MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena-Bhartiya Janata Party combine government today summarily sacked Vijay Chougule, non-official director of the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO). Chougule, trusted aide of dismissed Minister for Forest Ganesh Naik was even denied entry in the CIDCO Bhavan at Navi Mumbai. When he reached the office this morning, security staff on duty showed him a letter signed by Principal Secretary (Urban Development) K Nalinakshan that shocked him. The CIDCO officials had even removed Chougule's name plate from his chamber.

Rupee tumbles

MUMBAI: The rupee continued to reel against the US Greenback and plunged to a new all-time low of Rs 41.48/52 in early business at the Interbank Foreign Exchange (forex) market here in a near-panic rush to cover positions by banks and corporates but later recovered some of the losses to close at Rs.41.31/34, yet another record low.

Bid on Kalyan

VARANASI: Two high-powered bombs wererecovered from the governor's suit at the Circuit House here, a few hours after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh vacated it, official sources said today. The bombs, which could be detonated by remote control, were recovered last night from the flower pots after a tip off by an anonymous caller to the police, the sources said. The CM had vacated the suit a few hours earlier.

Veerappan strikes

CHENNAI: Elusive sandalwood smuggler Veerappan is alleged to have detained three persons, including a lawyer, who were on a mission to procure his surrender, in the jungles near Bannari in Erode district of Tamil Nadu, but mystery hovers over the latest "abduction" episode.

Pakistan firing

SRINAGAR: A woman was injured when Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing at Indian positions and villages in Jammu and Kashmir, where six people including three militants were killed since last evening. A A woman sustained bullet injuries due to unprovoked firing by Pakistan at Khari Dharamsalvillage of Poonch district in Jammu region.