Clash in Tihar
From Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Jan 13 — A clash reportedly took place between two groups of inmates of the high-security Tihar Jail this morning in which at least 10 persons were injured. The reason behind the clash is not known. The injured were rushed to Deendayal Upadhyay Hospital from where a few had been discharged after first aid. The police was making an inquiry to know the reason of the clash, the jail sources said.

‘Dead’ gangster
LUCKNOW, Jan 13 (PTI) — A Uttar Pradesh gangster, declared killed in an encounter with the police last year, has surrendered in a local court, the police said today. Dhananjay Singh, carrying a reward of Rs 50,000 on his head, surrendered in the court of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate yesterday, they said here. The Bhadohi police had claimed to have killed Singh and his three accomplices in an encounter on October 17 last year.

Trinamool meeting
CALCUTTA, Jan 13 (PTI) — The crucial working committee meeting of the Trinamool Congress will be held here tonight to decide the party’s stand on joining the Vajpayee government in the next Cabinet expansion. All seven MPs of the Trinamool Congress, including its chairperson Mamata Banerjee, will attend the meeting, besides four other members, party spokesman Sudip Bandopadhyay said. Refusing to make any comment on the possibility of Trinamool joining the ministry, he said the working committee would decide it.

Resignation accepted
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Jan 13 (PTI) — Kerala Governor Sukhdev Singh Kang has accepted the resignation of Minister for Transport and Forest, Devaswom P.R. Kurup. All portfolios held by Kurup have been temporarily handed over to Chief Minister E.K. Nayanar, according to an official release here today. Kurup had sent his resignation letter by a special messenger on January 10 to the Chief Minister.

Minority status
NEW DELHI, Jan 13 (PTI) — The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) today demanded that Hindus be officially declared a minority community in six states, including Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, saying this would play a significant role in mitigating their problems. NCM Chairman Tahir Mahmood met Union Home Minister L.K. Advani here and sought the necessary measures to formally accord minority status to Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland.

Panel on ULCA
HYDERABAD, Jan 13 (PTI) — The Andhra Pradesh Government today constituted a Cabinet subcommittee to examine the entire gamut of issues covering urban land ceiling in the wake of the recent ordinance by the Centre repealing the Urban Land Ceiling Act (ULCA). The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Finance Minister P. Ashok Gajapathiuraju told reporters here.

CBSE exams
NEW DELHI, Jan 13 (PTI) — The examinations for Class XII and X conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will commence on March 4 and 5, respectively. While the examination for Senior School Certificate (Class 12) will go on till April 7, the examination for Secondary School Examination will continue till March 31, CBSE sources said.

60 pilgrims missing
SAGAR, Jan 13 (PTI) — At least 60 persons were reported missing as 1.5 lakh pilgrims reached the Ganga Sagar mela grounds late tonight for a holy dip during Makar Sankranti tomorrow, official sources said. Of the 300 people reported missing earlier, only 60 remained to be united with their families, District Magistrate Syed Zakir Hussain said.

Rajasthan CJ
NEW DELHI, Jan 13 (PTI) — Mr Justice Shivraj Virupanna Patil, a judge of the Madras High Court, was today appointed Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court. A communique from Rashtrapati Bhavan said the appointment would be effective from the date of his joining.