Who is DK Rao? geng Mumbai

Who is DK Rao? geng Mumbai. D K Rao, whose real identity is Ravi Mallesh Bora, is a native of North Karnataka. His made a humble beginning as a watchman for a building in Dharavi, in 1994.

Over 30 offences have been registered against him since, some under the MCOCA act. He was released after completing a 13-year sentence that was served to him in connection with one of the cases.

He hit the headlines in 2009, when three police officers were suspended after attending a Christmas party that he had thrown in Chembur. Cops have surmised that after Rao's release, he had been shouldering the responsibility of inducting young blood into the gang.

The return of Dawood-Rajan gang war in Mumbai?

The return of Dawood-Rajan gang war in Mumbai? Mumbai: The Mumbai police are turning the heat on fugitive gangster Chhota Rajan's aides. On Tuesday, sleuths from the Mumbai crime branch arrested D K Rao, one of Rajan's most trusted lieutenants, for his alleged role in the Pakmodia street firing, in which arch-rival Dawood Ibrahim's brother Iqbal Kaskar's driver was assassinated.

Rao's involvement in the shootout came to light during the sustained interrogation of Umed-ur-Rehman, another Rajan aide who was arrested in connection with the same case. Investigations subsequently revealed that Rao had provided logistical and monetary support to facilitate the shootout, which many say signaled the return of gang warfare in Mumbai.

According to a senior official of the crime branch, Rao had hatched the entire shootout plan. "Prior to his arrest, we had questioned Rao about his involvement in the case. But he had denied his involvement in the case. During an intense session of interrogation, however, Rehman gave us specific information about his role," said the officer.

Police revealed that they were toying with the idea of invoking the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the case. "It is surely a case of organised crime, and there are chargesheets against both Rao and Rehman. We are examining whether to invoke MCOCA in the case," added the officer.

Rajan's close aide Vicky Malhotra has also been called for questioning. "We are trying to ascertain his role in the case as well," said an officer. Senior police officials have opined that Rajan has been ordering sensational murders recently in a bid to reassert his sway in the Mumbai underworld.

MUMBAI, India - Three explosions rocked India's busy financial

MUMBAI, India - Three explosions rocked India's busy financial

Police officers inspect the site of an explosion at Dadar in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, July 13, 2011. Three explosions rocked India's busy financial capital at rush-hour Wednesday, killing at least eight people and injuring 70 in what officials described as another terror strike on the city hit by militants nearly three years ago. Read it on Global News: Terrorism suspected as near-simultaneous blasts kill 10 and injure 54 in Mumbai, India|Photo Credit: Rajanish Kakade, AP Photo 

Capital at rush-hour Wednesday, killing at least ten people and injuring at least 50 in what officials described as another terror strike on the city hit by militants nearly three years ago. Indian media reported the Home Ministry had called the separate blasts in three busy locations a terror attack. No officials there could be independently reached for comment.

Read it on Global News: Terrorism suspected as near-simultaneous blasts kill 10 and injure 54 in Mumbai, India. One blast was in the crowded neighbourhood of Dadar in central Mumbai. The others were at the bazaar, which is a famed jewelry market, and the busy business district of Opera House, both in southern Mumbai and several miles (kilometres) apart, a police official said.

The official in the city's Police Control Room spoke on condition of anonymity because of office policy. "It must be a bomb blast," Chhagan Bhujbal, a state minister told a TV news channel. The explosions happened around 7 p.m., when all the neighbourhoods would have been packed with office workers and commuters.

That attack, which targeted two luxury hotels, a Jewish centre and a busy train station, killed 166 people and was blamed on Pakistan-based militant groups. The attacks escalated tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals and prompted them to suspend peace talks.

By: The Associated Press

Simultaneous blasts kill at least 13 in Mumbai

Simultaneous blasts kill at least 13 in Mumbai MUMBAI: Three bomb blasts rocked crowded districts of Mumbai during rush hour on Wednesday, killing at least 13 people, a senior official said, in the biggest attack on India’s financial capital since 2008 assaults blamed on Pakistan-based militants.

India has remained jittery about the threat of militant strikes, especially since the 2008 attacks which killed 166 people and raised tensions with arch rival Pakistan. At least 81 people were wounded on Wednesday, Prithviraj Chavan, the chief minister of the state of Maharashtra, told CNN-IBN.

“The vehicles used were scooters and motorcycles (in the attacks),” he said. Television channels also said an improvised explosive device was placed in a car, suggesting the work of local groups rather than an international terror network.

Television images showed blaring ambulances carrying away the injured at one of the attack sites. At Dadar in central Mumbai, one of the explosions left car windows shattered and uprooted electric poles.

Police were seen using sniffer digs to look for clues while local people helped paramedics carry away some of the injured. “We heard a big blast. The building shook, the windows shattered. It was deafening,” said Aagam Doshi, a witness of the blast at the Opera House and a diamond merchant in south Mumbai.

“We came outside, and the area was filled with black smoke. There were bodies lying all over the street, there was lots of blood...We saw many bodies missing arms and missing legs.”

By: JUI CHAKRAVORTY AND RAJENDRA JADHAV | REUTERS

simultaneous blasts in crowded Mumbai markets

Simultaneous blasts in crowded Mumbai markets MUMBAI, INDIA — Three near-simultaneous explosions rocked India’s busy financial capital at rush-hour Wednesday, killing at least 10 people in what the government said appeared to be another terrorist attack on the city hit by militants nearly three years ago.

Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram said the blasts wounded another 54 and the toll was expected to rise. Television footage showed dozens of police officials, several of them armed, at the sites of the explosion and at least one car with its windows shattered. A photograph showed victims of a blast at the Jhaveri Bazaar crowding into the back of a cargo truck to be taken to a hospital.

Because of the close timing of the string of explosions, “we infer that this was a co-ordinated attack by terrorists,” Chidambaram said. One blast hit the crowded neighbourhood of Dadar in central Mumbai. The others were at the bazaar, which is a famed jewelry market, and the busy business district of Opera House, both in southern Mumbai and several kilometres apart, police said.

All three blasts happened from 6:50 p.m. to 7 p.m., when all the neighbourhoods would have been packed with office workers and commuters. The blasts would mark the first major attack on Mumbai since 10 militants laid siege to India’s financial capital for 60 hours in November 2008. There was no immediate indication that Wednesday’s blasts were part of a prolonged siege.

The 2008 attack, which targeted two luxury hotels, a Jewish centre and a busy train station, killed 166 people and was blamed on Pakistan-based militant groups. The attacks escalated tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals and prompted them to suspend peace talks. However, the talks have recently resumed. Pakistan’s government expressed distress on the loss of lives and injuries soon after Wednesday’s blasts were reported.

BY: Associated Press

Explosions Rock Mumbai Markets

At Least 8 Reportedly Dead After Explosions Rock Mumbai Markets. Three separate explosions tore through a business district in India’s Mumbai Wednesday, leaving at least eight people dead and 54 injured, authorities said. Less than an hour after the series of blasts, its Home Ministry confirmed a terrorist attack and placed the entire city on high alert.

Although no group claimed responsibility, the explosions hit locations where a terror siege nearly three years ago killed 166 people. Wednesday also coincided with the birthday of the lone surviving gunman of the 2008 attack. Indian officials say they suspect the responsibility of Wednesday's attack rests with the  Indian Mujahideen, a group that works closely with Lashkar-e-Taiba,  is the group accused of being behind the 2008 attack.

The blasts hit the crowded Dadar neighborhood at rush hour, the famed jewelry market Jhaveri Bazaar and the busy business district of Opera House, an official at the city's Police Control Room said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of office policy.

The explosions happened around 7 p.m., when all the neighborhoods would have been packed with office workers and commuters. The 2008 attack, which targeted two luxury hotels, a Jewish center and a busy train station, was blamed on Pakistan-based militant groups. The attacks escalated tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals and prompted them to suspend peace talks. Pakistan's government expressed distress on the loss of lives and injuries soon after Wednesday's blasts were reported.

By: FoxNews.com

Malaysia arrests 14 for Bersih protest T-shirts

Malaysia arrests 14 for Bersih protest T-shirts Word means ‘clean’ and is used by group planning banned rally against electoral corruption

Malaysian activists in Bersih (Clean) T-shirts at a 2007 rally. Authorities have been arresting people for wearing the shirts ahead of a protest against electoral corruption. Photograph: AP Malaysian police have detained 14 opposition activists for wearing T-shirts promoting a planned rally against alleged electoral abuses.

It is the latest attempt by authorities to deter citizens from marching in Kuala Lumpur on 9 July in what the opposition hopes will be Malaysia’s biggest protest in nearly four years.

The activists are demanding that authorities overhaul voter lists, introduce transparent procedures for ballots to be counted and make other policy changes ahead of national elections widely expected by mid-2012. Government officials say current electoral laws are fair enough.

Authorities have arrested nearly 100 activists in cities across the country since Friday. Some were handing out leaflets linked to the planned demonstration, while others were travelling to publicity events. More than half have been freed. Police in northern Perak state on Wednesday detained 14 people wearing yellow T-shirts with the Malay-language word “bersih,” meaning “clean”. Bersih is the name of a group of opposition-backed activists organising next month’s rally. Hishammuddin Hussein, the home minister, said the arrests were justified, noting that the planned rally had been banned because authorities believed it was an opposition attempt to create chaos on the streets and undermine the government.

“The Bersih T-shirt is related to an illegal assembly, then whatever they are wearing is illegal,” Hishammuddin was quoted as saying by the Malaysian Insider independent news website. The Bersih group said in an statement posted online that police also confiscated T-shirts and leaflets from its headquarters on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. Officials say 30 activists who have remained in custody since Saturday are being investigated for allegedly conspiring to overthrow the government and spread communist ideologies. Opposition parties accuse the government of trying to tarnish the public reputation of the activists. Amnesty International Malaysia has said the government should uphold the people’s right to peaceful gatherings and not make arbitrary mass arrests.

By: johansen|jorgen

Malaysia's fear of Egypt

Malaysia's fear of Egypt Police cordoned off Merdeka Square in Kuala Lumpur on Friday on the eve of a mass rally calling for electoral reform

Malaysia's state run news agency, Bernama, has published an astonishingly tone-deaf and self-serving condemnation of Egypt. Posing as political analysis, Bernama's piece says the "people's revolution" [their scare quotes, not mine] has failed: "While they claim to have done it for democracy, the revolt did not bring about any significant improvement to the country that is known for its rich civilisation."

The author completely dismisses all elements of the Egyptian experience based on nothing more than personal observations (gathered on a press trip organised by the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents) and quotes from a Singapore tourist and "several Egyptians". Then the money quote, from a bus driver who once worked in Malaysia: "The important thing is that your country is being guided by fair and wise leaders."

On an ordinary day, all this would count very much as business as usual in Malaysia's browbeaten media - praise for the leaders and the system is a regular front-page lead. But this particular piece is much more transparent, and  egregious, because of its timing.

The "fair and wise" Malaysian government on Friday said it will lock down the capital Kuala Lumpur to stop pro-democracy protesters, even after those protesters agreed to hold their demonstration inside a stadium so as not to disrupt daily life.

The home minster has said he will refuse to entertain any formal applications to stage demonstrations. There's nothing new in all of this, of course. The Bersih (clean) movement has been calling for electoral reform and cleaner government for years, only to be met with heavy handed policing.

On the back of mounting public anger, The People's Justice Party (PKR) caused a big upset in the 2008 elections, when its leader, Anwar Ibrahim, was finally allowed to participate. Anwar quickly found himself facing more legal action. As the ruling Barisan National considers calling a new general election, there's no surprise that it's fearful of another electoral bloody nose, or even an Egyptian-style revolution. No surprise, either, that it's resorting to the usual tactics to prevent either of those outcomes.

By: Teymoor Nabili in Asia

PM Malaysia Anwar hurt

PM Malaysia Anwar hurt as police target poll reformers Time to go|protesters cover their faces and run to escape the tear gas fired by the police. Photo: AFP

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian police fired tear gas and water cannon, making 1400 arrests during clashes yesterday with protesters who defied government warnings to rally in the capital for electoral reform. Leaders of opposition parties were among those detained during a massive security operation, but it failed to thwart the outlawed demonstration, in which 50,000 citizens - the organisers' figure - took to the streets of Kuala Lumpur.

Protesters faced baton-wielding riot officers in front of a bus station, retreating and regrouping to push back police lines in a cat-and-mouse confrontation in a downpour. Some demonstrators fought back by picking up tear gas canisters, which they lobbed at police. Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was injured during the protest when he fell on to the pavement after a tear gas attack and was taken to a hospital.

The protesters split into three main groups, and by late yesterday all were trying to reach the king's palace to hand over a memorandum detailing their demands. However, the police line held firm. ''Why is the government trying to intimidate citizens?'' said Mohamad Manij Abdullah, 50, a businessman who joined the rally. ''We are only trying to reform elections and have a free and fair government.''

Malaysian police say 236 people

Malaysian police say 236 people Malaysian police officers detain a man near Independence Square in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 9, 2011. Malaysian police said they have detained at least 236 people trying to assemble at a stadium for a banned rally seeking electoral reforms.

AP Photo/Lai Seng Sin

arrested for trying to attend banned opposition-backed rally. Malaysian police say 236 people arrested for trying to attend banned opposition-backed rally. Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Police fired tear gas and detained hundreds of activists as more than 20,000 demonstrators massed Saturday across Malaysia's main city demanding electoral reforms in the country's biggest political rally in years.

The opposition-backed rally was the culmination of weeks of intense pressure on Prime Minister Najib Razak's long-ruling coalition to make election laws fairer and more transparent ahead of national polls widely expected by mid-2012. Demonstrators marched in defiance of Najib's administration, which has declared the rally illegal and warned people repeatedly to avoid it.

Opposition leaders accuse Najib's National Front coalition of relying on fraud to preserve its 54-year grip on power, which has been eroded in recent years amid mounting complaints about corruption and racial discrimination. The government insists the current electoral policies are evenhanded. Authorities took extraordinary security measures to deter Saturday's rally by sealing off roads, closing train stations and deploying trucks mounted with water cannons near the Independence Stadium in downtown Kuala Lumpur, where activists sought to gather.

Nevertheless, thousands tried to reach the stadium from various parts of Kuala Lumpur, chanting "Long live the people" and carrying yellow balloons and flowers as they marched. Police fired numerous rounds of tear gas and chemical-laced water in repeated attempts to disperse the crowds, causing demonstrators to scatter into nearby buildings and alleys before they regrouped. Police helicopters flew overhead as a brief downpour failed to deter the protesters.

Najib insisted Saturday the protesters only represent a minority, and that most Malaysians support his administration. "If there are people who want to hold the illegal rally, there are even more who are against their plan," the prime minister was quoted as saying by the national news agency, Bernama.

The federal police force said in a statement that it detained 670 people in a clampdown called "Operation Erase Bersih," referring to the Bersih coalition of civic groups organizing the rally. Those arrested included several senior opposition officials. Witnesses said riot police armed with batons charged at some protesters and dragged them into trucks. Some were seen bleeding, but police could not confirm any injuries. Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia's top opposition figure, said on Twitter that he sustained a "minor injury" when his group was hit by tear gas. The Malaysiakini news website said he had a knee injury.

The crackdown "stirred a sense of outrage against the exhibition of raw power by our government," Bersih coalition leader Ambiga Sreenavasan told reporters.

"What is the necessity for a show of might against right? No matter what, right will always prevail," she said, minutes before police detained her and other Bersih officials as they walked to the stadium. As the afternoon progressed, activists estimated the total number of demonstrators exceeded 20,000 people, making it Malaysia's biggest street rally since 2007. Some independent news websites estimated there were tens of thousands of people, but authorities did not immediately have an official figure. The rally has galvanized the opposition and has been credited for a surge in political awareness among the public in recent weeks.

Government officials accuse Anwar's three-party alliance of endorsing the rally to cause chaos on the streets and undermine the National Front. Numerous restaurants and stores were closed because of the transportation disruptions and fears of violence. Over the past two weeks, more than 200 other activists have been arrested nationwide for trying to promote the rally. Six are being held under security laws that allow indefinite detention without trial. Most of the others were eventually released, but some were charged with laws banning activities linked to illegal assemblies. They face several years in prison if convicted.

The activists' demands include an overhaul of voter registration lists, tougher measures to curb fraud and fairer opportunities for opposition politicians to campaign in government-linked media. The National Front's mandate expires in mid-2013 but many analysts expect elections to be called by next year.

Supporters of the Bersih coalition were also planning solidarity marches over the weekend in foreign cities, including in Australia, Britain, France, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and the United States.

In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said that the U.S. has been communicating to Malaysia the importance of respecting human rights, including freedom of expression and assembly.

"We consider it incumbent on all sides to refrain from violence, particularly if we're going to have another rally tomorrow," she told a news conference Friday.

By: Associated Press

Malaysia fires tear gas at protest

Malaysia fires tear gas at protest, arrests 1,667 KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — At least 20,000 Malaysians defied government warnings by marching for electoral reforms Saturday, as police fired tear gas and detained more than 1,600 in the country's biggest political rally in four years.

Malaysian activists from Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) rally in front of Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 9, 2011. Police fired tear gas and detained hundreds of activists as demonstrators massed Saturday across Malaysia's main city demanding electoral reforms in the country's biggest political rally in years. (AP Photo) 

The crackdown on the opposition-backed demonstration in Malaysia's main city, Kuala Lumpur, triggered criticism that Prime Minister Najib Razak's long-ruling coalition was unwilling to allow public dissent or make election laws fairer ahead of national polls widely expected by mid-2012.

Najib's administration declared the rally illegal and warned people repeatedly over the past month to avoid it. Officials insisted it was simply an opposition scheme to spark chaos and stir anti-government sentiment, while activists accused authorities of being afraid of a protest that could undermine their authority.


Authorities blocked roads, shut rail stations and deployed trucks with water cannons near the Independence Stadium in downtown Kuala Lumpur where activists sought to gather. More than 200 activists had been arrested over the past two weeks for promoting the rally.

The large number of demonstrators who showed up despite the threat of arrests and the disruptions in transport links bolstered claims by activists that the government had misjudged public opinion by not allowing what they insisted would have been a peaceful rally.

The crackdown "stirred a sense of outrage against the exhibition of raw power by our government," said Ambiga Sreenavasan, head of the Bersih coalition of civic groups that organized the rally.

"What is the necessity for a show of might against right? No matter what, right will always prevail," she said.

Police said in a statement that they detained 1,667 people Saturday in a clampdown called "Operation Erase Bersih." Those arrested included several senior opposition officials. Some were released after several hours, with police indicating that most would not be held overnight.

Thousands tried to reach the stadium from various parts of Kuala Lumpur, chanting "Long live the people" and carrying yellow balloons and flowers as they marched.

Police fired numerous rounds of tear gas and chemical-laced water in repeated attempts to disperse the crowds, causing demonstrators to scatter into nearby buildings and alleys before they regrouped. Police helicopters flew overhead as a brief downpour failed to deter the protesters.

Witnesses said riot police armed with batons charged at some protesters and dragged them into trucks. Some were seen bleeding, but police could not confirm any injuries.

Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia's top opposition figure, was being treated at a hospital for a "minor injury" he said he received when his group was hit by tear gas. The Malaysiakini news website said he had a knee injury.

By: Sean Yoong