Book fair notices

New Delhi, May 9: The Supreme Court today issued notices to the defence ministry and the Bengal government on an appeal against a bar on holding the Calcutta Book Fair at the Maidan.

The Publishers and Booksellers Guild — the organisers of the fair — had appealed against a Calcutta High Court order restraining it from using the Maidan grounds for the annual event.

AIIMS test

New Delhi (PTI): AIIMS on Friday postponed indefinitely interviews for senior resident doctors scheduled to be held from Saturday. “The new dates would be announced in course of time,” said an official statement released by the institute after P. Venugopal resumed charge as director.

Prank call

Singapore (AFP): A man of Indian origin who made a prank phone call to police about an absconding militant has been jailed for 12 weeks. Govindaraju Narayanasamy, 66, had told the police in a drunken state that Kastari, who had escaped from a local detention centre, had committed suicide.

Farmer killed

Akola (PTI): A farmer has been killed and three persons injured in a clash between two groups in Maharashtra’s Washim district. Nyamat Khan, 65, had taken a loan from a moneylender against the purchase document of his agricultural land. The clash took place when the moneylender allegedly refused to return the document after Khan repaid the loan.

Teen killed

New Delhi (PTI): A teenager was found battered to death in his south Delhi home on Friday. Police said the assailant, probably an acquaintance, had banged the head of Sanchit Sachdeva, 18, against the wall to kill him before fleeing with the family’s car and his mobile phone.

Coast vigil

Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu police have stepped up patrolling along the state’s coastline to prevent the entry of Sri Lankan militants in the guise of refugees following fresh fighting between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government. Over 21,000 people from the island nation entered India from January to March this year.