Cong leader sets himself on fire

Jalandhar (PTI): Under the burden of huge debts, a local Congress leader allegedly committed self-immolation at his residence on Saturday.

Mela Ram, who had been depressed for some time because of his financial condition, doused his body with spirit and set himself on fire sustaining 80 per cent burn injuries, police said. He was rushed to the civil hospital where his condition was declared serious.

“My younger brother had borrowed some money but could not return it on time and the financier was continuously threatening my father,” the local block president’s elder son Naresh said.

He used to practise as a registered medical practitioner but had stopped two years ago after suffering a paralytic attack, Naresh said.

Ram’s self-immolation bid comes three days after another Congressman, Gopal Kashyap, set himself on fire in Patiala.

Cricket clash on campus

Aligarh (PTI): At least six students were injured in a clash on the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) campus, prompting authorities to deploy the Rapid Action Force.

Students from Bihar clashed with those from Ghazipur district of Uttar Pradesh during a friendly cricket match and engaged in brickbatting on Friday night, a senior university official said.

The injured students were admitted to the university hospital from where they have been discharged. The situation was brought under control on Friday night and normal classes were held on Saturday.

Akash tested

Balasore (PTI): India’s surface-to-air missile Akash was test-fired twice from the interim test range, 15 km from here, on Saturday, defence sources said.

The 5.6-metre missile, with a range of 25 km, was fired from a mobile launcher at 12.30 pm and again at 12.35 pm, targeting a moving object attached to a pilotless target aircraft.

Jawans die

Jammu (PTI): Two army jawans were killed when a gun, belonging to one of them, accidentally went off at Ikhni-Porakotla camp in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said.

Flag trouble

Nashik (PTI): A woman sarpanch from a backward class in Karwadi village of Nashik district, has alleged that she was prevented from hoisting the Tricolour on Republic Day for the second year running by a zilla parishad primary teacher. She has demanded stern action against him.

Inspired by the marital bond shared by railway minister Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi, a Mumbai-based software company has launched a free dating website, laloorabri.com.