MANDSAUR (MP): Former general secretary of the Mandsaur district Congress, Anand Shinde, has threatened to commit self-immolation in case Narayan Rao Hupele was not retained as the president of the party's district unit. The former general secretary, in a letter yesterday to Chief Minister Digvijay Singh, said that Hupele's contribution in strengthening the Congress was unparalleled. Shinde said that the Minister for Manpower Planning was trying his best to remove Hupele from his post during organisational elections.

MDMK protests against Lankan navy

CHENNAI: Hundreds of volunteers of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam today took out a procession to the Sri Lankan deputy high commission here, to protest against the killings of innocent fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy. The processionists were led by MDMK leader, Y Gopalsami. A group of them later handed over a memorandum to an official of the high commission.

Rifleman sentenced to death

KOHIMA: A rifleman of the Jammu and Kashmir rifles was sentenced to death for deserting his battalion and killing two persons here, a defence release said today. The rifleman, Ram Rattan, was sentenced to death on Wednesday last after an open court martial accused him of four crimes, the release added.

HC notice on flying flag half-mast

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan High Court has issued notices to the Centre and others on a public interest litigation seeking a ban on the practice of flying the national flag half-mast to mourn the death of political leaders. Justice Anshuman Singh issued notices to the respondents yesterday and asked them to file replies within four weeks. Arguing for the petitioner, Anant Sharma, advocate Devender Mohan Mathur contended that flags were put at half-mast in the 18th century to inform the people about the death of the king a there was no other means of communication.

Hearing on Beant case deferred

CHANDIGARH: The cross examination of painter Surinder Sharma, a prime witness in the Beant Singh assassination case, was today postponed till tomorrow. The hearing was deferred following a plea by the defence counsel that he was busy at some other place. However, on the suggestion of the district and session judge, the defence and the CBI counsel agreed to have a longer sitting tomorrow.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.