MELUR:In a swift action police on Tuesday arrested 15 persons in connection with the gruesome murder of the Melavalavu panchayat president, vice-president and four others at Chennagarampatti near here. Security had been beefed up in the sensitive areas of Madurai and Theni districts, to prevent any clash. Earlier in the morning, police brought the bodies after post-mortem and handed them to the relatives. Later the funeral of the victims was held.New foreign secy assumes chargeNEW DELH: K Raghunath yesterday took over as foreign secretary from Salman Haider, who has retired after a distinguished career. Haider, who was on one year's extension, has not been given any assignment so far. Raghunath, a 1962 batch IFS officer, hitherto secretary (west) in the Ministry of External Affairs, has served in various capacities including as India's ambassador to Bangladesh.Close shave for Alliance Air travellersBHOPAL: Passengers of an Alliance Air flight CD-434 to New Delhi had a miraculous escape on Tuesday when their plane was hit by a bird on the runway of the Bairagarh airport here before take-off.The passengers on board included some Madhya Pradesh ministers and senior government officials. The flight on the Mumbai-Indore-Bhopal-New Delhi sector was cancelled following the incident, airlines sources said.Orissa civic polls on July 11BHUBANESHWAR: Even as preparations for holding the municipal elections in Orissa on July 11 were nearing completion, a controversy has erupted over the decision of majority of non-Congress candidates in the fray to withdraw their nomination papers in favour of ruling Congress nominees in Aska and Kabisuryanagar notified area councils in Ganjam district.
