L A T E S T      N E W S

Cabinet defers anti-rape law bill

New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Tuesday deferred a decision on the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, which proposes life term to those found guilty in rape crimes.

According to reports, the Union Cabinet deferred the decision due to lack of unanimity over the proposed anti-rape ordinance and referred it to the Group of Ministers (GoM) for further consideration.

The anti-rape ordinance will be brought before the Union Cabinet only after the GoM holds a discussion and proposes changes to it.

Despite differences in the government over the bill, the UPA government is committed to bring the bill in the current session.

Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, during a press briefing yesterday, ruled out that there were any differences between Law, Home Ministry and the Women and Child Development Ministry.

The Union Home Minister yesterday said, "There is a difference of opinion on legal points only, which is being addressed to and it will be taken up during the special cabinet meeting."

Shinde, who was answering questions at his monthly press conference, said the Law Ministry has to vet all proposals before the government takes the next step.

The fresh bill will replace the ordinance on crimes against women promulgated last month which had prescribed life imprisonment as the maximum punishment for those committing rape.

Stone-pelting incident: Toll rises to 5

Srinagar: A man injured in a stone-pelting incident in Anantnag district of Kashmir succumbed to injuries, taking the death toll to five in the clashes that erupted in the Valley following hanging of Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru.

Reyaz Ahmad Khanday succumbed to injuries at SKIMS Hospital here late last night after battling for life for three days, a police spokesman said.

He said Khanday was hit by a stone on the head on March 8 at Mattan when a mob attacked him while he was driving a load carrier.

Authorities had imposed curfew in many parts of the Valley on the day as separatist Majlis Mashawarat (Consultative Committee) had called for protests seeking return of mortal remains of Guru, who was hanged and buried inside Tihar Jail on February 9.

The spokesman said four persons have already been arrested in connection with the incident. Khanday's death has taken the toll to five in protests and clashes in the Valley following Guru's hanging.

While two persons were killed in alleged firing by security forces in different incidents in Baramulla, two youth drowned in Ganderbal district while allegedly being chased by security forces while dealing with law and order situation.

4 Indian students win at US arts contest

Washington: Four Indians are among the 36 students from various countries who have been selected as winners of an international arts contest.

Bhavya Mithra from Artesia Art School in Malappuram district of south Indian state of Kerala has bagged the second place in the third-fifth grade drawing category of the 2013 Space Foundation International Student Art Contest.

Mankeert Narang from Yadavindra Public School in northern Indian state Punjab's Mohali town has been judged as third in the third-fifth grade painting and mixed category, a media release said.

Similarly Jasmine Narang from Yadavindra Public School in Mohali and Payel Saha from Chaturanga Art Centre in West Bengal have grabbed the top two spots respectively in the 9th-12th grade category in painting and mixed media.

Young artists from as many as 12 countries were selected for top slots from among more than 4,700 entries representing 45 countries, including 38 US states and territories.