A total lack of information from 300-odd eyewitnesses present when DSP Zia-ul-Haq lost his life at Walipur village in UP’s Pratapgarh district on March 2 has left the CBI groping in the dark.
It has now set up a helpline (05341-230006), and urged eyewitnesses to give any information or clues on the killings of the DSP, village head and his brother.
CBI officials who visited Walipur found no one admits being present during the violence on March 2 night.
“Every person we questioned claims he/she was not present. No one seems to seen or heard anything though we are told there was a mob of about 300. It is obvious no one is willing to talk,” an agency official said.
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Karzai says U.S., Taliban in talks, but U.S. says no
Mirwais Harooni and Phil Stewart
Kabul, March 10
Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Sunday ratcheted up his criticism of Washington during a visit by US defence secretary Chuck Hagel, underscoring tensions between allies struggling to stabilise the country ahead of a Nato troop withdrawal.
Mr Karzai accused the United States and the Taliban of colluding to convince Afghans that foreign forces were needed to maintain peace beyond next year, when most foreign troops are due to leave.
Mr Karzai also said that the Taliban and the US had been holding talks in Qatar on a “daily basis”, but both the Taliban and Washington denied they had resumed efforts on a dialogue stalled a year ago. The US said it was still committed to political reconciliation involving talks with the Taliban, but progress required agreement between the Afghan government and the insurgents. “This is simply incorrect,” said a US official about Mr Karzai’s remarks. — Reuters