NEW DELHI, July 31: The Delhi High Court today fixed August 26 as the date for the final hearing on the petition filed by the National Commission for Women (NCW) seeking a ban on production and telecast of obscene programmes on various cable channels in the country. In its petition, the NCW had contended that the display of adult movies and other such programmes on various cable channels would degrade society. Senior counsel Shyamala Pappu submitted before the court that the government should issue licenses to these cable operators to enable some check on the display of obscenity on the channels.

Five dead in Andhra Pradesh violence

HYDERABAD: Four persons were hacked to death and another was killed in police firing at Bandameedapalli village in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday. Police said Ramudu and Nagaraju, both supporters of a group headed by village Sarpanch B Chenna Reddy, were returning home from their fields when they were killed by a 40-strong rival group belonging to S Rampulla Reddy. The assailants later chased and attacked two others, Linganna and Rammohan Reddy, who later succumbed to their injuries. The police, after warnings, opened fire killing one of the assailants.

Punjab terrorist sentenced to death

JAIPUR: A Punjab terrorist was sentenced to death while an accomplice of his to ten years' rigorous imprisonment by the district and sessions court here in connection with cases of murder, looting of a bank and petrol pumps in Rajasthan during 1984. Justice Chandrawat gave the judgment against the accused on the basis of their confessional statements. The court held that since the accused had neither withdrawn their statements nor contested them at any stage during the trial, they were being read against them.

Youth shot at by chain snatchers

CHENNAI: In a broad-daylight incident, a 23-year-old youth was shot and injured, when he tried to stop a group of persons from snatching his gold chain in the city's Luz area in south Chennai, today. A fruit vendor was also injured when he came to the rescue of Krishnakumar, the youth. While Krishnakumar was shot on his right armpit, Babu, the fruit vendor received a deep cut in his left ribs. Both Krishnakumar and Babu were hospitalised.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.