AURANGABAD: The demolition of a 300-year old mosque in Khuldabad, about 30 kms from the city by the forest officials for planting trees on Thursday, created some tension in the area. However, timely action by the district administration and arrest of erring Forest officials helped in soothing tempers.

Earlier, Forest officials had erected a fence around an acre of land, including the mosque, known as Salami Ghat Masjid, situated one km from Khuldabad, for the purpose of planting trees. When the Forest officials demolished the structure, thousands of demonstrators from Khuldabad, Kagzipura and Aurangabad reached the spot to protest.

Purulia trial adjourned till Aug 21

CALCUTTA: The trial of the seven accused in the Purulia arms-drop case, which began in the city civil and sessions court here on Friday, was adjourned till August 21, with the court summoning four witnesses. Five Latvian crew members of the AN-26 Russian aircraft, which para-dropped a huge cache of sophisticated arms and weapons in four areas of West Bengal's Purulia district on December 17, 1995, co-pilot Peter Bleach, and Vinay Singh, were produced before the court of A K Bisi on Friday.

HC summons sati case accused

JAIPUR: Issuing a bailable warrant, the Rajasthan High Court has summoned the 32 accused, acquitted by a lower court in connection with the infamous Deorala sati case. A division bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice M G Mukherjee and Justice D C Dalela on Thursday issued bailable warrants of Rs 10,000 each against the accused after hearing an appeal by the State Government against the lower court's acquittal order.

The next date of hearing has been fixed at August 26. The accused included Sumer Singh, father-in-law of Roop Kanwar who was burnt alive on the funeral pyre of her husband in September 1986 in village Deorala in Sikar district.

Medical equipment import scam

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Friday directed the Union Health Ministry to finalise issuance of departmental chargesheet against officials indicted in the Rs 5,000 crore medical equipment import scam. A division bench comprising Justice Y K Sabharwal and Justice D K Jain asked the Ministry to finalise the departmental proceeding aspects within four weeks and posted the matter for further hearing on September 5.

Centre for evacuation of Tehri people

NEW DELHI: The Centre has asked the U P Govt to evacuate about 4,000 families from Tehri town to guard against any possible flash flood which could endanger lives and property. Power Minister Prof Y K Alagh said on Friday that ``people of the Tehri have been warned. We have told the State authorities about the possibility of a once in a 100 years flash flood. Therefore people in the township should be moved.''

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.