tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Tuesday, March 9, 1999
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SULFA men kill 6 in retaliation
GUWAHATI, March 8 (PTI) — SULFA (Surrendered ULFA) activists struck thrice today killing six family members of ULFA militants in apparent retaliation to yesterday’s rocket attack on a residential complex in the city, official sources said here.The SULFA activist staged almost simultaneous attacks in three localities. They first shot dead three family members of ULFA activist Putul Terang in the Lakra area of the city.The assailants called out Terang’s father, mother and brother from their residence and shot them dead at point blank before escaping, sources said.The outfit next struck at Sonapur, shooting dead two brothers and seriously injuring the mother of ULFA militant Nirmal Boro, alias Tirtha Gogoi.In the third incident, they shot dead Biren Das, brother of ULFA militant Bipul Das at Sonamati chowk in Lower Assam’s Nalbari district.Sources said the attacks are believed to be in retaliation to yesterday’s rocket propelled grenade attack by ULFA activists on the Usha Court residential complex in the city targeting Jugal Kishore Mahanta, a SULFA member residing there. He was not present at the time of attack.The attack on Usha Court was the first incident in the state capital where ULFA militants used rocket launchers in any operation.11 govt offices to be

Noisy scenes mar Governor's Address
BANGALORE, March 8 (PTI) — Amid din created by a section of the Opposition, the Karnataka Governor, Mr Khurshed Alam Khan, abruptly wound up his Address to a joint session of the Karnataka legislature on the opening day of the Budget session today. As the Governor began his customary speech, saffron-turbaned Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) members trooped into the well and Kannada Chaluvali leader Vatal Nagaraj began reading out a parallel Address and repeatedly struck cymbals. In the midst of noisy scenes, Mr Khan, read out the first page of his 23-page Address and jumped to the last page, completing the Address barely in six minutes.

Thackeray in court
NASIK, March 8 (PTI) — Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray today appeared before a first class magistrate here for a hearing in a defamation suit filed against him and two others by the leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council, Mr Chhagan Bhujbal. Mr Bhujbal had filed the suit against Mr Thackeray, who is the editor of sena mouthpiece ‘Saamna’, executive editor Mr Sanjay Raut and the printer and the publisher Mr Subhash Desai on November 4, 1997, for publishing a series of articles allegedly maligning him in the daily on July 23 and 24, 1997.

President's eye surgery
CHENNAI, March 8 (PTI) — The President Mr K.R. Narayanan will arrive here on March 10 to undergo surgery for removal of cataract. He will remain in the city till March 22. The President, who will arrive here at 11.45 a.m., will be received by the Tamil Nadu Governor Ms Fathima Beevi and the Chief Minister Mr M. Karunanidhi, an official press note said here today.

Gehlot quits LS
NEW DELHI, March 8 (PTI) — The Rajasthan Chief Minister, Mr Ashok Gehlot, who was elected to the state Assembly from Sardarpur in November last, has resigned from the Lok Sabha, the Deputy Speaker, Mr P.M. Sayeed said today. Mr Sayeed told the Lok Sabha that Mr Gehlot's resignation had been accepted with effect from March 4.

DSP shot dead
PATNA, March 8 (PTI) — Deputy Superintendent of Police Kausar Shamim and his son were killed on the spot when his brother-in-law, said to be mentally retarded, fired indiscriminately at them at Gumla in South Bihar today, the police said. The wife of the slain DSP and another person suffered gunshot wounds in the incident.

Gold seized
MUMBAI, March 8 (PTI) — In one of the biggest seizures in recent months, the Customs Preventive Collectorate seized about 30 kg of gold, valued at Rs 1.5 crore, from a Mauritius registered vessel in the Mumbai docks today. The 270 gold bars were found concealed in the engine room and hatches of the vessel, which had arrived from Dubai yesterday, a customs spokesman said.

Protest by DD, AIR staff
NEW DELHI, March 8 (UNI) — Over 1,500 employees of Akashvani and Doordarshan Karmachari Sangyukt Sangh today courted arrest at Parliament Street police station while trying to proceed to the Prime Minister's office. They wanted to submit a memorandum for pay parity and relative status vis-a-vis those employees of the organisation who have been "unduly favoured" by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

Khatami's visit
DUBAI, March 8, (PTI) — Post-revolutionary Iran is all set to open a new chapter in relationship with the West as President Mohammad Khatami leaves for Italy and Vatican tomorrow on a first visit to Europe by a head of state from the Islamic republic. Khatami will leave for a three-day official visit to Italy at the invitation of his Italian counterpart Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, the President’s office said in a statement yesterday.