Stalemate continues, strike enters 9th day
Employees to announce future action today

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 28: Working in all Government offices, hospitals, educational institutions and Civil Secretariat remained crippled on the ninth consecutive day due to Kaam Chhor Hartal of the Jammu and Kashmir Government Employees Joint Action Committee.......more

Taliban militia guarding the Indian hijacked plane.

Talks fail to make tangible progress
Hijackers demand release of 36 ultras, Rs 860 cr

NEW DELHI, Dec 28: Stepping up their pressure, the hijackers of the Indian Airlines plane today demanded release of Pakistani cleric Maulana Masood Azhar and 35 other hardcore Kashmiri militants besides 200 million dollars (about Rs 860 crore) in return for the 154 hostages they are holding in Kandahar for the fifth day as talks between them and Indian negotiators made no tangible progress.........more

Police detains dozen suspects
Sacrilegious act triggers tension in Janipura

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 28: A sacrilegious act was reported in Janipura Colony this morning triggering tension among the local people. Police suspected it to be an act of local miscreants to create communal tension in the area......more

BJP to keep contentious issues in abeyance

CHENNAI, Dec 28 : BJP today made it clear that it has not given up its agenda on contentious issues but decided to keep it in abeyance and abide by the agenda for governance drawn by the National Democratic Alliance. .............more

HM ultra nabbed in Banihal
Militants kidnap 2 youths in Doda

Excelsior Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, Dec 28: Police today arrested a militant from Banihal, who was instrumental in an unsucc-essful attempt on the lives of people returning after Friday prayers. Last evening, unidentified militants kidnapped two youths from Bhalla area of Doda.......more

Afghani—a battle hardened militant

NEW DELHI, Dec 28: Sajjad Afghani, whose body has been demanded by the hijackers of the Indian Airlines plane, was killed during an abortive jail-break attempt in Jammu earlier in June this year.....more

Arms recovered in Ramgarh

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 28: Border Police and JAK Rifles today recovered arms and explosives in a joint operation from village Kesho Manhasa under the jurisdiction of Ramgarh police station.........more

No ineptness at Amritsar : Singh

LUDHIANA, Dec 28: Former CBI Director Joginder Singh today dismissed as baseless allegations of ineptness in handling the situation leading to takeoff of the hijacked Indian Airlines plane from Amritsar.......more