M A I N   N E W S

Ratnasiri sworn in Lanka PM

COLOMBO, Oct 13 (UNI) — A People’s Alliance government headed by Mr Ratnasiri Wickremanayake assumed office for the second time in Sri Lanka today even as the country was mourning the death of elderly stateswoman Sirimavo Bandaranaike.

In a simple ceremony at her Temple Trees residence, President Chandrika Kumaratunga administered the oath to the 67-year-old Wickremanayake, who led People’s Alliance to victory in the 11th parliamentary elections.

Pilot,woman killed in MiG crash

JAIPUR, Oct 13 (PTI)—An Indian Air Force MiG-21 aircraft crashed on a cluster of houses at a village in Bikaner district of Rajasthan today, killing its pilot and a woman on the ground, police sources here said.

The plane was on a regular training sortie when it crashed around 9.15 am and fell on a cluster of houses near Dingsari village, damaging at least 18 houses,the sources said.

The pilot,Sq Ldr Mohan Kumar died on the spot , while 18-year-old woman, Chotu Kanwar, was killed when the plane fell on her house. Two others on the ground also suffered injuries, the police said.

Four of the 18 houses were damaged completely as the debris of the plane fell on them. The injured have been rushed to Bikaner for treatment.

Senior IAF and police officials from Bikaner have rushed to the accident site.