S P O T L I G H T

Manisha Koirala’s secy shot dead
Mumbai, June 30 
Ajit Dewani, secretary to Bollywood stars Manisha Koirala and Aftab Shivdasani, was today shot dead by two alleged members of Chhota Rajan gang at his office in suburban Oshiwara, the police said. The gangsters stormed into the first floor office of 42-year-old Dewani in Hemangi-Maheswari building near Andheri and fired at him from point blank range at 5 pm, the police added. He received two bullet injuries and was rushed to Cooper hospital, where he was declared dead. PTI

Cong MLA arrested
Ajmer, June 30
Rajasthan ruling Congress MLA Baboolal Singaria was arrested today on charges of beating up District Superintendent of Police Alok Tripathi and for “breach of peace’’, officials said. Later, he was released on interim bail of Rs 5,000 by city magistrate K.K. Sharma after a case was registered against him. UNI

20 killed as truck falls into river
Dehri-On-Sone, June 30
At least 20 labourers, most of them women and children, were killed when a truck carrying them plunged into the Kaw river here late last night, according to agency reports. The truck was carrying 53 labourers from Deokalpur in Uttar Pradesh to Palamu, Gumla and Ranchi districts. The police said 13 bodies had been fished out. UNI

5 dead in gang clash
Patna, June 30
Five criminals were killed in a clash near Bhabhua Vishanpur village in Siwan district today. Inspector General of Police (Administration) C. Lima Imchane said here that a group of criminals fired indiscriminately and killed three criminals of a rival gang near the village. The deceased were wanted by the police for the past many years. UNI

Peres-Arafat talks
Lisbon, June 30
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres held talks here at the Portuguese Prime Minister’s residence, a diplomatic source said. Last night’s talks, which were also attended by Norwegian Foreign Minister Thorbjorn Jagland, lasted for about one hour. AFP