Indian Scientist goes missing from Kaiga atomic energy station

Rage

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Indian Scientist goes missing from Kaiga atomic energy station

June 10th, 2009



CHENNAI / KARWAR: A nuclear scientist, who is a native of Chennai, has gone missing from Kaiga Atomic Energy station. L Mahalingam, who is from Anna Nagar, Chennai, was reported missing since Monday morning. His wife Vinayaka Sundari has lodged a police complaint, saying her husband who had gone out jogging had not returned home. He had left behind his wallet.

The Mallapur police is undertaking a search. ‘‘We cannot rule out the possibility of a kidnap. His wife told us that they never had any problems at home and there are no police records on an threat perception to Mahalingam,’’ a police officer from Karwar said.

Police told TOI that Mahalingam who was a scientist with the training section at Kaiga, had access to the nuclear plant and to sensitive data.

‘‘The colony residents, where Mahalingam and family lived, are not cooperating with the police. They are not refusing to give details. This colony in Mallapur is surrounded by 1,000-odd acres of dense forests. There are lots of man-eating leopards in this forest. Police with the help of CISF is planning to comb some portion of the forest,’’ the official said.


http://silverscorpio.com/indian-scientist-goes-missing-from-kaiga-atomic-energy-station
http://news.oneindia.in/2009/06/11/nuclear-scientist-goes-missing-from-karnataka.html
 

Rage

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Missing scientist has no strategic info to leak: NPC official



Main Plant Building & Ancillary Structures for Kaiga Unit 3 & 4


Kaiga, Karnataka, June 12 : With no trace of the 49-year-old scientist of Kaiga Nuclear Power plant in Uttara Kannada district, who went missing on June eight after he went for a morning walk from his quarters near the plant, a three pronged search team intensified today the search.

Security teams including the local police, CISF and forest department staff had launched a massive hunt for the scientist, N Mahalingam, in the forest area surrounding the staff quarters near the plant.

The scientist's wife Vinayaka Sundari had complained to the local police that her husband had gone missing after he went for a morning walk five days ago.

Meanwhile Mr Nageshwar Rao, Director (Operations) of Nuclear Power Corporation, clarified that the scientific officer did not have carry any secret documents or strategic information with him.

Addressing a press conference here today he said no secret documents pertaining to Kaiga Nuclear power project or any other classified material was available with him.

"He went for a morning walk when he disappeared. There was no possibility of his carrying any such documents," he said.

Mr. Mahalingam working as second in charge in Kaiga Nuclear Training centre disappeared under mysterious circumstances after he left his home where he lives with his wife Vinayaka Sundari in the morning.

Mr Rao said that all out efforts were being initiated to trace the whereabouts of the officer.

Superintendent of police and Deputy Commissioner of Uttara Kannada district held a meeting here today and decided to step up the search operations.

Meanwhile in Bangalore, KPCC President R V Deshpande demanded the state government to take all steps to locate the missing scientist.

He asked the government to beef up the security in and around the Nuclear plant, the Sea Bird naval base and Kali project, the state-owned Asia's largest hydel power station, all located in the district.

--- UNI


Missing scientist has no strategic info to leak: NPC official .:. NewKerala - India 's Top Online Newspaper
 

Pintu

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Mystery of the missing scientist

Mystery of the missing scientist

Express News Service

First Published : 12 Jun 2009 03:20:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 12 Jun 2009 09:23:06 AM IST

KARWAR: The disappearance of Mahalingam, a scientist attached to the Kaiga nuclear power generating station is shrouded in mystery. The police have not succeeded in locating Mahalingam, missing since last Monday.

According to family members, Mahalingam left his house at Mallapur township at around 5.30 am on Monday for his usual morning walk. He did not return.

SP Raman Gupta told The New Indian Express that the police is looking at all angles and do not rule out suicide.

Apparently Mahalingam has a "history of disappearance".

While posted in Mumbai, Mahalingam had once disappeared from his house for several days, without informing his family members.

Since Kaiga nuclear station has been under a threat of terror attack, the police also do not rule out kidnap.

Police have released a photograph of Mahalingam to the media and appeal to the public to bring any information regarding the scientist to their notice.
 

EnlightenedMonk

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First, condolences to the family... but now that the body has been found, it is to be debated as to the cause of death... natural ??? or was it a conspiracy ???
 

Pintu

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Nuclear scientist's body found by naval divers- Politics/Nation-News-The Economic Times

Nuclear scientist's body found by naval divers

13 Jun 2009, 2244 hrs IST, PTI

KAIGA: Ending the mystery over the disappearance of the Kaiga Nuclear power plant scientist, N Mahalingam, naval divers today recovered his body from the Kali river, six days after he went missing.

Naval divers fished out the body of Mahalingam, the scientific officer at the plant, who was reported missing during a morning walk on June 8, from the river flowing near the Kaiga township, police said.

Police said they are investigating whether Mahalingam had drowned or there was any foul play.
 

Rage

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Scientist not involved in any strategic programme: Officials

Friday, June 12, 2009 20:07 IST


Karwar (Karnataka): As the mystery surrounding the disappearance of scientist L Mahalingam grew, the Kaiga nuclear plant authorities dismissed fears that he was involved in any strategic programme or was carrying any sensitive documents.

Lokanathan Mahalingam, Scientific Officer in the Kaiga generating station of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), was associated with training department responsible for imparting routine training of personnel, project officials told a press conference here.

"NPCIL is a public sector undertaking responsible for designing and construction of nuclear plants and is not not associated with any strategic programme."

"He (Mahalingam) does not have any access to sensitive documents. So he does not not have any strategic information," NPC director Nageshwara Rao said.

He said Mahalingam is not a nuclear scientist in the Kaiga Nuclear plant but only a Scientific Officer involved in training trainees in one of the simulator training centres.

Mahalingam, who had earlier worked with the Madras Atomic Power Project (MAPP) in Kalpakkam near Chennai, was found missing on the morning of June 8 when he did not return from his walk.  His wife Sundari lodged a complaint with the Kaiga police and since then a hunt is on for him, police said. 

NPCIL chairman and managing director SK Jain said in a release in Mumbai that Mahalingam had been associated with the training department responsible for imparting training in routine operations and maintenance aspects in the plant, which is essentially an educational and skill development function.

Rao said Mahalingam did not know any secrets of the plant and there was no chance of secrets being leaked out by him. Mahalingam had worked in the MAPP 10 years ago but there was no official communication that he had gone missing there at any time, he said.

He ruled out the possibility of Mahalingam being abducted for sensitive documents but he could not dismiss such a possibility occurring for any other reason.

Officials said that details about the training programme in Kaiga are available on the web and that the information was plant-specific and could not be used universally.

They said as far as nuclear technology and reactors were concerned, the technology for power generation for peaceful purposes "was well known".

Uttara Kannada district Superintendent of Police, Raman Gupta also ruled out the theory of abduction of Mahalingam as he does not possess any secret information about the Kaiga plant.

Gupta said three search teams comprising police and CISF have been formed which have been combing the forests since Thursday.

He said Mahalingam's wife was not not in a position to give any clues; "I don't know anything. Please search for my husband," has been her refrain, he said.

In Bangalore, Additional DGP AR Infant said a special team has been formed under the leadership of a deputy Superintendent of Police, which has some got some clues and were pursuing them.

The search teams have combed about 20 kms in the forest area along the Western Ghats to look for any possible evidence of Mahalingam having been attacked by wild animals.

The employees' township is located about 16 km from the power plant.


Scientist not involved in any strategic programme: Officials : In.com : Read - DNA India
 

Pintu

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My sympathy from my heart goes to the Family of the late scientist , and I pray to almighty that may his soul rest in peace.

Regards
 

Pintu

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D A I J I W O R L D

Saturday, June 13, 2009 10:35:07 PM (IST)

Missing Kaiga Scientist Mahalingam Found Dead

Missing Kaiga Scientist Mahalingam Found Dead
Daijiworld Media Network - Karwar

Karwar, Jun 13: The mystery of the missing Kaiga scientist, Mahalingam has come to a tragic conclusion. His body was found near the Kaiga dam, River Kaali, Karwar on Saturday, Jun 13, 2009 at 10.00pm.

Police sources said that the family members of Mahalingam have identified the body and confirmed that it was indeed Mahalingam's.

Daijiworld correspondent who was present near Kaiga has informed over the phone that, it is too early to conclude if Mahalingam committed suicide or accidently slipped down from the dam and fell into the river. The police too suspect that it could be a case of suicide, but investigation is on.

The senior scientist was missing since the morning of June 8, 2009. He was last seen while going for his morning walk.
A five-member special Navy team had arrived at Kaiga and search operations were on full swing throughout the Kaali river, to find Mahalingam.

Further information is awaited.
 

NikSha

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Instead of useless piece of crap, corrupt politicians hording all the high level security, we should at least provide two security personnel to ANY scientist involved in any such sensitive work. Who's life is more important here? This "accident" could've been prevented (MAYBE) even if one security guard was present with him, following him from a distance.

Useless government.
 

Singh

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^^What if the scientist was eliminated by Indian agencies themselves ? How do you know India is not keeping a close watch on its scientists ?
 

NikSha

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^^What if the scientist was eliminated by Indian agencies themselves ? How do you know India is not keeping a close watch on its scientists ?
In that case, I think those "agencies" have enough money to bribe or put their own man instead of the usual security officer few months before planning the execution.

Unless they go out randomly shooting scientists like amateurs risking some clue and witness leading up to them in the end, I doubt it they would have any issues with one or two security personnel.

Either way, it's a BIG "IF" on your end here (as well mine). What if he wasn't eliminated by Indian agencies but someone like ISI, tortured, made to squeal secrets and then killed? What then?
 

Singh

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Niksha,
At this point all is speculation but one thing is quite certain that big brother is definitely keeping a watch on all "important" officials.
 

Rage

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This is a subject on which we can only but speculate. By (NPC director) Rao's own assertion, Lokanathan was merely a "Scientific Officer" and had "no access to sensitive documents" or "strategic information" (I am going to take that with a large pinch of salt). In his capacity as 'Scientific Officer' and imparter of "routine training to personnel in one of the simulator training centres" however, it is plausible that he could have been running agents within the NPCIL - more likely immediately within the Kaiga nuclear plant given his designation and authorization - for design/construction of the fifth ( of six, ongoing ) plant at the eastern sector. Although there is reason to question the value of agent-running within the plant, since all of the plants are small-sized 220 MW Candu reactors (unless the government is planning something significant and highly sensitive at the site- possible given the spate of recent nuclear deals). It is also worthwhile to remember that the Kaiga nuclear plant stands near a large, important naval base, Project Seabird- an ambitious plan to develop a new seaport on the western coast exclusively for the Indian Navy to acquire strategic depth. And that, alongwith the fact that Mahalingam also trained apprentices on a replica of the reactor and knew its workings intricately, gives enough reason to suspect foul play.

Interestingly, I have also been able to glean from various news reports that armed persons had accosted a Nuclear Power Corporation official in the same forest and attempted to kidnap him some five years ago, and that Ravi Mule, a low-level non-technical employee of the NPC, was found dead in the adjoining township about a month and a half ago after going for a morning walk.
 

Soham

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^^What if the scientist was eliminated by Indian agencies themselves ? How do you know India is not keeping a close watch on its scientists ?
Yes, that cannot be ruled out. Specially because the Intelligence was after him too.
Although, chances are very remote, for such an event to take place.

Unfortunately, I don't think think we'll ever know the reason.
 

Rage

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Yes, that cannot be ruled out. Specially because the Intelligence was after him too.
Although, chances are very remote, for such an event to take place.

Unfortunately, I don't think think we'll ever know the reason.
Soham agha, can you corroborate that claim?

I'd be interested to read on the exact causes of his targeting by the Intelligence Bureau from a worthy, credible source.
 

Soham

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johnee

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One thing is certain, the poor guy was killed, most probably by a human.........
 

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