TOP STORIES

Delhi Master Plan Draft by Oct end
New Delhi, January 9
The draft of Master Plan of Delhi 2021 is likely to be finalised by October this year. The final document will be prepared after taking into consideration the suggestions received from stakeholders and the general public alike. Lieutenant Governor Vijai Kapoor on Friday said that the work of drafting of Master Plan of Delhi 2021 was proceeding apace.

Dr L. Subramaniam (violin) and Ustad Sultan Khan (sarangi) perform during the inauguration of the second Pravasi Bharatiya Divas at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi, on Friday. — Tribune photo by Mukesh Aggarwal

Vijay Mallya, chairman, UB Group, announces the India Live performance of international star Bryan Adams at a press conference in the Capital on Friday. — Photo by Kamal Singh

the first salvo
BJP sets up panel to find lacunae in Kelkar report
New Delhi, January 9
The Delhi unit of the BJP has constituted a three-member committee to examine the Kelkar committee report prepared for assessment of property tax in the Capital. The committee members include Dr Harshvardhan, Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly, Dr Jagdish Mukhi, and Vijender Gupta, councillor and Leader of Opposition in the Standing Committee in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, sources said.

Butana panchayat finally intervenes in simmering feud
Sonepat, January 9
The Butana-12 panchayat has finally taken an initiative to end the enmity between two families of the village. The feud had taken the lives of four youths of one family while the other family left the village bag and baggage.

No Visitor’s nominees in DU despite orders
New Delhi, January 9
Delhi University’s ordeal, of having no Visitor’s Nominees for all its 12 faculties, continues even as the Visitor, the President himself, gave orders for their appointment about four months ago.

Bank wakes up to Rs 4 cr fraud with swindlers ready to flee
Ghaziabad, January 9
The Allahabad Bank, Ghaziabad, has suddenly woken up to a bank fraud committed about a decade ago by four persons, who had submitted forged documents of a house that they did not own.

Fake currency racket busted, nine held
Meerut: Nine persons of an inter-state gang, accused of printing fake currency notes, were arrested by the Meerut police this evening and fake currency worth Rs 40,800 was seized from them.

COMMUNITY

Special Focus on jhajjar/Bahadurgarh
Bahadurgarh civic body gripped by poll fever
Jhajjar, January 9
Considering the significance of the elections for the Municipal Council, Bahadurgarh, to be held on January 29, all the political parties, including the INLD, the Congress, the BJP and the HVP, have been striving to ameliorate their present support-base and to show their strength in the township.

Dr Irwin Mark Jacobs, CEO, Qualcomm Inc, USA, receives the Platinum Award of the Century for technology innovation from Dr Ashok K. Chauhan.

Substantial increase in crimes against women in 2003
New Delhi, January 9
Despite the best efforts of the Delhi Police to make the national Capital secure for women, crimes against women increased during 2003. As many as 490 rape cases and 1,599 eve-teasing cases were registered in 2003 as against 429 rape cases and 976 eve-teasing cases in 2002.

ncr briefs
Villager killed in mysterious circumstances
Ghaziabad, January 9
A villager was reportedly killed in Kadrabad in front of the Tulip Public School. The police identified the victim as Tula Ram, son of Nekaram Jater. Tula Ram, a native of Aligarh district, was reportedly working as an accountant at Yash Brick Kiln in Mohammadpur Qadim for the last 20 years. The Police have, however, taken into custody three of Tula Ram’s colleagues.

DELHI DIGEST
Postal staff convicted of cheating
New Delhi, January 9
A Delhi court today convicted two persons, including a postal staff, on charges of cheating by putting fake advertisements in newspapers. The two convicts, identified as Kulwant Singh and Satish Kumar were involved in placing advertisements in national and vernacular dailies for the supply of electrical and electronic goods through mail order.

Middle-aged man commits suicide
Noida, January 9
A middle-aged man is reported to have committed suicide at Aman Guest House in Sector-19, Noida. The deceased is said to be a friend of the guest house owner.

Traffic held up
Sonepat: Traffic on the road leading to the railway crossing near the Hindu College remained disrupted for more than five hours following the damage of barriers by a loaded truck late last evening. According to a report, a large number of vehicles lined up on both sides of the railway crossing till midnight.

• Vegetable competition

CRIME

Australian national found dead in Karol Bagh hotel
New Delhi, January 9
One Australian national, who had come to India on a multiple entry visa, was found dead in a hotel in the Karol Bagh area this morning.

Contract killer of South Delhi hotelier held New Delhi, January 9 The Crime Branch sleuths today claimed to have arrested a contract killer, identified as Rishi alias Pradhan (24), who was involved in the murder of a South Delhi hotelier, Mr Dalip Surtani, near his house in Safdarjang Enclave on November 28. After the murder of Surtani, the sleuths had arrested two contract killers, Manoj Chavanni and Manoj Yadav, and recovered the weapon involved in the murder. Rishi in police custody on Friday. — Photo by Kamal Singh

BUSINESS

PHDCCI moots ways to fortify trade ties within SAARC
Gurgaon, January 9
In view of the signing of SAFTA to constitute free trade among SAARC countries over 10 years starting January 1, 2003, at the recently concluded SAARC meeting, the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) has suggested a multi-pronged approach to augment trade and economic ties within the region.

SPORTS

Nine countries for Commonwealth Chess
New Delhi, January 9
Nine countries will participate in the Commonwealth Chess Championship to be held in Mumbai, along with the International Open Chess Tournament, from January 10 to 19.

Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat lays the foundation stone of the Football House at Dwarka in New Delhi on Friday, in the presence of Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

South Africa rout Kenya
New Delhi, January 9
South Africa crushed Kenya by nine wickets in the Commonwealth Under-19 Cricket Championship at Gurgaon on Friday.

Sonnet Club cruise into semis
New Delhi, January 9
Sonnet Club defeated Young Friends by 17 runs to move into the semi-final of the Shakuntala Devi Memorial Under-19 Cricket Tournament at the Chilla Sports Complex ground.

• Rajdhani beat Pahari Dhiraj

• Ravindra record big victory

Zakir Hussain Soccer
New Delhi, January 9
The 7th Zakir Hussain Memorial Football Tournament for Colleges will be held from January 28. The tournament was earlier slated to be held from January 20 to 30 at the Ambedkar Stadium. Entries close with the Organising Secretary, Zakir Hussain College, Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, New Delhi-02 on phones 23233420, 23231899, on January 15.

Vijay Kumar plays dream round
New Delhi, January 9
Vijay Kumar put behind his indifferent putting form to have a dream day and virtually sealed the fate of the Rs 10 lakh Hero Honda Open West Golf Tournament at the Poona Club Course on Friday. Vijay Kumar of Lucknow broke the existing course record of six-under 65, and was at 12-under 201 after three rounds.

ADMINISTRATION

INLD Govt puts VAT regime in perspective
Gurgaon, January 9
With the possibility of early Parliamentary elections in the air, which is to be followed by Assembly elections in the state, the INLD government is making efforts to come clean on its decision to implement the Value Added Tax (VAT) regime.