Former minister dies

Patna: Former minister Shambhu Sharan Thakur died at a hospital in New Delhi on Sunday after protracted illness. He was 80. He is survived by his wife, three sons and four daughters. ingh was the jail minister in the Abdul Ghafoor-led Congress government from 1972-75 and had also served as the chairman of the Bihar State Housing Board. He had represented Kanti Assembly seat in Muzaffarpur twice in a row. His body would be brought here from New Delhi and taken to his residence at Muzaffarpur, where he would be cremated with full state honours.

Body found

Patna: A body of a married woman was found lying close to Bihta-Bikram Highway near Amhara village on Saturday. Danapur sub-divisional police officer Anil Kumar said it seemed the woman was murdered somewhere else and her body was abandoned near the highway to mislead the police. Everything would be clear after the autopsy report, which is awaited, he added.

Blankets

Patna: Blankets were donated among poor people at Kurji Church from the funds of Patnasahib MP Shatrughan Sinha on Sunday. The distribution took place under the guidance of Father Gregory Gomes. The event was co-ordinated by BJP representative Sanjay Rai.

Seizure

Gopalganj: Gopalganj agriculture department on Sunday seized 450 bags of fertilisers after conducting raids at the shops of two businessmen. The seizure included 435 bags of urea, 107 bags of DAP and 25 bags of potash. Two businessmen, Vidyanath Jaiswal and Guddu Jaiswal, from whose shops the fertilisers were seized, have been arrested.

Jail raid

Gopalganj: The district administration on Saturday raided Gopalganj jail and found three mobile phones, three chargers and as many batteries. Sub-divisional officer Rajiv Ranjan said the raid was conducted at 9am. The items were recovered from the ward of Asgar Ali and three wards of two other inmates.

Arrests

Gopalganj: Two persons were arrested on Sunday for illegally filling gas cylinders in the district.