Free doi poison

Calcutta, Sept. 28: Over 52 people took ill today after consuming mishti doi from a sweet shop in Khardah, North 24-Parganas.

The shop on Khardah Station Road, about 20 km from the city, was inaugurated this morning and offered free doi with every purchase. Those who consumed it complained of nausea, giddiness and vomiting by afternoon. Two of those ill were admitted to Infectious Diseases Hospital in Beleghata while 27 others to a hospital in Baranagar.

Defence

Calcutta: Defence minister Pranab Mukherjee said Bengal may develop as a preferred destination for defence-related industry. ?I have spoken to officials from (the) Defence Research Development Organisation about the prospects of the state. It could become a hub for research and manufacture of defence equipment,? Mukherjee said at the annual general meeting of the Bharat Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He added that professors from various science colleges in the state have sent him proposals for research in defence equipment and he would consider them.

Girls rescued

Calcutta: Kanika Mondal and Susmita, her first-year BA classmate in Basanti, South 24-Parganas, 80 km from here, were recently rescued by Delhi police from a brothel there. The girls, who were lured with the promise of jobs by a youth, Madhusudan Makal, returned home on Monday and revealed that several girls from the district were in the brothel.

Rice racket

Burdwan: Five CPM activists, including two local committee members, were attacked on Tuesday evening by residents of Goligram village who alleged connivance with pilferers of rice meant for people below poverty line. They caught the manager of Galsi Krishi Unnayan Samiti, 160 km from Calcutta, when he was allegedly trying to smuggle rice for the poor.