| Ganga Sagar Mela on mobile network Pilgrims visiting the Ganga Sagar Mela, to be held from January 12 to 15, 2004, will be able to use mobile phones for the first time. Vivek Kumar, district magistrate, South 24-Parganas, said only those using BSNL’s CellOne mobile connections would be able to avail of the facility. The district administration has requested BSNL authorities to set up a permanent tower on the Sagar Islands, so that the large numbers of pilgrims visiting the Kapil Muni temple round the year can avail of the facility. Kumar added that pilgrims would now have to pay a tax from January 1. Previously, they were required to pay the tax from January 10. The government has earmarked Rs 5.6 crore for the coming celebration. Rs 5 crore was spent on the last fair. Arrests, vigil at fun points Police arrested nearly 150 persons in a series of raids conducted in various parts of the city over the past few days, in order to maintain law and order during the Christmas and New Year celebrations. According to officials, vigil in front of all the hotels in the Park Street area has been beefed up, from where nearly 60 persons have been arrested. More than 90 people were also arrested from several areas for creating nuisance in public. Auto clash Auto-rickshaw operators engaged in a clash with Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel on Friday morning at Dum Dum railway station, after they were asked to line up their three-wheelers in a queue. Police said the auto operators refused to listen to the RPF officers, and an altercation ensued. Later, auto-rickshaw operators, led by local CITU workers, proceeded to the RPF office at Dum Dum station and demanded an apology. Officials from the local police station brought the situation under control. Suicide Samir Dasgupta, 48, allegedly committed suicide at his Ekdalia Road residence on Friday morning. Police said Dasgupta, who ran a telephone booth in the locality, was suffering from depression, as his business was not picking up. At about 10 am on Friday, he went for a bath. When he did not come out of the bathroom even after an hour, family members broke open the door and found him hanging from a rope tied to the shower stand. Jute meeting State labour minister Mohammed Amin has called a tripartite meeting on Saturday at Writers’ Buildings to discuss the demands of jute workers in the state. The minister held the first round of meetings with the workers and mill-owners on Friday, in connection with a proposed strike to be observed by jute workers from December 29. Roadblock Movement of vehicular traffic on NSC Bose Road, in Sonarpur, on the southern fringes of the city, was disrupted for several hours on Friday afternoon, after local residents put up a roadblock protesting assault on a local youth, Pallab Sen. He was roughed up following a clash between rival groups of a local club. Sen’s relatives later lodged a complaint with the police alleging that he was beaten up by local CPM supporters. Police, however, dismissed the allegation. Management meet Indian Institute of Management Calcutta has organised the Fifth International Workshop on Distributed Computing on December 28, at 8.30 am, on the Joka campus. The keynote address will be delivered by Prof Sushil Jajodia of the George Mason University, in the US. Power theft plea A team of Congress leaders led by Somen Mitra met chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee at Writers’ Buildings on Friday, demanding the release of “innocent people” who were recently arrested in Swarupnagar, North 24-Parganas, on charges of creating trouble during a joint raid conducted by WBSEB and the police to check power theft. Mitra said at least 62 persons were arrested in connection with the incident, but most of them were not involved. Thumbs Up
TO Springboard Study Home for holding free classes on ‘how to handle the IIT/JEE’ by Prof K.S. Balaji, at 113 Park Street, on Saturday, from 11 am
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