TOP STORIES

GB NAGAR AGITATION
BJP, Cong close ranks to attend Maha Panchayat
Noida, January 24
All roads led to the venue of the Maha Panchayat today. The panchayat was convened by the joint action committee of Gautam Budh Nagar district, which had been denotified by the UP Chief Minister, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, on January 13. It was yet another evidence of the willingness of the people of Gautam Budh Nagar to close their ranks on the issue.

Main accused involved in attack on PCR
staff held
New Delhi, January 24
The North-East district police claims to have apprehended the main accused involved in the attack on PCR staff on November 24 in Uttam Nagar area, after a brief encounter near the Gokulpuri flyover on January 23. The police also claimed to have seized a Maruti car, a Chinese pistol along with five live cartridges from his possession.

Celestial appointment
Get ready for Venus’ tryst with the Sun
New Delhi, January 24
The 8th of June, 2004, will see a historic transit of the planet Venus across the face of the Sun. No one alive has thus far seen such an event. Venus transits are very rare, the last time this happened was in the year 1882. And this event was not visible from India - the last India saw a transit of Venus was eight years prior to that, in 1874, according to Dr N Rathnasree, Director of the Nehru Planetarim here.

Schoolchildren holding the Tricolour at the launch of the Flag Foundation of India under the auspices of the Yuva Hindustani Movement at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in the Capital on Saturday. — A Tribune photograph

CRACKDOWN
High Court orders seizure of ivory items from dealers
New Delhi, January 24
The Delhi High Court has directed the Wildlife Department to seize within eight weeks all ivory artifacts from 183 dealers in the Capital. Ivory trade is banned in India and most of the items found in the country are made from ivory imported from some African countries, where such trade is legal.

Youth arrested for rape bid on minors
Rewari, January 24
The police have arrested a village youth, Mohan Yadav, son of Krishan Chander Yadav, a resident of Naya Gaon under Kosli police station of Rewari district, on charges of alluring and attempting to rape two tiny girls of the village on Wednesday (January 20).

Rain ruled out in next 24 hrs
New Delhi, January 24
The city was swept by icy winds that brought the temperature down. As the Capital shivered, the skies remaining overcast. Though the sky became clearer towards afternoon, it remained partly cloudy rest of the day with cold winds lashing the city.

POLITICS

‘BSP has deviated from objective’
Sonepat, January 24
The national president of the Bahujan Samaj Swabhimaan Sangharsh Samiti (BS-4) and UP Sports and Youth Welfare Minister, Mr R K Chaudhary, has alleged that the leadership of the BSP has deviated from the party objective set to fulfil the dreams of Baba Saheb Ambedkar.

COMMUNITY

Sports tableau at the rehearsal of the Republic Day parade at Rajpath in the Capital. — Tribune photo by Mukesh Aggarwal

Will Gurgaon Development Authority do the trick?
Gurgaon, January 24
With the task of administering Gurgaon city becoming onerous with the each passing day on account of its exponential growth, the district administration has recommended to the state government for the creation of Gurgaon Development Authority.

RI for harassing pregnant wife
Sonepat, January 24
The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr A D Gaur, sentenced an accused, Sumander Singh of Nidhari village, (Delhi) to three years rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 20,000 for harassing and deserting his pregnant wife because she could not meet his dowry demands, and later, marrying another woman.

• Trains delayed

SPECIAL FOCUS ON REWARI
Man sentenced to 7 yrs RI for raping minor
Rewari, January 24
The Additional Sessions Judge, Rewari, Mr Deepak Gupta, sentenced a man, identified as Ramesh, a resident of Raisena village of Karoli district of Rajasthan, to seven years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1000 for raping a minor. The judge has also sentenced the accused for kidnapping.

• Rs.1. 26 cr spent on Indira Aawas Yojna

• HVP all set for elections

SNAPSHOT

Congress party president Sonia Gandhi with Ramseena, the winner of Geeta Chopra Bravery Award in the Capital.

SEARCH WITHIN
A message in forgiveness to our times and age
The Adhyatmik Jagran Sangh, an inter-religious body comprising representatives from Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Islam and Jain religions, held a function at the Constitution Club in New Delhi on January 22 to mark the fifth anniversary of the murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons, Timothy and Philip, at Manoharpur in Orissa.

24 brick kiln workers freed from bondage
Sonepat, January 24
The officials of the district administration, headed by Mr Suraj Bhan Jangra, SDM, Gohana, conducted a surprise raid at a brick kiln in Bhainswal village yesterday and got 24 workers released who were kept in illegal captivity there by the owner of the brick kiln, for the past few months.

• Power transformers burnt

• Body found hanging

DREAM PARK: Chandni Chowk MP and Union Minister of State Vijay Goel playing with children during the inauguration of a children park in front of the historical Jama Masjid in the Capital on Saturday. — A Tribune photograph

DELHI DIGEST
Glowing tributes to Swami Dayanand
New Delhi, January 24
Delhi Legislative Assembly Speaker Ajay Maken on Saturday described Swami Dayanand Saraswati as a great thinker, social reformer and ambassador of peace who rid the society of class and caste distinctions.

• Loadshedding in Rohini, Narela

• Children park near Jama Masjid

NCR BRIEFS
Liquor vend robbed of cash, bottles
Sonepat, January 24
Some unidentified armed miscreants struck in a liquor vend at Larsauli village about 15 km from here last night and decamped with Rs 3,000 and a number of liquor bottles from it after injuring the owner Mr Ajmer.

• Suicide by housewife

• Chautala regime under fire

CRIME

Seven killed in Ghaziabad road accidents
Ghaziabad, January 24
There is no check on the rashly driven vehicles hurtling down Ghaziabad district roads. Seven persons, including a young girl were crushed in accidents during the past 24 hours. Two youths among the victims could not be identified.

BUSINESS

India International Garment Fair from Jan 28
New Delhi, January 24
More than 700 representatives from buying houses from India and abroad will showcase their best at the India International Garment Fair in the Capital next week.

MAMC CASE
Accused seek to produce witnesses
New Delhi, January 24
In an about-turn, the prime accused in the Maulana Azad Medical College student gang rape case, Rahul and co-accused Amit, today sought permission of a city court to produce witnesses for their defence.

CULTURE

Grand finale to Sangeet Akademi Golden Jubilee
New Delhi, January 24
Sangeet Natak Akademi, the apex institution for performing arts in the country, will be organising a valedictory ceremony of its Golden Jubilee year at Kamani Auditorium, New Delhi on January 27, 2004. The Vice-President of India, Mr Bhairon Singh Sekhawat, will address the ceremony.

HEALTH

BODY & MIND
British journal to bring out issue on South Asia

The British Medical Journal is bringing out a special issue on South Asia and has commissioned at least twenty eminent doctors from South Asian countries to write articles. Health Food Shop Soya food festival US Embassy official Michael Riedel inaugurating Soya food festival at Dilli Haat in the Capital.

Free medical camp to detect urinary troubles
New Delhi, January 24
India’s first and finest specialised urology institute, RG Stone is organising a free consultancy and investigation camp on February 1 at its South Delhi Hospital situated at F-12, East of Kailash. The aim of the camp is to detect asymptomatic disease like urinary stone, gall bladder stone, enlarge prostate and cancer prostate.

SPORTS

S B Youth stun Indian Airlines
New Delhi, January 24
S B Youth defeated star-studded Indian Airlines by four wickets in a Super A Division match of the DDCA League at the Mohan Meakins ground. Scores: Indian Airlines: 159 for 7 in 40 overs (Rajat Bhatia 101 n o, Vijay Sharma 3 for 28, Subodh Badola 2 for 36). S B Youth: 162 for 6 in 38 overs (Sachin Yadav 56, Sourav Ratan 26 n o, Rajat Bhatia 2 for 29).

• LIC down Delhi Gym

• Salwan School win

• Teri beat Business Standard

Apex School to meet Moti Bagh in soccer final
New Delhi, January 24
Apex Public School, Burari, will take on Government Boys Senior Secondary School No 1, Moti Bagh in the final of the under-17 section of the Kangaroo Cup Football Tournament at the Ambedkar Stadium on January 28.

DDA to install astro-turf at Ashok Vihar
New Delhi, January 24
The Delhi Development Authority will install a System 5 Austro-Turf hockey surface at the Dhyan Chand Sports Complex being developed in Ashok Vihar in North Delhi. This will be Delhi’s fourth astro-turf for hockey. The other astro-turfs have been installed at the National Stadium (two) and the Shivaji Stadium.

ESPN acquires UEFA Euro telecast rights
New Delhi: ESPN Star Sports has acquired the rights to telecast the UEFA EURO soccer matches this year, which is the second most important soccer event after the FIFA World Cup. The UEFA Euro will be played among 16 top European teams, including France, England, Italy and Germany.

Maitreyi College emerge judo champions
New Delhi, January 24
Maitreyi College collected 16 points to emerge the champions in the Delhi Judo Championship for women, held at the Netaji Subhash Modern Sports Club at Defence Colony. Indu, who won the title in the 52-57 weight category, was adjudged the best judoka.