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Militant hideout busted in Pulwama

         Srinagar: Indian army on Saturday said it had busted a militiant hide-out in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. The explosives recovered from the hide-out were displayed in Srinagar. "After getting a tip-off, the forces searched the area. There was no sight of any militants. But after searching the area, we recovered a rocket launcher, two grenades and 2 AK magazines and 1032 rounds," K. Srinivasan, deputy inspector general of Border Security Force, said. Srinivasan also said that security has been tightened to prevent militants from targeting Hindu pilgrims bound for Amarnath cave shrine. "We do not want to take any chances during the Amarnath Yatra this year. We will assume that there is a threat to the pilgrimage. Hence we shall take all precautions, including all intelligence reports and prepare for the yatra," Srinivasan said.

Starvation turns killer in Bengal village (Go To Top)

         Amlasole village (W.Bengal): Hunger gnaws at the residents of Amlasole village in West Bengal where five people have died without food in recent months. No work, no money, no food is the refrain of the poverty-stricken residents of Amlasole. Most of the villagers used to eke out a living selling kendu leaves used for rolling "beedis", or thin cigars. But they were deprived of any job after middlemen stepped into the trade in line with a government order. "People have died of hunger. This means that there was no work. This season was poor, because of less cultivation of Kendupata (Kendu leaves). The food which we got now, was not available earlier. It was only in the last few days we received food, earlier there was none. We want roads, medical facilities," said Bhadu Shalear, a villager. Others blamed the apathy of the authorities. "My parents and my sister died due to hunger. Diseases are spreading and there are no doctors," said Banamali Shalear. Following numerous reports of starvation deaths from several states in 2002, the Supreme Court had said it would hold district authorities responsible for any deaths due to starvation.

Ahmedabad-IIM fees to remain unchanged  (Go To Top)

         Ahmedabad: The Board of IIM-Ahmedabad held a meeting on Saturday to decide on the fee structure of the premiere management institute. After the meeting, Narayan Murthy, the Chairman, and Bakul Dholakia, the Director of the institute, addressed a press conferece and intimated that the fee structure would remain unchanged. However, the financial assistance to the needy students has been increased upto 4 times. "We decided that those candidates who are admitted to IIM- Ahmedabad and whose parental income is equal to or less than 2 lakh of rupees annually, will be provided with free tuition and whatever other financial support is possible," said Murthy. He also said that as against 25 lakh rupees set apart last year, the management had decided to provide the financial assistance upto 1 crore to the needy students. Bakul Dholakia hoped that the new scheme would bring to the fore more students. He also said, "We have integrated the need-based scholarship with admission process itself so that a number of students applying are maximised." However, the fund for the scholarships will be collected internally, as according to Narayan Murthy the institutes of higher learning should remain independent and not a burden on government as far as possible.

Narasimha Rao admitted to AIIMS for check-up (Go To Top)

         New Delhi: Former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao, 83, has been admitted to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for a checkup. An aide of Rao said, "The former Prime Minister was admitted to AIIMS three days ago for a check-up. He is allright." Doctors at the AIIMS said that Rao's condition was stable and he was undergoing various tests. Tests had shown rise in liver enzymes and he was shifted to the cardiac ward on Saturday for examination of his heart condition, doctors said.

14 policemen killed as bus hits landmine in Nepal (Go To Top)

         Kathmandu: Fourteen policemen were killed and four injured in southwestern Nepal on Saturday when their bus hit a landmine planted by Maoist rebels, a senior police official said. The blast happened near the town of Kalakate on Saturday morning. In another incident in the region, a civilian bus was blown up by a landmine near the town of Tulsipur, killing one passenger and injuring 13, the official said. June 19, 2004.