tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Thursday, October 8, 1998
weather today's calendar

Karachi toll 22
ISLAMABAD, Oct 7 (PTI) — Normal life in Karachi was at a standstill as the city continued to be in the grip of large-scale violence and group clashes today with the toll during the past three days of violence rising to 22. Angry groups of supporters of the MQM, stalked the city streets, protesting against the killing of their leaders on Monday and forcing shops and markets to close down. As many as hundred vehicles, including passenger buses, were also torched. (Picture on World page)
Petrol stir call withdrawn
KOCHI, Oct 7 (UNI) — The call given by the Federation of All-India Petroleum Traders for the closure of petrol stations in the country tomorrow has been withdrawn following a settlement reached between the federation and the oil industry. All 17,000 petrol outlets throughout the country would function tomorrow following the settlement , federation President David J. Mookken said in a statement here today. As per the settlement, arrears of commission pending since July 3, 1996, would be paid by the end of October this year and the Petroleum Ministry would issue orders directing the oil companies to disburse the amount.

Militant killed
GUWAHATI, Oct 7 (PTI) — Self-styled judicial secretary of the banned National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) Babul Boro was shot dead by the Army in Lower Assam's Nalbari district today, defence sources said. Boro was killed in an exchange of fire when troops raided his hideout in Gorakuchi village near Tamulpur, sources said.
4 raped in MP
BHOPAL, Oct 7 (PTI) — Close on the heels of the rape of four nuns in Jhabua district, four tribal girls were raped in a village of Bastar district of Madhya Pradesh on Sunday last. The police arrested eight persons last night in this connection and they were remanded in judicial custody, the Bastar Collector, Mr Prabir Krishan, said on the phone today. The girls filed an FIR on Monday evening.
BEST strike on
MUMBAI, Oct 7 (PTI) — Lakhs of commuters continued to face hardship as the near total strike by BEST workers over the demand for enhanced bonus continued for the second day today. The 72-hour strike has been called by the Brhimanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Workers' Union owing allegiance to the Hind Mazdoor Sabha and is supported by other unions controlled by the Shiv Sena and Kamgar Aghadi. More than 49,000 municipal employees and the fleet of 3456 buses remained off the road.
Lankan trawler
PARADIP, Oct 7 (PTI) — A Sri Lankan trawler has been seized by the Coast Guard about 100 km north of Puri on the Orissa coast, official sources said. The trawler, seized yesterday for intruding into Indian territory, was directed to the Paradip port where its six crew members were handed over to the police. All six occupants of the vessel were Sri Lankan nationals.
20 LTTE men die
COLOMBO, Oct 7 (PTI) — The Sri Lankan army today claimed that 20 LTTE rebels were killed in encounters with its troops in different places in the North and East during the past two days. Eighteen rebels were killed and 12 wounded when troops fired at a group of LTTE men near northern Mankulam town, which was captured by the army on September 30, a Defence Ministry press note said here.
Pilot killed in crash
SRINAGAR, Oct 7 (PTI) — An Indian Air Force plane crashed at Nilgrant near Sonamarg, 84 km from here, today, fatally wounding the pilot. The MIG-21 aircraft was on a routine training flight when it crashed around 1040 a.m. while negotiating a hilly area. The pilot, Flight-Lieutenant R.K. Kamboj, who was wounded, later succumbed to his injuries, a Defence Ministry spokesman said.