Orissa riot bail

Phulbani, July 5 (PTI): BJP leader and a prime accused in last year’s communal riots in Kandhamal, Manoj Pradhan, was released from jail here today.

He was granted conditional bail for 15 days yesterday to take oath as an MLA. Pradhan was arrested in October, 2008, on charges of murder, riot and arson.

Recruitment

New Delhi: The Centre has changed its recruitment method for constables in all paramilitary forces after scams were unearthed recently. No officer against whom departmental proceedings are pending will be associated with the recruitment. An officer against whom bungling charges in previous recruitments have been proved will not be associated either.

Krishna

Delhi (PTI): Foreign minister S.M. Krishna has said India is “very cautiously” and “responsibly” evaluating the conflicting signals from Pakistan on punishing the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks. India is waiting for its neighbour’s “visible and credible” actions against the perpetrators, he said.

Jumbo jam

Ooty (PTI): An elephant herd disrupted traffic on the Coonoor-Mettupalayam highway for three hours as the beasts feasted on jackfruits kept for sale on the roadside. Nilgiris district-collector Anandrao Vishnu Patil too got caught in the jam and scared shopkeepers downed shutters.

Explosions

Singrauli (PTI): At least eight persons were killed and 40 injured in blasts in two private factories manufacturing explosives used for coal mining in Singrauli in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday evening. Officials feared that at least 20 to 25 persons could be trapped in the debris.

Girls missing

Raipur (PTI): Around 3,000 girls have been reported missing in Chhattisgarh apparently because of illegal trafficking. According to police sources, 5,000 persons have been registered missing of whom 3,000 are girls. An NGO has claimed some placement agencies were luring girls with the promise of jobs.