Sunday, April 28, 2002, Chandigarh, India
 Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

Decks cleared for BSP-BJP govt
Mayawati to stake claim today
New Delhi, April 27
The Bharatiya Janata Party Parliamentary Board today paved the way for the formation of Mayawati-led coalition government in Uttar Pradesh latest by Tuesday. Reversing its earlier decision to sit in the opposition, the Parliamentary Board put its seal of approval on the BSP-BJP coalition government which would make Ms Mayawati the UP Chief Minister for the third time.

Vajpayee lashes out at Sonia
Says government is stable
New Delhi, April 27
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today hit back at Congress President Sonia Gandhi, asserting that his government would last its full term, and dismissed her observation that “winds of change” were sweeping the country.

4 killed, 23 injured in Gujarat violence
Ahmedabad, April 27
At least four more persons were killed and 23 injured in Baroda and Ahmedabad cities as the communal riots continued unabated in Gujarat today, taking the toll in the state to 48 since Sunday. Two persons were killed — one in police firing — in Baroda city since late last night, the police said.
In video (28k, 56k)

• Carnage victims meet President

• Sonia vows to ‘teach lesson to communal forces’

• BJP, RSS discuss Gujarat

Death penalty for 3 Pak ultras
New Delhi, April 27
Three Pakistani militants belonging to the Harkat-ul-Ansar outfit were today sentenced to death by a Delhi court for kidnapping four foreign tourists, including an American, in 1994 in a case in which Omar Sheikh was one of the accused.

6 infiltrators shot in Poonch area
Jammu, April 27
The Indian forces foiled a major infiltration bid from across the border when six infiltrators, equipped with highly sophisticated weapons, were killed near the LoC in the Mandi area of Poonch.

Jawan killed in Pak shelling In video (28k, 56k) Lt-Gen V. G. Patankar, GOC of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps, inspects arms and ammunition seized from nine militants killed in the Nowgam sector.  — Photo Amin War

Harbeant Singh is SGPC Secy
Amritsar, April 27
Mr Harbeant Singh, Personal Assistant to the SGPC Chief, today replaced Dr Gurbachan Singh Bachan as Secretary of the SGPC who had resigned yesterday in the wake of the decision of the Executive to remove all employees who had attained the age of 58. Mr Raghbir Singh, Additional Secretary, has taken the charge of PA to the SPGC Chief.

No Indian died in Greece
Dubai, April 27
The Indian Embassy in Athens today denied reports that about 25 youths from Punjab, who had gone to Lebanon illegally in search of jobs, were among those feared drowned in a boat capsize near Greece.

• Boat tragedy: families still in dilemma
  Punjab page