Housewife foils robbery attempt

Hyderabad, June 16: Two persons in their twenties attempted to rob a housewife when she was alone at her house in Vengalrao Nagar on Monday afternoon, but fled after she raised an alarm.

At around 12.45 pm, two persons forced open the main door of the house of a software company employee, Srinivas Reddy. His wife Sujatha was alone when the miscreants forcibly entered the house.

The assailants threatened Sujata with a knife and asked her to hand over all her valuables.

Youth dies in scuffle over train seat

Mumbai, June 16: A fight over seats and boarding the train first-something that most Mumbai commuters go through every day-cost a 22-year-old Nalasopara youth his life on Monday morning.

Lavesh Palande was on his way to work when a scuffle with a fellow passenger, Anil Utekar (22), on platform number 1 of Nalasopara station resulted in the former’s death after he collided with a moving train. Palande’s widow, Smita, was inconsolable-they had wed in April and had moved into their dream home only two days ago.

Shiney sent to police custody for 4 days

Mumbai, June 16: A day after Shiney Ahuja was accused of rape by his maidservant, police arrested the 36-year-old Bollywood actor early on Monday and Shiney Ahuja arrested Shiney Ahuja has been arrested on rape charges after preliminary tests conducted on his domestic help confirmed sexual assault on Monday.

produced him in the Andheri magistrate’s court. The actor who debuted in `Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi’ and went on to act in films such as `Gangster’ and `Woh Lamhe’, was remanded in police custody till Thursday. ( Watch )

Is the honeymoon over for Dhoni?

New Delhi, June 16: The Indian players might have heaved a collective sigh of relief when they crashed out of the T20 World Cup on Sunday night: they can finally go home now and actually crash without worrying about a bat or ball for some time.

You could, of course, see the fatigue in Gambhir’s sluggish limbs, in Dhoni’s glazed eyes and Harbhajan’s half-hearted smiles; you could sense the resignation in the team’s body-language too: it was neither anywhere near its peak form, nor burning with intensity or raging for victory.

Cong wants royal titles struck off

New Delhi, June 16: `Kunwar’, `Raja’, `Rani’, `Begum’, `Srimant’ will soon stand deleted from the AICC’s listings and records some 40 years after Indira Gandhi did away with privy purses in what was then meant to signal the arrival of a post-colonial egalitarian age.

While the titles of maharajas and ranis were abolished, habits did not die out and rather showed a capacity to not only survive but flourish in the Congress’s own lexicon. Not only did the royal references linger in conversations but the royal and feudal honorifics remained prefixed to names of leaders in party records.

He survived Kargil, only to die in Delhi robbery

New Delhi, June 16: Baldev Singh was never known to move without his firearm. On Monday, the 54-year-old Rajputana Rifles veteran who worked as the security in-charge at a petrol pump, was shot dead by three robbers who made away with Rs 8.5 lakh that he was to deposit at a nearby bank.

“Don’t come to Australia. I was lucky to have escaped”

New Delhi, June 16: Twenty-year-old Sunny Bajaj has made up his mind. He will leave Australia for good. The Shalimar Bagh boy, who studied at Sachdeva Public School in west Delhi and is pursuing accounting at Deakins University for the past one-and-a-half years now, has been left badly shaken by the attack on him at Melbourne on Friday night when he was racially abused and bashed up, leaving him with bruises and a fractured finger.

Sania made to run the hard yards

Bangalore, June 15 : In professional sport the toughest miles are rarely recorded. Never applauded. Over a period of time, they become personal milestones, the place where the will scored over a whim.

On Saturday, Sania Mirza lost both her semi-final matches in the AEGON Classic in Birmingham. In the singles, the 22-year-old went down to the 13th seed Magdalena Rybarikova in a tough three-setter. A few hours later, Sania and Chia-Jung Chuang of Taipei took the exit in the doubles competition too.

Western attires score over Indian on IIFA green carpet

Mumbai, June 15: Flowing, elaborate, layered and slinky Western dresses scored over the India sari or salwar kameez for most Bollywood actresses at the green carpet of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards.

While only Aishwarya Rai and Priyanka Chopra among the A-listers stuck to the graceful six-yard drape, most others like Bipasha Basu, Kangana Ranaut, Mughda Godse, Genelia D’Souza, Sushmita Sen, Diya Mirza, Amrita Rao and others proudly showed off their curves in body hugging Western attires.

Abhi-Ash second honeymoon at Macau IIFA

Mumbai, June 15: For Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai, the IIFA week could well have been a second honeymoon.

The couple, clearly very much in love in their second year of marriage, showed something rather rare in their public life otherwise – their affection for each other very publicly at the various International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards events and also during stage activities at the grand finale show at this entertainment and gambling hub that is a Special Administrative Region of China.

Kajol not part of Ajay Devgan’s next venture

Mumbai, June 15: Kajol, who is busy shooting for her friend Karan Johar’s upcoming film ‘My Name Is Khan’, will not be a part of her actor husband Ajay Devgan’s new directorial venture.

“I’m directing a film in mid-2009. There is no role for Kajol in my next film. The leading lady’s role in that film doesn’t suit her,” Devgan told us.

His directorial debut ‘U Me Aur Hum’ was critically praised for its brave portrayal of the ravages of Alzheimer’s.

Hindu-Muslim alliance, but only in Bollywood

Mumbai, June 15: AN epic about Muslim and Hindu lovers has dominated the International Indian Film Academy Awards as the Bollywood brand went global to 500 million people.

Jodhaa Akbar won six awards, including best picture, best director and best male actor for Hrithik Roshan.

The film depicts the rise of the Mughal emperor Akbar the Great, a Muslim, and his Hindu wife, played by former Miss World Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

“I was advised by all my friends not to make this film,” director Ashutosh Gowariker said yesterday after the ceremony in the Chinese territory of Macau.

Deepika’s no made-up beauty

Mumbai, June 15: Bollywood beauties seem to be getting as real as they can even onscreen! Preity did it in Videsh, Kareena in Dev, Priyanka will do it in Kaminey, Katrina in Rajnity and following suit is Deepika Padukone who will be seen sans make-up in Imtiaz Ali’s Love Aaj Kal with Saif Ali Khan. A close friend of Deepika revealed, “Deepika suggested she wears no makeup in the film as she wanted her character to look as real as it can. She wanted to look natural on camera and has looked absolutely beautiful! Saif thought she sparkled on camera!”

How Vidya lost her flab!

Mumbai,.June 15: After being criticized for her figure, Vidya has finally managed to get into shape. If you think the actress has gone through a lot of killing exercising then you are absolutely wrong. In fact actress chose a very unique way to lose those extra kgs.

It is believed that Vidya went on a holiday in Goa which turned out to be an adventure trip. She indulged in adventure sports and also parasailing. Apart from that, Vidya used to climb up the Petronas Towers while shooting in Kuala Lumpur for Balki’s Paa.

Salman’s trying to befriend Shah Rukh?

Mumbai, June 15: It seems Salman Khan doesn’t want to keep grudges against King Khan. That’s the reason he decided to appear on Shah Rukh’s best friend Farah Khan’s chat show which has been produced by SRK’s production house.

After Salman-SRK’s big fight it was even impossible to think that the duo will cross each other’s path. But we hear that Salman has shot for Farah’s chat show along with his mother. It seems Farah’s playing mediator in this. Interestingly, Farah who shares a good rapport with Salman has choreographed a song for Salman’s Main Aur Mrs Khanna .

No fraud in Iranian elections: Ahmadinejad

Tehran, June 15: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday rejected the opposition’s claims of electoral fraud, saying his re-election was “real
and free” and could not be questioned.

In his first press conference since the interior ministry announced he won a landslide victory in Friday’s balloting, the hardline president said: “The election was free (transparent) and there is no document proving these charges.”

A dry Friday for Bollywood

Mumbai, June 15: After two months of a movie drought that bled both sides – the Bollywood producers and the multiplexes – dry, you’d have thought the
Kambakkht Ishq first weekend after the end of the strike would bring big bucks back to the 70 mm screen.

But the June 12 weekend did fairly thanda business, and multiplexes say it’s because the movies released weren’t any good. They also, however, say that there are bigger, better releases lined up for the next few weeks.
No Friday night fever

Aamir’s wife in hospital again

Mumbai, June 15: Aamir Khan’s filmmaker wife Kiran Rao (Dhobi Ghat) was admitted to a South Mumbai hospital for the second time in a matter of days.

Kiran, who has been suffering from a fever for almost a month now, was earlier hospitalised, treated and discharged. However, the fever recurred and a source close to the Khans indicates that Kiran has now been diagonised with a lung infection.

Doctors treating her, and Aamir himself, are reportedly relieved because now that the diagnosis has been made, there will be quick progress in Kiran’s treatment and subsequent recovery.

Fishing season begins from today

Hyderabad, June 15: After a two-month break, the fishing season will resume in the east coast on June 15 midnight. On Sunday, the Vizag harbour was a
beehive of activity with fishermen swarming the area, while boat operators carried out last-minute repairs of their vessels.

B Com student commits suicide

Hyderabad, June 15: A B Com III year student committed suicide by hanging at her house in Bolarum on Sunday.

Sumapriya, 20, of Dovten Bazar in Bolarum was a student of Bharat Degree College in Kacheguda.

On Sunday evening, Sumapriya locked herself in a room of her house and hanged herself from the ceiling fan with a stole.

As her family members did not get any response even after calling her for a longtime, they grew suspicious and force opened the door, only to see her hanging from the ceiling fan.

Cops clueless on missing student

Hyderabad, June 15: An engineering student has gone missing ever since he left his hostel on June 4, with police too unable to find any clues about
his whereabouts.

Srikanth Reddy, 19, of Nalgonda is a first year engineering student of V R K College of Engineering in Bachupally. According to police, for the past one year, Srikanth has been staying at Kavya Sri Boys’ Hostel in Addagutta Society of Kukatpally.

He was reported missing after he left the hostel at 5 am on June 4.

Heavy vehicles banned on Golconda route

Hyderabd, June 15: Henceforth, heavy vehicles plying between Golconda and Langer Houz junction and Langer Houz police station to Golconda will not be
allowed.

A decision to this effect was taken as a result of frequent traffic jams at the junction.

A flyover was planned to ease vehicular congestion on the narrow stretch, but with the construction getting delayed for more than two years, it has made the situation worse for road-users.

CM seeks central funds for Arogyasri

Hyderabd, June 15: As part of the tight rope walk, specially since the chief minister has decided not to levy any new taxes or increase the water or
power tariff, the state government is now trying to find new ways to cut down on its expenses.

As part of this exercise, the chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy on Sunday wrote a letter to the Centre, asking it to advise the Planning Commission to provide financial support to Aarogyasri scheme and take it up as a centrally-sponsored scheme, on a 70:30 cost-sharing basis as a special case.

Ragging: Lax varsities risk cut in funds, fine

Hyderabad, June 15: Universities in the state can no longer afford to spare the rod in ragging cases. They will now have to put a stop to it in affiliated
colleges with an iron hand or else risk their funds being slashed.

At the recent vice-chancellors’ conference, chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy had squarely put the onus of preventing ragging on universities. Now, the chief minister’s recommendation has been taken up by the department of higher education and instructions would be given accordingly to the vice-chancellors.

Man dies after boarding aircraft

Kolkata, June 15: A Bangladeshi air passenger on Sunday died of heart attack in a Dhaka-bound flight, minutes after boarding it at Kolkata airport.

“From preliminary investigation it appears that 75-year-old Gobinda Lal Saha died of heart attack after taking his seat in the plane at about 4.45 pm,” Medical officer at NSC Bose International Airport, Dr S E Dey, said.

The body has been handed over to police for postmortem, he added.

Saha along with his wife and son had came to India for treatment and was due to return today through an Air India Express flight, sources said.