Footwear fuels feud in prison

Hazaribagh: Three prisoners were severely injured in a clash on Chatra sub-jail premises on Thursday morning. According to sources, trouble started when a prisoner, Shailendra Kumar Singh, wore the slippers of another inmate, Pokhan Sao, on Wednesday night. This resulted in a heated exchange between the two. Soon, other prisoners joined the duo. Timely intervention by jail officials calmed down the prisoners.

However, the prisoners again got into a fight on Thursday morning. Before the jail officials could do anything, both sides attacked each other. Sources said Shailendra Singh, Niyaz Khan, Sahdev, Mister Mian, Tanvir Alam, Md. Saheed and Butan Mian threw bottles at their rival group injuring Ramu Yadav, Vishnudev Yadav and Shailendra Singh. They were treated inside the jail.

The prisoners later complained that MCC subzonal commander Niyaz Jee had triggered off the fight in the morning. Jail superintendent Jagdev Oraon dismissed the claim as baseless. Oraon added that the prisoners used medicine bottles to attack each other.

Chatra subdivisonal officer Vinay Bharti reached the jail soon after the incident. He spoke to the jail authorities and prisoners. Bharti said the situation was under control and there was no tension among prisoners over the issue.

2 die in accident

Hazaribagh: Two youths died and one sustained severe injures in an accident near Meru in Muffasil. According to po lice sources, Ram Kumar, Shankar Ram and Sanjay Soni were returning to their village on Wednesday when their motorcycle collided with a pole. Ram Kumar died on the spot.

The two injured remained unattended for hours till villagers informed the police. They were shifted to Ranchi subdivisional, where Shankar succumbed to injures. Sanjay is in a critical condition.

Boycott call

Giridih: The election commission is yet to declare the dates for the As sembly election, but the newly-formed banned outfit, Communist Party of India (Maoist), has issued an order to boycott the election in their respective stronghold areas, including Pirtand, Nimiaghat, Dumri, Jamua, Gawah and Tisri. Sources said the banned outfit is organising meetings and pasting posters to spread their anti-poll message. They also said the activities of MCC and PW, CPI (Maoist), have increased in the area.

Leader defects

Giridih: BJP leader and legislator Harihar Narayan Prabhakar joined the Loktantarik Janta party (LJP) in New Delhi on Wednesday. Prabhakar alleged that industry minister Ravindra Rai is the most corrupt minister in the state. Explaining his decision to leave the BJP, Prabhakar, who is also secretary of the state BJP unit, said: ?I had apprised senior party leaders of the corruption charges against the minister, but no action was taken in this regard.?

Cong meets EC

Ranchi: A Congress delegation met chief election commissioner T.S. Krishnamurthy in New Delhi on Thursday to complain against the Jharkhand government?s move to transfer 64 block development officers on the eve of Assembly elections. The delegation was led by Congress Working Committee member and Jharkhand affairs in-charge Harikesh

Bahadur, AICC secretary R.P.N. Singh, state Congress president Sushila Kerketta, Congress Legislative Party leader Rajendra Prasad Singh, Ranchi MP Subodh Kant Sahay and Rameshwar Oraon and Manikshankar. The delegation also urged the commission to instruct the state government to withdraw its decision.

Steel prize

Bokaro: A team of six experts, including former managing director of Bokaro Steel Plant Suresh Pandey, visited Bokaro Steel Limited to inspect the plant for the Prime Minister Trophy. The trophy is given to the best working plant every year. The other members of the team included former SAIL chairman S.R.Jain, director of Godrej and Boyce P.D.F Lom, former secretary to the Union government R.K. Dang and industrial advisor to the steel ministry S.S. Saha

.Bokaro Mahila Samiti celebrated its annual function at the Training and Development Centre auditorium recently with managing director of Bokaro Steel Plant U.P. Singh as chief guest. President of the organisation Manorama Singh said the samiti was was working for poor people.