IMPHAL, February 9: Fifteen little cute and innocent girls Who had been confined for the last two years in an illegal home for children in Karnataka have finally arrived here safe and looking hale. The bevy of little girls arrived in Imphal by a flight from Kolkata yesterday. The children, from four years to 11 years of age, have been lodged in the observation home at Takyel under the Department of Social Welfare for the time being. The Juvenile Welfare Board yesterday held a meeting to discuss the children's rehabilitation at a proper place in the state. The meeting adopted several...

NEW DELHI, February 9: The Planning Commission Thursday approved a Plan size of Rs 560 crore for Tripura for 2001-02 after a meeting between Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and commission deputy chairman K C Pant, reports UNI. In his opening remarks at the meeting, Pant asked Tripura to cut administrative expenses and adopt a prudent fiscal policy to mobilise additional resources so that the central Plan assistance was fully utilised for developmental activities and creation of infrastructure, particularly communication, roads and power, an official press note said. The commission had approved ten...

GUWAHATI, February 9: The Assam Assembly today witnessed noisy scenes followed by suspension of three Congress legislators and walk-out by other members of the Congress over the issue of the writ petition filed by MLA Atul Bora against the Speaker Ganesh Kutum. As soon as the House assembled for the day, the Deputy Leader of the Congress Legislature Party Ardhendu Kumar Dey referred to the newspaper reports regarding the writ petition and said that such incidents lowered the dignity of the House. Dilip Kumar Saikia (AGP) asked the Speaker to clarify whether an MLA is authorised to file a writ...

ITANAGAR, February 9: Police opened fire to ward off a violent mob at Nirjuli, about 25 kms from here, last night, official sources said, reports UNI. The sources said about 60 AAPSU bandh supporters tried to put a road blockade and pelted stones at a police patrolling party. When the police tried to chase them away, some others damaged the patrolling van thus forcing the police to open fire. Sources said though five rounds were fired in the air, none was injured. Police also lobbed three rounds of tear gas shells at Siva Mandir area in the National Highway 52(A) last night when bandh...

GUWAHATI, February 9: Justice HK Sema of the Gauhati High Court today dismissed the two revision petitions filed by Mridul Phukan alias Samar Katoky, and Nayan Das, who are accused in the murder of journalist Parag Kumar Das and directed them to appear before the trial court on March 5 next. The two, who are surrendered ULFA militants, had approached the Gauhati High Court challenging the warrant of arrest issued against them by the Judicial Magistrate in connection with the murder trial of Parag Das. In their petitions, the two surrendered militants challenged the legality of the warrant...