Hit Pak back with full force: Govt
* Border fire India says troops prepared for long haul
* 2 killed as Rangers shell 40 villages
New Delhi/Jammu, October 8
The Union Government has reportedly given the country’s security apparatus a free hand to deal with continuous truce violations by Pakistan. The move came as Pakistani troops on Wednesday resorted to heavy shelling in border areas in Jammu and Kashmir, killing two persons and injuring 13 others.
Nation page: Rahul questions Modi’s silence on China, Pakistan

Villagers sit in a tractor- trailer as they wait to be shifted to a safe area following shelling by Pakistan at Chilyari village in Samba, Jammu, on Wednesday. AFP

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Nawaz to chair special meet
Islamabad, October 8
The Pakistani Government has decided to convene a meeting of its National Security Committee (NSC) in the wake of the ongoing border firing. The meeting would be chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif tomorrow. Along with the top military leadership, the PM’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz, Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Information Minister Pervez Rashid will attend the meeting.

Focus on Pak: Sena to Modi
Mumbai, October 8
Shiv Sena's attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi got nastier today with the party mouthpiece Saamna reminding him of his promise during the Lok Sabha elections to rein in Pakistan. "Do you need a 56 inch chest to protect the interests of the nation and teach Pakistan a lesson?" Saamna asked.

Power crisis looms in Punjab as coal stocks reach critical limit
Patiala, October 8
Consumers in almost all parts of Punjab, barring the Chief Minister’s home town Bathinda, have complained of power cuts in the past few days. Bothered by repeated power cuts, farmers have threatened to stage a dharna in front of the office of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL).

Samuels the showstopper
	Caribbean onslaught: West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo celebrates after the dismissal of Suresh Raina during the first ODI in Kochi on Wednesday. Windies beat India by 124 runs. PTI (Details on Sports page)

No breach of poll code in nod to Vadra-DLF deal: EC
New Delhi, October 8
The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday ruled that there appeared to be no violation of the model code of conduct by the Haryana Government in clearing the land deal between Robert Vadra and real estate major DLF.

95% aspiring teachers flunk all-India eligibility test New Delhi, October 8 As many as 95 per cent teaching aspirants in the country have flunked the all-India Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) meant to assess their knowledge and instruction abilities. That's hardly an improvement over the test conducted earlier this year in which 98 per cent candidates had failed to display minimum eligibility to become teachers.