S P O T L I G H T

Militants kill Magistrate
GUWAHATI, May 18 (UNI) — An Executive Magistrate was killed, while north Cachar hill district Deputy Commissioner escaped unhurt when suspected Ultras of the United Peoples Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) ambushed their vehicle at Umrangchu in the district today.

12 more battalions for North-East
NEW DELHI, May 18 (PTI) — The Government has announced raising of 12 additional battalions of para-military forces to combat growing insurgency in the North-East to fill the void created by shifting of some Army formations.Along with five additional battalions of the Assam Rifles, government is also raising three more battalions of the BSF and two additional battalions of the CRPF at a cost of Rs 265 crore, officials said here today.

Dacoit killed
KANPUR, May 18 (UNI) — Notorious dacoit Lalaram, whose enmity with dacoit queen Phoolan Devi had led to the infamous Behmai massacre in February 1981, was killed in an encounter with the police near Dirvapur village in Kanpur dehat district in the wee hours of today. Lalaram, whose gang had been active in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh for the past several years, was wanted by the police in at least 180 cases of dacoity, kidnapping and murder. The UP police had announced a reward of Rs 50,000 on his head. According to the police records, Lalaram and his brother Sriram, joined the world of crime in 1978.