LONDON: Scotland Yard has raided the business and other premises of A E Pinto, Turkish firm Karsan Limited's Indian representative, who is a key accused in the nearly 20 million pound urea scam, amidst reports of a move by the Indian Government for his extradition.

The raids followed after Interpol authorities here received a letter rogatory from their Indian counterparts asking for investigations against the Brazilian broker, instrumental in introducing main urea scandal accused Sambasiva Rao to Karsan officials, who made him their agent in India.

Konkan Rly

THRISSUR: THE Mangalore-Mumbai Konkan Railway line will be inaugurated on January 26, 1998, Southern Railway General Manager N Kirthivasan said here today. Talking to newsmen he said the doubling work of Kollam-Thiruvananthapuram railway line will be completed by the year 2000. About 35 km work in the section will be completed by the end of 1999 while the remaining work will be finished by March 2000, Kirthivasan said.

Hyderabad tense

HYDERABAD: Tension gripped the Old City, which was rocked by violence on Saturday claiming two lives, as seven persons including Deputy Commissioner of Police Umapathi were injured in stone-pelting by an enraged mob in Moghulpura area today. Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu ordered judicial inquiry into Saturday's police firing following violence during a bandh called by some Muslim organisations coinciding with fifth anniversary of demolition of Babri Masjid.

Boat mishap

VISAKHAPATNAM: Three holiday-makers were drowned and another was missing after their boat capsized in the sea off Gangavaram, 30 km from here on Sunday morning. The boat carrying 27 railway and NSTL employees and their families was on its way to an offshore island when the accident occurred. Twenty-three persons managed to reach the shore safely even as Navy rescue boats and two Naval helicopters were brought in to carry out search operations.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.