Militants strike in Srinagar, cop killed
Over 100 civilians rescued; two ultras holed up in a hotel
Srinagar, January 6
Militants struck in Lal Chowk here today and engaged security forces in a fierce gunbattle, leaving one policeman dead and three CRPF jawans seriously injured. At least six civilians, including photo journalist Rouf Ahmad of News 24, were injured in the first flurry of gunshots and grenade attack by the militants.

CRPF jawans take position behind an armed vehicle where suspected militants are holed up in a hotel at Lal Chowk in Srinagar on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Amin war

Sodhi in soup over Jaipur visit
Stayed with Pak female friend who didn’t have visa
Jaipur, January 6
Senior Punjab Congress leader and Guruharsahai MLA Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi seems to have landed in a soup after it came to light that he took along his Pakistani female friend to Jaipur on the New Year eve despite her not having visa.
Who is Najmi Rizvi?
Punjab Cong on defensive

A Tribune Exclusive
Punjab Governor’s ‘discourtesy’ to Justice Mudgal shocks Moily
Union Law Minister writes to PC, asks him to ‘consider the matter seriously’
Chandigarh, January 6
Union Law Minister Dr M. Veerappa Moily has expressed shock over the “discourtesy” shown by Punjab Governor while administering oath to the newly appointed Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Mukul Mudgal, last month.

Amar Singh quits party posts
New Delhi, January 6
Amar Singh, the face of Samajwadi Party for over a decade, suddenly quit all party posts on Wednesday citing health reasons but hinting at parting company with SP and its chief, Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Hike likely in pvt employees’ gratuity
New Delhi, January 6
The Centre is proposing to raise the ceiling for payment of gratuity for private sector employees from Rs 3.5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. The proposal is to be placed before the Union Cabinet for its approval at its meeting tomorrow.

With GAGAN, fog to be no bar for pilots
Special navigation system to get going by 2014
Bangalore, January 6
Tired of waiting at the airport for the fog to clear up so that your flight finally takes off? Well, 2014 promises to bring with it hope for air travellers.

Australia says ‘it happens’... Melbourne, January 6 As India issued a travel advisory for Australia following unabated assaults and killing of its citizens, Australia today asked India not to whip up "hysteria" over a young expatriate’s murder here, saying such incidents occur in big cities around the world. ... but shows ‘determination’ to punish Nitin’s killers