National brief

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.

Passenger held for molesting airhostess

MUMBAI: A 51-year-old passenger on a Jet Airways flight from Dubai was arrested on arrival at the Mumbai airport on the charge of molesting an airhostess,police said on Wednesday. The accused identified as Selvaraj Pillai,a supervisor with an electrical company in Dubai,had boarded the Mumbai-bound flight on Tuesday evening and allegedly misbehaved with the airhostess.

CBI searches UGC officer’s office,home

NEW DELHI: The CBI’s investigation into the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) corruption racket on Wednesday led to the University Grants Commission (UGC) where a search was conducted at the office and residence of a senior UGC official — till recently associated with the AICTE. A FIR has been registered against Dr Manju Singh,Joint Secretary UGC who was posted on deputation at AICTE’s Bangalore office. A case has been lodged against her under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Sukhbir goes to NHRC on ‘84 riots

NEW DELHI: Akali Dal president and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal here on Wednesday petitioned the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to prevail upon the Central government to tell the CBI to chargesheet Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler for the 1984 anti-Sikh violence.

Jawan killed,3 hurt in DRDO gun mishap

BHUBANESWAR: A jawan was killed and three others injured when a 130 mm long-range medium field gun exploded during trial at a testing base of DRDO at Chandipur in Balasore district of Orissa on Wednesday afternoon. The incident took place at Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE),a century-old DRDO laboratory for armour testing. The deceased has been identified as sepoy A K Shukla (29) of Corps of Artillery.

Cong wins posts of Speaker,Deputy in Arunachal Pradesh

Itanagar: Congress candidates Wanglin Lowangdong and Tapang Taloh were on Wednesday elected unopposed for the posts of Speaker and Deputy Speaker,respectively,in the newly elected Arunachal Pradesh Assembly. Lowangdong and Taloh,elected to the Assembly for the second time,were declared elected unopposed in the absence of other candidates for the posts. The 60-member House comprises 42 Congress MLAs,five each from the NCP and Trinamool,four from the People’s Party of Arunachal,three from the BJP and one Independent,who were administered the oath earlier in the day by Protem Speaker C T Mein.

Contaminated river causes water shortage in Aizawl

AIZAWL: City dwellers are reeling under acute water scarcity after its supply was stopped due to the poisoning of a river. State Public Health Engineering department officials on Wednesday said the poisoning of Serlui river,a tributary of river Tlawng,from where water is supplied to Aizawl,was detected on Tuesday and all the tanks were emptied.