The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Monday, January 3, 2000,
Chandigarh, India

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

S P O T L I G H T

Ultras blow up ONGC pipeline
GUWAHATI, jan2 (PTI) — Seven persons have been picked up for interrogation today after ULFA militants blew up the ONGC pipeline in upper Assam’s Sibsagar district late last night causing fire and some oil spill. According to Sibsagar Deputy Commissioner L.N. Tamuly, oil supply through the line has been restored in the evening. The total monetary loss suffered by the ONGC due to the blast has been estimated to be around Rs 5 lakh. The ULFA militants exploded the exposed 20 feet portion of the pipeline with a powerful bomb near the bridge of the Disang river under Kakotibari police station.

2 gunned down
NAWADAH (Bihar), Jan 2 (PTI) — Armed men have shot dead two persons at Thalposh village in Nalanda district, the police said today. The gun-totting gang raided the village yesterday and kidnapped five persons working in a field. They later released three persons while killing two. The bodies of the two were later recovered by the police from a sugarcane field. Old enmity was stated to be the reason for the crime.

RJD leaders clash
GAYA (Bihar), Jan 2 (PTI) — Panic gripped the town as supporters of two RJD leaders exchanged fire for about an hour here, forcing the police to seize the firearms provided to the security guards of the leaders, Deputy Superintendent of Police Ranjit Kumar said. He said supporters of RJD leader and former Bihar Minister Surendra Yadav and those of sitting RJD MLA Mahesh Yadav clashed at the heart of the town in the morning. None was, however, injured.

Heroin seized
JAISALMER, Jan 2 (UNI) — In a joint operation, the Border Security Force (BSF) and officials of the Narcotics Department arrested a person and seized 13.6 kg heroin worth Rs 13.50 crore in the international market from his possession near “Prahari” border post in the Ghanana area close to Pakistan border in Rajasthan late last night. A BSF spokesman said here today that the contraband was confiscated from Barochia Khan.

Goods train derailed
VIJAYAWADA, Jan 2 (PTI) — Rail traffic between Vijayawada and Guduru in Andhra Pradesh was disrupted today following the derailment of 20 wagons of a goods train between the Venkatachalam and Manubrolu stations on the south-central section, according to railway authorities here. The train was on its way to Muddunuru from Bhadrchalam.

Non-journalists
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Jan 2 (PTI) — Non-journalists in news agencies would be included in the pension scheme for non-journalists in Kerala newspapers, state Finance Minister T. Sivadasa Menon has said. He was talking to a delegation of the Kerala PTI Employees Union and the Kerala UNI Staff Association at a guest-house here.

65 killed in Lanka
COLOMBO, Jan 2 (PTI) — The Sri Lankan army today claimed to have recaptured Iyakatchchi village near the strategic Elephant Pass garrison in Northern Jaffna from the LTTE after heavy fighting overnight which claimed 65 lives on both sides.

Mild earthquake
ITANAGAR, Jan 2 (UNI) — An earthquake of mild intensity rocked this capital town of Arunachal Pradesh and its surrounding areas at 3.55 p.m. today. The quake lasted only a few seconds. However, there was no report of any casualty or damage to the property.