Friday, February 19, 2010

Five insurgents killed in Manipur encounter

Five suspected insurgents of People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) were killed in an encounter with Assam Rifles personnel in Manipur's Ukhrul district on Thursday, official reports said.

Security personnel of 12th Assam Rifles were attacked when they were patrolling Tarong village, 45 km from here, this morning.

In the ensuing encounter, five insurgents were killed, the reports said.

Three 9mm pistols, two AK 47 rifles and some rounds of ammunition were recovered from the spot.

The bodies have been sent to Regional Institute of Medical Science and Hospital here for post mortem.

Over 15 persons have been killed in militancy-related incidents this year in Manipur.

School textbook depicts Jesus with cigarette and beer

A Delhi-based publisher has landed in a controversy after some textbooks published by it carried a picture of Jesus Christ holding a cigarette in one hand and a beer can on the other.

Authorities of a convent school in Shillong, where the cursive writing book was supplied among the students of Class I to IV, on Thursday filed an FIR against Skyline Publication.

The police today seized 30 such books and the authorities of the St Joseph Girls Higher Secondary School asked the students to return the remaining.

The headmistress of the school Sister M Thaddeus Syiemiong told PTI, "It came to our notice only a few days back. We have asked the students to return the textbooks."

The cursive writing book meant for Class I is a spelling tutor. The Christ has been depicted with a cigarette and a beer against the alphabet 'I' in the book.

The picture is also printed in other cursive writing books of Class II, III and IV.

Church leaders and officials of the education department visited the school this morning and took sample copies of the textbook.