The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Wednesday, January 26, 2000,
Chandigarh, India

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

S P O T L I G H T

IA to be privatised
NEW DELHI, Jan 25 (PTI) — The government today decided to privatise the domestic carrier Indian Airlines by divesting 51 per cent of its equity. Announcing this Cabinet decision, an official spokesman said that 26 of the 51 per cent would be divested to a joint venture or a strategic partner and the 25 per cent to employees, financial institutions and public.

9 die in violence
CALCUTTA, Jan 25 (PTI) — Nine persons, including a woman, were killed, 24 injured and more than 100 houses torched in separate incidents of violence in West Bengal during the past 24 hours. The police said three persons were killed and 24 others suffered bullet injuries today in a series of clashes in Midnapore district when supporters of the Trinamool Congress clashed with those of the CPM.

Cargo ship sinks
JAKARTA, Jan 25 (DPA) — Seven persons were killed and at least six others missing after an overcrowded cargo ship sank off the coast of Indonesia’s Sulawesi province, a local report said on today. Rescuers plucked 42 survivors from the sea and fished out seven bodies after the 15-ton ship Lintas Samudra went down on Sunday, the Indonesian Observer reported.

Sena leader shot at
MUMBAI, Jan 25 (PTI) — Shiv Sena leader Gopal Rajwani, facing several criminal cases, was today shot at and seriously injured by three unidentified assailants near the civil court in the satellite town of Ulhasnagar, the police said. He was rushed to the Civil Hospital in the town in a serious condition, the police said, adding the assailants fled after committing the crime..

No public smoking
PANAJI, Jan 25 (UNI) — Beginning RepubIlc Day tomorrow, smoking and spitting in public places, other than notified will be a criminal offence here and can carry a fine up to Rs 1,000. According to a communiqué, the government has notified the following places as no smoking areas — auditorium, (B) cinema, conference and seminar halls, health and educational institutions, libraries, places of worship, airports, except in designated areas..

RJD minister resigns
PATNA, Jan 25 (UNI) — Bihar Registration Minister Ram Naresh Prasad, who had been denied the RJD ticket for the coming Assembly election in the state, has resigned from the Cabinet. However, Mr Prasad, who tendered his resignation yesterday, would remain in the Rashtriya Janata Dal..

Police camp looted
KAHALGAO (Bihar), Jan 25 (UNI) — Armed criminals looted five rifles and large number of cartridges after attacking a Railway Police camp at Kharik railway station under Naogacchia police station area in Bhagalpur district yesterday.