Briefly Nation

Sopore again,man shot dead

SRINAGAR: Three days after a businessman was shot dead in Sopore by unidentified gunmen,another civilian was killed on Wednesday the sixth such killing in the town this year. Mohammad Ashraf Dar,who worked at a saw mill,was shot by unidentified gunmen. On Wednesday night,Dar received a call and moved out of his house while talking to the unidentified caller. His bullet-ridden body was recovered in the morning. Police suspect he was killed by Lashkar-e-Toiba militants. SP Altaf Ahmad Khan said,We have started investigations. We have asked for Dars call records to check who killed him.

Alagiri aide detained under Goondas Act

MADURAI: A close associate of Union minister M K Alagiri was detained Thursday under the Goondas Act,following a series of complaints of extortion,criminal intimidation and robbery,police said. Attack Pandi,who is already in prison for a land-grabbing case,is the second associate of Alagiri to be detained under the Act,after Pottu Suresh,who has been booked for land-grabbing. Pandi is also an accused in the Dinakaran newspaper office attack case,which left three persons dead,the police added.

Will never agree to temple takeover

NEW DELHI: Amid ongoing litigation over control of Keralas Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple,CM Oommen Chandy on Thursday said he was not in favour of the state taking over the shrine or any other place of worship. The statement comes after the Kerala High Court ordered the state to take over the temples control,assets and management. Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple is the proud symbol of Keralas rich culture and tradition. It is the duty of the government to protect it by providing adequate security. We will protect it at any cost, Chandy said.

2 pilgrims die of heart attack in Jamp;K

JAMMU: Two pilgrims enroute to the cave shrine of Mata Vaishnodevi died due to heart attacks in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir,police said on Thursday. B V Babu from New Delhi and Narayan Ahoja from Bihar had a heart attack during their pilgrimage in Katra belt of the district Wednesday night,they said. The two died in the hospital,the police added.

Mizoram ministers,MLAs get pay hike

Aizawl: Ministers and legislators in Mizoram will get a fatter pay packet from August 1. The Assembly on Thursday passed bills enhancing their salaries and perks by more than 100 percent. The chief minister8217;s salary and perks was raised from Rs 25,500 to Rs 70,000 a month and that of ministers from Rs 23,500 to Rs 63,000. The Speaker,the deputy Speaker,ministers of state,parliamentary secretaries and the deputy government chief whip,and legislators will also get enhanced pay and perks.