J&K page 2 Pak agents held, 18 lakh recovered A paratrooper frisks a youth in Srinagar on Friday. Troops have stepped up frisking operations to search for possible hidden arms and explosives, as militants in the region have intensified their suicide attacks on Army camps in recent months. — Reuters photo

Pakistan steps up terrorism in J&K: report
New Delhi, March 30
Pakistan has stepped up its sponsorship of cross border-terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country by “qualitative improvement” in weapons, communication equipment and training given to Pakistan-based terrorist groups, claims the annual report of the Ministry of External Affairs.

Markets tumble, Parekh held
New Delhi, March 30
It was a day of great tumble in the country’s stock markets today after the CBI blew the whistle against leading stock broker Ketan Parekh and arrested him this evening for allegedly defrauding the Bank of India to the tune of Rs 137 crore.

CBI raids on firms
Kolkata, March 30
The CBI raided big bull Ketan Parekh-related stock broking firms here late this evening. CBI sleuths launched operations at office premises of some leading city-based stock brokers.

Army defends defence deals
New Delhi, March 30
Stung by the Tehelka expose, the Army today came out in defence of its procurement procedure and said that needless controversies about it would only affect the country’s defence preparedness, as had happened after the Bofors scam.

Landslip, lightning claim 6 lives
More rain, snow predicted in region
Shimla, March 30
Six persons were killed due to landslide and lightning even as the tribal areas in Himachal Pradesh experienced heavy snow and lower hills had rain during the past 24 hours.