MLA disqualified from Assembly after conviction for murder
Lucknow:Ruling Samajwadi Party MLA from Charkhari, Kaptan Singh Rajput, who was recently convicted in a 13-year-old murder case, has been disqualified from the membership of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly. After receiving a letter from the Election Commission of India in this connection, the UP Legislative Assembly on Thursday issued a notification, disqualifying Kaptan Singh from the membership of the House, principal secretary, Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Pradip Dubey said. Kaptan Singh, along with his brother Laxman Singh, was convicted by a Jalaun court and awarded life sentence earlier on January 5. The apex court has ruled last year that elected representatives, both of Parliament and the state assemblies, will be disqualified soon after they are convicted. Kaptan Singh was elected MLA from Charkhari seat in Mahoba district in a bypoll in September last year after the seat was vacated by Union minister Uma Bharti on being elected to the Lok sabha from Jhansi. (PTI)
Two die of swine flu in Raj; toll mounts to 15
Jaipur:At least two more persons have succumbed to swine flu in Rajasthan, taking the toll of the disease-related deaths to 15 in the New Year, a government official said. 30-year-old Rambabu of Jaisinghpura-khor village near Jaipur died at a private hospital on Thursday, the official from the state medical and health department told PTI. 52-year-old Kailash Khandelwal from Dausa died at the SMS hospital yesterday, the official said. Of the 15 deaths so far, Jaipur has recorded seven, Banswara and Barmer two each while Tonk, Nagaur, Bikaner and Kota have recorded one death each, he said, adding that nine women and six men have succumbed to swine flu. Of the 262 samples sent for test since January in the state, 62 were found H1N1 positive. Fifteen out of 33 districts were showing scattered presence of H1N1, he said. Meanwhile, state medical and health minister R S Rathore held a high level meeting of medical officers here on Thursday. (PTI)
Doctors to be paid better than AIIMS counterparts:CM
Dehradun:Government doctors at medical colleges in Uttarakhand will be given better salary than their AIIMS counterparts to combat the perennial problem of shortage of faculty. This was announced by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat while reviewing a meeting of the medical education department here yesterday, according to an official release. The salary of doctors at Haldwani Medical College will be 10 per cent more than what doctors at AIIMS get while the salary of doctors at Srinagar Medical College will be 15-20 per cent more than them, the release said quoting the chief minister. This will ensure availability of sepcialist doctors in medical colleges all over the state, he said. Rawat also asked officials concerned to expedite the construction of a medical college in Almora and the nursing colleges coming up in Tehri, Pauri, Chamoli, Almora and Pithoragarh.(PTI)
Three men suspected of looting passers-by arrested
Faridabad:Three persons have been arrested for allegedly hatching a plot to loot passers-by near Agra canal here, police said on Friday. Acting on a tip-off that few miscreants were planning to loot the passers-by near Agra canal, a raid was conducted and the trio of Sonu, Aman and Dharmendra Pandey was nabbed, police spokesperson, Crime Branch, DLF said. One live cartridge and two iron rods were recovered from their possession, he said. In another case, a man suspected of carrying out criminal activity was nabbed near the canal bridge of Madalpur village while roaming in the area, police said. The man was identified as Vakeel, they said, adding that a country-made pistol was recovered from his possession. (PTI)
Wanted woman Naxal held in Chattisgarh
Balaghat:A woman Naxal carrying a reward of Rs 15,000 on her head was arrested from a village here, police said. Acting on a tip-off that Naxalite Shakuntala alias Thinki Gaud (35) was camping in Pipalgaon village, a police team led by Lanjhi Sub-Divisional Officer of Police Gajendra Singh Vardhman reached there yesterday. They raided her hideout and arrested her, Balaghat SP Gaurav Tiwari said. She was carrying a reward of Rs 15,000 announced by Balaghar Range’s Inspector General. A number of cases, including that of arson, attempt to murder and attacking police station, were registered against her in 2003 and 2004. She was also wanted in a case of setting afire a bamboo depot. The police team involved in arresting the Naxal will be rewarded by the IG, Tiwari added. (PTI)