Rethink on Punjab tactic to anoint Sachin in 4-5 months Handlers gave me `20,000: Captured teen Pakistan terrorist in video message

Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra may have a rethinking in playing the Punjab tactic in Rajasthan to install their favourite Sachin Pilot, 44, a former deputy chief minister and a former Rajasthan Congress president, as the Chief Minister of the state in the next 4-5 months, replacing Ashok Gehlot, 70.

Rahul had adopted the tactic of summoning the Punjab Congress MLAs to Delhi twice and dropping a clear hint to them that he is throwing his weight behind Navjot Singh Sidhu for the next Assembly election in Punjab. A frustrated Captain Amarinder Singh, 79, was forced to resign since he made two trips to Delhi without succeeding to meet Rahul encouraging the party MLAs to revolt against him.

During his two meetings with Rahul and Priyanka in Delhi last week, Pilot was told Gehlot enjoys a clear majority among the party’s 106 MLAs in the House of 200 and he should better muster support of the majority before staking claim to be the chief minister. He was assured that both brother and sister would work to get him such support.

The Congress sources said Rahul had assured Pilot to muster support for him by contacting the influential MLAs and giving a hint to them that he wants Pilot to take the reins. Once the MLAs in any state get the hint on who the party high command is backing, they automatically switch sides to fulfil its wish.

With the Sidhu experiment’s failure in Punjab, the sources said that Congress President Sonia Gandhi may put her foot down on her children’s strategy to anoint their friend Pilot as the chief minister since their exercise would only destabilise the Gehlot government despite having a clear majority.

Rahul and Priyanka may still push for giving the state’s reigns to Pilot on the ground of Gehlot’s infrequent health due to the old age. Their plan is to persuade Gehlot to move to the AICC to lent his experience in building up the party organisation and guiding the young generation.

SRINAGAR:

A Pakistani terrorist, captured alive by the Indian Army during an encounter in J&K’s Uri sector, has asked his handlers in the neighbouring country to take him back to his mother. “I appeal to the Lashkar-eToiba (LeT) area commander, the ISI and the Pakistan Army to take me back to my mother just like they sent me here (India),” Ali Babar Patra, the teenage terrorist from Pakistan, said in a video message released by the Army in Srinagar on Wednesday.

Patra was nabbed by the Army during an encounter in Uri on September 26, when he asked for his life to be spared. Another Pakistani infiltrator was killed in the 9day operation that began on September 18.

In the video message, Patra said the Pak Army, the ISI and the LeT were spreading lies about the situation in Kashmir. The behaviour of the officers and jawans of the Indian Army with the locals who visit the camp where he was lodged was good.

Patra said, “I can hear the azaan (call for prayers) on the loudspeakers 5 times a day. The behaviour of the Indian Army is completely opposite to that of the Pakistan Army. This makes me feel there is peace in Kashmir. On

We were told that the Indian Army is carrying out a bloodbath, but everything is peaceful here. I want to tell my mother that the Indian Army has taken good care of me. the contrary, they take advantage of our helplessness in Pakistani Kashmir to send us here.”

About his initiation into terror ranks, Patra said he lost his father 7 years ago and had to drop out of school due to financial constraints.

CHOPPERS, MISSILES, AMMO: DAC OKs PROCUREMENT WORTH `13K-CR:

The Defence Acquisition Council approved the purchase of helicopters, surface-to-air missiles and artillery ammunition worth `13,165 crore. One of the key purchase approvals is for 25 advanced light Mark III helicopters from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. The twinengine, multi-role helicopters, which will cost `3,850 crore, are expected to help the Army strengthen its operational preparedness in remote areas.

Just two days before the Uttar Pradesh CM Adityanath Yogi is set to launch his election campaign, big time embarrassment for the state government was in store.

In a bizarre incident at Gorakhpur, Yogi’s constituency, in Uttar Pradesh, police ‘killed’ a young trader during a surprise check at a hotel on Tuesday evening. The Kanpur-based young trader Manish Gupta had gone there with friends where he stayed in a hotel near Ramgarh Talab area.

WHAT HAPPENED

The incident occurred at Krishna Guest house in Ramgarh Talab area at Gorakhpur where a property dealer Manish Gupta was staying with his friends. According to his friend, on Tuesday evening, a few policemen reached the guesthouse room and started a search operation. When confronted and asked about the reason behind the search, the policemen thrashed Manish badly. His friends accompanying him alleged that Manish died due to injuries suffered during the cops thrashing.

According to them, Manish was sleeping when policemen woke him up and asked for identity proof. When asked about the reason, the policemen started beating him up badly which caused serious injuries and he died subsequently. However, police officials denied and said that Manish stumbled and had fallen on the ground and he sustained a head injury. They cited the post-mortem report which said the cause of death was head injury.

FUMING FAMILY

Peeved over the incident, Manish’s wife and other family members refused to cremate his body till strict action was taken against the guilty policemen. The family members of the deceased demanded Rs50 lakh as compensation and arrest of guilty policemen.

A video also went viral on Wednesday in which the top officials have been asking the family members of deceased traders not to lodge FIR in the case. The body of traders was brought to Kanpur from Gorakhpur on late Wednesday evening after postmortem. Taking serious note of the incident the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Gorakhpur, Vipin Tada suspended 6 policemen including an inspector and in charge of the police outpost. The SP North in Gorakhpur will probe the matter.

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OPPN JUMPS INTO FRAY

Meanwhile, the brutal killing of a young trader has sent shockwaves in the state and Opposition parties have been accusing the Yogi Government of failing to control the law and order situation. Congress general secretary and in charge of UP, Priyanka Gandhi who is on a tour of the state, spoke to the family members of the deceased trader and consoled them. She assured them of all help and said police in the Yogi government have been taking a soft stand on criminals and torturing common men.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav too has cornered CM Yogi on the incident that occurred in Gorakhpur. He said people are not safe in UP inside their rooms as police may kill them. An SP delegation

would reach Kanpur on Thursday to meet the family of the deceased trader.

Traders in UP vented their anger, and demanded termination and arrest of guilty cops. The traders’ body in Gorakhpur submitted a memo to the administration seeking a judicial inquiry.