Yuvraj Singh gets ready for IPL-6

Senior batsman Yuvraj Singh has set his sights on the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and has started preparing for the Twenty20 League starting from April 3 in Kolkata.

“I have started preparing for the IPL season 6,” said Yuvraj, who plays for Sahara Pune Warriors in the IPL.

Yuvraj’s comments came on the sidelines of the launch of the limited edition ‘YouWeCan Swiss Army Knife’ in the capital today.

–Agencies

Four cops suspended for misbehaving with woman

Four constables, attached to Narasampet police station in the district, were suspended Wednesday after a departmental inquiry found them guilty of allegedly harassing and misbehaving with a woman complainant, a senior officer said.

“The constables used to visit the woman’s house in Narasampet in absence of her husband on the pretext of inquiry into her complaint of dowry harassment and misbehave with her,” DSP K Saritha said.

The constables were identified as K Srinivas, M Praveen, M Laxman and G Ramesh, she said.

Criminal killed, 3 held in police encounter

An alleged criminal was killed and three others, including a 20-year-old “gangster” carrying a reward of Rs one lakh on him, were arrested in a shootout between policemen and the gang in Outer Delhi this afternoon, police said.

The incident took place national highway in Alipur at around 3 pm.

Five men in a car opened fire at a Crime Branch team after they were asked to stop, a senior police official said.

–Agencies

Will do everything to bring back Italian marines: PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said Italy’s stand on the return of two of its marines to India to face the trial for killing two Indian fishermen has violated all norms of diplomatic discourse.

In a letter to Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy, he said he shared the sense of

national outrage over Italy’s communication that the marines will not return to India and said all diplomatic and legal options would be explored to bring the duo back to India to face the trial.

Four killed in road accident in Osmanabad

Four persons, two of them women, were killed in a road accident in adjoining Osmanabad district today, police said.

Two jeeps packed with passengers collided head-on near Karhali village in Umerga tehsil this afternoon. Four persons died and six others were injured in the collision, they said.

–Agencies

Action against 9 Cong MLAs for defying party line

Irked over the “betrayal” by nine rebel MLAs who voted in favour of the no-confidence motion against Kiran Kumar Reddy government last week, Andhra Pradesh Congress Tuesday said it would take disciplinary action against them at “right” time.

“Whoever has betrayed the party, appropriate disciplinary action would be taken against them at the right time,” said Primary Education Minister S Sailajanath.

Minorities leaders hail Kiran for increased allocations

A delegation of eminent Minorities leaders from different fields, senior Congress leaders, social workers, retired officials and IT Professionals today called on Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy at Camp Office and thanked him for substantial increase in the Budget allocation for Minorities Welfare from Rs 488 crores to Rs 1027 crores.

Retired DSP, NRI among 3 arrested in drug haul case

A retired DSP of Uttar Pradesh Police and two persons including a UK-based NRI were today arrested in the over Rs 130-crore heroin recovery case in which another NRI Anoop Singh Kahlon was already in police net and Olympic winner Vijender Singh was quizzed last week.

A Punjab Police spokesman said retired DSP Kirpal Singh was arrested from Meerut where he was running a pharmaceutical factory.

–Agencies

Cabinet clears revised Food Security Bill

The Cabinet today approved changesto the landmark Food Security Bill to grant the nation’s 67% population the right to get monthly quota of 5 kg foodgrains at highly subsidised rates of Rs. 1-3 per kg.

The amendments to the Bill will guarantee 5 kg of foodgrains per person per

month, while families in the poorest of the poor will continue to get 35 kg of grains per month.
“The revised Food Bill has been cleared by Cabinet. We will try to bring amendments to the Food Bill in Parliament before Friday,” food minister KV Thomas told reporters in New Delhi.

Youth arrested for carrying gun in court premises

A youth was arrested today for carrying arms inside the court premises here after his gun went off accidentally, triggering panic in the area.

Randhir of Pikorikheri village, who had come for some administrative work, was changing magazine of his rifle when the firing occurred, police said.

The accused was arrested under Arms Act and his weapon and vehicle were seized, they added.

–Agencies

AP: 24 thatched houses gutted in fire

Around 24 thatched houses were gutted in fire in Vemulavada village of Gangavaram mandal in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, a government official said.

The incident took place last night and the cause of the fire is suspected to be short circuit in high-tension electricity transmission wires, Rampachodavaram sub-collector Gandham Chadrudu said today adding that there was no casualty in the incident.

“Nearly 100 persons were rendered homeless due to the fire. All the victims have been shifted to a government school and given some financial assistance,” he added.

Hoax bomb call at Noida school, police on high alert

A hoax telephone call that a bomb had been planted in a school in sector 50 today sent police on high alert in Noida.

Around 12:30 pm, the anonymous caller made the hoax call at the landline number of Kothari Public School here, Senior Superintendent of Police Preetinder Singh said.

The caller claimed that a bomb had been planted inside the school premises, the police official said.

The school management brought the issue to the knowledge of police.

–Agencies

Man injured in accidental explosion

A middle-aged person suffered minor injuries when a country-made bomb he was assembling exploded at his house here, police said on Monday.

P Nagaiah was making country-made bombs that were meant for scaring away wild boars who intrude into agriculture fields and damage them, they said.

One of the bombs suddenly exploded, causing injuries to the fingers of Nagaiah, who was rushed to a hospital.

Further investigations were on, Sangareddy police said.

–Agencies

Two arrested for stealing costly phones at Delhi airport

Two workers of a ground handling agency have been arrested at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) here for allegedly stealing costly smartphones worth over Rs one lakh from incoming cargo, CISF officials said.

The duo were intercepted by a CISF check squad when they were secretly getting out of the airport yesterday evening.

“On their search, three brand new Samsung Galaxy mobile phones with approximate value of Rs 1,05,000 were recovered from their possession.

–Agencies

Chandrababu flays state budget

TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu, who was on his Padayatra in the district, has alleged that the ayacut was reducing while the expenditure on Jalayagnam was increasing and they were cleared in the government transactions.

Reacting on the State Budget 2013-14, Chandrababu Naidu alleged that the State Government slashed budget for agriculture and the development of agriculture sector was in reverse direction. He also alleged that the State government has totally failed to implement Rajiv Yuva Kiranalu program.

Acting CJ exhorts judges to function impeccably

Acting Chief Justice N V Ramana on Monday exhorted the judicial officers to discharge their functions sincerely.

Addressing newly-appointed district judges, junior civil judges at Secunderabad Judicial Academy during the training program on Monday, Chief Justice Ramana warned that he would not tolerate if the judges violated professional discipline, indulged in corrupt activities and meddling in disputes.

High Court judges Justice Noushad Ali, Justice Bhavani Prasad, Justice Rohini, Justice K G Shankar, Justice Chandraiah and others participated in the program.

Hyderabad blasts: Victim’s kin get Rs 6 lakh compensation

Andhra Pradesh government handed over a cheque of Rs 6 lakh as compensation amount to the family of a Dilsukhnagar twin blasts victim here on Sunday.

Minister for Civil Supplies Duddilla Sridhar Babu handed over the cheque to the kin of Amrutha Ravi Kumar (25), an MBA student of Begumpet village of Kamanpur mandal in Karimnagar district, who was severely injured in the blast in Dilsukhnagar area in Hyderabad on February 21.

Following the incident, Ravi had been admitted at Yashoda Hospital here. However, he succumbed to his injuries on March 5.

Can’t any one sacrifice for ‘T’ wwhen 15 MLAs quit for Jagan:KTR

TRS MLA K T Ramarao expressed anger that no MLA came forward and support the no-confidence motion, while 15 MLAs were prepared to quit their posts for the sake of Y S Jaganmohan Reddy. He lamented that at least ten MLAs did not come forward to support the Telangana cause.

Speaking to the media here on Sunday, KTR said if the ministers had any self-respect, they would have joined the TRS in the no-confidence motion. Referring to the statement of Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy in the House, KTR questioned what right he had to state that he would not give funds to the Telangana region.

We will stall proceedings in parliament:KCR

TRS chief K Chandrasekhara Rao has said his party would stall the proceedings in Parliament on the Telangana issue.
Speaking to the media before leaving for Delhi to attend Parliament session along with Medak MP Vijaya Shanti, KCR said he would also meet leaders of other parties which are in favor of Telangana, to mount pressure on the Union government to take an early decision on the issue.

Disaster reconstruction in AP in first phase:Shinde

Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde has said reconstruction activity would be undertaken by the National Disaster Management Authority in the country in three phases.

Addressing a meeting after laying a foundation stone for a bridge to be constructed at a cost of Rs 8.2 crore on Upputeru near Modi village in West Godavari district today, Sushil Kumar said in the first phase, reconstruction activity would be taken up at a cost of Rs 1,497 crore in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

Sadak bandh will be total sucess despite any odds: Harsih

TRS senior leader and Siddipet MLA T Harish Rao has made it clear that his party would make the proposed ‘Sadak Bandh’ on March 21 a total success.

TRS MLAs, MLCs and leaders from Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts discussed about the ‘Sadak Bandh’ program at Mallika Gardens at Shamashabad here on Sunday under the leadership of Harish Rao.
Addressing the gathering, Harish Rao alleged that the Centre has hatched a conspiracy to sabotage the proposed ‘Sadak Bandh’ program.

Excise trainee SIs admitted to fever hospital

Some 38 Excise probationary sub-inspectors, who were undergoing training at their Academy at Bandlaguda, have been suffering from diphtheria symptoms like sore throat and were admitted to the Fever Hospital at Nallakunta on Saturday.

Sources said the probationary SIs joined the hospital after suffering from diphtheria symptoms after taking lunch on Saturday.

Lagadapati’s poser to KCR

Congress MP from Vijayawada Lagadapati Rajagopal today asked TRS Chief K Chandrasekhara Rao as how his party would win 100 Assembly seats in the coming elections when he miserably failed to muster support of 30 MLAs for the ‘no-trust’ motion tabled in the Assembly.

Hyd blasts: NIA gets 7 days custody of suspected IM operative

A Delhi court on Wednesday remanded suspected Indian Mujahideen operative Obaid-ur-Rehman in seven days of NIA custody in connection with the February 21 Hyderabad twin blasts case.

During an in-chamber hearing, district judge I S Mehta allowed the National Investigation Agency’s plea seeking custodial interrogation of Rehman on the ground that it has to unearth the entire conspiracy which led to the bombings that claimed 16 lives, court sources said.