Indian Sub-continent

Kohima, Mar 31 (PTI) In a major boost to the Congress, the Naga People's Front (NPF), which is the main opposition party in the 60-member Assembly, has decided to support K L Chishi, the grand old party's candidate for the lone Lok Sabha seat in the state.

The NPF, which is not fielding any candidate for the general election, announced its decision to back the Congress candidate during a consultative meeting of central office bearers and MLAs here on Saturday.

Kolkata, Mar 31 (PTI) In an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of DRDO's recent space achievement, Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee Sunday said the BJP government has taken over all premier institutions in the country.

On March 27, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted Mission Shakti, an anti-satellite missile test, from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island launch complex, paving the way for the country to join an elite space club comprising the US, Russia, China with such specialised capability.

Coimbatore, Mar 31 (PTI) A 34-year-old man was taken into custody Sunday on charges of sexually assaulting and murdering a minor girl in Pannimadai on the city outskirts, police said.

The accused, Santhosh, a resident of Thondamuthur had confessed to sexually assaulting the 7-year-old girl, living close to his grandmother's house in Pannimadai, before strangling her to death six days ago, they said.

Imphal, Mar 31 (PTI) A constable of the Manipur police, who was suspended and arrested in connection with the escape of an undertrial prisoner, died in custody here, a senior police officer said Sunday.

A magisterial enquiry was ordered into the custodial death of Manjur Ahmed and a police inspector was suspended, Director General of Police L M Khaute said.

Ahmedabad, Mar 31 (PTI) Nine persons were injured, two of them seriously, when members of two communities clashed near Viramgam town in Ahmedabad district Sunday, police said.

The two groups attacked each other with sticks and pelted stones, a local police official said.

A police team too came under attack when it went to arrest the culprits, he said.

Fatehgarh Sahib, Mar 31 (PTI) Ahead of polls, police have seized 25 kg of gold worth Rs 8.50 crore from a car during checking near the GT Road here, police said Sunday.

The gold was recovered from a van which was coming from Delhi on Saturday night, they said.

The gold was to be delivered to a shop in Ludhiana. However, the registration number of the vehicle on the bill was different from that of the vehicle in which the gold was being transported, police said.

The gold has been handed over to the Income Tax department for further investigation, police said.

According to a PTI report, four Kashmiris have been killed by the Indian security forces in an alleged gun fight in Pulwama district of Indian controlled Jammu & Kashmir.

Indian security forces alleged that they launched a cordon and search operation this morning when Kashmiri separatists opened fire. Indian security forces returned fire killing four Kashmiri separatists.

Their bodies of slain Kashmiris were retrieved from the site of gunfight.

Kanpur: KESCo plans to establish new electricity lines to link as many as 12 power sub-stations from the sum of Rs 50 crore sanctioned under business plan.

Adjacent to Jhadi Baba Pandav Tiraha, the electricity supply company has been erecting 220KV transmission station in Phoolbagh. 

For the financial year 2019-20 Kesco has received amount of Rs 50 cr under its business plan head which it intends to spend on installing separate electricity lines for the sub-stations so that two or more sub-stations could not face power supply crisis at a time.

Kanpur: IIT-Kanpur Women Cell organised Walk Against Sexual Harassment on the campus here on Sunday. 

The students and the staff members joined the walk & run programme based on the theme, "Do not be bystander, Stand against Sexual Harassment."

The walk covered the campus area stretching over 5.5 KMS and attended by above 450 students and staff members. 

Lauding the students, efforts in organising this social awareness programme within the campus circle, the institution's deputy director Prof M Agarwal honoured them  with his good wishes.

Kanpur: Villagers protested on the Lineman's death in Bitthoor here on Sunday. They raised their voice against the laxity observed in disconnecting power supply at the time of fuse binding. The power supply was not shutdown as was alleged. The lineman was asked to climb the electricity pole. This caused his electrocution. Police pacified the agigated villagers and sent the body for the post-mortem.