In brief

Counselling,yoga centres at IIT-K
Kanpur: The IIT-Kanpur has set up counselling and yoga centres on the campus to help students cope with stress,which,at times,leads them to contemplate suicide. “Two psychiatrists have also been appointed to counsel those experiencing stress,” said IIT-K Registrar Sanjeev Kashalkar. Seven IIT-K students have committed suicide in the last five years,he added.

BSP’s Kureel elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha
BSP candidate Pramod Kureel was declared elected unopposed in the by-election to the lone seat of Rajya Sabha from UP on Thursday. Returning Officer and Principal Secretary of Assembly Pradeep Kumar Dubey handed over the election certificate to Kureel after the expiry of the time of withdrawal of the nomination papers at 3 pm. The by-election had to be conducted after the sitting Samajwadi Party member,Virendra Bhatia,died on May 24. With the election of Kureel,BSP’s strength in the Rajya Sabha has risen to 18.

Blood collection vans flagged off
State Health Minister Anant Kumar Mishra flagged off 21 blood transportation vehicles to collect blood from remote areas. The vehicles will be stationed at 21 district hospitals and medical colleges. Each of these vans contains four freezers,each having a capacity to hold 300 units of blood. The total cost of all the vans is Rs 2 crore

Red Ribbon Express to arrive next week
The Red Ribbon Express will enter the state on July 17 through Sonbhadra district. The train will display the important achievements of the Health department and the National Rural Health Mission.

Newlyweds seek police protection
Muzaffarnagar: A newlywed couple,who eloped and got married against the wishes of their parents,sought police protection on Thursday after the girl’s brothers allegedly threatened to kill them. Deem Mohammad (25) and Afsana (22),both residents of Khatoli town,had eloped following stiff opposition to their relationship from their families.

They got married on July 6. Afsana,in her complaint to Muzaffarnagar SP,has alleged that her two brothers have threatened to kill them if she does not return home,said police.

STF arrests gangster in Ghaziabad
The Agra unit of the state STF arrested a gangster from Ghaziabad district’s Sihanigate area on Thursday. Tejbir alias Teja was wanted in a case of murder that took place in Aligarh district in March 2008 and carried a reward of Rs 30,000 on his head.

Following a tip-off,the STF team,led by Inspector Bijendra Singh Tyagi,laid a trap and arrested Tejbir. Teja,a native of Pali Mukeempur area of Aligarh district,had 10 cases registered at five police stations of Bulandshahr,two in Aligarh and one each in Hathras,Gonda and Delhi.