40 years ago September 26, 1986: CPI leader, cop shot dead

In a spurt of terrorist activity, Communist Party of India (CPI) national council member Darshan Singh ‘”Canadian” and a Punjab police head constable were shot dead even as military forces nabbed four extremists and recovered arms and ammunition from them in the past 24 hours in Punjab. Darshan Singh, three-time CPI legislator in Punjab and former secretary of the state snit of the CPI, was gunned down by two extremists while he was going on a cycle from Mahalpur to his native village Langeri in Hoshiarpur district.

Chinese intrusion confirmed

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Gegong Apang said the exact area occupied by the Chinese in Tawang district could not be ascertained so far but confirmed they had intruded into the Wangdung and Thundrong areas. He told the Assembly that defence forces in Tawang had been strengthened.

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Ruling on suicide attempts

The Bombay High Court held Section 309 of the IPC, which penalises an attempt to commit suicide, to be ultra vires of the Constitution. Justice P B Sawant and Justice B G Kolse Patil gave this ruling on a writ petition filed by Sulochana, wife of a mentally ill police constable, Maruti Shripati Dubal, who was being prosecuted before a metropolitan magistrate  on a charge of attempt to commit suicide.

Price of wheat

The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices is understood to have recommended Rs 165 per quintal as the government price of wheat for the 1987-88 rabi marketing season.