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Stir
hits life in Bengal
CALCUTTA, Feb 8 (PTI) — Normal life was paralysed in
West Bengal due to a 24-hour general strike called by
INTUC and major trade unions today to protest against the
hike in prices of essential commodities by the Centre.
The situation was peaceful and no untoward incident was
reported from anywhere in the state with security
measures tightened to maintain law and order,
Director-General of Police D. Sanyal said. City streets
wore a deserted look as all modes of transport kept off
streets and markets, business establishments, offices,
schools and colleges remained closed. CPI-ML MLA shot at
PATNA, Feb 8 (PTI) — A CPI-ML (Liberation) MLA, Mr
Amarnath Yadav, was shot at and seriously wounded while
his bodyguard was killed when unidentified assailants
attacked them in Siwan yesterday, the police said today.
The Police Superintendent, Siwan, Mr Satyendra Prasad
Singh told PTI over phone that five armed assailants
sprayed bullets on Mr Yadav from point-blank range at
Mania village under Asawan police station around 2.30
p.m. yesterday. His bodyguard, Ashok, was killed on the
spot.
Bank fraud
AIZAWL, Feb 8 (PTI) — A major bank fraud in Mizoram
involving lakhs of rupees has been unearthed with arrest
of four persons, including two non-tribsmen, a senior
police official said here today. A large number of bank
drafts found missing in Delhi, Panipat and other places
had made their way to Aizawl and were encashed through
local tribal accounts (main), Bawgkawn and Dawrpui
Branches of SBI, SP Aizawl district Mr Zorammawia said.
The fraud came to light when the culprits, who had
already encashed Rs 70 lakh, tried to draw more money
from Mission Veng branch of the SBI.
Meeting on energy
NEW DELHI, Feb 8 (PTI) — The annual meeting of the
state secretaries for non-conventional energy sources
will begin here tomorrow to review the progress of
renewable energy programmes and consider new policy
initiatives and strategies. The two-day meeting will be
inaugurated by the Minister for Power, Parliamentary
Affairs and Non-Conventional Energy Sources Mr P.R.
Kumaramangalam. The first session would review the
programmes of biogas and improved chulha and integrated
rural energy programme.
Nandini Satpathy
CUTTACK, Feb 8 (PTI) — Eminent writer and former
Chief Minister Nandini Satpathy has won the prestigious
Sahitya Bharati Samman Award, 1998, for her outstanding
contribution to Oriya literature. The award instituted by
the Gangadhar Rath Foundation carries a cash prize of Rs
1 lakh and a citation. She would be given the award at a
function here on February 20.
Laloo courts
arrest
LUCKNOW, Feb
8 (UNI) — Samajwadi Party President Mulayam Singh
Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal President Laloo Prasad Yadav
and RJD Working President Ranjan Yadav were among those
who courted arrest during the ongoing statewide
"jail bharo" agitation of the Samajwadi Party
here today. SP state unit chief Ramsaran Das, Leader of
the Opposition, in the state vidhan parishad Ahmad Hasan
and former MP Phoolan Devi were also arrested. They were
released immediately after the token arrest at the
collectorate premises.
15 LTTE men killed
COLOMBO, Feb
8 (AFP) — Navy gun boats destroyed two Tamil rebel
craft during a confrontation in northern Sri Lanka today,
killing at least 15 guerrillas, state radio here said.
The navy attacked the boats of the LTTE near the islet of
Delft and sank them, the radio said, quoting navy
officials here.
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