PATNA: The overall flood situation in Bihar remained unchanged, with the swollen Ganga posing a threat to the Barauni Industrial township while other major rivers like Bagmati, Kosi, Burhi Gandak and Punpun still continued to flow above the danger mark at various places. Official sources said the flood-threat to Barauni had increased as the swirling waters of the Ganga were swiftly eroding its northern embankment near Amarpur village in Begusarai.

Eight killed in road accidents

HYDERABAD: Eight persons were killed and sixteen others injured in two road accidents in Kurnool and Karimnagar districts of Andhra Pradesh yesterday. Six persons were killed and 16 others injured when a lorry in which they were travelling collided with a tractor on the outskirts of Kolmigundla village near Jammalmadugu junction in Kurnool district, police said here today. In another accident, a driver and cleaner of a coal-laden lorry drowned when the vehicle fellinto a lake at Erukula village in Karimnagar district. The lorry was going to Hyderabad from Miryalaguda.

Constable caught with brown sugar

RAJKOT: A constable of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) was arrested by the police for possessing brown sugar valued at nearly six lakh in the international market. According to police sources, the police intercepted as the constable was moving suspiciously in Ramnathpara area last evening and a search yielded sixty grams of brown sugar on his person. Interrogations revealed that he was living at the railway quarters in the city and was the native of Sadabad in Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh. Further investigations are on, sources said.

3,000 more pilgrims for Pahalgam

JAMMU: Another batch of 3000 pilgrims left Jammu for Pahalgam and Baltal areas of Kashmir valley today, trekking toward the cave shrine of Amarnath in South Kashmir Himalayas. Three thousand pilgrims who had come here from different parts of the country left in a fleet of 108vehicles under proper police protection, officials manning the yatra said. Ever since the yatra began, over 52,000 pilgrims have reached the cave shrine, of which some 48,000 performed the darshan of the holy Shivlingam, reports from Srinagar said.

Man dies in cracker explosion

KANCHEEPURAM: One person was killed in an explosion while manufacturing crackers at Molachur village near Sunguwar Chathiram in Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu this morning.

Police said the thatched godown in which the victim, Anwar Batcha (20), was making crackers, was destroyed in the incident. Batcha died on the way to the Sriperumbudur Government Hospital. Thick smoke enveloped the entire village following the explosion.

Four children perish in fire

HYDERABAD: Four children were burnt alive when the thatched hut in which they were staying caught fire at Battisomayapalem village in Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh yesterday. Police said the cause of the fire was not known.