Tuesday, November 24, 1998

Excise duty evasion of Rs 15 crore detected

NEW DELHI, Nov 23 (PTI) — Large-scale excise duty evasion to the tune of Rs 15 crore has been detected by anti-evasion sleuths during country-wide raids against manufacturers of pan masala, textile processors and kitchen-wares, Directorate-General of Anti-Evasion said here today.

During the search operations, exciseable goods valued at over Rs 1.5 crore were seized at different places in addition to alleged unaccounted cash of Rs 15 lakh from a pan masala manufacturing company partner and several documents, the Directorate said.

Acting on intelligence inputs, Directorate officers searched M/s M.R. Sales in Delhi and M.R. Compounds Allied Products (P) Ltd of Uttar Pradesh, engaged in the manufacture of ‘Panking’ pan masala at Nainpuri, Deputy Director in the Directorate KR Bhargava said.

During searches at the residences of the owners and dealers’ business premises in Delhi, Vadodara, Bangalore, Udaipur and Ahmedabad, several documents were seized showing alleged suppression of production and clandestine removals of pan masala, he said in a press note.

Variation in stocks of modvatable raw materials was noticed in the factory in Delhi, it alleged and said the modvatable raw materials appeared to have been used for clandestine manufacture and sale.

Preliminary investigation showed heavy receipt of unaccounted raw materials like supari and packaging material, it alleged.

The Directorate alleged that the manufacturers had been removing major portion of the production clandestinely under fictitious transport documents.

In follow-up operations conducted in Ahmedabad, three trucks were intercepted by the Central Excise Commissionerate and goods valued at Rs 25 lakh seized along with the trucks, it said.

The searches also led to the seizure of unaccounted cash of Rs 15 lakh from the residence of CK Gupta, partner of pan masala manufacturing company, which was admitted as sales proceeds of pan masala, it claimed.

Estimated evasion of duty was around Rs 10 crore, it said, adding pan masala is leviable to 40 per cent of duty under the Central Excise Tariff.

In another search operation against manufacturers of kitchen-wares under ‘Anjali’ and ‘Avanti’ brand names, the anti-evasion officers searched five factories in Mumbai and their distributors and sole selling agents in Mumbai, Indore, Chennai, Bangalore, Madurai, Calcutta and Delhi, it said.

Several documents seized during searches showed sale of goods under fictitious bills and evasion of duty of over Rs 3 crore was estimated, it alleged.

Duty evasion to the tune of Rs 2 crore was detected during searches by the Directorate’s Kanpur unit with the assistance of Central Excise officers at Fatehpur in a processing house, it claimed.

India-B'desh pact on cross-border insurgency

DHAKA, Nov 23 (PTI) — India and Bangladesh today decided to take stern action against insurgents and fugitives taking shelter in each other's territories and extradite them.

Home Secretary BP Singh and his Bangladesh counterpart Safiur Rahman signed this evening the agreement at the end of the two-day deliberation.

During the talks, described by both sides as "useful and positive", the officials discussed in detail the cross-border insurgencies, the issue of illegal migrants from Bangladesh, smuggling and all other cross-border crimes.

Mr Singh told newsmen that it was decided that insurgents and fugitives would receive special attention of law if they surrendered before authorities of their respective country.

He said the two countries would solve their problems in an atmosphere of mutual trust and friendliness.

The entire gamut of the border management, including interstate crimes and preventive actions against smuggling, drug trafficking, illegal trafficking of women and demarcation of border also figured in the deliberations. It also discussed on the exchange of enclaves.

Foodgrain stock comfortable: Barnala
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Nov 23 — The central pool had a stock of 89.59 lakh tonnes of rice and 152 lakh tonnes of wheat as on October 1, this year as against the buffer norms of 65 lakh tonnes of rice and 116 lakh tonnes of wheat.

Addressing a meeting of the Consultative Committee attached to his Ministry, the Minister for Food and Consumer Affairs, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, today said that the Government was committed to making available foodgrain to States under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) for which the annual requirement was around 103 lakh tonnes of rice and 73 lakh tonnes of wheat. In addition, 28 lakh tonnes of rice and 23 lakh tonnes of wheat were required for welfare schemes of other ministries and defence personnel.

"Unless the farmers are given incentives, procurement of the required quantities of foodgrain to serve the PDS and welfare schemes would not be possible", he pointed out.

The minister informed the members that the kharif production during 1998-99 was estimated to be around 147 lakh tonnes of rice. However, due to unseasonal rains in most of the paddy growing states the production and procurement prospects were being reviewed in consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture.

The open sale of wheat was resorted to by the ministry on account of the comfortable central pool stock position and also with a view to contain the price rise, Mr Barnala said.

AG for reviewing obsolete laws
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Nov 23 — Several old and obsolete laws prevalent in Punjab need to be reviewed, says the Advocate-General of Punjab, Mr Hardev Singh Mattewal.

Talking to Tribune News Service on his first visit to the Capital after taking charge, he said, “Laws act as a hindrance, if they do not change according to the requirements of the time.”

The Advocate-General, for whom it would be a second stint said there were several provisions in the agricultural Acts, tenancy Acts and cooperative society Acts. which had not been changed over the years. These posed a considerable hurdle to usher in development in the state.

Emphasising the need for a constant review of various laws enacted by the state, Mr Mattewal, who has been practising in the Punjab and Haryana High Court since 1973, said, “I would recommend to the government to set up a permanent commission to review state laws.”

Recalling the recommendations given to the Centre by an expert group suggesting amendment to the Indian Penal Code, and the Code of Criminal Procedure and scrapping of several Acts as they had become redundant, the Advocate-General said, “The government functions on the basis of legal norms and if the Acts themselves become outdated they must be changed.”

The Ravi and Beas water tribunal, was looking into the distribution of the Yamuna’s waters between Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi, Mr Mattewal said, adding that the Punjab Government had expressed its reservations to the interim award of the tribunal.

He indicated the state government was considering moving the apex court challenging the terms and reference of the Eradi tribunal.

The patenting of basmati rice by a US firm, the 48-year-old Advocate- General said, “needs to be examined carefully” as any hasty move would affect the farmers, the industry and the state.

Suggesting a way out to bring down the pendency of cases in courts, he said the state government would promote other forums like the Lok Adalat for seeking justice. “These decentralised bodies would not only deliver justice quickly, it would also be economical to the litigants”, he said.

The Advocate-General also highlighted the role of information technology in the better administration of justice.

Mr Mattewal said a number of senior advocates were being appointed to present the case of the state better.

At present, the Punjab Human Rights Commission can investigate those cases of human rights violations which have occurred in the past one year. The state government would urge the Centre to extend the time period from one year to 10 years, he said.

Mr Mattewal, who is also the Dean, Law Faculty, Guru Nanak Dev University, emphasised the need to update the curriculum to meet the growing needs of the industry and society.

New courses on industrial laws, pollution laws, corruption laws, patent laws and environmental laws would be introduced in these universities so that the students who pass out would be equipped to meet the demands of the job market, Mr Mattewal said.

Restructure Coast Guard: Fernandes
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Nov. 23 — The Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes has called for re-structuring the Coast Guard.

Inaugurating the Coast Guard Commanders Conference here today, he underlined the need for a comprehensive review of its role.

Such a study should cover the peacetime and wartime role of the Coast Guard as well as its relationship with the Navy, the minister said and made it clear that he had an open mind on the issue and such a study should be initiated by the Coast Guard itself.

He expressed the hope that the Conference would discuss the issue and give concrete proposals which could be examined by the ministry. He informed that several suggestions had been made to him in the past six months in this regard and the time had come to settle the issue of its structuring and role.

The minister emphasised the crucial role of the Navy and the Coast Guard in view of the emerging scenario in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, the growing importance of the sea lanes and the need for the protection of offshore installations and refineries in which huge amounts of money had been invested. While the profits of the public sector units were ploughed back, some rethinking was necessary regarding the national assets belonging to the private sector for the protection of which some payment could be considered. He wanted the Coast Guard to consider how to proceed with the security of the assets.

Mr Fernandes assured the commanders that the disparities in the pay and allowances of Coast Guard personnel would receive immediate attention.

Mob halts Rabri’s motorcade

SITAMARHI, NOV 23 (PTI) — Enraged over the killing of a child by a speeding bus, residents of Rajopatti village of Sitamarhi district halted the motorcade of Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi for several hours today.

The Chief Minister was on her way to Sheohar to campaign for the RJD candidate for the November 25 byelection.

Officials said the villagers set fire to the bus, damage another vehicle and blocked the Sitamarhi-Sheohar road demanding compensation for the victim’s family.

In the meantime, the motorcade of Mrs Rabri Devi accompanied by some ministers happened to reach the spot. Agitated people refused to lift the blockade and a number of them even tried to force their way through the security cordon thrown around the Chief Minister.

Mr Sadhu Yadav, MLC, and brother of Mrs Rabri Devi was seen trying to persuade the villagers to lift the blockade on the promise of giving a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to the victim’s family, a government job and a house under the Indira Awaas Yojna.

The villagers, however, continued with the blockade.

Tough challenge for BJP
From Jatinder Sharma
Tribune News Service

JAIPUR, Nov 23 — The anti-incumbency factor and the use in the prices of essential commodities has made the challenge tough for the ruling BJP as electioneering came to an end today.

The electorate will exercise their franchise on November 25 in 197 Assembly segments of the Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha. Elections to three Assembly segments have been countermanded following the death of candidates of the BJP and the BSP. There are 1,422 candidates in the fray, including more than 600 Independents and rebel candidates. Of these, 69 are women candidates.

During its eight years of rule in the state, the BJP appears to have annoyed many of its workers and voters in one way or another. Party activists looked demoralised following the landslide victory of the Congress in the last Lok Sabha elections. However, the visits of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Home Minister LK Advani and other national leaders have helped in boosting the morale of the workers to a great extent.

The contest in most of the constituencies appears straight between the Congress and the BJP but the rebel candidates of both the parties have made it triangular in 20 to 25 Assembly segments. Their presence in the fray has upset the calculations of both the parties.

Mr Damodar Thanvi, Congress spokesman, reluctantly admitted his party might suffer reverses in five to six constituencies. But political analysts here believe the loss could be higher as nearly 30 rebels are pitched against the official candidates. The BJP leaders also admit in private that rebels could damage the prospects of official candidates in three or four constituencies.

The picture is not as rosy as is being projected by the Congress and a section of the media. Voters do not have any special liking for the party and may vote for its candidates as there is no other alternative. Moreover, complacency had overtaken Congressmen after taking their victory granted.

The BJP, like the Congress has expelled its rebel candidates from the party. Despite this, certain rebels have given sleepless nights to party stalwarts. The Chief Minister, Mr Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, is grappling with such a situation in Bali as an old RSS activist, Mr Amrit Parmar, who is contesting as an Independent, has made his task tougher.

The Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Hira Lal Bhabra, in Rattangarh of Churu district and the Higher Education Minister, Mr Lalit Kumar Chaturvedi, in Kota also are not in a happy position.

But the BJP minister and party nominee from Jaipur (rural), Mrs Ujla Arora, is giving a tough fight to the veteran Congress leader, Mr Naval Kishore Sharma. He is also facing a tough time because of the presence of the RJD candidate, Mr Mohammad Siraj, in the fray. Mr Siraj had polled more than 18,000 votes in 1993.

Former Chief Minister and Congress candidate in Kumbalgarh Hira Lal Deopura is facing tough competition from the BJP’s Surinder Singh Rathore who had defeated Mr Deopura in the 1993 elections. Another former Congress Chief Minister, Mr Shiv Charan Mathur, is facing a challenge not from the BJP but a close confidant, Mr Kanhya Lal.

It appears Independent and rebel candidates who make the grade will play a significant role in the formation of the next government in Rajasthan.

1509 preventive arrests in Delhi
EC reviews poll arrangements
From Our Correspondent

NEW DELHI, Nov 23 — As part of an intensive vigil to ensure free and fair assembly elections on November 25, the Delhi police has made preventive arrest of 1509 persons with criminal record and registered 879 cases so far.

This was disclosed by the Election Commissioner (EC), Mr G.V.G. Krishnamurthy following a high-level meeting with the Commissioner of Police, Mr V.N. Singh, and other senior police officers. The Electoral Officer of Delhi, Mr O.P. Kelkar, was also present.

As many as 40,736 police personnel of the Delhi police, 8000 Home Guards and 10 companies of the paramilitary forces would be deployed on the eve of elections in the Capital. Patrolling by police control room vans would be intensified to prevent untoward incidents.

In the 1993 assembly elections, 111 paramilitary forces were deployed, while in the 1996 parliamentary elections their strength was 40 and in 1998, it had been reduced to 30. In this election, the Delhi police has so far deployed 10 companies of the paramilitary forces and sought for 20 additional companies.

While talking to newspersons, he said 79 illegal weapons had been seized by the police and 289 unlicensed weapons were deposited. Besides, 1404 additional wireless stations had been put in operation for more effective communication.

Mr Krishnamurthy said the police has sealed all borders of the Capital to prevent the entry of anti-social elements during the election. Besides, vehicles entering the Capital would be thoroughly checked at the borders.

He said 180 polling stations had been identified as ‘sensitive’ in the Capital.

The Police Commissioner, said 31 polling stations in South Delhi had been identified as ‘sensitive’.

While Central Delhi had 30 ‘sensitive’ polling stations, North Delhi had 26, North-West Delhi 24, West Delhi 21, North-East Delhi 19, South-West Delhi 18 and East Delhi 15.

Acknowledging the assurance given by the police chief, Mr Krishnamurthy said, " Mr V.N. Singh and other senior officers of the Delhi police have assured me of adequate security arrangements in the Capital during the assembly election."

When asked about the security arrangement of the Delhi police, he said it was satisfactory. He said the election’s model code of conduct was being followed by all political parties in the Capital. The recent transfer case of a Sub-Inspector from the Hauz Khas police station in South Delhi was not a violation of the model code of conduct. It was an administrative subject, he added.

Punjabis in demand to woo kin
From Chander Parkash
Tribune News Service

SRIGANGANAGAR, Nov 23 — The people hailing from Punjab, particularly from the Malwa region and having relatives living in the 11 assembly segments of Hanumangarh and this district, are in great demand in Rajasthan state.

Though electioneering for the November 25 assembly poll came to an end today, the campaign managers for different candidates of the BJP, INDL and Congress are transporting a large number of people from Bathinda, Faridkot, Ferozepore, Muktsar and Moga districts of Punjab to these two Rajasthan districts for wooing their relatives here.

The Central BJP and Congress leadership had made arrangements for carrying out this exercise for the support of their official candidates much before the date for the assembly elections in Rajasthan was announced.

More than 400 vehicles carrying the residents of the five Punjab districts today left for different Rajasthan assembly segments to woo their relatives here.

Mr Bal Mukand Sharma, a former Punjab minister and senior state Congress leader, and Mr Jugal Mahajan, General Secretary, Punjab BJP, are looking after the campaigning for their respective party candidates in the 11 constituencies of Hanumangarh and this district. More than 40 senior leaders of the SAD are camping at Sangria to campaign for Mr Abhay Chautala, grandson of Mr Devi Lal, who is contesting as an INDL-BJP candidate from Sangria assembly segment.

Candidates from Hanumangarh and Sriganganagar assembly segments are also banking on cine stars to garner votes for them.

Film star, Sunil Dutt and other Congress leaders have addressed a number of rallies for the party candidates here, while Dara Singh, another film personality, has been canvassing for Mr Abhay Chautala.

While the AICC president, Ms Sonia Gandhi, has addressed an election rally here, the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, has addressed a rally at Hanumangarh recently.

Mr Krishan Kumar Sharma, general secretary of the DCC, Bathinda, who is camping in Sangria assembly segment, told TNS that a jatha of Congress workers from Punjab will leave today from different places of Punjab for carrying out door-to-door campaigning in Rajasthan’s assembly segments.

No Romesh links, Sushma swears
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Nov 23 — The Romesh Sharma issue cast a shadow over the Delhi Assembly elections as the campaigning ended today, with the Chief Minister, Mrs Sushma Swaraj, swearing by the Bhagavadgita that 'neither she nor her husband had any links with Romesh Sharma.'

Reacting to a pamphlet distributed in her assembly constituency of Hauz Khas, asking her to explain links with Romesh Sharma, Mrs Swaraj stood up with a copy of the Bhagavadgita in her hand and swore that 'neither me nor my lawyer husband, Mr Swaraj Kaushal, had ever seen, met, known or dealt with Romesh Sharma'.

In the same breath, the Chief Minister also challenged the Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, to swear by the Bible and deny that 'either she or her late husband Rajiv Gandhi had known Romesh Sharma.

'Is it not a fact that Romesh Sharma was made a PCC member by none other than Rajiv Gandhi', Mrs Swaraj asked, saying that when investigating agencies come out with details of the persons who had links with Romesh Sharma then it would be a who's who of the Congress party.

'When investigating agencies start probing into the case, then they would begin from 10 Janpath', she declared.

Earlier, the Chief Minister alleged that the pamphlet distributed through newspapers circulated in her constituency this morning was the handiwork of the Congress and her opponent, Dr Kiran Walia. Though the pamphlet did not have a printline, it was printed at the behest of the Congress, she alleged.

'Being a Hindu, I am swearing by the holy book', she said, adding that 'now at least the truth would be accepted as done in the country's judicial courts'.

When asked if Romesh Sharma's political outfit was not being run from a house of BJP MP, Mrs Swaraj said that 'he was not a BJP MP'.

Later, the BJP Vice-President, Mr J.P. Mathur, said that the BJP MP, Mr Shiv Charan Singh, from whose house Romesh Sharma's All-India Congress (Indira) was functioning, had resigned from the party.

Akalis should apologise for ’84 riots: Bhattal

JABALPUR, Nov 23 (PTI) — Akalis and the other guilty persons should apologise to the Sikh community for the 1984 riots instead of the Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, the former Punjab Chief Minister, Ms Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, said here today.

Addressing a press conference, Ms Bhattal said though Mrs Sonia Gandhi’s mother-in-law (Indira Gandhi) was assassinated, it was "her good intentions that she openly apologised".

"When Queen Elizabeth visited Punjab, the Akalis instead of asking her to apologise for the Jallianwala Bagh killings, publicly honoured her," she said.

Ms Bhattal said the results of the November 25 Assembly elections in four states would "sound the death knell of the BJP-led coalition government at the Centre".

The poll results would definitely be a referendum on the Vajpayee government’s performance, Ms Bhattal, who was here to campaign for the party along with AICC observer and former Punjab Minister Brahm Mahindra, said.

INLD assures basic amenities
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Nov 23 — Candidates of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) backed by the BJP have reiterated their resolve to ensure provision of basic amenities in Mahipalpur, Najafgarh and Bawana Assembly constituencies.

Introduced to mediapersons by Mr Kishan Singh Sanghwan, the leader of the INLD’s parliamentary party at his residence here on Monday, the candidates said they were confident of their victory.

Besides their own party President, Mr Devi Lal, the working President of the INLD, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, senior BJP leaders including the Union Home Minister, Mr L K Advani, the Chief Minister of Delhi, Ms Sushma Swaraj, her predecessors, Mr Sahib Singh Verma and Mr Madan Lal Khurana have been campaigning for them.

Mr Surat Singh Yadav, President of the Delhi Pradesh INLD and candidate from the Mahipalpur Assembly segment said, "On being elected I will do my best to ensure adequate water and power supply. I will also persuade the government to construct a hospital, dispensaries and primary and senior secondary schools here. Apart from this, I will ensure development of parks in Vasant Kunj."

Mr Yadav who lives in Bagdola village says that he is confident of his victory.

Mr Pritam Singh Dagar who is contesting for the Najafgarh seat said that he would ensure the provision of safe drinking water to residents of Najafgarh. A resident of Gopal Nagar, Mr Dagar began his political career as a Municipal Councillor in 1983 and continued to hold the office till 1990.

The third INLD nominee from the Bawana Assembly segment, Mr Hem Chandra Bhatt, said he would make sure that people in his constituency got adequate water supply.

Rebels may act spoilsport
From K.V. Prasad
Tribune News Service

BHOPAL, Nov 23 — The presence of a number of rebels and several new parties could act as spoilsport in the election to the Madhya Pradesh Assembly which otherwise is a direct contest between the ruling Congress and the BJP.

Some 39 political parties have fielded over 2,500 candidates for the 320 Assembly constituencies.

The BJP and the Congress are facing the problem of rebels with a former Chief Minister, Mr V.K. Saklecha of the BJP heading the list. He is contesting from the Jawad constituency and there are nearly 20 such cases in the BJP which has expelled 13 party members for contesting against official candidates.

The problem is more acute in the Congress where some 40-odd rebels are in the fray. Nearly half of them have been struck off the party list but their presence in the electoral battle could upset party calculations.

Among the new parties, the Ajay Bharat Party is headed by a former minister Mr Mukesh Nayak who quit the Congress on the eve of the Pachmarhi conclave during September this year.

While the BJP and the Congress maintain that the presence of new parties would not pose any threat to them, independent political observers say these candidates could play a crucial role in influencing the poll outcome and upset calculations.

If the BJP had to face rebellion from the likes of Mr Saklecha the Congress saw nearly seven sitting MLAs and some former ministers revolting after being denied renomination.

With pre-poll surveys showing contradictory results, some giving the BJP the edge while another predicting Congress emerging as the single largest party, observers are deducing the possibility of a hung assembly.

BJP intends to vitiate poll process: IYC

NEW DELHI, Nov 23 (PTI) — The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) today accused the BJP of bringing in thousands of anti-social elements to Delhi from neighbouring states to "vitiate" the poll process and demanded extreme vigilance from the Election Commission to ensure a peaceful election.

"There are possibilities of the BJP-RSS indulging in booth-capturing and bogus voting because of levels of demoralisation in the BJP camp," IYC President Manish Tiwary told reporters here.

He said in Delhi along there had been induction of 100,000 persons from states like Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. "We have received reports of concentration of anti-social elements in the Janakpuri, Viswas Nagar and Trilokpuri constituencies here. The candidates have written to the Election Commission," Mr Tiwari added.

Alleging that reports from Youth Congress activists in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi mentioned presence of "outsiders whose bona fides are suspect" in various Assembly constituencies, he said: "Intention is to disrupt poll".

The IYC leader also blamed price rise on the BJP’s "connivance" with hoarders and black marketeers and demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter.

Claiming that the IYC had "concrete evidence" on some BJP ministers being "hand-in-glove" with hoarders, he said Home Minister L.K. Advani should order a thorough investigation.

Two TDP activists killed
HYDERABAD: Two TDP workers, including a sarpanch of Sangem village in Nalgonda district of Andhra Pradesh, were hacked to death allegedly by Congress workers on Sunday. The police here said the sarpanch, Sangisetti Peda Biskham, along with his wife were returning on a bicycle from his fields when 16 Congress workers waylaid him and attacked him with axe and sickles, the sarpanch died on the spot. However, the workers left the sarpanch’s wife unharmed. Later they went to the village, spotted the village TDP president J. Nagaiah and killed him on the spot. It was apparently a retaliatory act as the victims were the main accused in the murder of three Congress workers, Laxma Reddy, Santhi Reddy and Ramachandra Reddy. — UNI

JMM (Mardi) chief hurt
JAMSHEDPUR: Jharkhand leader Krishna Mardi and three others were injured in an accident near Chowka in West Singhbhum district of Bihar on Sunday, the police said. The accident occurred when the car in which they were travelling lost control and overturned on NH - 33. Besides the JMM (Mardi) president, his bodyguard and driver were also injured. Mardi who was admitted to Tata main hospital with head injuries was reported to be stable. The condition of his bodyguard, N. Murmu, who received multiple injuries was stated to be serious, hospital sources said here on Monday. — PTI

Poisonous gas kills 5
INDORE: Five contract labourers died after inhaling poisonous gas in the soya division of a company near Sanwar in Indore district of Madhya Pradesh on Sunday, the police said. The incident occurred when the labourers, including a couple, entered a soya waste tank to extract residue after excess water had been drained out. They were rushed to a hospital where they were declared brought dead, the police said. A case has been registered against the manager of Rama Phosphate Company, the police added. — PTI

‘Hijack exercise’ delays flight
NAGPUR: A mock hijack at the airport here delayed the Nagpur-Mumbai Indian Airlines flight by about two hours on Sunday and created a high drama with all top officials rushing to the aerodrome. The flight took off a little after 10.45 pm and most of the senior officers, including the Commissioner of Police Ulhas Joshi, were still at the airport and could not be contacted on the telephone. Airport security, when contacted to confirm the earlier information that the Mumbai-bound plane was hijacked, was not in a position to confirm or deny it, with the constable on duty saying all officers were on the tarmac and no information was available. — PTI

P. Chidambaram to be honoured
ROORKEE: The Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, Dr P. Chidambaram will be conferred with ‘Doctor of Science’ degree by Roorkee University on Wednesday, official sources said here on Monday. The university is celebrating its golden jubilee this year and Dr Chidambaram will be conferred with the degree on the occasion of the 48th convocation of the university, the sources said. Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam will deliver the convocation address. — PTI

Couple stabbed over fish
KHAGARIA (Bihar): A couple was stabbed to death by husband’s brother and nephews when they refused to share fish with them. The incident happened at Bhadas village under Mufassil police station. The deceased were identified as Narayan Singh and Bhulki Devi. Police Superintendent M.S. Majid said all three accused fled the village after committing the crime. A case has been registered and efforts were on to arrest the accused. — UNI

Mother kills kids, self
BANGALORE: A 35-year-old woman committed suicide by self-immolation after killing three of her children by dousing them in kerosene and setting them afire in Basaveshwaran Nagar near here, the police said. According to the police, the woman, a widow, took the extreme step on Sunday as she was unable to bear the harassment by her mother-in-law. — PTI