Heat on Mumbai

New Delhi, Nov. 10: The Supreme Court today formally asked Maharashtra to defend allegations that it had failed to protect north Indians from violent attacks by Raj Thackeray’s party workers.

Raj’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena has been propagating the theory of Maharashtra for Marathis, prompting a series of attacks on north Indians in the state and retaliatory attacks on Marathis elsewhere. A bench issued notices on a petition — filed by trader Salek Chand Jain — drawing attention to the killings of four persons from north India. “Effective steps are not being taken by the state government to protect the life and liberty of north Indians residing there…” Jain’s lawyer Sugriv Dubey said.

Poll stick

Dewas: The Election Commission on Monday ordered the prosecution of a Madhya Pradesh minister for threatening a poll officer in Dewas’s Sonkatch constituency. Tourism minister Tukoji Rao Pawar was filmed hurling papers at officer Sanjana Jain. The state’s chief electoral officer has been asked to file the FIR.

Salman suit

Mumbai (PTI): Salman Khan moved court on Monday saying Rs 25 lakh was still due to him for acting in Chori Chori Chupke Chupke. The Bharat Shah film was allegedly funded by the underworld. The application will come up for hearing on November 20.

YSR chopper

Hyderabad (PTI): A new helicopter carrying Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy developed a technical snag mid-air on Sunday but did not disrupt the journey. The electrical fuse of the AW 139 chopper, on its maiden flight, popped out twice. The chief minister wasn’t informed of the problem. Experts said the snag could have been disastrous.

Bomb deaths

Kannur (PTI): Two alleged RSS activists were killed in an explosion while making bombs at Cheruvanchery in Kerala on Monday, police said. Pradeepan and Dileepan were making the bombs near a police station, the officers added.