M A I N   N E W S

No treaty on extradition
A.S. Prashar
Tribune News Service

Kuala Lumpur, May 15
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s four-day visit to Malaysia ends tomorrow without the signing of the much talked about extradition treaty between the two countries which would have felicitated the extradition of the Italian businessman, Ottavio Quattrochi to India to face trial in the Bofors pay-off case.

Although it has been officially given out that the proposed extradition treaty was not even on the agenda of the Indian delegation, there are reports that the Indian side did try for the finalisation of such a treaty. As a matter of fact, several Indian officials did visit Malaysia before the Prime Minister’s visit to prepare the ground for the treaty, but somehow it did not materialise.

An official spokesman would neither confirm nor deny that the issue was discussed at a one-to-one meeting between Mr Vajpayee and Dr Mahathir Mohammad. All that he said was that the finalisation of an extradition treaty was a very time-consuming and cumbersome procedure involving several ministers.

Karnal DCC chief’s brother stabbed to death
K.G. Dutt

Karnal, May 15
Mr Jugal Kishore Sharma (53), elder brother of Mr Vijay Sharma, president of the city Congress, was murdered here last night by three car-borne persons. Mr Sharma was going on his motorcycle when the three car-borne men stopped him and stabbed him to death with sharp-edged weapons.

Mr P.K. Aggarwal, district police chief, said the complainants in an FIR had named an INLD leader and two others for the murder.

Mr Satish Sharma, younger brother of the deceased, said his brother was killed before his eyes at about 11.30 p.m. last night in front of Kalandhari Gate. Mr Satish Sharma who was once the press secretary of former Haryana Minister Tejinder Pal Mann alleged that of late his family had developed acrimonious relations with the family of the INLD leader. Two days ago, he had brought this to the notice of the police, saying that his family apprehended danger.

Shivalik Express fare reduced
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 15
The Northern Railway today announced a reduction of Rs 80 in the fare of the Kalka-Shimla section of Shivalik Express.

The fare for adult persons has been reduced to Rs 260 (one way) from the earlier fare of Rs 340 to encourage tourism in the sector, a press note said here today. Meanwhile, personnel management information system, an application software for faster proceeding of personnel functions of the organisation for the Northern Railway was inaugurated today.

The software being installed in Delhi division would be installed in all divisions of the Northern Railway in the next two years in a phased manner, the press note said.