The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Monday, January 10, 2000,
Chandigarh, India

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S P O T L I G H T

Rajdhani mows down 11
PATNA, Jan 9 (PTI, UNI) — Eleven persons, including four women, were killed and four seriously injured when speeding New Delhi-Guwahati Rajdhani Express ran over them in dense fog at Pandarak, some 65 km from here, this morning, officials said. The victims were crossing the railway track after alighting from a train at around 8.45 a.m. on the Patna-Mokama section in thick fog when the Rajdhani Express hit them, IGP (Patna) Neelmani said. The disembarked passengers could not see the approaching train due to poor visibility, he said.

Bihar poll
PATNA, Jan 9 (UNI) — Several political parties today urged the Election Commission to reschedule the assembly poll in Bihar in March as the term of the present assembly expires on April 9. The Left Parties comprising CPM and CPI (ML), the Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party, the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal said that the commission’s decision was taken under the pressure of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government so as to complete the election process before the Budget.

Separate force
NEW DELHI, Jan 9 (PTI) — The Government is considering creation of a separate security force for the Civil Aviation and has decided to conduct checks just before passengers enter the aircraft, Civil Aviation Minister Sharad Yadav today said. “The Airport Authority has several departments. We have decided to have a separate trained force for the Civil Aviation,” he said in an interview on Star TV.

Assassination probe
COLOMBO, Jan 9 (UNI) — Investigations into the assassination attempt on President Chandrika Kumaratunga at an election rally last month have revealed some millionaire businessmen paid Tamil rebels and the Opposition for killing the Sri Lankan leader, state radio said.

Musharraf’s visit
ISLAMABAD, Jan 9 (PTI) — Pakistan’s military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf will visit China on January 17 for high-level talks on a host of bilateral and international issues of mutual interest.

PM undergoes eye surgery
NEW DELHI, Jan 9 (PTI) — Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today underwent a surgery for the removal of cataract at All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here. “It was a successful sutureless cataract surgery” a spokesman of the Prime Minister Office said. After resting for a couple of hours at Rajendra Prasad Centre, Mr Vajpayee returned home in the afternoon. The surgery was performed by Dr Rasik Behari Vajpayee, who is also the professor of Ophthalmology at Rajendra Prasad Centre of AIIMS. Dr Vajpayee later said the Prime Minister’s condition was “okay and he literally went home walking”.