tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Friday, March 26, 1999
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6 killed in UP temple stampede
MIRZAPUR UP, March 25 (PTI) — Six persons were killed and 20 injured in a stampede at a temple on the occasion of Ram Navami here today, the police said. The incident took place when a large number of devotees jostled with each other to have ‘darshan’ of Goddess Vindhyavashni at the Vindhyachal temple complex. The district administration has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 to the next kin of the deceased.

Paternity scandal
AGARTALA, March 25 (UNI) — A Navodaya School principal will undergo DNA testing to determine whether he fathered the baby of a Class VIII student, the Tripura Assembly was informed today. The girl delivered the baby in a hostel of a Navodaya School at Kakraban in south Tripura recently. The issue, raised by Congress MLA Jawahar Saha, rocked the House today.

125 jhuggis gutted
NASIK, March 25 (PTI) — About 125 jhuggis belonging to tribals were gutted in a fire that broke out at Gopalwada in Khambale village of tribal-dominated Dhule district yesterday, according to the police. However, no loss of life has been reported. Cattle and poultry belonging to Pavra and Bhil tribes were charred to death.

Reconversions
CALCUTTA, March 25 (UNI) — At least three legislators of the West Bengal Assembly today expressed concern over the report of reconversion of some Christians and Muslims to Hinduism in Malda district of the state. Congress legislator Sultan Ahmed, CPM MLA Robin Dey and nominated member from the Anglo-Indian community Resemary Gellian Hart raised the matter in the House during mention hour and condemned the VHP for such reconversions.

Lankan fighting
COLOMBO, March 25 (AP) — Four separatist guerrillas were killed by government troops in clashes in northern Sri Lanka, military officials said today. Troops fired at a group of rebels constructing a bunker near Mankulam, 250 km North of here, yesterday. Two were killed, the ministry of Defence said in a statement.

Award surrender
KARACHI, March 25 (AFP) — Pakistan’s most respected humanitarian activist Abdul Sattar Edhi today said he would return a top national civil award in disgust at the poverty and hunger in his country. The 72-year-old Edhi was decorated with the Nishan-i-Imtiaz in 1982 for his services to society.

Blasts at embassies
SKOPJE, March25 (AFP) — Four explosions occurred this evening in front of the British and German embassies here. The blasts came after several thousand people set fire to the US embassy here to protest against NATO airstrike on Yugoslavia. Protestors threw stones and molotov cocktails at the embassy, breaking windows, several diplomatic vehicles were also set ablaze. Young Macedonians but also Serbs living in this former Yugoslav republic pulled down the US flag, tore and burnt it.

USA, Russia sign deal
WASHINGTON, March 25 (PTI) — The USA and Russia have signed a uranium deal under which Washington will buy 28 million pounds of natural uranium Moscow has accumulated in the USA for $ 325 million, the Wall Street journal has reported. Under the agreement signed yesterday they have also agreed to accumulate stockpiles of 58 million pounds each which will be kept off the market for 10 years in order to stabilise uranium prices, the journal said. The pact allows Russia to gradually increase its share of the world’s uranium market.