Friday, December 27, 2002, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

MiG crashes into house
Man killed, JuM claims responsibility
Srinagar, December 26
A MiG-21 fighter aircraft crashed into a house near the local air base here, killing a man and injuring his son, as the IAF ruled out “any external action” for the mishap. The aircraft crashed at 2.25 p.m. as it was coming in to land at the Srinagar airport after an “operational sortie” but the pilot, Flying Officer B.K. Singh, bailed out. 
Air Force personnel and Army officials stand near the debris of a MIG-21 aircraft that crashed into a residential house in Lalgam village, west of Srinagar, on Thursday. — Reuters photo

Blame game at Jor mela
Old-age pension to be restarted: CM
Fatehgarh Sahib, December 26
The Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, said today that contrary to exhortations by the Shiromani Akali Dal, SAD, his government did have proof of the corrupt deeds of its president and former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and he would be arrested only after the investigation being conducted against him was complete.

Govt ignoring promises: Badal
Fatehgarh Sahib, December 26
Two of the smaller players on the state’s political horizon — the Akali Dal (Amritsar) and the Lok Bhalai Party — raised bigger issues, including the Sikh sovereign state and the rejection of politics of plunder and loot, as the bigger powers — the Congress, the SAD and the SHSAD — indulged in political bashing at the political conferences organised on the penultimate day of the three-day Jor Mela here today.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and PPCC President H .S. Hanspal and (right) Mr Parkash Singh Badal and Capt Kanwaljit Singh at the Congress and SAD conferences, respectively, during the Jor mela at Fatehgarh Sahib on Thursday. — Tribune photos Karam Singh

Package for Haryana farmers
Chandigarh, December 26
The Haryana Cabinet today approved a relief package of Rs 236.16 crore for drought-affected farmers of the state. In response to a memorandum submitted by the State Government, the Union Government had announced a package of Rs 109.65 crore only. 

India, USA sign non-surrender pact
New Delhi, December 26
India and the USA today signed an agreement not to extradite each other’s nationals to any international tribunal without express consent of the two countries.
In video (28k, 56k)

Ultras gun down 3 of family
Srinagar, December 26
Three members of a family were gunned down by a group of militants last night, sparking a demonstration by agitated residents of a village in Badgam district of central Kashmir today, official sources said.
In video (28k, 56k)

Violence on HPU campus
23 students expelled
Shimla, December 26
As many as 12 activists of the Students Federation of India were injured when the police resorted to lathi charge to disperse a violent mob which was forcibly trying to enter the office of the Vice-Chancellor on the Himachal Pradesh University campus, here today.

Cold wave unabated in HP Ludhiana coldest in Punjab Shimla, December 26 The intense cold wave sweeping mid and higher hills of Himachal continued unabated as higher reaches in the tribal areas had another spell of fresh snowfall.