Srinagar, Oct 24 (PTI) Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants, including an reportedly M.Phil degree holder, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Nowgam area of the city on Wednesday.

The slain militants have been identified as Sabzar Ahmad Sofi and Asif Ahmad, an official said.

According to media reports, Sofi was pursuing PhD in Botany from Jamia Millia Islamia New Delhi, and had joined the militant ranks in the aftermath of killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in July 2016.

New Delhi, Oct 24 (PTI) Opposition parties Wednesday slammed the government for CBI Director Alok Verma's removal amid an escalating feud between him and his deputy Rakesh Asthana, with the Congress dubbing it the "last nail" in the agency's independence and the CPI(M) calling it illegal.

Adding its voice to the debate, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) asked the reasons for sending the CBI director on leave.

Srinagar, Oct 24 (PTI) National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah Wednesday said granting autonomy is the only "pragmatic solution" to the decades-old problem of Jammu and Kashmir.

It is high time for the Government of India to implement the resolution of autonomy (passed by state legislative assembly in 2000).

New Delhi, Oct 24 (PTI) Opposition leader Sharad Yadav Wednesday hit out at the government over CBI Director Alok Verma's removal, saying it is "constitutionally, morally and politically wrong and illegal".

He said in a statement that the decision was in violation of rules laid down by the Supreme Court that only a selection commission, comprising the prime minister, the chief justice of India and the leader of the largest opposition party can decide on suspending or removing the CBI chief.

New Delhi, Oct 24 (PTI) The CBI has overhauled the team probing allegations of corruption against its former Special Director Rakesh Asthana, bringing in completely new faces, officials said Wednesday.

There have been changes from the investigation officer to supervisory levels, they said.

M Nageswar Rao, a 1986-batch Odisha cadre IPS officer, who took over the duties and functions of CBI director late last night, appointed Satish Dagar as Superintendent of Police to probe the case, they said.

Chandigarh, Oct 24 (PTI) Shiromani Akali Dal Wednesday demanded immediate withdrawal of two newly-inducted chapters of class 12 history books of the Punjab School Education Board, terming their contents as historically distorted and defamatory" to Sikh gurus and religion.

In a statement here, former Education Minister Daljit Singh Cheema said the new chapters, which were released online, had numerous mistakes and factual errors .

GANASHAKTI: The Left parties will organise a public hearing on the Rafale deal in the national capital Wednesday with a view to take forward their demand for a probe by the joint parliamentary committee in the issue.

Legal, policy experts and Left leaders will speak on the matter and the public will also participate in the deliberations, according to Left leaders.

CPI leader D Raja said the Left parties will raise the demand for a JPC probe into the alleged scam in the Rafale fighter jet deal and will evolve their strategy to take on the government on the issue.

KANPUR:  In a sample collected from a survey of as many as 60 cities in the country, the city remained at the most polluted level in the country on Tuesday.

There was found sixfold increase in its normal 2.5 pm level. The air quality index level was also worse, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.

New Delhi, Oct 24 (PTI) A 36-year-old man was arrested for allegedly raping his five-year-old niece in northwest Delhi's Shalimar Bagh, police said Wednesday.

The incident was reported to police Tuesday and a case registered, they said.

They said the accused was arrested the same day.

Chandigarh, Oct 24 (PTI) A man was arrested here for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl in a slum area in the city, police said Wednesday.

The minor girl's family lodged a complaint of rape on Tuesday against Amit Gupta (27), resident of Colony number 4 here, they said.

According to the family members, they came to know about the incident when the minor girl complained of abdominal pain and was taken to a hospital, where tests showed she was pregnant, police officials said.

Shahjahanpur (UP), Oct 24 (PTI) A 70-year-old woman was allegedly raped by a distant relative here, police said Wednesday.

A first information report (FIR) was lodged Tuesday on the basis of a complaint from the woman, they added.

The woman, a resident of Rampur, had come to Dhakiya Ranvas village under the Sidhauli police station and was allegedly raped by a distant relative here on September 28, station in-charge Birja Ram said.

BEIJING, October 23. /TASS/. China won’t yield to any form of blackmail and for this reason Washington should act with prudency in pressing for its demand China should join the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a news briefing on Tuesday when asked by TASS to comment on US President Donald Trump’s statement that the INF treaty should apply not just to Russia and the United States, but to China as well.