Handloom boost

Bhubaneswar: The National Handloom Day will be observed on August 7 in the city, said handlooms, handicrafts and textiles minister Snehangini Chhuria here on Monday. Chhuria said the weavers’ co-operative societies that had registered record production and sales in the past 75 years would be felicitated at the function to be held at Jayadev Bhavan. She said an expo would be organised, displaying handloom products produced by national award winning weavers. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik will be the chief guest.

Population

Bhubaneswar: Nuapada, Malkangiri and Gajapati districts were on Monday awarded for family planning performance on sterilisation operation during 2015-16. State health and family welfare minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak gave away the award at a function to observe World Population Day here on Monday. Moreover, Koraput, Rayagada and Malkangiri districts were awarded for best performance in conducting vasectomy. 

Black flags

Balasore: Health and family welfare minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak was shown black flags by the district BJP unit while he was on a visit to the district to attend a planning committee meeting. The BJP workers showed black flags to the minister while he was boarding his car after attending the meeting. 

Pappu plea

Bhubaneswar: Khurda District and Sessions Judge Court on Monday rejected the bail pleas of actor Papu Pom Pom and his aide Pradipta Swain alias Gitu. Reacting to the verdict, the counsel for Papu and Gitu, Ashok Kumar Routray, said he would study the judgment before deciding on the next course of action. 

“The court did not entertain the parents of the victim in the case. However, it has rejected the bail petition. We will try for bail again. We have not yet received the certified copy of the judgment and hence don’t know the basis on which the court has rejected the bail. Necessary steps will be taken once we get the report.”   

Gunpoint loot

Jajpur: Four motorcycle-borne youths looted cash worth over Rs 8 lakh at gunpoint from the employee of a petrol pump located at Dakbunglow Chhak on the outskirts of Kalinga Nagar industrial complex in the district here on Monday. The employee, identified as Utsav Charan Sahu alias Bhalu, has suffered head injuries following the attack, police said.

Two die 

Bhubaneswar: Two persons died of suffocation at Patramunda Temporary Nursery on Monday. According to sources, the two watchmen were choked to death while sleeping in a house. The cause of suffocation was smoke coming out from a generator.