Boy ends life after being pulled up for prank message
Madurai: A class nine student of a school here allegedly committed suicide Monday after being chided for a prank holiday SMS he had sent recently, police said. The boy hanged himself at his house, they added. He had sent the message to students saying that it was a holiday for the city corporation-run school, believing which around 50 of classmates did not turn up, police said. When the school authorities investigated the issue, it came to light that the boy had sent the message. The headmaster called the boy’s father and mother, a school teacher herself, and rebuked them for the boy’s behaviour. His classmates also chided him following which the dejected boy ended his life, police said. (PTI)
NCSC team to visit sewage plant after death of 5 people
New Delhi: A team of National Commission for Scheduled Caste will visit the sewage treatment plant in west Delhi’s Moti Nagar area to conduct an inquiry after five people died of asphyxiation after they entered the plant for maintenance, a senior official said Monday. The incident happened on Sunday in DLF Green Apartments in Moti Nagar. The commission has issued summons to the Delhi police commissioner, Delhi chief secretary, CEO of Delhi Jal Board, district magistrate (west), DCP (west), DLF chairman, asking them to remain present at the scene of the incident during the visit of the NCSC team led by Chairman Ram Shankar Katheria this evening. According to police, the victims died after they inhaled toxic gases. A case has been registered, police said. (PTI)
Next step after discussions with supporters: Alagiri
Madurai: Amid the stoic silence of DMK on his wish to re-enter the party, expelled leader M K Alagiri Monday said he would decide his next course of action shortly. Alagiri, whose last week Chennai rally, billed as a “massive show of strength” to press for his reinduction turned out to be a tame affair, said he would consult his supporters and take a decision on the future course of action. The former union minister said a bronze statue of late DMK patriarch and his father M Karunanidhi would be installed here soon. Alagiri, expelled from the party by Karunanidhi in 2014 at the height of his tussle for supremacy with younger brother and now party chief M K Stalin, had organised the silent march to his father’s mausoleum on the Marina beach on September 5. Though the rally was keenly watched, not a single DMK functionary was present. Also, neither any speech was delivered nor any grand action plan announced by the Madurai-based Alagiri, who has been claiming that loyal party workers were with him and accused Stalin of preventing him from rejoining the party. (PTI)
Article 35A row: PDP to boycott panchayat, municipal polls
Srinagar: The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), another regional party of Jammu and Kashmir, Monday announced it will boycott the municpal and panchayat elections to be held later this month, days after the National Conference announced its decision to stay away from the polls. Addressing reporters after the party meeting, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said they will not contest the polls as the prevailing situation was not favourable. “We will go to any extent to protect Article 35A,” said Mufti at a press conference in Srinagar. She said the people of the state have “sacrificed a lot” and no one can fiddle with the validity of Article 35 A. PDP spokesperson Rafi Ahmad Mir told reporters unless the apprehensions expressed by the people with regard to Article 35A are satisfactorily addressed, “we feel holding of municipal and panchayat polls will be a futile exercise”. (PTI)
AAP poll candidate found murdered in Bathinda
Chandigarh: An Aam Aadmi Party candidate for a local body poll was found dead at his home in village Jethuke in Bathinda district of Punjab on Monday morning with the police suspecting that he was killed. Harvinder Singh Hinda (42) had filed nomination papers from Gill Kalan Zila Parishad zone. “There was an injury mark on his head. We are investigating the matter,” Bathinda SSP Nanak Singh said. Meanwhile, AAP MLA and Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Harpal Singh Cheema sought immediate arrest of those who killed Hinda and accused the Congress of trying to win the Zila Parishad elections by using force and threatening people. (PTI)