Cyber cops blunt hacker attack on CBI website

A.S.R.P. MUKESH/Ranchi

For a few minutes on Monday evening, panic gripped officials at the state-run Cyber Defence Research Centre (CDRC) in Ranchi when they suddenly sensed unusual activity in the CBI’s central server in New Delhi. According to CDRC sources, unidentified hackers — whose digital footprint roughly indicated a remote location in Southeast Asia — had left a rogue spam application that could completely compromise the CBI server and website. 

But, the cyber prowlers had not taken the Dhurwa-based cyber watchdog CDRC into account. A little ethical hacking on the part of the CDRC team, which falls under the state’s home department, helped avert the unseen danger.

“Such attacks on Indian security agency websites aren’t new. But an attack on the CBI’s server means someone, somewhere was trying to poke here and there, hijack files, details, among others. Anything could have happened. However, the fact that CDRC managed to block the menace is a great achievement because it is only two or three months old,” said an intelligence source not willing to be identified.

Digital vigil: Project Building in Ranchi

A CDRC official said they sensed something amiss in their cyber intelligence gadgets around 6pm on Monday.   “In no time, we alerted higher officials here as well in New Delhi. Things are under control now. Security forces generally don’t leak such news to avoid panic among people,” he added with a smile.

But S.N. Pradhan, IG (operations), who is instrumental in forming CDRC and heads a core team of two or three ethical hackers — their identities under wraps for security reasons — as well as 10 trained constables, confirmed the incident.

“The CDRC team has been bang on target. The organisation is very young but we are doing our best to give intelligence support to the state and Centre. Not that we are the best, but the months-old CDRC has made a pretty good start,” he said.

Over a month ago, the CDRC raised an alarm, informing the Union home ministry about a possible threat to the Trinamul Congress party’s website. Unfortunately, within a day or two, the website got hacked, as the party failed to take adequate precaution. 

The CDRC’s main tasks are keeping the government and its agencies safe from cyber malfunction, undertaking research for better protection and creating awareness among people about cyber activities and activism.

Right now, the CDRC functions out of a space at police headquarters near Project Building, Dhurwa. According to Pradhan, they were in a buy-buy mode, with a slew of latest gadgets under the procurement process to add more security teeth.

Burnt crops bare Kanke's furnace

Two village kids walk past the dry check dam on a scorching afternoon

Ranchi, May 30: Serene, cool and green. That was Kanke’s past perfect even in extreme summer. The region, around 10 kilometers from the state capital in Ranchi today is boiling because of an unprecedented rise in mercury levels.

Water bodies in form of perennial streams, check dams or small ponds have choked in patches while a canopy of dust storm engulfs almost all in the whole region because of myriad forms of civil works that are underway.

What’s more shocking about the place in 2012, is that majority of the farm lands have either turned pale or spot burnt look because of the blistering heat.

On Wednesday (May 30) It temperature was 41.3 degrees. It is also the highest it witnessed at least in the last four years. In 2008, the temperature here on May 30 was 33.8 degrees.

I visited several areas in Kanke like Sangrampur, Patratu and adjoining areas en route only to discover how both local and global climatic changes have led to shrinkage of summer crops here, thereby, pushing farmers into doldrums.

A view of sun burnt cauliflower farm 

“My entire crop has burnt under the sun. I don’t know what to do now,” remarked Anand Linda, a farmer in Patratu in this block. Anand took cauliflower, tomato, brinjal, and cucumber on his four acres of land but majority of the field are deserted now.

The nearby check dam from where he used to fetch water too is dried this time.

Forty year old Pahan Munda too is suffering similar fate but more than complaining about the weather, he is upset by the government’s apathy and rising prices. “Heat is normal in summer but still there is availability of water in the nearby pond. Since there is no electricity here, irrigation facility has failed,” he said.

Cost of farming has also gone up, he added. “I am surviving because kharif harvest was good due to better monsoon this time. Otherwise, I would have committed suicide,” said Munda.

Birsa Agriculture University professor A. Wadood said Kanke has been witnessing 40 degree plus temperatures in summer since couple of years now but what’s concerning this time is the continuation of the heightened mercury levels.

“Till last year, Kanke has seen 40 plus degrees but for a day or two. But since May 19, the place witnessed over 40 degrees. As a result there is moisture in the area that helps in creation of clouds for rain,” he said.

Pahan Munda, a farmer showing his destroyed crops

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Pray, bear the stench

 A.S.R.P. MUKESH

The prayer hall at RIMS in Ranchi lies deserted on Monday. Picture by Hardeep Singh

Ranchi, May 30: Call it a funeral of faith.

Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), the touted premier hospital in the capital, boasts an 1,800sqft, marble-floored prayer hall, albeit repulsively close to the mortuary on its premises.

Two years ago, former director of the state-run hospital N.N. Agarwal had loosened purse strings to build the hall for friends and family members of patients, but had apparently failed to notice the terrible bloomer in the blueprint. Result: the Rs 1 lakh structure lies abandoned today, a solitary witness only to the putrid stench of death and decay.

“Normally, a prayer hall is located close to the intensive care unit or operating theatres so that family members of critical patients can find some solace in praying for the well-being of their near ones. But here, the hall is a stone’s throw from the morgue. No one goes there to pray and it has just become the siesta shelter of dogs,” said a senior doctor and forensic faculty member at RIMS.

According to norms, even a temporary shelter for people waiting to collect bodies must be built at a minimum distance of 300 metres from a mortuary. At RIMS, the prayer hall is within 15 metres of the post-mortem cell.

“Log zindagi ki dua karte hain. Maut ke baad, prarthna kar ke kya faida? (People pray for life. What is the point of praying after someone’s death?),” Dinesh, a mortuary attendant, said. “So, people do not come here to pray. They wait only to collect bodies after autopsy,” he added.

Sources maintained that nearly Rs 1 lakh was spent on the marble flooring and seating area, but the hall had rarely been used since it came up two years ago. “I never spotted a single person praying under this shed,” another hospital staff said.

Madan Sahu, whose wife is admitted to the hospital with high fever, said he did not feel like venturing anywhere near the prayer hall. “It is close to where they keep dead people. You get negative vibes. How can you pray at a place like that?” he said.

RIMS director Tulsi Mahto admitted that the prayer hall’s proximity to the mortuary was indeed a cause of concern. “But then, it wasn’t built during my tenure. The erstwhile management had thought of setting up a prayer hall on humanitarian grounds. Besides, the purpose of the hall is also to give shelter to those who want to meditate after the death of their loved ones,” he contended.

Traffic cops don’t say it with flowers

A.S.R.P. MUKESH

A NCC cadet spreads awareness about traffic rules in Ranchi on Saturday. Picture by Prashant Mitra Ranchi, May 28: Saying it with roses might have been innovative but it certainly was not economical. The tactic of public chastisement by handing out flowers to traffic violators, perhaps made famous by a Sanjay Dutt starred Bollywood film, might have served the cause, but soaring flower prices, thanks largely to weather disturbances and a number of shutdowns observed, has broken the back of the police department’s finances. So its back to the tried-and-tested method of distributing pamphlets to create awareness among the masses for the city traffic police officers. SSP Praveen Kumar inaugurating the awareness campaign here today, however, took a diplomatic stand towards the sudden change in stance. “The purpose is to make the denizens familiar with fundamental traffic rules and regulations in place. Although we are cracking down on violators by conducting regular checks, we thought of educating masses before imposing fines on them,” Kumar said. He added that the response on the first day was good but there was a lot of ground to be covered. “Our men are doing their best to create awareness. The campaign will gain pace in the coming days, when we will aim to spread the message of safe road habits throughout the city,” the SSP said. The traffic police have also put up hoardings and posters (with illustrations) at various traffic points like Kanta Toli, Sarjana Chowk, Sujata Chowk and Doranda, among other places, to reach out to people. A bunch of 40 from Ranchi University and NCC cadets also joined hands with the police officers and are working as volunteers to make the campaign success, sources said. Prodded about the most common traffic violations, Singh was quick to list parking of vehicles in No Parking zones and stopping vehicles on zebra crossings at traffic intersections, not wearing a helmet and talking on your mobile phone while driving consisted some of the oft repeated violations. Meanwhile, with the administration cracking down on autos plying without proper permits, the three-wheelers have gradually tried to fade away from Ranchi roads. “We had received a notice from the district administration to phase out autos without permits. Only 1,006 autos have been issued permits till date and we will try and clear the rush of applications seeking permits from today,” Singh said. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110529/jsp/jharkhand/story_14042472.jsp

Jailbirds feel at home, but in July

Paperwork, fencing delay launch of open jail in Hazaribagh; central prison screens inmate dossier

A.S.R.P. MUKESH

Ranchi, May 11: Good things come to those who wait. And for a home away from home, prisoners of five central jails are doing just that. The much-touted open jail in picturesque Hazaribagh, which was slated for a March inauguration, will now house “reformed” inmates only by July-end, a delay apparently caused by extensive paperwork and formulation of detailed guidelines for the first-of-its-kind prison in the state. Highly placed officials said the only job left was erecting a 3-metre wire fence around a clutch of 30 cottages spread over two acres. IG (prisons) Vijay Kumar Singh said jail posts had already been identified and they were waiting for the state government to show the green light. “Altogether eight posts have been identified — a jail superintendent, a jailer, a warden, a head warden, a medical officer, a paramedical staff, an industry expert and an agriculturist. The jail will open soon,” he said. According to highly placed sources, the entry criteria to these halfway homes had been relaxed. “Earlier, we had decided to house prisoners who had completed 75 per cent of their term, but now the figure has been brought down to 50 per cent. However, those booked under certain sections like 302 of IPC, or for narcotics crime will not be eligible for the open jail. Also, good mental and physical health for a period of at least a year is mandatory,” said a senior jail official. The remission period has also been doubled. “Normally, prisoners with 10-year term can avail remission up to 40 months (one-third of the term). However, in the open jail, inmates can avail remission equivalent to the term of their stay,” the official added. The concept of open jails has its roots in the west. It is meant to house prisoners displaying good conduct, and act as a halfway house for those whose release is due soon. There are 27 open jails across India, including a few in Rajasthan and Maharashtra. And although a fairly new concept, these jails have thrown up several success stories. In Jharkhand, the authorities are also planning to set up various small-scale industries within the open jail premises to help prisoners earn a decent livelihood. Sources said besides industrial activities, the focus was on medicinal plants and dairy. “The land in Hazaribagh is suitable for cultivating medicinal plants, so we are developing a medicine farm there. But the high point is a dairy. We will provide cattle to prisoners who want to run dairies. After their released, they can take the cattle with them,” a source said. The selection process of prisoners to be shifted to the open jail, which can house a maximum of 100 inmates, has, meanwhile, begun. Singh said workshops on dos and don’ts would begin at all the five central jails from next week. On March 28 and April 28, the IG had held meetings with superintendents of all central jails and directed them to identify inmates who could be shifted. Two screening committees — one at district level and the other at IG level — were formed. The district level committee comprises the jail superintendent, the deputy commissioner and the SSP. The other panel is formed by the IG (prisons), additional IG (prisons), DGP and a representative from the home department, who will give the final go-ahead.

VIP nightmares stalk Birsa jail

A.S.R.P. MUKESH

Madhu Koda Ranchi, May 11: High on attitude, VIP politicians have been known to keep Birsa Munda Jail authorities on their toes. But Kamlesh Singh’s recent “disappearing act” for three days gave them the jitters. One among the three tainted ministerial colleagues of former chief minister Madhu Koda, Singh had moved to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences on May 7 after being released from AIIMS in New Delhi, where he had been allowed to go for treatment. Yet, till yesterday, authorities at Birsa jail had no clue about their VIP ward, forcing superintendent D.K. Pradhan to file an affidavit in a CBI court saying they had not been kept informed about the former minister’s whereabouts. Today, it was left to RIMS, where he was being treated for bronchial asthma, to issue a formal note to the jail authorities about his presence. “I got the information this evening from the hospital,” Pradhan confirmed. As per rules, police officials escorting Singh should have informed Birsa jail about his arrival in Ranchi on May 7.  According to RIMS medical superintendent S.K. Choudhary, Singh was referred to the hospital from AIIMS. “In his discharge note, AIIMS stated that he may be admitted to the hospital here,” he said. On May 8, Singh was admitted to ICU after he complained of hypertension. He was kept under observation till yesterday and sent back to cottage (number 6) at RIMS. Singh, and his three colleagues, MP Madhu Koda, Harinarayan Rai and Anosh Ekka, have been in Birsa jail for over a year and a half after being booked by the vigilance bureau for siphoning government funds and amassing assets beyond their known sources of income. The CBI is on their case now. Lodged in the upper division section in a cluster of eight cottages with a separate kitchen for jailed VIPs, Koda and Singh were the more demanding of the four, said jail authorities. And visits to hospitals seemed to be a favourite vocation of both. Rai kept himself busy with puja-paath, while Ekka insisted on VIP comforts like meals on time and clean sheets. “Every other day, they complain of some new ailment and demand hospitalisation,” a jail official said on condition of anonymity about Koda and Singh. “We don’t take chances and try to seek the court’s permission to send them to hospitals. But after a time, it gets on your nerves,” he confessed. Ever since Koda was in jail, he has been complaining of a shoulder pain. He was referred to AIMS an innumerable number of times. But, he never stopped complaining. And once, he even came back without a medical report. “Last time, he came back from AIIMS without any medical report. When asked, he claimed the doctors didn’t give him any,” the official said. “When we called the AIIMS director, he said a report was handed over to Koda and that they did not stock OPD patients’ medical reports. We went back to Koda, who then said he had misplaced it.” Koda’s wife and advocate visited him three to four times a week. Otherwise, he preferred to be alone and approached jail authorities only when he needed something. Ekka was only concerned about what he called “simple pleasures” of life like clean sheets, an extra foam mattress, 6am newspaper and 8am breakfast. His wife and relatives visited him regularly. Recently, another jail official confided, he asked for a computer in his cabin. “He wanted to learn computers like Koda,” said the official. “When we asked him why, Ekka sounded offended and shouted back, ‘if Koda can get one, why not me?’.” Officials admitted managing the four VIPs wasn’t easy. “No VIP leaves his attitude behind and wants to live life king-size even behind bars,” the official declared. Pradhan maintained the one thing they were seriously concerned of were disputes or fights involving the high-profile inmates. “As brawls are common in jails, our main concern is to provide them security as even a scar on their body will make headlines,” he said.

Blast muffles wedding bells in village

A.S.R.P. MUKESH

Chatakpur (Lohardaga), May 4: The rebel attack in Dhardharia forest that claimed 11 security personnel and left 51 injured, also had another casualty: a wedding.

Yesterday morning, Chatakpur, situated on the trough of Dhardharia valley, was all decked up. So was Sursuriya village, perched atop the other side of the hill.

Chatakpur’s Rupu Mahto, daughter of 45-year-old Ghanshyam was to tie the knot with Sursuriya-based Besu Mahto. But just as the ceremony was to begin, a large explosion was heard. Even before anyone could realise what was happening, the police came storming inside the tiny hamlet of Chatakpur. The wedding priest was beaten up, guests interrogated, abused and punched.

A deserted Chatakpur in Lohardaga on Wednesday. Picture by Prashant Mitra

A day later, the village wears a war-ravaged look. Though children are found running on fields, they stop when The Telegraph team nears, and scuttle inside homes. Women stare with suspicion. People flee inside homes and lock their doors.

Getting people to talk is a Herculean task, but slowly the floodgates open up. “It was around 11.15am. A large number of forces bombarded every home, asking about Maoists,” says Baswa Oraon (58), a neighbour of the bride whose wedding went horribly awry. These forces were part of the reinforcements dispatched by district police headquarters after the ambush.

“All villagers had gathered for the marriage ceremony. But the priest was beaten up, and then they (the police) started interrogating us. No one knew what was happening. We were scared and started running helter-skelter,” Oraon recalls.

Rupu’s family has disappeared. Locals simply said: “They have gone somewhere.”

Only a handful of people — mostly Oraons and Mahtos — live in the tribal hamlet that shot into sudden limelight after yesterday’s battle between Maoists and security personnel took place a stone’s throw away. Opposite it is Ganeshpur village, and at an elevation is Hurmur, where Maoists were reportedly camping.

Yesterday, the village spent a sleepless night. “Ab ghar se nikalna julum ho gaya. (Venturing out of home is a curse),” a middle-aged woman said.

Peace had made a comeback to this rebel-hit area. Villagers said Naxalite activities had lessened since three years. But now, the shadow of fear is back with a vengeance.

“We are caught between the two (police and rebels). Earlier, Naxalite used to forcibly enter our homes for food. Then, the police interrogated and beat us to find out rebel whereabouts,” said villager Mangru Oraon.

It is a classic Catch-22 situation. “Now, you tell us who should we support? If we back the police, rebels beat and kill us. If we don’t, the police fix us in false cases,” Oraon said.

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Arms and the men

Jharkhand Jaguar jawans leave Sneha Police headquarters for search operation on Wednesday (picture by Prashant Mitra)

Injured jawans save rifle cache
A.S.R.P. Mukesh

Lohardaga, May 4: They were sitting ducks in the eye of a landmine storm, courtesy an operation grossly misjudged by seniors. And yet they showed admirable courage and resolve to save a warrior’s wealth — his weapons.

Sanjay Toppo at Senha barracks on Wednesday. Picture by Prashant Mitra

The 150-strong security squad combing the forests of Lohardaga had an enviable cache of more than 100 semi-automatic rifles. If Maoists had laid their hands on the arms, it could have increased their firepower manifold. But the intrepid jawans, despite serious injuries, managed to protect all, but two that were destroyed in a blast.

Sanjay Toppo, a constable at Senha police station, was flung 100 metres away when a landmine exploded. He was 10th in line, right behind district armed police constables Pramod Rai and Dinesh Mahto, who were killed.

“When I opened my eyes, I saw the mutilated leg of one of my colleagues. I too felt a searing pain and couldn’t move for minutes. My eyes were hazy... my mind in a daze... and then I heard my OC P.C. Deogam, also injured, shouting, ‘stand up and kill’,” Toppo said.

The gutsy 26-year-old slung six guns — two Insas rifles and four AK-47s — on his shoulders and returned fire. “Both Pramod and Dinesh were carrying Insas. I also picked up three more rifles as I advanced,” Toppo said.

He maintained that the sole reason he was still alive was that he did not allow Maoist mind games — using loudspeakers asking policemen to lay down arms — to get the better of him.

Mahadeo Barla, also a district police constable, couldn’t agree more. He and three other jawans formed a spot team to launch counter-fire. “We stood in a circle. While three of us fired, one was given the responsibility to search for weapons. We kept doing this in turns for an hour and managed to collect 14 rifles,” the jawan said. Had the rebels seized our weapons, more would have been slain, he added.

Another jawan, not willing to be named, said: “Just a week ago, my wife gave birth to a daughter. I haven’t yet seen her. So, I wanted to live and I knew the best defence was to attack till I could.”

Despite the heavy casualty they suffered, these bravehearts have reason to pat themselves. “Neither did we surrender, nor did we allow rebels to take our weapons away,” they said in unison.

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Regrets, a rally & curses the morning after


A.S.R.P. MUKESH & RAJ KUMAR

A distressed guard

Ranchi, April 28: Till 4.55pm yesterday, veteran guard Mahavir had never heard such an uncanny scream.

It was short and died in a gurgle. It was the last sound that 19-year-old Khusboo made, as the khukuri of “good friend” Bijendra Prasad (23) severed her head from her body just outside the examination hall (room No. 41) at St Xavier’s College. The murder took less than 10 seconds and the dark youth, clad in blue trousers and a red T-shirt, had already dropped the khukuri on the floor and started to sprint towards the playground.

Mahavir, just 100ft away, was the first to shout and run after the youth. It was his timely alert that made the hostel students on the playground catch and overpower Bijendra.

A deserted corridor

But this does not comfort the man, now in his mid-50s. “The killer was arrested on campus, but I wish I could have saved the girl’s life. This feeling will stay with me throughout my life,” he said.

Mahavir, till yesterday, loved the campus, abuzz with youthful energy and students’ conversation. “Now it is different. The incident will not fade out of my memory,” the elderly man said softly.

St Xavier’s College held classes today till 11am and the Jharkhand Academic Council’s intermediate examination was scheduled for the second half. The same exam that Khusboo would have taken, had she been alive.

Examination controller A.K. Sinha said the girl’s grandmother might have had an inkling.

“Later in the evening, we came to know the boy was scolded by the girl’s grandmother outside campus. She should have at least alerted us about the harassment. We could have restrained the girl in the exam room or informed the police,” he said.

Though principal Nicholas Tete claimed everything was “normal on premises today”, an eerie silence belied his words. “We did as much as was possible yesterday. We didn’t let the murderer go and he is behind bars now. What else can we do?” Tete asked.

An examinee who was present at ground zero

Not many students came forward to speak, the stately corridors were empty and the playground, deserted. But some did hit the streets for a peace rally to under the banner Save India Trust (floated by Xaverians) at Albert Ekka Chowk in the morning to defend their college’s reputation.

“Please don’t demean our college. No one likes such incident on campus. It’s time to stand united,” second-year BCom student Suraj Sharma said. Recalling the incident, Sharma said: “Everyone went speechless, the girls (classmates) started weeping uncontrollably. For the moment, we thought we would never return to the campus. But we realised this is not the solution. So, we are out to spread the message of peace,” he said.

Meanwhile, this morning, the police produced Bijendra before the court of chief judicial magistrate Sita Ram Prasad, who forwarded him to a 14-day judicial custody at Birsa Munda Central Jail, where he was showered with curses from those present.

“The boy should be shot dead,” thundered Archana Sabu, a woman advocate.

Pictures by Hardeep Singh


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