Decision on Telangana within a month: Shinde
A decision on the issue of carving out a separate Telangana state from Andhra Pradesh will be taken within a month, Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said in New Delhi yesterday. “A decision will be taken within a month... we have heard the members of various parties... we have noted their views and will brief the government about it,” Shinde told reporters after an all-party meet here on the issue. Noting that the people of Andhra Pradesh were suffering, the home minister appealed to the youths for calm.Representatives of eight political parties attended the meeting.
Troops kill two militants in Kashmir, seven hurt
Indian troops yesterday shot dead two suspected militants in Kashmir while seven civilians received police bullet injuries when they protested the slaying of the rebels, officials said. The two militants belonging to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba rebel group were killed while three troopers were wounded in a firefight with militants in Pulwama town, 30 kilometres from Kashmir summer capital Srinagar. Vijay Kumar, deputy inspector general of police in Pulwama, also said seven civilians who attacked a military ambulance to protest the killing of the militants were wounded when police fired on them.
Cops collect evidence in constable’s death at protest
Delhi Police are yet to find out how constable Subhash Tomar, who died on Dec 25, was injured during anti-rape protests on Dec 23 here. But they claimed to have collected some clues. A senior crime branch officer yesterday said they had collected the post-mortem report and other diagnosis reports from Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital where constable Subhash Tomar died of injuries Dec 25.“The post-mortem report and medical documents reveal that he suffered six internal injuries. His chest and neck had injuries while his left rib was broken. It suggests the injury was made by a blunt object,” the officer, who did not want to be named, said.
Consult states on national anti-terror cell: Jayalalithaa
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa yesterday told Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the move to set up a National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) should be taken in consultation with the states. Jayalalithaa had earlier opposed the setting up of the NCTC, and reiterated her opposition yesterday. In a letter to Singh, the text of which was released to the media, Jayalalithaa said she learned about the renewed move to set up the NCTC under the Union Home Ministry. “I am sure that you will recall the views expressed by several chief ministers, including myself, against the NCTC emerging as a single point of control,” she said.
Police launch hunt for diamond merchant’s killers
Kerala Police probing the murder of a diamond merchant in Thiruvananthapuram appear to have tracked down the killer gang. The murder has baffled police. Earlier reports that the diamond merchant belonged to a royal family have been proved false, police say. Harihara Varma, 59, who according to earlier reports was a member of the Mavelikara royal family, was on Monday afternoon found dead. Three people had come from Chennai to buy from Varma diamonds reportedly worth Rs 300 crore. After the merchant’s death, the police swung into action and sent out various teams to neighbouring states.