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BJP leader killed,
railway tracks blown up during
bandh Put Ayodhya issue on back
burner, says President
Protect witnesses in human rights cases, 30 killed in
train-truck
collision |
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Vajpayee-fan Naveen Jindal joins Congress Cong drafting vision document on economic policies 8 women candidates in CPM’s first
list Bhupen Hazarika joins
BJP Jagnnath Mishra joins JD
(U) Pak delegate raises slogans at
conference SC notice to Centre on Sharma’s appointment CBI moves court for Salem’s
extradition US agency’s grants for Indian
varsities Seven tribal girls raped Magistrate seeks bail in Bilkis case Youth stabbed to death in
Vadodara
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BJP leader killed,
railway tracks blown up during
bandh Patna, February 27 However, no casualties were reported from either of the states where security has been beefed up and Central paramilitary forces deployed in view of the 24-hour bandh. Heavily armed ultras struck in Bihar, completely disrupting movement of trains on the Mughalsarai-Patna section of East Central Railway, a railways spokesman said. MCC and PWG ultras set off explosions and badly damaged Ankorha railway station and cabin on the Mughalsarai-Patna section of East Central Railway early today. They also blew up tracks near the station and a culvert, completely disrupting the movement of trains on the section, he said. The day-long People’s War bandh evoked poor response in Andhra Pradesh today even as the outlawed ultras gunned down a local BJP leader. N. Shankar, who was the party’s Dharmaram Mandal Secretary, was shot dead at his native Medaram village. The PW and Maoists Communist Centre had called for a day-long bandh in nine states — Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra — to protest “police attrocities” on their cadres and “fake encounters”. Shankar was riding a two-wheeler when two armed men on a cycle intercepted him and shot him dead. He was a close associate of Union Minister Ch Vidyasagar Rao. The PW had warned the followers of the Union Minister to quit the BJP, failing which they would be made the targets of action teams. The outfit had threatened to attack even Mr Rao and cautioned his followers not to travel with the him. In Jharkhand, the extremists attacked Dania and Dasra railway stations in Dhanbad division, throwing train services out of gear on Barkakhana-Garwa Road, Garwah Road-Sonnagar and Garwah Road-Chappan, railway sources said. KOLKATA: According to reports reaching here, the extremists used RDX and landmines in blowing up some 430 km of railway tracks at Paraiya (near Gaya), Darra (close to Kodarma) and Ankorha (near Garwa). However, the bandh in the extremist-infested Midnapore, Purulia, Bankura and Birbhum areas did not have much impact, state police chief, D. Bajpayee said. |
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Put Ayodhya issue on back
burner, says President Kolkata, February 27 Dr Kalam advised the younger generation not to be carried away by emotions while dealing with the Ayodhya issue. The President stressed upon that only true love and trust among the people, irrespective of their caste, creed and religion, could solve the communal problems. The President was speaking at the inauguration of a complex of the city’s oldest Muslim orphanage on Ripon Street. Later, he attended seven other functions during his one-day tour to the city, including a visit to a flower show at the
Horti-Agricultural Society. At the annual convocation of the Indian Statistical Institution at Baranagar, Dr Kalam called upon the young scientists and intellectuals to dedicate themselves to bring India at par with other developed countries. He advised them to make themselves available for the national needs. The President arrived at Netaji Subhas Chandra International Airport last night where he was received by the Governor, Mr Viren J Shah, and the Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, and other officials and dignitaries. Today, the President first attended the function at the Muslim orphanage and later he attended a function at Aurobindo Ashram on Shakespeare Sarani. In the afternoon, he inaugurated a orphanage at Dakshineswar
Adhyapaith. There he also opened a teachers’ training institute. The function was organised by the Ramakrishna
Sangha. The President also attended centenary celebrations of Bhowanipore Mitra Institution where the Union Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee, the state Education Minister, Mr Satyasadhan Chakraborty, a CPM leader, Mr Somnath Chatterjee, and a former Punjab Governor, Mr Siddhartha Sankar Ray, were present, among others. Speaking at the function, Dr Kalam demanded that the education up to the age of 14 should be made compulsory for all. Before leaving the city for the Capital, the President also laid the foundation stone of the Kolkata Trade Fair Centre, to be set up jointly by the Centre and the state government. He also opened radio therapy unit of Barasat Cancer Hospital.
Plea to summon PM in mosque demolition case New Delhi, February 27 However, Justice M.S.
Liberhan, while taking on record the application, moved by advocate
O.P. Sharma, said “no order is required on it”. Besides, Mr Vajpayee and Mr Advani, the applicant has also sought the summoning of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh during whose term the mosque was demolished on December 6,
1992. Mr Advani, who was examined by the commission at length, had already concluded his deposition two years ago. Mr Sharma had sought the summoning of the BJP stalwarts on the ground that they had a “significant” role in the Ayodhya movement that had led to the demolition of the mosque. |
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Protect witnesses in human rights cases, says
SC New Delhi, February 27 “The Union of India should come forward so far as the violation of federal laws are concerned and in the cases of serious violations of human rights for the protection of witnesses”, a Bench, comprising Chief Justice Mr V.N. Khare, Mr Justice S.B. Sinha and Mr Justice S.H. Kapadia, said while hearing a bunch of petitions, including the one filed by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), relating to several important Gujarat riot cases. The court stressed upon the necessity of witnesses’ security after amicus curiae Harish Salve said there should be some scheme for their protection. Referring to the existing problem in Gujarat, the court directed the state government to submit a reply by March 15 about the steps taken by it for providing security to the witnesses, saying “it is the responsibility of the state”. The apex court also clarified that the pendency of any riot-related matter before it would not come in the way of the Gujarat High Court entertaining any appeal by the state government against the trial court orders granting bails to a large number of accused. The clarification came after it was informed that the high court was not hearing any bail petition due to the apex court’s intervention. The main complaint of the NHRC and an NGO, Citizens for Justice and Peace, which had taken up various riot cases, was that a large number of accused had been enlarged on bail, which was a major cause of threat to the witnesses and the cause of tampering with the evidences, resulting in the acquittal of accused as had happened in the Best Bakery case. Meanwhile, the Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), an NGO, told the Bench that there was urgent need to implement the 1981 report of the National Police Commission, recommending to “make police free from any political interference”. |
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30 killed in train-truck collision
Kolkata, February 27 The killed were all occupants of the truck, the sources said, adding that the accident occurred between Suraj Kamal and Kanke railway stations, some 100 km from Jalpaiguri, at 5:10 p.m. Senior Railway officials, including the North Frontier Additional General Manager, had rushed to the scene. The number of injured was not known, they said. —
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Sonia’s foreign origin issue stupid:
Jethmalani New Delhi, February 27 In an
exclusive interview with The Tribune, Mr Jethmalani also criticised Nobel laureate V.S. Naipaul for visiting the BJP party office and supporting the BJP stand on Congress President Sonia
Gandhi’s foreign origin issue. The former Union Minister described the BJP’s stand on the foreign origin issue as “the most stupid and mean argument to make against
a person”. Mr Jethmalani breathed fire against the Vajpayee government and said: “I believe that the BJP has not given good governance. It has not even given honest governance.” Asked if in the wake of his meeting with Ms Sonia Gandhi, he would try to cobble up a pre-election alliance to take on the NDA in the forthcoming general elections, he said: “Yes, there is no doubt about it. I will work towards providing a government which does not repeat a Tehelka or a Judeo or Gujarat riots. I hope that the real secular voter shall remain united and not succumb to temporary temptation and bribery.” The octogenarian Mr Jethmalani replied with characteristic candour when asked whether he, an independent member of the Rajya Sabha supported by the Shiv Sena, had broached the topic with Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray or “I am under no such obligation. I am not a subordinate of Balasaheb that I should ask his permission. I am neither a slave nor a member of the BJP or any other party that I have to take prior permission for meeting anyone. I am entitled to meet any leader of any political party, particularly Leader of Opposition Sonia Gandhi,” he exploded. His response to another question — whether he had burnt his bridges with the BJP— was equally scathing. “I am concerned with the probity of public life and I will fight any one who I find does not conform to my standards. I believe there are some honest people in the BJP also and there is no question of my burning bridges with the BJP. I am not even a member of the BJP so where is the question of burning bridges?” He blew up the NDA government’s “feel-good factor” campaign. “I am in the process of forming a strong united front which should expose the hypocrisy of this government’s feel-good claim. It might please some BJP people as well. There are many people in the BJP who don’t believe this nonsense about feel-good.” Mr Jethmalani blasted the BJP
for raking up the issue of Ms Sonia Gandhi’s foreign origin issue and said it smacked of being afraid of one person. “That is the most stupid and mean argument to make against a person. You should fight a person on the basis of his or her intellectual ability and qualities of head and heart, including the potential for good governance.” Asked if he would support Ms Gandhi as the Prime Minister of India, Mr Jethmalani said: “This question does not arise. She has herself said that she is no longer a Prime Ministerial candidate.” Mr Jethmalani came out solidly in support of Ms Gandhi when he was asked to react to the oft-repeated argument that even a country like the US had strict laws debarring people of foreign origin from holding the President’s office. He sniped: “Why it did not occur to Atalji or any other person to make such a provision in the Citizenship Act of 1955. From 1955 it has never occurred to them. Today it is so mean that you should amend the law to fight one person.” Asked whether there is some tacit understanding with the Congress or whether he suffered from political insecurity that led to his meeting the Congress President— his response was sharp. “This is the most ridiculous suggestion. I am the most politically secure person. Everyone else is insecure, including
Vajpayeeji.
He is in the danger of losing his seat. I am in no such danger. My remaining in politics depends on my reputation and credibility with the
people of India. It has nothing to do with any office that I hold
or I do not hold.” He gave strong indications of contesting the Lok Sabha elections though his Rajya Sabha tenure lasts until 2006. “The national good requires that I should fight a Lok Sabha election. I will be prepared to fight it not just tomorrow but today itself.” |
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Vajpayee-fan Naveen Jindal joins Congress New Delhi, February 27 Grand preparations were made at the party headquarters to welcome its newest high-profile “catch”, frantic messages were flashed to the media about an important photo-op while hordes of party cheerleaders descended at the daily press briefing to witness the political baptism of the much talked about new entrant. The occasion was meant to welcome well-known industrialist Naveen Jindal into the party fold. But, as it happened, his brief interaction only served to embarass the Congress leaders. Mr Jindal, who shot to fame for securing the right for every citizen to fly the national flag, today made news for all the wrong reasons. Sitting on the podium, flanked by party spokespersons Abhishek Singhvi and Salman Khursheed, Mr Jindal could not stop praising Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, while Congress president Sonia Gandhi found no mention in his introductory remarks. “I respect the Prime Minister...in fact, the whole country does. Just because I have joined the Congress, it does not mean that I will stop admiring the Prime Minister,” said Mr Jindal while his Congress colleagues looked on aghast. Then, for good measure, he added, “I also admire the Congress for its secular credentials,” stating that as a plain-speaking person he would not hesitate to criticise his own party if he felt it was adopting wrong policies. Mr Jindal’s open admiration for Mr Vajpayee was even more glaring as his remarks were followed by Mr Singhvi’s scathing attack on Mr Vajpayee for his doublespeak and his “Kekyll and Hyde personality”. Red-faced Congresssmen and Mr Jindal later clarified that his remarks were meant for the Prime Minister of the country. “If I start ridiculing the Prime Minister, it will not look nice,” Mr Jindal said. Mr Jindal’s entry made news for other reasons as well. Soon after his induction, he became a contender for a Lok Sabha seat from his home state Haryana, along with a host of other family members of Congress leaders. For the record, he is the son of industrialist and Haryana legislator O.P.Jindal. Didn’t this only prove Congress critics right that the party encouraged dynastic politics. “Certainly people like me do have an advantage over others...but later you have to show your own worth,” he explained.
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Cong drafting vision document on economic policies New Delhi, February 27 Presently being drafted by its panel of economic experts, headed by former Finance Minister Manmohan Singh, the vision document will seek to clarify the Congress position on reforms and also unfold how the party plans to structure its economic policy, if voted to power. Disclosing that such a vision document is being drafted, Mr Arjun Sengupta, vice-chairman of the party’s economic affairs department, today said the document would explain the policies which would enable India to achieve a growth rate of 10 per cent from the present 8 per cent. Congress strategists had felt the need to explain the party’s position on economic reforms in view of its perceived wavering stance on the matter. There was a widespread view that after introducing reforms during the '90s the Congress was backtracking on them publicly even as its state governments were implementing them. The Congress had now decided to claim ownership of economic reforms and stop being defensive about introducing these policies. It was also quick to add that the NDA government had gone wrong in the implementation of the reforms. Mr Sengupta repeatedly pointed out today that the Congress had introduced economic reforms, adding, “We are committed to reforms.” While rubbishing the NDA government's implementation of these policies, Mr Sengupta maintained that “we are better reformists.” According to him, the BJP could not claim credit for this year’s 8 per cent growth rate. AICC screening committee
on Punjab meets New Delhi, February 27 The meeting, attended by Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and PCC chief H.S. Hanspal, besides AICC leaders Dr Karan Singh and Ms Mohsina Kidwai, discussed names for each seat in the state and prepared a panel of names. A final view on candidates would be taken after the issue of alliances was settled. The final choice of the candidates would be made by the Congress central election committee. The senior party leaders are slated to meet again on March 1. |
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8 women candidates in CPM’s first
list New Delhi, February 27 Of the 59 seats, the party has fielded only eight women candidates, which is less than 15 per cent, far less than what the Left party has been advocating for greater representation to women in law making bodies. In the list of 59, there were eight women candidates and 24 new faces who were contesting the Lok Sabha poll for the first time. The list included 34 sitting members. Besides 31 from West Bengal and 14 from Kerala, the party will contest two seats each from Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Tripura and Tamil Nadu. It will contest one seat each from Chhattisgarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Punjab and Uttaranchal. Two sitting MPs each from West Bengal and Kerala have been dropped due to their age and health factor, Polit Buro member Sitaram Yechury said. In Punjab, the party has fielded Darshan Singh Mattoo from Hoshiarpur seat. Prominent persons, who have been given tickets by the party, include sitting MP Somnath Chatterjee from Bolpur, Basudev Acharia from Bankura, Ms Subhashni Ali from Kanpur, Vijay Rawat from Garhwal. Incidentally, the party is unlikely to increase the women representation in their subsequent lists, as the CPM has made it clear that they will be contesting 70 parliamentary seats, two less than what they had contested last time. Defending the decision, the party’s Polit Buro member,
Mr Nilotpal Basu, told The Drawing a parallel with SC/ST reservation, he said “for the uplift of a section of society there has to be positive reservation and we are in favour of fixed quota of seats for women.” Interestingly, two sitting women MPs from West Bengal have been dropped by the party and four women sitting MPs have been given ticket again. Except for giving one seat in Uttar Pradesh, all seven other women given ticket are in West Bengal and Kerala, the bastion of the CPM. Reiterating party’s stand not to have a “front or alliance” with the Congress, Mr Yechury said “we are announcing our list. We are hopeful that secular parties will support us as we would extend our support to them. We will strive to ensure that the secular vote does not split”. |
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Bhupen Hazarika joins
BJP New Delhi, February 27 The Dada Saheb Phalke award winning poet-music director joined the BJP even as there was an attempt by the Congress to dissuade him from joining the saffron party. “There was an invitation from Congress President Sonia Gandhi to have tea with her this afternoon...but I skipped it and reached here to have rice,” Hazarika told newspersons. To a pointed question whether he had met Ms Gandhi, he shot back saying that “I have not met her in my life”. Hazarika, who was the President of the Sangeet Natak Academy for five years, took the formal membership of the BJP in the presence of union ministers Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and other senior leaders like Pyare Lal Khandelwal and M.A. Naqvi. Meanwhile, sources said the top BJP leadership was keen on utilising him for campaigning in the North-East than his entering the fray himself. They said the party thinking was that Hazarika could be brought into Parliament through the Rajya Sabha. Since Hazarika had expressed openly his desire to contest poll, a final view would be taken by the BJP Parliamentary Board, the highest decision making body of the party in consultation with him. |
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Jagnnath Mishra joins JD (U) Patna, February 27 Dr Mishra claimed that JD(U) President and Defence Minister George Fernandes had cleared his and other NCP leaders’ entry into the party. Addressing a press conference here, Dr Mishra explained the reasons behind his departure from the NCP. He said under the given situation in Bihar, an alliance with the Congress tantamounted to joining hands with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which would have been suicidal for him and his followers. Referring to compulsions of NCP chief Sharad
Pawar, who had the priority in saving the coalition ministry in Maharashtra with the Congress, Dr Mishra said he had to part company with the NCP keeping in view the urgent need to prevent the division of the
anti-RJD votes in Bihar. —
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Pak delegate raises slogans at
conference New Delhi, February 27 Minutes before urging the audience to say “Pakistan zindabad,” the visiting Parliamentary Secretary, Health (Punjab), Pakistan, had announced the Pakistan’s offer to treat 30 Indian children free of cost at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology. The good news was well received and generated spontaneous reciprocity from Delhi’s Rockland Hospital and Manipal Enterprises known for higher medical education. Sensing the audience reluctance to raise pro-Pakistan slogans, Dr Nazir assured that she would take the name of their country as well. Only after a section of the audience repeated “Pakistan zindabad” after her, she raised pro-India slogans. Dr Nazir stressed the need to develop faith, love and trust between the people of India and Pakistan. The Indian medical fraternity found the sloganeering “odd”. Some felt that it was not the proper forum to raise slogans. Mr D.A. Prasanna, Chief Executive Officer of Manipal Enterprises, said the Indo-Pakistan collaboration was their next frontier. He said they would like to host a Pakistani delegate’s week-long stay in one of their institutes to facilitate better understanding of each other’s needs. Besides, Manipal Enterprises would like to invite a doctor to do super specialisation in one of the institutes. He also proposed a twinning programme at the postgraduate level to enable Indian students study in Pakistan for a year after completing two years of their course in India. The same offer would be extended to Pakistani students. He also suggested best practice-sharing courses for both countries. A representative of Rockland Hospital conveyed the hospital’s offer to fund surgeries for five cases of spinal injuries. The hospital is headed by renowned orthopaedic surgeon and former Director of the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, Professor P.K. Dave. |
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SC notice to Centre on Sharma’s appointment New Delhi, February 27 A Bench of Mr Justice S Rajendera Babu, Mr Justice
Arijit Pasayat and Mr Justice G.P. Mathur, however, declined to stay the order for his appointment saying that without knowing the government stand it would not be fair. The appointment of Mr Sharma, who had retired as the CBI Director in December last and continued to be the vice-president of Interpol, was challenged by the People’s Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL) on the grounds that the inclusion of a retired police officer in the panel, was against the provisions of the NHRC Act. Only a person with a considerable knowledge and working experience in the field of human rights matters could be inducted in the panel as per the Act, the PUCL in a public interest litigation (PIL) said. The petitioners also alleged that the government had not made the appointment as per the recommendations of a committee which included among others the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament to approve it, its said. |
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CBI moves court for Salem’s extradition New Delhi, February 27 The CBI, which received the copy of judgement from the Portuguese High Court earlier this week, was taken by surprise when it saw that the court had allowed extradition of Salem only on charges which did not attract life sentence, CBI sources said here today. The CBI approached the Portuguese Prosecutor General who agreed to the agency’s contention that the order would cause impediments in the way of his extradition to India. The Portuguese Prosecutor General filed a review petition in the Supreme Court challenging the High Court order on behalf of CBI. According to the order, India could try the underworld don only for offences like forging passport, smuggling of arms into Mumbai and not for heinous crimes like causing activities leading to death of civilians in the 1993 Mumbai serial Bomb blasts. —
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US agency’s grants for Indian
varsities New Delhi, February 27 Five of the six grants have been awarded to South Indian universities: one partnership effort with Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in Coimbatore, and two initiatives with the University of Agricultural Sciences in Bangalore. The collaborating US universities are Ohio State, Cornell, University of California, Davis, Purdue, Iowa State and Michigan State, the US Embassy here said yesterday. Partnership awards of $ 3,00,000 each were given to the following: Cornell University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, School of Postgraduate Studies, Coimbatore, to facilitate public-private linkages as a means of boosting Indian agricultural productivity, exports and rural incomes. University of California, Davis and Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Agricultural Engineering College and Research Institute, Coimbatore to increase economic efficiency, raise productivity, and reduce rural poverty through the establishment of a specialised research centre. Michigan State University and Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Horticultural College and Research Institute, Coimbatore, to strengthen Indian capacity to improve supply chain management for the production and delivery of fruits and vegetables. Iowa State University and the University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK Campus, Bangalore, to implement alternative approaches to traditional grain production and provide local farmers, educators and legislators with new farming models. Purdue University and the University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK Campus, Bangalore, to educate people in rural areas about nutrition and enhance public awareness about the potential benefits of biotechnology in improving human nutrition. Ohio State University and the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, to promote agricultural diversification and “add value” to raw food products by transitioning them into high-value commodities with extended shelf life and export potential. |
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Seven tribal girls raped Gorakhpur, February 27 The girls, who were working at the brick-kiln, at Pipra Jatampur village under Kubersthan police station were allegedly raped on Sunday night by the persons who were reported to be bandits, they said. The incident came to light on Wednesday when a case of rape under Section 376 of the IPC was registered at Kubersthan police station and the victims, aged between 11 and 16, were sent for a medical examination, Superintendent of Police Kushinagar Ram Kumar told reporters. No arrest has been made in the case so far, he said adding, the alleged bandits, who struck at the makeshift quarters of the tribals from Jharkhand also ransacked their belongings after beating up the
menfolk. — PTI |
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Magistrate seeks bail in Bilkis case Ahmedabad, February 27 Executive Magistrate Chandubhai Patel yesterday filed the anticipatory bail application before the district sessions court and the matter would come up for hearing on March 1, advocate Arvind Pandya told PTI here today. The court had earlier rejected the anticipatory bail plea of three policemen, including a Deputy Superintendent, who were part of the initial investigating team of the Gujarat police which had also conducted the burial of seven relatives of Banu at the Panivela forest, the place of the massacre. Meanwhile, a fast-track court today heard the bail application of Narpatsinh Patel, a head constable from Randhikpur, who was arrested by the CBI for ‘tampering with evidence’. —
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Youth stabbed to death in Vadodara Vadodara, February 27 The youth, who is yet to be identified, was stabbed to death in Bavamanpura locality. It is suspected to be a fallout of last night’s incidents, that had left 13 persons injured, prompting the police to open fire and lob teargas shells, officials added. A 35-year-old man, who was also stabbed in the early hours, was reported to be in a stable condition. The injured in yesterday’s violence, including an SRP man, a Sub-Inspector, an Assistant Sub-Inspector, and a constable, were undergoing treatment at SSG Hospital, the sources said. Joint Commissioner of Police K. Kumaraswami said one person was stabbed, who succumbed to injuries. He said police was probing the incident and security had been tightened in the area. —
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