Encounter stage-managed?
Residents gherao police post
NEW DELHI, Dec 27 — Even as agitated residents of the congested South Delhi locality where a Lashkar militant was killed yesterday staged a demonstration today claiming that the militant shot dead by the police was a resident of Uttar Pradesh and not a Pakistani national the Delhi Police claimed the Army had no role in nabbing the militant involved in the attack on the Red Fort.

APHC seeks visas for Pak
NEW DELHI, Dec 27 — Leaders of All-Party Hurriyat Conference have urged the Centre to issue travel documents to them immediately so that they can prepare for a visit to Pakistan for parleys with the militant groups and the government leaders there.

• Govt may review truce offer: BJP
  NEW DELHI, Dec 27 — The BJP today said the government might be compelled to review its stand on ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir if Pakistan did not take steps to control ‘nefarious activities’ of Lashkar-e-Toiba in India.
  

RAW chief to be OSD in PMO
NEW DELHI, Dec 27 — Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is keen to utilise the services of outgoing Research and Analysis Wing chief Amarjit Singh Dullat as a key pointsperson in getting the peace process off the ground in Jammu and Kashmir.

No extension to Mann, says Centre
Chandigarh, Dec 27 — The Union Government is understood to have turned down a proposal by the Punjab Government to grant extension to Mr R. S. Mann as Chief Secretary to the state government beyond January 31, 2001 when he is due to retire after attaining the age of superannuation.

Students hurt in fresh protests in Nepal
kathmandu Dec 27 — Several students received bullet wounds today as violent student protests resumed here over anti-Nepal remarks allegedly made by Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan.

Demonstrators burn tyres and spread pamphlets denouncing film actor Hrithik Roshan in the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu on Tuesday. 
— Reuters photo

• Embassy denies Hrithik made adverse remarks

• It is vicious campaign: Hrithik
  (Nation page)

Water levels reach nadir, says BBMB
CHANDIGARH, Dec 27 — The Bhakra-Beas Management Board has sounded the alarm bell. It has asked the beneficiary states to exercise restrain in withdrawing their quota of water for irrigation as the water level in Gobindsagar has reached 1647.57 ft, the lowest in the past seven years.

Golden Forests CMD in Ropar jail
PANCHKULA, Dec 27 — Plainclothesmen of the Punjab Vigilance Department swooped down on the Chief Managing Director of Golden Forests India Limited, Mr R.K. Syal, and whisked him to an unknown destination, here today.