tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Thursday, June 24, 1999
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2 ULFA militants arrested
COOCHBEHAR (West Bengal), June 23 (UNI) — Two militants of ULFA were arrested and a Spanish-made 9 mm pistol with seven rounds of live ammunition was seized from them during a joint raid by the police and the BSF in the district town here early today. Coochbehar Superintendent of Police (SP) Kailash Chandra Meena told UNI here that acting on a tip-off, a joint BSF and police party raided a hideout in the town and arrested Rajesh alias Raju alias Asim Hazarika (32) and Dilip alias Joybir Baurah and arrested them.

50 hurt in train mishap
LONDON, June 23 (AP) — A train bound from London to Glasgow collided with an empty train in the North England county of Cheshire today, injuring almost 50 persons, authorities said. Four air ambulances were sent to the scene, just south of Winsford, but paramedics had to wait to remove the injured because power to the electrified rail line had not been switched off.

New Nepal Speaker
KATHMANDU, June 23 (AP) — Nepal’s newly elected House of Representatives today chose former Cabinet Minister Taranath Ranabhat as Speaker. Mr Ranabhat, a member of the ruling Nepali Congress Party, who resigned from his government post to become the Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament, was elected unopposed.

11 rebels killed
KATHMANDU, June 23 (DPA) — Eleven alleged Maoist rebels were killed and five wounded in a clash with the police in the remote hills of Western Nepal, news reports said today. Some 70 guerrillas attacked a police patrol near the village of Bhawang in Rolpa district, 425 km west of the capital, newspapers quoted the police as saying. In the gunbattle, "11 Maoists were killed and five wounded", the reports said. Three women were among the dead. The rebels reportedly carried away the wounded.

Delhi transfers
NEW DELHI, June 23 (PTI) — In a major administrative reshuffle, the Delhi Government today transferred and posted five senior officials, including Principal Secretary (Health) Ramesh Chandra. While Mr Chandra has been appointed Principal Secretary (Revenue and Technical Education), Mr R. Chandramohan, at present Secretary (Lands), has been appointed Secretary for Health and Family Welfare. Mr H.A. Arfi, Secretary for Environment and Forest, has been made Secretary (General Administration) and Mr Rajeev Talwar, who was awaiting posting, has been given the Environment and Forest Department. Mr Vivek Rae, who was also awaiting posting, has been appointed Secretary for Planning and Infrastructure Development, a Delhi Government spokesman said.

Fake stamps
NEW DELHI, June 23 (UNI) — The government has cautioned the public against the purchase of fake postage stamps of Rs 10 denomination. According to an official note issued here today, all postal customers were cautioned to guard against any such purchase. Customers were requested to purchase postal stamps and stationery and revenue stamps from post offices or from the authorised agents only, the note added.

Gang busted
NEW DELHI, June 23 (PTI) — The Delhi police today claimed to have busted an international gang involved in smuggling antiques with the arrest of two persons and recovery of a 400-year-old statue of Goddess Kali from them. The accused Soumitro Kumar Nahar alias Babu Nahar and Vijay Verma alias Brij Mohan Soni, were nabbed by the sleuths of the city police’s crime branch yesterday near the Archna complex in Central Delhi following a tip-off, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) P.K. Srivastava said.

MIG-21 crashes
From Our Correspondent
GURDASPUR, June 23 — A MIG-21 fighter plane of the Indian Air force crashed near Pathankot in the district today. Flt Lt S. Karti, who was on a routine sortie from IAF Pathankot station, died in the crash, according to official sources. The sources said the plane crashed at Basant Colony near Bhadroha village adjoining Pathankot at around 10.15 a.m. There were no casualties on the ground.

Gamang wins
BHUBANESWAR, June 23 (PTI) — Orissa Chief Minister Giridhar Gamang today won the Laxmipur (ST) Assembly seat, defeating his BJD rival Bibhisan Majhi by over 19,000 votes, official sources said here. Details of the votes polled by the two contestants in the byelection held on Monday are yet to be received.