Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Hindus take a holy dip in northern India hoping to be bestowed with children

Hindus take a holy dip in northern India hoping to be bestowed with children
By Girish Kumar Dubey
Hindu devotees took a dip in a water tank in order to be blessed with children and be cured of their diseases in Varanasi city of India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday (September 03).

'Lolark Chhath' is celebrated two days after the festival of 'Ganesh Chaturthi', the birthday of the Hindu God Ganesha.

A local temple priest informed about the significance of the event.

"If one takes a holy dip here, then his wish of bearing a child is fulfilled. People offer fruits here and after they have offered, they do not take it back," said Anand Tiwari, a local priest.

According to Hindu legend, it is believed that the Sun God had meditated at this holy site of water tank for thousands of years. Thus, locals believe that the water of the tank has been purified and holds curative powers.

The villagers are also heard narrating the folklore of the pious water being capable of curing skin diseases, leprosy and other serious ailments.

However, the villagers are confident in the powers of the water in the holy tank. They believe that people shall be bestowed with offsprings, irrespective of caste and class.

Childless couples come from across the country to take a dip and perform traditional rituals at the water tank.

"My wish has been fulfilled. We had prayed for a child after taking a holy dip here and our wish was fulfilled," said Reshma, a devotee.

As per sacred rituals, the childless couples who take a dip in the water tank, leave behind their clothes and shoes at the bathing site, signifying the start of a new life.

Devotees who are blessed with children flock to the water tank and the temple to present religious offerings. They also get their children tonsured in an act of gratitude to the gods.

Intro

Hopeful to be blessed with children, hundreds of Hindu devotees take a holy dip in India's northern Uttar Pradesh state, on the occasion of Lolark Chhath.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL

Shotlist

VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (SEPTEMBER 03, 2011) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)

1. DEVOTEES STANDING

2. DEVOTEES TAKING A HOLY DIP

3. DEVOTEES TAKING DIPS IN A WATER TANK

4. DEVOTEES STANDING

5. A DEVOTEE WALKING DOWN THE STAIRS TO THE WATER TANK

6. DEVOTEES GATHERING AT THE WATER TANK

7. DEVOTEES WALKING DOWN THE STAIRS TO THE WATER TANK

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) ANAND TIWARI, A LOCAL PRIEST, SAYING:

"If one takes a holy dip here, then his wish of bearing a child is fulfilled. People offer fruits here and after they have offered, they do not take it back."

9. DEVOTEES OFFERING PRAYERS

10. A PRIEST STANDING

11. A DEVOTEE PLAYING DRUMS

12. A DEVOTEE SITTING, CARRYING A CHILD IN HER ARMS

13. A LOCAL PREPARING A DISH

14. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) RESHMA, A DEVOTEE, SAYING:

"My wish has been fulfilled. We had prayed for a child after taking a holy dip here and our wish was fulfilled."

15. DEVOTEES WALKING DOWN THE STAIRS TO THE WATER TANK

Original Script Date

Sep 03 08:21 (24 days ago)

Modified Script Date

Sep 03 08:21 (24 days ago)

Script Version

Headline

Hindus take a holy dip in northern India hoping to be bestowed with children.

Services

Subcon Extra

Locations

VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA

Dates Shot

SEPTEMBER 03, 2011

Sound

NATURAL WITH HINDI SPEECH

Duration

2:02

Police detains a person in north India for his suspected role in the blast at Delhi High Court

Police detains a person in north India for his suspected role in the blast at Delhi High Court
By Girish Kumar Dubey

Based on sketches of two suspects that the Delhi Police released in the blast case at the Delhi High Court, alert police personnel in Varanasi, the temple city in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh detained a youth on Thursday (September 08).

Identified as Lakim Ram, the detained person resembles one of the persons in the sketches prepared by the Delhi Police.

A powerful bomb had rocked Indian capital that exploded at the entrance of the High Court on Wednesday (September 07) and the number of fatal casualties till now has touched the figure of 13.

Police had released sketches of two men with short beards who were suspects in the attack. The government also issued a reward for any information related to the blast.

According to the top brass of police in Varanasi, Lakim Ram hails from Ajmer city in the northwestern state of Rajasthan.

Briefing the mediapersons, Maan Singh Chuahan, Superintendent of Police (SP), said they have informed all the investigating and intelligence agencies probing in the matter for further inquiry.

"There is person whose appearance is similar to the sketch released by Delhi Police in the case of the blast (at Delhi High Court on Wednesday, September 07). So interrogation is going on. Though we have not ruled out his involvement but we have asked the federal investigating agencies that are probing the case for further interrogation of the detained person," said Maan Singh Chauhan, SP, Varanasi district.

As per media reports, so far the sleuths probing the case have detained five suspects for questioning and one among them are the owner of an Internet café and his close associates, from where the e-mail claiming responsibility for a bombing was transmitted.

The owner, his brother and an employee of the Global Cyber Cafe at Kishtwar in India's northern state of Jammu and Kashmir were taken in for questioning.

The attack in the heart of the national capital has renewed concerns about the authorities' abilities to prevent attacks, particularly in sensitive, high-risk areas across the country.

However the authorities are probing the authenticity of an email claiming to be from the militant group Harkat-ul-Jihad Islami (HUJI) and sent from the Internet cafe.

The militant group, affiliated with al Qaeda and largely based in Pakistan but also with bases in Bangladesh, has claimed responsibility for attacks in India, but not in recent years.

Media outlets said a separate e-mail purportedly from the Indian Mujahideen, a home-grown radical group said to have support from Pakistan-based militants fighting Indian rule in Kashmir, had also claimed responsibility for the briefcase bomb attack.

Earlier, in the month of May, a low-intensity blast outside the same High Court in Delhi triggered panic but injured no one.

Over the past few years, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his government have come under intense criticism over their handling of militant attacks.

Though the government promised a radical overhaul of the security apparatus in India following the Mumbai attacks in 2008, critics maintain the reforms have been inadequate and in some cases abandoned.

Intro

Based on sketches of two suspects that the Delhi Police released in the blast case at the Delhi High Court, alert police personnel in the temple city of Varanasi in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh detain a youth named Lakim Ram.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL

Shotlist

VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (SEPTEMBER 08, 2011) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)

1. A POLICEMAN STANDING OUTSIDE THE POLICE STATION

2. SIGNBOARD READING 'SHIVPUR POLICE STATION, VARANASI'

3. LIKMA RAM, THE SUSPECT IN DELHI BLAST, SITTING

4. PENSIVE FACE OF LIKMA RAM

5. A LOCAL NEWSPAPER FEATURING THE SKETCHES OF SUSPECTS

6. LIKMA RAM SITTING

7. LIKMA RAM SITTING IN POLICE STATION

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) MAAN SINGH CHUAHAN, SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE, VARANASI, SAYING:

NEW DELHI, INDIA (SEPTEMBER 07, 2011) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)

9. MEDIA STANDING NEAR A SIGNBOARD READING 'DELHI HIGH COURT'

10. CROWD GATHERED AT THE BLAST SITE

11. POLICE VEHICLES AND FIRE TENDERS AT THE BLAST SITE

12. A VAN OF BOMB DISPOSAL SQUAD AT THE BLAST SITE

13. POLICE PERSONNEL CARRYING DEBRIS IN A BLUE PLASTIC SHEET FROM THE BLAST SITE

Original Script Date

Sep 08 23:41 (19 days ago)

Modified Script Date

Sep 08 23:41 (19 days ago)

Script Version

Headline

Police detains a person in north India for his suspected role in the blast at Delhi High Court.

Services

Subcon Extra

Locations

VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH/ NEW DELHI, INDIA

Dates Shot

SEPTEMBER 08, +07, 2011

Sound

NATURAL WITH HINDI SPEECH

Duration

1:39

India’s main opposition leader criticizes Communal Violence Bill

India's main opposition leader criticizes Communal Violence Bill

By Girish Kumar Dubey
Senior leader of India's main opposition, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Murali Manohar Joshi criticised the proposed 'Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence (Access to Justice and Reparations) Bill, 2011' in Varanasi city, India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Monday (September 12).

While addressing mediapersons, Joshi said the proposed draft is likely to divide the country on communal lines and it was against the basic structure of the Indian constitution.

"This law (Communal Violence Bill) will divide the society and the country. It will lead to violence and disturbance all across the country. It is against the basic structure of the Indian constitution, which promotes secularism. In any secular constitution can you make any laws or discriminate based on religion. Here the government itself is discriminating through this law," said Joshi.

He asserted that an individual should not be judged on the basis of his religion and that the Indian constitution declares India as a secular country.

Joshi also stressed that with this bill, the federal government would have the authority to intervene into any state government's matter, which is facing a threat of violence on the basis of religion.

The senior BJP leader also questioned the validity of the bill as he said that it was the brainchild of Congress Party president Sonia Gandhi and didn't originate from any government institution.

The Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence (Access to Justice and Regulations) Bill 2011, seeks to protect various groups from communal riots.

It has proposed to define the victim groups as 'religious and linguistic minority, in any state in India, or Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes'.

Intro

Senior leader of India's main opposition, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Murali Manohar Joshi criticizes the proposed 'Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence (Access to Justice and Reparations) Bill, 2011' in Varanasi city, India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL

Shotlist

VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (SEPTEMBER 12, 2011) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)

1. MURLI MANOHAR JOSHI, SENIOR LEADER OF INDIA'S MAIN OPPOSITION, BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY ARRIVING TO ADDRESS MEDIAPERSONS

2. JOSHI SPEAKING TO MEDIAPERSONS

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi), MURLI MANOHAR JOSHI, SENIOR LEADER OF INDIA'S MAIN OPPOSITION, BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY SAYING:

Original Script Date

Sep 12 19:05 (15 days ago)

Modified Script Date

Sep 12 19:05 (15 days ago)

Script Version

Headline

India's main opposition leader criticizes Communal Violence Bill.

Services

Subcon Extra

Locations

VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA

Dates Shot

SEPTEMBER 12, 2011

Sound

NATURAL WITH HINDI SPEECH

Duration

1:05

Artisans across India make eco friendly idols ahead of upcoming Hindu festival

Artisans across India make eco friendly idols ahead of upcoming Hindu festival

By Girish Kumar Dubey

Artisans made eco-friendly idols of Hindu deity goddess Durga across India ahead of the upcoming Hindu goddess festival, Durga puja.

This time artisans in Varanasi city of India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh used natural colours and created eco-friendly idols.

The move comes in a bid to save the River Ganga from being polluted, as the idols are immersed in it as the festival comes to an end.

"We people make idols and this time we are making the idols keeping in mind the rise in pollution. The commissioner of Municipal Corporation has asked us that there should be no pollution in the river Ganges. Hence, this time we have used jute and terracotta, and none of these cause pollution. They are made of mud and they finally turn into mud," said Sushant Kumar, artisan.

Similar, efforts were witnessed in the Kolkata city of India's eastern West Bengal state where a leading radio channel launched a campaign earlier this month to create an awareness to celebrate this festival in an eco friendly manner.

"We are going to try our best to make sure that this Durga pooja is an environmentally friendly and eco friendly Durga puja," said Ayan Chatterjee, radio jockey.

Goddess Durga is worshipped all over India in different forms. The festival is called "Durga Puja" in the eastern state of West Bengal while in the rest of India it is known as "Navaratri".

During the festival, idols of the Goddess are installed in hundreds of "puja pandals" (make-shift tents) and people congregate to worship them.

The festival which symbolised the triumph of good over the evil is marked by prayers, processions and musical programmes.

Legend has it that "Asuras" or demons from the other world invaded heavens after a hundred years of war. The Hindu trinity of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu created goddess Durga, the most powerful of all gods and goddesses to vanquish the demons.

Intro

Artisans make eco-friendly idols of Hindu deity, Goddess Durga across India ahead of the upcoming Hindu goddess festival.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL

Shotlist

VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (SEPTEMBER 22, 2011) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)

1. IDOLS OF HINDU DEITY, GODDESS DURGA

2. FACE OF THE IDOL OF HINDU DEITY GODDESS DURGA

3. ARTISAN PAINTING AN IDOL OF GODDESS DURGA

4. ARTISAN HOLDING A MUG OF COLOUR

5. ARTISAN PAINTING AN IDOL OF GODDESS DURGA

6. ARTISAN GIVING THE FINAL TOUCHES TO AN IDOL

7. ARTISAN WORKING

8. IDOL OF A TIGER

9. IDOL OF HINDU DEITY, GODDESS DURGA

10. IDOL OF HINDU DEITY GODESS DURGA AND LORD SHIVA

11. ANOTHER IDOL OF HINDU DEITY, GODDESS DURGA

12. ARTISAN WORKING

13. ARTISAN PAINTING

14. IDOL OF HINDU DEITY GODESS DURGA

15. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) SUSHANT KUMAR, ARTISAN, SAYING:

KOLKATA, WEST BENGAL, INDIA (SEPTEMBER 22, 2011) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)

16. VEHICLES MOVING ON A STREET

17.UNDERCONSTRUCTION MAKESHIFT TENT

18. LABOURERS BUILDING MAKESHIFT TENT

19. TWO WORKERS STANDING

20. WORKERS STANDING

21. A PHOTOGRAPH OF HINDU DEITY GODDESS DURGA

22. A CARPENTER CUTTING A WOODEN BOARD

23. CARPENTER SITTING

24. (SOUNDBITE) (English) AYAN CHATTERJEE, RADIO JOCKEY, SAYING:

"We are going to try our best to make sure that this Durga pooja is an environmentally friendly and eco friendly Durga puja."

25. UNDERCONSTRUCTION MAKESHIFT TENT

26. PEOPLE WALKING

Chinese consul in India says dispute in South China Sea with Vietnam a bilateral affair, wants other countries to stay away.

Chinese consul in India says dispute in South China Sea with Vietnam a bilateral affair, wants other countries to stay away.

By Girish Kumar Dubey

Consul General in India of People's Republic of China, Niu Qingbao on Saturday (September 24) said that its dispute in South China Sea with Vietnam was a bilateral affair.

Niu hoped that "countries outside the region" would support efforts made by the two countries to resolve the row.

"China has undisputed sovereignty on that piece of the region of the sea area, so there is dispute there. China says that we have undisputed claim on this or Vietnam says that it enjoys some ownership, so this is a dispute between China and Vietnam. I hope that countries outside the region will support whatever efforts are made by the two countries to solve their bilateral dispute," said Niu, while interacting with the media persons on the sidelines of an event held in India's northern Varanasi city.

A joint energy project between India and Vietnam in the South China Sea infringes on China's territorial sovereignty, an official Chinese newspaper said on Thursday (September 22).

Intro

Consul General in India of People's Republic of China, Niu Qingbao says its dispute in South China Sea with Vietnam is a bilateral affair and hopes that countries outside the region will support efforts made by the two countries to resolve the row.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL

Shotlist

VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (SEPTEMBER 24, 2011) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)

1. NIU QINGBAO, CONSUL GENERAL IN INDIA OF PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA,

ADDRESSING THE AUDIENCE

2. NIU STANDING ON STAGE

3. A MAN GARLANDING NIU

4. NIU SITTING ON STAGE WITH OTHER MEMBERS

5. AUDIENCE SITTING

6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) NIU QINGBAO, CONSUL GENERAL IN INDIA OF

PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, SAYING:

7. A BANNER READING 'INDIA CHINA FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATION'

8. NIU SITTING ON STAGE

9. EVENT IN PROGRESS

Original Script Date

Sep 24 20:45 (3 days ago)

Modified Script Date

Sep 24 20:45 (3 days ago)

Script Version

Headline

Chinese consul in India says dispute in South China Sea with Vietnam a bilateral affair, wants other countries to stay away.

Services

Subcon Extra

Locations

VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA

Dates Shot

SEPTEMBER 24, 2011

Sound

NATURAL WITH ENGLISH SPEECH(AUDIO AS INCOMING)

Duration

1:58

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Women in India’s northern state observe International Literacy Day

Women in India's northern state observe International Literacy Day.

By Girish Kumar Dubey
To mark the International Literacy Day, women in Varanasi city of India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh organised a mass street rally on Thursday (September 08).

Huge number of women from varying age groups participated in the rally that was organised to spread the message on the importance of educating the girl child and women folk to enable a bright future for the country.

World Literacy of Canada, an international NGO working for the literacy of adults co-hosted this rally.

"This awareness rally has been organised to spread awareness. The women who are with us know about the importance of literacy, but women who hesitate in coming out of their homes, they would become more aware through this rally," said Shitanshu Sharma, Programme Director of World Literacy of Canada, an international NGO working for the literacy of adults in the state.

Half a dozen volunteers from Canada also participated in this awareness rally.

The participants displayed enthusiasm by raising pro-women literacy slogans.

The well-known adage about teaching a boy merely educates an individual whereas letting a girl child, you educate the entire nation was projected on the occasion.

Mamta Yadav, a participant, said that by educating a woman, who are the main homemakers, an entire family can be educated, which would ultimately build a brighter future for the country.

"It is very important for a woman to be literate because if a woman is aware, then the entire family including her husband and her child would become aware. So it is important that the awareness should be spread within women folk," said Mamta Yadav, a participant.

Female literacy rate of Varanasi has increased by 15.15 percent as per the provisional data of census 2011.

There has been overall improvement in female literacy rate of the city for the 2001 to 2011 decade, as it has risen from 53.05 percent in 2001 to 68.20 percent in 2011.

To highlight the importance of literacy in society, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on November 17, 1965 declared September 8 as International Literacy Day.ANI

Intro

On the occasion of International Literacy Day, women in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh organise a rally to spread the message on the importance of educating the girl child and women folk to enable a bright future for the country.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL

Shotlist

VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (SEPTEMBER 08, 2011) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)

1. WOMEN TAKING OUT A RALLY

2. A WOMAN RAISING SLOGANS ON THE ESSENCE OF LITERACY

3. A WOMAN HOLDING A PLACARD

4. A FOREIGNER PARTICIPATING IN THE RALLY

5. WOMAN PARTICIPANTS TAKING OUT THE RALLY

6. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) SHITANSHU SHARMA, AN ORGANISER, SAYING:

7. VARIOUS WOMEN CARRYING PLACARDS

8. ANOTHER FOREIGNER PARTICIPATING IN A RALLY

9. WOMEN STANDING, WHILE HOLDING PLACARDS

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) MAMTA YADAV, A PARTICIPANT, SAYING:

11. WOMEN WALKING

12. RALLY IN PROGRESS

Original Script Date

Sep 08 23:13 (16 days ago)

Modified Script Date

Sep 08 23:13 (16 days ago)

Script Version

Headline

Women in India's northern state observe International Literacy Day.

Services

Subcon Extra

Locations

VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA

Dates Shot

SEPTEMBER 08, 2011

Sound

NATURAL WITH HINDI SPEECH

Duration

1:06

Sleuths of anti-terrorist squad raid house of absconding militant’s house in northern India

Sleuths of anti-terrorist squad raid house of absconding militant's house in northern India

By Girish Kumar Dubey

Consequent to the blast outside the Delhi High Court that rocked India's national capital, a special team of the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) conducted raid at the residence of suspected Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) militant Shameem at Launda Jhansi village near Mughalsarai in Chandauli district of northern Uttar Pradesh state on Wednesday (September 07).

Incidentally, Shameem's name had cropped up in the 2006 blast at the Sankat Mochan temple in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh state.

He has been absconding for the past four years since his name emerged in the case of Varanasi blast.

Earlier in the day, a powerful bomb placed in a briefcase outside the Delhi High Court in the national capital blasted claiming 11 lives and injured 76 others.

On their part, the authorities said they are investigating a claim of responsibility allegedly made by the Harkat-ul-Jihad Islami (HUJI) militant group -- an al Qaeda affiliate with bases in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Ilyas Kashmiri, who US authorities believe was recently killed in Pakistan, was the head of the group and senior al Qaeda member.

Briefing the media at Chandauli, Shalabh Mathur, Superintendent of Police (SP) said that the ATS sleuths swung into action once HuJI's name surfaced in the blasts at New Delhi.

"As you know that a blast has taken place in New Delhi and we have been doing checks at various places including court and other sensitive areas. As part of these checks, we also conducted raid at the residence of a man named Shameem, whose name had cropped up in relation to the blast that took place at Sankat Mochan temple in Varanasi," said Shalabh Mathur.

According to local media reports, the ATS team officials confiscated the mobile phones of Shameem's family members.

However, Shameem's mother Nagina at Launda Jhansi said that it has been a long time since they last saw him.

"It has been a long while since he left, he was studying in Varanasi and he left one early morning and since then he has not been seen. I have not seen him, I do not know whether he died or what else happened to him," said Nagina, mother of the suspect Shameem.

Forensic evidence initially showing nitrate based explosives with possible traces of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), a powerful high explosive, a senior Home (interior) Ministry official.

Meanwhile, sketches of two suspects have also been released to the public.

In an e-mail to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the South Asian militant group, called on India to repeal the death sentence of a man convicted in connection with an attack on the Indian parliament in 2001 and warned it would otherwise target major courts in the country.

An attack in broad daylight at such a high-profile location, which lacked CCTV cameras and had faulty security scanners, quickly led critics to question the authorities readiness especially as it came ahead of the September 11, 2001 anniversary of attacks in the United States.ANI

Intro

In the wake of the blast outside the Delhi High Court, a special team of the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) conducts raid at the residence of suspected Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) militant Shameem, whose name cropped up in the 2006 blast at Sankat Mochan temple in Varanasi in India's northern Uttar Pradesh state.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL

Shotlist

CHANDAULI, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (SEPTEMBER 07, 2011) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)

1. OVERALL VIEW OF LAUNDA JHANSI VILLAGE UNDER CHADAULI BLOCK

2. VILLAGERS GATHERED AT THE HOUSE OF SHAMEEM, A SUSPECTED MILITANT OF HARKAT-UL-JIHAD-AL-ISLAMI (HUJI) OUTFIT

3. A CAR PARKED OUTSIDE A POLICE STATION

4. 'SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE' WRITTEN ON THE CAR'S NUMBER PLATE

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) SHALABH MATHUR, SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE (SP), CHANDAULI, SAYING:

6. A SIGNBOARD READING 'POLICE STATION'

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) NAGINA, MOTHER OF SHAMEEM, A SUSPECTED MILITANT OF HARKAT-UL-JIHAD-AL-ISLAMI (HUJI) OUTFIT, SAYING:

NEW DELHI, INDIA (SEPTEMBER 07, 2011) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)

8. MEDIA STANDING NEAR A SIGNBOARD READING 'DELHI HIGH COURT'

9. CROWD GATHERED AT THE BLAST SITE

10. POLICE VEHICLE AND FIRE TENDERS AT THE BLAST SITE

11. A BOMB BLAST SQUAD VEHICLE AT THE BLAST SITE

12. POLICE PERSONNEL CARRYING A BLUE PLASTIC SHEET, DEBRIS FROM THE BLAST SITE

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Hindus take a holy dip in northern India hoping to be bestowed with children

Hindus take a holy dip in northern India hoping to be bestowed with children
By Girish Kumar Dubey

Hindu devotees took a dip in a water tank in order to be blessed with children and be cured of their diseases in Varanasi city of India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday (September 03).