NAGPUR: The headmaster of a Zilla Parishad school was sentenced to a year's imprisonment and fined Rs 500 on Tuesday for showing disrespect to the national flag. On Republic Day, 56-year-old Manishankar Narayan Rawale had hoisted the national flag at the school in Davlamethi, under Wadi police station on the outskirts of the city, but failed to lower it in the evening. A case was filed against him on the basis of a complaint by a resident of a nearby colony.

Farmer commits suicide over loan

NAGPUR: A farmer from Bhandara committed suicide in the premises of the Barrister Sheshrao Wankhede Trust Shetkari Bhavan on Monday night. In a suicide note he left behind, he blamed the Bhavan officials for delaying the processing of his loan application. B J Avchat of Ansariward, Bhandara, hanged himself from the ceiling of the accommodation provided to farmers at Shetkari Bhavan. The Ganeshpeth police have registered a case of suicide and have sent Avchat's body for post mortem.

Decision on weavers' payments soon

NAGPUR: The Maharashtra cabinet is likely to take a decision soon on a proposal to sanction Rs 10,000 each to weavers under the State Handloom Corporation who have reached 60 years of age and are opting for voluntary retirement. Mannu Datta of the Bunkar Mazdoor Sangharsha Samiti informed that an assurance to this effect was given by District Guardian Minister Nitin Gadkari. He said the minister informed that the administration has already put up a cabinet note. A delegation of the Samiti met Gadkari on Tuesday and reiterated the demand for voluntary retirement and compensation for non-implementation of court orders for the last 15 years.

Woman gives sleepy cops the slipPUNE: Two police constables attached to the Shivajinagar police headquarters were tricked by a woman prisoner who escaped after offering them biscuits mixed with sedatives. Seema, alias Meena Shaikh, was arrested in connection with a cheating case in Nashik recently. Constables A B Patel and Verma were returning with her on Tuesday after producing her in court. Meena got into the act as the State Transport bus neared Pune. The unsuspecting constables ate the biscuits and went to sleep. Seema then alighted at Shivajinagar and walked away.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.