Briefly Nation

The death toll due to rain across Maharashtra over the weekend has risen to 24,while train services have been disrupted on the Konkan railway route due to landslides.

Rain kills 24 in Maharashtra

MUMBAI: The death toll due to rain across Maharashtra over the weekend has risen to 24,while train services have been disrupted on the Konkan railway route due to landslides. Nine persons have died in Thane district due to landslides,wall collapses and two were reported missing. In all,139 families had to be shifted. In Raigad,150 families were shifted as there were residing in landslide-prone areas. In Ratnagiri district,two persons were washed away. In Pune,eight persons have died and one person is missing following heavy rain.

Freshers attacked for resisting ragging

LUCKNOW: Two first-year commerce students of Shri Ram College in Muzaffarnagar district in UP were allegedly attacked by a group of seniors after they objected to ragging on Tuesday. The victims,who suffered serious injuries,were admitted to a private hospital in the city. Muzaffarnagar SP City K B Singh said the police visited the college on getting information about the incident and sent the victims for medical examination,but the boys had not yet lodged a complaint. The college administration,too,had not said if the incident was related to ragging,Singh said.

Dhowan Vice-Chief of Naval Staff

NEW DELHI: Outgoing Vice-Chief of Naval Staff Vice-Admiral D K Dewan will be replaced by Vice-Admiral Robin Dhowan. Dhowan,who was earlier the Deputy Chief of Naval Staff,has been replaced by Vice-Admiral Satish Soni. Dewan,who joined the Indian Navy 38 years ago,was promoted to Vice-Chief of Naval Staff in August 2009. To his credit goes 100-per cent utilisation of Naval budget in the past two fiscal years. He was also instrumental in promulgation of the 15-year maritime capability Perspective Plan 2012-2027.

Kochi again: AI plane tail tips runway

KOCHI: In another air incident at Kochi airport,the tail of an Abu Dhabi-bound Air India Express Boeing plane with 190 passengers on board tipped the runway and returned here after being airborne for 90 minutes.The two pilots of the Boeing 737-800 aircraft have been derostered following the incident,an AI spokesperson said Tuesday. The incident of Sunday came to light Tuesday and occurred hours before a Gulf Air flight from Bahrain skidded off the runway at Kochi airport Monday in which 137 passengers and a six-member crew had a narrow escape.

Attempt to murder: Cong MLA booked

HARIDWAR: Local Congress MLA Kunwar Pranav Singh allegedly shot at a hotel owner in Roorkee town on Monday after he expressed his inability to accomodate his relative,police said here. Pranav,however,denied the charge. Dhruv Singh,the victim,escaped unhurt in the incident,police said,adding a case has been filed against the MLA. The incident occurred when Pranav asked Dhruv to open another room in the hotel,where he was staying,for his relative,police said.

Drunk IPS officer taken off train

KOCHI: An IPS officer was taken into custody by railway police on Monday after he allegedly misbehaved with fellow passengers in an inebriated state inside an air-conditioned compartment of a Jan Shatabdi Express. DIG E J Jayraj,controller of Legal Meteorology department,was arrested and a case was lodged against him. He was medically examined and later released on bail,sources said. He had boarded the train on Monday at Thrissur and was on his way to Thiruvananthapuram,police said.