Wednesday, April 10, 2002, Chandigarh, India
 Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

PM wants security framework for Asia
India offers judge to try Khmer leaders

Phnom Penh, April 9 India today offered to send a judge to serve on a tribunal for the possible trial of Khmer Rouge leaders in Cambodia, if the United Nations decided not to take part in the long-awaited exercise. In video (28k, 56k)

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee with an officer of the Singapore Botanical Gardens in front of an orchid which he named ‘Neha’ after his foster granddaughter at the gardens on Tuesday. — PTI photo

Godhra carnage not preplanned
RPF report dispels conspiracy theory
Godhra, April 9
Fully burnt coach number S-6 of Sabarmati Express stands testimony to the dastardly incident in which 58 Ram sevaks were burnt alive on February 27. But the justification of subsequent communal violence that claimed the lives of over 800 innocents by the Modi government and the Sangh Parivar outfits as spontaneous reaction to the Godhra massacre has been dispelled by the Railway Protection Force.

Modi must go: People’s Front
To observe April 17 as protest day
New Delhi, April 9
The People’s Front is going to observe April 17 as protest day on Gujarat to demand the ouster of the Narendra Modi government

• Edit page: The tragic message from Gujarat

Sena for Ayodhya on NDA agenda
Shirdi (Maharashtra), April 9
Hindutva-proponent and a key BJP ally, Shiv Sena today asked the NDA government at the Centre to take up the Ayodhya issue on its agenda, an issue kept on the back burner since 1998 elections.

The man who knows & talks too much
On March 12, 2002, a court in Karachi extended the police remand of Omar Shaikh, the British terrorist of Pakistani origin, who is believed to have masterminded the kidnapping of Daniel Pearl, the US journalist. Pearl was subsequently reported to have been brutally murdered and beheaded, most probably by the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami.

• Editorial: Osama in Pakistan?

Rocca meets senior MEA officials
New Delhi, April 9
The prolonged Indo-Pak military standoff, the situation in Afghanistan and the reports of regrouping of Al-Qaida and Taliban cadres were among the points that came up for wide-ranging talks the visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Christina Rocca had today with senior officials here.

George leaves for Russia today
New Delhi, April 9
India is expected to ask Russia to shift production of some critically needed Russian armament spares to this country during Defence Minister George Fernandes’ visit to Russia beginning from tomorrow. Heading a nine-member high level delegation, Mr Fernandes will hold extensive talks with his Russian counterpart Sergi Ivanov.

Two killed in grenade attack in J-K
Srinagar, April 9
Two pedestrians were killed and nine injured when militants lobbed a grenade at security personnel which missed the target and exploded on the road in Anantnag district of Kashmir today, a police spokesman said.

• J&K page: Jaish, Lashkar, Hizbul join hands

• Editorial: Diabolical Pak game
  
  

A TRIBUNE SPECIAL ‘Teachers’ on hire in border areas Gurdaspur/Amritsar, April 9 Ever heard a class V student teaching in a government primary school on a meagre payment of Rs 300 per month? This might sound strange, but the startling fact came to light during the two-day vigilance checking of government schools, which were in a pitiable condition. The inside view of a primary school in Gurdaspur district which is in a pitiable condition.  — Photo Rajiv Sharma