Petro Min wants Rs 10 hike
New Delhi, May 23
While the hike in petrol and diesel prices seems inevitable, the petroleum ministry is seeking a hike of Rs 10 per litre for petrol and Rs 5 per litre for diesel, in addition to slashing customs and excise duties to offset the impact of surge in crude oil prices, which have touched $135 per barrel.

Edit: Boiling point

A Tribune Special
J-K security funds go to wrong hands
New Delhi, May 23
Crores of rupees spent as secret service funds in Jammu and Kashmir every year are being misused. These funds, controlled by the Intelligence Bureau and the Army, are never subjected to any audit so far and are going to wrong hands — from television stations to “funds channelled to militant informers”.

Gujjar Protest
15 die in Bharatpur police firing
Army called in; Judicial probe ordered
Bharatpur/Jaipur, May 23
At least 15 persons, including a policeman, were today killed as members of the Gujjar community, demanding Scheduled Caste status for themselves, clashed with the police at Bayana in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur district, after which the Army was deployed in the area.

Debt waiver for farmers hiked
New Delhi, May 23
The government today brought large farmers in the ambit of its Farm Loan Waiver Scheme, expanding the package by nearly 20 per cent to Rs 71,680 crore. Hiking provisions for debt waiver for farmers will enlarge the scope for relief for farmers by covering those with large acreage in dry land areas.

Smart fences for  J&K airbases
Chandigarh, May 23
The IAF is installing smart power fences to guard its bases located in Jammu and Kashmir. These fences would be sensitive to motion and body heat and detect any breach of the airbase’s perimeter.

China’s claim over our land not acceptable: Raju
Guwahati, May 23
India has reiterated that it was not going to accept any Chinese claim over its territory in Sikkim or Arunachal Pradesh. “The country will not accept any Chinese claim over Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh or Sikkim. The Indian Army will continue to build up forces in Sikkim areas till there is a threat perception,” minister of state for defence M.M. Palam Raju said on the sidelines of a Defence Pension Adalat organised at the Army base here today.

Army testfires Prithvi-II
New Delhi, May 23
In what is the first test of the Prithvi-II after the missile was inducted into the armed forces, The Indian Army and the defence research and the development organisation today successfully conducted a user’s trial and test-fired its 150-250 km range surface-to-surface Prithvi missile from the integrated test range at Chandipur, Orissa. (Details on Nation page)

Arushi murder case Father arrested Noida, May 23 The Noida police today arrested dental surgeon Dr Rajesh Talwar, who lives in L-32 in Sector 25, Jal Vayu Vihar, Noida, for allegedly murdering his 14-year-old comely daughter Arushi and domestic help Hem Raj on the night of May 15 because they knew about his extra-marital affair and the victims themselves shared a close relationship. Talwar was later remanded to judicial custody for 14 days.     Police says     1. The Noida girl was killed as she knew about Dr Talwar's love affair with another doctor. 2. The two victims themselves shared a close relationship. Rajesh Talwar and Nupur Talwar. Nupur was detained for questioning.