STRAY TIGER KILLS AND EAT UP A MAOIST IN JHARKHAND

Ranchi: A stray tiger has killed and eaten up a dreaded Maoist in Jharkhand’s jungles. The incident is suspected to have occurred in Bundu forests, some 40km from here.

The incident suggests that there are more than six tigers in Jharkhand who the forest department thinks live in Palamau Tiger Reserve, a 1000 sq km area.

A handwritten letter of dreaded Maoist Kundan Pahan, who features in the Union Home Ministry’s wanted list and is the commander of South Chhotanagpur Zonal Committee, has confirmed the development.

In the 150-odd words letter, which is addressed to a Maoist Pragti Da, Kundan Pahan has deeply regretted the loss of the aide (Maoist).

“A friend was killed and eaten by a tiger recently. It is a huge loss and a cause of great concern. I am just briefing you about the incident. I will tell you more when we meet,” the letter read.

The letter (a copy of which is with TOI) was seized from a guerrilla Ram Mohan Singh Munda, a close aide of Pahan. Munda was arrested from Tamar block on Saturday.

In the letter Pahan has asked Pragti Da to felicitate the organisation of training camps in the jungles of Ulidih in Ranchi and in Khuti districts. The camps are to be organised on June 30 and November 15 respectively.

Ranchi SSP Saket Kumar Singh said, “The guerrillas and the tigers become dependent on few ponds for water in summer because many ponds naturally dry up. The Maoist (who was eaten up by the tiger) may have been caught unawares and fallen pray.”

Ranchi SP (rural) A V Minz, who has led several anti-guerrilla operations, said, “The guerrillas generally live near water bodies in summer because it is easy for them to cool off in the heat.”

A senior IPS said that in summer guerrillas restrict their movements and prefer to remain static at a place for long. “As summer days are exhausting for the guerrillas they feel sleepier. In deep jungles, especially when they feel relaxed, the guerrillas keep their arms in camps or hang them in trees. This Maoist (killed by the tiger) may have been caught by the tiger in a similar condition,” the IPS added.

National Tiger Conservation Authority member (monitoring wing) and Jharkhand’s tiger man D S Srivastava said that tigers prefer to wander during summer.

“Apart from the Palamau Tiger Reserve area, tigers have been wandering throughout Jharkhand. Tigers have been sighted in Hazaribagh, Latehar, and and Koderma as well,” said Srivastava.

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FARMER’S SON TO WORK WITH INDIA’S ‘MISSILE WOMAN’

Ranchi: A farmer’s son Vivek Kumar, who lived in extreme poverty and cracked IIT-JEE in 2008, will now work on missile research with the ‘Missile Woman of India’ Tessy Thomas.

Vivek Kumar, 21, has been appointed scientist at Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in January (2012). The boy had joined IIT Roorkee as an aspiring mechanical engineer. 

During his training as a scientist Vivek, son of a poor farmer Umesh Prasad, will be working on missile research, fighter aircraft, artificial intelligence, combat vehicles, radar system etc. The training will start in August when Vivek will get the chance to work with Tessy Thomas.

Vivek’s father earns (according to his income certificate available with TOI) Rs 25,000 from his agriculture activities and Rs 50,000 from other sources annually.

“When I was busy in studies, my father was busy selling ancestral lands to support my education. I suffered a lot when I was young, my parents are still suffering,” said 21-year-old Vivek. Now Vivek’s father hardly has any land left to sell.

“I don’t care that I have nothing. Education of my son is my property which is imperishable,” said Umesh Prasad, who himself could not get much formal education because of money (educated till intermediate).

Vivek’s happiness knew no limits when DRDO announced his selection in February (2012). “I was the only one to be selected out of 550 students from IIT Roorkee,” said Vivek.

But the happier he got the more Vivek cried. “I still remember authorities at Surendranath Centenary School Ranchi calling me out of the assembly line for fees,” Vivek said.

Ultimately Vivek’s mother Meena Devi, a standard VI educated lady, sold her jewelleries to support education of Vivek, his elder brother Abhishek Kumar, and two daughters Deepati and Nandita. The family, which hails from Bihar’s Gaya district, live in a rented house in Ranchi. But Vivek's father is still engaged in farmig in Gaya. 

A topper at Bangalore Military School Vivek completed his class VI to IX education free of cost. The boy did his internship last year at Novosibirsk State Technical University, Russia and also got a research paper published in Russia after which he was offered 100% scholarship for a Ph.D programme.

The 16-week training of the boy will start in August at Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune. ARDE is the training centre of DRDO.

On the basis of subject-wise overall merit of marks secured by him, Vivek has also been recommended (a copy of the appointment letter is with TOI) for a scientist position at Aeronautical Development Agency (Bangalore) that develops India’s light combat aircraft programme.

“I am excited that I will work with the missile lady of India. I will devote my body and mind in the training programme. Because on the basis of my performance in training, I will be allotted the desired departments,” said Vivek.


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A “PHOTO-COPY” OF AMITABH BACHCHAN HAS PEOPLE AMAZED

Ranchi: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan is in Ranchi or so believe the rural folks here. People are flocking to the house where he is staying, commuters stop by when he moves on roads to have a glimpse of him and TV channels are after him for interviews. But this is not Big B. It is Amit Khan, a lookalike of the superstar.

Peace Party candidate for the Hatia assembly byelection Arshad Ayukh has invited Amit Khan to campaign for him. The election is scheduled for June 12.

Amit delivers the superstar's popular dialogues like "Tumhara Naam Kya hai Basanti" from Sholey and "Abey Bbuddah Hoga Tera Baap" from Buddah Hoga Tera Baap among dozens of films in exactly the same deep voice as Big B's.

The 52-year-old, who also sports a white French-cut beard like the superstar, had taken commandos outside Big B's Juhu house Pratiksha by surprise in June 2010. As soon as Big B had left his house, Amit Khan arrived to meet him (Big B) and the incident surprised the Bachchans' guards too.

When Amit had landed at Mumbai railway station, hundreds of Big B fans flocked to him and he had a tough time convincing them. He was offered VVIP treatment when he visited a shop in Mumbai to buy some clothes.

"No one in the crowd was ready to believe that I am not the original Big B. Several fans took my autograph and got photographed with me," said Amit whose earlier name was Sajid Khan.
Father of two daughters and a son, Amit has been looking like Bachchan from his childhood. "But the resemblance has grown after my beard grew white and I started keeping French-cut," said Amit who is 6-foot tall while Big B is 6.2-foot.

Girls, too, are infatuated with him as they feel they are with Bachchan. "A young girl of the age of my daughter was madly after me in Jamshedpur. I had a difficult time convincing her," said Amit.
A native of Daltonganj, Amit is is a businessman in Jamshedpur.

During his campaign, Amit draws hundreds of people towards him. "I had seen you only in films. It is my good fortune that I am seeing you in person. You are our God," Big B fans tell him. Earlier Amit Khan has campaigned for the JMM in Jamshedpur.

Amit, who has worked on his voice and look to resemble the legendry actor, has seen almost all movies of Bachchan and is himself Big B's die-hard fan. But unfortunately, he has not been able to meet Bachchan more than once when he caught him at Allahabad in 1984. Amit Khan has visited Big B's house in Juhu thrice but to no avail.

Now films are also coming his way. "A Bhojpuri movie 'Tu Hau Hammar' will be released in June while two more are on the anvil.


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