TOP STORIES

CM gave nod to state Bill: Advani

New Delhi, August 25 The Deputy Prime Minister and Union Home Minister, Mr L. K. Advani, today said the Centre had moved the statehood Bill for Delhi only after receiving a nod from the Delhi Chief Minister, Ms Sheila Dikshit, that a proposal could be mooted under Article 371 of the Constitution of the country.

Delhi BJP President Madan Lal Khurana with Deputy Prime Minister L.K.Advani at the latter’s office in the Capital on Monday. — Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

• CAS in Delhi on hold till elections

Admission-seeker duped of Rs 18 lakh
New Delhi, August 25
With the arrest of two persons, the Crime Branch today claimed to have busted a fake admission racket in professional colleges.

Rattled by blasts, Delhi on high alert

New Delhi, August 25 The Delhi Police was today on high alert following series of blasts in Mumbai, which claimed a large number of lives and left scores of others injured. A senior Delhi Police official said that police presence in crowded market places, cinema halls, parking lots and other public places has been increased and searches were being carried out to ensure that no explosives or arms were being smuggled into the Capital. Delhi Police personnel checking vehicles in the Shastri Bhavan parking area. — Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

ON CAMPUS
Varsity teachers’ body resents V-C’s bid to gag them

Rohtak, August 25 The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisations (AIFUCTO) has expressed grave concern over a recent letter in which the Vice-Chancellor of Maharshi Dayanand University has threatened the secretary of the Maharshi Dayanand University Teachers’ Association (MDUTA), Dr Himmat Singh Ratnoo, with disciplinary action for the resolutions passed by the Executive Committee of the MDUTA on fee hike.

ABVP candidates for DUSU election at a press conference in the Capital on Monday. — Tribune Photo

Case of mistaken identity: Kidnapped boy let off 
Sonepat, August 25
An attempt to kidnap an 11-year-old boy came a cropper when the two alleged kidnappers realised to their chagrin that they had caught hold of the wrong boy. They promptly drove him back to his hometown and released him there. According to information, Hemant, a student of the local Rishikul school, used to go to the school in an autorickshaw daily around 7.45 am.

LEGAL CORNER
Tis Hazari lawyers strike work 
New Delhi, August 25
Thousands of lawyers went on a strike at the Tis Hazari courts here today in protest against the Delhi High Court’s move to post civil judges at the Karkardooma courts in East Delhi, causing considerable hardship to the litigants. At least 7,000 advocates stayed away from the proceedings of approximately 200 courts at Tis Hazari, terming the decision of the high court as “arbitrary and against litigants’ interest”.

POLITICS

SPECIAL FOCUS ON FARIDABAD
Congress unity possible if Bhajan stops projecting himself as CM: Birender 
Faridabad, August 25
The Haryana Congress leader and former chief of the party in the state, Mr Birender Singh, has said that if the HPCC president, Mr Bhajan Lal, stopped projecting himself as the future Chief Minister, he was ready to attend ‘every meeting convened by him’.

COMMUNITY

ASSAULT ON COUNCILLOR
Cong, BJP members almost come to blows at MCD meet
New Delhi, August 25
Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party members of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi today nearly came to blows as the House convened to discuss the recent attack on Mr Vijendra Gupta, a BJP councillor, allegedly by the henchmen of an official against whom a CBI case has been registered for possessing disproportionate assets.

Union Minister of State for External Affairs Vinod Khanna with Ghana Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Akwasi Osei-Adjei at the release of the first edition of the annual business magazine, Ghana at 46, in the Capital. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit handing over the first OPD ticket after the opening of Satyawadi Raja Harish Chandra Hospital at Narela in the Capital on Monday. — Photo Kamal Singh

Traders joining hands to float political party 
Rewari, August 25
Leaders of the Haryana Pradesh Beopar Mandal have resolved to form a new political outfit, which will predominantly comprise of traders and businessmen. They hope to take part in a big way during the next Assembly elections in Haryana.

BRASS TACKS
Chandrayaan mission will measure the best of our energies and skills
The announcement by the Prime Minister, from the ramparts of the Red Fort, to launch an indigenous moon craft Chandrayaan-I, was historic indeed. Reports in the media, however, indicate that the importance of unveiling of this momentous project slated for completion in five years is yet to be fully realised.

Haryana to spend Rs 165 cr on flood protection work
Bhiwani, August 25
The Haryana Government has formulated a Rs 165 crore scheme to protect the districts of Jind, Hisar, Sirsa and Fatehabad from the onslaught of floods and seepage.

Kiloi residents to protest against Chautala’s ‘disparaging’ remarks
Rohtak, August 25
Mr Krishan Murti Hooda, a former minister and spokesman of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, has announced that the residents of the Kiloi Assembly segment would hold a demonstration at the office of the Deputy Commissioner here on September 22 in protest against the “derogatory” remarks made by the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, during his recent visit to the region.

FACE TO FACE
A novel project to provide amputees with techno limbs
Having served in the Army for more than 30 years, no one knows better the pain and trauma of people who have lost their limbs than 61-year-old Brigadier (retd) Virendra Kumar Bajaj. Commissioned in the Corps of Signals in 1962, and rose to the rank of a Brigadier before he took premature retirement in 1993, to pursue his dream project. Armed with BTech in electronics, MSc in defence studies and a diploma in computer software, this defence officer ventured into the civilian life with only one desire – to help those who have lost their limbs to lead a life of independence and self-respect.

Minister fails to turn up for grievances panel meet
Sonepat, August 25
The Haryana Agriculture Minister, Mr Jaswinder Singh Sandhu, did not turn up to preside over the monthly meeting of the District Public Relations and Grievances Committee held here yesterday. According to a report, this is the third time that the minister has failed to turn up to preside over the meeting. This has caused strong resentment among the official and non-official members of the committee.

Temple, Mother Dairy outlet on park land
Noida, August 25
Residents of Sector 49 here are livid that the land for a children’s park in the sector has been encroached on and a temple, a Mother Dairy outlet and the RWA office have been constructed on it.

NCR BRIEFS
Noida traders stage protest against ‘harassment’
Noida, August 25
Traders of prestigious Sector 18 market here took out a rally and organised a dharna against the menace of government officials demanding bribe and exploiting and harassing them.

Non-official members of Rajya Sainik Board School upgraded

Scribes stage demonstration

CRIME

Man shot for asking for loan amount
Greater Noida, August 25
A young man in Shakipur village under the Surajpur police station was shot dead on Saturday night by his friend and neighbour when he reportedly demanded back Rs 15,000 he had loaned to the latter last year. The incident happened in the night, hours after Fateh Singh (24) asked Om Prakash to return the money.

Two knocked down by HR bus
New Delhi, August 25
Pravesh Gautam and Jitender Singh, residents of Vasundhara, who were on a scooter, were reportedly knocked down by a Haryana Roadways bus near Ashram Chowk in South district today. The driver fled the spot leaving the bus behind. The victims were coming from Badarpur side and were heading towards Sarai Kale Khan. As they crossed the Ashram crossing, the bus hit their vehicle.

Two murders in Pandav Nagar
New Delhi, August 25
Two women were murdered in two different incidents in Pandav Nagar in East district this afternoon. In the first incident, a 40-year old woman was found hanging from a ceiling fan with both her hands and legs tied. The body of the victim, Sajni Bhatia, wife of J K Bhatia, who is running a brass and copper business, was discovered by her sons after they returned from the school.

BUSINESS

POLL MODE
DD Metro to become news channel
Faridabad, August 25
The Metro channel on Doordarshan, known for its entertainment programmes, may become a 24-hour news channel from October if the reports from Mandi House are to be believed.

HEALTH

Leprosy a social problem: L-G
New Delhi: Describing leprosy as more of a social problem than a medical one, Lt Governor Vijai Kapoor today stressed the need to bring lepers into the social mainstream to end their alienation.

SPORTS

FCI, Northern Railway garner full points
New Delhi, August 25
Food Corporation of India (FCI), (North Zone), edged past Food Corporation of India, Headquarters 3-2, in the Delhi State Hockey Super League for Institutions a the Shivaji Stadium on Monday. The winners led by 2-1 at half time.

Naveen Malik hattricks for City Club
New Delhi, August 25
A brilliant hattrick by Naveen Malik was the highlight of City Club’s 3-1 victory against Tarun Sangha in the Delhi Soccer Association-SAIL Senior Division Football League Championship at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Monday.

Kapil honours sports clubs and cultural organisations
New Delhi, August 25
Former Indian cricket captain Kapil Dev felicitated a dozen sports club and cultural organisations belonging to Chandni Chowk, the Parliamentary constituency of Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Vijay Goel.

Karun Chandhok nets a global sponsor
New Delhi, August 25
Karun Chandhok has hit the pay dirt as never before as his encouraging performances in the British Formula 3 (Scholarship Class) have earned him sponsorship worth Rs 1.2 crore. The United Kingdom-based Vanguard Group, the telecommunication provider, will pump in Rs 1.2 crore to enable Karun to pursue his racing goals.

Shooting range at JNU Kendriya Vidyalaya
New Delhi, August 25
A new shooting range was inaugurated at the Kendriya Vidyalaya in Jawaharlal Nehru University by Mr H. M. Cairae, Commissioner of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan. This is the first Government school in Delhi to have created a well-equipped shooting range.

Vikram helps United win
New Delhi, August 25
A devastating bowling spell of 4 for 19 by Vikram Oberoi enabled United Delhi Cricket Academy beat Crifit Academy by five wickets in a Friendship Cricket Cup at the Dhyan Chand Sports Complex.