Srinivas turns out to be a 'Gajini' for CBI

Obulapuram Mining Company managing director BV Srinivas Reddy has turned out to be a 'Gajini' for the country's premier investigation agency, Central Bureau of Investigation. Replies like, "I forgot, Sir'' and "I don't know'' were all the aswers that CBI sleuths could get from him during the six days of custody.Srinivas Reddy, who is also the brotherinlaw of Karnataka former minister Gali Janardhan Reddy, gave a tough time for the CBI offiicals during the custody period when both the Reddys were subjected to intense grilling in the illegal iron ore mining case. The duo were arrested recently by the CBI sleuths in Bellary and were given sixday CBI custody.After the sixday interrogation, CBI joint director VV Lakshminarayana termed Srinivas Reddy 'Gajini'. "We got replies like 'I don't know' and 'I forgot sir' from him. He acted like Gajini (a film in which the hero suffers from memory loss),'' Lakshminarayana said after emerging out of the court hall.Janardhan Reddy, however, did not give much of a tough time to the investigators but, at the same time, did not give any information to the CBI sleuths. "Most of the time, he remained silent on our queries,'' Lakshminarayana said.Janardhan Reddy and Srinivas Reddy were brought to the CBI Special Court, which was already jampacked with advocates, mediapersons and staff of the Nampaly court, around 9.10 am amid tight security and were produced before magistrate B Naga Maruthi Sharma. The smile on Janardhan Reddy's face disappeared this time and he looked depressed. Srinivas Reddy looked normal on seeing the waiting media, advocates and audience. They entered the court hall with folded hands and stood bowing before the magistrate. They replied in negative when the magistrate asked them, "Have you faced any difficulties with the CBI officials during the sixday long interrogation?'' Janardhan Reddy and Srinivas Reddy shook their heads to gesture 'no' . Later, both of them sought permission to meet their advocates who were in the court hall. After the magistrate gave them the permission, the Reddys, keeping their hands folded, walked out of the court hall and met their counsels Uday Lalith and CV Nagesh. Lalith patted Janardhan's shoulder and said 'all will go positively'. A few politicians, who came from Bellary, met the Reddys and chatted with them for a while. Around 11 am CBI officials shifted both of them to the Chanchalguda central prison. People, who gathered in the court and residents in nearby apartments also tried to capture the Reddys on their cell phone cameras.

By Mouli Mareedu

moulimareedu@gmail.com

Fatal attraction: Hooked to hookah

Enjoying a puff, listening to soft music amidst what can only be called as royal ambience, is a recreation that Sirish and his friend Giridhar look forward to every evening after work. Their favourite haunt is a hookah centre located at the Nagarjuna circle near Punjagutta. “We know hookah is dangerous than a cigarette. But we do not prefer that puff with an intoxicating flavour. We just chat up with friends and enjoy the light varieties,” says Giridhar, who works as a systems analyst for an IT firm in Madhapur.For these youngsters, inhaling a hookah is more or less like having an innocuous drink. And coming as it does for just Rs. 250 an hour, it doesn’t pinch them much either. A number of smoking pipes are on offer at many hookah centres -- tobacco flavoured with honey, lemon, fruits or molasses. They are literally spoilt for choice. Besides, it is trendy in the twin cities where hookah bars are popping up everywhere. “Youngsters, mostly from rich families, prefer our centre where we provide hookah in different flavours. They come and enjoy puffing whatever they like paying off just Rs. 250 to Rs. 500,’’ says Ankith, manager of a hookah centre located on road No 2, Banjara Hills. However, he hastened to add that they strictly follow rules and regulations. Minors are strictly not allowed, he claims.A hookah is a single or multi-stemmed (often glass-based) instrument in which the tobacco smoke is cooled and filtered as it passes through water. The rate for a session of hookah (60-100 minutes) ranges from a modest Rs. 250 to Rs. 1000 at high-end restaurants. The charges vary according to ambience.  With a report from the forensic laboratory suggesting that a sample from a hookah contains nicotine and hookah centres allowing minors, the city police started cracking the whip on the violators. The police estimate that 500 hookah bars are running illegally in the city.  As per the rules, these centres will have to take police permission and follow fixed schedules to entertain customers. K Raghuram Reddy, additional deputy commissioner of police, Task Force, has warned that cases would be booked against illegal hookah bars under sections 188, 272 (adulteration of food or drink intended for sale) and 273 (sale of noxious food or drink). “We have authentic information that several hookah bars have been functioning illegally. They attract a huge number of school and college-going students. After receiving information, we conducted raids on various centres. The owners could not produce any licence. Strict action will be taken against them,’’ he said.  The hookah joints do not use ISI certified products, do not have separate smoking and non-smoking areas and to top it all, some use liquor to give that extra high. Due to unclean pipes, there is a chance of communicable disease spreading. 

By Mouli Mareedu
moulimareedu@gmail.com

Detained Arab was on his fourth 'marriage trip'

It was during his fourth attempt at marriage that the Arab national Syed Hilal Hamoodi (46) was detained by police on Sunday night. He was caught him when he was allegedly paying huge amounts to a minor girl's parents for the marriage.A senior police officer of South Zone said preliminary investigation revealed that Syed Hilal Hamoodi, a native of Sharjah had visited the Old City thrice. "During interrogation, the Arab national said he approached a middleman who allegedly arranges minor girls for marriage to Arabs persons, by paying `15,000," the officer said. Though the police suspect the girl is a minor, her parents maintain she is of 22 years as per government documents. AS Mohammed Ismail, assistant commissioner of police, Santhoshnagar division said they are awaiting reports of the agedetermination test from the Osmania General Hospital. "Once we receive the report, we will initiate proper action on the Arab national," the ACP said. Hamoodi had reportedly taken shelter at the girl's house. Police said they had received the tipoff about Hamoodi after keeping vigil on select lodges and hotels in Moin Bagh at Santoshnagar where he had recently married another girl. The Arab national came to the city on a visiting visa, police said. The Arab Saga"Arabs nationals only prefer minor girls and virgins from the Old city. They pay huge amounts to the girl's parents with assistance from middlemen or religious clerics. Married wealthy sheikhs particularly from Gulf nations come to the city and stay in hotels. They contact middlemen who fix a safe place to introduce girls from poor families. In most cases, the middlemen take half the 'mehr' (bride price) given at the time of nikah," said Jameela Nishat, chief functionary of Women's Resource and Welfare Association. Her NGO organises camps to create awareness among parents and minor girls about the illegal activity.The whole system operates through a welloiled network involving political leaders, travel agents, hotel owners, middlemen and the qazi who marries off these minor girls. "The situation has improved a bit with minor girls opposing to follow the trend. Recently, a minor girl had escaped the clutches of an Arab national and informed local police. She was saved after police arrested an octogenarian who tried to marry her forcibly," Jameela added. The illegal activity of fixedterm matrimony is taking place in Baba Nagar, Barkas, Idi Bazaar, Sultan Shahi, Akaramnagar, Hasan Nagar, Sulthansahi, Narashamannagar areas of the Old City. But incidents come to light only when the Arab national offers less amount to the girl's parents than promised. According to a report, about 33 marriages between old sheikhs and young girls are conducted every month. "There will be no end of this crime until the government or police create a database of visiting Arab nationals and their departure details. We found that poverty, increasing dowry system and illiterate parents are the main reasons for this practice. Earlier, the Arabs reportedly took brides to their countries where the girls ended up becoming maids and were subjected to untold miseries. The practice stopped when Gulf nations restricted their citizens from bringing home a foreign bride unless they took prior permission from authorities. That is why Arab nationals now choose contract marriages," said Noorjahan, coordinator of Social Empowerment of Women and COVA Kasturba Gandhi Peace Centre.

By Mouli Mareedu

moulimareedu@gmail.com

Rail tracks near houses become death-zones

It was around 2.30 p.m on Sunday when 35-year-old Jagdish Naik was crossing the railway tracks holding hands of his two children, even as the gate closed for the local train coming from Khairatabad towards Lakdi-ka-pul. “It is easy to cross the tracks even after the gate closes as there is no one to stop us. A number of people do the same,” said Jagadish nonchalantly. Similar incidents take place at other places where the railway track passes near residential areas. The recent spate of deaths while crossing tracks has brought into focus the lack of measures to alert and stop pedestrians and commuters from indulging in the dangerous activity. According to railway police, Falaknuma in Kacheguda circle and Necklace road station are the most dangerous death spots. While there is no convincing reason as to how a person fails to take notice of an approaching train, statistics available with railway police show hundreds of people die every year while crossing tracks in the twin cities. 280 people have been killed this year itself. On Saturday itself three people died while crossing the tracks in three different areas. One of them was G Lakshmiah (62) a retired employee who was crossing the tracks after offering prayers to the Khairatabad Ganesh. “Even as the gate closes, no one is ready to wait for the train to pass. With the road leading to the Ganesh idol, heavy rush and congestion takes place at this place. Commuters are not hesitating to cross the tracks dangerously even as the train is approaching,” said a local merchant Rajaiah. He added police, Ganesh organisers and railway police should post security staff to alert devotees during the festive season.Dr M Kantha Rao, superintendent of police (Railways) said the problem is more in thickly populated areas close to railway tracks. “People are always in a hurry and feel they can cross the track anytime. We have identified various sensitive locations and written to the Railway authorities to set up safety measures near residential areas,” he said.Officials have identified various spots as ‘accident prone’. In Secunderabad circle, there are three tracks from Secunderabad to Medchal, Aler and Miryalaguda. In Kacheguda circle, it is from Kacheguda up to Kurnool and in Hyderabad circle from Hyderabad to Tandoor. 

By Mouli Mareedu

moulimareedu@gmail.com