Maoist torch vehicles used in road construction work
Bhawanipatna (Odisha): Maoists torched at least five vehicles and some machines used in road construction work at Panimunda village in Kalahandi district, police said on Wednesday. A group of armed ultras stormed the site camp of a contractor engaged in the construction of a road under Pradham Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) late on Tuesday night, Kalahandi, Superintendent of Police, B Gangadhar said. The red rebels, who have been opposing construction of a new rural road between Urladani and Lahadi, set ablaze five tractors and some machines used in the work, police said. Before leaving, the Maoists left some posters at the site expressing their opposition to the road construction project in the area, they said. The SP said that combing operation and patrolling in the area bordering Kandhamal district has been intensified after the incident. (PTI)
Two teens abducted from UP rescued in Maharashtra
Palghar: Two teenaged girls allegedly kidnapped from Uttar Pradesh have been rescued in Palghar district of Maharashtra, police said on Wednesday. A man, also hailing from UP, has been arrested on charges of kidnapping them, a police spokesperson said. The girls, aged 16 and 17 years, both distant cousins, went to their relative’s house at Sonauli town in Maharajganj district of UP last week. One of them was apparently depressed after failing in her intermediate exams, he said. On the intervening night of May 9-10, the duo left their relative’s house without informing anyone, he said. When their families failed to trace them, they approached the Sonauli police, raising suspicion on one Abhijit Yadav, from Prayagraj in UP, for having abducted them, the official said. The police there registered a case under Indian Penal Code Section 363 (kidnapping) and started an investigation. Meanwhile, Palghar crime branch’s police sub-inspector Surendra Shivde, who was on leave, got a tip-off about two girls brought by a man and kept at a house in his locality in Vasai area here, the official said. Shivde rescued the two girls from the house on Tuesday evening and arrested Yadav from there, he said. (PTI)
CBSE may decrease number of questions in Class 10 exam
New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is mulling changes in the Class 10 examination pattern by decreasing the number of objective questions and seeking elaborate answers to ensure creative writing and discourage rote learning. “The changes will be part of the routine review exercise ahead of exams. Once the changes are finalised, sample papers will also be released so students get an idea and also get to practice the same before exams,” a senior CBSE official said. Board experts are considering if they can reduce the number of questions and increase the marks for each question and encourage students to write detailed answers. “It won’t be an overhaul of the entire question paper but minor changes and students have nothing to worry about,” the official added. The board is also mulling methods to diversify current format of objective questions carrying one mark each. (PTI)