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55 per cent turnout; 19 killed in Jharkhand, Bihar, Haryana

     New Delhi: Nearly 55 per cent of the electorate on Thursday exercised their franchise for the 178 assembly constituencies in Haryana, Bihar and Jharkhand where 19 people were killed in naxalite and poll-related violence. In the first elections in Jharkhand, where polling was held in 24 constituencies in the first round of three-phased elections, naxalites triggered a landmine blast killing six policemen and the driver of a vehicle. More than 50 per cent voters cast their ballots. Four naxalites were killed when they attempted to disrupt the polling in Dandila in Hussainabad constituency in Palamu district. Their bodies were taken away by their colleagues, police said. In Bihar, which registered about 55 per cent voting in 64 constituencies which went to polls in the first phase, seven persons, including three women and two homeguards, were killed and several injured in attacks by naxalites, clashes and crude bomb explosions. The naxalites also looted five rifles and ammunition from the security personnel posted at a booth. An estimated 60 per cent of the 1.27 crore electorate in Haryana cast their vote for the 90 member assembly in polling which was by and large peaceful barring minor clashes in which the driver of a candidate was shot dead in Barwala constituency.

42 killed, 8 injured in Nagpur train-tractor mishap (Go To Top)

     Nagpur: At least 42 people, including 10 children, were killed and eight injured when Nagpur-bound local Ramtek train collided with a tractor-trolley, ferrying a marriage party, at an unmanned crossing about 30 km from Nagpur on Thursday, police said. The mishap occurred this evening between Kanhan and Dongri Khurd near Kanhan in the Nagpur division of South East Central Railway. The victims, who were occupants of the tractor-trolley, were part of a marriage party, they added. None of the railway passengers were hurt, the sources said.

Kanchi pontiff's bail plea adjourned to Feb 11 (Go To Top)

     Chennai: The Madras High Court on Thursday adjourned the hearing of the anticipatory bail application filed by the Kanchi Sankaracharya, Jayendra Saraswati, to February 11. The acharya had filed the application fearing his arrest in two separate cases related to tampering with mutt accounts and the Tirukoshtiur Madhavan assault case. The court, however, directed that the seer should not be arrested before February 11, should the need arise. During the hearing of the bail plea, the public prosecutor, K Duraisamy, sought an adjourment on grounds that the investigations were at a crucial stage and that the prosecution required time to make a detailed submission in court.