Central panel to study autonomy report
NEW DELHI, June 23 — The Centre is shortly going to set up a ministerial committee to study the Jammu and Kashmir Government’s autonomy report and submit a set of recommendations to help the government take a final view on the issue.

Ewie Cronje, father of sacked South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje, watches during the cross-examination of his son at the King Commission of Inquiry into allegations of cricket match-fixing in Cape Town on Friday. Hansie Cronje told the third day of cross-examination here that other players could be involved in match-fixing.

2 Majors, 13 militants killed SRINAGAR, June 23 — Eight security men, including two officers of the rank of Major, 13 militants, mostly foreigners, were among 25 persons killed in the state in the past 24 hours. Cronje implicates Azhar again CAPE TOWN, June 23 — In yet another twist to the match-fixing scandal, disgraced South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje said today Mohammed Azharuddin may have been “involved” with the Indian bookie Mukesh Gupta.

DGP orders probe into stripping case
JAUNAWAS (Rewari), June 23 — The Director General of Police, Haryana, Mr S.P.S. Rathore, has ordered a high-level probe into the alleged stripping of a woman in this village by a liquor vendor and his sister-in-law, last Wednesday. The police has arrested Vienna Yadav, sister-in-law of the main accused, Yadhvir Singh Yadav. Yadav was arrested on the day of the incident and the two were presented before newsmen at a press conference, convened by the Superintendent of Police, Rewari, Mr A.S. Chawla, today.

Illicit brew kills 1, blinds 2
BATALA, June 23 — One person had lost life, two lost their eye sight and yet another, too, possibility lost vision after consuming illicit brew in the town over the past week, victims and neighbours said today. The police said it had sent two officials to record the statements of the victims, pending investigation into what might turn out to be an organised crime in the sate illicit liquor in this industrial township of Punjab.

 

Foreign jaunts at taxpayers’ cost CHANDIGARH , June 23 — The Punjab ministers and bureaucrats have been going abroad at the slightest pretext. The outcome of their expensive trips is , perhaps, nil or of little use to the State . The frequency of their visits does not commensurate with the purported objectives .