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Five Pakistani fishermen detained

     Ahmedabad: Five Pakistani citizens, claiming to be fishermen, have been arrested by the Indian Coast Guard on charges of illegally entering into Indian waters off the Okha coast in Jamnagar district. "The Pakistani nationals, all aged between 15 and 21 years, were arrested after they beached their damaged boats and ran when the Coast Guard told them to stop. Officials had to chase in a hovercraft to apprehend them," said Coast Guard Commandant D S Saini. Official sources said that the Pakistanis were detained, at least eight nautical miles into the Indian territorial waters, on February 4, and thier boats were seized. The five have been handed over to Jamnagar police after going through joint interrogation by various agencies. "Nothing incriminating nor any kind of documents were found from them," Saini added.

Child dies, 40 taken ill due to suspected dropsy (Go To Top)

     Lucknow: An eight-year-old boy died and 40 people fell sick after consuming food cooked in adulterated mustard oil here on Sunday. Suspecting it to be dropsy epidemic, teams from chief medical officer's department have been rushed to the area. Epidemic dropsy means swelling of the body caused by the consumption of mustard oil adulterated with oil of prickly poppy. Prickly poppy, scientifically known as Argemone Mexicana, contains alkaloids with physiologically active toxins. People complained of swollen limbs, vomiting and breathing and cardiac problems after consuming adulterated oil. "This has hit the area since January 1 and has been spreading since then. In every house four-five members are suffering from this. Some doctors came from hospital but nothing helped us. Rather we had reactions after eating the medicine," said Rakesh Kumar, a victim. Medical officials said the blood samples of all the families residing in the area were taken for checking presence of dropsy. "The symptoms are of dropsy, there is swelling in the legs, abdomen and redness and the symptoms are of drops. We have taken samples of mustard oil also for testing. When the results come then we would be able to reach to any conclusion," said A.K.Mehdi, physician at Rani Lakshmibai Hospital.