Missing principal found dead
Uttar Pradesh: Body of a 45-year-old man, who was allegedly missing for over a week, was recovered on Thursday near a graveyard here, police said. Akhilesh Verma, the principal of Kisan Industrial Training Centre run by former Uttar Pradesh minister Swami Omvesh, was found dead near Meera Savan graveyard here today, they said, adding that the man’s scooter was lying besides his body. Verma had went missing on March 20 with his family lodging a complaint at the local police station regarding the incident, police said. The bereaved family alleged that Verma had resigned from his post at the institute on March 19 and was under tremendous pressure for the past few days.(PTI)
Notorious criminal shot dead
Patna: Criminals belonging to a rival gang on Thursday shot dead notorious criminal Shailendra Kevat in Badravali village under Chandi police station in the district.Police said that Kevat, notorious for his activity in Patna and Nalanda districts, had come home in Badravali village two days ago. This morning some men called him out, took him behind a temple and shot him dead, police stated.The deceased was the main accused in the murder of Shashi Shekhar, inspector attached to Asthavan police station in Nalanda district. He was released after serving a five-year jail term.Kevat was facing charges of dacoity, train robbery, besides cases of murder in Patna and Nalanda districts. (UNI
Farmers seeking support for bandh
Chennai: Having rallied most of the opposition parties to back its March 28 bandh call protesting Karnataka’s move to build a check dam across Cauvery, farmers’ bodies in Tamil Nadu on Thursday met Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and sought the AIADMK Government’s support for the shutdown. “We have requested government support for the state-wide bandh by suspending transport operations and have also reiterated our request for AIADMK’s support,” President of Coordination Committee of All Farmers Associations, P R Pandian told PTI. The committee has given the call for the bandh protesting against Karnataka, the upper riparian state, and the Centre over the dam issue. Besides the DMK, Congress, MDMK, CPI(M), CPI, Tamil Maanila Congress, traders associations and sand lorry operators have also expressed support for the shutdown. BJP has said though it was not in favour of a bandh, it would not oppose it as it was a decision of all farmers’ associations. The bandh call is also to press the Centre to stop the proposed construction of the dam and urge it to set up the Cauvery Management Board and Cauvery Water Regulatory Authority. Also, the Cauvery Delta region should be declared a protected farm zone, the committe had said. (PTI)
Mobile towers impacting health
Goa: Goa Environment Minister Alina Saldanha on Thursday said the towers installed by mobile service providers have an impact on health and there must be scientific research to study the impact. Responding to the ‘Calling Attention’ motion moved by BJP legislator Vishnu Surya Wagh, Saldhanha said that towers do have health impact though there is no scientific study on it. She said that a study should be conducted in the state to assess the impact of mobile towers on health of people residing in the vicinity around towers. The minister said that she had two towers demolished in a constituency as they were set up without getting proper permission from local panchayat. Wagh had moved calling attention motion raising fear in the minds of people of Zuariwada area in his constituency over erection of two mobile towers flouting rules and regulations. Saldanha said that the state Pollution Control Board will be asked to conduct a study on the impact on of mobile towers in Zuariwada. (PTI)
Youth jumps before Delhi Metro
New Delhi: An 18-year-old youth committed suicide by jumping in front of a Delhi Metro train on Thursday, police said.The incident took place at Nawada station at around 1 p.m.A police officer said the deceased was identified as Mohammad Qadir, a resident of Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnor district. He was living with his uncle in Uttam Nagar area in Delhi.”He died on the spot,” said a police officer.Earlier police said the train was headed towards Noida from Dwarka but later corrected themselves and said it was going towards Vaishali.Police are yet to ascertain the reason behind the suicide.”The body has been sent for the post-mortem examination. Family members of the deceased have been informed about the incident,” the officer said. (IANS)
UP bans use of elephants in functions
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday announced in the state Assembly that his government has banned use of elephants in public function or any other use.”I have banned your elephant in public functions to preserve it under wildlife category and now an elephant rescue center would be opened in Chambal area of Etawah district,’ he told Leader of the Opposition and BSP member Swami Prasad Maurya.Elephant is the election symbol of BSP.The CM said the licence on use of elephant for public function like marriage, rallies or processions have been cancelled.”We have also sought permission from the Centre to set up an elephant rescue center in Etawah,’ he added.The CM castigated BSP, saying that they had never done anything to save the wildlife.However, Mr Maurya, taking the issue in spirit, said the move proves how much the CM loves the pachyderm.The House also turned into peals of laughter when Parliament Affairs Minister Mohammad Azam Khan said the CM should take the male elephants to Etawah and the female ones should be sent to his constituency, Rampur. (UNI)
Embezzlement case registered against Andaman Tourism Employe
Port Blair: A case of misappropriation of government money to the tune of Rs 51.43 lakhs has surfaced in Andaman’s Tourism Department.According to an information, during the auditing of the accounts of Directorate of Information Publicity and Tourism by the Indian Audit & Accounts Department, a case of misappropriation and embezzlement of government revenue of Rs.51.43 lakhs has come to notice.’The Tourism Department, on receipt of information has made further inquiry into the matter and confirmed that from theperiod 2007-2013, the then cashier of the department Pradeep Chanda (Head Clerk) did not deposit the revenue in the bank,’ Director (Tourism) P Vishwa Kannan told the media today. ‘An embezzlement case has been registered against the employee,’ he said. (UNI)