Bomb hoax in Madras HC
Chennai: A mysterious object found in the public lavatory of the Madras High Court complex here created a bomb scare on Tuesday before it was declared a hoax. Bomb squad which rushed to the spot with sniffer dogs after being alerted by court staff, noticed beep sound emanating from the toilet but later found it contained no explosives, police said. The object in the size of a geometry box and covered in a white cloth contained two alarm time pieces, they said. On top of the object, it was written that those demanding bribes should be punished, police said, adding, investigations were on to ascertain who placed it. The incident caused a flutter in the court complex as it came close on the heels of the entire area being declared high security zone by the state police after the court suggested central security cover in the wake of protests by lawyers.(PTI)
Section 144 to be imposed ahead of UP panchayat polls
Meerut: The district administration here has decided to impose prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC from October 1 till November 15 in view of upcoming panchayat polls in the state and the festival season in this time period. Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) of 1973, empowers a magistrate to prohibit an assembly of more than ten people in an area. “In view of the upcoming panchayat polls, Muharram and Diwali, prohibitory orders under Section 144 would be imposed in the district from 6 AM of October 1 till 12 midnight of November 15 to prevent anti-social elements from disturbing peace,” the district magistrate said. Strict action would be initiated against those violating the prohibitory order, he said. The Uttar Pradesh panchayat polls are scheduled to be held in two parts, with the first leg of voting to begin on October 9, state Election Commission had said. The first part would be held in four phases – October 9, 13, 17 and 29 – and counting would be held on November 1. (PTI)
4 killed in explosion at crackers unit
Sultanpur (UP): Three women, including a minor, and a 60-year-old man were killed in an explosion at a cracker manufacturing unit in Gosaiganj area. Aleemuddin (60), Anwari (55), Gudiya (25) and Khushboo (13) were killed when a gas cylinder caught fire and exploded while crackers were being manufactured at the unit in Saifullahganj locality, police said. Police said three others were seriously injured in the incident and admitted to the district hospital. The house in which the crackers were being manufactured was badly damaged in the explosion, they said. (PTI)
Policeman kidnapped by suspected Maoists in Chhattisgarh
Raipur: A police jawan was allegedly kidnapped by suspected Maoists in the insurgency-hit Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, police said on Tuesday. The assistant constable, identified as Pandu Ram Kudiyam, was abducted from a dense forest under Farsegarh police station area last evening, Bijapur Additional Superintendent of Police Indira Kalyan Elesela told PTI. The policeman, recruited by the state police as auxiliary personnel, was returning to Farsegarh, his place of duty, from Palmendri village after attending the last rites of his mother-in-law, the ASP said. “A group of Naxals stopped Kudiyam when he was returning on a motorcycle and took him into the deep forest,” he said. Security forces have been rushed to search the area where the incident reportedly took place. So far, no information has been received about the whereabouts of the policeman, he said. On July 14, four assistant constables had been kidnapped by Naxals and killed the next day in Bijapur District. Similarly, another assistant constable had been abducted in Sukma district of the state last month, but was released later. (PTI)
Company manager among six arrested in Rs 6 cr robbery case
Dindigul (TN): Police on Tuesday claimed to have solved the robbery case in which Rs six crore worth jewels and cash were stolen from a private finance firm at nearby Batlagundu, with the arrest of six persons, including its manager, who allegedly masterminded it to cover up for his irregularities. Superintendent of Police Saravanan said the company manager Sangili Pandi and a worker had hired a four-member gang to commit the robbery to cover up their irregularities in pledging jewels. The SP said they had recovered 6.5 kg gold jewellery and Rs 8.5 lakh of the Rs 17 lakh cash looted. Pandi told police during investigation that he and his colleague had obtained loans to the tune of several lakhs of Rupees by pledging fake gold jewellery over a period of time and decided to enact the robbery to avoid getting caught during routine inspection by company higher officials. They had chosen September 24, a holiday on account of Bakrid festival, and hired the gang to commit the robbery, police said. (PTI)
