Hopes soar again for Indian hockey

INCHEON: Is it a ray of hope or another false dawn? The question has dogged Indian hockey ever since its glory days faded more than three decades ago. Bereft of any big-ticket success, every victory inevitably resurrects the query.

It was most recently asked when India got the Glasgow Commonwealth Games silver medal in early August. But this time, in a significant departure from the past, the team chose to answer it by winning the gold medal at the Asian Games after defeating Pakistan 5-3 on aggregate (4-2 in the shoot out, after a 1-1 draw in regulation time) on Thursday.

India’s previous major hockey gold also came at the Asian Games in Bangkok in 1998 when it beat South Korea. d.

Ex-Mayor convicted in poll code violation case

A local court on Monday sentenced former Mangalore Mayor Abdul Aziz to two months imprisonment and imposed on him a fine of Rs. 10,000 for violating the poll code. Mr. Aziz was found guilty of using his vehicle for campaigning in support of party candidate Ivan D’Souza in 2008.

According to the charge-sheet, Mr. Aziz used his car for an Assembly election campaign in a labour colony in Padau in Mangalore Rural Police limits on May 6, 2008. This car was not among the vehicles permitted for use during campaigning by the Election Commission. A complaint was filed by Assistant Returning Officer Praveen Chandra Karkera. The case was investigated by sub-inspector Bharati.

The III Judicial Magistrate First Class Court Magistrate, Undi Manjula Shivappa, also went through the video-footage of the process of seizure of campaign material that were found in Mr. Aziz’s car. Among those seized were pamphlets of Mr. D’Souza’s campaign and also copies of the Congress manifesto.

The Magistrate convicted Mr. Aziz under the provisions of Representation of People Act. If Mr. Aziz fails to pay fine amount, he will undergo further imprisonment of one month. Assistant Public Prosecutor B. Mohan Kumar examined five government employees, a police head constable and a videographer as witnesses in the case.

Appeal

Reacting to the judgment, Mr. Aziz said that he would file an appeal against the judgment before the Sessions Court on Tuesday and also seek a stay order against the lower court’s order. He said that he was seeking bail from the JMFC court. Mr. Aziz said that he had not used his car for campaigning.

Role of sand mafia

The lorry that collided with the KSRTC bus was reportedly illegally transporting sand to Bangalore. Locals say that the tragedy could have been averted had officials stopped the lorry at the sand checkpost. The suspension of four police and revenue officials by the Deputy Commissioner on charges of dereliction of duty, holding them responsible for Monday’s gruesome accident, gives credence to this. People in the region on several occasions have staged protests demanding stringent action against the sand mafia.

Modi-Sharif meeting not ruled out

India does not have a closed mind on the question of Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York later this month, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said here on Monday.

“We do not have a preconceived approach towards it. We shall decide according to how the situation emerges,” Ms. Swaraj said.

Child marriages stopped

A marriage that was planned to take place next month between a 17-year-old girl and a 29-year-old man was stopped by officials in Salem on Monday.

As many as three child marriages planned in various parts of Tirupur district on Sunday, all involving minor girls, were prevented by the timely intervention of the officials of the Social Welfare Department.

In Tirupur district, of the three, one was involving a 16-year-old girl from Panathampatti village under Madathukulam block with a 25-year-old youth and the marriage was planned at Udumalpet.

A 17-year-old girl from Mulanur was to be married to a 23-year-old man at a marriage hall near Vellakoil.

The third incident was involving another 17-year-old from Udumalpet with a 28-year-old man at Udumalpet itself.

Tirupur District Social Welfare Officer M. Jayanthi said all the girls had studied up to SSLC.

She said that written undertakings were obtained from the parents of the girls that they would not marry their girls before them attaining the age of 18.

In Salem, based on a tip off, a team led by District Child Protection Officer A. Devagi visited the girl’s residence in Kootathupatti village in Ayothiapattanam block and found that the engagement for the boy and the girl was over in the early hours on Monday.

The girl was studying her first year B.A. course at a private college in Tiruchengode and the boy was from D. Perumapalayam.

The girl was rescued by the officials and was produced before the chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) A. Xavier.

The girl was later sent to the Reception Home for Girls, run by Life Line Trust.

Officials said that counselling would be provided to the parents of the girl in Salem.

“They were asked to appear before the CWC on Wednesday and further course of action would be decided then,” they added.