City OC targeted

Calcutta, May 16: A mob allegedly stormed Ekbalpore police station late tonight.

Police sources said the group assaulted officer-in-charge M.A. Ahad. Deputy commissioner Mehbub Rahman said “they were about to assault Ahad when they were stopped”.

A source said the mob was led by a Trinamul leader of Ward No. 77. The leader had accused Ahad of misbehaving with his son when the youth had met the officer earlier in the day to request the release of a neighbour held in a petty case, the source added.

“The police had picked up several people for allegedly being involved in illegal satta business. The officer had misbehaved with the leader’s son and refused to release the neighbour,” the source said. No complaint has been registered so far.

IAF search

Chandigarh (PTI): The Air force has launched a search for a wing commander who has been declared a deserter. Shashank Shekhar, posted in Amritsar, was absent without leave and declared a deserter in December, 2011. He was picked from a Dehra Dun ashram on May 11 and put under the force’s custody at Ambala, from where he escaped two days later.

Indian tourists

Dubai (PTI): An Indian couple from Kerala, who had come on a visitor’s visa to the UAE and later entered Oman illegally, were arrested and deported to the Emirates, police have said.

Gulf shelters

New Delhi (PTI): The government has decided to set up shelter homes for Indian women in distress in 17 countries, most of which are in the labour-intensive Gulf region. Overseas Indian affairs minister Vayalar Ravi gave the information in the Lok Sabha.

US Indian

Washington (PTI): Indian-American scientist Arunava Majumdar will step down from a top post at the US energy department after the Senate did not confirm President Barack Obama’s proposal to elevate him as undersecretary. Majumdar, headed the department’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy. .