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TOI : PUNE: The crime branch claimed to have made the biggest-ever seizure of firearms in the city following the arrest of eight members of the Rakesh Bharne gang, including the son of a policeman, at Maangaon-Hinjewadi road on Sunday. Twelve firearms (five pistols, two revolvers and five country-made revolvers), 32 cartridges, five sickles, five mobile phones, a jeep and two motorcycles, totally worth Rs 12,86,500 were seized.

Acting on a tip-off received by constable Shakir Jinedi that criminal Vinyak Jagtap and others will be leaving Maangaon for committing a dacoity at Hinjewadi, a team led by inspector Mohan Mohadikar of crime branch unit III laid a trap near the Wipro company on the Maangaon-Hinjewadi road and stopped a Scrpio jeep and two motorcycles for checking. Jagtap was in the jeep and the police took him and others into custody and seized the weapons from their possession.

Claiming that this was the biggest-ever arms seizure in the city, deputy commissioner of police (crime) Anil Kumbhare told reporters that the police have seized 56 weapons in the current year, while it had recovered 78 firearms last year.

According to Kumbhare, suspects Vinayak Jadhav (24) of Kaverinagar police vasahat at Wakad and Dinesh Yadav (28) of Jijamata doctors colony at Pimpri, who are criminals on police record, were recently released on bail.

Jadhav’s is son of an assistant sub-inspector in the city. Jadhav and Yadav were also involved in the sensational murder of Ankush Surve. Another suspect, Ravi Dhumal (28), is the sarpanch of Gothawade village in Mulshi taluka. Police had earlier arrested Dhumal under the Arms Act.

During investigations, it has been revealed that Jadhav and Yadav befriended with the other suspects after their release from jail. They planned a dacoity at Hinjewadi and smuggled five sophisticated pistols from Karnataka Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

The other suspects were identified as…More

TOI : PUNE: For the first time in its long history of 131 years, the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan (All India Marathi Literary Meet), one of the most reputed platforms of Marathi literature, will be organised outside the country. The 82nd Sammelan is scheduled to be held in the US in February 2009.

“Most of the board members have voted in favour of conducting the meet in Bay Area, California. The Maharashtra Mandal there wills jointly co-ordinate the event along with Akhil Bharitya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal, which has been traditionally organising the event single-handedly,” Kautikrao Dhale-Patil, the president of the board, told reporters on Sunday. He was talking in a press conference organised after the general body meeting of the board. Other members of the body too were present on this occasion.

The literary meet is scheduled to take place in February 2009. It will witness the participation of around 5000 people from various parts of the world including Australia, Dubai, England, Singapore and Europe. Professors of various universities in USA will also attend the event. Nearly 70 literati will adorn the meet as special invitees. Print EMail DiscussNew B…More

TOI : PUNE: Stating that India is increasingly claiming a lion’s share in the world pharmaceutical market, Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, on Saturday, said that the Union government is planning a national pharmaceutical policy with a view to boost investment activities in the sector.

Speaking at the launch of a new oncology centre by Emcure Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Pawar said, “A committee has been set up for drafting the policy and it would soon come out with the final plan in a few months,” said Pawar. He also inaugurated the malaria vaccine facility here.

Pawar said that after the IT revolution, India is now witnessing a healthcare boom and the country’s talent is getting global recognition. “We have witnessed a sharp rise in medical tourism with the emergence of pharma and biotech companies. The Indian companies are moving up the value chain, from being low cost contract manufacturing companies to strategic partners of multinationals for hi-tech R&D,” Pawar said.

He said that the world pharmaceutical market is now worth $680 bn and is growing at the rate of 6 per cent every year. Even though the Indian pharmaceutical industry contributes only $9 bn, it is growing at an impressive rate of 14 per cent annually.

Satish Mehta, CEO of the company, said that the new oncology facility is spread over an area of 70,000 sq. ft. The total investment for the oncology formulations facility and the API facility exceeds Rs 30 crore. “The oncology facility would manufacture and market the products at an affordable cost. We would offer a vertically integrated solution for cytotoxic drug substance and drug product at an affordable price. The malaria vaccine facility would manufacture vaccines for world-wide clinical trials,” he said.

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TOI : PUNE: A camera trader and photographer was fatally assaulted by four suspects after a petty dispute over money, at his residence in Pawarwada in Parvatigaon late Thursday night. Later, neighbours nabbed one of the suspects and handed him over to the police.

The deceased was identified as Anand G. Kapleshwari (50), who received injuries from sharp weapons on shoulders, head and neck. He was rushed to hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

The Dattawadi police have arrested Sayyad Madari (25) of Ghorpadi, and have booked Sohim Madari, Sharif Madari and Adil Madari for alleged involvement in the crime.

The police said Kapleshwari was a photographer and was in the business of buying and selling cameras. Sharif and Sohim, who are into photography, wanted to purchase a camera. On Monday night, they went to Kapleshwari’s residence with their two friends. The victim had demanded Rs 80,000 for the camera. But the duo wanted to pay only Rs 50,000. The quarrel broke out over the issue and the suspects attacked Kapleshwari with sharp weapon.

After hearing his screams, residents of the building rushed to his home and nabbed Sayyad Madari as the others fled from the scene.

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TOI : PUNE: The Rotary Club, as part of a project initiated by it, has provided invertor backups to 25 traffic signals in the city. The club will hand over these signals to the Pune Municipal Corporation and the traffic police at a function at the Mahalaxmi hall at 7.00 pm on Tuesday.

President of the Parvati unit of the club, Hemant Khire, said here on Friday the signals will be handed over by Rotary district governor Vinay Kulkarni in the presence of mayor Rajlaxmi Bhosale and commissioner of police Jayant Umranikar.

“The club has spent Rs 3,300 on each invertor. Nineteen more such signals are in the pipeline,” added Khire. Print EMail DiscussNew B…More