Delhi put on high alert
New Delhi, February 21
Immediately after the Hyderabad blasts that occurred late this evening killing at least 15 people and injuring about 50, security in the national Capital has been strengthened with the police focusing on crowded markets and the public transport, especially Delhi Metro. Intensive patrolling by the Police Control Room (PCR) vehicles and the local police was immediately started following the blasts in Hyderabad.

Industrial units, offices stoned in Okhla
New Delhi/Noida, February 21
The two-day general strike in the Capital called by trade unions took a violent turn today when a group of protesters threw stones at over a dozen factories and offices in an industrial area in south Delhi.

CM reviews step for H1N1
New Delhi, February 21
A high-level meeting was held today by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to review the present status of H1N1 and the steps taken to contain the disease. There is a need to bring general awareness on the symptoms of the disease and launch a campaign to disseminate dos and don'ts across the city, she said.

Building collapse: Rs 3 lakh ex gratia announced
New Delhi, February 21
The Delhi government today announced Rs 3 lakh as ex gratia on account of two deaths in a family due to collapse of a building at Tahirpur. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit along with PWD Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan and local MLA Vir Singh Dhingan today visited the bereaved family to convey their condolences on the death of an adult and a minor in the collapse.

Mother, daughter found dead
New Delhi, February 21
A woman and her five-year-old daughter were found murdered in their house in Rohini this afternoon. Sources said that a youth, Nadeem, who stayed with the woman and her family six months ago, has been detained. The police found the entry into the house friendly.

Delhi put on high alert
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 21
Immediately after the Hyderabad blasts that occurred late this evening killing at least 15 people and injuring about 50, security in the national Capital has been strengthened with the police focusing on crowded markets and the public transport, especially Delhi Metro.

Intensive patrolling by the Police Control Room (PCR) vehicles and the local police was immediately started following the blasts in Hyderabad.

According to a senior Delhi police officer, security was tightened after the hanging of Parliament attack convict, Afzal Guru. An alert has been raised again today in view of the blasts and the Parliament session. "The threat of a terror attack is always looming over Delhi. After Guru's hanging, we have become even more cautious," he said.

The officer added, "All the police units have been put on alert again. A wireless message was sent to all the PCR vehicles, informing their staff to keep vigil at vulnerable areas such as crowded markets. All the station house officers are patrolling the areas under their jurisdictions. The beat constables have also been directed to be alert."

The Delhi police sources said an alert was raised across the national Capital at about 7.15 pm. "Our PCR vehicles are one of the most important components of the police. We can deploy them anywhere. Besides, the local police, we will deploy more troops later at night," said the officer.

“After the incident of gangrape on December 16, we forgot our other important role, which is to focus on guarding Delhi from any terror attacks," the officer added.

Industrial units, offices stoned in Okhla
Tribune News Service

New Delhi/Noida, February 21
The two-day general strike in the Capital called by trade unions took a violent turn today when a group of protesters threw stones at over a dozen factories and offices in an industrial area in south Delhi.

The strikers became violent when the labourers working inside the factory were not allowed to come out to join them. The workers shouted slogans against the government's economic policies and threw stones at the buildings to force their closure.

The police detained six of them. As autorickshaws, taxis and charted bus unions joined the strike, commuters in Delhi continued to face hardships on the second day today. A few schools postponed the exam of their students. Students and office goers were hit hard as autorickshaws and taxi drivers either refused to go or overcharged. Citizens also faced hardships due to the closure of banks.

The DTC has deployed over 5,000 buses to ferry passengers.

Our correspondent from Noida adds: Violence was reported from two places in the Noida areas. The police has arrested five persons in this connection.

Addressing the mediapersons today, Senior Superintendent of Police Shalabh Mathur said, "Barring the two minor incidents, no clash was reported from other places in the city. Five persons have been arrested for the incidents."

CM reviews step for H1N1
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 21
A high-level meeting was held today by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to review the present status of H1N1 and the steps taken to contain the disease. There is a need to bring general awareness on the symptoms of the disease and launch a campaign to disseminate dos and don'ts across the city, she said.

In the meeting that was attended by Health Minister A.K. Walia, Chief Secretary D.M. Spolia, Principal Secretary (Health) S.C.L. Das, and Director, Emergency Medical Relief, the Health Department was directed to take proactive steps in order to control the further cases of swine flu in the city.

She asked the department to augment the facilities of isolation of patients in hospitals.

Dikshit also stated that the department must learn lessons from the past experiences in order to tackle outbreak of swine flu.

Building collapse: Rs 3 lakh ex gratia announced
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 21
The Delhi government today announced Rs 3 lakh as ex gratia on account of two deaths in a family due to collapse of a building at Tahirpur. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit along with PWD Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan and local MLA Vir Singh Dhingan today visited the bereaved family to convey their condolences on the death of an adult and a minor in the collapse.

The PWD Minister assured the family that a job for their daughter would be considered.

A man (34) and his nine-year-old daughter had died yesterday when a two-storeyed building collapsed at northeast Delhi.

Mother, daughter found dead
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 21
A woman and her five-year-old daughter were found murdered in their house in Rohini this afternoon. Sources said that a youth, Nadeem, who stayed with the woman and her family six months ago, has been detained. The police found the entry into the house friendly.

Yasmin (34) stayed with her husband Aslam Ali and daughter Sophia at Rohini Sector 1. Ali informed the police about the incident about 2.15 pm.

Yasmin was found dead with her throat slit and her body was partially burnt, while Sophia's body was found on a bed. Sophia was strangled, according to the police. The bodies have been preserved at Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital for postmortems.

Ali said that his neighbour informed him over the phone that he saw smoke emitting from his house. Ali reached home and claimed to have seen Yasmin and Sophia lying dead.

Investigators learnt that the entry into the house was friendly. Yasmin's family members, relatives and neighbours are being questioned. The police said the house was not ransacked, which rules out robbery.

A neighbour reportedly told the police that a man had visited the house around 1 pm.