M A I N   N E W S

Staines case: 14-yr jail term for accused

BHUBANESWAR, Oct 2 (UNI) — A 13-year-old has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for the murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two minor sons at Manoharpur in Keonjhar district on January 22, 1999.

Sudhansu Hansda (13), alias Chenchu, one of the accused, was awarded the rigourous imprisonment by a designated CBI court on Saturday after it found Chenchu guilty of killing Staines and his two sons. Chenchu was arrested by the special task force a few months after the murder.

The case of Chenchu was split from 13 other accused in the case as he was a Juvenile.

Staines and his two minor sons were burnt to death inside their vehicle while they were asleep in the village. He had gone there to attend the annual jungle camp.

The case was initially investigated by the state crime branch of the police but later handed over to the CBI.

While the other accused were arrested by the police and the CBI from their hideouts, Dara Singh, the prime accused who was carrying a cash reward of Rs 8 lakh for providing any clue leading to his arrest, was nabbed by the police after almost a year on January 31 in a deep forest on the border of Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts.

Five killed in Karnal firing

KARNAL, Oct 2 (PTI) — Five persons were killed and at least 15 injured, including a cousin of former minister Tejinderpal Singh Mann, in a cross-firing between two groups of people in Chandrao village in Indri tehsil, about 25 km from here today, the police said.

District police chief A.S. Ahlawat said the exchange of fire took place due to a dispute between the two groups over a piece of land in the village.

The deceaseds were identified as Ramesh, Sultan, Rish Pal, Dai Ram and Jeet Ram.

The injured, who have been admitted to the civil hospital, included son of former MLA Janki Devi, Parmjeet Singh and a cousin of Mr Mann.

No arrest has been made so far in this connection, he said adding that the police had registered a case against both groups under various sections of the Arms Act.