Constable axed

Bhubaneswar:  Deputy commissioner of police Satyabrata Bhoi on Wednesday suspended constable Shankar Behera on the charge of giving a mobile phone to arrested Artha Tatwa chit fund firm chief Pradeep Sethy at the SCB Medical College Hospital, Cuttack, during his treatment recently.

Oscar remand

Cuttack: The special designated court here on Wednesday allowed the Gujarat police to take on remand Pravas Chandra Rout, chairman of Oscar Group of Companies, along with co-accused Muna Patra for nine days for investigation in connection with a case involving alleged fraud by way of deposit collection from the public.

Open varsity

Sambalpur: A centre will be opened by Odisha State Open University (OSOU), Sambalpur, at Khallikote Cluster University here to help students pursue BEd in the open learning mode. “We have given our consent to the proposal to open a centre at our university," Khallikote Cluster University vice-chancellor Manmath Padhy said. At first, the Open University is likely to offer 50 seats in the open learning mode from this year, he said.

Bombs hurled

Berhampur: Unidentified persons hurled bombs at Sriramnagar of Berhampur in Ganjam district, injuring a person on Wednesday. Sources said that six persons on two-wheelers hurled two bombs in the crowded marketplace of Sriramnagar and immediately fled the spot. While one of the bombs exploded, the other did not. In the explosion, a youth Babu Panda was seriously injured, sources said. 

Hirakud waters 

Sambalpur: The second phase of floodwaters from Hirakud reservoir were released on Wednesday. As of now, water is being discharged through two sluice gates. The authorities said the water level in the reservoir now stood at 625.85 feet.

No-trust motion

Jajpur: A no-confidence motion against the chairperson of Vyas Nagar municipality was rejected on Wednesday in absence of the required number of councillors. The no-trust motion against the BJD civic chief, Sabita Rout, was brought by the Congress. 

Bridge protest

Berhampur: Chilika Matsayajibi Mahasangha has strongly opposed the proposed constriction of a four-km long bridge over the Chilika lagoon, which would be the longest bridge of Odisha after the Mahanadi bridge in Cuttack district. The fishermen alleged that if a four-km long national highway and bridge were constructed over the lake, it would have an adverse impact on natural functions, diversity and evolutionary process in the biosphere of the lagoon. 

Student drowns

Jajpur: A Class IX student drowned in Kharasrota river near Mirzapur ghat during the immersion ceremony of a Ganesh idol in Jajpur district on Wednesday. The deceased was identified as Soumyajit Nath, a student of Madhuban High School in Kuakhia police limits.