Itishree murder: CBI submits report to SC
Bhubaneswar: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Friday submitted its investigation report on the Itishree Pradhan murder case, to the Supreme Court. Sources said the next hearing on the case will be held in February 2018. Itishree, who had been working as a teacher at Tikiri Upper Primary School in Kashipur block of Rayagada district, was allegedly burnt to death after she unsuccessfully persuaded authorities to give her protection as she was facing sexual harassment at the workplace. Itishree had brought sexual harassment allegations against former school sub-inspector (SI) Netrananda Dandasena.
Nitish’s JD(U) ‘real’ says EC
New Delhi: In a setback to rebel leader Sharad Yadav, the Election Commission of India Friday declared that the faction led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was the ‘real’ JD(U) and allotted it the reserved symbol — Arrow. The group led by “Nitish Kumar has demonstrated overwhelming majority support in the legislature wing as well as the majority in the National Council of the Party which is the Apex level organisational Body of the Party”, the election commission said in its order. With Gujarat assembly elections scheduled to begin December 9, both factions of JD(U) had asked the Election Commission to expedite decision on the symbol row as they were contesting the polls.
Rain damage: Farmer ‘committed suicide’
Kendrapara: A farmer has been reported to have committed suicide by hanging at Namatara village under Rajkanika Tehsil Thursday. According to the Congress MLA from Aul, Debendra Sharma, 48-year-old Bhabagrahi Sutar ended his life, unable to bear losses suffered on account of unseasonal rain over the past couple of days. Sharma said Sutar had cultivated paddy on an acre he owned and was growing paddy on another acre on sharecropping basis and had availed about Rs20,000 as loan from the Charapada co-operative society. He was crestfallen as although the produce was healthy, the crop perished in rain. Rajkanika police registered a case but said preliminary investigation did not indicate the suicide was related to crop loss.
New ‘strip’ MMS surfaces
Keonjhar: Town police here Friday suo motu registered a case after a video of a woman being forced to strip by a gang went viral in Keonjhar. The video follows a similar incident reported from Baripada a day before. Keonjhar police inspector in-charge Subhransu Mishra said the video was dated and was being investigated.
Rlys modifies order in Utkal Exp mishap
New Delhi: The Railways Friday said it has modified its earlier order to remove 12 employees from service following the derailment of Kalinga Utkal Express. The train had derailed at Khatauli in Uttar Pradesh August 19. A senior official said the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) has submitted the enquiry report of derailment which found Permanent Way Inspector (PWI) Pradeep Kumar responsible for the accident, and “he continues to remain dismissed from service and has not been reinstated”. “While the 11 trackmen, who have not been held responsible in the CRS inquiry report were still suspended from service and regular departmental disciplinary action for major penalty (which includes removal or dismissal from service after conclusion of departmental enquiry) is going on against them,” he said.
BJP releases first list for Guj polls
New Delhi: The BJP Friday released its first list of candidates for the Gujarat elections, to be held in two phases December 9 and 14. The list comprises 70 candidates for elections to the 182-member Gujarat Assembly. The party has named Chief Minister Vijaybhai Rupani as its candidate from Rajkot West. Deputy Chief Minister Nitinbhai Patel will contest from Mahesana and state party president Jitubhai Vaghani from Bhavnagar West. The names were finalised by BJP’s Central Election Committee, which met Wednesday. The meeting, chaired by BJP president Amit Shah, was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj among others, party leaders said.
CM seeks C-DAC centre in state
Bhubaneswar, Nov 17: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Friday wrote to the Centre seeking the establishment of a regional centre of Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) in the state. He said such a centre would promote research in high performance computing and data analytics, which in turn would help improve weather forecasting and disaster management in the coastal state which is often struck by cyclones, the CM’s letter to Union Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad read. At present, Kolkata has the only Regional Centre of C-DAC in eastern India.