UP minister to face murder case
ETAH (UP): An Uttar Pradesh court Saturday directed police to register a murder case against Avadh Pal Singh Yadav, animal husbandry and dairy development minister in the Mayawati government.Etah district chief judicial magistrate Santosh Buddhi Sagar Misra’s order came on an application moved by the brother of a private security guard Santosh, who was gunned down June 10.The guard was killed along with his employer Vijay Verma and his son Mithun Verma, in Jaithra town of Etah district, about 270 km from state capital Lucknow.The slain security guard’s brother Anurodh alleged that the murders were masterminded by Yadav.He alleged that the minister’s two brothers – Chandra Pratap Singh, a ruling Bahujan Samaj Party legislator, and Amarpal Singh Yadav – as well as the minister’s son Ranjit Yadav were part of the murder conspiracy.The triple murder was carried out by five masked men.The jeweller’s family initially named the minister as the brain behind the murder but subsequently withdrew their allegations.Anurodh sought registration of a case of murder and criminal conspiracy against the minister, his two brothers and son.He also accused the local administration and police of turning down his request to take action against the minister.The minister was recently indicted by the Lok Ayukta for corruption. (IANS)
Jammu-Srinagar highway closed due to landslide
JAMMU: The 300 km long Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, connecting J&K with the rest of the country, was closed for traffic on Sunday due to landslides, triggered by heavy rains in Ramban district.The highway was closed after a landslide at Digdol and rolling of boulders at Panthal in Ramban district Sunday morning, police said.The landslide was triggered by continuous heavy rains, they said, adding that the ongoing downpour is creating trouble in clearing the roads, they said.Over 500 vehicles are stranded at various places in Udhampur, Nagrota, Ramban, Patnitop, Banihal and Batote areas of the highway. The Amarnath yatra convoy, heading for Pahalgam and Baltal Base camps is likely to be halted at Ramban due to the closing of road, they said.(PTI)
‘Centre ignores Bihar, generous in giving aid to Bengal’
PATNA: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi on Sunday alleged that despite urgency, special package for Kosi flood victims had not been given by the Centre as yet but West Bengal was provided financial assistance of Rs 21,614 crores, indicating the step-motherly treatment to Bihar by the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre.Mr Modi said here he was not averse to financial assistance by the Centre to any state as per requirement but interest of Bihar should not be ignored at any cost.Bihar government had sent detailed report to the Centre on the extent of damages to life and property caused by the Kosi flood in 2008, demanding special package for flood-stricken area of north Bihar.”It was distressing to note that such genuine demand of Bihar is not being given due attention by the Centre,” Mr Modi lamented, adding the Centre also failed to give required assistance to Bihar for drought hit areas that had caused huge losses to farmers of Bihar last year.The Centre should take homogenous view to problems of all states irrespective of the fact the party in power in these states.(UNI)