lower level officials are made scapegoats by the seniors for their selfish ends.

One of the intelligence officials behind the plan wants a plum post, while one of the city police officer behind it wants to be in the department as long as he can go to office.

On the other hand, another officer behind the plan is vying to become the top cop of the state, the sources said.

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AYODHYA

The News You Like | June 2017

ChaRges fRaMeD againsT LK aDVani, oTheRs

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enior BJP leaders L K Advani, M M Joshi and Uma Bharti were on Tuesday charged with criminal conspiracy in the 1992 Babri mosque demolition case by a special CBI Court in Lucknow.

The Court, which earlier rejected their discharge petition, framed charges against Advani (89), Joshi (83), Union minister Bharti (58) and three others under Section 120 (B) of the IPC (criminal conspiracy).

The three others are the BJP’s

Vinay Katiyar (62), VHP’s Vishnu Hari Dalmiya, who is in his late eighties, and one-time Hindutva firebrand Sadhvi Rithambara (53).

The accused had argued against the framing of charges against them, asserting that they had no role in the razing of the mosque and had tried to stop it. Their discharge petitions were rejected by the judge.

The court is hearing two separate cases relating to the demolition of the 16th-century mosque.

Six others accused in the second case — Ramvilas Vedanti, Baikunth Lal Sharma , Champat Rai Bansal, Mahant Nritya Gopal-

das, Dharam Das and Satish Pradhan — were also charged with conspiracy and offences such as promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, etc, and defiling a place of worship with the intent to insult a religion.

Vedanti and the other five were, under various IPC sections, also charged with imputations prejudicial to national integration, committing deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings, making statements leading to public mischief, rioting and unlawful assembly.

The News You Like | June, 2017

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FOCUS

He is a businessman with a human touch

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he special thing about Abdur Rahman is that he is more a humane than a business man. He is enthused by the dictum that the real secret of happiness is not in what you have or what you receive, but what you share.

Keeping this in mind, he started Helping 2 Hands The AR Foundation to help the helpless and empower the weak. Rahman’s foundation works mainly in the areas of child education, women empowerment, career counselling, orphanage assistance, empowerment of children having special needs, health care services and old age assistance for the needy.

Rahman’s foundation has so far successfully conducted more than 200 programmes since its inception in January 2016 besides running an orphanage for 130 children. The foundation has many rewards and recognitions to its credit.

On his career front, Rahman is currently Vice President, Global Sales & Marketing Operation of Netmertic Info Solutions Private Ltd, a Leading Technical Training Institute in Hyderabad. He leads the cycle from acquisition to delivery responsibility for business, training, networking, product functions, operational functions, spanning across Sales and Presales.

With a modest beginning in 2006, Rahman took over the responsibility of building business lines around core services Network Training Solution and Services. Since then, he has added several services – including ICT, Infrastructure Solutions and Professional services. Over the years, He has a strong focus on infrastructure and has been instrumental in building Technical Training Team and Networking.

He is a graduate in Engineering from Quli Qutub shah Engineering College, and holds an MBA in Marketing from Xavier’s Institute of Business studies. He also has 5 certifications from CISCO USA and other certification in sales and Networking.

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COVER STORY

The News You Like | June 2017

The truth behind Miyapur land scam

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he Miyapur land scam, described by the authorities as a conspiracy between the directors of a few private infrastructure development companies and a corrupt sub-registrar, appears to be

not so simple.

Instead, sources say, the plan to grab the government lands was actually designed by some politicians in power. However, the plan bounced back due to differences over sharing the booty between the officials involved in the entire

process. The sub-registrar offices mention only those lands in the prohibitory register against which the government publishes gazette declaring certain lands were government lands. However, in the case of Miyapur lands, the people behind the master plan ensured that

The News You Like | June, 2017

COVER STORY

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COVER STORY

The News You Like | June 2017

Miyapur land scam: The story given out C

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yberabad police claimed on May 28 to have arrested the Sub-Registrar of Kukatpally and two directors of real estate company Trinity Infra Ventures Limited on charges of fraudulent registration of 693 acres of government land causing revenue loss of over Rs 587 crore to the state exchequer.

Police said Sub-Registrar of Kukatpally, Rachakonda Srinivasa Rao, directors of Trinity Infra Ventures Limited – P S Parthasarathy and PVS Varma were arrested. Searches carried out at the residences and offices of the accused persons resulted in the recovery of incriminating documents.

Parthasarathy, in his capacity as the director of Trinity Infra Ventures Limited had executed four sale deeds in favour of Suvishal Power Gen Limited, represented by its director PVS Sharma on January 21, 2016 selling 693 acres of government land in survey numbers 20, 28, 100 and 101 of Miyapur village in Serilingampally Mandal, police had claimed.

A week before executing the four documents, a fake document was prepared showing that one Ameerunnisa Begum and seven others had given GPA to Parthasarathy and others over the 693 acres of land. Seven days later, Parthasarathy registered the land in the name of Suvishal Power Gen Limited, police said.

Interestingly, Sharma, who is the director of Suvishal Power Gen Limited is also one of the directors in Trinity Infra Ventures Limited in which Parthasarathy is one of the directors. What more!

The Sub-Registrar Srinivasa Rao knew about the fraudulent deal since he was one of the conspirators, police said.

Further, Srinivasa Rao, being the Sub-Registrar the government did not publish gazette declaring that the lands in survey numbers 20, 28, 100 and 101 of Miyapur village in Serilingampally mandal were government lands, sources said.

Even the remand report of the

of Kukatpally was aware of the fact that the 693 acres of land was government land and there have been repeated instructions from the higher ups of the revenue department issued in 2007 and 2011 to that effect and the lands should not be registered.

The details were mentioned in the prohibitory register, a record containing all those lands which should not be registered at any cost, police said.

Despite this, Srinivasa Rao colluded with the directors of Trinity Infra and helped them execute sale deeds in violation of the provisions of the Registration Act and the Indian Penal Code causing a revenue loss of over Rs 587 crore, police said.

However, the fraud was detected by the higher ups of the stamps and registration department and a complaint was lodged with the police. Based on the complaint, police registered a case and arrested the accused after investigation. Further investigations were underway to ascertain the role of others in the huge fraud, police had said.

Kukatpally police claims that the Deputy Collector-cum-Tahsildar of Serilingampally mandal had written letters to the sub-registrar of Kukatpally and other jurisdictions that the lands were government porambok lands.

There is no mention of an official gazette declaring the status of the 693 acres land in the four survey numbers as government lands. And a sub-registrar is not bound by the letter of Tahsildar to refuse registration of a land.

COVER STORY

The News You Like | June, 2017

Taking this loophole as advantage, those behind the scam designed their plan to grab the 693 acres of land worth over Rs 10,000 crore.

However, the land grabbers turned extra-greedy and tried to grab the land spending a pittance, sources said.

Had they paid stamp fee at market rate for the land, there would have been no issue.

However, the land grabbers tried to get rights over the entire land without mentioning the value of the land in the document and paid few thousands of rupees for the registration of Sanad Deed, which conveys all rights over the land to the buyer, sources said.

Since it is in the hands of the government to publish gazette, vested interests in the power conspired with the infrastructure companies and some corrupt officials to grab the land.

It is because of this reason, subregistrar, Rachakonda Srinivasa Rao, who was suspended earlier while resorting to irregularities in the same sub-registrar office, was reinstated at the same place so that the huge scandal can be executed, sources said.

However, sources said, the officials in the stamps and registration department wanted huge percentage out of the Rs 587 crore that was saved in stamp duty. And differences developed in sharing the booty due to which the grave irregularity saw the light.

Even as the government transferred the case to Crime Investigation Department (CID), some important accused like P S Prasad, his wife Indrani Prasad and daughter-in-law Mahitha Caddel are on the run, political bigwigs behind the scam remain unscathed, sources said.

aCB detects irregularities in uploading documents by sRos

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he ongoing searches at the sub-registrar offices (SROs) across the state by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) revealed that the documents presented for registration were not being uploaded online.

Instead, the documents are kept offline giving rise for suspicions.

ACB sources said this practice has been noticed in almost all the SROs. But, the officials of the SROs are claiming that the delay was on account of workload and shortage of manpower and infrastructure.

However, the ACB sleuths are not ready to buy the theory. The ACB sleuths are verifying every piece of paper and all the entries in its database and also on the website to check whether documents related to current month were uploaded keeping the documents related to previous months in pending, sources said.

Keeping older documents offline would invite deeper investigation to find out whether there was any irregularity with respect to those documents, sources said.

Meanwhile, a senior official said the local units of ACB were compiling reports based on the searches. Also, the ACB teams were assisting the teams investigating the Miyapur land scam in carrying out searches at various places connected with the accused and other related people.

As part this, ACB sleuths accompanying the police, carried out searches at the residence of TNGO president, Syed Mujeebullah, acting sub-registrar of Vallabhnagar SRO, the official said adding that incriminating documents were found during searches.

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COVER STORY

The News You Like | June 2017

Miyapur land scam

Clash of interests between two power centers

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media baron who owns a regional newspaper and a senior politician in power facilitated the real estate companies execute the massive land registration scam now came to be called as Miyapur land scam.

The nexus between the media baron, the politician and the real estate companies run by P S Prasad had been grabbing government lands, evacuee properties and disputed properties by fabricating documents with the help of revenue and registration departments. Subsequently, on the strength of the fabricated documents, the mafia has been getting court orders and police protection, sources said.

This mafia group would have succeeded in grabbing 693 acres of government land. But, another power center in the state, that had its eyes on the same lands, was infuriated on realizing that the government lands were already registered in the names of the companies close to their rival power center, sources said.

Soon after this, the rival power center pulled its strings due to which the district registrar N Saidi Reddy, who remained silent for over despite knowing about the illegal registration done by the Kukatpally registrar, lodged a complaint with the police.

In quick succession, the government announced thorough probe by the CID and ACB into the irregularities.

However, it is surprising to find that the district registrar’s complaint does not name Goldstone Infra director P S Prasad as accused, though he is said to be the boss of all the companies involved in the scandal.

Police officials maintain that the complainant specifically named 11 persons as accused in the written report. Based on the complaint, case has been registered and investigations launched. If Prasad’s

name is found in the investigation, a decision would be taken whether to include his name as accused after considering the evidence.

However, sources in the police department said that the stamps and registration department officials played mischief by not including Prasad’s name as accused. This gives him an edge in claiming before the court that his name was not mentioned in the FIR but subsequently added at the behest of vested interests.

Sources also said that it has been the practice of Prasad to play the game very safe by getting the government lands registered in the name of trusted people while being in the safe zone.

Meanwhile, sources said eight police teams were at work to nab absconding accused. Also, process has been completed for the issue of red corner notice against the absconding accused. However, the investigators are finding helpless in issuing red corner notice against Prasad in this case since he has not been named as accused.

Unless the investigators get custody of the arrested accused Rachakonda Srinivasa Rao, P S Parthasarathy and PVS Sharma and they disclose information about the involvement of Prasad, it would be difficult for the investigators to lay their hands on the alleged mastermind, sources said.

But, sources said that Prasad’s name has not been mentioned in the complaint and the FIR because the rival power center has tried to hit two birds in one shot.

They want Prasad and his supporters come for negotiations to arrive at a compromise and they can have a smooth run in their future illegal operations, sources said.

However, police officials feel suffocated between the two power centers. A senior official said they were being used as tools to settle the personal scores between the two groups.

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NAYEEM FIASCO

The News You Like | June 2017

police officers suspended for links with nayeem A

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fter dodging it for long, Telangana government has finally suspended five police officers including an additional superintendent of police for their alleged nexus with late gangster Nayeemuddin aka Nayeem.

Those who suspended include CID additional superintendent of police, Maddipati Srinivasa Rao, assistant commissioners of police,

Chintamaneni Srinivas of CCS and M Srinivasa Rao of Mir Chowk division, Inspectors Masthan Vali of Sangareddy and Raja Gopal of Kothagudem.

Sources said the SIT has identified some police officials who allegedly had nexus with Nayeem and amassed huge wealth making use of his illegal activities and helped him run a criminal empire in return. It is also alleged that some of the officials got rewards,

promotions and medals by claiming credit for the anti-Maoist work including encounters carried out by Nayeem.

Five such officials were suspended after the preliminary enquiry and evidence collected so far established that they did have links with Nayeem and helped the gangster run the criminal empire.

It may be recalled some pictures of the police officers rubbing shoulders with gangster Nayeem

NAYEEM FIASCO

The News You Like | June, 2017

years ago were published in these columns along with the extent of nexus between them and the gangster. The pictures gave ammunition for the Opposition parties to criticize the state government of shielding the police officers and politicians who had nexus with the gangster.

Opposition parties had been raising the issue time and again and

also demanding the government to make public Nayeem’s diary. It appears the government, yielding under the pressure mounted by the Opposition parties, had suspended five officials and some more suspensions are likely to follow.

Reeling under pressure, the government finally suspended five police officers for alleged links with late gangster Nayeemuddin

and ordered oral enquiry against four police officers and issue charge memos for as many as 16 police officials.

The oral enquiry has been ordered against three deputy superintendents of police – M Sai Manohar, G Prakash Rao and Venkat Narsaiah and one inspector Venkaiah. A senior officer will be appointed as presiding officer to conduct the oral enquiry and the o Further, charge memos will be issued to 16 more police officers for their alleged links with Nayeem. The officers will be asked to submit their replies to the charge memos based on which minor punishments such as postponement of increments or promotions will be awarded to them, a senior police officer said.

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REDPATE

RED TAPE

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Govt harassing genuine land purchasers in Tellapur

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t a time when land sharks are getting registered hundreds of acres of government lands in collusion with corrupt babus and politicos, about 2000

poor industrial workers, who are bonafide purchasers of house sites, are forced to run from pillar to post to get right over the house sites registered on their names.

This is the pathetic story of hundreds of industrial employees, who

have purchased the house sites with their hard earned money with a hope that the house site would provide them a shelter at the end of their lives.

However, their hopes were shattered. They are made to borrow money to fight the legal battle so that they can hold on to the house sites and live in a hope that one day the government will become kind enough to the poor.

This story dates back to 1982 when The Industrial Employees Cooperative House Building Society Limited (Redg. No. TG925), purchased lands in survey numbers 323, 343, 363 and 364 of Tellapur village in Ramachandrapuram mandal of Medak district from its owners and sold individual residential plots of varying sizes to about 2000 members. After mutating the purchased land in Revenue Records in its name, the society obtained lay-out permission, sanctioned and approved by Gram Panchayat Tellapur and named it as ‘Sree Saibaba Nagar’ and sold the plots to its members by executing registered sale deeds at Sub-Registrar office at Sangareddy.

The members of the association are middle class industrial and other establishments’ workers who purchased the above residential plots for constructing their houses. The documents showing government permission for conversion of land

REDPATE

The News You Like | June, 2017

use into residential purpose, approval of layout

by Gram Panchayat, Tellapur, registration and mutation of the land in the name of Society made members to believe existence of marketable title. After obtaining permission from the District Collector, the Society constructed a Saibaba Temple with donations collected from all the members in the layout during 1983.

However, the members could not construct their houses as the government interfered alleging that the land consists of assigned land and is prohibited from alienation.

The Revenue department time and again tried to resume the land but the purchasers obtained stay orders.

At the end of prolonged litigation between government and purchasers, the High Court at Hyderabad disposed the matter by passing a common order in a batch of 39 writ petitions on February 21, 2014 in favour of the members upholding their rights as owners and possessors of the land.

Further, the matter was referred

to a “House Committee of Assembly” consisting of 19 members on December 27, 1996 which found that the members purchased the land from the Society paying valuable sale consideration and sale deeds registered were genuine and hence recommended for regularising the lands in the name of purchasermembers, and wherever required by collecting nominal government market price prevalent in 1987.

But the government, brushed aside the recommendations of the House Committee and illegally proceeded handing over symbolic custody of the land to the then HUDA (now HMDA), without following due process of law.

After formation of Telangana, the government appointed a “Task Force Committee on Lands” under

chairmanship of S K Sinha. The Task Force recommended that the Patta and alienable assignment lands be handed over to the Society members immediately and in case of government land the same be regularised in the name of original purchasers by collecting concessional market value. Despite this, the poor industrial workers are being denied fruits of their labour.

It appears some vested interests are behind the government’s adamant attitude because the vested interests involved in land scams such as Miyapur land scam seem to be angling to grab the house sites of the poor industrial workers.

Many of the members who purchased the land in their youth are now retired senior citizen, ex-servicemen having this plot of land alone as their old-age support. The plot owners urge the government to look at the issue with a humane angle and resolve the same in the best interest of the poor industrial workers.

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SEX TRADE

The News You Like | June 2017

Rachakonda police bust sex rackets run by Bangladeshi woman

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achakonda police busted two sex rackets and arrested five persons including a Bangladeshi woman who had been visiting India frequently to run the sex trade across the country.

Apart from the Bangladeshi woman Akthar Shabana, police arrested K Madhu, P Ramesh, B Muni and N Praveen. The kingpins of the two sex rackets K Ramalinga of Hyderabad, Sanjay and Rahul aka Mohsin of Kolkata were yet to be arrested, police said.

According to the police, Shabana has contacts with local brothel organisers and supplies sex workers to them. The local organisers post the pictures of sex

workers on certain websites known for immoral activities and supply the girls at the doorsteps for handsome price.

Rachakonda police carried out decoy operation to arrest the racketeers and rescued three girls – two of them from West Bengal and one from Karnataka.

Police recovered some cash, a two wheeler, mobile phones, Bangladeshi passport in the name of Shabana and fake Aadhar and Voter ID cards secured by her in India with a pseudonym.

The arrest of Bangladeshi woman in the sex racket ones again brought to fore the lurking threat to India’s internal security from illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators. The way Shabana has been able to

secure Aadhar card and PAN card while carrying Bangladeshi passport baffled the police authorities.

However, the local police are not in a position to understand the larger threat from Bangladeshi infiltrators. They simply look at the present case as an immoral trafficking case and not as an issue connected with national security, a senior police official said.

The Bangladeshi woman will now spread her network from the four walls of the prison where she will come in touch with several people jailed in connection with various cases, the official said adding that it is time the governments at the center and states take firm stand against infiltrators to put a stop to the menace.

HONOUR KILLING

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Honour killing: Naresh was killed and burnt to ashes by father-in-law

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wenty-three-year-old Amboji Naresh of Pallerla village in Yadadri district, who went missing on May 2 after he married an upper caste girl, was found killed brutally.

Rachakonda police on May 27 recovered the charred remains of Naresh, bringing to a close the search operation launched to trace him after the suicide of his wife Swati on May 16.

Rachakonda Police Commissioner, Mahesh M Bhagwat told media persons that Swati’s father T Srinivas Reddy and his relative N Sathi Reddy were arrested for killing Naresh and attempting to wipe out all evidence. Naresh belongs to a backward community while his wife Swati belongs to Reddy community. The duo married against the wish of Swati’s father, Srinivas Reddy. However, Rachakonda police chose to evade reply for the question whether it was an honour killing.

Describing the sequence of events that ended in a sad note, Mahesh Bhagwat said Naresh, 23 of Pallerla village and Swati, 20 of Lingarajupalle of Yadadri district eloped in March this year and married in Mumbai on March 25.

Few days later, Swati’s father Srinivas Reddy persuaded her to come home promising that he would perform their marriage on a grand note. Apparently believing

his father, Swati and Naresh arrived at Bhongir on May 2. However, Naresh did not meet Swati’s father at the bus stand who came to receive them.

Srinivas Reddy and his relative Sathi Reddy took Swati to their home at Lingarajupalle around 8 pm. Around 11 pm the same night, they noticed a youngster waiting outside their house under suspicious circumstances and tried to know his identity. However, the biker sped away prompting Srinivas Reddy and Sathi Reddy chase him, the police official said.

On the way, they noticed another young man trying to stop the biker but to no use. It was then Srinivas Reddy identified Naresh and made him to sit on their bike, took him to their farmland on the

pretext of settling the issue, the police officer said.

While Sathi Reddy was trying to reason things out, Srinivas Reddy hit Naresh on his neck from behind with an iron rod he brought from home. The stroke was so strong that Naresh died on the spot.

Then the duo set the body afire covering it with the husk in the farmland but the body was only half burnt. Then they went to Atmakur and purchased 5 litres of petrol from the fuel outlet, doused some old tyres with the petrol and used them to completely burn the body of Naresh, the police official said.

While leaving the place, Sathi Reddy picked up Naresh’s phone and went home at Boduppal. He threw the phone near railway track

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HONOUR KILLING

in Moulali, while Srinivas Reddy collected the remains of Naresh in a gunny bag from the farmland and disposed the remains in the Musi River five kilometers away from his house, Mahesh Bhagwat said.

In the meantime, Srinivas Reddy had filed a case against

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Naresh accusing him of harassing Swati for dowry, while Naresh’s father Amboji Venkataiah filed a missing case. As the local police did not take the case seriously, he approached the High Court. Even as the High Court directed the police to produce Swati and Naresh

before the court by May 18, Swati allegedly committed suicide in her father’s house on March 16.

On May 18, the court had directed police to probe the missing case and submit a report on June 1.

It was then, Rachakonda police formed a special team and made serious efforts to trace Naresh.

During investigation, Srinivas Reddy spilled the beans.

Rachakonda Police Commissioner also said that Swati was pregnant when she committed suicide. He also said that the alleged video showing Swati leveling allegations of harassment against Naresh has been sent to forensic science laboratory for analysis to find out whether it was a selfie-video or she was forced by her father to speak that way.

Triple Talaq not integral part of Islam: Centre tells SC

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s the Supreme Court continued to hear the Triple Talaq matter, the Centre said the practice was not an integral part of Islam and abolishing it should not threaten its foundation. The Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi was quoted as saying that since triple talaq is not practiced in 25 Islamic countries, it cannot possibly be essential to the practice of Islam.

He added that in Hinduism, women used to practice Sati till the law termed it as illegal and obsolete, when Chief Justice JS Khehar asked him if any religious traditions had ever been set aside by courts before.

Rohatgi also said the issue should not be viewed as discrimination towards the minority community. "It is an issue of a minority community and that of women within that community," he said.

COP & CROOKS

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Woman transport official engages bouncers to extort money, booked

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ere is a woman officer from the Telangana Transport Department, who dares to break the rules. She engages bouncers allegedly to extort money from the transport operators.

However, her filmy style of behaviour landed her in trouble when she got her bouncers to beat and kick a transport operator outsider her jurisdiction recently.

Rachakonda police on May 24 registered a case against Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspector (AMVI), Swathi Goud, even as she was suspended by the authorities for abusing her official position and collecting bribe.

Swathi, attached to to the RTA, Secunderabad, was accused of using two private bouncers to manhandle a private transport company owner after he refused to pay the bribe demanded by the AMVI at Sagar Ring Road on May 20.

Swathi was not supposed to check vehicles at Sagar Ring Road since the area does not come under her jurisdiction. However, she engaged to private bouncers, one of them said to be her brother and had been collecting bribes from the

transport operators for quite some time, sources said.

On May 20, Swathi allegedly demanded the transport operator Srikanth Reddy to double the bribe and stopped lorries owned by him from plying. When he refused to pay the bribe, she got him beaten black and blue through the private bouncers, sources said.

Srikanth Reddy lodged a complaint with the LB Nagar police.

However, police did not register a case. Instead, they received a complaint from Swathi accusing Srikanth Reddy of obstructing her duties. As the news went viral in the media, Principal Secretary,

Transport, Sunil Sharma directed the authorities concerned to take stern action against Swathi.

Following this, Joint Transport Commissioner, Administration, T Raghunath, suspended Swathi for being reckless on duty and also for collecting bribe. She was found violating rules and checking vehicles without any directions from higher officials, transport department officials said adding that further inquiry will be conducted against her.

Following her suspension, LB Nagar police also registered a case against Swathi and launched investigations.

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AP NEWS

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Vijayawada airport gets international status naidu also demanded that the gannavaram airport, which would be renamed the amaravati airport, be renamed the ‘nTR amaravati airport

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he central government granted international status to the Vijayawada airport.

The decision to upgrade the status of Vijayawada airport, as per the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 was taken by the Union Cabinet, whose meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"The proposal will add to improved connectivity to the state capital," the Union Cabinet said in a statement.

"It will provide wider choice of services at competitive costs to the

air travellers and give a boost to domestic/international tourism and socio-economic development of Andhra Pradesh by bringing in international passengers and cargo traffic," the statement added.

The airport director G Madhusudhan Rao said, “The plan is to

turn the old terminal into an international one. The designs have already been approved by AAI. We plan to finish the works by July 31, 2017.”

The international tag comes months after state Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu inaugurated a new terminal building at the airport.

The new terminal building at the airport, also known as Gannavaram airport, had been completed at a cost of Rs 135 crore, and has thrice the capacity of its predecessor.

At the time, Naidu also demanded that the Gannavaram airport, which would be renamed the Amaravati airport, be renamed the ‘NTR Amaravati Airport.’

"We want to promote Amaravati, the brand name of the AP capital. And, NTR is our leader who belonged to this place. The people should remember him forever," he said.

AP NEWS

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Now Andhra Pradesh cattle to get unique number

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he Andhra Pradesh government began the online registration of cattle in the state by issuing Aadhaar-like unique numbers under the Information Network on Animal Productivity and Health (INAPH).

The state will now tag them, and also plans to keep a central data bank with all the details collected.

The project was inaugurated in Amaravati mandal of Guntur district by State Minister for Animal Husbandry C Adinarayana Reddy and Minister for Agriculture S Chandramohan Reddy, under Pasu Sanjivani programme. “Dairying is an important sector in our country as we are the highest milk producers in the world, but

productivity of our animals is low,� said Adinarayana Reddy.

The ministers also said that the infrastructure related to cattle feed, feed supplements, fodder seed etc will also be made available to the farmers under the project.

This online registration of cattle will also be linked to the local veterinary hospital, which would help authorities monitor the animals individually with their personal profile.

This move came after the Centre imposed new restrictions on sale of cattle to slaughterhouses, in order to stop the 'illegal transportation' of cattle. Andhra Pradesh had around 10.6 million cattle, which included several rare breeds.

This move will particularly hit the drought-prone Rayalaseema

region in the state, where several farmers sell their cattle in times of crisis, to survive the summer.

Adinarayana Reddy also said that the government was making more efforts to provide Rs 15,000 income to every farmer, by promoting milk production.

Earlier, the Central government proposed Aadhaar-like unique identity system for cows in the Supreme Court, to prevent cow smuggling.

The Centre said that the Unique Identification Number will consist of all the records of identification details such as age, breed, sex, lactation, height, body, colour, horn type, tail switch, special mark etc.

The government said that the identification numbers will help track cows and prevent inter-state and inter-country smuggling.

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Faction politics make a comeback in Rayalaseema

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t appears the faction politics are back in Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh and the chief minister, N Chandrababu Naidu, who acted very firm against faction politics in the past, is going soft now.

After losing prominent and strong leaders such as Paritala Ravi of Anantapur district during Y S Rajasekhara Reddy regime, it appears that Naidu had decided to look the other way as his party leaders hack their rivals, in an apparent attempt to gain control over local politics in the next elections.

The recent murder of YSR Congress leader and his aide in Kurnool district on May 21 is also viewed as a fallout of faction politics.

A YSR Congress leader and his aide were brutally hacked to death by members of a rival faction at Ramakrishnapuram in Krishnagiri mandal of Kurnool district on May 21. Cherukulapadu Narayana Reddy, incharge of YSRC, Pathikonda constituency was brutally hacked to death at Ramakrishnapuram in Krishnagiri mandal of Kurnool district.

After being hit by a tractor from behind, Narayana Reddy’s car swerved off the road near a culvert.

Following this, around 20 to 25 members of the rival group hurled bombs, and attacked him and his aide Sambasivudu, with knives and sickles.

While Narayana Reddy died on the spot, his aide who tried to flee,

was hacked to death about 500 metres away, the report says.

He was on his way back to Krishnagiri after attending weddings in Nandyal and Veldurthi when the incident took place.

In the 2014 elections, Narayana Reddy had contested unsuccessfully against Deputy Chief Minister KE Krishnamurthy as Congress candidate from the Pathikonda constituency and later joined YSR Congress.

Some time ago, the rival group had attacked his house in Cherukulapadu village and damaged vehicles on the premises. He was also acquitted by a court in the case involving murder of Kappatralla Venkatappaiah Naidu a few years ago, the report adds.

Narayana Reddy had in fact alleged a threat to his life and urged the state government to provide protection. He had also deposited his revolver with the police for renewal of its licence.

Following the brutal of murder of Narayana Reddy, Opposition YSR Congress Party demanded imposition of President's Rule in the state, alleging that there was a breakdown of constitutional machinery.

YSRCP President Y S Jaganmohan Reddy met Governor ESL Narasimhan and submitted a memorandum, urging him to dismiss the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government.

He told the Governor that the law and order situation was going from bad to worse as evident from broad daylight murder of a YSRCP leader and his follower in Kurnool district on May 21.

Terming it a pre-planned murder, Jagan said the opposition party functionaries were eliminated at the instance of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. He demanded probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and said the party had no faith in the probe by state agencies.

He said it was not an isolated incident and submitted details of killing of 13 YSRCP functionaries across the state since 2014. Jagan alleged that the ruling party had let loose a reign of terror and the police were booking false cases against the YSRCP leaders and workers.

He told the Governor that the TDP had been luring YSRCP legislators and other leaders with money and positions to join the ruling party, and those declining to do so were being physically eliminated.

ROAD RAGE

The News You Like | June, 2017

nishith was driving sUV at 146 kmph: Traffic police team

Andhra Pradesh Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister Dr P Narayana’s son Nishith Narayana, 23 and his friend Raja Ravi Varma, 24 were killed when the SUV they were travelling crashed into a metro rail pillar No. 9 in Jubilee Hills at 2.41 am on May 10.

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n analysis by Hyderabad City Police of the CCTV footage of the accident found that Andhra Pradesh Minister P Narayana’s son, P Nishith Narayana was driving the car at 146 kmph when the accident occurred.

On the morning of May 10, AP Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) Minister P Narayana's son, Nishit Narayana, and his friend Kamani Raja Ravichandra died after their car crashed into pillar No.9 of the Hyderabad Metro Rail.

The traffic police team comprising inspectors Narsinga Rao and Pratap arrived at the conclusion after analyzing the CCTV footage.

According to officials, the distance between Pillar No.8 and 9 is 75 feet. The car travelled the 75 feet in 0.56 micro seconds.

Because of the high speed, the CCTV camera, which has a capacity to record 24 frames per second, could record only 17 frames per second.

Based on the analysis, the investigators from traffic police arrived at the conclusion that Nishith Narayana was driving the car at 2.43 kilo meters per minute.

Thus, the car was travelling at 146 kmph, officials said.

Based on the analysis, officials said no car with any amount of security measures could save the lives if a car with such speed rams into metro pillar.

Andhra Pradesh Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister Dr P Narayana’s son Nishith Narayana, 23 and his friend Raja Ravi Varma, 24 were killed when the SUV they were travelling crashed into a metro rail pillar No. 9 in Jubilee Hills at 2.41 am on May 10.

As part of investigation into the case, the police have requested Mercedes Benz and also the traffic police to analyse the accident and give their reports.

While the technical team of the Mercedes Benz that inspected the accident site and also the accident vehicle on May 18 is yet to give its report, the traffic police team submitted its report to the Jubilee Hills police.

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ROAD RAGE The Mercedes Benz was at a very high speed and Nishith, who was at the wheel, lost control and hit pillar No.9 on the Jubilee Hills Check Post and Peddamma Thalli Temple stretch on Road No.36.

Based on CCTV footages, police said the accident occurred at 2.41 am on Wednesday.

The impact of the accident was so huge that the front portion of the SUV that comes with elaborate safety measures, crumbled and the steering wheel hit Nishith’s chest causing rib cage fractures.

A security guard working for Metro Rail, who was sleeping near the accident site told police that he woke up to a huge sound between 2.30 and 3 am and saw the car that rammed into pillar No. 9. The impact was so huge that chips of the solid concrete pillar came off and

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the front portion of the vehicle was crumbled. According to Dr Surender Reddy, forensic expert at the Apollo Hospital, who assisted the forensic experts from the Osmania General Hospital in conducting post-mortem on Nishith and Varma, the duo suffered multiple fractures.

“They would have died within minutes or we can say instantaneously looking at the injuries they suffered. There were fractures on rib cages, legs and arms. Nishith received what we call steering impact. His lungs and liver were broken. The vehicle could have

been travelling at a high speed ranging between 80 and 100 kmph and the accident appears to have occurred due to high speed,” Surender Reddy said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, West Zone, A Venkateswar Rao had said that the vehicle was returning from Narayanaguda to Jubilee Hills when the accident occurred on Road No.36.

“There is a curve at Pillar No.9 and it seems the man at the wheel lost control because of the high speed and hit the pillar. The impact was so huge that the vehicle recoiled back after hitting the pillar and it took about an hour for our people to retrieve the bodies,” the official said.

Nishith’s father, P Narayana, was on an official visit in London, when the accident occurred.

Maoists condemn Akshay, Saina for donating to Martyrs' families

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he Communist Party of India (Maoist) has condemned Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar and badminton star Saina Nehwal's decision to support slain CRPF jawans who were recently martyred during a clash with the naxalites.

The celebrities should use their resources to spread awareness on the brutalisation of tribals instead, according to a statement from the banned outfit’s local unit.

"We condemn the assistance provided to the family members of those killed in the attacks," according to a leaflet released by the

Maoists. "We appeal to the actors, sports personalities, and celebrities to lend support to the people and the revolution. Stand against human rights violations and police atrocities."

While Kumar had earlier donated ₹9 lakh each to the families of the 12 martyred CRPF

jawans, Nehwal donated ₹50,000 to each of the families.

The CRPF personnel were killed in March and their arms looted when Naxals ambushed their patrol party in the Maoist hotbed of Sukma in Chhattisgarh.

Last month, 26 CRPF jawans were killed in a similar ambush.

NATIONAL

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Indian Army destroys Pakistani Army posts

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he Indian Army has said that it had destroyed the Pakistani Army positions across the Line of Control (LoC) that were assisting terrorist infiltrate across the border. The 749 km LoC divides the state of J&K between India and Pakistan.

And, in a very rare move, the Indian Army released a 24-second video that showed a Pakistan postcum shelter along the LoC being blown to smithereens. However, Pakistan has denied the incident.

Sources in the Army indicated that the firing had taken place in the Naushera sector in the Jammu region on May 9, days after two Indian soldiers were beheaded in the Krishna Ghati Sector.

Speaking to the media in New Delhi, Major General Ashok Narula, Additional Director General of Public interface (ADGPI)-–a Military Intelligence establishment--said as a part of the

counter-insurgency operations, the Indian Army had launched a "punitive fire assault."

Major General Narula said, "Pakistan Army was helping the infiltrators by firing at Indian Army positions and even targeting Indian villages in the proximity of Line of Control."

Making the assault public is important for two reasons. One, the videos released by the Indian Army indicates the use of heavy weapons.

Sources said that Indian Army used recoilless guns and anti-tank guided missiles to destroy the Pakistan Army position.

The use of heavy guns in peace time will only escalate the ongoing conflict and unsaid war-like situation along the LoC. And, despite grave provocation earlier both India and Pakistan have refrained from using heavy artillery.

Two, and very importantly, the Indian Army making its fire assault on the Pakistan posts public shows that India is more than willing to

"hit and tell." Earlier, the Indian Army made public the surgical strikes that were carried out across the LoC in retaliation to the Uri Brigade Headquarters attack last year. And, rarely, if ever at all, has the ADGPI addressed the media officially.

Major General Narula said the Indian Army wants to curb "infiltration" and the initiative remains with the Indian Army which dominates the LoC. "Locations aiding terrorist are being targeted and destroyed to deny and advantage to terrorists," he said.

As the social unrest and number terror strikes in the Kashmir valley increased over the last 18 month, New Delhi has repeatedly blamed Pakistan for helping terrorist infiltrate and also funding the social unrest.

Speaking to reporters, Major General Narula said, for peace and tranquility in Jammu and Kashmir "it is essential that the infiltration along LoC are controlled."

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KCR tries to woo police oďŹƒcers into working for his party

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hief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on May 19 showered Telangana police with praise in an apparent attempt to woo the police officers into working for his party in the coming elections.

He was addressing the police officers conference held at HICC at his instance. He said the police had extended their support for the Telangana movement despite being in uniform. He went on to say that his party could win the GHMC elections because people of the twin cities reposed confidence in the city police.

KCR said that his party had promised to ensure peace and order and safety for the women if they were voted to power in the GHMC elections. This election promise worked wonders for the party as it won the polls.

Lauding the police personnel, he said there was a misconception

that creation of Telangana would give momentum to Maoists.

However, police have busted the myth wiping out Maoists, he said adding that the excellent work done by the police department on various fronts including the national security front brought laurels for the state.

He also had lot of praise for the City Police Commissioner, M Mahender Reddy and former commissioner of Cyberabad police, C V Anand indicating that the two officers would get plum posts in the near future.

He also said that despite the modernization measures, much needs to be done to further strengthen the department and address the problems faced by women police personnel.

He also asked the top brass to give promotions for all eligible personnel and the government was ready to create supernumerary posts if necessary.

KCR said his government was

ready to release Rs 500 crore for modernization of police department and announced that 15,000 persons will be recruited in future.

Acknowledging the Hyderabad city police performance, the chief minister said that the TRS could win 99 seats in GHMC elections as people trusted their promise to control crime against women.

The meeting was convened to enable the lower level police officers interact with the higher officers and also the chief minister directly to freely express their problems and seek solutions.

However, it turned out to be a political meeting as the chief minister went on showering praises on the police officers for helping the Telangana agitation and helping his party win the GHMC elections. In fact, it appeared like a meeting of the TRS workers where the party head was appealing for them to get ready for the next elections and ensure victory for the party at all levels by hook or crook.

POLITICS

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TDP demands Bharat Ratna for nTR

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he Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has urged the Centre to post-humously confer Bharat Ratna on its founder and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao, without any further delay.

The TDP, a partner in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, unanimously passed a resolution on May 28 on the second day of its 'Mahanadu' or the annual conclave in the coastal city of Visakhapatnam.

TDP President and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said the late leader deserved the highest civilian award as he brought a revolution in Indian politics and played a key role in the country's development, besides making huge contribution to Indian cinema.

Speaking on the resolution, he said Bharat Ratna for NTR would be an honour for the country.

The resolution was passed on

the birth anniversary of the actorturned-politician, who had launched the TDP in 1982 on the slogan of Telugu self-respect and created a record of sorts by coming to power within nine months of forming the new party, ending the single-party rule of the Congress in the undivided Andhra Pradesh.

Naidu said NTR created history in the politics and also served the people by launching many innovative schemes for the welfare of poor.

"NTR's name will remain forever in the history of Telugu people," said Naidu, who is the sonin-law of the late NTR. While the TDP had been passing the resolution to this effect at every 'Mahanadu', the party is hopeful of an early decision.

TDP leader and central minister Y.S. Chowdary told reporters on the sidelines of the conclave that the matter was before Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Speaking on the resolution, TDP's Andhra Pradesh unit chief

Kala Venkat Rao said it was NTR who ended the Congress party's rule in the country by bringing all nonCongress parties on a common platform.Meanwhile, rich tributes were paid to NTR on his birth anniversary across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

NTR's family members paid floral tributes at NTR Ghat on the edge of Hussain Sagar lake in Hyderabad. NTR's daughter N. Bhuvaneswari, who is wife of Chandrababu Naidu, her daughterin-law N. Brahmani and grandson Devansh visited the Samadhi.

NTR's another daughter and former minister D. Purandeswari, son-in-law D. Venkateswara Rao, sons N. Harikrishna and N. Ramakrishna also paid tributes to him.

The TDP founder's grandson and popular actor Junior NTR also offered floral tributes at the ghat. Speaking on the occasion, he said Telugu people could never forget NTR. NTR's second wife Lakshmi Parvathi also visited the Samadhi.

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BJP Vs TRS and TDP: What is Amit’s strategy?

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he tour of BJP president Amit Shah in the last week of May in the two Telugu states appears to have given the desired results.

While the party leaders in the two states mobilised booth-level workers for the gatherings, the parties in power in the two states – TRS and the TDP – reacted cautiously to safeguard their interests.

Amit Shah had called upon the party members to make the two Telugu states the BJP gateway to the south. In his attempt to boost the morale of the party workers, Shah appears to have slipped his tongue when he said Narendra Modi government was giving Rs 20,000 crore additional funds for Telangana every year.

However, Telangana chief minister and TRS chief, K Chandrasekhar Rao quickly reacted to the statement. He convened a media conference to condemn Shah’s statement terming whatever he said was pack of lies.

It may be recalled Amit Shah’s strategy succeeded in giving victories to the BJP one after the other in several states. Sensing that the BJP was all set to make inroads in Telangana, KCR tried to play down the impact of Amit Shah’s strategic meeting with the party workers, said political analysts.

Despite claims by KCR, resentment among the people is growing against TRS for various reasons.

People are getting frustrated with the curtailment of freedom of expression, freedom of protest and the growing corruption in the state. In this backdrop, BJPs attempts to groom itself into a perfect alternative for the TRS naturally becomes a cause of worry for the TRS leadership. By impressing leaders in other parties and people from various walks of life who are vying for political entry, BJP is trying to attract leaders from all walks of life into its fold while the TRS had the bitter experience in the past wherein its leaders were attracted by other parties and one of its very important leader was about to change sides, the TRS chief is trying to keep his together.

So, it is very natural for the TRS chief to call an urgent media conference to condemn Amit Shah’s statements not to impress the people but the rank and file of his party members. He chose to criticise Amit Shah but clarified that he has no enmity with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On the other hand, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N Chandrababu Naidu asked his party leaders not to criticise BJP even if the latter attacked the TDP. We have to wait and watch what transpires with the three parties in the coming elections.

POLITICS

The News You Like | June, 2017

Make AP ‘BJP’s gateway to the south’: Shah tells partymen

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JP president Amit Shah on May 25 called upon the party's rank and file to strive to make Andhra Pradesh the "BJP's gateway to the south" by strengthening it at all levels in the state.

"In the south, the BJP will emerge the strongest in AP. This will happen after the BJP is strengthened at all levels in the state," Shah told over 25,000 polling booth-level workers of the party at a `Maha Sammelan' in Vijayawada.

Calling the Maha Sammelan a milestone and the beginning of a new chapter for the party, Shah said efforts were on to strengthen the BJP in AP for the last three years.

"The Narendra Modi government sanctioned projects worth Rs

1.75 lakh crore for AP in the last three years, which never happened since Independence.

The BJP chief said the issue of special category status (SCS) to AP is no longer relevant as the Centre last year announced a development package for the state.

"Many people still keep questioning about special category status to AP. Let them open their ears wide and listen. We have opened many national educational institutions, sanctioned Rs 1 lakh crore for roads."

"The Centre is bearing the full cost of Polavaram project. Under the special economic package announced by the Centre, AP will not get even a single rupee less than what it would have got under SCS," the BJP chief asserted.

He, however, evaded any reference to the future ties with the TDP and merely said, "We are coalition partners and our two ministers in the AP government are doing a very good job". Talking about the threeyear rule of the Modi government, Shah said it has launched as many as 106 new schemes for people's welfare since 2014.

"There is a scheme for everyone -- the youths, farmers, women, the poor. Seven crore youths availed of loans under Mudra Yojana for selfemployment and job provision. The Modi government works for the welfare of people."

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BJP expanding across the country, says amit shah

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JP national President Amit Shah on May 24 said the party was expanding across the country but felt that it has to become strong in south India.

Addressing a meeting of party workers in Hyderabad to wind up his three-day visit to Telangana, he exuded confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will form the government in Telangana in the same way as it has done in many states during the last three years.

Stating that BJP is expanding under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said while the party was not against anybody, it had every right to expand.

Noting BJP formed governments in Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Goa and Manipur and increased its vote share in Bihar, Delhi Kerala, West Bengal, Odisha and Tripura, he asked the party workers to work hard to reach every household in the state to inform people about the achievements of Modi government and to spread his message.

Shah said his Telangana visit was part of the nation-wide campaign launched by BJP for expansion.

Under this year-long campaign, four lakh BJP workers will run door-to-door campaign in 8.5 lakh booths to tell them about the achievements of Modi government.

The BJP chief said this 'yatra' was for expansion of the ideology for which Jan Sangh was formed and later BJP came into existence.

He said that Jan Sangh made a beginning with just 10 members and today BJP has become the world's biggest party with 11 crore members.

Shah said BJP has 1,387 legislators in the country, governments in 13 states and with 330 MPs is the biggest party in Parliament.

Claiming that Modi government did in three years what the previous governments could not in 70 years, he said: "Today we can proudly say that under Modi's

leadership India has emerged as the fastest growing economy in the world." Shah said he stood by his statement that the Centre gave Rs 1 lakh crore additional funds to Telangana in three years. He said while the Centre had done no favour to people of Telangana, the BJP had every right to say what the state was getting in the past and what it is getting now.

He added, “Telangana people have a right over Narendra Modi government and it’s the duty of the Centre to develop Telangana. But people should know what Congress government gave and what we are giving. Should we tell the people or not? I modestly say we gave `1 lakh-crore more than the Congress.”

POLITICS

The News You Like | June, 2017

Shah’s claim blatant lie: KCR

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elangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on May 24 dubbed as a "blatant lie" BJP President Amit Shah's comment that the Centre was providing additional funds of Rs 20,000 crore to the state every year.

Rao said he challenged Shah to prove that even Rs 200 crore of additional funds were provided to the state. He said if the BJP leader could prove so, he was ready to resign as Chief Minister.

"Whatever he said in the past three days is nothing but blatant lies. He should apologise to the people of Telangana," Rao told the media here.

The Chief Minister said the Centre earned Rs 50,013 crore in taxes from Telangana during 2016-17 while it gave only Rs 24,561 crore under all central schemes.

He said Shah should know that it is Telangana which gave Rs 25,452 crore to the Centre.

Rao, President of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), said Shah was trying to spread "misinformation about the newly created state".

The TRS chief said Shah was trying to damage the state's progress for cheap politics. He said it was unbecoming of the head of a ruling party at the Centre to make such comments.

KCR said had Shah made personal comments against him, he would not have reacted but since he tried to spread misinformation about Telengana, he (Rao) decided to respond.

"Whether the BJP is in power or not at the Centre, the state will get whatever it has to get. Like other states, Telangana also got funds from the Centre but it did not get even one rupee more," he said.

He also took exception to Shah's comments that his government had failed to implement welfare schemes.

The Chief Minister said Telangana is one of the only six-seven states that were contributing to national growth and that Telangana is number one in implementing welfare schemes.

'Don't criticise BJP: Chandrababu Naidu A

ndhra Chief Minister and TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu told his party men on Monday, not to criticise the BJP, even if the latter took digs at them.

The TDP and the BJP are in alliance in the state and the Centre, with the TDP being part of the NDA coalition. “We have been a disciplined partner in the alliance and supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government at every step. The alliance is meant to protect the interests of the TDP. Any decision on the continuance of the pact will be taken before the elections," Naidu was quoted as saying.

Naidu was speaking at the third and final day of the Mahanadu, the TDP's annual conclave, which was being held in Visakhapatnam.

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POLITICS

The News You Like | June 2017

'Prepare for war' says

Rajinikanth hinting he may enter politics

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amil Nadu is abuzz with speculation the veteran actor Rajinikanth has decided to throw his hat into the political ring. Unconfirmed reports said he would soon meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

If he does join politics, as he hinted recently, Tamil Nadu politics may see a new alignment.

Frenzied fans who had gathered here at a meeting with their hero last week erupted in joy when Rajini asked them to prepare for "war", taking it as a signal that he would join politics.

Known for its galaxy of actorturned-politicians, Tamil Nadu seems to be getting ready to welcome more star power.

And Rajinikanth's hold over cinema and fans is legion, with his July 2016 film Kabali earning around Rs 650 crore.

His remarks are also welltimed, coming in the midst of a political vacuum created by the death of J Jayalalithaa and the absence in the public domain of the ailing nonagenarian DMK supremo M Karunanidhi.

Rajini's fans believe their 'Thalaivar' or leader can fill that void.

Known for his crisp punch lines and inimitable dialogue delivery style, Rajinikanth delivered at the meet what could virtually be a box

office hit in real life, with a spate of statements on politics. He is also asserting his Tamil identity, the bedrock of Dravidian politics.

With his loaded statement on Monday that he had no political ambitions but would nevertheless show the door to all "money-minded people" if he did make the plunge, the actor seems to have touched a chord with the common man on

corruption.

The system was "rotten", he said, despite the presence of "efficient" leaders such as the DMK's M K Stalin and the PMK's Anbumani Ramadoss. However, not all political leaders are as excited about Rajini's possible political move as his fans.

"Tamil Nadu does not need an actor but an educated person," former Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss of the PMK said.

Rajini at the session with fans had also asked them to prepare the ground for a war, saying they

would have to assemble when the battle was fought.

In the olden days, he said, kings seldom maintained standing armies but the men turned up when duty called, he said.

"When war comes they will come to the rescue of their motherland. I have a profession, work, duty and so do you. Go to your places, do your duty, take care of your vocation. Let us face the war when it comes," he roared, sending his fans into a frenzy.

And when the actor, who enjoys a demi-God status among his fans, brought up the sensitive topic of his

POLITICS

The News You Like | June, 2017

linguistic identity, he more or less sounded the war bugle.

A man of Marathi roots originally from Karnataka, Rajinikanth proclaimed himself as a true-blue Tamilian.

"Even though I am from Karnataka, still you have accepted me and you have made me into a Tamilian. I am a pure Tamil now."

"Naan pachai Tamizhan (I am a pure Tamil)... If you ask me to get out and throw me away, I will land only in the Himalayas and not in any other state," he said.

It was often asked if Rajinikanth was Tamil, he said, and then provided his fans -- and the state -- with the answer.

"I am 67 years old. For 23 years I was in Karnataka and 44 in Tamil Nadu. I grew up with you. I may have come here as a Kannadiga or Marathi from Karnataka but you gave me love, support, name, fame and prosperity and you have made me a Tamil," he said amidst loud cheers.

The actor's roots often come to the fore in political discussions when rivalry between Karnataka

and Tamil Nadu peaks, such as during the dispute over the Cauvery River, which often divides the people of the two states.

There has often been speculation about the actor taking up a political career -- ever since he made a political debut of sorts when he asked the people not to vote for Jayalalithaa in 1996.

"Even God can't save Tamil Nadu" if AIADMK was elected again, he said. Jayalalithaa lost the assembly elections, and the DMKTMC registering a landslide victory.

In the ensuing political developments, he backed the DMKTMC (Tamil Maanila Congress, led by the late G K Moopanar) combine, which also cashed in on the severe anti-incumbency sentiments against the ruling AIADMK. The combine could not keep the momentum on as the AIADMK staged a comeback in the 1998 Parliamentary polls.

In the meantime, the actor continued to drop hints about a political entry. His film 'Baba' (2002), for instance, dealt with the protag-

onist's transformation from a carefree atheist to a believer, as he came in touch with a wily politician.

In the film, Rajini batted for a clean politician and, soon after the man was killed, he was shown approaching the people, hinting he would lead them.

Yet, whenever his fans asked him to be more active in politics, he either remained silent or distanced himself from the topic.

Tamil cinema has always had close links with politics, with matinee idols such as the late M G Ramachandran (MGR) and Jayalalithaa, besides script writer M Karunanidhi, having gone on to rule the state.

Ramachandran, in particular, converted his huge popularity into a springboard for his political launch, which was as successful as his cinema career.

Rajini fans are eagerly waiting to see if their 'Thalaivar' will do an encore like MGR. Or like the cigarette that he flicks in the air in a trademark style, the frenzied talk will just end up in smoke.

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BEAUTY

The News You Like | June 2017

Sunscreens may cause Vitamin D deďŹ ciency

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hile sunscreens are known to protect against skin cancer, they may be inadvertently making you deficient in Vitamin D, causing muscle weakness and bone fractures, researchers warned.

According to the study, published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, nearly one billion people worldwide may be having deficient or insufficient levels of Vitamin D due to inadequate sun exposure related to sunscreen use.

"People are spending less time

outside and, when they do go out, they're typically wearing sunscreen, which essentially nullifies the body's ability to produce Vitamin D," said Kim Pfotenhauer, assistant professor at Touro University in California.

"While we want people to protect themselves against skin cancer, there are healthy, moderate levels of unprotected sun exposure that can be very helpful in boosting Vitamin D," Pfotenhauer said.

In ad-

dition, the study also showed that chronic diseases like Type 2 Diabetes and those related to malabsorption, including kidney disease, Crohn's and celiac disease greatly inhibit the body's ability to metabolise Vitamin D from food sources.

Considered a hormone rather than a vitamin, Vitamin D is produced when skin is exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D plays a wide role in the body's functions, including cell growth modulation, neuromuscular and immune function and inflammation reduction.

Spending as much as five-30 minutes in midday sun twice per week may help increase and maintain healthy Vitamin D levels.

However, it is important to forgo sunscreen during these sessions because SPF 15 or greater decreases Vitamin D3 production by 99 per cent, the researchers said. "You don't need to go sunbathing at the beach to get the benefits. A simple walk with arms and legs exposed is enough for most people," Pfotenhauer noted.

FASHION

The News You Like | June, 2017

Bahubali 2 inspires

fashion trends

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he unique fashion sense of the characters of the blockbuster can be easily replicated and worn off screen as well.

While the world was gushing over Prabhas and Rana Daggubati, some of us could not take our eyes off the clothing sported by the cast of Bahubali 2.

From the khun blouses worn by the people of Mahismathi to the regal silks worn by royalty, every frame was a visual treat. Ramya

Krishnan looked every bit the “raja mata” in her deep hued monochrome sarees tastefully paired with benarasi and paithani brocade silk blouses. The chunky, heavy gold jewelry were seldom OTT, and balanced the simple silks rather nicely. None of the characters wore kundans and blingy sequin encrusted clothes.

Even when choosing chunky gold jewelry, the stylists seem to have gone for matte finish gold or kemp stones. The jewelry worn by Devasena was refreshing - from the delicate septum rings (bullaku), maatals, to elaborate hair accessories, each different from the other, there was something to look out for in every outfit she wore.

From humble cotton ikkats, khuns, southern cottons, to

uppadas, benarasis, paithanis, tanchois and himroo, the focus was on woven beauties signaling a comeback of handwoven fabrics.

If you were tired looking at the beautiful drapes of Ramya Krishnan and Anushka Shetty, there was Prabhas sporting colours that most heros may shy away from. From pinks, purples to greens and mustards, he wore them with much élan. While Rana’s outfits were subtler, sporting browns and creams, they were every bit as elaborate. One could spot benarasi and tanchoi weaves in his wardrobe as well.

With the wedding season around the corner, we may see a lot of brides opting to look like Devasena and grooms that look like Prabhas.

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LIFE STYLE

Stress Management

The News You Like | June 2017

How to relive STReSS

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YOGI ASHWINI

tress is a state of the imbalance arising out of two vikritis, discontentment and collection. Discontentment nurtures the desire for more, and the more you acquire, the more you fear losing. While the discontentment never subsides, the insecurities continue to rise with progressive accumulation. The result is more stress.

The key to managing stress thus lies in non-collection (aparigraha) and contentment (santosh) – both of which are integrated in the Sanatan Kriya as part of yam and niyam respectively. The regular practice of Sanatan Kriya thus has an automatic de-stressing effect, by removing imbalances wherever they exist.

Chakra Santulan Pranayam as prescribed in the kriya; stimulates a redistribution of prana in the body, thereby inducing a state of balance.

For this, sit in vajrasana. As you inhale, take your palms up stopping momentarily at each chakral point.

Starting with the mooladhar at the base of the spine, then two inches above – the swadishthan, followed by manipoorak and anahat at the navel and center of chest cavity respectively, moving on to the visshudhi at the pit of the throat and the ajna at the center of the brows, finally stopping at the sahastrar, the palms facing upwards towards the heavens. From here, exhaling

descend gradually once again stopping at each of the chakras. Be aware of the internal chant of the mantra ‘so’ as you go up and ‘hum’ as you come down. Eyes remain shut; the awareness is at the center of the palms and the individual chakras. This completes one cycle.

The same has to be repeated seven times.

Another effective technique to whiz away stress is the BHRAMARI pranayam. For this, sit in

siddhasana. Plug your ears with the thumbs; the fingertips rest on the head. Keeping your eyes shut take a deep breath. As you exhale, produce a prolonged humming sound originating from the stomach. Repeat seven times.

The fingertips represent the five elements that constitute your body.

Through bhramari, you are able to tune the frequency of these elements, which has an instant calming effect.

LIFE STYLE

The News You Like | June, 2017

Artificially sweetened sodas, aerated drinks lead to infertility

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ith sedentary lifestyle being one of the biggest reasons causing infertility, doctors say consumption of artificially sweetened sodas and aerated drinks may also lead to infertility in humans.

Aerated drinks contain an artificial sweetener, aspartame, which can disrupt the endocrine system leading to hormonal imbalance and infertility issues in women.

"Almost all of the soft drinks and sodas contain aspartame which is linked to many health problems including infertility, malformations and miscarriages," said Arvind Vaid, an IVF expert at city-based Indira IVF. "Excess consumption leads to hormonal imbalance and fluctuation that causes ovulatory disorders and even worsens PMS (Premenstrual symptoms)," he added.

Stating that phenylalanine and aspartic acids are the two amino acids present in aspartame considered

natural and harmless when eaten in combination with other amino acids, the experts said when they are taken unaccompanied, it stimulates the generation of free radicals which leads to cell death.

"Sperm and ovum, being cells, have 90 per cent chances of dying when this is consumed in excess. It is advised by many doctors and experts to avoid anything that helps in the formation of free radicals in the body for the significance of reproductive health," said Vaid.

Rachna Jaiswar, associated with Gynaecology Department of Safdarjung Hospital, said consumption of sugary aerated drinks restrains the immune system causing weight gain and hormonal imbalance, which strongly contributes to fertility issues. "Soda is a highly acidic beverage, which alters the pH level of the body with excess consumption," said Jaiswar.

Talking about the high consumption of aerated drinks and sodas by men, Jaishwar said due to lack of nutri-

ents in a high pH atmosphere, sperm cells either get harmed leading to its abnormal shape and poor quality or eventually die.

"Moreover Bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical that reduces the male semen quality, is found in the lining of plastic bottles and most canned goods. Men who consume soft drinks more often are at 4 times the risk of lowering their sperm count, motility and concentration," said Jaiswar.

Doctors also said most of the soft drinks are caffeinated and contain fructose, which are associated with a higher risk of ovulatory disorders and infertility among women.

"Caffeine is known to be a vasoconstrictor that reduces uterine blood flow thereby reducing menstrual bleeding and shortening the duration of menses. Combination of caffeine, aspartame and fructose affects the sex hormones and the hormone receptors, even leading to infertility," said Radhika Vajpayee, IVF expert based in Lucknow.

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LIFE STYLE

The News You Like | June 2017

Virtual reality porn trying to cater women viewers

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ith progress in technology, people's view towards things change, of course on a positive note. This is no different when it comes to sex.

Leaving top-shelf magazines almost on the verge of extinction, porns have become yet more accessible now, courtesy internet. According to a report in the Independent, things will take an even further turn in the future with virtual reality porn and sex robots, which are already available to people. Some experts have also predicted this will one day be the mainstream.

It often seems like these advances in technology, when it comes to sex, largely revolve

around heterosexual men, despite the increase in LGBT porn and ever pervasive research, signalling that more women are consuming porn than ever.

While reasoning the same, Cindy Gallop, the founder of Make Love Not Porn, a subscription website featuring 'real world sex,' said that a reason for this is because the tech world, as well as the sex tech world, typically operates through a male lens. Hence, any tech news about developments in sex tech industry typically is geared towards men.

Dr Michael Aaron, a therapist and author of Modern Sexuality: The Truth About Sex and Relationships, says women tend to be excluded from these developments because when new technology is in-

troduced, it starts off by being available to its primary audience. So VR porn may initially serve to cater for men because they are still the largest group of porn consumers.

Gallop further said that women are currently at risk of being left behind when it comes to sex tech unless female entrepreneurs in this area get access to capital and funding and access to the business infrastructure young white men are typically granted.

Hence, virtual reality porn is being made for women, even if it is in the minority. Kelly from AliceX, a virtual reality adult webcam service, said that they are striving to cater for both female and male members and one day hope to launch a site specifically for women.

The News You Like | June, 2017

HOW TO MELT YOUR BACK FAT

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svelte back is not only quintessential for that hour glass figure, but also makes you feel good. Most women become conscious of their bodies when fat accumulates in this particular region.

It requires some extra effort to get a well-toned back without any flab. Here are some effective ways of getting rid of back fat.

Healthy lifestyle: If you are following an unhealthy and sedentary lifestyle, change it immediately. Healthy diet and exercise leads to a healthy body. Avoid too much stress because it may trigger fat instigating hormones in the body. For this, it is advisable for you to do yoga and meditation every day. It is also important for you to sleep for at least 6 to 8 hours. Lack of sleep leads to weight gain. Drink a lot of water to remove all toxins from the body and helps in reducing fat. It is also advisable to cut down on your alcohol intake.

Regular exercise: Doing effective and physically intense exercise is a must if you want to get rid of fat. Go for workouts that focus on your back muscles. Exercises like biking, running, aerobics and swimming will help to cut the stored fat on your back.

You can start with plank exercise, rowing and hanging abdominal leg raises.

Eating habits: Include a lot of fruits and vegetables in your diet. You can consume a lot of protein delicacies and herbal drinks.

Avoid consuming candy bars, soft drinks and fast food if you want a well-toned and healthy body.

Sincere dedication has no substitute. It just needs you to be religious in following the tips!

LIFE STYLE

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HEALTH

The News You Like | June 2017

Girls Beware! Think twice before taking diet pills

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s you are taking pills to shed weight? Beware, you may be at an increased risk of harming hormones, growth as well as mental health, researchers warned.

The findings showed that diet pills are unsafe for all ages but especially for teenagers due to the presence of toxic chemicals in the supplements.

These pills interfere with the body systems and result in nutritional deficiencies, particularly of iron and calcium, the researchers said. "In growing children and

teenagers, even a marginal reduction in energy intake can be associated with growth deceleration," dailymail.co.uk quoted the Canadian Pediatric Society researchers as saying.

Weight loss pills are advertised as the quick solution to shedding pounds and obtaining the perfect figure, but they come with potentially dangerous side effects, including increased heart rate, fainting, unusual bleeding and heart attacks.

Diet pills can also cause and, in extreme cases they can rip apart the stomach lining and even lead to death, the study showed. Further,

researchers from the University of Minnesota said a startling 63 per cent of teenage girls use "unhealthy weight control behaviours" to maintain a slim shape.

About 22 per cent of teenage females use "very unhealthy weight control behaviours". The use of diet pills in teenage girls had a significant spike in a five-year span, jumping from 7.5 per cent to 14.2 per cent in 2006, they claimed.

Instead of turning to diet pills, exercise, changing eating habits and drinking more water, mediation, are other healthy ways to lose weight, the researchers said.

HEALTH

The News You Like | June, 2017

Why women gain weight post-pregnancy

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ontinuing to gain weight post-pregnancy? Do not put the blame on your preg-

nancy, but on your lifestyle choices post-delivery, researchers say.

The findings showed that mothers keep the weight on by eating food off their child's plate or sitting down for longer periods of time. Further, sleep deprivation often found in new mothers - increases food cravings and appetite even if they want a healthy diet, leading to weight gain.

"Mothers tend to put the needs of their children first, so they might not be exercising or taking care of themselves," lead author Olga Yakusheva, associate professor at the University of Michigan in the US, was quoted as saying to dailymail.co.uk.

"It might also be little things like finishing the food on their child's plate or spending more time sitting with their kids reading or

watching a movie," Yakusheva added. In addition, many women really crank up their diet and exercise for a short time to get back to their pre-pregnancy weight and often get discouraged by the results, leaving exercise all together.

However, if women want to lose the weight, they should cut the calories and work out more as well as take a holistic approach focused on a long-term healthy lifestyle, the researchers suggested. For the study, the team looked at data for 30,000 women who had given birth between one and four times.

Although all the women gain weight due to their age, there was a sharp difference between those who gave birth and those who did not. By the time their children were toddler age, mothers who had given birth had put on at least one pound more each year than those who were childless.

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HEALTH

The News You Like | June 2017

Beware!

Food-borne bacteria can increase miscarriage risk

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isteria, a common foodborne bacterium, may pose a greater risk of miscarriage in the early stages of pregnancy than previously thought, says a study.

"For many years, listeria has been associated with adverse outcomes in pregnancy, but particularly at the end of pregnancy," said one of the researchers Ted Golos, Professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison in the US. "What wasn't known with much clarity before this study is that it appears it's a severe risk factor in early pregnancy," Golos said.

Pregnant women are warned to avoid many of the foods - among them unpasteurised milk and soft cheese, raw sprouts, melon and deli meats not carefully handled - that

can harbour listeria, because the bacterium is known to cause miscarriage and still-birth, and spur premature labour. But when it occurs, listeria infection in pregnancy may go unnoticed.

For the study, four pregnant rhesus macaques at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Centre were fed doses of the listeria comparable to what one might encounter in contaminated food.

None of the monkeys showed obvious signs of infection before their pregnancies came to abrupt ends, according to the results published in the journal mBio. But in tissue samples taken after each monkey experienced intrauterine fetal death, the researchers found that listeria had invaded the placenta - the connection between the mother-to-be and

the foetus, which usually prevents transmission of bacteria - as well as the endometrium, the lining of the uterus. The researchers believe the inflammation caused by the maternal immune response to the fastmoving listeria also affects the placenta, keeping it from protecting the foetus.

The results suggest listeria (and perhaps other pathogens) may be the culprit in some miscarriages that usually go without diagnosed cause. "There are effective antibiotics available. It is treatable," said lead author of the study Bryce Wolfe, a graduate student at University of Wisconsin-Madison.

"The issue is that because it's asymptomatic, the foetus may be infected by the time anyone realises the mother was infected," Wolfe explained.

BUSINESS

The News You Like | June, 2017

GST will make India tax-compliant society: FM

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he Goods and Services Tax, to be rolled out in just over a month, will not only check evasions but also help India evolve as a more tax-compliant society, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said.

"It certainly will be a more efficient tax and one of the important changes it will bring about is (that) it will not only check evasions, but also help in evolving India as a more tax complaint society," he said.

Jaitley was speaking after inaugurating the new campus of the National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes and Narcotics in Bengaluru on May 29, which will train officers of Central Board of Excise and Customs, besides officers of VAT department in the new

GST regime, to be implemented from July 1.

He said such training academies have a very vital role to play to forge a proper coordination between taxation authorities of the Centre and the states, to implement GST, which is a product of federal India.

"The new indirect tax is a product of federal India. Therefore, the coordination between taxation authorities of states and the Centre will be important. It is therefore extremely important that tax training academies will have a vital role to play," he said.

The minister said the amalgamation of various indirect taxes under GST in one price is itself a monumental taxation change, which requires personnel to upgrade their skills and knowledge,

as it evolves while administering.

The elimination of interaction between the assessing authority and taxpayer will minimise harassment and bring greater accountability into the system, Mr Jaitley said.

He also said that there probably would be a single interface of taxation authorities instead of multiple interfaces.

The GST Council had, at the end of its two day meet at Srinagar on May 19, finalised four tax rates of five, 12, 18 and 28 per cent for services including telecom, insurance, hotels and restaurants in the biggest tax reform since Independence. The rates are in line with those finalised for goods and with this, rates of all items except a handful including gold, have been decided ahead of the July roll out of GST.

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BUSINESS

The News You Like | June 2017

States may gain `350-450 billion in revenue post GST

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tates can look at a higher revenue of Rs. 350-450 billion after GST implementation in mid-2017, says a Standard Chartered report.

According to Standard Chartered Bank's report titled India States' Finances: The other half of the story post GST implementation states can look at a total gain of Rs. 350-450 billion, roughly around 0.2-0.3 per cent of GDP. The study that assessed underlying dynamics of various states' finances over a decade said if they can keep their fiscal deficits within the budgeted target, and the Central government adheres to its target of 3.2 per cent of GDP, the combined 2017-18 deficit could be 6 per cent (or lower).

The findings estimate that the 18 states tracked in the study aim to keep their 2017-18 fiscal deficit unchanged from 2016-17 at 2.7 per cent of GDP (excluding UDAY impact).

It is estimated that the risk of slippage is limited to 0.1 per cent

of GDP as additional interest payments on UDAY bond issuance have been partially budgeted, most states are still assessing Pay Commission recommendations, and additonal expenditure burden of farm-loan waivers for most states (apart from Uttar Pradesh) is likely to be small, the report said.

"The report expects limited risk of slippage unless several states unexpectedly implement salary increases midyear. Hence, additional strain on fiscal deficits can be easily absorbed, as impending GST implementation in mid-2017 should mean higher revenues for all states," it said.

Moreover, the Central government has agreed to compensate states for any revenue loss for five years after GST implementation, it added.

BUSINESS

The News You Like | June, 2017

GST execution from July 1

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A challenge for industry: Assocham

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mplementing Goods and Services Tax GST from July 1 will be a challenge for the industry and the government should consider relaxing penal provisions for a couple of quarters to help it comply with the new tax regime, Assocham said.

The government is working overtime to roll out the new indirect tax regime - GST - from July 1 and has held several workshops and seminars to familiarise traders and the industry about the new indirect taxation structure.

"Implementing GST from July 1 will definitely be a challenge for the industry... there could be people making genuine mistakes. I would say the department should be softer in the first quarter or two because it is going to be a learning process," Assocham president Sandeep Jajodia was quoted as saying to PTI. He sought relaxation on imposition of penal provisions for at least a quarter or two, if not the whole year. The GST law provides for as many as 21 kinds of penalties for various offences. Short payment will attract a penalty of 10

per cent of the tax due subject to a minimum of Rs. 10,000.

For various other errors, the penalty would be 10 per cent of the tax due.

On the impact of GST on the steel sector, Jajodia, also the CMD of Monnet Ispat and Energy Limited, said: "I don't think there will be much (difference). There are no negatives at

all for sure and there could be some posit i v e s because the raw material pricing, ores and coal have come down."

However, the Assocham president said GST will provide a huge fillip to the industry in the medium to long term as the tax compliance at present is "quite tedious".

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TOURISM

The News You Like | June 2017

AP grabs Rank 3 in attracting domestic tourists

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pearheaded by temple tourism and aided by other factors such as increased air connectivity, Andhra Pradesh ranks third in the country in attracting domestic tourists. It’s neighbour Telangana, in contrast, stands at a distant 30th position.

These figures were tabled in the Rajya Sabha recently. Between 2013 and 2015, AP saw a 20 percent increase in domestic tourist arrivals and an impressive 71 percent rise in influx of foreign tourists.

In comparison, Telangana has put up an abysmal show. Not only did the state has a mere 1 percent rise in domestic tourists visiting the state, it also saw a 19 percent decrease in the arrival of foreign tourists.

APs rise as a popular destination for tourists can be attributed to

its temple tourism, better air connectivity and the state being a host to several national and international events.

Laxminarayana, consultant (tourism) in the AP government, told reporters that apart from temples, heritage sites in the state are also crowd pullers.

"While the Tirumala temple continues to attract chunk of tourists from across the country, Visakhapatnam and its surrounding areas are also gaining popularity among tourists from West Bengal and Odisha. This is due to reasonable packages offered in their leave travel allowances for destinations in AP,� he said.

The AP government is also looking for newer ways, including tying up with other organisations, to attract more tourists to the state.

The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) is collaborating with the

Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC). While the KSRTC will look into the transportation aspect of pilgrims, the APTDC will take care of their food, lodging and darshan. Further, the APTDC and OLA will also be promoting each other.

AP has also been looking at tourism as a major sector for investment. In 2015, various companies signed MoUs with the state government to invest Rs 3,745 crore in the state in tourism sector.

According to some officials, it is the lack of awareness about tourism destinations in Telangana that has led to such a dip in the number of tourists it has been receiving. The Telangana government is now putting its best foot forward in an attempt to increase the tourist turn out in the state.

They are reportedly planning an eco-tourism circuit at seven locations in the state.

AGRICULTURE

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ZBNF is the only solution to many problems: Subhash Palekar

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he proponent of Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), Subhash Palekar accused the governments with encouraging farmers’ suicides offering compensation after the debt-ridden farmers commit suicide instead of bringing a change in agricultural policy to ensure sustained agriculture.

Popularly called as Krishi ka Rishi by his followers, Palekar accused Indian agricultural scientists of causing immense harm to the farmers by way of giving advises to continue chemical and organic farming.

The Padma Shree Awardee, however, said that ZBNF was a mass movement and it was not against any one.

“By 2050, world’s population is going to be 800 crore. It means fall in cultivable land. Added to this, agriculture production is constantly on the downtrend due to chemical and organic farming and a serious food crisis is looming large on the world.

“The Punjab Agricultural University, which is the nodal agency in the country for the implementation of Green Revolution, has admitted that chemical farming has reached a saturation point and the yield of 61 quintals of paddy and

60 quintals of wheat per hectare cannot be increased at any cost,” Palekar said.

He also said that after the industrial sector, agriculture sector was responsible for global warming, which has turned out to be a major challenge. Due to chemical and organic farming, green house gases such as Carbon Dioxide, Nitrous Oxide, Methane and Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are released into atmosphere leading to global warming.

India has agreed at the 15th session of the Conference of Parties (COP 15) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change at Copenhagen

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AGRICULTURE that it will reduce Greenhouse gases by 23 percent. It will not be possible to stick to the commitment unless chemical and organic farming are banned in India, Palekar said.

Coming down heavily on the agriculture scientists and policy makers, he said those who devise policies in the name of offering solutions do not know agriculture.

Instead, policies such as compensation to the farmers after they commit suicide are in a way encouraging the debt-ridden farmers to take the extreme step. These kind of wrong policies are boosting suicides, he said.

Chemical and organic farming is a pre-planned conspiracy to compel the farmers into purchasing chemical and organic fertilizers and pesticides. Crops produced using these fertilizers and pesticides

The News You Like | June 2017

contain residues of poisonous substances and the same reach human body on consumption of such produce. Thus, both the crops and humans become weak, lose immunity and ultimately suffer with diseases forcing the farmers to buy more chemicals while humans are forced to buy allopathic medicines, he said.

This way, lakhs of crores of rupees are reaching multi-national companies that manufacture and sell the chemicals and medicines.

Indian currency is going out of the country and this is the great exploitation of Indian economy, Palekar said.

Chemicals and medicines are not the solution. The solution lies in improving the resistance power in the crops and humans. And this is possible only by adopting ZBNF. Asked whether some lobbies

were behind the government policy in not promoting ZBNF, he said the answer for it should be given by the government.

He said as many as 50 lakh farmers were practicing ZBNF across the country and not a single farmer who is practicing his method of cultivation had committed suicide ever, Palekar said adding that with one Indian cow, a farmer can cultivate 30 acres of land without any additional costs.

He also said that cow was not related to any religion but to related humanity and those who attach cow with one religion are atheists.

Gow shalas cannot save cows but only farmers can save cows.

The government should promote ZBNF and initiate measures to ensure that farmers across the country own and rear local cows.

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FINAL JOURNEY

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The News You Like | June 2017

DasaRi CReMaTeD

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eteran film director and former Union Minister of State Dasari Narayana Rao was cremated with state honours on May 31.

Leading film personalities, politicians and fans besides family members, relatives and friends bid a tearful adieu to Rao, who breathed his last on Tuesday in a private hospital after prolonged illness. He was 75. The last rites were performed at Rao's farm house at Moinabad, about 60 km from Hyderabad.

Rao's eldest son Harihara Prabhu lit the funeral pyre as a police contingent presented gun salute. The funeral was performed adjacent to the 'samadhi' of Rao's wife.

Rao, who holds Limca World Record for directing the most films and directed generations of film stars -- from thespian N.T. Rama Rao to Nagarjuna, died at a private hospital here on Tuesday following prolonged illness. He was 75.

Earlier, he was shifted from his Jubliee Hills residence to the office of the Film Chamber to enable people to pay their last respects. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu visited Film Chamber office and described Rao's demise as a great loss to Telugu film industry.

"Telugu film industry has lost a pillar. He was institution in himself," said Naidu. He recalled

that from a modest background, Rao become director, writer, actor and later politician and worked hard for the welfare of weaker sections.

Celebrities like Pawan Kalyan, Junior NTR, Daggubati Venkatesh, Allu Arjun, Narayana Murthy, Naga Babu, Vijayachander, Raghvendra

Rao, Dil Raju, Mohan Babu, Krishna, Nassar and filmmaker Trivikram paid their last respects.

Actor Mohan Babu, whose career was launched by Rao, broke down.

"He was like a father to me. My entire family forever is indebted to him," Babu said.

FINAL JOURNEY

The News You Like | June, 2017

WiTh sTaTe honoURs Actress-filmmaker Vijaya Nirmala said she was "shaken" and that he always treated her like a sister. Having directed 151 films in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi, Rao produced 53 films and worked in more than 250 as a dialogue writer and lyricist.

Some of his famous films include "Premabhishekam", "Megha Sandesham", "Osey Ramulamma" and "Tata Manavadu".

He planned to make a biopic on

late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.

A multi-faceted personality, he served as Union Minister of State for Coal in United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. It was during his tenure that the scandal over coal blocks allocation rocked the nation.

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Dasari – A profile

orn on May 4, 1942 into an ordinary family in Palakollu, Dasari grew amid problems, challenges and vicissitudes.

There was a time when his parents couldn’t even afford to pay his school fee. He worked as a clerk for a monthly salary of just one rupee.

From there, he groomed the careers of scores of directors and artistes. He chucked his job to enter films and braved many slights and challenges in the process. He reached a pinnacle of his career to reach a level where he could make and unmake heroes.

His cine sojourn began with Tatha Manavadu. He is the only director to score 12 consecutive silver jubilees. The heights he scaled, the history he made, the awards he won are legion. He perhaps is the only director who gave hits to both fathers and their sons. He also penned dialogues for over 250 films and wrote many a hit lyric.

Make small films and score big hits was his dictum. He brought a respect and craze to the very word Director. He is the first director whose images adorned the cinema publicity posters along with the heroes. He directed over 150 films and produced 53 films. He holds the Guinness record for directing most films.

His films spoke of social justice and equal rights for all. He stood for the underdog and his films were trend setters. He gave actors like Mohan Babu, Murali Mohan and R Narayana Murthy, directors like Kodi Ramakrishna and Relangi Narasimha Rao. He made Sridevi, Jayasudha and Jayaprada super stars.

He is respectfully addressed as Guruvu Garu in the film industry. He also forayed into politics and journalism and carved a niche for himself in these realms too. He was a union minister and brought out Udayam daily, which was a huge journalistic sensation.

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SERMON

The News You Like | June 2017

hindu leader wants to speak from Mecca Mosque

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Planning to contest Lok Sabha polls from Hyderabad

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non-Muslim and that too Hyderabadi thinks twice before entering the historic Mecca Mosque for purposes other than sightseeing. But, here is a nonMuslim who wants permission to address the Muslims from the Mecca Mosque during the Holy Month of Ramzan.

A general physician by profession, Dr A S Rao, a TRS leader from Gudimalkapur, has been saddened by the misuse of the law of the land by All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) by making political speeches and hate speeches from the Mecca Mosque.

Speaking to The News, Rao said the MIM leaders Asaduddin Owaisi and Akbaruddin Owaisi make political and hate speeches, praise terrorists like Viqaruddin, make provocative speeches calling for war against the lawfully elected governments, in the name of making religious speeches from Mecca Mosque.

“It is nothing but misuse of religious places for the selfish ends.

Every year, the MIM gets permission in the name of Youmul Quran Jalsa held at Mecca Mosque on every Friday of the Ramzan month.

That means, they should speak about the best things in Islam and make an appeal to the Muslim fraternity to follow the footsteps of the great saints of the Islam,” Rao said.

But, after a few initial words

about Islam, Asaduddin Owaisi starts making political speech and criticize the Prime Minister and other leaders of the country and the states and provoke the Muslim fraternity besides corrupting the minds of the young generation, he

He said he had applied for permission from the minority welfare department and also to the police requesting them to allow him to speak during Youmul Quran address on the third Friday of Ramzan month.

alleged.

Though this practice has been going on for several years and complaints were lodged against them, action was not initiated against them. “Hence, I have decided to speak from Mecca Mosque since I also know Islam as much as the Owaisi brothers and being a citizen of the country I have every right to address Muslim brothern from the Mecca Mosque,” Rao said.

“There is no response from the officials so far. Currently, my application is pending with chief minister’s peshi since the minority department is with the chief minister. I am also taking the issue to the High Court in order to get permission,” Rao said.

He is also planning to contest from Hyderabad Parliamentary Constituency in the next elections to stop the MIM leaders from misleading the Muslim community.

FLIX

The News You Like | June, 2017

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Mahanati shoot begins

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ahanati, the biopic of late actor Savitri went on the floors in Hyderabad on May 30. The film’s pooja was held at a studio in Hyderabad. Mahanati will be shot simultaneously in Tamil and Telugu and plans are on to dub the film in Malayalam as well.

While Keerthy Suresh will be playing the legendary actress Savitri in the film, Dulquer Salmaan will be seen as her actor-husband Gemini Ganesan.

Samantha has been roped in to play a journalist in the film and she has a pivotal role to play as the entire film is narrated

through the eyes of her character.

Vijay Devarakonda plays Samantha’s beau in the film and veteran Prakash Raj will be seen in a prominent role as well.

To be directed by Nag Ashwin of Yevade Subramayam fame, the film is being bankrolled by Vyjayanthi Movies on a huge budget.

Born on December 6, 1936, Savitri made her debut in the film industry with Samsaram in 1950. She married actor Gemini Ganesan in 1955. Though Savitri starred in Tamil and Telugu films predominantly, she has also acted in quite a few Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi movies. In a career spanning well over three

decades, she donned the greasepaint for 264 films.

Apart from acting, Savitri has also wielded the megaphone for movies like Praptham, Chiranjeevi, Maathru Devatha, Vintha Samsaram, and Kuzhanthai Ullam. In her illustrious career, she has been bestowed with various prestigious awards including the Rashtrapati Award, the Nandi Award, and the Kalaimamani award.

A very talented actor, Savitri had shared the screen space with almost all the leading heroes of her time including MGR, NTR, Sivaji Ganesan, and Nageswara Rao. Mahanati is slated to hit the silver screens next year.

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Baahubali 2, Dangal box office collections may touch Rs 2,000-crore mark

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he past few days witnessed a tremendous amount of interest in the box office figures for two Indian films — Baahubali: The Conclusion and Aamir Khan starrer Dangal.

When Baahubali 2 was released on 28 April 2017, the list of highest earning Indian films stood something like this: Aamir Khan's PK was on the top slot with Rs 792 crore in box office collections. It was followed by Khan's Dangal and then, Baahubali: The Beginning.

Much has been said and written about Baahubali 2's unprecedented success - it was the first Indian film

to cross Rs 1,500 crore.

Aamir Khan's Dangal, however, has been playing a quick game of catch-up since its release in China in the first week of May. Having opened across a record 9,000 screens in China, Dangal quickly outstripped PK's landmark collections to earn close to Rs 900 crore from the China box office. This has helped push Dangal's earnings to Rs 1,662 crore overall as of May 29 - nudging aside Baahubali 2 to become India's highest earning film.

Baahubali 2, however, isn't far behind. Its collections currently stand at Rs 1,633 crore. The Hindi dubbed version alone has now come close to grossing Rs 500 crore, as per the

latest box office reports.

Meanwhile, its producers are angling for an optimal China release.

Initial news stories indicate that the film could release across 6,000 screens there.

The release of Baahubali: The Beginning had been delayed in China and it's performance was less than impressive. With Baahubali 2, the makers are hoping to avoid their previous mistakes, and have the film perform significantly better.

Neither Dangal nor Baahubali 2 have shown signs of slowing down their box office domination just yet.

The release of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales in China could possibly be a factor in

stymieing Dangal's collections there, but for Baahubali 2, even a marginally better performance than Baahubali: The Beginning in China will reap rich dividends.

Getting even a third of Dangal's collections in China — around Rs 300 crore — could comfortably put Baahubali 2 in a whole new category: the Rs 2,000 crore club.

It's a space Dangal will have to fight just a little bit harder to reach, although reports indicate that China and Taiwan collections will hold steady for a while yet. What the film trade will be analysing now is which of these two films will get to the 2,000 crore mark — and who will get there first.

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FLIX

The News You Like | June 2017

Sachin abillion dreams

ReAliSTic biopic

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achin: A Billion Dreams is a honest and sincere bio-pic on the legend of Indian cricket, who was the hope of a struggling nation in 90s and the messiah of the cricket-lovers when the country was ready to take on the world a decade later.

Directed by James Erskine with music by A R Rahman, the movie is straight from Sachin’s heart. Be it joy or disappointment in his career that spanned over 24 years, the ‘Mumbaikar’ speaks out.

From a prankster in his childhood to a young prodigy on field, the bio-pic traces his rise in a crisp manner.

Ramakanth Achrekar was impressed with young lad’s batting technique in the nets and his world record partnership stand with Kambli for an inter-school match are captured well.

The dreams and aspirations of a middle class boy to make it big in cricket after watching Kapil Dev lift the World Cup in 1983 on TV sets the tone. The high point of the movie is that it deals in detail about the start to his international career.

Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis come charging at Sachin on the field, during a match in 1989

(his debut series against Pakistan), Sachin gets hit on the nose by a nasty Waqar Younis bouncer, but he carried on. “I could not let my country down and leave the crease,” Sachin says at the time.

Sachin narrates his personal life with all frankness. His love for Anjali, admiration for his parents and brothers are vividly narrated.

Interestingly the movie touches upon Sachin’s short stint as Indian skipper during which there was some indifference with seniors in the squad like Mohammad Azharuddin. Known for staying away from controversies during his cricketing career, here too he plays it safe.

There are very little mention of his spat with Azharuddin, Rahul Dravid declaring innings when Sachin was on 194 against Pakistan and match-fixing episode that rocked cricket world then.

Sachin’s war with Warne on

field, Don Bradman’s laurels, the scintillating innings against Pakistan in 2003 world cup semifinals find a mention in the movie that is sure to win the hearts of his fans. For Sachin-lovers, the mention of Sharjah will bring in their minds his fiery onslaught.

To listen from the cricketer himself about the innings (desert storm) is sure to give them goose bumps. When hopes turn burden on his shoulders, even the ‘God of Cricket’ was vulnerable to emotions. How the dream of winning World Cup remained elusive till 2011 and how the ‘master blaster’ at one stage even thought of hanging his boots, after he was written off by critics are told without taking any sides.

His spat with Greg Chappell, who was the coach of Team India during 2007 World Cup find a mention. The World Cup win in 2011, first ever 200 in an ODI innings and 100 tons in cricket takes us on a nostalgic journey.

And finally it ends with ‘Saaachin Saaachin’ chants with a peppy tone by A R Rahman.

Sachin: A Billion Dreams will inspire audience for the glorious journey of Sachin filled with hard work and struggle have been chronicled in the most appealing way.

MOUNTAINEERING

The News You Like | June, 2017

Six Ap students scale Mount everest

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ix Andhra Pradesh youths who literally reached the top of the world on May 14 by climbing the Mount Everest had one thing in common - they all had the rock-like resolve to overcome their humble roots and modest means to succeed.

The two senior intermediate students of AP Tribal Welfare Residential Schools, Vooyaka Krishna Rao and Kunja Durga Rao, who scaled the world's highest peak are the sons of daily- wager, farm labourers, belonging to scheduled tribes.

Krishna Rao's parents are agriculture labourers in the Seetampeta Agency area in Srikakulam district while Durga Rao's parents too eke out their living as daily wager. The two were nurtured by the Social Welfare Department and the Youth Services Department to pursue their dream.

G Suresh Babu, who conquered the highest peak along with five others from his state, too belongs to the scheduled caste with his parents

being smalltime workers in their native Pulichinta village in Kurnool district.

Principal, teachers and students of AP Social Welfare Residential School in C Belagal celebrated Babu's conquest. Kare Satya Rao of Visakhapatnam comes from a family of fishermen and he was sponsored by the Youth Services Department. S Nagaraju, also from Visakhapatnam, was a marathoner as well.

Tammineni Bharat from Kurnool district could not conquer the Mt Everest in his first attempt in 2015 because of the devastating earthquake in Nepal but this time, as part of the six-member AP team, he achieved the distinction.

The state government picked out about 65 students from social welfare and tribal welfare residential schools for mountaineering and provided them basic training at the CBR Academy near Vijayawada.

Later, 34 of them were sent to the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute at Darjeeling for further training, according to the Director

of Social Welfare. Of the 34, 14 students were chosen for advanced mountaineering in Ladakh where they trained for two weeks in temperatures often plummeting to -40 degrees Celsius.

A batch of 13 students was then selected for the final expedition to Mt Everest and six of them successfully scaled the peak.

"Normally, they take 45 days to climb the Everest but these students did it in just 30 days, which is a creditable achievement," the expedition coordinator U Raghunadha Reddy, alluding to their rock-like determination to succeed against all odds.

"These children have come from humble backgrounds, born into families belonging to vulnerable social groups of Madiga, Koya and Savara. "Their parents eked out livelihood by working as hamalis (daily labourers) and small farmers.

"The boys may not have even imagined that one day they will become shining beacons for scores of underprivileged children," the social welfare official observed.

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SPORTS

The News You Like | June 2017

Mumbai Indians beat Pune by 1 r

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fter restricting Mumbai Indians to a modest total of 129 runs, Pune Supergiant made a cautious start here at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on May 21. But in the end, Pune lost to Mumbai by just 1 run.

Earlier, Mumbai's top and middle order batsmen put up a hor-

rific show against the disciplined bowling from Pune and the former were left reeling at 79/7 in the 15th over. Allrounder Krunal Pandya then came good and his 47 off 38 deliveries pulled Mumbai out of the hole.

Opting to bat, Mumbai had a disastrous start as left-arm medium pacer Unadkat (2/19) removed Parthiv Patel (4) and Lendl

Simmons (3) in the third over.

Parthiv pulled straight into the hands of Shardul Thakur at mid-on, while Simmons gave a return catch to Unadkat who dived low to the left -- and Mumbai were reduced to 8/2.

Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma (24) and Ambati Rayudu (12) then weathered the storm briefly but the Pune bowlers continued to keep it

SPORTS

The News You Like | June, 2017

run to win IPL-10 tight, not allowing the Mumbai pair to free their arms. Young off-spinner Washington Sundar continued to be impressive with his miserly bowling, giving away only 13 runs in his four overs.

The partnership lasted for 33 runs as Rayudu was caught short of the crease while taking a single after playing a delivery from Lockie Ferguson to Steven Smith, who made a direct throw from mid-off in the eighth over.

Mumbai's batting ran into further trouble when Rohit and Kieran Pollard (7) fell to Australian legspinner Adam Zampa (2/32) in the 11th over which left them reeling at 65/5. Rohit pulled a half-pitched ball to Thakur at deep mid-wicket, while Pollard offered an easy catch to pouch for Manoj Tiwary at long-on.

After Zampa, another Australian Daniel Christian (2/34) removed all-rounder Hardik Pandya (10) in the second ball of the 14th over.

In the following over, Karn Sharma, a handy low-order batsman, was run out for a 1, to leave Mumbai at 79/7.

Later, Krunal and Mitchell Johnson (13 not out) shared a strong 50-run partnership to dig them out of trouble. Krunal milked three fours and two sixes to take Mumbai to 129/8 -- which may not be enough.

Krunal was Christian's second victim falling on the last ball of the Mumbai innings.

Brief scores: Mumbai 129/8 in 20 overs (Krunal Pandya 47: Jaydev Unadkat 2/19, Adam Zampa 2/32, Daniel Christian 2/34) vs Pune.

IPL 2017 brings 500 mn interactions on Instagram

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he 10th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) concluded on May 21 with a dramatic final-over victory by Mumbai Indians over Rising Pune Supergiant in Hyderabad.

While cricket fever gripped the nation on and off the pitch for over six weeks; devoted fans took to Instagram to discover all the behind-the-scenes moments shared by their favorite cricket players and teams.

Over the course of the tournament, 120 million people had 500 million interactions on Instagram related to the season on the platform.

With players, teams and the League itself using photographs, videos, Instagram Stories and Live; the sports community used Instagram to give fans authentic, behind-the-scenes access-from personal moments with family, to practice sessions, to moments of team bonding, celebrations of victory - and everything in between.

The IPL teams shared engaging content, using Instagram to connect with fans, including this meeting between legends, a literal bird's eye view of practice from Rising Pune Supergiant, and a first look of Virat Kohli in the nets from Royal Challengers Bangalore.

With 13.5m followers, Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Kohli is the undisputed king of Instagram followed by Rising Pune Supergiant Mahendra Singh Dhoni (5.1m followers) and RCB's AB de Villiers (3.6m followers).

Yuvraj Singh and Rohit Sharma fill the other twospots in the list of top-5 most followed cricketers on Instagram.

Instagram is home to the most authentic athlete moments on social media and IPL 10 was no exception. With over 165 IPL players on Instagram this season, fans were privy to an unprecedented inside look into the life of an IPL cricketer: IPL teams and players used Instagram stories and live to fun, creative giving a different perspective to their their most passionate fans.

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The News You Like June, 2017

RNI No: APENG/2013/48048 P.R. No. LII/RNP/HD/1187/2017-19 (DOP: 1st of Every Month DOP : 8/9-06-2017)