The "Red Light Despatch", a newspaper by and for Indian prostitutes

New Delhi, Aug 2, 2007. - Challenging the exclusion of the red light district of Bombay, a group of former prostitutes meets every week in a brothel to discuss the stories that populate the pages of the newspaper that serves as a voice, "Red Light Despatch ".
The newspaper was born six months ago in the neighborhood of Kamathiputra, a center of nightlife in the financial capital of India, in order to "provide a platform of expression to prostitutes," he told Efe its editor, Anurag Chaturvedi former journalist.
"The Red Light is the voice of the voiceless and faceless women, because no one argues about the dreams, the agonies and the nostalgia of prostitutes, so we sought to link his memory and nostalgia, frustrated by violence and poverty" said Chaturvedi.
Just a modest eight-page melodrama without photos and black and white, the "Red Light" is published yet in English, Hindi and Bengali, and has transcended the borders of variegated Kamathiputra neighborhood.
"We came to Calcutta, Delhi, Mumbai and Bihar. Since no one takes their life, it was clear that prostitutes needed some type of platform. So we thought, why not make a newspaper by and for them? ", Said Chaturvedi.
In the "Red Light" there's room for evidence and personal stories, poems, health issues and human rights, but also produced and written texts by the Nobel Peace Prize Shirin Ebadi, appeared in a recent issue.
Despite its quality firms, the largest newspaper modest contribution lies in its ability actually to show the world a thousand stories of prostitutes, whom the Indian government, according to Chaturvedi, the public does not even recognize.
True to this idea, the "journalists" the newspaper meet every week in a brothel with red carpets Kamathiputra, an amalgam of old buildings in which prostitutes and their pimps, dressed in "saris" or tight Western clothes , loitering every day to earn a living.
"We collect the stories of women, and we come here," said a former prostitute, "Rita", told a television channel.
With the help of the NGO Apne Aap, fighting for the rights of women, prostitutes, gathered in small writing Kamathiputra, struggling with the keys-they can not read, have a help-common spirit: to prevent other women fall into the same trap that they fell.
"We must create awareness among women, among those who fall accidentally in the nets of those who draw from their villages with promises of work, and then throw them into this trade," he told Efe the group coordinator, Rupa Metgudd also from that world.
In India, with over two million sex workers, prostitution is in legal limbo and, although it is a taboo activity, there is even a tribe, the Bedia, in which the practice of sex for money is accepted as the woman's natural work.
In most cases, however, the street is only a last resort or a "kidnapping" in fact suffering poor girls who come to big cities and duped fall into the clutches of the underworld or succumb to the temptation of easy money.
"I realized too late that had been sold to a brothel, without turning back. (...) But it was the only way to feed my family, "he writes in one of the issues a prostitute called" Sita ", aided by a magazine writer.
In Kamathiputra, prostitutes have made ​​the "Red Light Despacht" and Spin thousand copies per issue a beacon of awareness and a mirror before you take off the makeup.
"It hurts when my youngest daughter refuses to talk me out of shame (...) Why do I always ashamed of what I do when society not ever be ashamed of what he did with me?" Concludes "Sita".

Sanjay Dutt, actor and gangster, mischievous and converted

New Delhi, July 31, 2007. - Sanjay Dutt, 48, sentenced today to six years imprisonment for illegal possession of weapons within the process for the attacks in Bombay in 1993, is one of the most popular actors of the Bollywood industry . And has one of the most turbulent past.
Born, like many other Indian stars today, within a dynasty dedicated to the film industry, Dutt was an early victim of his addiction to alcohol and drugs, which worsened with the death of his mother, Nargis Dutt, a victim of cancer.
Nargis died a few weeks before the premiere of the movie "Rocky," which marked the debut of Sanjay Dutt on the big screen with his father, Sunil.
The death of his mother fell to the actor in a spiral of drugs and dementia, but her father reacted by sending him to Texas to be rehabilitated.
In the U.S., the actor fell victim to a lung ailment, but thanks to this nurse met Richa Sharma, whom he married months later.
With Sharma had a daughter, Trishala, but happiness was short lived. The family was devastated by the news that the mother had a brain tumor that caused his death.
Despite the personal pain at the loss of his wife and the custody of his daughter's family litigated Sharma for the care of small-, Sanjay worked hard to relaunch his career and achieved the ultimate success with the movies " Saajan "(1992) and" Khalnayak "(1993), which was a villain.
And when his career seemed back on the path to success, occurred in March 1993, the terrible attacks in Mumbai, thirteen explosions at strategic points in the city that killed 257 people and wounding 1,000.
In another sign of Bollywood connections with the mafia, Dutt was arrested and jailed in connection with those attacks. Police learned that the gangsters had visited the home of actor and had given several AK-56 rifles, hand grenades and cartridges. Sanjay kept a rifle and other weapons returned.
The actor spent 18 months in jail, where he received massive support from industry and, on leaving, he married Rhea Pillai but the marriage was a failure and ended in divorce.
Despite the ups and downs of his personal life and its connection with the Bombay mafia, Sanjay's career was not only intact, but has grown over the years with several successes, based on his image of "male" (" Mission Kashmir "," LoC ") and then as a comedian.
The burly Dutt has greatly benefited in recent years with the series "Munna Bhai", in which the actor plays a Bombay gangster who has a heart of gold.
In the first of two films ("Munnabhai MBBS"), Munna, accompanied on screen by his father Sunil (who died shortly after) does take off his medical degree based copy and try to improve the world by giving hugs.
In the second ("Lage Raho Munnabhai"), voted in the most important forums of the Internet as one of the best comedies in world history, Munna-Dut thinks he sees the ghost of Gandhi, and guided by their advice, launches a Quixote to combat corruption and problems of modern India.
Dutt, who was acquitted in 2006 of the terrorism charges but convicted of trafficking in arms, tried to cultivate this image of "enfant terrible" converted during the trials for the Mumbai attacks, going to the temples before each session.
"Considering elements of this confession and taking into account what was said by another witness, Sanjay accepted the statement according to which acquired and maintained these weapons for their own defense," said the judge at the hearing.
The good-natured gangster image with its parallels in real life-has made ​​Sanjay Dutt an icon not only the public but also their colleagues.
But the best definition of Dutt is provided by a sticker of his years in college and now has in his car, which says: "Never give up."

Eight shot dead by police against a Communist demonstration

New Delhi, July 28, 2007. - A communist protest seeking a better distribution of land in the southeastern region of India Andhra caused at least eight killed when police opened fire on protesters.
The clashes took place in the town of Modigonda, about 250 kilometers from the regional capital, Hyderabad, and the dead is a woman and a child of eight years, while there are eight more wounded, of whom three are in state critical, india news agency IANS.
In a day of strike, activists blocked roads and railways in demand for land for the poor, and public services were suspended as a precautionary measure, according to another agency india, PTI.
But Modigonda, protests took a course violent when activists of the Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M), blocking a road, threw stones at a police vehicle, injuring two policemen.
In response to the stones, the police opened fire on protesters and a group of women who were sitting in the shade.
The local TV footage showed police firing automatic weapons on demonstrators, whose bodies were bloodied and lying on the floor, surrounded by a mob shouting for help.
The situation remained tense, as several activists of the CPI-M took the bodies of those killed and taken to the office of district officials, destroying furniture and files blinded by anger.
The activists claimed that police shootings occurred without provocation, and sought to kill innocent protestors.
In Hyderabad, the regional minister of Interior, K. Jana Reddy announced an investigation into the facts, and sent an Inspector General of Police to direct it.
"If a policeman is found guilty, we will take action," said Interior Minister was quoted by IANS.
Meanwhile, the head of the regional government, YS Rajasekhara Reddy, met urgently with the Director General of Police, to discuss the situation.
Andhra deaths occurred during the one-day strike called by two formations Communists to protest the violence used on Thursday by police against Communist activists in various parts of the region.
The shooting of the police have already generated a wave of criticism from the political forces in Andhra, where the main opposition party, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which supported the strike, branded the actions of the agents of "barbaric" and "inhumane."
For nearly three months left parties have asked the poor distribution of land and buildings government protests that have included even the land occupations.
Last Thursday, the manifestations of the communists caused violent riots against the police, an issue that has dominated the last parliamentary session of the Regional Assembly this Friday.
The regional government was in talks with the communist formations for handling protests, the dialogue was left unfinished last Friday, but was scheduled to be resumed today.
The regional secretary of the CPI, K. Narayana, and nine local leaders, who are on hunger strike for a week, were transferred today to a hospital because his health is deteriorating.
Riots in Andhra today largely resemble those recorded on 14 March in the Bengal region (northeast), where 14 people died and 40 others injured in clashes between police and thousands of farmers who were protesting because their lands were being expropriated.
Police then opened fire on the peasants, who had blocked roads and railways in the area to protest against the introduction of an exclusive economic zone that will serve to set up factories.

Legislators elect the next president with an Indian woman as favorite

New Delhi, July 19, 2007. - Almost 5,000 Indian legislators decide today who will be the thirteenth president, in elections characterized by the breakdown of traditional consensus between the major parties and in which a woman as a favorite part.
With tight security, the round of voting began at 10.00 pm (30.04 GMT) at the headquarters of the regional assemblies and the central Parliament, to elect a new president, a position more ceremonial but symbolically important .
Among the first to go to the polls was the prime minister, Manmohan Singh, who arrived grimly and calm to the parliament building in Delhi, where he made ​​a gesture with the fingers of victory to reporters, but without making statements, reported India news agency PTI.
The month of the campaign that preceded the appointment has been characterized by low blows between supporters of the government side and the main opposition group, who have devoted themselves to air the dirty laundry of the opponent ahead of a vote that has only its two candidates.
Although results will not be known until Saturday, most of the Indian media are committed to a victory for the government candidate, Pratibha Patil, 72 years and current governor of Rajasthan (West), who could become the first woman president of the History of India.
The Congress Party led by Sonia Gandhi, proposed to his parliamentary allies Patil's candidature at the last minute, after shuffling the names of the current Interior Minister Shivraj Patil and Foreign Pranab Mukherjee, unable to reach agreement.
The alternative candidate-championed by the main opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) - is the current Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, whose prospects depend on achieving the "crossover votes" of non-aligned members and dissidents government side.
The electoral system governing the presidential election mechanism responds to the single transferable vote, in which each voter has the option of voting by more than one candidate, but establishing a preference ordering, which together serve to determine who has more support.
The vote, secret, each voter -776 4,120 national and regional representatives, has a weighted based on the representativeness of the seats that each holds, with a total of 1,098,000 points.
According to an estimate released today by the television channel NDTV, Patil could collect 622,345 points, well above the absolute majority, while his rival would have insured 318,777 Shekhawat.
A priori Shekhawat hurts him the call to the abstention of the second largest opposition coalition, the Third Front, although several members of the group did not follow the recommendation and went to vote and at the opening of the polls.
The option preferred by the Third Front was the reappointment of the current president, the popular Muslim scientist Abdul Kalam, but he refused to attend after finding that neither the Congress nor the BJP gave him their support.
Instead, Congress chose the option of Patil, a lawyer from the Maharashtra region which merit, to his adversaries, is its fidelity to the saga of the Gandhis.
Upon designation as a candidate, Patil started receiving a trickle of allegations in court regarding the alleged support that he gave his brother in a murder case of financial irregularities and several of its projects.
A Patil has not helped the fact that he said during a speech that the veil came to India to protect women from the "invaders" Muslims, leading to different groups of this religion to demand its withdrawal.
Meanwhile, Shekhawat was criticized by supporters of the Congress Party as vice president for not stop after applying, in addition to suffering the return of an old ghost, a six-month suspension from his position as police for taking bribes in 1947.
The Indian President has been busy in recent mandates by members of "sensitive" sectors of India: the Muslim Kalam preceded the Dalit ("untouchable") and now Kocharan Naranayan Patil's victory would make her the first woman to head the Indian state.

Indian monkeys point to life in the big city

New Delhi, June 30, 2007. - The "beautiful" Indian middle class between worried and powerless attend to the birth of a new urban tribe that sneaks into offices and markets cryptic and does not hesitate to steal as it gets to them: the monkeys have been organized in the city.
The monkey menace has even reached India's upper house, where a senator denounced the existence of "battalions of monkeys" and even asserts that a group of these invaded your kitchen, amid the laughter of the representatives.
But the problem does not invite the laughter, according to experts, attracted by better living conditions and food, at least 50,000 monkeys might have migrated to cities of a country in full development, which is between 60 and 70 percent simian population of India.
"Many Monkeys prefer urban areas because they get easy and nutritious food," said Prabal Sarkar, an expert in macaques. "They are organized in large groups for safety reasons, and if half a provocation brutally attack people. Women and children are more susceptible because they show fear, "he added.
The urban tribe hairy plot to damage trees, uprooting plants, destroy electrical cables and stealing food to children, and to passers represent a threat whose bite means jumping 14 shots of healing.
Sometimes, the intrepid monkeys sneak into residential enclaves, offices and markets, where they attack people to get their food, but sometimes have even take the law into their own hands by invading and destroying court files.
"One day, when I got home, I found a group of monkeys organizing a feast. Jars had taken food from the kitchen and sat at the table enjoying the menu. What a party, "he told Efe that a housewife had to expel a broom.
Well fed and sheltered by the buildings, the monkeys have managed to adapt to the environment and reproduce very rapidly, which has led to rampant overpopulation problem that has led experts to ask for control measures.
But it is not easy, because first you have to hunt them: "Unlike other animals that are easily soothed, monkeys sit on the roofs or trees, and any attempt to drogarles is dangerous," says Sarkar.
The problem of the monkeys was unleashed two years ago the Ministry of Environment of New Delhi to order the transfer of macaques to the forests of neighboring regions.
Following this directive, the Department of Animal Life in Delhi last year captured some 250 individuals in the capital, and released them in the Palpur Kuno forest region of Madhya (middle). But after its "liberation" monkeys, urban and uprooted, began to vandalize the nearby villages.
Local officials reacted to this new urban threat to refuse to accept new batches of macaques, so these campaigns are still at home in New Delhi.
Monkeys take refuge in the capital's green areas of the city, waiting for the food-safe bananas, coconuts and mangoes, which will provide many devout Hindus, for whom the monkeys are living heirs of the god Hanuman.
In fact, the "battalion" of monkeys delhíes now has its best umbrella in a Hanuman statue 30 meters recently opened in the west of the city, a delight for children traveling on the subway without burying that runs right in front of the mouth of God.
That condition "divine" has spawned a small industry with places frequented by apes, where several merchants have installed positions of bananas, while other dealers, more savvy, amaestran the apes to dance and get tips or beg, before to take home by bicycle.
Despite the clear exploitation, the dancing monkeys do not averse to work: outside concerns for and happy with their misdeeds and gestures almost human, monkeys Indians have adapted to the daily life of the cities even in what regards overcrowding and noise.
Finally, after all, live in the city has its drawbacks

The most awaited Indian movie madness unleashed in the audience

New Delhi, June 15, 2007. - Thousands of Indians await the release today fury of the film "Sivaji The Boss" ("Sivaji the boss"), sold-out for the next twenty days and the staunchest supporters of the protagonist praying in front of street posters.
"The story is about the fight against black money circulation and director Shankar has done a great job" as the main star of the film, Rajnikant, a real institution in southern India.
The world premiere will take place in approximately 2,900 theaters and, judging by the queues of spectators in the last days and the launches of firecrackers in the streets, the film was born and played with success.
After a shoot that lasted 19 months, "Sivaji" has every chance to become the most expensive Indian film ever, with an estimated cost of 80 billion rupees (nearly one and half million euros).
But what has made ​​the film a social phenomenon even before his "birth" is waiting for fans of Rajnikant, who organized from sweet deals to processions and "bids" (masses) in his honor to celebrate the release of the film.
"Today is a holiday for us because of our new film 'Thalaivar' (leader) comes to the screen after two years without releases," said a member of his fan club told the India news agency PTI.
Rajnikant with posters all over southern India, hundreds of young people gathered for days in line at the movies, made ​​offerings of milk before the images of the actor and broke coconuts to summon good luck and out of the film to "the forces of evil," the Indian agency PTI.
Perhaps carried away by the popularity of the actor, the principal political leaders of Tamil Nadu were quick to announce that it will "Sivaji" or, as the head of regional government, M. Karunanidhi, signed up yesterday to preview and "appreciated" the movie.
The commitment of politicians is partly because the myth surrounding Rajnikant gets to the point that his previous film, "Chandramukhi", has 800 days in cinemas, a record in the history of Tamil cinema.
For now, the unstoppable phenomenon "Sivaji" has transcended and southern India, where his feud with the actor and Tamil cinema, and has come to the city of Bombay, home of "Bollywood", where fans have concentrations caused the first jams.
To escape controversy, Rajnikant said yesterday that there is no comparison between him and most respected actor of Bollywood, Amitabh Bachchan veteran. "I am the king but Amitabh is an emperor," said the mustachioed star.
In Bombay, territory "Bachchan", fans have begun to celebrate the release throwing firecrackers, beating drums and carrying an image of the film in procession to a temple of the god Ram, where they planned to perform a "puja".
The premiere of "Chandramukhi" more than two years and was greeted with fireworks and set off the frenzy inside the theaters of Chennai (formerly Madras), with the audience screaming, clapping and, in some cases, waving, torso naked t-shirts standing on their seats.
"The new movie has comedy, action, romance, style and everything in a balanced ratio, and the music is simply outstanding and the musical arrangements are divine", stated in an internet forum that was a privileged opportunity to see a preview (for about 20 euros).
Before the project announced in 2008 a movie with actor transformed into a three-dimensional animated character, today at 17.00 pm local time (11.30 GMT), it appears that the hysteria unleashed in India Rajnikant will be repeated .

How to beat the heat when the thermometer touches the 50

New Delhi, June 14, 2007. - Put half a watermelon on his head, remove the umbrella of the street or throw cold water on the hair turban to acclimatize are some of the emergency measures which have used the Indians to fight these days from the elements in midsummer.
With temperatures during the week have even surpassed 50 degrees Celsius in the hottest spots in the country, the Indians have had to perform an exercise in stoicism to withstand the wrath of the sun and the frequent power outages that paralyzed the fans.
"We had the best sales of the story, but not only by the heat wave, but because more people have more money," said Efe Karamjeet Singh, a seller of air conditioners in the capital.
The energy crisis India is not an obstacle to more affluent families resort to massive use of devices to beat the heat, until a power outage and then everyone, rich and poor, are equally exposed to the summer .
In New Delhi, where apartments are more expensive plants and low-darker-protected, most citizens have to resort to the classic advice to drink plenty of water, eating cold food, stay home and avoid the sun and great efforts.
But among those who still have to work or live outdoors, the heat wave has brought priceless images, like a pair of half a watermelon vendors using a hat, a civilian taking a dip with his elephant or women who take the umbrella the street against the light rain.
The umbrella is a good ally of housewives: protects the head from the sun, but also serves to help the skin to darken, in a country where pale shades are so valued that many mention its light color in ads marriage as an inducement for a future partner.
"I have no heat. Echo cold water inside the turban before going out so refreshed me, "said Efe a long-haired student of Sikh religion, whose devotees can not get a haircut in his life.
In fact, the activity of the streets of New Delhi shows very clearly that the Indian citizen lives so naturally with the heat that many do not even wear jeans tight waive or corduroys, albeit with a good dose of deodorant against sweat.
"Sometimes it seems that people do not sweat, but that's because many are outdoors all day, are accustomed to," said Efe an office in the capital.
Despite the impression that everything is ticking, the latest flick of a heat wave, with highs of 45 degrees Celsius in Delhi and over 50 in Rajasthan, has left hundreds of people admitted for dizziness and viruses and more than two hundred dead, including seven prisoners from a prison in the capital who died of dehydration.
With a semi-arid climate in the air of New Delhi, known as "loo", float huge amounts of dust particles that prevent significant temperature drops at night: why dogs, seeking to avoid the hot asphalt, lie on the body of a car.
As hundreds of children challenged with dips Yamuna river pollution and the poor eat almost exclusively a cheap bread to stay fresh onion, and commend the delhíes is the arrival of the monsoon expected in the capital for the next day 29.
During the rainy season, which comes first for the south and then gradually moves north India is full of moisture-and flood-and umbrellas continue in the streets with the same heat, but not wet.

The Taj Mahal, a treasure threatened by the dust

New Delhi, 20 may 2007. - The white marble Taj Mahal, one of the world's most beautiful monuments and a symbol of India, is in danger due to pollution and little threat: floating dust particles that erode their surface, according to a parliamentary committee.
Other than his harmony, the mausoleum located in Agra city (central India), is known for its color changes depending on the light that is reflected in its richly ornamented panels.
“Durante la estación cálida, el mármol del monumento parece que tuviera ictericia, pero tras las lluvias recupera su blanco centelleante”, dijo el historiador R. Nath en declaraciones a la agencia india IANS.
De hecho, cualquier turista con tiempo para contemplar el monumento durante un día podrá apreciar los tonos rosados del amanecer, los amarillísimos cuando el sol alcanza las doce en el reloj, y el pálido azul que precede a la caída de la noche.
Pero ahora, las partículas de polvo han puesto el Taj Mahal “demasiado” amarillo, según un comité parlamentario encabezado por el comunista Sitaram Yechury, que ha expresado su “profunda preocupación” por el monumento y ha pedido “medidas urgentes” para remediar la situación.
La autoridad patrimonial india, el ASI, y otras agencias encargadas de vigilar la polución en el área del Taj están de acuerdo en que el nivel de partículas flotantes de polvo es demasiado alto, lo cual podría afectar a la superficie del blanco monumento.
El lecho del cercano río Yamuna, que pierde gran parte de su caudal durante la estación cálida, deja escapar una cantidad de polvo suficiente como para llenar el mármol de pequeñas cicatrices.
Y además, este problema es agravado por las cada vez mayores cantidades de polvo que llegan del cercano desierto del Rajastán.
La arena rajastaní, arrastrada por el poderoso viento del desierto, solía detenerse ante la barrera natural de los montes Aravali, pero ahora, según denuncian algunos ecologistas locales, la masiva actividad minera ha creado enormes huecos por los que penetra el polvo hacia Agra y los distritos cercanos.
En 1993, el Tribunal Supremo había emitido una orden al departamento forestal de la región, Utar Pradesh, para plantar un corredor de árboles en el límite oeste de la ciudad y crear así un filtro verde, pero no hay nada en marcha debido a la falta de recursos.
En todo caso, por el momento el ASI cree que el Taj Mahal, enfermo o no, se encuentra bien cuidado y no amarillea, una opinión que comparten los guías y agencias de viaje locales.
“Si el Taj Mahal aparece amarillento después del mediodía, se debe a las condiciones climáticas ya la edad de la estructura. El mármol es una piedra delicada”, dijo, en declaraciones a IANS, un guía junto al monumento.
Los científicos del ASI, que supervisan cíclicamente la salud del monumento, creen que la tonalidad amarilla no refleja su verdadera situación, ya que por el momento, no se han detectado “señales de alarma”, según un investigador.
Pese a la opinión de expertos e historiadores, la comisión parlamentaria, entre otras medidas, ha recomendado aplicar arcilla sobre la fachada del mausoleo, con el fin de disimular la suciedad.
“Un salón de belleza, con lavado de cara y mascarilla de barro, no es la solución definitiva para el Taj Mahal. El verdadero problema es el seco río Yamuna. Si queréis salvar el Taj Mahal para la posteridad, entonces verted agua en el río”, concluye Nath.
El Taj Mahal fue construido entre 1632 y 1648 por el emperador mogol Sha Jahan, en honor de su esposa favorita, Mumtaz Mahan, quien falleció al dar a luz.
Apresado en una fortaleza cercana, Jahan pasó el resto de sus días contemplando la belleza inmaculada del mausoleo, en el que trabajaron 20.000 obreros, hasta que, ya a su muerte, sus restos fueron depositados junto a Mumtaz en el interior.
Ya siglos después, elevado su blanco bajo la inmensidad del cielo azul, el monumento lucha por no ceder al polvo, quizá porque, como dijo el escritor Rabindranath Tagore, el Taj es apenas “una lágrima en la mejilla del tiempo”.

Hyderabad, en calma tensa tras atentado en mezquita y brutalidad policial

Nueva Delhi, 19 may 2007.- La ciudad sureña india de Hyderabad amaneció hoy con un clima de tensa calma tras el atentado registrado este viernes en una mezquita y después de saber que algunos de los 16 muertos fallecieron por disparos de la Policía.
“Once personas murieron en la explosión dentro de la mezquita durante las oraciones, y cinco fallecieron bajo fuego policial en la ciudad vieja tras el atentado”, dijo hoy el gobernador de la región de Andhra Pradesh, YS Reddy, en declaraciones citadas por la agencia india PTI.
En Hyderabad, las tiendas permanecieron cerradas y los exámenes públicos fueron pospuestos, tras una huelga convocada en protesta no por la explosión de la bomba, sino por la brutalidad policial.
El atentado se produjo en el interior de la Mezquita Macca, una de las más grandes y antiguas de la India, cuando miles de devotos se disponían a efectuar las preceptivas oraciones del viernes, en torno a la una y media de la tarde.
En la mezquita había cuatro bombas ocultas en fiambreras, aunque finalmente sólo una de ellas estalló, mientras que las otras fueron desactivadas posteriormente por la Policía.
La explosión desató el pánico entre los devotos, quienes huyeron en estampida y, ya fuera del centro religioso, se manifestaron violentamente en la ciudad vieja contra las fuerzas de seguridad, que reprimieron a tiros y con material antidisturbios las protestas.
Mientras esto sucedía, los muertos y heridos -estos últimos 61 en total- fueron trasladados a un hospital cercano, en el que un examen posterior reveló que algunos de ellos presentaban heridas de bala, informó el canal de televisión NDTV.
El gobernador regional, que había reconocido en un comunicado previo la muerte de “dos o tres personas” debido a la actuación policial, se disculpó más tarde por la acción de la Policía, asegurando que pedirá una investigación “si los hechos lo requieren”.
Reddy, que se hallaba en Nueva Delhi cuando ocurrió el atentado, adelantó su regreso a Hyderabad tras tener noticia de lo sucedido y hoy visitó el lugar del atentado, donde aprovechó para anunciar compensaciones para las familias de las víctimas y pedir calma.
El anuncio de Reddy se produce tras las primeras averiguaciones de la Policía, que anunció hoy el hallazgo de la tarjeta de un teléfono móvil junto a uno de los artefactos sin estallar.
Con esa tarjeta, que pertenece supuestamente a un miembro del grupo terrorista islámico “Harkat-ul-Jihad” (HUJI), los investigadores aseguran ahora que existe una conexión directa entre el atentado de este viernes y las explosiones que tuvieron lugar en la ciudad de Malegaon (oeste) el 8 de septiembre de 2006.
En esa ocasión, dos bombas colocadas cerca de una mezquita, también en día de oración, causaron la muerte de 31 personas en una localidad que ya había sufrido graves conflictos religiosos en el pasado.
“Es un atentado terrorista que busca provocar enfrentamientos entre las distintas comunidades religiosas de la India”, afirmó hoy en Hyderabad el ministro de Interior, Shivraj Patil, quien visitó hoy junto a Reddy la mezquita.
La Mezquita Mecca, aparte de uno de los centros islámicos más grandes y antiguos de toda la India, es considerada sagrada por los devotos de esta religión en Hyderabad, capital de la región de Andhra Pradesh, donde los musulmanes suponen el 10 por ciento de la población.
Las autoridades han anunciado ya una ayuda de unos 9.000 euros, una casa y un trabajo gubernamental para cada una de las familias de los fallecidos, incluidas las de los muertos en los disparos de la Policía.
En Hyderabad, mientras, la búsqueda del pequeño de 10 años Salman, que desapareció tras la explosión en la mezquita, concluyó hoy con un final feliz tras un día de incertidumbre: el niño estaba solo -y herido leve- en otro hospital.

Principales ciudades en alerta tras explosión en mezquita con siete muertos

Nueva Delhi, 18 may 2007.- Las autoridades de la India declararon hoy el estado de alerta en las principales ciudades del país, después del atentado que ha acabado con la vida de siete personas en una concurrida mezquita de Hyderabad (sur) en la que estalló una bomba mientras rezaban miles de fieles.
El explosivo, “poco sofisticado” y que estaba guardado en una fiambrera, según la Policía, fue detonado con un teléfono móvil a las 13.25 hora local (07.55 GMT) en la Mezquita Mecca de Hyderabad.
Como consecuencia de la explosión fallecieron siete personas y otras 35 resultaron heridas.
Tras desplazarse a la zona, las fuerzas de seguridad hallaron otros dos artefactos sin estallar, que fueron desactivados.
“Parece tratarse de un acto terrorista”, dijo el ministro indio de Interior, Shivraj Patil.
En el interior de la mezquita se encontraban unos 10.000 fieles, en pleno día de oración, que huyeron presa del pánico al oír la detonación, mientras los heridos eran trasladados al hospital Osmania para recibir cuidados.
La Policía acordonó posteriormente el área, donde fue desplegado un Batallón de Acción Rápida para intentar controlar con material antidisturbios las protestas de varios cientos de devotos musulmanes que arrojaron piedras a las fuerzas de seguridad.
La Mezquita Mecca, aparte de uno de los centros islámicos más grandes y antiguos de toda la India, es considerada sagrada por los devotos de esta religión en Hyderabad, capital del Estado de Andhra Pradesh, donde los musulmanes suponen el 10 por ciento de la población.
Pese a que la Policía no ha revelado aún ningún detalle sobre la autoría, el atentado ha despertado los fantasmas de los conflictos religiosos que sufre el país de cuando en cuando, de ahí que las autoridades se hayan apresurado a declarar el estado de alerta en las principales ciudades poco después de la explosión.
En Bombay (oeste de la India), grupos de manifestantes apedrearon varios autobuses, aunque la Policía local aseguró que la situación estaba bajo control, mientras que en la capital del país, Nueva Delhi, las autoridades reforzaron la seguridad en las instituciones religiosas, las estaciones de tren y de metro, las terminales de autobuses y los centros comerciales.
“Se ha declarado un nivel de alerta alto a raíz de lo sucedido en la Mezquita Mecca. La Policía se mantiene en vigilancia constante”, declaró una fuente policial de Calcuta (este), citada por la agencia india PTI.
Las fuerzas de seguridad tampoco han hecho pública ninguna teoría sobre el móvil del atentado, aunque la India ya ha sufrido acciones muy similares en el pasado, como el que se produjo en la localidad occidental de Malegaon el 8 de septiembre de 2006.
En esa ocasión, dos bombas colocadas cerca de una mezquita, también en día de oración, causaron la muerte de 31 personas en una localidad que ya había sufrido graves conflictos religiosos en el pasado.
Pero, además, la explosión de hoy se ha producido el mismo día que el Tribunal especial encargado de juzgar los sangrientos atentados de Bombay de hace 14 años tenía que comenzar a dictar las primeras condenas.
La masacre de Bombay, en la que murieron 257 personas, se produjo el 12 de marzo de 1993, cuando trece bombas estallaron en cadena en unos trenes de cercanías como supuesta venganza de un grupo musulmán por los miles de muertos a manos de extremistas hindúes en los disturbios que siguieron a la demolición de una antigua mezquita.
A falta de una versión definitiva, el gobernador de Andhra Pradesh, YS Rajshekhar Reddy, que se encontraba de visita en Nueva Delhi, viaja ya de vuelta a Hyderabad.
“En los últimos dos meses y medio, habíamos recibido alguna información de que algunos elementos 'antisociales' estaban intentando romper la paz. Tomamos todas las medidas, pero aun así estas cosas pasan”, dijo Reddy a la prensa.

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