Sheekha Bureau

Port Blair, Nov16: The Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lt. General AK Singh (Retd) today urged media persons to practice balanced and factual reporting. He said balance is crucial for a healthy society and the local media should refrain from pushing personal agenda through the media

Addressing the National Press Day celebration at Megapode Nest Resort here this afternoon the Lt. Governor said that cartoons and caricatures are a strong medium to express opinions but the medium should be used to convey issues not personalities. Journalism is a difficult vocation but crucial for a democracy that depends in an informed citizenry. As such, the local media should focus on objective and factual reporting to present the true picture of the government to the masses, he said.
The Lt. Governor also announced a series of welfare schemes on the occasion. Instructions were issued to the Secretary, Information and Publicity to constitute Committee in consultation with the Member of Parliament, members from the local media to review the provisions of the Press Correspondents Rules 1996 in the context of these islands for granting Accreditation to Working Journalists of these islands and dead-line of Jan 10, 2016 was set for the purpose. The Lt. Governor announced resumption of the exposure tours to mainland for the local media. Media trips to inter-islands will be conducted every month from December this year and the Administration will make all necessary for the tours, the LG announced.
The Lt. Governor also announced 25% concession to local journalists in all Andaman and Nicobar Bhawans and APWD-run Guest Houses in these islands. The Secretary, Information and Publicity, was made the official Spokesperson of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, besides announcing resumption of monthly media briefings by various Departments of the Administration. The Lt. Governor declared that the advertisement rates of the administration will be revised based on the inflation index immediately after March 2016 and announced a scheme for distribution of free Laptops to all newspapers and magazines of these islands to be implemented in a phased manner in the next two years.
National Press Day marks the constitution of the Press Club of India as a moral watch dog to ensure that media houses are not fettered by external influences as also to maintain high standards of the medium. The media has the right to express its opinion in public interest but pushing personal agenda is a dangerous trend. The true essence of the media is balanced, objective and factual reporting as it helps develop a healthy society, noted the Lt. Governor.
The Member of Parliament, Mr Bishnu Pada Ray, Chief Secretary, Mr Anand Prakash, Director General of Police, Mr Rajesh Malik, Secretary to LG, Mr SN Mishra and several senior bureaucrats of the administration participated in the celebration.
The Member of Parliament, Mr Bishnu Pada Ray urged the Administration to formulate welfare schemes for the local journalists particularly Accreditation of Working Journalists, quarterly media tours to different islands in the archipelago, check on mainland-based newspapers which venture into the islands for the sake of DAVP advertisements. The Chief Secretary, Mr Anand Prakash also spoke on the occasion.
Earlier, the Director of Information and Publicity, Mr MN Murali welcomed the gathering. The Hindi Translator, Mr Jai Nair proposed the vote of thanks.
An interaction session was held from 11.20 am in which journalists, Mr NKP Nair of Dweepon Ki Awaz, Mr AR Biswas of News Spot Light, Ms Tabassum Nisha of The Andaman Express, Mr Karaikalavan, Andaman Murasu, Ms Mary Pee, The Daily Telegrams, Mr SP Ellango, Aspect, Mr Sanjib Kumar Roy of Andaman Sheekha and Mr Denis Giles of Andaman Chronicle presented their views on the theme of the celebration ‘Impact and import of Cartooning and Caricature as a Medium of Expression of Opinion’.

Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, Nov 13: The Andaman and Nicobar police has started the process to repatriate two Bangladeshi Nationals, who were caught from Diglipur Islands recently.
Father Son duo, Mr. Pulin Baroi and Pijush Baroi were caught from Diglipur Islands recently, when the police received a complaint regarding their backgrounds, with Bangladesh connections.
Meanwhile, while talking to Andaman Sheekha and Channel One News, the Superintendent of Police, CID Mr. Atmaram Deshpande, IPS today said that the Andaman and Nicobar Police is always alert in this issue and in case of any credible information the police takes immediate steps in investigation.
He also said that the repatriation process for these two Bangladeshi Nationals has already been started by police.
The Superintendent of Police requested people of these Islands to come forward and report to nearest police station, if they have any such credible information of Bangladeshi or any other foreign National living in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, illegally.
This is not the first time when Bangladeshi Nationals were arrested from Andaman, people believe that even today thousands of Bangladeshi Nationals are living in Andaman illegally but it becomes extremely difficult to catch hold of such persons because of the genuine Indian documents based on fake certificates etc they make from West Bengal and other states. In this case the documents were procured from Nadia district of West Bengal.

Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, November 13: An Oil Tanker of “Sheikh Farooq Trading Company” overturned on 9th of November at Beach Dera. The tanker lost nearly 5600 litres of Diesel in it.
As per reports, the incident took place at 10:30 pm at Beach Dera nearly 5kms from Ferrargunj when the driver of the truck was trying to negotiate with a herd of cow on the narrow road. According to the owner of the company due to slippery road because of rains, the driver lost control and the truck overturned. Luckily no one was injured in the accident.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha owner of Sheikh Farooq Trading Company, Mr Sheikh Farooq clarified that the driver had no fault and he was not under influence of liquor. “He is a very senior driver of our company,” he said.
“I humbly request the administration to broaden the road as it’s a National Highway NH4 but it looks like a CC Footpath, any future loss will be reimbursed but life cannot,” Mr Farooq added.

DJ Venkatesh
Diglipur, 13 Nov: An attempt to murder case has been registered today at PS Diglipur after one person attacked his brother with a machete.
According to details three brothers living in R K Gram of Diglipur, Mr. Sukharanjan Halder, Mr. Gopal Halder and Mr. Nepal Halder were under heavy influence of liquor last night.
At night Mr. Gopal Halder, the middle brother went to the house of younger brother and asked for dinner plate to have dinner but soon he indulged in an argument with the younger brother over dinner plate.
In the mean time the elder brother Mr. Sukharanjan Halder, 58 years came out of his house and warned them to keep quiet but soon he also indulged in the argument.
Out of anger Mr. Sukharanjan Halder brought out a Dah (Machete) and attacked Mr. Gopal Halder.
Gopal sustained grievous injuries on his head and soon he was rushed to CHC Diglipur. He was later airlifted by Pawan Hans Helicopter this morning and brought to G B Pant Hospital for specialized treatment.
Meanwhile, after receiving complaint the accused was caught by the police and he was produced before the court this morning at Mayabunder. The PS Diglipur registered a case of attempt to murder and further investigation is going on.

Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, Nov 12: The Ministry of Defence will embark on measures to enhance the operational capacity and capability of the tri-services Command of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Speaking to journalists at BJP Bhawan on Thursday, Mr Manohar Parrikar, Defence Minister of India said that proper security in all the islands of the strategically located Andaman and Nicobar Islands is crucial for the security of these islands and the Defence Ministry is mulling over deployment of Frigates and Defence Warships in the Andaman and Nicobar Command.
“After taking over the charge of the Defence Ministry, I have been touring all Defence establishments in the country and the visit to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is aimed at obtaining first-hand information about the Andaman and Nicobar chain of islands. I’ve had meetings with the Lt. Governor, Member of Parliament and the Chief Secretary to review the concerns here and will take up the issues with the concerned Ministries for their early redressal,” he said.
The Defence Ministry is keen on expanding the airstrips at Shipur, Diglipur in North Andaman and Campbell Bay to enable landing of larger defence aircrafts.
While augmentation of defence infrastructure will be taken up on priority, preservation of the islands rich forest and marine wealth will be ensured.
Expansion of defence establishments will also be a boon for the civilian population as landing of passenger aircrafts in the remote islands will ease travel woes to a great extent.
Besides, the move will also boost the tourism industry significantly and increase tourist footfalls substantially in the years to come, said the Defence Minister.

Muralidharan Pillai

Mayabunder, Nov 12: The prime Suspect of Mayabunder woman’s skeleton recovery case, a 65 years old man, has committed suicide at his residence at R.K.Gram, Diglipur on 10th November 2015.

According to reports Mr. Narayan Chandra Halder, a resident of R K Gram of Diglipur had received a call from Mayabunder Police Station in relation to the case of recovery of skeleton of Late Bimala Beperi, a woman from from Laltikerry village of Tugapur area, Mayabunder.

Sources said that the man committed suicide the day he received a call from PS Mayabunder requesting him to contact SHO Mayabunder Police Station.

Earlier, the Andaman and Nicobar Police had registered a case following recovery of some pieces of Skeleton of a woman from from Laltikerry village of Tugapur.

According to details, recently during construction of a building in the area, construction workers found some pieces of skeleton from the land.

When police was intimated about the incident a team of police department carried out digging works after which only some parts of the skeleton and pieces of cloths, chain as well as bangles were found.

According to Police Department initial investigation reveals that the land belongs to one Ajit Kumar Biswas a resident of Mayabunder, who had purchased the land just 18 months back.

Sources in Police Department on the condition of anonymity said that the department suspects that the bones may belong to Mrs. Bimala Beperi, who is missing from the area since 2002.

According to police Mrs. Bimala Beperi used to live with a man Mr. Narayan Chandra Halder, who was arrested in 2009 for murdering a woman, living in neighborhood for witchcraft.

65 years old Narayan Chandra Halder was later acquitted from the case due to lack of evidence, it is reported.

Diglipur, Nov 12: A well known businessman of Diglipur Islands Mr. Pulin Baroi has been arrested by Andaman and Nicobar police after a case was registered against him for being Bangalideshi National and entering India illegally.

Sources told Andaman Sheekha that the complaint has been registered by one of his close relatives after a major argument of nationality. The argument however ended up in Police Station, where he was arrested.

It is alleged that Mr. Pulin Baroi had entered India with the help of an agent nearly 20 years back after paying a huge amount. After staying at Kolkata for some years, he reached Diglipur via Port Blair.

At Diglipur he started a carpenter shop in name of Pulin Furniture and after some years he opened a steel almirah shop and a bakery.

It has been learnt that the accused is having RCC buildings are Sitanagar and Diglipur area of North Andaman.

Sources also told that Mr. Pulin Baroi was already married in Bangladesh, where he had a son, Pijush Baroi, who reached in the same way to Diglipur from Bangladesh in 2012. Later he also married a girl from the area.

As per reports both have been arrested by Police and were brought to Port Blair for joint interrogation. Highly placed sourced told Andaman Sheekha that during joint interrogation he has allegedly accepted of being a Bagladeshi National.

It is learnt that after producing him to court, both were sent to Judicial Custody.

This is an well known fact that a large number of Bangladeshi Nationals have already entered Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with the help of fake documents issued by authorities in West Bengal. Sadly in Andaman too they get support of local politicians in getting Aadhar Card and Islanders Card illegally.