Tuesday, September 24, 2002, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

Ultras kill cop, take 3 hostage on poll eve
Srinagar, September 23
With just a few hours left for the second phase of polling in 28 Assembly constituencies, militants struck at Gogji Bagh, killed a police constable and took three others hostage this evening.

Extensive poll coverage on J&K page

  BJP fears hung Assembly
  NC MLA’s house, poll booth attacked
  Graphic: Second phase of J&K polls
  Editorial: Second phase suspense
  One person was wounded in a rifle grenade attack on a CRPF camp in Soura area of Srinagar on Monday afternoon. (28k, 56k)

Security has been beefed in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of the second round of voting, which takes place on September 24. (28k, 56k) J&K page: Threat perception higher in Doda, Srinagar BSF personnel stand guard near a polling station at Dal Lake in Srinagar on Monday.  — Reuters photo

Hizbul chief’s village ignores boycott call
Soibugh (Budgam), September 23
Calls to boycott election given by the Hizbul Mujahideen seems to have fallen flat on electorate of Soibugh, sleepy village in Budgam district, which had been in the news for its militant connection.

Amarinder threatens dharna at PM’s house
Demands MSP, levies in procurement price
New Delhi, September 23
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, PCC chief H S Hanspal and several senior Congress leaders are likely to sit in dharna in front of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s residence on September 26 to press for acceptance of the state’s demands on MSP, start of procurement and restoration of levies in the procurement price.

SC notices to Krishna, 4 others
New Delhi, September 23
The Supreme Court today issued notices to Karnataka Chief Minister S.M. Krishna and four others on a contempt petition filed by Tamil Nadu, alleging violation of orders of the court and the Cauvery River Authority by its neighbour on release of the stipulated quantity of water.

Politics hindering SAARC growth: PM
Male (Maldives), September 23
Without naming Pakistan, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today blamed “some irrational political motivations” for hindering the efforts for closer cooperation within SAARC and asserted that the growth of the grouping would not be allowed to suffer as a result.
In video: (28k, 56k)

Sidhu contests court’s jurisdiction
Ropar, September 23
Arguments on an application filed by the counsel for former PPSC Chairman Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu with regard to his discharge for want of territorial jurisdiction led the proceedings in the bribery case in the court of the Special Judge, Mr A.S. Kathuria, here today.

Former SSP Pherurai amassed assets worth over Rs 20 crore Police announces award of Rs 1 lakh, releases documentary proof  Jagraon (Ludhiana) , September 23 The Jagraon police today announced a cash award of 1 lakh for information about the whereabouts of former SSP Gurcharan Singh Pherurai who has absconded.   House of Pherurai’s son-in-law raided