GUWAHATI: Three poachers have been convicted for the first time in connection with an encounter between poachers and forest guards at the Kaziranga National Park last year. The three were involved in the killing of rhinos in June last year and were sentenced to five years' rigorous imprisonment by additional session judge, park's director Bishen Singh Bonal said on Tuesday. The session judge gave the verdict early this month after an FIR was lodged by the range officer of the western side of the park.

Court stricture against Badal Govt

CHANDIGARH: In a significant development the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday held as ``valid and legal'' two Central Bureau of Investigation cases registered against three top IAS officers of Punjab and said that CBI was bound to investigate these cases. A division bench comprising Chief Justice K Sreedharan and Justice N K Sodhi described as bad the State's step to issue a notification rescinding the notification by the previous Rajinder Kaur Bhattal Government recommending registration of CBI cases against three officials.

Tripura to have a radar station

AGARTALA: The Centre has decided to install a radar station here to monitor air violation over Tripura. The decision to install a surveillance radar in Agartala was taken in the wake of a recent incident of air violation by a mysterious aircraft over Tripura, Union Home Minister Indrajit Gupta, in a reply to MP Badal Choudhury, said. Earlier Choudhury in his letter of May 3 last, had drawn the attention of Gupta to the incident of a mysterious aircraft flying over Mandai, Jirania and some other remote areas of the State on April 19 and 20 and requested him to take necessary steps to set up the radar station.

HC order on Yamuna pollution case

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court, hearing a petition alleging largescale pollution of Yamuna water and inaction on the part of government, on Wednesday sought presence of senior officials of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) in court. A division bench comprising Justice Arun Kumar and Justice Dalveer Bhandari asked these officials to be present in the court on the next date of hearing of the case on September 26. The public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Dr B L Wadhera had alleged that the water provided to Delhiites from Yamuna was not fit for drinking.

Militants attack school, two arrested

AGARTALA: A major massacre was foiled by the deployed paramilitary forces and police on Tuesday at Bagapha area under Santirbazar police station of south Tripura district when a group of gunmen attacked a local school. According to police report, the militants belonging to the outlawed National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) attacked the Bagapha school when it was in session and opened fire at it. Security forces patrolling in the areas, immediately retaliated and a heavy exchange of fire ensued . However, the rebels managed to escape. Security forces, later, nabbed two militants, sources said.

Curfew relaxed at Churachandpur

IMPHAL: Indefinite curfew imposed at Churachandpur town and surrounding areas in Manipur's Churachandpur district following recent ethnic clashes between Kukis and Paites, was relaxed on Wednesday with an improvement in the situation. Official sources said the curfew would be relaxed from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm daily to enable the people to buy essential items.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.