S P O T L I G H T

Militants surrender
GUWAHATI, April 4 (UNI) — As many as 532 insurgents of the banned ULFA and NDFB surrendered in the presence of Assam Governor Lt Gen (retd) S.K. Sinha, Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and some of his Cabinet colleagues at Sibsagar in upper Assam today. The militants aslo deposited a large cache of arms, including 7.62 rifles, M-21 Chinese rifle, 9 mm revolvers, pistols, 12 bore gun, radio set, ammunition, grenades and explosives.

Martyrs’ widows
NEW DELHI, April 4 (PTI) — The government has allowed 75 per cent concession in second class sleeper fare in mail and express trains for widows of Kargil martyrs who died during “Operation Vijay”. Stating this an official release today said here that the concession had come into effect from April 1, this year.

Naik’s visit
ISLAMABAD, April 4 (AFP) — Former Pakistani Foreign Secretary Niaz Naik’s visit to India was not linked to any back-channel diplomacy with India, a senior government official said today. Mr Javed Jabbar, adviser to military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf, told reporters the government had not authorised any such initiative, the official APP news agency said.

FBI chief arrives
NEW DELHI, April 4 (PTI) — The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director, Mr Louis Freeh, arrived here this evening on a three-day official visit amidst indication that the agency would open an office in the Capital.