Thursday, January 4, 2007, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

Noida killings: 2 SPs suspended, 6 cops fired
Centre constitutes probe panel
New Delhi, January 3
Under fire over police inaction that led to serial killings and sexual abuse of children in Uttar Pradesh’s industrial town of Noida, the state government tonight suspended two Superintendents of Police and sacked six policemen who were found prima facie guilty of negligence.

Ex gratia Rs 5 lakh
Security beefed up around Pandher’s  in-laws’ house
Delhi page
Noida incident reminds of ‘maxicab killings’
Panel meets victims’ kin

Mulayam under pressure to quit
Digging on in ‘killer’ house
Lucknow/Noida, January 3
Coming under increased attack from political rivals over the police handling of the ghastly crime, UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today did not completely rule out a CBI probe into the grisly killings, but maintained that he would await the report of the two-member committee looking into the issue before taking a decision.
In video (56k)

SC refuses to intervene; says probe on
New Delhi, January 3
The Supreme Court today refused to intervene in the sexual abuse and serial killings of children in Noida at this stage when the police was at primary stage of investigation and various human right bodies had taken cognizance of the issue.

SC fines Haryana for not filing reply
Withdrawal of posts from HPSC purview
New Delhi, January 3
The Supreme Court today came down heavily on the Haryana Government for ignoring its repeated directions for filing reply to a petition challenging the decision of the Congress regime to take away Class-II posts of state services from the purview of Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) and imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on it.

Science, tech to get 2 pc  of GDP, says PM

Chidambaram (TN), January 3 Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said here today that the Central Government intended to raise expenditure on science and technology to 2 per cent of the GDP in the next five years. In video (56k) 40 fall ill due to stale food Dr Manmohan Singh speaks during the inauguration of the 94th Indian Science Congress on Wednesday. — PTI photo

Poll fever: Uma Bharti eyes Punjab
Chandigarh, January 3
Ms Uma Bharti is serious about the Punjab Assembly elections. She intends not only to stay put in the state but also wants senior leaders of her party to remain there for electioneering.

India: The Tasks Ahead
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT
125TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS,
INAUGURAL SESSION

	PUNJAB: Chandumajra SAD nominee from Bhattal’s seat
	HARYANA: HUDA’s sealing drive spares IAS officers
	HIMACHAL: Government proposes Rs 14000-cr 11th Plan
	J&K: Pak vilification drive irks EU
	CHANDIGARH: Eight days on, Jaswal booked
	LUDHIANA: Sand mafia makes hay while officials sleep
	DELHI: Noida incident reminds of ‘maxicab killings’
	OPINIONS: Quest for consensus
	BUSINESS: $12.5-billion LNG deal with Australia likely
	NATION: Ardh Kumbh begins; 20 lakh take dip
	WORLD: Hasina-led alliance to boycott poll
	SPORTS: Proteas hit back

Proteas hit back Cape Town, January 3 At the end of the second day, the deciding third and final Test was suspensefully balanced, with South Africa, boosted by a splendid, unseparated second wicket partnership between skipper G. Smith and H. Amla. Sourav Ganguly plays a shot on the second day of the third and final Test at Newlands in Cape Town on Wednesday. South Africa made a strong comeback with 144 for one at close on the second day in reply to India’s 414 in the first innings. — Reuters (Details on Sports page)

Sensex scales 14 K peak
Mumbai, January 3
Sensex regained the 14 K peak today by gaining more than 72 points on sustained buying by foreign and domestic funds in banking, auto and technology sector stocks.

Dara Singh refutes reports
Mumbai, January 3
Veteran actor and Rajya Sabha member Dara Singh has refuted media reports that he is joining the Congress.—UNI

Amritsar records - 0.5° C Chandigarh, January 3 Cold wave, currently sweeping north-west India, has claimed the life of a person in Haryana and the mercury dipped to minus 0.5 degrees Celsius at Amritsar in the plains today. As the temperature touched zero, dense fog enveloped the Golden Temple on Wednesday. — Tribune photo by Rajiv Sharma