Dowry law

New Delhi, March 15 (PTI): The government plans to amend a criminal law that will allow compromise and settlement between a husband and wife at the onset of trial in dowry harassment cases. The move comes after frequent misuse of the provision to trouble men and their relatives.

Under the proposal, Section 498A of the IPC will be made a compoundable offence with the permission of courts. Now, the offence is non-compoundable and non-bailable, which provides for immediate arrest of the accused.

Bird-flu alert

Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh government has sounded a bird-flu alert following an outbreak of avian influenza in Amethi, where 350 birds, chickens and ducks died of a mystery disease on March 6-7, sources said.

Flower cost

New Delhi (PTI): Flower decorations at Vigyan Bhavan in the last two years cost Rs 2.29 crore, with various ministries hosting events at the government's premier convention centre footing the bill, an RTI reply has found. The convention centre is maintained by the central public works department.

ATM robbery

Jaipur (PTI): A gang of robbers broke open an ATM of a private bank in Jaipur and looted cash worth Rs 16 lakh on Sunday. The robbers used a gas-cutter to remove the front portion of the machine, police said. There was no guard when the robbery took place.

Indian post

New Delhi (PTI): Indian-American Renu Khator will head the US's most influential higher education association from Monday. Khator, chancellor of University of Houston System and president of University of Houston, has been named the chair of the American Council on Education.

Doctor term

Mumbai (PTI): A sessions court has sentenced a doctor to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment for raping a patient after drugging her. Nadeem Salim Shaikh allegedly blackmailed the victim by clicking her nude photos with his cellphone and forced her to have sex with him repeatedly.

Kerala Assembly

Thiruvananthapuram, March 15 (PTI): Some LDF legislators have been booked in connection with the violence in the Kerala Assembly on Friday.

A complaint lodged by the Assembly secretary said property worth Rs 5 lakh was destroyed when the ruling UDF and Opposition LDF MLAs came to blows over the budget presentation by minister K.M. Mani, facing charges in a bar bribery scam. Police today visited the legislature premises to collect evidence.

Leopard kills

Dehradun (PTI): A 17-year-old girl died after she was attacked by a leopard on the compound of the Forest Research Institute here. Shamiksha was talking on the phone when she was attacked.

Saif report

New Delhi (PTI): The home ministry in response to an RTI query said it has asked Mumbai police to expedite sending a report on the alleged brawl involving Saif Ali Khan in a restaurant. The RTI applicant has demanded that the actor be stripped of his Padma Shri.

Jumbo relief

Indore (PTI): Kamala Nehru Zoo authorities have decided to free two elephants that had been chained for nearly a decade and shift them to an open enclosure in accordance with a Madhya High Court order.