TOP STORIES

MCD ELECTIONS
Fidgety BJP may opt for new faces
New Delhi, February 24
In the backdrop of the poor performance in the Assembly polls in four states, the Delhi unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party is closely scrutinising the prospective candidates for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi elections, while the Congress, in an upbeat mood because of its performance in these states, would set the process of selecting the candidates rolling from tomorrow.

• Upsets, shocks in Ghaziabad, Noida

Metro to be operational from December 1

New Delhi, February 24 After more than half a century and 35 studies on the viability of the project, the first line of the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) between Shahdara and Tis Hazari is expected to be operational from December 1.

Finishing touches being given to the Metro tracks.

French Connection: Lacoste unveils its exciting new spring/summer collection 2002 in the Capital. —Photo by Anil Sharma

Fingerprints match in Nitish Katara case 
Ghaziabad, February 24
Even as the Ghaziabad Police await the report of the DNA test, they have found strong similarities between the fingerprints of Nitish Katara and those taken from the charred body in Khurja, virtually identifying him as the victim of abduction and murder.

Chautala cracks the whip, suspends three on citizens’ complaints
Gurgaon, February 24
The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakesh Chautala, today suspended three employees of different departments on the charges of dereliction of duty. While chairing the monthly meeting of the District Grievances Redressal Committee here today, Mr Chautala found that a junior engineer of the Public Health Department, a clerk of the Haryana Bijlee Vitran Nigam Limited and a patwari of the Revenue Department had failed to execute the works assigned to them by their departments.

Capital Punishment: The members of the National Akali Dal protesting against the killing of American journalist Daniel Pearl at Patel Nagar Chowk in the Capital.

Old woman attacked by son 
Sonepat, February 24
An aged woman, Mrs Sarupti, sustained serious injuries when she was attacked with sharp-edged weapons by her son, Balraj, in their house at Shahpur village, about 14 km from here. According to a report, she was rushed to the local civil hospital and stated to be out of danger.

Four assault cops, escape with service revolver
New Delhi, February 24
The police have launched a massive hunt to trace four unidentified persons who attacked two cops on duty in the early hours of the morning today in the Dwarka area in South-West district and ran away after snatching the service revolver of Head Constable Ramesh.

No doctor at Hassanpur health centre
Faridabad, February 24
Residents of Hassanpur, a sub-divisional town in the district, are facing inconvenience as there has been no doctor at the Primary Health Centre (PHC) here for the past about six months.

COMMUNITY

MOVING FINGER
NCR towns are poor clones of Delhi
Planners thought the National Capital Region would reduce the congestion in Delhi. Earlier, they had wanted to achieve this by dispersing the Central Government offices to other cities. The plan had failed miserably because nobody wanted to move out of Delhi, even to nearby towns, forget about distant places. 

Cultural activity Public school

Bone-joining herb Dancing With Void

Hauz Rani potters pack bags as ASI digs up a protected ‘Wall’ after 50 years
New Delhi, February 24
A number of potters of the Kumhar Basti in Hauz Rani village have already started packing their bags following the notices sent to them by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) for the removal of unauthorised constructions in a “protected area”.

NCR BRIEFS
Poverty drives woman to suicide
Faridabad, February 24
At least two married women in the district committed suicide in separate incidents in the past 24 hours. According to reports, at least one of them took the extreme step because of poverty.

Power pilferage Cable thieves held Bicycle thefts One dies in mishap Crops damaged

Liquor seized, 3 nabbed Youth gets burnt Sex racket? Sweets distributed

Garden fest at Talkatora a big draw
New Delhi, February 24
Flower lowers from all over the city turned up in large numbers at Talkatora Gardens on the concluding day of the 15th Garden Tourism Festival here today. People started pouring in from morning to witness the show as well as participate in various events organised at the festival.

• Man crushed to death
• Kirtan durbar

BUSINESS

SHOW CASE
This radio needs no battery or power, but a wind every 30 minutes
Philips has launched the revolutionary Free Power radio, RL 117, a mass market product. The new radio requires no external batteries or electricity for operation. A one-minute winding of the lever runs the radio for as long as 30 minutes of ultimate listening pleasure. The radio works on the principle of converting mechanical energy to electric energy.

Group printer Double purchase Cook tops Dark Coffee

Wood finish Creamy delights Toilet incinerator

EDUCATION

Kangaroo Kids enthral the audience  The parents, teachers and a huge audience were transported from the land of tribes in Africa to the merry singers of Kashmir thanks to the little ones. Using songs and dance as their medium of flight, the students of Kangaroo Kids took a delighted audience on a globe-trotting excursion with them. Painting the town red

Inculcate values among kids: Lt-Governor
New Delhi, February 24
Stressing the need to imbibe “logical and scientific” temper at an early age, Delhi Lt-Governor Vijay Kapoor today advocated grooming of children from the pre-nursery stage “in the right perspective”.

PRINCIPAL SPEAK
There is life after  the exam results
It is that time of the year when lakhs of students across the country are readying themselves to take the class 10 and 12 board exams. With hope surfing high, there is a perceptible change in the air. 

SPORTS

Himanshu Kala bags Inter-Bank TT title
New Delhi, February 24
Himanshu P Kala of Central Bank of India annexed the men’s singles title when he beat Vineet Kumar of State Bank of Patiala (SBOP) in the final at 11-6,11-6, 11-8, 11-7 in the table tennis tournament of the eighth Inter-Bank (Northern Region) Sports Meet at the Karnail Singh Stadium in the Capital on Sunday.

FOOTBALL
Nationals struggle to tame Garhwal Heroes in League
New Delhi, February 24
Defending champions SAIL-Indian Nationals had to sweat it out to tame a spirited Garhwal Heroes by a solitary goal in a Group B Super League match of the Delhi Soccer Association (DSA)-SAIL Senior Division Football League Championship at the Ambedkar Stadium in the Capital on Sunday.

SPORTS CORNER
Varun, Hemant star for Delhi Club
New Delhi, February 24
Deadly bowling by Varun Tyagi (5/19) and a quick-fire unbeaten 55 by Hemant Nadar helped Delhi Club beat Alpine Club by eight wickets in an A-II Division match of the DDCA League at the Yamuna Sports Complex.

• Sunil, Gaurav help TYCA win

• Rohtak XI enter final