S P O T L I G H T

17 dead in TN explosion Salem (Tamil Nadu), September 17 Seventeen persons, including five women and as many children, were killed and 27 injured when an explosion in a car, laden with firecrackers caused fire and house collapse near Attur town in Salem district yesterday. Fifteen houses collapsed under the impact of the explosion. Meanwhile in Chennai, Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa has ordered an inquiry by a District Revenue Officer into the blast. UNI

1 killed in Gujarat
Anand (Gujarat), September 17
At least one person was killed and two others injured in police firing at Borsad in this district today following group clashes and arson, forcing the authorities to impose indefinite curfew there. In group clashes and arson, 10 policemen were injured while one person received stab wounds. Violence broke out last night following a minor collision between two-wheelers belonging to youths from different communities. UNI

PM returns
New Delhi, September 17
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee arrived here tonight after a week-long visit to the USA where he addressed the UN General Assembly and also met President George W Bush and other world leaders, specially focussing on the need to comprehensively combat terrorism. He had an overnight stay in Zurich before flying to New Delhi. PTI