Railway line cost

Bhubaneswar: The state government on Friday intimated the Centre that it would bear 50 per cent cost for construction of the 177km railway line connecting from Balangir and Dasapalla, a part of Balangir-Khurda railway line. The state government has also decided to provide land to the railway free of cost for the construction of the railway line. In case the land required for the project is a private one, the government would buy and deliver it to the railway. Construction work for the 289km Balangir-Khurda railway line is yet to start.

Visit

Bhubaneswar: Chief secretary Jugal Kishore Mohapatra and director general of police Prakash Mishra on Friday visited Maoist-hit Malkangiri district. This visit assumes significance in view of the growing rebel activities in the region. Sources said they would also discuss the issue of Gurupriya bridge connected with the cut-off areas.

Man dead

Balangir: One person died and two others were seriously injured in a road accident at Chhatamakhana village on the outskirt of Balangir in the early hours on Friday. The deceased has been identified as Suru Karali, 30, of Putputpali in Bargarh district. Police sources said that the accident occurred when a pickup van carrying three persons returning from a wedding in Hirakud rammed into a stationary private bus that had broken down on the road. The injured have been admitted at the district headquarters hospital here.

Protest

Jajpur: Local residents gheraoed Kalinga Nagar police station in the district for over two hours demanding handing over of an accused in connection with the death of an eight-year-old girl at Rangahudi village. The girl’s father Pradip Mohanta in his complaint said his daughter had been to the house of Sanjaya Mohanta, 16, on Thursday night. But she did not return home and later was found dead in a nearby jungle on Friday morning. Sanjaya absconded from the village, raising suspicion. Subsequently he was picked up by the police.

Recital

Rourkela: The three-day Spic Macay state convention began at the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, from Friday. Grammy winner musician Vishwamohan Bhatt performed on the inaugural day.