Hidden cash puts Indians in net

Houston (PTI): Two Indian immigrants, staying in Houston, US, without legal documents, have been arrested for trying to courier $29,000 in cash in a package marked as ?clothing? to South Carolina.

The FBI has refused to reveal their names.

The investigation began after a clerk of UPS Courier in Mont Belvieu city suspected a customer who had paid $80 to ship a package overnight. The customer had appeared to be receiving instruction through his ear piece connected to a cellphone, Shalia Hampton said.

Minutes after he left, the UPS office received numerous inquiries over telephone wanting to know about the despatch time of the package and how to track it.

The same man appeared the next day with a similar package and the same inquiries followed again.

This time Hampton informed the headquarters which ordered her to inspect its contents. A layer of clothing was found there covering three boxes filled with $100 notes.

Police were alerted and the FBI came along. The police arrested the Indian and another person from his house.

A sniffer dog’s reactions on checking the package indicated that the cash might had been in contact with drugs or explosives, authorities said.

Watchtowers at Taj Mahal

New Delhi (PTI): Uttar Pradesh police, guarding the outer circle of Taj Mahal, have suggested setting up of watchtower and round-the-clock patrolling of the 17th century monument.

Apprehending a rocket or missile attack, the police have recommended five watchtowers on the Mehtab Bagh side and the southern gate of the monument, which cannot be approached by a vehicle.

Imrana case

Muzaffarnagar (PTI): A daughter-in-law of Ali Mohammed, accused in the Imrana case, has filed a defamation suit against the rape victim.

Munzara Begum has alleged that Imrana’s statement that she was raped by Mohammed, who is the father-in-law of both the women, was defamatory. The court will hear her statement on August 12.

Cheat engineer

Ghaziabad (PTI): A retired engineer who, posing as an MP was allegedly trying to extract Rs 73,000 against assurance of job, has been arrested. S.D. Sharma, who had assured one Mahendra Yadav of a job for his son in the railways, was picked up on Sunday.

Lifer’s remission

Chennai (PTI): Taking a humanitarian stand, Madras High Court has recommended remission of the life term awarded to a woman who killed her child under mental strain when her husband deserted her.

Kalady, the birthplace of Adi Sankara in Kerala, will host a kanakkadara yagna from August 17 to October 12. Thirty-two priests will chant non-stop 19 slokas by Adi Sankara.