Monday, March 18, 2002, Chandigarh, India
 Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

Godhra carnage mastermind held
4 killed in fresh Vadodara violence

Ahmedabad, March 17 Haji Bilal Ismail Sujela, the alleged mastermind behind the February 27 Sabarmati Express carnage at Godhra, was arrested after a dramatic chase last night while apparently trying to flee the country, even as four persons were killed in a spurt of violence in Vadodara.

Factfile Haji Bilal was trying to flee country He had shaved his beard Arrested from hut on outskirts of Godhra He had visited Karachi thrice

Natwar’s bahu found dead

Cops suspect murder, autopsy finds no bullet, stab wound New Delhi, March 17 Mystery shrouds the death of the estranged daughter-in-law of senior Congress leader K. Natwar Singh. The body was found in a five-star hotel early this morning. No arrests have been made in the case.
Senior Congress leader Natwar Singh, his wife and daughter leave Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi where his daughter-in-law Natasha’s body was taken for post-mortem on Sunday. — PTI photo In video (28k, 56k) Natasha’s counsel rules out suicide angle

2 places of worship set afire
Loharu tense as minority members flee
Chandigarh, March 17
At least two places of worship and a large number of shops and houses today reportedly became the target of widespread arson borne out of communal frenzy in the formerly princely state of Loharu in Bhiwani district, near the Haryana-Rajasthan border, according to reports received here.

5 die in attack on Pak church
2 Americans among victims, 47 injured
Islamabad, March 17
In the second major attack on Christians in five months, five persons, including two Americans, were killed and a Sri Lankan diplomat was among the 47 injured while an Indian High Commission staffer escaped unhurt in a grenade attack on a church in the high-security diplomatic enclave here during Sunday mass today.

• ISI-run spy ring busted

Make Advani BJP chief
Leaders mount pressure on Vajpayee
New Delhi, March 17
The leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is exerting pressure on Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to bring back Mr L.K. Advani as BJP President to revive the party, but as of now Mr Advani is reluctant to quit as Union Home Minister to don the mantle of party President.

• Shila daan judgement in haste: VHP

Air Marshal Sekhon told to quit
New Delhi, March 17
The Indian Air Force has asked Air Marshal M.S. Sekhon, who was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Air Command, to resign by tomorrow, defence sources said.

40 more jaundice cases in Mandi

Mandi, March 17 Forty more cases of hepatitis-E have reported for the treatment during the past 48 hours in the Regional Hospital and private clinics. According to doctors, persons develop symptoms of jaundice six weeks after the consumption of contaminated water.

The dumping site by the side of the Beas which is polluting the drinking water supply of Mandi. — Photo Karam Singh

Gurdwara arson: story of repentance Chandigarh, March 17 Hundreds of persons were killed in Gujarat. Places of worship were damaged or destroyed there. But none of those who inspired the violence or participated in such heinous crimes has uttered a word of remorse or repentance.