tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Sunday, January 17, 1999
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Patwa made BJP UP in-charge
NEW DELHI, Jan 16 (PTI) — The BJP, in an exercise to revamp its party units, today appointed former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Sunderlal Patwa as vice president of the party and made him in charge of Uttar Pradesh. Party president Kushabhau Thakre, who allocated work for central office-bearers, has left Delhi and Madhya Pradesh, for which a decision would be taken soon, BJP spokesman K.L. Sharma told reporters here.

30 Tigers killed
COLOMBO, Jan 16 (UNI) — In fresh fighting in the embattled northeast of Sri Lanka, 30 LTTE rebels were killed when troops fired mortars at their bunkers in the Wanni area. Defence Ministry sources today said three soldiers lost their lives and 13 were injured in the fighting. The militants fired mortars at troops, which retaliated with artillery and guns. Subsequent search led to the seizure of a large quantity of arms and ammunitions from the rebels.

Raids on schools
NEW DELHI, Jan 16 (PTI) — Income tax sleuths raided the premises of three prestigious groups of schools in the city for the second successive day today for alleged income tax violations. Director-General (Investigations) S.C. Parija said the "crackdown" which began yesterday was still continuing at 20 places, including school premises and offices. The Income Tax Department has sealed some lockers and claimed recovery of Rs 78 lakh in cash.

Mass resignation
ITANAGAR, Jan 16 (UNI) — All rank and file of Papum Pare district of Arunachal Congress resigned from the party as also the primary membership yesterday. In a release here today, the General Secretary, Administration, Mr Techi Tagi Tara, said they resigned en bloc in view of the "future of the government and to fulfil the aspirations of the people of the district in particular and the state in general."

Cops attacked
RAJAHMUNDRY, Jan 16 (UNI) — Twelve police personnel, including a DSP were injured when they were attacked by an irate mob at Dewancheruvu village, near here, in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh last evening. The police said the incident occurred when a police party, headed by Deputy Superintendent J. Prabhakara Rao, went to the village to disperse a 1,000 strong mob led by Dewancheruvu Sarpanch Akkireddi Mahesh, which staged a road roko agitation demanding the release of six persons arrested for organising a cock fight on Makarasankranti day.

Bodies identified
KOTTAYAM, Jan 16 (PTI) — Eleven more bodies of the victims of the Sabarimala tragedy had been identified and sent to their native places by the authorities, the police said today. With this a total of 45 bodies had been identified so far, the police said.

MLA on fast
DEORIA (UP), Jan 16 (PTI) — A Janata Dal MLA began a "fast unto death" here today alleging that the state government was ignoring him while implementing development works in his constituency. Mr Subash Lal, who commenced the fast before the residence of the District Magistrate, said the ministers never sought his suggestions regarding development activities in his constituency.

5 extremists killed
GAYA (Bihar), Jan 16 (PTI) — Five extremists of the banned Maoist Communist Centre were killed today in a fierce encounter with the police in Dindin forest in Bihar's Aurangabad district. The police said only one body had so far been recovered. Other bodies were probably taken away by their colleagues under cover of darkness, they said. One double barrel gun was recovered from the spot. Superintendent of police, Aurangabad, R.K. Mishra, along with other senior officials, visited the spot.