SILIGURI, August 25: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mayawati, would step down on September 21 on the expiry of the six-month term following the Bahujan Samaj Party's (BSP) agreement with its partner in the state, the BJP. BSP national president Kanshi Ram said his party would strictly adhere to the terms of agreement with its partner, in letter and spirit to complete the full tenure in office.

Editor held

GUWAHATI: Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, editor of the Assamese weekly Sadin and daily Asomiya Pratidin was today remanded to police custody for 72 hours after being produced before a magistrate in Nagaon.

Bhuyan was picked up under the section 10/13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act last night in connection with certain cases in Nagaon in central Assam.

Bhuyan, always a strong critic of the establishment, was earlier arrested twice during the Congress regime, in March, 1992 and July 1994.

Narrow escape

SRINAGAR: Senior Congress leader Tajmohi-ud-Din had a narrow escape when his car was attacked by militants near fruit-mandi, about seven km from here, on Srinagar-Uri highway this morning. Militants fired upon Taj's vehicle with a pistol fitted with a silencer. While a bullet pierced through Taj's coat, a few more hit the back and side windscreens of his car. However, Taj and his personnel security officer escaped unhurt.

Mob attack

CHENNAI: Police resorted to firing in the air and burst teargas shells to disperse irate mobs which threw stones at police stations, in protest against two alleged custodial deaths late Sunday night.

Tension prevailed in Basin bridge area today as a 500-strong mob threw stones at the police station after the body of a 15-year-old youth, Ramesh, was found on the track near Vyasarpadi station.

ULFA men killed

GUWAHATI: Three ULFA extremists, including two involved in the kidnapping and killing of Sanjoy Ghosh, were shot dead in two separate encounters with the police and the army in Assam today. Two hardcore ultras, Siraj Bora and Pradip Baruah, were killed at Deka Sensuagaon, under Majuli police station of upper Assam in a fire-fight with the police.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.