Daylong snowfall in Shimla

Shimla, February 8 Normal life was paralysed as the town wore a thick white mantle due to the daylong snowfall here today. Vehicular traffic to the interior areas beyond here was suspended as the roads were buried under thick snow.

Shimla town wears a white mantle on Friday after a daylong snowfall which was heaviest during the past couple of years.  — Photo Anil Dayal

3 militants holed up in mosque
Srinagar, February 8
The security forces laid a siege to a mosque in which three suspected militants are holed-up at Tuntigund village in Kupwara district of North Kashmir this morning. Police sources said the three militants, believed to be belonging to the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, entered the mosque when they tried to give a slip to a patrol party of the security forces at about 9.30 a.m.

Punjab files review plea on SYL
Chandigarh, February 8
In a petition filed before the Supreme Court, the state of Punjab today sought the review of a judgement passed by the Apex Court directing it to continue the digging of the Satluj-Yamuna Canal and make it functional within a year.

Contempt plea against Badal dismissed
New Delhi, February 8
The Supreme Court today dismissed two writ petitions for initiating contempt proceedings against Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for threatening to prevent the construction and commissioning of the SYL canal and sharing waters with Haryana even if it amounted to contempt of the apex court.

Withdrawals continue RBI calls it a rumour, says BoP safe Chandigarh, February 8 Depositors of Bank of Punjab today continued to display signs of panic and withdrew heavy amounts from their accounts and encashed fixed deposits from all branches in the city and its adjoining areas. The Reserve Bank of India, meanwhile, assured that the bank was safe and financially sound. Panic withdrawals by BoP customers Chandigarh page