LAGOS: Some 280 people drowned when a ship on its way to Gabon sank in the Atlantic off the coast of Nigeria, press reports said on Saturday. The ship went down in heavy seas on Wednesday off the state of Akwa Ibom, the southernmost part of Nigeria. Twenty people survived the disaster, reports said.

Tension in Jaipur

JAIPUR: The army has been alerted in view of communal violence which left three persons dead and several injured in Nagaon village of Chittorgarh district in Rajasthan on Saturday. Additional police force have been rushed to the area. The trouble began when some people attacked a youth of a different community with weapons, leading to his death.

Mayoral poll

MUMBAI: The election for the post of Mayor has been extended by a week. The elections will now take place on April 23, 1998. Ruling party sources said it was being done with a view to ensure more time for debate.

Peats case

PANAJI: PanajiBench of Mumbai High Court has upheld orders of Margao district and session court, sentencing Freddy Peats to life imprisonment in a child abuse case. Peats was given life imprisonment by the sessions judge about two years back for offences relating to child abuse and child pornography.

MP arrested

AURANGABAD: Samata Party MP Sushil Kumar Singh was arrested on Saturday. Police, however, did not cite any reason for his arrest. Police Superintendent Abnish Chawla said information regarding the arrest of the MP was communicated to Lok Sabha Speaker GMC Balayogi.

Blast documents

COIMBATORE: Important documents, which could provide vital clues in establishing the identity of those behind the February 14 serial blasts here, have been seized from a locked house, police said.