Saturday, October 26, 2002, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

PM vows to crush Pak monster
New Delhi, October 25
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today said that Pakistan was emerging as a “terrorist state” and expressed his government’s determination to crush this “monster”, while warning the international community against adopting double standards in the fight against global terrorism.
In video (28k, 56k)

Nation page: Check oppression in Punjab: Badal Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee addressing the 'Jan samaroh' to celebrate the completion of three years of the NDA government, in New Delhi on Friday. — PTI photo

Cong, PDP resume talks
New Delhi, October 25
Crucial talks on the formation of the new government in Jammu and Kashmir were held tonight between senior leaders of the Congress and PDP in a bid to break the deadlock and form a coalition in the state.

9 Independents leave Maya
Lucknow, October 25
Nine Independent MLAs of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly tonight decided to withdraw support to the Mayawati government. The decision was “unanimously” taken at a meeting of the Independent MLAs at the residence of Mr Raghuraj Pratap Singh, alias Raja Bhaiya, the legislator from Shahjahanpur.

Maya warns Chautala
Badshapur (Gurgaon), October 25
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and national Vice-President of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Ms Mayawati today address her party’s “Dhikaar” and “Ninda” rally here in protest against the killing of five Dalits in Dulina in Jhajjar district and criticised Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala for failing to take action against the culprits, including the police personnel.

15 hostages, including 8 children, freed
Moscow, October 25
Chechen separatists holding 700 theatre-goers hostage in Moscow have threatened to start executing them early tomorrow if their demands are not met, a press officer with the theatre told AFP, quoting a hostage.

A young girl (left) holds her teddy bear as she walks with other children hostage released by Chechen guerrillas out of a theatre in Moscow on Friday. — Reuters photo

30 crorepati Pherurai
24 relatives, friends booked
Jagraon, October 25
The Jagraon police today announced that former SSP Gurcharan Singh Pherurai has made startling disclosures about important persons in the state during his interrogation and these would be revealed to the public at an appropriate time only.

SHIVANI MURDER CASE
Sharma charged with murder
New Delhi, October 25
Three days after Ravi Kant Sharma’s judicial custody was extended, the Delhi police today filed the charge sheet in the journalist Shivani Bhatnagar murder case and pointed out that suspended Haryana IG (Prisons) Sharma was the prime accused in the case.

Justice Gupta CJ of Kerala High Court
Chandigarh, October 25
Punjab and Haryana High Court Judge Mr Justice Jawahar Lal Gupta has been appointed Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court by the President of India.

Paddy floods Punjab mandis Chandigarh, October 25 Punjab is heading for a new record of paddy production despite drought. The state has already crossed the 100 lakh tonne mark. Starting from September, 107.28 lakh tonnes of paddy had arrived in various grain markets till last evening. Out of this, 88.07 lakh tonnes has been procured by the government agencies and 12.63 lakh tonnes by private traders from October 1, the official date for starting procurement.