Biggest fighter drill takes off with US

New Delhi (PTI): India and the US on Monday began a 10-day joint air exercise over the Gwalior skies in the biggest-ever fighter manoeuvres. The combat exercise has been codenamed Cope India 04.

The Pacific Command of the US Air Force will pit its F-15c air superiority fighters against the Indian Air Force’s MiG-21, MiG-29 and Sukhoi-30 fighters as well as the Gwalior-based Mirage 2000 fighter. The forces will conduct exercises in simulated-beyond-visual-range combat, high-value asset protection and a number of low and high-altitude combat missions.

The US Pacific Command team flew in with its planes in two giant C-5 galaxy transport aircraft for the exercises which will be witnessed by air force chief S. Krishnaswamy and the IAF top brass.

The IAF was keen to match its formidable frontline fighter fleet with the USAF F-16 fighting Falcons. However, the USAF sent in the F-15c, dubbed Flying Eagles.

This is the second joint exercise being conducted by the IAF, which held manoeuvres with the French air force’s upgraded Mirage 2000-5 last year at the same air base.

Raveena to wed on Sunday

Udaipur (PTI): Preparations are on for actress Raveena Tandon’s wedding with film distributor Anil Thadani here on Sunday.

An array of cine stars, including Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Govinda, will attend the marriage ceremony. Also present will be Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje, liquor baron Vijay Malya and Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh.

The bride’s brother Rajiv Tandon and his wife Raakhi said it would be a traditional Punjabi wedding with the actress’s father performing the “kanyadaan”.

Tourism link to monk visit

Singapore (AFP): Twenty-four Buddhist monks will accompany Singaporean trade minister George Yeo to India this week on a trip aimed partly at building spiritual tourism links between the countries.

The monks, who will travel separately on a chartered flight, will meet Yeo for a dedication ceremony at the Unesco World Heritage-listed Mahabodhi temple on Thursday. Yeo will arrive the previous day and attend the international conclave on Buddhism and spiritual tourism.

Trader killed

Purnea (PTI): A businessman was murdered while another looted of over Rs 2 lakh on Sunday. Unidentified criminals entered the house of Gajendra Sahu on Sunday night and took him away at gunpoint after looting his house. Later, they killed Sahu. In another incident, criminals looted over Rs 2 lakh from Amolak Sanchayati.

Cops in custody

Nashik (PTI): Thirty-five policemen of Nashik Road Central Jail have been arrested for allegedly beating up locals during a search. The cops, while searching for an absconding prisoner in Shramik Nagar on Saturday night, allegedly beat up some locals.

Wife killed

Ahmedabad (PTI): A woman was allegedly stabbed to death here in the wee hours of Monday. Monica Darji was stabbed in the stomach with a sharp object and her wrists slashed. The main suspect is her husband, police said.

Girl burnt alive

Jaisalmer (PTI): A six-year-old girl was burnt alive when the hut in which she was sleeping caught fire. She was in the hut with her two brothers, who escaped when the hut started burning.

Missing infant

Amravati (PTI): An infant was kidnapped from a hospital here a day after its birth. The boy, born to Shabana Parvin Abdul Firoz, went missing on Sunday. Shabana was admitted to the hospital on Saturday and gave birth that very day. On Sunday, a woman came to the ward, and after introducing herself to the nurse took the child away saying, she was taking him for vaccination.

An 18th century water supply system that was made during the time of the Peshwas has been discovered in Pune. The municipality has told a committee to see if the system can be used once again .