3 siblings in suicide pact

Raipur

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Three persons of a family allegedly committed suicide at Tulsi Nevra village in the district on Monday. "The bodies of the siblings, including two teenage girls and their brother, were found hanging from the ceiling of their house in Tulsi Nevra village under Nevra police station limits," a senior police official said. A suicide note was recovered from the spot, which said nobody should be blamed for the act, he said. PTI

Chennai

Boy dies while taking selfie

A ‘selfie’ moment ended in a tragedy for a 16-year-old student who was run over by a speeding train while trying to click a picture of himself besides the train. Dinesh Kumar, a Class XI student, was walking along the railway track with a friend at suburban Vandalur on Sunday evening when the incident happened, police said. PTI

Guwahati

ULFA backs S Asian Games

The proscribed United Liberation Front of Assam (Independent) has welcome the sportsmen from South Asian nations coming to participate in the South Asian Games that are being held in Guwahati (Assam) and Shillong (Meghalaya) from February 5 next. In a statement, ULFA (I) chairman Abhijit Asom hoped the mega sporting event would be a smooth sailing and leave lasting fond memories. TNS

Lucknow

NSA against Hindu leader 

The Allahabad HC’s Advisory Board has endorsed the imposition of the National Security Act against self-styled Hindu Mahasabha activist Kamlesh Tiwari for his offensive statements against Prophet Muhammad, which had led to large-scale protests across the country. Reacting to UP Minister Azam Khan's comment on RSS leaders, Tiwari had issued a statement condemning Khan and also allegedly made objectionable remarks against the Prophet. PTI

Bhopal

24-year-old IS suspect held from Bhopal 

The National Investigation Agency on Monday arrested a 24-year-old IS suspect from Bhopal as part of the agency's crackdown on sympathisers of the terror group. The youth, Azhar Iqbal, was the 16th person to be arrested in connection with a case registered in Delhi under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act on December 9 last year, a police officer said.  "The NIA team arrested Iqbal from Putli Ghar area where he was hiding,” DIG, Bhopal, Raman Singh said. He is a resident of Barkheda in Obaidullaganj tehsil in neighbouring Raisen district. — PTI

Ahmedabad

Addicts appeal govt ban on poppy capsules 

Addicts of capsules made from poppy plants have moved the Gujarat HC against the government's decision to prohibit issuance of licence to procure poppy capsules, arguing it violated their fundamental right to live. Poppy capsule consumers, mostly from Banaskantha and Surendranagar districts, had recently moved the petition challenging the notification dated October 5, 2015. The poppy capsule is made from the dried pericarp of the ripe fruit of an opium poppy plant. Licence to procure such capsules is issued to an individual on the basis of medical advisory which remains valid for three years. Such capsules carry medicinal value, including for asthma. — PTI

Mumbai

Home loan with 5-yr interest moratorium 

To woo young customers, top lender State Bank of India (SBI) on Monday launched a new home loan scheme offering higher amount and up to five years of interest moratorium, which on the face of it looks like the controversial “teaser loans”. With the “FlexiPay Home Loan”, the bank seeks to boost its home finance portfolio by wooing young borrowers, offering them an interest moratorium for an initial period of three to five years and then pay moderate EMIs. PTI

New Delhi

4 Indians among 20 beheaded by ISIS? 

Security agencies are examining reports that four Indians could be among the 20 ISIS fighters who were reportedly beheaded in full public view for trying to flee a war zone in Iraq's Mosul city. However, there is no confirmation yet about the killing of four Indians, official sources said here. Indian intelligence agencies said 23 Indians have so far joined the ISIS, of whom six were killed in different incidents in Iraq-Syria. Seventeen Indians are believed to be in different conflict zones of the ISIS-held areas. PTI