Tuesday, April 10, 2007, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

Vendetta: Capt
Clashes as ex-CM returns home
New Delhi, April 9
Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today sought to turn his arrival from London into a show of strength, directed more at his political adversaries than detractors within the party.

Debt-ridden farmer kills himself in Barnala
Barnala, April 9
The saga of endless worries of farmer Harjit Singh came to a tragic end when he consumed poison here yesterday.

Aerospace Command sorely needed: Major
New Delhi, April 9
Looking at giving a global status to the Indian Air Force (IAF), which also remains the world’s fourth largest air force, the new Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major today said an aerospace command was required urgently and he would pursue the matter with the government.

IAF agrees to release pilots for pvt airlines
New Delhi, April 9
Softening its rigidity, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has now agreed to release its pilots to civil aviation stream in a phased manner in the face of acute shortage being faced by state-owned carriers.

Snag-ridden AI twice guilty
New Delhi, April 9
Even as the government is looking at a complete makeover of public sector Air India as a brand name to emerge as a global airline in a merged entity, the image of the national flag carrier took a major beating today with two of its planes making emergency landing at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport.

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

An Air India plane lies nose down at IGI Airport in New Delhi on Monday. — Tribune photo by Mukesh Aggarwal

Advani admits to political mileage
Lucknow, April 9
Senior BJP leader L.K. Advani today conceded that his party was gaining political mileage out of the CD controversy. “If the government makes mistakes, it is our duty to point it out and make an issue of it”.
In video: BJP chief to court arrest today (56k)

Poohla, six others held
Baba Bakala, April 9
The Beas police again arrested controversial Nihang leader Baba Ajit Singh Poohla of Taruna Dal and six of his followers following a crackdown on his headquarters, Gurdwara Damdama Sahib, near here, in the wee hours today.

Badal’s absence incurs court’s displeasure
Ropar, April 9
Special Judge G.S. Saran here today took strong notice of the absence of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his MP-son Sukhbir Singh Badal from hearing of the disproportionate assets case on March 13, Badal, his wife, son, and other accused in the case, were chargesheeted under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code.

Now, SC wants Bhalla as CJ of Chhattisgarh
New Delhi, April 9
The Supreme Court Collegium in reply to President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s query has reiterated its decision regarding the elevation of Allahabad High Court Judge Jagdish Bhalla to the post of Chief Justice but made a change in its earlier decision for sending him to Kerala. It has now proposed to post him in the Chhattisgarh High Court.

Illegal cremation by cops during militancy
Move NHRC for equal relief, widow told
New Delhi, April 9
The Supreme Court today asked the widow of a Punjab human right activist to take up the matter of granting equal compensation to the kin of all persons “cremated unlawfully” by the state police during militancy with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

Special increments then, recovery now Ranjit Sagar Dam, April 9 Anxiety is writ large on the face of Tarsem Lal, a retired employee of the Ranjit Sagar Dam project, who, after dedicating 22 years of his life to the construction of tunnels, has been asked to return excess money paid to him by the government during his service period. DAMNED: Tarsem Lal now runs a roadside rehri to earn his livelihood in Ucha Thara colony of the project. — Tribune photograph