India

NEW DELHI, June 12 (Xinhua) -- At least there security personnel belonging to India's para-military Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed and five others injured when some unidentified terrorists attacked them on Wednesday in India-controlled Kashmir's Anantnag district.

One terrorist was also gunned down in the gunfight that ensued between the terrorists and security personnel.

"Exchange of fire between security forces and terrorists at Anantnag. Area under cordon. Further details shall follow," tweeted the local police.

NEW DELHI, June 12 (Xinhua) -- Indian Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba held a meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday to review the preparation to deal with cyclone Vayu, which is likely to hit the country's western coastal areas on Thursday.

At the meeting, Gauba reviewed arrangements for making available essential food, drinking water and medicines in relief camps and to ensure maintenance of all essential services such as power, telecommunications, health, among others.

Mumbai, Jun 12 (PTI) Mumbai and some neighbouring coastal areas of Maharashtra witnessed a windy Wednesday morning as cyclone 'Vayu' turned into a "very severe cyclonic storm", the weather department said.

As the cyclone continued to progress towards Saurashtra and Kutch regions of neighbouring Gujarat, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) upgraded its severity condition.

"Cyclone Vayu has turned into a very severe cyclonic storm. It would cause gusty winds to blow at a speed of 145 kmph to 170 kmph by Thursday morning," the IMD said.

New Delhi, Jun 11 (PTI) The wreckage of the AN-32 aircraft of the Indian Air Force was spotted on Tuesday 16 km north of Lipo in Arunachal Pradesh, eight days after it went missing after taking off from Assam's Jorhat.

The aircraft had 13 people on board and the IAF said efforts are on to establish the status of the occupants.

New Delhi, Jun 11 (PTI) The Congress on Tuesday slammed the government over the issue of price rise, alleging that the people are in distress but those in power are enjoying themselves.

Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the new government has brought an increase in prices.

"Prices of food items have witnessed a jump. The home budget has been disturbed. Spending has gone up and savings have decreased...People are in distress and those in power are enjoying themselves," he tweeted.

New Delhi, Jun 11 (PTI) A 32-year-old man alleged to be a key member of an international fake currency racket was arrested near Kashmere Gate here, police said Tuesday.

The accused has been identified as Santosh Kumar Singh, a resident of Saran district in Bihar, they said.

"Singh was arrested on Thursday at around 12.10 pm from near Kashmere Gate ISBT when he came there to deliver a big consignment of fake Indian currency notes to one of his contacts," Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell), said.

Mumbai/Kolhapur, Jun 11 (PTI) A special team of the Maharashtra police Tuesday arrested right-wing activist Sharad Kalaskar in connection with the killing of veteran Communist leader Govind Pansare, an official said.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the state Crime Investigation Department (CID) arrested Kalaskar (25) from Mumbai and produced him before a court in Kolhapur which sent him in police custody till June 18, he said.

New Delhi, Jun 11 (PTI) A man has been arrested for allegedly duping former Chief Justice of India R M Lodha of Rs 1 lakh after hacking the e-mail account of his colleague, police said Tuesday.

The accused Dinesh Mali was nabbed from Udaipur on June 7. An ATM card through which he withdrew the cheated amount has also been recovered, they said.

His associate, Mukesh, is absconding, police said, adding efforts are on to arrest him as well.

Kolkata, Jun 11 (PTI) Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said West Bengal might well be politically unpeaceful, but it is not a "bad state" on the economic front.

Banerjee also said the state has changed "absolutely" in the past eight years since the Trinamool Congress came to power

"Politically you can say that Bengal is not peaceful.... But on the economic front, it is not a bad state

Some people are carrying out the propaganda that Bengal is a bad state and not peaceful," she said.

Chennai, June 11 (PTI) The Madras High Court Tuesday dismissed the bail petition of a male nurse arrested in connection with a racket allegedly involved in sale of newborns from a government hospital in Namakkal district of Tamil Nadu.

Justice G K Ilanthiraiyan held that the petitioner was charged with a serious offence and the investigation was in the initial stage.

He said the prosecution case was that petitioner Arulsamy, along with the other accused, working as nurses in the government hospital were allegedly involved in sale of newborns.