Hunger death

Malda, Jan. 5: A woman who was apparently starving for several days on an island on the Ganga here has died.

Nekia Chowdhury, 42, was among many living without two meals a day on Naranpur Char, around 40 km from here. Block development officer Sandip Nag admitted that Nekia died of starvation and added that relief has been sent for 500 families which fish for a living.

Boy killed

Suri: Ten-year-old Akshay Das was found hanging in his house here, about 230 km from Calcutta, on Thursday. Police said Akshay’s mother, a domestic help, and father, a house painter, were away and he “could have hanged himself accidentally” while playing with a towel.