Indian Sub-continent

New Delhi, Feb 24 (PTI) The teacher's association of the Jamia Millia Islamia has written to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for establishing a hospital in the university that could be converted into a medical college in future.

"When we look at certain areas, where we can improve upon or progress, we find that three of our contemporary universities like DU, BHU and AMU are successfully running hospital and medical college," the Jamia Teachers' Association (JTA) said in the letter on Saturday.

Ranchi, Feb 24 (PTI) Three ultras of the banned Peoples Liberation Front of India (PLFI) were killed in an encounter with security forces in Gumla district on Sunday, a senior police officer said.

The incident happened at Amtoli forest under the jurisdiction of Kamdara police station.

Additional Director General of Police (Operation) M L Meena told PTI that the three were killed during the encounter with the personnel of CRPFs CoBRA unit and the Gumla district police, about 94 km from here.

Tirunelveli (TN), Feb 24 (PTI) Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan Sunday denied that his outfit was the Bharatiya Janata Party's "B team" and asserted that the party was being targeted as they were growing in stature.

Addressing a party rally here late tonight, Haasan, without directly naming any outfit, said he was being targeted as his party was growing in stature.

One of the attacks was calling his party "the BJP's B team," he said.

MUMBAI, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Fire has spread across Bandipur Tiger Reserve in India's Karnataka state destroying several acres of forest land along with flora and fauna, media reports said late Sunday night.

Strong winds and dry grass have propelled the fire to an area of over eight km within the reserve that has spread towards National Highway 67, which connects the hill station town Ooty to the palace town Mysuru.

According to reports, the fire initially started in Barekatte and Guddakare region of the reserve, five days back.

NEW DELHI, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- The death toll due to consumption of illicit liquor in India's northeastern state of Assam Sunday rose to 156, local government officials said.

Over 200 victims, mostly the tea garden workers, are undergoing treatment in different hospitals.

The hooch was consumed by people on Thursday evening at Halmira tea estate in Golaghat and adjacent Jorhat districts, east of Dispur, the capital city of Assam.

According to officials, so far 85 deaths have taken place in Golaghat, while as 71 have died in adjacent Jorhat district.

DHAKA, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- Bangladeshi commandos stormed a passenger plane of the Biman Bangladesh Airlines at an airport in the southeastern city of Chattogram and shot dead an armed man who tried to hijack the Dubai-bound flight on Sunday.

Major General Motiur Rahman of the Bangladesh Army told reporters that the gunman died from injuries sustained during a commando operation.

He said the hijacker identified as Mahadi, 25, had a pistol with him.

The suspect was aggressive and reluctant to respond to the calls for negotiation, General Rahman added.

Two upper KG students were kidnapped in Satna district of Madhya Pradesh by two masked men at gunpoint for ransom, then tied and dumped in a river in U.P.

Bodies of the twin brothers were recovered from the Yamuna in Banda district of neighbouring Uttar Pradesh late on Saturday.

A Deputy Superintendent of Police has been killed in an exchange of fire in Jammu and Kashmir, police official said.

Taking to Twitter, police had earlier said, “Exchange of fire at Turigam, Kulgam. Security forces on job. Details will follow.”

Muzaffarnagar, Feb 24 (PTI) Police Sunday arrested three persons from the district after a 23-year-old woman alleged they abducted and raped her.

The three accused -- Shubam, Gaurav and Atul -- were arrested in connection with the gangrape case at a village under Mansurpur police station in the district.

Police said the woman has alleged that she was abducted and gangraped on February 22.

Shahjahanpur (UP), Feb 24 (PTI) A youth has been arrested on charges of raping a seven-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh's Shahjahanpur district, police said Sunday.

The minor was returning home on Saturday when the accused, Rahul Kashyap (22), dragged her into an agriculture field in Allahganj town -- 52 km from here -- and allegedly raped her, district Superintendent of Police (Rural) Subhash Shakya said.