AGARTALA: Nearly 70 women gheraoed the Khowai Police Station of west Tripura district for about 12 hours from Sunday evening, demanding the release of an ATTF militant arrested earlier in the day, police said on Tuesday. The women gheraoed the police station soon after the 122 battalion of the CRPF, led by the SDPO, Khowai, arrested Balendra Debbarma, from his Sarat Choudhury Para residence under Khowai Police Station on Sunday.Even as the women continued the gherao on Monday morning, Debbarma was produced at the police court where the magistrate remanded him to police custody for six days.

Tripura outlay for village development

AGARTALA: Tripura Government will spend Rs 150 crore on village development during the current financial year, according to State Minister for Agriculture and Village Development Tapan Chakraborty. During the year, the government would also spend Rs 70 crore in various rural areas and make efforts in procuring Rs 2,600 crore required for taking up seven projects under the basic minimum scheme he said at a seminar on ``Utilisation of funds'' at Kailasahar in Kumarghat block of north-district recently.

Death toll in boat mishap rises to 15

BERHAMPUR (ORISSA): The death toll in last Sunday's boat tragedy in Chilka Lake has gone upto 15 with six persons still listed as missing, according to official sources.

Altogether 28 persons of Tentuliapada village, under Krushna Prasad Police Station in Puri district, were returning home in a country boat from Kalijai Island after a picnic when the boat capsized due to strong winds. Only seven persons could swim to safety. Fire Brigade and police personnel were scanning the lake for the missing persons.

Security for Cogentrix land survey

MANIPAL: Amid heavy security, government officials have begun a scientific survey to earmark the land required for the controversy-ridden Cogentrix Power Project at Padubidri in Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka. The police provided a thick security cover to the entire area of the project, with information relating to the survey, which began on Monday, kept a closely guarded secret.

The security, involving two deputy superintendents of police, four platoons of armed force and three bus loads of police personnel mobilised from Panambur, Karkala and Udupi sub-divisions, was apparently prompted by stopping of such a survey by local people.

Slight tremor recorded in Valley

NEW DELHI: An earthquake of slight intensity occurred in Jammu and Kashmir region on Tuesday, a Meteorological Department release here said. The quake having its magnitude 4.2 on the Richter scale occurred at 6.57 am with its epicentre at latitude 34.0 degree north and longitude 77.6 degree east in Jammu and Kashmir region, the release added.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.