WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND? CPI (M) general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet and West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu discuss a point at a meeting of the party in New Delhi on Monday.

Bettiah's BJP Yuva Morcha chief gunned down

BETTIAH: President of the Bettiah town Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) Surjit Barnawal was shot dead by unidentified assailants here on Monday. Police superintendent R K Mishra said the reason behind the killing, which took place on Hospital Road, was not yet known. Barnawal had criminal antecedents. Meanwhile, the BJYM-BJP sponsored bandh today called to protest gainst the killing evoked response here with markets and banks remaining closed. Vehicular traffic plied in few numbers and educational institutions were closed.

Andhra cops sacked for gang rape

HYDERABAD: Five constables belonging to the Andhra Pradesh Special Police (APSP) were dismissed from service with immediate effect for their involvement in the gang rape of four women at Eluru in west Godavari district last month. The constables were on deputation with the Excise and Prohibition Department when they committed the heinous act on four poor women, a police press release said.

The constables were arrested on April 26, a day after the crime and sent for judicial remand. They had been placed under suspension.

Frustrated man burns wife to death

CHENNAI: Refusal to have sex with her husband cost a woman her life and the unreasonable man landed up in jail. In a gruesome murder which occurred last night, a watchman employed in Shastri Bhavan, the massive Central Government office complex, poured kerosene on his 35-year-old wife Shantakumari, and set her ablaze when she refused to oblige him, according to police.

He himself rushed her to the KIlpauk medical college hospital where she succumbed to the severe burn injuries. Police arrested him and have registered a case. The couple, who have a 12-year-old daughter, used to quarrel frequently.

NTPC strike enters fourth day

HYDERABAD: The tool down strike by about 1100 workers of the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC's) Ramagundam super thermal power station, protesting against the death of three of their colleagues in a recent mishap, entered the fourth day today.

The agitating workers are demanding the suspension of a senior superintendent and two superintendents and payment of ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 3 lakh to the injured.

2000 activists protest caste clashes

MADURAI: More than 2000 volunteers of various opposition parties in Tamil Nadu observed a one-day fast in front of the Periyar bus stand here today, protesting against the caste clashes in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu and failure of the DMK government to control it. Among those who participated in the fast were MDMK general secretary V Gopalasamy, deputy general secretary Pon Muthuramalingam, ADMK's deputy general secretary K Kalimuthu, treasurer Sedapatti Muthiah, and Nanmaran CPI (M) leader.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.