TOP STORIES

Noted Meerut businessman kidnapped
Meerut, February 22
A prominent businessman of the city was kidnapped by about five armed persons in a broad daylight on Meerut-Pauri state highway. Three youths put the businessmen forcibly into their white Maruti car at pistol-point and fled towards Bijnore-Mawana Road. Some passers-by immediately informed the police that a man had been kidnapped.

whoduNnit
Rajinder Nagar murder case cracked
New Delhi, February 22
The Central district police in a joint operation with the Crime Branch has claimed to have arrested the main accused in the murder-cum-robbery case which took place on February 5 in Rajinder Nagar where one Chanderbhan Batra in his eighties was killed and his wife tied down by the accused.

HC restrains retailers from selling fake couture
New Delhi, February 22
In a significant relief to ITC Ltd, the Delhi High Court has restrained some garment manufacturers and retailers from dealing with the fashionable apparel under brand names “Wills Sport” and “John Player” owned by the corporate major.

MERRY AS CRICKET: Bollywood actors Anil Kapoor, Suniel Shetty, Akshay Kumar and cricketer Kapil Dev during a charitable match, Score with a Smile, at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in the Capital on Sunday. A devastating fire engulfed at least 150 jhuggis at Laxmibai Nagar in South Delhi. The fire broke out early morning on Sunday when most of the residents were asleep. No casualties were reported. Sparking in one of the dangling electricity wires led to the fire in a jhuggi. Since the inhabitants were asleep, they could not notice the smoke billowing from the jhuggi. When it had engulfed the entire roof, they ran out and sent for the Delhi Fire Service (DFS). — Photos by Kamal Singh

Consumer forum orders UPCC to right a wrong
Noida, February 22
The District Consumer Forum has cancelled a bill sent by the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation (UPCC) to a consumer because his meter was defective. The three-members Forum ruled that the UP Power Corporation had not amended the complainant’s incorrect bill before sending it to him. The Forum told the UPPC to cancel the defective bill and in its place a corrected bill be presented.

Set up ‘mother unit’ and get all help: CM
Faridabad, February 22
The Haryana Government would try its best to provide industrialists with the basic amenities and infrastructure for development in all sectors, including the manufacturing activity.

Mokshda, an environs-friendly cremation facility
New Delhi, February 22
Nigambodh Ghat will soon have a new environment-friendly and less expensive cremation facility called Mokshda. The Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Mr Vijay Goel, said that Mokshda would be a wood-based, fuel-efficient system of cremation without requiring huge quantity of wood.

Helplines for people in distress
New Delhi, February 22
Senior citizens, women and students can heave a sigh of relief in the city thanks to a special campaign launched during the ongoing Delhi Police Week. The Police Control Room (PCR) staff today started painting the helpline numbers in the public buses and other prominent places in the city to reach people in distress.

POLITICS

Chautala should seek fresh mandate: Haryana BJP chief
Rewari, February 22
Taking strong exception to Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala’s utterances regarding the INLD’s superior strength and popularity in the state, former Haryana BJP chief Prof Ram Bilas Sharma has asserted that if the INLD supremo was so sure of his public acceptability, he should immediately get the Vidhan Sabha dissolved and seek the fresh mandate from the people of Haryana along with the Lok Sabha polls.

COMMUNITY

Asian Academy of Films & Television Director Sandeep Marwah, publisher S. K. Rastogi, former Prime Minister I. K. Gujaral and author Aziz Burney at the release of the book, 'Safar Zindagi Ka', a biography of the ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, at Pragati Maidan in the Capital.

Special Focus on sonepat
They usurp lands with impunity
Sonepat, February 22
Going by the large-scale encroachments on public land along the main roads of the city that have been taking place in utter disregard of the government’s urban development policy, it is now quite clear that the district and civic administration as well as the Public Works Department (B&R) and the HUDA authorities have abdicated their basic responsibilities for ensuring orderly and planned growth of the city. The alleged indifferent attitude of the administration in checking and removing encroachments have ruined the concept of planning for this “A” class city, which has today a population of over 2 lakh with unchecked migration of thousands of families every year.

Govt employees to be trained on EVMs 
Sonepat, February 22
On the instructions of the Election Commission, the district administration has made elaborate arrangements for providing training to all the government employees for working on the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) to be used in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in the district and elsewhere.

Khora residents to vote for those who ensure colony’s development
Noida, February 22
Some five lakh inhabitants of sprawling Khora Colony between Noida and Ghaziabad on southern side of National Highway No 24 had enough of promises of leaders and officials. They are frustrated that the development of their colony has long been neglected.

Noida projects on old Mayawati Govt rates despite outcry
Noida, February 22
There was hue and cry about different projects in Noida when the Samajwadi Party government took over the administration in Uttar Pradesh. The new government began by leveling allegations of corruption and graft during Mayawati ‘s rule, severely compromising the efficacy of these projects.

NCR briefs
696 cases settled by Lok Adalats
Faridabad, February 22
The Lok Adalats held recently settled about 696 cases. According to the District and Sessions Judge, Ms Nirmal Yadav, 477 of these cases were settled at Faridabad while the rest were disposed of at the Lok Adalat held at Palwal town. 

Scooterist killed Theft in battery shop

Cotton stock gutted

delhi digest  Vivekananda’s teachings stressed  New Delhi, February 22 The Vice-President, Mr Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, said that in today’s globalised environs, people should reaffirm their faith in the teachings of Vivekananda as this can pave the way for establishing peace and harmony in the world.

CRIME

Inspector, SI held in stamp scam 
New Delhi, February 22
The CBI arrested an Inspector and a Sub- Inspector of the Delhi Police on charges of conspiring with Abdul Karim Telgi for printing and selling counterfeit stamp to various business houses, causing huge loss to the government exchequer.

Mother killed, infant injured 

BUSINESS

showcase
You have the perfect colour to paint the town red this Holi 
Pidilite launches acron non-toxic ‘Holi Ke Rang’, a range of colours for the Holi festival. The colours are free of harmful chemicals as they are made from food grade colours. So Holi revellers need not worry about colours getting into their mouth or irritating their skin. It is available in three powder colours: pink, orange and yellow. The colour concentrate to be mixed in water is also available in red, yellow and green colours.

EDUCATION

SCHOOL BUZZ
DPS students put their best foot forward
Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani was the theme chosen for the cultural extravaganza put up by the students of DPS, East Delhi. A riot of colours, the event showcased the skills of the talented bunch of students, who ensured that they put their best foot forward.

Students of DPS, East Delhi, performing at their cultural extravaganza.

Students of Children's Valley, Preet Vihar, participating in the Science Fair, 2004, on the school campus.

Teacher Training Programme Sports Day Maths Talent Test

Young Scientists Mira blesses XIIthies Turtle Walk Project

principalspeak It is easy to be average, but tough to be the best March is perhaps the most crucial time of the year for students. The word exam itself sends shivers down the spines of most of them. But why should there be so much fear for exams? A systematic planning and studying in an organised manner can give you the desired confidence to do well.

COURTS

Closure of corruption case ordered
New Delhi, February 22
A Special Court here has ordered closure of a corruption case against three senior officers of Indian Council for Agriculture Research (ICAR) and officials of two computer firms after the CBI, which probed the case, said it had not been able to fix responsibility on any of the accused persons.

SPORTS

Indian Test player Dinesh Mongia with ESPN Corporate Challenger Cricket Tournament winners HDFC Bank.

Indian archers eye Olympic Games target
New Delhi, February 22
The Indian archers received a big boost in their preparation for the Athens Olympic Games 2004 following their medal wins in the Asian Grand Prix Championship held in Bangkok recently. Promising Tarundeep Rai, who is working hard to do well in the Olympic Games, hit the gold to bolster his confidence.

Punjab National Bank beat Roop Nagar
New Delhi, February 22
Punjab National Bank (PNB) defeated Roop Nagar by five wickets in an A-II Division match of the DDCA League at the Delhi University ground.

Jagdish Kaliraman wins title
New Delhi, February 22
Jagdish Kaliraman, son of legendary wrestler Chandgi Ram, floored Hind Kesari son of captain Chandroop Akhara, in just five minutes to emerge winner. The wrestling contest was held in Sangli Janpad of Islampur Sugar Mill. Jagdish Kaliraman won a cash purse of Rs 2.50 lakh.