Modi abused Jafri: Gulbarg witness

AHMEDABAD: A crucial eyewitness in the Gulbarg Society massacre has said that while his house was under attack by rioters, former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri had called Chief Minister Narendra Modi for help and Modi, in turn, had abused him. The witness, identified as Imtiaz Saeed Khan Pathan (32), is among the victims and witnesses of the massacre who managed to survive. A number of Muslims of the area had taken shelter at Jafri’s house. Trial of the case has begun in the designated fast-track court of Judge B U Joshi in Ahmedabad. Pathan, who used to stay in Gulbarg Society, is the first witness in the case and had appeared before the court on Monday. Seven of Pathan’s family were killed in the Gulbarg massacre.

Chautala vacates Ellenabad, Azmi leaves Bhiwandi

CHANDIGARH/ MUMBAI: Indian National Lok Dal president Om Parkash Chautala on Wednesday resigned from Ellenabad Assembly constituency in Haryana. In the recently concluded Assembly elections, Chautala won from two constituencies — Uchanna Kalan in Jind district and Ellenabad in his home district of Sirsa. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Abu Asim Azmi would be vacating Bhiwandi Assembly seat. Azmi was elected from two constituencies — Mankhurd in central Mumbai and Bhiwandi in Thane district.

Geelani arrested ahead of varsity visit

SRINAGAR: Separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani was taken into custody by the J-K police ahead of his scheduled visits to South Kashmir's Kulgam district and Kashmir University. According to Hurriyat sources, Geelani was arrested on Wednesday afternoon outside his residence in Hyderpora, where a large contingent of police had been deployed to prevent the separatist leader from going ahead with his scheduled visits.

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