Babu leave blow to Bihar governor

Patna (PTI): Governor Buta Singh faced his biggest crisis since President?s rule was imposed in Bihar with chief secretary G.S. Kang going on an unspecified long leave on Friday and returning his official vehicle and telephones.

It is unclear whether Kang has given any reason for his decision in the letter he is believed to have written to Singh stating that he is going on leave, reports our special correspondent. However, sources in the secretariat said he was unhappy with the government’s decision to transfer 17 IPS officers late on Thursday evening.

Kang’s “strained relations” with Singh and his adviser, former chief secretary Arun Pathak, is also being cited as a possible reason. “I have proceeded on leave. The details can be verified from the governor’s offices,” said Kang.

RDX suspect in train blast

Lucknow: The blast that killed 10 passengers on the Shramjeevi Express could have been triggered by an RDX device, a preliminary probe has said, reports our special correspondent.

An explosion, possibly originating from the toilet, had ripped through an unreserved compartment of the Patna-Delhi train near Jaunpur in east Uttar Pradesh on Thursday.

A forensic team, which scoured the blasted compartment along with railway police officers and intelligence sleuths on Friday, found a timer device in the toilet. A container used to store the explosive was also found.

“We examined the spot and the damaged coach extensively. The possibility that the device could be RDX cannot be ruled out,” said Mahendra Pratap Singh, DIG, railways.

War on AIDS

Hyderabad: At the stroke of noon on Saturday, sirens will sound all over Andhra Pradesh where more than five lakh people are infected with HIV, says our special correspondent.

The drive against AIDS is part of the concluding ceremony of a month-long awareness programme, Aasha (Anti-AIDS Sustainable and Holistic Action).

Shepherds killed

Jammu: Suspected militants slit the throats of five shepherds in Rajouri district on Friday night after singling them out from a group. Karnail Singh, Dharm Singh, Swaran Singh, Ashok Singh and Shamsher Singh were dragged out of their makeshift huts and ?butchered?, residents of Dhar Sakri told police

Rapist husband

Rajkot (PTI): A man and his four friends allegedly kidnapped his estranged wife and gangraped her in Lodha village. The husband has been arrested

The Jammu and Kashmir government plans to train about 5,000 poor and educated youth in rural craft. The state is holding a trade fare to offer marketing facility to artisans.