A civil judge and judicial magistrate Babu Rambhau Tidke, Parner, district Ahmednagar, has undertaken a fast unto death at Hutatma Chowk, Mumbai.The indefinite fast is a protest against the injustice done to him by the Bombay High Court administration through malicious departmental inquiries based on ``frivolous'' complaints.

Tidke has been suspended since July 24, 1995, pending inquiry on three major counts. However, he says the charges against him have already been proved wrong by higher courts at the relevant points of time. Therefore, the departmental enquiry and suspension are mere tools of harassment.

Fire at Malabar Hill

n A small fire broke out in an 18th floor flat of Chandan Maala, a skyscraper at Ratilal R Thakkar Marg, Malabar Hill, this afternoon. There were no casualties as the residents were away and the fire was extinguished before it could reach adjacent flats.

Had the fire spread to other flats and floors, there would have been many casualties as most of the residents were at home due to holiday on Independence Day. The fire broke out at around 1.15 pm, and was detected by some of the residents who immediately alerted the fire brigade about the thick black smoke rising from the windows of the flat.

Ten fire engines, five water tankers, two special fire-fighting vehicles equipped with 60 meter and 30 meter-long ladders and an ambulance rushed to the spot. The fire was put off in less than an hour.

War veterans honoured

Pre-Independence World War II veterans were treated to a warm reception and a `Barakhana' hosted in their honour here today by the eighth battalion of the Garwal Rifles at their barracks adjacent to R C Church at Colaba.Today's `Barakhana' was special both for the hosts and the battle-hardened war veterans who were the special guests, as it coincided with the completion of 50 years of India's independence. Most of the guests are now in their seventies and eighties and had served during the Second World War in the famous Burma campaign.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.