Truth Prevails...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/20110303201103030308457092d1aa145/Hubby-batters-woman-denies--permission-to-abort-foetus.html Doctors refuse to terminate foetus with lethal anomaly without nod from husband, who in turn, wants 24-yr-old to withdraw dowry case Hemington James A 24-year-old woman, who was allegedly kicked in the abdomen by her in-laws when she was in her second month of pregnancy, has been denied the right to abort her deformed foetus. Aarti Patel (name changed), has been begging her husband to allow her to terminate the foetus since November when her in-laws allegedly battered her over dowry. But he told her he would give her consent only if she withdraws the FIR filed against him and his family members. Aarti’s ordeal began soon after her marriage on November 29, 2009 Interestingly, the law does not require the spouse’s consent for abortion particularly when the foetus suffers from physical abnormalities. Yet, doctors at V S Hospital where she is receiving tre...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/2011050820110508024151679d0f24181/Gay-prince-to-aid-awareness-in-central-jail.html Authority claims homosexual activity is unheard of in Sabarmati jail. Then why invite Manvendrasinh Gohil whose work focuses on AIDS prevention among MSMs? Hemington James Prince Manvendrasinh Gohil, who had created ripples when he had openly admitted his homosexuality, has been invited by jail authorities to create awareness on HIV and AIDS at Sabarmati Central Jail and all other jails in the state. Authority claims that homosexual activity is unheard of in Sabarmati jail. So, it is interesting to note that of all AIDS activists in the state, they chose to invite the gay prince who runs Lakshya Trust — an organisation that works for prevention among men who have sex with men (MSMs). Says Gohil, “Why invite me to create awareness if homosexuality is not practised in jails? The officials can say what they want but sex is a basic need that needs to be fulfilled. It ...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/20110527201105270330268734734f2a3/Stitch-in-jail-saves-money.html Amdavadis can now get inmates of Sabarmati Central Jail to stitch their clothes for cheap. Forty inmates from the jail’s tailoring dept Hemington.James Like Kangana Ranaut’s salwar-kameez from Tanu weds Manu? How about Anushka Sharma’s kurtis from Band Baaja Baraat? Or do you want Vidya Balan’s trademark blouses: elbow-cut sleeves with zari borders? All you need to do is go to jail. Amdavadis can bring their fabric to Bhajiya House at the RTO between 9 am and 5 pm. They can either give old clothes for measurement or get fresh ones taken We know women are capable of committing violence if they want an item on sale that another person has laid her eyes on, but we are not talking of murder here. If you have a design in mind, inmates at Sabarmati Central Jail can stitch it into reality for you. And at a lesser rate than what others in the market would charge. Forty inmates of the jai...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/20110328201103280323342121dfe094a/Entry-barred-for-unkempt-males.html Airport fuel station’s senior terminal manager doesn’t grant audience to men who are not well groomed; there is no such rule for women, though Hemington James Only clean shaven men with short and oiled hair allowed’. This is not a demand made by women in the city but by the Senior Terminal Manager Sujansinh Kumre at the aviation fuel station in Sardar Vallabhai Patel International Airport. Yes, any person who wants an audience with Kumre will have to be presentable and ‘not stink’ as the AM reporter found out. This reporter heard about the ‘strict cleanliness and presentability’ rule at the airport fuel station from an Mirror reader and decided to check out. He went to the fuel station where Kumre has his office. The reporter was well dressed with one exception. He had a two-day old stubble on his chin. The guard of the fuel station refused him entry because he had failed to s...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/2011042020110420025841215b1927856/Jailbirds-adopt-a-new-tune.html Sharpshooter Shabbir Miyan, alleged killer Pranav Patel and rape convict Sajal Jain pass audition for compering course in central jail Hemington James A rape convict, a sharpshooter and alleged murderer hit the right frequency while auditioning for ‘compering and news reading’ course to be conducted by the Gujarat Vidyapeeth. Over 100 undertrials and convicts appeared for the tryouts on Tuesday evening. Thirty-six got through. These include Sajal Jain who is behind bars in the Bijal Joshi rape case, Shabbir Hussain Hussain Miyan, an alleged sharpshooter with the Latif gang, and Pranav Patel, who allegedly kidnapped and killed a 15-year-old boy in Sanand last year. Shabbir gave his best shot in Hindi, Jain auditioned in Hindi and English while Pranav Patel chose to forgo the script and speak about Hanuman Jayanti which was celebrated on Monday. Held in the jail’s tele-medicine room...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/2011041120110411031051780699d92d8/Amdavadi-paints-world-golden.html Iqbal Warakhwala, who has applied gold-gilt to several popular statues in the world, wants to gild Sardar Vallabhai Patel’s statue which when installed near Kevadiya colony will be tallest in the world Hemington James Marconi’s memorial in Washington and Lady Diana Memorial in Paris share one thing in common — their gilder Iqbal Warakhwala. A gilder from Amdavad, Warakhwala has gilded statues of several famous personalities around the world. It is now his ambition to gild Sardar Patel’s statue to be installed at Kevadia colony. When put up, the statue will be the tallest in the world. Iqbal Warakhwala has gilded statues like the Cavalry in White House (centre) and Guglielmo Marconi’s memorial (Right) in Washington. Warakhwala uses 24 carat gold in his works Warakhwala, 68, stays near Relief Road and has been in the gilding business for 15 years. Even before him, his family has...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/20110417201104170013134899dd0061e/NO-MORE-FRIENDS-OF-ZOO.html Launched in 2008, Kankaria zoo’s animal adoption scheme is fizzling out. As many as 57 animals were adopted then as compared to only 24 last year Hemington James And Ruturaj Jadav Care to adopt this lion? Amber’s upkeep would cost around Rs 1 lakh Sure, Amdavadis love animals. Many have already shown their large-heartedness by opening their purse strings for the upkeep of animals under the Friends of the Zoo scheme launched in 2008 by the Kankaria zoo. But a little tax benefit for their act of kindness wouldn’t hurt either, they say. While 36 individuals and corporate houses had adopted 57 animals and donated Rs 10.96 lakh in 2008-09, 14 people adopted only 24 animals and donated Rs 4.33 lakh in 2010-11. Zoo Superintendent R K Sahu said: “Initially, we were flooded with enquiries regarding the adoption of animals. The hype lasted for a while, but later on the number of calls decreas...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/2011042220110422030521285ccc74004/Fake-Walk.html Forty-two cases of fake policemen looting Amdavadis in less than four months. Ahmedabad Mirror reporters don the khaki and wield the danda to find out how easy or difficult it is to fool people posing as cops. Our verdict: It’s a cake walk Team AM • Mirror reporters Hemington James and Vipul Rajput (in checked shirts) flag down a van at C P Nagar. They wore no uniform to establish their identity as ‘cops’ • Seeking to be let off, the driver offered Rs 100. The reporters revealed the truth. The driver vowed to check the identity of cops in future Amdavadis believe they can separate the real from the fake in just a glance. This might do well when it comes to diamonds and sweets, but in case of fake cops, they are as gullible as they come. This was proven in a Mirror test drive undertaken by four reporters on Thursday. They were unshaven, unkempt and had no proper uniform. Yet they successfully m...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/201104282011042803164278ef82205f/Post-dept-saves-student%E2%80%99s-year.html Symbiosis had cancelled Abhimanyu Rajyaguru’s admission when demand draft of Rs 2.30 lakh sent through Speed Post did not reach the institute in time; Postal department officials owned up responsibility and secured his admission Hemington James A step of Postal Department in time has saved a Symbiosis aspirant’s year, who had missed out on admission to the university due to the department’s inadvertent error. Realising that its lapse could cost the student heavy, the department approached varsity officials and explained the situation that led to delay in payment of the fees, leading to cancellation of his admission. Abhimanyu Rajyaguru, who wants to make a career in advertising, had secured admission to the mass communication programme of Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication (SIMC) in Pune. After completing all formalities, he sent Rs 2.30 lakh, the first inst...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/2011051220110512024629857a2d5251e/Pulp-Fiction.html Laboratory test conducted on aamras samples from six dairies reveal excessive use of tartrazine yellow colour. This causes the most allergic and intolerance reactions of all dyes Hemington James and Ruturaj Jadav Slurping down that store-bought aamras might not be such a good idea after all. A Mirror test drive revealed that aamras, even from some of the most famed stores in the city, do not conform to specifications of the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act. A laboratory test conducted on samples from six diaries in the city showed excessive use of synthetic food colours. The synthetic colours lend the ras a rich look. But it’s ill-effects? Impaired brain function, hyperactive behaviour, difficulty focusing, lack of impulse control – and that’s for starters! To check how this feast for the eyes end up in fast for the stomach, Mirror reporters got samples from Vipul Dudhia at Stadium Cr...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/2011052920110529031230114f61e0e5b/Class-apart.html It was a testing time for an encounter specialist, blast accused and rape convicts who took an exam on spirituality inside Sabarmati Central Jail Hemington.James Religious fanatics, blast accused, rapists and murderers would ordinarily steer clear of a cop. Especially, if the cop in question happens to be suspended IPS officer D G Vanzara, who is (in)famously known as an encounter specialist. Yet, all of them shared a special bonhomie in the tele-medicine room of Sabarmati Central Jail on Saturday, when 57 inmates including Vanzara appeared for an exam on ‘Value Education & Spirituality’. It is a post-graduate diploma course offered by Annamalai University in association with Brahma Kumaris. The ‘students’, including eight accused in July 26, 2008 blast case, as well as accused in Bijal Joshi and Patan rape cases, were seated inside two rooms. Hansi ke phuare Nagori (L), sat next to Patan ...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/2011052820110528032107770d92523/Traffic-rules-literature-gather-dust.html Thousands of charts and booklets meant to be distributed among school children lie uncared for at Ahmedabad RTO office Hemington James and Shraddha Singh The state traffic department is very enthusiastic about spreading traffic awareness, especially among school students. The charts and booklets on traffic rules are printed for specifically this purpose. But it seems, the enthusiasm wears off by the time the awareness material reaches RTO. Thus preventing them from reaching the various schools in the state. The charts and booklets on traffic signages and rules are part of Gujarat’s Swarnim Jayanti celebration. But today, these printed materials lie in a filthy corner under the staircase leading to the office of Ahmedabad RTO Jyotish Bhatt. The corner is clearly no storeroom but a place used as a dump yard and spittoon. The authorities at the RTO say that almost 95 per cent...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/20110520201105200308136861aeda39c/Visa-hurdle-grounds-540-GTU-students.html » The students of technology varsity were to visit US campuses for a summer camp » Consulate cancelled the B2 visa granted and asked them to apply for J category » Insurance company to which students were directed says the programme is cancelled » GTU says it is trying to pull off the June 1-27 tour; now Canada camp is being planned The dream of about 540 Gujarat Technological University students to attend a summer camp at Oklahoma University (OU) and Kansas State University (KSU) in the US is all but shattered. Their own university failed to identify the right category of visa they needed. To compound their woes, the US consulate apparently changed its decision on the visa category the students needed to set foot on the US soil. They were advised to go for J category of visa, which may take up to eight weeks and fresh set of documents. It is now next to impossible for t...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/20110520201105200308136861aeda39c/Visa-hurdle-grounds-540-GTU-students.html » The students of technology varsity were to visit US campuses for a summer camp » Consulate cancelled the B2 visa granted and asked them to apply for J category » Insurance company to which students were directed says the programme is cancelled » GTU says it is trying to pull off the June 1-27 tour; now Canada camp is being planned The dream of about 540 Gujarat Technological University students to attend a summer camp at Oklahoma University (OU) and Kansas State University (KSU) in the US is all but shattered. Their own university failed to identify the right category of visa they needed. To compound their woes, the US consulate apparently changed its decision on the visa category the students needed to set foot on the US soil. They were advised to go for J category of visa, which may take up to eight weeks and fresh set of documents. It is now next t...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/2011053120110531023302177ad621701/Where-is-antihuman-trafficking-cell-in-city.html It is non-existent though the state sanctioned Rs 7.58 lakh for it a year ago Hemington James Acting on Union Home Minister P Chidambaram’s suggestion, Gujarat government decided to set up anti-human trafficking cells in five major cities of the state. For this, it had sanctioned Rs 7.58 lakh for each cell in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot and Gandhinagar last year. But for top cops, the issue of human trafficking doesn’t seem to be serious as many of them have pleaded ignorance over the non-existent cell in the city, though the government had already released funds and provided basic infrastructure for it. When Mirror contacted Director General of Police Chitranjan Singh, he said, “I do not know anything about this cell. But I will look into the matter.” Police Commissioner Amitabh Pathak, too, is unaware about the cell which aims at checking rising cases of ...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/2011071220110712031134572ed0cd45f/Come-September-ride-ticketless-on-BRTS-buses.html Passengers will be issued smart cards, coins to operate flap barrier at stations. The system will be made operational at Nehrunagar tomorrow Hemington.James Ticketless travelling on the BRTS will be fine, come September. The Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited, which runs the bus rapid transit system, will be issuing smart cards and coins instead of tickets to passengers. These will be used to operate flap barriers to be installed at all BRTS stations. Commuters can walk into a bus station and wave their card (circled) before a sensor placed on the barrier to open it. When the passenger gets off, he/she must flash the card again so sensors can compute and deduct the fare as per kilometres travelled This system will be made operational at Nehrunagar BRTS stand on Wednesday. The entire project will be installed for Rs 20 crore by Spanish firm GVM Vayam in a month or two, sa...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/201106292011062903134555817a27fee/Your-auto-driver-is-honest.html Four of the five auto-rickshaw drivers Mirror tried to tempt by leaving a bag in their auto return it without second thought Hemington James ,Vipul Rajput Last Saturday a couple returning home in a shared auto-rickshaw was threatened with a knife and looted near Tapovan circle that falls between Koba Circle and Sabarmati. They were forced to hand over four gold bangles and a ring costing Rs 42,000, besides Rs 3,000 in cash. Mirror carried out a test- drive to find out if auto drivers in the city can be trusted. Amdawad no rickshaw walo turned out to be honest in 80 per cent cases. In the test-drive conducted at five different places of the city, one of the two reporters left a bag in the auto with photo copies of their identity card inside the bag to establish it was theirs. Four of the five rickshaw drivers turned out to be honest. Ashram Road Name: Rajubhai Marwadi, 27 Result:...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/2011061620110616033804563fe066083/Very-Important-Prisoner.html Who says a life of crime does not pay? Visit ‘godman’ Ashok Jadeja at his Sarkhej lockup. Where other inmates sweat, he has a fan to beat the heat. He is allegedly allowed visitors and given permission to use the PSI’s office as his meeting place Vijay Zala ,Hemington James Self-proclaimed godman has allegedly duped people of Rs 1,800 crore At noon, Jadeja dons ironed clothes and goes to the cabin of Police Sub-Inspector S M Parmar where he meets his accomplices At 12.30 pm, a woman brings tiffin large enough to feed Jadeja, his men His desire for a gilded life landed alleged con man Ashok Jadeja in jail. But even this has not turned out to be as tough a deal as you think. In fact, the Sarkhej police lockup has turned into Jadeja’s guesthouse, where he can access all basic luxuries of life. Ashok Jadeja (circled) has the privilege of meeting his men who are also in Sarkhej police’s...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/201107132011071303043195052d5ce3a/%E2%80%98I-know-how-to-keep-city-clean%E2%80%99.html While Amdavadis take pride in the BRTS, riverfront project, booming real estate and premier institutes, it just takes a garbage pile on a busy crossroad for them to blush helplessly. However, the new Municipal Commissioner Guruprasad Mohapatra, in an exclusive interview with Mirror, has promised to make cleanliness his top priority and empower Amdavadis with a sense of civic pride. Guruprasad Mohapatra says Amdavadis can meet him between 11 am and 2 pm without taking an appointment. He assures he is ‘always there’ to solve people’s problems “There is no doubt that there is a lot to be done to spruce up the city. But I think I know how to keep Ahmedabad clean as I have been the municipal commissioner of a city that was once ranked the second cleanest in the country,” said Mohapatra, who was the commissioner of Surat Municipal Corporation from 1999 to 2002. An ...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/20110723201107230159152165d1f88c7/AMC-razes-50yrold-shops-in-Paldi-to-make-way-for-road.html ‘Casualties’ include the popular Udipi Cafe set up in 1965 and a dispensary run by son of a freedom fighter; shopowners allege they weren’t informed of demolition drive in advance Hemington.James Paldi crossroads witnessed an irony of sorts on Friday afternoon. Those very landmarks that witnessed and contributed to the city’s development were being demolished for, well, development itself. On Friday afternoon, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation brought down several shops in Paldi – most of them 50 years old – to widen the road as per the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation (BPMC) Act. A part of the salon, set up 60 years ago, was demolished; AMC bulldozers also brought down the popular Udipi Cafe, established in 1965 Perturbed shopkeepers stood as inert spectators when the bulldozers razed a portion of their stores to make way for the road. The ‘casual...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/201108192011081903045883613fec0dd/You-can-Bring-rash-drivers-to-FACEbook-.html Shoot traffic violators, bribe-seeking policemen on your mobile phone camera; upload photographs with details on Ahmedabad Traffic Police page to take offenders to task Hemington.James How many times have you cribbed about the deplorable traffic on city roads? Well, here’s a chance to set things right. Next time you see a traffic violator, whip out your mobile camera and start clicking. What next? Upload the photographs on Ahmedabad Traffic Police page on Facebook to take the offenders to task. If you do not have an FB account, mail the photographs to ahmd.trafficpolice@gmail.com, says DCP (Traffic) Nilesh Jajadia The traffic police created the page on Thursday evening. Amdavadis can use the page not only to keep our roads safe but also to name and shame bribe-seeking cops. Users are required to mention full details, with date, time, place and vehicle number so that t...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/2011081820110818034956493507e8baf/Illhealth-weighs-heavy-on-cops.html Of 6,600 cops who underwent health check-up, 460 cops suffered from serious health problems; 113 were overweight Hemington.James Results of a recent health check-up camp revealed the unhealthy state of affairs among city cops. Several cops were diagnosed with obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and haemoglobin deficiency. One of them was found to be HIV positive. Reliable sources revealed that the cop is a 40-year-old police sub-inspector who serves on the field. Police Commissioner S K Sinha said “We have received a copy of the medical report for each officer.” About the HIV-positive cop, the police chief said, “His identity will remain concealed. We will transfer him to a desk job so that he is not forced to endure the rigours of field work. We will also extend our full support to him.” Over as 6,600 policemen participated in the health check-up held in July. Of these, 11...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/2011081720110817023240715f7c5c3cc/Woman-prisoner-writes-of-abuse-in-jail-magazine.html In Kasturba ni Kotadia Thi, the woman talks of her drunk father whose abuse forced her to leave home Hemington James Stories of sexual abuse and other heart-rending tales of women prisoners form part of a magazine titled Kasturba ni Kotadia Thi published by the Jashwant Thakkar Memorial Trust. In the magazine’s second edition, a woman prisoner describes her abuse by family and those she trusted. Edited and designed by Naushil Mehta, who scripted What’s Your Rashi? starring Priyanka Chopra, the book has been brought out by the Centre for Social Justice. The woman prisoner who writes anonymously in the article titled, Aa Mui Lagan ni Season, states that her mother had to work as a cook after coming to Ahmedabad from Hajipara in Wadhvan. From her hard-earned savings, her mother brought his unemployed father an auto-rickshaw, she says. He went on to buy five more ...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/20110801201108010241208373b937be0/Families-of-convicts-suffer-.html Six teachers of PTC college in Patan were convicted in 2009 for gangraping a girl student. While they are in jail, their family members try to deal with the stigma; meanwhile the victim has started her life afresh and is happy Hemington James and Dhwani Pathak Dave Sometimes a folly results in suffering which lasts a lifetime. As the families of six teachers accused in Patan PTC college rape case have found out. The six teachers are Ashwin Parmar, Manish Parmar, Mahendra Prajapati, Kiran Patel, Suresh Patel and Atul Patel. Ashwin, Manish, Mahendra and Suresh were convicted on the charges of multiple gangrape, physical assault on woman to enrage her modesty and rape in a government educational institute. The families live on the mercy of other people. However, the accused teachers’ family members hope that high court will declare them innocent. Meanwhile, they su...

http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/20110801201108010241208373b937be0/Families-of-convicts-suffer-.html Six teachers of PTC college in Patan were convicted in 2009 for gangraping a girl student. While they are in jail, their family members try to deal with the stigma; meanwhile the victim has started her life afresh and is happy Hemington James and Dhwani Pathak Dave Sometimes a folly results in suffering which lasts a lifetime. As the families of six teachers accused in Patan PTC college rape case have found out. The six teachers are Ashwin Parmar, Manish Parmar, Mahendra Prajapati, Kiran Patel, Suresh Patel and Atul Patel. Ashwin, Manish, Mahendra and Suresh were convicted on the charges of multiple gangrape, physical assault on woman to enrage her modesty and rape in a government educational institute. The families live on the mercy of other people. However, the accused teachers’ family members hope that high court will declare them innocent. Meanwhile, they suffer for the cri...